#can't wait to watch him figure this out and kick ass all over the place

[cutielando]

puppy | c.l.

synopsis: requested by anon: Hi lovely, can I please request something with Charles adopting a puppy with his girlfriend, I just can't get over how cute leo is 😭🫶🏻

my masterlist

You loved your boyfriend.

Charles loved you.

You were living the life that people could only dream of living. Living with him in Monaco in a shared apartment, you traveled all around the world with him, you had a flexible job. You had everything you could ever want.

Then why did it feel like something was missing?

As you looked around your apartment, the place felt empty.

You got that feeling every time Charles would leave for a race and you wouldn’t be able to join him.

Everything was silent, so peaceful. You loved it most of the time, being a nice change from your otherwise very hectic lifestyle, but it would sometimes become suffocating, being there by yourself.

Which is what you would tell Charles whenever he would call and you would be feeling down.

He had been away for Japan this time, your university classes holding you back in Monaco for the time being. He had called you as soon as he was done with the race, instantly feeling your sadness on the other end of the phone.

“Mon chérie, I can tell you’re not okay” he said, imagining you pouting on the other end of the phone.

“Amour, I’ve told you, I’m okay. Uni is just kicking my ass and my boss is being a jerk more than usual” you said, forcing out a chuckle.

Technically, you weren’t lying. Uni always got more stressful than usual as the summer break was approaching, and it was sometimes hard balancing it out with your job, but that wasn’t the reason behind your sour mood.

You had had time to reflect on your dilemma and had finally come to a conclusion.

You guys needed a puppy.

“Mon ange, you know I don’t like it when you try to lie to me. What’s going on?” he pressed, wanting to make you feel better by any means necessary, even if he was halfway across the world at the moment.

You sighed, closing your eyes and tilting your head back so it was resting on the couch.

Maybe you should have waited to tell him in person, but you figured that he would have more time to reflect on it until he got home.

“We need a puppy” you blurted out.

It was silent on his end for a few seconds. You immediately regretted saying it, your brain started to malfunction.

That was until you heard his sweet laugh through the phone, making your nerves slightly less consuming.

“You scared me so much, amour. Is that what your moping around has been about? Adopting a puppy?” his laughter had now died down, his tone being replaced with a gentle one.

“I just - it feels like there is something missing. We’re happy, we have a very spacious apartment for just the two of us and I get really lonely when I can’t join you for races” you explained, now pacing around the living room as you made your case to your boyfriend over the phone.

Charles listened to your rambling with a smile on his face. He knew how much you loved pets, especially dogs. You had grown up in a house full of them, going crazy over every dog you would bump into on the street.

He loved watching you interact with them, seeing you care for them even if they weren’t your own.

Which is why he had been planning to surprise you with your very own puppy once he got back from Japan.

Joris had taken care of everything, lying to you every time you would get suspicious or whenever he felt like he was about to be discovered.

But luckily for him, you did not suspect a thing.

“Mon ange, why didn’t you say something sooner? You know I would love nothing more than to adopt a puppy with you and grow our family” he said, already mentally coming up with the best plan to surprise you when he got home.

You sighed, realizing that you had been worrying for nothing. You knew Charles loved pets, and you had always talked about adopting one in the future, so why had you been so nervous to bring it up with your boyfriend?

Nobody knew, really.

“How about we talk some more when you get home? I don’t think this is a conversation to have on the phone” you chuckled, not wanting to delve into the topic too deep.

He agreed, wishing you a good night before he hung up.

But, despite what he had told you, he didn’t go to sleep. No, there were more important matters to be handled. Like figuring out a way to surprise you with your new puppy without getting detected. 

He thought it over and over again, and the only answer that he came up with was picking up the dog on his way home from the airport from Joris. He figured there was no need to complicate things, you didn’t like complicated stuff.

The next day, you had woken up to a text from Charles telling you his plane would land in a few minutes time and that there was no need for you to pick him up from the airport as Joris had agreed to give him a lift.

You didn’t think anything of it, Charles always having made it clear you would never have to drive him anywhere, you were his passenger princess.

Figuring he would be hungry when he got back, you got started on a simple but filling breakfast, Charles’ favorite breakfast that you made when he would get back from good race weekends. You put on some music and started cooking, not even noticing the time passing by quickly.

You were in your own little world when you heard the front door open and close, calling out your boyfriend’s name.

“Charles? I’m in the kitchen” you called out into the hallway, returning to flipping the last of your pancakes before turning off the stove.

Charles didn’t say anything, afraid not to disturb the small puppy nestled in his arms and prompt it to start barking. He had discarded his luggage by the door, now only holding the little dog and slowly walking over to the kitchen.

He could have sworn that your reaction to seeing the puppy was priceless and forever imprinted into his brain. The way your eyes lit up and filled with tears upon seeing him was nothing like he had ever seen before.

“You did not” you said, too shocked to even move from your spot.

“I did. I’ve been secretly arranging some things in order to adopt this little guy. We were supposed to get him in a couple of weeks, but when you told me yesterday that you wanted a puppy, I figured I would speed things up a little bit” he explained, walking over to you.

You cooed once he got close enough, gently taking the puppy from him and nuzzling his little body to your chest. There were no words to describe how you felt holding your new dog, the amount of love you already felt for such a little human being. 

The little dachshund puppy looked up at you, its deep brown eyes already having you wrapped around his little finger. You nuzzled your nose with his, internally screaming because of how cute he was.

“What’s his name?” you asked, not even looking away from the little guy.

Charles chuckled, knowing your reaction was exactly what he had been expecting from you. Already doting on the little dog nestled in your arms, like you had had him forever.

“Leo. Leo Leclerc” he answered, watching your eyes light up even more.

“Leo” you whispered, looking down at the newest addition to your little family. “Welcome to the Leclerc family, Leo”

You spent another minute or two gazing at the dog, Charles not moving an inch from his spot as he admired you interacting with the dachshund. He knew, in those moments as he watched you interacting with the dog, that you were the woman he was planning on spending the rest of his life with.

“I’ve never loved you as much as I love you in this moment” you told him, shuffling closer to him and stretching your neck so you can press a lingering kiss on his lips.

“I love you too”

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[romanticoms]

not allowed

title inspo not allowed by tv girl

1.1k; 18+ MDNI. p in v, fingering, cheating (i don't endorse), semi public sex, light spanking & edging— please practice safe sex, and don't cheat.

a/n: hi omg after weeks of letting this crap rot in my drafts, my first fic just had to be about homewrecking, thank you to @tosuckmyweenis hehee, going from random asks to actually being convinced to post this, gave me the happy tears :")

There you were, sitting still looking pretty for the party as you served up the refreshments, opening doors as guests just piled up for your husband's party, it's only a few days until he leaves to god knows where—

"Mr Kennedy!" You opened the door to find your husband's best man, you knew him from his work and the next thing you knew he treated you way better in a few words rather than years of whatever your husband had to offer you, obviously you cleared your throat, simpering as he did. "I kept my promise," He replied coyly, nodding before you widened the door, letting him in.

You caught him getting a glimpse as you shut the door, the way your minidress wrapped around your curves, the fabric lying over your ass, god, he wanted it all to himself. He quickly let those thoughts vanish, at least temporarily. "So, where could he be?" His head scanned across the room to find your husband. "Star of the show's asleep, he had too much to drink." You shrugged. "Bummer," He let out a rather amused smile, not seeming down at the absence of your husband.

You watched as guests come and go, a few hours pass by as you watched the crowd dissipate. You waved goodbye before shutting the door, somehow Leon was still there; a bottle in hand as his attention was still on the football match on the screen. It's not customary to kick your guests out, especially if they've done so much for you— and still are.

"You're still here? I thought you'd leave like the rest," You asked, hoping he didn't get the wrong idea. "Figured you'd need some company, can't leave someone like you unaccompanied.." He teased, raising his bottle up as he watched you get one for yourself from across the room, he watched as you raised your ass up, it was your luck the bottles were sitting all the way down in your fridge. He kept his mouth shut, his gaze never turning away from your curves, how he'd imagine himself pressing his bulge over that thin fabric he'd barely call a dress.

Scratch the small talk, you two knew how this was going to end up, so why bother dragging it? He watched as you placed both of the open bottles on the table, taking a swig while he watched you. His calloused hand wrapped around your waist as he forced you to his lap, you didn't exactly protest. "Doesn't seem like you wore this for him," His hand crept up your dress, reaching out to the band of your panties, pulling it with a single finger before letting the band slap against you. "Y'gotta be a good girl, stay quiet, yeah?" He nodded alongside you, making sure you heard him right. "Don't want a whore like you to be caught fucking your husband's bestest friend, right? Or is that what you want— to be caught?" He sneered, watching you hide your face as you tried to ignore his harsh words, but fuck— you only grew more and more sensitive and vulnerable to his degrading language. "Oh? Poor baby's grown so used to being degraded," He cooed as his fingers slid under your panties, down to your slick covered cunt. His fingers curling inside your velvet walls, tongue sticking out in between his teeth as he did so. You whined, shaking your head as you tried to back down from his harsh teasing.

"Don't deny it, baby. You've been waiting for me, haven't you? Isn't that why you're wearing this?" He whispered, his free hand trailed to the hem of your dress, flipping it up before you helped him hold it. His free hand travelled up and down your waist while you rode against his fingers. He gave your waist a squeeze tight enough to bruise before briefly letting go, smacking your ass almost right after, a whine escaped your lips as you buried your face on his collar, getting a whiff of his expensive cologne that somehow got you more aroused. "I told you not to make a noise, right?" He muttered, spanking you once again. You bit your lower lip to silence your wincing. "That's more like it, such a good girl." He cooed, almost pretending as if he wasn't shaming you for indulging in what the two of you wanted. Somehow his constant switching between degrading and praising you only got you more and more aroused. "M-Mr Kennedy, 'M gonna cum.." You whined. "Not yet, baby, need you to cum on my cock." His lips curled at the corners, he let out a groan as he watched you comply, both hands undoing his pants, then sliding both his pants and briefs right off. His exposed cock only got harder the moment the cool air hit surface. He watched you grind against the tip before taking him all in, his head threw back instantly. "Fuck, y'so tight," He groaned, a hand rested around the headrest, holding a bottle while the other had a grip around your hip tight enough to bruise. "L-Leon.." You panted, watching him handle you all while nonchalantly taking swigs at his beer, his hands slid off from your hip to your clit, brushing his thumb over it while staring into you as you drifted into pure ecstacy. "C'mon, sweet girl," He coaxed as your orgasm came crashing. A thousand fireworks frolicked in your mind, your body refused to stay still as he continued to fuck you. "That's it, my sweet girl, doin' so good for me." He cooed, brushing a piece of your hair away from your face. "Fuck, I'm gonna stuff you— sweet thing." He grunted, "You'd like that, yeah? Fucked dumb by your husband's friend— now you want his kids." He broke into a small chuckle at the end of his words, watching you squirm and deny all while he overstimulated you, his thumb flicked your clit while he continued to thrust into you. "Leon! 'S too much!" You mewled, your nails clawed through either side of his broad shoulders. "Oh, fuck, sugar— y'milking me dry over here." A hard chuckle came at the end of his words. You could feel the hot sticky jizz spurt inside you, as you squirted all around his cock. The feeling died out the second his cock slipped back out, spraying a few more strings all around your stomach.

You were a crying mess, tears ridden halfway as Leon's thumb brushed them off alongside a few strands of your hair off your face. "Oh- shh. Wouldn't wanna wake your husband up to see you like this, huh?" He dragged your face to his shoulder by a hand on the back of your head, you wept nearly incessantly before he pressed a kiss on your forehead. "There, there. Let's get you cleaned up," His voice merely a low timbre as he brushed the back of your head with his thumb upon running his fingers through your hair.

[oizysian]

Yooo can't remember, are your requests open? If so may I request a fic for the following prompt? Totally cool if you're not interested in the prompt or don't want to write it or anything (Also sorry if none of this makes sense, I'm a little floaty 🍃 trying to go to sleep)

Actress!Wanda at a comic con (specifically Wanda, not Elizabeth, pls) or something and R is in line for autographs. Maybe the person in front of her has a magazine photo of Wanda in a bikini at a beach, and he is asking her to sign it in a rather sleazy way, and Wanda makes a bit of a face but does it anyway. R is next, and word vomit apologizes or something for his behavior and swears she would never try to view Wanda in that way, and says most fans arent like that. Wanda, amused but also finding R attractive asks her "what if I wanted you to view me that way?"

And R's brain just sort of shuts down but she wants to make Wanda happy so she's just like "oh. I guess. If that.. makes.. you.. happy..?" And Wanda is super amused by how clearly subby R is.

It doesn't have to go anywhere, my floaty brain just said "here, have this".

Sexiest Woman of the Year | Wanda Maximoff

Pairing: Actress!Wanda Maximoff x Fem!Reader

Warnings: man pig, secondhand embarrassment

Word count: ~660

•

I couldn’t believe I was finally going to meet THE Wanda Maximoff. I was beyond excited. She was my favorite actress and I came to this con just to see her.

I had been standing in line for a while now, but my excitement kept me from complaining about my aching feet or my tired legs.

I had an action figure, in the box, for her to sign - one of her characters from her most famous movie where she played a kick ass superhero that did backflips and saved the world from evil.

I kept wiping my sweaty palms on my pants as I waited, my stomach and my heart felt as though they were going to explode.

“And she looks super fucking hot in this picture.” I heard the guy in front of me telling the guy ahead of him.

I tried not to pay attention, but his words were so disgusting and we were so close to meeting her, I was getting secondhand embarrassment.

He stepped up to the table where she smiled brightly at him, taking the photo from him and looking down at it.

“This is the hottest photo of you.” He told her and my face went red with anger and embarrassment.

“Thank you.” She said awkwardly, uncapping her pen and getting ready to sign it. “Who shall I make it out to?”

“Mike.” He responded, wiggling his eyebrows at her. “Your sexiest fan.”

“Yeah …” she smiled politely, biting back a grimace, signing the photograph and handing it back to him.

“Thanks!” He said as he took it back, looking it over before winking at her. “You deserved Sexiest Woman of the Year, Wanda.”

He walked off and I could’ve died right then and there. I almost felt like crying, I was so embarrassed.

I walked up to her, head bowed, afraid to look her in the eye after what just happened.

“Hi.” She greeted me sweetly and my head shot up, cheeks beet red.

“Hi, I’m really sorry about that guy - I swear not all of your fans are like that. He was super gross and I swear I’d never look at you like that.”

She stared at me for a moment before smiling, placing her chin in her palm and watching me carefully.

“What if I wanted you to look at me like that?”

If it was possible, my cheeks got redder. I felt the heat rise up to my ears and I was almost sure I misheard her. From the look on her face, I knew I had heard her correctly, and I stuttered before speaking.

“Oh. I-I guess if you … wanted me to … I could.”

She looked thoroughly amused at my answer, reaching her hand out for my action figure. I handed it over wordlessly and she signed it, giving it back carefully. She extended her hand towards me and I took it.

“I’m Wanda.” She said, as if I didn’t know.

“Y/N.”

“Y/N.” She took her pen and flipped my hand over, writing something on the back of it. “Give me a call sometime, Y/N.” She said with a wink.

My mind completely froze as I looked down at the digits on my hand. Wanda Maximoff just gave me her number. Oh my god.

“Yes ma’am.” I said before I could stop myself and she smiled widely at me.

“That’s a good girl.”

My face burned for the hundredth time today and she gave my hand a squeeze before letting go. I took my action figure in both hands and mustered up a smile, my nerves absolutely out of control at this point - I didn’t know if I was going to be sick or pass out. She winked at me and I nearly fainted right there, taking my signed figure and scurrying off, her giggles the last thing I heard as the events of the past ten minutes replayed in my head endlessly.

[jadeylovesmarvelxo]

Hi, I started reading your stories and I love the, could I please request a modern!slightly older!Eddie x neighbour!reader? He can tell she always excited when texting on her phone, one day as he comes home, she comes out all dressed up for a date but later he finds out reader was ghosted and comforts her? Maybe smut? Maybe reader gets bruises/hickeys easily?

Fluff, jealous Eddie. Mdni. 18+blog.

Request by anon 💞

🫶🥰

Eddie always noticed you. You were his next door neighbour, always friendly to him and he enjoyed talking to you. As well as being sweet, you were also funny and had a dry sarcastic wit that he was instantly taken with.

On a sunny day in June, he was returning from his shift as the local mechanic in the auto repair shop in town. As per usual you were sitting outside and basking in the sunshine, however every couple of minutes you would look at your phone and smile dreamily.

Come to think of it, Eddie had noticed that you were always texting and smiling secretly to yourself the last few days. He was curious at what was causing you to be so smiley and giddy.

He stops to chat for a bit and still feels that tug of wonder when you continue to text this unknown person with the biggest grin on your face. It was stupid but it made Eddie pouty, he was used to making you smile like that.

It didn't take very long for him to find out the roof of your giddiness. After work the next day, he stopped by the store and got a six pack of beer and figured he would ask you to join him for a drink.

Only when he got home you were locking up and he almost swallowed his tongue as he saw that you were dressed to the nines, wearing a dress that highlighted every inch of your body.

You smile at Eddie and grow flustered at the stunned look on his face, "You look amazing princess" he manages to say and your expression brightens in delight.

"Thanks, I have a date". Suddenly the images of you texting, the giddiness and almost shy way you would stare at your phone all made sense, the pieces clicked into place as he realised you must have texting the lucky dude or girl.

"His name is Andrew, I met him at work and we've been talking for a few weeks" Eddie listens to this and feels the swell of jealousy stir in his veins. Andrew was one lucky dude.

"Have fun, any funny business happens then you call me, okay?" He knows he's being protective but he likes you and doesn't want anything sinister happening to you.

You nod and kiss his cheek then hurry over to your car, Eddie watches you go, his cheeks burn with the imprint of your lips on his cheek.

...

Sullen Eddie settles down for a quiet night but is surprised when an hour later he hears the screech of your tires. He peers out the window and watches you get out, slam the door and head into your house.

Fuck, the guy must have been a dick. Making a split second decision, he decides to go and check on you. Anger burns in his veins at the thought of Andrew getting you upset.

He gently knocks on your door and you answer it, there's a trace of tears on your cheeks and Eddie fumes. "What did the fucker do?" he growls, you wipe your eyes and gesture for Eddie to come in.

"He didn't even show Eddie, I waited for like twenty minutes and texted him but he completely ghosted me" Not only was this guy an idiot but he was a stupid one at that.

Your tears tug at Eddie's heart and he pulls you into a hug. You snuggle close to him and lay your head on his chest.

"He's an asshole princess. If I ever run into him I'll kick his ass for making you cry" your sobs quieten and you let out an unmistakable giggle.

"If you let me take you on a date then believe me you would have the time of your life sweetheart" Eddie stiffens as he realises what he said, he can't take it back and honestly he doesn't want to take it back.

You smile impishly and the look on your face takes Eddie's breath away. "Then maybe you should take me on that date Munson, if you're so sure or yourself"

Like magnets you move even closer to each other and Eddie kisses you, feels heat rush through his body as you begin to kiss him back.

He kisses you passionately, moves to your neck and leaves love bites on your skin, then he stops and you make a little whimper of annoyance, glare at him. He trails a finger over the little bites that are blooming on your skin.

"Sorry princess but wooing first before the rest of the good stuff" he promises and you brighten at this.

"Alright Munson, colour me intrigued" Eddie makes a wow then to do his best to woo and make you happy.

Maybe he could sneak a few kisses before then though... 🤭

❤️🫶

[itsscromp]

Going to the beach with the 141?

Beach day

And just in time for summer too :D Word count:1.5K

With summer now finally here and the weather starting to warm up, Laswell has awarded all of you two months off for your hard work. But what should you all do ?? Y/n may have just the idea for everyone.

"Hey you guys know how we have two months right ??"

"Why ??" Simon was curious.

"Yes, I remember it very clearly y/n" Price said.

"Well, maybe I thought we could rent out a cabin for a month and head down to the beach or something" You said enthusiastically.

"Walk into the sun... On purpose ??" Simon did not like the sun whatsoever, yes he said his skin was impeccable bronze, but that's just around the eyelids.

"That's the point I guess ??"

"Well that's a nice idea Y/n, That would be good for us to get out" He immediately got out his phone and looked through some BnB's

"See Simon, Price agrees"

"I still don't get why you'd want to be outside of your own free will"

"Well one it's healthy and two it gives you fresh air" You snickered.

"Did I hear a beach day in here ??" Johnny heard as he walked in, as someone mentioned beach, golden retriever mode is now activated.

"Yeah, I suggested we rented a cabin for the month near there" You caught him up.

"Oooo !!! Price you should listen to them" He gave an enthusiastic smile. "That's a good idea, Have ya heard ?? Are we going captain ??" He was so damn ready and the thing wasn't even organised.

He then found the perfect BnB for all of you to stay in and it was within the price range. "Then it's settled, We're heading to the beach" He looked at you all smiling.

"What's going on here ??" Gaz walked in, hearing soap's cheering and excitement.

"We're going to the beach !!!"

"Nice, sounds like fun !!" He smiled a little.

But Simon was not budging, he didn't want to go outside and feel the sun, risking more tan on his skin among other things. "I'll stay behind"

"Aw come on, It'll be fun" You tried to convince him.

"I'll watch the base for price, Who's going to take care of-"

"Simon, No, your coming with us" Price affirmed him in a loving dad way.

"Pleaaaaaaaassssssssseeeeeee" You and Johnny tried.

"You can't convince me" He eyed both of you.

"Yes I can"

"No you can't"

"Oh yeah ?? What if I told you there was an open bar on the beach ??" Johnny tried to add.

"Well... Do you think I'm just an alcoholic ??" But you could tell it was working, Time to sweeten the deal.

"Or you can toss soap in the water with the sharks or trap him in a pile of sand so he has to walk back with sand in his ass"

"Well, That does sound pretty enticing" He showed crows feet on one eye, indicating a smirk.

"GHOST !!!" Offended scotsman bestie noises.

"Alright you sold me" He finally agreed.

'Hell yeah !!" You fist bumped the air.

"I thought we were bros...." He was hurt, like a kicked puppy. "I'll get you both back, just you wait !!"

"Sure Johnny sure" You both snickered.

"Alright, I got the place booked, Go get packed then, we leave tomorrow morning. Giant children the lot of you" Price clicked his tongue.

Soon the morning of the trip arrived and you began double-checking the items you had packed. "Ok, shirt's check, pants check"

"I got my stuff" Gaz slung his duffle bag over his shoulder.

Johnny was in tow behind him with a big backpack "Ready !!"

You were a little baffled by how much he had in his backpack "Johnny what did you pack, Your entire room ??"

"No... I only brought my good clothes, comic books, drawing pad, journal, several pencils and a picture of my mom"

"Soooooo Your entire room" You smirked

"Well, Like 70% of my room, I can't fit the furniture" He joked. Simon walked down the hall with his duffle bag, ready to go as well.

"We're all packed captain" Gaz said

"Alright then, shall we head out ??"

"Onwards !!" Johnny bolted for the doors.

Everyone sorted out the car situation to figure out who was going with who, Johnny was a little saddened how he wasn't going with you and Simon. "Awww why can't I go with you guys"

"Cause the last time we did a road trip together, I had to clean out your car sickness the whole day, and the smell was still there for 3 days" You shuddered.

He pouted a little before obliging, the cars now on the road and off to the BnB, You and Simon chatting along the way. Finding a very old house that had tree's growing outside of it, something like out of the last of us.

"Wow, that's so freaking cool"

"Yeah... It's crazy what nature can do" He smiled a little, he liked car rides with you, it was one of the many peaceful times with you.

His phone dinged with a text from Price. "Price is at the next gas station, something about Johnny eating too many cheese curds and is currently throwing up"

"Tried to warn him" You chuckled.

"Poor Johnny, He's stupid though for eating those cheese curds"

"Oh I can Imagine" You shuddered

Soon the two of you arrived at the destination, Y/n finding the keys and heading inside. "Wow, this place is so cool in person"

"It is, check out the TV" Simon walked in and saw how big it was. He pulled out his phone and saw another text from Price. "They're on the road again. Johnny is still feeling a little uneasy, but he isn't throwing up anymore"

"Thank god for that, He's taking a shower as soon as he get's here"

Soon the others arrived and Johnny went for the shower, After which it was a rest afternoon for everyone, tomorrow It was the beach day.

So the next morning once everyone was rested and Johnny recovered, You all filled up on breakfast and got ready, Simon pulling you aside to slap a huge fuck ton of sunscreen on you.

"Hey hey easy" You chuckled as he slapped some on your back.

"Not on my watch" He was not letting melanoma get to his bestie !! Not now not ever.

Soon everyone began to walk to the beach as it was within walking distance, normally the beach was a little busy, but thankfully it wasn't today, so you guys technically had the beach all to yourselves, you set the shade up and the chairs, Johnny and Gaz immediately rushing for the water. Having water guns in the ready.

Price had his book ready to go as he sat down and kept his eyes on you 4 as well. You and Simon began to draw sketches into the sand.

"Ok, what's this ??" You pointed out your sand sketch

"Hmmmm........ A dragon ??" He tilted his head.

"Yeah, there we go !!" You smiled "Ok your turn"

Simon began to draw his sketch in the sand, It was a very complex drawing leaving you baffled.

"Ok.... Is it..... A dog ??"

"No"

After a little bit of guessing, Johnny called you over to take some photos of him to send to his wife, You snickered every time he flexed for the camera, eager to impress her. "Looking good supermodel" You snickered.

"Hey, it's for my one and only, she gets only the best" He smiled proudly.

"Ok I sent you the photos"

"Why don't you two come in the water ??" Gaz offered.

"No thanks, You three have fun" Simon said as he headed back for the shade to dump more sunscreen on him.

So you three began to wrestle in the water, Having the time of your lives, not a care in the world, Just you guys. Simon watched on as he sat in the shade, Price knowing him too well, sat up. "Why don't you join them ??"

"I don't know..." He still didn't want to get tanned. But another thing is he didn't know how to relax, He was so used to routine and planning so all of this was a little off-putting to him.

'I know it's a little hard son, But when do we be able to get to do something like this. Besides, Y/n is on the losing side from what I can see, I'm sure they can use your help" He chuckled softly before going back to his book.

He looked out into the water, Yes it looked like you were in a little trouble, So he sighed a little and got up, slipping his shirt off and heading to the water.

You looked and smiled. "Yeah Simon, Let's go !!"

Johnny and Gaz gulped as he rolled his shoulders and lightly flexed his chest. Soon the match began and how the tables turned, Ultimately by the end you and Simon being declared the winners.

"Well done" He smiled softly, raising his hand for a high five from you, To which you happily returned.

The sun began to set, A very fun-filled day for everyone, But Johnny sadly being the victim with sunburn and sand up his ass, But all in all a very fun day.

A/N: I'm so sorry for the lack of content as of lightly, I hope to try and be a bit more consistent.

Taglist: @callofdudes @cumikering

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

The Right Place in Time

Summary: What if Steve was in the woods with Chrissy and Eddie buying weed for his headache?

Chapter one

Chapter two

Once Steve went home and smoked a little weed, he felt a lot better, especially when the headache started to fade away, but he was still upset with Eddie. He started driving back to the school once the weed wore off, and when he pulled up, he waited until all of the members of Hellfire started entering the drama room. They arrived early before a whole lot of people even started showing up for the game. He narrowed his eyes when he saw Mike, Erica, and Dustin enter the drama room last. Steve climbed out of the car and started striding towards the drama room when he got assaulted by Robin.

"Oh, thank God, you're here early," Robin said. "Wait, why are you here early?"

"Eddie! He talked Mike and Dustin into replacing Lucas instead of supporting him. From what I just saw, they replaced him with Erica! His sister!" Steve said.

"Well, that's fucked up. Can't they just post pone?" Robin asked.

"They called what Lucas did joining the dark side! It's fucking basketball," Steve said.

"It sounds like they're acting exactly like how bullies treated them. That's not cool," Robin frowned. "Are you going to kick Eddie's ass?"

"I hope not," a voice said from behind Steve.

They turned to find Chrissy standing there. Steve smiled at her and then frowned. He hated having to tell her that he was going to have to cancel the date. She had been so excited.

"Chrissy - ,"

"It sounds like Eddie's being a total dick. We should fix that - shouldn't we?" Chrissy asked.

"I mean, yeah, but why? You barely know him," Steve said.

"I have a feeling about him," Chrissy said softly and took his hand. "I want this to happen."

"Yeah, okay, me too," Steve blushed. "It's just Lucas, Mike, and Dustin have always been friends. They're kids who I babysit, and I just feel protective over them. So, they come first."

"That's sweet, and I totally understand," Chrissy said smiling and dropped his hand. "Let's go!"

Steve smiled, watching her run ahead of them.

"You're going to tell me what that was about, buddy?" Robin asked.

"It's nothing," he blushed. "What did you need me for?"

"Oh! My lip gloss. I left it in your car. I'll be next to Vickie, remember?" Robin asked.

"You play the trumpet," Steve said with narrowed eyes.

"And?" Robin asked.

"Here," Steve said, putting his keys into her hand. "I'm going to go after Chrissy."

Steve hurried to catch up with Chrissy and found her waiting by the drama room door.

"I figured you'd want to do the storming in. They're your kids. I'm only the girl trying to date their mom," Chrissy grinned and slapped him on the back. "Go get them, champ."

Steve smiled briefly before glaring at the door seriously. He rolled his shoulders and stormed through the doors, slamming them open. He was relieved to hear a few startled screams. Steve walked into the room to find Eddie sitting on the throne. He snorted. Right. And he was the arrogant one? Eddie grinned at first until he noticed Steve’s pissed off look. Steve placed his hands on his hips.

"What the hell are you shitheads doing here? Why the hell are you not at the game supporting your best friend?" Steve asked.

"Because Eddie's been planning this for a while," Mike said. "Besides, it's not like Lucas is going to be playing."

"You don't know that. Tonight could be the night that they put him in," Steve said. "And I'm sorry, but I think I missed the part where Eddie's been your best friend since you were babies. Oh, wait, no, that's Lucas."

"Lucas knows how important D&D is to us," Mike scoffed.

"Really? Because it wasn't so important when it was Will wanting to play, and you spent all summer ignoring him. After everything Will went through, he gets snubbed by his friends?" Steve said. "Yeah, that's right. Jonathan told me."

"How is this any of your business?" A guy with really good hair said.

"Maybe because these shitheads mean a lot to me. Wait, I don't need to justify myself to you. Who even are you?" Steve asked.

"Big surprise, King Steve doesn't know someone below him," Good Hair scoffed.

"I'm sorry, but do you know everyone's name in the entire school?" Steve asked.

"Well, no," he frowned.

"So, why is it up to the preppy people to know them all?" He asked, and the man opened his mouth before closing it again.

"The man's got a point," a man with pretty eyes said. "Name's Jeff. That's Gareth. The other one over there is Frank."

"Under different circumstances, I would say it's nice to meet you, but . . .I'm kind of in the middle of yelling," Steve replied and Jeff nodded.

"Steve, it's just a basketball game," Dustin said.

"That's right. It's just a basketball game. It's neither good nor evil. A few jocks pissed on your game, and you decided to make the assumptions that all jocks are bad," Steve said and cast his eyes at Eddie. "Kind of like how people made assumptions about you. Well, right now, you have the ability to show them that nerds and jocks don't have to be enemies. You have the ability to post pone it. Lucas doesn't. Right now, he's scared out of his mind that he's going to lose his friends over the fact that he wanted to branch out and try something new. He wanted to be different, and you judged him for that the way that everyone judged you. He's a scared kid, Eddie, and he's trying to find his place in this world. You're in the position where you can make him feel like he can have both, and you're pushing him away. It's one night. One fucking night."

The entire room was silent, and Eddie, as well as the others, had the decency to look ashamed. He cleared his throat, his voice thick with emotion.

"Does this mean we're not going to be hanging out?" Eddie asked softly.

"Man, that's up to you," Steve said, looking at him sadly. "Do you hate me for being a jock?"

Eddie looked down at his lap. He looked so vulnerable in that moment that Steve wanted to comfort him, but he figured that might take away from what he just did. Dustin pushed his seat back, looking properly shamed.

"You're right, Steve. We should go to the game," Dustin said. "It's one night."

"Yeah," Mike said and stood up.

Erica sighed and rolled her eyes before following the other two out the door. She did look guilty, though. Steve followed them, smiling when he saw Chrissy waiting for them. She clearly heard the whole thing. He went to say something when he heard Eddie's voice.

"Well, gentlemen, it looks like we're going to the game after all," Eddie said.

Steve grinned and started walking off towards the gym, the kids walking ahead of them.

"I just want you to know that I thought that was the hottest thing I ever seen," Chrissy said as she put her arm through his.

"Yeah?" Steve asked.

"Yeah," she giggled.

"Chrissy, right?" Dustin asked.

"Yeah," she replied.

"Are you guys dating?" Dustin asked.

"I'm trying to date him," she said.

"Ooh, he's making you work for it, huh?" Dustin asked.

"Hey, shithead, until you properly make it up to Lucas, you don't get to tease us," Steve said and Chrissy giggled.

"You're such a good mom," she said.

"Stop calling me that," Steve blushed. Smiling.

"Why? When you have such good childbearing hips," Chrissy teased.

Erica snorted, and Steve gave her a look.

"What? She's funny. Just the facts," Erica said.

It was still pretty early when they walked into the gym. There were a few people sitting in the sands. The band has yet to even come in. Chrissy hugged Steve and parted ways with him. Steve guided the kids up the bleachers and made them sit near them, leaving a space open for Eddie. It was quiet for a while until he heard the sound of Dustin sniffling.

"I didn't mean to hurt Lucas, I just - " Dustin said.

"I know," Steve said softly.

"It's just that we think Eddie is so cool like you are that we got excited over the fact that he likes D&D, and it was just nice to have somewhere safe to go to," Dustin said.

"You think I'm on the same level of coolness as Eddie?" Steve asked.

"Well, yeah," Mike scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Well, okay, but you know, if you think someone is being asshole to your friend, you can tell them off even if they are also your friend," Steve said.

"Yeah, okay," Dustin said, wiping his eyes. "I'm sorry for disappointing you, Steve."

"Aww, buddy, come here," Steve said.

Steve and Dustin hugged tightly and quickly. Dustin was soon sitting next to Mike again. Steve looked at Mike questioningly.

"I'm not going to cry," Mike scoffed.

"You're being an asshole, Mike," Dustin quipped. "Cry, damn it."

He smiled when he saw Eddie walk into the gym. He looked sheepish, his hands in his pocket. It was very cute. Eddie nodded at Mike and Dustin, indicating that he wanted them to go down. They looked at Steve.

"Go," he said softly.

Mike, Dustin, and Erica walked down towards Eddie, who led them out of the gym. A moment later, Eddie came back with the kids and the rest of Hellfire in tow. The kids sat back down, leaving an open space for Eddie. He stood nervously by Steve, hands in his pockets while the rest of Hellfire sat in bleacher above them.

"Is this seat taken?" Eddie asked, pointing to the spot beside him.

"Yes," Steve replied.

"Oh," Eddie said softly.

"By you, idiot," he said and pulled him down into the seat.

"I had them apologize to Lucas, and then I apologized to Lucas. I mean, you were right. About everything. I was a goddamn bully. I would totally get it if you thought less of me and didn't want to go out with me," Eddie said.

"If anything, I think more of you. You owned up to your mistakes, you apologized. . . ," Steve said and leaned close to whisper to him. "That is so incredibly sexy of you."

"Sexy?! Me!" Eddie whispered and Steve nodded.

Steve moved closer until his lips were nearly touching Eddie's ear.

"If you hurt one of our kids ever again, I will take out my bat and beat you with it," he whispered.

"Hot," Eddie choked on his saliva and shook his head. "But yeah, I got the message."

Steve laughed and pulled back. He looked down at the court below, and his eyes landed on Chrissy, who was looking at him curiously. Steve grinned and gave her a thumbs up. Her smile was so wide that she was showing nearly all of her teeth. She blew him a kiss. Eddie's hand flew out in front of Steve’s face like he was catching the kiss and made a show of placing it on his own cheek. Chrissy giggled.

"Hey, that was my kiss, jackass," Steve scowled.

"Was it? Too bad," Eddie said.

Steve and Eddie talked until the gym started to fill up with people. The band members filled their seats, and then Tammy Thompson came out to sing. Steve whispered to Eddie about Tammy sounding like a Muppet and he giggled in agreement. Soon, the game began. Eddie struggled to catch up at first, but once Steve started using D&D terms to help him out, he quickly understood. Eddie watched eagerly when they put Lucas in, and when Lucas made the winning shot, he cheered louder than anyone. Eddie pulled Steve into a tight hug.

"Thank you for making sure that I didn't miss this," Eddie whispered in Steve's ear.

Chapter three

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

Ghost Story - Chapter 2

Pairing: Rooster x Female OC

Word Count: 2457

Warnings: None

Summary: No one will miss a ghost. It'd been a running joke for as long as anyone could remember, something Ghost herself started, and she always said it with a smile on her face or with mirth in her voice. The untouchable stealth pilot in every sense of the word, no one could've predicted the depth of her turmoil over recent events, nor the extremes she would go to in order to protect the man she loved, not even those closest to her. Now, all that was left of the young aviator for Maverick, Hangman, and Rooster were the memories of the past, which would slowly fade with time. She'd come into their lives and made an unforgettable impression, and then, like a ghost, she was gone... Then again, ghosts can't die a second time.

Notes: The chapters/parts in italics are flashbacks. Also, I know I used Melissa Benoist as Juliette in India Lima Yankee but I really love her as an actress okay...

Chapter Songs: Hey Soul Sister Hung Up

***

Rooster

People packed the Hard Deck to full capacity, and the Dagger Squadron commandeered at least half of it. Fritz, Halo, and Omaha played darts, and Halo kicked the boys' ass each time. Harvard and Yale were flirting with some girls at the bar; Yale appeared to have more success than his wingman. Hangman, Coyote, Fanboy, and Payback were playing a round of pool. Rooster watched with Phoenix and Bob, chatting about the recent mission and enjoying their time on solid ground. Peering over his shoulder, through the crowd, Rooster could see Maverick sitting at the bar, chatting to Penny whenever she wasn't taking orders. He was glad his dad had finally settled down with the bar owner. Through his mom, he'd heard the ups and downs of Maverick's relationship with Penny, how he'd gone ballistic with her early in his career, and how his superior put in hack once for it. Rooster always laughed at that because that would've made most sailors he knew kick whatever habit had gotten them into hack, but not Maverick. He might've waited a bit for the next opportunity to come around, but it did. It always did with Penny.

"What do you say we show these boys how it's done after they're finished?" Phoenix asked, glancing over at Bob. Her WSO nodded. "Rooster, want to be our third?"

"Nah, I'll pass. I will get us some more beers, though," he offered, chugging the rest of his. Collecting his wingmen's empty bottles, Rooster maneuvered his way through the crowd. What he hadn't told his comrades was that a strange sensation ran down his spine only a couple of seconds before, making him feel the need to move. Rooster couldn't place why, but some presence around him sent his nerves into overdrive. Now, if only he could figure out who caused it...

"You all having fun?" Maverick asked when Rooster sidled next to him, watching his group of former trainees with a soft smile. He'd taken them under his wing and had become a work dad to them. Phoenix declared that fact, and at one point, all of the pilots had called Maverick' Dad,' even Hangman, although he fiercely denied it.

"Yeah. Just chatting with Phoenix and Bob while the others play pool, and Hangman, well, he's being Hangman."

Maverick chuckled knowingly. "That why you came over here?"

"Nah, came to get more beers."

Penny, overhearing Rooster's comment, slid over to them. "More Buds?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She handed him three fresh bottles. "You still coming over tomorrow for dinner?"

"Wouldn't miss it."

"Good. Amelia's looking forward to seeing you." Rooster smiled, all too aware of the young Benjamin's crush on him. "Need anything else?"

"Put another one for Mav on my tab," he replied, grabbing the three drinks by their necks.

"Thanks, Rooster," Maverick said, clapping him on the back. His gaze briefly shifted to the Daggers, and he asked, "Who's the newcomer?"

Rooster frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"

Maverick nodded at the group of Bradley's wingmen, and, sure enough, a new member of the group had arrived, one Rooster hadn't expected to see but offered the one and only explanation for the sensation from earlier. Last he heard, she was supposed to be stationed somewhere in the Caribbean, not standing in the Hard Deck looking like a supermodel in a white sundress, offsetting her deep tan. Her golden curls tumbled over her shoulders, and she had her ever-present aviator sunglasses pushed back on her head. 

"You know her?" Maverick asked, his eyes resting on Rooster with evident curiosity.

Bradley nodded, still trying to find his words. "Yeah, I do."

"You look like you've seen a ghost." Maverick didn't know how true his words rang because Rooster had, and not just because it was the newcomer's callsign.

"I didn't know she was stateside." Rooster braced himself on the counter and leaned in towards Maverick, quietly adding, "Her name is Annalise Winchester, callsign Ghost. It's been years since we last saw each other."

Maverick, interest piqued, continued to prod. "You two date?"

"No, but no matter what girl I was with, I always found myself thinking of or drawn back to her."

"I get it." Maverick's eyes flicked over briefly to Penny, who remained wholly unaware of their conversation. A good thing, probably. Otherwise, it might verge on borderline disrespecting the bartender, and Rooster didn't have the money to pay for everyone's drinks in the bar. "What's the story?"

"Went to school together. She was a year below me. We got on each other's nerves in the beginning, but then one day, that changed, and we got closer. Then we were stationed on the same ship for a bit; I was her wingman. We were always friends; nothing more."

"But you wanted to be," Maverick finished Rooster's unspoken words.

"Yeah…"

"Why do they call her Ghost? Because she's stealthy or because she's always ghosting people?"

"Because you never see her unless she wants to be seen, either in the plane or on the ground. And you never see her enter or leave a room. She lives up to her callsign more so than others."

"Go say hi to her, but don't go empty-handed. If you like her and want to get her attention, and she's used to people not seeing her, make it look like you saw her come in," Maverick suggested, a glimmer of mirth in his eyes. Rooster only ever saw Maverick as the father figure in his life (and for a time, his enemy), so sometimes he forgot how much of a ladies' man Mav used to be. He knew the tricks to play to get the girl's attention wholly on you. Bradley decided to listen.

"Penny, can I get a double of Bailey's with a shot of your best whiskey?" Rooster ordered when the bartender came within hearing range.

Her brow crinkled, taken aback by the drink order, but the words that came out of her mouth were the last thing Rooster expected. "Is Winchester here?"

"How'd you know?" Rooster asked, stunned.

"Because in all my time here, she's the only one who ordered that drink." Penny turned around and zeroed in on the blonde enveloped in Hangman's arms. "Winchester!"

Ghost whirled around, her eyes swiftly landing on Penny. "Benjamin!"

"You think you can walk in here without saying hi?"

Beaming, Ghost cheerfully maneuvered her way through the crowd. To Rooster's dismay and annoyance, although not to his surprise given the two's history, Hangman followed, abandoning his game of pool. Reaching the bar, Ghost said, "I didn't even see you, it's so packed in-" she stopped short at the sight of Bradley, astonishment and delight evident in her eyes. "Rooster!"

"Hey, Ghost," he greeted casually, unable to help the smile on his face. He wanted to pull her into a hug, but he wouldn't with Hangman around. After all, this girl was the original source of tension between them, unbeknownst to all their friends and Ghost herself. Rooster didn't want to deal with Hangman giving him shit over liking Ghost more than he already had. Besides, Rooster knew if it came down to him or Jake, Ghost would choose the latter. Rooster and Ghost might've had chemistry, but she and Hangman had chemistry and history. Bradley knew he couldn't compete with that. "Good to see you."

"You too! It's been so long," she replied, ignoring Hangman's presence and pulling Rooster into a brief, tight hug. When they broke it off, he handed Ghost the drink he'd ordered for her. She tilted her head. "You remembered?"

"You're the only pilot I know who doesn't like beer, and I also remember you getting smashed on this during that Christmas trip back at the Academy."

"I need the strong stuff to put up with this one's shit." Ghost jerked her thumb over at Hangman, who shot her an impish, charming grin.

"How you doing, Hangman?" Maverick asked, casually joining the conversation.

"I'm good, Mav. I'm very good," he replied, slinging his arm over Ghost's shoulders. Rooster noticed she had no reaction to it, neither removing it nor leaning into him. Interesting, he thought. "I'm too good to be true."

"I'm assuming you two know each other?"

"Ghost here was my best long-term relationship."

"I'm the only long-term relationship you've been in," Ghost corrected, staring pointedly at her ex. Then, returning her attention to Maverick, she asked, "Sorry, but I don't think we've been introduced. Mav, is it?"

"Captain Pete Mitchell, but you can call me Maverick," he replied, extending his hand. Rooster saw the flash of enthrallment in Ghost's blue eyes as she shook it. "And you?"

"Annalise Winchester, but you can call me Ghost. Everyone does. So, you're the infamous Maverick?" Her eyes flicked momentarily up to Rooster. A silent understanding passed between them. Keeping her friendly attitude, Ghost said, "It's an honor to meet you. I've heard a lot about you."

"I'm sure not all of it has been good," Maverick joked.

Ghost shrugged. "Depends on who you ask. I know my dad and Iceman raved about you."

"You knew Ice?"

"Yeah." Ghost smiled wistfully. "I initially met him a few times because of my dad, and then I became best friends with one of his daughters. He was a great man."

"That he was." Maverick took a sip of his beer to hide his sorrow and grief over his late friend. "Who's your dad?"

"The late Admiral Nathan Winchester."

Recognition crossed Maverick's face. "Also a great man. I met him once about a decade or so ago. I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, sir. I-"

"Hangman!" Coyote shouted over the cacophony. "Are you going to chat up Ghost or shoot some pool?"

"I should go show those boys how it's done," Hangman said, pecking Ghost on the cheek. Before he could slip away, Rooster handed him Bob and Phoenix's beers. Hangman took them, but Rooster saw him sneak a few sips from both bottles on his way back to the pool table. Meanwhile, Ghost stepped closer to Bradley, leaving little space between them. She had to crane her neck up to look at him.

"So, what are you doing here?" Rooster inquired, taking a swig of his beer. "I thought you were stationed somewhere in the Caribbean?"

"I was, but my deployment ended. I'm not complaining, although I had to move since they wanted my home base to be here. What have you been up to since the last time we talked?"

"Not much. Did get shot down and stole an enemy plane with Maverick," Rooster replied, taking a sip of his beer.

Ghost's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. "You did what?"

Bradley went into the story of how Maverick had been shot down saving his life, how Rooster had gone back- against orders- to rescue him and was shot down himself in the process, how the two of them stole an F-14 and narrowly made it back to the carrier. "For better or worse, I owe Hangman my life. I'll never tell him that, though. But yeah, that's the story."

Ghost stared at him for a few more moments, the gears visibly turning in her head, and then she whacked him painfully on his chest. "You didn't think to reach out to me before you went on a possible suicide mission?"

"Ow!" Rooster rubbed his chest ruefully. The girl could pack a punch. "I didn't want to worry you?"

 "And you think not hearing from you at all and being left to wonder if you're dead or alive is better?"

"I- I'll keep that in mind for next time."

"Thank you. And Maverick, thank you for saving his life in return. I owe you one." Ghost raised her glass in his direction.

"Believe me, I won't let anything happen to him as long as I'm around."

"I can hold my own," Rooster defended, unamused by his dad and best friend ganging up on him. Deciding to switch the topic, he asked, "What are you doing the rest of the evening? Other than hanging out with us?"

"Actually, I need to get back to my apartment. I only meant to swing by and say hi to everyone. I need to get more unpacking done because it's bugging me to have all those boxes stacked around."

"You need a ride back to your place?"

"I don't want to tear you away from your friends." Ghost glanced at the pool table, where Hangman was shaking his pool stick over his head, Tusken Raider style. He must've made a good shot. "I'd love to give him an ego check right now, but I don't have time."

Rooster couldn't help but grin. "If you want a wingman to help you with that-"

"I know to call you." Ghost downed the rest of her drink and inspected the now-empty glass. "Whatever whiskey was used for that was strong."

"Was it good?" 

"Oh, absolutely. I need to find out what Penny used and order it next time."

Rooster finished the rest of his beer and flagged Penny down to pay his tab. While she rang him out, she asked, "Hey, Ghost, Maverick and I are having a barbecue for my birthday this Saturday at six. All the other pilots are coming. You're welcome to come if you're free."

"Only if you let me help you set up," Ghost countered.

"I won't say no to that."

"Count me in too," Rooster said, hoping Penny wouldn't catch on that he was offering his help just to spend more time around Ghost without the others, namely Hangman, around. Unfortunately, the sparkle in her eye told him otherwise. Still, maybe it would work in his favor. After all, Penny liked matchmaking and had helped more than a few pilots get with their crushes if she thought they were good people, and Rooster was confident that not only did Penny like him, but that she liked him more than Hangman.

"I'll gladly take your help. I'll see you both Saturday, if not sooner."

The two aviators bid the couple goodbye, and Ghost followed Rooster out the door to his Bronco. He tried to keep his nerves calm, but it turned out to be futile as they ran haywire. After all, the last time he'd been alone with Ghost was two years ago, naked and tangled up in his sheets. He'd woken up to find her gone with only a note- folded into an airplane- saying she had to get ready to ship out. He wondered if she thought he wouldn't harbor any feelings for her after their one-night stand because, as she always said: No one will miss a ghost.

But he did. Rooster always did.

***

Tags: @supernaturaldawning @shanimallina87 @polikszena @lgg5989 @callsign-milano @bradshawsandbridgetons @harper1666 @shadeops21 @double-j @rotating-obsessions @amantedelnorte @abigailannz @copaceticwriter @sharkprestige @thedarkinmansfield @lapilark @mickeyluvs @mini-bee-bee @starshipfantasy @itzyogurl92 @bennypears00 @mandowife221b @the-navistar-carol

Chapters: Chp 1 Chp 2

[the-scrappy-stinger]

We open up to Honda being a mood.

This is Honda, and he's a business guy. He doesn't wanna go to the old okonomiyaki place with his high school buddies because he's bored gossiping about old girlfriends and passed memories. They make him go anyway. Along the way... they avoid KitKat.

Heading off to the old place, the shop is deserted, dirty, and run by the shopkeeper's only daughter. So what's basically the first place she does when they walk into the store?

What is it with this manga and women running restaurants? To be fair, she doesn't WANT to, her dad's just in the hospital. And she's got a toddler at home, and her husband works full time at a DIFFERENT restaurant as the head chef, and she's still expected to be a homemaker, so yeah, she actually has it rough.

So they all agree to help. Honda the grump is... not as agreed, but onboard in his own very food-tsundere way.

So of course he goes to the MEETING OF THE HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH TO SAVE THE OKONOMIYAKI PLand nobody else shows up. Figures. Honda the grump is alone.

AND OH NO, CUSTOMERS. AND HE DIDN'T READ THE RECIPE. I think I've had this nightmare. SO he sucks at it. KitKat comes over to borrow some flour and even though Honda the grump isn't the owner, he has a speech.

Weeping like my co so then a fuckin' yakuza boss comes in for food, because why the fuck is this place still getting reservations if the owner's been laid up for months- anyway so the yakuza boss nearly throws Honda into the back of a car to fuckin' kill him or whatever and KitKat's like "stop it. We're gonna use words."

And these guys were willing to kill Honda because he told them he didn't work there and the restaurant was closed because the owner's kid had the flu. ANd they're street food vendors.

Thus is the world of KitKat Jesus. (The Jesus part we're getting to, just stick with me.)

I have never related harder to a character in this manga in my life.

So KitKat's like "Look if you're here to shakedown for flavor THIS hard, let me try making the recipe. Honda you stay you have to taste test" and Honda's like "damn it!" because he is LITERALLY walking out the door! KitKat reads the recipe and goes "Wait... this is way too basic, this can't be right" and it turns out he's right, because despite living in the shop her whole life and watching her dad cook every day she didn't know the recipe.

So the street vendors are like "You should sell this at the food fair tomorrow!" and KitKat's like "... hell, why not?". Honda's like "okay i'm fucking LEAVING NOW THANK YOU" and the street vendors go "Hey wait aren't you a government worker? You know your job would be way easier if you did public work and people saw your face" and Honda's like "... ... sign me up."

They got the owner's daughter's permission, though, that's okay.

This next chapter's actually kind of cook- I mean cool! Freudian hungry. But KitKat talks about how food stall cooking is different from restaurant cooking, because you have to take into account eating on the go. Honda the grump is put on the cabbage cutter machine to help and bemoans that he wasn't allowed to eat street food as a kid.

Guy's just got opinions about fuckin' everything.

Honda the temporarily-asshole-for-the-plot decides to just go... LITERALLY grab customers out of someone else's line to force them to eat at his stall.

And starts a fight.

I'm starting to think the author has a low opinion of street food vendors.

OH wait no, I was wrong, they are ALSO the mafia. And street food vendors. Yeah there we go. No wonder Honda wasn't allowed to eat street food...

(skims ahead) oh god I'm gonna run out of pictures again- SO TO SUM UP:

The Capo wants to put the screws to Honda the grump because he tried to cheat at food stalls, so he has his two lancers, big dudes who cook fast, give him a bunch of okonomiyaki to sell before sunset, but KitKat's like "you bitch, you gave him shitty food to sell so you could kick his ass later".

Honda at this point must be like "I wouldn't be in this situation if everybody else hadn't flaked out on me, christ".

OH well, only one way to settle it.

And Honda the... weirdly malleable personality for the plot is like "I am so moved by this cook-off between two rival food mafia gangs that I volunteer to be the chef".

And so KitKat's like "Okay". TRAINING

Honda the singer now apparently has to sing ONLY this song for the next two days.

It's supposed to help him improve his internal clock so he doesn't have to look at his watch while he's cooking. Three minutes to cook on one side, six minutes on the other. ... thing is.

This song's been covered a LOT. And most of them aren't 3 minutes long. Most of them are REALLY fuckin' short actually. Fun little bop though!

Must be this version.

Hey, me too, guy!!!

So the training continues, and on the day of the cook-off-

Sooey sooey, soodada-lata, soodada-lata sooey sooey!~

And his place is a hit! Because-

It's in easy-to-eat pieces!

So he wins the contest- wait whatever happened to the restaurant?? WELL LEMME TELL YOU!

Honda the better goes back to his normal job.

Honda's buddies realize that they forgot about the plot for TWO WEEKS.

Buncha assholes!

And... Honda has quit his well-paying government office job... to work the okonomiyaki bar.

I mean... Not judging but... like, benefits? Vacation days? ... not going home at night smelling like cooking oil? Just a thought...

Story arc length: 9 chapters.

[lightlycareless]

chapter 32 finally here,,, im so late getting this ask in but this chap HAS been rolling around in my head,, getting chewed on ,,

we got SO much backstory in this one to work with and its SO cute too- like, not only does it work as such a good narrative contrast to the current relationship going on, what with eiichi and minako actually being able to have 1) respectful disagreements over taste 2) REAL playful banter that doesn't end up in some sort of argument or with horrifyingly thick tension 3) most importantly both people want to be there and see more of each other- its also just a very very sweet scene overall

AND it goes on to even show him properly standing up for her, supporting her career, sweet gift exchanges,,, n naoya is just cringing at the end of it. you FOOL. you should be taking NOTES rn

(also y/n met naoya first at the goodwill event,,, that has to have been mentioned before but i blanked on it till now. god. i hope we see that at some point i can only imagine)

y/n i think you SHOULD have just started crying in the store there after the story. just start sobbing. freak him out a little bit. he deserves it

naoya trying to ask genuine questions for once (at least i think he is!! just not,, really coming thru in the tone of voice but hes giving it a go) and just getting. almost entirely ignored. hes TRYING your honor- and what did he BUY?? what is in his pocket i know it cant be a whole record that would not FIT

this whole chapter and the last couple are SO funny bc y/n is (understandably) assuming he's being purposely malicious in ignoring/misunderstanding her and girlie,,, he's just that stupid actually. like he IS an asshole but also? very stupid. he is not getting the signals you are sending and when he does its like a funhouse mirror version his ass does NOT get it!!

"you like sweets?" "how do you know,,," "i figured after you ate a lot of cake at our wedding" "*oh my god,,, he's been watching me so closely,,, hes been stalking me*" GIRL,,, THIS IS THE MOST NORMAL BEHAVIOR HES DISPLAYED. the paranoia (again, understandably) is kicking our ASS rn okay this all makes sense actually rereading the next section like yes. it IS a nice fairly normal gesture of being attentive to what someone likes UNTIL its the last guy on earth you want being aware of you at all EXACTLY

the next few scenes REALLY make the contrast between their and y/n's parents relationship so dramatic bc like i was saying- the banter is just SO different because they do not actually trust each other here. that and its got a very different theme to it- the hiding it under the kimono comment would not have gone well with ANY woman i imagine. "meant it as nothing more than a joke, obviously" NOT OBVIOUSLY MY MAN

and of course,,, the final bit,,, handing the sweets over to naoaki instead,,,, i can not even IMAGINE how chp 33 is gonna start. hes just gonna straight up fall to his knees right there in anguish. pass out maybe. y/n and naoaki having a lighthearted little chat while naoya sobs and dies five feet away. i can't wait. incredible chapter once again

Hello!!

Aww, don't worry! If anything I should be apologizing for being a bit late to reply 😅 stuff happened, but I'm finally here hehe! And overall, I'm super happy this chapter was to your liking, since I love writing backstories... although I'm self conscious from time to time about it because it might be considered boring or irrelevant—and I get it, sometimes we just wanna know what's going on with the main plotline, but at the same time… I’ve been wanting to give certain characters more context. Especially Eiichi and Minako, who hold a special place in my heart. though I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again!! they’re PERFECT, OK?? They’re nothing but loving, caring, understanding and everything in between... and it's my favorite trope of all time!!! I eat that shit up every single time idc it never gets old for me!!!

Ahem.... anyways lol.

The scene that heavily resonated with me of all that occurred in this chapter has to be how Eiichi and Minako were beyond excited to have children... because comparing it to Y/N and Naoya... it's very sad.

If Y/N were to get pregnant somehow, his reaction would certainly be negative. However, there’s a catch with this specific topic which I’ll develop a bit more in the future hehe. But yeah, she's definitely not living her parent's story, not even close.

And same. I’m really disappointed in Naoya’s reaction too, but what did we expect… it’s not like he’s going to suddenly understand the value of this information 😭😭😭😭 Our emotionless little trash bag could never... Ugh, I would be ashamed to even cringe if someone shared me something so intimate… he could’ve at least been a bit more discreet about it 😭 didn’t he get some kind of training in how to behave in these types of situations??? Like from the elders or something??? Since he’s the heir, you know… ??? Guess not.

As for the goodwill event, I’ve only sprinkled mentions here and there :> I think the first one was when Y/N told she saw Naoaki’s technique (same as Naoya’s) in said event, which was coincidentally Naoya’s first event lol. I only remember this cause I recently re-read the chapter where it happens 😂 I’m starting to forget some things… oof. Anyways, Worry not, this moment will be in the story 😊

Omg imagine if she started crying?? I think Naoya would somehow manage to make the situation even worse 😂. Kind of those awkward pats in the back, tell her “if I buy you something will you stop crying?” like she was a child or something lmao—and y/n would definitely be like “Are you serious????”

Overall, Naoya needs to try harder. Waaaay harder. But more than that… he needs to be accountable for the things he’s done—Y/N is not reacting positively to him because he’s just out there acting as if nothing happened! Or if he somehow acknowledged that it did, he still feels like he's blaming her for it, like it's her fault for overreacting to his abuse, and then blaming his brother over it!

Ughhhhhhhhhhhh Naoya needs to wake up, seriously!! I really don’t know what he needs to see or hear to finally understand he’s the problem 😭😭😭😭 And Ranta isn’t of much help either… but maybe he’s doing all that because he knows how he is hahah that he won’t react outside of essentially being compliant to him 😅 being Naoya’s “friend” must be a nightmare.

And with the whole Naoya being attentive to her is reminds me of this meme lol

Just something I noticed while drafting, I tend to use the same phrases when writing their dialogue—it’s kind of sick, isn’t it? I’m tormenting Y/N all ways possible LMAO. (this is actually something I’m very self-conscious about… please forgive me 😭 Also damn I wish I had a FC for Naoaki... I mean I do but I want to reveal that on the character profile hehe)

But yeah, being reminded of that is like... you're already freezing, and someone decides to throw you another bucket of ice. You're like damn???? was that necessary?? She certainly didn't need to be told that he's keeping a closer watch. (Ah... if only the circumstances had been different, I would've been like... oh, how sweet of him) YIKES.

Now that we’re talking about the differences between their relationship towards Eiichi and Minako, it made me wonder how she would take that comment if it had been them instead.

I think Minako would be either like "what are you babbling about?" at first. HOWEVER, if she’s feeling kind of frisky and we know she be like that with him lol, I think she’d say something instead like “There’s something else I’d like under my kimono” and Eiichi would just, yeah. short circuit. 9 months later, Hinata came to be. HAHAHAHAHAH

It’s all in the context really, some couples are more comfortable with certain topics, others are not and the only way to establish that is through communication—unfortunately, even though Naoya and Y/N may be married, they’re not a couple by any means 😭😂. So yeah, that was waaaay out of pocket. I would’ve slapped him if I didn't have to fear for my life immediately afterwards 😭😅😂

As for the next chapter... if he passes out by seeing Naoaki and Y/N… good. It’s what he deserves 😊 Although something else is going to happen that I think will certainly rattle him—oh, whoops. Spoilers. 🤪🤪 (I’m really excited for you to read that chapter jkahgjkajgkaj)

Anyways, thank you so much for coming back for another update!! I know I always tell you this, but I don't think I can ever, ever write down how truly grateful I am to have your support... 🥺❤️ I'm always looking forward to your comments, hehe, they're very motivating, inspiring, sometimes fun to read... overall, I greatly enjoy them—they've certainly made writing this fic more fun ❤️❤️❤️

I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week, take care, and hope to see you soon!!!

[the-firebird69]

There's a few other things and they're pretty big there won't be a told room we have activities crafts and stuff

-you say that throwing his little balls that our son and we want them to not be thrown at him cuz he's getting these questions and it kind of knows what they are and wants him to be amused and so forth and he said I'm going to give you the scathan review. And he said what the hell does that mean and he's thinking about it all day it bothered him and now he says oh I see we're screwed and he is in trouble and he's been putting it together and notices it's stupid

-we also have some other things happening there are boats offshore and lots of them no is hardly any patrols by these people and they don't know what's in the water and they don't watch the canals and they're not doing regular chores like that and we are and let me tell you these people are doing bad things all the time they don't care about it they don't care about the place and they have to their ships are they don't know what that ships are doing so we're going after them and we're going to stop them from doing nothing no but we need to stop them from bothering everyone

-there's another few things happening one of them is the wind patterns are constantly changing everybody's noticing throughout the day the wind could be going 10 ways and a lot of ships are starting up and getting ready to leave which is good they're misery those people are miserable we hate them that's a huge thing they're all more or less from the north and they got to leave

-other things that are happening the space war of the warlock is winding down they got their asses kicked the only one standing of the pseudo empire and they are aggressive going after people taking things they're being attacked on the ground ships are being used now and little ones and they are fighting a very tough war against the pseudo empire they figured there's a change and they see it ships can't get here of theirs and they're almost gone anyways they're down to 300 million yeah almost all of them yeah except for minority warlock. A few more things there's a lot of gas around here some reason and our son and daughter say they must be taking stuff out and they are it's offshore and they're taking Little ships out but up at Tampa they're 15 tunnels they're at five of them are cleared they're on the next 10 and they're almost done clearing the next section of five they're halfway down the remaining 20 miles and they will be down the rest of it pretty soon and they're thinking of piping the whole thing and it doesn't take anywhere near as long there's a lot of ships in there cuz it's in feet tons and tons of ships it's grueling work it's hard work they want to do it all at once and they need the ships now so they're moving out Daniel has a design they're getting the equipment and they're probably going to do it by the time they get everything gathered it'll be clear if a lot of silt and I'll start putting it in that's a wait a little and put it in they might pull a little more dirt out that kind of stuff over the next few weeks they'll be pulling this out all the way down to the southern tip and they'll start on 5 MI to 20 they say cuz they able to 15 miles seconds no but that's what they can handle there's a whole bunch of talk about that and they are preparing for a war here with these pseudo empire

-and we have a lot more no just a couple this place is starting to bust up I'm not really but it's nasty and he's fixing. My son needs funding and his people are stingy idiots we have a lot of stuff going that's going to break them up one of them is the castle program and it's already begun and it is starting to beat people up the other is the car and they don't know which car and our sunset is probably a new one but how's he going to new new car with no money so goes back to the other cars and they're saying it'd be Grandma's car but grandma is played by Sherry and doesn't want to give it up and that might be true so people think it might be the Saturn there's only a couple other cars. He's trying to remember what cars he had he had a firebird. Hey borrowed cars that he had a two Ford escorts and a van a pickup truck and Honda Accord and the Toyota Corolla and Toyota Tercel and GMC canyon then nothing Kia optima and he really doesn't know where they came from or who had them who built them or whose they were that the escorts were used and one of them was something a friend's house and the red one was his dad's.. the Honda was his dad's and those two he knows about the yellow Ford escort came down and Brian used it and he used it a little that was also one of his dad's cars and it was not at the house. He says oh no and his dad and mom were nice to him. There's other things too he is talking about his mom and how the car is good for people and to look regular and she thought it was a good idea and it worked for a while no it worked real good and there's also. The van the Ford which was not used in the body. Bombing no. And that was an Econoline and it was newer than it looked we thought so it rain okay it was like a workhorse but it really kind of was a little lame but it came from one of the other vehicles yeah it was the Dodge that's amazing you said I don't think so though no it looks like a Ford and it was dad's and he was working in a lot a while ago at the it was one of the places before the chicken place and he was laid off and he was using that to sell things they hated them they were jerks and they still are they're a bunch of assholes they don't know their own business so then he gave him that and then he had a pickup truck and he did not work at 34 and it was not from there it was new and they shouldn't have given the loan and you bought it up the street and Framingham doesn't even remember it but his dad is the one who came up with the changes on it and assembled that particular truck.. there's a couple other things the Toyota Corolla which came after that fiasco was a brand new car he bought this real happy with it did a lot of work went to a lot of jobs I think three jobs it did okay and people are ridiculous he's with tons of money they just are stupid and blame and won't do a freaking thing with him it's a lot of these bully boys that do it. His dad worked in Japan he had the car made for regular people and his people were using it and it worked and he also did the Toyota Tercel earlier which was amazing car if it had decent tires and rims and our son had lousy ones and wouldn't change them cuz he was cheap no he didn't have money you didn't know about it almost got in an accident every day finally we had to pull him out of there. And there are problems but they talk through some and really it became very difficult at work and people are at each other I believe it's a nightmare so I think we're getting loaded up with math proper Mac proper so they introduced in the garden from garth.

So there's a lot to think about but basically each and every car came from his dad and he says have fun when I'm out of here it says just send them in the mail or something it was okay so he said laughing I don't think I can drive that one he's smiling and saying yeah okay so in a nutshell the car would be his dad's but it doesn't help the Volkswagen golf was his dad's no but his dad made the idea and put that one together mostly and also the results and the firebird and he put together every car cuz he wanted to know about the vehicles for our son equipment to the clans and stuff so he did put together the Saturn that was a rough one so he doesn't know what to say. He has thrown himself into it and sees a few cars as opportunities but he cannot comment on it it's too there's too many parameters and he knows we know what it is and he thinks that he needs to stay for vehicle and those two small ones and there are other trucks like the Dodge which is a 1995 or 96 and that's old and it's been around here for real it's out front it's a little bit odd and yeah you can just take someone's car true too. Squeaky gross and they're really too stingy and gross and mealy an awful yeah they start breaking after dad broke a little but he was broke out because of the hospital they're mental people making mental people stupid and stupid people mental and smart people mental that medicine is terrible us it's really what it is I'm stuck in that and they're horrible they're all these squawking little kids and they're not the warlock for saying it's a cross-section people keep missing it and we get it it's just nasty so it's starting to clear them out again and shut down schooling for psychiatry and psychology it's really a crack thing psychologist we have you look your problems and see if you can do something if you can't teach you to move on and that's what current did without saying goodbye to her and he helps but now you can't but really these mental health people are after him it's they're horrible have them go down there I mean they have to be obsessed with something other than me the crazy about that s*** the medicine that's what it is we have to sit there and attack the medicine places over and over and they'll just keep coming and mind control and we do a lot of that but we are going to have to show them that these are two things are going to put into action they're horrible they're ruining everyone I want them out and she does too and she wants Hera to send it in and to back us up so we're saying there are things happening and he would be in some kind of safer vehicle so that doesn't narrow it down

Ernie works on several larger vehicles and safer vehicles some will come later and we heard about those and Trump has two of them Bob Marsh has two Ford F-250,and Jimmy Doyle has one of the larger ones their trucks Trump has the two Ford f-450 Ford f650 and Timmy Doyle has one f700 and you can still drive that the other one is a Chevy which is our son's and it's a Chevy yes it's like 7500 and it's about the same thing you know it's lag behind but hv bigger numbers. There's a couple other vehicles that are deemed as safe as the bronco and there's two 1974 and they don't want those but you might get one and we need you and she doesn't want it and she'll have to have it she says so that's fine if it's not OG Simpsons it's a later one and it's hers or yours she's sometimes has you drive hers 1985 bronco that's the Simpson one and she has one the 19 95 bronco and you made changes to it and it kept it going it's too big it's too bulky too much gas and then the new one it's like 2000 sunsets 2007 it's really 2005 and that's the year but it's in storage and she has one too and show you just didn't do it so we know the code is and he says I can't drive in this mess without being and something half a decent and a little obscure which would be a bronco probably 1995 and that's what he's saying and he almost looked at it and they don't have them either truck and bronco would be like bucking bronco. And the color is odd it is white and it's good to hear it's not a bad color it's not the greatest you might put some stripes on it so people can see him and we actually like that they have a striped package it says bronco makes it look really cool but just some work and Tommy Allen likes it so probably help him and they're saying orange juice is going to make it nuts and stupid and it's kind of true too much of it will release too much but no it was back then and now it's different it's in the bone marrow and that comes out for growth so we have probably a winner depending on the code I mean there's a few vehicles to choose from the big ones won't come till later but there are several top containers when is a 250 it's a Ford and it's a newer model and you still see the look today it was still way back and then early 90s 1992 I think I'm going to say 1993 and we got that. She would have one too and she likes it that's a big truck though and he's had one and he was happy with it until it kind of died on him and his was a 1989. But he thinks he can do work and it's not much money and they get better gas mileage the bronco is better but you can't do much work with it thanks but really there's a lot of work to do with cash but social security should be doing that but has to do something. And there's a couple others that are big and safer than sedans and it feels okay in those just not the greatest and would rather be in a truck actually at this time it would be the bronco or the 250 so we're going to look at those

Thor Freya

Olympus

[elibabayblog]

'We both deserve better'

You cried harder the more you thought about him. Ryan Gosling. You loved him and well, you thought he loved you, but as of today he was no longer in love with you, or at least that's what his text said.

Dear Y/n, I am texting you because we need to break up. I loved you but it doesn't feel the same anymore. I don't want to hurt you more than I am currently, but I couldn't say this to your face because I never want to see you again. You were a great girlfriend at first, but you became too clingy and unbarring to be around. I don't want you to think that I am putting my career before you, because this has nothing to do with my life. I am breaking up with you because of you. You deserve better than someone who can't stand to be around you anymore. We both deserve better than each other. I don't think we were meant to be together in the first place. I know after you read this, you are going to hate me, and I can live with that. I'm blocking you after I send this, so don't bother trying to contact me anymore.

Your eyes re-read that message over and over. If he felt this way, why didn't he try and talk it out with you? It doesn't matter anymore; he broke up with you. Ryan was your first, so the pain was even worse. It wasn't any better watching TV because all you could do was re-play his movies.

You heard a knock on your door and ignored it. If it was anyone important, they would have a key. Not even a moment later you heard the keyhole and the front door being pushed open. You never moved from your spot as your best friend Margot entered your room.

"Darlingggg!" She yelled entering your bedroom.

"I have- oh shit, what happened?"

"He, we-" you started to cry again, burying your head face down in your pillow.

"He broke up with you?"

You nodded your head.

"I'm going to kick his ass."

"No, please, don't leave me." You cry.

"I won't, I'll be here as long as you need me." She sits next to you and rubs your back.

After a while you finally calm down. She convinces you to stop watching him and turns on your favorite show Grey's Anatomy.

"Oh, fuck you, Owen!" You yell flinging popcorn at your TV.

"Teddy doesn't deserve you. HENRY WAS HER SOULMATE!" Margot yells.

After the episode goes off, she pauses the show before the next episode can air.

"Hey, why did you stop it?"

"Are you ready to talk about it?"

"Not really but I should at least tell you what happened."

"Okay, whenever you are ready."

"So, he was supposed to be coming home today, and I was excited when I saw he had texted me, but when I opened the message well, let me just show you."

You grabbed your phone and unlocked it; you turned your phone to her face. She read the message and her mouth dropped open.

"Wait, this isn't adding up."

"What do you mean?"

"Ryan and I are working on a new movie together, Barbie."

"Great, another fucking movie where I have to hear and see his stupid, handsome face."

"No, hush and listen. He told me he was coming home and propose to you."

"WHAT?"

"He just told me this a few days ago, when I saw him."

"Well, it doesn't matter now."

"Girl, the way you were crying over that man shows you do care."

"He dumped me, I'm not going to just go crawling back. If he wants me he has to earn me back."

"Okay, but just think about what I said."

"I will, now play the show."

She plays the show, but she wasn't focused on that. She was watching you. You loved him and she knew he loved you. Something was wrong and she was going to figure it out.

[allthingsfangirl101]

Top Gun - Baby Mav Chapter 14: Interesting Conversations to Overhear

Masterlist

It's been a couple of days since the accident. Everyone has gone back to their normal schedules. Well. . . They tried. Even though they went back to training, everyone was distracted. They were too focused on worrying about Maddy and hating Hangman.

Maverick watched as the group treated Hangman worse than normal. Anything he said, they responded with sarcastic comments. Rooster, on the other hand, was moments away from kicking his ass. Knowing this, Hangman kept his distance.

After another rough day of training, Hangman started to head back to his room. He stopped and decided to go somewhere else. He hesitated outside the infirmary. There's been this nagging feeling ever since the accident that he should go talk to her, he just hasn't had the courage.

Hangman checked the infirmary lobby before quickly heading down the hallway toward Maddy's room.

Maybe it was how he's been treated. Maybe it was the fact that he knew he deserved everything they said to him. He finally forced himself to open her door.

But not before knocking of course.

He took a deep breath before forcing himself to knock.

"Come in."

Maddlyn's breath got caught in her throat when Hangman walked into her room. "What are you doing here?" She asked, making him freeze in the doorway.

"I just. . . I figured you'd. . . I thought maybe we could. . . If you. . ."

"Wow," she scoffed, cutting off his awkward stuttering. "If this is you trying to apologize, you're shit at it."

"I wasn't. . . I mean. . ."

"You can't even admit it," Maddlyn rolled her eyes. "You should just leave."

"Maddlyn, I was trying. . ."

"It's the why that annoys me."

"The why?" Hangman asked.

"Be honest," Maddy sighed, "you're not here because you actually want to apologize to me. You're here because you want to apologize for yourself. You're only apologizing for the sake of your reputation."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you don't care whether I forgive you," she clarified. "You only care that everyone hates you for what you did to me. You are only apologizing so they'll figure it out and become your friends again."

"That's not. . ."

"Don't," she cut him off. "Everyone knows you have an ego the size of Canada. Try shrinking it."

"Maddlyn," he started. Maddy waited for him to continue, but he didn't.

"Please," she sighed, "just go. And come back when you decide to apologize because the only person you want to know that you apologized is the girl you apologized to."

* * * * *

After Hangman left her room, Maddlyn's entire body was sore. She laid back down, closed her eyes, and took slow breaths.

"You okay?" Rooster's voice came softly from the door.

"Hangman stopped by," she admitted.

"He what?!"

Maddy opened her eyes to see Rooster's demeanor completely change.

"Rooster," she started.

"Who does he think he is?! Coming in here. What? Was he admiring the consequences of his actions? The consequences he should've paid for. Not. You."

"Bradley." Her saying his first name, made him freeze. He sighed as he sat in the chair next to her bed.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I just. . . He makes me. . . I am so. . . This shouldn't have happened to you, Mads."

"You're right, but it did," she shrugged. "There's nothing we can do about it now, Bradley."

Maddlyn looked down at her hands that had begun messing with the edge of her blanket.

"What is it?" Rooster asked her gently.

"Nothing," she cleared her throat.

"Maddy," he elongated. "Talk to me."

"It's just. . ." She hesitated. "With all that's happened, I've been forced to look at my future in a different way."

Rooster scooted his chair closer to her. He reached over and placed his hands on top of hers. "What do you mean?" He asked her gently. "Different how?"

"Just. . . Different," Maddlyn said softly. "Before the accident, I thought about my future in the Navy and what I'd do after. Now. . . Now I can't even walk."

Rooster resisted the urge to jump into the bed next to her and wrap his arms around her. Instead, he intertwined their fingers.

"That doesn't mean things have to change," he tried to be optimistic.

"I was always so sure I could take care of myself but now? How am I supposed to do that?" Maddlyn asked as the tears began to fall. "Not to mention ever get married."

"What do you mean?" Rooster stuttered.

"Come on, Rooster," she scoffed. "I can't walk. I can't bathe on my own. I can't get dressed on my own. I can't even go to the bathroom on my own. If I get married, he will have to completely take care of me. What man is going to want that?"

Rooster cut her off and grabbed her face, firmly pressing his lips to hers. Maddlyn wasn't sure how to react. She fluttered her eyes closed and slowly began to kiss him back. When he felt her respond, he deepened the kiss.

After a little while, they broke apart when neither one of them could breathe. Their foreheads were pressed together as Maddlyn tried to get her thoughts and feelings under control. Her mind was swarming. She tried to piece her thoughts together but it was useless.

"I would be happy to spend the rest of my life taking care of you, Maddy," Rooster whispered without pulling away.

"I don't understand," she whispered.

"You don't?" Rooster teased. "Here I was thinking it was obvious."

Rooster leaned back and gently cupped her cheek in his hand. He looked deeply into her eyes, never wanting to leave her side.

"I have loved you my entire life, Maddy," he whispered. "And as hard as I tried, I could never stop loving you. Even after I thought you were the one who pulled my application, I couldn't stop loving you. You said you are worried that a man wouldn't want to take care of you. Well, I do. I would give up everything to take care of you, Mads."

"But. . ." She stuttered. "It's not going to be easy."

"I don't care," Rooster said instantly. "I'm not oblivious to the fact that this isn't going to be easy, but I can make it easier on you. I can help you, Maddy. Please, let me help you. Let's do this together."

Rooster leaned in slowly, giving her the chance to stop him. She didn't. He leaned down and gently kissed her. Maddlyn closed her eyes and instantly kissed him back this time. When they broke apart, they stayed as close as they could without touching their noses.

"Bradley," she whispered. She slowly opened her eyes, her heart going crazy. He reached up and moved some hair out of her face. Things felt like they were frozen as they stared at each other.

"Are you sure you want to take care of me?" She asked under her breath. "We'd have to have a single-story house. We'd have to have a car you could help me into. Everything would have to be different, more complicated. It's going to be really really hard."

When Maddlyn's voice broke, Rooster scooted closer to her and gently held her cheek in his hand. He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"We can get through it," he softly reassured. "I would sacrifice everything to give you a good life, Mads. Please, let me help you through this. I love you."

"I love you too, Bradley."

Rooster smiled, his heart beating against his chest. As the happiness built, Rooster leaned in and kissed her again. Their lips started moving in sync as she pulled him closer. They broke apart with matching smiles on their faces.

Without breaking eye contact, Rooster gently sat next to her. He instantly wrapped his arms around her and gently pulled her into his chest.

Maverick leaned against the wall outside Maddlyn's room in the infirmary, the weight of the news he was supposed to deliver hanging over him. The only thing holding him back from telling them is the look of happiness on his daughter's face.

He was afraid he might never see that smile on his daughter's face again after her accident. There was no way in hell he was going to be the reason she lost it.

[britswriting]

Devotion (10)

Masterlist

Read on Wattpad

TW: Talk of DUI's, addiction, depression

There is a lot of dialogue, sorry?

*Sam's POV*

Opening our front door to a crumbled up Colby was not at all how I expected to start my Saturday morning.

My arms immediately caught his falling body, fighting my grip around his back, "Colby? What happened? Are you okay?" I quickly asked, having never seen my best friend so beat done before, let alone enough to collapse into my arms. "Come on, let's go inside" I suggested, wanting to close the front door since it was quite warm in Nevada today.

Colby and I sat down on our couch, Colby slouched down against the sofa, his head thrown back.

"What are you doing in Vegas?" I decided to ask, having no idea where to start with his abrupt visit.

"I fucked up, Sam. Like really fucked up" He groaned, his hands coming up to his face. He muffled something in his hands before dropping them, turning to look at me. "I don't know what to do" He confessed, his body slack as he looked over at me, his eyes appearing hopeless, ready to cling onto whatever advice I was about to pull from my ass.

"What do you mean you fucked up? Not that I don't want to see you, but why are you here? Why aren't you with Leighton?" I questioned, unable to ignore the stirring in my stomach.

Why did he look like absolute shit right now?

Colby's eyebrows pulled together, "Leighton hasn't called you?"

I felt my face mirror his, quickly wracking my brain to find whatever he could be talking about, "What? No. What happened?"

"Wait, you don't know?" he asked, appearing genuinely surprised, only worrying me even more.

"Know what? Colby, what's going on?" I frantically asked, a pit forming in my stomach.

Why would Leighton call me?

Clearly if he left his own little family to come all the way to Nevada and look like a beaten down puppy on our doorstep, something bad had to have happened.

"I got arrested again" He muttered, my jaw dropping.

"You got arrested?!" I spoke through a tight jaw, disbelief setting in, my jaw falling.

So that's why Leighton would call..

Fuck.

"Yeah.." He shamefully dragged out, his eyes full of guilt as he watched me begin to pace.

"When?! Why?! How?! How are you here right now if you got arrested?! Colby! What the fuck happened?! Why didn't Leighton call me?!" I quickly rattled off, Colby's eyes following my sharp turns as I paced from one edge of the couch to the other.

"I thought she'd call you... about bail?" Colby asked, my body abruptly stopping in front of him.

Shit.

Bail.

I didn't even think of bail!

"How much was your bail? How did you get out without paying bail? Did they let you pay it yourself?" Colby's silence was unnerving as I impatiently waited, "Colby?"

"I uh...." he cleared his throat, "Leighton paid it"

"What?! How much was your bail? What were you arrested for? Last time it was 6 grand and we both know she doesn't have that laying around!"

I watched his face fill with regret, the pit in the bottom of my stomach turning, "Colby!" My voice raised, too impatient to play his game.

I need to know what the fuck is going on, and I need to know now before my chest explodes from how quick my heart was beating.

Leighton paid his bail? Why didn't she call me? I would've handled it! She's in no place to worry about shit like this! Not to mention Colby got arrested again!

"It uh.." he began, tottering off, my annoyance growing.

"You've got to be fucking joking, right? It's worse than 6 grand?"

"It was uh.. um.." He stuttered, both of us knowing he was trying to figure out how to dance around my question; already making this way worse than I could've imagined.

"SPIT IT OUT COLBY!"

"Twenty grand-"

"TWENTY GRAND?!" I yelled, cutting him off. "Colby! You let Leighton pay twenty grand for your bail and you're sitting on my fucking doorstep?!" I exclaimed, stopping in front of him, " What, did she kick you out? You know she doesn't have twenty grand in her back pocket! When is your hearing? You can't be here if you have a hearing!" I panicked, immediately feeling my pockets for my phone, ready to dial Leighton's number any second.

"I already had my hearing.."

"YOU HAD YOUR HEARING?! What the fuck Colby! Why didn't you call me?"

"Because I didn't have a phone!" Colby shouted back, moving to lean more forward on the couch as I stood in front of him, ready to explode.

"WHERE WAS YOUR PHONE?!"

"Over a fucking cliff!"

"What?!"

"I threw my phone over a fucking cliff, not my proudest moment" He muttered, his eyes hardening as he turned away from me.

"You threw your phone off a cliff?" I reiterated in disbelief.

Who the fuck does that?!

I quickly shook my head, clearing my thoughts.

"That's not what's important right now, what were you arrested for?"

Silence.

"Colby! If Leighton paid twenty fucking grand for your dumbass, what was it!?"

"DUI" He muttered and I swear my head was going to explode from how hard my veins were popping.

"A DUI?! AGAIN?! ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!" I boomed, my eyes wide as I stared at him in shock.

Colby's jaw tightened as his lip twitched, pursuing.

My brain was moving so fast I could barely catch words to spit out as I let rage and disappointment race through my body.

"What degree did you get that your DUI bail was twenty grand? Don't you normally just get like a slap on the wrist for the first time?" I questioned, memories of when we both got arrested flashed through my head attempting to recall how all of this went.

"I got a third degree misdemeanor because my alcohol level was over .16" He replied, monotoned, his eyes watching me.

"Why are you here?" I bluntly asked, my brain short circuiting as I stared at him; none of the information processing in my brain yet.

I swear I could hear the sparks in my head.

"What do you mean?" He asked, his lips parting as I cut him off.

"Your fiancé bailed your pathetic ass out of jail; paying twenty grand she doesn't have.. and you're on my doorstep? Did she kick you out?" I asked again, trying to rationalize whatever the fuck was going on right now.

"No.."

"No to what?" I pressed, trying to let the rage cool off so I didn't strangle him right then and there.

He was my best friend after all. I still loved him and wanted the best for him, but how could he do this to himself? To her? What if something really bad happened? What if his charge was worse? There is a lot more on the line than just having a shitty day and deciding to drink.

"No she didn't kick me out" Colby finally answered.

And it's back.

My blood boiled as I stared at my best friend.

Why the fuck was he here; when his fiancé, someone I would consider one of my very good friends, was back in LA with lets face it, their daughter? It made absolutely no sense to me.

"Your soon to be wife, didn't kick you out, after bailing you out of jail... and you're here?!" I spoke in disbelief, over emphasizing each portion of my sentence, feeling like I was talking to a stranger.

The Colby I know would never leave Leighton, let alone when she's pregnant!

Fuck.

Oh my god.

"YOU LEFT YOUR PREGNANT FIANCE?!" I yelled, Colby's lifeless eyes staring back at me. "What the fuck is going on?! Why are you here Colby? You better start talking because the longer the shell of my best friend sits here, the more tempted I am to throw your ass in the psych ward! Walk me through what the fuck happened" I demanded, trying to figure out how we got from point a to point b without ending us in a mental hospital.

"I took you to the airport-" he began, my patience wearing thin.

"Yeah yeah, after that" I rushed, my hand motioning for him to continue

Colby glared at me, "I took you to the airport" he restarted, his voice low, "And then instead of going home, I drove around for a while-"

"Get to to the fucking part where you decided to fuck your life up, would you?" I demanded, not caring for the boring details.

Rolling his eyes, he leaned back against the couch, his arms crossing over his chest; "I was drinking whiskey on a cliff-"

"Fucking idiot" I muttered under my breath, Colby glaring.

"And long story short I got pulled over. Happy?" Colby grumbled, annoyance showing from my insistent rushing.

"Why were you drinking on a cliff?"

"Because why not?"

"Well clearly you know why not to now! There are many reasons you shouldn't be drunk hiking!"

"Who are you, my mom?!" he snapped, ignoring the harsh inhale I took through my nose.

"No, I'm your best friend who wants the best for you! Why were you drinking?"

Colby groaned, his body relaxing back against the couch again, "Can you not lecture me right now? I've had enough of that from Leighton"

"FOR GOOD REASON!" I exclaimed, Colby groaning again, rubbing at his eye. "Why did you come here? I told you to go home. To see your pregnant fiancé, and G"

"I didn't want to go home Sam!" He snapped, my jaw tightening.

I took a deep breath, moving to sit down on the couch, turning to face him, silence filling the room.

How am I supposed to help him?

"Why?" I carefully asked, assuming this was a sensitive subject since he ended up drinking and getting pulled over instead of just going back home to his future family.

The sigh that left his lungs made my knees weak. I instantly felt bad for him, but I also felt sorry for Leighton. I knew whatever was going on couldn't be good, but where did that leave the two of them? They're starting a family together, how can you just cut ties like it meant nothing?

"The answer makes me feel like shit. Like I don't deserve her, or Gemma"

"Why didn't you want to go home? Why did you choose to drink and wallow in self pity?" I asked again, knowing I needed to get the answer out of him, no matter how long it takes.

"It's fucking stupid" He grumbled, the pressure on his toes making his legs begin to bounce, his hands folding behind his head.

"Why is it stupid?"

"Because I shouldn't be feeling like this"

"Feeling like what?" I asked softly, my head still trying to wrap around the bombshell of him getting arrested again.

The silence was killing me.

I've never seen my best friend look so shut down before.

I watched Colby fiddle with his rings, something I've noticed he's done a lot more after hanging out with Leighton, his eyes kept low as he took in slow breaths.

"Colby?"

"I.. I don't know" He muttered.

"Colby, you've got to give me something to work with here. I can't help you if you don't start talking"

"I tried and you yelled at me to get to the point!" he snapped.

"Okay, give me the long story. I've got time"

"I went by the old traphouse" He started, surprising me since I knew that place didn't hold the best memories for him.

"Why?"

"I guess I just wanted to reminisce a little. I mean, that's really where it all started. Where we gained traction, where I met Leighton. It's where our life began" He explained, his face reading dread as he looked over at me, his pale blue eyes making my stomach clench.

You could by looking at him that something wasn't really right, but the longer I stared at his face, I could almost see the tired dread spinning around in his head. 

How long has he been like this?

"I just... I wanted to feel something again. Remember what made me want to go home. Remember why I loved her. I...." he paused, swallowing the lump in his throat, "I wanted to feel again"

I felt like my chest had a weighted blanket thrown on top of me as his words sank into the deepest part of my chest.

"Feel again? Isn't that part of depression?" I asked, Colby's head quickly shooting up, our eyes meeting; his full of panic. 

"Did Leighton tell you I have depression? Because I don't" He quickly replied, sending me for another loop of confusion.

"What? No. She didn't tell me anything. I didn't accuse you of having depression, I just asked isn't that something people with depression say. I know our friends have said that when they're lonely and depressed it gets dark.. and that they search for things to either make them feel again, or numb them" I rambled, completely oblivious to the way he was reacting to my words.

"You don't know anything about depression!" Colby quickly snapped, appearing on edge, and uncomfortable.

I stared at him for a second, watching him shift under my gaze. 

"You have depression don't you" I stated, everything slowly starting to piece together.

"What? No!" 

"Colby.."

"You don't know what the fuck you're talking about Sam!" 

"It's not a bad thing if you do. A lot of people have mental health issues"

Colby rolled his eyes, "You make it sound like I'm fucking crazy"

"So you do have depression? I'm not dumb Colby. I've lived with you for a long ass time"

"So what if I have depression? I'm fine" He grumbled, his arms crossing over his chest; appearing like a pouting child.

"There is nothing wrong with having depression, Colby. Are you getting treated?" I asked, trying to tread lightly.

It's been four years since I've felt like I was walking on eggshells around him; I hate that this is what it's come to yet again.

I listened to him groan, appearing to have some sort of inner conflict before nodding slowly. 

"That's good, right?" I asked, Colby sighing.

"It fucking sucks man"

I nodded, Colby huffing, "It sucks to know that.." he pauses, the room falling silent. I waited him out, a minute or so passing before his lips parted again, "I hate feeling like this, and knowing that the only way to make it go away.. is to take a pill. I hate that the pills don't work. I hate that if they do work, you can get used to them, and they have to change them. I hate going through withdrawls. I hate her having to see me like this. I hate that.. that I can't hide it from her. I can't be who I want to be around her"

"Are you on your meds right now?" I asked, knowing that most medications you can't drink with them.

He shook his head, looking away from me.

"Colby.."

"Don't." He snapped, "I already heard it from Leighton"

"All I'm hearing is Leighton is looking out for your wellbeing and you're ignoring her" I half joked, more worry washing over me.

I meant it when I said there was nothing wrong with having depression, but the fact that he's prescribed medication for it worries me.

How bad does it get if he needs to take medication for it?

I sat back down on the couch, both of us sitting in uncomfortable silence for the first time in probably ever.

"I hate hurting her" He said softly, turning to look at her. "It's hard not to" Colby confessed, gnawing on his lower lip. "She was so pissed at me when she got me out of jail.. but.. it felt like she didn't care. She seemed more mad about the fact that I got arrested, than about why I got arrested. Like.. she didn't care to know  why it happened. She didn't want the story" He spoke quietly, his eyes looking at his rings.

I decided to bite the bullet and ask, "Why aren't you on your meds?" hoping I wasn't shooting myself in the foot with this question, and cause him to completely shut down on me again.

We haven't talked like this in a while, and I felt guilty.

We used to have down to earth talks almost every night, and yet I had no clue that his mental health had apparently gotten this bad.

"I had been. I just.. when I'm with you, or Kat, or Stas. Like, hanging out with friends and stuff, I don't feel like I need them. I feel.. fine. Good again. Like how I would feel when we'd hang out years ago. But.. with Leighton.. I just.. I don't have the same feeling and I hate that I'm like.. starting to resent her? Like she made me this way, even though I know she didn't. I know my actions are hurting her. I can see it. I see it when I look into her eyes. I know that I've caused her pain, and I hate myself for it. I miss looking into her eyes.. and seeing them sparkle. I miss seeing our future. Seeing the love." He spoke up, pausing, his eyes looking back down towards his shoes, "I miss the sparkle" He admitted quietly, the words almost inaudible. "And it's no one's fault but my own"

"Do you love her?" I asked quietly, the question almost getting caught in my throat.

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, Colby licking his lips, turning his head that was hung low to look over at me, his eyes glistening against the bright Nevada sun as they filled with tears.

"I want to"

I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding, sucking in a sharp breath immediately after.

"You know.. this is a really shitty time to realize you don't love her, right?" I muttered, my anger and frustration beginning to creep up again.

"I didn't say I didn't love her" "You have a baby on the way"

We spoke over each other.

I let out a deep breath, leaning forward against my knees, looking at my best friend who was sitting upright again.

"You just said you wanted to love her" I pointed out, feeling like I was getting whiplash.

"I do love her. It's just... It's complicated Sam. I mean, you and Kat have never really gone through what we're going through. It's hard to explain"

"Try me" I tested, hoping that whatever happens at the end fixes whatever the hell is going on, and doesn't cause more havoc in this shit show.

"She isn't hard to love. I've loved her probably longer than I've ever known. I just.. it's hard to go through these cycles of hard times, and not have anything change. Does that make sense?" He asked and I nodded slowly. "The girl who stood on our doorstep the first day is not the girl who picked me up from a holding cell. She isn't the girl who was super timid and almost afraid to say something wrong. I feel like.. almost every day.. I'm falling in love with a new version of her, but not with the new version of myself; and it sucks to know that I've been put on these fucking meds to be who I used to be, and without them, I'm not someone she wants" He confessed, my face falling a bit as I slowly registered his words. "It just fucking sucks to feel like you're not enough for the person you desperately wanted. I.. I'm aware that's normal.. but, ugh" he groaned, his body leaning forward against his legs as his face went back into his hands. "I'm so fucking tired of pretending" his words were muffled into his hands, his hands being pried off his face to look at me when I spoke, "Pretending?"

Colby nodded.

"What do you mean pretending?"

He let out a deep exhale, his lips being pushed to the side before sniffling, his tongue wetting his lips.

"Colby?"

"Is it so bad that I want to know what it feels like to be without her? To.. to be who I was, before we met? To have.. have my life back? To not have a routine depending on me?" He asked, his voice sounding breathless as he pushed his body back, standing up from the couch, walking over to the kitchen.

"If you're done.... what are you going to do? You guys have a baby on the way. You have Gemma.. you've begun to build a life together, and now you're just quitting? What happened to telling me you wanted to marry her? How bad you wanted to date her? You fought so hard to get her, and now you're just going to let her go?" I twisted my body, watching him pop open a white claw.

"Are you for real right now?" I scoffed.

Colby taking quite the gulp, his hand clutching the can so hard it bends.

"Colby. You literally just had a DUI, stop fucking drinking!"

"It's the only thing that makes me feel alive right now" he shot back, my eyes narrowing, "Yeah that's the fucking problem! Are—" I paused, the words getting caught on my tongue.

Helpless dread clouded my head as I stared at my best friend, every possible conclusion or accusation feeling wrong.

He couldn't be.

He wouldn't. Not after seeing everything Leighton's gone through. Not after waiting a million years for her to be ready.

"Am I what?" He asked, his eyes narrowing at me; testing me.

"Are you.." no. He can't be.. Can he? "Are you an addict?" I apprehensively accused, the words feeling like acid as they rolled off my tongue.

"What? No!" Colby quickly spat out, his chest puffing out as he glared at me, "Why the fuck would you say that?"

"Can you blame me?! Do you see yourself?" I motioned towards his frame, my eyes landing on the white claw in hand.

Colby scoffed, "Please, this barely counts as a drink"

"You literally just told me you got arrested for a DUI! Which might I remind you, isn't the first time you've drank and drove, let alone the first time you've tried to!"

Colby rolled his eyes, setting the white claw down on the counter, the clink of the aluminum can making me wince.

"What the fuck ever" He scoffed, shrugging me off, reminding me of a bitchy high school girl who doesn't want to admit she's wrong.

I shook my head, my jaw aching as I tried to control my outburst.

Can he see how much this is hurting not only him, but everyone he loves?

If you would've asked me 10 years ago if I could've seen Colby getting arrested for a DUI, I would've laughed in your face.

This man is— was, one of the most responsible people I knew when he drank; yet here he was acting like he's got nine lives.

"Does Leighton know you're here?" I asked, worry washing over me, flashbacks to when she was pregnant with Gemma playing through my head like a horror movie.

I'll never forget the sound of her voice when she called me, telling me Gabe didn't come to her OBGYN appointment. I never want her to feel that again, let alone about my best friend.

"Why are you so fucking concerned about if Leighton knows about my whereabouts?" Colby asked harshly, his eyebrows rising.

"Because she's pregnant and alone and you went to jail!"

"Oh my god! I was barely booked! I wasn't even in a proper cell" He groused, ignoring my stare of disbelief.

Is this the same man who wouldn't shut the fuck up about starting a life together with her?

Was he really walking away from everything he claimed he's ever wanted?

"You're unbelievable. You know, you make it really hard to want to side with you" I shook my head, my hand coming up to mess with my hair.

"You've always been on her side" he scoffed, picking up the White Claw again.

"I'm on all our friends' side! You know the best out of the both of us how hard shit's been for her, so I don't understand why you're upset that I'm sticking up for her"

"What about how hard it's been for me?!" he snapped, rolling his eyes when I stayed quiet, my brain trying to figure out what he's exactly talking about, Colby taking a long sip of the White Claw.

"You've got to stop fucking drinking"

Colby crushed the White Claw can, tossing it into the recycling bin.

"I fucking know! You don't think knowing that doesn't make me feel even more shitty? I can't fucking stop"

"So.. you are an addict?" I asked carefully.

"I've questioned it" He admitted, surprising me. "Like when I went to Leighton's NA meeting and answered the questionnaire"

Shit.

He did do that, didn't he?

"What if you took it again? Like an online one? I mean-" I paused, feeling like I was crossing a line.

"No I uh.. I mean, I'm not against it.. I'm just.." He paused, fishing out his new phone, his fingers moving quickly over the screen.

"You don't love Leighton any less because she's one. It's going to be okay Colby, whether you are or not.. but if you are, we should get you help" I tried to encourage, hating the idea of him possibly being an addict; but if getting help meant slowly piecing his life together, we needed to know.

"I don't want to be one. I've seen Leighton struggle, and that wasn't even the worst of it. I don't— selfishly, I don't want to go through that. I don't want to know what that feels like"

"I'm pretty sure if she had it her way, she wouldn't be one either. It's a disease Colby. You can't control it" I tried to remind him before he could to chicken shit to take the actual test.

"I could just stop fucking drinking" He grumbled, his eyes trained on his phone.

"I mean, you could.. but you can't.. so"

"I pulled up a quiz" Colby spoke up, showing me his phone.

"Alright, do you want to take it with me or by yourself?"

"Well you're already pissed at me, so let's just get this over with"

I rolled my eyes, Colby and I sitting down at the breakfast table.

"Have you ever been dishonest about your drinking or drug use" I read off, Colby shaking his head.

I cocked an eyebrow and Colby glared.

"What? I haven't. If I'm drunk, I'm drunk. There is no hiding that"

I selected no, and moved onto the next question "Have you ever felt ashamed or guilty about your drinking?"

"Yes. But! That's because I know Leighton is an addict, and I feel shitty drinking around her, or getting drunk around her. I never want to trigger her or whatever"

"So... yes or no?"

"I guess.. yes"

"Do you ever drink alone... yes" I selected for him, moving onto the next question, "Do you frequently drink when feeling depressed or alone?" I read off, turning to look over at Colby.

It was quiet for a moment before he quietly asked, "That's a sign of being an addict?"

I did a small shoulder shrug, nodding slowly, "It's on the quiz"

He sighed and nodded.

"Have you ever been arrested for drinking.. yes" I murmured, the anxiousness bouncing between the both of us causing my heart to begin to race.

Was he actually an addict?

"Have you ever thought you can't have fun without drinking?" I read off, Colby shaking his head.

"Yes drinking is fun, and can make something more fun, but I can have fun without it"

We went through the drug questions, Colby making it very clear that he hasn't touched a drug, he only drinks, answering the questions accordingly.

"Has drinking caused problems between your family and your spouse?"

"I mean... I guess? I wouldn't say my drinking is the issue, but I drink because of the issues.. I guess" He shamefully confessed.

"Has drinking impacted your work?" I read off.

Colby turned to me, "Well, has it?"

"I wouldn't say so" I shook my head, trying to recall any of the times we've been working and he's been drunk or something.

We continued going through them until we hit the last question, going back to count.

"8 out of 26 you've said yes to" I stated and Colby nodded slowly.

"But some of those had to do with drugs"

"True.. I don't know!" I groaned, feeling like this got us nowhere. "You go to therapy right? Why don't you ask them?" I suggested, not wanting to say one thing and he run with it.

"My therapist doesn't work with addictions" He said softly, staring at his phone, scrolling through the questions.

"I'm assuming Leighton might know someone" I joked, Colby's lips tugging upwards, nodding slowly.

We both sat in silence for a moment before Colby took a sharp inhale, leaning back against the table chair, turning his head to look at me.

"Do you think she hates me?" He asked quietly, closing out of the internet tab.

"Who, Leighton?"

"Mhm"

"I know she loves you Colby. Why do you ask?"

He grunted, leaning on the palm of his hand as his elbow rested against the table.

"I'm drained Sam. I'm tired of.. god! I feel shitty just thinking about it!" He groaned, his head falling into his hands. "I'm tired of feeling like.. like I'm just expected to follow her around like a lost puppy! I feel like.. like I'm always giving. I'm always following. I give in to whatever she wants. She says jump and I say how high" He began to vent, completely throwing me off.

"Is that why you've been drinking?" I asked, trying to piece everything together still, having been kept in the dark for so long.

"She doesn't want to get married, Sam. I feel like a fucking fool! I mean, I never saw myself wanting to get married one day and here I am practically begging her to marry me, and she doesn't want to!" He complained, my entire brain feeling like mush as I tried to keep up.

"Didn't you just say you didn't want to be with her?" I asked, not sure which part of his venting was the true part.

He groaned, nodding. "I don't want to leave her, but she doesn't want me. I know she doesn't. Why else wouldn't she want to get married?"

I stayed quiet, not really wanting to speak on behalf of her, and have whatever I might say play on loop inside of his head.

"When we went to Minnesota that first time, for her birthday with the extra ticket" He jogged my memory, watching me nod along, "We were in the barn her uncle owns, that I proposed to her in, right?" He paused, making sure I was following along, "And she talks about how she always wanted to get married in there and stuff. Like, ever since she was a kid. So it has to be me, right? Why would she suddenly not want to get married after dreaming about it her entire life? I gave her exactly what she wanted, just for her to throw it back in my face?"

"Did she say she never wanted to get married?" I questioned, not really  imagining Leighton staying with him if she didn't see a happy ending.

She dumped Silas pretty quickly when she realized they were just friends.

"Well.. no. She said not right now" He finally corrected and I groaned, "Oh my god. So you're throwing a fit because your girlfriend doesn't want to get married tomorrow?"

"I knew you wouldn't get it" He grumbled, shoving himself out of the chair, throwing a fit like a toddler.

"Colby!"

"No! I knew you wouldn't understand!"

"Understand what? You've barely said like 5 words and everything you've said has contradicted the last thing!"

I watched him walk back to the kitchen, and I held my breath, expecting him to grab another White Claw, but much to my surprise and relief, he twisted open the cap of a water bottle.

"You're always going to side with her" He finally replied, taking a swig off the water.

"I'm sorry, do you want me to be mean to your girlfriend? I'm just trying to help like you clearly want me to"

"Fiancé actually" He smirked, a struggled chuckle shaking my chest.

Colby Brock will be the death of me.

"So do you just plan to camp out here forever? Are you going to go home? What came out of your hearing?"

"I got a hotel here for a few days. I just wanted to get away from everything for a second, and I have community service next weekend anyway"

"God dang dude. I still can't believe you've got a DUI. You know the first offense isn't usually bad, but let's not go for another, yeah?" I joked, my worlds holding more weight in them than intended.

"I was going home, ya know? That's the fucking thing. I wanted to come here originally, to get away from it all.. but the longer I sat there, quite literally drinking my sorrows; I thought about Gemma, and her going to bed. How she snuggles under her covers with that stupid stuffed cow I bought her, and we read a book and her cute little voice says I love you.. and then I thought about Leighton, and the way she would snuggle into my chest. The way she makes dinner every night, even though the smell makes her almost vomit. The way she cares for Gemma even when she's ready to pass out. She's such a good mom. She's better than I could've ever imagined for a mother of my children" Colby rambled, my ears perking up at the end.

"I sense a but coming" I commented, my stomach twisting at the possibilities of whatever he was going to say next.

We keep going in circles.

Does he want her, or does he not? It's hard to keep up.

"But she's not who I imagined in a spouse"

And there it was.

The other shoe finally dropped.

"You've thought about that?" I asked, surprised since he was never really open about ever thinking about his future like that, besides that he wanted Leighton.

"I mean, I've thought about it more now than ever"

"So who's your perfect woman, if it isn't Leighton?" I asked, my brain not computing with the idea of Colby dating anyone but Leighton.

She seemed like his perfect match when I thought about it, so the fact that he thinks otherwise was surprising.

At the end of the day, I wanted him happy; and I thought she did that? 

He's always seemed over the moon about her, and I still wasn't completely sure about what changed.

"I don't know... I just.. I.. I feel shitty saying this, but dating her feels like a 9 to 5 job. There's nothing.. exciting? About coming to work the next day. It's the same bullshit day in and day out. I mean, we're both used to adventure. Going to new places, doing new things.. and with Leighton.. we're in a routine that it feels like a bad rut" He explained, and oddly enough, it made sense.

"So what I'm hearing is you want something different with your relationship. Not that you want someone else?" I asked, lifting myself to sit up on the counter, my legs hitting against the cupboard below as everything was starting to puzzle piece together in my head.

"I just wish she'd try to do things I liked more" He explained, copying my actions, sitting next to the fridge, smacking his head in the process. "Ow! Fuck!" he groaned in pain, ignoring my snicker.

"She's gone ghost hunting with us" I reminded him, Colby groaning, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah, and she hates it. She doesn't believe in that shit"

"Which makes it more fun to bring her!" I reminded, knowing we both like tagging her along with us.

"But she hates going"

My eyebrows pulled together, "I thought she liked going?"

"She said she finds it weird to talk to the air" He grumbled, his hands gripping the counter on the outside of his thighs.

"Does she ever bring up what happened back at the Cosmopolitan? When you found out she was pregnant? Or at that castle in Italy?"

Colby shook his head, taking a final swig of his water bottle, crumpling it and throwing it towards the trash can, missing completely. "Damnit!" He hissed, chuckling. "I'll get it later"

"Your aim is shit" I chuckled, "How did you get Leighton pregnant?" I joked, Colby's face showing playful offense.

The conversation began to lighten up, taking the weight off both of our shoulders, Colby and I's head turning towards the staircase, Katrina making her presence known.

"Oh hey!" She smiled at Colby, stopping in her tracks at the counter.

"Hey" Colby gave a slight wave, the three of us laughing at the slightly awkward encounter.

"I was just coming to ask if Sam wanted to go out tonight with some of our friends"

"Uh" I stuttered, looking towards Colby, not really wanting to leave him alone, or bring him somewhere to drink.

"I'm down" Colby immediately replied, my shoulders dropping.

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" I questioned, Kat giving me a weird look.

"Why not?" She questioned, both of them looking at me like I'm the bad guy.

"Because he's got a drinking problem lately!" I motioned towards Colby, his jaw dropping.

"No I don't!"

"You just got arrested for a DUI!" I argued back, completely forgetting about my girlfriend who was standing right there.

"You got arrested for a DUI?!" Kat exclaimed, Colby glaring at me.

"It's fine" He harshly replied, shooting me a look.

"How the fuck did you get arrested for a DUI?" Katrina continued, clearly not reading the room.

"Thanks Sam" Colby grumbled, Kat turning to look at me.

"What the fuck happened?"

I listened to Colby give her a half ass rundown of what happened, Kat making side comments here and there until he was done.

"Damn dude" She chuckled, shaking her head at him.

"I really don't think we should go out drinking tonight, especially since Colby has community service and shit from it"

"What's the worst that could happen? We take an Uber anyway" Colby commented, my lips pursing.

"Are you for real right now?"

"What? Do you think I'm just never going to drink again? I don't have a problem!"

"YES YOU DO!" I shouted back, getting really sick of his shit.

"I don't. I'm just in a rough patch" Colby argued, my eyes rolling.

"I'm sure Leighton could say the same exact thing every time she's used"

"I'm not a drug addict!"

"It's the same thing!" I argued, Kat appearing uncomfortable, yet staying quiet as she watched Colby and I begin to bicker.

"No it isn't" He continued.

"Colby. I don't want you to fuck up your life more than you already have. Whether it's being with Leighton, or simply going to fucking jail, I don't want to see it happen. I really don't think tonight is a good idea"

"I'm not fucking up my life" He refused.

"You are and you know it!"

"I'm fine. I'm not going to go on this sobriety journey when I don't have a problem! I'm allowed to go drink with my friends"

"That's not the problem Colby. The problem is you drank till you were drunk on a fucking cliff and then tried to drive and got arrested. So excuse me if I'm a little protective over you going out to drink tonight"

"If he says he doesn't have a drinking problem, and he stops drinking alone, I don't see why he can't come with?" Kat chimed in, a breath of hot air being pushed out my lips.

"This isn't Colby! Colby doesn't get drunk and drive and then get arrested! He doesn't refuse to go home, when everything he loves is at home! Katrina, I really don't think this is a good idea. Why the fuck would we shove alcohol in his face when he's been drinking too much already?" I argued, struggling to see it from either of their point of view.

How could this possibly and well?

"Can you not talk about me like I'm not standing right here?" Colby stated, "I'll be fine! A few drinks with my friends won't kill me. I'm in control of my actions, you know? I make one dumb mistake and all of a sudden I'm banned from having fun with my friends?" Colby argued back, my eyes widening.

"IT WASN'T JUST ONE TIME! You've done it before and fucking broke your leg! You triggered Leighton to relapse again! Let's not forget when Leighton tried to leave the Airbnb and you tried to go after her then too!" I snapped, becoming infuriated at how nonchalant he was acting over this.

Does he seriously not realize how serious this is, or is he just down playing his anxiety around it to appear better than he actually is?

How can he not be scared shitless right now?

"Stop yelling at me! If I wanted to be screamed at, I'd go back to my fiancé" He harshly replied, his sentence sending a stinging pang to my chest.

Did he really think of her like that? 

The person he'd move mountains for?

The girl he can't let go?

"You know what you just said, right?" I asked, not even realizing Katrina slipped past us until I heard the bathroom door shut. "You said that I'm banning you from having fun with our friends, by saying you shouldn't drink. So you do view alcohol as having fun. That you can't have fun without it" I noted, recalling one of the addiction questions, Colby staring at me like he has no idea what I'm talking about.

"So it's a crime now to want to drink with your friends?" He scoffed, his jaw tightening, the two of us practically having a standoff in the kitchen.

"You basically just said you can't have fun with our friends unless you're drinking"

"We go out to fucking clubs! What am I supposed to do? Drink water and stand in the corner watching everyone get smashed like a loser?"

"Oh, you mean the same way Leighton does every time she goes out with us?" I snapped, hating how he's acting like not being able to drink is the worst thing that could happen to him. Like people every day all around us don't do it twenty four seven. "Look, I can't fucking control you, but I don't think this is a good idea"

"Can you stop acting like I'm signing my life away just because I want to go hang out with my friends?"

I rolled my eyes, "You are, aren't you?"

"No! I don't have a problem"

"Look, you're a grown ass adult, you can do whatever you want; but you're also my best friend. I refuse to stand by you and basically watch you kill yourself, or go to jail again, or lose a wife and two children who think the world of you. You truly have it fucking all, and you're throwing it away for what? A few shots at a club with some friends?"

"You're acting like I'm a diagnosed addict with a problem!"

"Whether you are or not, you got arrested for drinking. That should say enough about what the fuck you should be doing right now" I huffed, extremely agitated that I couldn't get through his thick skull about why this was a horrible idea.

"Whatever" he scoffed, completely disregarding my concerns. Was I the only one who cared about his well being? "Can we just go out with our friends tonight, and not have you up my ass about drinking? I truly need this night out with everyone, and I swear I don't drink as much as it seems—" he stated, quickly noticing my lips part, cutting me off before I could interject "I know I know! I've made shitty choices, but Sam, I swear, if I wanted to stop, I would and I honestly am not drunk all the time. It was just caught on a bad day"

"That's not an excuse Colby"

I watched him roll his eyes before walking away from me, my chest rising and falling as the frustration of his actions started to consume me.

How could he be so stupid?

Why did he do it?

Why is his behavior doing a complete 180 right now?

The three of us ended up getting ready, Katrina shooting me daggers every time I tried to explain to her why I thought this was a bad idea.

I stayed pretty quiet in the Uber, a pit forming in my stomach the sooner we got to the speakeasy.

A round of shots got placed in front of us along with our ordered booze, the girls picking up a shot glass and tossing it back.

"Kat just took that like an alcoholic!" Stas laughed, Katrina blushing under the neon lights, my stomach turning.

"What did I say! One of the boys!" Kat grinned, the girls laughing together.

We took a few group shots before sipping on our own drinks, Kat sending me looks here and there when I declined some of them, not wanting to get drunk tonight.

They danced to the music and took a bunch of photos and videos, enjoying their night together, my eyes glancing towards Colby here and there, watching him down alcohol like it was water.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, catching my attention as Kat yelled over the music, talking into my ear about if we wanted to order some food.

Leighton:Thank you for telling me he's with you. Leighton:Please take care of him

Shit.

Please take care of him as he downs shot after shot.

Guilt rushes through me, feeling like I'm letting her down.

Normally when he got drunk, he wanted to crawl into bed with her; now, neither of them were speaking, and it was all his fault.

I hated getting texts from her, asking how he was doing, if he told me anything, if I knew how the hearing went, what his behavior was like. I felt like the child stuck between two divorced parents, one dating someone new, and the other being jealous; except this time, it's my best friend being an idiot, and his pregnant fiancé being worried whilst also not trying to pester him.

The longer I sat in my thoughts about what sticky situation I was in, the more annoyance I felt towards Colby, and sadness towards Leighton.

I simply couldn't comprehend how he went from wanting nothing but her, to wanting nothing to do with her.

I hated that he was isolating her.

I didn't understand how he could stand here doing shots with his friends, when his entire future was being held onto by a string of hope.

I knew he shouldn't be drinking, yet here I was practically enabling him.

"Come on Sam! Do a shot with us, it's not gonna kill you" Katrina encouraged, shoving it at my chest.

I shook my head, Kat frowning, "Why are you being a party pooper? I thought we were having fun tonight"

"This isn't my idea of fun right now" I stated, "Plus, I want to keep an eye on Colby"

"Oh my god" She groaned, "Sam" She eyed me, "He's a grown man. He's fine. He doesn't need a babysitter"

I sighed, taking the shot from her and downing it, wanting her to leave me alone about being a buzzkill.

What was so wrong about wanting to make sure my best friend was okay?

So what if I didn't want to drink tonight. Why is that any of their concern?

I didn't even want to go in the first place

I sat down at the booth, food getting placed in front of me, my eyes scanning for the girls, hoping they saw the food was here, Stas sneaking out of their group to join me.

"What's got you sulking by yourself?" She questioned, dipping a french fry into the queso.

"I'm not sulking"

"Alright. Whatever you say big guy"

I huffed, snatching a fry, Stas snickering.

"What?"

"Not sulking huh?"

"I've just got a lot on my mind" I admitted, hoping it was a good enough answer for her to let it go.

"Isn't that an even better reason to drink?"

"No when that's what he's doing" I nodded over towards Colby, Stas's eyes following my head movement, confused.

"Who? Colby?" She asked, my head nodding, taking another french fry before sipping on my soda. "What's been up with him lately?" She asked and I groaned, not wanting to get into it again.

"Ask him"

"Damn, okay" She laughed, pouring water from the pitcher, downing the glass. 

I don't know how long I sat at the table for, my phone buzzing here and there, random texts from friends, or Leighton since I asked how her pregnancy was going.

The second I read the text about how she had to watch for preeclampsia again, my heart sank.

I completely forgot that she could have another high risk pregnancy again, and here Colby was partying in a club like he didn't have a baby on the way.

The more I sat here texting her, the more I couldn't understand Colby's head.

"Awe that's cute!" Stas spoke up, catching my attention.

I saw she was looking at my phone, getting me to also look down.

Leighton: She wanted to match Coco today 💖

Leighton: Wish he was home to see it

I worked on texting back a reply when I felt a hand on my shoulder, causing me to look up.

"Hey. I'm going to get an Uber back to my hotel room" Colby said, my brows furrowing.

He was leaving early?

I heard him sigh, his breath hitting the back of my neck, "I miss her" He murmured, confusing me until I realized he could see the photo on my phone. "Can you send me that?"

"Or you can text Leighton yourself and have her send it to you" I snapped back, pressing send on my message.

Colby groaned, backing up. 

"Just wanted to let you know I was leaving"

"Why do you have a hotel room anyways if you were just stopping at our house?" I questioned, every point on my map making me even more confused than the last.

"Didn't want to intrude" He shrugged, my eyes narrowing.

"Yet you showed up slumped over on our doorstep?"

Colby ignored me, giving a quick wave as he started to make his way out of the club.

Nothing with this man ever made sense.

Why book a hotel room if he could've just stayed with us?

Katrina came over, pulling me out of the booth to dance with her and post a few Instagram Stories before making our way back to the table, the group starting to get worn out.

I got a text from Colby, letting me know he made it to his hotel room before we headed back home, everyone but Stas staying at the club.

I got out of the shower, Kat and Stas having taken over our bathroom to get ready for bed when my phone buzzed against my bedside table.

I grabbed it, hoping it wasn't dead by now, betting on it being Leighton again, only to see Aaliyah's contact popping up on my notification wall.

My eyes squinted as I unlocked my phone, my heart beginning to race as I thought that maybe something was wrong with Leighton, or the baby, only to see;

Aaliyah: WHO THE FUCK IS THAT

My heart dropping.

My phone buzzed again, Aaliyah's message showing at the top.

Aaliyah: I'M BOUT TO KICK SOMEONES ASS Aaliyah: WHO'S THAT BITCH AND WHY ARE THEY SO CLOSE Aaliyah: SAM!!!!!! I KNOW YOU READ MY MESSAGE!

I felt numb.

My fingers slowly typed on the keyboard, hitting send without fully registering what I typed.

It's Chloe

* * * * 

Written on: March 22nd, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 31st, April 1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th, 11th, 12th 2023

Published on: April 12th 2023

Word Count: 8k

Part Eleven - Coming Soon

[rustedhearts]

Shades of Cool (Boxer!Steve x Librarian!Fem reader)

summary: steve’s new ride inflates his ego (and anger).

uses she/her pronouns and female anatomy.

♡ the steve collection ♡

warnings: angst, daddy issues, verbal argument (shocker), maybe a little shoving and manhandling, otherwise cutesy fluff :)

hawkins, indiana, november 15th 1989

Last week, Steve got a Harley.

He had a fight in Chicago, and you sprang to the phone the moment it shrilled at ten-thirty, knowing it meant the fight was over and Steve was on the other line.

"Hey, pretty girl," he mumbled through the phone.

You could tell from the low grumble of his voice—the way his words mushed together all souped up and unenunciated—that he'd taken too many hits to be coherent. But Steve continued to surprise everyone with his relentless stamina and easy energy.

"Hi, Stevie," you practically cooed, the rubber cord of the telephone coiling its way around your finger. "You win for me tonight, champ?"

Steve snickered into the receiver, a hoarse and half-coughed chuckle following suit. "Yeah. Yeah, baby, I won."

A burst of pride sparked through your chest, like it always did. No matter how many calls you got from Steve, announcing his inevitable victory in the ring, they never got old. You never got tired of hearing his delirious mumbling, of picturing the busted lip you could hear through his words. The sound of his voice graveling through the phone never failed to send cold shivers down your spine, and tingles through your nerves. You were always a giggly, grinning mess when you bid him goodnight.

"And...got a surprise t' show you 'morrow when I come home," Steve declared, and your heart hammered in your chest with impatience.

"Can't wait to see it."

What you hadn't expected was for Steve to come ripping down your street on a black Harley Cruiser. You straightened up from your place on the sofa, chin tucked over the back to watch the street for sightings of your bloody boxer. The bike came roaring to the curb of your front lawn, idling for a moment before Steve kicked the stand down and eased the engine off. You leapt to your knees, pushing the curtains further apart to watch with wide blown eyes as his leather-gloved hands rose to pull off the helmet.

A heap of chestnut locks flopped free from the helmet, billowing in the wind. Steve tucked the helmet in the crook of his arm, wrapped in the black leather of a thick jacket zipped to the collar. He turned, concealing any view of his ass from you—but then you could see him, in all his bruised and bloodied glory: fat lip, swollen cheekbone, busted brow bone. He slipped a pair of black shades over his eyes on his ascent toward the front porch, and you scrambled to your feet to beat him there.

Yanking the door open, you beamed in delight at the sight of Steve—looming tall in a pair of sturdy steel-toed boots and his new black leather attire.

"Hey, pretty girl," he drawled, cocking a lopsided grin.

You closed the gap between the two of you, mounting his firm figure in one bound. Arms wrapping around his neck, legs around his torso, nose burying its way into the pine-scented warmth of his neck. Steve steadied himself on the rail of your front steps with one hand, pressing the other against the small of your back with a grunt. Once he had steadied, Steve chuckled gruffly.

"Missed me?"

You sighed into his neck, pressing a desperate kiss to the underside of his jaw. "You have no idea."

Steve lowered his chin to hook over your shoulder, bridging the minuscule distance between you. His eyes pinched closed behind the darkened shades, a huff of air expelling from his nose.

"Me too."

♡ ♡

"So...I mean, I love it, don't get me wrong but...why the Harley?"

After a good forty-five minutes of a tight embrace on your front porch, the two of you wandered toward the curb to check out Steve's new toy. Steve crossed his arms, grinning down at the gleaming black hunk of metal and iron.

"Just a little celebratory gift to myself. Ready for a ride?"

Steve hopped off the curb, boots scuffing against the asphalt of the street as he rounded the bike. You paled, watching him open the back hatch and pull out a pink helmet, smaller than his with your initials in a pretty cursive font along the right side. He met you on the curb again, wiggling it in his hands.

"Come on," Steve cooed, a grin playing on his lips, "got 'er just for you, angel."

You pouted uneasily, reaching out for the straps, just for Steve to playfully bat at your hands until they fell back to your sides. He bumped his knuckles under your chin gently until it lifted, and the helmet found its way over your skull. It was heavy and thick, and your head felt like a bowling ball on a string when he snapped the buckles together under your jaw.

Steve's smile spread his mouth wide, hands tapping the sides of your helmet gently. "There. Beautiful, baby."

He planted a gentle peck on your pouting mouth and tugged you by the hand toward the bike. He mounted the leather seat, both feet planted on the ground as he patted the space behind him. You braced yourself on his shoulders as you stepped up onto the footrest and slung your leg over. Once you were seated, Steve reached for your hands, bringing them to rest against his stomach with your arms circled around his waist.

"Hold on tight, 'kay, baby?"

You squished your cheek against his shoulder, bobbing your heavy head.

"Not too fast please, Stevie," you squeaked.

"'Course not, angel."

The bike roared to life, and an involuntary squeal ripped from your throat, arms tightening around Steve's body. He tried not to groan from the way your elbows dug into his ribs and brushed against his bruises. Soreness dragged on him, but Steve was too excited to show you his new toy to bother taking a moment to rest. He gave the throttle a squeeze, and the air seeped from your lungs at the growl of the humming bike between your legs.

You hung onto Steve for dear life the entire way through Hawkins, barely catching a glimpse of streets and shops whizzing by, unable to pry your eyes open. When he slowed to a stop and parked on the curb, it took a moment for you to register the world stilling. Steve chuckled, rubbing his gloved hands along yours.

"Doin' okay, angel?"

You groaned, nodding despite the dizziness fogging your brain. "Mhm."

He gave you a moment to settle before prying your arms away, pushing off the bike to stand on the curb and unclip your helmet. When it came off, you immediately reached to smooth your hair and Steve cracked a smile, wrapping his hand around your jaw to squish your cheeks and angle your mouth to his will.

"Look beautiful, baby."

You burned at his affection, eyes fluttering closed again when he captured your mouth in a wet kiss. You whimpered against the swipe of his warm tongue on your lower lip and Steve chuckled.

"Come on, I'm starving."

♡ ♡

Now, you only had a few days together before Steve had to take off for another fight in Boston, and you'd been pouting about it since he got here. Steve did all he could, spending every spare moment giving his full attention to you. You accompanied him to the gym to train, then out to lunch and dinner after. You brought him home to lounge in your room, though your parents were against the idea of him spending the night. You went to his tiny apartment and spent hours tangled together in bed.

And he drove the bike everywhere you went. To the gym, to the library to pick you up, to your house, to every diner and restaurant you went to. You'd be lying if you said you hadn't noticed the certain air of cockiness riding the bike seemed to add to his demeanor. The way he smirked when eyes followed the pair of you floating away from it, the way he slung his arm around you like putting on a show after helping you off the bike.

Of course, the new addition to his image was attractive. In fact, you'd had a few dreams about him bending you over the leather seat with the engine revving (your fantasies weren't always the safest or most practical).

But for the past few days, Steve had been irritable, and you'd been pouty. The combination didn't mesh well.

The tiniest things sent Steve over the edge—he had a short temper, as you'd come to learn. While it was never directed at you, it still affected you. And when Steve was irritable, he drove fast. How fast he drove depended on how irritable he was feeling. He could go from fast to way-too-fucking-fast before you had a moment to catch your breath behind him.

And for your pouting...well, Steve was leaving again. You only just got him back, and you knew when he'd return in a few more days, he'd just have to leave again.

"Fuckin' Christ," Steve muttered around a cigarette, stomping ahead of you toward the bike parked in the lot of his apartment building.

You scurried to catch up, adjusting the strap of your purse over your shoulder as it slipped with speed. Your skirt ruffled in the wind, and you struggled to keep up and keep it down at the same time.

"Can't we take the car?" you huffed as you approached the bike, and Steve fished his lighter out of the pocket of his leather jacket to light the cig.

He mounted the bike, resting back as he replaced the lighter and sucked in a drag of smoke. The scowl on his mouth deepened, and his eyes slid over to you still standing in the parking lot.

"Why?" Steve pulled the cigarette away and blew the smoke toward the sky.

You shifted, adjusting your purse again. "I'm...I'm wearing a skirt, Steve."

He eyed the skirt, bringing the cigarette back to his mouth. "Yeah, so?"

You crossed your arms, a familiar pout finding its way to your face. Steve sighed at the sight of it, eyes rolling.

"Baby, come on," he groaned, hand coming to rest on the clutch.

You gnawed on the inside of your cheek, gazing wearily at the sleek, black Harley like at any moment, it would rev up and bite you like a jaguar on the prowl. Steve tapped his finger on the clutch and tossed his cigarette toward the pavement.

"You..." Your voice as small, hesitant.

Steve jerked his chin forward, brows raising. "I what?"

A pitiful whine left you, and you dropped your arms, shoulders slumping in defeat. "You...you're gonna get mad, and then you're gonna drive too fast."

Steve's brows dropped, knitting together and accompanying his deep frown.

"What? M' not mad. M' gonna be if you don't get on the fuckin' bike and I'm late—"

"—Steven," you cut him off sharply.

Steve instantly leapt off the bike, shuffling over to you with a heavy sigh. He took your hands where they dangled at your sides and gathered them between his palms. They came to press against his chest with his guidance.

"C'mere, baby," he grumbled. You stepped in close, peering at your hands embraced by his.

"M' not mad," Steve said, head shaking. "Why d' you think I'm gonna get mad?"

Your chest tightened a little, and nerves clawed their way up your spine. You didn't want to hurt his feelings. But if you didn't tell him, how would he ever know what he's doing wrong?

"You always get mad."

Steve softened greatly, bending at the neck to press a kiss to your forehead with another heavy sigh. His thumbs rubbed at your wrists, the tip of his nose making a soothing circle at your hairline.

"Jesus, angel, m' sorry. It's just been tough. It's this job, you know? It's...it's...—"

"—I get it," you interrupted again, tipping your head back to flash him a small smile.

He cocked his head. "You do?"

You nodded, perking up on your tiptoes to peck his mouth. "Course I do, Stevie. It's fine. Come on, let's take the bike."

Your hands slipped from his grasp, and he hooked his chin over his shoulder to watch you head toward the bike. Your skirt fluttered up and gave way to the backs of your thighs and the bite marks Steve left last night.

"You sure?"

You mounted the bike, gathering your helmet in your lap to unclip the buckles. You flashed him a dazzling smile—a smile so pretty that he couldn't see through it.

"I'm sure, baby."

♡ ♡

And you were right.

After four hours of training—where your ass went numb from sitting on the padded bench so long and your brain felt like mush from reading the same book you'd been trying to get through for a week—Steve stomped into the locker room with another scowl on his face.

You followed him in, book tucked behind your back, and eased against the cold metal of the lockers. Steve whipped his gloves into his duffel bag, clawing at the black wraps around his hands to undo them. You could practically see the steam radiating off his flushed, glossy skin. You could feel the thrum of his aggravation, could see it in the way his eyes hardened and lips thinned.

"You did great in there," you commented.

Steve didn't even look up. He balled his wraps up and shoved them into his bag, turning to yank open his locker for a change of clothes.

"Not great enough," he huffed.

You frowned, bringing your book to rest against your chest. Steve pulled a sweatshirt over his sticky skin. You knew he preferred to shower at home, where he could press you against the wall and rut into you without the off chance of someone listening through the wall. Steve never liked to share you, even in theory.

"Come on, Stevie, that's not true. You're too hard on yourself—"

"—I have to win," Steve snapped.

You flinched, jumping when the locker door slammed shut and rattled the row of them. He finally looked at you, though you preferred when he wasn't. His eyes were empty, glassed over with the familiar, stubborn haze they hold when Steve starts thinking too hard. When he beats himself up, and as he admitted a few weeks ago, starts hearing his father's voice in his head.

"Do you understand that? If I don't win, I go nowhere. I stay here, in this same shit-hole town I've always been in, and I go nowhere. I can't just be great, Libby. I have to be the best."

Steve slung his bag over his shoulder, brushing past you in a petulant stomp toward the door. You blinked at the empty air where he once stood, digesting his growled words. You didn't think Hawkins was so bad. You liked your small town life here. And you were here, weren't you?

Didn't that mean anything?

"See you tomorrow, Libby!" Big, the hulking, bald-headed man Steve called his coach waved to you from where he was wiping down the ring across the gym.

You waved back, barely mustering a pitiful grin to toss back at him as you followed Steve toward the exit.

"Y-Yeah, see you."

In the parking lot, Steve opened the hatch on the seat of the bike to shove his duffel in. You'd packed it neatly so it would bunch up small enough to fit this morning, and now that Steve had haphazardly thrown things in, it was too bulky for the compartment. You lingered on the curb as you watched him slam the hatch up and down, attempting to force it in.

"Steve, it's not gonna—"

He groaned, shoving himself away from the bike toward the wall of the gym beside you. In an instant, his hand darted out to punch it, and you gasped at the sharp crack that followed the impact of his skin against brick.

"Steve! What the hell?"

Steve's hands flew to his head, running through the length of his hair in exasperation. "Stop! Just...stop!"

He waved you off, wandering to the end of the sidewalk near the road. You watched him go for a moment, biting back tears. You knew he'd get angry, he always did—but why was he suddenly angry with you?

"Steve," you sighed, heels clicking in a hurry toward his pacing figure.

Cars moved at a glacial pace along the road, rotating between the town shops. You stopped behind Steve and placed your hand delicately on his shoulder, attempting to soothe his tense muscles despite your wobbling lower lip. Despite your chest feeling like it could cave in at any moment.

"Steve, I don't understand why you're so upset."

A snicker of laughter came spitting from Steve, and you recoiled back when he whirled around on his heel. He suddenly seemed so big.

"Of course you don't," he sneered. "Of course you don't get it. Why would you? You don't have people breathing down your fuckin' neck all the time, telling you: be better, be better, be better."

Each word came punctuated with a sharp smack of his knuckles against his palm, and you winced as he advanced with fury in his eyes. You took a skittered step back toward the gym, teeth sinking into your trembling lip.

"But w-why are you taking it on me?" you blubbered, tears stinging in your lash line.

Steve came to a stop, pressing the heel of his hands into his eyes. He shuddered out a sigh. "I'm sorry. I don't know, I'm sorry."

You smacked at the tears rolling down your cheeks, though the salty taste had already started seeping into your mouth.

"You don't know?"

Steve huffed sharply through his nose like a bull, ripping his hands away from his eyes to stomp toward the parking lot again. "No, I don't fuckin' know!"

You followed, tears turning hot with frustration.

"So I'm just supposed to take it? Huh?" You reached forward and shoved Steve's shoulder, but he kept going, hands balling into fists at his sides. "I'm supposed to let you drag me around and yell at me when you're feeling stressed out?"

Steve's boots kicked up gravel when he came to an abrupt stop, and your teeth clench together with a hardened glare that challenges his.

"I never fuckin' said that," Steve bit out.

You stood tall in your tiny checkered heels, stomping one involuntarily when you curled your fingers into fists. "You didn't have to!"

Steve's tongue prodded at the inside of his cheek, hands coming to sit on his hips as he tipped his head back. He scoffed, shaking his head to himself in disbelief—and that's what really did you in.

"You know what, Steve? Screw you."

Steve let his head fall back, settling his empty eyes on you. "Oh, screw me?"

"Yeah, screw you. You come home, you jerk me around, and then you leave. Then you come home again, jerk me around more, and leave again. And what do I get, Steve?"

Steve's nostrils flared with a tightening of his jaw, eyes bouncing around the flushed features of your contorted face. He'd never seen you so upset. Sure, you had a few spats over the past few months—but he'd never seen you yell like this. And deep down, he knew it was his fault. He was just too stubborn to admit it.

"What the fuck do you want from me, Libby—"

"—I want you to stop taking your shit out on me!"

Steve huffed, stomping the rest of the way toward his bike. You were right. Of course you were right. But you still just didn't understand.

You didn't understand that Steve spent every night alone in his hotel room, a hundred miles away and aching, wishing you were there. He slipped in bathtubs, too weak to stand with all the bruises on his abdomen, too dizzy to stand the steam. He got sick on more than one occasion before a fight on the off chance that he might lose, because if there's one thing that terrified Steve, it was failure.

He broke so many phones that Big started only half-jokingly suggesting Steve be put in a room without one, because Steve picked up the phone to call you but got too scared you wouldn't answer. He thought that the longer he was away, the better off you'd be. The longer you'd have to see how fucked up he was, the easier it'd be for you to leave him. He wasn't a good man, and sooner or later, you'd see that.

This job was the only thing Steve was good at, and if he wasn't the best, Steve felt like he was nothing.

"Steve," you sighed, watching his eyes dart around and his harshness crumble, "just...talk to me. Talk, not yell."

Steve shook his head, forcing himself to look away from your pink, swollen eyes and tear-stained cheeks. "I can't."

You frowned, wiping more tears away. "What? You can't?"

Steve shoved at his duffel still sticking out of the hatch until it could somewhat close before mounting the bike. He dipped into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out his sunglasses, sliding them over his aching eyes. All the yelling made him suddenly realize how terribly his head hurt.

"Get on the bike, baby," he ordered sternly. He kicked the stand up and brought the bike to both wheels, revving the engine with a twist of his hand around the handle.

You crossed your arms, sniffling nosily. He watched you jerk your chin up, defiance painted across your glossy face.

"No."

Steve glared at you through his shades. "Get on the fucking bike, Libby."

You dropped your arms. "No! I'm walking home, asshole."

To his surprise, you spun around and started stomping toward the road, every step coming with a bounce of your hair and flutter of your skirt. Steve hurriedly cut the engine and kicked the stand down, jogging to catch up with your brisk walk.

"Hey—hey! You're not fuckin' walking."

You yanked your arm from his hold the moment he grabbed you, but Steve was insistent. He wrapped his arm around your waist, pulling you back before you could reach the crosswalk. You pushed at his arm, but it was anchored around you, a barrier between you and your destination away from him.

"Steve, let go!"

He ignored you, and the more you pushed and pulled at his arm, the more Steve felt his defenses crumbling. Did you really want to get away from him that badly? Had he truly been that terrible? A tightness overwhelmed his stomach, clenching and squeezing like a sickness. Something stung his eyes and collected in his ears like an ache.

"Steve, let me g—hey! Put me down!"

The world turned upside down and your head spun when Steve suddenly threw you over his shoulder. But you gave up on your assault, any fight in you deflating just as Steve's did at the sudden realization of your very public fight. The tears returned in your eyes, stinging with salty warmth, and by the time Steve bent down to set you gently on the bike, they were starting to gather in your hairline.

Steve brushed your hair down with two heavy palms, swiping under your eyes to free them of tears with his thumbs. You sniffled, eyes fluttering shut at the firmness of his palms cradling your face.

"Please stop cryin', angel," he mumbled, his ordinary grumble morphing into a soft whine.

You sniffled again—a pathetic, pouting mess in his hands. Steve swooped down to press a kiss to your swollen lips. When your frown persisted, Steve kissed again. And again, and again, and again, until you were giggling snottily and pushing the heels of your palms against his shoulders. But the frown had been replaced with a halfway smile, and that was all that mattered to Steve. He pressed his thumb into the corner of your mouth.

Silence ensued. The whoosh of cars slugging by, the sporadic chirp of horns, and the distant chirp of birds were the only sounds that filled it. Your head tipped to lean into Steve's hold. His hands still smelled like sweat and leather. The bike was warm under your legs.

"I just get...I get so angry," Steve whispered.

Your eyes popped open, blinking up at him. "Why?"

Though he did his best to hide it, a pinched look passed over Steve's face. He slid his hand across your cheek and into your hair, urging it behind your ear.

"I don't know. 've always been like this, you know? Ever since I was a kid. Guess I know who I get it from."

Steve snickered, but you shook your head and brought your hand to cradle his against your face. You pressed a kiss to his wrist, stroking his forearm.

"No, Steve. You're nothing like your father."

Though he hadn't said it explicitly, you knew what the stories of Steve's father insinuated—he was abusive. He beat Steve for every minor inconvenience, and now Steve walked through life thinking everything he did was wrong. He always worried about being good. He always wanted to be good.

For a moment, Steve didn't know what to say. He certainly didn't believe you. Right now, he felt exactly like his father, who Steve watched from his bedroom doorway as he berated Steve's mother and made her burst into tears. He had his father's temper. He always did.

"Just talk to me, Stevie. I don't like when we yell," you told him, pressing another kiss to his wrist.

Steve leaned down, pressing his forehead to yours. "I know. I know, baby. Me neither."

You sniffled, nudging your nose against his. Steve cracked a small smile at the affection.

"I guess I'm just...starting to feel the pressure," Steve sighed. "It's starting to feel like...this shit's real."

You nodded. "I know. I guess it's starting to scare me, too."

Steve's brows furrowed. "What, why?"

"I already barely get to see you. What's gonna happen when you make it big?"

Steve inhaled deeply, rubbing his thumbs against your cheeks again. "Then you come with me. Wherever I go, you come, too."

You tipped your head back, meeting his eyes. "You wouldn't mind?"

Steve chuckled, pulling back to get a good look at you.

"Baby, are you crazy? I want you with me every second of the fuckin' day."

You giggled, head tipping toward your shoulder. Steve lunged forward and smacked an urgent kiss against your cheek, still sticky with tears.

"But...what about work? What about the library?" you mumbled.

Steve shook his head, pushing your head back in place with his hand. He pressed another kiss to your mouth. "We'll figure it out. No matter what, it's me and you, baby. Okay? Just me and you."

You reached up, a smile playing in your lips, and placed your hand against his cheek.

"Just me and you."

You had no idea what you were in for. Maybe if you did, you wouldn't have made that promise.

♡ ♡

[lynne-monstr]

#how many times has he told himself this #too powerful #too demonic #too much

[highreevess]

"Let him touch you again, and I'll fuck you in front of him."

Warnings: Underage drinking, underage drug use, sub!reader, minor sex, hair-pulling, toxic relationships, spanking, anal play, unprotected sex, dub-con, dirty talk.

Summary: Reader is in an enemies with benefits relationship with Rafe Cameron. She attends a party on figure eight and meets a guy who is very keen on getting into her pants. What she doesn't know is that Rafe Cameron is at the same party she is, watching her from a distance. And when the guy the reader is next to touches her, Rafe sees red. He finds her alone in the bathroom minutes later and reminds her of who she belongs to.

Word count: 2,452

"Can I get you a drink?" a sudden voice asks from behind me. Turning around, I meet the gaze of a guy with light brown hair and brown eyes. He has a boyish smile on his face that makes me smile at him. "Sure," I tell him. He smiles at me and asks, "Are you a beer kinda girl or white claw?"

Laughing, I say, "Vodka."

His brow raises. "Go big or go home typa' girl. I like it."

He turns around and heads toward the kitchen. I follow him, wanting to see him make the drink. I may be nice enough to let him make me a drink, but I'm not stupid enough to not watch him make it.

I watch him as he grabs a bottle of vodka and pours some of the contents into two red solo cups. He turns and hands one of the cups to me with a smile. "Cheers, pretty girl."

I take the red cup and clink it against his own before downing the vodka inside of it. It burns my throat on the way down, but that feeling doesn't bother me; it makes me smile instead.

"So, you got a name?" he asks, sipping the vodka from his red solo cup, most likely because he can't down it in one go.

"Y/N," I answer, and the corner of his lip kicks up. "Pretty name. I'm Ryle." I nod and give him a small smile.

"So, Y/N, do you have someone waiting for you back home?" he asks, and I open my mouth to say yes but shut it when the fight I had with Rafe floods my mind. Last night, Rafe came over to my house. He was drunk or high—or both—and wanted to fuck. I didn't. I tried to talk to him and get him to calm down, but he just got angry. He said a bunch of shit that included him calling me "nothing but a pogue whore," amongst other hurtful things. He made it very clear I was nothing more than a fuck to him.

That means I am free to talk to and fuck whoever I want, and Rafe can't do a damn thing about it.

"No, I don't," I tell him, and he smirks. "That's the best thing I've heard all day," he tells me, and I blush.

A song by The Weekend begins to play, and I find myself smiling when I hear it. "Do you dance?" I ask the guy in front of me. He sets down his red solo cup and holds out his hand. "Let's find out."

Taking his hand, I allow him to pull me away from the kitchen and toward the middle of the room, which is occupied by multiple men and women dancing and swaying to the music.

When he finds a spot in the room he likes, he turns toward me and places his hands on my hips. Holding them tightly, he begins to move my hips to the beat of the music, swaying them rhythmically.

"So, how old are you, pretty girl?" he asks. "Seventeen," I answer.

"I'm twenty. You okay with that?" he asks, and I nod. Rafe and I started fucking when I was sixteen and he was nineteen. It's three years, and it's legal, so I don't care.

When the chorus of the song begins to play, Ryle's hands begin to drift. They go from my hips down to the swell of my ass. He grabs it roughly in his hands, his fingers digging into the flesh of my clothed ass, and I gasp slightly. This just makes him smirk.

"We should take this upstairs," he says, and I find myself blushing at his suggestion. Glancing at the staircase that leads to the second floor, I nod and say, "Let me run to the bathroom really quick, and then I'll join you," I tell him. He nods and squeezes my ass roughly before letting go and taking the staircase that leads upstairs.

Intaking a deep breath, I make my way over to the bathroom on the floor that I'm on and find it, thankfully, empty. I close the door behind me and head over to the marble sink in the bathroom.

Looking down, I turn on the sink and gather some of the cold water in my cupped hands. I splash it onto my face to cool my heating cheeks before turning the water off and looking back into the mirror.

When I do, I see Rafe standing behind me, his jaw clenched and his eyes red and dilated, most likely from snorting coke or smoking weed—or both. I gasp when I see him and try to turn around, but he grabs the front of my neck with his large, veiny hand before I can. "I come here to get high and stop thinking about you, but here you are, dancing like a skank with some guy with his hands all over you. Do you really love cock that much?" he snarls, pulling me into his chest. Though I can feel the anger radiating off of him like poison, I can also feel the bulge in his pants. He wants me. And he's angry because of it.

"You said I was nothing but a fuck," I snarl, glaring at him through the mirror. "Fuck buddies don't get to stake claims. You don't get to say the things you said and then get mad when I want someone else inside of me. You can't have it both ways, Rafe."

He snarls and tightens his hold on my throat, his fingers pressing so hard into my neck that I can no longer swallow. "You're mine. You fuck me and that's it. You want someone to eat out that pretty pussy? You come to me. You want someone to fuck your cunt so hard that you can't see straight? You come to me. You want someone to fuck that tight, little ass? You come to me." 

I open my mouth to argue, but he shoves me forward and bends me over the sink in the bathroom. "I think you need a reminder of who owns you," he says into my ear, and I shiver at the harshness of his tone.

With his free hand, he grabs my tight-fitting dress and bunches it up so that it is at my waist. He then hooks two of his fingers under the black, lacy thong that I'm wearing and rips it cleanly off as if it was nothing more than a blank sheet of paper.

I open my mouth to curse at him for avoiding the conversation we need to have, but he just leans against me and shoves two of his fingers into my mouth. He shoves them as far back as they will go, and I gag against them. "I think you need a reminder of who owns this mouth," he snarls into my ear, pushing his fingers even further down my throat.

"Suck them," he demands.

Though I want to bite his fucking fingers off, I don't. I know that he will not stop making me gag on his fingers unless I obey.

So I close my lips around his two long fingers and swirl my tongue around them.

I see him smirk through the mirror. He leans down so that his mouth is close to my ear. "Good girl."

Though I am seething with anger, his praise makes my heart and pussy flutter. My eyes flutter closed, and I continue sucking on his fingers, almost moaning at the feeling.

When I feel him pull his fingers from my mouth, I intake a loud breath of air. Unfortunately, I don't get to use that breath of air to speak because it is ripped from my lungs the moment he plunges his wet fingers into my cunt. "You need a reminder of who this cunt belongs to," he snarls, pumping his long fingers into me in a way that makes my face fall into the sink below me, a moan of pleasure escaping my lips.

"Oh, God," I breathe as he curls his fingers inside of me repeatedly.

"No, not God. Me," he snarls, ripping his fingers from my wet pussy. Though the loss of his fingers makes me whimper, that whimper quickly turns into a moan when Rafe impales me with his thick cock. "Fuck, Rafe," I whine, arching my back so I can take him deeper.

"Such a greedy fucking whore," he snarls, bringing his palm down on my ass, causing me to gasp in pain. "Are you desperate for all cock or just mine?" he asks, watching as I wiggle my ass against him.

When I don't answer him, he snarls and brings his palm down on my ass, striking me with enough force to cause a cry to escape my lips. "Answer me," he demands, and I shake my head. I won't give him the satisfaction of hearing my answer.

He snarls again, but he doesn't hit my ass this time. Instead, he stops fucking me, and his hands go to my ass cheeks, spreading them apart.

I watch him through the mirror as he meets my gaze and spits. His saliva hits the crack of my ass and runs downward.

For a moment, my eyebrows furrow in confusion, but when I feel his finger come up to tease my asshole, my eyes widen, and I gasp. "Rafe, no!" I've never had anything back there.

"Oh, yes," he says, his lips tugged up in a menacing smile. "You need a reminder of who this ass belongs to." He continues to tease my back entrance before slowly working his index finger inside.

He is met with resistance, but he carefully and gently works past it until his entire index finger is sheathed inside my ass. Once it is, he lets it stay there for a few moments, allowing me to adjust to the foreign feeling of having something in my other hole.

After a few seconds of allowing me to adjust, he begins to pull back his finger until just the tip is left. Then, he plunges his finger back inside of my ass. This time, the burn isn't unbearable. It's there but not as bad as when he first pushed his finger into my ass.

After a few thrusts of his finger, he begins to fuck my pussy with his cock again. Slowly but deeply. That plus what he is doing to my ass makes me moan, and I find myself bucking my hips against him.

I hear him chuckle under his breath. "Fuck, you really are a whore. Are you getting off on having your ass and pussy fucked?" he asks, and I'm too busy wrapped up in my building pleasure to answer him.

He doesn't seem to like this because he removes his finger from my ass and stops his thrusts.

My head immediately lifts, and I look up at him through the mirror. "No, please," I beg, needing him to continue touching me—fucking me.

As much as I want to say that I don't want him to fuck me or finger my ass, I can't. He can do anything to me, and I'd get off on it like a whore—and he knows that.

"Who owns you?" he snarls, and a whimper escapes my lips. "You," I whisper.

A harsh smack lands on my ass, and I gasp.

"I can't hear you," Rafe chides, his hand raised in the air, ready to strike my ass again.

"You!" I yell, a sob escaping my lips because of how fucking badly I need him right now.

He impales me with his cock again and slides his finger back into my ass. "That wasn't so hard, now was it?" he snickers.

Though I want to glare at him for his insolence, I don't. I'm too wrapped up in my building pleasure to do anything other than moan and let my eyes flutter closed.

"Nuh uh," I hear Rafe say. He grabs my hair and yanks me off of the sink, pulling me until I am flush against his chest. "You're going to watch. You going to watch me fuck your pussy and finger your ass so you never forget who owns you. And you're only going to close those pretty eyes when you cum. Not a fucking moment before."

The feel of him inside of both of my holes is too much for me, so I don't argue with him. I just nod my head and cast my gaze on the mirror in front of me, watching Rafe as he takes my holes for himself.

Though I can't see him fucking my pussy or fingering my ass, I can feel him. And I can see his face as he takes my body for himself. That is enough to make pleasure coil low in my stomach, getting stronger and stronger by the second.

"Let him touch you again, and I'll fuck you in front of him," he snarls, pumping into both of my holes faster.

"Rafe," I whimper, burying my face into the crook of his neck.

"Are you going to cum, little slut?" he asks, bringing his hand up to stroke my cheek. I nod, a pathetic whimper escaping my lips. He slides his middle finger into my ass, and I moan.

"Tell me again who you belong to," he whispers into my ear, his tone gentle despite the roughness of his thrusts.

"You, Rafe," I whimper against the skin of his neck. "You."

He smiles, and I feel his index finger gently lift my chin. I meet his gaze, and when I do, he leans in and places a kiss on my lips that is as gentle as ever. "That's right."

That's when the pressure coiling low in my belly snaps. Pleasure washes over me like a tidal wave, and I let out a cry that Rafe swallows with a kiss.

He fucks my asshole with his fingers and fucks my pussy with his thick, hard cock, his pace never faltering as he lets me ride through my high.

When I begin to come down from my high and open my eyes so I can look up at Rafe, I see him staring down at me, his dilated eyes hooded with lust. "Mine."

As soon as that word leaves his lips, I feel him twitch inside of me, and he paints my insides with his cum, groaning in pleasure. His head tips back as he cums inside of me, and he releases a low moan that makes me nearly cum a second time.

When his high ends, he looks down at me and grabs my chin with his fingers. "Mine."