#and today we were back at woke up after less than five and a half hours of sleep could not get back to it

[hannieehaee]

18+ / mdi

content: newrelationship!jeonghan, very soft, afab reader, fluff, smut, penetrative sex, etc.

wc: 1276

a/n: im in love with him if that wasnt clear already

masterlist

it had only been two weeks since jeonghan had finally made you his.

he had pined after you for a bit, not fully realizing the extent of his feelings for you until a month prior, when he decided he just had to have you and decided to act accordingly, sweeping you off your feet soon after.

you were the prettiest, most perfect thing he had ever had. your relationship was brand new, which made everything even sweeter. he couldn't get enough of you, or you of him.

today had been the first night you spent over at his place, having fallen asleep on his couch halfway through the movie without realizing. he didn't have the heart to wake you up, being too enamored by the sight of your adorable form curled up against the couch, folded like a ball due to the cold. upon realizing your state, he had covered you up with a blanket, allowing you some warmth while he left to prepare you a tea for whenever you woke up. when he came back a few minutes later, he found you disoriented, barely processing the time. it wasnt that late yet, but he still insisted you stay since you seemed so exhausted. after five minutes of jeonghan whining at you to stay, you agreed, also accepting the shirt and sweats he gave you to wear to sleep.

his intentions had been completely pure, only wanting to hold you through the night, guaranteeing himself the soundest sleep he had ever had. and he had been right, as he had never known comfort such as the one he found tangled with you under his covers.

waking up had also been an experience, falling for you all over again upon seeing the softness of your expression as you rested. he decided, once again, not to wake you and fell back asleep in your arms.

a few hours later, you woke up, not offering him the same courtesy and softly waking him up.

"hannie? hannie, wake up."

"hmm?", he was half asleep as he responded, but your soft voice had immediately sitting up, putting his attention on you.

suddenly, you weee very shy, halfway hiding under your blanket, "i stayed over ..."

"yeah, baby, i know," he chuckled, "we went through this, remember?"

"isnt it too soon?"

"hmm. no," he went to hold you in his arms, "been wanting to keep you to myself for a while now," he kissed at your cheek as he said this, drinking in your adorable giggles at his affection, "now come with me so we can make some breakfast, yeah?"

it was easy for you to agree with him, now getting up and heading to his kitchen, where he allowed you to take charge due to his less than favorable cooking skills, claiming he'd help you out and follow your every order. in usual jeonghan fashion, that had been a lie. the man was simply too affectionate for his (and your) own good, simply opting for hugging you from behind as you made some eggs to satiate the both of you.

his touches had been completely innocent in nature, only giving you a few pecks on your cheeks as he held onto you. he got a bit more daring soon after, however, now deciding to reach uncharted waters and begin leaving breathy kisses along your neck.

you seemed to not be in disagreement, even tilting your neck so he could have more room to kiss you. you couldnt help yourself in the soft moans you let out the moment he began to lick and suck at your neck. those pretty moans were all he needed to let his hands begin to wander across your torso, sneaking his hands under his your shirt as he rubbed them up and down your stomach, almost daring to touch your breasts before asking for confirmation as to whether or not it was okay for him to do so.

"can i, angel?"

"mhm ... anything you want, hannie ..."

"oh? anything?" he smirked against your neck, finding a spot that had you mewling at his touch before finally allowing his hands to find home on your breasts, not taking long to begin pinching at your nipples and feeling you up.

"uh-huh ..." unknowingly, you sensually pushed your ass back against him, making him moan out before beginning a slow grind against you, feeling gratification at your mutual humping.

"oh, baby ... my pretty girl. so sweet for me ..." he loved how soft and pliant you were; how just a few light touches had you losing all inhibitions and entertaining his want for you.

"can i have it, baby? will you let me take care of you?", he asked after a few moments of dry humping, realizing you were growing restless in his arms.

"hannie ... please ..." he didn't need further confirmation to turn you around in his arms, immediately going for your lips as he kissed you sensually, his tongue dancing with your as you moaned at the simple pleasure of his kiss.

he was now grinding against your front, making you whine against his lips, mewling his name in the softest gasps he had ever heard. you truly were the prettiest thing he had ever held in his arms. he wanted you more than anything. he only allowed himself the pleasure of your cries at the bare minimum of pleasure that dry humping was giving you for a few moments, soon opting to finally enter your warmth.

he asked you for permission before doing it, despite knowing you'd respond with enthusiastic consent. he just wanted to hear how badly you wanted him back. after a cry of 'yes. please, hannie!' that had his eyes rolling back at how precious you were, he finally plunged inside you, holding one of your legs up and wrapping it around his waist.

he ground against you in slow and calculated movements, immediately hitting at that spot that had you throwing your head back.

"my beautiful girl ... is that it? that's the spot, angel?", he didn't wait for a response, only ramming harder against you to elicit even louder moans out of you.

"h-hannie ..."

"i know, angel, i know. feels so good, huh? prettiest thing ... you take it so good, fuck. my gorgeous girl. wanted you for so long now. cant believe i have you," he adored the effect he had on you, groaning at the way you tightened around him every time he praised you or told you how into you he was.

"gonna cum for me, angel? gonna give it to me? yeah? wanna feel you, baby."

you didn't need any convincing to cum while in his arms, and neither did he, quickly pulling out to cum into the sink that had been right next to you, cringing at the thought of having to disinfect it, but having had to improvise in the moment.

"hannie, ew ... the sink?"

"yah! this is your fault! seducing me in the kitchen ..."

"me?! i was just making breakfast!"

"yeah! in my clothes? looking so pretty and fuckable? you knew what you were doing. it's okay, angel. i understand. i wouldve seduced you sooner or later anyways."

you rolled your eyes at his gremlin laugh, jokingly pushing him away when he approached you with dampened paper towels to clean you up a bit, then dragging your sweats back up.

"the eggs got burnt," you pouted at him, interrupting him from the kiss he was about to give you.

"angel, i dont care about some stupid eggs. let me kiss you, yeah?"

"oka– "

he hummed against your lips, enjoying the sweetness of your kiss. he could totally see himself enjoying this every morning from now on.

[kiarastromboli]

𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧:

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐨 𝐱 𝐲/𝐧

⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱

⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱

𝕄𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥

𝕎𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘: jealous!reader, stalker!Matt, just a bit suggestive 🤏🏼

𝕊𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕪: Y/N will meet Sarah, who doesn't seem to particularly please her, and after spending the morning waiting for him, our two main characters will finally be able to enjoy their dates together.

ℕ𝕠𝕥𝕖: I know the really spicy part takes time to arrive, but don't worry, it's coming soon.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏, 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐.

⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝟑:

Here we are, Saturday.

This morning when I woke up, I was in high spirits. I was going to spend my day with her, well, at least half of my day, given that I still had to work this morning.

Last night, I had a lot of trouble falling asleep; I couldn't stop thinking about today and how it would go. I was apprehensive, expecting both the best and the worst, but I really didn't know what to expect. Even though she had made advances, Caleb, her so-called friend, had clearly hinted that he also wanted the place I coveted.

So naturally, I spent my night on social media trying to find Caleb's accounts to learn more about him. And to be honest, it wasn't very difficult to find.

"Caleb_the.1, seriously?" I thought when I found his Instagram account. This guy was so self-centered it almost made me want to vomit.

His bio consisted of bro-ish phrases to show that he was an alpha athlete above the others, it was ridiculous to the point of being laughable. How can you hang out with this kind of guy, y/n? Seriously, aren't you ashamed?

Scrolling through his profile, I found about fifteen shirtless photos of him, of course, it goes without saying. And honestly, it's not very prudent of him to expose his life so much on social media. In less than five minutes, I knew which gyms he frequented, his favorite restaurants, and all the places he liked to go daily, giving me the opportunity to learn a little more about him.

But for now, he'll have to wait. My priority is y/n, and I'll deal with his case after our appointment.

"You're late!" Sarah said to me when I arrived at the bookstore.

"Sorry, traffic was jammed this morning," I lied. I didn't have an excuse; I was late only because I spent an extra 20 minutes scrolling through Caleb's profile this morning to learn more.

"Matt, since when does traffic matter to you when you're on your bike??" she said, confused.

"It's none of your business, Sarah, stop asking me questions," I said, shaking my head.

"Yeah, you're lucky I'm your friend; otherwise, I would've fired you!" she said before turning around and going back to her tasks.

It's true; I'm lucky to have a friend like Sarah. I probably don't think enough about thanking her.

I went back to my post and continued my morning, chatting a bit with her; there weren't many customers today.

"Matt, you're lying; you're not going to tell me you've never thought about that before!" Sarah said, shocked that I've never had any weird fantasies about a celebrity.

"No, never, and I find it weird that you were obsessed with Zac Efron until the end of high school!" I said, laughing.

"First of all, I wasn't obsessed! I just had a little crush on him, and secondly, everyone had a crush on that guy back then!" she said, justifying herself.

Meanwhile, I hadn't noticed, but someone had entered the shop at that moment.

"Yeah, in middle school, Sarah, not in high school!" I replied, laughing.

"Screw you, Matty!" she said, chuckling and giving me a light push.

We were interrupted by the voice of a newcomer behind us.

"Hey," she said, her voice a bit sharp.

I immediately turned around, recognizing y/n's voice.

But something was different; her voice wasn't as gentle as usual, and I couldn't see her usual smile.

"Oh, hi, y/n," I replied, smiling.

"Um, this is Sarah, my colleague. I didn't know you'd come so soon," I said, scratching my neck.

"Hi," Sarah said, smiling and extending her hand.

"I've got my hands full, sorry," y/n said to Sarah, giving her some sort of fake smile.

"Yeah, I thought I'd come a little earlier to bring you some coffee," y/n said, turning to me.

"Oh, um, thanks, you didn't have to," I said timidly.

"No, of course, I insist. It's the least I can do after you gave me a ride home last time!" she said, casting a fleeting glance at Sarah.

I'm not sure what game she's playing, but I don't get the feeling she likes Sarah too much.

"Yeah, well, I'll leave you guys. I still have a lot of work. Matt, don't linger too long; we still have to do inventory," Sarah said before leaving us.

A brief silence ensued before I decided to speak.

"It's really nice of you to get the coffee, y/n," I said, smiling.

"It's nothing, I got you a decaf," she said, handing me my coffee.

"Wow, wait, this is my favorite. How did you know—" I started to say before she cut me off.

"Just lucky, I guess," she said, smiling.

Maybe this girl knows me a little better than I thought. I thought I was harder to read than that.

"Well, thank you very much. I finish in 2 hours. If you want, you can browse the bookstore while you wait for me," I said.

"That works out perfectly; I was in the mood to read today," she said, smiling before heading off to explore the bookstore.

It was nice working with her around. We exchanged little glances, and most of the time, she would smile at me.

Honestly, I could get used to working under these conditions.

"Matt, focus. I don't mind you having your friends over here, but I can't handle the customers and inventory all by myself!" Sarah said, getting annoyed, interrupting yet another exchange of glances with y/n.

"Sorry, if you want, I'll take care of the inventory and close the shop today," I said, trying to make amends.

"Okay, but hurry up. We have 45 minutes left before closing, and there's still a stack of books in the back room," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, ma'am," I said, smiling, and she couldn't help but smile back before I went to do what I needed to do in the back room.

POV of Sarah:

I watched Matt walk into the back room, smiling and shaking my head. How could I stay mad at him after all?

Anyway, I headed back to the counter to tidy up the things lying around when I noticed Matt's friend heading towards the back room.

"Hey, sorry, but you can't go in there," I said, stopping her in her tracks and pointing to the sign on the door that specified "Employees Only."

She stopped and turned to face me.

"Sasha, right?" she said, crossing her arms.

"It's Sarah," I replied.

"Yeah, whatever, Sarah. Have you had feelings for Matt for a long time?" she asked, catching me off guard.

"W-what?" I said, furrowing my brows.

"Let's not play this little game, please. It's not going to work with me. You and I both know you have a huge crush on him, and frankly, it's pathetic. You can see he's not interested in you, so I suggest you keep your distance and let those who actually have a chance take theirs," she said, staring me in the eyes.

I didn't even know how to respond. I couldn't deny it; everything she had just said was true. But there were much better ways to say it.

There was something off about this girl. She had this threatening air about her towards me when I hadn't done anything to her.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go join Matt," she said, before striding off and pushing through the door without giving me a chance to say anything.

Back to Matt's POV:

I heard the door open, thinking it was Sarah coming to say goodbye.

"What, already? It's closing time, and I haven't finished the inventory yet!" I said before seeing y/n appear.

"Oh, it's you," I said, a bit surprised because she had no reason to be here.

"Yeah, I asked Sarah if I could come give you a hand," she said, smiling.

"And she said yes?" I asked, surprised because Sarah is usually strict about the rules, so it would have been strange for her to let y/n in without any objections.

She paused for a moment as if she was taking time to think before answering me.

"No," she said, chuckling, "I waited for her to turn her back before sneaking in here," she confessed, and I laughed.

"I feel like you're going to get me into trouble," I said, smiling.

"Come on, it's not like I'm going to steal any books. Plus, I think it's stupid to restrict access; it's just a back room," she said, rolling her eyes.

"And honestly, I find your colleague rather annoying," she said before covering her mouth.

"Sorry, I spoke before thinking," she said, embarrassed, and I chuckled at her action.

I couldn't help but find it cute.

"Firstly, access is restricted because there are some pretty old books here, the kind that should absolutely not be touched unless you're a professional," I began to explain.

"And secondly, yes, Sarah can be annoying, I'll give you that, but she can also be really nice. I'm sure you'd get along great with her," I said, continuing to do the inventory.

"We'll see about that later. For now, let me help you with all this so we can finally go for a ride on the bike," she said, chuckling before coming to help me.

With y/n's help, I managed to finish the inventory just in time for closing.

As we were about to leave the back room, Sarah shot me a look and nodded towards a section of the bookstore, indicating she wanted to talk to me privately.

"I'm going to do one last round in the aisles just to make sure everything's in order before closing. Wait for me here," I said to y/n, realizing Sarah wanted to talk to me alone.

I walked over, and she pulled me a bit further into the bookstore to ensure y/n couldn't overhear us.

"Hey, what's going on?" I said, chuckling.

"Listen, Matt, I'm your friend, and as such, I can't keep this to myself, you understand?" she began, confusing me.

"Your friend y/n, or whatever she is to you, I don't trust her. You shouldn't hang out with her; that girl is really weird," she said.

Here we go.

Seriously, Sarah, instead of being happy for me, you're having a jealousy fit?

"Okay, I don't know where you're going with this, Sarah, but y/n is a great person, and I won't let you badmouth her just because you're jealous," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Jealous? Matt, she threatened me earlier, specifically telling me to stay away from you! I'm not jealous!" she said, getting annoyed.

My y/n do something like that?

It's not possible; she's way too kind and gentle to threaten someone. I knew Sarah had a crush on me, but I didn't think it was to the point where she'd throw a jealousy fit as soon as I was with another woman.

It disappoints me to see her acting this way; I thought we were past that.

"Whatever you say. I'm done with this," I said, rolling my eyes before turning to leave, but she grabbed my arm.

"If you don't want to believe me, that's your problem, but I'm telling you, Matthew, there's something strange about that girl. You should stay on your guard," she said before letting go of my arm and going to collect her things to leave the bookstore.

I stood there for a moment, feeling confused, before joining y/n.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, smiling.

"Yeah, ready to go?" I asked her, returning her smile, and she nodded.

Once the bookstore was closed, y/n and I hit the road before stopping at Central Park.

"Central Park, you couldn't have found a more cliché place," she said, chuckling once she removed her helmet.

"I thought it was the company that mattered, not the place," I said, pretending to be offended.

"Okay, don't start, Matt!" she said, pointing her finger at me, and I smiled.

"You know what, there's a pretty nice museum nearby. Let's go there," she suggested.

"So, no stroll in the park," I said, putting on a falsely sad face.

"We'll do that after your park stroll, idiot. Come on, follow me," she said, rolling her eyes.

We walked for a few minutes before finding ourselves in front of the museum she mentioned.

We entered and strolled around, observing the artworks. It was at this moment that I learned something new about y/n—she's been passionate about photography since she was a child.

We spent a good two hours in the museum, chatting about everything and anything. We almost forgot that lunchtime had long passed.

"Oh my God, it's 1:30 in the afternoon, and we still haven't eaten," she said, chuckling when she checked the time on her phone after leaving the museum.

"Really?" I asked, surprised, and she nodded.

"That's your fault; you talk way too much," I said, chuckling.

"Yeah, like you don't love that," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Are you hungry?" I asked her, smiling.

"A little, and you?" she said, looking me in the eyes.

"A bit," I replied, shrugging.

"Hmm..." she hummed thoughtfully, scanning the surroundings.

"Look, a hot dog stand!" she said excitedly, pointing at the stand before grabbing me by the arm and running towards it.

"And you thought strolling in Central Park was cliché, huh?" I teased once we arrived at the stand.

"Shut up," she said, smiling, before turning to the vendor.

"Two hot dogs, please!" she said cheerfully to the vendor.

"So, I don't even get to choose my meal?" I frowned.

"No, just be quiet and take what I give you!" she said with a smirk, and I chuckled.

"No ketchup!" she added to the vendor as he reached for the sauce compartment.

I hate ketchup, but I don't think I've ever told her that.

She grabbed the hot dogs and paid before I could say anything.

"Ugh, sorry, I hate ketchup, I didn't think to ask if you wanted any," she said, handing me my hot dog.

So it was just a coincidence? You and I probably have much more in common than I could have imagined...

The more time I spend with you, the harder it is for me to believe that you're not the literal definition of perfection, y/n.

"It's okay; I don't like ketchup either anyway," I said, smiling.

"Really??" she said, surprised.

"Yeah, I can't stand it," I said, chuckling.

"Or maybe you're just trying to copy me, huh? I see what you're trying to do, Matty!" she said, narrowing her eyes before taking a bite of her hot dog.

Matty, so we're already at the nickname stage?

"Yeah, that must be it. Keep dreaming," I said, shaking my head and taking a bite of my hot dog.

We continued our little walk to the park.

"Can I be honest with you?" she said, turning to me.

"Go ahead, I'm listening," I replied.

"These hot dogs are really terrible," she said, grimacing, and I laughed.

"I agree," I replied, and she laughed too.

"But I really want to finish them; I hate wasting food!" she said, pouting like a little girl.

Y/n, if only you knew how much you softened my heart.

"It's alright, sweetheart; I'll finish it for you if you can't," I said, smiling.

"Matt, you're so cute, bro," she said, blushing before turning her head.

"Bro?" I chuckled. "That hurts."

"What were you hoping for?" she said, rolling her eyes. "That I'd call you baby?" she said, smiling.

"Okay, go ahead, mock me some more," I said.

"With pleasure, baby," she said with a smirk.

"You're not funny, y/n," I said, finishing my hot dog.

"Maybe, but you adore me anyway," she shrugged, offering me her hot dog for me to eat as agreed.

"I can't deny that," I replied, taking her hot dog.

We continued our walk, chatting about everything and nothing.

I wasn't usually talkative, but with her, everything was so effortless. I loved listening to her; she always had something interesting to say.

She was full of surprises, always having a different opinion or perspective on the world, which made me feel less alone.

"Oh, Matt, look, an ice cream stand!" she said, hopping.

"You're such a child, y/n, you know that?" I chuckled.

"Yeah, I love life, sue me for it," she said, raising her hands sarcastically.

I shook my head before following her to the ice cream stand.

"Oh my god, they have rose-flavored ice cream, it's my favorite scent; you absolutely have to try it!" she said excitedly.

"I don't really feel like ice cream," I started to say before she cut me off to talk to the vendor.

"Two rose-flavored ice creams, please," she said, turning to me with a big smile.

I looked at her bewildered before bursting into laughter; she's completely insane, but I love it.

"Here you go," she said, handing me my ice cream before happily continuing to walk in the park.

How can she have so much energy and smile so much?

It's true; this girl was like a sun; she lit up every place she went.

And me, on the contrary, I felt like I was the moon next to her.

"So, how is it?" she said, smiling, referring to my ice cream.

"Delicious," I replied.

"See, I knew you'd like it," she said proudly.

"Oh, wait, you have some ice cream right there," she said, chuckling before approaching me.

Standing on tiptoes, she placed her hand on my cheek and used the finger of her other hand to wipe the ice cream from the corner of my mouth.

"Here," she said, looking into my eyes and offering me her finger with the ice cream to lick.

Her gaze and expression changed at that moment.

What are you playing at, y/n? Is this your way of making suggestive gestures towards me? If so, you have absolutely no idea the effect you're having on me right now.

I took her finger into my mouth without breaking eye contact, and she bit her lip.

I can't be imagining things; she's not as innocent as she pretends to be.

She then returned to standing normally on both feet before taking a bite of her ice cream, still looking me straight in the eyes.

Fuck, does it really take so little to get me hard?

"Mmmh, my favorite," she said, closing her eyes before turning around and starting to walk again as if nothing had happened.

Is that all? Are you going to leave me hanging like this?

If you only knew how much I dreamed of being in your ice cream's place right now, y/n...

From that moment on, it was difficult for me to focus on what she was saying. My mind was filled with ideas... of all kinds.

But regardless, we resumed our conversation, stopping on a bench to finish our ice creams.

"Fuck," she said, taking her phone to check the notification she had just received in the middle of our conversation.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

"It's my dad, he needs me for his charity gala next weekend," she said with a sigh.

"His charity gala?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's something my dad organizes every year. It's a big event where he invites his most influential friends to raise funds for cancer research," she replied.

"Oh, um, do you want me to drop you off?" I offered.

"I'm really sorry to cut our outing short like this," she said with a sad look.

"Hey, it's okay, don't worry about it. We can hang out again this week," I said, putting my hand on her back and smiling.

"You're the best," she said, hugging me, and we headed back towards my bike this time.

"Where do you want me to drop you?" I asked as I put on my helmet.

"Take me home, I need to pick up some stuff anyway," she said, putting on her helmet as well.

We got on my bike, and I started driving towards her place.

This time, she seemed to hold on to me a little tighter, as if she didn't want this moment to end.

Oh, so you'd do anything to not have to leave either?

Once we arrived at her apartment complex, I parked, and she got off, taking off her helmet.

"I really hate that I have to go. I wish I could stay with you," she said, looking down at the ground.

I took off my helmet before responding.

"Y/n, you have important things to do, and I'm not going anywhere. You'll come back to me when you have time," I said, placing my hands on her cheeks without thinking.

She looked up at me, and damn, how badly I wanted to kiss her.

Is that what I should do? She's not saying anything anymore, maybe that's what she's waiting for from me?

"Thank you, Matt," she said softly, smiling after several seconds of staring into each other's eyes without saying anything before stepping back and turning to go inside her place.

And I missed my chance again, what an idiot.

Next time, I promise you, y/n, I won't let my chance slip away.

⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱✮♱⋆♱

Taglist: @mayhem-72 @tillies33ssss @junnniiieee07 @bernardenjoyer @whicked-hazlatwhore @nicksmainbitch @vickyzloserz @stingerayyy2

[themirrorballfriend]

Bad Day | Rosekiller

965 words, Trigger Warning: Mentions of Abuse, Mild Swearing

Barty woke up in a cold sweat with shaking limbs. It was the same recurring nightmare he's been having weeks in a row.

He's in his father's study undoubtedly being lectured on how much of a disappointment he is, when he lifts his wand off the desk and utters the spell. "Crucio." He is immediately hit with excruciating pain leaving him a crumbling mess on the floor of his father's study.

A quick Tempus charm told him it was four o'clock in the morning. If his uneven breathing was anything to go by, he would not be getting anymore sleep that night.

By the time he actually managed to close his eyes for a bit, the first rays of sunlight had already started peaking through his blinds.

The next time he woke up to a shrill voice screaming "CROUCH!"

His father's voice? No, his father only ever addressed him as Bartemius.

"CROUCH!" The voice yelled again.

He finally identified the voice as his roommate's "WHAT!" he replied, getting sick of the incessant yelling.

"Get the fuck up, man. Breakfast ends in five minutes. And we have potions with Slughorn in fifteen." his roommate spoke, before promptly exiting the room.

He flung himself out of bed and haphazardly put on his uniform before rushing to the Great Hall with just enough time to snag a single croissant. Great. Just Great.

Because of his late start to the morning, he had missed out on his favourite routine of all time. You see most people often assume that because of Barty's careless nature, he didn't have any routines or rituals but he did. And his favourite one was always spending breakfast with Evan. If and how long he spent the morning with Evan would shape the mood for his entire day. And it was pretty clear that today was going to a shite fest.

Potions with Slughorn was a drag and to make it worse it was with the Hufflepuffs. All the old man did was read off the book the entire time, then assign five parchments on the uses of Stewed Mandrake in potions.

Next was Advanced Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. The lack of sleep had made it quite hard to concentrate as it was, but at some point James and Sirius had thought it would be a good idea to start hexing each other halfway through the lesson.

One of James hexes had been redirected by one of Sirius's spells and had ended up hitting him, turning half his hair red, and the other half yellow.

"Loving the new look, Crouch." Sirius sniggered. James barely managing to hold in his laugh next to him.

"You absolutely pieces of shite!" Barty shouted. "Bloody wankers, the two of you!"

"Detention, Mr. Crouch!" McGonagall spoke, her voice firm and lips downturned into a scowl.

His day didn't improve after that. During Arithmancy, his seatmate had dropped his inkwell causing Barty's hands and shirt to be covered in ink. That was, as they say, the straw that broke the thestral's back. He simply stood up and started walking out of the classroom, ignoring the Professor's words of protest.

As he was walking down the hall, muttering to himself, he slammed into someone.

"Oi! Bugger o—" he stopped when he realised who he had walked into.

Looking up, he was met with a pair of crystal blue eyes and blonde curls.

"Bee, what's wrong?" Evan asked in that deep, calming voice of his.

"Huh?" Barty said, still staring at him with a bewildered expression on his face, as if Evan had asked the most bizarre question he had ever heard.

"I asked if you were alright." Evan sighed.

"Shouldn't you be in class?" Barty asked, avoiding even the thought of his less than stellar day.

"Reg and I skipped Divination. He's with Potter at their dorm. What happened to you?" Evan prodded.

And that's when Evan finally took a good look at Barty. His hair was out of sorts and his hands were stained blue with ink. But his eyes were by far the worst. They were sunken in with dark purple bags underneath them.

"Come on." Evan told him, lacing their hands together and leading him to the dungeons.

Evan quickly muttered the password and guided them to the dorm. He then locked the door and sat Barty down on his bed.

"Tell me what happened." Evan said, careful to keep his voice both gentle and firm.

"Nothing happened. I'm fine. In fact, I really need to getting class. Sprout will have my head, if I'm late to Herbology." Barty replied, not meeting his eyes.

To anyone else, it might've looked like Barty was fine. But, him and Barty have been together for eight months, and in that time Evan had learned to read him like a book.

Evan always knew if Barty was lying to him, because he could never look him in the eye.

"Listen Bee, this doesn't work— we don't work, if there are secrets between us. If you're having a bad day, that's fine. But you can't lie to me and pretend that you're okay, if you're not feeling well, you can talk to me about it. I will always listen. It's my duty as your friend, and your boyfriend. I know it's hard to talk about things that are bothering you, but all I ask is that you try, for me." Evan said, his voice laced with love and sincerity.

Tears pricked Barty's eyes, making him think of all the times Evan had tried for him, in spite of all the hardships.

That's how Barty found himself with his head in Evan's lap, telling him all about his terrible day. All while Evan stroked his hair and comforted him, until he eventually fell asleep.

˖⁺‧₊˚ ˚₊‧⁺˖✮-------------------------------✮˖⁺‧₊˚ ˚₊‧⁺˖

If you have any requests, put them in my asks box🩵

[marsmarbles]

Again, hello. I return, unfortunately, for the final time for a while. Not because I’m burnt out, I enjoy writing these daily, they became similar to a warm up before I started writing my longer fics, but because I ran out of ideas. Whoops! I might do more later, but I want to say thank you for letting me write these and receiving them so well. I loved writing in this world, and it definitely will not be the last time. Also, your new doodles for the sausage and scar fic are AMAXING ARRGGG. Hehe. (894 words, a short one, also, there’s a little bit of sexual humor at one point)

Waking up next to Joel had its pros and cons. A pro? Scott woke up in his arms, a very nice way to greet the day. A con? Joel was really hot, and not in an attractive way.

(Maybe a little in the attractive way, but he would never admit that.)

It was like he would wake up next to a furnace, basically burning him from the outside in. Scott had always been a cold person, and he was perfectly fine with that. In fact, he loved the cold. He preferred to be too cold rather than too hot, and Winter was his favorite time of year. Now, it was early fall, still too warm for the blanket that both of them were under, and he was being held by the hottest man in existence (again, temperature, not attractiveness). 

Scott didn’t even know how they had gotten here. They always fell asleep on opposite sides of the bed, where Scott could curl up on himself and try to sleep through the night peacefully, and Joel could spread out and shift about through the night. Still, without fail, every morning, Scott woke up curled in Joel’s arms.

It’s not like he was exactly complaining. Like he had said earlier, he liked waking up that way. It just became uncomfortable after a while, when Joel wouldn’t wake up and release him for the day.

This day, unfortunately, was much like the others.

“Joel,” Scott groaned, moving his own hands so they were hugging the other man around the stomach. “We have to wake up.”

“Noooo,” Joel complained, pulling Scott closer. His arms were around his back, pulling Scott’s head so that it rested under his chin. Scott settled in, the stubble on scratching at his head a little, but still managed to try and persuade Joel to get up.

“We have things to do today,” Scott reminded him. He wasn’t even sure if he wanted to get up himself anymore, his friend(?) was such a nice pillow. “We gotta… gotta…” He let out a yawn, then wiggled his way further into Joel’s grip. “Gotta prepare…”

“Or we could stay here,” Joel suggested, and Scott couldn’t say no. He let the stress in his shoulders go, relaxing into the arms surrounding him. Somehow, Joel could always convince him to stay in bed. If they couldn’t outright enjoy each other's company during the day, mornings were a good time to pretend they weren’t in a death game. Instead, they were back home, at whatever other server they could be in. It was a cozy thought, but not one that would ever come to fruition. Scott knew this, Joel knew this, and so did every other player.

Hours later, Scott woke up again, this time to a half-awake Joel playing with his hair. He wore it down at night, so it splayed out around him when he slept. It was nice when he woke up to large fingers lazily scratching his scalp, or rubbing the tips of his hair between their fingertips.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Scott said, letting out another yawn. 

“Says you. I’ve been awake for like, twenty minutes,” Joel slurs, confirming he has been awake for less than five. Scott laughs softly, burrowing his face into Joel’s shirt.

“You're too hot,” he mumbles, earning a grin from said furnace.

“Glad you finally admit it.” 

“Not like that, idiot.”

“Sure, Scott. Can’t get enough of me, can you?” Scott rolls his eyes and shoves away a little, earning a small pout from Joel.

“Turns out, I can.” He watched Joel mouth go full pout, and giggle a little bit. “What time is it?” He asks. Joel looks at the golden clock on the wall, squinting to study it carefully, before deciding he was correct.

“About noon?”

“Joel!”

“Scott?”

“Joel!” Scott groans, rubbing his face with his hand. “We need to meet Lizzie and Pearl when the sun is at its highest point!”

“Well, then, fuck.” Joel lets go of Scott and rolls out of the bed. Scott has to hold back the urge to pull him back down. The chain connecting their wrists gets longer as Joel walks across the room, looking for clothes.

“No thanks, I’d rather not.” Scott rolls out of bed too, smiling smugly in the other direction. Joel just rolls his eyes and replaces his loose shirt for one with large sleeves and a brown over vest.

“Very funny.”

They meet Lizzie and Pearl with very few problems, surprisingly, if you ignore the jokes the girls make about them looking as if they’ve just woken up. They don’t tell them they had.

It was a successful mining trip, to say the least, and each came back with diamonds to spare. That afternoon, they made their first enchanting table and enchanted their armor and swords. Joel apparently preferred axes as his attack weapon, so he enchanted that as well.

They had dinner separately, each working on their own goals, and only met back up when it was time to sleep once again. Silently, they climbed into bed and took their opposite sides, bidding each other goodnight.

Scott stayed awake long enough that night to find out that waking up in Joel’s arms wasn’t an accident, and that the other was very awake when he took him in his arms, mumbling a soft goodnight in his ear.  Damselduo my beloved. Goodbye for now!!

-🌻

THIS IS SO CUTE!!! The way they act like they hate each other but actually enjoy their company is very cute. It’s so cool reading this and knowing what post inspired it. I appreciate all the writing you’ve done. I was honestly in kinda a slump with chained life and that’s why I was posting more ocs and DDMAU, but you’ve single handedly re sparked my joy for it. Heck, my biggri fic was inspired by your writing! I’m guessing what I’m saying is fanart and just general support can go I long way with keeping a creator inspired I’ve found out. Sorry if that got a little sappy.

[footballandfics]

Bad Luck.

Request: grieamann comforts you after a bad day at work.

Pair: antoine griezmann x reader

Today was not your day, hell this week isn't your week. You have been having shitty day after another this week, you don't even know from where to start.

Yet, today win the title, woke up late so you were late five minutes on important meeting and while getting coffee at the office it spilled all over you.

All of this wasn't even half of the reasons why the day is the worst day of this year, when you thought you had one peaceful moment you realized that all your work for the new project wasn't saved now you have to redo a month worth of work in a less than a week .

Getting scolded by your supervisor for this silly mistake not like you have been doing it to yourself enough, because of that you have to stay later than you should to fix it when all you wanted to do was crying.

Finally you left , counting the seconds for you to get home and because of your luck you get stuck in traffic what was supposed to be 20 minutes drive turned to an hour drive.

You didn't believe that you finally come back home, can't wait to take off your clothes and shower and just to sleep.

When you entered the house, you heard the sound of the TV and the living room light was on, you prayed that antoine was asleep you didn't feel like talking about the day or sit with anyone.

Yet, with your luck today everything is going against you, he was up and from the atmosphere it looks like he was waiting for you.

"Hey, i thought you'd be asleep right now" you said quietly while taking off your coat and put your stuff down.

"I was waiting for you, you're late" he's following you to the bedroom taking a notice that you're not in the best mood.

"I need to take a shower, you can go to sleep you've waited enough" you continue to the bathroom in your room, antoine hold your elbow to stop you "is everything alright?" His soft voice and worried eyes fill your eyes with tears, you don't want to cry, nothing would be fixed if you cried.

"Hey hey, sweetheart what's wrong?" He noticed like always, you thought you can hide it but of course it's impossible with antoine. He pulls you to a really tight hug and you just can't handle it anymore, you start to cry.

You always had a problem with crying, you don't like it and you don't like others seeing you cry it feels too much. Antoine hugging you and comfort you wither with his touch, kisses and his soothing voice.

"Tell me what's wrong baby, what's hurting my girl" he whispers in your ear and stroking your hair at the same time.

"It just today was one bad accident after the other" you tell after you calmed down a bit.

He waits for you patiently to continue now he stroking your cheeks to wipe your tears.

"I just want a quick shower and to go to sleep".

He nods and leave you to be and from how miserable you felt he knew you didn't eat so he took the chance to fix you something.

After half an hour you get out of the shower dressed in your pjs to see your boyfriend waiting for you still .

"I told you to go to sleep" you tell him while sitting in front of the mirror to brush your hair .

"Here eat this and Give this to me" he took the brush from your hands after handing you what he made in the kitchen and started brushing your hair as soft as possible.

"You know I can't just sleep knowing you're upset" looking at you through the mirror both of you lock eyes and you smile, a little smile but he'll take what he can get.

"Here you go princess" after he finishes braiding your hair, you get up and go to the bed to lay down.

"Can we cuddle?" You ask him with hopeful eyes , you know he won't say no and he didn't.

"Thank you for making this day a bit better no a lot actually" you say lastly before closing your eyes, feeling one of his hands stroking your hair and the pulling you closer to him.

The last thing you felt was his kisses on your face, maybe you weren't lucky today but when you're between his arms it really don't matter.

[bcofl0ve]

what started in beautiful rooms pt.3 | an austin butler x priscilla actress!reader story ❀˖°

part 3/? • (part 2) | RATED M MINORS DNI

summary: “what happened between you and austin?” is a question you dread. it makes your gut twist, even if only proposed through a pointed look. the short answer is “a lot”. the long answer is more complicated.

word count: 3,420

warnings: implied past infidelity, age gap (reader is 21 when the story starts, austin is 28), unhealthy relationship dynamics, explicit smut, rough/angry sex, crying after sex

chapter summary: you knew acting out on him wouldn’t feel good in the morning, but certainly that was nothing you couldn’t retcon.

chapter soundtrack

i live for comments and love talking about my writing! pls feel free to come chat via anon (or off anon!) anytime. more than happy to share headcanons and what not (-:

xxx

January 5th, 2020 | Queensland, Australia

You’d almost forgotten what you did when you first woke up, until you turned your phone on to so many notifications it felt hot in your hand. There was a missed call from your manager, five texts from Bebe and four from Austin. You opened Bebe’s first, biting your lip as you read her encouragement not to dwell on what your Instagram comments were saying because she knew you’d crawl across broken glass before you helped someone cheat.

Right, Instagram. You opened the app before looking at the missed texts from Austin, holding your breath as you clicked onto the comment section. It was more or less what you’d expected, down to people saying crueler things about you than they were about Austin.

Speak of the devil, a fifth text came through from him before you could even open the others.

I get done at 9:00 tonight. Your place or mine but we need to talk and you can’t ignore me forever. 

You clicked it open, reading the messages he’d sent last night and earlier in the morning.

Hey- not that you don’t look cute but I don’t think the photo in my shirt being up on your Instagram is a good idea.

I’m calling Vanessa first thing in the morning about a breakup statement, I promise.

??? Did you fall asleep?

Vanessa just ripped my fucking head off. Is your phone even on? Your manager is trying to get a hold of you too, called me and I told her I’m just as clueless here. What the fuck Y/N?

Squeezing your eyes shut and opening them again like it would make all of this magically go away, you opened Instagram back up and deleted the post. Tossing the phone off the side of your bed, you rolled back over and stuffed your head under your pillow. 

You’d know what to do after a few more hours of sleep, surely.

---

Unfortunately three more hours of sleep didn’t magically equip you with an idea of what to do, or the guts to do anything short of ignoring everyone- save for shooting your manager a text about deleting the post. 

You forced yourself out of bed to move into the living room, throwing on Netflix to distract from the notifications, grateful you hadn’t been needed at set today.

Austin called at 9:03, sounding almost a little surprised when you answered.

“Oh hey, not like I’ve been trying to get a hold of you all day or anything.” He said, voice tight. You bit back a sigh, poking at the box of takeout food you had sitting on your lap that you suddenly weren’t hungry for anymore. Austin kept talking even though you didn’t respond.

“I’m pullin’ out of the set lot right now, am I comin’ to yours?” He asked, and you bit the inside of your cheek for a second before giving him a half mumbled “Sure.”

He hung up after a clipped “Kay, bye.” and you tossed your phone down onto the couch, running a hand over your face.

Austin brushed past you without a greeting when he arrived, kicking off his shoes in the direction of the rack by the door, the boots landing against the floor with a thud. You had a half a mind to tell him not to stomp into your house like a pissed off toddler, but stopped short. 

"I deleted the post." You said and Austin looked up, hand coming up to tug through his black locks, face hardened. "Coulda' done that last night instead of siccing my ex and everyone that's ever been a fan of her on my ass."

You hadn't poked around much for what anyone had been saying about Austin. And it wasn't that you didn't believe he was getting a tongue lashing, you just didn't have it in you to care. Turning to walk in the direction of the living room, you picked up the remote and turned the TV off, still holding it when you turned back to him to talk. 

"You said that if something came out you could release a statement and it wouldn't be a problem." 

Austin didn’t seem to like the sarcasm, rolling his eyes with a huff.

"Yeah- and that wasn't a free pass to go nuclear Y/N,” He replied, eyes wide as he gestured- talking with his hands. “Not just on me either, what you did was disrespectful to Vanessa and you know it."

His voice was bordering on a yell, and you were a combination of jarred by that, and pissed off about the deflecting. 

"I disrespected Vanessa? You were her partner- you owed her your loyalty Austin, not me."  You replied, matching his tone. "When she was ripping your head off- did you tell her about Novemberr?"

He seemed to deflate a bit at that, which answered your question before the flat "No,” he gave even left his mouth.

 "Yeah- and I'm the one without respect." You scoffed, and Austin looked like he wanted to say something else but he just pressed his lips together in a tight line, arms folded. You quirked an eyebrow up at him.

"What? If you have something to say to me, let's hear it." 

He shook his head, looking at you through narrowed eyes. “You’re a piece of work, you know that?’ 

Taking a step closer and uncrossing your arms, you looked at him squarely. You didn’t know if what you were about to do would translate, and it crossed your mind that it would be humiliating if it didn’t. But you were taking the shot while you had it.

"You have somewhere else to be, another secret girlfriend?" You asked, trying not to let the look that crossed his face steer you off path. "Or are you gonna stick around if I tell you you can take this," You continued, bringing a hand up to gesture at him. "Out on me."

Austin’s eyes widened for a moment, and he rubbed his chin- looking away for a second before he responded.

"I'm pissed- doesn't mean I wanna hurt you." He said cautiously, and if you weren’t after something here you probably would’ve found that sweet. 

“'s okay, I think I earned it.” You tried. bobbing your head to the side as you softened your voice from the tone you’d just been taking with him. 

His pupils darkened as he seemed to come around.

“You have the shirt around here somewhere?” He said, and you motioned to your bedroom with your head as you took a few slow steps backward in that direction, running a hand through your hair. He looked past you, voice low when he spoke again. “Put that on and nothin’ else, I’ll be there in a minute.” 

---

You heard the bathroom door open and shut from your bedroom as you stripped down and grabbed his shirt from your laundry hamper, spritzing some of your perfume over it before you slipped it on and got into bed. 

What felt like hours, but was probably closer to ten minutes, passed before Austin came into your room stripped down to his boxers, setting the rest of his folded up clothes on the dresser before you got a good look at him. His hard cock was pushing through the thin fabric of his Calvins, and you assumed he’d started without you when he was in the bathroom.

He swallowed thickly when he saw you sitting up against your headboard in just the Hawainn shirt, crossing the room and crowding into your space as he got in bed- pushing you down against the pillows.

“Who knew this shirt would cause all this trouble,” He whispered, rubbing the fabric between his fingers before he dove in to kiss you. He pushed your shirt open to grope your boobs as he tugged on your bottom lip with his teeth, his erection pressed against your thigh.

He pinched your nipple between two fingers, yanking his hand back abruptly when you whined into his mouth.

“You think you’ve earned that?” 

You shook your head, Austin pulling back to tug down his boxers and discard them to the side. He stroked himself, smearing precum around with his fingers before bringing two of them up to your mouth, tapping on your bottom lip. 

Opening your mouth just enough to suck on his fingers, you felt your sex throbbing as your gaze fell to where he was jacking himself off with his free hand, little breathy moans leaving his mouth as he watched you. 

He pulled the digits out of your mouth when he was satisfied, trailing them down your body to your center, brushing over your clit enough to elicit a slurred “Aus,” before he pushed his index and middle finger into you. He was barely deep enough for you to clench around him, but just far enough that you writhed at the sensation when he gestured inside of you in a ‘come here’ motion. 

When he pulled them out after a minute, he brought his hand up the base of your neck. 

“All the prep you’re getting tonight, pretty girl, that okay?

So sweet even when you’d given him your blessing to be a dick, you thought absentmindedly.

“Said to take it out on me, I meant i-” You started, cut off by your own yelp when he pushed all the way inside with one swoop. It was overwhelming, bordering on painful, but you shifted your hips under him and tried to adjust. Inhaling sharply, you exhaled suddenly when he grabbed both of your wrists up in one hand and pinned them above your head.

He started to move without warning, his pace faster from the start than it normally was. You still felt impossibly tight as he drilled into your pussy relentlessly, grinding up against his pelvis, needing friction on your clit that wasn’t coming. 

Austin chuckled, grabbing your chin with his hand that wasn’t occupied.

“You need something baby?” He muttered, slowing his thrusts enough to be able to talk, but slamming into you harder to make up for the change in pace. “Should’ve been good, good girls get their clit touched.” 

You choked out an apology through moans as he fucked you into the matress, unable to keep from writhing underneath him- your body moving on it’s own accord.

“Stay fuckin still.” He muttered harshly, hand drifting down from where he’d been holding your face to your neck. And you tried your best to lay still, but even the slight pressure on your airway went straight to your arousal. Doing anything consciously, even willing yourself to not move- felt impossible.

You’d been expecting some reaction to that, and Austin pulled out, yanking you up by the wrists onto his lap as he sat back. He pushed you up so that you were on your knees straddling him, his own legs spread open.

“You wanna move?” He asked roughly, smacking the side of your hip. “Ride me then, show me how sorry you are for being a little brat.”

You squeezed your eyes shut as you sank onto him, your breath stuck in your throat as he pushed you down till you were filled to the hilt. He didn’t protest when your arms wrapped around his neck and for that much you were grateful, your grip on him tightening as you tried to readjust- and refind the angle he’d just been nailing you at.

He grabbed your hips to drive up into you and found it himself, groaning when your walls tightened around him as you started to move. Loud moans flew out of your mouth as you rode him- and you tried to grind your clit into his pubic bone.

Which took notice of that after only a few seconds, squeezing your hips so hard that his nails digging into your skin made you wince in pain. If he noticed, he didn't seem to care.

“Did I say you could get yourself off on me?” He huffed. “I’ll tell you when you can come doll.”

Swallowing, you tried to slow down your movements to keep yourself away from the edge. But how hard Austin was jackhammering up into you left no room for that- especially not when he brushed the pad of his thumb over your soaking clit. 

He only stayed there for a few seconds before he yanked his hand back, wiping your arousal off on your cheek as he pulled you in by the neck to kiss him.

Growing overwhelmed, you paused to take a breath, about three seconds passing before Austin had his fingers wrapped around your throat, mumbling a harsh “Keep movin’” into your mouth. He pulled his hand away after a minute to kiss down your neck, grabbing a handful of your ass as he left a trail of marks you knew you’d have to put a pound of makeup on in the morning.  

And you wanted to be good, wanted to wait until he gave you permission to come. But the combination of his dick pounding against your cervix and his fingers coming back down to circle your throbbing bundle of nerves made the coil in your stomach spring undone- completely out of your control.

“Fuck- Aus I can’t- ‘m- Oh,”

Your body shook as you climaxed, your release making a mess of the both of you as you moaned his name to your ceiling. Your walls hugged his cock and you heard him groan as he followed right after you, shooting off inside the condom with an animalistic growl.

Chest heaving, you almost flinched when he pulled his hand off your ass and grabbed your chin, turning it towards him- fingers pressing into your cheek.

“Dad- I told you to wait. You know how to listen?”

Managing a little nod, you felt tears pooling in your eyes, the grip he had on your face that was preventing you from looking away taking you from feeling bad to worse- and quickly.

You’d meant it when you asked him to take it out on you, but seeing him look at you with so much resentment now that you were starting to crash just made your chest tight.

“‘m sorry.” You croaked out and you saw realization- alongside guilt flash in Austin’s eyes before he dropped your chin like he'd been burned.

He moved back to pull out and you crawled off of him- swiping at your eyes.

“Shit- honey you should’ve told me if I was goin’ too far,” He said, looking almost scared to touch you.

“Austin I consented, I’m fine,” You started, taking a breath as you got out of bed and onto your feet. Austin let out a little sigh, scooting to the edge of your mattress, looking at you seriously. “You’re about to cry, you’re obviously not fine.”

You were touched that he cared- truly. But the longer he looked at you like a wounded baby deer the closer you got to really crying in front of him- something you still had enough shame to want to avoid.

“Just a little overwhelmed,” You said, grabbing your phone before taking a step closer to kiss him, nails coming up to lightly scratch at his cheek as you pulled away. “I promise.”

He didn’t look like he quite believed that. But you added something about wanting to shower and he let you grab pajamas out of your dresser and leave without protest, your head starting to hurt as you shut your bedroom door behind you.

--

You flicked the shower on the second you closed the bathroom door but didn’t get right in- taking a shaky breath and leaning against the sink counter as you looked at your phone. The first notification you saw was a text from Bebe, a follow up to missed call.

saw you deleted the post. everything okay? i’m in town for another few days if you want to come crash at mine and watch stupid movies and forget about austin while you still can. love you!

The notification under that was a DM message request from Instagram, the lump in your throat growing like a weed when you saw the username attached to it. 

Vanessa. 

The nausea that rolled through you was so strong it outweighed the curiosity in regards to what exactly she had to say to you and you swiped the notification away, putting your phone face down on the counter. You felt your chin wobbling as you got into the shower- and let a little sob escape into your hand as the water ran down your back.

It wasn’t that Austin had pushed too hard- if you were being completely honest you’d been into what you goaded him into, really into it. 

It was that on top of the guilt about November you still hadn’t shaken, that had been inching it’s way to the front of your mind since Bebe told you to ignore your comments because she knew you’d never do that. On top of knowing Vanessa had been hurt enough to say God knows what directly to you. On top of your last few days of normalcy before Elvis really kicked into gear going to hell in a handbasket.

A part of you wished you could just will it all away, hop in a time machine and go back and stop yourself from auditioning- or even responding to the email from your manager about the casting notice. 

But you couldn’t do that- or stay in the shower forever. 

When you’d at least halfway collected yourself you got out and towel dried your hair before putting on the t-shirt and shorts you’d brought into the bathroom with you, glancing at your reflection in the mirror. Your eyes fell to the hickies littering the base of your neck and you ran your finger over them tenderly, your lips tugging into a bit of a smug smile. There was an upside to every down, afterall.

You padded back down the hallway to your room, and weren't exactly surprised to discover that Austin hadn’t left. In your absence he'd gotten redressed into the joggers and t-shirt he showed up, looking up from where he was scrolling on his phone when you came in. 

"You can kick me out if you want. Just felt like it would be a douche move to leave when you were upset." He supplied, the anger that had been in his eyes just an hour ago replaced with something softer. You gave a little shake of your head, crawling into bed and sitting up next to him.

"I really am sorry- about the post." You started quietly, and he put his phone onto your nightstand as you talked. "Stupid of me to do something like that when I've been the one worrying so much about this," You gestured between the two of you. "screwing the movie over."

Austin nodded, waiting a second to make sure you were done before he spoke. “You’re not stupid,” He said softly, reaching out an arm to wrap it around your shoulders. You scooted a little closer to him on instinct, allowing your head to drop to his shoulder. 

“And I'm sorry you felt like you had to do all that to get what you needed from me.” He continued, pressing a kiss to your hair as he squeezed your shoulder where his hand had come to rest. 

“You’re my girl, don’t ever want you doubtin’ that.”

When the first three words left his mouth it felt familiar, and you realized after a moment it was because they echoed a scene in the movie, his voice slipping into a southern drawl that made it sound exactly like it had at the table read just a week ago.

And you weren’t sure how you felt about that. But it was sweet.

He was trying- and that’s what mattered. Mattered more than how the thought that he sounded more like Elvis Presley than the Austin you’d spent the last few months with made you feel.

You hummed an affirmative “Mhm,” into his skin as he reached around you to turn your bedside lamp off, laying all the way down and taking you with. Coming to rest with your head tucked into his neck, a leg wrapped around one of his, you closed your eyes as you listened to his heartbeat through his shirt- saying a silent prayer that the past day would be the closest you ever got to losing him.

xxx

tag list (tags don’t always work, i do my best!): @flwrs4aust @eliseinmemphis @burningpeacebasement @pennyroyalcreep @karamelcoveredolicity @gabrielajimenez @butlerslovebot @fallinlovewithurlove @l0v3lydes @slowsweetlove @houndogsblog

[not7wu]

Chapter Six: A Symbiotic Relationship

Recap: You might have remembered why you woke up naked in Jin's bed...but the hope you had to explore something more came to a screeching halt when you learned about Rule Five and Jin's first love. Jieun instead encouraged you to spend less time on Kim Cho-hee and more time with your family of eight, so you do just that. Oh, and you have a cleaning lady, apparently.

Tae is waiting for you with a corsage outside of your apartment.  Both dressed casually and comfy, the corsage brings a note of whimsy so uniquely Tae that honestly you should have expected it.  Wrist now decorated with periwinkle, thistles, and eucalyptus, you walk hand in hand to the parking garage.  

When you tried solidifying plans with Tae earlier in the day, he said he wanted to surprise you, so you happily settle in and enjoy conversation with him as his driver navigates the streets of Seoul.  There’s a mischievous twinkle in Tae’s eye when you pull up into an alley.  You’re led through a backdoor, through the kitchen, and down a staff hallway to a secluded, closed dining room.  The table is set low with seating cushions.  The wood accents from the trim to the table are rustic with blackened knots and scars.  It’s beautiful and you wonder if Namjoon has been here before.  Your server enters with water and menus and you finally find out where you are.  

Ossu Seiromushi, Jin’s brother’s restaurant.  You peek over the menu at Tae who is staring back at you unabashedly.  You don’t know what he’s planning, but you can’t do anything but go along with it, completely at his mercy.  After your order is put in and your juices placed in front of you, the silence stretches, but it’s different than what you’re used to–the comfortable silences, the anxious silences and the silences that are too loud.  This silence feels buzzy and slinky, like an animal crouched, waiting to pounce.  The Tae sitting in front of you is the same Tae, but he seems different from the persona he normally projects like he has decided to set aside his hahoetal mask for a short time.

“Hello,” you murmur.

“Hi.”  He seems to take the measure of you, stripping you of your own mask that you hadn't realized you had on. Though it's not like he's ripping off this protection you made for yourself, but more like he's letting you breathe unhindered for a while. 

You clear your throat. “How are you?”

He settles into the cushions to consider, leaning back on his arms in a calculated way to seem casual.  You know he's trying to allay your anxiety, but you're actually okay.  Everyone says he's your first friend, one of the ones closest to you, if friendships were to have levels, and even with this given fact, you've never felt deceit from Tae. All of his emotions and reactions have been genuinely and sincerely broadcasted to you.  You trust Tae.   

“Today, I’m content.  It’s a rollercoaster otherwise,” he shrugs.

“Why is that?”

His smile turns half-hearted.  “Our Map of the Soul Tour got canceled.  That sucks.  And you'd think we would have more time to take breaks and see family, but our schedule is still going at the same pace we usually do, if not more, to make it up to Army.”

The pandemic has been difficult for many people.  Even you know that the reason you rarely venture outside their condo isn't entirely to isolate and guard you, but because the world is on edge with these social distancing regulations.  But social distancing for a performance group like BTS, whose relationship with fans is more intimate than most fandoms, must be agony.  “I’m sorry.  I know you were all really looking forward to the tour.”

“Yeah, concerts are the endgame prize for all our hard work and it got snatched away.  We can’t even blame anyone.  So I guess our schedule is a double edged sword to protect and distract us from depression.  Idle idols are not a good thing.  On the other hand, the Tour being canceled wasn’t all that bad either.”

“Because…”

“Because it means we can stay home and spend more time with you.”

“What?”  That was an unexpected turn.  The boys love performing.  It’s the only time they can see the people they’ve inspired to move to the beat, to live life to the fullest, and to dream quietly or loudly.  And Army is like a mirror in that way, inspiring the boys to make the beats, to breathe life in verse, and to accomplish their dreams.  You suddenly feel like an obstacle and it doesn’t sit right with you.  

Tae chews on his lip for a few seconds, assessing your stricken expression, your face an open book.  "Can you handle some heavy conversation? Or do you wanna put a pin in it and we can come back to it when you have the emotional energy for it?"

You want to blurt out that you can handle it, but you respect him for considering your well-being, so you instead take a moment to actually gauge yourself.  Your mind is calm, your emotions are stable, and you feel safe here with Tae.  Confidently, you say, "I can handle it."

His expression is grave, but there's some pride there too, like he's proud you weren't carelessly eager.

He wets his lips, his next words deliberate and conscientious.  “Your attack happened near the beginning of 2018.  We were already burnt out.  We hadn’t seen our families properly in over a year, and then you got hurt.  It felt wrong to leave for the Love Yourself Tour while you were still in the hospital, confused and disoriented.  And the hits just kept coming.  Jungkook’s foot injury.  Jimin’s issues with his muscles and overworked voice.  We became submerged in a blue and grey fog, but that wasn't fair to Army, so we used Army as our focal point.  The guiding constellation until we could be home again.

"But I still felt out of focus, like double vision.  I was giving it my all, but my angel's voice would be drowned out in cresting and ebbing waves of this other voice whispering things like 'Y/N doesn't know who you are.  She doesn't recognize anyone and you abandoned her.  She doesn't have anyone else and she's scared and sad and panicked.  And you left her.  You left her line of sight.'

"And I worried.  Worried that the people we left behind to care for you wouldn't know how best to quiet your brain, how best to cheer you up, how best to distract you.  And as all these worries piled up, I realized I needed you to quiet my brain, cheer me up, and distract me, but you couldn't.  I couldn't call you for encouragement or comfort.  Like a snake biting its own tail I just went round and round in the guilt and depression.  And it wasn't just me.  Jin-hyung, Hobi-hyung–we wanted to leave.  Not just the Tour but everything."

Tae was right to ask if you could handle this.  It's a lot to take in.  You're trying your best to listen, to process, because this moment is for Tae.  He's been holding all of this in and steadily marching on for you.  So you anchor yourself, determined to hold his ship steady.  

You prompt him, "But you didn't leave."

He plays around with the condensation on his water glass.  "No. We didn't leave.  Yoongi-hyung convinced us to stay."

“How did he do that?”

“Eh.  He said that we had more power now to advocate for ourselves in contract negotiations and more means to delegate.  But the ultimate selling point was when he said you would kill us if we left," he chuckles here, melancholy lacing the velvet of it.  "He said you wouldn’t want us to break up.”

“I wouldn’t.”

“Yeah, Yoongi-hyung tattled on us to you during one of your 'lucid' moments and you really laid into us.”

“Good.”  

Tae rolls his eyes at your satisfaction, but he shares your grin.  He leans in almost conspiratorially.

“You know, you’re the reason why I’m even in BTS.”

“Bullshit.  You’re in BTS because of you.”

He laughs, shaking his head.  “No, seriously.  I’m here because Park Haneul asked you to go with him to an audition, but you couldn’t ask off work.  So, you forced me to go with him instead.  It’s funny cuz’ you were oblivious that he was trying to ask you out and then I passed the audition.  Actually, now that I think about it, that super sucked for him.”

You giggle, “Oh, shit, that’s horrible.  Is it too late to send him an apology gift basket?”

“Eh, I don’t know if that would help or just rub him the wrong way.”

“You’re probably right," you concede.  "Still, even if I got you to the audition, you did all the hard work.”

“Oh, Y/N.  What people don’t tell you in this business is that you can work as hard as you want, but it all ultimately comes down to luck.  I was lucky.  We were lucky.  Now we’re racing towards a ceiling and we can’t predict when it’ll all come crashing down.”

The humor subsides, Tae looking the youngest you've ever seen him, troubled and vulnerable.  You’d do anything to erase that expression forever, but you don’t think you have the power to.  You want to try though.  

“Tae.  It might hurt when you reach the end, but you’ve got parachutes.  You’ve got people like me who are more than ready to catch you.  You say it's all luck, but we are lucky to have you.  Trust that we've got you.  And, it’s all ultimately out of your control, so let’s just enjoy the ride.”

“Advice you could take too, you know.”

You flinch, his words stinging a bit.  “You’re right,” you admit.  “That was a bit careless.  I didn’t mean to dismiss your feelings.  I just meant that I’m here for you, no matter what state I’m in.  And I know you’re here for me too, that all of you are.  I’ve never once felt neglected or abandoned.   If anything, I would understand if you guys put me up in some hospital and went on with your lives.  Seriously, you’ve gone above and beyond what any normal person would do for a friend.”

“Family, Y/N.  You’re family.”

“Yes.  Above and beyond what any normal person would do for family, then.”

“Well, you should know by now we aren’t normal.   I adopted you when I was just a scrawny kid with ears too big for my head and you were just a bookworm who stubbornly refused to get glasses.”

“I don’t know why you’re so dead set against glasses.  But fine.  Let’s ask seonsaeng-nim to move you to a desk in the front,” Tae suggests.  He’s sitting on your desk before class starts, drawing abstract cartoons on the desktop.  There’s a little alien character saying ‘Fighting!  You can do it!’  You’re gonna have to erase it before the test, but it’s still nice to have this reminder and encouragement beforehand.  In turn, he’s making you draw cartoons on his shoes with markers.  You decided to go with a plant theme and he giggles when you add sunglasses to a cactus.

“If I move, we wouldn’t be sitting next to each other, Tae. ”

“Aww, you love me," he coos at you.

You huff.  “We have a symbiotic relationship at best.”

“So you’re saying I’m a clownfish and you’re my sea anemone.”

“Yeah, Tae, you’re a clown.”

“So zappy.  Nice.”  You stick your tongue out at him and he sticks his tongue out at you, crossing his eyes.  It inspires you to draw googily eyes on a sunflower, earning you an approving pat on the head that you bat away.  “Well, just cuz we don’t sit next to each other doesn’t mean we won’t see each other.  We can make it fun!  Passing notes is not a challenge when you’re literally sitting right next to me.”

“So you’re saying you don’t want to sit next to me.”  You mean to say it as a joke, but a tinge of hurt manages to bleed through.  He’s been pushing this idea for the past couple of days, ever since you mentioned your nearsightedness.  Now, you wish you hadn't.  

You know he means well, but it’s hard for you to make friends.  Well, it’s not like you don’t have other friends.  You could end up sitting next to Hanuel or Bora and it’d be fine.  But they’re not Tae.  And you’re the only one who can help him concentrate during lessons.  As you’re thinking that though, you fight off the knowledge that, ultimately, Tae would be fine without you.  Yes, Tae is your person, but Tae is so friendly and charismatic, he doesn’t need to stick with you.  

Tae gets up with no warning, making you accidentally draw a red line through a sunflower, as well as getting a bit of ink on his khakis.  Whoops.  He doesn’t care though, draping himself over you and almost strangling you in the process.  

Some classmates think that you’re together when it couldn’t be farther from the truth.  Many of them are beginning to be interested in things like kissing and sex, so they find your physical closeness suspect, but Tae has confided in you that while he doesn’t think he’d mind kissing, the idea of sex makes him nauseous, makes something wriggle and itch under his skin, so he isn’t interested, nope, no way.  You, on the other hand, aren’t interested in kissing and sex because you’re barely comfortable with hugs.

You remember the first time Tae hugged you.  This boy plopped himself next to you during lunch and proclaimed he was adopting you.  You were particularly sensitive that day being in a new school alone, afraid people would notice that your secondhand uniform (or rather fourthhand) was frayed.  That people would notice no one had dropped you off or would pick you up.  Afraid they’d know you’re an orphan, something abandoned and not worthy of nice things like friendship.  

Orphanages are survival of the fittest.  You only get adopted if you are young and pretty or cute or handsome or charming.  You know you aren't ugly.  Objectively, you think you look generic.  Cookie cutter.  Not only that, you know you aren't charming.  And while your facility tries to be fair and equal, there isn’t always enough to go around, so you often are skipped over for things like new clothes, toys, and treats and get smaller portions of meals, the caretakers citing your apparent 'independence' and 'maturity.'  

But your independence is not voluntary.  It's loneliness.  You are not mature.  You are resigned.  And here was a boy who had already guessed all this, smelled it on you, and was making fun of you for it.  The little hope you had for something different, for something completely your own, died.

You burst into tears and the boy panicked, stumbling over an apology and eyes wildly searching for help before he dove at you, squeezing.  You immediately froze, unused to skinship, arms awkwardly hanging by your sides unsure what to do with them or where you should place your hands.  No one had ever hugged you or held your hand.  None of the caretakers ever tucked you in bed or comforted you after nightmares.  

Like a plant, you wanted to soak it all up like water.  Like sunlight.  You didn’t know how you could prolong it, how to keep this or even if you were allowed to.  So, you froze because maybe if you didn’t move, if you held your breath, this boy wouldn't let go.  

He did eventually let go, but he stayed.  He didn’t ask you questions, but he patiently waited for you to reveal parts of yourself until days, weeks, months went by and you realized he could see all of you.  The world didn’t end and he continued to stay.  He saw your insecurities and he built your confidence with attentive prodding and careful wheedling, drawing you into seemingly innocent arguments and discussions that emphasized the double standards you set for yourself.  He saw how anxious you are and he listened to music with you, introducing you to jazz, trap,  emo-rock and a healthy coping mechanism. He saw how touch starved you are and he hugged, cuddled and held your hand, wearing down your awkward hesitancy with exposure therapy.  Now you grab his forearm and squeeze.  He returns your squeeze bodily, the weight of him grounding you.  

“I’ll always be next to you,” Tae says.  “You can’t get rid of me.  You’re my sea anemone, remember?  I just won’t be in your direct line of sight is all.”

“Well, I’d still rather see you than the board.”

“Aww, you do love me.”  You duck your head, but can’t fight the smile.  His declarations of love are apparently also part of his exposure therapy.  No one has ever said they love you, except Tae.  You only ever read about it in books, books with passionate romance, covenants of friendship, and embers in the hearth of home.  And you think you feel love for Tae too because his love feels like home.  

Tae laughs and ruffles your hair.  You huff in feigned annoyance, shrugging him off and smoothing out your hair.  He moves back to his desk, reaching to ruffle your hair again and you bat his hand away.  “Okay, so if you don’t want to move to the front then you could, I don’t know, get glasses?  You know, those things people wear so they can see?  Come on.  You can get the round ones like Harry Potter!  It’ll be magical!”

“Tae, for the last time, glasses are expensive and–they won’t turn me into a wizard,” you say breathlessly.  Your eyes refocus on the present moment and the first thing you see is Tae stunned, eyes wide.

You remember him as he was in your youth and you now see this beautiful man.  He really has grown into his ears.  The freckles on his nose, cheek and lip are more prominent now from so many days in the sun.  His eyes, though, still hold the same child-like wonder you’ve always admired.  His face lights with that boxy smile, the one that holds so much joy his face can barely contain it.

“Aww, you love me,” he teases.  His expression and tone is playful, but there’s a sincerity, a gravity, a note of bittersweet, a whisper of a question at the end.  His words don’t encompass like a blanket or taste like strawberries.  They don’t weigh you like an anchor or light you up like a firework.  The words flow through you like a river, the surface running free, vibrant and frolicking, but with depths that cut paths in unexpected ways.  A path that connects you to him.  So you have no hesitation, no doubt when you say, “I do.  I love you, Tae.”

He beams and you can’t help grinning back.  You stick your tongue out at him for old time’s sake, but instead of returning the sentiment, his smile softens.  “You know, that’s all we’ve ever needed.  I’m in your corner and you’re in my corner.  As long as we have this, then nothing else matters."

“You’re right," you nod.  "I just–I just want to remember more.  It’s like I have all these pieces to a puzzle, but I’ve lost the box, and every time I remember, I finally get a glimpse at the picture of what I’m supposed to make.  Our experiences and memories make us who we are, Tae.  I wanna complete my puzzle so I can start living my life, you know?”

“But you are living your life.  No one’s puzzle is complete anyways.  It’s constantly changing.  We’re different from when we were twelve and we’re different than we were yesterday.  So even with all that’s going on, you are allowed to be different and to change.  We can make new memories.  Have new experiences.”

“Still.  Those memories are precious.  I don’t wanna throw away the box completely.”

“Then I’ll remember for you.  You can take or borrow any piece you want.”

“What if I stray too far from the original design until I’m too different for you to handle?”

His eyes issue a challenge.  “I can handle it.”

You believe that.  You do.  It’s just–

“Plus,” Tae continues.  He cocks his head at you.  “No matter how many times you’ve reset, you’re still the same at your core, even if you can’t see it.  You’re resilient and kind.  Anxious in yourself, but fierce for others.  And you still baby me.  

"You know, I’m the oldest hyung in my family.  I always take care of my brother and sister and all of my cousins.  I’m expected to be the rock of my family, and in a way, I guess I succeeded.  I worked hard to be where I am so my siblings can do whatever they want.  But you were the first person to let me be me without any expectations.  You let me be silly and strange.  You follow my whims and encourage my weird.

“And if you hadn’t, I don’t know if I could have made it with the hyungs.  I’m a hyung to Jungkookie, but without you, I wouldn’t know how to be a dongsaeng to the hyungs.  To be soft so they can be hard.  To let go of control so they can be in control.  You gave me time to figure it out.  So you can be you without any expectations.  You’ve always taken the reins so I can daydream.  This is your daydream now and I can take the reins.”

You’re deeply touched, and you get it.  Just as you see the twelve year old him still buried in the man he is today, in the way he smiles, the dare in his eyes, he’s still just your Tae.  But you lightly scoff.  “Thank you for taking care of me, but you don’t fool me, Tae.  You still act like an oppa, like a hyung.  You take care of everyone in your wily ways.  You really are our dramatic alien, but I also know that you turn it on, on purpose, for BTS to give them energy.  I know you turn it on, on purpose, at home so everyone can turn off and get comfortable.  I know you turn it on, on purpose, to bring out the oppas’ instincts.  I know you turn it on, on purpose, so Namjoon-oppa, Jimin, and Jungkookie can be silly dongsaengs with you.  You are my silly dongsaeng, but you are also my oppa, Tae.”

“Just let me take the reins, noona.”

You watch the switch happen.  This conversation has been much too serious for far too long and, being called out for his ways, Tae retreats now, putting his hahoetal mask back on with that grin, his eyes twinkling in the way they do, impish and goofy, but wiser than anyone suspects.  The perfect disguise for the enigma that is Kim Taehyung.    And just because you know it’ll please him, you tell him, “You’re an enigma, Kim Taehyung.”

He pumps his fists in victory.  “Yes!  That’s all I’ve ever wanted!  Wait!  Does that mean I’ve peaked?!  I’m too young to peak!”

You’re so fond of this man as he rambles on a mile a minute.  The boy who adopted an anxious girl and a girl who was chosen by a fearless boy.  A Tom Sawyer who wanted you to be his Huckleberry Finn.  You know you fall short, but he’s always had enough Tom and Huck in himself that he never cares that you don’t.  That’s why you will always play along wholeheartedly.

You scoff.  “Oh, please.  I have no doubt you’ll always find a way to top yourself.”

“Ooh, kinky.  That’s what they call self-cest, right?”

“Oh, my god, Tae, are you reading fanfics?!”

“If Army didn’t want me to read their dream journals, they shouldn’t post it online.”

“But you’re asexual.”

“There are some asexual fanfics.”

“Then how do you know about self-cest?”

“Trial and error.  Lots of error.  Sometimes I can’t help myself, okay?”

You both laugh because if that isn’t Tae’s motto, you don’t know what is.  

The rest of dinner goes much like that, tangents you can’t fathom how you found yourself on, but filled with humor nonetheless.  By the end, you feel more settled than you’ve ever felt.  Maybe Tae’s right.  Maybe you can let him take the reins and just be the person you are right now.  Figure it out as you go along.

The both of you are waiting for the bill and you’re trying your best to reenact Jieun getting caught by Bang PD-nim doing an impression of him rapping, Tae giggling manically, when a man you don’t recognize enters.  

“Jung-hyung!” Tae shouts.  He tackles the man as you smooth your hair down, hoping this guy didn’t catch the last bit of your reenactment of Bang PD-nim flailing because when he sat down in Jieun’s chair, it was too tall, so he pulled the lever to lower it and it shot down too fast.

The man pulls back from the hug and says, “I saw ‘Vante’ on the reservation list and had to come say hi.  You know that pseudonym doesn’t fool anyone, right?”

“Yeah, I should have used Y/N’s name cuz’ she’s not as famous at all,” Tae says, pointing his thumb at you.

You sigh, but don’t take any offense to his teasing because you’re honestly grateful you’re not famous.  You don’t know what you would have done if your privacy was invaded on top of all your other issues.  You politely bow to the man and his lips quirk in amusement.  “Y/N,” he says, startling you.  “It’s been a while.  I hope the dongsaengs have been behaving themselves.”

“You hope for too much,” you say with a straightface, earning you chuckle.  Apparently, you have some sort of relationship with this man?  You try to silently communicate your need for assistance to Tae, but he’s paying you no mind, too busy climbing the man like a tree.  You don’t have to worry though because he receives your telepathy.

“Noona, Seokjung-hyung is Jin-hyung’s hyung.”

Realization dawns, Seokjung remembering that you might not remember him and you remembering that you’re at Jin’s brother’s restaurant, so this really shouldn’t surprise you.  

“Aish!” Seokjung exclaims.  “I’m so sorry, I forgot. I’m your Jungie-oppa.  I give Jin shit.  You give Jin shit.  We’re the give Jin shit team.”

You like the sound of that.  You can see a slight resemblance now, except he’s taller and has broader features than Jin.  His easy going nature immediately sets you at ease.  The charm must be genetic.

“All you need to remember is that I’m your favorite oppa,” he says with a very Jin-like wink.

“It’s just me here,” Tae says.  “If you want to sow the seeds of chaos, you need to wait till the rest of the hyungs are here.  Where is Jin-hyung by the way?”

“He’s at the park down the street with Areum and Byeol.  Areum is my wife,” Seokjung explains to you.  

“Areum and Byeol are here?!  You’re saying I can hang out with all three of my favorite girls?!” Tae exclaims.  He shimmies off Seokjung, nearly kneeing Seokjung in the groin.  

“What about Jieun-unnie?” you ask as Tae crouches in front of you.

“Jieun-noona is a menace.  A menace, I tell you!  Hyungie, pay for our dinner!”

“I already did.”  Seokjung rolls his eyes with no heat.

“What are you doing?” you ask incredulously.  Tae remains in his crouched position and you have no idea what’s going on.  

“Get on my back!  You’re too slow!” “I am not and I will not!”

“Get on my back, noona, or I’ll bridal carry you instead!”

At the very real threat, you grumble as you clamber onto his back.  He’s out the door before you can adjust yourself, but you manage to call out, “It was nice to see you, Jungie-oppa!  We ate well!  Thank you!”

“It was nice to see you too!  Kiss Byeol for me!” he calls back to you.

Tae marches you hurriedly down the alley towards where you assume the park is.  It’s funny watching all the plainclothes bodyguards trying to catch up with Tae’s antics.    

“Who’s Byeol?”  You sputter around wisps of Tae’s hair in your nose.

“Only the most beautiful girl in the whole wide world!”

“Wow, thanks.  That was some helpful information, Tae.”

“Anytime!”

The park comes into view, pathways lit, faerie lights in some trees, and a dark lake reflecting the moon.  You don’t know how Tae could possibly know where Jin is in this expanse, but he marches assuredly on.  It isn’t long before Jin comes into view.  There’s a small deck with a few benches.  He’s standing by the railing pointing at something on the lake and you hear a child-like squeal.  The sound seems to spur Tae on because he’s excitedly jogging with you struggling to find a comfortable position.  

“Tae, lemme off!”

“We’re almost there, you potato sack!”

“I am not a potato sack!  You forced me up here!”

“Cuz’ you’re slow!”

“I am not slow!  I am efficient with my energy!”

“Whatever you say, sloth lady!”

“I am not a sloth lady!”

“Okay, sloth man!”

“Tae!”

Your argument alerts Jin who turns around with wide eyes.  The deck is a bit in shadow, jutting out from the path and its lights, but you think you see him panic as you both approach.  

“Taehyung, what are you doing here?” Jin asks incredulously.  

“I’m here to see my niece!  Seokjung-hyung and Areum-noona have deprived me of her for too long!  Hand her over!”  Tae drops you unceremoniously and you stumble to catch your balance.  When you find your equilibrium again, Tae is blowing raspberries into the belly of the most adorable giggly little girl you have ever seen.  She can’t be more than two years old with pudgy cheeks and flailing miniature limbs.  She has Seokjung’s eyebrows and nose, and her dark hair is short, curling at the end.  This is not doing good things to your uterus, oh my god, she’s so cute!  “Byeol, look who’s here!”

Tae points you out and Byeol babbles happily, reaching out to you with chubby hands.  Who are you to deny this little one?  Byeol settles comfortably in your arms with no fuss, her little body tucked against all your curves.  She grabs your corsage, crushing some of the flowers and looks up at you with big beautiful brown eyes and long soft lashes.

“Aren’t the flowers pretty?  But not as pretty as you Byeol,” you coo conversationally.  You pretend to nip her cheek and she squeals in delight and you wish you could make wind chimes out of it.  You are literally melting, goo, a puddle.  Byeol’s nose is so cute, you don’t even try to resist eskimo kissing her, her face scrunching up toothily.   

“Noona, watch this!  Byeol!  Who’s the best?  You’re the best!  Kaepjjang!”

Byeol fists a hand and then gives a thumbs up.  She’s pleased when you all break into laughter.  Even Jin who has been quiet all this time laughs and you want to make a windchime out of that too.  It’s squeaky and hiccupy, and it is such an odd sound to come out of a handsome man, endearing in its contrast.  

“Aigoo, I can’t believe she remembers what samchon Yoongi taught her.  Our Byeol is so smart," Jin says.

“Yoongi-hyung is gonna be so jealous we got to see her,” Tae states gleefully.

Byeol reaches out to Jin and emits an excited squeal as Jin immediately scoops her up making airplane sounds.  You pout feeling bereft of her warm, sturdy, compact body.  

As Tae points out a bird to the little one, you glance around, realizing you’re missing someone.  “Where’s Byeol’s eomma?  Jungie-oppa said she’d be here.”

“She’s here,” Tae answers instead of Jin.

Jin huffs a sigh.  “Areum-noona is just a little ways down the path.  The stroller decided it was the best time to malfunction during a night stroll.”

Tae begins playing peekaboo with Byeol, so you move in closer to Jin to catch her radiant expression.  

“So you met, Seokjung-hyung, huh?  And now you’re here to see Areum-noona and Byeol.  How fortuitous.”  Jin’s tone is weird.  When you glance at him, he’s giving a pointed look at Tae who easily ignores him.

You suddenly feel bad, even if this wasn’t your idea.  Jin hadn’t invited you to meet his family and you blindsided him.  “Sorry for intruding on your family time.”

Jin instantly turns to you, expression horrified.  “No, Y/N.  Don’t apologize.  Tae is just annoying.  I just–you could never intrude.”

“Smooth,” Tae says like a brat.  Jin responds with a jab Tae isn’t quick enough to dodge.  “Ow!  Help!  Byeol, I’m dying!”  

Tae dramatically flops to the ground to the chorus of  Byeol's giggles.

“Now look who’s slow, sloth man," you say as the three of you tower over him.

“I’m not a sloth man.”

“Okay, sloth lady.”

“How did I get stuck with you two on my night off?” Jin despairs.  “It’s like I’m watching three babies.”

“Wow.  Filicide.  Way to turn this biblical.  I like it!” Tae says from the ground.  He gives a thumbs up and Byeol gives him one too.  Oh, you could just eat her up. So cute!

Instead, you lightly elbow Jin.  "I don't think you have a leg to stand on with your Mario figurines and Maplestory plushies," you tease.

"Cuz that's so much worse than a room with my face plastered all over it like a shrine."  Jin smirks at your growing horror.

Oh my god.  You kick Tae who "oof"s. "Tae, I told you that in confidence!"

Tae's eyes widen.  "You can't remember what you ate two weeks ago, but you remember telling me that in confidence?!"

"I didn't remember, but thanks for confirming, you dog bird! And no one remembers what they ate two weeks ago!" you hiss.  

"Waffles. Chapagetti. Ojingeo bokkeum."

"You made that up!"

"No, I didnt!"

"Dog bird!"

"Y/N!" Tae whines.

There's no way you'd ever volunteer that info to Jin who is now squeaking the most you’ve ever heard him squeak.  Of course, Tae told him.  He’s a sucker for bribes and probably traded that secret for nothing more than dumplings.  Tae begs apologies to you, but you're having none of it.  You're so embarrassed you could die.

Byeol reaches for Tae so Jin carefully sets her on Tae’s stomach, who immediately pulls her down to nuzzle her ruddy cheeks.  Ignoring Jin’s continued amusement at your expense, you dig out your phone and start taking pictures.  As you snap pictures of the two, you can’t help but think this is what Tae meant.  Making new memories.  Having new experiences.  You feel eyes on you.  Jin’s laughter has subsided, but he watches you three, content.  He winks at you and you wink back.  

A small woman appears beside him.  “You know, the other day, I almost thought Byeol was having a stroke, but I finally figured out her weird blink was just her trying to wink.  I’m kind of scared to see what she’s gonna be like as an adult with all of you influencing her,” she says wryly as she parks her stroller.  

“Well, at least she has Y/N and noona, so it won’t be that bad,” Tae coos, stroking Byeol’s back.

Areum waves his flattery away, for this must be Areum.  Light brown hair and fae-like with her sharp eyes and sharp nose, but soft lashes and delicate hands.  You’re immediately intimidated by her, but to your surprise she pulls you in and embraces you.  For such a small person, she hugs like a bear.  She pulls back and gives you a once over.  

“You look like you’re in one piece, so that’s good,” she says, gently brushing your hair back.  “I’m Areum, Seokjung’s wife and Jin’s hyungsu.  I know you don’t remember me, but if you ever need anything, like a break from those crazy boys, you just call unnie, okay?  You have my number in your phone.”  

Her motherly tone is warm and inviting and you can't hide the eagerness in your voice.  “I don’t need a break, but I’d love to spend time with you.”   

Areum exudes a quiet confidence that you wish you could emulate.  It isn’t arrogant or vain, even though she’d have every right to be with her looks, but rather it’s a surety in how she holds herself.  Like she knows who she is and what she brings to the table.  You could do with some of that.

You’re graced with a pleased smile.  “Let’s do dinner on Saturday then.  We’d love to spend one on one time with you.  Plus, I think Byeol would love that.”

“Me too.  Let’s do it.”

“What about me?” Tae whines.  “I want to spend more time with Byeol.”

Areum turns a stern look at Tae.  “I know for a fact you have a GQ photoshoot that evening.  There’s no way you’re getting out of it.  Don’t pout.  You don’t think I’ve become immune?  Byeol has taught me resolve of steel.”

Tae makes a sad cry when Areum lifts a sleepy Byeol off him.  

“Sorry, samchon.  You can schedule a different day.  I need to get oppa and this little one home and into bed.  Say goodbye, Byeol.” 

Byeol rubs her eyes and half-consciously waves.  Your eyes catch Tae’s and you share a telepathic contemplation of kidnapping, but you’re scheming is interrupted by the sight of Jin kissing Byeol.  With a sleight of hand you’re not normally capable of, you manage to take a picture in time.  It’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever seen, and you secretly set it as your homescreen.  Movement has you looking up as Areum starts moving away.

“Wait!  Seokjung told me to give Byeol a kiss.”  Areum pauses and kindly waits for you, her smile encouraging despite your outburst.  

Byeol is already asleep in the stroller, hand clutching a blanket and mouth open in a soft o.  You stroke her hair and press your lips to her soft cheek.  “Sweet dreams, Byeol.” 

You place your corsage next to her, petals brushing her hair.  You know Tae won’t get mad at you for passing the gift on.  It just feels right to do.  The three of you watch Areum make her way out of the park, carefully pushing Byeol.  

Your hair stands on end.  Your heartbeat quickens and your body tenses, your gut clenching.  You’re not sure why, until you spot people following Areum and Byeol.  Your mind sounds an alarm, words like ‘stalker’, ‘sasaeng’, and ‘protect’ blaring.  You move to chase after them, but Jin catches your naked wrist.

“It’s okay.  Breathe, Y/N.  They’re just bodyguards,” he explains.  He rubs your wrist and takes a deep breath, showing you how to breathe.  And now you see it, when Tae and Jin’s bodyguards nod to those people.  You continue the deep, steady breaths, the ball of panic dissipating.

Tae tugs the hem of your sweater from your hand.  You hadn’t even noticed you were fiddling with it.  “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.  I’m okay,” you answer weakly.  You suddenly feel exhausted.  Exhausted from a full day.  A good day that you refuse to let the last thirty seconds ruin.

Jin shifts his hand to interlace your fingers.  “Let’s go home.”

You nod and Tae loops your free arm into his, a note of whimsy in your steps as you all stroll home.

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[justmultifandom]

Kidge Summer event 2023

Day 13: Morning

When Pidge woke up, she felt the sensation of wet lips on hers and soft, warm hands moving up and down and touching her bare back. She opened her eyes, seeing Keith moving away from her slowly as if, by kissing her, he had undone a sleeping spell like in the fairy tales she used to read and admire as a child. "You know, I can't stop kissing you…": he smiles, approaching her once again and leaning his head on her collarbone, smelling her good perfume. “Didn't you have a meeting with the Blades today?” She yawned, seeing the light filter through the shabby white curtains of Keith's desert cabin, seeing that there was indeed a lot of light. To judge it must have been more or less half past nine. “The Blades can wait, you're more important…”: he chuckled, circling a hickey he'd left the night before slightly under her neck with his finger. Pidge blushed furiously, rolling her eyes and letting him continue. She had always found his touch comforting and beautiful; each time it left a slight rush of adrenaline that rippled through her body. It calmed her down and made her feel safe, always. But, unfortunately for her, Keith had decided to play the same cruel game as her. “Didn't you have a meeting at the Garrison today?” His malicious smile widened as she let out a snort. “You wouldn't let me go anyway…”: she smiled, putting a hand through his thick black hair and slowly massaging it. "Why not? You've been nagging me for three days about how important this meeting is…": he exhales, still holding her tight and close to his body. "You're right, but I'm not the one nailing someone to the bed": she smiled, playing on irony and continuing to stroke Keith's beautiful thick hair. “I never liked that new lab technician working with you…”: he growled, moving a little further above her, resting his head slightly higher than her chest and making sure not to crush her, while the rusty springs of the old bed squeaked from moving. Pidge rolled her eyes. Sure, she obviously expected Keith to get jealous with the start of a relationship, but now she was slightly concerned that she might start filtering messages for him. “Do you have any idea how I caught him looking at you from behind yesterday?” he growled again, wrapping his strong, muscular arms around her waist. “That's why you were so possessive…”: she smiled, remembering all the events of the night before her, moving her back a bit to prepare breakfast or at least have the decency to get up and dress. "No, stay here…" Keith ordered, with a sleepy moan from her, always keeping her close to him, as if he never wanted to let her go. Of course, he would have gotten a good scolding from Kolivan and his mother for not having attended that meeting of the Blades, unleashing the useless freaks of Ezor and Zethrid that would have driven him insane for all the missions until the end of time, but for one good reason. And it was worth it. "At least let me prepare a breakfast that isn't expired dry biscuits!": she grumbled, even if, despite everything, being close to him was comforting and extremely relaxing. "Come on, five more minutes…": he protested, filling her neck with languid kisses and placing his hands on her hips: "Do you have any idea how much I missed you after this last mission? I just want to take advantage of every moment…” “Ugh… you're still mad about Robin, aren't you?” She rolled her eyes, continuing to massage his hair. God, she would die for that hair of his: "You don't have to worry, I've told him many times that I'm already busy…" "I know, but I don't think he understood very much…": he continued, without letting go of her beautiful neck and leaving a hickey that could be seen quite easily: "You are mine and only mine, how can we make others understand?" “You know, I'm quite concerned about this. I'm afraid I won't be able to go around without you anymore…”: she giggled, pulling him in for a quick sweet kiss. “None of that…”: Keith looked into her eyes, kissing her again.

[flowers-for-em]

6

 Maximilien 

That weekend, I find myself in the main atelier, looking over at the collection again. That’s when I realize the patterns on the model, assumingly supposed to be Amaryllis’s, don’t look right. There’s a bunch of them drawn out on the table too, and as I examine them, I frown. I have no idea who’s fucking measurements they’re using, but I know for a fact it’s not hers. And my suspicion is confirmed when I see a sticky note on the table, with measurements that definitely aren’t hers. 

I sigh. Don’t tell me they’ve been wasting their time tracing these out. We need it done as soon as possible, we still have to run test shoots in two weeks for now and we’ve barely got three months to finish everything before the next season begins. 

Begrudgingly, I pick up my phone and tap the number my dad sent to me just in case. Amaryllis picks up after a multitude of rings. “Hello?”

She still sounds sleepy. I smile to myself, knowing I’ve caught her when she’s still half awake, despite it being ten in the morning. “Good morning. Are you-”

“Oh my god,” she groans. “What do you want? It’s literally ten in the morning. Disrespectfully, fuck off.”

“Noted with thanks. What are you doing right now?”

“Thinking if I’m capable of murdering you.”

“You’re not. Are you free today?”

“I don’t wanna go in,” she complains. “Why?”

“I need to retake your measurements, they messed it up with someone else’s. Send me your address, I’ll go over.”

“Send me your address. Take it off. You have too many opinions,” she mocks, dropping her voice in a weak attempt to mimic mine. “You’re so bossy. Can we switch to FaceTime so you can see me giving you my middle finger?” 

“No, we cannot. Don’t be difficult, Miss Anderson,” I say, knowing the name pisses her off. 

“I’ll be even more difficult if you keep calling me that.” She hangs up, and I think that’s it, until a notification appears at the top of my screen, an address followed by an insult. 

I pocket my phone, shaking my head and smirking. 

Amaryllis

The doorbell rings. From my room on the second floor of the penthouse, I groan. Still in my pajamas, I drag myself down to open the door. 

Dammit. He’s in his stupid suit, tie straightened and pinned. I didn’t even know people still did that. Meanwhile, my hair is tamed down with only my fingers, and I’m wearing fluffy house slippers and a vintage Victoria’s Secret nightgown. I scowl before stepping aside to let him in. 

“Good morning,” he greets politely, the mockery in his tone evident. 

“Wrong,” I correct, “Bad morning.” 

“I’m glad I can make your day worse.” He produces a measuring tape from the inner pocket of his blazer jacket. 

I groan, sprawling myself out lazily on the sofa. 

“Come on. I can finish this in less than half an hour if you cooperate,” he says like someone would to an irritating child. Although I’m pretty sure he sees me as one. How old is this guy, even? 

“How old are you?”

“Why does that matter? Do you only date guys above a certain age?”

I pull a face at him. A small furrow forms between his brows. That little crease seems to be present whenever I am. “‘M just curious. Answer my question.”

“Twenty five.” 

I nod. I close my eyes, leaning back on the sofa. He sighs. “You’re wasting my time.”

“You woke me up. Deal with it.”

“Are you trying to find reasons to spend time with me?”

“In case you hadn’t noticed,” I point out, “we’ve only been alone in the same room twice. And both of those times were initiated by you.”

“Well, you did agree.”

“Do I really have a choice?”

“No, I suppose you don’t. Now am I just going to stand here while you nap even though you’ve just woken up or can I actually leave by eleven?”

“If dragging it out means I’m annoying you, then the first. Even if it’s annoying me too. You know-” I open my eyes, “you’re so bossy. It’s obnoxious.”

“Oh?” He raises an eyebrow. “I’m obnoxious? You’re the one picking fights like a stubborn, dramatic, five year old. If either of us are obnoxious, it’s not me.”

“See, the fact that you think so highly of yourself not to see it-“

“I do not- oh, you’re impossible. Now hurry up and stand up so I can get this done.”

“You’re not sneezy today,” I note, closing my eyes again. 

“I didn’t notice you spent so much effort counting the number of times I sneeze.”

“I don’t. It’s just that your nose always does this thing,” I wrinkle my nose to mirror him, “and it’s not doing it today.”

“Enough sneeze-talk. Stand up, Amaryllis.”

My eyes shoot open, and I look up at him with a smile. I tilt my head. “What did you call me?”

He looks away and sighs. “If I called you Miss Anderson your immature self would pick a petty fight again, and I’m not going to entertain that.”

“I am not immature. I can be mature when I feel like it, and if I was right now, then the both of us would just be snobby and stuck up and that’ll be no fun.” I extend my arm. “Pull me up.”

He shakes his head, grabbing my wrist and pulling me up. “Have you had breakfast yet?”

“I don’t eat breakfast.”

“Fine.” 

I stand, arms out, as he drags the tape—and his fingertips—over me. Down the lengths of my arm, around my bicep, lightly over my wrist. 

I flinch. “That’s ticklish.”

“Stand still.” 

He notes the measurements down in his phone. Then he stands up, drawing the measuring tape around my chest without warning. I blink up at him, flustered as he pinches the tape between his two fingers to take a look at the exact reading. Suddenly, I’m all too aware of the shallow rise and fall of my chest, my breasts pushing against the tape through the thin silk material of my nightgown with each movement. 

Then he drops the tape. My sigh is inaudible.  

“Your face is pink,” he comments, circling the tape around my waist after getting my bust measurements down into his phone. 

I scowl. “Okay, and?” 

“Nothing.” A hint of a smile plays on his lips. “Just an observation.” 

“I didn’t ask for your observations,” I flick his shoulder. 

“And neither do I ever ask for yours.” 

I roll my eyes. If I was told I’d have to see this guy almost every day for the next three months, I would’ve considered before accepting the job. I mean, I would say yes either way, but I wouldn’t have accepted immediately. 

I raise my eyes to his. He’s looking down at his phone, but I can still see his eyes. A ring of amber that blends into green, like the colors melted into the other. 

Maximilien

I feel Amaryllis’s eyes on me, but I pretend not to notice—or not to care. Tucking my phone in my pocket, I kneel down. 

“What are you doing?” 

“I need your thigh measurements too, you know,” I state. 

“Do you though? I mean-”

I shut her up by circling the tape around her thigh, just where her tiny nightdress ends. Her muscles tense and I grin to myself. “Why’re you clenching your thighs?” 

“Shut the fuck up. It’s a sensitive area, okay?” 

“Sure, whatever you say.” I go back to taking measurements as normal, and go back to measuring as normal. 

Without the overpowering scent of her perfume, she actually smells nice. Still the same vanilla scent, but only if I’m close enough to her—which I am right now. But she’s a lot more bearable without that stupid perfume. In fact, I’d hang around her if she always smelled like this. 

Amaryllis must feel awkward, because out of nowhere, she rambles, “So, can I call you, like, Max or something? Maximilien is such a mouthful. Also, who even spells Maximilian with an E? That’s so weird.” 

“It’s French. You’re welcome to call me Adrien if it means you’ll stop making fun of my name. No Max.” 

“Why not Max?” 

“I just don’t like it.”

“Adrien,” she says once, then repeats it again to test the word out. “Adrien? Maximilien. Yeah, no, Adrien is way better. But Maximilien is still kinda a shit name. I hate the name Max too, but I might just call you that since it annoys you.” 

“It does not annoy me,” I sigh. “It’s just not my preferred name.” 

“Whatever, Max. You know, you don’t seem to get annoyed easily. Matter of fact, you don’t seem to feel anything easily at all, except for- I dunno, stuck-up-ness.”

“Firstly, the word is arrogance,” I correct, standing up again. “And secondly, I do have emotions, whether you believe it or not. It’s just easier to not display everything I feel on my face, unlike some people.” I glance pointedly at her pouty lips. 

“Well, now that you’re done, are you gonna get out of my house?” 

“You’re a terrible hostess, you know that?” I tuck the measuring tape back into my pocket, shaking my head. 

“To be fair, I didn’t even invite you.”

“Still. Aren’t you going to offer me a drink?” I egg her on. One feeling that will always register on my face? The little smirk I can’t hold back when it comes to teasing her. 

“No. I hope you die of dehydration and crash your car on the way home.” She rolls her eyes, but I can see her smile. 

“I feel like you’re the physical equivalent of ‘I woke up and chose violence’.” 

“Me? Violent? Only verbally, but then you are too.” She places her hands on her hips. Her nipples peak through the silky pink material of her dress, and I’ve been trying my best to be respectful. 

Honestly, nothing about her wants me to be respectful. In all the ways. From her bitchy behavior and oozing confidence to her suggestive movements. 

If I could, I’d-

I shove the thought out of my head. Change of plans, I don’t want to stick around to annoy her anymore. I have to go before my thoughts become…anything other than professional. “Fine. I’ll see you Monday.”

She pouts at me, then laughs. “Sadly.” 

-💋

OOOH OOOH I LOVE LOVE LOVE..

And finally we find about the adrien part!! I kinda wanna know why he likes being called adrien now hehe. But this was SOOO good!!

ps: sorry this took me a while to respond to.

[clipperandhisadike]

How to send your kids to school, Mandalorian Style (or something)

"And you remember what to do if the Imperials come to school?" Clipper asked, anxiously checking his adike’s bags again. He could already feel the irritation pouring off the school minder at the gate. But he was pretending to be a Mandalorian like Prime, and this was Alderaan. Of course a normal Mando buir would be anxious about letting some aruettise near their ade. He hoped.

Hero nodded, lekku bouncing. "We don't speak Basic, and if we lose our masks, we start screaming and bite them." Clipper kissed Hero between the eyes, right over the metal nosebridge of his mask. There were worse things than pretending to be a less weird member of the Kyr'Tsad.

 "Good boy, Hero," Clipper said. "Go to the gate, wait for your siblings." Hero trotted away, hitching his bag up higher. Leeti was next, and Clipper swallowed back his sadness for Leeta. Leeti was their own person. "Leeti?"

 Leeti pushed their mask back up, eyes big and glossy in the light. "Don't talk to strangers," Leeti said, lisping only slightly. "An' if they ask questions, I don't speak Basic an' I get to kick them." Clipper laughed, patting Leeti's shoulder. Leeti was too big at the tender age of five for a kiss from their buir, so off to school without one. (He still kissed Leeti's head when the little Mirialan came scampering back, apparently not too big for a kiss from buir before school.)

The last one was Yuula, a zabrak and Clipper's biggest headache after the migraines. He was already rolling his eyes as Clipper turned his attention to him. At the age of seven, he was the oldest of Clipper's ade and also the most likely to talk back.

"I don't speak Basic if the Imperials show up, and I get to gut them if they touch my mask," Yuula says, grinning sharply behind his veil. Clipper nodded, wincing a bit as the motion jarred the coronas of light starting to reflect off everything. It was a migraine day today, he'd known it when he woke up. Yuula's cockiness faded for a moment, and he touched  Clipper's head. "I'll be okay, buir," Yuula promised. Clipper tried to pretend he didn't feel Yuula using the Force to cure his headache. "Any Imperial who tries to take me is getting a desk in the face."

Clipper sighed. "That's what I'm afraid of. Okay, go to school, ad'ika," and he pressed a kiss to Yuula's head before the zabrak could protest. Yuula protested anyways, loudly, the whole way to the gate. Thankfully, all in Mando'a. Clipper crossed his fingers in his pocket, and prayed that the minder at the gate didn't know that half of those were cuss words.

Judging by the look, they did.

[marlasomething]

(my) Mag a Week: Family in Ashes

Hello there!

I am participating in the "a mag a day" idea by @a-mag-a-day which is BRILLIANT and I decided to do "statement a week", rolling dice with the characters and fears that were ftw that week in the episodes I have listened.

For today I rolled Archivist!Leitner (IHAATEHIMSOMUUUUCH) and The Desolation (Eps. 85-92).

As usual, please do forgive my quick tipper and non-native speaker mistakes, Marla

Allons-y!

CW: destructive behaviour, cruelty, death, alienation

Also on AO3!

Statement of Clara, just Clara, regarding the reason her step-sister put her in a hospital.

Recorded by Jurgen Leitner, Head Archivist of the Magnus Institute, London.

Statement begins.

 This is going to be a short tale, for I find no pleasure in elongating anything. Cruelty is like a joke: if you explain it too much, if you repeat it every day…it just losses its effects.

What is the point in putting the needle in between flesh and nail within hour? The body would become accustomed and, even if it hurts, it will be a numb pain, and life is already a constant numb pain on itself, no need to prey upon the quotidian (sort to speak).

I will not give my complete name; it is nothing of your incumbency and, being honest, I am famous enough you will recognise me just with my first line. After all, certain character very related to me said it all the time: I have no time elongating anything …Jesus Christ that was a bloody terrible script, wasn’t it?

Anyway, my trial is tomorrow and I am going to plea insanity and, knowing how good my lawyer is (dear Gertrude, in another life where your moral compass hadn’t been so twisted as such a young age, you would have been a woman to be admired…), I am walking free.

However, I did everything I am accused of and I am proud of it . Alas, I wanted to leave documentary proof of that very fact to someone who is not going to rat me out and, well, we both know the Institute has far too many skeletons to go bury anybody else’s.

 It all began when my father remarried to this much richer, nicer woman (this one didn’t run away, like the previous parent did) and I got a beautiful, yet hostile, brand-new sister, Melanie King. She kept to herself and glared at me as if I had the Black Death.

I was barely five back then and I didn’t understand what she saw on me that was so horrible. Was I always crushing the insects and slightly bigger animals I found around the house? Yes. Was I so princess-like neither my father, nor my new mom would ever find me guilty of anything? Indeed.

But, obviously, in such a young mind there was nothing to be hated there. Maybe loved! Cute children with special quirks are always loved, am I right?

The point is, before Melanie, I was fine with destroying ant’s nests and making sure birds’ were crashed before I didn’t even consider whether they were for eating or proper babies (that is why I never had an omelette until way further into my life, but that is the story for another day). She changed all that, though, because she was absent at best and mean at worst when it regarded teeny-tiny-young-me.

That wasn’t fair! Both of us liked to talk back to both classmates and grown-ups, where smart without being top-of-the-class, half-orphans and into spooky stuff, WHY WOULDN’T SHE BE MY PARTNER IN CRIME?!

Was it that bad that, the first time I shook her hand, I had it smudged in what had been the intestines of a small lizard?

That, even when I was the one doing the evil deed , all faults were thrown toward her, for being less nice-girly like and older than me?

Apparently, it was.

Sad, for her, not for me, though; since this woke up my instinct to, you know, pass from animals to, you know, supposedly superior forms of life.

It is always funnier and, what I find most fascinating of all, crueller with such a rich subtlety…in the end, I might even have to thank Melanie for her help.

 I began to put the seeds of the crumbling down between her mother and my father, culminating in their ugly divorce when I was barely fifteen and, Melanie, nineteen. However, I didn’t account that, in my forced awaking of Mister King’s darkest side, I made him into the kind of person that would absolutely argue that “ you are either with me or no one else ” or maybe he was always like that and Melanie’s mom had a much unfortunate life than what I knew.

It hurt when he killed himself after turning my mother into a human torch…

…wait; I might have changed the gender of each parent mid trough the story. To be honest: I don’t recall correctly, it was half a decade ago and, as much as I cared for them, people are distant to me.

Except for Melanie, but everybody needs an anchor, right? Even if it is the mere existence of that anchor what turns you into the most unadvisable version of yourself.

 The point is: their deaths hurt, and, to by absolute non-surprise, I relished my very own pain. I saw the hole what had appeared inside of my soul and caress it. Melanie always blamed me, even though she made it clear our parents were toxic enough on their own: “ this would have happened without your fucking intervention, I hope you have that clear. It would just have been less…traumatic ” she hissed at me right before the press came. After all, it wasn’t every day that the parents of a famous TV actress died in such a brutal manner.

Another thing I should be thankful to Melanie for: she loathed me so very much I thought that, if I became a TV star, it would cast the perfect shadow to her kind-of-popular YouTube venture. And, also, there are so many vipers in the TV world…lovely place to work at, even if sometimes it turns a bit dull. Again: if you are going to be really cruel you have to get creative, renew yourself every once in a while!

 There are many other small anecdotes and events that helped everything to culminate in Melanie throwing me from the top of the stairs, so “ Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? ” of her. If it hadn’t been me falling, I would have enjoyed the visual so very much indeed.

I am not going to enter into detail about any of them, though, for I would rather cut directly to the chase. To what finally got her to do the deed: the day I brought the fire in my eyes into her own with my poisoned words and coy smile.

It wasn’t hard; I just posted an unedited audio of her doing her stupid ghost program where she questioned the credibility of one of her most famous investigations. It wasn’t that she is a non-believer (she believes too much for her own good, if you ask me), nor that the audio itself showed her as such, but it was enough to make suspicions grow and you know how the Internet is, right? Except properly leave without a job the pieces of shit that abuse people in my beloved media industry (or any others, in all earnest), it would do everything else.

Her whole online persona burned to the ground within hours and, when she was alone and desperate, she finally understood me: destruction and cruelty were everything that mattered.

See? There is only one weakness to me: I love running and, after what Melanie did…I am no longer in ownership of a proper functional lower half of my body. I am proud of my sister. The whole dig-into-all-the-dirt-I-have-been-doing-in-the-last-few-years? Not cool, predictable, boring. Couldn’t care less.

But, the other part?

Glorious.

 And that is all, it is not spooky, nor supernatural. At least, I guess so, but most people would call me a monster and don’t you love those?

Also, I am pretty sure my skin shouldn’t be hot enough to burn a nurse’s palm from mere touch…

…thank you for reading me.

  End recording.

  Clara Temple’s words have easily been proven truth with one of the many books Elias has granted me permission to have and use related to… ugh , our patron. I wonder whether Clara will explore how her now complete engagement to The Desolation on her own of if she will join Diego Molina and his kid…Agnes, wasn’t it?

Whatever it is, I hope she doesn’t make much noise; we have enough noise. We have enough of everything with what we have…Funny how her step-sister Melanie is now dating my most valuable assistant, though. Georgie seems very happy with her and, even if she seems rather violent …better to have someone to rely upon. After all, we are about to face the Lukases to stop their ritual…

…if Eric’s son and his partners (how many of them where? I kind of forgot, too many people shouting my bloody murder to me at the same time) don’t kill me before we have finished collaborating.

Look, I know I have completely given up to do whatever Elias tells me to in order to be the most capable Archivist I can possibly become, but I have a well-furnished head, so better me than anyone else who could use these powers to God knows why.

I shall be leaving already to our meeting…

Recording ends.

[astaroth1357]

I don’t know if this’ll make the cut, but brothers with an MC wearing their (the brothers) clothes, and I’m talking full ensemble not just a random jacket or accessory (you can delete if you’re not comfortable of course)

So when left with the question of whether this was a full on clothing theft or a cosplay of some kind, I'm going with theft because that's just funnier to me. Just a little MC marching around in Beel's tent of an outfit… Hilarious. 🤭

MC Steals the Brothers’ Outfits

Lucifer 

It started out like any other morning, Lucifer woke up early in bed - as he always does - but when he rolled onto his side to stir the MC, he found their side of the bed empty… 

Normally, he’d have thrown up the alarm in an instant, but his mind was still groggy as he tried to recall what happened the night before… He could have sworn the MC slept over… unless…

MC: “Good morning, love.”

Their voice was enough to get him sitting up again and he uh… well he was not prepared for what he saw. The MC was sitting with their legs crossed at his desk, attempting to imitate his “I’m-in-Complete-Control-Here” energy as much as they possibly could, but with an added detail…

They were wearing his clothes. His favorite suit to be specific which was tailored to his much bigger frame, resulting in a frankly ridiculously ill-fitting look on their smaller human body...

MC: *picks up a poisoned apple off the desk, continuing their very best Lucifer-impression*  “You should get up, love. We have an early meeting today and we can’t keep Lord Diavolo waiting.”

The MC appeared to polish the apple with his sleeve for a moment before taking a bite, looking pleased with themselves before their eyes widened in complete horror. It only took a split second for them to spit the unchewed hunk of apple into a nearby waste basket and toss the apple away in panic.

MC: “Ah FUCK!! I forgot I can’t eat these!!! SHIT!!”

Their panic only grew as Lucifer could no longer hold in his laughter, the booming volume of which is enough to wake up all his brothers throughout the House.

MC: “Lucifer, don’t just sit there laughing!! Bring me some water or something!!! LUCIFER!!!”

Mammon

Look, Mammon always gets up late so not being able to find, like, any of his normal clothes was a serious problem! He’d already dug through half his closest and still couldn’t find anything!!

He had a photoshoot that he had to get to in less than hour and he still needed to take a shower, get dressed, get his stuff together, then bolt halfway across town before-

MC: *literally kicks open his door Kuzco-style* “Yo, yo, yo!! What’s up, Mammon??”

First off, the sudden loud bang of his door hitting the wall nearly scared him out of his skin, but before he could even yell at the MC for their weird entrance his brain had to process what they were wearing….

Good news! He found his missing clothes, the MC had thrown them on while he was sleeping - sunglasses and all - and now stood before him with a toothy grin on their face.

MC: “What's the problem, Mams? Lucifer got your tongu-EEEK!”

Apparently, they weren't expecting Mammon to literally lunge at them and capture them in a tight hug, practically lifting them off their feet with a laugh.

Mammon: “What'cha think your doin', MC?? I'm gonna need those back ya know?”

MC: *laughs loud and bright, throwing their arms around his neck* “I know, I know... But I wanted to surprise you!” *stops laughing suddenly and blinks* “Huh…”

Mammon watched the MC experimentally lift his glasses off their nose then put them back down, repeating the action several times before snickering.

Mammon: *frowns* “What's so funny?”

MC: “Nothing really but… Mammon, do you wear these just to make everything look like gold?”

Mammon actually had to pause before responding, pulling the MC closer with a devilish grin.

Mammon: “Nah… I ‘cause got all the gold I need right here~”

MC: *chuckles and nuzzles his cheek* “Nice save...”

Mammon: *his cheeks flush and he frowns* “I dunno what your talkin’ about... But could ya go put on a t-shirt or somethin’? They’re paying me big for this shoot and I really gotta go!”

Leviathan 

Another convention, another cosplay far too complex to ever hope to peel out of… Though Levi would never regret wearing his five piece Lord of Shadow cosplay, it’s a heavy thing and certainly not something he can change out of in a bathroom stall…

When he finally got back to the House, he wasn’t looking to do anything but drag his tired body back to his room and change into some more manageable clothes… but… well…

When Levi opened his door, he saw the MC sitting alone at his computer desk playing a game by themselves. That was all well and good but… WHY IN DIAVOLO’S BLACK HELL ARE THEY WEARING HIS CLOTHES???

When they heard the door, the MC whipped their head back and they both stared at each other in an awkward silence… His clothes didn’t even fit them right!-or maybe they did?? His mind was panicking because they had the collar of his shirt covering their mouth and it looked so moe it was actually ridiculous!

Levi: ……….

MC: ………….

MC: …. “I can explain.”

Levi: ……. “Y-yea?”

MC: “I was having trouble on this one level and you wouldn’t pick up the phone… so I thought ‘What would Levi do?’... and it escalated…”

Levi: “You think??”

Levi felt like he could die right there, but he wasn’t entirely sure if it was from embarrassment or happiness… On the one hand, the MC was  literally trying to be him in order to get better at video games - which was flatteringly adorable… And on the other, the MC is pretty much cosplaying as him, right in front of him… and looked so damn cute doing it too… 

MC: “Is this weird…? This is weird. I’m sorry, I’ll go change-”

Levi: NO-agh! *he throws a hand over his own mouth, surprised by how loud he just shouted* … “U-uh… no it’s fine…”

MC: “Okay...?”

MC: “But could you put your phone down? I think you’ve been taking pictures for the past two minutes…”

Levi looked down at his hand and sure enough he unconsciously pulled out his phone in camera mode and has been spamming the “Capture” button long enough to have his thumb cramping...

Levi: “Oh.” *stops for a moment, then seems to second guess himself*

Levi: “Uh… just one more?”

Satan

When you share a house with Mammon, you grow accustomed to not being able to find things from time to time, but an entire outfit?? 

When he woke up one morning to find that he couldn't find any of his normal clothes, he blamed Mammon right off the bat… 

I guess in hindsight, what would Mammon want with his jacket? But anger doesn't always jump to the most rational conclusion, you know?

After searching for "long enough," Satan stormed out of his bedroom on a warpath. He didn't stop his march until he was banging on Mammon’s door with a closed fist!

Satan: “Mammon!! What did you do with my clothes you useless, money-grubbing asshole!?”

When he didn’t get a reply, likely because Mammon was hiding in his closet or something, he was about to kick the door in when he felt a tap on his shoulder...

When he turned his head, much to his surprise, he found his missing clothes!... They were on the MC - right down to the single sleeve - and the MC met his eyes with a mischievous grin…

They had a book in their hands he recalled seeing once at the library: "101 Ways to Prank Your Partner," open like they'd been reading down the hallway.

MC: … Page 47.

They winked at him before bolting back down the hallway in a fit of giggles and oooh, it was on now.

Satan spent the morning chasing the MC through the House, both laughing and dashing around in reckless abandon. He really needed his clothes back and he wouldn’t mind an extra hour or two with the MC when he got them… 😏

Asmodeus 

Asmo isn’t exactly a morning person… Though he forces himself awake so he can perform his wake-up routine, by the time he comes to the table it’s a hit-or-miss on how irritable he’s going to be...

Of course, his favorite outfit suddenly disappearing from his massive closet did not help his mood in the slightest!

Who would take his clothes?? Well, that’s not even a question - surely plenty of his devoted, adoring stans would kill to even have his scarf, so maybe the better question was, “How??” Lucifer keeps all the doors and windows magically sealed at night! (He would know, having been locked out on numerous occasions)

Asmo was tearing through his closet, wracking his brain for any place he might have left his beloved outfit, before he heard someone clear their throat by his bedroom door.

What greeted him was a lovely look at the MC wearing the missing clothing in question, even with all the grace and style he would himself!

Asmo: *jaw-drops* “MC???”

MC: *smirks at his delight and winks at him* “Looking for something?”

They strutted into the room with the confidence of a mock fashion model and took a silly vogue pose in front of the closet, barely holding in a fit of laughter from their actions.

MC: “… Or just at me?”

Asmo, of course, snatched them right up in his arms with a delighted squeal.

Asmo: “Oh. My. Diavolo!! MC, you look just gorgeous!!!- Because you look like me, of course.” 🤭

MC: *laughs and cups his cheeks to pull him closer* “Who wouldn't want to be you, Asmo?”

Asmo: “So true… But you’re already perfect, my love~” 😘

And he went on to prove that to them all morning long...

Beelzebub 

Beel didn't even get the chance to notice his clothes were missing. He had a tournament the night before and was sleeping even harder than Belphie that morning...

What woke him up was the smell of food: scrambled shadowhawk eggs, hellboar bacon, pancakes with nightshade syrup…. 

Beel's stomach had him sitting up long before his eyes ever opened, drawn in by his nose alone.

MC: “Beeeeel. Wake up!”

Beel's eyes dragged open at their request and what he found had his mouth watering... The MC had brought him a dining cart with a complete breakfast spread, brimming with portions only Beel could ever finish, but for once he wasn’t looking at the food.

The MC, for whatever reason, had decided to put on his clothes… And keep in mind that Beel's built like an ox compared to almost anybody. They were absolutely swimming under all that fabric (thank the Devil for his suspenders…) 

MC: “Congratulations!!!”

They throw their arms up excitedly, making the unzipped jacket balloon out like a parachute behind them… It's a remarkably cute image.

Beel: *blinks* “Oh.” *he gets a little pink, still very confused* “What did I do exactly…?”

MC: “You won the championship last night, remember? Or did you forget already??”

The MC takes a step to the side and begins pointing at the plates on the cart.

MC: “I thought we'd celebrate with some breakfast! I brought you eggs, bacon, pancakes, toast, cereal-”

As they continued their list, Beel's hand naturally reached out towards the cart eagerly, before something finally clicked in his head. WHY were they wearing his clothes??

Beel: “Wait. MC, why are you wearing-...?”

MC *holds their hand up* “Hold on!”

MC: “-oatmeal, muffins, banana bread, annnd…” *they get onto the bed and plop down onto his lap with a grin*

MC: “Me! Congratulations, Beel!!”

They lean up to peck his cheek while his arms automatically wind around their waist. The combination of their scents already bringing out a different sort of hunger in him…

Let’s say if this is his reward, he'll never lose a game again. 😏

Belphegor 

Belphie was in the middle of his afterschool nap in the library. The day was exhausting, so he didn’t even bother changing uniforms… The couches there were comfortable and the space was quiet, really nothing should have woken him up...

But somehow, for whatever reason, something did. A tug… Something was chasing away his dreams by tugging on the cow pillow in his arms.

MC: “Beeelllppphie….”

The tugging did not cease and he half growled in response, still keeping his eyes firmly closed.

Belphie: “What now...?”

MC: “I need this…” *they tug on the corner of the pillow a little harder* “Can you let go please…?”

What kind of question is that?? No one takes away his favorite pillow!

Belphie: *hugs the pillow tighter* “Go away, I'm trying to nap…”

MC: “Noooo please…! I need it for something right now…!!”

They started really pulling on his pillow now and he only held on tighter in annoyance. Since they wouldn’t leave him alone, he finally opened his eyes.

Belphie: “MC! Why are… you..?”

His voice trailed off as he finally saw the MC standing there in his usual outfit. His cardigan was so long over their arms that they had to grasp his pillow through its sleeves...

While his drowsy mind tried to catch up, the MC snatched the pillow from his grasp with one swift yank.

MC: *grins* “Mine now!”

They turned to bolt out of the library, but Belphie snatched them by the waist and dragged them back to the couch with him.

Belphie: “Fine, but then I get a new pillow.” 😏

The MC yelped as he flopped on top of them, pulling them close like a body pillow and resting his head into the crook of their neck to enjoy the soothing smell of their scent mixed with his.

MC: “W-wait Belphie…!” *tries to wiggle out from under his surprisingly heavy deadweight* “I was just playing around…! Please don't fall asleep on me!!”

Belphie: *yawns and settles in, already drifting off* “Too late… G'night, MC…”

MC: “Belphie!!!” 😫

They could complain all they liked, he wasn’t going to let them go for a few hours. Cute or not, MC, nobody takes his pillow!

[buckys-black-dress]

see through

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　　˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

a/n: i dont have much to say other than that it's 1 am and i needed to get this out of my system. chapter 4 of play the game is underway, i promise. also, there will be a pov switch in this fic!

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. = POV change!

wc: 4.1k words

[ neighbor!bucky barnes x fem!reader ]

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　　˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

-

Every Friday night, without fail, you saw the light filter into your apartment.

Notice how you said night?

Yeah, it was almost two in the morning, by the way.

And why was there light coming through the chiffon curtains you had hanging on the rod above your window?

(Great choice on your part, by the way.)

Well, because of your neighbor.

You've seen him a few times, actually. Usually on the street outside your buildings, or just out and about. Never spoke to him, though. He was quiet, kept to himself. Didn't seem very friendly or willing to exchange a greeting if he ever saw you.

But you never took it personally. Maybe he was having a bad day. Every time you saw him.

But that's besides the point. The point right now is that you can see the lights blaring in your room. From the apartment across from yours.

Should it even be possible for light to travel that far? I mean, we don't even live in the same building. You think to yourself as you watch the colors dance in the dark.

You debate getting up and yelling out your window to tell him to shut that shit off or to invest in some blackout curtains. You were tired of sacrificing your sleep every week.

But then you decided against it, because you quite frankly could not be bothered to get up from the warmth of your bed. You'd tough it out for the night, but the next time you saw him, you'd have a few words for him.

-

The next morning, it was almost ten when you woke up. You didn't have your shift at the coffee shop you worked at until three, so you took your time in making your way out of bed.

You noticed the curtains of your neighbor's apartment were still open, but you could see his figure moving across the room. He was clearly on the phone with someone, and he didn't look too happy. You wondered what could have him so angry at such an early time of the morning. He seemed like a person who could use someone to talk to, someone who he could vent to.

But before you let your thoughts get ahead of you, you turn away from the window, heading back into your kitchen to eat breakfast and get ready for the long day ahead of you.

-

"Hi, what can I get started for you today?" You ask as brightly as you can muster at the moment. You were halfway through your shift, another three hours until close.

"Uh, just a large black coffee." The gruff voice says, and it takes you a second until you look up and look closely.

It was him.

"O-okay, that'll be $3.27." You say, and he hands you a five dollar note before grumbling,

"Keep the change."

"Thanks, and your name?"

He gives you a look that's asking, 'what the fuck do you need my name for?'

"For the order." You try and salvage your dignity, because it feels like the stare shrunk you to a speck of dust.

"James."

That's all he all but growls before turning back to find a seat.

As your coworker takes over the cash register, you grab the biggest cup and fill it with his desired coffee.

You try to not think about it too much, but the anxiety you feel rising up inside you and just calling his name to give him his coffee feels absolutely ridiculous.

"Are you just gonna stare at the cup or give it to the customer?" The voice of your coworker, Jenna, rings in your ears and you look up at her, snapping out of the trance you were in.

"Sorry, I'm just a little out of it today, I guess."

"Everything alright?" She asks, and you nod.

"I'm fine, it's just... that's my neighbor." You nod your head towards where James is sat, in the corner by the window as he watches the raindrops run down the expanse of the glass.

"The one who doesn't let you sleep?"

"Yeah, but I don't think he'd take it too kindly if I tell him about that. He seems to have a lot on his own plate anyways," You explain, and she just nods.

"Well, that sucks, but you still need ta' give the guy his coffee." Jenna smiles and walks back to what she was doing before.

You gently slide out from your spot behind the counter and walk to his table.

"Here's your coffee, James. Enjoy, and- uh, let me know if you'd like anything else." You tell him while placing the steaming cup in front of him.

He murmurs a thank you that you barely catch, but you don't quite have the time to sit and wait for more of a reaction.

For the next several hours, James sits right where he was. He doesn't do anything in particular, either. He just watches outside, as the rain continues to pelt down on New York City, and as people come and go from where they were.

Eventually, about an hour left until close, you offer another cup of coffee.

"Do you want a refill? On the house." You ask gently, waiting to see if you'll get brushed off again.

"Uh... are you allowed to do stuff like that?" He asks, and you're a bit taken aback at the sudden concern.

"I don't think you should worry yourself too much, James. Free coffee's free coffee." You smile lightly, and grab the cup before filling it up without his confirmation. You could tell he wanted to say yes but didn't want to seem rude.

"You didn't have to..." He grumbles, and you simply shake your head.

"I know, but you've been here a while, and what kind of employee would I be if I let a customer sit here without any sustenance?" Your lips ply into a tiny smirk, trying to get him to loosen up a bit.

He seems so guarded, defensive. Like any moment, he's ready to run if need be, you inspect to yourself.

"You'd just be a regular employee, Y/N." He says, but the way he says your name makes a shiver run down your spine; and you can't tell if it's a good or bad one.

You unconsciously look down at your name tag, pinned to your black apron that's branded with the café's logo.

"Well, I felt like being nice. I hope you can deal." Your voice comes out short, but he knows you mean no harm.

As you walk back to the counter, you see a small smile playing on his lips, but he doesn't allow it to manifest on his face. You take that as a small victory for your last hour of work.

(bucky's pov).・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

The girl who works at this café is annoying.

But she's got a nice smile. And she's nice to me, Bucky thinks to himself.

He sips on the new coffee you'd just poured for him, without his consent, he thinks bitterly.

But it was a nice gesture.

Why can't you just take a nice gesture?

Because your brain's been scrambled eggs for 70 years. You don't know what to think about anything these days.

He watches you fiddle with the espresso maker, cleaning it with a rag, which you then dip into a bucket.

You look extremely familiar to him, but he can't exactly pin where he's seen you before.

Bucky closes his eyes for a moment, trying to recall where he'd seen you, but for a moment, he comes up with nothing.

Ever since he's been living back in the real world, he hasn't been outside too much.

He goes on the occasional walk, or goes to the tower to see Steve and Sam.

But other than that, he spends a lot of time in his Brooklyn apartment. He watches movies that Steve suggests, or he invites Steve and Sam over to have beer and watch TV with him.

He hates how lonely it gets, though.

Bucky wishes that he had someone.

Someone who could understand.

And don't get him wrong, he loves Sam and Steve. They fill in the gaps in his days, and they make them better.

Sometimes, thinking about having something to do that day is what makes it. He likes having something to do, something to plan for for when his friends come over.

But it feels like a teeny, tiny part of his life is missing. A person shaped-hole in his heart.

But Bucky doesn't spend too long thinking about it, or it'll send him into a spiral about failure and how he needs to 'push himself to get out there more.'

Or that's what his therapist says.

"Hey, we're about to close, and we usually throw the pastries out at the end of the day. Do you wanna take these home, by any chance?" Your voice rings in his ears, snapping him out of the impending slippery slope of his lack of love life.

He hesitates to answer for a second, looking at the brown paper bag pinched between your fingers.

Bucky can tell you were nervous when you spoke to him. He knew he made you uneasy, and it killed him inside.

He hated that. He just wanted to have a normal conversation with someone. But everyone seems to know who he is.

Who he was.

"Uh, what is it?" He croaks, unsure of what to say at your gesture.

"It's a few cookies and a chocolate croissant."

"Sure, I'll take 'em." Bucky simply answers, watching as you hand the bag over with a soft smile and watches you walk back.

You sweep up the floor and put up all the chairs, except for the one Bucky's sitting on. You leave his table alone, and bid farewell to your coworker who was scheduled to close with you.

Bucky doesn't know what drives him to do it, but he gets up after he sees you walk out the door, and follows you home.

Damn, if you like a girl, you usually ask for her number or somethin'. Not follow her home to make sure she's safe, you idiot. Bucky's inner voice speaks and sometimes, he wishes it would just shut up because he knows he has no game nowadays, but this is all he knows to do.

He realizes the way you're walking is familiar, and not at all of the way he was supposed to be going. That made him feel a little better, less like a creep. He's about half a block behind you, and when you turn onto the same street he lives on, he's really confused.

Did you know he was behind you? Are you trying to play a trick on him?

But before Bucky can speak up or say something, you walk right past his building, and into the one right next to it.

All of a sudden, images of you right on the street in front of your buildings flash through his head. He's seen you because you're his neighbor. Bucky's seen you right there, getting ready to start your run through the neighborhood, or probably on your way to work, now that he's seen where you work.

But he feels like there's somewhere else he's seen you; somewhere familiar.

He shakes his head, wondering why he's so caught up in you. He thought you were beautiful, but he feels a pull to you that he's never felt with anyone else before.

Bucky's hands move to unlock his door, sliding the key in and twisting the lock open.

He enters, staring at his dark apartment. It's moments like this, when he spends a long day alone, that he wishes there was someone.

Someone to come home to, to hug, to kiss, to share dinner with.

Some to fall asleep with at night. Someone to keep the terrors of the dark away.

But there was no one.

And then his mind thought back to you. Your hair, your face, your warm hands that touched his while you passed him the brown paper bag of treats.

Bucky wishes he was man enough to ask you out. Not even that, just to talk to you. Have a normal conversation, to get to know you.

But that wasn't in the cards for him anytime soon, he thinks.

For now, he focuses on taking things one at a time. And right now, all he wanted was a nice, warm shower and to get at least three hours of sleep tonight.

He's in his room, forgoing the lights for now, before he looks out his window.

For a moment, he believes his eyes are playing tricks on him.

There's absolutely no way that you are standing right there, right outside his window.

Well, in your own apartment, of course.

And there's absolutely no way in hell that Bucky is watching you undress right now.

As soon as you pull off your top, Bucky turns around before he could get more than a peek of your black lace bra, and he feels a burn in the pit of his stomach.

He can't tell if it's shame, guilt, or arousal.

(y/n's pov).・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

You couldn't stop thinking about James all day.

After yesterday, you wondered why you couldn't shake this feeling about him.

He'd made it quite clear that he's not a people person. Or maybe he just wasn't a you person.

But again, you tried to not take things too personally these days.

Sometimes, you wondered, though, as you looked through your bedroom window to his some nights.

You imagined what it would be like, watching one of those movies with him at night. Making dinner with him. Having coffee in the mornings before work, wondering what he did for a living.

You chastise yourself for your thoughts, thinking that you were crazy for these ideas you were coming up with out of nowhere.

As you pull off your clothes to get ready for bed, you feel the same emptiness fill your heart when your head hits the pillow, and another day has gone by where you're all alone.

-

The next day, your shift was at ten in the morning so you were up early.

You took your time in rolling out of bed. The warmth of your duvet was holding you down, and you couldn't help take a peek out your window.

You see that the room facing yours is finally housing a body in the bed. In all the time you'd been living across him, you've only seen him on the floor.

You feel a warm flutter at that. Whatever reason led him to actually sleep in the bed last night was, you hope you played a role in it.

-

You make your way to the café, and although walking in the rain wasn't ideal, you made it, somehow.

You clock in and head to the register, ready to take the millions of orders that come in through the day.

"Hi- oh! Welcome back. What can I get you?" Your tone of voice made it clear you were surprised, but was trying to not let it show.

"Uhm, just the same as yesterday, and... Can I get a chocolate croissant?" Bucky's gruff voice tells you.

You ring him up, wondering if you should say something about him being your neighbor. Although, he didn't seem too keen on looking you in the eye right now, and you wonder if you did something to make him uncomfortable yet again.

He seems to have this issue quite often.

Little do you know, this time, it isn't because of you or anything you did.

Well, nothing you did on purpose.

Nothing you were aware of at the time.

Anyways, you tell James to go take a seat and that you'd be right out with his order.

"Here you go, James," you place the plate and mug on the table, and this time, when you hear him say something, you turn around with furrowed brows.

"Sorry, I didn't catch what you said." You apologize, waiting for him to repeat himself.

"I- nevermind, it was stupid anyways. You probably have to get back to work." He mumbles while looking back down at his pastry.

"James, whatever it is, you can tell me." You offer with a kind smile. "I can come sit with you during my break, if you don't mind?" A hopeful smile crosses your face.

"Uh, I- yes, yeah, that would be nice." He struggles for a moment, but finally nods his head in confirmation along with his words.

"Alright, James. I get off in an hour for my break." You simply tell him with a soft grin, and you can practically feel his eyes burning into you as you walk away.

The blush creeping up your cheeks also stays there until the remainder of your shift.

-

As you plop in the chair across from James, you inspect him for a moment.

He was attractive, you'll admit.

Okay, he was more than attractive.

"So, James, where are you from?" You ask, your own cup of coffee in front of you on the table.

"Well, I'm Brooklyn born 'nd raised. Never was a time I didn't live here. You?" His lip twitches, looking out the window fondly.

"That's nice. I moved here when I was nine, so I guess I've been here a while. But no matter where I go, there's nowhere like home." You smile.

"There really isn't, huh? This place is irreplaceable." He gives you a crack of another smile, and you find yourself yearning for more from him. Just a tooth, something.

"Well, do you live around here?" You ask, deciding to play coy. You wanted to see what he'd say.

"Uh, yeah, actually. Over on DeKalb and Clinton." He clears his throat, the hint of a smile on his face melting right off.

"Huh, that's so funny. I live on those streets too." You grin, waiting to see his reaction.

"O-Oh really?" James doesn't really know what to say without giving away that he knows where you fucking live.

"Yeah, isn't that funny? Which building?" You're pressing, and you know he knows, but you're having your fun right now.

"T-the uhm... I live in the Washington." He's now making zero eye contact with you, and you're close to breaking.

"What a coincidence! I live in the Oakley!" You're in a fit of giggles when his face drops, you just can't help it anymore.

"James, can I tell you something?" You ask in a coquettish manner.

"Yeah, I suppose you'll tell me even if I say no." He gives a tight smile as a joke.

"I don't wanna sound like a creep, but I knew you lived in the Washington."

"Oh," James releases a breath of relief, "thank God. I knew you lived in the Oakley, but I didn't wanna sound like a stalker either." He says.

You laugh, sliding a hand on top of his resting on the table.

"Y'know, you do this really annoying thing where you leave your movies running on full brightness on your TV, and I can see it through my windows at night." You laugh at the incredulity of the situation.

"Oh... I never even thought of that. I'm sorry, Y/N." He looks genuinely remorseful, and now you feel bad for any bad thought you've had about the man that lives across from you.

"It's alright. No big deal." Your smile does a good job of convincing Bucky that you truly weren't bothered by his actions, but he still felt bad.

"Y'know, maybe I could make it up to you?" He asks, and you feel a blush moving up your chest. "Like, maybe over dinner?" His voice is timid, you can tell by the way he tilts his head down while speaking.

"James," you slide your hand into his this time, your smaller one resting in his large metal one. "I'd love to go out with you sometime."

Before he could react, you stood up from the chair.

"My break's over, but I get off at 3." You lean down and pull a pen from your apron, scribbling your number onto a napkin. "Here."

You walk away before he could say anything, but there's something about him this time that you notice.

He's blushing, too. And he's smiling. A bright, white, blinding smile.

You think of that smile throughout your whole shift, until you see he's still waiting for you when it's time to go.

"So, do you like Chinese or Italian better?" He asks with a crooked smile.

-

bonus scene:

six months later

You and Bucky are laid across your bed, the TV blaring a movie that neither of you are paying attention to. Your head is resting on his shoulder, leg thrown over both of his, and his hand running through your hair.

"You wanna know somethin' doll?" Bucky asks, and you feel his chest rumble under your head.

"Yeah, everything okay?" You ask while leaning up on your elbow to get a good look at him, trying to gauge his mood.

"Everything's okay, just remembered something." He laughs, his hand moving to hold your jaw in it. You shivered at the touch, but smiled fondly at the action.

"When I first saw you at the coffee shop, that first day when you gave the free coffee and pastries... I followed you home."

Your brows furrow and it's clear that you were confused as to why.

"I wanted to make sure you got home safe, and then it turned out that you lived right next to me. So I went up to my apartment and wondered what I'd done right in a past life to have you live right next to me, and then I saw you lived right across from me." His face was tipped upwards, like he was replaying that night in his head.

"You followed me home just to make sure I was safe?" You asked in disbelief that he did something so nice for you, when at the time you thought he hated you.

"Of course, sweetheart. It was dark out and there 're some real jerks out there, y'know." One corner of his mouth lifts up in a soft smirk. "Didn't want anything to happen to ya."

You lean down and press a kiss to the corner of his mouth, appreciating his gesture.

"I really thought you didn't like me back then, so this is a nice little secret you've been hiding from me." You giggle when he pulls you back in for a real kiss.

"Yeah, well, I don't think I could'a hated you if I tried, baby. You're too sweet. And at the time, I was still getting used to being out in the open without being a national security threat." You both laugh lightly, dropping your head down.

A moment passes where you bask in his words, letting them soak in. And then a thought hits you, and you can't help but become more curious. Now you need to know the answer.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, hon." Now Bucky's brows are pulled together, and you reach up and smooth out the wrinkle with your thumb.

"Did you ever... see me doing anything in here? Like, I usually keep the curtains open, and even if they're closed, they're pretty see-through..." You trail off, giving him time to craft his response.

You have a feeling you know the answer, considering how he turns red like a tomato in an instant as words leave your lips.

"I... there was this one time, but I swear, I wasn't trying to peep on you or anything, it was the same day I followed you and I just so happened to look into your window, and you were getting undressed, but I swear, I turned away as soon as I saw what you were doing, baby-" He was rambling, trying to save himself from sounding like a complete creep after all he's just told you.

"Did you like it?" You ask, innocently, but he knew what you were trying to do.

"I-I- You were getting undressed, sweetheart, of course I liked it... are you kidding me?" Bucky's grasping for the words, trying to make you understand.

"Well... we could always recreate it, but maybe in the same apartment this time?" You cock your head to the side, your doe eyes stirring a feeling in his abdomen.

"I think that's an excellent idea, honey." Bucky's hands grasp your waist as you slide on top of his lap. "After all, I am a hands on learner."

-

fin. i hope you enjoyed!

[knoxvilleforever]

Dating Johnny Knoxville In Secret Headcanons

no one asked for this and it took a pretty sad turn. requests are open!

you met johnny through filming jackass

he found you hilarious and immediately wanted you to be part of the show

you clicked almost instantly with the rest of the cast

johnny loved your ideas for stunts

which is what led the two of you to meet outside of work to discuss new ideas

johnny suggested it

it started off in public places

diners, coffee shops, bars

and one night you were at a bar when you decided it was a little too loud for work

‘do you wanna pick this up at my place?’

the invitation was innocent

but the outcome was not

the few drinks the two of you had at the bar turned into a lot more once you got back to your apartment

you don’t remember who started it

but soon your stunt ideas were discarded on the floor

and you and johnny were on top of them

‘you think we could still give these to jeff?’

after that night you didn’t know what to expect

until johnny woke up and planted a firm kiss on your lips

and then you two definitely couldn’t give those papers to jeff

‘i think we should keep this between us for now, sweetheart.’

he visibly saw the hurt flash through your eyes

‘not because it’s not good, i mean it’s really good, i just… i want it to stay like this.’

the longer it went on the more difficult it got to keep the two of you a secret

at first you would disguise your dates as ‘work meetings’

except jeff started to catch on when these work meetings were occurring almost every night

and no one else was ever asked to tag along

‘so what do you guys do at these… meetings?’

‘y’know… work.’

which also meant sneaking off whilst on set roused too much suspicion

but it was one of johnny’s favorite things to do

you’d lost count of the amount of times he’d led you into a supply closet

or told you to meet him behind the building in five minutes

you’d barely arrived and he had your face in his hands

he loved stealing you to make out for however long you two had

but you could never recollect yourself as quick as he could

and he secretly enjoyed that he left you red faced with your hair disheveled

he’d like to give a lot of fleeting touches

a graze of a hand across your back

tighter grip when he gave you what was perceived as a friendly embrace

and if he was feeling brave

his hand would drift over your ass

he just loved to leave you flustered

which you could never have a good excuse for when any of the guys asked what was wrong

‘you look a little red, y/n.’

‘oh! uh, well it’s hot today, right?’

but as it went on, it got a lot harder

and johnny didn’t seem to be struggling quite as much as you did

more time was spent at either of your places and less out in public

the innocent trips you used to take were no longer existent

‘do you ever think about telling people? about us?’

you probably didn’t pick the best time to bring it up

in hindsight half undressed on johnny’s couch was less than ideal

the way he recoiled at your question should’ve warned you of what you were about to hear

‘i thought we talked about this.’

‘that was months ago johnny. we’re still sneaking around like a pair of damn teenagers.’

he was hesitant

too hesitant

that was the first crack in the glass

‘i just think it’s easier this way. y’know, with work.’

‘you’re keeping me a secret.’

it was then you noticed he would show up at your apartment less

and the moments you shared at work were few and far between

you could’ve told yourself where it was heading before you actually asked

but you weren’t quite ready for it yet

so you let it run it’s course until he showed up at your place with a forlorn look on his face

‘i guess it was too good to be true, wasn’t it?’

his silence was painful

‘i don’t know what happened, y/n.’

‘you. that’s what happened, johnny. you.’

[sukirichi]

happy little accidents

— Life is a series of unfortunate events, but sometimes, there are happy little accidents.

REQUEST. (accidental pregnancy, fuck buddies au) + childhood friends to lovers + baby moments with father! megumi

CONTENT/WARNINGS. slight smut, slight exhibitionism (I think? there’s a CCTV lmao) just daddy megumi uwu

NOTES. hi anon, thank you for requesting and joining the event! I have to admit...I don’t really know how to write this and I just had to ask my mother about her experiences in pregnancy LMAO. I apologize in advance if this sucks, I’m pretty good at fluff but domestic and cute stuff with children isn’t my expertise asggkhl I’m awkward around babies and kids so anyways, I hope you like it! OH AND ALSO I HAVE A CAMEO LMAO

Megumi’s hands runs up under your shirt, bringing about a shiver forward when his cold fingers come into with your warm skin. You feel him smile onto the kiss, his grip nothing but teasing before he brushes the underside of your breast, prompting you to grip closer to his hoodie. You and him were childhood friends; having always liked one another until playing house was no longer a game a but dream, but his family was too strict and controlling – they’ve made it clear long ago this relationship could never and would never happen.

His Uncle Naoya made sure of it.

But that didn’t stop the both of you. All the way from highschool until now in your university days, you and Megumi are still stuck together by the hip, occasionally fucking whenever time allowed. Weekdays are spent staring longingly at each other in the hallways, the weekends flourishing into finally’s and hushed kisses under the sheets, completely unaware of the world you both trudged in.

Today was one of those days, and you’re nothing less of passionate as you swipe your tongue out to taste his lips, smiling when you realize he’s also grown used to wearing your mint flavoured lip balm. “Mhm, Megumi, I missed you,” you placed your legs beside his arms, a contented sigh entering his mouth as he closed his eyes.

“You miss me? I’m always around you,” he reminds you, pulling away momentarily to tug your shirt to the side where he leaves a soft patch of kisses. “Never gonna leave your side, baby.”

“You better not. I’m the best you’ll ever have.”

Megumi nods wholeheartedly in agreement, not wasting time before he pulls you closer to him. You’re almost weightless as you crash on top of him, hands tangled into the other’s hair and his large palm squeezing your breast. It produces a breathy moan from you, a thread of saliva connecting your lips when it comes again – that hellish bitter and sour bile that flows up to your throat. You push yourself off him and run to the bathroom, the content of your stomachs poured while your groans echo around the room.

He’s beside you in an instant, crouching beside you to pull your hair up and pat your back. Once you’ve finished throwing up, you clutch at the indistinguishable bloating of your stomach, leaning back into his touch while you slowly regain your composure.

Your head is throbbing uncomfortably again, one that wouldn’t go away no matter how much you press your thumbs against it.

“Wh-what’s wrong? Are you sick or something?”

You chuckle a bit from the way he frets over you, hands tilting your cheeks side to side while he pales, a sheen of worry visible on his hairline. He’s always been such a worrywart. You look behind him and see the box of condoms in your half-open medicine cabinet, the sight making your heart drop in your chest.

“Megs...when was the last time we had sex?”

“Well,” he scratches the back of his head, “We’ve both been busy from uni, so...last month, I guess? It’s been a long time.”

You swallowed audibly. You’ve recently gotten that box of condoms because if you remember correctly, last time you both skipped straight to the deed after realizing you ran out of it. Eyes flicking over his confused ones, your throat ran dry and itchy from the throw up session, your voice low as you say, “I’m three weeks late on my period, Megs.”

He looks just as shocked as you are, but he doesn’t give you the time to recover before he rushes out into your apartment. For a moment, you’re left heartbroken at the cold bathroom tiles, thinking that he left, but Megumi comes back a few minutes later, a pregnancy test kit and some chocolates inside a plastic bag. Your eyes widen when he gently ushers you to sit on the toilet, his feet tapping impatiently on the floor while you both wait for the result.

And there it is.

The timer on his phone goes off. Megumi rushes beside you, his chin resting on your shoulder as he blinks at the test kit. He turns to you and blinks in question, wondering what the hell it meant.

“’Gumi...it’s positive,” you cry out, sending him into a stagger backwards when you jump at him. Thankfully, he’s carried you too many times to count that he’s natural at hoisting you into his arms, still rendered speechless as you announce, “You’re going to be a dad!”

It’s been five whole months since you and Megumi turned into being stable fuck buddies, intent on hiding your relationship from both your families, into homeless and young parents whose fear over life and the future only increased tenfold now with the growing baby inside you.

You still remember that dreadful moment when both of you are kicked out into your family estate, Megumi’s Uncle Naoya especially enraged over the news. He doesn’t even give his nephew a chance to pack his bags before he signals the bodyguards to escort you out, then takes away all Megumi’s privileges and former luxury of being part of the Zenin Clan. You assume he’d want to strangle his pitiful Uncle for the never ending mistreatment, but your now boyfriend is nothing but happy, relieved that he’s been freed from the tight reins that always got in both your way.

Unbeknownst to the controlling Zenin Clan head, his wife is much more cunning than he is. He knows his wife always had some sorts of tricks hidden up in her sleeve, but even you were surprised when Megumi’s Aunt Suki shows up in your college dorm one day, throwing a set of keys your way with a wink before driving off back to become Naoya’s beloved trophy wife.

She lent you one of her high-estate apartments and even a humble car, silently wiring fees into your bank account since Megumi’s was already shut down.

Truly, if it wasn’t for her, you and Megumi wouldn’t be able to live this comfortably no matter how much both of you worked your ass off.

Now, none of you had to worry about not getting to make ends meet, no more worrying about putting your health at risk by working two jobs a day along with university – you and Megumi agreed to take advantage of her kindness just until the baby was born, opting to live quietly and comfortably in your shared home that would soon be filled with more memories. Well, as comfortably as you both could anyway, since pregnancy – although a beautiful experience – wasn’t always rainbows and unicorns.

Megumi comes home one day, the food you’ve always been craving from the Chinese restaurant from the other town present inside his bag. He’s tired from uni, even more so that he shares your burden of becoming new parents, but every time he comes home to you, all his exhaustion is wiped away, especially with the evident growth of your belly.

Your boyfriend runs up to you after placing the food on the counter, his arms wide open to get a hug – he’s gotten extremely touchy ever since the pregnancy – when you reel away from him, face turning green.

Your fingers come to pitch at your nose, eyes narrowed at his confused pout. “Ugh, Megumi, your deodorant stinks.”

“You were the one who got this for me, though,” his brows furrow as he lifts his sleeve up to sniff himself. He doesn’t smell bad... “You said you liked it on me,” he mumbles more to himself than you, staying still in his spot when he sees how colourless you’ve become. “Why are you looking at me like that? I showered today.”

“I can’t stand the smell of you, I can’t, gosh,” pushing past him, you rush to the toilets, the morning sickness well present all the way until sundown as you throw up. Megumi stands at the doorway, hands extended in front of him as he’s unsure whether he could help you or not. You firmly shake your head at him, lips turned into a sneer. “No, don’t get near me or I will honestly whack you with my purse, Megumi. Get rid of that deodorant and find a scent free one or something.”

Megumi is left with a slack jaw when you hop into bed afterwards, too tired and irritated to finish your papers. Seeing that he should probably do the same and pamper you instead, Megumi is silent as he crawls under the covers, only to be kicked out with a harsh kick to his thigh and a fiery, “Get out!”

“Nobara,” he whines into the phone, too fearful to even look at the bedroom at the thought that you’d feel his gaze and get even angrier. Your instincts and senses sharpens with each passing day; he won’t risk it. “My girlfriend hates me!”

“I could see why.”

Megumi groans at his friend’s flippant tone, the sound of a nail file grazing acrylics mixed with lo-fi music playing from the other line. “I’m serious – she doesn’t even want me a foot near her! When I tried to join her on the bed, she literally woke up just to hit me with a pillow. Right in the face!”

“Let me guess, you’re banned from the bedroom and staying on the couch?”

“Yeah, I am,” he sulks on the couch, “I don’t know why she hates me. I can’t imagine what I did wrong.”

“You don’t have to do anything wrong for a pregnant woman to hate you, Fushiguro. It’s not your fault your face is just really annoying,” Megumi makes a sound of protest before slapping a hand over his lips, nervous gaze darting at your door again. He relaxes into the seat; you’ve probably fallen asleep. “But on a more serious note, I think it’s the hormones. She’s erratic right now and you can’t blame her, she’s literally growing a child inside of her, dude, are you crying?”

“She might divorce me because of my deodorant.”

“Idiot, you two aren’t even married!” Nobara bellows loud enough that Megumi pulls the phone away from his ear, waiting until she’s calmed down and continues speaking like she didn’t just burst his ear drums. “Listen, just be extra sweet and careful around her, okay? Don’t open your mouth as well unless you want to die. Now get a notepad or something, we’re going to devise the best Baby Mama Seduction Plan that is guaranteed to win her heart.”

“You’re a lifesaver, Nobara!”

“Hmph, you owe me tickets to that fashion show though. Get your rich ass uncle to pull some connections or something.”

“Nobara, you know I can’t—”

“Oh shit, is that your girl about to kick you in the face?” Megumi yelps as his body flips at the direction of your room, both hands raised in surrender with his phone pressed between his ear and shoulder. He sighs – the door is still closed – he should be safe for now. Meanwhile, Nobara snickers cockily, almost as if she could see everything. As always, Nobara was triumphant. “That’s right, we both don’t want that to happen, so stick to your end of the deal man.”

Megumi stays up the whole night to execute Nobara’s plan. It’s tiring to run back and forth in the open convenience stores just to fill the fridge up with all your favourite food, but Megumi is determined to have you accept him again, even if he knows you’re not actually rejecting him.

By the time you’ve woken up, all beautiful and glowing as you pad out your room, Megumi stands up straight to conceal his body ridden with exhaustion. He just wants to make you happy.

“What’s all this?”

“You’ve been working hard,” he starts off unsurely, a hand scratching the back of his head as he gauges for your reaction. You plop down on the dining table and don’t scowl as you take a whiff of the food, blinking for a few seconds before you dig in. It’s enough for him to take as a go-signal, and he walks beside you carefully, his voice wavering and soft. “I just wanted to surprise you – show you how much I love and admire you...all that.”

“That’s suspicious,” you mouth through a mouthful of dumpling, but smile anyways with your arms extended. “Come here, give me a kiss.”

Megumi is beyond elated as he buries himself in the warmth of your arms again, sighing when you kiss his cheeks and jaw. “Are we good?”

“Did you replace your deodorant?”

“Yes...”

“Good boy,” you kiss him on the lips this time. Megumi has the audacity to blush as if he didn’t just fuck a baby into you, making you laugh before you slap his ass, last night’s irration now replaced with a reminder that this was Megumi – your first love and everything more. There was no way you wouldn’t be ‘good’ with him; you’d go to heavens and back for him, but maybe once you’re done birthing his child. “Yeah, we’re good. Get the mint choco ice cream pint for me?” Megumi sprints to perform your commands, and you reward him by pulling him in for a deeper kiss the time, his lips so sweet and minty. You can’t help but sigh, falling for him over and over again. “You’re such a sweetheart, Megs. This is why I’m head over heels for you.”

“You didn’t want me sleeping beside you for a week straight though.”

Your nose scrunches at the memory – that slight change in your expression making Megumi step back – as you wave a spoon at him, glaring at him in warning. “Like I said, you stank.”

But...pregnancy wasn’t all that bad for the both of you. There were times you’re unable to keep your hands off him. Although unexpected and mostly occurring in the most inconvenient situations, Megumi can’t say he’s complaining, especially not when you push him towards the wall just as the elevator doors closed.

“Daddy,” you moan, guiding his hands into your already soaking wet panties. Megumi breathes sharply as he cups your drenching core, wondering how you’ve gotten this aroused without him doing anything sexual in particular.

The nickname spilling past your lips is unforeseen though, as is his growing kink for it when he hardens immediately.  

“Please, please, please, I need you so much – make me feel good, will you?”

Megumi has to pin your needy, trailing hands all over his chest down to your sides, his pupils blown wide as the elevator ascends from one floor to the other. His eyes dart to the blinking red light from the cameras, his Adam’s apple bobbing when you don’t stop in the slighthest, only leaning forward to tug and nip at the skin of his neck. Megumi groans at your ministrations; you know very well that was his sensitive spot. “Y/N, we’re literally in the elevator, just wait until we get back home—”

When Megumi tries to push you away to stop your hands from palming his boner, you growl, eyes fierce and heated as you turn to him. “Do you want me to chop your dick off and prevent you from having a second child?”

“N-no.”

“Then shut up and fuck me.”

“Fuck, okay, don’t blame me if I make you sore, though.”

You roll your eyes at him, your hands moving expertly as you bunch your skirt up to your waist to show him that your bud was already swollen just for him. “Megumi, my boobs are already are its most sore point, I don’t give a fuck anymore.”

Megumi makes quick work of shoving his pants down just to his knees, gentle yet needy as he pushes your chest flat on the walls, round and perky ass puckered for him to take you already. He could cum just from the sight of you bending over for him like this, your arousal already dripping down your thighs as you wiggle your hips at him, breathless in the desire to be taken once more.

There were still fifteen floors to go before you reached your destination. Megumi’s brows pinch together in anxiety that anyone could press for the lift, but you’re also submissively bent over for him, moaning and gasping his name even when it’s only the tip of his cock sliding into you.

He sees the way your fingers hover over the buttons, clearly more prepared to shut the doors and deny others entry than he was, and he thinks fuck it to himself before he buries himself deep into you, head thrown back at the heavenly and salacious feeling of fucking you raw. You’re somehow warmer and tighter, wetter with puffier lips during your second trimester. Just as he blanches at the thought he could hurt you, he remembers the doctor’s encouragement of more sex. Being the good boyfriend he is, Megumi fucks hard into you, groaning and panting when your walls clamp down on him.

He only wants to help you.

Days of rubbing your feet and singing to your belly were gone – now replaced with laughter pouring into your house and switching from listening to Mother Mother into actually enjoying nursery rhymes playing from the stereo.

It feels just like yesterday when he rushes you to the emergency room, your hand nearly crushing his during your contractions before you gave birth to his child.

Megumi has never really been much of an emotional person, preferring to be calm and stoic unless you’re around; the rare times he actually lets his walls down. Surrounded by a group of doctors, though, Megumi stops caring about saving face when they hand him his daughter. He isn’t the least bit embarrassed when he sobs upon seeing the tiny bundle of joy in his arms, so small and vulnerable that promised there and then – he’d do everything he can to protect his child and give them the best future.

Fushiguro Megumi is a hands-down helicopter dad. The moment you’re able to take your daughter back home, he’s already had the whole house baby proofed. Along with studying for his exams, he’s also switching back and forth to parenting guide books.

You can tell he’s taking his job as a dad very seriously. Megumi doesn’t hesitate to shoot out of the bed in the middle of the night whenever he hears his daughter cry, racing you to her crib while he rocks her back and forth and you prepare her milk. You’re both utterly tired and sleep deprived, your head resting on his shoulder as your baby calms down in his arms. Faintly, you feel him kiss the top of your head, encouraging you to go back to sleep with the assurance he can handle it.

But of course, you’re the stubborn parent, and you drag your boyfriend and daughter back to bed, making sure there was enough space to make her comfortable before falling asleep.

Being a parent – especially with the love of your life – has never felt any more magical.

Of course, it was hard and definitely not a walk in the park, but it was worth it. Every time you came home from school, Megumi would already be there, his daughter babbling nonsensically in his arms while he prepared her meals. At the sounds of the door opening, both of them would run to you, showering you with kisses while you did the same.

Both your families have still refused to accept you back – not that you both minded – but it was getting shameful to keep relying on his relative to provide for your family. Eventually, you and Megumi decided that the other stays to take care of your baby while you work after class.

You’re staggering inside your home like a zombie after a long day, muscles aching from too much work and brain barely functioning due to the lack of sleep. With a long, drawn out sigh, you plop on the couch next to your boyfriend who jolts back awake, still careful not to let his drooling daughter wake up in his arms. Upon seeing it’s just you, Megumi leans over to kiss you on the nose, smelling sweetly of floral detergent powder and baby cologne.

“Welcome home,” he murmurs at your skin, your eyes already fluttering close at the comfort and warmth of home. “Scarlet is fast asleep. She couldn’t wait for you to kiss her goodnight anymore.”

“Don’t be dramatic. Mommy will always come home to the two most precious people in the world,” Now, it’s your turn to kiss Megumi to remind him he’s also doing a great job. You know he’s working just as hard you are, and you honestly don’t think you could do this without him. “Megumi,” you begin, tracing soft circles into his wrist to feel his lulling heartbeat.

“Hmm?”

“Have I ever told you I loved you?”

“I think I know that already,” he smiles romantically at you – even after years, you’re still very much smitten with that smile, and the sight of him and your daughter alone has you relaxing back in your seat.

“Yes, but you need to hear it again,” you tell him, cupping his face into your palms. Megumi sighs as he leans closer into your warmth, his hands patting your daughter’s back to soothe her in her slumber. “You’re such a natural at this – being a father. I’m really lucky I had a family with you. It’s all I ever wanted,” Burying yourself closer into his arms and collecting the both of them into an embrace, you smile into his shoulder, feeling like you’re on cloud nine. “I don’t think life is gonna get better than this, Megs. I’m so happy right now I feel like I could die.”

“Don’t say the d-word around her,” he jokes, the two of you sharing tired and dry laughter. Once the amusement subsides, Megumi’s other hand shifts to squeeze your thigh to get your attention. “Y/N...do you ever think about...making us official?”

“What do you mean?” you mumble sleepily, “How else official could we get? We live together and we have a baby. Soon, we’re going to be employed too and then we can provide better for her and stop relying on Aunt Suki so much,” Megumi nods above you, but his lack of response is worrying that you look up to him, frowning as you see that his face is pulled deep into thought. “We’re already a family, Megs. What’s on your mind?”

“I want to marry you,” he blurts out, “I want to make you mine and mine only – I see a future and a forever with you,” Megumi looks you straight in the eye the whole time. “Marry me, Y/N. Please.”

You’re rendered speechless.

You love him so much, you really do, and nothing about that will change. After spending a lifetime with you, Megumi knows just by looking at your face that there’s a but coming afterward and he clenches his jaw, sadness swirling in his eyes that you have to stop him before his thoughts run off again. “I want that too, Megumi, believe me,” you reassure, brushing his hair back with your fingers; a gesture that always pulled him back to you. “I just don’t want to rush things, you know? We can still barely stand on our own and we have Scarlet to worry about. I think we should focus more on her future than ours.”

Megumi nods, albeit disappointed, though this doesn’t stop him from kissing you straight on the lips before he mutters, “I understand but...think about it, at least?”

“You already know my answer would be yes.”

“Scarlet! I wonder where my little princess is hiding,” Megumi announces from outside your room, your toddler giggling beside you as you both hide behind the closet hand-in-hand. Four years later, you and Megumi are married, and life’s gotten a lot easier – in addition to it being a whole lot more domestic since Megumi takes his husband title just as seriously as being a father. Right now, he’s crawling outside, his voice lowered in an attempt to be scary. “If I find her, she’s going to face the wrath of the tickle monster!”

“Tickle monster!” Scarlet gasps beside you, turning to you with wide eyes. “Mummy, I don’t want tickles!”

“Then we better be quiet so Daddy doesn’t find us!”

With your voice intentionally louder than a whisper, it doesn’t take long before Megumi opens the closet doors, carrying you both effortlessly before dropping you all down onto the bed. “I found you!” You all tickle each other and laugh, your daughter falling into panicked squeals while you chortle at the side. Megumi then hoists Scarlet up before the both of you kiss both sides of her cheeks, sending the giggling child into an utter ticklish mess.

While the two are busy tickling one another, you feign a gasp, clutching at your husband’s bicep.  “Megumi!” your eyes widen, pointing deftly at the kitchen with trembling lips for effect. “Can you please check the oven – I think I left something in there and it might be burning!”

“I don’t smell anything,” is all he says, but runs there anyway. Megumi stands in front of in confusion, Scarlet safely bundled in his arms while her father opens the oven, frowning as he takes the object out and inspects it. “Mittens? But Scarlet is already—” Just then, Megumi’s jaw drops, his grin stretched wide while Scarlet keeps poking at the mittens, trying to make them fit into her slightly larger hands. “No way. Another one?”

“Another candy?”

You laugh at Megumi’s beaming face that matches his daughter’s – the two looking too much alike – but for completely opposite reasons. “We’ll get you all the candies you want, sweetheart,” you swipe a candy from the counter and hand it to your daughter’s grabby hands, pecking Megumi’s cheeks who is still beyond flustered at the announcement. “But yeah we have another one – and it’s a boy!”

[leascorner]

j.b.b. | Marley

Summary: Eventually, Bucky gave his deepest secrets away and you let him know yours. Her name was Marley.

Pairing:  Bucky Barnes x single mom!reader

Warnings: Mention of past and present relationships, parenting, mention of food

Word Count: 3.7k

a/n: This is my first story posted on here. I’ve been writting for +12 years now but for the last couple of years, I couldn't finish a single story. Turns out Bucky Barnes was all I needed to get over my massive writer’s block. Feedback is greatly appreciated. (Also, english is not my native language so if you spot any grammar mistake, please let me know!)

Masterlist

It all began with his friend, Sam.

On a night they were out for drinks, he had made it his mission to find someone for Bucky. Someone or anyone for the matter. He talked to everyone in the bar that night, while Bucky drank his beer, sitting at the counter. When it was clear enough that nobody there that night would keep grumpy Bucky company, Sam turned his attention on the dating app his friend had downloaded on his phone some weeks ago. He probably went through a dozen of profiles, sometimes showing the phone screen to Bucky, to what he would just respond by rolling his eyes and drinking some more beer.

That was until Sam showed him your profile. Bucky stared a second longer to the picture displayed on his phone screen than for the others. He couldn't tell what that was: the smile on your lips, the wrinkles at the side of your eyes or simply your eyes; but he couldn't get his eyes off it. Sam immediately started typing a message for you to what Bucky obviously protested. He did not need company because he was just fine on his own.

Despite his super-soldier abilities, he wasn't quick enough to take the phone from his friend's hands. The smile that appeared on Sam’s face annoyed Bucky even more. "What are you afraid of, though guy?" Sam had asked and Bucky eventually backed off, letting him do whatever he was planning on doing. There was no point in stopping Sam. He knew you wouldn't be interested anyway... To be honest, who would be? Bucky got his phone back along with a smirk from his friend. There was no answer after that, and Sam eventually found another topic to annoy the heck out of Bucky.

When he woke up the next morning, your reply notification was patiently waiting for him. For a second, he thought of deleting it, without having a look first. What did he have to lose? Gathering his courage, he opened it. Your words were as genuine as your smile and it made him grin like an idiot, though he made a mental note to later murder Sam for his poor choice of pick-up line. It took him the whole morning to be able to type an answer and another afternoon to press the ‘send’ button. It was the first text of many. Eventually, a lot of texts turned into calls; that turned into meeting up in your favorite French bakery; that turned into movies and restaurant dates.

    This was nearly one year and a half ago.

Your relationship with Bucky was cautious and steady. He liked how you would give him his space, but still being right there for him. He liked that you let him stare at you in total awe or that you always had small kind thoughts for him like when you made his eggs the way he preferred in the morning and that everything was so simple - obvious even - by your side. Eventually, Bucky gave his deepest secrets away and you let him know yours.

Her name was Marley.

If Bucky was being honest, finding out you had a two and a half years-old daughter was quite the shock. Not that he couldn't have seen that coming; you would always make plans, your handbag was always full of snacks and hand wipes and for some reason, you would never be available between five and eight p.m. That was also what he liked about you. The stability.

The idea of being involved in a relationship with somebody that already had a child did scare him off. If he decided to continue the relationship, it would not only be a matter of breaking your heart in the process – and well, maybe his too - but breaking a child's heart too. And that more than anything, he was refusing to assume the responsibility, but he owed you that much. You knew his deepest secrets and still, you didn't run away from him. Worse, you trusted him to be around your child.

You both had a lot of discussions about him meeting Marley - Bucky even seek advice to Sam. And as for the rest of your relationship, you took it slow. It started with Bucky showing up to your Sunday walk in Central Park, feeding up the ducks and sharing snacks. You also spent some time at the carnival where he would watch you two on the carousel – sometimes joining the ride too - and he would help Marley win at pick a duck or buy her popcorn. Eventually, he would spend more time with the two of you. It started with spending at least one evening per week at your place, making dinner while watching you playing with Marley in the living room. One evening turned into two, three, five evenings per week. He still could step out if he needed. You still could spend time with your daughter where he wasn't there. You still spent time just the two of you, when Marley was asleep at night or he would take you on date nights. The routine you three put in place was nice, but Bucky wasn't planning on taking Marley’s dad place. God, he would never see himself as a dad and Marley already had one - though in Bucky's opinion, he would not be awarded father-of-the-year.

    Today, Bucky was picking Marley up from daycare.

He had done it a million times already, but this time was a little bit different. He was doing it on his own. The babysitter stood you up and you were stuck in an endless one-day meeting. You had called in utter panic, asking him to pick Marley up from daycare and taking care of her until you would be home. He had assured you he would do it and it would be fine. Now that he was standing in front of the building, he was doubting himself. He didn't know if he could do it on his own.

Another shaky sigh and Bucky entered the building. The childcare workers greeted him when he showed up at Marley's room. She was sat at one of these tiny tables making some kind of collage crafts. He planned on waiting for her to finish, just staring like he always did, before announcing himself, but Marley spotted him the second his figure appeared at the door.

"Bucky!" Marley cried out, leaving everything behind and running towards him.

"Hey Mar-Mar," he smiled. She always seemed happy to see him and Bucky wondered if she would eventually grow tired of him being always around.

After they hugged each other, Marley was called to put away her crafts and Bucky encouraged her to go do it. In the meantime, he collected her stuff - her panda backpack, shoes, and coat - so he could get her ready to leave. And he did just that when she got back to him.

"We are taking the train home. I'mna carrying you, is that okay?"

She wrapped her little arms around his neck in response and he lifted her up from the floor. After sharing goodbye to the childcare workers, they were heading home.

    On their way to the station, Marley explained in every detail what she had done at daycare that day; Bucky was listening carefully, sometimes asking questions - Carol, she is the one with the curly hair, right? Was Mark mean to you again? - but mostly he was just nodding along. They made it to the station just in time to take the 5:17 p.m. train. It was rush hour and Bucky mindfully chose to hop on one of the cars at the end of the train - the ones he knew would be the less busy at this time of the day. He had only seven stops, so he didn't sit and stood against one of the train windows. By that time, Marley had finished reporting on her day, and she was just watching around, smiling at anyone she would make eye contact with.

After the second stop, her eyes caught the sight of the dog tag around Bucky's neck. She fiddled it through his T-shirt, probably wondering what that was, before taken it out to have a closer look. In her tiny hands, the metal tag seemed to be huge. She looked up at Bucky, with bright eyes and he swore, he would do anything for these eyes.

"What is that?"

"Uh- " Bucky wasn't sure how to explain it in a way a three-years old would understand. "-Every soldier has one. It uh- has my name on it and some other information."

"Is it if you get lost?" she asked, her little eyebrows raised high on her forehead. She did understand a lot of the world around her for her age. "Mommy put a card with her name and her phone number in my bag."

"Yeah, it's something like that."

Marley smiled at him and returned her attention on the letters’ reliefs on the metal. By the fourth stop, she was resting her head on his shoulder while he was still firmly (but not too much) holding her with his left arm. She kept holding his dog tag in her tiny fist and was patiently waiting.

"She is very sweet," the old lady sat on the seat in front of them said to him before leaving the train.

He nodded shyly and looked back at the little girl in his arms. Marley looked so much like you. Her face had still some baby features, she just turned three after all, but she had the same nose and her eyes had the same color as yours. They were the same piercing eyes that when they’d look at him, he felt like they could read his soul. And she did not just look like you. She had also some of your habits and personality traits. She would always be smiling to people she didn’t know. She was always saying ‘thank you’ or ‘sorry’. She was obsessed with any kind of animal; the Sundays walks would last forever if she could pet all the dogs she encountered.

The rest of the ride was quiet, and Bucky got off the train on the seventh stop as planned. At the station, people turned on them as they passed. Maybe this was an odd sight: a man in combat boots, dark jeans, and a black leather jacket, carrying a small child in his arms. Especially knowing the kid in question was wearing white leggings, a red fluffy coat, and a stuffed panda backpack. Bucky didn't mind and continued his way to your place.

    Marley stayed quiet for the five minutes’ walk to your place, but once Bucky had turned on your street, she wriggled to be freed of his hold. Once her feet touched the ground, she directly ran towards a car parked not far away. She squatted down and started clicking her tongue. A ginger cat immediately came out from underneath the car.

"Careful," Bucky called out. He knew it was not recommended interacting with stray cat as they could be sick with all sorts of disease. And to be fair, it got him a little worried the cat was getting this close to Marley. He could already see her getting bitten by the cat, getting rabies, and losing her arm, or worse: dying.

"That's Gus, he lives at number 7," she said pointing at the building they stopped in front. It had the number written on it.

Gus started rubbing itself against Marley's shins and she gently petted his back. The cat then went to rub on Bucky's combat boots, also greeting him even though they never encountered before. And it continued his way to the building's porch, where it lazily lay down.

"Mommy said we could have a cat when we get a house."

"I've got a cat," Bucky stated and Marley cried out in excitement. She asked him about a hundred questions. What was its name? What was it looking like? Was it friendly? Was it sleeping in his bed with him at night? Bucky never failed to answer one of her questions and they talked about that until they made it in front of your apartment door.

    Marley was already on her way to her room when Bucky turned around after locking the door. She had removed her shoes and coat on her own and left them behind without putting them away like you would always request it.

"Uh-uh, we go wash your hands first, okay?"

After that was done, she ran to her room for good this time. Bucky went back to the living room and focused on what he could do to help you. He knew you would get home exhausted from your day at work and he did not want to have you do all the chores you usually did. It was the least he could do.

Somehow, your place was always tidier than his, and he lived on his own. In the kitchen, he found breakfast dishes in the sink and the dishwasher full of the dishes that had been cleaned the night before. That was where he would get started. He put away the dishes easily; he had been around your kitchen a lot those last months and he knew exactly where everything was. He even knew where you were hiding away the chocolate and candies; somewhere Marley didn't have access to.

"Hey Bucky, can I have snacks?"

A look at the watch sitting on his right wrist, she had still a good hour and a half before dinner and he replied positively. He wiped his hands on the dish towel resting on his shoulder and took one of these bamboo sectioned plates he just washed. He was reaching out to the first cupboards in front of him when it suddenly appeared to him, he had no idea what he could give her.

"What does your mom usually give you?" He asked Marley, turning back to her.

Marley shrugged. "Carrots and hummus." And Bucky swore this kid was eating healthier that he ever had.

He started by the fridge, looking for anything he could give to Marley. Thankfully, she wasn't a picky eater so it would be easy for him. Tonight's dinner was in it, along with some vegetables and fruits. He chose grapes because it was the only food, he could see himself eating at that time of the day.

"Grapes and uh-" he looked at the cupboards right next to the fridge "- crackers?"

Marley nodded. Bucky prepared it all on her plate, making sure there was just enough for her to be full but not too much so she would still eat dinner, and handed it to her. She carried it carefully to the living room, Bucky following behind. She had laid out all her crayons on the coffee table next to her Paw Patrol coloring book. He knew about this cartoon because it was the only one Marley ever wanted to watch, she was literally obsessed with it, and she did make him watch some episodes with her. He knew that, when she was playing alone in her room, she would usually pretend she was saving the world with them.

Bucky sat on the carpet, next to Marley, stealing one grape from her plate. She threw him a death glance but offered him some more if he would help with the coloring. He happily complied.

    Before dinner was normally bath time. Thankfully, you had said over the phone you would deal with that in the morning. For some reason, Marley did not like baths. A little bit of water in her eyes or ears was too much for her to handle and he wasn't sure he could deal with her being so upset on his own.

He still got her changed in her pajamas - she obviously chose the one with the dalmatian puppy from Paw Patrol you had agreed on buying a few weeks ago; washed her face with a cotton pad and some cleansing lotion, brushed her hair and tried the best he could to tie them in a low ponytail. You would normally braid them for the night, but this was not something Bucky mastered at all - he made a mental note to watch some tutorials on YouTube to learn though.

"Will you and mommy get married?" Marley asked out of nowhere while Bucky was carrying her back to the kitchen to have dinner.

"I don't know," he said, confused. "Why do you ask?"

"I prefer you over my real daddy," Marley admitted. And it broke his heart. Bucky knew how her dad forgot about her third birthday and missed most of his custody days lately. He didn't really understand how somebody could have a child and knowingly decide not take care of them anymore.

The child in his arm was so precious. It amazed him every day how much she could comprehend of the world around her. She was smart, creative, kind. She knew what she wanted, would be very stubborn about it and would do anything to get it – you always said you didn’t understand where she got her fierce mind and Bucky laughed every time because he knew exactly from whom she had gotten it: you. You did such a good job raising her on your own. He also knew you would always choose her over him, and he had to admit, it made him fall in love even more with you.

"Even if I'd marry your mom, I still wouldn't be your daddy officially."

"To me, you would," Marley concluded as if it was as simple as that.

Living with you two permanently. Marrying you. Bucky never thought of it. He liked how this relationship was working: the kindness, the trust, the love. He loved the movie dates with you, the Sundays walks, and the evening just the three of you. He loved how simple it all was and how it made him just happy. Happiest he had been in a long time. And he wondered if he wanted more. The way his heart was fluttering in his chest made him realized, he did. He didn't know if he was ready though.

    Back to the kitchen, he put her down on her seat before getting the casserole of potato gratin out of the oven. He put a small portion in her plate, next to some chopped carrots and apple sauce he already prepared. He put it down in front of her and sat next to her.

"Will you eat with mommy?"

"Yeah, is that alright?"

She nodded, rubbing her eyes. They had stayed coloring her books a little too long and it was nearly her bedtime. Smiling softly, he encouraged her to eat. She did while asking some more questions on his cat in between each mouthful. How old is it? Why did you name it Alpine? Has mummy already met it? Do you think she'll like me? Turned out this little one never run out of question.

After dinner, Bucky gave her a small portion of chocolate from the special cupboard and they agreed it would be their little secret. Then, he carried her to the bathroom to brush her tiny teeth. It was started to be late for her and she was clearly fighting against sleep, the lack of it upsetting her.

"I want to see mommy," she cried, lips trembling and eyes full of tears.

"I know Mar-Mar, she'll get there soon," Bucky tried to comfort her. You hadn't text yet, meaning you weren't on your way still. He knew Marley would be asleep before you got home. "We can read a book in your bed while we wait for her, yeah?"

Marley nodded and let Bucky carry her to her bed. She had her head rested on his right shoulder the whole time. She crawled under the covers the moment her body was dropped off on the bed. She let Bucky choose the bedtime story and he chose the one he knew she liked so much.

He laid beside her gently and she immediately reached out closer to him. He wrapped his right arm around her, and her hands somehow found his dog tag again. A small kiss on her forehead and Bucky started reading the book in his left hand. Marley was listening carefully, helping him by turning the page.

At the end of the story, she was fast asleep against him, his dog tag still in her tiny fist. Bucky did not dare moving, afraid he would wake her up if he did. He observed the small child against him and listened to her soft breathes. She looked so peaceful and it made him thought of the way she had welcomed him into her life. Just like you, she had taken him as a whole; with his trauma, his insecurities, his quietness, and his staring habits. And now, she had him wrapped around his little finger. He knew deep in his guts he wouldn't let anything happen to you or your daughter. He realized that now. That made him think some more: maybe he was ready after all. And this time, he would not let happiness slip away from him.

  Bucky stayed like that until twenty minutes later, when you showed up on your daughter’s room doorstep. You looked exhausted yet still radiant. A smile had formed on your lips at the sight in front of you. It made you melt right on the spot.

"Hey," Bucky greeted you softly.

You came closer, walking on your tiptoes, careful of not waking up your daughter. You laid besides them, kissing your daughter little fist, and tucked yet another strand of hair behind her ear. You looked back at Bucky, who was intensely staring at you. His left arm was already wrapped around your shoulders, bringing you close. You kissed his jaw, making him smile gently. "Thank you for taking care of her. Did it go okay?"

"More than okay." He kissed your forehead while you snuggled closer to him. His heart could burst of the feeling of having you two near him forever.

He wouldn't want to be anywhere else.