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Two Good Reasons, Part 2

Summary: The truth comes out

Pairings: Andy Barber X Reader

Rating: mature

Warnings:  language, mentions of cheating, mention of fertility issues, depictions of depression, 18+ ONLY

Word Count: 4K

Previous

Series Masterlist

*dividers created by @firefly-graphics

Your leg bounces up and down when you look at your phone. You are late. And knowing Scott, he’s going to use this against you. You rarely went out. But this…

You look down at your clothes. His clothes. What else were you supposed to do but grab his button up, and some sweats. It still smelled like him, and you’re swooning. You can still feel him in your body. On your body. He didn’t just fuck you, he made sure to implant his entire soul in you, and it leaves you longing for more. Things with Andy have always been good enough for one time.

It was beautiful, and perfect, and just like how you would imagine seeing him again. But you can’t want him. Your life is a mess, and you can’t bring him into it. You give a nod to the Uber driver as you get out of the vehicle. Your heeled shoes oddly matched with his clothes, and make too much noise as you walk up the front steps.

Walking into the house, you’re met with Scott glaring at you. You don’t answer. You want to see your babies. But he makes a show out of looking at his watch. “You’re over an hour late.”

“Sorry, I ruined your Sunday morning, Scott.”

“And what the hell are you wearing?” His hand gestures down your body, and you feel your cheeks flare up in anger more than embarrassment. Like he had any room to talk. He smirks. Reaching across the counter to slide your wallet towards you. “The District Attorney dropped this off for you. Guess I know whose clothes you’re wearing. My god. How can you be so fucking stupid?”

“I’m stupid? How’s Taylor? Your twenty-three year old fiancé? She’s just waiting for the damn divorce to be finalized, huh?” He hates when you bring up the engagement, or her age. Hell, everyone could tell she was young. Most thought she was younger than twenty-three.

Scott takes a deep breath. His fingers tap on the counter. “If you give us the house, I won’t fight you for full custody.”

Your eyes immediately well with furious tears as you stare at the man that you loved so much. You gave up everything to give him the family and home he wanted. The only thing you couldn’t give him anymore was children. Taylor could. He made sure of it. Plus her boobs weren’t droopy from breastfeeding. Her hips weren’t wider from bearing children. Her hair wasn’t thinner because you gave to your babies.

“Why are you always crying? My god, we’ve been over this. You’re getting alimony. Why do you need this house?”

“Why do you?” you counter immediately.

He sighs, shaking his head, “Because we’re going to have a family. You’re — not.”

“You son of a bitch. You're bargaining my kids for this ugly house? You think you have a leg to stand on for full custody?” This is the thing that infuriates you most about Scott. He was a good father, but now that the veil has been removed, you see that his children were more of a show for him. Something to talk about at meetings. Brag about when Audrey got into the best Pre-K in the city. Not because he actually enjoyed them. That was you.

“I have a career. You have…”

“I was your wife, and their mom, nurse, teacher, friend, entertainment, cook, maid,” you would do it all again to spend time with them. Them. It pains you knowing that Suede is at a center, when with Audrey you spent every waking minute with her.

“Yeah, I get it. You did all that for me, but that still doesn’t mean anything. I paid for this house. I’m the one that makes the money.”

“Get out,” you answer blankly. Don’t argue with him outside of the courtroom. That’s what your cheap lawyer told you. Don’t give him ammunition to take your children away. He wanted you to stay at home. He wanted you to not use your college degree. He wanted you to give everything for the family.

“We’re not finished. I am trying to negotiate things with you. Especially since you’re running around sleeping with the DA. You think that’s going to actually help your case? Seriously?” Of all the things to say, this was the worst. To think he thought so little of you that you would sleep with someone that could leverage the case. He’s an ass. But he also knows about your Andy. Too bad, he didn’t realize they were the same person.

“Andy is not just the DA,” Scott looks over your features, and your mouth turns up into a smile. Is he really lecturing you about sleeping around? At least you chose someone that was more than a tight body and big tits. You chose someone you loved, could see a future with. And you were pushing him away, “Andy is an old friend.”

“You bitch,” you shrug, starting to walk backwards towards your children who should be taking a nap. “Are you fucking kidding me. That’s — you — don’t tell me you fucked him so…”

“Mommy!” You shoot him a glare as Audrey comes running down the hallway. Jumping into your arms, and you hug her so tightly. “You smell nice,” you hope Scott hears her. You weren’t into playing games where your children are concerned, but you hope he feels even a tiny prick of the pain you felt when you found him fucking Taylor in your bed. “Me and Suedey missed you.”

“I missed you, too, baby. You want to go get Suede, so you guys can tell daddy, bye?” She furrows her brows, while she looks at you confused. “Baby what is it?”

“It’s nothing. Audrey, go get Suede,” he gives her a little wink, and you place her back on the floor, and turn to look at him. “It’s nothing.”

“If that woman was in my house again, so help me God, Scott,” it’s the one thing you hated. Her being here. Of course you didn’t want them at her apartment either, and neither did Taylor. It was too small and they caused a mess, which is why overnight stays with their dad were few and far between.

“She doesn’t like being alone.”

“And the agreement was for her to not be in my dwellings. This is my dwelling.”

“And it should be ours! You don’t even want it. You hate it here. You’re just doing this because you don’t want Taylor and I to have it.”

“I’m doing this? Who is the one that said you won’t go for full custody if I give you the house? Taylor put you up to that?” Scott stops his retort as a swollen eyed Suede comes waddling into the room, and you lift him up. “Why is he snotty? I was gone one night, why is he snotty?” You hate being that mom, but with Suede, you have to be careful.

“He petted Trixie,” you look up at Scott dumbfounded. “It was just for a little bit and then…”

“Audrey,” Scott warns, and you want to throw things at him, and scream. She did nothing wrong. She is the child, and he is the adult. “Come give me a hug. I need to finish talking to your mom," you let your chubby toddler waddle off to his daddy. And Audrey gives you a lingering look before grabbing her brother’s hand. Apologizing as she drags him to the play room.

“It wasn’t a big deal.”

“He’s allergic to cats.”

“I gave him a Benadryl. He’ll be fine.”

You hate him. It isn’t much to ask for Taylor not to be here. And for her not to bring her fucking cat. “And what happens if she feeds him something with eggs?” Scott looks at the counter, and you wonder if he ever regrets getting involved with her. He’s the type of man that will force something to work. Because you didn’t stand for cheating, so he didn’t have another option.

“What happens if she gives him walnuts? Or milk? Or…?”

“Or gives him shell fish? Or strawberries? Or pineapples? Or whatever made up bullshit you have for him. She’s a kid and doesn’t know how bad his allergies are.”

You stare at him, and let him think about his fucking words. Seething because he sure knows how to piss you off. This was a good day. You stared at Andy’s sleeping body for too long before you tiptoed around his bedroom. Having sex so many times exhausted him now. “You’re right, she’s a kid. And had no business being with you. But our son’s health is not made up. I held his body when the nurse pricked his skin forty times, and he was wailing in my arms, and not understanding why his mommy was forcing him to do this. Don’t tell me it’s fucking made up Scott. Get out.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Get out. Leave. I can’t even look at you. This isn’t the you I married. You would never put our children’s health at risk,” he continues to stand there. Opening his mouth a bit, but you’re tired. You’re sore. And all you want is to play with your children. “I don’t need you to ask me if I’m going to use this against you. Yes, when it comes to my children’s lives and their safety, you’re damn straight I will make sure my children are alive to see another day, and not because some tramp thinks Seude’s allergies aren’t that fucking serious. Get. Out.”

He bites his lip before spinning on his heels quickly. You watch him walk out of your house, and life again. Sniffling when you lock the door. You take a few deep breaths before you have to put on your mommy shoes. It isn’t easy being a mother. Especially a single mother. It’s not easy seeing the man that you built a life with walk away so callously. To see him building a life with someone younger. Someone who can give him what he wants.

Someone who didn’t spend months and months on fertility treatments that made her feel like her skin was crawling. Like her mind was shattered. Having to schedule sex, and hope and pray that it will work. All the useless damn pregnancy tests that were always negative. Stressed, and trying to be what he wanted, only to find him fucking the babysitter, while your children slept in the next room. And it was your fault you caught them, you got back home early.

Scott didn’t even begin to understand stress. He could never understand the ups and downs your mental state went through just trying to give him what he wanted. You had Audrey and Suede. One of each, you weren’t greedy. But everything you ever did was always for him. Put on a smile when you’re hurting so bad internally. Smiling to the neighbors because everything was perfect. And you had a perfect home, and inside you were screaming because that wasn’t happiness.

The only happiness you currently have is your kids. They’re enough. They’re the reason you wake up every morning, and take them to the nursery school. They’re the reason that you get excited that Audrey wears a little uniform now that she’s in Pre-K. They put a smile on your face everyday. And those hard days when they test your every patience, and you are the one that has to be the positive one and get them in the bed, but who takes care of you?

You wanted a family and a partner. Someone that would team up with you, and take some of this load off. Someone that could entertain the kids, while you had one hour to yourself, just so you can take a bath and read. You wanted someone you could trust to be around your kids, and you’re wondering where things went wrong with Scott. Yeah, you’re sure he was stressed, but what about your stress? You’re the one who didn’t even enjoy sex anymore because it was a chore. And you did it for him.

Gods, Andy wasn’t a chore. Minus the ache in your core, that you know is going to be there for awhile. Bruised, raw, stiff, sore, and stretched. He fucked you, and fucked you so hard and deep. But then — later in the night, he kissed you. He kissed you so hard that your body prepared for him in seconds. You craved him. But he didn’t fuck you. He pushed into your warmth so slow that you knew he was making sure your body memorized him. That wasn’t fucking. That was claiming. It was euphoric. It was making love, and hoping that his body can make you change your mind. He still wants you.

That is what you want with sex. Not to just lay there, and let them take what you want, while you count the cobwebs on the ceiling. But Andy didn’t deserve whatever is going on between you and Scott. Andy deserves the world. He always has.

It isn’t anything, really. Just the average separation, and fighting for custody that Scott didn’t deserve. But you want to be divorced. You want these conversations to be done with. You want him to man up, and just be the part time dad. It’s what he was anyways. But you made it clear that Andy had you for one night. And even now saying it out loud, you hate yourself. But it’s the right thing to do. Because had Andy been present for this, his usual calm and collected demeanor would have been tested.

“What are you two doing?” You jump around the door, and both kids squeal. Suede gives a few strides before he’s crashing into your legs. “Bubba, I think you’re going to have to get your nose cleaned out at bathtime.”

“Nope. Me pay Sis,” he hates getting his nose cleaned out, and you hate that he has done it enough to know what you’re talking about.

“Mommy, I didn’t mean to get daddy in trouble.”

“Shh,” you sit on the floor, and pull her close to you. Kissing on top of her head, and she fumbles around with her little figurines. “The important thing is you told mommy that Suede was around something that can make him sick. That’s called being a good big sister, okay?”

“You promise?”

“I do,” and you curse Scott for making her worry about a grown man. It was something Scott wouldn’t have told you. Bending the truth because Suede was fine. Audrey, your strong sweet girl, knew it was wrong, and knew it could make her brother sick.

“Can we go to soft play tonight?” You look at her confused. Scott said that he was going to take them there with Taylor. Since she was supposed to be here. “Daddy said that they were closed. Do you think they’re closed today?”

“No, baby. They’re not today,” you always had to go with Scott’s lies. Taylor never wanted to do ‘baby things’. You wondered how that was going to work when she had children of her own. “You think mommy can take a shower with the door open and you and Suede not get into trouble?”

“Can we get ice cream, too?” She gives you a devilish grin, and you nod your head with a smile. “Are you going to use your bathroom?”

“No, I’ll use yours. That way I can still hear you, if you need me,” Audrey isn’t dumb. She knows you’re lying. In reality you couldn’t use yours and Scott’s bathroom anymore. It had the beautiful tub that was part of the reason you and him decided on this house. You couldn’t even sleep in your bed. Not after they defiled it.

You knew that was the real reason, and still you made excuses as to why you slept on the couch. Your favorite was to make sure nobody came through the front door. Whatever lie helped you sleep at night. Maybe you should just give Scott the house. But it’s the principle of the matter that he used your children as leverage. You want him to pay, and you want him to be their father, you want them to have a good relationship with him and Taylor, and you want things to not be so fucking difficult. You never get what you want.

You remember the most beautiful parts of your marriage. Audrey in a world of her own, while Suede goes from watching her to rolling his cars around. They were your sanity. Your saving grace, and the only reasons you’ve survived thus far. Your thumb trails over your naked ring finger. You didn’t realize you would miss it so much. But was it the ring you missed or the husband you had? You can’t even think of Scott in the same way as before. He sullied your relationship and has proven too often that Taylor is more important than your everything’s.

“So,” Sloane says as Andy walks past you and into Ransom’s office. You didn’t question why Andy needs to meet with him. It goes with the territory and the less you know the better off you are. “Big dick daddy doesn’t pay you any mind anymore?”

You choke on your coffee as you glance up at her. How the hell would she know about Andy’s dick or your involvement? “I mean, the man prances around the courthouse like he’s got a dick made out of lead. Acts like he owns the whole court system. And for a while, he always made a point to ask you for coffee, or dinner, or brought you pastries. What did you do?”

“Nothing,” you go back to your work. Sloane could be a nosy woman. Always digging for more information. And even now, she’s eyeing you like you’ve done something wrong.

“You when I think that things changed?”

“Nope,” you sigh, but she sure is going to tell you. Andy respected your wishes for just one night. But you hoped that he wouldn’t. And you know you’re acting silly. There was this part that is bigger than you really want to admit that hoped he wouldn’t give up on you. Because maybe once things are settled with Scott you might consider it.

“It might have something to do with his celebration of another year as District Attorney, and the two of you not so casually leave together. You kinda forgot your car here,” your fingers freeze, and you look up at her curiously. “You two left out the door together, and your car was here? Seriously?”

“I had a flat tire.”

“No, you didn’t,” there isn’t another way you can lie, so you just sit at your desk, staring at her. “So how was it? I’m assuming that you had sex. You’ve got kids, you’re not a virgin. So why not? Is he as big as people think?”

“People talk about his dick size?”

“Not just talk about his dick size, but have tried to break his impenetrable force field of his private life. And you come in here, and everyone is envious because he immediately showed interest in you. Why?” Her eyebrow cocks up, and she smiles. “Keep your secrets. Cause I know you fucked him, and I know now that he barely even looks at you. So either you told him how it was going to be, or…”

Her voice trails off as she walks away from your desk, “Or what?” That sounds ominous, and you didn’t want an or. You want to know that Andy doesn’t hate you. But what could make him hate you that much? The only thing would be, “Scott…”

—

“Stop moping,” Ransom rolls his eyes, but Andy is so far lost in thought it annoys Ransom. “You’ve been like this for a couple of weeks,” Andy ignores Ransom, stirring his coffee. “What’s wrong, your highness?”

“Your office manager.”

“Was the sex that bad?” Andy looks up at him confused. Scrunching up his brows, while he wonders when Ransom thinks he had sex with you. “You two weren’t subtle. She was all giggly, and you were dragging her out the door. Liquid courage I guess. Not to mention, Sloane said that her car was here once everyone left. Office hookups are severely frowned upon, but you needed laid. But I guess…it was bad.”

Andy shakes his head no. “And we had agreed on sex while she was sober,” you were sober. And cute. And flirty. And Andy was not going to miss an opportunity. Until he found out you are married.

“How romantic. Now, since the sex was good, let’s get to work.”

“She told me that I could only have her one night. We have a bit of a history, you see,” Ransom rolls his eyes, twirling his hand and motioning Andy to speed up the conversation. He didn’t care what kind of history you had. He just wants the conversation to end so he can get down to business. “She’s married.”

Ransom shakes his head no, and leans to reach in a bottom drawer of his desk. Grabbing up a file folder, he drops it on the desk in front of Andy, and he pulls it towards him. Opening up the folder, he reads through it, and looks at Ransom, holding his breath. “Yeah, that’s a petition for full custody of her kids from her wonderful estranged husband, Scott Huffman. Her working here wasn’t just because she needed a job. She actually went to college to be…”

“A CPA. I’m aware. We have a history.”

“And didn’t know about her legal separation?” Ransom is annoyed. Ransom hates getting off track. There is a schedule, and Andy isn’t sticking to it. “Her lawyer is one of the cheapest ones. She needs new representation, and for some godforsaken reason, I pity her. Scott doesn’t need his kids full time. He’s got him some blonde that’s too young for him, but he’s got the money. She was a stay at home mom, and she deserves her kids, so I’m trying to make that happen. And no, you cannot intervene. You actually met him didn’t you? Scott?”

“I’ve met him in court a few times.”

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it. Don’t get involved. She’s not married. Well, she’s legally separated. So if that’s what the issue is, get over it,” Ransom is sometimes way to blunt, but it’s the reason Andy admires him. His pension for being a spoiled brat helped him be a better ADA. “That fucker is still calling her his wife isn’t he?”

“Yeah. Men like him love to show that they still own her. Using her kids against her, no doubt. But,” Andy holds his hands up in surrender. He knows Ransom can see right through him concerning this situation. “I won’t interfere.”

“Was her pussy that good?”

“It was always that good, but it was never about the sex,” he meets his eyes before he closes the folder, and extends it to Ransom. He misjudged the situation. And then he probably has been making you feel like a wet hole by ignoring you these past couple of weeks. “God, I'm an idiot.”

”Yeah, now if you can stop ignoring her, and go back to your obvious shameless flirting. It sounds like the two of you, if you want a future, need to fucking talk. Just like we’re supposed to be doing.”

Ransom is right. About a lot of things. He pushes the urgent need to talk to you aside. He wants to apologize for ignoring you, and even the horrible things he thought. He wants to understand what really happened in your marriage, if you want to talk. He wants to let you know that you have a friend in him. Not just a sexual need. He cares about you. And knowing that a ruthless man is trying to get full custody of your children, sickens him. Scott worked too many hours to ever need those children.

But mostly, he wants to know the new you. The one you kept hidden, and the one that grew up and created a new life. He wants to know that you are okay. And that you have someone with a steady head to lean on. He wants you. He always has. And he’ll be whatever you need. If you’ll let him.

Next

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A Little Bit Stronger

Part 4

(previous part here, next part here)

Bradley Rooster Bradshaw x OFC

Summary: You get more bad news but it turns out to be a blessing in disguise

Just like everything else I write/post: this story is for 18+ only. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT. It will contain smut, adult themes, situations and language. Please also note this story may be triggering due to the topic of domestic abuse (physical, emotional, sexual) violence-feel free to message me with any questions before reading.

Warnings: 18+ MDNI! Smut, mutual masturbation, a little voyeurism.

•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•

The front door closing quietly wakes you the next morning, well, more like Hank jumping off the bed to see the person who opened it.

“Alright,” you yawn, stretching before you get up, feeling again well-rested. “Let’s go.”

He races down the stairs ahead of you, excited to see Bradley.

“Did I wake you?” He asks as you enter the kitchen, continuing when you shake your head. “Sorry, I get up early. Went for a run this morning.”

“You’re fine,” you smile, “Hank was just excited to see you. I usually get up early too, must’ve just been tired from yesterday. Is that why you’re called Rooster? You’re an early riser too?”

“Uh, yeah,” he says, turning pink as he rises from petting Hank to look in the fridge.

Now you’re totally convinced that there’s more to the story by his avoidance.

“I don’t have much besides eggs and toast,” he sighs, looking at the loaf of bread on the counter, “I’ve gotta get to the grocery store. I should warn you too, I can’t cook for shit.”

“That’s okay,” you reply as you open the door to let Hank outside, “I used to love cooking.”

“Yeah?” He doesn’t need to ask why you stopped loving it, assuming (correctly) it was because of Chad. “My mom was a great cook. I’d do anything to have one of her home-cooked meals again…that I complained about at the time, wanting McDonald’s or pizza instead.”

You laugh as you fill Hank’s food bowl, “I did the same thing, I think most kids do.”

“Yeah,” he chuckles, grabbing the eggs and pulling out a pan. “The best was her meatloaf and homemade Mac and cheese. She left me a whole book of her recipes but it never ends well when I attempt them.”

“I could try making it,” you reply as you let Hank back inside, “if you want.”

“Really?” He lights up as he cracks an egg, “that’d be great.”

“Yeah,” you smile, “it’s been a while so I might be a little rusty, but I’d love to try. It’s the least I can do since you won’t let me pay you for staying here.”

“That’s not a big deal,” he murmurs. “Her recipe book is in there if you wanna take a look,” he nods to one of the drawers. “Do you like your eggs scrambled? Cause that’s all I can do.”

You laugh again, “Scrambled is perfect.”

•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•

“Wanna invite Reese, Jake, and Drew over?” Bradley asks as he packs the groceries into the back of the Bronco, “I know the recipe makes a lot, we always had a ton of leftovers.”

“Sure,” you reply, buckling your seatbelt as he gets in the driver's seat. “Do you mind stopping at the post office? I should check my PO Box.”

“Not at all,” he replies, heading that way.

•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•

“Everything okay?” He asks when you frown, reading the letter from the court.

“The divorce hearing is scheduled for next Friday,” you reply.

“Isn’t that good?”

You nod, “It is, but I have to work. Thankfully it’s being conducted over the phone, but I don’t want to ask for time off when I’ve only been there a few weeks.”

“Reese will gladly take off,” Bradley assures you.

You sigh, “I hate asking her to, but I don’t think I have a choice. I don’t want to delay this any longer.”

“Do you have a lawyer?” He asks.

“Yes, but I’m not asking for anything from him; no alimony, nothing from the house…I don’t want or need any of that. I just need him to sign the papers and leave me alone.”

“Do you think he will?” He asks softly.

“I don’t know,” you whisper, “I hope so.”

•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•

Bradley plays outside with Hank while you start the food; both recipes are easy enough to follow.

“It smells amazing,” he comes in just as you’re closing the oven. “Jake and Reese will be here any minute.”

“Good. Hopefully it tastes amazing too,” you smile, looking at him over your shoulder.

“I’m sure it will,” he replies, stepping close to dry his hands on the towel hanging on the oven door. “It’s looking better already,” he murmurs, his deep brown eyes on the fading bruise on your cheek before meeting your own.

Your eyes flick to his lips, fingers twitching as you fight the urge to bring him down to yours for a kiss.

You both jump when the doorbell rings.

“They’re here,” he says, before clearing the huskiness from his throat. “I’ll let them in.”

“Yeah,” you nod, “okay.”

•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•

Bradley brings a round of beers outside while the food cooks inside, Drew’s giggling at Hank’s antics, and Reese is telling you and Jake about the trouble she and Bradley got up to with Andy back in the day when your phone rings.

The relaxed smile falls from your face when you recognize the number as your new landlord.

“Excuse me,” you say, stepping inside to answer it and check the food.

•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•

The oven timer goes off just as you hang up the phone.

Somehow you manage not to get any of your tears on the food as you take out the dishes.

“Wow, everything looks great-hey what’s wrong?” Bradley asks when he sees your tears.

“That was my landlord,” you tell him, wiping your tears with the back of your hand, “he terminated my lease…that hadn’t even started.”

“What?” He asks, handing you a paper towel, “Why? How can he do that?”

“Said he overlooked something when I applied,” you sniff, “it’s just a bullshit excuse. This has Chad written all over it. God only knows how he figured out that’s where I was moving,” you inhale shakily, “I’m guessing he either bribed or threatened the landlord.”

He hesitates for a moment before gently wrapping his arms around you in a hug.

“Shit, that was stupid. I’m sor-“ He starts to let go when you stiffen instinctively but you shake your head once before allowing yourself to melt into his embrace. All of your anger, sadness, resentment, grief, and fear hitting you at once. Your shoulders begin shake from your suppressed sobs as you bury your face into his solid chest.

Neither of you hear the back door open again.

“Actually Drew, can you take Hank out one more time?”Jake says when he spots you, “I think he might have to go potty.”

“Sure! Come on,” he says, and the door closes a moment later.

“What’s wrong?” Reese asks, stroking your hair.

“I l-l-lost my apart-“ you take a deep breath before reluctantly pulling away, “I lost my apartment.”

Reese tears up and there’s a tick in Jake’s jaw as you explain everything.

“Oddly enough, I was thinking of taking next Friday off anyway,” Reese says when you tell her about the divorce hearing.

“Liar,” you laugh wetly, “but thank you.”

She just smiles.

•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•

“This is exactly like she made it,” Bradley murmurs, mostly to himself. You pretend not to notice the tears in his eyes.

“Roo, is Shae your girlfriend?” Drew asks a few minutes later.

Reese snorts as Bradley chokes on the food in his mouth, “No, she’s just my friend. Why?”

“Because she slept over last night,” he shrugs.

“Well, are you my boyfriend? You sleep over sometimes too,” Bradley asks, raising a brow.

“No!” Drew giggles, “I was just wondering. I thought when adults sleep over it means they’re dating. Jake sleeps over all the time in Mom’s room. He leaves really early in the morning though. I don’t know why he doesn’t just move in.”

You bite your lip to keep from laughing at the shocked look Jake and Reese share.

“Busted!” Bradley bursts out laughing, “not as sneaky as you thought, huh?”

“Oh fuck off,” Reese says, her and Jake laughing now too, “Drew, don’t repeat that.”

“I won’t,” he giggles.

“Shae is just a friend and she’s going to stay here for a while,” Bradley explains before clarifying, “in the guest room.”

Your lip quirks at that.

“But why?” Drew asks.

“Drew-“ Reese starts but you interrupt.

“I just moved here and it’s hard to find an apartment that allows big dogs,” you explain, not lying…just leaving out some details.

“That’s dumb,” Drew scoffs, “he’s such a good dog.”

“I think so too,” you smile.

“Do you like baseball?” He asks, changing the subject, “I love baseball…”

•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•

You begin the apartment search again the next morning, requesting tours and submitting applications to anything that looks promising.

But by Thursday evening, you’ve gotten zero responses.

While discouraged, you weren’t exactly disappointed. It’s been a week since you’ve been staying with Bradley and you two already have fallen into a routine together; he quietly opens your door every morning to let Hank out so he doesn’t whine and wake you. Already gone by the time you got downstairs but had coffee, toast, and eggs waiting in the microwave. He’d gone home to let Hank out without you asking one day when you didn’t have time to take lunch. His delighted reactions to your cooking makes you remember why you loved it.

“Still nothing?” Bradley asks as he sits across from you while scrolling for a movie to turn on.

“Nothing,” you confirm with a sigh, “I promise I’ll be out of here soon though.”

“You don’t have to be,” he turns to you, but his eyes won’t meet yours, “I mean, there’s no rush.”

He hesitates so you wait for him to continue.

“It’s been really nice having someone else here,” he admits, “It gets…quiet living alone.”

His admission tugs at your heartstrings; you got lonely too.

“I understand. I do like having someone around. For little things like talking over dinner, watching movies together…and I can finally sleep. I don’t keep myself awake overthinking every little sound.”

“Good,” he murmurs, “you can stay for a while if you want. Until you find an apartment you like, or until things get better with your ex and you feel safe again.”

“Okay,” you agree, “but only if you let me pay you.”

“Sure,” he says as he returns to scrolling, “we’ll figure something out.”

•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•

Bradley’s Bronco is already in the driveway when you pull in the following afternoon.

It was a long, exhausting day, but it’s over. You’re free.

It was conducted over the phone, so while you didn’t have to see Chad, you still had to hear his voice. He behaved though; his daddy must’ve been present.

“Bradley?” You call when you open the door, feeling better already as you step inside.

He doesn’t answer but Hank is relaxing at the top of the stairs. His tail thumps heavily as you make your way up.

“Hey pup,” you murmur, kissing the top of his head before passing him.

You realize where Bradley is when you enter your room and hear the shower running.

Having every intention of taking a nap, you flop down on the bed with a sigh and close your eyes.

Just to open them a minute later when you keep hearing something; a wet, rhythmic slapping.

Is he…? No. It’s none of your business if he’s jerking off.

Then he moans softly.

You ignore your body’s reaction.

It’s wrong…right?

There’s a thump above your head and you can’t help but picture him bracing his arm against the wall as he strokes himself.

“Oh,” he groans, then, “Shae.”

There’s no ignoring the arousal that rushes through your body before settling between your thighs.

You slide your hand down the front of your pants, gasping when you touch your clit, swollen and pulsing.

Your eyes fall shut as you circle your clit, listening to the sounds he makes and picture him while he’s apparently picturing you.

It’s been so long since you’ve had an orgasm that you’re on the brink in no time at all.

His gasped “fuck” above your ear is all it takes.

Your mouth falls open as you shudder through wave after wave of pent-up pleasure. Tears stream from your eyes at the long-overdue emotional release.

The shower turns off as you come back into your body and by the time you muster enough strength and coordination to get up to close the door, he’s already walking past.

“Shit!” He jumps when he glances into your room, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t think you’d be home until later.”

But you hardly hear him; your eyes follow a droplet of water as it runs down his bare chest, wanting to follow it with your tongue. It’s absorbed the towel wrapped loosely on his hips.

A light tug would make it fall.

“Hey,” he notices your disheveled appearance and drying tears, “you okay? How did it go?”

That snaps you out of it.

“It’s-yeah,” you shake your head to clear it, “I just got here a minute ago. I’m…it was a long day.”

“I bet,” he nods, “I’ll listen if you want to talk about it or there’s beer in the fridge if you want to drink about it?”

“Drink about it,” you smile.

“Alright,” the way he grins makes your heart (and other parts) flutter.

•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•

A/N: posting 2 chapters in 2 days-who even am I? I think I wrote over 5,000 words today 👀

Anyway…Shae is a single woman and things are s l o w l y heating up! What did y’all think?

As always, any interaction is appreciated but I LOVE hearing what you think in the comments/reblogs! Seriously, feedback helps me more than anything.

Please let me know if you want to be added to (or removed from) my taglist…and if I forgot to add you-it wasn’t intentional.

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[lolasimms]

a lots gonna change pt.9

Summary: Married life isn’t great, infidelity ensues, and things change

I’m all of you guys’ mother and I will continue to feed you, also please don’t hate me :)

next chapter

The past four months and a half had been torture for you, it was as if there was an ongoing battle occurring in your brain. You were stuck between a rock and a hard place. The question; "Should I stay or should I go" engrained itself in your head. When finally you'd decided to go through with the divorce.

You'd had the support from your family and friends who assured you that you were doing the right thing. You'd gotten yourself a place not too far from your ex, to ensure Lila wasn't far from her. You had Lila during the week, with Ellie occasionally taking her for weekends, just until your custody date was settled. You'd both come to a mutual agreement that the best thing for the two of you was to seperate. However Ellie still had moments in which she would spiral and try and get you to take her back, but you never complied.

Your sister Nara took it upon herself to fly out to come support you and you couldn't have been happier to have her with you. With the support of her, Joel, Dina and Jesse you felt like a weight had been lifted off your shoulders,like you wouldn't have to be doing it all alone anymore. You also began seeing a therapist, except this time it was on your own, her name was Francine, and she was the best piece of solace you'd had. She'd truly made you feel like you'd be able to heal from all the damage that had been done.

Work was a great distraction, at first Abby had kept her distance and respected your need for space. Until you'd realised she only wanted to be there for you. You'd let her in, little by little only wanting to take things slow. Nothing sexual had happened between the two of you, as you still didn't feel right being touched by anyone other than Ellie. For years she was the only person you'd grown accustomed to and it frightened you to think about letting anyone other than her in.

Going through with the divorce was difficult but you only wanted what was best for Lila, and that was ending the relationship between you and Ellie and beginning a healthy co-parenting one. You knew getting back with Ellie would only mean you'd be in a relationship where you struggled with trust issues and insecurity. You just wanted the two of you to remain civil. That was exactly why you had decided not to fight Ellie for full custody, you'd give her an equal opportunity to bond and build a relationship with her daughter.

-

You can just take a seat over here Ms. Y/LN."  You we're still growing accustomed to not going by Ellie's last name, yours sounding foreign. The attorney as motions to the chair on his right. You hesitantly take a seat, then steal a quick glance at Ellie who is sitting across from you, her lawyer is seated to her left.

"Alright, we may start the proceedings now, Mr. Reynolds would you like to start" her defence asks, as he looks up at your lawyer.

"Sure, as displayed here my client is set on joint custody, with no asks for alimony or spousal support, she want's this to be fair and easy"

Ellie looks up at you in relief and visibly relaxes in her seat. You steal a glance at her but quickly look to the floor, to avoid making any further eye contact. You were a nervous wreck, the lump in your throat making you feel the need to scratch yourself, bite your nails, anything to make time pass.

"Ok, well if that is the case, Mrs. Williams would like to have her daughter on Friday to Sundays, due to work scheduling, is that okay with the defendant?" You nod your head at your lawyer, and he proceeds.

"Yes, my client is okay with that, however I'd like to discuss the deeds of the house. The two of them bought this house with the intent of sharing 50-50 assets, her name is on the papers so how would the defendant like to settle that?" You finally bring your gaze up to see Ellie, who's eyes were already on yours. She was fidgeting with her wedding ring, which she was still wearing despite your divorce being finalised weeks ago.

"My client doesn't mind, Mrs. Williams says Y/n can have the house, after all she will be the primary caretaker of their daughter" her lawyer says and you finally take it upon yourself to be vocal.

"I don't want it" you say, voice low and barely above a whisper, and your attorney turns to you with a glare. "We talked about this Y/n, this is a great deal for you" he whispers and you shake your head.

"No, I'd like for her to keep it, and I want my name off of the papers" you say aloud, and Ellie's hands visibly tense. It was the first time in months she had heard you speak more than three words. You try fighting back tears, but of course they come, flowing freely down your face and you wipe them in embarrassment.

"Alright, then that's settles it, anything else you'd like to discuss?" Her defence asks and your lawyer shakes his head no. The both of them stand up and shake hands, and your lawyer walks you out of the room, to congratulate you.

-

"Thank you Mr. Reynolds, I'm glad you were able to make it as easy and as fast as possible" He smiles and pats your shoulders.

"Please, call me Matt and its what I do, I'm just glad you got your clarity" his phone begins to vibrate and he picks it out of his pocket to respond.

"Im, sorry Y/N but it's my sons school I've got to get going, but I'm glad everything worked out in your favour"

"Thats fine, and once again thank you so much for everything" you wave him goodbye as he speed walks down the steps of the courthouse and you are left standing there in the heat, as you wait for your sister to come pick you up.

"Y/n?" you know who's voice it is, never in a million years would your forget her voice, and immediately you tense up at the touch of her hand that was on your shoulder.

"Can we talk?" Ellie asks, and you promptly remove her hand from your shoulder, leaving her red from embarrassment.

"I said everything I needed to, inside there Ellie" you refuse to make eye contact with her and she sighs desperately. She wears a simple black suit, the button of her blazer was left unopened and she had cut her hair a tad bit shorter than usual.

"I'm sorry, I don't know how many times I have to say it but I truly am sorry, I love you Y/n" she whispers, with tears in her eyes.

"You lied to me Ellie, we went to therapy and the whole time you were lying to me, you made me feel like a fool"

"I was doing it for your own good, I thought what you didn't know couldn't hurt you" You scoff and take a step down the stairs, desperately needing some space.

"Yeah cause it was 100 times easier to hear of your infidelity from Amelia" you spit, with sarcasm, the disdain for her ex-lover evident in your voice.

"I- Y/n she didn't mean anyth-" she tries but you cut her off swiftly.

"Don't fucking lie to my face and tell me she meant nothing, cause I know she did" Ellie sighs in frustration and runs a hand through her hair.

"I'm sorry" she whispers again, for what felt like the 1 millionth time.

"You can say sorry as many times as you'd like but I won't forgive you. You got the house, you've got your sanity and you get to see Lila, just let me be." You say and before she can continue, you get a message from Nara telling you she was here.

"I'm leaving now Ellie, I hope you're happy"

-

"Why the fuck, did you let her take the house?" Your sister was grilling you as the two of you sat on the balcony of her hotel room, sipping on red wine.

"Nara, that house, I couldn't take even if I wanted to, the memories are just too much." You confess, as you glance at the view of the waterfront. Her words are tuned out as you gaze at the sailboats, as they paraded down the canal. One by one, they went and you watched in awe as the catamaran's glided on the dark blue body of water.

"Y/n?"

"Y/n?" Nara calls a second time, but you are entranced by the sailboats.

"I think I wan't to buy a catamaran" you blurt out, as you are broken out of your trance and she stares at you in disbelief.

"You hate the water" she laughs as she pours, more wine into your half empty glass and you bring it to your lips, taking a sip.

"People change" you mutter under your breath, she proceeds to put her hand in yours and the rest of your evening is spent in comfortable silence, indulged in glasses of wine, and the sound of crashing waves and friendly chatter from the hotel bar.

-

"Momma, when is mommy coming back?" Lila questions, from the sofa, where she was seated with a small brown doll in her lap.

Ellie looks up from her laptop, where she was completing some documents from work and swallows thickly. This was the part that you and her hadn't discussed, the part where you find the right thing to say to your 3 year old kid.

"Mommy's not coming honey, she'll come pick you up tomorrow" she shuts her laptop lid, and walks over to the sofa to sit with her.

"But mommy and momma sleep together and I sleep in my bed?" She mumbles, the young girl trying to piece together why her mothers had stopped sleeping in the same house and bed.

"Now mommy and momma sleep in their own beds, my love" Ellie soothingly rubs her back and lifts her into her lap. Where the rest of the movie they watch is complete in sheer silence. Lila falls asleep, on the sofa and she takes her up to the room, to sleep with her as she couldn't bare the feeling of being alone.

"I love you honey, when I'm awake and when I sleep, I love you" she whispers into her daughters hair, as she kisses her goodnight.

-

"Pink please, momma" Lila says as she holds her hand out. The two of them had been playing all afternoon and she couldn't have been happier. If it weren't for the time she got to spend with her daughter she wasn't sure she'd survive the separation.

"Here you go baby" Ellie immediately grabs the thick crayon and places it in the toddlers hand and she accepts it graciously.

"Ok, almost done, don't look yet" she says in a serious tone, and she knows to not look, as the last thing she needed was a tantrum from her sassy daughter.

"Pleaseee, can I look now?" She asks and Lila sighs dramatically and lifts the paper quickly to her chest.

"Ok fine, ready?" Ellie nods and when Lila turns the paper towards her with a nervous giggle.

"Wow... it's beautiful honey" She can feel tears brimming from her eyes and she has to fight to keep them from spilling. She had drawn a messy yet clear picture of the three of you holding hands. With the labels "Momma" "Mommy" and "Me".

"Do I get to keep it, baby?" She asks as she lifts her from the stool and pulls her into her embrace and she nods with a wide grin on her face.

Shortly after she had packed up the crayons and began to pack up her toys, Ellie was startled by a few knocks at the door. Lila perks up from the couch and runs over to the door and she has to speed walk to stop her from answering it.

"Mommy!" The toddler screams as she reaches her hands up for her mother and you instantly pick her up, showering her in kisses. She then notices her aunt and does the same, to which Nara pecks her cheek and smiles.

"Hi Y/n, Nara good to see you again" Nara ignores her and you mutter a simple "Hi" as you avoid eye contact, something you had started doing ever since the day you had found out about her cheating.

"Is her bag packed?" You ask and she mentally curses herself for forgetting that you'd be coming to pick Lila up so soon.

"Uhhh no, but I can do it real quick"

"It's fine, she'll get them next time" you trail off as you nervously look too your sister who nods. She looks at the both of you and you hand Lila to Nara.

"Lila say bye to your mom" Nara finally speaks and the young child kisses Ellie goodbye and is led off to the car by her aunt.

"Can we talk Ellie?" You ask and her heart rate speeds up, she's not sure if you had forgiven her, or if you had changed your mind on the divorce but she had positive hopes, as this was the first time since the split that you had asked to speak to her alone.

-

"So you bought a house?" She tries to make sense of your words.

"Yeah, it's not far from here so we don't have to drive too long and it's close to her preschool." She nods at your words and shifts uncomfortably, the silence killing the both of you.

"So I'll be coming back tomorrow to come pick up all my stuff, her stuff can stay here, I'll buy her new shit that'll stay at my place" you say.

"I wish you didn't have to do all of this, Y/n" she finally breaks her silence and you're left scoffing.

"I did this? That's rich coming from the person who cheated on me" you laugh maniacally as she looks at you in disbelief.

"I know, it's my fault. I can't even apologise because I know it won't make a difference but I won't stop fighting to get you back." You shake your head and get up, having had enough of her words.

"I mean it Y/n I'm not going to stop until I get you back"

"Good luck with that Ellie"

-

Abby was in her office when she'd gotten a text from your personal contact. You'd never texted her from your personal phone before so she was surprised. The past few months the two of you had spent friendly time together. She knew you'd wanted space, to take things slow, so she gave you exactly that. She didn't want to screw her only chance up.

'Can you come to my office please, it's urgent.'

She was worried something had happened so immediately she got up and rushed to your office down the hall. She knocked on the door and heard a light "Come in" As soon as she entered you'd gotten off of your seat walking towards her. You grabbed her face down towards yours and began kissing her fervently. She was stuck in place, not believing if this was real or she was dreaming. You were desperately clawing at her biceps, pulling her towards the sofa that was against your office wall.

"What's this about?" She mumbles into your mouth as you push your tongue into her mouth, grinding against her vigorously.

"It's a celebration, I'm a free woman and I think it's time I let you fuck me" Her stomach lurches at your words and she can't help but let out a hard moan.

"Should we be doing this here, what if someone comes in" she smiles as she unbuttons your satin blouse, peppering kisses against your neck.

"We can discuss all the ways that this is wrong after you've thoroughly fucked me" you don't know what's gotten into you, but you needed to feel her inside you or else you’d combust.

You were tired of waiting. Ellie had had her fun for five months straight, so why couldn't you? You'd waited until your divorce, kept Abby hanging but that was not how things were going to go now. It was finally time you focused on what was good for you.

taglist;

@moonlightdivine @maybe-cece @macaroni676 @sawaagyapong @katiemars @ellieseater @dakota-dream @joliettes @hebrokeimup @bratydoll @wakasaaa @catostrophiclesbian @l0v3e1i @dinas-a-bird

[metashard]

Rick Sanchez Imotekh arranged marriage Orizyn crackplot seed bulb (469 words (nice))

Orikan felt his shoulders lock in place as Imotekh took one pauldron in each hand and twisted the cryptek to face him. There was something intense in the phaeron's oculars, as though each were a lantern whose shutter had been flung back to reveal the fire within.

“Orikan,” he rumbled, “we are three quadrillion dollars in debt, Orikan. I need you to- I need you to marry that man. I have seen Gheden, and read of the wonders of Solemnace - he's loaded.”

“My phaeron, does our economy really-”

“The Mephrit are sending a delegation. They know that they cannot best me in outright battle, so now they're planning on burying me in contract law.” His grip tightened. Orikan tried not to flinch as he felt the outer layers of his necrodermis crackle under the strain. “Half a quadrillion of that debt is supposed to be for crypteks based in their systems. They’re going to kill me with lawyers if I can’t get them that money. I already had to deal with one set of bad knees, Orikan, I can’t have them busting these too!”

Some of Orikan’s typical irritation began to leak through his fear. “Well, what do you want me to do about it? Steal from him?”

“Dead gods, no, not more legal charges. I want you to marry him for the cash.” Imotekh pulled Orikan close then, and gestured to the horizon with his Gauntlet of Fire. “Think about it, Orikan. Just spend a few years on Solemnace-”

“Years?!”

“- siphon off a bit of moolah, get treated like royalty - oh, don't give me that look, I've seen the two of you in a room together. Make it look believable, usual political marriage slop. I’ll work on getting us cozied up to Krispekh on my side, then boom, you get to divorce him and run back here with the alimony. You can even make the breakup as ugly as you want. All you have to do is play nice and get pampered for a few years.”

“One of us will kill the other within a decan.”

“You couldn't kill each other with ten thousand years of close contact. Forgive me for not believing you for a damn second. Anyway, your ship should be ready to leave in two days.”

Orikan's vocal actuator caught in a series of blurts and sputters as he repeatedly failed to settle on what to say. Finally, “You’re pimping me out?!”

“Hey now, it's called a marriage of state when royals do it. And I neither expect nor ask you to fuck the man,” another burst of static from Orikan, “just avoid killing him until I can angle this whole thing into a decent deal with his phaeron. Sound good?”

“No?!”

“Too bad!” Imotekh finally released Orikan's shoulder with a squeal of metal on metal. “I'll send the wraiths to help you pack. Have fun!”

[gentrychild]

Dear Katydid,

While I did give you a beautiful idea through the terms "B. Hisashi noticing a change in Yoichi's personality after he gave him "Stockpile".", it was right after we talked about some smooth villain Yoichi concept and while I was looking at Erna's beautiful art of Yoichi wearing a suit and the Coat.

Instead of writing the smooth villain Yoichi we deserve with some side of AFO being outclassed, you somehow wrote Yoichi being possessed by a greasy creep who was best friend with his right hand.

Not only do I not owe you child support, as I bear no responsibility for the creation of Neurotopia, but I am the one who was the most wronged, because of this fic and because of your slander.

As such, I shall sue you for defamation, slander, and crime against owlkind. However, since I am kind, benevolent, as beautiful on the inside as I am on the outside, and merciful, my demands will be modest: you owe me sneak previews of your fifteen next fanfictions, a dad for one AU with changeling Izuku, an AU where (tattooed and pink haired) First, Second and Third adopt a non human Izuku, a new tododeku fic, and for you to cease at once to try to pass your brain children for mine (take responsibility and stop trying to claim alimony from innocent owls, you conman).

I shall stop talking to you until you have accepted my demands. In the meantime, you can address your apology to my lawyer, who will soon meet you. Don't worry, they already know where you live and they are burning to talk with you.

Sincerely,

GENTRYCHILD

[engie-ivy]

There's nothing Remus and Sirius won't give up for each other, including their marriage.

(Seems like Angst, but I promise it's more Fluff!)

For Better or for Worse

“I’ve gone over your prenuptial agreement,” the judge says, studying the document in front of her. “And it is well-documented that possessions you had before the marriage will remain yours after the divorce. However,” the judge looks up from her paper and into the courtroom. “That leaves any possessions acquired while you were married. According to my information, the house, for example, was bought in the second year of your marriage.”

Sirius’ lawyer gets to her feet. “The house was financed entirely with the money my client had inherited from his late uncle. Before his passing, he decided to leave his money to Mr Black and Mr Black alone. It is nonsensical that my client’s decision to invest that money into real estate would suddenly make Mr Lupin entitled to it.”

As the lawyer sits back down, the judge looks over at Remus, sat on the other side of the courtroom, alone, without a lawyer. Remus just averts his eyes.

The judge sighs, and turns back to Sirius and his legal support. “Then can you confirm that Mr Black has, for the duration of the marriage, been the sole breadwinner?”

“Correct,” the lawyer says.

“And can you confirm that it was in agreement with both parties that Mr Lupin has, for the duration of the marriage, been dependent on Mr Black’s income?”

“...Correct,” the lawyer says, a bit more hesitant this time.

“And taking that into consideration,” the judge continues. “Don’t you agree that your client owes it to Mr Lupin to financially support him by means of alimony at least until Mr Lupin has had the opportunity to get matters in order and arrange his finances?”

“Forgive me, your honour, but I must disagree.” The lawyer is standing again end crosses her arms over her chest. “Mr Lupin’s inability to find paid employment is solely due to his... condition. Now, discrimination against Lycanthropes in the labour market is a discussion that falls outside the scope of this lawsuit, but it is evident that it is not my client’s responsibility, nor does he have to pay the costs for it.”

Remus looks down at the table. Embarrassed doesn’t really cover how he’s feeling. It’s humiliating.

“So you truly wish to leave your ex-husband with absolutely nothing?” The judge is now addressing Sirius directly, and Remus can hear the barely suppressed frustration in her voice.

Sirius’ eyes narrow, and he opens his mouth to reply, but his lawyer cuts him off.

“Objection! That question is subjective, and implies a moral judgment of my client. The morality of his actions is not what is being called into question here, only the legality.”

The judge purses her lips, but gives the lawyer a stiff nod before turning to Remus. “Mr Lupin,” she sounds a lot more gentle now. “Do you wish to say anything?”

Remus steadies himself, taking a deep breath and hardening his expression, before looking up at the judge with a steady gaze. “He can keep his money. I don’t want it.”

The judge looks at him for a long moment, but Remus’ determined expression does not waver. Then she nods and looks back at Sirius and his lawyer. “Then I hereby grant Mr Black’s request that all assets will be his and he shall be exempt from the obligation to pay alimony, and with that, I declare the divorce between Sirius Orion Black and Remus John Lupin officially finalized.”

The judge bangs her hammer and that’s it. Their marriage is now officially over. Remus feels an emptiness inside that he hadn’t anticipated. He knows it’s for the best, doesn’t he? They’ve been fighting for so long, at some point, it’s just been enough.

Once all papers are signed and Remus is standing at the side of the courtroom, he briefly meets Sirius’ eyes, and for a moment, he sees reflected in them the same pain and regret that he’s feeling inside. Then Sirius’ lawyer walks up to Sirius with a broad smile, and his expression changes to a huge grin as he happily shakes his lawyer’s hand, all previous emotion having disappeared.

Remus quietly leaves the courtroom.

Sirius is walking down the street, having opted to walk home, as he really needed some fresh air after all that. The people around must think him incredibly vain, walking whilst looking in a mirror. Either that, or completely crazy, for talking to said mirror.

“So, how did it go today?” James asks on the other side of the mirror.

Sirius runs a hand through his hair. “I suppose it went well. As good as could be expected. Everything was assigned to me, so we got what we wanted.”

“That’s great,” James says with a relieved sigh. “Or, well, this whole situation is shitty of course, so it’s sucks that it had to happen in the first place, but I’m glad you at least managed to get the best possible outcome.”

“Yeah,” Sirius says. “I mean, we tried, but in the end, there was truly nothing else we could’ve done.”

James smiles at him. “Exactly. Take care, Padfoot. I’m here if you need anything.”

“Thanks, mate. I appreciate it.”

Sirius closes the front door with his foot, kicks off his shoes and starts to take off his suit jacket. “Babe, I’m home,” he says, as he throws his suit jacket over a kitchen chair and walks into the living room. “Went for a short walk to clear my mind and let Prongs know how today it went.” He walks over to the couch and flops down facedown, letting out a groan. “Today was awful.”

Remus closes his book and places it on the small table next to him, before gently carding his fingers through Sirius’ hair. “It really was,” he agrees.

Sirius shuffles further towards Remus and presses his face in his neck.

Remus hears the unasked question there: Please hold me. I need to be close to you right now.

So Remus wraps his arms tight around Sirius and pulls him even closer.

“Today was probably the worst day of my life,” Sirius mumbles against Remus’ neck.

“Yeah, it was like being in some dystopian future in which we didn’t love each other anymore.” Remus shudders.

“I’m sorry my lawyer was so awful. I didn’t know she’d go in that hard.”

Remus shrugs. “We needed her to be cut-throat, and she was.”

“I guess that’s true,” Sirius says. “I didn’t know she was going to use the Lycanthropy argument.”

“She wasn’t wrong though.” Remus can’t quite keep the bitterness from his voice. “They can sit there and call you out for being cruel, but they shouldn’t forget it’s their own policy that has put me in this position in the first place.”

And then to think that this whole mess started with something that seemed so positive at first:

Wolfsbane.

Hell, it’s still positive. Okay, it’s not a cure, but it’s a step, and a huge step at that. Ask any werewolf, and they will say that the worst thing about the whole transformation is the feeling of losing control, of losing yourself, of being pushed out of your own mind. With the Wolfsbane Potion, you still have the monthly transformations, the pain in your bones and joints as they bend and snap into place, the tiredness before and after the transformation, sure, but that hopelessness, that fear of yourself, of what you might do, that’s no longer there, and that makes all the difference in the world.

You will never be a monster again.

But Wolfsbane Potion comes at a high prize. Literally and figuratively. The Potion is incredibly difficult to brew, and can only be prepared by experienced Potions Masters, which makes it incredibly expensive. On top of that, for it to have the proper effect, a person has to take it every single day. And werewolves aren’t exactly a population that has money to spare.

When the Ministry announced that they were going to provide Wolfsbane Potion for free to every Lycanthrope who can’t afford it, Remus could barely believe it. It seemed too good to be true.

And alas, it was.

You see, with ‘Lycanthropes who can’t afford it’, the Ministry actually meant ‘Lycanthropes who had used every knut they owned, who sold their house and every possession that was worth something and used that money too, who ended up on the street possessing nothing more than the clothes on their body’. Then, and only then, will the Ministry provide them with free Wolfsbane Potion.

What it came down to, was that werewolves were given the choice between giving up everything they have and end up with nothing whilst being on Wolfsbane, or simply don’t take Wolfsbane. Basically, the only ones for whom Wolfsbane Potion was actually a feasible option, were the werewolves who are already living out on the street. And while this population, the population of werewolves who have given up on trying to make something out of their lives due to discriminatory anti-lycanthrope laws and are living together in camps, is rather large, these people are often so angry with the society that has rejected them, that they have embraced their identity as werewolves, revel in being monsters, and gain satisfaction from the fear they install in people. For most of them, Wolfsbane Potion would have no appeal. For some of them, staying in control and being themselves while transformed wouldn’t make them any less dangerous. And for a few- Remus shudders to remember the man who bit him all those years ago- it would make them a lot more dangerous.

And even if Wolfsbane Potion would be a good option for this group, what will that mean? Remus has been working his whole adult life to empower werewolves. But what incentive will they have now to make something out of their lives? Why get a job when every knut you make will immediately go to the Ministry if you still want your Wolfsbane? Why even try to find a place to live when you will be forced to choose between rent or Wolfsbane, and buying a house per definition means no longer getting Wolfsbane?

It’s unfair, and Remus has spent months fighting it, with the continuous support of his husband. He has written articles and opinion pieces in newspapers, has spoken at political gatherings, has been to meetings with several ministers. In the worst-case-scenario, he got a rude dismissal, and in the best-case-scenario, an empty promise. Also the general public couldn’t be bothered, werewolves just weren’t a group they particularly cared about. Besides, they had heard the Ministry was going to provide free Wolfsbane Potion to Lycanthropes who can’t afford it, so what more do they want? It was already more than they deserved.

Remus eventually had to accept he won’t be able to change the policy.

And he still desperately wanted the Wolfsbane.

Now, Remus was so lucky to be in a position werewolves don’t often find themselves in: he had a partner he could fully rely on. The ministry wouldn’t give him free Wolfsbane if he has an income, savings, a house, but they would give him free Wolfsbane if Sirius has an income, savings, a house, while Remus has, at least on paper, nothing.

It’s the perfect solution. Remus can get Wolfsbane, while still having a roof over his head and food on the table. He keeps reminding himself how it’s truly the best of both worlds, how lucky he is, how hardly any werewolves, hell, hardly any people period, have someone they not only can rely on the way he can rely on Sirius, but also trust as completely the way Remus can trust Sirius.

Because Remus is truly putting himself in an incredibly vulnerable position.

If Sirius would want to, Remus would be left with nothing. Technically, Sirius has everything, and Remus is completely dependent on him, but in reality, it just doesn’t feel like that. Sirius works really hard in the hospital every day, and Remus works really hard on his social justice cases, his campaigning for werewolf rights, his articles and talks at political conferences, and in the end, it’s their income, their savings, their house, even if Sirius is technically the only one who actually gets paid for the work he does.

Remus doesn’t feel like Sirius is financially supporting him, and doesn’t feel like he should be thankful. Don’t get him wrong, he’s incredibly thankful to have Sirius in his life, and incredibly thankful to have him return his love, but he’ll never say he’s thankful that Sirius is providing for him. Sirius will have none of that if he heard Remus say it. They are equals, and they both see it that way.

When Remus realised what needed to happen, Sirius had not wanted to hear it. He refused to accept there was no other way. He still had money left from his uncle’s inheritance, he had family heirlooms they could sell, they could move to a smaller house, and in the mean time, Sirius could take on another job during the weekends and evenings. Remus, on the other hand, refused to put that kind of pressure on Sirius. Only when he said that he would not go on Wolfsbane if Sirius did not agree to a divorce, words Remus never thought would ever come out of his mouth, Sirius caved.

The first results on the effects from Wolfsbane are incredibly. Not only psychologically, because again, not being a monster, but also physically. There are no more wounds, bruises or broken bones, the strain on your body is so much less, and there are even studies that show Wolfsbane Potion can increase a Lycanthrope’s life expectancy! And that’s probably the only thing Sirius cares about more than his marriage to Remus: Remus’ wellbeing.

So yes, Remus has the best of both worlds, Remus is so very lucky, other werewolves can only dream to have what Remus has, and all that. But it’s so hard to see it as a good deal when the price he had to pay was his marriage to Sirius.

Sirius sees the signed divorce papers lying on the table and hides his face in Remus’ sweater, where Remus can just make out his muffled voice. “Can you put those away somewhere I don’t ever have to see them again?”

Remus kisses the top of his head. “It’s nothing but paperwork.”

Sirius huffs. “We sighed paperwork stating ‘till death does us part’, not ‘till public policy does us part’.”

Remus can’t help but chuckle. “I must say, I much prefer this over one of us being dead.”

“Yeah, but it’s...” Sirius trials off.

“Talk to me,” Remus presses gently. “I know it’s not what we had envisioned, but why is it so hard on you?”

“I promised you forever,” Sirius says so softly Remus can barely make out the words. “And I feel like I’ve let you down.”

“Oh, love.” Remus squeezes him closer for a moment. “You’re still here, aren’t you? And I’m still here. The way I see it, ‘forever’ is still very much on the table.”

Sirius lifts his head to look at Remus. He smiles, but it’s a weak smile. “Of course, you’re right.”

Remus places a hand on hid cheek. “You did it for me, because you want me to be on Wolfsbane. I did it for you, because I don’t want you to suffer the costs. Now, what shows that we love each other more? That, or some piece of paper?”

Sirius averts his eyes. “Is that really all it ever was to you?”

Remus thinks about it for a moment. “I love you,” he eventually says. “And I guess it was nice to have a confirmation of that on paper, but it never defined us. What there is between us could never be captured by paperwork. It’s an indescribable feeling of belonging together that I’m never going to find with anyone else, it’s an unexplainable knowledge of just being meant to be, of having found ‘the one’, it’s so much that, quite frankly, the idea of a piece of paper adding anything to it or taking anything away from it just seems ridiculous.”

“And I love you,” Sirius says, before he kisses him briefly. “I love you, and even if you’re not my husband anymore, you’ll always be my person.”

[leoblooms]

Paul family lore dump

woooo ok here's the lore dump about his parents and sister under the cut! It's a little stream of conscious but yea maybe I'll edit it a smidge

Amelia and Isaac

Amelia Allen (maiden name- Kaminsky) met Isaac Allen at the same community college. He was getting his start studying for a law degree while she was getting a liberal arts degree. While somewhat differing in views, they hit it off fairly well. He found Amelia well-spoken, not putting up with getting talked down to. Both came from Jewish households, but Isaac had a more traditional upbringing that showed in his approach to religion in Paul’s childhood up until their divorce.

They eloped in 1957 after Amelia graduated, and had their first child at ages 21 (Amelia) and 23 (Isaac), Jennifer. Both were incredibly excited to have their baby girl and Amelia took to taking care of her as Isaac continued his law degree studies. Over the next six years, Isaac saw success as a corporate lawyer and their quality of living only grew. Needless to say, they were comfortable, living in a New Jersey suburb as an upper middle class family. So much so, they decided to have their second child in 1963, Paul. 

However, a year or so later Isaac grew colder and more distant. He spent less and less time with his family much to Amelia’s annoyance. 

Amelia became more outspoken of her own beliefs, becoming interested in keeping up with politics along with developing an affinity for the folk scene. She was what some would label a hippie. Isaac had little interest in politics, humoring her but not feeling one way or the other. He felt things were pretty good in terms of the opportunities he’s had even with some obstacles and hardships. He’s a believer in the bootstrap ideology and claims a lot of people should just suck it up and get a job.

This would cause heads to butt more and more especially as he withdrew from his role in the family. On nights, he’d come home and isolate in his study, listening to records and keeping to himself. Amelia on the other hand, would do her best to be there for both of their children but it wore her down. The fighting increased but they tried to not do it in front of the kids, but that wasn’t always successful. Isaac would begin to take his frustration out on Paul, as he viewed him to be too soft (despite being a child) because of him mostly hanging around Amelia and Jen. This would result in verbal abuse that made it so Paul avoided him as much as possible. Amelia of course found this to be horrible, but did little to intervene in the moment. 

This would all accumulate until around 1970 when the two filed for divorce, Amelia getting full custody of both children. Isaac had no interest in fighting her on that, ultimately being  absent from their lives post-divorce. 

Amelia did everything she could to make things as painless as possible for her kids, and through alimony they were able to still live a fairly comfortable life and send both of them to college. She didn’t try to keep much contact (outside of any legal obligations) with Isaac after everything until he reached out in 1987 to tell her he had been diagnosed with cancer and wanted to make ammends. She would let him stay with her in 1989 up until his death, cared for by hospice nurses in the guest bedroom.

Jennifer

Jennifer Allen is Paul’s older sister (6 year gap), she took on a lot of responsibilities after their dad left including babysitting Paul a lot. She’s always been protective of Paul and of course never wanted him to believe he had to fight his battles alone. After an assault in college, Paul begged her not to tell their mom and she obliged. A part of her still wishes she had, wondering if she only made things worse by not pushing him to seek help. As he got older, a rift began to form between them especially after their dad was back in the picture. Jen does her best to keep them close, and Paul similarly but there will always be something lost.

The one thing her and Paul truly disagreed on was their dad. Jen had 6 years on Paul and thus, had a different experience of their dad before things went downhill. Blinded by nostalgia, she can’t bring herself to fully hate him like Paul can so when he tries to make ammends, she scolds Paul for refusing. This has always been a thing between them, even as kids when she blamed him for the divorce. In her early teen mind, he came along and caused strain and she wasn’t afraid to tell him that. She grew past this as she got older and feels guilty for how she treated him, but doesn't broach the subject.

Jen studied fine arts and now runs her own small studio. She also volunteers a lot to help foster kids find homes, having a soft spot for them despite having no interest in having her own.

She also cannot stand Patrick and has voiced her views of him to Paul in private. But really, it's not very subtle anyway. She's happy Paul's not as in the closet but he could do better in her opinion.

Both her and Amelia know Paul's gay. Amelia walking in on Paul kissing a boy he had over in high school and Jen finding out shortly after. His mom was embarassingly supportive and both tried to coax him into living as his authentic self (something Paul doesn't truly feel he can ever have if he wants to keep his current lifestyle). Jen being bisexual can relate to Paul's conflicted feelings about this, but is nowhere near as in and out of the closet.

Other things about Paul

Paul got carsick a lot as a kid. Like he threw up more than once to the point where his mom would have to pack plastic bags and medicine.

He has curlier hair, but would straighten it in high school. In college, he let it go and by his late twenties he gelled it down.

Since he was a teen, Paul was a huge hair metal/ heavy metal fan. His favorite bands being Motley Crue and Judas Priest.

Paul would sometimes read comics with Jen, who was much more into them than Paul was.

Despite not having much of a connection to religion, he does get together with his mom and sister for Yom Kippur, Passover and the weekend nights of Hanukkah. Mostly because their mom wants to celebrate and be with them like when they were kids.

He'll never say, but he always worries about becoming his father. There are moments he can see such a thing happening, but he can't stand thinking about it too long.

[luciferlaughs]

When Dr. Darryl Sutorius, a prominent heart surgeon in Cincinnati, Ohio, first met Dante Britteon, he had no idea the trouble he was getting into.

Darryl had been married to another woman for 30 years, with whom he had four kids. While he was a highly-regarded surgeon, being one of the best in his field, he had horrible people skills and a short fuse, making him a nightmare to be around both at work and home. This caused his marriage to become strained, resulting in a divorce.

After the divorce, Darryl struggled with intense loneliness, fearing he would die alone. He took to an online dating service, hoping to find love there, and was matched with Dante Britteon, a petite blonde woman in her 40s who had a degree from UCLA and used to run her own daycare centre. For Darryl, it was love at first sight. 

Dante had only been married twice in her life and was serious about finding a life partner. Darryl was absolutely smitten with his new girlfriend, pampering her with all the exquisite vacations and designer labels she coveted. Months into dating, they decided to marry. But soon, the marriage started taking a turn for the worse, when Darryl’s daughter began planning her own lavish wedding and requested her father’s financial help. Dante took great issue with Darryl spending money on his own kids, resulting in many heated arguments that escalated into death threats from Dante. 

Darryl, fed up with his wife’s controlling ways, lawyered up to begin the process of a divorce. That’s when he found out her real name was Della Faye Hall. Not Dante. Darryl took it upon himself to call Della’s mother, whom she was essentially estranged from, and found out some terrifying details about his wife’s past. Della lied about being married twice. She’d actually been married 4 times, with many boyfriends in between. She abused all of them, threatening nearly all of them with a gun. She set one boyfriend’s bed on fire while he was asleep, and burned down another boyfriend’s house when he broke up with her. She also never attended UCLA. She hadn’t even finished high school. Whoever she dated or married, Della squeezed every penny out of them. 

Hearing these details about his wife made him fear for his life. He tried to speed up the divorce process and planned to serve his wife with divorce papers. But he never got to do that. Della knew that if she and Darryl divorced, she’d only be granted around $2000 in alimony payments per month. But if he died...she’d inherit $900,000. 

So Della bought a gun and then shot her husband in the head, staging the scene to appear like a suicide. 

But the forensic evidence came through, pointing toward Darryl’s death being a homicide--not a suicide. Della was arrested and sentenced to 23 years to life in prison, where she died in 2010 at the age of 60.

[adulting-sucks]

what about Andy barber is secretly unhappily married with his wife lauri and meets reader, a single bartender, and a new next door neighbor

A/N: I am so sorry this took so long to finish, but this story just kinda ran away from me. And life bent me over too. But here you are! I’m sorry if you hate it!!

Andrew Fucking Barber

You have a gorgeous new tenant in your building with a screamer of an ex (not the fun kind). As you get to know Andrew Fucking Barber, you realize old wounds of yours are healed. Could Andy be the one? Would you allow him to be the one?

Warnings: SMUT, angst, stalking, bearings, almost death, SMUT 18+ only, fluffy ending

Word count : 13,068-sorry. I have no chill

As always, the biggest of thank you’d to @peyton-warren for pushing me to finish this story, no matter how blocked I became. You are truly the best 💙. AND Anon, I hope you like it!

“Are you fucking serious, Laurie?” you heard as you opened the front door to the stairs leading up to the apartments. There were only three on the floor, yours, Mrs. Stevens who you bought the building from ten years ago, and the new tenant, Mr. Barber who you actually hadn’t met yet. All of his interactions and payments were handled by your lawyer and his. “I don’t know how many different ways I can say this, I want a divorce. Do I need to say it in a different language? I know your pretentious education taught you at least more than one.”

You chuckled as you made your way upstairs towards your door, keeping your eyes on the floor as the argument spilled into the hallway. You heard Mrs. Stevens open her door and look out, about to yell at the noise until she locked eyes with you. You nodded your head imperceptibly letting her know you had this under control.

The man looked over at Mrs. Stevens and mouthed his apologies, fully embarrassed by the scene his ex wife was causing. Mrs. Stevens gave him a look of sympathy before going back in and locking her door.

“You are causing a scene, can you either lower your voice or leave?” he asked Laurie, at least you think that’s what he called her. You continued to keep your eyes on the floor as you tried all of your keys in your locks to hide how you were obviously eavesdropping. “I cannot go over this again. This is over. Just sign the fucking papers, you go your way, I’ll go mine,” he said, his voice laced wtih frustration.

“Not until you agree to my terms!” Laurie screeched, stomping her foot like a child throwing a tantrum. If you were being honest, her age probably matched her shoe size. “I want alimony, you owe me that at least!” she continued, her voice rising.

“I don’t owe you shit, you psychotic brat! You don’t deserve a dime of my money, especially not after what you did to Jacob!” the man said, his face red with anger, the vein in his neck bulging so far out, it might explode. “You don’t get one dime of my fucking money, it isn’t my fault your lawyer is an incompetent asshole!”

“Andy, that isn’t fair. Neal has done everything in his power to make this as easy as possible but you keep stopping every move he makes,” Laurie complained, pointing her perfectly manicured nail into the poor man’s chest. Man, you thought as you looked at your own hands, you were definitely in need of some nail care.

“It isn’t my problem, Laurie. Neal got you off the murder charge for what you did to my fucking son, but that doesn’t mean he’s a good lawyer. No one told you to pay him in pussy!” Andy yelled, his patience gone.

You couldn‘t help but laugh at the last line, and though you thought you said it in your head, you whispered “Yeah, looks about right.” You immediately looked up, meeting Andy’s eyes who was laughing at your sentiment. Laurie, on the other hand, looked as if she wanted to tear you from limb to limb.

“And who the fuck are you?” Laurie asked, and boy, if a sound could kill, you would be gone. Andy mouthed an “I’m sorry”, and shook his head in embarrassment. You turned to look at Plastic Surgery Barbie with her obvious lip and cheek fillers. You would be hard pressed to find anything authentic on this floating buoy.

“I’m the fucking owner of this building,” you responded, a smirk crossing your face at the look of surprise and resentment on Laurie the blow up doll. “You, from what I gather, are Laurie, and you have been asked to leave more than once. You might want to consider taking the hint.” You leaned against the wall with your arms crossed, your eyes never leaving the other woman’s face.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” Laurie said, her face turning red at your insolence, spit flying from her mouth. She moved towards you, her finger out as she stalked towards you. You stood up, your arms at your side, your smile fake and plastered so big, your teeth touched your forehead.

“I didn’t know you were hard of hearing, or is the conversation moving too fast for you? I’ll slow it down. I - am - the - owner - of - the - building. You - are Laurie - and Andy - would - like - you - leave,” you responded, slowing down your speech and enunciating every word, then plastering another smile on your face when you finished.

“You fucking bitch!” Laurie screamed, pulling her hand back to slap you, but you were faster. You owned a hole in the wall bar with nightly fights . You’d learned a thing or two about defense. You grabbed her wrist, twisting it until her knees folded and she crumpled to the floor.

Andy laughed and now that you were finally looking at him, you couldn’t help but notice how absolutely fucking gorgeous this man is. Laurie fucked up if she left this Adonis for any other man, and all you could think of is how his large hands would feel running up and down your body, his hands exploring every inch of you. Popping back to reality, you let Laurie go, allowing her to stand.

“You’ll fucking pay for that you stupid, fucking cunt,” Laurie spat as she turned back to Andy. “This isn’t over, Andy, not by a long shot.” Laurie turned and stomped away, mumbling to herself all the way down.

“Bye Laurie! Tell Neal Andy says hello. Oh, and if you ever step foot in this building again, I will obtain an order of protection on you! I think I know a really good lawyer!” you called after the woman while Andy laughed even more. You weren’t usually this sassy and spicy, but women like Laurie made your asshole itch.

Andy was wheezing, tears streaming down his face. Not only had you been able to handle Laurie the Destroyer, you were able to do it with humor and grace. You also were the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. Your hair, your eyes, your smile, everything about you was so nice and refreshing.

“So…did she really pay Neal in pussy for her fee?” you asked, amusement written all over your face. “I’ve heard of many different forms of payment, but I have to admit paying with pussy is a new one.” You couldn’t help but laugh at Andy’s laugh, it was so contagious and happy.

“She really did, and the pussy nor the dick was actually the work that was done.” Andy said, laughing again. “I’m Andy Barber, by the way. I believe you were dealing with my lawyer and my assistant as I was busy in court.” He held out his hand which you immediately grabbed, giving this beautiful man your name.

“I am the owner of this building, along with the bar downstairs,” you explained. You invited Andy in for a drink to calm his nerves as he was a little shaky after the confrontation. He politely declined, excusing himself with an early morning. “The offer always stands, same at the bar. My tenants get a discount on drinks, so come down one night,” you offered, a little disappointed at him declining the invitation. You didn’t know how, but you would get him into your house and bed somehow.

“Well, goodnight. I’m so sorry about all of this,” Andy said, rubbing the back of his neck. “She won’t sign the divorce papers, and that’s all I’m asking for. The pussy puppy is just doing her bidding because she allows him access to her nasty vagina. Some people call children crotch goblins, but I happen to think they live in Laurie’s vagina and come out to torutre the next man she lures in.”

You laughed so hard you snorted, tears streaming down your face. “All I can see is two little goblins popping their heads out as she tells them to run free!” you say in between breaths, your belly shaking. Andy couldn’t help but join in, the visual taking over his mind. Two little goblins peaking their heads out of the dragon’s vagina, popping out to wreak havoc on everything around them.

“Well, I guess I should turn in,” you said once you had your giggles under control. You wiped away your tears, turned your key into your lock and slowly opened your door. “The offer stands any time, my place or the bar. I meant it when I said I would get a protection order if necessary.

“I appreciate it, and I will definitely stop by for a drink when I have the chance,” Andy replied, his heart beating fast, his stomach full of butterflies. You were very different from Laurie, hell different from any other woman he had ever known. He was fascinated by you, and he was going to take every chance he got to get to know you.

“Goodnight Andy, sweet dreams,"you said as you closed your door and locked it, completely missing the fuck me Andy threw at you. You didn’t know who he was, but you knew he was now someone you really wanted to get to know, and unbeknownst to you, Andy felt the exact same way, his head filled with your smile as he shut and locked his door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wednesday tended to be the slowest night of the week for you so you started a karaoke contest to drum up some business. Colin had been your neighbor and best friend for as long as you could remember growing up, so you managed to talk him into being the DJ with the promise of free drinks and women.

“Colin, please wait until the contest is over before fucking your conquest of the night in my damn bathroom,” you said as you passed a beer over to your friend. He smiled, completely forgetting you were immune to his bullshit, cursing and crying when you slapped the back of his neck.

The bar started filling up, busier than it had been in a few weeks which made you happy. You smiled as a few of your friends from college showed up, excited to see everyone had made it home safely . You grabbed all of their drinks and made your way over to the table.

“Jake, Pooch, Cougs, see you made it back in one piece,” you said as you handed out the drinks to your friends. Each man stood to give you a hug as you hadn’t seen each other in a few months.

“We did, almost didn’t, but the rest of the team and the Avengers came through,” Jake said. “I also happened to come across another old friend, thought you’d like to see her.” You turned and looked over your shoulder as the door opened, your mouth hanging in shock at seeing your old friend.

“My Bookworm!” you yelled as you ran and hugged her, almost knocking the two of you to the ground in the process. Wormie and you had been thick as thieves in college, which is how you ended up meeting the other three. You hadn’t seen her for about ten years. She disappeared shortly after Jake left her, her heart broken and irreparable at that point.

You had let Wormie crash at your place, taking care of her when she couldn’t, not ever understanding how Jake could do this. One day, you came home from work and she was gone, leaving a Thank You scribbled on an old receipt.

You asked your friend what she’d like to drink, your heart light and airy for the first time in a while. She followed you to the bar as you two talked, catching up on everything as if you’d never missed a day.

The door opened and in walked Paul Diskant, homicide detective and PI to close friends, along with your favorite regular, Grumpy Old Frank Adler. Frank was gruff on the outside, but a teddy bear to those he cared for. He did not care for one Jake Jensen, however and immediately rolled his eyes, a sour puss face taking over.

“Grumpy, Paul, the usual?” you asked as Wormie made her way back to her table. You couldn’t help the smile plastered on your face, and your friends couldn’t help but notice either.

“You got it, toots,” Frank said, knowing how much the word irritated you. However, when your demeanor didn’t falter, Frank threw a look at Paul, confused and concerned.

“What’s got you so upbeat today?” Paul asked as he took a pull off his beer, his eyebrow raised quizzically.

“Just running into old friends from school, friends returning alive from their last mission, and making new friends along the way,” you replied as the door opened and your Adonis Andy walked in. Paul and Frank followed your line of vision, however both men had different reactions. Where Paul was happy and amused, Frank was wary and cranky.

“Well, took you long enough to get down here, Adon-Andy,” you said, almost letting your nickname for this gorgeous creature slip. Andy smiled, that heart stopping, panty dropping smile of his when he looked at you.

“Meeting up with Paul here, and I really have been meaning to get down here, so I figured two birds, one stone,” Andy replied. He turned to Frank and held out his hand to introduce himself. “So, how do you and Paul know each other?” Andy asked.

“Paul helped me out with a personal issue a few years back, and he wasn’t a dick, so he started hanging out. And you?” you replied, pouring Andy two fingers of your best scotch on the rocks.

Andy smiled even wider, completely impressed by your ability to pick out his drink. “Paul worked a lot of cases with me, I’m in the DA’s office. He’s helping me behind the scenes with Laurie. Also, how did you know what I drink?”

“It’s a gift I’ve picked up along the way,” you said, winking at him. You looked over at Paul who was utterly amused at this side of you, then Frank who was not amused. If it were even possible, he looked crankier than ever.

“Alright, work first, play later,” Paul said clapping Andy on the back. The men moved over to a booth in the corner, Frank joining them. Andy looked over and smiled again before turning his attention to the others. Yeah, your panties were definitely ruined with that smile.

Karaoke was a success tonight, keeping you busy. Your regulars made their way to the stage throughout the night, keeping you entertained all throughout. Frank had come over for refills throughout the night, but you were so busy, you hadn’t stopped to visit. Frank was waiting at the bar when Colin announced Jake performing his usual choice.

“Oh for fucks sake, can’t he pick a different damn song?” Frank complained as the opening chords to Don’t Stop Believing came over the speakers. “Every fucking week, it’s the same fucking song with the same stupid voice.”

“This one goes out to my best friend, Cranky Franky! I know how much you love this song!” Jake said right before he started singing. You laughed, tears streaming down your face as Frank gave Jake the finger. Jake blew a kiss Frank’s way and continued on. You gave Frank the refills and headed towards the back to restock while you had a moment to breathe.

When you popped back up to the bar, you were happy to see Frank, Paul, and Andy perched, their meeting over, Andy and Paul sharing stories with Frank as you walked up and placed refills in front of the men. You wiped down the bar and removed the empty bottles and glasses as you listened to the stories, also highly amused.

Andy excused himself to answer a phone call, stepping outside so he could hear. Your eyes followed the man, a sigh falling from your lips, your face for lack of a better term, dreamy. Paul and Frank laughed, but also maintained an air of caution. Frank and Paul were the only two people who knew all about you, including your past and why you haven’t dated in a long while.

“So, Andrew Barber, huh?” Paul said, one eyebrow raised as he watched you closely. You felt your neck and face heat up in embarrassment, the warmth spreading to the tips of your ears. You dropped your eyes and took a long sip from your drink as you tried to buy yourself some time.

“I uh, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” you said, not fully denying the implication, however also not admitting to anything. You were careful, had been for the last five years, and you hadn’t so much as looked in any man’s direction until now. You didn’t know what it was about Andy, maybe you felt sorry for him, maybe you just admired his beauty. If you were truly being honest with yourself, you knew it was because you could relate to his situation, not fully as you thought back on your last relationship, but enough.

You could understand why Frank and Paul were worried about you. They had been there to protect you and put you back together after the trauma of your last relationship, so you knew their worry was from a place of complete love. You couldn’t articulate your feelings, you just knew this was something different, something you hadn’t felt before.

“Okay, yeah, I like him. He’s funny, he is strong, and have you seen that ass? I want to rob a fountain just to find quarters to bounce off it all day long!” you said. You had your back towards the door, so you missed Andy walking in on the last part of your conversation, and his grin at the last sentence.

“I’d love to let you do that, but I really don’t want to prosecute you for theft,” Andy said, his voice filled with amusement, his smile fully reaching his eyes. You dropped your head, your eyes wide with surprise as you mouthed a silent fuck to the floor.

“Yeah, so you heard that, huh?” you said, turning around to face the consequences of your sarcasm and denial, throwing a death glare towards Frank and Paul they laughed at your misfortune. You flipped the finger to them both, and turned to look at Andy, surprised to see amusement and something else in his face. You weren’t sure what it was, but it was also ruining your panties too.

“I mean, I’m not going to deny it, I stand by what I said. You have an ass of steel, and I would beg, borrow, and steal to watch the money shots bounce off,” you said as nonchalantly as possible, as if this was a normal, everyday conversation for you.

“You’re not wrong, I work hard for this bubble butt,” Andy said, laughing as Frank and Paul spit their drinks out, choking on their laughter. Paul hadn’t heard Andy joke like this before, and he had to admit it was nice to see his friend so relaxed, although he suspected the liquor may also be playing a part in this. Frank was happy to see a genuine smile on your face for once, something he hadn’t seen in a long time.

The night continued on in much the same manner, you and Andy flirting shamelessly, not noticing the crowd around you thin out as the hour grew late. It wasn’t until Colin waved goodbye, his choice cut of the night on his arm, that you realized it was almost time to close. You said goodbye to Jake, Wormie and The Losers as they filed out, Paul and Frank not too far behind after that, until it was only down to you and Andy.

You continued to joke and laugh as you shut everything down, finished the dishes, and counted the register down, preparing your deposit for tomorrow. When everything was finally done, you and Andy started towards the door to head upstairs to your respective apartments, however Andy was a little unsteady and was leaning on you to remain upright.

“Alright drunky, let’s get you upstairs and into bed,” you said as you huffed from the weight of Andy as he sang Closing Time, but only those two words as he didn’t actually know the song. You chuckled, telling Andy he wouldn’t be selling out any arenas in the future.

“You’re so pretty,” Andy slurred, his eyes on yours, a goofy grin plastered on his face as he swayed back and forth. “Pretty woman, pretty woman, pretty woman,” he repeated over and over as he attempted to boop your nose. After his last attempt ended in your eye, you grabbed his arm and rested it on your shoulder as you continued to steer him home.

“Where are your keys?” you asked Andy as you stopped in front of his door. Andy couldn’t answer you let alone keep his eyes open and body semi upright. “Okay, big man, let’s get you to my house, you can sleep it off there.” As you turned and made your way to your front door, you felt Andy stiffen before letting loose an ungodly amount of vomit on your head and front.

“Oh god, oh pretty woman, I just threw up,” Andy said, laughing at his misfortune. “Oh shit, I think you have something in your hair,” Andy commented as you tried to keep your own vomit in your body.

“You don’t fucking say,” you replied, finally working your front door open. You dropped Andy on the couch, not wanting to go too far into your house as you didn’t want to leave a trail of vomit in your wake. You took off your shirt and pants, leaving them in a pile at the front door as you made your way to your bathroom to shower. Once freshly cleaned, you towled yourself off and made your way to your room to get dressed only to find your guest asleep on your bed.

You grabbed your shirt and shorts, dressing quickly before heading over to where Andy was asleep, pulling back the covers to remove his shoes and any piece of clothing that he may have vomited on, however you were pleasantly surprised to see he had already done this. You stopped, staring at his arms, the muscles hard and noticeable as he had removed his button up. You pulled the covers back up, making sure he was warm, pushing a loose strand of hair out of his face. “Goodnight, my glorious god,” you whispered, placing a kiss on his forehead before moving to your side of the bed to sleep. You missed Andy sighing, a smile on his lips as he fell into an even deeper sleep.

You woke early the next morning, your bed warm and comfortable as you stretched, completely forgetting about your guest until you felt him pull you in tighter to his chest, his soft snores almost lulling you back to sleep. You could get used to this, you thought to yourself, sighing and burrowing deeper into Andy’s embrace, You fell back asleep for a few more hours before hunger forced you out of bed.

After a quick stop in the bathroom, you made your way into the kitchen and put on your breakfast playlist, an embarrassing mix of 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s boy bands. You put your headphones on, not wanting to wake Andy as you got out eggs, cheese, peppers and onions, butter, and bacon. You lost yourself to your music, Nick, Drew, Jeff, and Justin bringing out your inner popstar, even if you couldn’t sing on key at all.

“I got somewhere else to be, promises to keep, someone else who loves me and trusts me fast asleep; I've made up my mind, there is no turning back, She’s been good to me And she deserves better than that…” you belt out as you add the bacon to the pan, dance your way over to the toast, and finally whisk your eggs before pouring them in the pan, giving you your microphone back.

You continued your concert, stopping to sing along with the chorus here and there as you chopped your onions and peppers, throwing them into the middle of the eggs before closing the omelet and covering it with cheese, stopping to turn the bacon in the pan on the next burner. You were so engrossed in your singing, you missed Andy walking into the kitchen, a goofy smile on his face as he watched you sing and dance.

Andy had a secret love of boy bands too, and started dancing behind you as you serenaded him unknowingly. You turned to start the toast, screaming when you saw Andy there, throwing the bread at him as you pulled your headphones down. Andy laughed harder, catching the loaf of bread with ease, placing it on the counter next to the toaster.

“You scared the ever loving shit out of me, fuck!” you said, your hand over your heart as you tried to calm your breathing. Andy continued laughing, “How much of that did you hear?” you squeaked out, embarrassment flooding your face as you started to butter the toast, plopping strawberry jelly on top, a little splatter remaining on your cheek from your jump scare.

“Nick and Drew would be proud,” Andy said as he wiped the jelly off your face, his smile infectious. You gave a bow, telling Andy he would have to pay for this sight next time, gesturing for Andy to sit at the counter as you placed his plate of food in front of him, along with some hot sauce as you moved around to take the seat next to him.

The two of you sat in a comfortable silence, you dancing in your seat at finally eating, a habit of yours since you were small. Andy smiled and enjoyed the company. It had been a long time since he had done this, however just as he was about to speak, you both heard the shrill call of Laurie in the hall.

“ANDREW FUCKING BARBER, GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE YOU FUCKING DICK!” Laurie screamed as she pounded on Andy’s front door. Andy sighed, murmuring a quiet apology as he stood to handle his ex.

“I’m assuming this is fallout from your meeting with Paul last night?” you asked as you moved to follow him. Andy, dressed in a tank top and pants, nodded, pleading with you to stay in the house as he dealt with this. You silently agreed, not wanting to make the situation worse for you Andy.

Laurie spun around as your door opened and Andy stepped out. “You ruin my fucking life and you fuck someone else?” Laurie screamed, throwing a folder at Andy.

“Good morning, Laurie. I assume you received my new terms of divorce?” Andy said calmly. Laurie moved towards him, fury ingrained in every feature of her face.

“New terms? You fucking ruined my life, you god damn psycho!” she screamed right before landing a slap across Andy’s cheek, the sound echoing through the hall. “You had no right to have me followed!” she continued as Andy was bent over picking up the folder and its contents.

“I had every right to have you followed,” he answered, his voice calm yet amused at the same time. He would have to send Paul a huge thank you, maybe a bottle of his favorite whiskey. Andy flipped through the pictures, even more thankful for Paul’s contacts and abilities; with this, he may just get the divorce he wanted. “Look, I haven’t given these to Neal yet. Sign the new divorce papers, with my updated terms, and he will never see them.”

Andy held up the picture of Laurie with a dick in her mouth, and it was not Neal’s. He went through every picture in the pile, each one showing Laurie in an even more compromising position than before, showcasing Laurie cheating on Neal, quite similar to the pictures Andy received when he found out Laurie was cheating on him.

“You are a spineless coward-” Laurie began, stopping when she heard your front door open again. There you stood, wearing nothing but the button up shirt you had washed for Andy last night.

“Andy, are you coming back-” you stopped, pretend surprise crossing your face. “I didn’t know you had a guest. I guess I should go put some clothes on. Nice to see you again, Laura.” You giggled, something you could honestly say you had never done before and went back inside, wondering if you had just made everything worse. You couldn’t help yourself, and you also couldn’t ignore the amusement and desire written on Andy’s face.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Laurie screamed again. “You’re fucking that whore?” Andy just laughed, and you couldn’t help but laugh along with him.

“She isn’t a whore, she happens to be a business owner and a damn good cook,” you heard Andy say as you changed back into your clothes. “She’s also a singer, I can see her going all the way to the Grammys. On that note, you have two days to accept my terms before those photos find their way to Neal.”

You had found your way back into the hall once dressed, smiling brightly as Andy made his way back into your place. As you waved at Laurie, you also threw a wink her way over your shoulder. Before you knew what was happening, Laurie was standing in front of you, a smack ringing through the empty hall.

You moved your hand to your cheek, feeling something wet where you had just been struck. You pulled your hand away and saw blood, looking down to see Laurie’s keys in her hand. She raised her hand to hit you again, but this time you grabbed her wrist before she reached your face, twisting her hand until she dropped her keys, a cry of pain leaving her lips.

“You really are a sneaky, stupid bitch. A slap with your keys is cliche and just plain annoying.” You dropped Laurie’s hand, kicking her keys across the floor. “Now, I do believe you’ve been asked multiple times to leave, so you should probably do that.” At that, you turned and went back to Andy, slamming the door shut behind you.

————————————————————

You and Andy spent the day together, watching TV and baking, one of your favorite ways to relax. You called Colin and Jensen, reminding them of all of the favors they owed you, asking them to open the bar for you as you were “sick”.

“Yeah right, sick my ass. Have fun with the lawyer!” Colin said, knowing exactly what was happening. You had never taken a sick day, even when you were sick. Plus Paul told Jensen about Andy, and Jensen has a big mouth. Colin hung up before you could say anything, and you knew you were in for it the next time you saw him.

“Everything okay?” Andy asked, having been in the bathroom when you made your call. You didn’t want to tell him you were playing sick, although you knew he’d find out sooner or later, but for now, you were all his.

“Yeah, absolutely. So, the cookies are done, the lemon cake has been frosted, and the cherry pie is cooling. Did you pick what you wanted to watch?” You made your way to the freezer to grab your cotton candy flavored vodka out to try a new drink you’d heard about. “Also, you’re my guinea pig tonight.”

You grabbed two glasses, filled them with ice, and added the cotton candy vodka, followed by actual cotton candy. You turned and handed one glass to Andy while keeping another for yourself, eyes shimmering in amusement at the worried look on Andy’s face.

“Where did you get this recipe, a kindergarten carnival?” Andy said with a smirk, his right eyebrow raised in amusement as he took a sniff of the sugary confection in front of him. Your laughter rang out, causing Andy to grin even more. He loved the sound of your laugh, so rich, and the snort was even more adorable. Andy liked everything about you; you were a breath of fresh air after Laurie.

“I mean, is there anywhere else to get the best alcoholic recipes?” you joked, feigning false offense, your hand clutched to your chest. “Go ahead, take a sip.” You waited, not wanting to drink this if it was an abomination.

“Oh, I see, I’m the sacrificial lamb here!” Andy said, laughing as he brought the glass to his lips. He took a tentative sip, his eyes going wide as the drink met his taste buds. “This is so good!” Andy said as he took another sip, effectively downing the entire drink.

“Slow down there, these go down really easy,” you cautioned as you took a long pull, almost drinking the whole thing all at once yourself. You refilled both glasses, and you and Andy fell into easy conversation.

You learned about his childhood, schooling, and even a little about Laurie and Jacob, which you suspected was only because of the alcohol. But, you were also a little more open than normal, discussing a rough and lonely upbringing which led to poor choices in relationships, which led to you owning a bar and apartment complex all in one.

“I can’t believe I told you all of that. Oh God, you must think I come with an insane amount of baggage,” you said, chuckling and shaking your head. Andy made you want to open up to him, made you feel safe and unjudged, made you feel happy.

“We all have our suitcases traveling behind us,” Andy said, humor laced in his answer as he took another sip. “Hell, you’ve seen mine up close and personal.” Andy laid back on the floor, his hands behind his head as he closed his eyes, almost as if he was trying to catch a memory.

“I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours,” you replied in a sing-song voice as you grabbed his glass to pour another refill, neither of you wanting the night to end. Your favorite song started playing from your shuffled playlist, and you sang and moved your hips to the beat, missing the look of absolute bliss that passed over Andy’s handsome face as he watched you.

“Not too much to tell. Laurie and I met in college. I wasn’t sure about our future, even then, but Jacob came along our senior year. I was ready to end it, Laurie wanted to play house. I couldn’t walk away from him, from them. So, Laurie got the house and white picket fence, I got my law degree and a good job, Jacob got a family.”

You let Andy finish before you made your way back into the living room with his next cocktail, stopping to take a sip before you sat back down. You were really regretting the sharing game you set forth, worried you would chase Andy before it had even begun. You emptied your glass, needing all of the liquid courage you could muster, clearing your throat. Andy looked over, a look of worry passing over his face as he took in your solemn stature.

“Hey, are you okay?” Andy said, sitting up and making his way over to you. “You’re pale, and you’ve gone eerily silent.” Andy sat next to you, his hand resting on your thigh as you were brought back to earth, your mind and soul uneasy.

“Yeah, yeah I am. I’m just wondering how long until I have an Andrew Barber shaped cut out in my front door,” you half joked, suddenly very self conscious, unable to meet Andy’s eyes. As safe as he made you feel, your past was so painful. It took a long time to even feel safe once again, and telling Andy about it could take away that safety net.

“We don’t have to talk about it. I am not going to push you to do anything before you’re absolutely ready to. Trust me?” Andy said, sincerity in every word, his hand rubbing a calming pattern on your thigh. He grasped your chin, bringing your face up to his, making you look him in the eyes to see the truth of his words, and you did.

“I trust you,” you replied softly, leaning your face into his hand, closing your eyes to enjoy the sensation. You opened your eyes to see Andy’s face in front of yours, so close you could feel his breath on your nose. Andy leaned in and kissed you softly, his lips tender and smooth, yet breath stealing. You tasted the sweetness of the drinks on his lips as you ran your tongue along them.

You pulled back, dazed and warm, opening your eyes to see Andy mirroring you. You smiled, dropping your eyes shyly as he grinned from ear to ear, one of the first times you’d seen a genuine look of happiness from him in the short time you’d known each other.

“Wow, that was spectacular,” Andy said, laying back down on the floor, smiling like a middle schooler who just had his first kiss. You stood up, shuffling your playlist until you found something upbeat to dance too, a sudden burst of energy taking over. Andy leaned up on his elbows to watch as you moved and swayed your body to the beat of your favorite band, finally deciding to join in the fun.

At the moment, your playlist shuffled to Frank Sinatra, and Andy grabbed your hand, entwining his fingers with yours while placing his other hand on your lower back, pulling you into him as he swayed to beat, humming the melody in your ear. You closed your eyes, his smell enveloping every cell of body.

You lost yourself to the moment, finally allowing yourself to relax and just exist. You danced for another hour, each lost in one another, no words spoken yet poems flowing between you both. You yawned, the night finally catching up to you, which caused Andy to turn the music off and lead you to your bedroom. You laid down on your bed, Andy moving behind you, both of you melting into one another as you turned to face Andy.

Andy pushed your hair off your face, letting his hand caress your cheek before he closed the space between you, soft kisses placed all over, his tongue tracing your lips. You allowed him in, finally allowing yourself to fall into this man. The kisses continued until you needed to come up for air, snuggling into Andy, his warmth and scent lulling you to a deep and peaceful sleep, one without the nightmares that plagued you every night.

—---------------------------------------------------

“You’re sure about this?” Laurie said as she stared at the file Neal placed in front of her. She flipped through the pages filled with everything Laurie needed to get her revenge on you. Neal nodded, moving to sit behind his desk as Laurie continued to peruse the information in front of her.

“Absolutely. Everything is documented and legitimate, but I don’t understand why you need all of this,” Neal took a sip from the brandy on his desk, his eyes watching Laurie closely. Neal adored her, but he didn’t trust her. She did cheat on Andy with him after all.

“She is the easiest way to get to Andy. We do this, if we can pull this off, we can finally get him to sign the divorce decree you drew up. We get almost everything of his and he loses it all. His money, his job, his new whore.” Laurie moved to straddle Neal and encouraged him to ask not to be disturbed for the foreseeable future.

———————————————————————

Your mornings of singing and dancing, sometimes with Andy, most times without, continued, and for the first time in a while, you found a pep in your step that hadn’t been there before. When you and Andy were able to see each other, it was nice and sweet, mixed with heavy petting and makeout sessions. Dinner was also sometimes included in these moments, and you found you loved cooking with the man.

Tonight, Andy had managed to finish a large case and was able to join you at the bar. He sat on an open seat at the opposite end of the bar, a vase of tiger lilies held carefully in his large hands while his tilted face smiled at you with his lopsided grin. Andy knew in this moment, watching you, that he was madly in love, and nothing could change or break that bond.

You were finishing up an order while laughing at one of Jensen’s jokes as Wormie stood next to him rolling her eyes and laughing. Wormie looked back at Jensen, pushed his glasses up his nose, and gave him a soft and loving kiss, one that Andy wanted to give to you, if he were being honest.

You laughed, and also sighed at the touching scene in front of you, slowly realizing how closed off and isolated you had made yourself. Your thoughts turned to your lawyer, and for once, you couldn’t wait for the night to end so you could see him, kiss him, feel his arms around you. Jensen leaned in and told you someone was waiting towards the other end of the bar, and when you looked, your heart skipped a beat, maybe even a few.

You made your way down to Andy, your smile becoming so large you felt like your cheeks would explode. “Well, hey there handsome. Didn’t think I would see you for a few more weeks.” You leaned in, kissing your man softly on the lips, only stopping at the catcalls and whistles from your friends. You buried your face in his neck, kissing him lightly while laughing.

“Hey, there are children in this bar! Jensen isn’t allowed to watch the mature themed shows!” Colin yelled, The Losers howling while Wormie comforted her man. You chuckled and flipped Colin the bird before focusing your attention on the very gorgeous man in front of you.

“Hi, Handsome,” you said, kissing him again for good measure. “Hey, that’s my line!” Andy said, feigning offense as he handed you the vase of lilies. You took a deep sniff, your eyes closed and a small moan of happiness left your lips. It had been a long time since you had even thought about dating, and this man was not making it easy for you to hide away.

“Hey Andy!” Paul said, clapping the man on his shoulder. The two fell into an easy conversation as you freshened up their drinks. Frank walked up a moment later, throwing a nod to the two men before sitting down in front of his beer. The four of you hung out, drinking and talking, not realizing how late the time hour had gotten until you saw The Losers cleaning up for ya, and Colin taking him his flavor of the night.

You also never saw the clothed figure hiding in the back of the bar, face covered. The Losers had left just as the figure snuck in, and once all but you, Andy, Paul, and Frank had left, the figure snuck out the back door into the alley, waiting in the shadows.

You cleaned while the men talked, finishing the dishes and clearing out the register for the nightly deposit at the bank drop next door. Paul and Frank bid their farewells, heading out towards the night as you locked the door behind them.

Andy stood to help with the last of the closing work, helped you into your jacket, then made sure the rest of the lights were off as you waited for him at the back door. You set the alarm, you two leaving and locking the door behind you. Andy grabbed your hand, bringing it up to his lips as you smiled up at him, the butterflies floating through your stomach. Once you had dropped the deposit in the night deposit drawer, you both made your way back to the apartments, opening the door and climbing the stairs laughing. Mrs. Stevens popped per head out to smile and wave at the two of you as you unlocked your front door, allowing Andy in ahead of you.

You never saw the figure watch which building you went into, nor did you see him prop the door open for access. As quickly as he was in, he was back in the shadows, waiting for his moment.

He had waited years for this moment. He had waited in prison, on probation, and now, here he was. He never thought he would see you again, but this time, you were his.

You leaned your back against your front door, your eyes closed as you enjoyed the buzz running through your body. When you opened them, you saw bright blue eyes in front of you, felt a large hand on your hip while the other caressed your face. You leaned in, staring at the most inviting set of lips you’d ever seen. Andy closed the gap, his lips on yours gentle and passionate all at once, this man a walking contradiction.

You closed your eyes, allowing Andy entrance into your mouth as you kissed him with every emotion and ounce of passion you’d hidden away the last few years, grabbing his shirt to turn him around and pin his back to the door. You pulled away, panting from the best kiss you’d ever received. You saw the lust written all over Andy's face, and you knew without a doubt your face was a mirror image of his.

You started to his Andy’s neck, biting and sucking, down from behind his ears all over the soft flesh of neck to his collarbones. You felt a sharp intake of breath as you placed your hands under his shirt, running your fingers over every muscle and ridge. You removed your hands and slowly started unbuttoning his shirt, softly sliding it down his shoulders and onto the floor.

You looked up, looking for permission from this god damn man of perfection, as you kissed his shoulders, his collar bones, stopping to take his nipples in your mouth. You felt his hand grab the back of your head and lightly pull your hair, causing you to moan. You continued your kisses, moving down lower, stopping to loosen his belt and remove his pants and boxer briefs, falling to your knees as you pulled them down with you. You helped him step out, then pushed him back against the wall, your mouth watering at the first look of his beautiful cock.

You licked your lips, looking up at Andy for approval, your hand moving up and down on his thick shaft, your fingertips already covered in precum. Andy, with his hand still entwined in hair, nodded his consent, his eyes ablaze with passion.

You started with small licks up the shaft of his thick cock, the mushroom head red and leaking. You kitten licked the head, already addicted to the taste of this man. You continued to stroke him up and down while twisting your wrist as you sucked on his balls, your thumb running over the tip of his cock.

“Fucking hell,” Andy said, hardly above a whisper as you continued this assault for a few more munites, enjoying every taste of this man. You moved your hand down the shaft and sucked the top of his cock in as deep as you could, paying extra attention to the head, leaking your new favorite taste. You’d done this with other men, but not one of them tasted like this. You were now ruined for all other men. You continued sucking and licking, your hand moving over the part of the shaft you weren’t able to fully take into your mouth.

Andy kept silently cursing and praising whatever being out there who created you. Your mouth was the best he’d ever had, and he wasn’t sure he would ever let anyone else suck his dick again. You were it for him. As you moved deeper and deeper, down, he held your hair tight, pulling and pushing in the moments you made him feel so good; he thought he was a virgin again.

“Fuck, “m so close. I’m gonna cum,” Andy said as he tried to remove your mouth from his cock. You, however, were having none of that. You started sucking harder, drool dripping down off your chin and to the floor, your hand still pumping and working the cock you couldn’t fully fit yet, Andy was most definitely larger and thicker than any other man you’d been with.

You felt him still, his thighs tighten, your only warning before you felt ribbons of cum hit the back of your throat. You swallowed every last drop, once again instantly addicted to the taste of this man. When you were sure you’d swallowed every last drop, you released Andy, making sure to catch all the loose cum with your finger and put it in your mouth, never once breaking eye contact.

You stood up and Andy grabbed you, kissing you deeply and thoroughly, mixing the kiss with his cum still left in your mouth. “That has to be the best blow job I have ever had,” Andy said, contentment written over every feature as he leaned his head back against the door and closed his eyes.

“I am addicted to the taste of you, Andy. You have officially ruined me for all others.” You rested your head against his chest, listening as his heart slowed. He picked you up, moving you to the couch, placing you gently on the seat as he fell to his knees in front of you. He kissed you softly, moving from your mouth to your neck, learning which spots to hit by paying attention to every sound and sigh you made. He slowly unbuttoned your shirt, throwing it to the side. He stopped at your bra, waiting for your consent, not wanting to rush you into something you weren’t ready for.

You nodded, sitting up a little as Andy unclasped the bra from the back, slowly pulling the straps down your shoulders following with a trail of kisses and bites. Once your breasts were free, he wasted no time taking one nipple in his mouth as his other hand moved lower, his hand rubbing your pussy through the cloth. You grabbed the back of his head, pulling him in closer as you felt yourself growing wet while his had still stroked your cunt. soft and smooth, his fingers slipping in the covered folds.

He switched nipples, his mouth assaulting it with new vigor while his hand had started to remove your leggings, leaving you in barely there boy shorts, a very dark wet patch center and showing. He kept licking, biting, sucking on your sensitive nipple while his hand dipped under the band of your boy shorts, his fingers gathering your wetness. He pulled away from your breast and placed his fingers in his mouth, moaning as if he had just tasted the sweetest nectar in creation.

You watched, the sight of him licking your essence off of his fingers the most erotic thing you had ever seen. “Andy, please…” you begged, your hands in his hair. “Please what, baby? I need to hear what you want,” You groaned in frustration, asking Andy to eat your cunt, so wet all for him

He growled, something primal taking over him, as he pulled you to the edge of the couch He wasted no time in getting three fingers right into your cunt, already so wet and ready for him as he ran his tongue up and down your folds before finally sucking your clit into his mouth. His assault was fast and hard, working you towards oblivion in a matter of minutes.

You moaned and groaned, your hands in his hair starting to pull as he took you to a place you’d never recover from. You’d never been eaten out like this, so passionately and fervently. Most other men had always treated it like a chore making you feel it was your problem, not theirs. But not Andy. Andy ate you as if he would never have a meal again, as if he needed to memorize each scent, each fold, the way your body arched as his fingers found the sweet spot, a spot you had only heard of as rumor.

You felt the band tightening, your body starting to tense. Andy, feeling your pussy grab his fingers and suck them in further, double downed his attack on your clit, licking and sucking as if this was his last meal. “Andy!” you cried, his only warning before you started cumming harder than you had ever before. Andy continued on, cresting you into your second orgasm before the first had even finished. He finally slowed, his face and beard sleek with your wetness. You pulled him up, kissing him all over as you tasted yourself on his face. You finally laid back, panting from the two intense orgasms you had just experienced.

Andy rested his head on your chest, kissing every inch of skin he could, your smell still all over his face, and he never wanted it to go away. Andy was now fully addicted to you, your soft skin, your moans, your gentle calling of his name, the way your face scrunched as you came,. He would only want you, crave you, need you.

He gathered you up in his arms, carrying you to your bed, pulling back the covers, getting you both in and settled before he pulled the covers over you both, his hand wrapped around your stomach, pulling you in as closely as he could. He kissed your shoulder, already knowing you had fallen asleep, your deep and even breaths filling the room. “I think I love you,” he whispered as he kissed you once more before falling into his own sleep.

—---------------------------------------------------

You turned over, your body so soft and refreshed, a feeling you hadn’t had in so long. You opened your eyes, the gentle face of Andy Barber in front of you. You reached out to move some hair out of his eyes, and you felt your body melt all over again, your nipples hard, your skin cold and warm all at once.

Andy pulled his arm around your waist tighter, pulling you in, your face resting in the crook of his arm. He placed a kiss on the top of your head, sighing in content before saying good morning. You closed your eyes and breathed Andy in, never wanting to leave this bed or his embrace. Just as the two of you were falling asleep, a loud bang suddenly rocked the building.

You and Andy sprang up, grabbing your clothes and a hoodie as you made your way to the door and made your way downstairs. You told Mrs. Stevens to stay in her apartment, you would let her know when everything was safe. When you made it down and opened the door, there was nothing that seemed out of the ordinary. As you walked a little further down the alley, you saw it something you hadn’t seen in years, something you were sure was over and done with.

Your face went pale, and before you knew it, you fainted, the sounds of Andy calling your name. He rushed you upstairs, placing you gently into bed as he pulled out his phone to call the only two people you trusted.

It only took Frank and Paul two minutes to reach your place, Andy having met the men downstairs, and by the look on their faces, he knew this was more serious than he could ever imagine. “What is this, and why did it make her pass out? Andy said, not missing the silent communication between the other men.

“Where is she?” Frank asked, heading towards the door. “Is she in her apartment?” Andy confirmed, letting Frank know he had placed you in your bedroom as the man disappeared into the building. Andy turned his attention to Paul who had moved into full detective mode.

“Andy, were you with her all night?” Paul asked as he continued looking at the symbol on the wall. It was a painted black rose with a diamond painted over the stem, the petals painted to form a skull.

“Paul, what the fuck is this and why did it scare her so much?” Andy said, concerned for the woman upstairs, the woman he loved. His woman was strong and sassy, you wouldn’t take shit from anyone. So how did one picture shatter your carefully crafted facade?

“It isn’t my story to tell, Andy. She has to tell you this. And yes, Andy, this is bad. She is going to need you. I’m going to head up there. Go home.” Paul turned around and headed up the stairs, Andy not far behind. Frank was waiting at your door for Paul, and it took everything Andy had inside of him to not burst past the two men.

Andy waited, pacing around his living room, stopping at the door here and there to see if there had been any movement. He tried to read the paper or any new case files he had received, tried to listen to whatever game was playing, After what felt like hours, Andy heard the door across the hall open and close, Paul locking everything from the outside while the two men continued talking low and softly.

Andy opened his door as the two men walked up. “What’s going on?” Andy asked, concern laced in every word. Paul and Frank looked at each other. “We can’t tell you her story, that is hers and hers alone to share,” Frank said. “We will keep watch on her, and please keep checking in on her. Here is my spare key. If she gets worse, we will need to talk. Try to get her to shower and eat. I will check in daily.”

Andy shook Pau and Frank’s hands, and returned to his apartment. He put together some hand foods, a few bottles of water, and some of your favorite fruits. He made his way to your door, knocking softly. When you didn’t respond, he used his spare key to let himself in. He looked around, the living room still scattered with clothes from the amazing night you two had just shared, and he couldn’t help but marvel at how quickly things can change.

Andy walked into your bedroom, stopping at the foot of the bed. You were buried under all your blankets, not one part of your head showing. Andy heard the soft sobs, and it broke his heart to ever see you this way. Every bone in his body wanted to protect you, to keep you from ever crying again.

Andy softly placed the tray on the ground, and moved to pull the covers off your head, but you latched onto his hand and let out a blood curdling scream, fighting Andy with every ounce of strength you had. Andy backed up, his hands held in surrender, and slowly moved out of the room. You kept screaming for Andy to leave, to get out, never once stopping until the front door was closed and once again locked.

The rest of the week seemed to progress the same. Andy would try to feed or clean you; you were either MMA fighter of the week or catatonic, no inbetween. You never left your bed, your curtains were never pulled back, you had no food in the house, and you weren’t going to be leaving any time soon.

You thought this part of your life was done and behind you, but what happened last week was a warning that it would never be done. You were never going to be free. The way you saw it, you had two options. Die a slow and painful death, or finally give in to the person making your life a living nightmare. You chose option one. Anything was better than option two. You were sure HE was there, watching, just waiting for the right moment to rape you and kill you. Of one thing you were certain: You would never let him take you alive.

Andy was still so sweet, checking in on you every morning and night, feeding you and bathing you. He washed your linens and made your bed, he stayed with you until you pretended to fall asleep,

Then he would make his way down to the bar, open it up and run it, Jensen and Colin checking in on you, Andy saying just how under the weather you were. Andy wasn’t sure the two men bought the story, but it wasn’t exactly a lie. You hadn’t seen Frank or Paul, so you weren’t exactly able to connect with them yet, so you just continued on.

A few weeks had passed of this, and you were showing no improvement, and the knot of worry Andy carried with him grew and grew. Luckily that night, Frank and Paul showed up. The three of them took the corner booth, to discuss everything in privacy. Colin was watching the bar, The Losers out on assignment.

“I have fed her, bathed her, cleaned her, anything I can. Sometimes she yells at me, sometimes she doesn’t even look at me.” Andy hung his head in resignation, tears forming. He looked up at the other men, and asked what the hell was going on. “She is the love of my life, and she is just a shell of the woman I met. Please tell me what the fuck is going on because she has gone catatonic.”

Paul and Frank looked at each other before a silent decision was made. Paul was the one to speak. “About thirteen years ago, she moved here from Boston, bright and fresh faced, ready to start something new in life. She was so young when she left home, her mom having died when she was eighteen, so she took the first job she was offered.

“It wasn’t in a great club, she was a cocktail waitress at one of the sleaziest strip clubs owned by a porn tycoon, a man who toed the line between what is legal and barely legal, a man known through the criminal underground as Skull. Skull was ruthless in all dealings, legal and illegal alike. He killed indiscriminately, he groomed and violently coerced his most promising young women into his business. But it wasn’t until she had started working for Skull that me had moved into a full blown obsession.”

“He followed her everywhere she went. He made her stay late every shift so that she would miss the bus and he would have to drive her home. He started sending her gifts with love notes attached. When those didn’t work, he started to send her threats because she would end up dead before she was with another man.”

Frank hopped in, seeing the anger flash across Paul’s body. “Our girl is smart. She knew he was bad from the start and decided to find another job. She worked one last shift, and at the end, she let Skull, the owner of the club, know that she had found another position, and this was her last night. She left before he could respond, hoping that would be the end of it.”

“It wasn't,” Paul continued. “It started with him following her everywhere. She used to love walking, but now had to take a bus everywhere. She moved fifteen times over the next three years, and he found her each and every time. She changed her name, she changed her phone number, she filed restraining orders, did everything right, and it still wasn’t enough.

“One night, about twelve ago, she came home and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She started her shower, undressed and grabbed her robe, and made her way into the hot bath. As she stepped in the shower, she heard her security alarm beep as if someone had opened the door and turned the alarm off. She turned off the shower, slowly dressed, grabbed her baseball bat in the corner and made her way down the stairs.”

Paul sighed deeply, taking a long sip of his beer before he continued. “He caught her off guard, hiding right behind the corner of the kitchen, just out of sight. As she drew near, Skull grabbed the bat and beat her over the head with it, viciously. He continued beating her body, almost killing her. Through the entire beating, she just took it, waiting for him to mess up.:

“He dropped the bat, his hands covered in so much blood he was unable to grasp it any longer. In that one second, she grabbed one of the many guns hidden throughout the house, pulled back the hammer and released the safety. Skull turned around, laughing at her, thinking there would be no way she had the power to shoot him. She pulled the trigger, unleashing a full clip into his chest and abdomen, not stopping until he fell.”

“He was in the infirmary in the county hospital for three months. Once healed, he went to trial for breaking and entering, assault with a deadly weapon, and attempted murder. His lawyer was a top notch defense lawyer, had his sentence dropped to fifteen years, no parole. The prosecution in this case was an idiot, Neal Logdice something like that, who opted for the plea instead of a trial.”

Andy’s face paled, his heart hammering in his chest. “Neal was his prosecutor?” Andy asked, his voice lethal and soft, a voice Paul and Frank had never heard before. Paul nodded, remembering Andy used to be an assistant district attorney. Andy knew where he’d seen that symbol before, from the case files Neal would leave out.

“How did she end up here and who knew about all of this?” Andy asked, pulling a notepad out. Paul gave all of the details of the arrest, and about how Skull had made parole last week. Frank gave all of the details of the apartments and bar, all under her dead mother’s name, with Frank as the landlord of all areas. The Frank and Paul correlation was now falling into place. Andy knew this was because of him, Laurie and Neal would be just stupid enough to go after you to get to him.

“Who testified on behalf of Skull at his probation hearing?” Andy asked. Paul pulled out the roster from the parole hearing and listed off the names, Laurie showing up on that list. “What were the conditions of his parole?” Andy continued as he looked at the legal forms of the parole forms.

“No felons, he is able to return to his prior legal business dealings, no random drug screens, weekly check ins by phone or text, all approved by Neal and the DA’s office.” Andy threw his beer against the wall, his anger finally escaping. This was his fault. He had brought you right into Laurie’s sights, and she would use whatever she had at her disposal to hurt Andy.

Suddenly, a scream pierced the air. Paul, Andy, and Frank made their way out the back door and up the steps, stopping before the open door to your apartment. Inside, you were on the floor, a large man holding a knife to your throat.

Andy rushed the room, dropping the man to the floor, grabbing the knife and sticking it into his gut, twisting the knife as he watched the color drain from the man’s face. It wouldn’t kill him, Andy wasn’t a murderer, but he would incapacitated for a while. Andy was just about to check on you when Laurie, who’d been hiding in the other room, pulled out a small handgun, firing one into Andy’s shoulder. Before Laurie could get another shot off, you jumped up and hit her in the head with your favorite lamp.

Paul threw cuffs on Skull, making sure they were tight before moving to Laurie, who was still unconscious. In a matter of minutes, there were lights and sirens all over, ambulances and first responders making their way up the stairs to assess the injuries.

Skull was taken down first, his face pale with blood loss. Andy dropped one punch into the wound, a complete accident to all who saw. Laurie was taken next, and she had never looked better than she died not with bruises and cuts littering her plastic face.

Paul and Frank gave the story to the police, also bringing light to Neal’s involvement in everything that had transpired. As the chatter continued, Andy was taken to a truck to have his shoulder wound evaluated when he saw you, bruised and beautiful.

You walked up towards him slowly, shame written all over your face. You stopped in front of Andy, unable to look at him, unable to speak. “Baby, I’m so sorry, All of this is because of me.” Andy cried, distraught at the fact that his ex was the one who did this to you.

“No Andy, this isn’t your fault at all. I hadn’t fully dealt with this problem, and because of that, you almost got killed.” You snuggled into his side, careful of the shot shoulder, and started to cry, allowing yourself to finally let go of everything.

Andy turned your head, giving you a sweet and tender kiss, one that would live on your lips forever. “I will always be here to protect you, I promise.” Andy kissed you again and again, never wanting to let you go.

“We have to get him to the hospital ma'am, would you like to ride with him?” You looked at Andy and knew there was no other place you would rather be. It wasn’t the most romantic moment, but it made you realize just how much Andy Barber loved you, and how much you loved him.

—---------------------------------------------------

The next few weeks passed quietly. Skull was treated and released back to maximum security prison to await trial for stalking, attempted homicide, attempted sexual assault. As this was his strike three, Skull would be locked up for life, no chance of parole. He thought he would find some reduced sentence by turning in Neal and Laurie, but that was never an offer on the table.

Neal was disbarred and immediately fired from the DA’s office. He dropped Laurie as fast as he could, especially once he saw the photos of her infidelity. Laurie tried to reach out to Andy for another negotiation of the divorce, but Andy declined. He served her the papers, effectively giving her nothing, but took prison off the table if she signed. Before the ink had even dried, Laurie had left the state and moved back in with her parents.

You weren’t able to go back to your apartment. Your space and safety was violated, and you didn’t think it would return there. Andy suggested the two of you move in together and you agreed. You pulled out the blue prints of the apartments that Frank brought you, trying to find a way to make it all work. You decided to knock the wall between your old apartment and Mrs. Stevens’ apartment down, effectively doubling the size of the place for the woman.

Andy found a hollow wall behind his bedroom wall, and after looking at the blue prints, you found a large second apartment that had been blocked off in the original build, the previous owner never able to find someone to rent the space to.

It took a few weeks, but it all came together, this home for you and Andy. You went back to the bar once the apartment was done, welcomed back in with a surprise party hosted by none other than Jake Jensen and Colin Shea. The bar was closed to the public, allowing only your closest friends, even better, your family in for the festivities.

Andy was late, as usual when he was working a case, but he always made it, always made sure you were never alone. He’d just finished a huge win, and there was nowhere he would rather be than here with his family. Jensen handed him his favorite scotch, handed him a microphone, and lined Andy, Jake, Colin, Clay, and Roque up to sing a song from one of your favorite boy bands, *NSYNC.

Andy was red as he sang and danced while you whistled at your man, dancing as awkward as any one person could. He winked at you, throwing his tie in your direction, where you almost had to fight Aisha for it.

The festivities continued, you snuggled in Andy’s arm the entire night, laughing and smiling. For the first time in your life, this finally felt genuine, happy, as if nothing could make you scared ever again

The night started to wind down, Andy leading you out and to home with his arm around your waist, his tie hanging loosely around your neck as you made your way upstairs. Andy stopped and pressed your back against the front door, kissing you as a man lost, a man who may never see his love again.

You pulled away, breathless and hot, turning the knob to let you in the apartment. Andy stood in the doorway as you walked in backwards and stopped in the living room. You removed his tie first, letting it fall to the ground, never once breaking eye contact. Next came your shirt, button by button slowly undone before you let it fall to the ground. Next were your pants, undone and slowly pushed to the ground, lifting one foot out and then other as you kicked the pants to the side.

Andy couldn’t tear his eyes away, you were the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on, and the more that came off, the harder his cock got as he rubbed his growing bluge over his pants, his eyes never leaving yours.

You reached behind your back and unhooked your bra, letting the left strap slide down, then the right, keeping the cups in place over your breasts. You watched Andy undo his pants, pulling them and his boxer briefs low enough to allow his cock freedom, his hand stroking and twisting up and down the shaft, his thumb sweeping his precum down and over the shaft. You let the bra drop, rubbing your breasts, playing with your right nipple, then the left, your head thrown back at the sensation.

Andy continued watching, stroking himself slowly as you continued to play with your nipples, soft moans and sighs the only sound leaving your mouth. You licked your lips, biting the bottom one as you opened your eyes and watched your gorgeous man pleasure himself at the sight of you. The pure eroticism in this moment was the dream of Penthouse porns.

You kept your eyes locked with Andy’s as you dipped your hand under the band of your lace thong, your fingers swirling over your clit, sending jolts of pleasure through your entire nervous system. You were so lost in your feelings, you never noticed Andy crossing the room until he grabbed your wrist and pulled your fingers into his mouth, tasting the very essence he was desperate for.

He turned you around, your back flush with his chest as he dropped his hand between your legs, three fingers immediately disappearing in your wet and inviting pussy, squelching with the sound of your excitement. You leaned your head on his shoulders has he pummeled your cunt making sure you would be ready for him.

Andy spun you around, grabbing you beneath your ass as he hooked your legs over his arms and lifted you up, your legs wrapping around his waist. Andy moved your cunt to sit at the top of his rock hard cock, sliding your pussy up and down to coat the tip before he slowly pushed into you, inch by fucking inch.

He kissed you as he pushed, taking his time to feel every wall and ridge as you moaned and pleaded with him to please fuck you. Once he was fully seated, he started to do just that, fucking you so ruthlessly, you felt him prod your cervix, his fingers bruising your hips with their grip.

On and on he pummeled, over and over, grunting in your ear, whispering songs of love, until you felt the band snap, your soul exiting your body as he continued to fuck you, causing the soul to stay out of body as your orgasms took the very breath and existence out of you.

As you returned to your body, you felt his cum coat every inch of the inside of your abused cunt, so well spent, you never wanted to be without his dick again. As you both panted, slumped into each other as you caught your breath, you smiled and kissed him all over.

“Come on, lover man, we have at least six other rooms to desecrate before the night is through.” You continued kissing his face until he looked up at you and said you’d be the death of him as he carried you to the bedroom for round two. Mrs. Stevens was just happy Andy was finally in the apartment. Yes, he had a very nice ass indeed, but it wasn’t one she needed to see ever.

[shesay]

I hate when ppl are like why doesn't ballerina farm leave her husband it's her fault/ they're wealthy and white whatever like do u even know the context? She's Mormon and he told her he wanted 2 move 2 a farm after they married!! Divorce isn't rly a thing in their culture too plus he's a billionaire he could easily get the best lawyers and obtain custody of their children and leave her penniless like bsfr ofc he had her sign a prenuptial agreement beforehand i can't help but think abt my aunt who was in a similar situation married a man who came from money she wasn't impoverished or anything but his family was another level they made her ofc sign a pre-nub where if they divorce she gets barely anything she loved him so it didn't matter well the marriage was a huge fail he was abusive physically (he break her arm in one of their fights) she ended up divorcing him they had a kid together and he got custody of the child bc he was more financially secure than her she got an alimony but it wasn't enough 2 live a decent life she sees her son and has a relationship w him but yk it's not the same.

[leonardomongillo]

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[lightofraye]

You said you're an abuse survivor. What would you recommend to Jensen--or anyone!--to leave their abuser?

Hello anon.

Phew. That's... the hard question, isn't it?

What could I recommend? What could I advise?

If he were able? Get a lawyer. For Jensen, his situation is a great deal more tangled than mine ever was. For me, we had no assets, no big bank account. It was easy to up and leave, resolve the divorce.

Jensen? There's children. There's his income. There's the fact Danneel hasn't really worked much during their marriage, so she may be entitled to alimony (though I respectfully would say 'eff' that; she can get off her rear and get a job). There's their many properties and possessions (oh gods, please don't let her get her hands on Baby!).

So there's a lot of things that would be a problem and would prolong a divorce. (I mean, check out Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie--I think they're still fighting over stuff and it's been going on for years.)

Given the problems involved, I'd recommend he seek out the lawyer who handled Katie Holmes' situation. That one did a fantastic job, particularly helping her escape Scientology. Might be the lawyer who would know how to handle something this difficult.

So. Lawyer, definitely.

Secondly,.. and this is the hard one... therapy.

Why would therapy be hard? Because he'd have to admit what's been going on. Everything. Above all, he'd have to admit it hurt. Masculinity being what it is, how many are able to admit they were hurt, that physical and emotional abuse actually hurt them? Wrecked them? And then do what may be necessary to heal--be it cutting ties with those who were toxic and bad for him, distance, and ongoing healing for potentially life.

Abuse is not something one recovers easily from.

Those are the two main things.

It's roughly the same advice I'd give to any victim. The third may be to find a domestic violence shelter nearest and give them a call--they can give you advice and help that is best locally for you.

[kritischetheologie]

For want of a nail for urbp: Nico DOES sleep with Vivian (I think there was a line insinuating that Vivian’s husband wonders whether Nico has slept with her?)

He wouldn't sleep with her. It's not just that he's only into alphas. It's that as much as Nico says he never really wanted a child, only Lewis's Child, the same might very well be true for sex.

But let's talk about the Forbidden Timeline: Celibate Marriage Edition.

When Vivian leaves Laurent, sometime late in 2019, it's not for Nico. It's been years since she let herself wish that he could want her like that. But he's the one who comes to take the girls for the day, so that Laurent and Vivian can have space to figure out what he'll take with him when he moves out, so Laurent punches him in the face anyway.

He takes them out for ice cream and presses the cold, sticky cup to his bruising cheekbone when they aren't looking. Aurora catches him at it and insists on kissing it to make it better. Nico doesn't know how to tell her that she shouldn't, that they're not his.

They're not his, but Viv is, in a way that wouldn't make sense to anyone but the two of them, and doesn't need to. Nico stays over every night of that first week, helping her field calls from her lawyers and forcing her to wash her hair. There's plenty of extra bedrooms in the penthouse, but he sleeps in her bed every night, curled up around her even though she's been taller since they were teenagers. He holds her as she cries, and he doesn't let go. In the mornings, he cooks breakfast with an apron tied around his waist, tofu scrambles, crepes made with aquafaba and dripping with lemon juice and sugar.

He goes home eventually, once she's gotten her feet back under her. He goes back to being the godfather who babysits when she needs a night out, when she finally gets asked on a date or two, and she goes back to being the best friend he goes to brunch with once a week, and neither of them know how to explain why it feels like a loss.

A few months later, a pandemic sweeps across the globe, and the whole world shuts down. Vivian had been meaning to hire an au pair, but she'd never gotten around to it, and now she's got full-time custody of two girls whose schools have both closed. Nico offers to move in with them for a while, for the lockdowns, and Vivian is too relieved to say no.

Sometimes it feels like they're playing house, like they did when they were children. Sometimes they fight. Vivian is stricter with the girls than Nico, except for when it comes to screen time. Nico thinks there's no reason for Ella to stop her karting lessons, just because of the pandemic. But fighting with Viv is different than fighting with Lewis had been. They both say what they mean, and they find ways to meet in the middle, and afterwards, they talk about how to do it better, next time.

In May, Nico goes home for the weekend, to ride out his heat alone, and when he drags himself back to Vivian's, she asks him how he'd feel about moving in for good.

She'll end up getting half as much alimony as she would have, for that, because they give you less if you're already living with a new partner. She won't say, he's an omega, what are you talking about? She won't pretend he isn't an essential part of her family. He'll love her for it.

In June, he sees an Instagram post saying that Lewis's dog Coco has died, and when she catches him crying over it, he tells her the whole story. He'd told her that he can't have children, years ago, but she'd never really known how close he got, once. She talks him out of sending Lewis flowers, convincing him that Lewis won't want to hear from him, especially in a time like this.

When he tells Alejandro Agag how much Extreme E means to him, he tells him, "I'm raising two girls, and I want them to grow up with a vision of a world that includes them." It's the first time he's ever called them his. Before he leaves London, he stops into De Beers and buys a ring. He's not sure he'll ever do anything with it, but it feels like the right thing to do in the moment.

He watches Lewis tie Schumacher's win record on Viv's couch in this universe, like in others, but in this universe, he woke up in Viv's bed that morning.

At some point that fall, he asks why she hasn't gone on any outdoor, socially-distanced dates, and she shrugs, and tells him that she already has everything she needs from life. Nico already has more than he ever imagined he could want.

In December, her divorce finally clears, and Nico gets Covid, all in the span of a week. Viv doesn't let him go back to his old apartment to quarantine himself, even if it means risking them all getting sick. The girls never develop symptoms, for which Nico is deliriously grateful. Vivian feeds him soup, and by the time she's sick too, Nico is feeling well enough to return the favor. He makes endless cups of tea, runs a humidifier to soothe her lungs, and every time he reaches a hand to her burning forehead, she takes his hand and kisses it.

At Christmas, while Viv is having a lie-in, Nico sits Ella and Aurora down and asks for their permission to ask their mother to marry him.

He proposes on Valentine's Day.

[blametheeditor]

Court's In Session

Prompt Roulette By Title

Character A's been dreading this day for a long time- the end of a committed relationship that Character A had tried desperately to make work. But what can they say, sometimes divorce is a better solution that couple's counseling. Issue is, Character B isn't content with JUST signing papers and leaving. No, Character B's far more interested in arguing the need for alimony, their number one citation being "-you're paying for my therapy sessions, asshole."

NOT MEANT FOR EVERYONE

Content Warnings: Cursing. Mentions of people being experimented on. Mentions of child custody. Messy divorces.

I promise to give Scott a break after this, he deserves it

_________________________________________________

Scott had been praying that his boy’s would be brought to the meeting. He knew it wouldn’t happen, knew his soon to be ex-wife wouldn’t want to put them through that because it wouldn’t be fair to them. That there might be yelling, at the very least name calling, and she would be a good mother leaving them with her parents while they sorted this out. 

But he’s selfish. He wanted to see them one last time despite how much it would hurt them. Yet another reason why he isn’t fit to raise his children.

Karen will always take care of the boys first, though, meaning she came to the house alone. A decision he respects and even appreciates because it was the right thing to do. Didn’t say anything as he passed the divorce papers over after she sat down at the dining table. The familiar furniture seeming almost alien now that the center piece and placemats had all been taken. 

They sit in silence as she reads it over. The first time they’ve been alone in a room together. No lawyers this time. It goes against everything they were advised, and if changes want to be made it would’ve been easier to have the people who can do such a thing in the room, but they had wanted to go over what was submitted as a ‘final draft’ with just them. 

Karen suggested it because she didn’t like how formal everything was, as if this they weren’t discussing a transaction instead of the end to a relationship. Scott had agreed because he loves her, and he always will. 

“...I get the boys.” 

Scott hangs his head, looking down at his coffee instead of meeting her gaze. “You do.” 

She hesitates. “You’re not fighting me on visitation rights.” 

“I’m not,” comes out in a whisper, clearing his throat in order to keep his tears at bay. “I, it’s not that I don’t want to. I’ve had a lot to think about and...and it seems like it’d be for the best.” 

It had taken several months for him to see Karen’s request as something more than just her trying to be spiteful. She has the capacity to, and had displayed it a few times during their relationship, but it was never used as a weapon. Never to hurt someone. Because at her core, she does everything in her power to make sure the people she loves most are taken care of. Fights when she thinks she or someone else is being wronged. 

He hadn’t remembered that when he heard the words ‘you will never see or speak to them again’. He had only seen red. Cursed her name every way he could as soon as he got home that day. Broke down sobbing when a week later, he realized she only wanted to protect their sons. It would only hurt them to keep Scott in the picture, even if it was just a phone call. 

“Are you planning on selling the house?” she asks, glancing at the page where the house they bought together, the one they’re currently sitting in now, has Scott’s name laying claim over it. 

He shakes his head. “I don’t think I ever will, to be honest.” 

Karen takes a deep breath. Closes the small packet of papers before setting her hands on it. “I won’t sign it.” 

“Any particular reason why?” Because the rest of the assets had been split 50/50 between them. The house falling under his name had actually been something she requested, not wanting their sons to be raised somewhere only bad memories were kept. 

“I want alimony.” 

Scott’s jaw drops. “E-Excuse me?” 

“You heard me,” she murmurs. Not combative, just firm. 

“Karen, I’m paying child support, as much as I can. With the rest of the mortgage, I-I can’t pay alimony.” 

“I can’t live with my parents forever,” she begins. “I already have a few job interviews, but I don’t have enough to rent an apartment. I can’t even send the boys to daycare.” 

“I know, I know,” Scott sighs. “But I can’t. You know Freddy’s doesn’t-” 

His wife- soon to be ex-wife suddenly stands up as she glares at him. “You’re still working there!” 

Even when that’s the reason why I left? That’s why you were never home? That’s why we continued to struggle financially? You love it more than you love your family?

He hears it even though she doesn’t say it. Because it’s a familiar topic they had discussed before. Fought over. Written on the message she left when she packed everything she could and left with their sons. 

Scott almost breaks. Almost tells her everything. After years of holding it in, keeping it a secret because he didn’t want to burden her, he almost lets the damn break. 

“...yes.” 

Karen grows furious. “Then I’m getting alimony. Because you’re paying for my therapy sessions, asshole.” 

“No.” 

“For what you’ve put us through, it is the bare minimum that you could do!” she erupts, throwing her hands into the air. “You seriously don’t expect me to let that slide! You’re still at that hell hole despite losing your family! What makes that damn place so special that it deserves your everything!” 

“I can’t leave!” he shouts, standing up in order to look her eye to eye. Pleading she understands. “I can’t explain! I want to, but I can’t! It’s not my choice!” 

“It sure looks like it is, Scott!” 

It looks like it is. But it’s not. Forced to stay alive every night made his world crumble beneath his feet. The small patches of discoloration on his arms and legs took away his freedom. Hearing the methodical voice repeating key words in the back of his mind every second of every day makes him question who he is. 

And if he tries to leave? Tries to escape? It’s been proven too many times what would await him is worse than death. 

How can anyone expect him to be a good husband and father when someone is literally pulling on his strings to make him dance? 

“I, we can’t continue this discussion,” Scott says, backing away from the table, from the woman he loves, from his everything. “I’m so sorry. But y-you need to go.” 

Before I damn you too.

She stares at him. He swears a look of remorse flashes across her face before it disappears, so quickly he might’ve just imagined it in his desperation. Then she turns on her heel and stalks furiously out the door, slamming it behind her. 

Scott waits for the tears to come. Stares down at his now cold coffee. Feels nothing but resignation. 

He wants to be angry. That she isn’t by his side when he needs her most. That she’s taking away his entire world as he’s reaching out for a hand to keep him from falling. That she’s nailing his coffin shut without remorse. 

But that wouldn’t be fair. He brought this upon himself. At least Afton will be happy now that Scott has no reason to be anywhere but right next to him, ready to obey every command. 

At least his sons will never see the hollow shell their father has become. 

[wedesignyouny]

The Louis Law Firm, PLLC: How to Choose the Top Brooklyn Divorce Attorney

The Louis Law Firm, PLLC: Your Guide to Selecting the Best Brooklyn Divorce Lawyer

Recognizing the Legal Environment in Brooklyn

When it comes to divorce proceedings, Brooklyn—a borough renowned for its diversity and individuality—presents its own set of difficulties. Legal counsel who is knowledgeable about both the law and the community is necessary due to legal subtleties, local court procedures, and the emotional toll of the process. At LM Divorce Lawyers, we take great satisfaction in our in-depth knowledge of Brooklyn's legal system and our dedication to providing individualized, compassionate representation.

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