#before i left on my trip my mom made sure to remind me more than once to call my dad on his birthday | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

yoongiseesawmp3 · 8 months

Text

ceilings - san

summary: pe teacher!san x single mom!reader. your kid is finally ready to go to school, and you're spiraling. thankfully, you find friendship with your kid's teacher and she becomes determined to become your best friend. simultaneously, she tries to set you up with the cute pe teacher, but you know him from somewhere deep within your past. can the truth come out without jeopardizing your future?

word count: 12.4k

warnings: afab reader so gendered terms, mentions of accidental pregnancy

masterlist / part two

"violet, come on, we're gonna be late!" you shout to your daughter. it's her first day of kindergarten, her first day of real school, and you're so close to tears. you want to cry because your baby is growing up, because you won't get to cart your little mini me around with you everywhere now, because you're so stressed about getting her to school on time. it's been a rough morning, and your daughter taking her sweet time is not helping.

"i'm almost ready!" she shouts back from the bathroom, and you suppress a groan. what does a five year old have to primp for?

"one more minute and i'm dragging you to the car!" you threaten lightheartedly, knowing she'll only take it to mean she has a minute before you go and help her.

"i'm done," she says proudly as she appears in the doorway to the kitchen. hands on her hips she asks, "how do i look?"

"ridiculous," you laugh. "is that my shirt?"

"and my belt!" she defends herself. "i thought it was cute."

"it is cute, baby, but maybe you should wear something more comfortable for the first day?" you offer. you shuffle over to the laundry basket you left on the stairs and dig around for an outfit, handing your stubborn daughter some jeans and a sweater. "just wear something comfy today, and later this week you can dress silly."

"i wasn't dressed silly, i was dressed like you," violet mumbles, and you roll your eyes. your daughter definitely got your sass, and your stubbornness, but the resemblance kind of stops there. she's a spitting image of her father, a constant reminder of the mistake you made when you were younger. but it wasn't really a mistake, was it? if it brought you the one thing that's made you happier than anything before, it wasn't a mistake at all. violet was the best thing that ever happened to you, and again, the waterworks threaten to fall as you think about dropping her off for her first day of school. a day, you realize, you're late for.

"c'mon sugar, we gotta go!" you shout, grabbing her hello kitty backpack. "i've got your stuff, meet me in the car!"

you work close enough to violet's school that you can be one of those annoying carpool parents swarming the school grounds every day. while violet may hate it, you're so excited for all the memories that will come from these trips to and from school each day. like today, you'll always remember how violet started crying a few minutes down the road, claiming she didn't want to go to school because she didn't want to eat school lunch.

"it's not that bad, vi." you tell her as you peek at her through the rearview. "i remember loving some days of school lunch so much i would always go, even if i was sick."

"but you only liked some days," she sniffed. "what if i don't like any of the days?"

"then i'll pack you a lunch," you assure her. "just try it this week, every day, because some days will be better than others. then if you don't like any of it i'll start making your lunch. how does that sound?"

"okay," she nods, her sad little sniffles clearing up. "thank you mommy."

"we're almost there," you say quietly, more to yourself than to your daughter. "are you excited, sugar?"

"kinda," she admits. "i'm excited to see miss jen!"

"she's gonna be a great teacher," you agree. "you're gonna learn so much, and you're gonna have so much fun with her and all the friends you're gonna make. right?"

violet nods again, and you're satisfied for now. you're sure your baby is alright to go off to school for the first time, at least for the time being. surely there will be another thing to freak about later in the day, but for now you need to worry about navigating this carpool line. a man in workout clothes with a haggard looking traffic vest is directing traffic, and while you pass him, you feel your heart skip a beat.

it can't be him, right? there's no way he works here. it can't be. you keep driving, following the cones until you pull up to the sidewalk and a very kind looking teacher approaches your car with a soft smile.

"good morning!" he chirps. "i'm mr. kang, the librarian," he says as he stoops to peer through your window. his gaze goes to the backseat, asking violet, "are you ready for the best day ever?"

she nods shyly, and you watch as she undoes her car seat and slides out of the car with her too big book bag engulfing her frame as she walks away. you shout her name and she turns, a nervous look on her face.

"have a great day, my love!" you blow her a kiss for good measure, and you carry the way she smiles proudly with you for the rest of the day. the man in the traffic vest is all but forgotten, but he watches from afar in confusion. was he seeing things, or were you really here dropping off a kid? a kid, in fact, who looked exactly like he did at that age. weird, he thinks, but he shakes it off and continues directing traffic, wondering how he could find a way to introduce himself over the next few days.

when you were younger, your parents always supported you academically, but they were never involved with the school itself. pta meetings were not their thing, and it was a struggle getting them to take off work for a parent/teacher conference. you had decided early on that you would be one of those involved parents, one that knew your kid's teacher well and participated in room mom activities. you were texting violet's teacher last night, actually, asking if there was anything you could bring to help celebrate the first week, and she was eager to have the help.

she'd asked you to bring lollipops, so on thursday afternoon you're searching for a parking spot before school lets out. you were going to drop the goodies off at violet's classroom and help jen with the goody bags during dismissal, quick and easy. except, an intimidating figure walking toward your car may not make this process as easy as you'd have hoped.

san saw your car pull up and immediately stepped out into the parking lot. as the unofficial carpool guardian, one of his daily jobs is stopping parents who try to cheat the system by taking up faculty spots so they can be first in line. san didn't know it was you or he would've approached with a different demeanor, but today was rough. he had at least two criers per class and one kid who ran so hard after lunch he puked outside san's office. he wasn't in the mood to deal with a privileged parent, so he lets out a deep sigh as he approaches your now open window.

"ma'am you can't park here-" he starts, but as soon as his eyes meet yours he chokes on his words. "y/n?"

"hi san," you smile shyly, heartbeat racing. "so i can't park here? there weren't any guest spots out front, and i need to take something to vi's class-"

"vi?" san questions, and you let out a deep sigh of your own.

"violet," you tell him. "my..my daughter."

"i thought that was you the other day," san admits, and you nod in confirmation. "well, um, if you're just coming to drop something off, you're all good, you can leave your car-"

"oh really? i can move, it's no problem-"

"no, no, don't worry about it-"

"are you sure?" you ask, finally stopping the awkward back and forth. "you won't tattle?"

"pinky promise," san laughs, holding your door for your as you get out. "but i'd sneak out before carpool starts up if i were you, it'll be hard to pull out once the lot fills up."

"got it," you nod graciously, slipping your hand into the backseat to grab the bag of candy. san is still standing there, so you clear your throat and try to leave. "well, thanks for letting me-"

"no worries-"

"it was good seeing you-"

"yeah, yeah..." san trails off. once you're a few feet away he calls your name. you turn to see what he needs, and he thinks about it before shrugging. "never mind," he says. "it was nice to see you."

"bye san," you manage to get out before you turn the corner, hands sweaty and heart doing funny flips in your chest.

you hadn't told violet about your visit, so when jen lets you into the room you hear an excited squeal followed by a pair of small arms wrapped around your legs. violet looks up at you proudly, a spot of something on her cheek. you forget sometimes, just how much she looks like san, but your exchange outside has him fresh on the brain. she has his smile. you shake the thoughts from your head and try to take a step, but violet won't budge.

"hey sugar," you laugh, ruffling her hair with your free hand. "go back to your seat, school's not over yet."

"but-"

"violet, do you want to show your mom where to put the bags she brought?" jen offers, and you send her a thankful look. violet tugs on your hand, bringing you over to the "treasure box" which is really just a filing cabinet jen must have filled with candy and toys. violet shows you each drawer, and you make her look away as you place the candy in it's appropriate drawer so it won't ruin the surprise for now. satisfied with her work, violet goes back to her seat as the bell rings for dismissal. you organize some of the other things you brought on jen's desk as she goes over reminders for the class, and then the first few rounds of students start leaving.

"thanks for bringing all this," jen says as she joins you.

"do you need help putting them together?" you ask, and she thinks for a moment.

"no, i don't want to keep you," she starts.

"well, i think i'm stuck for a while anyway," you inform her. "i had to park in a faculty spot, and carpool-"

"oh yeah, you're definitely stuck," jen laughs. "let me get everything set up, and then you can start while i help the rest of the kids leave, if you don't mind?"

"not at all!" you assure her, looking out to find violet watching you both like a hawk. "do you think we'll need another set of hands though?" jen follows your gaze and laughs before waving violet over. the three of you get everything set up, and you ask violet about her day as jen organizes the next group of kids for bus call.

"it was good!" violet says happily. "i liked lunch today."

"what did they have?"

"chicken sammiches," she says, and you laugh.

"sandwiches, baby," you tell her. "sammiches is a me and you word, but some people may not know what that means."

"i like chicken sandwiches and chicken sammiches," she nods. "and then we had pe and a boy in my class threw up. he had pizza."

"gross," you crinkle your nose. "you liked pe though?"

"yeah, it was fun!" violet goes off on a tangent about all the games, and jen rejoins you to help finish the bags. the three of you fall into comfortable conversation with violet as the life of the party. you like jen, you find yourself thinking. you hope it's not weird to be friends with your kid's teacher, because you could really use one here. you're lost in that thought, so you don't notice when someone appears in the doorway.

"mr. choi!" violet chirps, abandoning her task and rushing to meet him. never met a stranger, your child, because she's tugging his hand and bringing him over to you. "this is mommy."

"that's not her name though, is it violet?" jen asks, ever the teacher.

"y/n," san nods, and you don't miss the way jen looks from you to san to violet and back again. "did you get tricked into staying late?"

"no, i offered," you reply. "but i didn't have a choice, i didn't listen to your advice and couldn't leave before carpool started."

"you're all good now," he says, holding up his reflective vest all crumpled in his big hand. "just sent the last kid home."

"good to know," you nod. "vi, where's your stuff? we'll leave soon."

"no!" she whines. "i don't wanna leave!"

"don't you want a snack though?" you tempt her, and that sends the mini menace into motion.

"to what do i owe the pleasure of you stinking up my classroom, choi?" jen asks.

"i wanted to talk to you about the kid that threw up today," he says, and you must look at him confused because he asks you if anything's wrong.

"are you the pe teacher here?"

"yep," he answers. "i didn't know this was your violet," he says, nodding his head toward your kid. "she's a sweetheart. ball of energy too."

"you're telling me," you smile softly. violet walks over then, informing you that she's ready to go. you ask jen if there's anything else you can do, but she insists on you taking violet home.

"you've helped enough, believe me," jen tells you. "i'll see you tomorrow violet!"

"bye miss jen!" violet says with a smile. "bye mr. choi! i hope no one pukes on you tomorrow!"

jen waits for you and your kid to be far enough down the hall before she asks calmly. "so. how do you know y/n?"

"we, uh, we go way back," san says. "went to school together, college, all that."

"oh, so you like, really know her," jen says, a plan brewing in her head. she saw the way san looked at you. she also knows you're single. "you didn't know her kid went here?"

"didn't know she had a kid at all," san shakes his head, and he seems to get lost in a thought before he remembers what he came here for. "anyway, this kid today, you gotta tell him not to eat so much before pe..."

you and san didn't grow up together, exactly, but you have known him since high school. you floated around similar groups of friends, so you hung out regularly without ever getting too close. it wasn't until college that you actually became friends. you both went to a local school, at least as local as you can get for your small town. living in a city all by yourself was intimidating, but you weren't worried about not making friends. you knew they would come.

the day of your orientation, san saw you sitting by yourself in the auditorium and immediately recognized you. he brushed off his sweaty hands before walking over and softly calling your name. when you registered who he was, you smiled and invited him to sit next to you. both happy to see a familiar face, you spent the rest of orientation attached at the hip. in fact, you spent the rest of your time at school like that. san was your best friend, nothing more. he didn't always feel that way, but he did a good job of hiding his feelings. he was able to hide how he felt about you all the way up to the final semester of your senior year.

you were thriving, one of those seniors itching to finish school and get out into the real world. you knew you were just months away from a successful career, and you wouldn't let anything get in your way. you liked that you didn't know what was coming next or where you would end up after graduation. the prospect of moving to a new city, hell, maybe a new country, was exciting. this restlessness is what made san speak up. he was ready to graduate too, sure, but he was ready to get out of the city. san always wanted to be a teacher, and he already had offers all across the state, but the only job he cared about was in his hometown. it's where he wanted to be, and he knew that if he didn't tell you how he felt now, he may never get the chance. he wanted you to know so he could at least have a chance with you, even for a little while.

so he confessed, one night early in the semester. he was walking you home, his dorm only a few doors down from yours. at the door to your dorm he pulled you into a hug, which was normal for him. san was always a touchy friend, but what he said as he pulled away still bounces around in your head.

"y/n, i think i'm in love with you," he said earnestly. you looked in his eyes, trying to find the beginnings of a smile, some hint of a secret, that this was a joke. but he was serious. when you didn't say anything he shrugged, stepped away, and added, "i just wanted you to know."

you still don't know if it was shock or fear that kept you from saying anything that night, from calling his name and pulling him back in. but you didn't say anything then, you didn't say anything for months. san pretended like it never happened, and you just went along.

it didn't come up again until the going away party at the end of the year. school was over, finals done, and graduation was days away. everyone wanted to celebrate the past four years and freak out over what was next, all sharing where they were going and how scared they were. san was moving back home to be a teacher and wasn't scared at all. you were leaving for a bigger and better city the day after graduation and you were terrified.

later, san pulled you to the side and asked if you were ok. you knew he was referring to the job stuff, but you had other things on your mind. you were a little tipsy, so you decide that's why you leaned in and kissed him. it was quick, soft, barely a kiss, but you did it. you kissed him and pulled back faster than san could think, his eyes still closed when you parted and said, "i just wanted to know what it would feel like."

you were able to avoid him for the rest of the party, enjoying your last few hours with some of your best friends. you had an early morning, so you stopped drinking before everyone else and found yourself as a designated walker at the end of the night. you and san were elected to walk a few friends back to their dorms, dropping them off as you passed each building on your own walk home. inevitably, you were left alone with san at your door like that night months ago. san looked like he wanted to say something, and you didn't want him to leave, so instead of separating at the door you invited him in.

you'll never forget that night, and neither will san. but with your paths parting in a few days, you thought it would be something you could move on from eventually. a few weeks later, in your new city, at the perfect job, you found out you were pregnant. it hurt, the decision to not tell san, but the thought of stopping your life before it even started hurt more. you figured you would never see san again, or that you could at least keep the kid a secret if you ever hung out with your college friends again. you never thought that you'd somehow end up moving your daughter to the neighborhood where san grew up, or that the great school you fought to enroll her in could possibly be where san currently worked. but that's life, isn't it? or fate. or maybe just dumb luck. whatever it was, the universe was trying to get you to tell the truth and you're not sure you're ready to do that. to yourself, to violet, or to san.

san can't stop thinking about you. he tries so hard to catch a glimpse of you during carpool, but he's too busy focusing on a million other things and never manages to find you. he tries to think about how he could use violet to talk to you, like sending a note home with her, but that's inappropriate. he needs to see you again, though. that's when he gets an idea.

you and jen have become genuine friends, which has made things confusing for violet only because she treats jen like her teacher in casual settings. you met up for dinner the other night and violet raised her hand to ask jen a question, so hopefully she'll get used to it. san knows you two are close, and he knows if he asks jen about you she'll tell him whatever he wants to know.

at lunch one day he finds jen in the teacher's lounge and motions to the empty seat at her table. she lets him sit, but warns, "wooyoung saved the other seats for himself, so leave now if you want to."

wooyoung, one of the third grade teachers, was actually one of san's best friends. he's a hand full, yes, but fiercely loyal and caring. san doesn't necessarily want him to hear the conversation he wanted to have with jen, but oh well. as soon as san has that thought, wooyoung is bursting through the door with a stack of plastic containers from the lunchroom in his arms.

"m'lady," he nods to jen as he passes her a container. he looks to san and asks, "you want one bro?"

"what's in it?" san asks skeptically, and wooyoung shows off a stack of chicken sandwiches. "seriously?"

"hey, they're really good," jen pipes up. "the kids are lucky they get to eat these."

"how did you get so many?" san asks wooyoung as he takes a sandwich anyway.

"flirted with the lunch ladies."

"course you did," jen rolls her eyes, taking a bite of the sandwich. she chuckles to herself, and then shares, "you know, there's a kid in my class who calls these sammiches? no matter how many times you correct her, she won't say anything else. she told me this morning she didn't want to come to school, but she did because it was sammich day."

that's violet. san knows it is. he heard a snippet of your conversation in jen's classroom weeks ago, but he also knows he's heard violet say something similar when she comes to the gym. she loves those sandwiches, and san must admit, now that he's tried one he gets the hype. this is his shot though, he thinks to himself. he clears his throat and asks, "that's y/n's girl right?"

"who's y/n?" wooyoung asks, and jen responds, "san's girlfriend."

"no she's not," san says quickly. "she's kidding."

"you like her though?" wooyoung smirks, and san shakes his head.

"i-it's not like that," san explains. "i knew her a long time ago, and haven't seen her for a few years. that's all."

"so what about her?" jen asks.

"what do you mean?"

"well you brought her up," jen laughs. "you want me to tell her you asked about her? that feels very elementary of you, san."

"no, no, i was just, uh," san racks his brain for a response, "um, she's your room mom right? i may need to talk to her, for um, uh, field day."

"sure," jen nods. "i can give you her number, if you don't have it?"

"yeah, yeah," san nods too, "sure, if you think that'll be ok. i mean, i just needed to ask something, really quick, but, um, sure, yeah."

"if you really need to talk to her, she's coming in tomorrow i think," jen says, checking her phone. "yeah, tomorrow is violet's birthday, so y/n is bringing cupcakes at lunch. you can just stop by my class table and ask her whatever you need to ask her."

"oh, cool, great," san nods. wooyoung and jen share a quiet laugh, noticing that san seems like a bobblehead nodding so nervously. "yeah, tomorrow. lunch tomorrow. i'll be here."

you're running late. it's your kid's frickin birthday and you're late. you wanted to be supermom, make cupcakes from scratch, but work has been crazy on top of all the prep for violet's party, and you're just one woman. you can't do all of this by yourself, and it's times like these that you wish...no. that's not where you're going to let your mind wander today. today is all about violet, so as you rush out of the grocery store, you handle the store bought cupcakes with intense care. you can't be late and show up with smushed cupcakes.

thankfully this town is small enough that everything is within spitting distance, so you arrive at violet's school with just a few minutes left in her lunch. you hurry through the check in, rushing off to where you hope the lunchroom is. it would be just your luck to get lost right now, but you let out a breath of relief when you turn the corner and see the cafeteria ahead. you have to pause at the door to look for her class, and you hold back a sob when you see one very broad shouldered man sitting next to your beautiful daughter. you manage to walk up without violet seeing you, but at the sound of your footsteps, san turns. he smiles at you softly and he looks so much like violet it hurts. your eyes drift to your daughter, who's noticed you now and bounces in her seat.

"hey birthday girl," you say meekly, clearing your throat before you speak again. "how's your day been?"

"good!" violet smiles, showing you a half eaten vanilla cupcake with purple icing. "mr. choi brought me birthday cake!"

"aw, that's sweet," you say, looking to san. he's staring at you intensely as you ask, "did you tell him thank you?"

"i did!" violet confirms, but she turns to san and repeats, "thank you, it was yummy."

"do you have room for another?" you ask her, holding up the cupcakes you brought. violet already looks ready to bounce off the walls, so you'll have to apologize to jen later, but you ask if she wants to help pass out cupcakes to her friends. you hold the containers as she carefully hands out the treats, and you're pleased to know there were plenty of cupcakes for everyone. actually, there's some left over, so you start packing them up to take home but violet stops you.

"mommy, we need to give mr. choi one," she tells you, and you look to san sheepishly. "and there's one for you too, mommy!"

"i guess we're having cupcakes," you chuckle with san, offering him one of the last two cupcakes. "vi, can i take your spot?" she nods eagerly, letting you sit on the hilariously tiny lunch chair. you struggle balancing on it and look up to see san watching, trying not to laugh. violet is oblivious though, icing smeared all over her face as she talks to her friend across the table. "hey, no laughing. it's been a long day."

"sorry," san says, the remnants of a smile still on his face. "you doing alright?"

"i'm fine," you sigh slightly. you look at san again, really look at him, and you feel your heart constrict. "thank you for bringing her a cupcake."

"oh, sure," san says. "i didn't want to overstep, but jen told me yesterday, and i figured violet could at least take it home, but when i got here and didn't see, uh...you weren't here-"

"you can say it, i was late to my own kid's birthday," you laugh, rubbing your hand over your face. san finds himself staring at your fingers and something pops into his head.

"and again i ask, you doing alright?" he laughs with you. "being a parent must be hard."

"it has its bad days," you admit. "but for every bad day there's hundreds of good ones, so it makes the whole single parenting thing a little easier."

there it is. single. san looks down to your hands again, and has to hide his satisfied smirk. there's no ring.

"so, what-" san starts to ask, but the bell dings and the cafeteria erupts in even more sound. students talking, teachers yelling, chairs scraping as everyone is set in motion. jen walks over then, smiling when she sees you and san sat so close together. she waves hello before calling for her class, and you give violet a big squeezey hug and a kiss on the forehead before she takes her food and runs off. san watches you watching violet, and now it's his turn for his heart to twist. he's missed you. a lot.

"i guess i better go," you say as you gather all of the cupcake trash. san covers his hands over yours, stilling your movements and your heart, and says, "let me, i'll clean up."

"th-thank you san," you say shyly, and he waves you off. he can feel your eyes on him as he walks to the trash cans, and he can't help it, when he turns around he pulls a face that used to always make you laugh. his success rate is still high, because a beautiful giggle appears from deep within your chest, and then san is standing back in front of you. you know him, and you know there's something he wants to say, so you ask, "are you doing alright?"

"i'm fine," he nods, and you playfully push his shoulder. he smiles as he goes on, "actually, i was thinking about it, and i'll need your new number. for field day purposes, of course."

"oh," you breathe. "oh, right. room mom stuff. um, well unless you deleted my contact info, my number is the same."

"oh."

"yeah."

"right, then i guess i'm good," san says, looking around for any last bits of trash. "always good seeing you, y/n. tell violet happy birthday again from me."

"will do," you squeak out, calling out your thanks to him one last time as he walks away. you're left in the now silent lunchroom, heart and mind racing.

"i'm just saying, you and san would make a cute couple," jen repeats for what feels like the millionth time today. she's come over to your house early to help set up violet's birthday party, and you're thankful for the help but wishing the set up was less obvious. "you already know each other, so it's not like you'd have to go through that awkward dating phase-"

"did we put balloons on the mailbox already?" you cut through her words, grabbing a couple pink and purple balloons from the pile on the table. "i'll do that now, so people know which house it is. if vi wakes up, tell her i'll make birthday pancakes as soon as i'm done."

"will do," jen salutes you, taking the remaining balloons into the living room. "i'll tack these to the ceiling or something."

"please don't!" you call out before you shut the door, and you take a deep breath when you're outside alone. you don't know how to make jen stop talking about san, and it's draining. you've tried changing the subject and she always finds a way to bring san back into it. she means well, you know that. but what she doesn't know is that everything she says about san just rubs salt in the wound you inflicted on yourself, and it's getting harder to ignore. you're either going to snap and tell her to shut up, or you're going to snap and admit to what you've been hiding. either option isn't ideal, so fingers crossed violet wakes up soon and you can use her as a buffer.

tying the balloons to your mailbox ended up being more of an ordeal than you thought, so it takes you a while to trudge back into the house. you're tired already and the party hasn't started yet. you're making another cup of coffee when you realize the house is quiet, no sounds of jen and no sounds of vi. you let the coffee pot run as you walk around in search of the girls, and you hear a faint noise coming from the backyard. a peek through the window shows jen and violet running streamers from the back porch to vi's playset, and your heart warms. while they're outside, you get to work on the birthday pancakes in peace. you're almost done with them when you get a call, groaning to yourself thinking it's a parent calling about the party. you don't check the name before you answer, letting out a perfectly nice, "hello?"

"y/n, hi," san says on the other line. "is this a bad time?"

"um, n-no," you stammer, "it's um, no, i can talk. just for a minute."

"if you're busy i can call back-"

"no, san, go ahead," you insist. "just be warned i'm making pancakes, so i am a little distracted."

"oh yeah, you used to suck at those," san teases, and for a moment you're thrown back to college. you remember san staying over at your dorm, claiming he was too drunk to walk the fifteen steps down the hall. you let him crash on your floor, and he woke up to an awful hangover and the sound of you cursing over your batch of blackened pancakes. trying to be nice, san tried one anyway. you'll never forget the way you both belly laughed after he lied and said they were good with a look of fear in his eyes. later he admitted he'd never had something so bad, and you swore to never make pancakes again. san obviously remembers, because he asks, "what made you stop the pancake ban?"

"they're for vi's birthday."

"her birthday was on tuesday i thought?"

"yeah, but we're having her party today," you explain, and then you clap your hand to your forehead. you shouldn't have said anything.

"oh then i won't keep you," san says quickly. there's something strange in his voice, but you're so far removed from him that you can't pick up on it. "i hate to call about school stuff on the weekend, but this is the only time i had..."

while san explains the reason for his call (room mom duties + he missed you, but he leaves that part out), jen and violet come in from the backyard. streamers are done, and violet is wearing a torn one around her neck like a scarf. you wave her over for a hug and a kiss, and jen mouths, "who are you talking to?" so you show your phone screen. she gasps when she sees it's san, and it's like you're watching a lightbulb spring from her head. she's got an idea.

"invite him to the party!" jen hisses, and you push her away.

"is that the birthday girl?" san asks, and there's a softness in his voice that makes you melt. "do you need to go?"

"no, just one of the birthday elves being annoying," you grumble, trying to elbow away from jen but she grabs your phone anyway and says a cheery hello to her coworker.

"hey san! happy saturday," she starts off. "listen, are you doing anything around, say, one o'clock?"

"uh, not that i can think of-"

"great! then i'll have y/n text you her address, you should come to violet's party. there's plenty of food, and we'd love to see you!" jen says with an evil smile plastered on her face.

"um, can you hand me back to y/n?" san asks, and jen relinquishes your phone then disappears.

"san, you do not have to come if you don't want to, jen is-"

"jen's what!?" jen shouts from somewhere within your house.

"i want to come," san says, and you're so surprised you almost drop the pancake you're trying to flip. "if that's ok."

"i..." you trail off, and then you look at violet. sweet, lovely violet. you would do anything for that girl, but you know she deserves more. she deserves both parents, and the little part of you that's been wondering if san's reappearance was a sign is the part that wins you over. you say, "yeah, come to the party. i want you here."

"then i'm there," san says, and you can hear his smile. "should i bring a present?"

"no, god, don't worry about that. girl's spoiled already, she doesn't need another toy," you tell him, and san laughs.

"alright. then text me the address, and i'll see you soon i guess."

"yeah, see you soon," you mumble as you hang up and look around for jen. she's rightfully hiding somewhere, but violet's voice distracts you as she asks who you were talking to. "well sugar, i have an extra birthday surprise for you," you say as you plate her pancakes. "mr. choi might be coming to your party, is that ok?"

"mr. choi?!" violet shrieks as she stands in her chair. you remind her not to do that and she listens, but she looks at you and asks, "for seriously? he's my favorite teacher."

"hey," jen whines as she rejoins you, throwing away the remnants of wrapping paper in her hands. "and to think i got you the biggest coolest birthday present ever."

"really?" you and violet ask in unison, and jen nods enthusiastically at your daughter. when she joins you at the sink she whispers, "i didn't go overboard."

"yes you did," you whisper back.

"what did san want?" jen asks with that evil smile again, and you try to elbow her side but she darts away too quickly.

"i had told him about the game the kinder moms wanted our grade to do for field day, and he forgot what supplies it needed," you explain. "so he was calling about that, and the call was almost over when someone interrupted."

"y/n, listen," jen says sternly, and you both look over to violet to make sure she's distracted. jen keeps her voice down as she continues, "he likes you. don't ask me how i know, but i know. and the way you get so nervous around him, i know it sounds childish, but i think you have a crush on him-"

"jen," you say seriously. "please stop. you don't know what you're doing."

"no, y/n, you don't know what you're doing!" jen says, and you step back. "no, i don't mean it like that. i just mean, you said you were having a hard time doing this on your own. it may not be my place, but i think san could help. he'd be good for you and violet."

"you remember how san and i were friends years ago?" you ask, and jen nods, about to add to her case, but you cut her off. "we were close. really close."

"did you kiss?" jen asks excitedly and you roll your eyes.

"will you focus?" you smile anyway, and add, "we spent most of our time together, but then life stuff changed. we went in completely different directions, and it was just easier to say goodbye and go our separate ways. that was five years ago. well, six, now i guess," you correct yourself, your eyes betraying you as they flick back over to violet.

"oh my god," jen gasps. "no."

"yes."

"no way."

"yes."

"you're a liar."

"mommy's not a liar," violet chimes in, and you let out a sound somewhere between a laugh and a cry. "miss jen, that wasn't very nice."

"i'm sorry violet, you're right," jen says calmly. she looks closely at violet and then to you. "but sometimes what's right is hard to do."

"i know that," you sigh. "believe me. but we can talk about this later."

"you bet your ass we are!"

"miss jen!"

"sorry, sorry!"

you and jen do a good job of ignoring the truth bomb you set off just before guests started arriving, but knowing san will be here soon keeps you on edge all day. violet is having the time of her life, which takes a little bit of pressure off of you at least. you just have to play host to your family and friends all while keeping one eye on the door for san.

he arrives just past one. you heard the doorbell from the backyard, but as you're walking through the house you see your aunt opening the door for him. it opens to a stunning version of the man you've tried so hard to hide from, and just looking at him makes you blush. he's dressed casually, but nicer than the work out clothes you see him in at the school. jeans and a sweater, and glasses. san never wore glasses in school, and you're wondering why this news is making your stomach flip. when san finds you, his face lights up. he makes his way around a group of kids and pulls you into a polite hug, mumbling his greeting into your hair. you wish time would stop for a moment, let you stay in his hold a second longer. but he's pulling away and shyly presenting a gift bag, his sheepish eyes saying "sorry but not sorry."

"i told you not to bring anything," you scoff, taking the gift over to the present table anyway.

"it's something small, but i think she'll like it," san says, and you thank him. it's awkward for a second as you both search for something to say, but in the quiet san reaches to push his glasses further up his nose and you smile.

"so you getting old, choi?" you tease him, pointing to the glasses. "how long have you needed those for?"

"just a couple years," san shrugs. "i don't mind them, but it's easier to wear contacts at work. i actually like the way they look."

"they're cute," you agree, and you feel your heart thudding in your chest as san processes the compliment. he looks around your house then, and he distractedly puts an arm around you in another hug as he says, "your house is great, by the way. you've really made a life for yourself, y/n." he looks at you while he says the next part, "i hope you're proud of yourself."

"i am," you nod, suddenly very aware of how many people are here and possibly looking at you two. you feign a cough and san gets the hint. he pulls away and you immediately feel cold, but you catch a glimpse of jen eyeing you in the corner of the room. you shake off whatever was distracting you because of the man at your side, and you're about to excuse yourself to find violet when the woman in question appears below you.

"mr. choi!!!" she shouts as she jumps in place. "you're here!"

"i am!" he replies, holding hands and jumping with violet. "are you having fun?"

"yeah! cmere, i wanna show you my swings!" she says excitedly, and then san is being dragged outside. you follow at a safe distance, wanting to see how they interact without making it too obvious you're watching san and not your kid. some of the school kids present recognize a big kid in san and soon he's got a whole herd following him around. you laugh seeing him be so silly, so freely himself with these kids, and you wonder if this is what he's like as a teacher. then you find your mind wandering to what san would be like as a dad. you know he'd be great, so what are you doing?

you know you have to tell him. you see the way violet is smiling and laughing, and you can't keep this kind of joy from her anymore. you don't know when, and you don't know how, but you will tell san that he's the father of your daughter.

violet's birthday party was perfect. she had an amazing time, her friends had an amazing time, and you had an amazing time. with san. he fit back into your life perfectly, and as you were saying your goodbyes at the end of the night, you had the intense desire to kiss him. you didn't, but that's only because jen came over with a sleepy violet that she thrust into your arms. you and san were cooing over the tired party girl and jen inconspicuously snapped a picture of the three of you. you and san, looking down at violet with so much love in your eyes, and violet smiling her biggest smile. jen texted it to you later and you were grateful to have this moment captured forever.

you were staring at that photo now, waiting for violet to finish getting ready for school. you weren't really paying attention to the time, caught up in admiring san. you felt a sense of calm and safety when you thought of him, looked at him, and you're kicking yourself for keeping that same feeling from violet's life. you were so distracted by your thoughts that you didn't hear violet walk up, so you almost jumped out of your skin when she says, "whatcha doooin?" directly into your ear.

"oh baby you scared me," you gasp. she giggles and points to your phone.

"you were staring at mr. choi!"

"i was not," you roll your eyes, but she nods and goes, "yeah huh."

"i'm not getting into a yeah huh nuh uh fight with you right now," you say as you ruffle her hair. "you ready for school?" it's then that you give her a once over and screw your face up in confusion. "where's that shirt from? i don't remember buying you that."

"it was my gift from mr. choi, 'member?" violet says proudly as she shows it off.

"yeah, yeah, i guess i do," you reply. "you wanted to wear it to school?"

"so i can tell him thank you," she says simply, and you place a soft kiss on her forehead. your sweet girl.

"i'm sure he'll be happy to see it. c'mon, let's go."

san had an awful morning. none of the classes would listen to him, half of his equipment for this unit was broken or missing, and apparently he was getting evaluated this afternoon. nothing was wrong, it was just protocol, but why did he find out about it two hours before it was supposed to happen? he was stressed, unprepared, and wearing a t shirt that apparently has a hole in the armpit. one of the unruly classes so kindly pointed that out for him. so yeah, it's been a bad day. that's why he sat down at lunch with a huff, interrupting whatever jen and wooyoung had been talking about prior to his dramatic entrance.

"what's wrong with you?" wooyoung asks bluntly, and san scoffs.

"one of those days where i'm considering child abandonment."

"san!" jen gasps.

"i'm joking, chill out," he sighs. "i just. can today be over? i'd like it to be over. or can i get a redo? that might be better, considering i have an eval today i know i'm not gonna pass."

"if you go into it like that then duh you're gonna do bad," jen says. "but it hasn't even happened yet, so why be so negative?"

"whatever," san huffs again, poking at his food like it's the root of his bad day. "how has your day been."

"great, my kids are angels and i love my job," wooyoung jokes, so san kicks him under the table.

"your class was the first one to put me in a bad mood this morning."

"yeah, because i told them i accidentally killed our class pet."

"wooyoung!" jen gasps again.

"accidentally!"

"how'd you manage that?" san asks with the beginnings of a smile on his face. not that he was laughing over the death of a very tiny pet, no. but he did enjoy seeing wooyoung making mistakes. makes the world go round, he thinks.

"i forgot to take it home for the weekend and i came in this morning to bob the beta fish belly up," wooyoung explains. he raises his carton of strawberry milk in a toast, which san and jen play along with. "he didn't live long, i didn't like him, and the kids barely knew he was there. bob, may you rest in peace."

"this isn't making me feel better," san whines as they clink their drinks together.

"oh!" jen says happily, "i have something!" she shuffles around looking for her phone, and excitedly pulls something up for san to see. she shoves the screen so close to his face he can barely see anything, so he takes her phone and blinks to let his eyes adjust. he smiles immediately when he realizes it's the picture of him, you, and violet. he's so mesmerized by your beauty, all these years later, that it takes him a minute to shift his focus to the equally beautiful violet squeezed between you. she's perfect, san thinks. if he had a kid, he'd want her to be just like violet: kind, funny, full of energy and life.

"who is that?" wooyoung asks, pushing his face close to san's to catch a glimpse. "ooo, is that your milf?"

it's jen's turn to kick him underneath the table, but san must admit, that was a little funny. he doesn't answer right away, though. something about the picture has caught his attention.

"no," jen says sternly since san has gone mute. "that's my friend y/n and her kid violet, we've talked about them before. san came to her birthday party this weekend."

"the milf?!"

"no!" jen repeats. "violet. i helped y/n with the party, and since she and san go way back, i kinda invited san without her knowing."

"nice," wooyoung nods. "good. get him into the house, and then into her heart. maybe the pants too-"

"dude," san finally cuts in. "what's wrong with you?"

"you two are boring me," he sighs. "sue me if i wanted to have a little fun with our conversation."

"you took this?" san asks jen, ignoring wooyoung now. she says yes, so he asks, "can i send it to myself? do you think y/n would mind?"

"no, i think that's fine," jen replies with a smile. "go ahead."

"thanks," san mumbles, typing his number in quickly to send the photo. he doesn't want to seem weird, sitting here staring at it, but there's still something he can't quite put his finger on. something familiar about it. not quite deja vu, but like he's seen this before. he hands jen's phone back to her, and she continues some inane argument with wooyoung as san checks his phone. huh, he thinks, taking one last look at the photo as he saves it to his library. violet sure has a nice smile.

san's day does not get better. the evaluation was mediocre at best, but the assistant principal doing the visit pulled him aside and promised better equipment in the new year. at least one good thing came out of this awful day.

well, two good things. san keeps opening his phone just to stare at that picture of himself with you and violet. his desire to patch things up with you only continues to grow, and he's been thinking about you so much that he swears he hears your voice calling his name at the end of the day. then a squeakier, tinier voice joins in, and san realizes, oh shit, you and violet are in his office.

"hey, sorry," he shakes his head to clear his thoughts. "god, sorry. how long were you standing there?"

"not long," you assure him. "i hope we're not bothering you?"

"not at all," he says as he stands. violet runs up to him then, turning from side to side with her hands clasped in front of her. san laughs, looking from her to you as he asks, "what's going on?"

"vi had a surprise for you, and she forgot she didn't have pe today so she got into the car crying because you didn't get to see it," you explain. "we turned around as soon as i got the story, and now we're here. do you recognize her shirt at all?"

"oh my god!" san smiles, violet joining in. san bends down to pick her up and swings her around to the sound of giggles. "you're wearing my present! do you like it?"

"i do!" she chirps, hiccuping a little as the giggles continue. san slows and carefully places her back down as she says, "thank you for coming to my party."

"thank you for inviting me," san replies, and you realize he's talking to you. you consider telling him now, you can feel his gaze pulling the words right out of you, but you chicken out.

"thank jen," you remind him. "she's the one who ambushed me."

"ambush?" san laughs nervously. "i hope me coming over wasn't an ambush."

"i shouldn't have said that," you shake your head. "i just." you take a deep breath. "it's been hard, you know, seeing you again. getting used to you being back in my life."

"happy to be here," san says coolly, and you pick up on the undertones. you knew he must have been upset with you, only wanting him when you couldn't have him. he'd given you so many chances to be his, but you grasped the last one. san was mad at himself first, and he's not mad at you per se, but the memory of that still hurts. he could have been in your life, violet's life, this whole time. it was you who kept the door bolted shut. now it's like there's little cracks filtering in bits of sunlight, and you're basking in them. you're just afraid that the warmth you feel from san now will burn you someday, that your past will be too hard to get over, and you can't tell him about violet until you know how he really feels.

"listen, we should go, but i want to hang out with you soon," you tell him, and san looks at you confused. "we need to catch up, don't you think?"

"sure," san agrees. "let me know where to be and when, i'll make it work."

that friday night, you have a babysitter (jen) and plans to meet san for dinner. jen is already here, you can hear her and violet whispering about something in the living room as you finish getting ready. this is not a date, but you're so nervous it might as well be. you could end up telling san tonight, if things go right. and if they go wrong...that's what's making you so nervous. the anxious side of you is already thinking of schools you can move violet to if the night goes bad, and the optimist is thinking about san finally being a dad to violet.

it's like he knew you were thinking about him, because his caller id lights up your phone (yes, his contact photo is that picture).

"you're cancelling," you say as soon as you pick up.

"what? no, freak," san chuckles. "i'm outside, but i'm sorry, i can't remember if your house has the red door or the blue one."

"you're what?" you ask, walking from your room to the front door. jen and violet watch on in curiosity, and you let out a sound of disbelief when you open the door to see san, standing by his car, looking from your house to the one next door.

"oh. found it," he teases, hanging up as he comes to the door. "you're not ready yet?"

"no, because i thought we were meeting there, i had more time," you say as you check your phone and notice you actually did not have time. "ok, i thought i had more time, but still. you didn't say you were picking me up."

"surprise?" san says sheepishly, peeking inside to wave to the girls.

"hi mr. choi!" they respond in unison, and san chuckles again.

"um, well, i wasn't expecting- i still have to-" you stammer out, basically turning in circles before staring back up at san. "give me two minutes."

"two? it'll be more like ten," san calls after you. you sort of sprint back to your room, checking that you look put together. your eyes look nervous, though. you hope san can't pick up on that. you grab your favorite necklace, one that violet picked out for you recently, and hold onto the heart pendant as you take a deep breath. you can do this. it's just san, your old pal! your friend! the father of your daughter who has no idea his life could have been completely different or that it's going to change with the information you're about to give him! great! let's go eat some tacos!

you and san both give violet hugs goodbye (she insisted) and jen says goodbye with a wiggle of her eyebrows. she thinks this is a date, and she spent an appropriate amount of time hyping you up tonight. she's known san more recently, so she gave you good insight on the whole telling him situation. she assured you that, while he may be frustrated by you not telling him sooner, under it all he'll be happy. he's wanted a family of his own since he started working at the school, so she's sure he'll be nothing but thrilled once the initial shock wears off. boy do you hope she's right.

san is being such a gentleman. first picking you up, then rushing out of the car to open your door for you, pulling your chair out at the restaurant...it's making this feel like a date. it's also making you scared that you're going to chicken out, but you can't.

"so," san says with a :] smile. "what did you want to talk about?" you take a moment to mess with the chips and salsa in front of you before you respond. you're taking so long that san takes a deep breath and starts, "i hope you know i'm not mad at you."

"what?" you ask in a small voice, chip halfway to your mouth.

"i'm not mad at you," san goes on. "i never was. i hope you know that."

"but i was a dick," you tell him, and he lowers his head with a laugh. you want him to listen to you though, so you grab his hand laid out on the table and squeeze. "no, seriously, that was such an asshole move on my part. only letting down my walls and letting you in the night before we both moved away? i've never forgiven myself for that."

"but you should," san shrugs. "i understand. i'm glad it happened. if i had to choose, i'd rather it happen the exact same way than not happen at all."

"right," and now it's your turn to look down. you let go of san's hand and go back to messing with the food in front of you. "i'm still sorry for how i acted."

"it's ok, i promise," san assures you. you aren't looking at him so he clears his throat and says, "actually, while we're talking about...back then. i have something to tell you too." oh no, you think. you nod to encourage him to continue, not sure you can speak right now. "um, well, here goes. i know it's been years, and we've barely talked since school, but..i don't know, y/n. i still think you're the one for me, and i was just wondering, maybe, since we're both in the same town again, and we see each other so often..."

"what, san?" you whisper, afraid of what he's going to say.

"will you go out with me?" he asks. "finally?"

"san," you sigh, and he shakes his head.

"no, don't say no yet. you can think about it. i know you have a lot more to consider than i do, so i don't mind waiting. but i wanted to put it out there. in case, uh, in case you were interested."

"put it out there? why are you talking about this like a couch you're trying to get rid of?" you tease him to ease the tension. "you just asked me out and now you sound like you're not sure."

"i'm sure," san says firmly. "very sure. but i don't want you to feel pressured."

"you've never made me feel anything but loved, san," you let slip, and you want to etch the look on his face into your memory forever. he looks so pleased, so purely happy at your words. they're hanging in the air as the waiter comes by to take your order, and that provides enough of a distraction that you both go back to a semblance of normalcy when he leaves. you fall into an easy conversation, catching up over your lost years. san tells you all about work, his family, his friends. it makes you happy that you chose this town, this school, to raise your kid in.

you fill san in too, but only the highlights. you don't want to ruin your dinner with the news, so you tell him about your career since he knows the least about that. he can't stop telling you how proud he is, and reiterates how amazing you are for raising a kid on top of it. you've got a steady blush on your cheeks as you keep chatting, and you notice then that the meal is over. your plates have been cleared for a while, and san paid without you knowing. how'd he do that?

"i was going to pay for my food," you protest.

"nope, my treat," san says. "let someone else take care of you for once."

"well thanks," you squeak out. "i've got you next time though."

"if there's a next time, i'm still paying," san replies so you roll your eyes and drop it for now. "um, before we go though, i was wondering...can i ask about violet? i feel like you barely mentioned her."

"oh, sorry," you laugh it off. "i don't get a chance to talk about myself a lot, so i'm not saying i forgot to mention vi, i just..."

"i get it," san nods in understanding. "you wanted to brag about yourself for a minute, that's ok. i'm glad you did."

"good," you smile shyly. "but, yeah, violet. what about her?"

"i wanna hear as much as you're willing to tell me," san says, and looking into your eyes, you know he means the father. "was there some great love of your life you don't want to tell me about?"

"san, it's not like that," you tell him, then think to yourself that in a way it is true. you think san is the love of your life, but you can't say that yet. "right, well, i have something to tell you, actually," you say in a voice stronger than you expected. you thought you'd be nervous, but it's like some mom power kicks in and you're able to stare directly into san's strong, gorgeous eyes as you speak. "can i?" you motion to his hands, and he holds them out so you can place your smaller ones in his. still looking into the eyes you've grown to love, you take a deep breath and say, "i'm sorry i didn't tell you sooner. but san, you're violet's dad. she's your daughter."

"what?" he asks in a shaky voice.

"when we.." you try to explain, and have to start over, "that night. five years ago-"

"six," san corrects.

"six, you're right. that night was when she...yeah. i found out about violet a month later, after i had moved. i tried calling you. i did, i swear, and i know that sounds so childish but it's the truth. i tried calling you, tried figuring out how to tell you...but i heard how happy you were, how easy it was for you to settle into your life back at home. i didn't want to throw something unexpected at you and change all of that."

you rambled, and you're not sure how easy that was to follow. or how believable it was either, but you've said it. you're watching san take it in, and he's unnervingly calm. you can't read his face at all, but you realize you've been squeezing his hands and he's squeezing yours right back. you relax your grip then, but he doesn't. he stays quiet.

"san, say something."

"th-thank you," he stutters, finally slipping his hands out of yours. "thanks for protecting me from that, i guess."

"san, i-"

"no, y/n, it's fine," he shakes his head and stands. "come on, let's go. it's getting late."

the car ride is silent. san says nothing, but you can feel the emotions radiating from him. or maybe those are your own? fear, resentment, sadness...you always thought telling san the truth would make everything better. make you feel at peace at last. but currently you feel more ill at ease than you ever have. you want to crawl out of your skin, you want to scream at yourself, at san, just to get some kind of reaction out of him.

when he pulls into your driveway, he puts the car in park but doesn't unlock the door. you can tell he wants to say something, so you wait. you think you see jen peeking through the blinds, but you're not sure. a quick glance at the clock tells you violet's been in bed for a while, but knowing jen she probably let her stay up a little longer. you hope she's still awake when you go in, you could really use a hug from her right now.

"y/n," san calls your name softly. you turn your body completely so he can see you fully, and you see he's gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles are white. "does she know?"

"huh?"

"violet," san says her name so carefully, so purposefully. like it's taken on a new meaning. "does violet now i'm her dad?"

"n-no," you stutter, and san slumps his head down. "but i told her about you. about her dad."

"she looks just like me," he says, and that's when you notice the sadness in his voice. he sounds broken, and it feels like your heart rips itself to shreds.

"san, i am so sor-"

"don't. just don't." you watch him carefully, and you think you see tears. "i can't..."

"can't what?" you want to reach out and touch him, to brush the tears away, but you hesitate.

"i can't believe you kept this from me," he says in a whisper so small you barely heard it.

"i was young and stupid and scared, san," you defend yourself. "i didn't know what i was doing, i should have tried harder to get in touch but-"

"i didn't get to be there y/n," he spits out, and you stop talking as he turns to you. "i missed her birth, her first steps, her first words. i wasn't in her life! she's my kid and you kept her from me for some of the most important years of her life."

"i know, and i'm..i'm sorry."

"sorry doesn't cut it." he's full on crying now. "i thought...i thought you cared about me. about what we meant to each other. how could you do this?"

"i was wrong to keep you away," you admit. "it ate me alive every day, but the longer i waited the harder it was to call you. and this is totally self inflicted but raising a kid on my own was hard! after i made that choice i barely had time to think about anything else!" you're shouting now, not out of anger, but frustration. "it was selfish, and i'm sorry. but i told you. you've always been part of violet's life. i tell her about her dad all the time. she asks about you, and i've never lied to her. i only kept your name, who you are to me, a secret."

"yeah that makes me feel so much better," san rolls his eyes, and you scoff before reaching over him to unlock the doors. as soon as you do, you're out of the car and rushing to your front door, san running behind you calling your name.

you get into the house and see jen moving around in the kitchen, but no signs of violet. san has stopped behind you, standing awkwardly at the threshold, so you grab his shirt and pull him along with you into violet's room. at the sound of the door opening she bolts up in bed. she looks confused, seeing two figures in her doorway, but when she recognizes you she makes little grabby hands for you to join her. again, san stays at the door, watching the two of you with a new perspective.

"cmere sugar," you whisper softly, sitting on violet's bed. you maneuver her so she's sitting on your lap.

"why is mr. choi here?" she asks, and you hear san take in a breath.

"his name is san, violet. and he's very important to me," you explain. violet is facing san as you ask, "can you tell us all you know about your daddy?" she nods, and then begins.

"mommy says he's very nice, the nicest man in the world!" violet starts out. "she says he's smart and strong and funny and handsome. she says i have his smile!" and with this she smiles, teeth and all, and san sees himself in her. it brings tears to his eyes, but she keeps going. "mommy says he's caring, and i had to ask what that meant. she says being caring means you're a good friend and you're nice to everybody. that reminds me of you, mr. san!"

"anything else baby?" you ask violet, stroking her hair. "what else do we say about daddy?"

"we love him very much," violet answers proudly. "and even if he's not with us, like in the same house or something, he's always right here!" and with that she puts her hand over her heart. she looks up at you then, asking, "did i miss anything mommy?"

"nope, you got it all sugar," and you kiss the top of her head, afraid to meet san's eyes. "thank you, violet. are you ready to go back to bed now?"

"yeah, but i want a bedtime story," she pouts, and you wonder if san notices how similar they look then too. "babysitter jen does too many funny voices, and one of them scared me."

"ok, i'll read you a story," you whisper, slowly and carefully dumping her back into bed as you stand. "but i need to talk to san really quick, is that ok?"

"uh huh," violet nods with a yawn, cuddling back up to her favorite stuffie. as san looks around her room, he notices a pillow he used to have, tucked in the corner of violet's bed. he used to call it shiber, it was something silly, but he loved that thing in college. it went missing the week before school ended, and san always wondered where it went. well, now he knows.

you carefully pull violet's door shut as the two of you back out into the hallway. the rest of the house is quiet, so you wonder briefly if jen has gone home. you look to san, ready to defend yourself further, get him to understand where you're coming from, but then you see the tears on his cheeks. now you do reach up and wipe them away, his hands covering yours and squeezing tightly.

"i am so sorry for keeping you away," you say one last time. "it was wrong. it will take time, but i will do everything i can to make that up to you."

"you can do it right now," san breathes out, the first easy breath he's taken since this conversation started. "let me be in her life. in yours. i missed so much, i can't miss anymore of it."

"we're here if you want us," you tell him, and san squeezes your hands again before pulling them from his face. he drapes your arms over his shoulders, his drifting to your waist.

"i do," he nods eagerly. "i want you." and with that, he kisses you. it's not a soft kiss, no. there's more force behind it than that. there's six years (maybe more) of repressed feelings in that kiss. it's the kind of kiss that makes you want to pop your foot up, the kind that sends butterflies soaring up from your stomach through your chest. you're so lost in the feeling that you don't hear violet's door open, and then...

"oh! mommy! mr. san is biting you!" violet shrieks, so you and san finally detach. you keep your foreheads together as you look down at violet staring disapprovingly at you.

"he's not biting me, we were kissing," you explain to her, but she doesn't like that answer.

"hey, i got in trouble for kissing a boy on the playground," she whines, and san looks at you in shock. you nod to confirm as you tell her, "that's because you shouldn't kiss at school. and you're too young. you can kiss when you're-"

"thirty," san finishes for you, making you both laugh as violet whines more.

"i was just gonna say when she's older," you whisper to him, and he shrugs.

"had to assert my parenting style somehow."

"why are you and mr. san whispering?" violet asks with a jump and her arms in the air. you're about to pick her up when san bends down and scoops her instead, so you can talk to her eye level.

"we're talking about you," you say as you boop her nose. "and stop calling him mr. san."

"what do i call him then?" she pouts, and you share your first silent parent language stare with san.

"actually baby, we have something we need to tell you..."

946 notes · View notes

starkwlkr · 1 year

Note

Hiiii! So I do not know if you are making requests but if you are doing can do: Charles x Reader where she is a medical student and will do an internship in formula one, Charles does not like her much until he gets hurt and have to take care of her which makes the two approach

kiss with a fist | charles leclerc

warnings: needles and blood mentions and charles being an asshole <3

Y/n was nervous. She was starting her new internship with none other than F1. She watched a couple of races, but she wasn’t a die hard fan. But she wasn’t here to watch men drive in circles, she was here to work.

When she first arrived to the paddock, she was already making enemies. She didn’t mean to, but a certain Ferrari driver had woken up on the wrong side of the bed that morning. Y/n bumped into Charles, nearly dropping his hot coffee on himself.

“I’m sorry! The photographer was backing up and I-”

“Do you not watch where you’re going? There’s all this space around you.” Charles groaned as he dropped his coffee into a trash can. “What? You want an autograph?”

Y/n rolled her eyes. “Not everyone wants your autograph. And I said I was sorry. By the way, I’m more of a Red Bull fan.” She really didn’t know anything about Red Bull to be honest. You could have someone explain every single detail of f1 and she still wouldn’t understand. All she knew was that Red Bull probably had more haters than supporters.

She quickly left Charles and walked to her boss’ office where she was supposed to meet him. Y/n was already wishing the day was over so she could go back home and bury herself in her blankets after her interaction with Charles, but she had a long day ahead of her.

“Charles Leclerc crashes into the barrier!”

Y/n watched from a monitor as Charles’ Ferrari crashed. The replay kept on going, sort of a reminder to the Ferrari fans that this season wasn’t going their way. Charles stumbled out of his car, almost tripping over his feet.

“He’s okay, right?” Y/n asked her boss. Sure, he was an asshole to her that morning, but she would never wish for someone to get injured.

“Yeah, I got confirmation that Leclerc is fine. Have you met him yet?”

“Sort of. Had to leave before I could even get an autograph.” She said sarcastically, but her boss didn’t pick it up.

“I’m sure you’ll get one.”

Yeah, no.

After the race, Y/n was going through the piles of paperwork she was told to do. She was writing down on her clipboard when she heard a knock on the door. She figured it was her boss or someone else other than Charles Leclerc.

“Yes?” She looked up to see the driver. “Oh. Finally brought me an autograph?” She went back to writing in her clipboard.

“No, someone made me realize that not everyone wants my autograph. I was just wondering if you have time to check if I’m dying.” He said casually.

Y/n dropped her pen and looked at him, wondering if he was serious or not. “Check if you’re dying?”

“Yeah, I crashed today. My head is hurting, I think I might pass out. I’m not dying, right?” Charles explained.

“Fine, I’ll check. Sit down.” Y/n pointed to the examination table next to the desk she was currently using. Charles followed her instructions and sat on the examination table.

“Are you going to give me a shot? Because I hate needles. And sometimes I get weirded out if I see my own blood.” Charles admitted.

“Why would I give you a shot when your head is hurting? I can if you want me to.” Y/n said, standing In front of Charles.

“Nope, I am good.”

“Great. So just let me check if you’re dying real quick.”

Before Y/n could even do anything, Charles spoke up. “My head actually doesnt hurt at all. I lied, I wanted to come here to apologize for this morning.”

“Did your mom find out and made you come apologize?”

“No, my mother doesn’t know but if she did she would pull my ear and tell me to treat women with respect. And I do treat women with respect, but I’ve been having a bad…” Charles sighed and looked down.

“Day?” Y/n guessed.

“Season actually. Point is, I shouldn’t have been mean to you and I’m sorry and i understand if you don’t accept my apology. If I were you, I wouldn’t.” Charles nodded and got off the examination table. Before he could leave, Y/n called his name making him turn around to face her.

“You forgot your lollipop. I have this thing where I give my patients a lollipop no matter what age they are so here,” Y/n handed Charles a red lollipop. “You’re still an asshole, just the sweet kind.”

“Was that intentional? The sweet comment then you giving me a lollipop?” He chuckled as he took the candy.

“Just take the damn lollipop, Leclerc, or I will give you a shot.”

#formula 1 #formula 1 imagine #f1 x reader #f1 imagine #f1 x you #charles leclerc #charles leclerc x reader #charles leclerc one shot #cl16 x reader #ferrari #f1 fic #f1 one shot #charles leclerc imagine

2K notes · View notes

gingiesworld · 1 year

Text

Culinary Lessons

MILF Wanda Maximoff GN! Reader

Warnings: Smut. Amab! Reader. Unprotected sex.

18+ MINORS DNI

Taglist: @ginnsbaker

Wanda and Vision seemed to have a happy relationship with two hyperactive twin boys. That was all until a certain person moved in across the street. Y/N Y/L/N was a mystery to Wanda. In the suburbs, almost every residence was occupied by a family. Married couples with children. Y/N moving in was quite out of the ordinary.

So Wanda took it upon herself to welcome them to the neighbourhood, taking over a pot of paprikash, her mother's famous recipe. Knocking on the door with a nervous smile on her face.

"Hi, I'm Wanda. I just live across the way." Wanda introduced herself as Y/N opened the door. A soft smile adorned on their face as they ushered her inside. "I would have come over sooner to introduce myself but I wanted to make sure you were settled before."

"That's ok, thank you." They smiled as they led her towards the kitchen. "I'm Y/N Y/L/N."

"I brought over some paprikash." Wanda told them as she jiggled the pot slightly. "I thought you might like a homecooked meal."

"Thank you so much." They beamed as they took it from her, placing the pot on the stove. "I have been wanting to learn how to cook but I never have the time with work and Lila."

"Lila?" Wanda questioned.

"My daughter, her mom and I divorced a few months ago, that is why I relocated here." Y/N told her.

"I have two 10 year old boys." Wanda told them with a smile. "It would be nice for her to have two new friends whenever she is here."

"So far it is just the holidays." They shrugged tearily. "But anyway, I won't keep you too long Wanda."

"That's no problem Y/N." Wanda smiled at them before bidding their goodbyes and leaving their house.

As the weeks went on, Wanda found herself watching them every moment she could through the window. She noticed how every night they had ordered some form of takeout or came home late with a pizza box in their hands.

So she made her way back over to their house one night, leaving Vision and the boys doing their homework. Knocking on the door briefly, only waiting a moment for them to open the door.

"Wanda hey." Y/N greeted her as they opened the door for her to come in. "What can I help you with?"

"I remember that you said you wanted culinary lessons when we first met." Wanda reminded them.

"I still do but my schedule is pretty hectic." They told her as they made some tea.

"What if I could teach you. Completely around your schedule?" Wanda suggested, thanking them for the tea.

"I don't want to put you out of your way Wanda." They told her softly as she shook her head.

"You won't be." She told them. "I don't really have a job and the boys are with Vis in the evening. Besides, it would be nice to have a bit of company outside of the house."

"Ok." They finally agreed. "I do have Lila in a few weeks so it would benefit the two of us if she would have home cooked meals."

"So just tell me when you're free and we will get cooking." Wanda told them with a bright smile before she left, heading home to her husband and sons.

As weeks went on, Y/N and Wanda enjoyed the time they had alone. It was nice for Y/N to spend time with someone who isn't a colleague as Wanda loved being away from the house. But the more time she spent with them, the more she would fall for them.

Her marriage with Vision is extremely vanilla, hell he doesn't even make her cum anymore. He just finishes before her and then turns away, leaving Wanda hanging over the edge but not completely falling.

"How is Vision and the boys?" Y/N asked her as they waited for the food to cook on the stove.

"The twins are at my brothers for the weekend while Vis is on a business trip." Wanda told them. "It's just really lonely at the house right now."

"Whenever you feel like that Wanda, and I am here. You are more than welcome." They told her with a smile, which she just smiled at them as she checked the food on the stove.

"This is done." She smiled as she stirred it, Y/N coming to stand right behind her as they looked over her shoulder.

"It certainly smells amazing." Y/N smiled, remembering the first dish that Wanda had brought over for them. "It's your mother's recipe isn't it?"

"It is." Wanda breathed out as she felt their hands on her hips. She was afraid to move in case her knees failed her.

"Are you?" They whispered as Wanda sighed as she felt Y/N press against her. Completely molding into them as their arm wrapped around her.

"I am." She whispered as she felt their nose in the crook of her neck. She hadn't realised that overtime, Y/N had gained feelings for her, although she is married to another. Neither can deny the obvious attraction towards the other.

"Do you want this Wanda?" They asked her as their hand wandered under her blouse, making her shudder at the contact.

"Yes." She answered confidently. Turning off the stove before turning to face them, pushing them against the door and kissing their lips hard. Y/N squeezed her hips making her gasp, allowing their tongue access as they explored her mouth. Tasting the paprikash on her tongue. Sucking on the muscle, making her moan as they helped her remove her top. Their eyes raking over her toned form before reclaiming her lips as she hurried to unbutton their shirt, pushing it off of their shoulders. Y/N flipped them around so Wanda was now stood with her back against the cold surface of the counter.

Y/N had started to unbutton her jeans, pulling them down as they got on their knees. Helping her slip off her pumps and jeans. Leaving her in just her underwear. Wanda watched them curiously, not knowing what was happening as Y/N pressed their nose against her clothed centre. Inhaling her scent as it pooled within her underwear.

"What are you doing?" She asked them breathlessly as they started to pull her underwear down her milky thick thighs.

"I want to taste you." They husked as they looked in her eyes before Wanda stopped them, becoming nervous all of a sudden.

"Isn't it filthy?" She questioned as they quirked a brow.

"The sounds that come from you will be filthy as you enjoy it." They told her before diving in, sucking on her clit as she held on to the counter to keep herself up.

"Fuck." She moaned as the teased her hole with their tongue, diving right in as their nose applied pressure to her clit. "Oh god." She whimpered as they went faster than before, her climax getting incredibly close quickly. "I'm going." She tried to push them away, which theu fought against her. She came as they lapped up every last drop.

"Are you ok?" Y/N asked her once they were stood before her, cupping her face as she calmed down.

"Yeah." She whispered before she took their lips again, moaning as she tasted herself on her tongue. Moving to undo their trousers, pushing them down as Y/N turned her around to face the counter.

They massaged her ass cheeks before they pushed her legs further apart. Soon running their hardened member through her folds, teasing her before ramming it right inside. Not giving her chance to adjust as they thrust their hips at a steady pace.

Wanda failed to keep herself up as her arms failed her, her chest touching the cold surface beneath as Y/N's hand found her hair. Holding her cheek against the surface as they went harder and faster.

It didn't take longer for Wanda to cum once more as Y/N continued to pound into her. Not giving her chance to calm down so she soon squirted all over the floor as they came inside her. Y/N helped clean her up before letting her lay in their bed before they cleaned the kitchen and the floor.

Neither realising that someone was approaching the house, looking for his wife.

#wanda maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff #marvel #elizabeth olsen #wanda x you #wanda x y/n #elizabeth olsen x reader #wanda x reader #wanda maximoff x you

764 notes · View notes

httpspedri26 · 7 months

Text

Turn back time - JB

Angst

Jude Bellingham x reader

Send requests!

Jude hated the feeling of being alone. Sure, he had his mother living with him, but he hated that the left side of his bed was empty. It had almost been 8 months since Jude joined Real Madrid, and 4 months since you left him.

It was his fault. Everything that had happened between you and him was his fault. You tried, god you tried so hard to save your relationship, but you failed miserably.

The last chance you gave him was 4 months ago, on November 16, your 3-year anniversary. You had made a whole plan, you made dinner, his favorite, and his mom had helped a little but left an hour before Jude was supposed to arrive home. But he never did. He never arrived, which left you alone on the couch waiting for him, and you were done waiting for him. You reminded him the day before too, and he still forgot.

“Hey babe,” Jude said as he dropped his bag at the front door. You quickly looked up from your book and stood up from the couch. “Hey Jude,” you whispered, smiling at him. He didn’t return the smile as he kissed your cheek and flopped down next to where you were sitting, quickly reaching for his phone in his back pocket.

“Where’s my mum?” He mumbled, scrolling through his Instagram feed. “She left to grab some things for dinner.”

The knot in your throat pulled tighter, restricting the flow of oxygen. You swallowed past it and forced your lips to curve upward. “Speaking of dinner, don’t forget our dinner tomorrow for our anniversary.”

“I won’t,” he tapped something on his screen.

“It’s our third-year anniversary,” you whispered as you bit your lip, hoping to get some emotion out of Jude.

He looked up from his phone and smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I know babe, I won’t forget,” he said while standing up from his seat.

You put up with dozens of missed dates, canceled trips, and broken promises over the years, which was understandable because of football; everything was always about football, and you were tired of it.

“Tell mum not to worry about dinner for me, I already ate with Vini. I’ll go take a shower and take a nap,” his lips grazed your cheek on his way past you. “Good night.” He was already gone by the time you responded. “Good night.”

Jude hated himself the next day. He had come home late due to the guys wanting to go out to a bar.

He had forgotten about the dinner you had planned and only remembered when he went inside his house and saw two dinner plates on the table, and his mom in the living room pacing around trying to get hold of someone on the phone.

That’s when Jude’s heart stopped.

Jude felt really bad these last 4 months. He didn't hear from you at all, like you never existed. There wasn't anything of you left in his house, just the faint smell on your pillow. He hated that he let you go so easily.

Every day, waking up reminded him of you and how he had to live without you. He looked different too, with dark purple bags under his eyes. His mom worried about him and you too. She hadn't heard from you since that night. She didn’t know if you were alive or dead, or if you had somewhere to go.

Jude's days were all the same, filled with regret and missing you. He wished he could go back and fix things. But time just made it worse, making the hole you left even deeper.

Playing with Real Madrid helped a bit, but he still couldn't forget you. His teammates saw how he changed, from being happy and confident to sad and quiet. They tried to cheer him up, but nothing worked.

Weeks turned into months, and Jude couldn't stop thinking about you. He knew he messed up and wanted you back more than anything.

#football imagine #jude bellingham imagine #jude bellingham x reader #jude bellingham #jude victor willliam bellingham #jude bellingham angst

394 notes · View notes

luveline · 2 years

Note

taking roan to see santa and she is so excited to tell him about her new mommy and the things she wants for christmas and when she gets there she is TERRIFIED of the man 🎅

a family trip to the mall to see santa!! fem!reader 5k words

"I'm gonna tell Santa about my new mom, and my new house, and my new bed, and my new-"

"Babe, you're supposed to ask him for things you want, not tell him about stuff you already have."

Roan reaches out to stroke Eddie's face absent-mindedly. He loves how loving she is, and by extension, loves that he's made her this way.

"But I didn't have a mom or a house or a bed last year."

He snorts, fingers wrapped up in the ribbon laces on her shiny black shoes. "You actually did have a bed, and a house."

"A real house, dad."

"It was a real house," he argues with little heat, straightening up her socks where they've started slipping down, fingertips pressed into her soft skin. "It was a home, anyway. You know, me and Uncle Wayne lived together in his trailer for more than ten years and it was amazing."

It had been cramped, crowded, and it had been a stuffy hell in the summer, but it was just fine. It was more than that.

He leans back and takes in Roan again. He's dressed her in a navy blue dress with the lining of a white skirt peeking out underneath. She has a cardigan over the top to fight the cold, and he'll wrap her up in her big puffy coat for good measure as soon as he's done her hair. She looks adorable, adorable and well-kept

He feels the familiar rush of parent pride. Fuck, I'm a good dad.

"And we had fun, didn't we? In our trailer?" he asks her, chucking under her chin.

She grins at him, a mouthful of tiny white pearls. "Duh, dad. We had the best times ever, with Rufus and Georgia and Steve."

He smiles himself, reminded of the stray cats that had flocked to their home and their names. Steve had been an especially dishevelled calico, and his name had been a great point of contention between the Munson's and human Steve.

"You know, we could always go visit them," he offers, pleased at the twinkle that grows in Roan's eyes.

"We could?" she asks, gasping.

"Sure, babe. I bet they miss us, and it's cold. We'll make them some fried chicken when we have time, yeah? You and me'll be the talk of the cat town."

"And Y/N," Roan says insistently.

He strokes her cheek with his thumb. "And Y/N," he says as he stands up. "Now, little lady. Bunches or braids?"

By the time he's weaved her hair back into one impressive braid you're finally getting home from the doctor. A completely routine check up and still he's terrified for a split second that you're gonna come in and declare a problem. You simply pose in the doorway and smile.

"Nothing wrong with me that wasn't wrong before," you say breezily. "Hello, my loves. Did anything happen while I was gone?"

Roan scrambles to stand on the kitchen chair and pose as you're posing. Your expression drops, as does your jaw, and you take a while to pick it back up.

"Aw, princess, would you look at you? You look beautiful."

She giggles as you swoop in to kiss her. You take her face into two delicate palms and stroke curly baby hairs behind her ears. A year ago, even a couple of months ago, you would've asked before you kissed her. Now, you pucker up wordlessly, and Roan bears her cheek like she can't wait. If her excited shifting from one foot to the other is anything to go by, she can't.

"You look so, so pretty," you praise, pulling away to wipe at the splodge of lip balm you've left shining on her baby cheek.

"You look more pretty," Roan says.

Eddie adores you both in ways he can't articulate.

His unspoken affection summons your attention. You let your hands fall to her shoulders and meet his eyes over her head. For a moment you smile abashedly, the awkward amazing smile you'd been wearing when you first met. It eases into something easier, something Eddie isn't ashamed to admit he loves more. This one practically oozes love.

"Do you want to get changed?" you ask.

He pretends like you've slapped him. "What do you mean? This isn't mall-worthy?"

"Your work overalls and my apron?" you ask wryly. "Sure, wear that."

He tries not to smile but he's practically sticky with it, kissing your cheek and patting Roan's back in tandem before he escapes upstairs to change. He puts on a pair of tight black slacks and a dark navy button down to match Roan, rolling the sleeves up in the way he knows you love.

There's Christmas music and giggling downstairs when he returns. Roan's now standing on the table of all places, her hands in your hands, the two of you dancing quite aggressively considering it's Jingle Bell Rock. You start to swing her around, pulling her into your chest so you can waltz in time with the music.

You swing to face the doorway and cheer when you see him. "Dad!" you direct Roan's attention. "That's your nicest button down. Is that the one you wore when you proposed?"

He smiles at the memory but quickly hides it, peering down at his shirt as if it's the most boring item of clothing Walmart's ever made. "This old thing?" He lets the dramatics fall. "No, not this one. I might be wearing the same socks, though, if you wanna check?"

You dip your face down to Roan's and rub the bridges of your noses together. "No thanks," you say, slipping into some bubbly mom talk. "He thinks I wanna look at his socks, did you hear? What a weirdo."

"Weirdo," she echoes.

"Wretched women," he mumbles, heading for the shoe rack. He shoves on a pair of boots and raises his volume. "Come on, sweet girls, time to go see Santa!"

"Santa!"

Roan squirms out of your arms and onto the floor. She sprints for the front door and grabs clumsily at the handle, slightly too short to reach and pull down with any force. Eddie takes her coat down from the hanger and bunches up the sleeves to get her hands through. One arm then two, she makes it difficult work but it's something he's become an expert in. Wayne once said he reckoned Eddie could get an octopus into a straight jacket.

"Babe, move out the way," he says.

Roan steps back enough for him to crack the door and then bursts into the cold. She seems less enthusiastic when the ice bites at her naked knees, looking to Eddie for reassurance.

He hands you the keys and you take them automatically. "I'm gonna get her into the car before she turns into a popsicle."

Realisation dawns on your face. "I dont have my purse. Be right there," you say, spinning back into the house.

He catches up to Roan where she's waiting by your car. She has a car seat in your car and his, but yours is the one at the front of the driveway. She looks tiny next to it, smaller when she starts shivering. It's a sub level Christmas in Hawkins.

"Alright, Ro, in you go," he says, opening door. He covers the top of the doorway with his hand so she can't knock herself out and straps her in once she's situated.

"It's cold," she says through chattering teeth.

"I'm sorry, your wool stockings were in the wash, babe." He covers her frost-bitten cheeks, blood pinking her skin. "We might need to get you some pants at the mall, so you don't fr-fr-freeze to death," he says, imitating her shivering.

She giggles infectiously. "You're funny."

He presses a kiss to her head. "All legs in the ride!" he warns.

"Don't cut her legs off," you call from the front door.

"Never. Am I driving?" he asks, closing Roan's door. He succeeds in not mauling her.

"Do you want to?"

"Get in the car."

"Yes, ma'am," he purrs, escaping around to the passenger side and away from your clutches.

The drive consists of Eddie messing with your deteriorating stereo system and Roan's ecstatic babbling. She's back onto what she wants to tell Santa. New mom, new house, new bed, new princess dresses, new kitchen, new pet fish. The list goes on. Though they aren't as new as she thinks; you, Eddie and Roan have been living together now for a couple of months, and you and Eddie have been engaged for almost as long. The novelty has yet to wear off for Roan. Eddie hopes his daughter will be this amazingly happy for the rest of her life.

"You think it's gonna break?" you ask, watching the stereo with all the caution of a lion tamer.

"God, I hope so. I'll know what to get you for Christmas, then."

It's a bluff — Eddie's already got you a bunch of gifts, some of which you're pretending you don't know about, and some he's actually managed to hide well.

"You won't believe what I got for-" You cough. "Uh, Lucky."

He laughs, checking over his shoulder to see if Roan's listening. She absolutely isn't, feet wiggling along to the static riddled kiddie songs and Teddy the one eared bear in her lap. "I'm gonna tell him you need a new ear, Teddy, don't worry," she says, tone conspiring.

He winces like she's listening. "Yeah, what was it? A new plant?"

"Yeah," you mumble. You're a bad liar. "New plant. It's pink and gold and it's made out of velvet silk," — you lower your voice to a whisper — "with handmade skirts and hand sewn sequins."

His eyes go wide. "I thought we said no more presents for Lucky."

"Did we say that?"

"Well, I said that. Starting to think you weren't listening." He pinches your thigh, quick and nipping to get you squealing.

"I listened," you insist through laughter, facing him with a bright, bright smile. You keep your eyes on the road. "I just didn't comply."

"I'm not above force."

You gasp, delighted. "You dog! My little girl's in the car."

"My little girl isn't listening."

"Yes I am."

You snort so loud it probably hurts your throat.

Eddie whips his head to Roan and her cheeky smile. "I know what we should- what we should get Lucky for Christmas," she says knowingly.

"What's that, princess?" you ask, watching her through the rearview. Each word drips with love.

"A girlfriend," she says.

"Yeah? We'd need to get him a bigger tank, too-"

"So that's not happening," Eddie says.

He hates being the voice of reason, on record despises it, but you love Roan so much, you're fucking whipped, you'd pull Mount Fuji from the Earth and put it behind Bradley's if she asked you to, so while he loves nonsense and participating in it, he has to say no. You can't afford a new fish tank now you've paid for the honeymoon vacation and the wedding venue deposit and Christmas.

Or rather, Eddie can't afford it. He works on principle. Your money is your money. His money is your money. You argue that your money is a hundred percent his money too and he fights you on it all the time, even though you're technically the breadwinner. He's not too proud to let you pay more rent, more toward groceries, more everything. Now. It had been a little bit of a sore spot at first.

He'd reasoned that he should be paying more in reality because of Roan and you'd glared at him half-seriously and said, Don't insult me, handsome. You know I love her.

You more than love her, and if you want to spend every last penny of your paycheck on Christmas this month he won't fight you on it.

Besides that, he can't take any extra hours because he has to pick up Roan. You love that argument because it supports your conclusion, among others — Eddie does the majority of the laundry, the cooking, the cleaning. But, those arguments should be moot. You definitely carry your weight, plus, he loves to do stuff for you. Should be, but you do that stupid fucking thing that you do wherein your hands are all over his face and your voice is soft as silk in his ear, and you kiss under his jaw and win any and every argument in a pathetically small amount of time. He'd die for you. You're a cheater.

"Spoilsport," you mumble, pulling into the parking lot outside the mall with a bumpy turn.

"Lucky needs a girlfriend fish, dad, or he'll get so lonely he'll die."

Eddie blows hair out of his face and zips up his jacket, opening your door with a mostly respectful kick. He rushes to get Roan out before you can, knowing you'll carry her all the way inside and give yourself achey shoulders.

"Why do you say that?" Eddie asks as he opens her door. Roan looks up all smiles, Teddy clutched to her neck. "Why do you think he'll die? Lonely people don't die, babe."

"Are you sure?"

He unclips her straps and pulls her out deftly. He'd let her walk herself but the cold is biting and he can carry her much quicker. "I'm positive."

Her face crinkles up. He likely shouldn't have mentioned death, she's too small, but Roan has a strange understanding of all things macabre. Santa's more real to her than death, for sure.

"Maybe I can ast Santa for a big tank for Lucky and then he can have a girlfriend and a baby."

The dropped 'k' on ask makes Eddie stupidly emotional. A habit she's falling out of from when she was younger.

You start pushing him behind the shoulders. "Let's go," you whine, "before we all get hypothermia."

He makes sure there's room in the crook of his arm for your hand while making his way toward the mall sliding doors. You fall into step beside him.

Eddie begins stranger prep.

"You gotta be polite to Santa, remember? Because he sees all these little girls and boys and he's tired from the Christmas rush, and he's taking the time to come see you."

Roan nods seriously. "My pleases and thank you, dad, I always remember," she says.

"Yes, you do," you praise, though she does not.

"Do you think he can get Lucky a girlfriend?" Roan asks you.

More terrible smiles. "Yes, he definitely can. What kind of girlfriend? A goldfish, too? They have black goldfish in the Petsmart with big heads like raspberries- oh, we should go see them after we talk to Santa!"

Roan's nodding grows more and more voracious. "Can we, dad?" she asks.

"Why're you askin' me? Y/N already said you could."

You almost trip over yourself trying to kiss his cheek. He knows you love him. He suspects you love being a parent more. He's rubbed your back through enough 'I'm so lucky' breakdowns to know you're genuinely in love with his little girl.

Inside the warmth of the mall entryway, Eddie sets Roan on her feet. She holds both hands up. He takes one, you take the other, and she rambles about Lucky's potential lover as you both lead her to the entrance of the food court where the mall Santa's grotto has been set up this year.

The walls and railings are decorated in spiraling lights and tinsel, store windows teeming with festive merchandise. Kids are everywhere, none as pretty or well-dressed as Roan (in Eddie's totally unbiased opinion), but all looking startled by the intensity of everything. Roan herself baulks.

"It's bright, huh?" Eddie asks her knowingly.

"All the lights," she says.

"Yeah, babe, a lot of lights. There's a really big Christmas tree further in, too, we came here last year to see it."

She shrugs. Eddie's unsure, but he thinks maybe she's drifted a little closer to his legs.

The grotto comes into view and she perks up. "Oh," she says sweetly, breathless with her eyes wide, dark eyes shining in the fairy lights.

"There he is," Eddie encourages, "and some elves, too. We line up, uh-"

"Over there," you say, tugging him and Roan with you like the three of you are a slinky.

Roan bounces on her tiptoes from the end of the line to the very beginning. You and Eddie can't stop sharing secret smiles. He loves doing this every year, and last year he'd done most of it alone. Wayne hates shopping malls and you hadn't been dating quite long enough for him to feel comfortable asking you to do parent stuff at the time. The difference a year can make — it aches in the best way.

"After Santa and the pet store, what's our plan? D'you wanna get pizza? Or something else, we could go to Enzo's?" he asks.

"Enzo's?"

"I'll pay."

"Last time you had a weird stomach for three whole days after. I thought we'd never see you again."

"You love it, though. I'll buy some tums. Take a cushion into the bathroom."

"Ew, no," you say, sounding less disgusted than you could be.

You're both keeping an eye on the line. There's only one kid in front of you now, and Roan is pulling on your arms ready to pounce.

"Chinese?"

"What does macaroanie want?"

"She gets everything she wants all the time. Would it kill you to choose?"

You think it over. "Definitely. Why don't you choose?"

"'Cause I want you to, that's the whole point. You know, it's okay to do things that you want to do."

"I want to make you pick. You can pay, too, if we're going to the pet store. Santa needs a donation, and I'm gonna be strapped for cash."

He mirrors your sweet smile. "Deal."

"Next, please," says a very average sized elf.

You and Eddie steal another look and you drop Roan's little hand to let Eddie walk her up to Santa. She'd loved him last year, asking for a bunch of things Eddie hadn't been able to deliver on. He'd tried his best, had done a bunch of freelance guitar repairs that he wasn't educated for (but isn't half bad at), had scraped and scrimped, he'd even borrowed money from Wayne that Wayne refused to take back the following February when Eddie finally made it up, and he still hadn't been able to get 'princess sheets' or the new Dotty Dolly.

They approach Santa. Roan takes one step, then the other. Santa says hello.

Roan pauses.

"C'mere, hon," Santa says, an older gentleman with a natural white beard. He's a very convincing Santa, all things considered. "Tell old Chris Kringle what you want for Christmas."

Eddie pushes her forward very gently with his fingertips. "Go on, babe, it's okay. You wanted to tell him about your mom and the house and Lucky the fish, right?"

Roan takes the last step. Then, frozen in the face, she backs up, nearly trips, and bolts down into Eddie's legs. She practically flies down the stairs with a freaked out moan.

His eyes blow. He looks at Roan, looks at Santa. "I'm sorry," Eddie says, smiling at the old man awkwardly.

The elves do not look happy.

Eddie bends down. "Roanie," he says urgently, "what's the matter? You don't wanna talk to Santa?"

She says nothing, only clings. Eddie tries to steer her shoulder back to Santa on his big velvet chair and she's having none of it, whining and shoving her head into his thigh.

"Excuse me-" starts the elf.

"Roan, are you sure you don't wanna talk to him? He's Santa, he wants to hear all about your list this year," Eddie tries.

"No."

He sighs, perturbed but not too worried. They can always try again. He says sorry to the elves and to Santa who waves his hand, as if to say it doesn't matter. He gets his hands under Roan's arms and carries her to where you're standing on the other side. You look heartbroken.

"What happened?" you ask softly, stroking a sweet curl behind her ear.

Eddie has no answers and Roan doesn't want to give them, so you make your way to the food court in a shocked silence. Roan has a tendency to deal with negatives in two ways — tantrums for the superficial, withdrawal for the serious. Eddie still isn't good at dealing with the latter. Together, you can usually save the day.

"Roan, bug," Eddie says, so only she can hear, "tell me what happened. You didn't like Santa, huh?"

"Dad," she says, almost inaudible.

He slides a hand behind her neck and tips her away from his chest. "What?"

"He didn't look how I remembered."

"'Cause you're older," he says.

He's employed his nicest, smoothest dad voice. The gentle one for all her scariest moments, like shots at the doctor's office and the time she wet herself in the playground in front of the other kids. Anything to assuage her embarrassment, a safety blanket.

He slides into a booth and you hover.

"Would something yummy make it feel better?" you ask hopefully.

Roan shakes her head into Eddie's neck.

"I-" You look super crushed. Everything had been going well. He knows how badly you want Christmas to be perfect.

"How about," Eddie cuts you off, not unkindly, "you and me and mom get warm donut holes and ice cream to dip them in? We've never had then with her, have we?"

It's a good Christmas tradition.

Roan can't resist. "Okay," she says.

"I'll get them," you volunteer. "I got it."

Something hooks you as you're trying to leave and you double back to kiss the top of her head and Eddie's temple in quick succession. He smiles at you genuinely, happy when your frown livens up. Roan will be okay in a little while, no doubt. No need for you to tear yourself up over it.

Alone, Eddie eases Roan off of his lap and onto the bench beside him. He takes her little hands into his. She looks nearly angry, dark eyebrows pinched up and her eyes welled with tears.

"It's okay that you didn't like Santa," he murmurs.

"I wanted to tell him about Y/N," she says, lower lip trembling.

"We can always go and see him again."

She stiffens.

"Or we can try a different day, yeah? C'mon, where's my brave girl gone?"

"He smiled funny…" she mumbles.

He feels awful instantly. He doesn't need Roan to be brave if she can't be.

"Well, if you want," he says, inclining his head, "you could tell me what you want for Christmas, I could tell Santa."

She looks up. "You'll tell Santa?"

"Oh, yeah," he says quickly. "I tell Santa all the stuff you forget. How'd you think you got your space hopper last year? And your princess slippers? I tell him all the things you want."

"He still didn't get me Dotty Dolly."

"He's old, babe. He's all senile, like Wayne." Sorry Wayne.

Her face flops into his upper arm, chubby cheek squished to the mild curve of his bicep. She lets out a morose sigh. "Sorry, dad."

He nudges her gently. "For what?"

"Being not brave."

He presses his forehead to her hair. "I didn't mean that. You don't have to be brave meeting new people. It's scary, even if you met them before. Like Y/N," he says, nuzzling Roan's silky hair affectionately, "I don't know if you remember, you were always excited to see her, and I used to think I was excited too. Then we'd get to Morgan's cake shop and I'd make us late because I was hiding in the car. She used to make me nervous, and now she's your mommy."

He wraps his arm around her shoulders. "Sometimes we need time to get to know people before we're ready to talk to them. It's okay that you got scared, babybug, promise."

She goes limp. Her cheek slides down the length of his stomach and lands on his thigh. "I really wanted Lucky to have a girlfriend."

He pets her hair, accomplished in his dad duties. (He hopes. Tonight he'll go over this conversation with you and wonder if he should've said something else.)

"Lucky can definitely still have a girlfriend. What did I just say? I'll make sure Santa knows exactly what you want, no sweat."

She huffs another huge sigh that must take up her entire lung capacity. He tickles the back of her neck with the end of her braid slowly, drawing circles around her ear and her earlobe until her shoulders are heaving.

"You're laughing," he accuses.

"No I'm not," she says into his leg.

"No?" He lets her hair go in favour of scratching her neck. "We can change that."

You return with way too much ice cream and twice as many donuts to find her squealing and cornered in the booth, curled up into a ball like a pill bug to evade Eddie's cruel hands.

"What are you doing to her?" you demand.

"I'm cuddling her. What's it look like to you, mister?"

"Mister? You sick freak."

"You're the sick freak, freak. Sit down and give my girl one of those donut holes before she keels over."

"She's already keeled! Get offa her, the ice cream's melting on my hands."

He stops tickling Roan and she finds the strength to sit. You're ecstatic to see her happy again and you show it with a grand proferring of sweet treats and three plastic spoons. You've bought a whole lotta donuts and an ice cream boat with chocolate fudge and cherries, and you let her maul it without complaint. It's a good time, a great one, to watch Roan teach you how to dip the still-warm donuts in your ice cream, and to watch the two of you try to eat them without getting powdered sugar and chocolate all over your fancy clothes.

He ties the cherry stem with his tongue and mystifies Roan, who spends the next ten minutes trying to do the same. He feels so sorry for her that when she sticks her little tongue out with an untied stem for the tenth time, he meets your eyes and nods and the two of you cheer like crazy.

He hadn't brought his bag, a rookie mistake, so he nabs some napkins from the condiments table and gives Roan the good old spit and polish.

Clean-ish, he takes her hand and she stands on the bench, hopping off and landing with Munson grace (her knees give out). You take the long way around the grotto so she won't have to see Santa again and come across the mall's huge Christmas tree.

"Woah," she gasps, enthralled.

Eddie really should've brought the camera, even if he only has two pieces of film left. He wants to remember this forever, her face still soft with baby fat reflected back from a giant golden bauble, tinsel bouncing light all over her skin like a mirrorball. You bend down beside her and grin.

"Eddie, look at it from down here."

He suspends his disbelief and kneels down.

From the floor, the tree looks bigger than any skyscraper, and it shines like a star. If you follow the tree all the way to its angel at the top, you can look past it into the skylight, where the dark night shines with pinprick stars.

"Our Christmas tree doesn't look this good," you say.

"Yes it does!" Roan says, turning to you with a stern scowl. "Our Christmas tree is the best one they ever made."

"Yeah?"

"Mm. And I got to put the star on."

"Yeah, you did." You rest your hands on her shoulders and the two of you look up together.

I need a fucking camera, Eddie thinks hotly.

—

Petsmart is like an aquarium at 6PM. The lights have been lowered, the fish tanks glowing bright blue and bubbling in the dim light. A hundred white and red babies swim erratically, their fins a blur in the top tank. Underneath, there are tanks filled with algae-eating snails that move surprisingly quickly. To the left, the big black goldfish with puffy cheeks lavish in their more spacious tank.

"Where's the ones with the raspberry head?" Roan whispers.

Your eyes follow a beautiful red goldfish the size of three fingers. "I don't know, little lady," you mumble, entranced by the goldfish's graceful arc.

"Do you think Lucky would have a crush on him?"

You look to where she's pointing at, little finger chasing a telescope fish.

"I think he'd love him. He's a big one."

"I thought Lucky wanted a girlfriend?" Eddie asks.

"But all these ones are boys, dad."

He frowns, endearingly confused. "How can you tell?"

"I just know."

You love the way she says it, love every little word she says. She sounds confident in her declaration but the way she pronounces her words harbours the clumsiness that comes with being a young kid, 'know' carrying a lot of weight, of humour, like she can't believe Eddie would say something that silly.

"What about that one? She looks kinda girly, no?"

The three of you watch the fish in question complete a small loopty-loop.

"Nah," you say, "that's definitely a boy. He has abs."

"They're called gills."

"Do they have any pink fish?" Roan asks.

"Maybe not. They have pink plants. Hey, I saw the ornaments on the way in, they have a castle. Think Lucky would like that?"

If Petsmart didn't close at 6.30 you could stay and watch the fish tanks with them forever. You hop along to the ornaments and try to catalogue all the ones Roan expresses an interest in. Buying them won't count as spoiling her, it'll be spoiling Lucky. Eddie can't possibly be irked over that.

"Don't even think about it," he mouths.

You remember Roan's unhappy face when she was confronted with the horror of the mall Santa up close and decide she can't leave empty handed.

"Why don't we get him something now? You can put it in his tank tonight before bed."

"Really?" Roan asks.

"Go crazy."

Roan hesitates, spoiled for choice, hands feeling over the ornaments one at a time. Eddie tells her she can't pick anything from the tip shelf and you're glad for it, because it is Christmas coming and they're extortionate hand crafted things you cannot afford.

"This one," she says.

She picks up a heavy looking Christmas tree glued to a white plate, multi-coloured presents nestled at the trunk. It's a glorious twelve dollars.

You let Roan carry the bag out of the Petsmart. She turns to Eddie and says, "Please make sure Santa gets Lucky a girlfriend like the one with the big eyes. And please tell him that I have the best new mommy and the bed and the new house, please."

He beams at her. "We can strike those off the list, for sure. What do you want now you got all the stuff you asked for last year?"

"Pink hair."

Eddie whistles through his teeth appreciatively. "Gnarly."

"And a bounce house," she adds.

He shakes his head at you before you can ask.

#eddie and roan #stranger things x reader #stranger things fic #stranger things #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson #eddie munson x reader fluff #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x reader blurb #eddie munson x fem!reader #dad!eddie munson x reader #dad!eddie munson #stranger things 4 #stranger things fanfic #stranger things fanfiction #christmas centric

2K notes · View notes

bagopucks · 1 year

Text

J. Hughes - So Fine

✄————————————

Jack Hughes x Reader

Requested✨

Part two of, Home Alone

Word Count: 3.2k

Warning(s): implied smut, and lying to poor Ellen

—————————————

If I come get you in 5 will you be ready?

JackyBoy… Uh

JackyBoy… Yah

JackyBoy… Why

I’m home alone, and we haven’t seen each other all week.

JackyBoy… Okay. 5 starting now? Or five starting like.. a minute ago when you texted?

Five starting now

Wear swim trunks

My parents were out of town on a brief business trip. A once in a blue moon event that hadn’t happened since Jack and I got together. And considering our last rendezvous didn’t exactly go so well, I was eager to get him alone again.

I left my house in a tank top and a pair of Jean shorts. It was hot out, and as much as I was itching to lay out and tan, I figured alone time with Jack was more important.

When I pulled up into the driveway, I tensed at the sight of Quinn on the front porch with Ellen.

They waved with big smiles, and I decided I’d get out and visit for a moment.

“Hey!” I called as I slipped out of the car.

“Jack said you were coming to pick him up.” Ellen spoke, waving a hand in a gesture for me to join them on the porch. I walked up the few steps and made my way over to the two.

“Yeah. Had some last minute plans. He told me there was no hockey today, so I figured I’d take what I could get.”

“That’s how I feel sometimes. Jimmy steals my boys away for sports and sometimes I have to remind them to give me a hug before they leave.” The woman’s joke caused me to laugh softly. Quinn rolled his eyes, clearly in disagreement with his mother on her confession.

“What are you two getting into today?”

I hated lying to Ellen.

I decided to tell half truths.

“We’re gonna go over to mine. I thought maybe we’d swim for a bit, order takeout and watch a few movies.”

“Parents are home?” Ellen always asked. Even before the incident. I never minded. I understood she had boundaries and concerns. Once upon a time, I never dared to cross those lines.

“Yeah. My mom just got home from work an hour ago.”

“Between you and me, it might help if you get him to lay down for a bit. Jack hasn’t slept well recently, and he’s been a little pissy.” I tried not to smile, but Quinn’s little giggle from the side had certainly amused me.

“A little?” Quinn chimed in so unexpectedly that it caused me to snort out a laugh. Ellen pursed her lips and gave her son a questioning glance.

“Maybe more than a little, but I’m sure he’ll be a ray of sunshine for you.”

“He always is.” I joked softly as the front door opened. Jack stepped out onto the porch in a tank top, the sides practically cut out. I’d seen him wear them on occasions, but really only when I went on the occasional run with him, or when I met him coming back from the gym. I liked the way he looked in them. Especially accompanied by a pair of shorts. I didn’t mind the appearance of Jack’s legs either. His eyes though, those did bother me. The darkness beneath them let me know he’d been having a real issue with sleep. I just didn’t know why.

“Ready?” Jack asked, as if he had been the one waiting on me. I chuckled and nodded.

“Have a nice day, you two!” Ellen called as I grabbed Jack’s hand and walked him off the porch and to my car.

“You too, mom!” Jack shouted back, waving at her.

“You didn’t hug her!” Quinn called playfully, earning a swat on the arm from Ellen. “Makes me her favorite!”

“Quinn!” Ellen scolded.

“At least I’m still her cutest!”

I stifled a laugh at the boys’ banter as I slipped into the car. Jack quickly got into the passenger side.

“Buckle up, Hughes.” I instructed, watching him put on his seat belt, his shirt useless to cover anything as he leaned one way and half of it bunched up to uncover his chest.

“How does your mother let you leave the house like this?” I teased as I reached out to fix his shirt. Jack giggled quietly. “It’s awful revealing.”

“But it’s just you.” The brunette reasoned. I rolled my eyes at him and pulled out of the driveway.

I was thankful I didn’t live far, because Jack was too close to keep my hands off of. We hadn’t seen each other in a week, and for the summer, that was a long time. I practically yanked him out of my vehicle once we got to my place, leading him through the garage and into my uncharacteristically quiet home. No parents shouting and making jokes. No baby sister running about. Just me, and Jack.

“You’re sure they’re not coming home?” Jack asked as he followed me into the kitchen. We both kicked off our shoes in the hall.

“As sure as it gets, Jackson.” I spoke softly as I turned to grab his hands. I walked backwards toward the fridge.

“That’s not my name.” Jack moved one of his hands from my own to gently push me back, in a playful manner.

“Well I need something fuller to call you than just Jack, ya know? And you always throw a fit when I call you Rowden.” I looked up at Jack with an accusing glare.

He huffed.

“Want a water?” I asked as I turned and opened the fridge, pulling out a bottle.

“Yes, please.” I grabbed another bottle and shut the appliance, handing one over to him.

“Figured we could spend some time outside first?” I suggested.

“Don’t have to tell me twice.”

I walked across the kitchen with Jack hot on my heels.

I pushed the sliding glass door open and stepped out onto our back deck, smiling to myself as Jack followed close behind.

“Sometimes I wish we had a pool.” Jack admitted, sounding refreshed at the simple sight of the body of water.

I was swift to set my water down and pull my shirt off, tossing it onto one of the empty lawn chairs.

“Even better, Jack.” I turned to him, adjusting my bathing suit top while he set his own water aside. “Your girlfriend has one. And a house all to herself.”

“Sounds like she’s living the dream.” Jack laughed as I grabbed his shirt and pulled him forward. I raised a brow before peeking down at his exposed chest.

“You don’t wear this around other girls, do you?” I whispered curiously. Somewhat playful, but deep down I did wonder. I didn’t like the idea of other girls staring at him.

“No. No I don’t.” I nodded at his words.

“Okay.” I let him go and stepped back before slipping my shorts off. I tossed them onto the same chair as my shirt. I was quick to remove my socks and toss them aside as well. Then I sat down by the edge of the pool, dipping my feet in the water.

“Jack-“ I was on the verge of calling him over before I heard his loud steps padding against the wood deck. I was barely prepared to see his body fling in the direction of the pool, and I was much too late in shielding my body before it was drenched in the chilly water.

“Jack!” I shouted as laughter erupted from my lips. He surfaced with a toothy grin, his long brown hair all over his face. A mess, even after he tried to push it back. “You got me all wet!” I moved my hair over my shoulders, watching as he made his way over, giggling like he’d just heard the most inappropriate joke.

“You said you wanted to go swimming!” He defended himself, reaching out to grab my legs. I gave him a warning glance.

“I said wear your swim trunks. I didn’t say anything about myself swimming.” I tried to swat his hands away, but Jack kept a tight grip. One that felt rather nice on my calves.

“You’re gonna make me swim all alone?” Jack pushed out his bottom lip in a comedic pout.

“Maybe.” I leaned down to be eye level with him. “I might swim with you if you give me a kiss.” Jack’s eyes lit up before he pressed his lips to mine. He pulled away far too quickly for my liking.

“Is that good enough for you?” Jack asked, trying but failing to contain his smile.

“That one felt off. Just one more.”

The boy sighed and shook his head.

“I don’t know man. Might not be worth all this hassle.” I gasped playfully at his words.

“Jack Rowden Hughes!”

“Hey! I told you I don’t like that!”

“Then get those lips over here and kiss me!” He looked at me with a furrowed brow and a defiant gaze. I looked right back with expectancy in my eyes.

“I’ll wait.” Thankfully I only had to wait two seconds before Jack released the breath he’d been holding and leaned upwards to kiss me again.

Only this time I fell victim to his tricks.

Jack’s arms flew around my body and pulled me into the pool. I clung to him almost immediately, the chill of the water welcomed by my overheating skin, but still a shock nonetheless.

“Jack!” I shouted through laughter, trying to peel myself away from him, to no avail. Jack lifted my legs around his hips and smiled to himself at his own accomplishment.

“That’s all I wanted.” He informed me as he hooked his arms beneath my thighs. I glared down at him and rested my arms on top of his shoulders.

“If I wasn’t so comfy right here I’d swim away.” He took backwards steps toward the middle of the pool as I spoke, seemingly in his own little world. Content just to hold me and have me close.

“No you wouldn’t.” The confidence in his tone would have been unattractive, but the fact of the matter was that he knew me too well. He wasn’t egotistical or cocky. He didn’t think he was ‘all that.’ He simply knew I wouldn’t have left him all alone even if he ticked me off to my wits end.

“Whatever, Hughes.” I rolled my eyes at him and leaned forward to rest my chin against his shoulder. I heard him sigh. My thoughts ran rampant until they settled on a topic, one of my hands gently playing with the long brown hair at the nape of Jack’s neck.

“Your mom says you haven’t been sleeping well.” I broke our silence with a sigh. I moved one of my hands around Jack’s back to gently massage his skin.

“I’m fine.”

“We can take a nap today if you want.”

“I don’t need a nap.”

“Right. I forgot. You’re all grown up now.” I rolled my eyes, pressing a kiss to his neck. I felt Jack’s chest puff slightly with the hitched breath he took. I smirked.

“Can I convince you to take a nap?” My tone changed, slowly lifting my lips to his ear, pressing a gentle kiss to the corner of his jaw.

“We’re in the middle of your back yard.” Jack mumbled in response, his grip tightening on my thighs.

“Completely alone, Jack. The whole house is ours.” I reminded as my lips trailed back down to his neck.

Jack let out a breath somewhere between a sigh and a whine. Like he’d been faced with a difficult decision to make.

I slipped my hand down his back to tuck into the waistband of his swim trunks, and nipped at his neck.

“We can go to my room.” I whispered, “we’ve never done this before and we finally have a chance, Jack.” I wouldn’t push if he declined, but I figured by the way he pushed me against his body, that there was a strong chance he wanted it.

“Okay..” he finally breathed out. “Okay.. okay.”

“C’mon, baby.”

We grabbed towels from the downstairs bathroom after tracking pool water through half of the house. We were in too much of a rush to actually dry off though, so the trek up the steps and to my room was filled with even more dripping water and the occasional sliding foot. Seeing as my parents’ floors were all hard wood. When we got into my room, Jack and I tossed the towels aside and turned to each other. Excited and eager. Up until we made eye contact.

“Oh god.”

“Don’t be nervous.” Jack was quick to close the space between us when he heard the uncertainty in my tone. His hands came up to hold my face. “We don’t have to rush.”

“We’ll do it when it feels right?” I asked, my voice unexpectedly quiet.

“I’ll wait however long until you’re ready. And if you decide you’re not, we won’t do it at all.” My shoulders eased, and I reached out to rest my hands on Jack’s sides.

“I got so lucky.”

“You’re about to get even luckier.”

My laughter was cut off as Jack leaned in to press his lips to my own.

My heartbeat raced when he pulled away, head dipped, but looking up at me through his lashes. Asking for permission to continue on with an act we didn’t know how to navigate.

I nodded.

Did we have a single idea as to what we were doing? Absolutely not. Jack and I just kinda.. went for it? He asked me questions, I was the leading force assuring him he had been fine and was doing okay. He was loud and embarrassed. I was sensitive and un-expecting. I found it amusing to watch him hold his breath to keep quiet. I had to remind him multiple times to actually breathe before he passed out. I’m sure he found it equally as amusing each time he moved and caught me off guard. It wasn’t serious or exactly lustful to the point of meaningless sex. It was full of quiet laughter and the occasional jokes. The type of euphoric giddiness only two people experiencing something so exciting for the first time can hold.

I’d say the only thing that kept us going as long as we had, was the awkwardness killing the mood every so often. And the new feelings. By the time Jack and I got settled side by side in bed, we were both still staring each other down in complete shock.

“That was weird.. wasn’t it?” He whispered.

“A little. But it felt good. Practice makes perfect, ya know?” He nodded. The longer we stared, the wider our smiles got. “We’ve never done that before.”

Jack had one arm tucked beneath his head like a pillow, the other rested carefully on top of my hand that lay between us on the mattress.

“It was good though.. yeah?”

“Yeah.” Our conversation ended with both of us sighing. Jack’s fingers fiddled with my own. We both tried to process the new wave of emotions.

“What do you think we do now?”

He was asking a question I didn’t know the answer to.

“Just lay here?” I paused. “Maybe you should take that nap now.” He looked away, a pout settling on his lips. “Don’t be like that, Jack.” I rolled my eyes with a giggle and swiftly slipped out of my bed. I grabbed a new set of clothes out of my dresser and put them on. A simple pair of shorts and a loose t-shirt.

“You were already exhausted. And you wore me out.” I teased, glancing back at him to see the blush spread across his face.

“Can’t sleep naked.” For a moment, I thought he was joking. I knew for a fact Jack slept with only a pair of boxers on. But then I remembered his were wet. I sighed.

“Fine.” I turned back to my dresser and dug through it to find a pair of gym shorts. Orange, but the only other clean pair I had because I hadn’t done laundry yet. When I turned back to Jack, he immediately shook his head.

“I’m not wearing that.”

“It’s just for a nap, Jack.” I tossed the shorts in his direction.

“They’re so short!”

“It’s not like I haven’t seen everything, now.” I tried to reason, but the recollection of our previous activities had him flushing again.

“It’s the best I can offer, J.” He looked away and told me to turn around. I chuckled at his antics, but I turned nonetheless. When he told me I could join him in bed again, I laughed softly at the sight.

“Are they too tight on your hips?” I asked, climbing into bed beside him. The shorts hung dangerously low, but if they worked, that’s all that mattered.

“It’ll be fine.” He shrugged, reaching down to tuck one of his hands into the waistband. A boyish habit I didn’t understand, but I could only imagine now that it helped him ease the pressure from the waistband two sizes too small on his body.

I rolled onto my side and wrapped an arm around him. Jack smiled, as did I.

“Can we try again when we wake up?”

I had just rested my head on his chest when I lifted it to look up at him. I raised my brow.

“Try what?”

“Ya know..” his voice trailed off, and it took me a moment before I realized what he was asking.

“Oh! Yeah, baby. If you’re up for it. We’ve got all day to figure this thing out. We can even go to the guest bedroom. Probably should have done that in the first place. Considering the bed is bigger.” I reached up to push a few strands of his wavy brown hair from his forehead before I rested my hand against his chest. I traced lazy shapes and lines into his skin, and tossed one of my legs over his own.

“I wish your parents were out more often.”

“Me too, bud.” I heard a yawn slip past his lips, and I smirked to myself before tilting my head upwards to look at him.

“Quit talking so you can sleep, Hughes.”

“Im not tired.” Despite his words, the boy still allowed his eyes to close.

“I know you aren’t,” I whispered as I watched him. Eventually his breathing slowed, and his body didn’t feel as tense. His lips parted slightly and his features smoothed out. I only looked away when I was positive he was asleep. I wasn’t quite as tired as Jack was, but I didn’t want to leave him. It felt wrong to slip away after the step we had taken in our relationship. Perhaps it was more of a leap. I simply wanted to be with him.

So I laid there quietly, occasionally shifting until I found a comfortable spot to lay. Then I dozed off to the sounds of Jack’s occasional snores.

✾❀✾❀✾❀✾❀✾❀✾❀✾❀✾

#nhl imagine #nhl x reader #jack hughes #jack hughes x reader #jack hughes imagine #quinn hughes #ellen hughes #jack hughes blurb

593 notes · View notes

champangekisses · 10 months

Text

Afterglow | R.C. & J.M.

Part One

Word Count: 5.4k

Warnings: swearing, banter, arguing, anger, suggestive, flirting

Summary: Reader’s first day back in the OBX after a year away is one to remember.

A/n: Part one to my first fic. I’m as excited as I am nervous to post this, I hope you enjoy!

All I could hear was the shouting, the constant rustle in the trees, the dogs barking uncontrollably. The flashlights shone through the trees and bushes as the sheriff and fellow deputies tried to desperately catch up to us. The fear set in, the rush of adrenaline still persistent in my body. I started to go numb as the limbs of the trees and bushes consistently smacked me all over. Then finally it happened, right before my eyes—my greatest fear became my living nightmare.

One Month Earlier

“Y/n! Make sure you pack yourself something nice to wear, remember no white!” My mom yelled up to remind me for the one hundredth time from the base of the stairs. I left the OBX a year ago, moved out to the middle of nowhere with my mom and her new husband and started a completely new life with them. Today, I finally get to go home, but unfortunately only for a week.

The Thornton’s eldest daughter is getting married off to some kid who graduated from law school, nothing special other than the groom comes from a wealthy family, and that's all that really matters out there. Keeping the rich - rich. My mom was always obsessed with the idea of me having a lifestyle almost identical to hers but I never was one for the shinier things in life, I just wanted to smoke pot and surf.

I had a plan though, she had always promised me that we would return off of one condition. “You will never see those worthless kids ever again.” Her words replayed in my head like the unmistakable tune of the piano keys I kept tapping ever so faintly as I waited by her bedroom entry, only to retain her opinion of the attire I had picked for the dreadful day to come.

“Y/n? Do you need something?” I quickly zoned back in, collecting all of the vindictive thoughts and stuffing them in a folder labeled drafts. I turned quickly to face her, she was in the middle of packing almost every nonessential item in her bathroom.

I gradually made my way to her bedside, settling down while staring at the ardent red dress in the palm of my hands. “What do you think about this one?” I spoke excitedly, masking the deceitful thoughts I was creating effortlessly in my head.

“I love it! The red dress has always been my favorite.” Her eyes glimmered at the thought of seeing me finally fit in with the kooks or as my step dad would say, the well educated kids. I gave a gentle smile to her before proceeding back through her reimposed bedroom doorway, gliding my fingers ever so delicately over the keys of the piano once more before continuing back up the staircase.

The trip there was awful and boring, outside of the plane windows you saw nothing but the many shades of green, luckily we were there within the matter of a couple hours. We took the latest flight that ultimately landed us at Charleston around eight in the evening. Exhaustedly as I am, I took it into my best interest to sleep during the next three and a half hours of our drive to the Outer Banks.

My body started lightly being pulled in one direction, then the other with every winding turn the old road took. With my eyes closed and slowly waking up, I started imagining the scenery of the old famous hang out at John B's. It was like dreaming in slow motion, watching as the sun kissed the water while we overcame the dying urge for a good time with uncontrollable laughter. Before my imagination concluded the car slowed, turning unhurriedly through massive gates that sat imperishable at the end of the elongated driveway.

Pulling up to the front doors of the old Tanneyhill Estate, I glanced into a dining room window staring at the distinctive profile of well-known Rafe Cameron. Our arrival made the inevitable distraction from the conversation at the dinner table which caused him to turn, concentrating on the moving vehicle on the other side of the very same window. The car stopped and I regained focus, grabbing my hand bag from the floorboard of the SUV before undoing my seatbelt.

Glancing down at my phone to check the time, I rested my hand on the door handle. Before I could put the energy into finally pulling it towards me, Ward swiftly swings the car door open—smiling almost as if he has never seen such a wonderful sight in his life. While demanding he help my stepdad with an argumentative tone, he reaches out for my hand and mildly holds it to help me out of the car.

I mumble a soft thanks before glancing to the front doors, locking eyes with the golden boy. Meanwhile behind me, Ward was continuing to the next car door, assisting with any need my parents had. Rafe never broke eye contact, even when he shifted his posture to lean against the framework, crossing his ankles while his hands stayed in his pockets. His smirk turned into a devilish grin that wreaked nothing but chaos. He sent chills that vibrated my bones, and even once received was not sufficient enough for the goosebumps coming to life on my neck.

I stared at the walkway in front of me, with each step the pit in my stomach grew. I could feel his eyes on me like the force of rain during a downpour. The closer we were, the weight of his stare grew even more burdensome. I felt so compliant around him, so timid. I finally reached the top of the stairs, I swung my arm out to grab the handle but Rafe had already beaten me to it. My hand gently landed on his, my anxiety quickly rising as I ripped mine back to me. His daunting smile let out a faint chuckle that only I could hear.

“If I don't get the door for you, I'm sure I'll hear about it later from my dad.” His tone was so taunting, as if he wanted me to react. I continued through the entry room, following the long narrow hallway to the backside of the home. Sarah was sitting on the love seat that was shared by her younger sister Wheezy. She wasted no time swiftly moving her head to look at the shadowed figure stepping into the light of her living room. Sarah immediately shot up, pushing everything from her lap directly on top of her sister. I prepared my body for the impact of Sarah’s as she pulled me in. We stayed continuously hugging for what felt like forever—neither of us comprehending quite yet that we were in reality. Ward hurried with the luggage, trying to push us in and assign us our rooms. We wasted no time getting ready for bed, I was anxious for what my tomorrow would bring.

I ended up sleeping in for far too long though, waking up to the smell of bacon and eggs way past the time I should be. Shooting myself up off the floor, I scurried into the bathroom across the hall. I shut the door quickly and immediately started the shower water. The only problem was that I forgot the clothes I needed to change into, so I wrapped a towel around me as my hair stayed drenched. Cracking the door open, I checked the hallway making sure nobody was able to witness the embarrassment I was about to endure. I darted across the hall, running through the entry of the bedroom I assumed was mine. I slammed the door a little too hard before turning around to look for my nonexistent clothes on the floor. Rafe, laying down on his bed, props himself up using his forearm and elbow.

“Since when did we share a room?” I jump by the sudden question asked towards me, not prepared to potentially be interrogated. I almost lose my towel in the process while Rafe begins to chuckle at my distress.

“Excuse me?” I questioned as I felt my face starting to warm as his stare intensed.

“You’re excused.” He replied with a smirk as his tone quickly became playful, I started to become flustered before popping off on him.

“You disrespectful brat! All of our interactions have ended with me being uncomfortable. You couldn’t even open the door for me out of courtesy when we first arrived! Now I'm here, sitting in a towel and you won’t even get up and help save me from this embarrassment! You’re such a jackass.” My voice started to raise as the fire within me started to spread.

Rafe shot up out of the bed as if he was being demanded to by a drill sergeant. His mood switched, intimidating was an understatement. He approached me with the same devilish smile he once had just last night, his hand reached out to hold my jaw—gentle yet firm. My breathing stopped, I couldn’t even say a word to him. Rafe brought his mouth to my ear, the closer he got the more submissive I became.

“Do you really want me to leave?” His voice made my skin crawl, my heart started pounding and my breathing came back but in manual.

“Get off of me, you mutt.” I smacked his hand away from my face which caused him to laugh before his tone shifted once again and he turned away from me.

“Get out.” He demanded. I felt even more embarrassed, I glanced at my feet noticing that I still wasn't dressed yet and it was going on late morning. I started to make my way to the door as Rafe seated himself on his bedside, I grabbed the handle and swung open his door. Walking out as if I meant to, I attempted to keep my confidence. I knew all too well that he watched me leave, my mom’s words played in my head as I proceeded down the hall once more. A dog will always remain a dog.

I finished getting dressed before making my way to the kitchen, my mom already had a cup of coffee waiting for me.

“What happened to you? I heard you get out of the shower and then it took you quite some time to get ready.” My face began to burn, Rafe’s words replicating a broken record in my head. My eyes wide open looking down at my feet with the mug full of coffee to my mouth, I sipped at it before placing it back down onto the island where she was sitting.

“I had some trouble with putting my outfit together.” I replied, hoping that was enough to get her off of my back. I couldn’t exactly tell her what happened or she would take it as a connection and mentally start wedding planning.

“Y/n! Come over here!” Sarah yelled from the back patio. My mom shaking her head in approval, I went on my way from the previous conversation and walked into an even more enlightened one. Sarah approached me with a growing smile while pulling what looked to be Topper away from Rafe whom he was actively having a conversation with. Rafe from afar glanced over at them approaching me before sitting down on patio furniture and gluing his face to his phone.

“Y/n, I wanted you to be reintroduced to my now boyfriend, Topper.” Sarah announced as I smiled, knowing that eventually they would connect. Topper has always had something special for Sarah, it was only a matter of time before she noticed.

I stepped aside from the conversation, staring off into the distance, watching the waves ever so lightly wash against the dock and the sailboats glide effortlessly against the water. I missed this, but I missed my friends more than anything. I stood there, with my mug in my hand and the coffee sitting dormant inside soon growing cold. Dreaming of the moment I see them, the Pogues.

Then, as my imagination settled, a figure started walking towards the house from the dock. Taking all of my attention away from my long forgotten wishes, they looked worn from a long day's work. When they grew closer to the back patio we shot each other a curious glance, our eyes locked which then became intense within seconds. I lost my grip, everything going numb before the mug shattered beneath me.

John B.

My lifelong best friend, walking through the yard of my now greatest enemy. Not one soul wasted time to come to my side, except for Rafe. He kept a glare on John B. as he continued down the pathway, you could see in his dark malevolent eyes that he was not welcomed here by him. Meanwhile, Ward ran to us from around the house while my mom and Rose came from the back doors.

“Y/n are you okay!? What happened!?” My mom grabbed my wrists and pulled me to her for a reply.

“N-nothing mom, I'm fine. Please.” I pushed away from her, running inside as Ward cleaned the pieces of porcelain. I went straight to the bathroom, not even sparing a moment to close the door. I turned on the cold water from the sink, staring motionless at the unrecognizable girl in the mirror while my eyes started to burn as the tears formed. I cupped the freezing water before bending over to splash it on my face, hiding any evidence of my emotion.

“I can’t believe I'm asking this but, are you okay?” With both hands gripping the bathroom counter I turned my head sharply to the door, Rafe stared at me with one eyebrow slightly raised while keeping one hand on the doorframe for support as he stood. I gave an angry chuckle before I collected myself.

“Yes, I'm fine. You can go now.” I seethed, Rafe rolled his eyes before making his way back down the hallway, mumbling the entire time before he stepped outside and back to tending to his dad’s needs. I wouldn’t go back outside, solely to prevent myself from becoming even more embarrassed by the scene I left behind. I went into the kitchen, watching my mom and Rose laugh over something that I had absolutely no interest in hearing about. Rose kindly handed me a glass of water before asking if I was okay. I felt myself turn pink, before I could even thank her and reassure her Sarah ran in from outside.

“Y/n! If you’re up for it, Topper wants to take us out for a ride in his new boat?” I turned to my mom waiting for her approval before running away from this nightmare. She sent me a soft smile before returning to her gossip session. I followed Sarah back out to the patio, ignoring the urge to apologize a hundred times for the mess I had created.

The boat wasn’t much to brag about, I don’t even remember the name of it honestly. I did enjoy the scenery though, and being able to let the water hug my fingers as we cruised back toward the dock. As we pulled up to tie off Rafe just couldn’t keep his mouth shut any longer

“So Y/n, why did you freak out like that back there at the house?” He questioned with an upward curve forming at the corner of his mouth. It made Sarah and Topper turn their heads to give me their full attention, and I couldn’t help but to glare at Rafe. This made him smile, his sunglasses hiding his eyes that had probably nothing but pure enthusiasm as he taunted me.

“So Rafe, why did you come check on me when I ran inside?” I teased, his smile soon fading while Sarah and Topper turned their heads back forward, hiding the smiles they held from the total humiliation they had just witnessed. Rafe had nothing to say but I felt accomplished knowing I officially put the pretty boy in his place, reminding him that two can play his game.

Once Topper tied the boat off we all hopped out. Rafe was of course the first one while I was last, which I didn’t mind because I wouldn’t want the help out. We all walked back to the house together until I realized I had forgotten my sandals, I turned around not even sparing a second to tell anybody. I hopped back into the boat and within seconds had found them, once I stepped out a familiar voice chimed in my ears.

“Hey there, stranger.”

My heart skipped a beat as I instinctively turned my head to look on the second level of the yacht that sat beside me. We made eye contact before I cracked a smile.

“I'll be damned; John B. Routledge.” I replied, he already had a glowing smile on his face, the same one as when we first met in school.

“Why don’t you come down here so we can be on the same level?” I tried to convince him, but luckily for me he had the same idea. John B hurried down, grabbing onto the side of the boat for him to throw himself over. While running to me to trap me in a hug, the strongest one I've been in so far. He pulled away from me but not letting go just yet.

“Y/n, you have to come to the bonfire tomorrow night. Everybody will be there and I know Kie, Pope and JJ would love to see you.” He encouraged me as I froze, not knowing how to explain that my parents absolutely despised him and the Pogues.

“I’m sure we will see each other. I know Topper and Sarah have been talking about going while we were out today.” I replied warily. John B had a concerned look on his face that had a splash of frustration before popping the one question I wished he hadn’t.

“So, you’re hanging out with the Kooks now?” I pushed him away from me.

“It's not as easy as you think it is to go back to how I once was; I have strict rules to follow and if I want to stay here for as long as I intend to do so, I have to play along.” I retorted as he stared at me wide-eyed. I knew he was confused and probably a little hurt by my reaction but that was the easiest way to tell him. I was suffocating myself staying in that home but I had another six days to try to prove to my parents that we should come back.

“I’m sorry John B., but my parents told me the only way I could come back is if I stay away from you. But -” I bit my lip, staring off into the horizon as the sun started to trinkle its way down to the water. John B grew impatient while I questioned myself to tell him my plan.

“But what Y/n?” He whined, making me snap out of my trance.

“But—if they just think I am a Kook, then they should get convinced quickly. Making it easier to hang out with you, since you know…they won’t be keeping a close eye on me.” John B sighed, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand as he kept a stare down at the boards of the dock.

“I mean, I don’t think we have any other choice.” He replied looking back up to me, a soft smile formed once more on his face.

“Look at it this way; we finally got the Pogues back.” I smiled in response, it felt refreshing talking to John B. His voice reminded me of the soft waves as they caress the sand on the shore, the crackle of a fire that's burning at night to devour the darkness around you.

“I will see you tomorrow John.'' I smiled as I turned away from him.

“Don’t keep me waiting Y/L/N.” he replied as I started my way back to the house, blushing with a smile as I continued down the dock.

John B. was my best friend. I would be lying if I said he wasn't cute, but my eyes were on somebody else—precisely from a year ago. I stepped in through the doors that welcomed me back into the kitchen. Ward had taken Rose and my parents out for a nice dinner on the water for a warm welcome home. Sarah, Topper and Wheezy got dressed in time for the remaining two hours to be filled with laughter in the pool out back. I rounded the corner into the hallway before I was stopped by none other than Rafe, he was leaning against the wall with a look of disappointment growing on his face.

“So what was that all about?” He questioned, I stood there making awkward eye contact. Was he watching me?

“Hello?” Rafe poked once more, I furrowed my eyebrows before sending him an attitude.

“I don’t think it’s any of your business.” I pushed myself past him as he turned to watch me leave.

“It could be mine or it could be your parents’.” He barked back to me. I stopped walking as he slowly progressed towards me. I stood in fear of what my parents would do if they ever knew. I could feel his presence behind me, the goosebumps rising on my back and arms like a mountain range protruding through my skin. I turned around, finally gaining the courage to face him.

“Excuse me?” The anger spilling through my teeth.

“You heard me.” Rafe shot back at me, as if he planned out exactly what I would say to him. He lived for this, the mess he creates in my head and the endless ways he taunts me just to get me to react. He was a soulless, mediocre bastard of a person. The devil was such an understatement at this point, I only wanted to hit him but I wouldn't hear the end of it from my parents.

“Leave them at the cut, Y/n. You’re on figure eight now. You need to start acting like it.” I scoffed at him before ditching the conversation by walking away and into the guest bedroom I was staying in. Rafe followed, but stayed at the door.

“Don’t think that I don’t know how bad you want to come home, if I was you I would hang with us.” He suggested, I sit on the bedside before looking over to Rafe, one eyebrow raised before laughing at him.

“You really think I want to be friends with you? Sarah is the only kook I actually enjoy being around, but you? You are a plague that walks the earth, you only want to cause harm and enjoy watching as everything falls apart. I would never want to be associated with you, ever.” I felt my rage start to rummage through me as Rafe rolled his eyes before shutting the door, mumbling some more as he made his way back down the hallway towards the kitchen.

I put myself to bed, anxious that Rafe now has something to control me with, but how did he know that I wanted to come home? I’ve only told Sarah, and I know she wouldn’t ever tell Rafe anything, so was he eavesdropping? I brushed it off ultimately, it doesn’t matter how he found out. What matters now is that he knows.

After my cup of coffee with my mom the next morning, I wasn’t too excited to be having to go to the bonfire with the Kooks, but I don’t really have a choice right now. I tagged along with Sarah for the afternoon while Topper and Rafe did. I don’t know, Topper and Rafe things?

“So Y/n, what made you change your mind about the bonfire? When Topper and I brought it up, you seemed super uninterested.” Sarah didn’t hold back her question as she was incredibly suspicious. It caught me off guard so I took a minute to think about my response.

“Honestly, I just needed to get out and enjoy myself since I'm not promised more than this week.” I lied while the pit in my stomach grew. What if I don't stay? What if I go back? I couldn’t stand the thought of it, but I had to prepare myself for the worst. Sarah didn’t seem too convinced with my answer, giving me a raised eyebrow with a smirk following really gave it away.

“Okay, well we need outfits for tonight. Almost everybody in the OBX will be there, sometimes school aged visitors show up too if they’re looking to get away from their family.” Sarah continued on about the bonfire, while I searched through the never ending clothes racks. We finally finished our shopping spree and made it back in enough time to get ready for the fire. I was a tad anxious not knowing if I looked good in what I picked. Honestly though, every woman out here has the same fashion sense unless you're a visitor. As Sarah was finishing up I gradually made my way to the kitchen, lazily pouring myself a glass of water before becoming interrupted with an unwanted guest. Leaning against the counter’s edge closest to me, Rafe rested his chin in the palm of one of his hands while sneakily trying to reach under the cabinet for his father’s whiskey with the other.

“Can I help you?” I mucked up the courage to speak while avoiding any eye contact, back facing the glare I knew he was giving me.

“Your shorts, pull them down some.” He spoke as if he was agitated, I immediately felt the rage take over my body once more as if I was becoming a wildfire that couldn’t be put out.

“How dare you comment on my shorts! You don't own me nor my body nor my mind, and I will never and I mean absolutely never do a single thing you tell me to do!” I screamed at Rafe in a tone as if I was scolding a troubled teen, but he wasted no time to crack a smile before chuckling a bit, switching positions so his back can rest on the wall behind him and tucking his hands back into his front pockets before closing his eyes and pulling his head down towards the floor beneath him.

“I never said to take them off, but when your shorts are riding so high that it looks as if your ass is suffocating it just looks…I don't know, it's funny.” He replied with a soft attitude, the embarrassment raced across my face as if it was in a marathon going for first place. Swiftly yet unsuspiciously, I grabbed the bottom of one side of my shorts as I tightened the grip I had on the glass with my other, tugging the god forsaken things down as much as I could. Rafe had a steady grin while keeping his eyes closed, knowing only too well what I was doing. I gulped down the cold water before flipping the glass upside down in the kitchen sink, then without a second thought started my way back to Sarah’s room. Leaving Rafe with his new found bottle of whiskey, and the satisfied smirk he continued to hold onto that only made the night jealous with how dark its intentions were.

I quickly stepped into Sarah’s room, shutting the door with my back before elegantly sliding down until my bottom touched the freshly installed carpet. I shut my eyes before exhaling the breath I held in for what felt like eternity.

God, I hate him.

My mind was full of anger while my body said otherwise, I couldn’t ignore the fact I desired him. Everything he does, he knows it’s working as if he needs me to want him. As if he wants me to need him.

“How does this look?” Sarah’s voice intruded my thoughts. Luckily, she didn’t seem concerned for my growing silence moments after following the slight blush spreading across my cheeks.

“I think you look great. Are you finally ready?” I quickly spoke, before jumping to my feet with a mask of excitement that only hid pure anxiety. We made our way down the spiral staircase, following Sarah’s lead as we made it to the last step. My fingers effortlessly slid down the white handrail as every imperfection of the wood protruded from the thick sealant, so well that I was forced to acknowledge the splinter left behind from it. I winced at the pain as Sarah bolted to Topper, jumping into a hug which resulted in the air being filled with laughter.

I realized a little too late that I should’ve brought a jacket to the bonfire. The ocean left little kisses on my cheeks as the breeze picked up, which carried the slightest bit of mist from the crashing waves in the distance.

“Y/n?” Topper spoke out softly, my concentration returning to him as I snapped out of the trance that the water had on me.

“I’m sorry, what were you saying?” I asked, ignoring the worrisome look on his face as he continued.

“Why exactly do you wear that ring all the time? You’re not like, engaged are you?” You shared a quick chuckle with the blond as you mindlessly played with the tiny band with your thumb, examining the delicate piece of silver that carried a microscopic engraved heart. Your mother requested it to be on there, she said it would add character or something like that.

“Oh, this little thing? It’s a purity ring, gifted to me by my parents for my birthday last year.” I answered, glancing back up to Topper who was taking another swig of his beer before lowering the bottle with a soft sigh and pink cheeks.

“Oh, interesting. Uh, do you see Sarah anywhere? She said she was grabbing herself another drink but she never came back.” He asked as the air thickened with tension, his eyes frantically scanning the faces of the individuals in front of us.

“I just want to make sure she’s o…” I turned to face him, curious yet concerned about what had made him lose his train of thought. His eyes darkened while his knuckles turned white from gripping the now empty bottle in his hand, I couldn’t get a word out before he made his way forcefully through the hoard of people in between us and his target.

I scan the crowd ahead of him before my eyes land on Sarah talking to John B. My heart started racing as I prepared myself for the conflict about to happen. Looking at my surroundings frantically, I feel a hand snake around my waist.

“Now, how has the Kook life been treating you?” A familiar voice spoke out while leaning towards my ear, the music so loud it was almost impossible to think.

My heart fluttered as every butterfly made its way to my stomach as I turned to face him, JJ’s smile matching mine as we sat in silence for what felt like eternity. I would leave this Kook life within a blink of an eye if it meant I could stay here in this moment with him forever, and surely by the looks of it, he felt the same. I glanced down at my beer, a soft pink grew on my cheeks but luckily the dim light of the fire hid my embarrassment quite extensively.

“Terrible.” I whispered, looking back into his eyes with only inches of separation between us. His breath reeked of bourbon and cigarettes while his eyes searched mine, as if trying to find the life they once emitted. Sadness soon filled the space between us as the memories washed over him and I. We stood in complete silence as if we were waiting for the other to speak, sharing the suffocating tension we had created. I stepped towards him, never breaking the gaze we held as I wrapped one arm around his neck and closed the space between us with a hug.

“I just want to come home J.” I whimpered in his ear while trying my best not to shed a tear, especially not at a party full of Kooks.

“Then come home, baby.” JJ hummed before hugging me tightly. Before I could process what I had just done, a scream echoed through the area and I remembered.

Topper.

71 notes · View notes

sseomtada · 4 months

Text

what you need [dusan vlahovic]

a stranger flirting with you leads to a very passionate argument.

warnings: 18+ | wc: 2139 | part: 1

an: originally posted 11/2022

You dropped a kiss on your boyfriend’s shoulder before heading off to the pool.

Dusan should’ve known better by now than to try to keep up with you on a night out. Two gin and tonics in, you noticed that his cheeks were pinched, and he was way more upbeat and giggly than normal.

He was annoyingly adorable as you eased his large, drunken frame into the bed. The only way he could sleep in that state was on his stomach with a pillow tucked under his arms. Dusan mumbled about how much he loved you among other random things as you rubbed his back until he passed out.

Having not partied during the season, his tolerance seemed even worse. He slept through breakfast and you blow drying your hair. You left him a note saying fresh juice and fruits were in the fridge, and that you would be on the beach if he woke up with you still gone.

It felt so good to have this vacation. Nothing beat having fuck all to do but lie in the sun and get a gorgeous tan. You flipped onto your front, hiking your bikini bottoms up your cheeks just a bit more to lessen the lines.

While you read your book, you got completely absorbed in it. So much that you barely registered a small ball had smacked your butt. A little girl came into view, immediately wiping any annoyance you began to feel at the intrusion.

“Sowwy ‘bout that.” She held the purple ball in her small hands.

“It’s okay, sweetheart.” You smiled, swatting off the sand the object had stuck to your backside.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” A guy quickly jogged over.

He picked her up in his arms, kissing between her pigtails. She looked just like him, presumably his daughter. They looked so cute standing together on the beach, like a happy family.

“It’s quite alright, she was just reminding me that it was time to flip over.” You laughed.

“Can’t have an uneven tan, now can we?” He made a small chastising face.

“Exactly.” You nodded.

The guy made some more idle chit chat, telling you about how this was his first time taking his daughter on vacation since he’d split with her mom. Most people would be put off by his rambling, but you were used to strangers opening themselves up to you. It was nice to hear their stories too, so you didn’t mind.

“So are you here on a girl’s trip or solo?” Talkative dad asked.

“I’m actually-“

“She’s here with me.” Dusan’s voice sounded from behind. “Her boyfriend.”

You craned your head to see him coming to stand over you, blocking your sun in the process. He didn’t spare you a glance. His gaze was focused on the man on the other side of you, unflinching.

“That’s great!” The guy chuckled. “Well, I hope you guys have fun and sorry again about all of that.”

You waved him off with the apology once more, and wished him well as he and his daughter left. Dusan lifted your legs and sat beneath them, placing them on his lap to run his hands over your calves.

“Good morning to you too, grumpy.” You raised a brow at him.

“Don’t start, you knew what he was doing.” He scoffed.

That poor book of yours was forgotten as you dropped it off to the top of your tote. You sat up on your elbows as you looked at him. His wet hair was slicked back, evidence of a shower, and to his credit he didn’t look the slightest bit hungover. Just upset.

There was no reason for him to be. Sure, maybe the guy from earlier was checking you out. That much you expected to happen at a beach. Who didn’t occasionally get their eyes caught by someone with decent body?

“You don’t start.” Your eyes rolled. “It was nothing, he was just being nice.”

Dusan laughed bitterly and shot to his feet, throwing your legs off in the process. Shock etched every inch of your features, uttering the silent question, are you serious right now? He shook his head as he stalked off back in the direction of your room.

You muttered angrily while you shoved your things back into your tote, barely tossing on your cover up and sandals as you followed in hot pursuit. His long strides didn’t slow even after you called out behind him, only just catching him in the elevator.

“What the fuck, Dusan?!” You hissed. “Why are you acting like this?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Excuse me if I don’t want to watch my girlfriend entertain being flirted with by some desperate dickhead.” He spoke rapidly.

“You’re such a fucking child.” You threw your hands up.

The way he was behaving was completely unfair and uncalled for. To come out there after sleeping half a day away on your vacation after you nursed him all night, and make a scene was far beyond okay. To take whatever issues he had out on you was even worse.

“I’m a child? Me?” His eyes widened. “That’s rich coming from the girl that was too naive to see that her little friend was just using his daughter to try to fuck her.”

Your upper lip curled. This time it was you storming off when the doors opened. You all but ran to your room, slamming the door shut behind you and tossing your bag onto the floor. He didn’t have to go that far, to insult your intelligence and be so crass.

“Is that what you want?” Dusan came in, yanking your body back to his.

You struggled against his hold, clenching your teeth when you felt his arm circle your waist to pin you there. No amount of wriggling and writhing would help you escape his firm grip now.

“Do you want to go to him,” His mouth latched to your neck, sucking. “So he could taste your skin like this?”

Your shoulders fell limp, head tilting on instinct to make more room for his lips to roam. It was aggravating that as livid as you were with him and as stupid as his questions were, all it took was this to disarm you.

“No.” You swallowed thickly.

The hand he had clamped around your wrist freed itself to travel down your body. You leaned into him, feeling him harden against your lower back. Dusan trailed his fingers along your bikini bottoms, not touching where you needed him most just yet.

They were feather light as he teased you, his eyes watching your reactions intently. You didn’t flinch, keeping yours open no matter how badly they threatened to flutter shut. He took that as a challenge, which it was, and pushed the fabric aside.

With barely any warning, he shoved two of his girthy digits into your core. You cried out, not caring one bit that it was the middle of the day and you were in a hotel.

“Do you want his fingers in your tight pussy?” Dusan breathed.

Fuck you, you know I don’t is what you would’ve said if you could’ve found the strength to speak. But he was fingering you so fast and so deep that your voice got caught in your throat.

You saw nothing. Your vision went black even without the cover of your eyelids. The sound of your juices being fucked out of you made him hum.

“So fucking wet, I guess you do.” He bit your shoulder.

“No!” You gasped. “I only want it to be yours, I always want it to be you.”

You whimpered post ramble, legs starting to tremble in warning. Dusan’s arm pinned your body even tighter to his as he felt you begin to falter. He pressed down on your clit with this thumb, and you were seeing stars.

“Please…” Your voice was hoarse.

“Please what?” His soft lips met yours.

“Don’t stop.” You exhaled as he pulled away.

Your feet were dangerously close to cramping from your toes curling. Dusan beckoned you to cum for him, curling his digits inside you, increasing the tempo. You felt the knot in your stomach coming undone, one bit at a time.

And then all at once. You were doubling over, soft walls squeezing his fingers in waves as you came. Curses and cries fell from your lips too quickly to keep up with as you clawed at the arm he had around your waist.

He pressed against your g-spot with his fingers at a rapid pace, palm digging into your clit to draw your orgasm out longer, and longer until your knees completely gave out. You finally were able to breathe when he pulled them out of you and swept you into his arms.

It would only be a brief reprieve. Dusan had you in as many ways as there were possible, or so you thought up until now. You’d never experienced him this worked up.

In fact, it had belatedly occurred to you while he was all but ripping your bikini and its cover from your body that he was jealous. The realization would’ve made you laugh had you not been scrambling to put the pieces of your mind back together.

That was going to be impossible with the way his mouth ravaged every inch of skin they could find. Dusan nipped and sucked at your collarbones, your shoulders, your breasts. He was everywhere, hands kneading your thighs greedily as he slotted between them.

“Do you want me to stretch you out?” He ran his cock through your wet folds. “Make you cum all over me?”

You whined as his tip slid over your sensitive clit, “Yes…”

Dusan continued to tease you, making your hips buck and writhe in desperation. You tried you reach down to tucked him inside you, but he pinned your hands above your head in one of his. His lips ghosted over yours, pulling just out of reach every time you tried to kiss him.

And then you were gasping, him moaning, as he filled you with one thrust. You could feel every inch of him, every vein as he rolled his hips into yours powerfully. He freed your hands only to push your knees to your chest, opening yourself up to him even more, taking him entirely.

You clasped your fingers around the back of his neck, pulling him in to taste his lips. It was a disordered affair of you sucking his tongue, teeth clashing, biting. Dusan grunted the filthiest things into your mouth, he couldn’t make you scream like this, make your pussy soak the sheets like this, look at you, my good fucking girl, taking it all.

All you could do was shake your head and nod where appropriate. He was deeper than deep, fucking you harder and harder until his skin grew damp with sweat. You arched into him, eyes losing focus as you floated higher and higher.

Dusan let go of your knees, and just when you thought he was going to ease up, you were swiftly corrected. He placed a hand around your throat, squeezing ever so slightly along the sides, the other falling to rub on your clit.

“Cum with me.” He moaned.

That was the final blow. You crashed down into your body, his name becoming a chorus on your lips as your pussy clenched around his cock. He called out for you in return, thrusting his release into you with the last of his strokes.

“Holy fucking shit.” You panted, blinking away tears.

Dusan pulled out and collapsed beside you. His chest heaved with his breathing, a smile appearing for the first time today. He pulled you into him, tucking your unruly hair behind your ear and kissing your cheek gently.

“Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you, did I?” A worry line appeared between his brows.

“I’m fine.” You eased it with a swipe of your thumb.

“I’m sorry for being an asshole.” He grinned sheepishly.

You knew he didn’t mean any of the things he’d said. You didn’t either, and apologized for blowing up instead of trying to defuse the situation. He kissed you so sweetly, in the way that made you fall in love with him.

“Can we just skip the argument and go straight to the mind blowing sex the next time you get jealous?” You laughed.

“Deal.” He looped his pinky around yours.

#dusan vlahovic #dusan vlahovic x reader #dusan vlahovic x you

27 notes · View notes

greatideas-badwriter · 2 months

Text

Sacrificed To The Banished Prince Ch. 33

AN: Sorry that the update is a few days late. I was on a trip with my Mom!

Baron Haruno was uncharacteristically silent until the three Uchiha royals led him into Madara’s personal office and presented him with an urn filled with ashes. His face turned red. It was as though all the manners left his body because he barked, peering into the urn, “How can you be sure this is my son when this is all you have?”

Itachi responded promptly, an air of professionalism intact, “I assure you that the palace mages were very thorough during the identification process. This is Hihara Haruno.”

Sasuke accidentally shared a look with his uncle, whose eyes burnt with anger. It wasn’t easy to determine the cause of his ire. It was, however, simple to make the deduction that he didn’t wish to be on the receiving end of it. The second prince had never witnessed Madara’s ruthless personality firsthand, but the stories of him during the war when he and his father were in their early twenties were the thing of legend. It was said that the current king killed nearly a thousand people in a single day, all without using magic. The amount of energy, ability, and anger needed to commit such a feat would be immense.

“Was it not the same crackpot mages who’ve also spent months unsuccessfully searching for the boy?” Baron Haruno bit.

Madara’s glare hardened, his aura darkening, “Don’t misinterpret this formality as an act of forgiveness for the terrors with which your son plagued Konoha’s only princess. As far as the royal family is concerned, this world is a far better place with that poor excuse for a human dead.”

Sasuke couldn’t help but add, poison coating his words as he leered at his father-in-law, “Be grateful you’re receiving this much. If it’d been me to discover him alive, nothing would remain but memories.”

It was as though the prince’s lack of faux-kindness reminded the Haruno man of their last meeting and he became awkward while still visibly irritated. He said nothing more about the remains.

Clearly, the Uchiha men believed their business to be finished, but Kizashi hesitated before sighing defeatedly, “I must admit I haven’t traveled here just to collect my son’s remains.” He avoided Sasuke’s gaze. Instead, he tried to hold Itachi’s, likely since he was the sole member of the royal family who hadn’t shown his distaste openly. “Will you please have your mages inspect my youngest daughter?”

Everyone stared at him in disbelief. The Baron quickly continued, sensing his plight was unlikely to be thoroughly investigated, “Since shortly after Sakura’s departure, she’s become unrecognizable. She’s always been a kind-hearted girl, but she suddenly became cold and intelligent beyond her years. I’m concerned something is very wrong.”

‘It’s likely the one humane being in her life disappearing made her realize what a terrible family to which she’s been born,’ Sasuke thought and badly wanted to say.

Instead, the king bit, “Who are you to ask a favor of us?”

“Your Highness, please-” “I’ll allow your family to spend the night since it’s already afternoon, but that is the extent of my hospitality. You’re to leave the palace after breakfast tomorrow.” Even Sasuke was intimidated by Madara’s firm tone.

With no room to argue, the unwelcome guest excused himself from the office. Itachi shared a look with his younger brother, a clear warning not to press the subject, but the prince couldn’t help it. He knew how much the youngest Haruno daughter meant to his wife. Even if the rest of her family was despicable, the girl had personally done nothing wrong. So, he cautiously said, “Uncle, we should at least have the girl inspected by the palace physicians.”

The king’s gaze remained cold as he stared down his nephew. He took a moment to ponder before shaking his head, “I forbid it. The Haruno family has received more than enough lenience from us. If I treat someone who has disrespected the crown so kindly, our kingdom’s enemies and supporters alike will view the Uchiha name as spineless.”

Itachi’s teeth gritted. He obviously wanted to say something but didn’t. Sasuke should’ve taken his lead, but he also didn’t. “The princess holds the girl very dear. Please reconsider.”

“I’ve made my decision, Nephew. I suggest you accept it,” The king’s voice raised.

The prince opened his mouth to argue, only for Itachi to interrupt, “Brother, I need to speak with Uncle alone. Can you excuse us?”

Sasuke begrudgingly left, knowing full well that his brother just didn’t want him to butt heads with the king. When he turns the corner down the hall, headed toward the garden where his wife was likely entertaining her sisters, Kizashi Haruno is waiting. His eyes lit up when they landed on the prince, and he fell into step at his side when Sasuke walked right past with the intent to ignore him.

“Surely you’ll help me, Son-In-Law! Think of how upset Sakura will be if something happens to her beloved sister!”

Sasuke froze, the man following suit, before facing him with murderous intent boiling his blood. “How casually you speak to me after I explicitly said I’d kill you if you stood in my presence again.”

Baron Haruno barely looked affected, standing tall and proud while dropping the doting father-in-law act. “Does Sakura know her husband is someone who’d kill a father simply trying to find help for his daughter?”

The prince couldn’t hold back anymore. He hit the man with all his might. Kizashi stumbled, lifting a hand to his bleeding lip and glaring at the prince, who bent forward slightly to hiss, “Sakura is also your daughter! Where was this protective nature when she was being neglected and mistreated within the walls of your own estate?” In the end, that was the biggest issue Sasuke had with the man: that he’d been a bystander and likely even directly responsible for his wife’s tragic upbringing and lack of self-value.

“That filth is no child of mine!” As soon as the disgusted words left his mouth, the baron closed his lips with an expression that said he was trying to hide the fact that he hadn’t meant to say that.

‘Does he mean he doesn’t consider her part of his family? That much is obvious, so why would he feel the need to say it? Unless…..’ Sasuke’s glare darkened, “If you’re not her father, then who is?”

Finally, Kizashi’s face showed unease, fear even. He straightened his spine and gave a poor attempt at covering up his mishap, “I am her father, biologically. I simply meant that, since my late-wife didn’t birth her, she’s not recognized as an official part of my family.”

How easily it was to determine his words as false was surprising, considering how cunning and collected he’d always been. Sasuke was suspicious of his swift demeanor adjustment and shoved the older man against the wall, “Tell the truth, or I’ll make good on my promise to end your life here and now.”

Just as quickly as Baron Haruno had become scared did he seem smug once more. His lips curled into a grin, “Any affection you have for her will cease when you find out. Are you certain you wish to know?” The prince was understandably confused but didn’t back down. If it was about Sakura, he had to know. It could be something life-threatening or maybe it could explain some of the unknowns about her, like the strange healing power she possessed.

“While it’s true her mother was a performer, the man who sired that thing is the same one who gave you the mark on your shoulder, My Lord.” He said the title with disrespect clearly in his tone.

It was as though the world came to a standstill. Sasuke’s heart seemed to stop before starting again at double the pace to make up for lost time. He stepped back, away from the baron, “...The wizard Orochimaru?”

“Her mother, unbeknownst to me, was already with child upon coming into my possession. It wasn’t until she gave birth that I realized I wasn’t the father,” Kizashi explained, appearing both unhappy with the facts and gleeful that the prince was so obviously disturbed by the news. “To answer the question you’re bound to ask, why I bothered raising a bastard child, her mother claimed to curse my entire family if I didn’t.” Then, his satisfaction faltered, his eyes falling into a glare, “It was shortly after my youngest’s birth that I tested the witch’s promise. I attempted to drown Sakura, which led to my wife’s death.”

Sasuke could barely wrap his head around all the new information. ‘Does that mean both of her parents had magical abilities? Depending on when Hana was born, Orochimaru could’ve been nearby, or he could’ve been captured by my family already.’ He wasn’t sure of the youngest Haruno daughter’s age, just that she was younger than sixteen since she’d yet to have a debut into society.

“So, no, I care not for whether that devil-woman lives or dies. I do care for my actual children, so I’m begging for your help despite my pride.”

The prince couldn’t figure out what to say or how to speak even if he did somehow manage to form a coherent thought. Instead, he turned and left the pathetic man in the hallway. His pace was quicker than before as he searched for his wife.

He spotted her sitting on a bench in the garden next to her youngest sister. Her body was angled toward the girl, so he couldn’t see her face. As he approached, his steps faltered when a familiar burning met the scar on his shoulder. His hand clapped over the area as he froze. ‘It hasn’t done this since I gained control over The Curse. Is he trying to take over with sheer force?’ Clearly, the demon wanted to arise, but Sasuke gritted his teeth and refused. To be honest, since obtaining control over his body, he wasn’t sure how much easier or difficult it might be to regain it if he should let Akuma feel the sun.

“Hello, Prince Sasuke,” a dull voice broke his train of thought and he looked up to see the two women looking his way. Hana had been the one to speak, but he could only look at his wife’s face.

It was evident something was wrong by her pale skin and panicked expression. The thought of somehow bringing up the topic of her biological parents fell away as he approached her side. Instinctually, he held out a hand for her to hold, and she did, albeit softly and while lowering her gaze.

‘Whatever it is, she doesn’t want to acknowledge it now.’

His eyes looked over her to confirm she had no new injuries before noticing someone was missing, “Where is the other girl?” The one that tried to weasel her way between them.

“Haruka is across the garden. She and Sakura do not get along, so she angrily stepped away.” Hana answered, her tone just as emotionless as before. Sakura nodded slightly, squeezing his hand.

Taking the hint, Sasuke knelt, “If you’ll excuse us, I believe the princess has become exhausted.” This time, the pink-haired woman didn’t protest when he picked her up and carried her back into the castle and upstairs toward the room they’d shared last night. That alone was enough to convince him her mood was low.

As soon as the door was closed behind them, he opened his mouth to tell her what he’d learned of her lineage, only for her to cut him off. Her hand held a fist of his shirt as she tearfully said, “That’s not my sister down there! I don’t know who or what it is, but it’s not her!”

It took a moment for the man to comprehend her words. He sat her down on the edge of the bed. She must’ve taken his silence as doubt because she shook her head, “I know I sound crazy, but I’m telling the truth, Sasuke.”

“I believe you,” he quickly responded. And he did. “Baron Haruno offered concerns regarding her, as well. He asked my uncle to have the mages look over her.”

Relief met Sakura’s face, “Oh, thank goodness. Surely they’ll be able to figure out what’s happening.”

The man nodded but didn’t know why he didn’t tell her the truth, that the king had forbidden investigation of the matter. He also couldn’t bring himself to tell her that everything she knew about herself was a lie.

As he wordlessly smoothed out her hair and kissed the top of her head so she couldn’t see the unease upon his face, his eyes closed. Until he’d solved all the mysteries surrounding the Haruno family and her birth, he’d let her focus on healing and the child growing in her stomach.

#naruto #naruto fanfiction #narutofanfic #narutofanfiction #sakura #sakura uchiha #haruno sakura #naruto shippuden #naruto shippuden fanfiction #sakura haruno #sasusaku fic #sasusaku #sasuke uchiha #sasusaku fanfiction #uchiha sasuke #sasuke

15 notes · View notes

crystalgastles · 3 days

Text

After the flesh

This is a very rough draft of the first chapter of my Jeff the killer fanfiction please spare me if you find any grammar mistakes

Trigger warning for normal Jeff the killer stuff

Rain pattered outside my window, the cold grey of the morning stinging my eyes as the dull feeling of a headache began to brew at the bottom of my temples. My teeth felt sore.

The remnants of last nights events began slowly moving to the forefront of my mind and the reminder that I had to work a nine hour shift was threatening to make my hangover worse.

The coffee in my hand was bitter and the cigarette that graced my lips as I pulled from its burning embers was hot on my lungs. I should have stolen more sugar packets from work.

I could work up the courage to call out, use an excuse that no one wanted to ask more about but I need the money, rent was over due and I’m two weeks away from having the water and electricity cut out. Another drag out the cracked window, another sip of the coffee I don’t have cream or enough sugar to make bearable.

——————————————————————————

Another sip from the bottle, and a shit attempt at washing off my clothes in the river behind the house of a well off family. Father was a Lawyer I think mother was an accountant or receptionist or insurance broker?

I never know anymore. Lines blur the faces are warped, people look like animals the more I do this. Man sins he runs to church, monster sins he runs to the bottle, and I am no man.

Thunder rumbles in the distance as lightning crashes a little too close to my position than I’d like. I’ll just steal from the slaughterhouse I’ve created behind me, all that’s not covered in blood.

I rummage through the teenage boys things, never bothered to learn his name even though he was the one to wake up, he doomed the entire family. The soft white of the fabric made me wince. The clean white of the oversized material falling over my frame with ease.

——————————————————————————

The diners bright lights practically blinded me as I tried to get through the day. Zombies had more energy than I did at this point and tips were slow. I couldn’t blame the customers, but it would put a spring in my step if I got more than a five percent tip for large groups I mean, Can seven business men not afford more than five dollars to spare between all of them?

Cold ice water spilled down the front of my uniform as the clatter of glass hit the ground in a sharp ear piercing crack. I had tripped on one of their feet, made to look like an accident but it was because I forgot more creamer. I was sure if it. Fabric uncomfortably clung to my skin as one of them giggled like a school girl. “Jesus” I whispered harshly under my breath and didn’t turn back to face them before I ran to the back room.

Someone else could clean it.

My entire front was covered in water, the tips of my hair soaked and freezing, I couldn’t help but let out hard and choked sobs, my body shaking with each breath while I stood in the freezer in the kitchen trying to compose myself.

The end of my shift and I could even hold it together. I removed my apron and clocked out without telling anyone.

Mascara ran down my cheeks,my nose and cheeks flushed while I clung to my winter coat, it was cold enough to be uncomfortable but not enough for it to snow, the puddles from the earlier rain squelched as I worked on my walk to my car from the parking lot. 98 days since I had been kicked out from my family home, 26 days I had been couch surfing and 72 had been living in my friends apartment, barley being able to split rent. It was almost December. I missed my mom.

——————————————————————————-

I liked to watch the news, between the mundane and the weather the bright face of the news anchor would fall, sharing the details of the family I had ever so kindly turned into my art project. Three people, five people, an extended family of eight on vacation, only the dog was left. All me across different states, yet I wasn’t suspected for any except my own family’s. Dogs, animals can’t tell the police what you’ve done and sometimes they don’t care. I don’t leave witnesses that can speak.

The diner was mostly quiet, bright droning lights almost drowned out the sound of the box television hanging over the booth in front of me that displayed the news. The chief of police was speaking at a press conference, the bright white hoodie suddenly making me feel too visible for my comfort.

Politician. I killed a local politicians whole entire family.

Not that I particularly care about politics, quite a distaste for them actually. Police tend to work harder to find the people who harm them even at the local level.

My attention was drawn from the problem I was facing on the screen in front of me as I watched the guy in the booth across from my table in a group of suited fraternity brothers who barely graduated college stick his foot out and trip the server that was waiting on him. Making them drop the tray of half full ice water they were carrying.

The crash of glass and silverware clattered to the floor as the seven giggled, mockingly saying sorry and throwing their half crumpled napkins at her in feigned support of helping them clean up. Tears welled in their eyes as they stood up straight and ran to the back.

It’s easy to pick targets. Some people might as well paint giant red circles on their foreheads. I don’t usually pick people for their behavior on a whim, but I missed my portion of the news because the accident they caused. Not the server.

I don’t discriminate when it comes to what I do. I watch people, I study them, some more than others. Sometimes I don’t, admittedly I should be more careful but when you need a place to stay for the night you can’t be picky especially if they have a McMansion on the side of town people don’t expect murder in and you really need a shower.

I watched the seven, not pay walk out and to their respective gaudy cars, lifted trucks and one lime green hummer, but two, the one who tripped the server and the one who laughed the loudest, made the detrimental mistake of walking home.

I followed at a distance, hood up. The cloudy cold weather allowed me to have it that way without suspicion. I just wanted to see where they lived. I’d deal with it later.

———————————————————————————

My keys clinked on the glass of the entry way table into my shared apartment. My roommate wasn’t home yet but I saw the mess of papers, boxes, a box cutter, fake skin for practice and a half drunk Red Bull on the coffee table and knew she hadn’t been gone long. They’d never learn to pick up after themselves.

They were a night shift worker at a gas station who had a dream of being a tattoo artist, something I also wanted to do but apprenticeships were not in the cards for me, I needed to eat and a place to shield me from the rain. The clock I could barely see from the kitchen, a glowing green glob that i could barely make out read 9:15.

I shivered, my front still wet from the water spilled on my brightly colored and obnoxiously 50s themed uniform. I needed a shower and to change.

Warm water cascaded down my back while I sat with my knees to my chest, focusing my eyes on the vinyl coating on the shower wall that’s been slowly starting to peel. I hate the mundane, I wish for just once , something different would grace my life. Something that’s not wake up, go to work, smoke a cigarette, shower, watch tv, check the landline for messages that my mother still sent me, begging me to come home. I can’t.

I watched the remainder of my hair dye fall down the drain as I turned the water off, I would keep it on forever if it stayed warm. The rough material of an old towel wrapped around my body while I brushed my wet hair and then my teeth, got dressed in an old South Park t shirt I had from high school that my dad gave me, one of the only things we ever bonded over was that show. I swallowed the guilty feeling that overcame my senses as I pulled on my sweatpants and clipped my hair back so my wet hair wouldn’t stain my shirt. Perks of having dye that never seems to fully Rinse out.

The yellow glow of our singular lamp bathed the living room in a warm light, the couch seemed to sink in on me while the tv played some sitcom I wasn’t too invested in.

Tap tap tap

The unmistakable sound of fingers on glass made me turn my head towards our sliding door, I grabbed the box cutter sitting on the coffee table. Something my roommate left out after she had finished opening a package, her forgetfulness becoming something I was grateful for in this moment.

I could see a figure. My own reflection in the glass obscuring my late night visitor’s appearance as I approached the door. Seeing it was unlocked as the glass slowly started to slide open.

She forgot to lock the door.

A large black boot slapped onto the linoleum, wet with rain. The white hoodie the intruder was wearing, covered in red. The rain that had seeped into the fabric had turned the large splotches pink around the edges of what i could only assume was blood. And I didn’t want mine on there next.

Exposing the box cutters blade I ran at him, yelling obscenities as I hopped onto his back, a low grunt escaping his lips as he tried to pull me off and throw me onto my own kitchen floor,

Large calloused hands tried to grab at my arms as I wildly slashed without really looking. blood dripped onto my hands when I sliced his arm with the box cutter.

He grabbed my wrist and pried me off of his back, grabbing my shoulders and slamming me against the ground.

The wind was knocked out of me when the cold kitchen floor hit my back, the blood from his arm now dripping onto my face while he had me pinned to the floor, grabbing my wrist and wrestling my one and only weapon out of my hands.

Kicking, screaming, and biting I eventually got out from under him after I bit down his palm hard enough to draw blood and to feel his skin rupture between my teeth. I ran to my room, grabbing my flip phone off the living room table as he was preoccupied,clutching his hand where I had bit him and tried to shut the door but a steel toed boot stood in my way.

A deep gravely voice barely loud enough to hear came from the other side of the flimsy wood that was cracking in between my non stop pushing and the leather and steel on the other side

“I don’t want to hurt you. I need a place to sleep.”

What the fuck.

I tried to think, of something anything that would make him scared enough of me to leave but I kept drawing blanks. My lungs still trying to catch up with me.

“I have a roommate! He’s big and will be home in ten minutes, I have a shotgun in my closet if you don’t get out right now I’m blowing a hole through your stomach”

I lied. All I had was a box cutter that he now had, and a scrawny caffeine addict who was not a he who wouldn’t be home until six in the morning.

“You should go get it then, cause I’d rather have a hole in my stomach than be in a jail cell for the rest of my life”

I didn’t know what to say, my hands were shaking and I was covered in sweat and blood, my bangs stuck to my forehead and I pushed the door harder and harder, trying to push him out of the way so i could have some semblance of safety.

The crunching of the door reminded me of what was between me and this man, who was determined on staying in my home for the night, the sirens passing by my house one after the other, catching my attention. I made the connection that, that’s what he was hiding from pretty quickly.

The creaking from the door opening further brought me back down to earth, his foot swiping mine off balance causing me to fall back and balance myself on the wall, allowing the door to fully open as he stepped through, hands up as a show of surrender.

——————————————————————————

I returned to the townhouse three hours later, crouching behind a large bush right while I waited for one of the men from the diner to step out the back door and onto the patio, bong in hand.

I overheard on their walk home about a new strain they had gotten from a dealer in the city, something about how it was supposed to be smoother than a generic? I couldn’t give a shit I hope it was laced.

As if on queue I heard the glass back door open, to my surprise both of them stepped out, one carrying a small bag and the other carrying the large glass bong shaped like a family guy character.

Assholes. Stereotype defining assholes.

The water sloshed inside of the bowl when one of the men stood up, both backs turned to me as I lunged at one of them from the bush, large Bowie knife clutched.

Sharp Metal pierced between skin muscle and bone, the squelch of blood and raw screaming disturbed the peace of the quiet neighborhood, the glass bong shattering as it hit the concrete. The sound wasn’t as funny I guess when you’re being stabbed through the spinal cord.

The first one was swift. The man fell to the ground and was sobbing while his friend, the one who tripped the server stood dumbly off to the side.

I lifted his head by his shortly cropped and gelled hair, the crunchy pompous locks making me want to vomit.

“Open your mouth.”

“W-what?” The cracked voice of the man annoyed me. Once so proud and full of arrogance reduced to a babbling child

“Are you deaf I said open your fucking mouth.”

He did as I said, and as I placed his front teeth on the metal feet of the patio stable and kicked down. The sickening crunch of his teeth and skull satisfied me. He’d finally stop laughing.

I turned to the other man, who was now holding a wooden board.

I pulled my knife out of his friend’s back, looking him in the eye and slowly wiping the carnage off on the paper white of my sweatshirt, lightly laughing to myself.

“What was your friends name?”

The man swallowed, Lowering the board and taking a shaking breath before looking back at me

“Look man if I owe you money or something, I don’t make the Coke I just deal it, I can give you the guys number or-“

I shook my head. This guy watched his friend get curb stomped and he was worried that he owed me money

“Do none of you listen? It’s like you can only hear yourselves, what was your friends name sweetheart”

I was wasting time. The neighbors definitely heard and or seen what had happened. I would be hearing sirens soon enough. I needed to get this over with.

“Ronnie, um his name was Ronnie”

He finally answered my question and I let out a breath as I took a slow and deliberate step forward, tilting my head so I’d be at eye level with him. Keeping quiet while he just stood there as if waiting for me to make a move instead of actually doing anything to stop me or using that wooden board he had so lovingly clutched.

I stopped, tracing the blade along my fingertip. His unwillingness to fight back making me want him to just smack me square in the face with that wood just to prove to me that he wasn’t all talk, and that he didn’t only like to pick on people he deemed lower than him.

“It’s harder for a rich man to get into heaven than it is for a camel to travel through the eye of a needle”

Tears ran down his face as he let the board fall on the concrete, sniffling when he twisted his face to try and figure out what I meant “What does that even mean”

“I’ll see you where we both belong”

The knife slipped through the fabric of his shirt as his blood dripped onto the front of my jacket, the friction of flesh similar to when you slice an orange in half. One after the other after the other until his body resembled hamburger meat. I only stopped when i could hear sirens in the distance, my anger finally subsiding in a dull guilt.

I hopped the fence of the small back yard, running into back alley ways and parts of the city that were abandoned at night, only resuming when the sun came over the trees.

My lungs burned as I coughed, and sprinted through the streets. Hardly being able to catch a breath as sirens grew closer, reminding me I had to keep running.

I made my way to an apartment building, scanning the downstairs units until I found one tucked away at the end of the tree line, with a sliding glass door leading to the outside of the back yard that was connected to the other tenants.

I saw the tv on from the other side but couldn’t quite make out who was watching it from the other side, the light from a street lamp casting a glare on the glass. They probably weren’t even home.

I searched for the door handle, my fingers accidentally tapping on the glass when I finally found it, unlocked. I pulled on the door the loud scraping sound surely alerting whoever was home if there was anyone there at all of my presence.

I didn’t have time to react when screaming ensued, weight suddenly on my shoulders as whoever was sitting on the living room couch was on me, yelling at me to get out and waving around a box cutter wildly.

I reached up, grabbing this persons wrist and also thrashing, whoever this was was hell bent on staying on my back, getting me out, or stabbing me.

There was a sharp sting in my forearm as they sliced me in an upward motion that i could only hope didn’t hit any major arteries, can’t go to the hospital when you’re wanted in all fifty states.

I managed to grab their shoulders flipping them so they were facing me , then pushed and fell with them to the ground, using the time they couldn’t breathe to pin their wrists to the linoleum, clamping down so hard they had to open their palm so that the box cutter would fall out of that iron grip. I stopped for a moment, recognizing their face and hair. It was the server. The server that was tripped, the server I saw run away from broken water glasses and the men I turned into New York strip steaks was now tussling with me.

A few kicks to the stomach I can deal with, wiggling is easy to endure, teeth tearing through my fingers is not something I ever want to feel again.

I let go, but not before I kicked the makeshift weapon where they couldn’t reach and cradled my now bleeding hand and arm while they skittered to the living room, and to a room down the hall. Probably to call the police. I ran, my longer legs carrying me to the room right before they could close the door, and stuck my foot in between the frame and the wooden board.

“I don’t want to hurt you I just need a place to sleep”

#fanfiction #creepypasta #jeff the killer #jeff the killer x oc #jeff the killer x reader #eyeless jack #jane the killer #nina the killer #slenderman #creepypasta fandom #creepypasta fanfic

7 notes · View notes

two-sides-halved · 6 days

Text

Continued | @erisdiamas

"Oh?? If it was that specific gem only, then why did your feelings for your own Jasper bleed into your opinion of my own? I mean, yes, she's dedicated, she was made to be, she's still kinda unlearning the homeworld propaganda that she's had ever since she popped out of her exit hole." He explained. "She still carries those feelings so failure from failing to protect her Diamond from being shattered, despite how it was faked... then despite how she fought during the war, fought on the side of Homeworld in Pink Diamond's name, despite being in Yellow Diamonds court now." Gem Steven replied. "She still carried those feelings of grief... she still does... so does Iris. Old habits die hard and all that..."

"I enjoy Jasper's company not, because she's dedicated to me, but because we share those feelings of failure to protect the people we swore to protect... I see myself in her... every flaw I have she also has... and I know you probably don't like hearing me compare myself to someone you deem a mutt, but that wouldn't be the first time I've compared myself to something akin to an attack dog."

He let out a low sigh. "I know that you don't need me... and I think that's why it hurts so much when you left the first time... because I know everyone's going to out grow me one way or another... hell Steven planned for his own cross country trip and all I could think of was... "of course he's leaving me... he doesn't need me any more no one does, I've become obsolete. I'm off color, overcooked, a mistake that no one wanted to deal with because everyone wanted Rose back and they got stuck with me." His tears started flowing over his cheeks, notably these tears didn't sparkly or fizzle away, but flowed down over his chubby cheek and onto the ground surprisingly no ill effects followed after.

"So when you came back I was so relieved to see you were ok, but then wracked with guilt that I didn't try harder to find you... that I when I was told she was going to be fine, I just believed you would instead of hunting you down like a bloodhound and making sure that you would never had to deal with any of this shit you had to deal with." He huffed a bit, as he pushed away the finished charcoal drawing, and wiped the dust on his pants before sniffling like a miserable kid huffing and puffing about a bad dream he had.

"By the time you left the second time I had figured... yea she can handle herself, she's proven to me she's been through hell and she can handle it, but I don't like it, I don't like leaving that up to chance... but I know the more I push you to stay home the more you're gonna feel like a fish inside a bird cage... longing for the open waters to explore the world, yet in an environment that's suffocating the longer that you're away from it." He huffed, and sniffled.

"I don't wanna make you feel like I'm suffocating you... I don't like feeling like I'm this massive problem that everyone has to deal... I don't like being constantly reminded of my past failures and mistakes...you're asking what I want... what I want is to forget about the past and have this fresh clean slate where I only remember being here on this Earth and not having to remember all the bad things that happened that caused me to be here in the first place." He shield himself. "I know everything that mom did albeit very fuzzy now, what she was thinking, why she thought it was the only way or a good idea... how she tried her damnedest to make things right... she never wanted to hurt anyone and she only ended up hurting everyone with her good intentions." He huffed as he made another few smores for the both of them passing her a few while eating one of them.

"I can't speak if your version of Rose was the same way, or even if Classic's version of Rose was that way, but I'd like to think that all these Roses are all cut from this same cloth of being underappreciated, rebelling against the idea that she's lesser than to everyone's failure to realize that she was unhappy, worked to make it so she could be happy, and only found happiness when she met someone like dad... who pushed back these feelings of superiority, who made her realize that what the diamonds did to her was wrong, but also that she was doing the same god damn thing and not realizing it until finally realizing that she was the problem and solving it by getting rid of herself..." He huffed, flopping down on the ground with his arms under his head looking up at the eerily green sky, with the shimmering starts peaking through, he was getting better but he wasn't quite there yet.

"To think all of this still stems from that movie is downright laughable if it weren't so emotionally draining." Gem Steven replied with a soft mumble due to his mouth being full.

#whats my mission ~ [ gem steven rps ]#erisdiamas

2 notes · View notes

ladydorian05 · 8 months

Text

A Home for Broken Hearts ~ Chapter 6

Co-written with and headder by @made-ofmemories

So... I took an involuntarly break, by this I mean that I just couldn't bring myself to proof read for the tenth time and actually post the chapter until today.

Anyways, sorry for the wait.

Masterpost

AO3

Chapter 6: In shades of grey with specks of light

“We should get back to work,” Eddie lets out a child-like whine at Steve’s suggestion.

They’re lounging on the couch they bought at the antique store the previous weekend. Steve is sitting with his legs sprawled, if Robin were here she’d no doubt chastise him for ‘man-spreading’. Eddie, on the other hand, is pressed into the corner with both of his legs draped over one of Steve’s thighs. Steve’s hand rests on Eddie’s leg, his thumb absentmindedly tracing patterns against the bare skin of his knee. He’s starting to wonder if Eddie owns a single pair of pants without holes in them, if he does he’s sure he’s never seen them.

“We’ve been working all morning,” Eddie complains, “Plus, my bar means my rules and I say we deserve a longer break.”

Eddie lets his head roll to the side, resting against his shoulder as he looks away from his phone and over to Steve with a pout and honestly, how is he ever meant to argue when Eddie is looking at him like that?

“Alright, fine you win,” Steve says, not putting up much of a fight and settling into his seat. He didn’t really want to move anyway.

The place was starting to come together, it was almost unrecognizable from the construction site Steve had walked in on that first night Eddie had brought him here. Most of the heavy construction work is done, Eddie is hoping they can get whatever is left done without the need for contractors so the place has been quieter than usual for the past few days. Currently it’s just Eddie and Steve, Chrissy and Robin having announced they were going to grab some coffee a few minutes ago.

“Hey look.” Eddie turns his phone towards Steve, dragging him from his thoughts. It’s an instagram page, the instagram page for the ‘broken hearts gallery’ to be precise, “10,000 followers.”

“Holy shit.”

“Yeah holy shit,” He has his nose buried in his phone again as he resumes scrolling, “And to think it all started with a scrunchie.”

“She texted me, you know.” That grabs Eddie’s attention, phone locked and dropped onto his chest as his focus shifts to Steve, “Heidi, I mean,” He clarifies.

“What did she want?”

“She broke up with Mr. McDreamy, again.”

“Oh.” Eddie’s face drops and a conflicted expression takes over his features, as if he’s trying to appear unbothered but can’t quite hide the disappointment.

“I blocked her number.” Eddie’s features relax again, “The way she spoke to me that day in the bookstore… it kind of reminded me of my mom. I don’t know how I never saw it before.”

“That’s…”

“Pathetic?”

“Not the word I was looking for.” Eddie gives him a soft smile, “I don’t think you’re pathetic. I do think your mom sounds like an asshole though, no offense.”

Steve huffs a laugh, always straight to the point.

“None taken, but if you think that’s bad wait until you hear about my dad.”

“Ah parental trauma, we’re getting into the real shit now,” Eddie says, tone lighter than the subject matter would suggest, “Tell me about them.”

“They weren’t really around much for most of my childhood or teenage years, business trips mostly. My dad was a cheating asshole and my mom didn’t trust him enough to let him go anywhere on his own. I don’t know why she put up with him honestly.”

He remembers feeling so lonely more than anything. Something all the nannies when he was a little kid and parties he’d throw as a teenager could never fill, “He wanted me to run the family business. I never wanted that, I didn’t know what I wanted at that point but I knew I wanted to do something that made me happy instead of following their expectations. My highschool grades were average at best and the thought of me attending community college, well, they didn’t like that very much either. They kicked me out in the end.”

He doesn’t talk about his parents much, never feels the need to. Aside from Robin there’s only a handful of people who even know anything beyond the fact he no longer has contact with them. But he trusts Eddie and sharing these things feels so natural.

“I’m glad you didn’t listen to them.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. You deserve to be happy.” The sentiment makes his heart swell. For all his goofing around and occasionally brash personality, Eddie had a sweeter side that Steve was starting to notice would creep to the surface every now and again. He liked it.

“They’re kind of the reason I started collecting stuff. We had this huge house, but it always felt so empty,” The words flow out like water from a tap and Steve doesn’t think he could do much to stop them even if he tried.

He takes a glance at Eddie, wondering if he’s still paying attention. He’s leaning forward, twisting one of his chunky rings around his finger, and hanging off Steve’s every word.

“There were never any photos, or knick-knacks, or little mementos from family vacations. It felt like living in a show house. So, I started collecting things from people I cared about and then when I got older, relationships. I Kept them hidden in a box under my bed because I knew my dad would make me throw them out if he found them.”

Eddie is looking right at him with that intense gaze of his. Steve has been on the receiving end of that particular look an increasing amount lately, the kind that makes him feel as though Eddie is staring right into the depths of his soul. It still makes him want to squirm just as much as the first time, though it’s not an entirely unpleasant sensation.

“And here we all thought you were just some crazy hoarder,” Eddie jokes, breaking the tension in the air.

“Well, Robin says I have attachment issues, so.” Steve snorts. “What are your parents like?” He’s cautious, not wanting to push despite his curiosity. He knows Eddie lived with his uncle for a while and he’s never mentioned his parents so he isn’t expecting a happy story.

“My mom died when I was a kid. My dad, well, while all the other dads were teaching their kids how to play baseball he was teaching me to hotwire cars and pick locks.” He chuckles dryly, no amusement behind it, “He’s in jail now. Shocker.”

“Shit, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’ve been with Wayne since I was 11, he’s my real family.” He shrugs with a smile, the same fond smile he always has when he talks about his uncle.

“I get it. I have someone- well several someones- like that too.”

“The kids?”

Steve nods, “Partly, remember El and Will?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, Will has an older brother, Jonathan. We weren’t close at the time, it’s uh, a long story.” Understatement of the century, “But, he found out about my parents kicking me out and it turned out he’s a better person than I ever gave him credit for. He convinced his parents to take me in for a while. They helped me out until me and Robs could get a place of our own. They’re better parents to me than my biological ones ever were.”

He shifts in his seat, careful not to jostle Eddie too much. The weight of his legs over his is nice, grounding almost.

“Whoever said you can’t choose your family was a liar.”

Steve hums in agreement. The kids, Joyce, Hopper and hell, even Jonathad had been the ones to fill his monotonous gray life with light.

He should call Joyce, it’s been a while since he heard her voice, Hopper’s too. A pang of guilt hits him at the thought, though he knows they’d never get mad at him for it. His gaze wanders along with his thoughts, lingering on the corner behind Eddie dedicated to all of Steve’s donations.

“Are you really not going to donate anything?”

“Hmph?”

“The gallery, are you going to make a donation?” Steve repeats as Eddie tucks his phone into his pocket, “You’re the only one left. I have, Chrissy has, even Robin has.”

“I told you, I don’t really keep stuff from my relationships.” Eddie shrugs.

“I don’t believe you. You must have kept something.”

“Well, actually.” There’s a moment of realization and then a strange smirk appears on his face, one that screams pure mischief and Steve’s suddenly a little concerned about what he’s just let himself in for, “there is this one thing. ”

“I knew it!” Steve twists his body to better see Eddie, “Will you donate it?”

“Sure, I’ll bring it by later after you’ve picked up Dustin and Max from the airport.”

“Shit, what time is it?” They’d never let him live it down if he was late. He’d lost track of time after they decided to take their break, he has no idea how long they’ve been sitting there.

Eddie looks down to the watch on his wrist then back to Steve, “Nearly 12.”

Steve lets out a groan and worms his way out from under Eddie’s legs, “I gotta go.”

“Right now?”

“Yeah, I know, I know,” He says when he sees Eddie’s expression. He’s pretty sure Eddie would spend the entire day lounging on that couch with him if he could, Steve doesn’t think that would be such a bad way to spend a day either, “I won’t be long. I’ll bring Dustin and Max with me when I come back, okay?”

The airport is busy, even outside where Steve is waiting next to his parked car. It’s Max’s fiery red braids weaving through the crowds that he notices first, one hanging over each shoulder and a pair of sunglasses perched atop her head.

“STEVE!” Dustin’s shout is the only warning he gets before he launches himself in Steve’s direction, tackling him with so much force he stumbles back a few steps, if it wasn’t for his back hitting the car Steve is sure they’d both be flat on their asses.

“Henderson!” Steve chuckles, wrapping one arm around him and using the other to scrub his knuckles across the top of his head which is protected by a cap, “How was your flight, kiddo?”

“The inflight entertainment system didn’t even have Star Wars, can you believe it? What is this?, The 80’s? There’s digital copies everywhere!” He sounds deeply offended, Max just rolls her eyes. It’s good to see that they haven’t changed.

Max steps up to give him a much calmer hug once Dustin has finally let him go. She looks tired when she pulls away, it’s not even 1pm but he has no doubt it’s already been a long day. Travelling has always taken its toll on her whether it was a car journey or a 4 hour flight, he can’t even begin to count how many times she had fallen asleep on the back seat of his car, head resting on Lucas’ shoulder.

They’ve both flown in from LA, their first stop before heading home to their parents for summer break. Max had been itching to get back to California ever since her shitty step father had moved them halfway across the country when she was barely a teen. She’d gotten into UCLA majoring in marine biology and hadn’t looked back since. Dustin made it into Caltech, an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Steve had never been prouder, of all of them, but it had hurt seeing all of his kids scattered across the country. He and Robin had moved to Chicago shortly after, there was nothing left for either of them in their small hometown once the kids were gone.

“Alright, come on shit-heads help me with this stuff we need to get going.” He pops open the trunk and throws in one of the duffle bags from the small pile of luggage that has been dumped on the tarmac.

He isn’t sure who the bag belongs to until Dustin screeches, “Hey be careful with that!”

“Well come help me then!”

The apartment is empty when they get there to drop off Dustin and Max’s belongings. Dustin will be sleeping in Steve’s room and Robin is sharing her room with Max. Steve had drawn the short straw and ended up agreeing to crash on the couch for the week, not wanting to deal with Dustin's snoring, he’s sure his back won’t thank him for it- Christ, he’s getting old.

“Where’s Robin?” Max calls from her room.

“She’s probably still at Hellfire. She left to get coffee with Chrissy before I went to pick you guys up,” Steve calls back from his room where he’s dumping one of Dustin’s bags onto the bed, apparently not carefully enough judging by the wide eyed ‘really?’ expression he gets in return. He shrugs in response.

“Can we go there?” Dustin is trailing after Steve, close on his heels as they head for the living room where Max meets them.

“Sure, do you guys want a minute to settle in first? I know you had a long fli-”

“We can go now,” Max interrupts and Dustin nods enthusiastically.

They’re outside before Steve has even stepped out of the elevator. He shakes his head with a fond smile and follows them.

“What’re you doing?” Dustin is asking Max when he catches up.

“Uh, getting into the car, what does it look like I’m doing?” She replies with a familiar disinterested tone.

“That’s my seat.”

“You sat shotgun on the way here, it’s my turn.”

“Steve, tell her!”

“She’s right.” He shrugs, still smiling. He really has missed them, petty arguments and all, “You can sit up front on the way back.”

Dustin huffs about the seating arrangement a little at first but for the most part it's peaceful on the short drive to Hellfire, the sound of the radio drowned out by the overlapping chatter and bombardment of questions directed at Steve. Will Eddie be there? What’s he like? Is he as cool as you said he is? Have you told him about us? What did you tell him about us?

Eddie has, surprisingly, moved from the couch when the three of them walk into Hellfire; it's instead occupied by Robin and Chrissy sipping on little paper cups of coffee and sharing a box of pastries that sits on the cushion between them. Robin stands, putting her coffee down in such a rush that some of it spills into the rim of the plastic lid when she sees them.

Dustin tackles her similarly to how he had done Steve earlier and Max wraps her arms around the both of them when Robin beckons her over to join in the hug.

“I missed you both so much!” She has her face pressed into Max’s hair and she’s squeezing them both so tight Steve’s not sure how either of them are breathing.

“Where’s Eds?” Steve asks Chrissy, she’s still on the couch watching the reunion with a soft smile and he speaks quietly so as not to disturb them.

“Eds?” Max breaks away from the hug and turns on Steve with an expression that can only mean trouble. ‘Quietly’ was not quiet enough as it seems. Dustin seems unphased, his attention focused on Robin and the animated conversation they’re having.

Right on cue Eddie appears from wherever it is he has been hiding and Steve breathes a sigh of relief, he’ll escape her grilling and most likely teasing for a little while yet. She won’t forget though, Steve knows that much, he may be free for now but he’s just delaying the inevitable.

“You must be Max.” Eddie is wearing a 1000 watt smile and Steve has to admit it’s endearing to see how excited he is about meeting Steve’s kids, “I’m Eddie, Steve’s told me a lot about you.”

“Nice to meet you.” She extends her hand to shake and Eddie accepts, she glares at him the whole time as if she’s looking right through him. She’s testing him, sizing him up. Steve’s seen her do it a thousand times before. He relaxes just a little bit when they break the hand shake and Max’s expression softens with a nod, not quite a smile, but something close to approval.

“And that leaves, Dustin, right?”

Dustin whips around at the mention of his name, he’s had his back turned to the three of them up until now, catching up with Robin and not paying a lot of attention to whatever it was the rest of the group were up to.

“No fucking way.”

“Dustin!” Steve pinches the bridge of his nose, that was not how he was hoping that particular interaction would begin.

“I knew your voice sounded familiar!” He yells, completely ignoring Steve and vibrating with excitement, jumping up and down on the spot. “I heard you talking in the background when I called Steve sometimes, but I could never figure out why I felt like I knew you.” Dustin’s eyes are so wide Steve’s surprised they haven’t fallen right out of their sockets.

“My- wait. Is your last name Henderson by any chance?”

“Holy shit,” Dustin says and Steve has given up at this point. He’s completely lost and by the looks on the faces of the others he’s not alone, “Eddie, Supreme-DM, Eddie?!”

“The one and only Sir. Dalastor Henderghton.” He bows low and with a flourish of the hand as if he’s introducing himself to royalty.

“Ok, I’m confused,” Robin announces, interrupting whatever it is Eddie and Dustin have going on, “Would one of you like to share with the group? What the hell is happening right now?”

“Do you two know each other?” Chrissy adds with a quizzical tilt of her head.

“We play D&D together online,” Dustin explains, then turns to Steve for backup, “Steve, I told you about him right?”

“Yeah- yeah you told me but I- my Eddie is your Eddie?” Dustin gives a sideways glance at the implication but he doesn’t comment. Steve is sure it’ll be added to whatever teasing he’ll have to endure from Max later over ‘Eds’.

“It’s a small world,” Eddie brings a hand up to pat Dustin’s shoulder before it settles there as if they’re old friends, Steve supposes they are in a way.

“I don’t understand, you’ve seen photos of Dustin before, how did you not recognise him?” Steve’s brow is furrowed, his mind working to keep up as he connects all of the dots.

None of the kids have ever seen photos of Eddie, but Eddie has seen Dustin countless times before, in the photograph on Steve’s dresser and in the countless pictures Steve has on his phone. Granted, a lot of the pictures were from back when they were still teenagers but they hadn’t changed that much, certainly not to the point of being unrecognizable.

“I’ve only ever heard his voice, some of our party members don’t activate their cameras.”

“My laptop doesn’t have a camera.” Dustin smiles sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. Caltech whizz-kid, smartest person Steve knows and he doesn’t own a laptop with a camera, figures.

“I can’t believe I got to meet the person who inspired your character before we even met face to face,” Eddie looks to Dustin and Steve follows his gaze with a single raised eyebrow. Dustin is very pointedly avoiding eye contact with both of them.

“Not cool, man!” Dustin says in a hushed tone, “That was said in confidence and away from the party’s ears for a reason!”

“No one here is part of the party.” Eddie points out. Dustin sighs and covers his face with one hand, rubbing at the corners of his eyes with his thumb and forefinger.

“Are you guys sticking around for a while?” Chrissy interrupts before the conversation can turn into bickering.

Steve looks to Robin who gives a tiny raise of her shoulders, he turns to look between Dustin and Max instead, “It’s up to you guys.”

“Yeah,” Max answers on behalf of both of them, “We can stay.”

“Good, there’s plenty to be done.” Chrissy is smiling, that warm welcoming smile that could convince anyone to go along with anything and Max trails after her without question when she heads towards the meticulously laid out tables and chairs she had been sanding and varnishing earlier. Most of their furniture is second hand, they look for the cheaper beaten up stuff then Chrissy works her magic. ‘Upcycling’ she had called it once.

Eddie leaves with Robin, whispering conspiratorially between themselves as they go. Steve expects Dustin to follow, but he’s just standing there staring at him with a borderline creepy smile on his face.

“Alright, out with it. Let’s get this over with.”

“Your Eddie huh?”

“So, you made a character based on me, huh?” Steve bites back, trying not to sound as smug as he feels. Or as flattered.

He finds the whole thing quite endearing really, and he’s fairly certain he’ll start to tear up if he thinks about it too hard, so he jokes about it instead. A very unhealthy technique for dealing with his emotions that he’s sure he picked up from Robin.

“Shut up.”

“I won’t talk if you don’t.”

“Deal,” Dustin agrees.

“Alright, come on.” He bats the brim of Dustin’s cap as he passes, pushing it down over his eyes.

Eddie and Robin are over by the stage, leaning into each other and giggling like a couple of school girls and he wants to know what has them so amused. They immediately change their tone when they see Steve approaching, Eddie is hiding something behind his back and they’re standing up straighter and trying their best to school their expressions into something more neutral but they’re both terrible at it.

“What are you two up to?” Steve asks, already resigned to whatever shenanigans he’s about to willingly let himself be dragged into.

“Well,” Eddie starts, the word drawn out and dramatic, “remember when I said I had a donation for the gallery?” Steve nods, “I went back to my apartment while you were picking the hobbits up and-”

There’s a pair of handcuffs dangling in front of Steve’s face. Not the cheap kind lined with fluffy faux fur that Steve has seen in the past, no these are made of what seems to be a high quality leather with a chunky buckle on each cuff and a thick silver chain joining them together. They look expensive.

He’s staring, he knows he is and he knows he needs to say something but he can’t seem to find a single word to force out of his clenched jaw. His cheeks are burning, his face is no doubt glowing an embarrassing shade of red. He forgets about Dustin standing by his side until he hears his barely contained snicker and then his eyes are widening, darting between Dustin and Eddie while the panic sets in. The way he sees it he has two options, covering Dustin’s eyes or snatching the cuffs from Eddie… maybe both. Yeah, both. Both is good.

“Dude, you know I’m like twenty now right?” Dustin asks, clearly witnessing the internal struggle Steve is going through and deciding to spare him.

It still feels strange hearing it. Sometimes it’s easy to forget they’re young adults now, no longer the little 14 year old trouble makers he remembers. Hell, Mike is as tall as if not a little taller than him now, most of them have part time jobs and their own apartments.

Steve splutters, still not quite able to find his words, this time it’s Robin who comes to his aid, “Come on, Chrissy is calling for us.”

“What no she-” Dustin screws up his face as if she’s started speaking in another language, he quickly cuts himself off when she gives him a pointed glare, “Oh- actually I think I can hear her now, yeah, see you in a bit Steve we’ll be-” He gestures vaguely in the direction of Chrissy and Max on the other side of the room, ushered along by Robin who throws a wink in Steve’s direction before they go.

“What’s wrong, not into kinky stuff, Harrington?” Eddie asks with a smirk once Robin and Dustin are gone.

“No, no it’s not that,” He says in a rush, “I just didn’t peg you for the type.” He realizes too late his choice of words and Eddie’s face lights up with amusement.

“Oh I’m full of surprises,” It’s barely more than a whisper. Steve isn’t sure when they got so close, but he can feel Eddie’s breath on his cheek as he speaks. He’s gone just as quickly as he appeared, the distance between them growing despite Steve wanting the opposite, “Where should we put them?”

“Are you sure you want to get rid of them?”

“Yeah, it’s not a big deal. I have others and my ex bought these ones.”

Others. Steve gulps, trying not to let his mind wander. It’s ok. He can be normal about this. But all he can think about are the mental images of those leather cuffs wrapped around Eddie’s wrists, or maybe how they’d feel against his own skin and- yeah he is so far beyond being normal about this. God, someone needs to just put him out of his misery before he does something really stupid and messes this whole thing up.

“Right,” He squeaks.

They decide to hang them on the wall in the end, next to the purple scrunchie Steve donated. Robin gives him a knowing look when they join the others and Steve has no doubts that she’s going to want all of the details once they get back to the apartment. He’s not sure he’s ready for that conversation yet.

Eddie only writes ‘He wasn’t the one.’ with no duration of the relationship beside the handcuffs. Steve briefly wonders what it would mean to be his one.

#steddiebigbang2023 #steddie big bang #a home for broken hearts #steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #teacher! steve harrington #bartender! eddie munson #robin buckley #chrissy cunningham #max mayfield #dustin henderson #stranger things

5 notes · View notes