#but I was with my own customers so I genuinely didn’t realize there was an issue but they were complaining that they ‘knew’ I did

[idkwhatever580]

Absolutely not!

Masterlist

Pairings: Natasha Romanoff x reader

Prompt: Natasha and y/n decide to switch up their typical styles for a stark party. What if they switch up something else afterwards?

Warnings: SMUT, switch!natasha, switch!reader, kind of dom/sub in the end. Masturbation kink,

A/N: y’all know the drill

\/ if y’all wanna listen lol

Nobody’s pov

Natasha was really regretting her life choices right about now.

You see, y/n is usually the feminine kind when it comes to parties. And Natasha is more masculine.

So it’s always y/n in dresses and Natasha in suits. Leaving y/n a hot mess by the end of the night as well.

Of course. They decided to switch it up for a party. And Natasha was about to go feral if they didn’t leave now.

So y/n let Natasha drag her down the stark tower and to their sexy corvette.

Even the driving situation is switched. Y/n is typically the passenger princess and not because she can’t drive just because Natasha likes to.

But Natasha doesn’t care about anything right now. She needs some relief.

Natasha is gripping onto the seat when lunch by Billie Eilish comes on.

Y/n starts singing it completely oblivious to Natasha’s needs and it sets her off.

Natasha moves her hand onto y/n’s thigh and squeezes it.

Y/n’s pov

I get it now.

She wants me.

But I’m not about to let her distract me. I must stay strong. It’ll be better anyways.

She rubs her hand up my thigh and I decide to deflect and act innocent. I lace my fingers through hers and pull her hand up to my lips for a soft kiss.

My plan works for a few minutes and then she’s back at it again. She puts her hand on my core and I push it off of me shaking my head.

Then she huffs and says

“Let me have something!”

I shake my head and keep my eyes on the road. 15 minutes. That’s all I need then we’ll be home.

But Natasha just can’t fucking wait.

She grabs my hand suddenly and pulls it onto her own core. She’s hot. I can feel it.

Fuck

I speed up slightly and pull my hand away and she says

“Please”

I widen my eyes knowing she doesn’t just beg whenever. I don’t think I’ve actually ever heard her genuinely beg without being asked to.

I give her a small look and she says

“Please touch me”

I huff and pull away from her grasp again and say

“Absolutely not! That is a one of a kind designer dress and you are not about to ruin it for a quickie”

She whines which makes me clench a bit. Yeah it’s hot but that dress was expensive.

“Please baby. I don’t care. I’ll have Tony buy me another!”

I roll my eyes and say

“Nat. The whole point of a one of a kind custom dress is that there is nothing else like it!”

She squirms a bit and tries to bargain with me

“I’ll have the designer make another one”

I come to a red light so I stop and glare at her and say

“Nat. The designer spent hours making that dress perfect for your body and they will not make another one. It will ruin the integrity of their brand. They never repeat a design”

She huffs and crosses her arms and the light turns green so I speed off.

Can’t this thing go any faster?

I know I said I wouldn’t do it with her dress on. But that doesn’t me I don’t want to do it.

After a bit she whines and humps the air making me almost whimper at her own neediness.

I glance at her and grab her hand to make sure she doesn’t take things into her own hands and I say

“Almost home baby. Then I’ll get that dress off carefully and fuck you. Okay?”

She nods her head and says

“Baby I’m so horny”

I let out a breathless laugh and say

“I can tell. I promise I’m not doing this on purpose but I cannot let you ruin that dress okay?”

She has a moment of sanity and nods her head saying

“I know”

I smile and realize I’m far enough away from the city to floor it.

So I absolutely slam the gas and we make it home in about 4 minutes.

I pull into the garage and Natasha almost jumps out of the car.

To be fair, I do too.

We get inside and Natasha is thankfully, carefully taking off her dress and she can’t get it anymore so I finish it.

“Here let me baby”

I trail my hands down her back and she shivers.

I quickly hang up the dress and make sure it’s safe before turning to Natasha and I almost tackle her into our bed.

Usually when she would let out a grunt she lets out a moan and I smirk.

Maybe I should tease her.

Natasha literally pulls me out of my thoughts when she pulls my head into hers. Crashing our lips together and she makes out with me until she decides it’s enough and starts pushing me down to where she wants me most.

I give in and trail my kisses down her naked body and I get down and see how wet she actually is.

It’s leaking through her fucking underwear.

I accidentally let out a straggled breath and it hits her core making them jerk.

“Fuck baby. You’re dripping”

She rolls her eyes and says

“It’s not my fucking fault”

I smirk and say

“Oh? And whose fault is it?”

She grunts and decides to answer hoping I’ll be nicer

“You”

I smile and say

“Wow. I make you this wet?”

She nods her head begrudgingly and I chuckle a bit and pull her panties down.

I get back up to her core and lick a soft strip up and nudge her clit slightly.

I can’t wait any longer so I dive right in.

Her hand instantly grabs my head to keep me from pulling away.

I eat her out like it’s my last meal and her legs start to tighten around me indicating that she is getting close.

In order to help her out I decide to pump a finger into her which makes her groan and then I add another one after a few seconds. I ease it in and she moans when I suddenly curl both my fingers and suck her clit at the same time.

Her hand tightens on my head and pushes me further into her. Not that I mind. This wouldn’t be the first time I passed out from her hands and legs squeezing me. And it probably won’t be the last.

I moan into her when she tugs at my hair sending vibrations straight through her and it sends her over the edge.

I don’t think she’s ever come this fast before, but I don’t dwell on that as I clean up her juices.

She lets out a strangled moan and then I get a devious picture in my head.

I keep licking and sucking and she’s already wanting to come again.

Ive always had a masturbation kink and sure I’ve thought about it. But I’ve never asked Natasha until now.

“Can we try something new?”

I suddenly get shy when she looks down at me. Although she’s frustrated she understands that I’m taking a big step with asking this so she nods her head and says

“As long as I cum soon”

I giggle and sit up and say

“Will you touch yourself for me?”

Her eyes narrow and she looks me up and down before smirking and saying

“Would that make you happy?”

I look at her and try not to let my submissive side come out and I nod my head shyly.

She grabs my face softly and says

“I’ll do whatever you want.”

My eyes light up and I wait patiently. I pull away and let her situate herself.

She trails her hand lower and gasps and how wet she is and then she softly rubs circles on her clit.

I’m sitting on my knees in front of her on the bed as she starts to finger herself.

Fuck. This should not be this fucking hot.

My legs spread open a bit and I somehow bunch up the sheets under me enough to hump them slightly.

It’s not great but it’s relieving some of the pain.

I whimper and Natasha smirks knowing I’m under.

She slides another finger into her hole and I watch it swallow her digits.

I bite my lip and clench my thighs together. My own wetness is almost flowing out of me onto the bed.

Unfortunately the fact that I am only barely humping this damn sheet is making it so much harder for me to do anything.

So I just resort to watching Natasha as she pumps her hand in and out of her core.

She brings her free hand up to her tit and starts massaging it and tweaking her nipple.

I bite my lip hard and she looks at me with a knowing face and says

“Baby this feels so good”

I nod my head and say

“You look so pretty”

She smiles at me and says

“Thank you baby girl. Do you want to touch me?”

I nod my head furiously.

“Words baby”

I look at her and find my words and say

“Can I please touch you?”

She nods her head and says

“Only my breasts. I’ll do the rest like you asked me to.”

I nod my head and immediately go to kissing and sucking her boobs.

Every now and then I pull away and massage them with my hands to look at her fucking herself.

And then I fall into a daze. I’m positioned above one of her legs and she lifts it up and hits my sopping core and she says

“If I’m gonna fuck myself you’re gonna fuck yourself on me okay?”

I bite my lip and whimper at the thought and I start moving back and forth on her leg. Sliding my juices everywhere.

I end up humping her like a crazy person while my eyes are locked on her hands that are in her pussy.

She moans out and says

“Oh fuck baby”

I moan loudly at that and she says

“You like watching me fuck myself? Do you have a masturbation kink?”

I bow my head in embarrassment but I don’t stop my hips and I slightly nod ever so softly, but Natasha sees it and chuckles a bit and says

“I bet you’ve thought of me doing this. Have you touched yourself thinking of me doing this to myself baby?”

I nod my head and moan. I’m so close and she seems close but she’s been going for a while. I’ve only been going for a little bit.

She smiles and says

“I guess I’ll work it into our very tight sex schedule”

I smile knowing she’s making a joke and I throw my head back when she flexes her muscle.

“Oh fuck Nat! I’m so close”

She smirks and says

“Wait a bit baby. I’m close too. I wanna cum with you”

I nod my head as best I can and it falls back. Natasha grunts and firmly says.

“Look at me”

So I quickly snap my eyes to hers and I pant a bit.

“Oh fuck natty. I’m gonna-”

“Cum with me baby! Oh!!”

I roll my eyes back and grab her boobs again for stability which sends her over the edge and her muscles flex even more making me hit my clit hard and I jerk and thrust a bit more and then my orgasm crashes over me.

We slow down but keep our movements going until we can’t anymore and I look down at her panting. She smirks at me and says

“I didn’t know you liked that.”

I send a half smile her way and say

“It was so hot. You’re definitely gonna have to do that again soon”

She moves her wet fingers to my lips and I open willingly and suck and lick her fingers.

Then she pulls away with a pop and looks down saying

“You made a big mess on my thigh. You’re gonna have to clean it up baby”

I let out a shaky breath and move down to her legs and lick my own cum off her leg and moan at my taste and hers mixing on my tongue.

Once I’ve sufficiently cleaned her up I move back to her face and kiss her making sure she tastes both of us on our lips.

I pull away and lie down next to her and say

“That was so good. Thank you.”

She smiles now in her right mind and says

“No thank you. I’m so glad you didn’t let me ruin that dress. I don’t know what I was thinking”

I giggle and cuddle next to her and say

“I’m sleepy”

She brushes my hair out of my face and says

“Sleep. I love you baby”

I smile and say

“I love you too”

A/N: I tried to finish it quickly. This isn’t really my day I guess but I wanted to get it out since I promised it. <3

Taglist

@ilovesnat @ihartnat

[nadvs]

both sinners (part two)

pairing drugdealer! rafe cameron x female reader

rating explicit 18+

content warning drug use

summary as a stripper, you’re well aware that someone you know could walk into the club at any moment. when rafe is your newest customer, you’re actually glad to see a familiar face.

{ masterlist }

*+:★:+*━━━*+:★:+*━━━*+:★:+*

When Rafe wakes up in his bed, bits and pieces of last night drift into his mind.

He remembers watching you on stage. And touching you while you danced on his lap. And going upstairs with you.

And at the end of it all, asking for your number. But he can’t place if you actually gave it to him.

When he finds your contact info in your phone, he’s relieved. He wants to replay last night. It felt like a dream. He texts you: when are u working next?

You eventually reply: lol you asked me this like ten times last night

Rafe: and whats the answer

You: friday

His lips twist in frustration. He can’t wait that long.

Rafe: are u coming to my party tonight

You: wasn’t planning on it

Rafe: well plan on it

You look down at your phone in amusement. You’d overheard the girls at work talking about this in the dressing room before. Some customers do this - they get infatuated by a stripper, by the fantasy of you being their plaything.

Unless the customer is a creep, going along with it is basically a guarantee of a steady flow of cash from them. The thing is, you don’t really have to play it up. You genuinely had fun with Rafe.

You tease him in your reply, texting: hmm fine i guess.

You’d been at Rafe’s house for parties a few times before, but every time, the vastness and luxury of his home nearly jolts you.

The place is swarming with partygoers, music loud and conversations louder. You’re with your group of close friends, some fellow dancers and some not, as you make your way through the crowded foyer.

When you spot Rafe sitting on a couch, counting and fanning out $20 dollar bills of what you’re sure is his drug money, you let your friends know you’ll find your way back to them.

When you approach him, you put a gentle hand on his shoulder. He looks up, a smile spreading on his face as soon as he realizes it’s you.

“Do I owe you for the bump last night?” you ask him. He stops to think about it.

“Yeah, actually, you do.”

“No problem. I made a lot of cash last night,” you tease. Nearly half a thousand dollars solely from him, to be exact.

He takes your wrist and pulls you down onto his lap. You giggle, placing an arm around his shoulders as he encircles you in his arms, the cash now a bundle in his fist.

He’s so damn possessive. And grabby.

“You’re not paying me back that way,” he murmurs to you. You smirk, looking down at his mouth.

Rafe is already getting hard. The feeling of you on his lap, your ass pressed against his thigh, your short dress, that smile… Fuck.

“Didn’t see that coming,” you say sarcastically.

He cradles your jaw to kiss you. He loves the feeling of claiming you in public like this. There’s something so fucking hot about being the one you’re choosing to be with when so many other men thirst over you.

“What the fuck took you so long to get here?” he rasps.

“Did we make an appointment?” you flirt. He grips your thigh hard, biting his bottom lip.

“Get up,” he says, shuffling beneath you. Excitement tingles through you as he stands and takes your hand to lead you through the groups of rowdy people.

On the way upstairs, a guy stops Rafe asking to buy a gram, but he only pats his shoulder and tells him he’ll find him later. You’re his priority right now.

His bedroom is massive, with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the beach. You can only hear the waves and faint music and your own heartbeat as Rafe shuts the door, making sure to turn the light on.

He’s going to see all of you this time, with no dim club lighting shadowing any part of your body.

He immediately pushes up against you, his groin at your ass.

“Take it off,” he mutters. You’re used to undressing for men, but doing it for Rafe is ecstasy. You can’t wait to feel him inside of you.

You hike up your dress and pull it off to feel his hands on your bare skin immediately. He’s rough as he squeezes your tits and trails a hand down between your legs, pressing his fingers up against you.

“No stupid fucking rules here,” Rafe says.

“Not like you’d follow them.”

He smiles. You’re right. He’s been looking forward to fucking you how he wants you to. The handjob last night was mind-blowing, but he wants you entirely, to absolutely ravage you.

Arousal twists inside you as he rubs the tips of his fingers up and down over your panties.

“Bend over,” he orders. You obey, feeling his hand on the back of your neck, forcing you down. You put your hands on the plush rug.

Your legs are spread and your ass is in the air as he pulls your underwear down to your knees. His hands run over your bare cheeks, then spread you open.

Rafe exhales sharply. You’re fucking perfect. He lowers onto his knees and when you feel his tongue against your cunt, you tremor, almost losing strength in your legs.

“Don’t move,” he says against you. With your hands and feet on the floor, he starts to languidly lap at you. His tongue dips and glides, his breath hot against you with his fingers still digging into your flesh.

You’re dizzy. From the pleasure. From the way your body is bent over. From the ache you feel for him.

One of his hands slides off your ass, and within moments, you feel two of his fingers push into you.

“Shit,” he groans in a whisper. He starts to scissor his fingers, earning moans from you. “You’re so fucking tight. I don’t know if I’ll fit.”

From the way his cock felt in your hands last night, you’re not so sure, either.

“We’ll make you fit,” you say through shallow breaths. Rafe grins to himself. That was the best thing you could’ve said.

You feel him withdraw his fingers. The sound of him unzipping his pants makes you arch your back in anticipation. Big hands push your hips down to guide you onto your knees.

You bite your bottom lip, drunk on the feeling of his fascination with you. He’s going to take you right here on the floor; he couldn’t even wait another few extra seconds to get you on his bed.

Rafe strokes himself, hungrily looking down at your slick core. He pulls out the condom he was keeping in his back pocket specifically for this, opening the package and rolling it on.

You look back once you hear the crinkling of the wrapper.

“They make those in your size?” you purr, stroking his ego. At this point, you’re professionally trained in making men feel good about themselves, but right now, you’re genuinely complimenting him because you want to.

Rafe breathes a chuckle, his hand running up and down your back. He’s never had a girl flatter him like this. He’s not usually rendered speechless, but you have the power to do it to him.

He lines his tip up against you, his groin stiff, avidity consuming him. When he starts to push into you, he feels you tighten around him. He throws his head back with his mouth agape at the feeling of you squeezing him.

“Tell me to stop if I need to,” he says gruffly, slowly sinking in.

“Okay,” you breathe, his hands cupping your hips. The pressure is unreal as he gets deeper, and you feel your body tense.

“Wait,” you say, head hanging. You breathe in and out slowly, feeling his thumbs rubbing over your skin as he waits for you. After a few breaths, you’re ready.

“Okay,” you say. “Keep going.”

He continues to slowly dig into you and once he reaches in to the hilt, his hips against your ass, you wriggle to get used to him.

“Good?” he huffs.

“Yeah,” you say, rocking back. He smirks at the way you’re pushing against him. He pulls back, then drives back into you, pleasure filling him.

His pace quickens and soon he’s slamming into you, the sounds of your wet skin slapping together and your heavy breathing taking over the room.

Rafe feels nothing but pure euphoria as he fucks you, looking down at his cock disappearing into your perfect cunt. Your ass shakes with every thrust, reminding him of how you danced last night, of how he wants to keep coming to the club to watch the way you own the stage and writhe on that damn pole.

He cums in hard, long pulses, his fingers digging into your hips so hard that it hurts. Once he’s done, he watches the way your dripping cunt slowly wanes after being stretched out by him.

You turn to look at Rafe as he stands and pulls off the condom, his load pooled at the end of it. He is absolutely disheveled. His hair is a mess and sweat sheens his forehead.

“Get on the bed,” he says through heavy breaths.

You go to lie down on his plush sheets while he gets rid of the condom, and when he comes back, he lies on his front and immediately dips his head between your legs.

You arch your back and breathe out a sigh of surprise. He actually wants to make you cum, instead of only chasing his pleasure. You’re glad he’s not as selfish as his ego makes him out to be.

You dig your fingers into his soft hair as he runs his tongue up your middle. When he starts to flick it over your clit, he looks up to make eye contact with you.

The way your lips part and your brows furrow in pleasure is so fucking pretty to him.

You’re on fire as he licks and sucks, his hands resting on your inner thighs to keep your legs spread wide.

“You taste so fucking good,” he rasps.

“Yeah?” you moan, feeling like you’re withering beneath him.

“I’m the only guy you’re seeing, right?” he says, hopeful, already angry at the mere idea of you fucking around with other men.

“Right,” you say. He nods and continues to work his mouth on you, his jaw getting sore, until an orgasm rolls through you.

When Rafe watches the way you tremble and hears the way you whimper, he decides he wants to make you cum whenever he gets a chance to simply so he can watch you do this.

As you come down from your peak, Rafe takes out his wallet and drops a few $100 bills on the bed beside you.

“You don’t have to pay me,” you impulsively say. Damn. It might be stupid to turn down any money he’s willing to give you.

“I want to,” Rafe says to your relief. Maybe you’ll get used to his money, he hopes. It’ll keep you around.

He looks down at your naked body with a satisfied grin. He always thought you were hot when he saw you at parties, but had he known fucking you would be like this, he would have made a move a long time ago.

Or he’d have gone into that strip club much sooner.

He waits for you to get dressed before you head downstairs together. He continues to party and sell coke, not letting you leave his sight.

The following Friday night, you sit in the club dressing room, putting the finishing touches on your makeup before your shift.

When you step out onto the stage, you can’t see the audience clearly, but you know Rafe is watching. He told you he would be.

Rafe sits near the back, sipping a drink, watching you in amazement. You’re in a flimsy, sheer pink dress. It’s hiding absolutely nothing. He can’t believe he gets to fuck you.

This is a new, conflicting sensation. He likes that so many men want you and only he gets the satisfaction of being inside you, but so many eyes on you makes him jealous at the same time, like these strangers even imaging fucking you is too much.

Maybe he can’t take this like he thought he could.

He watches you writhe and grind and twist on the pole, his dick hardening. He’s definitely fucking you after you clock out.

When you saunter off the stage towards a booth of older men, something ugly twists in his stomach.

This was inevitable. This is your job. You’re going to dance on other guys. Of course you are. But nothing he tells himself makes it better.

Rafe can’t look away, even though he should.

You smile at the stranger, your hands on his shoulders as you say something to him. He watches the man dip a bill into your bra strap.

Rafe takes another swig from his glass, the alcohol cold in his mouth.

When he sees the man reach to squeeze your chest and you swat him away, rage consumes him. He stands up quickly, still trying to somehow restrain himself, knowing you probably deal with this shit all the time.

But the man tries to grab you again.

And that’s fucking it.

Rafe rushes to the booth and grabs the motherfucker by the collar, his fist meeting his jaw hard.

(part three)

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[spicycinnabun]

pt. 1 2 3 4 6 7 💐

Eddie turned around, finding none other than the flower nazi. His nametag actually said Steve. 

He had a leaf stuck in his hair, and his nose was abnormally rosy. Going by that and his nasal tone, he clearly had a cold. He sneezed, then looked annoyed at himself for doing so. “Ugh, sorry,” he apologized. 

He was fucking adorable. It made Eddie smile. “Don’t be. I don’t really need help.” Not with flowers, anyway, just with everything else about his life. “I’m only browsing.” 

It was a weird response, he realized. A guy like him, who looked like he belonged anywhere else, loitering in a shop like this. Just browsing. Right. Steve probably thought he was a creep. 

Steve was surprised to hear that the man wasn’t looking for anything. Last time, he had bought something, so Steve had assumed he was a returning customer. He had been staring at the wedding arrangement, so maybe he was trying to figure out if Harrington Floral was the best place to get them from.

“That’s some talent you’ve got,” Eddie added, pointing to the display.

Steve felt himself flush. “Thanks,” he said softly, ducking his head bashfully. It wasn’t usually guys who were doling out compliments on the displays. Typically, they just asked for his advice on what they should buy for their significant others.

The redness that bloomed on Steve’s cheeks was just plain delightful. It could have been due to his illness, but Eddie was pretty sure it was a reaction to his compliment. His smile widened. “You made it, right?”

“Yes, I did. I make all the displays.” Steve ran a hand through his hair, missing the leaf by a mere centimeter. “I think I saw you last month when I was building one in the window over there. Are you sure you’re not interested in anything?”

Instead of answering, Eddie reached out and plucked the leaf out of Steve’s hair. “Sorry, you had a little bud-dy trying to catch a ride there. Was distracting the hell out of me.” Eddie showed him the small, curvy leaf. 

Steve laughed, which made him cough a little. After clearing his throat, he got back to business. Steve was all about closing a sale, so he pushed a little. “Are you or someone you know getting married? I can, uh…” he thought quickly, “give you a free bouquet as a testimony to how well our flowers will hold up. I was just pruning the roses before you came in. What do you think about a bouquet of them?”

Steve remembered Eddie. And he’d laughed at Eddie’s horrible pun. But Eddie was caught off guard by the questions and the offering. Steve was observant. “I can’t let you do that,” he said. “My uncle is getting married. Hopefully. He hasn’t popped the question yet.”

It would be kind of terrible of him to accept free flowers if it didn’t work out and they never ordered any.

“That’s exciting,” Steve responded.

Genuinely, he felt like it was. Steve loved love. Working in a flower shop would be hard if he was bitter about being single. Also, the fact that someone else around his age wasn’t getting married made him feel a bit better about his own love life. Lately, it seemed like all his friends were getting hitched.

Eddie twirled a piece of hair around his finger, contemplating. He pocketed the little leaf. “I’m meeting the bride-to-be tonight. I suppose making a nice first impression wouldn’t be a bad idea.” He could give the flowers to Wayne to present to Kathleen when she came over. “How much for half a dozen?”

That was probably all he could afford, but he would be paying.

Eddie wasn’t selling as much anymore. Just weed, no powders or pills. Not since he’d discovered that one of his regulars had recently overdosed on Molly. He was at least partially responsible for that. He should have questioned the steadily increasing amount the guy was buying, but he had only been thinking about the money.

“Wouldn’t be a bad idea at all.” Steve had no intention of taking any money for the bouquet. 

He walked around the store and started building it. Steve picked out four roses in red and pink, then added two pastel-dyed Asiatic lilies and sprinkled in a few strands of baby’s breath.

When he was finished, he went to the counter to put them down. He grabbed the twine and unrolled some tissue paper. “I’m sure there won’t be any more customers tonight. I’m kind of in charge, so I can totally give you these for free. Because I want to.”

Eddie pressed his lips together briefly, walking over and planting his forearms on the counter. He wasn’t some charity case. He didn’t like having debts, either. Maybe Steve had seen the type of clothes he wore and automatically assumed Eddie was trailer park trash who couldn’t afford it.

But Steve was smiling at him, looking sweet as a goddamn sugar cookie, and Eddie relaxed, rejecting the thought. That just didn’t seem right.

(Though why Steve wanted to give anyone, let alone Eddie, free flowers was a mystery.)

“You’re the boss, huh?” Eddie said. Steve looked young to own the shop, but maybe he was one of the Harringtons.

The name rang a bell. Steve Harrington. Dustin used to talk about a Steve during D&D. Gushed more than talked, really. Was he the same one?

“Technically, it’s my mom’s shop, but I’ve been running it for a while now,” Steve said. He couldn’t take all the credit.

Eddie gently drummed the counter, rings click-clacking as he watched those nimble fingers cut, tie, and wrap. His mom’s store. Well, wasn’t that precious.

Steve gave the bouquet one last critical look and a fluff with his fingers before handing it over. “With these, I think you’ll make the best impression. Maybe your uncle will even pop the question tonight!” Steve was excited for the groom to be even though he didn’t know him.

Eddie accepted the bouquet and looked down at it. “Thank you. It’s stunning.” Kind of like you.

He didn’t say that last part out loud, though he thought it hard enough that he’d probably projected it into Steve’s head.

Steve felt his face heat again. He didn’t know why he was reacting this way to the compliments. When women complimented his arrangements, he barely blinked.

Eddie brought the bouquet to his nose to smell its perfume. It brought another smile to his face before he lowered it. If Kathleen didn’t end up liking them, she was crazy.

Steve watched Eddie, grinning. “I’m Steve, by the way.”

Eddie’s gaze flickered up. He lowered the bouquet. Why were they both smiling like fucking idiots? “Eddie.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Eddie. Let me get you a card—you know, in case your uncle does propose and will need flowers from somewhere.” Steve grabbed one of the embellished business cards from the stack beside the register.  

Eddie reached out to take it, and Steve sneezed again just as their fingers brushed. It was a big sneeze that made his face screw up and nearly blew him backward. Luckily, he managed to cover his nose before he bombed Eddie. Eddie tried not to laugh at his irritated expression and soft whine as he sniffled.

Eddie pocketed the card and tugged his handkerchief out at the same time. “Here,” he offered kindly, holding it out to Steve.

It was his favorite hanky, his pirate one with the skull and bones, but it was the least he could do. 

Without thinking much about it, Steve took it and blew his nose. He let out a soft sigh, feeling a little better. Then he realized what he’d done. “Sorry…this is kinda gross now. Do you want it back?” 

“Oh no—no, that’s yours now,” Eddie said hastily. “I insist. Consider it a token of my gratitude.” He lowered himself in a teasing bow. “Farewell, Steve, fine sir.”

So, so fine. Even with all the snot.

Eddie backed out of the store, still bent over for extra theatricality. When he straightened up, Steve looked confused but was red in the cheeks again. Score.

On the ride home, Eddie almost missed a turn because he kept glancing at the bouquet.

🌷🪻🌻🌹

co-writing this with @batty4steddie 💕

[jigeuminunbich]

cherie amour | han dongmin (taesan)

synopsis in which dongmin finds himself falling head over heels for the regular that comes into his job (at a vintage record shop) every afternoon.

genre college!au, fem!reader, s2ls (strangers to lovers), and fluff

warnings halfway proofread ngl, kinda has a princess & the pauper vibe (reader is quite privileged & goes to an elite college), quite a few awkward pauses and bashful stares, and dongmin can’t flirt for the life of him

word count 2k

a/n first ff out of the neo realm, hope you all enjoy!

track-list my cherie amour x stevie wonder, can i call you rose? x thee sacred souls, and all i do is think of you x the jackson 5

A bead of sweat trickled down the side of Dongmin’s face. The rickety fan his boss had found from storage was doing absolutely nothing to shield him from the wrath of the summer heat— and the fact he refused to turn on the air conditioning wasn’t helping him in the slightest either.

Despite feeling like he had been transported to the sixth circle of hell, Dongmin didn’t mind his job, it had actually been a juvenile dream of his to work in a place much like this. Somewhere with artifacts filled with history, antique furniture and decor, a devoted community of customers— and surely, that’s what he got following being hired for this position.

But he definitely wasn’t expecting to be overworked as one of the few underlings for his incompetent boss who had inherited the place and having to endure the smell of what could only be described as vintage.

The continuous buzzing of the fan that whirred beside Dongmin’s propped, beat-up sneakers was muffled for a brief moment as in came one of the meager reasons he decided to put up with his job— only, even.

You.

Following the chime on the door, a wave of heat entered the record shop but you graciously came with it, so Dongmin couldn’t really complain. You greeted him with a smile as he hurriedly straightened in his seat and adjusted his posture stiffly. The smile was returned to the best of his abilities, but he’s sure it came off wonky and jarring.

Silently, you waltzed around the shop. It wasn’t very big, and he’s positive you’ve walked each aisle at least a few dozen times but it still had you coming back every other afternoon.

It was ritualistic for you to stumble into the small-scale record shop nestled between an antique boutique and a genuine crystal shop— Dongmin had become hip to this months ago when he had first began working here. Though, it was obvious to him that you had been doing this a lot longer than his time, judging by the way you interacted with veteran staff and even that dense boss of his.

You were around his age, clear from the cardigan you wore that was proudly embroidered in fancy cursive of what he discovered was your home school— the elite college that rivaled his. It had been an initial thought of his that maybe you were an alum and just liked the comfort that the sweater offered but after miraculously seeing you at a rival game between your two schools’ football teams— he knew for sure that you were close in age.

Unfortunately for him, those were the only details he had found on you. Alleged things about you floated around between his coworkers and to his own ears but he ignored them for solid truth. The truth was, you were clearly a devout music lover from a realm he didn’t know of, a school he could only dream of attending, and a lifestyle he had absolutely no experience in.

“Anything new that you recommend?” At the arriose sound of your voice, Dongmin came to a realization that he had been staring at you for far too long.

Under your curious gaze, he stilled. Nearly forgetting to breathe over the fact you were speaking to him. Another fact he had come to realize, is that you enjoyed your solitude. It wasn’t often that you spoke to him outside of your purchase of a vinyl or the rare CD. But when you did, Dongmin always fell into the same trap as if it was happening for the first time again.

“I—uh— what’s your genre?” He knew this already. You had an affinity for 60s music— he came to conclude from the dozen of vinyls he had previously rung up for you.

You hummed, glancing to the spotty ceiling as you contemplated. “I always go for oldies. Anything recent that you like?” As you asked this, you drew closer to the counter where Dongmin was quickly breaking out into a cold sweat over the fact you were verily nearing closer to him.

Your eyes didn’t waver from him, it was clear that you were genuinely interested in his own opinion.

“Well, I don’t listen to too much recent stuff myself, actually.” He managed to respond, not having the capacity to filter his honesty.

Now opposite of him by the counter, you giggled. Dongmin swore his heart skipped a beat, or two for that matter.

“Well, I guess you’re no help then?” Your voice lilted with humor, your head tilting.

“Heh. No, I guess not…” To Dongmin, he was sure your bout of conversation would end here. You would choose something along the lines of your usual, get rung up with some sort of small talk, and go on about your day while he finished out his shift wallowing about how he wished he could’ve said more to you.

“What’s your genre, then,” you squinted momentarily to double-check his nametag. “Dongmin?”

For a moment, Dongmin had forgotten his name was his own. You watched him blink at you for a few beats before visibly collecting himself.

“Me? Well, I like rock— like Nirvana and My Chemical Romance. But I like easy listening stuff too…”

You nodded, “I assumed just as much.”

Dongmin’s eyebrows shot up into his fringe, eyes wide with surprise. “Really?”

An endeared smile etched onto your lips instantly. “Yeah, every time you’re here they’re always playing over the speakers. But I hear the Carpenters every now and then, too. You have good taste.”

Dongmin fought the flattered expression that attempted to spread across his features, clearing his throat in an effort to swallow his excitement. “Thanks.”

You nodded, a silence floating in the air as you two both seemed to wait for the other to carry on the conversation. With the atmosphere starting to feel cramped, you open your mouth to ease the awkwardness but Dongmin thankfully beats you to it.

“We—uhm— actually just get in some new vinyls that I think you might like…”

You visibly perk up at this. “Did you?”

Dongmin nods, his tone coming off a bit hesitant. “Well, you get a rotation of the same artists, I noticed…”

Your laughter eases the weight on his shoulders, he finds himself smiling fondly as you nod your head in agreement. “No, yeah, I do. I guess I’m quite predictable,”

Dongmin shrugs. “There’s nothing wrong with that. I think your music taste is good too.”

You find yourself smoothing a hand over your jacket, flattered. “Thank you,”

“No problem.”

You both lock eyes for a beat longer than expected, your own being the ones to flit elsewhere as could feel the flutter of butterflies swarm in the base of your belly. Dongmin’s gaze on you is only interrupted when you clear your throat before speaking again.

“Did you want to show them to me?”

“Oh! Yeah, sorry,” As if he had been split from a trance, Dongmin lurches back into reality to begin leading you towards a dusty corner of the shop.

A giggle leaves you as you follow close behind. “No worries.”

It’s safe to say Dongmin did not fabricate that the new selections would be to your liking. You find yourself rifling through the crate carefully, multiple familiar artists’ cover arts calling your name. Dongmin can’t help but admire you as you work your way through the vinyls with pure amazement in your eyes.

“Anything catch your eye?” He gestures toward the basket that you were leisurely searching through.

Your gaze shifts upwards to where Dongmin is standing, sheepishly remembering that he was there. “A lot. I’m supposed to be on a budget for stuff like this but— Oh my god! I’ve been looking for this,” you excitedly pull out a yellowed Lesley Gore vinyl.

Dongmin’s amused laughter catches your attention and you roll your eyes at him before shaking your head. “Damn, why’d you have to know me so well?”

“Heh. I can get you a discount, if you’re interested?” Dongmin approaches you, delivering his sentence carefully to test your reaction.

You jerk away in surprise, shocked that Dongmin would even offer to do that for you. But you can tell he’s genuine as he watches you intently awaiting your response. “No, no. I just need to practice some self-control…”

“You sure? I can’t promise that old guy won’t buy up all the Marvin Gaye in here…” You follow his hands as they skim the top of the distressed and begrimed vinyls, almost like a hypnosis.

A huff leaves you, the memories of your elder competition that most likely had no idea was your competition coming to mind. “Shit— you’re right. Okay, fine. I’ll indulge myself just this once.”

You decide to humor Dongmin and yourself, picking through the crate again to remove several LPs that caught your attention. Dongmin nods, finding confidence in being able to bond with you. After you make your final decision, you both head back over to the counter to finalize your transaction.

“You didn’t have to do this, y’know. I’m sure this is actually against the rules…”

“Nah. It’s fine my boss does it all the time for customers he likes too—“ Dongmin realizes his slip of tongue a little too late, his expression reminding you of a deer in the headlights.

“Really now?” You muse.

“Uh—yeah,” Dongmin coughs. “That’s your total…”

Your eyebrows jump instinctively at the outcome, gladly digging around in your bag for your card. “Damn. I’m glad you like me because inflation is killing me right now, here,”

Dongmin accepts your payment and you don’t miss the way he avoids your eyes bashfully. When everything is squared away, your hefty bag in hand, he decides he’s capable of addressing you head on.

“Well, I guess I’ll see you around then?” He visibly forces out, internally hoping it comes across as natural (he doesn’t).

You nod automatically but have a sudden train of thought that you decide to take a chance and verbalize. “Actually… do you get off any time soon?”

The boy across from you is clearly stunned at the inquiry, blinking at you a couple times before answering. “Uh— in about an hour, actually…”

“Cool. I’ll be at the café across the street, if you don’t have anything to do that is… I feel like it’s only right that I repay you…” The last of your sentence trails off as you feel you’re rambling on, but Dongmin couldn’t have looked more interested in you.

“No! I mean, I don’t have anything to do— I’m free, yeah.” Dongmin shuffles, setting himself in a pose that he hoped conveyed how nonchalant he wanted to be but was clearly failing to do so.

You find yourself amused with his antics— a bit flattered as well. “Alright then, see you in an hour?” He nods intently while he watches you back away from the till.

“An hour it is.” He affirms, returning the wave you spare him before the shop’s door chimes again. Promptly, your warmth leaves him to the humidity of the shop. But he holds his pose knowing he’ll be engulfed in it once more.

© jigueminunbich ‘24

[awkwardchick87]

Challenge Friday - 9/19/2024 @pixelcafe-network

The prompt was song inspired! Keigo on a first date!!

Wc - 726 Cw - Nothing. Just a nervous Keigo being a cutie!

Keigo looked himself over in the mirror, spritzing himself with cologne one last time. His feathers ruffled behind him as he tucked them closer to his body. Each one shining as the sun filters across them. Taking one more glance at his watch, “Oh shit!” muttered under his breath as he grabbed his wallet off the vanity. Making his way to the door as he slipped his sneakers on. Trying to keep as casual as he could. His nerves had him fumbling over everything and almost tripping over his own two feet. 

The orange and pink hues of the clouds spread across the sky as he flew towards the movie theater. He was still in awe that you, his adorable assistant turned semi sidekick, had agreed to go on a date. Your quirk was not quite suited for hero work outside of the medical field, but the fact that you had fought so hard to even get a place in his agency showed him just how determined you were, something he admired greatly. 

Rubbing his sweaty palms on the material of his jeans, he landed in front of the small restaurant. A little known, out of the way, diner that had always treated him like a regular customer, and not all the insanity that came with being a hero. It just happened to be a bonus that you said it was close to your apartment. 

Spotting you just outside the diner, a genuine smile spread across his face. You look so different in casual clothes. A simple top and cardigan with some comfortable jeans and a pair of slip on shoes. As soon as you noticed him, you waved, a smile on your face as you made your way towards him. “Wow, look at you hero. You clean up nice!” a small teasing lit to your voice. 

The tips of his ears tinged pink as he tried to casually scratch the back of his neck, “Thanks. You though, you look great.” smiling at you, he gestured towards the small diner, “Shall we?” he held his arm out for you to loop your hand through it, trying to hide his nervousness. Giggling, you hooked your arm through his, thankful he turned towards the door and could not see the dusting of pink across your cheeks. 

Like a true gentleman, he opened the door for you, the small bell chiming and alerting the waitress of your arrival, like Keigo didn’t call ahead anyway to request some privacy. Pulling out the chair for you, he pushed it back in for you before taking his own seat. Small talk wasn’t exactly your forte, and you wanted to avoid all shop talk while on this date, “So.. How have you been?” You tried to sound casual, truly, but the awkwardness was obvious in your voice. Glancing at the menu in your hands.

Smiling at you, he leaned forward, “I’ve been good. Kind of nervous if I'm being honest. I didn’t think I’d make it this far.” 

You stared at him. He didn't think he'd make it this far? What was he saying? He didn't think you would agree to go on a date? He has to be joking. A laugh bubbled in your chest and soon you were almost doubled over. The menu abandoned on the table. “You thought.. How? That would be..” wiping the small tears from your eyes, you looked up at him, “Keigo, you thought I wouldn’t want to go on a date with you? Was all my flirting that bad? It took you so long to ask me out, I was about to ask you myself!” 

He watched you laugh, eyebrows raised in realization. All the times your fingers lingered on his as you handed him folders of reports and paperwork. He had caught you staring way more often than anyone else. “Wait, so if I had waited, you would have asked me out instead?” he asked, a lopsided smile on his face now. Leaning back in his seat, he picked up the menu again. The nervousness gone and replaced with his usual confidence as he glanced up at you. 

Watching you blush and pick your menu up again, “I was going to give you another few days.” you managed to squeak out, suddenly very aware of his courage. This date was definitely going in his favour.

Feather divider by @trxshpandax Support banner by @adornedwithlight

[kyasarinkishinuma]

Rumours

Summary: The new merc in town's been dropping by Reader's café lately, and she can't help but wonder if the food is all he comes back for.

Pairing: Cloud Strife x Reader

Themes: Fluff, café setting

AO3 link

“Today’s special, please.”

There he was again. That stoic merc everyone in town had been talking about lately. Rumour says he was a rather unsociable man, but… 

He came to your café once, and had been coming back since. Once a week, Thursdays, 2pm flat. Every single time.

And for a guy who had such an intimidating reputation… Well. He surprised you with his politeness every time he came in.

“Coming right up. Take a seat.” Bowing respectfully, you retreated within the confines of the kitchen to cook up Cloud Strife’s meal. Today? Spaghetti with garlic bread. Simple, but comforting. Your homemade food was what your regulars coming back weekly. Or at least that’s how it had been before.

“Thank you for waiting.” Within a few minutes you came back to your sole customer of the day. He had taken a seat by one of the three round tables sitting outside the abandoned wagon you had sought refuge in lately. Not as charming as those higher-class cafés and restaurants, that’s for sure. Business… had been rough lately. Yet the mercenary gratefully accepted the meal, mumbling a polite ‘thank you’ before he picked up his utensils, seeming to hesitate in your presence. You smiled warmly.

“Dig in.”

That’s all it took. The switch was immediate, from polite and poised to absolutely famished. It was funny. Endearing, even. Every time the blonde had come into your café, he ate like it was his first meal in days.

“More, please.” 

And with his manners? Almost boyish, the way he’d stare at you expectantly with his hand outstretched as he gave his emptied plate back for another serving.

“I got you covered.” 

Back into the kitchen you went, and back you came with another healthy heapful of spaghetti for the man. Cloud never had much to say, so you usually did most of the talking when he’d drop by. He didn’t seem to mind it. Never really gave any elaborate answers to your small talk, but you didn’t mind it either. Sometimes people just need a break and some good food.

“When’s the last time you ate?” You asked by the time Cloud was on his third plate, and finally starting to slow down a bit. It was almost fascinating, to watch him wolf it all down like it was nothing. And deep down, you didn’t really judge. He didn’t seem the type to have a loving family and warm food to come home to.

The man paused. “This morning,” he answered after a moment, before going back to eating. You raised both brows at that, a hint of amusement gracing your smile.

“And you’re this hungry?” 

Strife shrugged. “It’s part of the job.”

“Is it a SOLDIER thing?”

Cloud stopped eating then, and you found yourself regretting those words. Had they been a bit too bold? Of course most knew about the merc’s former association to Shinra. Whether the rumours were founded in truth or not didn’t matter when the glowing eyes gave it away. You had been about to apologize and to excuse yourself when the man turned his gaze to you, freezing you in place. Those mako eyes… Not annoyed. Calm. Thoughtful. They swept over your surroundings then, the dirt and grime of the Midgar slums.

“Your café hasn’t always been like this, has it?” The man spoke out of the blue, taking you by surprise. He seemed to take your stunned silence as an invitation to continue. “You’re a lot better at this than the other locals. You worked someplace big?”

You could only stare at the sudden bombardment of… Compliments? Were these compliments, coming from a man who fought monsters straight from your nightmares for a living? Finding him staring back expectantly… You could only assume he was being genuine about this. Or perhaps he simply wasn’t realizing the nature of what he had just said.

You nodded then, finally getting your voice back. “Yeah. I used to own a café in Sector 1 before the Mako Reactor blew. My home was destroyed, so I had to move.”

It was Cloud’s turn to be silent, blinking a bit as he processed the information. His emptied plate seemed to have long been forgotten now, the fork sitting idly next to it.

“Sorry about your home,” he spoke after a moment, turning his gaze back to the plate in front of him. You simply showed a smile, genuine and grateful.

“That means a lot.” A pause. “So… Are you still hungry?”

“What’s that damn merc up to anyway?! We told him the meeting was at 3 tops!”

Seventh Heaven was in chaos as always, with the members of AVALANCHE running around in disarray as Marlene chased after them, giggling excitedly. Tifa? Unfazed through it all, showing her impatient friend a smile from behind her counter as she prepared him a drink to calm his nerves. But… Barret was right. Where was Cloud?

“If he’s not here now, I don’t think he’s coming.” Tifa hesitated to speak the words, out of fear that Barret would just explode. Truth be told, though, they needed not be spoken at all. It was a blatant fact. Cloud… was a difficult guy to grasp. And he didn’t seem to care too much about this AVALANCHE stuff.

“Damn spikyheaded ass! I’ll show him!!” Barret’s outburst was almost comedic as he stomped around on his seat, waving his hands around. But even he seemed to come to terms with the situation as he calmed down, heaving a heavy sigh as he crossed his arms and slumped onto his seat. No point in getting so worked up over it. “Y’don’t suppose he’s at that café again?”

“Thanks for the meal.” Cloud always left so soon. He never really stayed for the small talk like most of your regulars had before the bombing of Mako Reactor 1. You never asked him to stay, though, simply showing him a smile as you got his cheque ready for him. But today… You did want to ask him one thing, before he left.

“Cloud.” He hummed, head snapping up at attention to meet your gaze as you spoke his name. “Why… do you come here? Why come here when there’s all those other big, nice cafés in the sector?”

The man furrowed his brows then, his gaze falling to the side as he shrugged. “I like your food.”

You frowned a bit then, watching him attentively. That couldn’t be all of it. You… felt it. There was something more. Was he hiding something?

“I’ve heard rumours…” You felt your heart race in your chest as you gathered the courage to address the question that had been burning in your mind since the first time he had returned for ‘today’s special’. “That… You don’t come here just for the food.”

“Why would he go there when he can have free food here?! It’s part of his damn pay! That guy don’t know how to show some damn gratitude!”

Tifa couldn’t hold back a chuckle as she watched Barret get riled up all over again, swinging his arms around. Even though Barret had a point, and it stung her heart that her childhood friend avoided spending any more time than necessary with AVALANCHE… Tifa was starting to think she may understand Cloud’s motives a bit better.

“I think… It just helps him to have someone who doesn’t expect anything from him.”

No favours, no battles. Just a warm meal and a ‘thanks’.

“...Maybe I don’t.”

Cloud’s answer came in the end. He stood then, your shocked eyes burning into his face as he slung his sword over his back and dropped a generous portion of Gil onto the table.

“Keep the change. I’ll see you next week?”

You found yourself unable to answer, cheeks burning in the slightest as you watched him stalk off back the way he came in that calm, unfazed way of his.

But when he had gotten up to leave…

You could’ve sworn you saw him smile.

[mothwingwritings]

Sanctuary

F!Reader X Kaoru Hanayama

Hello my little ghost, goblins, ghoulies, and all around babes! By some miracle I was actually able to churn out a lil Halloween fic feat. Vampire Hanayama for you guys to sink your teeth into ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°) this hallow's eve. It was a lot of fun to write and I hope you all enjoy! Have a FANGtastic and funky Halloween tomorrow, my little morsels~!

(And yes, I realize I am posting two blood-centric fics in a row, I promise I don't have a thing for this heh heh heh)

WARNINGS!: Death, gore, blood, a horny and possessive vampire lord, an elderly couple having the worst day of their lives and terrible things happen to them, mentions of kidnapping and imprisonment/being held against your will.

There was a convenience store at the foot of the hill, the last stop right before you start heading into the mountains.

It didn’t have a name, the weather worn, paint chipped sign simply reading ‘GOODS AND SUPPLIES’. The building was so small it didn’t have a dedicated parking lot, and it had a touch of dilapidation that made the rare passerby wonder if it was even still in business.

But the old building’s lights always shined so bright through its foggy windows, drawing any would be customers to the warm luminosity. Though scant, the shelves were always stocked, and the older couple that had ran the place for the last 50 years always gave you a pleasant and warm greeting when you walked through its creaking door.

Though you were sure you must look like a strung out, malnourished, vagabond they never batted an eye at your appearance. They also never questioned why you came around on a somewhat consistent basis, even though all that surrounded you was endless forest and towering mountains, the nearest town miles and miles away. This shop survived solely by being the only accessible place for campers to grab necessities before starting their trek into true wilderness. Places like this didn’t have regulars, at least not until you started coming around.

Maybe they felt sorry for you, thinking you were some poor homeless girl that had holed up in the mountains somewhere just trying to get by. Each time you entered their establishment you wondered if they were concerned you may pilfer from their limited shelves. Not that you could blame them if they did, by all accounts you appeared sketchy. Donned in ratty hoodies, your shifty eyes and general downtrodden persona would have had anyone keeping an eye on you. However, your appearance never alarmed them. If anything they seemed genuinely pleased to see you, their eyes lighting up in recognition whenever they saw you meandering down their aisles.

If they were troubled by your presentation, ever sickened by the bruises that dotted your body or appalled by the shoddily hidden bite marks that trailed your neck, they never spoke of it. You wished you could tell them how thankful you were for that. The reminders on your body were bad enough to deal with on your own, someone else nit picking you about them would be too cruel of a reminder of just how futile your situation was.

This little Podunk store had become your lifeline, your only beacon of normalcy since Kaoru Hanayama had claimed you.  You couldn’t slip away to it often, having to rely on the security of the sun’s rays to protect you from the great vampire lord, but when you could escape his estate you always ended up finding your way here.  Often times you didn’t even have money, coming and going with no purchases made.  Yet still you were welcome here, and you readily sought solace within its fluorescently lit walls, a reminder to yourself that you weren’t the last human alive on this god forsaken planet. It had become your sanctuary.

… Up until today.

You knew something was off the moment you stepped through the front door. The lights were all on, the glow of the welcome sign beckoning you with a brightness that cut through the shade of the setting sun. When you pushed open the door the same familiar chime announced your arrival, and the same old TV in the corner was playing whatever sport happened to be in season (right now it was baseball, and judging by the cheering, a player had just done something good). As usual, the radio was playing outdated pop songs softly over the speaker system, a bit of static barely noticeable as it blended with the jaunty tune.

For the most part, the store looked as it normally did. There wasn’t anything alarming about the old metal shelves holding new merchandise, and the coolers filled with varying beverages lining the back wall all hummed along as they typically did. The aisles were tidy, the floors clean, the racks orderly.  If any other customer had stopped by to shop, they would be thoroughly convinced it was business as usual.

But you were the only regular they had, and you were savvier on how they ran their business. Someone was always at the counter, but today the position sat eerily vacant. Even when they had to step away for a moment, one of the two would call out a greeting as soon as you stepped through the door. Your arrival was always announced, but today no cheery voice welcomed you, there was no warm smile cast your way as you made your way inside.

The absence filled you with unease, a cold dread seeping into your bones.      

Tentatively, you stepped closer to the counter, part of you wanting to call out to see if you get a response. Maybe you had caught them unawares-you did show up at a much later time than you typically did. Perhaps at this time of the day they are busy in back taking inventory or getting ready to restock. Was it really so strange that a small store like this didn’t have staff front and center at all times? It was just the two of them, after all. You can’t expect them to be stationed front and center 24/7.

But you couldn’t shake the feeling nestled deep in your gut that something was very, very wrong. The closer you inched toward the checkout counter, the more unsettled you felt. After a few steps in, a foreign noise came to your ear, growing clearer with every step. At first it was barely audible, a small and drawn out wheezing that sounded in weird intervals. It came from around the corner, near the back where the store room was located. You wondered if maybe the heating system was about to bite it, or an old cooler may be on its last leg.

However, a dying refrigerator didn’t explain the sudden wet sputter that rang out from just beyond your view, followed by a low, agonized groan.

Instinct took over. Propelling your body into action as you leapt across the counter, your legs taking out various snacks and energy supplements as you vaulted yourself towards the backroom. What if the owners had fallen, or something fell on them and they were trapped? Concern surged through you for the elderly couple. Surely there was a good chance if an accident occurred they wouldn’t have the means to pull themselves out of it. If they were in a compromising situation, who knows how long they had been stuck like that, who knows what position they may be in.

Nothing could prepare you for the sight that assaulted you as you rounded the corner.

Red was the first thing your eyes caught. It covered the floor, splattered the walls, coating the world around you. Its source was the kindly old woman whose warm smile you were greatly missing just moments ago. Her gentle, pleasant face was void of happiness for the first time since you met her, instead twisted into a look of abject horror and excruciating pain. She had a pallor that damn near made her look like a corpse, and you supposed that wasn’t too surprising judging from the amount of blood that was gushing from her neck, trailing in angry streaks down her body as it dripped down to the floor, adding to the mass puddle of human gore where her husbands decimated corpse was discarded.

You stifled a gasp, your hands flying to your mouth to muffle any cries or vomit that threatened to spill. Your body shook violently, a mix of disgust, fear, and anguish urging you to flee the scene, leave and never come back. Abandon your sanctuary, save yourself. They were beyond saving. They were beyond hope.

But you remained frozen in place, incapacitated by not only the shock of the situation, but also by the presence of the man that perpetrated it.

The woman hung limply from his mouth, much like how a dog dangles a toy when it’s trying to coax you into playing. His jaw latched to her small throat in a death grip, white fangs peeking through his snarled lips as his eyes caught yours. The only thing supporting the woman’s body was his bite, the ferocity with which he clamped down, the bob of his Adams apple as he greedily gulped down her essence, was quickly and efficiently stealing her life away. With her final burst of strength, her glazed over eyes looked your way. She raised a shaky hand towards you, one final rasp sputtering from her torn throat. Was it a cry for help, or a plea for you to run? Maybe she was cursing you for leading her to this fate. Whatever it was you would never know, as one final bone shattering chomp broke the woman’s neck, effectively ending her life.

Hanayama looked so out of place here in your secret spot, standing center stage as if he belonged here and wasn’t a blight on the ounce of freedom you had left. The whole scene was so surreal you felt as if you were trapped in a nightmare, your mind struggled to accept the horrors laid out plainly before you.

His imposing form nearly took up the entire store room, his height making his head graze the ceiling. Looking akin to a caged bear he was panting, his eyes wild as he released his grip letting the woman’s body fall limply to the floor, joining her husband. He was high from his meal, though you couldn’t imagine it being much of a thrilling hunt. The excitement surely stemmed from you catching him in the act. If you knew Hanayama at all, you knew the look of sheer dread plastered across your face was sure to send excitement coursing through him.

He was dressed to the nines in his tailored designer suit, shiny Italian leather shoes clicking away on the scuffed tiles of the floor as he started to approach you, each step adding a splatter of blood to his previously immaculate ensemble. His feral look had waned as he approached, giving him a more composed air. You imagined this is how he must have looked when he entered the building, his stony face littered with scars, inhumanly red eyes boring holes at the cashier, a dramatic shadow cast across his face from his swanky brimmed hat. He would have definitely caught the older couple off guard with how out of place he looked. Such a strange gentleman wandering into their quaint shop must have entranced them. These good-natured and trusting hosts were probably intrigued with his outlandish presence, interested in his story and what brought him so deep into the woods.

They would have never guessed what he truly was until it was too late. You just hoped that it had been quick for the husband, and that the woman’s suffering was not lengthy.

“So this is where you have been slinking off to.” His voice was smooth as he languidly wiped the blood from his lips, smearing the brilliant red across the once pristine white sleeve of his suit. You shuddered as he addressed you, and he instantly picked up on the quiver, though it was only momentary. He knew you like the back of his hand, all your quirks and fears, it was foolish to think he wouldn’t be able to ascertain that you were sneaking off when he explicitly ordered you not to leave the mansion’s grounds.

“I try and avoid the elderly. Past a certain age and the blood loses much of its flavor and vitality.” His eyes bore into yours, a cold smile tugged at his lips, “But these two were surprisingly delectable, even past their prime. Maybe it was their fondness for you that made them so delicious?”

“I didn’t…” the words died in your throat, burning as you choked them out. You cast your gaze towards the dead couple, the shop keepers glazed over eyes soullessly staring at you. They were still wet with tears.

“You didn’t think,” Kaoru seethed, taking another step forward, crowding your personal space. The coppery smell of blood was radiating from him in such intense waves that you could taste the tang of it on your tongue.  “You made a decision, one that I warned you against time and time again, and now you must face the consequences of that decision.”

He grabbed your chin in a tight pinch, the blood on his hands still warm as it smudged your skin. Stepping aside slightly, his hand guided your head, forcing your attention back on the couple. His steady grip kept your head in place as he spoke in your ear.

“You caused this, (name). If you had listened to me and done as you were told, their untimely death would have been avoidable. You only have yourself to blame. May the weight of their deaths hinder you from making anymore foolish decisions in the future, little one.”

He sighed heavily, releasing your chin, “I took a huge gamble coming out here at this time of day. Even with the sun low in the sky it still poses a threat to my kind. I compromised my safety to bring you home.” His gaze softened, his hand relinquishing its hold on your chin in favor of dragging his cold knuckles softly against the back of your cheek.

“It’s good I came when I did. If I had taken even a moment longer, it was sure to cause issues. Before I entered the store I heard them discussing you, talking about their concern for you. It seems they misunderstood your living situation, seeing you as some form of victim, believing that you had some manner of backwater husband that was abusing you.”

He spat the words with disdain, casting a brief disgusted glance towards the corpses on the floor. “They were trying to formulate plans to ‘save’ you, even mentioning they wanted to bring the police into it. Ridiculous.”

A sob erupted past your lips at the revelation, tears blurring your vision as they began to torrent down your cheeks. Hanayama lowered his voice, placing his hands on either side of your shoulders as he pivoted your focus to him, holding you in place. “This is why you must stay inside, my love. They don’t understand us. Most humans have small, closed minds. They don’t have the capability to understand the nature of our love. They only seek to tear us apart, hell bent on placing an end to something beautiful.”

He scooped you up before your legs could give way, nestling you against his chest in a restraining hold. He pressed a rough kiss to the crown of your head as he stepped through the door, beginning the long trek back to the cold, dank halls of the mansion.

“It has been a trying day, and you need rest,” Darkness had overtaken the sky, the chill of the nights air stinging your wet cheeks. The brilliance of the full moon was your only guiding light as it shone down upon the two of you, making Hanayama’s pale flesh appear to glow.

“But the night is young, my love, and you have a lot of making up to do for the transgressions you have made against me this day,” There was a huskiness to his voice, the words were meant as a threat, but the underlying hint of lust made their true meaning crystal clear. “You are mine (Name), and I will enjoy taking my time engraving that reminder into your soul for as long as it takes, until you finally realize your place.”

[forever-rogue]

I’m new to your blog and am LOVING your fics, and of course I’ve been rewatching narcos so I’m daydreaming about Javier Peña constantly

I like to imagine a scenario where Peña is at the bar again after a shitty, stressful day at work, and you (stranger) inquire about why he’s so gloomy, and soon you have him laughing and genuinely having a good time. Total fluff. Hardass Peña blushing and full belly laughing? My heart.

I just wanted to share but of course feel free to use it if you want! I just am obsessed 😂

AN | Just some softness with our fave DEA agent! Enjoy ❤️

Pairing | Javier x Fem!Reader 

Warnings | Language

Word Count | 2.1k

Masterlist | Main, Javier

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

You’d seen him walk into the bar many times now. He’d come in all sorts of moods, easily evident by how he carried himself. It was also easy to tell how his day went from the amount of drinks he ordered. You always made them, passing them along to him silently, never engaging in much conversation of any sort besides taking his order and payment. You wondered if he even really remembered you or if you were just another part of his evening routine. 

Whatever he thought of you didn’t change the fact that you were curious about him. But you weren’t about to impose yourself upon him. If he ever wanted to talk to you, you’d indulge him but that would have to be on his terms. You didn’t want to scare away one of your best and most regular customers after all. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

It had been a slow day with few patrons throughout the evening. You were half tempted to close up shop, but decided you weren’t that pressed to go home and opted to keep the place open. The worst that would happen was that you had no more people come through and you’d be left to your own devices. If that happened, you figured you’d get a head start on some deep cleaning. It really wasn’t too bad, plus you liked the bar you managed. Unlike so many others, it had a warm and inviting ambiance and most of the people that came through weren’t too bad. 

Just when you were about to give up that any one else would come in, you heard the front door open, accompanied by a soft sigh that had become very familiar. You looked up from the book you were reading - cleaning could wait, you had decided - and smiled when you saw that it was him. He was the last person you had expected to see tonight.

He came up and sat at the bar, at his usual spot, not even bothering to wave you down today. There was no reason to after all, it wasn’t like your attention was occupied by anyone else. You tried to squash your nerves as you walked over to him, wondering what type of mood he was in today. It had been hard to read from his walk for once so you quietly padded over to him. 

“Hi,” you cringed slightly when you realized how high pitched and squeaky your voice sounded, “hey. What can I get you?”

He hesitated for a moment before turning his eyes towards and looking you over. If it had been any other man, you might have felt worried or awkward, but no with him. His gaze was not unkind; and you liked his eyes. Warm brown with crinkles in the corner that you were almost positive showed up whenever he smiled, “you’re not from here.”

You blinked at him a few times before slowly nodding in response. A small smile tugged up the corners of your mouth, “no, I’m not. Have you just noticed or is it just a guess?”

He hesitated before sitting back and stifling his laugh, “it might be the fact that you just started speaking in English to me.”

“Oh,” you mentally slapped yourself; you normally didn’t make that mistake anymore but apparently your mind had gotten the better of you. Plus, you knew that while he was fluent in Spanish, he was American. It was easy to tell when you were in the same boat, “oh. Well, yeah, yes, you’re right. I’m not from here. And neither of you.”

“Nope,” he agreed as you grabbed a glass and started to pour him a drink, “Texas.”

“Texas,” you repeated, passing him the drink, “I’d ask what brings you here, but somehow I have a feeling you’re either not allowed to tell me or you’re not going to.”

“A bit of both,” he took a long drink as he studied you intently. He was fairly certain that you were friend and not foe, but he wasn’t quite ready to take the full plunge into trust just yet, “mostly the latter. What brings someone such as yourself to working in a bar in the middle of Cali?”

“Came to Columbia for school and then just…didn’t end up leaving. And I don’t just work here - I manage this fine establishment,” you gestured around, feeling proud of the space you’d turned into a friendly and cozy space, “you’re around a lot, so it can’t be too terrible.”

“Not at all,” he agreed, setting his glass down and tapping his fingers along the counter of the bar, “company’s not too bad either. Can you have a drink or is that…a big no?”

“Normally I don’t drink on the job,” you admittedly as you reached for another glass, “and I’m not a big drinker to begin with but I’m willing to make an exception every once in a while. Like you said - company’s not too bad.”

And then he laughed. A lovely sound that went straight to your heart and made your bones feel like jelly. You really liked him so far, so all you could do was hope he wouldn’t turn out to be one of the bad ones, but something in your guy told you that he wasn’t.

“What’s your poison?” he watched as you combined a few things to make your drink.

“It depends,” you decided to take a chance and make him one as well, “but tonight it feels like an old fashioned kind of night.”

"Classy," he raised his glass to you in a small salute as you snorted in amusement, "so you're making a special exception to drink with me, huh?"

"Mhmm," you took a long sip and leaned against the counter, "like I said, it's not what I normally do, but I feel like I can trust you."

"Trust me?" He asked. You nodded, "how so?"

"You've never hit on me, you've never been rude to me or anyone else, and you tip well," you swore you could see a slight blush well up in his cheeks, even in the low lighting, "which makes practically a dream man."

"Now you're just flattering me," but he was laughing - a deep, warm sound that seemed so genuine, "I'm sure there's plenty of men out there just like that but better."

"You've clearly never been a young woman out by herself late at night…or anytime really," you sighed lightly, "it doesn't matter if it's here in Columbia or anywhere else in the world. A lot of men are just…terrible."

"Yeah," he let out a long sigh and shook his head, "unfortunately I know what you're talking about."

"And you haven't done anything like that," you grabbed the bottle from under the counter, "which is why tonight's tab is on the house."

"What's the catch?" Oh yeah. This man could read your mind. You poured his refill before smiling coquettishly, "you're trouble, I can already tell."

"The catch is," you leaned on your arms on the counter so you were as close to him as possible without jumping over the counter, "you gotta tell me more about yourself. Deal?"

He studied you - intensely - before offering you a crooked grin, "deal."

"But?"

"You have to answer my questions too."

"Deal," you held out your hand which he eagerly shook, "deal."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Your deal turned into a lot more than you bargained for. In only the best ways, which you hadn't really seen coming.

When you struck up that first conversation with him, you'd ended up talking for hours, well into the early hours of the morning. And it had all felt so natural and easy, like you'd known each for so long and so deeply.

It became a regular thing after that, with Javier coming in regularly - not to drink necessary but to spend time with you. It was easy and made him less nervous when it was under the guise of getting a drink. 

He came and found you at least a few nights a week, and you'd come to know so many sides to him. You could easily tell when Javier had a stressful day, when he'd had a good one, or was just tired to his bones. You still weren't positive exactly what he did for work, but you knew it wasn't anything to take lightly.

He'd even become what you considered a friend. You hoped he thought of you as a friend too.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

You could sense that he was in a fantastic mood as soon as he came into the bar, a visible spring in his step. It made you feel better too - lighter, happier. 

"Hi Javi," you turned your attention to him immediately as he sat down in his usual spot. You leaned against the counter and gave him a smile that always made his heart skip a few beats, "how's it going?"

"Better now," and oh. His answer made you positively weak. You felt your entire face warm up as you took a second to look away so you wouldn't completely lose it, "how was your day, trouble?"

"Same old, same old," you shrugged, "uneventful but much better now."

"Dime," he mirrored your position and you were suddenly overwhelmed by how close he was. The idea that you could lean in and kiss him was dizzying. 

You could play coy, could pretend you had no idea what he was talking about…but you felt bold. You were well aware of the fact that you'd both been beating around the bush, playing a little catch and mouse game. But something had to come to a head, right? You cocked your head to the side and gave him a coquettish smile, "you."

"Me?" You swore you could see a little flush of pink coloring his cheeks, "you sure about that?"

"I am," there was no going back now but somehow you didn't mind that, "you make my day better, Javi. Even if you're only there for a little bit at a time."

You watched his jaw tense as he seemed to be mulling something over deeply. Part of you was already panicking and worrying about having said the wrong thing. But then - he smiled and tapped his fingers along the countertop, "yeah?"

"Yeah."

"You make my day a lot better too," he let out a long weary sigh and you couldn't help the lovesick little expression you gave him, "you're going to be the death of me, you know? You're just trouble."

"But the good kind, I hope?" you were sure there were other people around there needed to be helped for once but you were more than happy to let your coworkers step in and help for once. At least tonight. Javier made a small sound before playfully shrugging, "Javier!"

"Yes," he promised after a few beats of playful silence passed between the two of you, "the best kind, sweetheart."

"Consider your drinks on the house tonight," you went to go and grab a glass but he caught your wrist and stopped you, "Javi?"

"This is probably stupid of me to ask," he sighed for just a moment, more at the situation than anything else and you raised an eyebrow, "but do you want to go out sometime? Maybe not for a drink but…something?"

"Are you asking me on a date?" you blinked at him with wide eyes, almost unsure if you'd heard him correctly.

"Umm…yes?" His first thought was that he had fucked something up, "but only if you want to of course. No pressure-"

"Yes," you cut him off as soon as the realization of what he had said hit you, "yes. I'd love you to."

"Really?" You were surprised that he seemed so surprised. Had he not gotten the very strong signals you'd been putting out? You thought you were being so obvious this whole time.

"Really," you promised, "I was wondering if you were going to ask."

"You-" he paused for a moment before laughing softly, "you are something else."

"I am," you gave him a cheeky wink, "you'll find out. But Javi - I really like you too."

"When are you free?"

You looked around the bar and decided it was empty enough, "now?"

"Now?" He repeated and the two of you grinned at each other like fools, but you nodded, "now is perfect."

"Let's go!"

[foreverrandomwritings]

🍨Bowl of ice cream: rooster and peach

Just Peachy

Summary: Bradley visits you at work and stumbles upon you in a peach sized predicament.

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x afab!Reader

Warnings:Super fluffy, brief mention of frisky business, one curse word, that's all?

Word count: 1105

Masterlist Taste of Twenty-Five Masterlist

The sweet smell of peach was the first thing Bradley noticed when he walked into the little bakery. He stood by the door scanning the shop as he tucked his aviators into his old academy shirt that was a bit too small on him but made his biceps look devine so he refused to part with it. He took in a deep breath through his nose, closing his eyes briefly the smell of all the different sweets overtaking his senses. 

“She’s in the back you weirdo.” The brass voice of your younger sister flew his way. His eyes snapped open glancing in the eighteen year olds direction. He felt the smirk coming upon his lips as he sauntered around the customers that were milling about the store. He lifted the counter top and slipped through the opening before speaking to her.

“You’re mighty bold today I see.” He and your sister had a nice back and forth relationship. The closest thing to a sibling bond he’s ever had. She had been working in your bakery for a couple months now, needing some money and a part time job while in college. 

“You were scaring off all the customers standing by the door with your creepy pornstache.” She kept her voice low and gestured towards the door of the shop with the hand that wasn’t writing on a small chalkboard sign. He glanced at the words briefly, noticing something about peaches but not really focusing on what it said. 

“Hey, you said the stache looked just fine.” He held a hand over his heart and she rolled her eyes dramatically. The dramatic eye roll was one of the things you both had in common. 

“Get out of here, I’m sick of looking at your face.” He scoffed but did as she said, turning around and finding his way into the kitchen. He spotted your form quickly, huddled over a cutting board, knife in hand. He was quiet as he snuck up behind you, his arms wrapping around your middle as he pressed himself into your back. 

“How are you doing today, hot stuff?” His nose was buried in your neck before you could respond. You giggled lightly at the feeling of his mustache tickling your neck. 

“I am just peachy.” You giggled at your own joke as you looked down at the peach in your hand. He peered over your shoulder and let out a small laugh as well. 

“Not that I’m not happy to see you but I thought you were working late today.” You had set down the knife and the peach in your hand. You grabbed the towel tucked into your apron and wiped your hands off quickly. Bradley stepped back a foot letting you turn around. You leaned your back against the counter and gave him a sweet smile. 

“I did work late, it's already seven.” His eyes flicked to the clock hanging on the wall across the room. Your eyes got wide in return quickly flipping your wrist over to check the time on your watch. The bakery didn’t close for another hour and a half but you were still surprised at the time. 

“Oh my. I didn’t even realize it was getting so late. I’ve been trying to figure out what to do with all these peaches for hours.” You gestured around the room and that’s when Bradley noticed the insane amount of peaches crowding the space. 

“This is an awful lot of peaches babe.” He held his lips together tightly trying to hold in a laugh at the bewildered look on your face. 

“I’ve already made like ten peach pies, a couple dozen muffins, two cakes and a dozen scones.” You threw your hands up in emphasis, eyes widening every so slightly.

“Is there a reason you have so many peaches?” He was genuinely curious, typically when you had a big order of anything you’d let him know. He however hadn’t heard of any big orders involving peaches from you recently. 

“If someone hadn’t distracted me while I was ordering produce last week I wouldn’t have ordered this many.” Your eyes narrowed at him, cheeks heating at the memory of last week, shifting on your feet. 

“You weren’t complaining last week.” He had a cheshire grin on his lips now. You had been in the office when he came in last week. Clad in his flight suit and a black t-shirt that hugged him in all the right ways. Things had gotten a little heated and had left you distracted while you were putting in your orders for the week. So instead of the twenty peaches you wanted to order for a few muffins and scones you had planned to bake you had received two hundred peaches. 

“Since you’re the one that put me into this mess you are gonna help me out of it.” It was your turn to have a large smile on your face. His eyebrows shoot up at the mischievous look in your eye. 

“Go wash your hands and grab an apron. You're gonna help me cut up some of these to freeze.” He groaned loudly as the words left your mouth. He didn’t actually mind helping however, it reminded him of all the times he would help his mom and grandmother in the kitchen growing up.

“Can I at least have a kiss first?” He puckered his lips at you and you looked as though you were contemplating whether or not you were gonna kiss him. He was about to complain before you stood on your tiptoes to land a quick kiss upon his lips. 

“Now get to work.” He gave a mock salute and made his way to grab an apron hung up by the sink. He tied it quickly before washing his hands and coming to stand beside you again. 

“How’d I get lucky enough to get such a take charge girlfriend?” The question was rhetorical and you both knew it but that didn’t stop you from answering him as you passed him his own cutting board, knife and bowl, the carton of peaches sat between you. 

“You have a really nice ass is all.” You shrugged at him nonchalantly giggling at the way his nose scrunched up. 

“Good to know that’s all you needed.” He looked at you however and instead of the smell of peaches taking over his senses it was the way you were looking at him. Your eyes held so much love and adoration it was all consuming. There would never be a day that he wouldn’t remind you just how lucky he was to call you his. 

A/N:This has taken forever to write and I am so sorry. I am hoping to get to the rest very soon. Thank you all for reading, likes, comments, reblogs are much appreciated!

Tags(open): @wkndwlff @sylviebell @kmc1989 @eternallyvenus @loving-and-dreaming

[ramblingoak]

Ratte Art

A little drabble set in an au where Omega runs a coffee shop called The Ghouls Den. (Thank you to the amazing @writingjourney for the art!)

~ Omega helps Copia deal with a customer that doesn't appreciate his latte art ~

Copia x GN Reader (coffeeshop au, background Terzo x Omega, nothing but fluff here, sfw, 1,300 words, not beta read)

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

Omega had owned The Ghouls Den for almost 10 years now. 

He named it after the mascot of the local college, a place that held a lot of sentimental value for him.  For almost four years he had been the captain of their rugby team.  It all came crashing down when he’d injured his knee and was told he wouldn’t be able to play his favorite sport ever again.  So he ended up being forced to fall back on the business degree he had half-heartedly been working on.  

The coffee shop was right on the edge of campus.  It was his favorite place to study and eventually the owner threw an apron at him and told him if he was gonna be there all the time he might as well earn some money.  So he slowly began to learn how to make all sorts of caffeinated beverages as well as all the ins and outs of running a coffee shop.  When he graduated the owner offered him a chance to buy the place and Omega couldn’t think of a reason to tell him no.

There was only one thing that would have stopped him from buying the place (besides a severe lack of money).  Although it wasn’t so much a thing as it was a person: Terzo Emeritus.  He and Omega had met in their first year of college and despite a rocky start it didn’t take long for them to realize they were meant for each other.  Terzo was there when Omega hurt his knee and had to face the harsh truth of never playing rugby again and Omega was there when Terzo’s father, Nihil, cut him off.

Thankfully Terzo was an extremely talented artist and with his income from selling his pieces to Omega’s income from The Ghouls Den they both lived a very comfortable life.  Terzo sometimes worked at the shop (although Omega would use the term ‘work’ very loosely), but the majority of the other employees were college students.  His newest employee was hired as a favor for Terzo.  He had waltzed into the shop one day dragging a guy behind him.  Omega had vaguely recognized him, but the sideburns and mustache were definitely new.

College is for experimentation afterall.  

He hadn’t been very confident in Copia’s barista abilities at first.  Or his customer service abilities.  The guy seemed way too anxious for his own good.  After a few extremely iffy shifts Omega had decided to schedule him with Aurora during the mornings.  The perfect companion for Copia while he learned the ropes. She was his best employee, personable and quick.  Although she was a terror with sprinkles and ever since she had started Omega had been forced to double his order for them every week to keep up with her.  

Omega’s biggest worry was how Copia would handle a rude customer.  Most of the folks that came in were pretty chill.  Everyone wanted to be nice to the people providing caffeine.  But every now and then you’d get someone that seemed to be itching for a fight no matter how stupid the reason was.  Unfortunately this morning would be the real test because Omega had been pulled out of his office by the shouts of a woman from the front of the shop.  She was squared off against Copia, wearing a business suit that probably cost more than his monthly rent.  He observed for a few moments to figure out what was going on and once he did, Omega had to turn around to hide his laughter.

“Why would I want a rat in my latte?!”

“Technically it’s on your latte.”

Poor Copia, he seemed genuinely bewildered as to why this woman didn’t like his latte art. 

“Rats are pests!  They’re disgusting!”

Copia immediately straightened up and squared his shoulders.

“Rats are actually some of the most intelligent and cleanest creatures in the world.”

“Well I still don’t want one on my latte.”  While Copia just stood frozen in place Omega could see her gear up and he knew the next thing out of her mouth was gonna involve asking for him so he decided to intervene.

“Is there something I can help you with?”

He had honed his customer service voice many years ago although anyone that knew him well enough could tell he was annoyed.  Aurora was definitely one of those because out of the corner of his eye he saw her turn around, her shoulders shaking with laughter. 

“Yes this idiot seems to think putting a picture of a rat on top of my latte was a good idea.”

He was really glad Terzo wasn’t here right now.  Terzo had a protective streak a mile wide when it came to Copia and Omega knew this woman would’ve been wearing the latte if he had heard her insult his little brother.  Omega was angry enough on his own and all of his fake niceties flew out the window.

“My apologies ma’am, I’m sorry you didn’t like the rat.  We’ll skip the art next time.”

“That’s all I get?  An apology?!  You’re not going to offer to fix it or even refund me?”  

The woman’s voice was getting more shrill with each word and the line of customers behind her was growing.  He always hated dealing with this shit, but he hated giving in to rude people more.   

“You want me to fix it?  Fine.”  Omega reached around Copia and grabbed a small straw.  He plunked it into the cup and gave it a quick stir.  As the poor rat disappeared Copia sighed next to him.  Omega clapped a hand on his back before addressing the woman again.  “There, the rat’s gone.  Next!”

No one in the shop moved for a moment as they waited to see what the woman would do.  Omega was really hoping he wouldn’t have to call campus security on her.  When she finally moved it was to dump the latte all over the counter.  With a frustrated growl she turned and started shoving past the other customers towards the door.  She had just made it outside when Aurora shoved her way in between Omega and Copia, shouting after her as loud as she could.

“Have the day you deserve!”  The woman’s gasp was cut off as the door shut behind her.  “What a bitch.  I can help the next customer!”

Aurora gave Copia a quick hug and then scooted back to her register.  Copia was quiet as he grabbed some towels and started to sop up the spilled mess.

“Hey, you ok Copia?” 

“Si, si.  I’m fine.”  

Omega was pretty sure he wasn’t fine, but he didn’t want to push.  

“Don’t let someone like that bother you.  They just enjoy making everyone around them miserable.”  Copia nodded as he finished wiping the counter off.  “But maybe don’t do any more rat art, ok?”

“Yeah, you’re prob—“

“Actually I’d love a rat on my latte!”  Omega, Copia and Aurora all turned to stare at the customer that had spoken up.  They actually appeared to be blushing a bit when their eyes met Copia’s.  With a little shrug they walked up to the counter.  “Rats are my favorite animal.”

Copia’s mouth fell open and Omega was pretty sure if this was a cartoon there would be hearts coming out of the younger Emeritus’s eyes.  Another good reason Terzo wasn’t here.  The teasing would be relentless.  Omega would have to use some of his old rugby moves to make sure Terzo didn’t try to “assist” his little brother with whatever this might be and judging by how Copia and the customer were looking at each other this was definitely going to be something.

Omega knocked his shoulder against Copia’s and gave him a wink when he looked up at him.    

“One ratte coming up.”

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

P.S. Ratte is rat in German (thank you again @writingjourney 🤣)

If you'd like to see more from this au let me know!

my masterlist

my ao3

[agbob-dollpants]

💓 Meet Velvet! 💓

If you’ve seen my post on here about picking out dolls in person, I can’t do that anymore! My local AG Place closed in February, and I’m genuinely still in disbelief. However, this girl embodies all of the wonderful memories I have made there, as I purchased her on my last trip there on February 16. ❤️

Velvet is a truly me 118, who was never really on my radar when she was first released, but something inside me decided I absolutely NEEDED this doll after seeing a million photos of her on AGIG! When picking out my second to last doll at AGP Columbus, though, I chose truly me 120 instead. Sometimes I’m so mad at myself because, when I picked her out, she didn’t have that awful little star on the bottom of her foot, but there was also one 118 in the store who did not. When I went to pick out Velvet, tons of 120’s were in the store without a star foot, but EVERY 118 had one! It was a nightmare to pick Velvet out, but her sweet face just spoke to me and I bought her anyways! 🌟

One thing I really love to do with my dolls is create stop motion videos for my AGTube channel, AGBob DollPants. For those videos, I have to fashion personalities for my dolls, which usually persist with unusual, outlandish personality traits that create a lot of chaos. However, making a more relatable personality for Velvet has really helped me bond with her! 💓

As I tried to come up with ways to “make up for” her star foot, I landed on the idea that the star is her “scar” from being the last doll to “step foot” into the AGP. Then, I came up with the most BRILLIANT idea! She would be an AGIGer and AGTuber like me! 🌟

In my “doll lore,” Velvet’s presence on AGIG has become even more relatable to me, as I’ve created a story for her that involves similar events to my own experience in high school. At the age of 17, Velvet is a senior in high school, and she still absolutely adores her AG dolls. Navigating her upcoming adulthood, she has to deal with her adult friends growing out of dolls, trying to hide her AGIG from people at school, and the closure of her local AG Place.

At least she has her stories, though. Velvet has loved to write stories about her dolls since she was eight years old. Though I do not have a mini doll to represent him, her stories mostly revolve around Fletcher Rae—a customized Kaya mold boy doll with curly black hair and freckles who was created from a mangled Kaya doll that she “found at a yard sale.” Fletcher, as well as every other doll in Velvet’s collection, attends a school of magic in their 400 page novels! So far, Velvet has created six books about Fletcher in the style of the AG historical books, such as “Meet Fletcher” and “Fletcher Saves the Day,” but filled to the brim with action, suspense, and TONS of lore! ✨

Nobody at Velvet’s school knows that these stories are really about a massive collection of American Girl dolls, though—except for her best friend (who is still to be determined, she will be one of my existing dolls!) As much as she would love to share her doll collection with the world, only the closest people in her life know about her passion for these dolls. Similarly to my own life, Velvet feels like she’s hiding a huge part of her personality to others when she first meets them—almost appearing “personality-less” without her dolls. However, with thousands of followers on AGIG, Velvet realizes how amazing her dolls truly are, as so many people admire her photography skills and love for the American Girl brand! 💓

I absolutely love taking photos of Velvet as if she was a real AGIGer. The photo above showcases her dolls falling over during a photo shoot…I’m sure we’ve all been there! I just adore having a doll who doesn’t look like me, but embodies a similar personality. With Velvet as an AGIGer, I am able to feel more seen as an adult with a passion for AG, even though I created her character myself. Even though Z Yang was a 13 year old girl who adored AGTube (who I own in my collection), something about carefully crafting everything about Velvet’s character makes her so much more special! ❤️

After deciding her personality, and considering the fact that she was my last doll from AGP Columbus, Velvet quickly became my favorite doll of ALL TIME! Though I have had other “comfort dolls” in the past, there is just something about this girl that rises above all the others. To be honest, I don’t even know what I was doing without her! 🌟

Every single day since I first purchased this doll, she has not left my sight. Of course, she always has to have a mini doll with her, so a lot of mini dolls have also been invading my bedroom. Having Velvet around has even inspired me to take the photo above at a public library! It’s been a long time since I took photos in a public facility that was not outdoors, so her love for AGIG has made me more confident in that respect! ❤️

Once you find a doll that you really bond with, they will be your best friend forever! I’m shocked, yet not surprised, that I did not feel this way for my first two dolls that I got all the way back in 2012, but for a doll that I actually purchased as an adult. I like to think that I’ve just accumulated more appreciation for my dolls with time! ✨

Even though my beloved AGP closed, I am beyond thrilled to have the most PERFECT 118 in my collection. It sounds a bit silly, but Velvet means the absolute world to me, and I am so glad to have such a connection with one of my dolls! 💓

[steddieas-shegoes]

Headcanons: insecure Steve?????

He didn’t get into college.

It shouldn’t have come as a shock, but for some reason, he thought he’d get into at least one he applied to.

Looked like he’d be spending his summer trying to figure out a backup.

But for now, he was going to cry about it at Skull Rock.

His previous make out spot had turned into the spot he went to think, which mostly led to crying alone.

It was stupid, really.

Especially when he heard footsteps coming, sticks crunching under feet.

He quickly wiped at his eyes, keeping his face buried as much as he could in hopes the person would walk away.

“Oh. Sorry. Didn’t know someone would be here.”

Steve looked up at the voice.

He knew that voice, but this was the last place he expected to hear it.

Eddie Munson stared up at him from the ground, just as shocked to see him as he was.

“Why are you here?”

“Uh. Couldn’t meet at school today so figured I’d meet my customers here.”

“Other people are here?”

“They will be.” Eddie cleared his throat. “You okay man?”

Steve nodded, though he knew it probably didn’t look very convincing.

“You don’t seem okay.”

“Then why did you ask?”

Steve didn’t mean to snap at him. He had nothing personal against Eddie, not like so many of the jocks seemed to. He just wasn’t in the mood.

“Not everyday you see the King of Hawkins crying on Skull Rock. Figured it must be pretty serious.”

Steve hopped down, figured he could probably escape and cry in the privacy of his own home now. Maybe let himself think about all the ways he let everyone down on the drive there.

“Yeah, well. Not having a future is pretty serious.”

“What do you mean?”

“Didn’t get into any colleges. Probably won’t live to see my next birthday when my dad finds out. Everyone I care about is smart and will leave. I’ll be here. Probably working dead end jobs forever.”

Eddie came closer to him.

Steve resisted backing up.

He was too tired to pretend he really cared about anything right now.

“You know, it’s not the end of the world to have one shitty thing happen. You’ve got lots of resources, man. You’ll figure something out.”

“Doubtful. My resources are my dad’s money, which will stop the second he finds out I’m an idiot and useless and couldn’t even get into a state school.”

Eddie’s forehead creased, mouth turning further into a frown.

“You don’t actually believe that you’re useless, do you?”

Steve shrugged.

“C’mon man. You’re not useless. Everyone has a purpose. Maybe you haven’t found yours yet, or maybe you don’t realize what it is, but it’s there.”

Steve remained silent as Eddie got closer.

“College isn’t for everyone. Maybe you have something better waiting to happen.”

Eddie gave him a comforting smile, and placed his hand on his shoulder for a moment.

“Yeah. Maybe. I guess.”

“There ya go! That’s kinda the spirit!”

Steve let out a small but genuine laugh.

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, yeah, Harrington. Don’t make a habit of crying where I’m working, okay?”

“Sure thing.”

As Steve walked away, he couldn’t help but think about how easy it was for Eddie to make him feel better.

How he had no reason to help, but did.

[izicodes]

After taking a "blog break," I’m excited to start sharing some of the projects I’ve been working on during my time away! One of the highlights is a custom widget I created for Notion—a photocard featuring my favorite band, PLAVE. This widget is perfect for fellow PLAVE fans (Plli), allowing them to display a "fanmade" photocard of their favorite band members right on their Notion pages.

I began this project not only to celebrate my love for PLAVE but also to dive deeper into the world of Notion widgets and explore what’s possible.

Let’s dive into the details of how I built it and the creative process behind it!

I started this project back in May, right after I discovered PLAVE in April! Around that time, I started following a 'photocard editor' on Twitter who creates these fantastic 'unofficial' collectible photocards of PLAVE. I fell in love with her edits immediately. I was also using Notion extensively to keep my Korean studies organized, so I thought, why not combine my passion for Korean learning with my love for PLAVE?

I wanted to create a public widget that other PLAVE fans could easily add into their own Notion pages. To be respectful and ensure proper credit, I reached out to the editor, Jane, to ask if I could use her edits in my widget. I explained my project idea and shared some Figma wireframes to show how the widget would look and function. Jane was excited about the concept and gave me her blessing to move forward. I didn’t start any programming until I had her approval!

For this project, I needed to create two main components: the widget itself and a webpage with information and installation instructions. Surprisingly, the info and installation page turned out to be more challenging than developing the widget! I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so I wanted to ensure the page was user-friendly, responsive, and easy to navigate. It was tougher than I wished for!

As for the widget, it was relatively straightforward to develop and only took me about two days. However, I did face some issues with broken links that I still need to fix, and I’m not quite sure why they’re not working. Usually, I’m a ReactJS enthusiast, but since this was a smaller project, I decided to use my "beginner combo": HTML, CSS (including SCSS), and JavaScript. I quickly realized how accustomed I’ve become to ReactJS because I kept writing code that didn’t work in Vanilla JavaScript—talk about a wake-up call!

In the end, I completed the project to a point where it was ready to present to both the PLLIs (PLAVE fans) and Jane. I found myself eagerly awaiting Jane’s feedback because her artwork was integral to the project. If she wasn’t happy with the outcome, I would have felt the same. Thankfully, she loved it! I officially posted the widget on Twitter/X, and Jane shared it as well. Although most of the users were Korean, reading their translated positive comments made me genuinely happy.

Who knows? Maybe in the future, I’ll work on another PLAVE-themed project. I really enjoyed creating this one!

Feel free to check out the project and try installing the widget on your Notion page:

The official tweet about the project

The installation page

The widget in template Notion page

fyi, it still needs work, I will get to it eventually~~~!

[applesontheground]

no returns 🎠

and last but not least for my protagonist triad, our beautiful angel...angel :') i felt seen by him as someone who also hates her retail job, talks aliens with acquaintances, and was having a really fucking weird summer in 2022. since it's been a sec (and if you're curious/had bisexual panic during this movie when not faced with the Horrors), you can find my OJ and Em blurbs here!

and listen. if i knew how to tackle cosmic romance with jean jacket along with these guys i would've done it. get back to me on that. or don't. i have a lot of wips already.

SFW | Word Count: 795 | Angel Torres x GN Reader 🎼: x

“Hey, not here to bust your balls or whatever, but I just wanted to ask about a good pair of wireless headphones.”

You couldn’t help the casual tone when seeing someone your age behind the counter, because he looked like the type that could take it without a hitch. Still, he almost looked startled, fumbling a suspiciously smartphone-shaped bundle under the counter before you got too close. He hadn’t even seemed to have heard you, finding his customer service voice before anything else.

“Sure-“ He waltzed out from behind a swinging door that kept him closed off to the public, which you imagined was pleasant during busy hours.  He put a hand on his hip and asked as the two of you started walking towards the correct section, you mostly following where he was leading, “Were you looking for wired or wireless?”

Silent, a smile grew on your face as his brain caught up with his mouth. He almost jumped at his own realization: “Right, wireless…”

You nodded along, and he slipped over to the even more precise section of the aisle you had been walking towards. He put a hand up to where the headphones would be, pursing his lips in a stiff expression. Everything about him screamed uncomfortable, so you returned the neutered movement with your own affirming wave, a signal that he didn’t have to linger.

Your eyes kept scanning over the colors, the prices… the packaging, even. You weren't too sure what would work. Earbuds were something you kept for a good three or four years then lost tragically to some freak accident.

Maybe you merely washed them with your jeans one too many times, but no one needed to know the details.

He was almost erratic, perfectly fine to leave but seeming as though his soles had been screwed into the floor. His eyes couldn’t help wandering, catching the outfit you had on. “…I saw those guys live a couple years ago.” At first, you weren’t sure if he was even talking to you, but then looked over in surprise. He abruptly gestured at your shirt, and when it clicked you tried not to laugh, “Oh yeah? How was that?”

“Nuts. Like, in a good way.” He was then whipping his phone out at light speed, but you didn’t mind, curiosity over asking for assistance giving way to the favor of seeing what sort of concert videos he took.

After all, you did like the band on your shirt.

Over the brief conversation, you had learned his name was Angel. The chat that followed had been interesting, laughing about wild concert stories, what kind of music you had to own physically, and you even got a few of his own favorites out of him.

He held a hand out, almost like he wasn’t about to jump back behind the counter and do his job while speaking. “Code Orange, ever heard of them?”

You scoffed, “Of course I have, I fucking rock with ‘em.” He sighed like a heavy weight had been taken from his body; maybe it was strictly from not knowing he could be someone more genuine until now. “They’re baller, right?”

Silence fell as you stuck your card in the chip reader, and you figured this wasn’t a terrible idea to find a way to get some more music speak out of the guy. “What’s the return policy at Fry’s, again?” You then asked. Angel cleared his throat, and answered without a hitch, “30 Days, standard policy.” You nodded, “Cool, thirty days to come back with a good date to ask the nice clerk with good music taste out on. I’ll consider it. Thank you, Angel.”

His exasperated expression suddenly grew horns, eyes wide as you took your headphones and walked away. You maybe made it three steps before you heard clambering behind the counter again, the man nearly breaking his own ankle trying to run out to catch up to you.

“Wait, wait. Hold on-!” He called, like you hadn’t already stopped in your tracks, beaming at him as he lost all his formality just to run up and say in a breathless hush. There was hesitation, almost a fresh pain at the mention of dating that made you reconsider – not for your sake, but possibly for his. You just met the guy, after all, but he had charmed you. Being in your twenties was all about taking those shots, trying it out.

He continued to fumble, almost dropping his phone as you kept your giggles stifled. "I a-actually lied, we don't fucking have a return policy-" You cocked your head at him, and taking a steadying breath he once again put his hands back on his hips.

“I mean... y-you don’t have to wait, do you?”

[xxxdreamscapexxx]

I don’t want to hear thoughts... Unless they’re yours

Chapter 4   Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x Fem!Reader Word count:8.6k Summary: Wanda wanted to live the normal life she was never afforded, but something was always missing. Something she denied herself and buried deep inside. But watching you move next door, she quickly realizes that this may not be possible for much longer. Especially with all the interesting things she found in your thoughts. Chapter summary: During a hard week your one solace was your neighbor. She always found a way to cheer you up and help you. Even if you were a little stubborn sometimes. In the end, she always gets her way and during a Saturday around the pool with her family, you realize, you don’t mind.  Warning: This will be a multi-chapter fic and this is part 4. There are some mentiones of sexual thoughts and desires and a brief description of a sexual fantasy, but the whole thing is mostly fluffy and cute. Enjoy! Part 1; Part 2, Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6, Part 7; Part 8; Part 9, Part 10 Series materlist                                     Masterlist of all my works

The rest of the week passed in a blur. You would start your day trying to be positive and calm, but things were moving along slowly at work. You couldn’t find the right candidates for your team, the customer was demanding right from the start, you were constantly being pulled into meetings that you couldn’t provide any input for, but had to be aware of and attend, all parties involved in the project kept finding additional matters to discuss, find a solution for and then implement, all while you were working on establishing processes and guidelines. It felt like a never-ending stream of tasks that no one person could complete on their own. You went early and stayed late each day, ate at your desk, when you remembered to do so and skipped breaks, but the pile of work seemed to only grow and you went home on Friday night completely exhausted and drained. Your one comfort through it all seemed to be your neighbor. You’d run into her in the mornings or in the evenings when you were coming back home and she would always offer you kind smiles and reassuring words that everything will work out in the end. It just needed time. After your evening with her on Monday, you were surprised how well you seemed to get along with the older woman. You spent the minutes before falling asleep that night thinking of the interaction you had with her. She was kind and sweet and she listened to you intently as you spoke, genuinely interested in what you had to say, which in your opinion was rare. On Tuesday you didn’t run into her in the morning, though unbeknownst to you, she watched you through her window, following your path and studying your work outfit for the day. You had chosen a more modest black dress, though still quite short for her liking, considering it was only mid-thigh and a white blazer with dark blue abstract motives, that gave your outfit a fresh look. Your high-heeled shoes made your legs look longer and Wanda traced them with her eyes as she watched you leave for work, already planning how to have a casual interaction with you in the afternoon. You came home quite late that day, tired and stressed, your head buzzing with the events of the day and still thinking through different scenarios and ideas for the project. You barely even remembered how you got from the office to your house, following the navigation on your phone mindlessly. Wanda was working in her garden, spending far longer than she expected in waiting for your arrival, while her sons ran around, playing with a ball. - Good evening, Y/N. – Wanda smiled, lifting herself off the ground, hands covered in work gloves she took off and tucked into her back pocket. The woman wore black pants that clung to her wonderfully and a dark purple top. You loved purple very much and you couldn’t help but appreciate the garment, just as much as the way her body looked while wearing it. Her arms were on full display again, toned muscles drawing your eyes and making your brain fire a quick appreciative comment in your head, before you focused on her face and her green eyes that were always mesmerizing. - Good evening, Wanda. – You smiled your first genuine smile for the day, taking in the scene in front of you. The thought that the family picture they presented was sweet and heart-warming was left unsaid, but the woman was listening in, her smile growing wider. - Coming back from work? – She asked curious, noting you wore the outfit you had left in in the morning. She took a second to appreciate your naked thighs up close, her eyes lingering for just a second. - Yes, it was a really long day. – You admitted, your shoulders dropping a bit despite your best efforts. - This late? They’re working you hard, aren’t they? – She said more to herself. She had spent an hour in her garden waiting for your arrival, something she did not appreciate. In the back of her head, she knew this was turning into an obsession, this constant craving she had to listen to your thoughts, to know what you’re doing, who you’re with, what you like, the scheming just to see you, the invasion of your privacy through listening to your thoughts. But she was convincing herself that if anyone else had the gifts she did, they would use them just like she did. It wasn’t her fault really. She was simply using all the tools at her disposal. - It’s always like that when you start a new project. It will calm down eventually, I just have to get through the first few rough months. - Months? – She looked shocked, thinking all your weeks would look like that. – Sounds stressful. I hope you’ll care for yourself. I know how important it is to have a good work-life balance. - I’ll try. – You sounded shaky. – Perhaps I’ll start by making myself dinner. – You tried to laugh, but Wanda noticed your tired expression and how your stomach rumbled at the mention of food. - You should, dear. Sounds like your lunch wasn’t very big. – Wanda noted and you blushed a little embarrassed, pulling your hands behind your back and drawing calming stars against the pad of your thumb. - I forgot lunch entirely, if I have to be honest. I didn’t have time to prepare anything yesterday and today I just kept pushing it back and… Here we are. – You tried to laugh it off again, but Wanda took your words to heart, her eyes narrowing at the idea that you went hungry. She couldn’t have that. She couldn’t have you work yourself into the ground. Before she could utter a word however, her sons ran up to her, surrounding her on both sides and demanding her attention. Good thing really, as she was seconds away from telling you that you should take better care of yourself and scaring you with her intensity. - Mom, is this our new neighbor? – Tommy asked, looking up between her and you. - Yes, dear. Billy, Tommy, this is Y/N, our new neighbor. Y/N, these are my boys. – She beamed proudly. - Nice to meet you, both. – You smiled warmly at the children, as they studied you. - That’s cool. We used to come over at your house to swim all the time. – Billy informed you with a grin. – Your house is awesome. - Thank you. – You laughed at their honest eagerness. – You can still come over to swim if you like, with your mom’s permission and supervision, of course. - Cool! – Came a happy exclaim for the two boys, who high-fived each other. – Mom, can we? - That’s kind of you, Y/N. – Wanda gave you a knowing smile. – Boys, what do we say? - Thank you! – Said both, turning to you only for a second, before returning their eyes back to the redheaded woman, giving Wanda an expectant look, obviously impatient for her answer. - Good, now go wash up for dinner. We’ll discuss this later. - Ok. – The children dragged their feet, obviously disappointed, but didn’t object. - I’m sorry for that. Please don’t feel obligated to have us over. – Your neighbor tried to apologize. - Like I said the first time, feel free to use the pool. It’s more than ok. – You tried to assure the woman, who seemed genuinely grateful for the invitation. - I… Thank you, Y/N. I really appreciate that. I’m sure, so will the boys. – She smiled warmly at you, eyes scanning you curiously. - It’s no problem at all. – You tried to say, slightly looking towards your house and thinking of leaving, your stomach rumbling once more. - Hey, Y/N? – Wanda stopped you in your track, before you had a chance that you’ll be getting inside. – Would you like to join us for dinner? – She asked warmly. - What? No, I couldn’t. I wouldn’t want to trouble you and your family. – You try to refuse, but she’s quick to stop you. - It’s no trouble at all. – The other woman tries to assure you. – It’s the least I can do for allowing us to use your pool. – She tries to reason. It was a spur of the moment idea for her, but she realizes quickly that she’d enjoy another calm evening with you. - I’m flattered, truly. But I’d love to shower and change into something more comfortable, since these shoes are killing me and just relax with some quick meal and a nice book. Another time? – You hope you don’t come off as rude. - All right. I’ll let you rest, but the offer still stands. If you’d like, you’re very welcome to have dinner with us. – Wanda assures you, before backing away from you, bidding you good night and entering her house. That night Wanda tried to listen in like she usually did, checking in on you and finding out what your day is like, but she gives up quickly. You seem distracted, mind phasing between wanting to think of your inner world and interests, but always being pulled back towards work, thoughts scrambled and chaotic and she quickly gives up, feeling overwhelmed.                                       *             *             * On Wednesday morning she caught you before you drove off and handed you a box, explaining it was a meal she had prepared for you after you had told her on the day before that you skipped lunch. - It's just a Spanish Tortilla. – Wanda explains, the container still warm against your hands as you held it. – I couldn’t let you go hungry like yesterday. Wanda offered you a genuine smile and a gentle hand rested on your shoulder, making you blush from the proximity and the kind gesture. - You really didn’t have to, Wanda. It’s incredibly sweet of you, but I feel embarrassed. You’ve been feeding me, since I got here! - Nonsense! – Wanda announced with a wave of her hand. – It’s just a small lunch. It’s not a big deal at all. – She insisted, her hand never removing itself from your shoulder. - Thank you. – You tried to start slow, giving it one last attempt at returning the container. – But it’s obvious you just prepared this. God knows how long you’ve been cooking this morning. I can’t accept it. - You can, dear and you should. – The woman told you, smile gentle and kind, but her voice was firm, making no room for further argument. It was the best Wanda could muster. You were a stubborn little thing and your insistence to refuse her kindness was starting to irritate the redhead, who’s patience was starting to ware thin. In her head, she had this perfect picture of spoiling you and making gestures to show you how much she cared and you were stubbornly trying to refuse them. Something she couldn’t allow. Yet her temper was something she needed to keep in check if she didn’t want to scare you with it. She was a changed woman now, a better person and she constantly had to remind herself to keep her emotions in check and take things slow. After all, you didn’t have the privilege of hearing her thoughts. - Take it as my way to make friends. – Wanda tried to soften her first comment, laughing a little. - All right. – You agreed, knowing you were running late and that this was a battle you obviously couldn’t win, since your neighbor had her mind set. You were surprised the woman displayed such strength. She always looked sweet, gentle and maternal to you, that you never entertained how much assertiveness was hiding underneath her kind smiles. It took you by surprise and for a moment you stood there frozen, before you once again thanked her and awkwardly stepped around her to get to your car.                                              *             *             * It was already way passed lunch when you remembered the woman, when you reached into your bag and took out the container with the Spanish Tortilla she had given you. You were reading emails absentmindedly, using a plastic spoon, as it was the only available utensil in the office kitchen and taking a bite out of the meal. It was so good, you actually had to look back and have another spoonful. You ended up so distracted by how good it tasted that you started to research what was in the dish and how to make it for yourself. By the time you were done with your food and your research, a good 45 minutes had passed and you dove back into work, thoughts of Wanda slowly fading into the background.                                           *            *             * You made it a mission to go back home at a decent hour on Wednesday, taking a quick shower and putting on a pair of jeans and a plain white t-shirt on, before washing Wanda’s container, picking up her dish from the pie, already washed and walking over to her house. You wanted to return her things and thank her not only for being so good to you, but also for making you eat that day, something you would have probably skipped yet again, if she hadn’t given you the Tortilla. - That was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Thank you! – You said, a little embarrassed. – I hope you don’t mind sharing your recipe? Wanda was delighted to see you at her door in your casual clothes. She enjoyed your earlier work outfit, a tight fitting, sleeveless blue dress, today with no blazer, but this domestic side of you was one she appreciated deeply and wanted to see more of.   - Of course, I’ll share. – She smiled down at you, her green eyes sparkling. – Perhaps you can come over and I’ll teach you how to make it. – She offered. - I wouldn’t want to trouble you… - You attempted to say, but she cut you off quickly. - No trouble, dear. It would be my pleasure. – She assured you. – You need to stop worrying so much. - Well, if that’s how it’s going to be, why not Saturday? You and the boys can come over. They can swim, we’ll make a nice lunch… You weren’t sure what made you suggest that. You were never friends with any of your neighbors, old or current, you barely knew their names really. But the woman had made an effort to befriend you, made you feel welcome in a place where you knew no one, so it made sense to invite her. - Yeah? That’s a great idea! I’m sure the boys will love it. And so will I. It would be my pleasure, Y/N. You exchanged some more pleasantries, before you made your way back home, feeling genuinely excited. That night you made yourself pasta, mind switching between work, that lately was a constant presence in your thoughts and the Saturday plans you had made, but feeling happy you made the step to invite the woman. You weren’t great at making friends, nor at being social, people your own age rarely understood you, so this new feeling seemed to give you happiness and you decided to embrace it.                                                 *             *             * You saw the woman again on Friday afternoon, painting in her yard, while her children played. She gave you a polite wave and stood up from her spot to greet you and ask about your day. You were so exhausted, it seemed weeks had passed since you’d had a proper break and you went through the motions of your routine mostly on autopilot. You confirmed your plans with Wanda and you both agreed that her and her two boys should come over at 10. She offered to bring the ingredients for the food, but you insisted on buying everything yourself, needing things from the store for your own home and wanting to be the one offering her family food for a change. - You don’t need much for this one. Just potatoes, onions, eggs and some spices. – Wanda told you, still holding a paint brush in one hand. - What kinds of spices? – You asked, taking out your phone, wanting to make a note with everything you’ll need to buy. Wanda thought about it for a second, mouth open to give you the names, when another idea popped into her head and she smiled as subtly as she could. - If you give me your number, I can just send you a list of everything you’ll need, along with the proportions. – The redhead suggested. To her surprise and delight, you didn’t seem to think anything of her suggestion, actually relived. It was one less thing you had to think about and concern yourself with. - That would be great, thank you! – You sighed, waiting for the older woman to take out her phone and telling her your number, which she repeated back to you, just to be safe. You said your goodbyes shortly after that and you headed home, wanting to get changed and washed up, before running to the store. When you came out of the shower, your phone had a message from Wanda, a list of everything you’ll need neatly written down for you and you smiled at the message, thanking her quickly, before dressing up and leaving. Like with everything else, you wanted this Saturday to go perfectly and that meant that you had plenty of preparations to do. You wanted to make a good impression. It was what you were always taught as a child. If you do something, do it well. You needed to excel at everything, to push yourself to be perfect. Your mother had high standards for you, always pushed you to do better and she instilled in you the same mindset. Something that left you with few friends and often lonely, but with great grades and good perspectives in life. She was proud of you and your promotion, of being able to do so well for yourself. She had made you strong, that’s what she always told you. What she didn’t know was that she had also made you needy for approval, for the times people praised you for everything you did right. Made you scared to fail too. Scared to be anything other than perfect. That fear followed you everywhere, made itself known at everything you tried. This small Saturday lunch included. You wanted the older woman to see you as perfect too. With a tidy, clean home, good manners and good hosting skills, as well as a good cook, which meant that shopping wasn’t the only thing on your to-do list and you set yourself to making everything perfect for your guests tomorrow. Wanda listened to your frantic thoughts throughout the evening. You had played yourself some music while doing chores, so most of the time you were singing along, but she could hear other things too. You were putting a lot of effort into the preparations, things she felt unnecessary, since all she wanted was your company, but still felt excited to know you deemed her visit worthy of so much effort, despite your busy week. She had watched you carefully through those days, listened to your thoughts grow uneasy with worry and heavy with the challenges you were facing and she wanted to make it all better for you. She wasn’t quite sure yet why she was growing so interested in you, she just knew she enjoyed your thoughts, your ideas, she liked the way you looked too, she found you beautiful. Some of your more sexual thoughts she discovered made you all the more tempting to her, though she hadn’t heard any more of your fantasies lately.

With a surprise, she realized you weren’t blind to her either, though you hadn’t quite assimilated that you were looking. But you did, you looked at her arms, found them strong and appealing, so Wanda made an effort to show them more, wore tops instead of t-shirts and enjoyed every time you stared. You liked her hair and her curves and you thought of her as beautiful. From the day you met her, you thought of her as beautiful. You enjoyed her features and her voice, you liked looking in her eyes. But for some reason there was a barrier inside your head between what you noticed and connecting it to an actual interest towards her and Wanda had every intention of finding out what that was.

At the same time, everything inside her was in conflict when it came to you. Yes, there were so many things she liked about you, but she also knew that you had an addicting quality to you. She knew she wouldn’t be able to have a casual, friendly relationship with you. If she got close, she would get consumed. Yet, she couldn’t stop herself from wanting to be close to you. She wanted to know more, to be closer, to have you tell her the things she was so rudely listening in on, to touch you too… Ever since she had her hand on your naked shoulder that Wednesday, she couldn’t stop thinking of how soft your skin felt against the palm of her hand, of imagining what it would be like for her to be able to touch all of you freely, to be able to strip you down and take you, the way she knew you liked, the way you both craved.

It was infuriating that her head kept switching between wanting to give in to those thoughts and the realization that she hadn’t done that with anyone for a reason. Her sons were her whole world, her life here in this town was too important to her, to ruin it. Her heart was so full of scars that never healed from all the loss she faced in her life. If she was ever to give in, to do what she craved, to have a taste of you the way she wanted you, the way you would both love, she would never be able to let you go. And she would have one more thing to lose. One more person her heart feared for. One more reason to fall apart if you were ever to leave her.

Yes, those were dangerous things and she was still so fragile. She fought her darkness for so long, fought every thought that told her that she didn’t need to hide. That she was born to rule this world, not cower in a corner of it, just so she can carve out a life of her own. Fought every urge to take what she wanted, all for this. All for her boys. Yet, there were still times, when she was so tempted to give in. You were tempting her to give in. You were awaking all these urges inside her, forcing her to face another part of herself. Flaunting what could be hers right in front of her and stubbornly refusing to let her take it.

Yes, she wanted to get close to you, but she also wanted to make things a little bit better for you, but every time she tried, you refused her and she had to coax you into listening to her. Through those times she found that her soft approach to you made you warm up to her, but she needed to be firm if she wanted you to do as you’re told and she was learning how to walk that line.

That night Wanda fought yet another internal battle. Between what she wanted and what was safe, between what she was and what she wanted to be, between what she had and what she craved to claim. Her life was a constant battle between the power inside her, everything it could give her if she so wished and the things it would also take away. Before you, that battle felt easier somehow, simpler. Now, she felt bolder, eager to risk the safe little bubble she surrounded herself in and all for a girl. And she wasn’t even sure yet what it was she wanted out of what she started. She just knew she had to.

With a groan, Wanda turned yet again in her bed that felt more and more uncomfortable, the longer she turned all these thoughts in her head. She knew if she didn’t stop herself, she’ll have another sleepless night and another splitting headache, so she put all her efforts into emptying her head and letting herself fall asleep, while the faint lights from your house kept on shining.

                                           *             *             *

Saturday mornings for you were usually left for relaxation and reflection you desperately needed. Most people were draining and you valued your personal time above all else. It was your way to recharge and enjoy the things you lived most. But this Saturday was a bit different. You had made plans and the time for your neighbors’ visit was approaching quickly.

To your comfort, you had prepared everything the night before, so you woke up fairly late and took your time to have your coffee, get ready for the day, put on a bathing suit and a casual dress and just wait for their arrival.

You hated waiting more than anything. It was one of those things that filled you with anxiety and you couldn’t rightly say why. It wasn’t that you were bored, you didn’t mind waiting in traffic for example, in fact you just blasted music and let the line move when it did. Waiting for something specific to happen however filled you with dread. You stood on your couch, coffee mug on the table in front of you, while the sun was starting to really heat up the air outside. It was a normal situation, you had no reason to be nervous, but you were. Your hand shook as you reached for your drink and you took a deep steadying breath, looking at the clock. It was 09:43. You had just a few more minutes to wait. You could manage them. To make it easier you played yourself some music, letting the sound carry through the house and bring you a sense of familiarity that calmed you.

In the house next door Wanda had greeted her children with the news that they would be coming over to your house and that they would be allowed to swim, which was accepted with cheers. She made them a nice, big breakfast that they wolfed down as quickly as they could, hoping to be able to run over as soon as they were ready.

Wanda could barely contain them, listening every once in a while, to check if you’re up and if you’d be ready to receive them. After you awoke, she could hear your uneasiness and decided that she wouldn’t torment both you and her boys by making you wait. She sent you a quick text as a warning and started to gather everything she had prepared, before heading towards your home.

She knocked excitedly, Billy and Tommy chatting happily behind her, announcing their arrival and you hurried to open the door. You were greeted by Wanda’s bright smile, her eyes sparkling as she looked you over as you welcomed them inside your home.

Greetings went quickly, while they took off their shoes and walked further inside, knowing the layout of the house. As they went passed you, you were stunned. Wanda wore a red top, the strings of her red bathing suit sticking out around her neck and a pair of short jeans, her naked thighs on full display. She carried a bag with her, as she kept her sons close by, stopping in your living room.

- I love what you’ve done with the place. – Wanda spoke, as she took an explorative look around. – It accentuates the beauty of the house, while still keeping it welcoming and homey. – She commented, as she saw the shelves packed with books and your music.

- Thank you. – You could almost blush at her words. – Please make yourselves at home. I assume Billy and Tommy know the way to the pool. – You suggested, pointing to the big sliding doors to the yard, seeing the two boys buzzing with anticipation. The blue water was clearly visible from your spot and they almost immediately bolted.

- Race you there! – Tommy shouted to his brother, before turning on his heels and starting for the pool, his brother chasing after him with words of disapproval for being left behind.

- Boys! – Wanda’s voice rang clearly, almost startling you and stopping the two children in their tracks, despite her voice remaining level and cool. – What do we say to Y/N? – She asked with a pointed look. – I taught you better manners than that. – She reprimanded them.

- Thank you for having us over, Y/N. – Billy said readily, a tight smile on his lips.

- Yes, thank you, Y/N. – Tommy chimed in.

- You’re very welcome. – You smiled back at them, still a little startled.

- And no running inside the house, boys. You know better. – The redhead reminded, her voice still stern and unwavering, though a smile was forming slowly on her face.

You didn’t expect the woman to show such assertiveness and strength and something about her words made a shiver pass through your body.

- Now, take the bag and put your towels on the lounge chairs. I’ll be there in a moment. – She instructed and watched the two boys do as she said. – I’m sorry about them. – She turned to you, when she saw them slide the doors and walk outside. – They’re usually better behaved.

- Oh no, that’s perfectly fine. I can see that they’re excited. – You returned her soft gaze, eyes fixing on her face and refusing to move lower, despite your desire to do so. – If you want, I can go make you a nice coffee or an iced tea, while you help them. – You offered. – I have some juice for the boys. I can bring it out now, or keep it in the fridge and take it out when they want a drink, so I can keep it cool. It seems like it’s going to be a very hot day.

- That’s very nice of you, Y/N. I’m sure the boys will be jumping in the water within seconds of settling, so I would suggest saving the juice for later. – She commented, taking a quick glance in the direction of the pool.

- What will you be having? – You inquired, excited to see what she liked. – Juice is on the table for you as well, if you prefer. – You tried to joke, though sincere in your offer.

- Coffee sounds good.

- Any preferences? – You inquired. – I have options.

- I’ll have whatever you’re having. – She told you with a smile, knowing full well what she was about to be served.

- A surprise then. – You smiled happily, heading for the kitchen and starting your coffee machine.

Wanda went outside without a protest, helping her children with the inflatable toys they had brought. The life jackets came next and Wanda mentally prepared for the fight she knew was to come.

- But mom! – Tommy protested. – We can swim! We don’t need these!

- Tommy… - She tried to reason, but was quickly interrupted.

- Please, mom!

- No arguing, boys. – Her voice grew hard, though still calm. – When I’m next to the pool to watch you, you can go in without the life jackets, but if I’m away, I need you to wear them. You need to be safe.

- But we’re fine, mom! We can swim. – The boy insisted.

- You can either wear them and go in the water, or you can just stay on your towels. Your choice.

Wanda’s words left no room for argument and the boys quickly did as they’re told, accepting their fate. When she made sure to put sunscreen on their faces and helped them put on their life jackets, happily jumping in the water, she let them play, picking a lounge chair near the umbrella and slipping out of her clothes, to lie down in her red bikini.

You made the coffee just the way you always did. Heating up and frothing the milk, adding a shot of espresso and caramel syrup, before topping it with whipped cream and drizzling some more caramel as a decoration. When you deemed it good enough to be presented, you took the cup and walked outside. The first thing you could hear was the happy splashing of water and laughter that made you feel giddy, but as soon as you walked outside your heart skipped a beat from the sight.

Wanda was in nothing but her bikini now, her hair splayed around her and a pair of sunglasses on top of her head, her body on full display and you felt weak in the knees at the sight of her. The woman was perfect. Her full breasts and erect nipples were easily outlined through the thin material, her long legs stretched, her thighs sculpted and her belly toned. She was breathtaking and the cup in your hand shook from the sudden nervousness you had to gulp down, while you approached her.

Listening to your thoughts, the woman had to bite back a smirk, her plan working perfectly as she heard your internal panic-stricken battle. The more you approached her, the harder it was to tear your eyes away from her, the image of her body seared in your brain and making your palms sweat.

- Oh, there you are! – She greeted you, getting up a bit, to face you better as you set the coffee down on the small table. – Oh, this looks fancy! – She looked from you to her cup, appreciating the simple web decoration you had made with the caramel.

- It’s a caramel macchiato. – You explained proudly. – It’s my favorite. I hope you enjoy it. Just give it a few minutes to cool down. I wouldn’t want to accidentally burn you.

- That sounds interesting. Where did you learn? – She asked curiously, never really figuring it out from your thoughts.

- It started as a trial-and-error kind of situation. – You laughed nervously. – I never really liked coffee, but mostly because the only kind I ever tried was the black, bitter kind with no sugar that my mother likes. – You watched Wanda smile at that. - Then, in college I tried making something I would like. I would put in anything I could think of, making crazy mixtures. I’d put milk, honey, instant coffee, cocoa, cream, vanilla… - At your words, you could see your neighbor scrunching her face at the thought of such a sweet drink and laughed a little at her reaction. -  It would end up delicious, but too much effort and with too many battling flavors. Eventually I toned it down, researched some recipes, tried out some more things… Now I can make almost anything, but I mostly drink this. – You explained, as Wanda listened calmly, watching your face brighten up at your past experiments. – I take it from your reactions that I should have made it plain. – You guessed, not really minding that she would prefer something different.

- Oh, no. I’d love to try. Yours sounds so much more interesting. – She assured you, picking up the spoon you left for her and stirring the drink, preparing to take a sip.

- Well, if interesting isn’t for you, just let me know and I’ll go make you another.

- Don’t be silly, dear. – She waved you off, eyeing your long dress.

It was one of your favorites. It was white, with pink flower motives, ankle length and with a string up back. The dress was lovely, but it was hiding too much and Wanda couldn’t have that.

- Don’t tell me you plan on melting in the sun. – Wanda commented.

- No, of course not. – You smiled nervously, feeling self-conscious in the woman’s presence.

She was so beautiful and fit and her body was gorgeous, despite having two children and you felt uneasy undressing in her presence, your mind very aware of the imperfections you had, but you got up from your chair non the less, your mind very aware of every little movement you made, feeling watched and anxious again, so you did your best to go through with it as quickly as possible. You tried to pick out a more neutral bathing suit for the day, not that you had many, finally picking the one that matched your dress most. It was white with abstract blue motifs on it. When you put it on, you didn’t think of it as too revealing, but under Wanda’s gaze you felt almost naked.

You weren’t sure why you suddenly felt so exposed, after all, you had spent some time here with the woman, talking and laughing and feeling so at ease, but today was somehow different.

You took your spot, taking a few glances at her, unsure what to say, or how to proceed, but as usual, Wanda came prepared. She was easy going and chatty and pleasant, engaging you in a conversation that quickly relaxed you, making you forget all your previous worries. She complimented your coffee, eventually drinking all of it, she asked you about your days at work and more about your interests, sharing some of her own in the process. Every once in a while, you were interrupted by the two boys, who wanted to show her something new they tried, loving their excitement. Eventually the two of you joined them in the water, receiving some splashes from their overly excited swimming, but you didn’t mind at all. It was fun. You were growing fond of the family next door and you were glad to have them over. They brought their joy with them, the boys playing with you and asking you a million questions, growing even more excited when they learned you had plenty of board games and that you would love to play with them sometime.

When lunch neared, Wanda took the lead, leaving the boys in the pool for a bit longer, while the two of you walked inside. You had bought everything she had listed, preparing it neatly and you watched with amazement how she made herself comfortable in your kitchen, showing you what she did and how and sometimes even asking you to help her with small things. She would walk around you confidently, sometimes placing a firm hand on your lower back as she passed by you, touching your shoulder and smiling at you charmingly.

The meal was easily prepared in her company, Wanda taking all the pressure from it and making it seem fun and easy, all while talking to you sweetly. She was reassuring and kind, her voice soothing, her hands gentle, her whole demeanor giving you inappropriate thoughts that you tried to push down.

Secretly Wanda was loving it. Unlike other occasions, you didn’t seem to try and refuse or fight her when she helped. You allowed her to not only prepare the meal, but to help you set up the table, familiarizing herself with your space. She complimented you more than some of your ex-girlfriends ever did, showering you with attention and practically melting at how eager you were to return each gesture.

- You’re such a sweet girl, Y/N. How come you don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend knocking at your door, begging you not to stay here. Not that I’m complaining! – The redhead asked, while she placed napkins around the table.

- Well… - You hesitated for a second. - My girlfriend and I broke up a few months ago, so…

- Oh, I’m very sorry! How come? – She frowned a little, looking sympathetic.

- Well… We were very different people, who wanted different things in the relationship and eventually… She wanted a different relationship with someone else, I guess.

- I’m so sorry, dear. – She rubbed your back softly, setting the cutlery she was putting on the table aside, so she could give you a soft hug.

- That’s ok. When I was being honest with myself, I wanted something different too.

Curious what you meant, Wanda let herself listen in on your inner voice, hearing the words you were too afraid to speak out loud. You were too afraid to tell your ex what you wanted, too afraid that she would judge and make fun of you, settling for your fantasies instead. You thought that she was with you, because she found you interesting at first, far quieter and more mysterious than the rest of the loud group of people, but she soon grew to think of you as boring and eventually moved on, just the way everyone else did.

- I suppose it was for the best. – You finally said, shrugging a little defeatedly, but quickly correcting your posture, pulling Wanda from her thoughts and yours.

She was saddened to see that you had such unkind thoughts towards yourself. She thought you deserved much better than the people who made you feel unwanted and uninteresting, when she thought you were fascinating. She could treat you so much better, she could listen to you for hours on end, look at your pretty face and your shy smile, never getting tired of you.

- I hope you know it’s not your fault. – Wanda started carefully. – I think you’re a lovely girl and you deserve someone who would appreciate you. – She finally said, patting your shoulder gently.

- That’s very kind of you. – You smiled, hoping Wanda wouldn’t notice how fake it was.

You were curious to ask if she had a partner of her own, but couldn’t muster up the courage to ask, not wanting to be insensitive and the redhead couldn’t bring herself to talk about her past with Vision, or give you the wrong impression by mentioning her flings with different girls she met after she moved here, so she quickly changed the subject, asking the boys inside, so you could all have lunch together.

The two boys stormed in, towels around their bodies, sitting down at the places Wanda pointed out for them and you all sat together, eating and talking with a smile. The conversation mostly revolved around her sons, the children eager to share the adventures the two of you had missed while cooking, telling you about the new game they had thought of and each one asking you to join their team when they would play next.

- So, you wouldn’t want me to join your team? Your own mother? – Wanda questioned with a fake pout on her lips, obviously joking.

- No, I want Y/N! – Billy insisted, followed by his brother, who also wanted you, making you giggle a little.

- You give birth to them, and then they betray you like this! – Wanda joked, shaking her head and looking at you with amusement. She was happy that her boys liked you, it meant it would be much easier for her to introduce you into her family should she get her way with you. – Perhaps I should steal Y/N for my team instead. – She smirked, knowing she had successfully teased both you and her sons.

Your cheeks flushed a little at the idea, but you quickly reminded yourself not to read too much into it. Next to you, the boys were about to protest, obviously not catching on to their mother’s playful tone and you hurried to intervene.

- Perhaps we can play a few rounds and I’ll join each of you for a turn? – You tried to reason, happy to know your suggestion was quickly accepted and the two boys already made plans how to divide your attention.

Since Wanda didn’t want to let her kids go straight to the water after eating, you suggested a game to pass the time. You showed Wanda what you had as options, but most of your games weren’t meant for children so young, so eventually you settled on two simpler options: ‘’Carcassonne’’ and ‘’ Taco, cat, goat, cheese, pizza’’. The second one she found ridiculous, but the boys loved playing, the time passing quickly between laughs and you even had to bite back a snort, when they insisted that Wanda should buy both games for them.

- We have enough games already. – She said as sternly as she could muster, not really able to refuse her boys.

- But we don’t have these games! – Billy pointed out, his brother nodding in agreement.

- You can borrow mine whenever you want. And come over to play. – You suggested. – With your mother’s permission of course.

The children cheered and Wanda gave you an appreciative smile.

- I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into, Y/N. – She joked, a look you couldn’t quite place passing through her eyes for a moment, before it was gone.

- Just my way of making friends. – You shrugged, using the words she once used with you.

The woman smiled at you warmly at that and all of you made your way to the pool again, Wanda walking a couple of steps behind you, her eyes roaming your body. It wasn’t the first time during the day that she sneaked glances and looks, committing to mind every curve and valley, appreciatively drinking in all of you.

God, you were really tempting her. She was itching to wrap her arms around you from behind, press you up against her body and get a real feel of you against her. If you were hers, she’d kiss down your neck, while her hands massaged your breasts. You’d be so cute, pushing back against her, moaning and squirming for her to really touch you where you needed her most. It would be so easy to take you from behind, a hand around your throat and the other down your bikini bottoms, whispering in your ear what a good girl you are, how well you’re taking her fingers and how you need to keep quiet for Mommy. She’d make you cum all over her fingers and then make you walk out there like nothing happened, watching your legs shake, while you struggled to pretend that you didn’t just get fucked.

Trying to shake the thought away, and failing, she laid down on one of the lounge chairs, while you and the boys played in the pool, allowing her mind to play out her little fantasies. It was the first time she actually let herself imagine you this way, the first time she considered going through with her plan and the new, fresh images created a whole new sense of longing inside her.

She only reluctantly anchored herself in the present, when the three of you started calling her and asking her to join your game, allowing her to cool down her body, which started to overheat from the sun and the unbearable desire inside her.

Wanda played half-heartedly, despite her usual competitiveness, the only thing on her mind being the need to get you alone. Something she knew would be ill timed on her part. She did however get another chance, something she intended not to miss on.

She watched you get out of the pool, cheeks red from the sun and lie down on your towel and she hurried to follow you, leaving the boys to play, life jackets securely on.

- Y/N, honey, you’ll burn that way. – She approached, taking the bottle of sun screen and opening the cap. – You’re cheeks are already red. Let me put some sunscreen on you. – She added, not really waiting for your response, before she sat down on your lounge chair, squeezed some of the cream on her fingers and started to gently apply it to your cheeks and forehead. When she was done, she took more. – Turn around for me, I’ll put some on your shoulders and back. – The older woman instructed.

- You don’t have to do that. – You tried to respond, but she was having none of it.

- Nonsense. Just turn around for me, sweetheart. I’ll feel terrible if you have a sunburn tomorrow. – She insisted and with no further response, you did as you were told.

Her gentle hands spread cream over your shoulders, massaging the spot and allowing you to relax under her touch, then moved down your back to do the same. Despite her quick and efficient movements, she was making you melt, the tension leaving your muscles. By the time she put cream on your lower back, you could moan from the feeling.

Wanda’s hands moving on to spread cream on your thighs was a surprise, but you didn’t question it. You felt warm and serene, your mind pleasantly empty, which was a stark contrast to the past few days, so you let it happen, eventually missing her touch when her hands retracted and she left, lying down next to you on her own towel.

- Do you want me to put cream on your back? – You asked, after a few blissful seconds had passed.

- If you don’t mind. – The older woman responded and tried to hold back a smile when you got up and took the sunscreen in your hands.

Up close, sitting right next to her in fact, your neighbor was even more beautiful and sexy. Your mouth suddenly felt dry, but it was too late to back out now, so you did as promised, trying your hardest not to think about how good she looked and how attractive she was, and how lovely her personality was, or how good it felt to touch her. You weren’t supposed to have such thoughts about the woman, resolving to push them down, before they turn to feelings she could never return.

The rest of the day went by quickly in playing and good conversations with Wanda. It was soon time for dinner and you were delighted that the family stayed. You and Wanda cooked, while the boys played and all four of you gathered together around the table, sharing a meal. They only left when it was time for Billy and Tommy to go to bed, something they tried to protest, despite knowing they wouldn’t win and you saw them out with a tired but genuine smile on your face.

- Thank you for having us over, Y/N. – The older woman smiled, giving you a tight hug. – We had a great time.

- It was my pleasure, truly.

- Do you want me to come back after I put them to bed and help you clean up? – The redhead suggested. – I’d hate to leave you to clean all this by yourself.

- I’ll be fine, don’t worry. Go home and rest.

- All right. But if you change your mind, you have my number now. – She agreed. - Say ‘’Goodnight’’, boys. – Wanda reminded and the two of them turned to wish you a good night and thank you, before all three walked back to their house, the boys still commenting loudly about their experiences from the day.

Wanda made sure that the children had taken a shower and brushed their teeth, before putting them to bed, barely reading a page out of their book, before they were soundly asleep.

She made sure to do the same for herself, listening in on your thoughts while you cleaned up, but she only got impressions, since you had played your favorite playlist and sang along to every song. What she was sure of is that you were absolutely in love with her family, smiling every time you thought of something you did with them today. Every time you were putting away the games or passed by the pool, you would think of something sweet or funny that happened and her heart warmed with the feeling, allowing herself to drift off to sleep, small thoughts and ideas swirling in her head.

[zukkaart]

YAY YOU LIKED MY IDEA ☺️☺️☺️ you’re so right about Zuko too I can totally see it. Azula slipping back into her scary persona when Zuko arrives because he’s from her old life and everyone in the tribe going ??? Azula what’s wrong 🥺 and Zuko being madhappy that Azula got to get away (and he didn’t). I think Sokka and Azula would have become friends (maybe he reminds her of Ty Lee) and when Zuko comes to visit he gets super protective of Azula and it’s a Zuko/Sokka standoff while Azula’s in the middle trying to convince both of them that she’s the mastermind in control (she’s not and her ocean kumquats are burning). Eventually Sokka and Zuko realize they want the same thing and then zukka obviously because of course.

Also I go feral for the hair symbolism in Atla and it’s canon that Azula doesn’t know how to tie her topknot and the water tribe doesn’t wear their hair like that so she would Have to wear it another way. Perhaps a symbolism for forced vulnerability. Maybe Hakoda walks in on her trying to tie her topknot and he offers to help her. She begrudgingly says yes and he ends up tying her hair like his because it’s closest to what Azula is trying to do. His hair is sort of half down half up which I think symbolizes how he’s offering to her an out from vulnerability but it like only half works because he’s so kind to his children and children in general and she’s so disoriented by the new customs and kindness that she does let her guard down a little bit. (Also I think Azula would refer to hakoda as “my husband” when she feels threatened because he’s the chief and being his wife implies protection even though they don’t act (or think) married at all. And maybe eventually this turns into just a joke when Azula realizes she’s not actually being threatened in the SWT). Cue Sokka seeing Azula’s wolf tail for the first time:

Sokka: hey! You’re stealing my hairstyle! Get your own!

Azula: MY HUSBAND DID THIS >:/

(Also because I love when Zuko says “the fatherlord” so much I think Azula absolutely has to refer to hakoda as hakodad or my husdad at least once.)

So late responding to this but i genuinely couldn’t think of a good enough thing to say or add so I’m just gonna leave it here for the people to enjoy x