#doesn't stop her from being awkward about it around the rest of my family (who i'm not out to)

[lee-laurent]

All Wrong - Luke Hughes

Summary: Jack needs some help from Sadie, but Sadie finds another Hughes brother much more interesting.

content: fluff, angst, fake dating, kissing, making out, teasing, dirty jokes, underage drinking

wc: 11.6k

notes: HERE IT IS! MY LONGEST FIC EVER!!!! enjoy!!

"Sadie, it's not like I'm asking you to marry me. It's just for the summer so she leaves me alone," Jack pleaded from his spot on the girl's couch.

"Just tell her you're not interested or that you have a girlfriend. This seems overboard."

"That won't stop her. Trust me."

"Then why would me being there change that?"

"You're intimidating, Sadie. You'll look at her once and she'll run home like a puppy with its tail tucked between its legs."

"Jack..."

"Sadie, please! Didn't you say your parents had been on your ass about having a boyfriend? See this could benefit both of us."

"I-"

"Sadie!" Jack's tone had shifted from being teasing to almost desperate. "You don't get it! This girl... she doesn't take 'no' for an answer. Trust me... I've tried."

Sadie crossed her arms over her chest, settling further into the couch. "So your brilliant plan involves be pretending to be madly in love with you instead? Egotistical much."

"Shut up. If you're there, she'll see we're serious and she'll back off."

"And you don't think this is going to backfire? Or, I don't know, create a whole mess of awkwardness between us?" Sadie tilted her head, waiting for his response.

"It'll be fine. We're friends, right? We've kissed when we were drunk. We can handle a little fake dating for a few weeks. Plus, the thing with your parents... win-win?"

She sighed, feeling like she was fighting a battle she was gonna lose no matter what. She had mentioned it in passing--how her parents were always asking why she wasn't dating anyone. But this? Fake dating Jack? It sounded like the plot of a rom-com gone wrong.

"I don't know, Jack."

"Look, we'll just keep it simple. I won't make it weird, I promise. We'll hang at the lake house, do the whole 'couple' thing, and by the end of the summer, it's done. You're free. I'm free. And maybe we can get a few laughs out of it."

It sounded insane. Jack was her friend--her close friend--and she could see in his eyes how desperately he wanted her to say yes.

"You really think this will work?"

"Trust me. She'll be running away by the end of the first week."

With a heavy sigh, she finally nodded. "Fine. I'll do it. But you owe me."

"Deal! I owe you big time! But you won't regret this, Sades. It's going to be great!"

She wasn't so sure. It felt so much more complicated than Jack was letting on.

~~

A couple weeks later, Sadie found herself standing on the driveway of the Hughes' lake house. She was standing next to Jack, picking at the chipped nail polish on her fingers. She genuinely felt like she could puke.

"Relax, Sadie," Jack grinned, holding their suitcases. "It's gonna be great."

She narrowed her eyes, but didn't respond. His grin didn't falter, and he motioned with his head for her to walk toward the house. The second her foot hit the first step, the door flew open and Ellen came out with a smile on her face. A smile scarily similar to Jack's.

"You must be Sadie! It's so nice to meet you," she said warmly, wrapping the 21-year-old in a tight hug.

"Oh, uh, yeah. That's me," Sadie stammered, trying to return the hug without looking too awkward. It was one thing to pretend around Jack and whoever this scary neighbour girl was, but in front of his family was a whole other can of worms. It felt so much more real.

"We're so excited to have you here! Jack never stops talking about you."

"Doesn't he?" Sadie smirked, turning around to glance at her 'boyfriend' who was pretending he couldn't hear the conversation.

Before she could ask anymore, Ellen was leading her into the home with a hand on her back. "Come in! I'm just finishing getting dinner ready, and the rest of the family should be here soon. Quinn and Jim were picking Luke up from school, so the three of them will be here around 9."

"Moose's coming?" Jack piped up, dropping their bags on the floor. "I thought he wasn't gonna make it this year."

"Changed his mind last minute. We'll all be together," Ellen grinned, wiping her hands on a dish towel.

"I'm gonna show Sadie around upstairs, we'll be back down for dinner in like ten minutes."

"Sounds good. I left some fresh towels for you on Jack's bed."

"Oh. Thank you."

"No worries. You two go get settled."

Sadie followed Jack up the creaky wooden stairs, her mind still spinning from meeting Ellen. Everything about the situation felt real. Too real. Way, way too real.

"Your mom is... intense," she muttered, walking into the hallway as Jack pushed open the door to the room they'd be sharing for the summer.

"Yeah, well, that's Mom for you. She loves you already," Jack grinned, throwing himself onto the bed. He stretched out, folding his arms behind his head as if he was relaxed as ever. Like they weren't lying to his entire family.

Sadie sat awkwardly on the foot of the bed, scanning the room. It was cozy. A few posters on the walls, hockey-themed of course, and an old wooden dresser in the corner. The window overlooked the lake and Sadie thought she could fall in love with the idea of living here for the summer pretty quickly.

"So, we're sharing this bed, I take it?" she raised an eyebrow.

Jack chuckled, patting the matress next to him. "Come on, Sades. We're dating, remember? Gotta sell it."

She rolled her eyes, scooting up to sit next to Jack. "Just remember this is fake. No funny business, Hughes."

"I know, I know. Jeez. I already told you, I'm not gonna make it weird. Just for the summer. Then we're free."

She shook her head, already regretting everything. She had agreed to the plan, but now that she was there, standing in their home, sharing a bed--it all felt too close for comfort.

"Speaking of Luke. You didn't mention that your brothers were gonna be here."

"They're chill. Don't stress. Moose has been busy with shit at Umich and Quinn in Vancouver. They'll just be happy to relax. Plus, they don't usually care about talking girls and stuff. So they won't grill you. If anything, they'll give me shit for dating someone so out of my league."

"I'll believe it when I see it, Jack."

Jack snickered, standing up and walking over to the side of the bed she was on. He leaned down, his tone teasing. "Come on, Sades. Let's go down and eat dinner like a happy couple."

"You're so fucking annoying."

~~

Dinner went surprisingly smoothly. Ellen had a special way of making everything seem casual and lighthearted. Jack, of course, had been his usual... charming self, playing the role of the perfect doting boyfriend. He was good at it, touching her back lightly, pulling her chair out for her, and even dropping the occasional kiss on the top of her head.

It should've made her cringe, but instead she found it... comforting?

Ellen had asked the usual 'parent' questions--how they met, what Sadie was studying, if she liked hockey (which of course she had to answer yes to, knowing full well the consequences of not liking hockey in the Hughes household). Sadie played along, forcing herself to laugh at Jack's shit jokes and add details to the story they'd created on the drive up.

"Jack, why don't you take Sadie down to the dock and watch the sunset over the lake" Ellen suggested, clearing the table of plates. "It's beautiful tonight."

"Good idea, Mom," Jack agreed, standing up and taking Sadie's hand with a grin.

"Sure, sounds nice," Sadie forced a smile, trying not to feel awkward holding Jack's hand in front of his mother.

They walked out towards the dock, the cool air helping lift the weight of the day away. The lake stretched out before them, the water reflecting the orange and pink hues of the sunset. Sadie loved scenes like that. They brought her so much peace.

"You're doing great, by the way, Sadie."

She snorted, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I feel like I'm in some weird improv exercise. Just waiting for someone to figure out I don't belong here."

"They're not going to figure anything out," he whispered. "You've got this."

Lying to his family felt wrong, even if it was supposed to be for a good cause. Or at least a cause that Jack thought was good.

"This is going to be a very draining summer," she sighed.

"You wanna go to bed?"

"No, I need to stay up and meet your brothers and your dad."

"They'll still be here in the morning, Sades. If you want to go to sleep, nobody is gonna stop you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, come on. Let's get you some sleep."

~~

"Who's shoes are those?" Luke asked, closing the front door behind him.

"Jack's girlfriend's! You just missed her, she went to sleep about half an hour ago," Ellen smiled, pulling her youngest son into a hug.

"His girlfriend?"

"Yes! Sadie is her name. Such a nice girl. Very pretty too."

Luke looked back down at the shoes again, his mind still trying to catch up with what his mom was saying. Jack's girlfriend? The words felt so unfamiliar. Jack didn't talk about dating much, at least not in a serious way, so hearing about Sadie--a girl he apparently cared enough about to bring home--caught him so off guard.

"Yeah. Jack didn't mention much about her."

"He didn't? Oh, well, you'll meet her in the morning," she reached up to ruffle his hair, like he was still a little kid playing chase around the house with his brothers. "She's lovely. A little shy at first, but I'll sure she'll warm up to everyone. Probably just worried about making a good first impression."

Luke nodded, but inside his curiousity was growing. Shy? He hadn't heard Jack describe anyone as shy in, well, ever. Jack's type was the total opposite--bold, confident, the kind of girl that could hang with his rowdy ass friends without missing a beat. This Sadie girl was starting to sound a lot different than that.

"Well, let's get you boys fed before we all call it a night," Jim said, patting Luke's shoulder as he passed. "Your mom saved us some leftovers from dinner."

Luke followed his dad and Quinn into the kitchen, but his thoughts were still on the mysterious girl that had apparently stolen his brother's heart. Jack had never even mentioned a Sadie before and suddenly she was at the lake house. It all felt off.

~~

Sadie woke up feeling as sweaty as ever. The house had AC but Jack was like a personal heater and somehow they'd ended up spooning at some point in the night. There was a thin layer of sweat between her back and Jack's chest and she felt disgusting.

Groaning quietly, she pulled herself out of his grip, using her shirt to wipe her back. Jack was still fast asleep, the duvet kicked around his feet. Typical. Jack could sleep through a fucking earthquake.

She swung her legs out of bed and padded to the bathroom, hoping a splash of cold water would make her feel more like herself. She thought about what Jack had said last night--about how nobody would figure them out. But staring at herself in the mirror, she felt like it was written all over her face.

She didn't belong here.

She threw on the first clothes she could find, a pair of jean shorts and one of Jack's many Devils t-shirts. By the time she made her way downstairs, the kitchen was already bustling. Ellen was preparing breakfast while Jim sat at the table sipping a cup of coffee.

"Morning, Sadie! Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, thanks," she forced a smile.

"Jack still asleep?"

"Out cold."

Ellen chuckled, shaking her head. "Sounds about right."

Sadie smiled, but before she could respond, the sound of footsteps behind her caught her attention. She turned just as Luke appeared in the doorway, fresh from a morning run, judging the sweat on his forehead and the way his grey shirt clung to his torso.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Luke's eyes landed on her, sharp and curious. There was something about the way he looked at her that made her feel like he was sizing her up--not in a rude way, but in a way that made her stomach flip uncomfortably.

"You must be Sadie," he made his way further into the kitchen. "I'm Luke."

"Yeah," she extended her hand to him. "Nice to meet you."

Luke shook her head, his grip firm but brief. His blue eyes lingered on hers for a second longer than she expected before he pulled away, glancing towards the coffeemaker.

"You're the one who got Jack all domestic?" he teased, grabbing a mug. "Didn't see that coming."

She laughed softly, "I don't know about 'domestic,' but... I guess I'm the one who convinced him to bring me here."

Luke smirked, like he wasn't entirely buying it. "Yeah. I guess."

Sadie got cut off again, but this time by Quinn entering the room. "Ah, so this is the famous Sadie! Nice to finally put a face to the name."

Thank God for Quinn.

~~

Sadie sat on the dock, her feet dangling over the water, her book open on her lap. Jack and Quinn had gone to get the boat from the marina and Sadie had taken the opportunity to relax a bit.

She had laid a towel under her, Jack's t-shirt removed because she was not about to get a farmer's tan. She was basking in the sun, feeling the gentle warmth of the sun on her extremely pale skin. The world around her disappearing as she flipped through the novel. She was really enjoying it until she came to a parapgraph about suspicion. It took her right back to her interaction with Luke that morning. It was like he saw right through her, could sense all the cracks in her story. She had to be careful, maybe Luke was smarter than he seemed.

But footsteps on the dock behind her broke her train of thought. She glanced over her should, expecting to see that either Jack or Quinn had returned with the car from the marina, but it was Luke. He wasn't in the workout clothes he'd been wearing earlier, now dressed in a white t-shirt and board shorts, clearly ready for a swim.

"You mind if I join?" Luke asked, the same playful charm in his voice that Jack carried.

"Sure, it's your family's dock after all."

Luke smirked, dropping a towel beside her before sitting down, his legs also hanging over the water. He didn't say anything for awhile, just stared out over the water. Sadie went back to reading, well now she was pretending to read, her main focus being on how closely he was sitting next to her.

"So," he broke the silence. "How'd you and Jack meet?"

There it was--more lying about her and Jack. Sadie knew Luke was already suspicious of her, so she had to play her cards right. She looked up from her book, trying to keep her body language calm. "Friends. Some of his, uh, his friends go to school with me. So..."

"Friends, huh?" He was testing her, waiting for her to trip up.

"Yeah, like slow burn," she shrugged. "We hung out with a big group of friends first. You know how it goes."

Luke was silent for a moment, staring down at the waves lapping the dock. "Yeah, I guess, I do. Jack's never mentioned you before."

Sadie felt her stomach lurch, but she forced a smile. "Well, we kept things on the down-low for a while. Just us. It's still... kinda new."

"Makes sense," Luke's tone made it clear he wasn't entirely convinced. He shifted, resting his elbows on his knees, staring out at the lake again. "Just seems strange, I guess. Jack never brings girls here. And then... suddenly, you."

"I guess I'm just lucky," she swallowed harshly.

For a moment, she thought he might say something else--might press her further--but instead, he stood up and grabbed his towel.

"I'll leave you to it. Nice talking, Sadie," he walked off, completely disregarding the fact that he had clearly come out to swim. She just watched him retreat. It was clear he didn't trust her, hopefully Jack could fix that. She didn't need him figuring anything out before the trip was over. That was certain.

~~

The sound of the boat engine humming across the water was the perfect background noise on a sunny afternoon. Sadie sat on the edge, occasionally letting her fingers trail through the lake below. Jack was steering them out to the centre of the water, Quinn sat up front basking in the sun, and Luke leaned casually against the small railing on the side.

"You ever driven one of these?" Luke asked, nodding towards the steering wheel.

Sadie looked over to Jack, who was too busy concentrating on his driving to respond. She smirked, "Jack never lets anyone take the wheel. He likes to be in control."

Quinn laughed, "Sounds about right. Captain Jack, over here. Watch out Sadie or he might start asking you to call him that."

"Don't give him any ideas," she groaned, flicking her gaze back to Jack. She really hoped that the banter seemed real and not forced.

"You love it, Sades! You're just mad because you can't even drive a car for shit."

"Hey! You've never given me a chance on a boat," she shot back, standing up and making her way to Jack.

"I think I have a good reason."

Sadie placed a hand on his shoulder, leaning in closer as she laughed. It felt so strange to have to be so physically close to Jack on purpose, but she was learning to fake it well. "Maybe I'll surprise you one day."

Quinn chuckled, "Honestly, Rowdy, give her a shot. What's the worst that could happen?"

"She crashes into the dock?" Jack raised an eyebrow, still smirking, one of his hands casually finding it's way around Sadie's bare waist. She stiffened slightly at first, but relaxed quickly after reminding herself to play the part.

"I'm more worried about you crashing into the dock," Sadie shot back.

Luke, who had been silently observing the whole ordeal, cracked a grin. "She's probably better at steering than you think, Jack. You're just a control freak."

Sadie stole a glance, glad to see Luke was no longer sending any weird looks her way.

"Alright, fine," Jack sighed, turning the wheel just slightly to change course. "Maybe I'll let you drive next time. If you're lucky."

Quinn snorted, "If she's lucky? You mean if she gives you head?"

Sadie's jaw dropped, but all three Hughes brothers started laughing like it was the funniest joke she'd ever heard. God, she'd never understand men.

~~

The boat had been anchored and Sadie sat with Jack near the edge. Luke and Quinn were busy talking about who could pull off a better dive, leaving the 'couple' alone.

Sadie lowered her voice, looking around to see if the other boys were listening. "Jack, I think Luke is catching on."

"Catching on? What're you talking about?"

Sadie sighed. "Earlier today, he was asking me all these questions. It felt like he was suspicious. Like he knows this whole thing is all an act."

Jack chuckled, knocking his shoulder with hers. "Sades, he's just messing with you. Trust me, he's not suspicious of anything. That's just how he is. He's probably giving you a hard time because he knows it'll get under your skin."

She bit her lip, not fully convinced. "I don't know... I don't want him to say something to your parents or--"

"Relax," he softly grabbed her hand. "It's going fine. They all like you, and no one is doubting anything. Promise."

Sadie looked around again, but Quinn and Luke were now splashing each other in the water. "I guess you're right. I'm probably just overthinking shit."

"Exactly. Now, where's the Sadie I know? I'm not a fan of this anxious, worrywart. Where's the flirty, confident, almost scary Sadie that I became friends with?"

She just shook her head, a real smile making its way across her face. Jack leaned back, stretching his arms behind him. "Come on, Sades. Let's make the most of this. Summer is supposed to be funnnn."

"Okay," she giggled. "Let's have some fun."

She quickly stood up and cannon-balled into the lake. Luke and Quinn cheered her on, as Jack shook his head and laughed. "There's my girl!"

~~

Sadie, Jack, Luke, and Quinn sat on deck chairs around the firepit, drinks in hand. It had been a long day spent out on the water, but the fun wasn't over just yet. The laughter was now coming even easier than before with the addition of alcohol.

Sadie leaned heavily into Jack's side, his arm draped over her shoulders, her head resting on him. She finally felt like herself, carefree. Jack's closeness didn't feel awkward anymore; it felt natural, or maybe that was just the alcohol.

"Alright, Sadie," Quinn said, his speech slurred slightly. "I gotta know what it's like dating Jack? He's gotta be a pain in the ass."

"Oh, you have no idea," she teased. "He thinks he's funny. Most of the time, he's just annoying."

Jack gasped dramatically, clutching his chest with his free hand. "Wow. You wound me, Sades. I'm hilarious."

"Debatable," she quipped, running her fingers along the seam of his shirt as she settled against him more comfortably.

"Okay, but for real," Luke piped up, "how'd you two even get together? I don't think Jack has ever brought a girl here."

She glanced at Jack, who winked at her before answering.

"It just happened, I guess. We were hanging out with a group of friends, like I told you guys, and then one day... I just knew she was the one for me."

"Oh, you knew, huh? That's not how I remember it," Sadie giggled.

"What's your version, Sadie?" Luke raised an eyebrow.

"Well... Jack was chasing after me for months, trying to get me to go out with him. I was playing hard to get."

Jack cackled, "That's not how it went."

"It's exactly how it went," she shot back, her voice full of confidence. "He practically begged me to go on a date with him."

Luke and Quinn were in stitches, the banter between her and Jack clearly entertaining them. Sadie felt so much more like herself. The earlier tension she felt from Luke's questions had melted away with the first sip of vodka.

Just as Sadie was about to make another joke at Jack's expense, the sound of footsteps cruncing against gravel caught her attention. She glanced over her shoulder to see a figure making their toward them. Sadie tensed.

It had to be that neighbour girl that Jack had warned her about. The whole reason this shit was happening.

The girl strutted up to the firepit, her eyes locking on Jack like he was the only person there. She didn't even acknowledge Sadie's presence, instead giving Jack a flirtatious smile as she drew closer.

"Well, well," her tone was sugary sweet. "Didn't know you were back in town, Jack."

Sadie felt Jack also tense beside her, but he didn't move his arm from her shoulders. He smiled politely, but there was no mistaking the discomfort in his eyes. "Yes, Natalie, we're here every summer."

The girl, Natalie, flicked her bleach blonde hair over her shoulder. "It's been a while. You should come over sometime. We could... catch up."

Sadie could tell from the girl's body language that she wasn't taking no for an answer. Natalie's obvious attempt to flirt with Jack was so blatant, it was almost laughable. It would've been laughable if it wasn't so goddamn irritating.

Luke and Quinn exchanged amused glances.

Sadie straightened up, pushing her body closer to Jack's. "He's a little busy right now," Sadie's voice was low but firm.

"Oh, I'm sure Jack can make time. Can't you, Jacky?"

Sadie's blood boiled. Natalie wasn't getting the message. She glanced at Jack, who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there, then made a quick decision. Without hesitation, Sadie reached up, grabbed Jack's face in both hands, and pulled him into a kiss. Not a soft, delicate one, but a full-on, heated make out session that left no room for misinterpretation. She was making sure that everyone knew who Jack belonged to.

Jack responded immediately, his hands moving to rest on her waist as he kicked her back, clearly caught up in the moment. It was all part of the act, but Sadie could feel the passion in it, the alcohol blurring the line between fake and real.

When she pulled away, breathless and bright red, she didn't even look at Jack. She instead kept her gaze locked on Natalie, who was staring at them in stunned silence.

"Like I said," Sadie's voice was full of cool confidence, "he's busy."

Natalie's face twisted into a scowl, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She shot Jack and Sadie one last frustrated look before scoffing and turning on her heel, storming off into the night like a child throwing a tantrum.

Quinn let out a low whistle. "Damn, Sadie. Remind me not to get on your bad side."

"That was brutal," Luke agreed.

She shrugged, playing it off like it was nothing, even though her heart was pounding in her chest. "She wasn't getting it. Had to make it clear."

Jack, still recovering from the intensity of the kiss, grinned down at her. "You sure did."

~~

The room spun slightly as Sadie fumbled with the zipper on her shorts, still giggling about how the night had unfolded. Jack leaned against the door, watching her with a lazy grin, the alcohol still buzzing in his system.

"That kiss though," Jack teased, his voice slurred as he kicked off his shoes. "You really sold it, Sades. I think you scared Natalie away for life."

"Good," she smirked, peeling off her shorts and tossing them aside, not bothering with modesty. She started tugging her t-shirt over her head. "She wasn't getting the hint. Had to go for the kill."

Jack's eyes flickered to her as she changed, the casualness of it all catching him off guard. He swallowed, his throat suddenly very dry as he tried not to stare. Sadie, half-naked, standing there like it was nothing--it was making his head spin even more than it already was.

He blinked, knowing he shouldn't have been distracted like that, especially when they were just playing pretend. But Sadie didn't seem to notice nor care. She was sat on the bed, running her hands through her hair, her laughter replaced by a serious expression.

"Jack. I was actually really nervous... earlier. With meeting your parents, then Luke asking all those questions, and then fucking Natalie showed up."

Jack shook off his drunken haze. He sat down beside her, trying to focus on her words and the fact that her skin was glowing under the light in the room. "Nervous? You seemed to have it under control out there."

"I was faking. Well, partly. Thought maybe Luke's questions about us were to find holes or that Quinn was part of his plan."

"Sades, I'm not sure how many times I have to tell you. Nobody is suspicious."

"I just didn't want to mess this up for you. The whole fake dating thing--it's for you, and I didn't want to fuck it all up by being... weird."

"You weren't weird. You were amazing. And that kiss? I think you might have convinced me we're really dating."

"So... no one's doubting?"

Jack shook his head, his hand brushing gently against her back. "Nope. That kiss probably wiped away any doubts that Quinn or Luke might've had. You sold it. Hell, I think Luke might've been jealous."

She smirked at the thought, "Yeah? Jealous, huh?"

Jack grinned, leaning his forehead against hers. "Definitely. You've got nothing to worry about now. We've got this."

There was a quiet moment between them. The alcohol buzz still hanging in the air, but it was softer now, replaced by something warmer, more intimate. Jack's hand slid up to her shoulder, his touch gentle as he pulled her closer.

"I'm really glad you're here."

She leaned into him, resting her head against his chest. "Me too."

They lay back on the bed, neither bothering to change further. Jack's arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her into his side as she snuggled against him. The steady rise and fall of Jack's chest beneath her cheek, lulling her to sleep.

~~

Jack and Quinn were gone for the day, some sort of offseason training session by some bigshot NHL personal trainer. The guy hadn't invited Luke, so he was stuck at the house with Sadie and his parents.

Sadie was stretched out on a towel in the backyard, basking in the sunshine, her earbuds playing some soft country music. She was enjoying her peaceful solitude.

Or so she thought.

When she turned her head slightly to adjust her sunglasses, she caught a glimpse of Luke standing on the back porch. He was leaning against the railing, looking right at her. His eyes flickered away as soon as she spotted him, but it was too late. Sadie had seen him staring.

A mischievous grin tugged at her lips.

Caught you.

Deciding to have a little fun with it, Sadie flipped onto her front, resting her chin on her folded arms. Then, with a playful smirk, she reached behind her and undid the knot on her bikini top, letting it fall loose against the towel beneath her. Luke couldn't actually see shit, but she thought it was hilarious to tease him.

After a few beats of silence, Sadie couldn't help but sneak a peek in his direction. Luke was still on the porch, but his posture was tense, clearly flustered. His eyes darted between her and the lake, like he wasn't sure where to look.

She bit her lip to hold back a laugh. Oh, this is too good.

Satisfied with the teasing, she casually rolled back onto her back and retyed her top like nothing had happened. Then she stood up, grabbing her book and towel, she sauntered back inside with a smirk tugging at her lips. She didn't need to look back to know there were still a set of blue eyes staring at her.

~~

Luke wandered into the living room, hesitating briefly at the door before walking to Sadie on the couch. His hair was still slightly damp from a dip in the lake, and he seemed almost more relaxed without Jack and Quinn there.

"Hey, mind if I sit here?"

"Go for it," she replied, looking up from her book. She shifted over to make space for him.

Luke sat down and stretched his legs out in front of him as he leaned back in an attempt to look casual. It didn't work and Sadie could still feel the tension in the air. She knew Luke was flustered about the whole backyard situation and she found it fucking hilarious.

"You're always reading," he remarked, nodding towards the book in her hands. "What is it this time?"

She raised an eyebrow and flipped the book around so he could see the cover. "I'm not 'always' reading. You've caught me reading twice. And it's just something to kill time. You know, since your brother is off pretending he's a celebrity."

"Yeah, Jack's like that. Always pretending he's the best," Luke chose to ignore her remark about him only seeing her reading twice.

"Must've been annoying growing up with him," Sadie teased.

"Oh, it was. But he's alright. Could've been worse."

The conversation continued easily from there, their voices filling the silent house with stories about their childhoods, embarrassing moments, and life in general. Luke found himself relaxing more and more as Sadie talked. She was sharp, funny, and this special energy that drew him in. The confident, teasing girl from the backyard was showing her soft side and he could see why Jack was head over heels in love with her,

Sadie yapped about her life in university, the friends she had back home in Jersey, and even some wild stories from a girls' trip to New York. Luke listened, hanging off of every word. She was cool, and not in a superficial way, but genuinely cool. She wasn't just Jack's girlfriend. She was Sadie. And she was amazing.

But with that realization came guilt.

He watched her laugh as she told a funny story, and Luke felt the pull growing inside him. He was really starting to like her. Maybe too much.

This was Jack's girlfriend. He shouldn't feel that way about Jack's girlfriend.

He knew it was wrong, but he made no effort to distance himself from her. Instead, he found himself drawn to her more and more, wanting to sit there with her, to hear her laugh again, to see the smirk that covered her face when she teased him.

"So, how about you?" she asked, snapping him from this thoughts. "What's it like being the baby? Bet Jack gave you hell."

"They both did. But especially Jack. He never, ever let me forget I was the youngest. Always had to one-up me."

"Sounds like Jack," she grinned, and Luke's smile faltered at the lovestruck look on her face at the meer mention of Jack. "Bet you're giving it right back now."

"I try." There was a brief lull in conversation and the silence that followed felt like it was charged with electricity.

Sadie held his gaze a beat longer than she should have before breaking the eye contact with a playful smile. "Well, if you ever need any tips on how to outsmart Jack, I've got plenty."

"I might just have to take you up on that."

~~

The sun lay low in the late afternoon sky making the lake look like it was sparkling. Sadie and Luke stood by the water's edge, still filling in the quiet hours without Jack and Quinn.

Sadie grinned, nudging Luke with her elbow. "Bet you can't beat me in a water fight."

"You're on."

Without warning, Sadie walked off into the water, her laugh echoing as she turned around to splash Luke. He barely had time to react before a wave of water was hitting his lower legs.

"Oh, it's like that?" Luke laughed, taking off after her.

It didn't take long before they were having a full-on war, splashing each other mercilessly. Sadie couldn't stop laughing as Luke chased her through the water. After on particularly good splash, she tried to swim away, but Luke caught up to her, his hands gripping her waist as he tried to dunk her. Sadie squealed in protest, kicking her legs.

"Let go, you cheater!" she giggled, twisting in his grip.

Luke grinned, he really liked how infectous her laugh was. But as they wrestled in the water, something shifted. His hands lingered on her waist longer than they should have. Her skin was riddled in goosebumps from the cold water, but still felt smooth under this touch, and suddenly the playful moment didn't seem quite as innocent.

Shit.

Sadie, still in the middle of laughing and trying to escape his hold, didn't seem to notice the change in him. She was completely carefree, seeing the moment for what it was--a game. But Luke wasn't feeling it anymore. His throat felt tight and pulse picked up.

His hands were still on her waist.

Luke's breath hitched, and before she could turn around and see the look on his face, he let go, stumbling backward in the water.

"You good? You're not giving up already, are you?"

Luke forced a chuckle, but it came out sounding way more like a cough. "Uh, yeah, I--uh, I think I've had enough."

Without waiting for her response, he quickly waded out of the water and back onto the shore. The evening breeze did nothing to cool his flustered state.

Sadie was still in the water, floating on her back with a smile on her face. "Aw, come on!"

He just mumbled something incoherent, grabbed his towel, and hurried back into the house without even looking her way.

~~

Luke rushed past his parents in the kitchen, heading straight for his room. He slammed the door shut behind him and flopped down onto the bed, shoving his face in a pillow. He wanted to scream, but even the pillow wouldn't muffle the sound enough from anyone downstairs.

I'm attracted to her.

The thought hit him like a freight train, the words echoing over and over again like a prayer. It wasn't just some innocent crush. He was undeniably, painfully attracted to Sadie--his brother's girlfriend.

How had he let it get this far? She was dating Jack. She was Jack's girlfriend. And yet, anytime she laughed or smiled at him, Luke felt like a fucking high schooler.

He couldn't stop it, couldn't ignore it anymore.

He hadn't meant to hold her like that in the water. It was meant to be just a harmless game, but he had taken it too far in his mind. Sadie, however, hadn't even seemed to notice. Maybe she did and she was just ignoring it. Surely that was it.

"You're such a fucking idiot, Luke," he cursed himself, but every time he closed his eyes all he could see was how perfect she had looked in that moment.

The worst part of all? He didn't want to stop feeling that way.

Even as the guilt knawed at him, he couldn't bring himself to want to distance from her. Being around Sadie felt good. It felt natural. And that scared him even more.

Suddenly, he heard laughter from the hallway outside his door. Luke froze, listening as Jack's voice joined in, low and teasing, followed by Sadie's giggles.

Luke squeezed his eyes shut, willing away the guilt. But then there was a pause in the laughter. He could picture what was happening. The way that Jack was looking at Sadie. The that Sadie was looking back up at Jack with a smile on her face, maybe teasing him.

Then... the sound of a kiss broke the silence. It was soft, but it might as well have been the loudest thing that Luke had ever heard. His stomach twisted, and he tried to shove his face further into the pillow, but it was no use the couple was back to laughing.

This is wrong. It's all wrong. But as wrong as he knew it was, he couldn't deny the truth.

He was falling for Sadie. And he was falling for Sadie... hard.

~~

The whole family and Sadie were gathered around the pool table, Jim and Ellen watching from the corner, while the "kids" took their turns at the competetive game that had started.

Sadie was standing next to Jack, leaning against the wall with a gin and tonic, that her "boyfriend" had made her, in her hand. She was watching Quinn line up his shot, her eyes crinkling as she laughed about whatever it was that Jack was whispering to her about. Jack had his arm draped over her shoulders, pulling her closer as she laughed. They looked so comfortable. So perfect.

Luke stood across from them, gripping his pool cue so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. Every laugh that Jack and Sadie shared, every playful nudge, felt like a stab to his gut.

"Alright, Sades, your go," Jack kissed her cheek before handing her a cue.

She leaned over the table, lining up her shot with Jack standing behind her, offering a few "helpful" tips. His hand rested on her lower back, guiding her aim. Quinn looked over at Luke, raising his eyebrows as if to say "look how suggestive he's being."

Luke just shook his head, trying to focus on the game. But all he could think about was how close and touchy they were being. And how it made his stomach churn with something that he could only guess was jealousy.

Fuck, it was so messed up.

"Luke, it's your turn," Quinn called.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, right," he blinked, shaking his head. He stepped up to the table, trying to compose himself as he lined up his shot. He missed it by a mile, the ball ricocheting off the side with a loud thunk.

"Wow, nice one, Rusty," Jack teased.

His jaw was clenched, "Guess I'm just off tonight."

Sadie didn't even notice, giggling as Jack asked for her opinion on their next move. Why were they acting like they were the only ones in the room? Was nobody else finding it annoying? Luke glanced at his mom. She was smiling at the young couple, a lovestruck look on her face. Maybe he was the only one that found it annoying.

~~

Sadie lay sprawled across Jack's bed, her phone held loosely in her hand as she scrolled through texts from her friends back home. Jack was in the shower, insisting he wash the lake water off his body. She had some time to kill and her friends, that weren't her friend group with Jack, were ready to gossip.

The Hottest Girls in Jersey Sadie, Alex, and Carly

Carly: Soooo, how's it going with Mr. NHL?? Alex: yeah, girl. spill. is he, like, actually boyfriend material or are you just having a hot ass summer fling??

Sadie rolled her eyes at their messages, biting her lip as she thought of her reply.

Sadie: it's... complicated Carly: Ugh, isn't it always lol Alex: we need details, sades. what's complicated? the sex? the family? Sadie: family's cool. his mom is like super sweet. and his brothers are... yeah Carly: Oh, brothers, huh? Now you like reallyyyyy need to spill

Sadie hesitated, glancing towards the bathroom door. She could still hear Jack humming to himself while the water ran. No way he was gonna come out and read her messages any time soon.

Sadie: okay, fine. it's not really jack. it's luke Carly: LUKE?! Alex: WAIT. WHAT. HIS BROTHER LUKE?! Sadie: yep. younger brother, but soooooo much more my type Carly: Girllllll, you're bad Alex: hold the fucking phone. is this the guy we're talking about here? what's wrong with jack, then? isn't he like the only reason you're there?

She chuckled to herself, it did kinda sound insane when she typed it all out.

Sadie: jack's great. don't get me wrong. but, luke... he's like more quiet. jack's more playful and sassy, but idk... plus i love a boy with curly hair Carly: You're catching feelings for his brother??? Holy shit, girl Alex: lmao this is legit some CW ass drama

She rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling. Maybe it was a little ridiculous, but it was true. Luke was more her type. He was tall, not that Jack wasn't tall, but Luke was tall. He had the cutest nose and the best curls she'd ever seen. Jack was fun. Jack was easy. But Luke...

Sadie: it's not that deep. but yeah, ig i'm more into luke than jack Carly: Oooo Alex: you're fake dating jack tho, right? like what's the plan here?? Sadie: i don't fucking know!!! nothing's happened with luke, obviously. but like next time we're alone? i might see what happens ;) Carly: You are fucking INSANE, Sadie!!! Alex: if you're that desperate, you've got Jack right there...

She laughed out loud at Alex's message. She was definitely not desperate, but she still glanced to the bathroom door. The water had stopped. Jack would be out any second.

Sadie: trust me, i'm not desperate. luke's gonna be the move

Just as she hit send, Jack emerged from the bathroom, towel hung low on his hips.

"Texting the girls?" he ran a hand through his wet hair.

She slipped her phone under the pillow, a playful smile on her face. "Yeah, they were asking about you."

Jack raised an eyebrow, falling down onto the bed next to her. "All good things, I hope?"

She snorted, "Guess you'll never know."

He rolled his eyes, pressing a soft kiss to her hair. "Whatever. You were probably telling them how much of a stud I am."

Sadie smirked, though her mind was still buzzing with the excitement of what she'd just admitted to her friends. Jack had no idea, and honestly? That just made it even more thrilling.

~~

Jack bounded into the living room, his backpack slung over one of his shoulders. Sadie was sat on the couch, scrolling passively through Instagram, while Luke stood in the kitchen chugging a glass of water.

"I'm headed to the rink for a few hours," Jack announced, slapping his hand on the back of the couch, full of energy. "Got a little off-season workout with Q and some of the guys."

"A workout?" Sadie quirked an eyebrow. "You never stop, do you?

"That's what makes me so irrresistible, babe." He shot her a wink before turning to Luke. "You busy?"

Luke wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, setting down his glass. "Not really."

"Why don't you keep her company? You guys should hang out. Show her around town or something."

Luke flushed, his eyes flickering to Sadie, who was sat with an amused smile on her face. "Uh, yeah, sure."

"Perfect!" Jack leaned down and kissed Sadie's cheek. "Don't miss me too much while I'm gone, okay?"

"I'll try," she giggled, leaning into his touch but keeping her eyes on Luke.

"See you later! Have fun!"

And just like that Jack was gone.

"Well, looks like it's just us again," Sadie said, stretching dramatically.

"Yeah, guess so."

Sadie stood from the couch, tapping her finger against her lips as if she was thinking. "You know what we should do?"

"What?"

"Go for a swim! It's hot out, and the lake looks amazing."

Luke hesitated. He wasn't sure he could handle that again. But before he could come up with an excuse, Sadie was heading toward the back door.

"Come on! Don't make me swim alone. I might drown."

By the time he made it down to the dock, Sadie was standing at the edge, her back to him as she looked out over the water. She had stripped down to her bikini--a simple black one that fit her like a glove.

Luke shook his head. He had no right to stare. Jack's girlfriend, not his. Get a grip.

"Took you long enough, Luke. Thought you were going to bail on me."

"Just... taking my time." He managed a weak laugh.

"Uh-huh." She dipped her toe in the lake, testing the temperature. "Water feels amazing. Bet I can beat you in."

She dove in without even waiting for an answer. She resurfced a few feet out, shaking the water from her hair and grinning at him. "What're you waiting for?"

Luke hesitated for just a second longer before diving in after her. The shock of the cool water cleared his head. That was until he surfaced and saw Sadie floating nearby, her hair splayed around her like a halo.

"See? Told you it feels amazing."

He swam a bit closer, but decided to keep his distance. "Yeah, guess you were right."

Sadie flipped onto her stomach, treading water as she swam to him. "Relax." She nudged her shoulder with his. "You look so tense."

Her tone was light, but the promixity of them felt almost dangerous. "I am relaxed."

"Bullshit. You look like the tensest motherfucker ever," she splashed him, the water hitting him square in the face. "Come on. Loosen up."

Luke sputtered, wiping the water from his eyes. "Oh, it's gonna be like that, huh?"

"Just sayin'... life's too short to be serious all the time," her hand brushed his arm as she floated by, leaving goosebumps in her wake.

Her touch was light, casual, but it still made it so he couldn't think straight. He wanted to keep his distance, but she wasn't making it easy in the slightest.

"You and I should do this more often," she mused.

"What? Swim?"

She scoffed, "No. Hang out."

Was she messing with him? Or was she being serious? He couldn't tell with her. Her teasing had been light and innocent until now. Now every word that left her mouth felt like it had a second meaning.

"I... I don't know."

What kind of shit response was that? God, he looked like an idiot.

She swam closer to him, stopping when she was right in front of his face. "You don't know? I think you do, Luke."

He could feel her leg brushing against his and his whole body felt like it was one fire despite the cool water. He should've pulled back, but he couldn't. He was frozen.

"Ha! You're cute when you're flustered."

For a moment, he felt himself lean in, as if there was an invisible force pulling him to her. But just as quickly, Sadie pulled away, climbing back onto the dock and swaying her hips as she headed back to the house, leaving the boy completely flabbergasted.

~~

Jim and Ellen had left for a special dinner out and Jack had quickly suggested a game night, complete with alcohol and whatever games they could find in the basement. Luke had agreed, only because he knew he could drink, and that might make being in the same room as Sadie more bearable.

"Alright, team," Jack tossed a can of beer to Luke, who caught it without looking "Game night is on. Hope you're ready to lose, Qball."

"Yeah, yeah. You always say that, but I'm the one who wins."

"You guys don't stand a chance. Right, babe?" Sadie grinned up at Jack.

"You bet. Dream team right here."

Luke looked at them, all snuggled up together. He blinked a few times before chugging the rest of his beer. Jack laughed, "Alright, Lukey." He tossed him another one, getting ready to explain the rules of the game.

By the third round, Jack had pulled Sadie into his lap, his arms wrapped around her waist like a seatbelt. They were laughing, whispering inside jokes, and exchanging kisses, acting like they were the only people in the room.

Luke tried to focus on the game, but he found himself looking up to see Sadie running her fingers through Jack's hair, her other hand squeezing his thigh.

He wanted to believe that she had meant something by the little act she'd put on at the lake. But seeing her all over Jack made him feel like he'd never been so wrong. She was clearly into Jack. She didn't mean anything by it. She's just... being friendly.

So why did it feel like more?

"Can you guys like chill?" Quinn spoke up. "We're trying to play a game, not watch you two make out."

"Oh, come on, Quinn. We're just having fun," Sadie giggled.

"Yeah, don't be a buzzkill," Jack added, pressing kisses to her neck.

"There's having fun, and then there's..." Quinn paused, his voice laced with annoyance. "You're practically having sex in front of us."

"Jealous?"

"No, Luke and I just don't wanna see that."

"Whatever."

"Your turn, Luke."

"Right," he muttered, grabbing the dice and rolling it halfheartedly. The alcohol wasn't helping, dulling his senses and making everything worse. He kept glancing at Sadie, hoping for some sign that she was aware of what she was doing to him, but she didn't even look his way.

The final straw came when Jack, clearly tipsy, pulled Sadie in for a long, slow kiss right in the middle of Quinn's turn. Jack and Sadie were known by their friends for their drunk kisses, but his brothers really didn't want to see it.

"I'm done. You two aren't even playing!" Quinn threw his hands up.

"Fine, fine. We'll stop! Happy now?"

"No. I'm going to bed before I see something even worse."

"Uh, yeah, me too. Night guys," Luke nodded, following his oldest brother.

"Bedtime?" Jack laughed.

"Yeah, bedtime, I guess."

~~

Luke hadn't gone to bed. He couldn't sleep. His brain wouldn't shut up. It had been a couple hours since game night had ended and he felt more sober than he was before he started drinking. Maybe he was insane. Maybe Sadie had driven him to his breaking point. She was so goddamn confusing. And--

"Hey."

"What're you doing out here? Shouldn't you be with Jack?"

She shrugged, closing the sliding door behind her. "He's passed out. I wanted to come find you."

"Sadie, you really shouldn't--"

"I know what you're going to say. But I think you're wrong."

"Wrong?"

Sadie moved in, her hand reaching for his, her fingers tracing along his wrist. "You're overthinking things, Luke."

His breath hitched as she leaned in, her face inches from his, her lips so close he could feel her breath. He should've pulled away. He should've told her to stop.

But he didn't. He couldn't.

Instead, Luke closed the gap between them, his lips crashing against hers in a desperate, longing kiss.

She kissed him back, her hands sliding up to his shoulders. Her touch sent sparks through his body. But those sparks made reality set in.

He pulled away, his chest heaving. "No. This is wrong."

"What?"

"You need to stop," he stood up suddenly, almost making Sadie fall over. His voice was full of anger. "This... this whole thing is fucked up, Sadie. You're Jack's girlfriend."

She stared at him for a second or two before, to Luke's surprise, she started laughing.

"What the hell is so funny?" Luke snapped. "I'm going to tell him. I'm going to tell Jack everything. He needs to know what you've been doing."

"You don't get it, do you?"

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Jack and I aren't really together."

"What... what do you mean?"

Sadie sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's fake. The whole thing--it's just an act."

"An act? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Jack needed me to play the part of his girlfriend for the summer," Sadie explained, her tone casual as if everything she was saying was normal. "Natalie, the neighbour girl. She's obsessed with Jack. And she won't take no for answer. So he asked me to pretend to be his girlfriend so she'd leave him alone."

"So... this is all fake?"

"Yep. We've just been playing the part, that's all."

"But... you guys... you were kissing. You're all over each other."

Sadie shrugged, her smile turning sheepish. "That... that's just something that happens when we drink. No big deal."

"No big deal? You guys were making out in front of us, and you're saying it doesn't mean anything?"

"Exactly. Jack and I are close friends. That's all it is. No feelings involved," her tone was so matter-of-fact it made Luke's stomach churn. "All for show. We figured the more real it looks, the less people will question it."

"So... you don't have feelings for him?"

"For Jack? No. We're friends. Nothing more. We've been friends since he joined the Devils. And yeah, we get a bit... affectionate when we drink. But it's never been serious."

"Then why... why were you flirting with me?"

"Because, Luke... you're the definition of my type." She reached out and brushed her hand against his cheek. "Didn't think it was that hard to figure out."

"But Jack..."

"Jack doesn't care," she cut him off. "He's the one that suggested I hang out with you more. He's clueless. He only cares that I keep Natalie away from him."

"So this whole time, you've been..."

"I've been flirting with you. And you've been trying soooo hard to resist. It's kinda cute."

He had been so sure that what he felt was wong--so convinced that he was betraying Jack. Now... now he didn't know what to think.

"This is... this is insane."

"Maybe. But it's also kinda fun. Don't ya think?"

Luke didn't know how the hell he was supposed to respond to that. Everything he thought he understood had just been flipped upside down, and now he was standing there with Sadie--Jack's not-so-girlfriend--who had just admitted she'd been flirting with him for days. Part of him wanted to kiss her again. The other part was screaming at him to stop because even if they weren't dating, it still felt like he was lying to his brother.

"I... I don't know what to do."

"Don't have to do anything. Just think about it, I guess. I'm not going anywhere. Jack's got me stuck here for a while."

She winked, turning toward the door, leaving Luke alone with his thoughts once again.

~~

Jack was up, chatting with his parents over breakfast, Sadie sat next to him looking as carefree as ever. Luke was watching her silently from across the room, his mug of coffee in his grip.

She glanced over at him and smiled like nothing had changed. But everything had changed. And Luke knew he needed to talk to her. He hated pretending things were normal when they weren't. His mind was playing the kiss on repeat and the way she'd admitted her relationship with Jack was just for show.

It all felt like a weird dream.

When Jack got up to grab some more cereal, Luke saw his chance.

"Sadie," he whispered, "can we talk? Alone?"

She raised an eyebrow, glancing at Jack who was now rummaging through the fridge for some milk. "Sure. Lead the way."

Once they were inside Luke's room, Sadie leaned against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest. "What's up? I see Mr. Serious is back."

"I just... I need to understand how this is supposed to work. The whole thing with Jack. You and me. All of it."

"What's there to understand? Jack's clueless. He doesn't know anything. Not that he'd care anyway."

"You make it sound so simple."

"Because it is," she shrugged. "You're overcomplicating it."

"I don't know if I can keep this up. It's driving me crazy."

"Is it? Because it didn't seem like you were too hard of a time last night on the porch."

"Fuck it," he muttered.

He grabbed Sadie by the waist, before he could second-guess himself, crashing his lips against hers in a kiss full of pent-up frustration and desire.

Sadie definitely didn't second-guess anything, kissing him back as her hands ran up to his hair. Any boundaries that Luke had tried to build had been torn down, but he didn't care. He couldn't stop.

They stumbled backward, his hands sliding down a bit to her hips. The kiss deepened, becoming more heated with every passing second. The rest of the world melted away, the only sound in the room their ragged breathing as they broke apart just to kiss again.

The bed hit the back of Luke's knees and they collapsed onto it, lips still locked. For one of the first times since Luke had met Sadie, he wasn't busy thinking about right or wrong. He wasn't thinking about Jack or the consequences of his actions. All that mattered was Sadie, the taste of her lips, and how tight her fingers were gripping his hair.

Just as things were about to heat up further, Jack's voice echoed from the bottom of the stairs.

"Sadie? You up there?"

She pulled back instantly, her lips swollen from the kiss. "Shit," she whispered. "I should... I should go."

Luke didn't say anything, his eyes half-lidded. Sadie stood up, adjusting her shirt and hair as she shot him a smile "Sorry, Luke. Duty calls."

She looked back at him one last time as she opened the door. "This isn't over."

What had he gotten himself into?

~~

It had been a couple days since Sadie and Luke had shared their first kiss, and they'd been sneaking around ever since. Little touches when no one was looking, stolen kisses behind closed doors. The more they got away with, the more daring they became.

That afternoon, Jack had been outside messing around with Quinn by the dock, while Sadie had slipped away, telling Jack she needed to grab something from inside. Luke had been alone in the house, trying to clear his head. But the second Sadie entered the living room, everything went out the window.

And suddenly, they were tangled together on the couch, lips locked. Sadie gripped the front of his t-shirt, tugging gently. It was just them in that moment, tension building higher and higher, and Luke couldn't stop himself from enjoying it.

Then the door slammed.

They pulled apart just in time to see Jack standing in the doorway, his eyes wide with shock. The expression on his face was confused, almost dazed as he stared at them.

"Uh... what the fuck?" His tone was sharp, but not angry--more like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Luke's hands fell away from Sadie as he shot up from the couch, his face flushed. "Jack, I--"

Jack cut him off, pacing the room, his eyes shooting between them as he tried to piece everything together. "How long... how long has this been going on?"

Sadie just waited for Luke to speak.

"Luke, how long?" Jack repeated.

"A couple days. It just... happened."

"A couple days? And you just didn't think to say anything?"

Luke opened his mouth to respond, but Jack's attention shifted to Sadie. "Does he know? About us?"

"Yes, Jack. I told him. He knows it's all fake."

"So... you knew? You knew it was fake, so you decided..." Jack gestured wildly between them, pacing again, his hands tugging at his hair. "I don't get it. I don't fucking get it."

"Jack, I didn't mean for any of this to happen--"

"Didn't mean for what to happen? You didn't mean to start sneaking around with my fake girlfriend? Or you didn't mean to fall for her?"

Jack wasn't yelling. He wasn't angry. He just looked... confused. Hurt, maybe? And that just made it all so much worse.

"J, listen. This whole thing--it got out of hand. Luke and I... we didn't plan this. Just happened."

"But you two... were just... you were just making out on the couch! How does that 'just happen?'"

Sadie rolled her eyes, "Just does."

"Clearly! I mean, I thought everything was fine. I thought everyone was just hanging out, and meanwhile, you two are making out on the couch?"

"I'm sorry, Jack. I..."

"I'm not mad. Just... what the hell, guys? I don't understand."

"J, it's not like that. You and I--we're just friends. You know that. This shit with Luke... it's different."

"Different how?"

"Dunno. Just is."

Finally, Jack let out a long sigh, running a hand down his face. "Okay. Okay, fine. You two... you do whatever. I just... I need a minute to process all this."

Sadie opened her mouth to respond, but Jack held up a hand, stopping her. "Seriously, just... gimme a minute. I'll be outside if you need me."

Luke collapsed onto the couch, his head in his hands as Jack retreated outside. Could this get any worse?

~~

The rest of the day had been weird and silent. Sadie had spent it journaling and reading, giving both brothers the space that they needed. But as they got ready for bed, things were the most awkward they'd ever been between Jack and Sadie. Jack moved around the room, grabbing his phone charger and tossing it onto his nightstand, while Sadie stood by the dresser, pulling a t-shirt over her head. Neither of them spoke, both waiting for the other to break the silence.

"So... are we going to talk about this?" Sadie finally gave in.

"Talk about what?"

"You know what," she gave him a look. "About you walking in on me and Luke today."

"What's there to talk about? I mean... I get it. You guys--"

"Are you jealous?" she interrupted, her voice timid. "Like, even a little bit?"

Jack blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Jealous?" He furrowed his brow. "No. I don't think so."

"Not even like... deep down?"

"Honestly?"

She nodded, urging him to continue.

"No. I don't feel jealous. I mean, maybe if I did... I'd be way more upset about it all. But.. I dunno. I've only ever seen you as a friend. Same way you see me. A close one, sure, but still... just a friend. You know that."

"Yeah, I do. But you were really thrown off earlier, Jack. You seemed so... I dunno.... confused?"

"Yeah. I think it was more just the shock of it, ya know? Didn't expect to walk in and see my brother making out with my fake girlfriend."

She let out a small laugh. "So it's not weird for you? At all?"

"I guess it's weird in the sense that... I knew that you and Luke would get along. I just didn't think you'd get along this well."

"Yeah, I didn't exactly see it coming either."

"But no, I'm not mad or anything. Honestly, I think you and Luke fit each other way better than you and me ever could. I'm just surprised... I guess."

"Surprised how?"

Jack sighed, leaning back against the headboard. "I just never thought that... bringing you here would lead to you two... doing whatever this is."

"We haven't really figured it out," she rubbed at her arm.

Sadie climbed into bed first, pulling the covers over herself. Jack followed suit, but as they lay there side by side, for the first time since Sadie had arrived, he made no move to cuddle. No arm draped over her waist. He just laid there, staring at the ceiling.

"You don't want to cuddle tonight?"

Jack hesitated, then sighed for the millionth time that day. "It's just... it feels weird now, I guess. Knowing you've been doing... stuff with Luke. It's different."

Sadie bit her lip, and for the first time she felt that guilt that Luke had been feeling. "Jack... I'm sorry. I didn't mean for things to get so complicated."

"Nah, don't worry about it. It's not like you did anything wrong... really. Things are just different now... that's all."

Jack rolled over, facing the other side of the bed, leaving a noticeable gap between them. Sadie stared at the back of his head for a moment, feelings like she should reach out and say something. But it was too late, Jack was already asleep.

~~

Sadie and Luke sat at the end of the dock. The whole day had been awkward and Sadie felt even more out of place than she had when she first arrived.

"I don't want to make this weird," Sadie said, her voice soft, but her eyes locked with Luke's. "I really like you, but if it's gonna screw up my friendship with Jack... we should stop. We have to."

"I like you too. More than I thought I would. But yeah, this whole thing with Jack... it's too complicated. I don't wanna hurt my brother. I'd feel so guilty."

"We have to end things. It's not fair to him. Or us."

"I don't want to end things though," Luke admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "This... it's not just about the physical stuff to me. I feel something with you, Sadie. Something real."

"I feel it too. But I can't mess up things with Jack, so maybe it's better if we end things now before they get more complicated."

Jack, who had been on his way back inside, had walked past and heard his friend and brother talking. He leaned against a tree, piecing together everything they were saying. His stomach turned. But it wasn't anger. Or jealousy. He wasn't upset. It was relief. Luke and Sadie really liked each other. It wasn't just some sneaky hookup. It wasn't fair to make them feel guilty for something that wasn't even real to begin with.

"Hey."

Sadie and Luke both jumped, practically leaping out of their skin.

"Jack, I--"

"You don't have to explain anything. I heard what you guys were saying. And look, it's fine. You don't have to end whatever this is."

Sadie blinked in surprise. "You're not upset?"

Jack shook his head, a smile forming on his lips. "No. I'm not. I'm actually happy for you guys."

"Happy for who?" Ellen's voice joined the conversation.

"Jesus, is everyone listening to us?" Luke whispered to Sadie.

Jim and Quinn were close behind Ellen, also curious to what was happening on the dock.

"Luke and Sadie."

"Luke and Sadie?"

"Yeah, they're in love."

"We're not in--"

"Luke's in love with your girlfriend?" Quinn asked.

"About that..." Sadie rubbed her arm awkwardly.

"Sadie and I aren't really dating. We're friends. Close friends. She was just trying to help me get Natalie off my back. And I was helping her get her parents off her back," Jack admitted.

The family stared at him for a beat, then burst into laughter.

"Are you serious? All this was just to keep Natalie away?"

"Pretty much."

Ellen, still smiling, looked at Sadie and Luke, then back to Jack. "You know, Jack... I thought from the start that Sadie was a better fit for Luke anyway."

"Looks like you this turned out well for everyone," Quinn laughed.

Luke turned to Sadie, sliding his fingers between hers. "So... now that the truth's out... what do you think?"

"I think we've got time to figure it out," she giggled, leaning her head on his shoulder. And finally after weeks of being there, Sadie felt like she belonged.

[still-a-morosexual-help]

Fucking hell Nightbringer really gave me everything huh god

Henry 1.0 origin story

Cerberus origin story

Satan's cat thing origin story

"Goldie in Freezer" origin story

Levi's Ruri-chan obsession origin story

Mammon being scared of ghosts/horror origin story

More in depth version of Solomon & Asmo's first meeting/pact origin story

A painful reason for why Asmo's room looks like that

What the tsl characters would have been like irl (the absolute worst wtf simeon)

Mammon's issues finally discussed in depth

Mammon being extremely ride or die for Lucifer

Almost instant Mammon & MC friendship

Mammon being just so amazed by MC and also insanely supportive of them

Mammon being willing to do anything for his brothers, being more sure of himself, almost instantly following Lucifer's orders and making the others do so as well

Levi's issues discussed in depth.

Levi straight up saying he was depressed and still is

Levi's friendship with MC!

Levi & Lucifer's relationship!!!!!

Levi being shy and scared and just so 😖

Things being bad in the Celestial Realm even before they left

Asmo's issues being discussed in depth

Asmo very explicitly having body dysmorphia

The brothers being much more supportive and loving of each other

Lucifer being visibly scared of losing another family member and being insanely overprotective because of it

The brothers being slowly overtaken by their sins (something that was always a part of them but also something they could control as angels) and losing control of themselves

The brothers gaining new magic

Satan being a fucking mess

Satan not really fitting in and all of them being really awkward around him

Satan's issues being discussed in depth

Belphie's issues being discussed in depth

Belphie expressing passive suicidal ideation

Belphie talking about how he needs someone to blame for what happened to Lilith so he can process it/make sense of it even if that someone is himself

Lucifer's issues being touched on from from different perspectives/angles

Diavolo's issues being hinted at

Simeon's issues being vaguely discussed

More about Lilith! (remember my post about how lilith definitely wasn't a sweet little angel because there's no way the universe would let lucifer catch a break? I was right!!! She was as much a little shit as the rest of her family!)

More about the demon king! (He wanted to stop the war too🥺 also a whole line of previous demon kings!)

More about god/how angels work (all angels are brothers & sisters but not technically family the way lucifer & his siblings are!)

ADAM!?!?!?!?!?

Solomon & MC's Sorcerer & Apprentice relationship seen in full detail!

MC being absolutely amazing

MC being competent and powerful and dangerous and resourceful and confident and the brothers realising all that but them also being funny and snarky and chaotic and outgoing and homesick and caring

References to present (s1-s4) brothers (& how they'll tear solomon apart if he doesn't bring MC back)

NIGHTBRINGER!? BARBATOS!!!??? but past barbatos doesn't seem to know anything about MC and present barbatos is helping solomon bring MC back....so who...?

References to Noble demons and conservative demons and devildom politics

Angel - Demon prejudice /racism from both sides explicitly shown

The brothers being war criminals and how the devildom sheltering them nearly re-started the war between the two realms

None of them being able to identify MC as a human (it takes Diavolo a long time + Lucifer straight up denies it when MC tells him), Adam & Nightbringer saying MC has the "power of angels", MC's favourite manga being one where the youngest child out of 7 is described as being angelic (*cough*lilith*cough*), Diavolo, even after knowing MC is a human, going "what are you"..... me softly chanting: nephilim!mc nephilim!mc nephilim!mc

The lessons flow better? It doesn't feel like one arc is squished into two lessons and then you must immediately jump into another different arc. It feels like it's all just happening in a connected sequence?

Better pacing in my opinion. It doesn't feel rushed.... like the part where satan discovers cats and then later is seen still sitting next to the cat and watching it? It feels appropriately spaced out

MC's relationships with everyone doesn't feel isolated. Like earlier there'd be a lesson or two dedicated to one character and we won't see much of the other characters during it. Now it feels like everyone is there interacting with everything in a normal, natural way. Yes there are lessons dedicated to getting to know one brother but the others are there, interacting with each other and MC during that time as well

The emotions & relationships are discussed/written in a way that feels very real and believable that it becomes actually really moving (s1-s4 also did this well but in nightbringer because of arcs/scenes/relationships not being isolated, of things flowing better and having a better pacing, of them outright discussing their issues it has a greater impact - yes I cried more than once shut up)

In the end, Nighbringer is darker than og OM! but not in the "grrr gonna kill you" way. It's "darker" because they address more serious topics in depth

[reticent-writer]

hellooooo

i was wondering if you could do rengoku headcanons where the reader (gn and child, age 4-7) is kinda like giyu (quiet, doesn't talk much, introvert, etc) but extremely clingy and doesn't know how to talk to people other than rengoku?

(plus meeting giyu if possible, making him the readers second dad maybe)

ofc you dont have too :3

love your writings!!

◡̈⋆ʜᴇʟʟᴏ(●’◡’●)ﾉ thank you ❤

✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･**･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿　　

"Y/n it's time to wake up." Rengoku gently shook you awake with the quietest voice he could muster.

You started to stir as he picked you up and brought you to the common room for breakfast.

Half awake, you tried to not fall face first into your food.

"Kyojuro that child of ours clearly isn't ready for the day." Your grandfather said as he sat you on his lap to feed you.

Contrary to popular belief shinjuro is soft when it comes to you.

"Sorry father I should've woken them up sooner." He said with the widest grin he could muster. Seeing his father handle his child with such care was enough to make his heart burst.

"Yeah you should have."

You are your father were going to a get together at tengens house. You didn't know weather to be excited or nervous.

Walking up to the estate you hide behind your fathers leg as he goes up to tengen.

"Ah Rengoku so glad you could make it and who might this little one be." Tengen knelt down to your height as your father stepped out from in front you.

You looked up at rengoku expecting him to say something but instead he urged you to.

"Hi, my name is Y/n." You said so quickly and quietly that he could barely hear you, even with him being the sound hashira.

"Nice to meet you Y/n. I'm the flamboyant sound hashira, tengen Uzui." He introduced himself as his wives came behind him and did the same.

"I'm hinasturu, his wife."

"Makio, is second wife."

"I'm Suma, his last wife."

It was clear that you had no idea how to respond and it was only making you more nervous.

Thank goodness Rengoku's eyes we're still functional as he noticed your worried face and picked you up to meet the others.

"Good job little one. You did just as we practiced, I'm so proud of you."

He ruffled your hair as you giggled.

"Both child and father souls as pure as snow." gyomei praised the both of you as you approached.

"Thank you gyomei. It is nice to see you on this fine day."

"Hello." You smiled not knowing that he couldn't see.

After a brief conversation that you weren't paying attention to your father moved on to another group of people.

You recognized two of them. Shinobu and mitsuri but there were three men you didn't know.

"Ah the happy family, how are you both." Shinobu say and rengoku handed you off to her.

You didn't mind.

'We are doing fine. I thought today was a great day for all of you to meet my child."

You waved as they all said there hellos.

You were never one for talking especially when it's people you don't know so you quietly listened until shinobu but you down and let your roam.

You were starting to get hungry and spotted a table with all kinds of food. But you were interested in the onigiri and sweet potatoes.

Walking up to the table you realize it's much higher than you expected but you weren't going to give up when you were so close to what you wanted.

You tried climbing. Fail.

You tried pulled on the cloth. Fail

You were about to stack things to reach before you were stopped but the water hashira.

"Do you want some food. " he said.

You nodded and pointed to onigiri and sweet potatoes which he provided. He got some for himself too.

"Your rengoku's kid right." He said.

You nodded.

"I'm giyuu tomioka. Nice to meet you."

"Nice too meet you too."

The both of ate in silence. But it wasn't awkward. You felt like you can talk about anything with him, and so you did.

The rest of the day you spent around giyuu he answered any question you had about anything.

He reminded you of your dad. So kind.

"Y/N IT'S TIME TO GO." Rengoku called.

You turned to giyuu and tanked him as you ran off to go home.

.

That night you wouldn't stop talking about the great day you had.

Rengoku was glad that you were getting out of your comfort zone and talking to new people.

✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･**･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿　　

[kneelingshadowsalome]

okay okay…how would konig propose to reader?would he do it because he really loves her or he wants a wife? i keep trying to wrap my head around him being romantic, but idk if he is able to be tbh

You know, I’m reading this biography of Arnold Schwarzenegger (Total Recall… lol) and he proposed to Maria Shriver on a lake holiday ;__; Like, they were in this boat Arnold was rowing around and I thought: this is so König coded!

So yep König would take his girl on a boat ride so that she can’t escape when he pops the question. He also wants to propose in the most romantic, intimate possible setting! It doesn't hurt that it's midsummer too, the birds are singing and bees are buzzing and flowers are blooming and there’s a soft breeze playing in her hair, perhaps she’s wearing a dress again because it’s so hot.

König has a tendency of losing his shirt every now and then, but this time, he will intentionally leave it on the shore as the day is one of the hottest summer days yet, and he knows he will get sweaty when he rows that little boat. His Engel suspects nothing, the cutest girl in the world just takes in the lake view, not paying attention to how this guy is rowing a little too enthusiastically for it to be a short simple joy ride on a hot summer day…

And then he just suddenly stops, deciding this is as good a spot as any, puts the oars away and reaches for his pocket. He doesn’t even get to say the words before her hands fly on her mouth when she sees he’s pulling out a ring. König was supposed to drop on one knee and ask for her hand but Engel starts to cry from happiness and he is so excited to go to her and put the ring on her finger that he capsizes the whole thing.

Our overexcited hero then has to save his angel from drowning and the ring slips and ends up somewhere at the bottom of the lake. König spends the rest of the afternoon diving to get it back while Engel relaxes on the grass, naked, trying to dry their clothes in the sun and admiring what a great lung capacity her future husband has O_o deep diving for the ring for like 15 times before he finally finds it and brings it to her, rising from the lake like some Olympian God, muscles wet and bronzed in the sun, smiling so, so wide when he finally gets on one knee before his lady ❤️ They’re both naked like Adam & Eve in paradise, the world around them is like it was the first day when God created it... It’s not what König had planned, but in a way it’s even more romantic than his original idea!

And as for your question does he truly love reader or simply wants a wife… Well, both!? People always say it’s girls who traditionally dream about getting married but in König’s case, he was the boy who dreamed he would some day win a girl and get to take them home as a prize take care of them.

He has never been a dating kinda guy, if König gets up close and personal with you, his main goal is to propose at some point. (Imagine if you wanted a relationship but didn’t want to get married because of this reason or that, didn’t see it necessary or smth, and König would be like… "Ok…" and internally cry himself to sleep :'( )

Not relevant to this but Arnold 'The Austrian Oak' also blurted to Maria’s mom that her daughter has "a nice butt" first time he met the Kennedy family. I cackled. I think that's so autistic/awkward/cringefail König coded too.

[call-me-a-simp]

Heal My Wounds

Will you..? (part 25)

Rhea Ripley x Reader

Tw: physical and sexual abuse, toxic relationship, selfharm, eating disorder

Summary: You are in a toxic relationship with an abusive man but manage to run away. A tall, black haired woman picks you up from the streets just in time so your ex doesn't get you. But who is she and why does she seem so familiar to you? As you get to know each other you start to notice weird feelings you never had before whenever she's around.

Your drinks arrive and you just can't wait any longer. "Rhea please, you know how unpatient I am" you whine.

"Ah ah, not so fast sweetheart" she teases you even more. "After we've eaten okay?" "Fine.." you grumble.

You're kinda mad because you don't like waiting but you still smile at her. God I love her so much. How can somebody be this perfect?!

"Hey love, wanna share this? It seems like they're serving pretty big portions here" Rhea says. "Yeah of course" you smile. "What about you guys?" you add.

"I think I'll go for number 56" Dominik answers "and I'll take.. This! Whatever it is but it sounds interesting" Finn states. Damian chuckles and waves for a waiter to come over.

You all order and then talk a little until your food arrives. "Yep, you were totally right with big portions" you mock Rhea, cause they were actually pretty normal sized and you needed to order another one so you both could get fed.

"Mh, this actually tastes really good. Anyone know what it is?" Finn asks you all. "Let me try" Dom says excitedly. "sure here, take this" Finn answers and you all laugh as Dom does his little happy claps.

You continue your dinner and chat and laugh throughout the entire time. That is, until Dom decides he can't hold back any longer.

"Rheaaa, when are you finally going to do iiit" he whispers to her, except the whole table could hear it. "Dom Dom!" she scolds him and shoots you a kinda angry and also apologetic look as you chuckle.

"Sorry.." Dominik mutters, although he doesn't give up just yet. "But-" "No!" Damian and Finn say simultaneously. Rhea laughs at Dom who pouts now.

"You know, I'm kinda on Dom's side, I think we waited long enough" you look at Rhea with a warm smile. "I know I- I'm just not quite ready yet.." she says and blushes slightly.

You chuckle a little "it's okay, take your time. Wanna get some dessert?" "Oh oh, yes, I want ice cream!" "Dom stop acting like a little child!" Damian laughs.

You wave a waiter over and order an ice cream for Dominik and a "family surprise" for the rest of you. "I wonder what they'll bring us. I hope it's got something to do with chocolate" Finn says.

Rhea leans over to you and whispers "can you let me out real quick? I need to go to the restroom" "yeah sure, is everything alright?" "ye, ye don't worry" she smiles reassuringly.

You get up and take a step away to make room for your girlfriend to get out of the corner. You sit back down without noticing that Rhea isn't even walking in the direction of the actual bathrooms.

You look around a bit as the boys were chatting about whether you were supposed to eat Nutella with or without butter.

You spot a camera team outside the window. Probably because the whole Judgement Day was there and they finally got to see you and Rhea together somewhere else than on the parking lot from the arena.

The restaurant also got pretty full. Lots of people were there, chatting and eating and glancing over at you every now and then.

"Hey guys" you try to get the boys attention "why is this man standing there with a mic?" "I don't know, let's see" Damian smirks. It's a little awkward but you still have no idea.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if I could please get your attention" the man with the microphone says. "I'm the owner of this place and today is a very special day!"

You see the camera team walking in, trying to get the best shots and catching everything that's being said.

"Please turn your attention to Demi Bennett, better known as Rhea Ripley!" the restaurant owner says and Rhea steps out from behind the corner. "Thank you" she leans over to the man and speaks in his mic.

She walks over to you and you just look at her confused. She smiles from ear to ear and gets down on one knee. "Y/n L/n. I've only known you for about three to four months, although you knew me for a lot longer." she says.

Slowly but surely you knew where this was going and why all the people and the media were here.

"I know, your past experiences with relationships were quite.. Njeah let's say difficult. But I want to change that and I think we've already made a great start. I can't imagine my life anymore without you in it, so.. Y/n, will you marry me?" she asks and pulls out a beautiful, really expensive looking wedding ring.

You're too overwhelmed to think" I- yes! Yes of course I wanna marry you!" you shout and jump up to hug her. Rhea laughes and let's out a sigh of relief. Everyone's applauding and congratulating you.

You both smile at each other and kiss, resulting in even more applause and cheers from the croud." I love you so much, I can't even find the right words to describe it" you smile at your now fiancee. "I love you too, more than anything in the world!" she answers and pulls you in for another kiss.

---------------------------------------------------

Part 25 and finally you get the surprise you've all been waiting for, hope you enjoyed it ;)

Taglist:@babybatlover @legit9thlunaticwarrior @thatonepansexual2000 @nox-fire

[littlemissaddict]

Home For The Holidays - Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

Summary: Reader comes home from college for the holidays, Steve and Robin push her to rekindle her relationship with Eddie.

Word Count: 1791

“Hey she’s back” Steve’s voice rings out from behind the desk the moment she steps into Family Video and he’s quick to come around from behind it so that he can pull her into a hug at the same time Robin pops her head from around a shelf of videos.

“Who’s back?” she starts to ask until her eyes land on the two figures in front of the desk and then she’s making her way over to the two of them and then it’s her turn to pull her into a hug, “How’s the city treating you?”

“Well you know between classes and homework, I don’t see much of it” she shrugs, it’s not a lie she does spend the majority of her time in Indianapolis doing college work and despite a few nights out and dead end dates she hasn’t really explored the city much.

Robin, however, doesn't seem convinced, “don’t worry you can tell me all the dirty details from your hot dates when dingus here isn’t around” she winks as Steve splutters next to her which makes her laugh.

While she’s losing herself in the familiarity of being home with her best friends, they all miss the sound of the door opening and someone entering the shop until the voice comes from behind them, “Hot dates? You can’t be talking about Harrington” the voice teases, making them all jump in surprise but she recognises it straight away before she even turns around to face him.

She sees Eddie’s face falter slightly when she turns around but he’s quick to mask it, fixing a smile when he says her name. She thinks for a second that he’s going to go in for a hug just like Steve and Robin but he doesn't; he settles for a rather awkward handshake that leaves the two watching them more confused than ever. “So you're home for the holidays?” he asks, shoving his hands into his pockets as his gaze drops to the floor which makes her heart drop in her chest. She knows they didn’t leave things on a good note when she left for college but she kind of hoped that it wouldn’t spoil their friendship as it seemed to have considering he couldn’t even look at her.

“Yeah I missed everyone so took off the first chance I got” she laughs. While she still had a lot of work waiting for her at home that she would have more chances of completing in her room at the college, she missed home, she missed her parents and her friends but most of all she missed him. “Are you picking up your usual Saturday night movie?” she asks, leg stretching forward so that her foot knocks against his in hopes of getting him to finally look at her and he does.

“You know it” he laughs and for a second it’s like it was before she left when he flashes her his signature smile and winks at her. It makes her laugh like it usually would have but it doesn’t last long before they’re side stepping around each other again that she actually takes a sigh of relief when he exits the store.

Once the door shuts she feels two pairs of eyes burning into her, “Okay what the hell was that?” Robin questions.

“Yeah I thought the two of you talked it out before you left” Steve jumps in, not giving her a chance to speak.

“We did and we decided we’re better off as friends” she forces a smile as she faces her friends but one look at them and she can tell they’re not buying it. Sighing she rubs her hands over her face before her gaze rests on the ceiling as she tries to stop the tears welling in her eyes so that she can face her friends without showing how much she’s actually hurting, “Fine we talked, he decided that he shouldn’t hold me back from living my life in the city and that was that end of conversation no matter what I said” she admits, it was the first time she’d talked about it since the day it happened when she’d gone home in tears to her parents feeling nothing more than a scared child. It’s also why what little dates she’d gone on didn’t work out because her heart wasn’t in them.

“You need to tell him” Steve insisted, sliding a comforting arm around her shoulders.

“Why? what difference is it going to make when it’ll probably end the same as last time” she’s looking between them both with watery eyes, pleading with them to drop it because she doesn’t know if she’ll make it through the heartbreak a second time.

“Because this time, you’ll tell him that you’ve tried it his way and it didn’t work, that you’re both miserable without the other” Robin cuts in, a small smile on her face as she reveals the small piece of information about how Eddie’s been while she’s been gone since she knows now that they’ve not spoken to each other.

“Yeah they’ll be no harm trying long distance now you know that completely cutting the other out of your life doesn’t work” Steve adds, finally getting a smile out of her.

“Now what you waiting for, go” Robin urges, pulling her out from Steve’s arm and pushing her towards the door while Steve watches helplessly as she goes. “But tomorrow I wanna hear all about how successful you were” Robin smiles in farewell as she shuts the door on her leaving her standing there with a panicked look on her face for a minute before she makes her way to her car.

Almost half an hour later she’s sitting in her car outside Eddie’s trailer trying to work up the courage to speak to him. Glancing over at the plastic bag of goodies that she’d stopped for on her way here she sighs at least she had an excuse for coming over here in case she chickened out and with a sigh she grabbed the bag, finally making her way to the door of the trailer.

Eddie opens the door with a confused look on his face when he sees her but before he can question her surprise appearance she holds up the bag, “I thought you could use some company, I’ve got popcorn, candy and a six pack” she smiles, hopeful that he won’t turn her away.

He doesn’t, instead he opens the door and steps to the side allowing her in. She joins him on the couch and it feels just like old times, sitting there with a movie playing only the silence is a reminder that it isn’t old times. In fact she spends most of the movie trying to figure out how she’s supposed to bring the conversation about but what she doesn’t realise is that Eddie has been watching her and is about to bring it up for her.

“What are you really doing here?” he asks, fully turning his attention away from the tv. When she tells him that she’s here to watch the movie, he’s unconvinced. “You forget that I know you and you’ve done nothing but fidget the whole time you’ve been here so tell me, why?”

She sits there and stares at him, opening and closing her mouth unable to find the right words and settling for a simple “I missed you” before the tears start to fall.

Eddie’s quick to move, all awkwardness between the two of them gone as he takes to comforting her, sliding across the couch and wrapping his arms around her like it’s the most natural thing in the world as she buries her head in his chest. “I missed you too” his voice is soft as he drops his head until his face is pressed into her hair.

She pulls back, eyes red and puffy as the tears still fall, “if you missed me then why didn’t you call?” she questions, shaking her head and letting out a huff of air when he asks why she didn’t either. “Because you said we should take a break from each other, I didn’t think you wanted to speak to me” she replies, scrubbing away the tears from her eyes as the frustration builds inside of her.

A sigh leaves Eddie as he leans back against the couch with his eyes closed and he’s quiet for so long that she’s debating getting up and leaving but his voice stops her before she does. “I wanted to call everyday but I didn’t want to hold you back from working towards your dream besides it sounds like it worked out for you anyway” he shrugs, finally turning to look at her but not expecting the confused look she gives him. “Hot dates” he adds with a sarcastic laugh.

She lets out a watery laugh of her own as he repeats Robin’s words back to her, “More like dead in the water” now it was Eddie’s turn to look confused, “none of them worked out because none of them where you” she admits with a small smile as her heart rate speeds up as she bares her soul to him for a second time.

“You mean” he asks, relief filling his eyes as he sits up and she nods.

“Eddie we tried your way and it didn’t work, I can’t be without you just let's please give us a try” she pleads, shuffling closer towards him on the couch but stopping when she sees the hesitation in him. 

She waits for him, not daring to move until finally he pulls her in, arms strong around her shoulders as he buries his face in her neck. “Okay, okay” he repeats, pulling away so that she can see the certainty now in his face and she melts into him, giving into the desire she’s had since she first laid eyes on him back in Family Video a couple of hours ago.

Their lips meet in a soft kiss that’s unsure but grows more certain the longer they hold each other and when they pull away there are smiles on both of their faces and they’re giggling like children. “I missed you so much, please don’t ever make me go through that again” she begs, wide eyes as she looks at him.

“I won’t, you’ve got me for as long as you want me” he promises, sealing it with another sweet kiss to her lips, this one shorter but holding more to it.

“Good because I’m never letting you go” she smiles, the happiest she’s been since before she left for college and she knows they won’t be the only happy ones when their friends finally find out tomorrow.

[canidkid]

Do you have any ghosts (cbs) headcanons!?! :3

BOY DO I ... :3

(yes)

(I'm absolutely not using this as an excuse to ramble about Trevor /j)

I have one teeeeny post I made previously right here 🌿🌙‼️

,,,and if you take any amount of time scrolling through my blog, you'll probably find a post about me & Trevor :']]

☆ more under the cut !

Generally

I think with everyone being from different time periods, they'll all have their own opinion on the whole regression thing. Though, I think Hetty would be the only one overtly weirded out by it.

I wouldn't categorize everybody into CG & regressor boxes specifically because of the whole group dynamic. They're a family one way or another!

Kids

I heavily HC Trevor as a flip! In a lot of the story lines centered around him, he deals with his actual bio childhood & and teen to young adult years. He's one of those regressors who will dip in & out of headspaces within seconds when he's emotional. Are you talking to a 6 year old who's upset about being told what to do? A teenager who knows all the words but still can't verbalize his feelings?? A 33 year old who's realizing his life may have not been as great as he thought and now struggles to adjust to new perspectives?! Yes. All of the above.

On a lighter note - I think Sam is super accepting of everything. Finds older Saturday morning cartoons to stream, tries to play games with the kids as best as she can, reads 'em stories, etc. !!

I can also see Flower teaching Hetty a thing or two about honoring and healing her inner child! Letting that little girl, who hadn't learned and didn't understand social customs yet, barrel through the hallways while playing catch - or climb up on counters and furniture just because nobody can tell her no this time !

The rest of the family

Sassapis is the resident bad influence. Especially on Trevor. He's absolutely Trevor's bonus older brother, who teaches him nothing but mischief!

Pete gets delegated to babysitter the most out of everybody. He's qualified...enough! It's not like the kids can cause any actual harm this time around-

Flower seems like a flip to me! More of an age dreamer than a regressor, but she did have friends who regressed while she was alive & has the most experience with it! She also keeps trying to get Thor in on the fun...if only he would stop repressing it >:[

Alberta is really fun for the kids to be around!! She'll tell them stories they've all heard a million times..but who cares! She's so good at performing and acting them out it's always entertaining. She's also a big comfort when things get rough. Somehow knows just what to say or when to scoop somebody up for a hug. Even if she herself isn't very confident about doing things right with the kids.

And..Issac just can't deal with kids. He's one of those people who absolutely does not know how to behave around children, and that extends to his friends. Not that he doesn't like them!! He's just v e r y awkward about it. Don't leave him in a room with someone regressed. He'll cry. /hj

I haven't watched this silly little show in a while but I was fixated on Trevor for a looooong time,, so most of my more specific HCs are for him JSBFEJ

[frostandflamesfanfic]

Take Me Home for Christmas (College!Steve Harrington x Reader)

Take Me Home for Christmas (Rated G)

Pairing: CollegeAU!Steve Harrington x Reader (gender neutral)

Word Count: 2.2k+ (it's a longer one!)

Warnings: References to uncomfortable family relationships(?), suggestive content, fluffy cuteness

Summary: Inspired by the song, "Take Me Home for Christmas" by Dan + Shay; It's yours and Steve's first winter break as college students. When you have to go back to your separate homes for the holidays, Steve doesn't want to say goodbye just yet. Little did you know what other surprises would be in store...

Baby, when December comes

When it's gettin' cold outside

And your bags are packed

I don't wanna say goodbye

“Remind me why you have to go again?” Your boyfriend asked you from his position beside you. He was supposed to be helping to pick which clothes to pack for your family’s annual holiday celebration. Keywords being “supposed to.” Instead of stuffing fabric into a suitcase, the two of you were cuddled on your twin-sized bed. Your head was resting against your boyfriend’s chest, which proved to be a more-than-adequate pillow.

“Steve,” you hummed. “We’ve been over this. I have to go, at least for a little bit. Then I’ll catch a flight out to Hawkins after Christmas so you can introduce me to all your children.” 

“They’re not my children,” he was quick to correct, although he had a ghost of a smile against his lips. When you first met Steve and heard about his found family back in Hawkins, Indiana, it was impossible to think those kids were anything but his. The way he practically lit up talking about Dustin’s latest invention or Will’s new comic idea made you want to kiss him senseless (and you had on several occasions).

To anyone else, the topic of having and wanting a big family would be a major red flag on the first date. But it felt natural for you and Steve. The two of you bonded over your shared desire for a family in the future. Like Steve, you were an only child who grew up with a relatively strained relationship with your family. However, unlike your boyfriend, it seemed to be easier to perfect and enjoy your I’m-here-but-not nods and less-than-interested hums of acknowledgement as you got older. Who knew that being part of a big extended family meant acting in the world’s most realistic play?

It was simultaneously your favorite and least favorite time of year. On one hand, you were able to catch up with family that you actually liked being around and haven’t seen in forever. On the other hand…were those family members and questions that increasingly encroached closer and closer to overly personal territory. At least this year, when Grandma Cecile badgered you about your dating life, you could finally tell her you have a boyfriend. You already knew most of the time would be spent talking about your boyfriend just because you’d miss him so much. 

You and Steve met early on in the school year. Robin Buckley, Steve’s best friend, was assigned to be your roommate for the semester. Now, Robin was amazing, but you had to admit she could be a bit…spacey at times. When classes started, Steve had visited your dorm no less than three times in the first week because Robin had left her notebook in the classroom or wanted her sweatshirt (which was actually Steve’s) back but forgot to grab it before the big game. Sure, you had hit it off with the dark haired freshman, flirting every now and again, but you quickly put a stop to it. With how close the small-town hometown duo appeared to be, you had automatically assumed they were a couple and tried to respect their privacy. 

Robin was quick to clear up the confusion, though, when she noticed how awkward you appeared to be around Steve. “You know the dingus and I are, like, totally platonic, right?” she asked you during one of your late night conversations. “Like, platonic with a capital P.”

“Oh,” you replied. “I guess I just assumed that—“

“Oh, yeah, no, totally! It’s not uncommon for us to get that question. I mean, we are really close! But that’s just because we’ve been through a lot together— and I mean a whole lot of shit.” There was a brief moment of silence. “You know he’s, like, totally head over heels for you…right?”

“…what?!”

“You didn’t know?! God, wow, you both really are helpless…or is it hopeless? Probably both, but you know, if you both can’t tell that you love each other…it’s probably more of the latter.”

A few weeks later, the two of you (finally, according to Robin) stopped skirting around your obvious (again, according to Robin) attractions to the other and went out to see a movie the film club was showing. So what if Steve didn’t completely understand the premise of Empire Strikes Back? The way he smiled and nodded while you ranted about certain aspects of the plot made you feel like the most special person in the world. The two of you were inseparable the remainder of the semester, much to Robin’s mock dismay. You couldn’t help it. Every day you spent with Steve made life so much better, from the simplest of smiles to the gentlest of kisses against your cheek. 

“But why can’t you just come home with me first?” Steve’s voice broke through your thoughts. 

“Because Christmas is in two weeks,” you explained with a sigh as you sat up to ultimately take on your original task.

Your boyfriend groaned dramatically. He lifted an arm up to cover his eyes. “Two weeks?! I won’t see you for two whole weeks!”

“Oh relax, lover boy,” you reached over to sleepily pat at his abdomen. “Just two weeks without me, then you have me all to yourself all through to the start of the next semester.”

Steve groaned again. “We just finished finals,” he whined. “Don’t remind me there’s more!!” 

“God, I’m not going to miss your whining.”

“Hey!!”

When I see the trees light up

When they hang the mistletoe

“Are you sure you have everything?” Steve asked, hand on his own suitcase handle. He glanced behind you at the suitcase, carry-on, and backpack waiting by the front door for the taxi. “Pajamas, dress, hairdryer?” 

You couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped your lips. “Yes, mom,” you teased. “Everything is packed and within a reasonable limit of the TSA’s guidelines.” 

Steve nodded absentmindedly, eyes transfixed on something else now above your head. “Good, good,” he acknowledged. “But, uh, I meant…are you sure you’re not forgetting anything?”

Brows furrowed, you tilted your head and followed his gaze in confusion. Everything clicked into place the second you recognized a familiar white-berried plant placed in the doorframe. “Steve Harrington,” you mumbled, a smile gracing your features, “how long has that been up there?” 

“Long enough for me to wonder when you were going to notice it,” he whispered back before he leaned down to press his lips to yours. He tasted like that of chocolate and cinnamon from the farewell breakfast you two had shared that morning at your favorite nearby cafe. Your hand reached up to cradle his neck, currently covered by a soft brown and white flannel scarf to shield him from the cold winter air, which prompted him to pull you closer by the waist. Neither of you wanted to let go, but you knew it had to happen. 

“Call me as soon as you land tonight,” you whispered against his lips, eyes locked onto his own half-lidded ones. 

Steve nodded and searched for your lips once more to kiss you softly. “Promise,” he whispered. “You’ll be the first to know.”

“‘M gunna miss you so much. You better be ready for the best hug of your life in Hawkins after Christmas, Harrington.” 

The boy before you gave a cheeky grin. “Hopefully it’s more than just a hug, babe.” 

“You’re disgusting,” you gasped and swatted at his arm playfully. 

“Hey, you’re the one that put us in the gutter now, babe,” Steve attempted to defend himself. “I just meant kisses.” He puckered his lips and closed his eyes for effect. 

A honk sounded from behind you, signaling the arrival of your cab. Heaving another sigh, you pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “I have to go.”

Steve nodded. “I know,” he said. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”

You nodded, appreciating his respect for your not wanting to say goodbye. The two of you had both done your share of those and it made things feel much more finite than they actually were. “Miss you already!” you exclaimed as you started to load your luggage into the taxi. 

And I'm by the fire

I don't wanna be alone

“Hi, hello!!” you exclaimed as you ran up to the counter. Checking your watch, you still had….ten minutes to spare. “I’m here to check in for my flight? Seat 3A?”

You had had the worst experience with airport security once you arrived. First, you were selected at “random” for a security pat down, then were subjected to watching your suitcase being torn apart due to a metallic zipper on one of the dresses you had brought for the festivities. Not only that, but you had ended up at the wrong gate and thought you had missed your flight thanks to a less-than-helpful attendant. This trip was off to a fantastic start. All you wanted to do was plop down into your cheap economy seat, lean back that half an inch recline that was provided as part of the “luxuries” afforded to you through your ticket, and pass out for the first hour of the trip. 

“Oh, yes,” the clerk smiled gently at you as you lifted the ticket into view. She flipped through her little booklet on the desk and raised her eyebrows slightly. “Well isn’t this a treat? It looks like you’ve been upgraded to business class. Your new seat number is 45C.” With another friendly smile, she printed out your new ticket and held it out. “Enjoy the flight and happy holidays!”

“Uh…yeah, you too,” you responded politely as you began to make your way into the boarding area. 

Upgrade? Was it possible? Did someone at the airport feel bad about your travels so far and take pity on you? Either way, you weren’t going to complain. You had heard the rumor of moist towelettes and additional footwell space available in business class. Now you’d be able to check it out for yourself. As you strolled through the aisles of seats, you felt a renewed burst of energy once you left economy seating. You were finally on your way after hours of security and stress. 

After a few minutes of walking and mumbling the number to yourself, you finally found your seat. It was much more spacious than where you would have been sitting and you spoke a silent prayer up to the travel gods for helping you. You placed your carry-on and backpack up in the overhead compartment, making sure to take out your walkman before plopping down in the seat. You took a deep breath, closing your eyes for a moment in an attempt to get some peace. There was a small gust of air against your face and the sound of fabric squishing leather nearby. When you opened your eyes and turned your head to meet your seat partner, your breath caught in your throat. 

“Hey, travel buddy,” Steve flashed you a toothy smile. “Think you can squeeze in room for one more at Christmas?”

“What are you doing here?!” you exclaimed in a barely hushed tone. “You’re supposed to be on a flight to Hawkins with Robin tonight!”

“Yeah, well you see, babe,” your boyfriend began to explain. “I decided to take a little detour.” 

You crossed your arms across your chest. “What kind of detour?”

“The….two-and-a-half week long kind?” came the sheepish response. 

“Steve!! You can’t- why?” you sputtered. “What about your family? What about going back to Hawkins?!”

“Look, it’s okay,” Steve soothed. ”I already called your parents and asked about it. I’ll stay through Christmas and then we can celebrate with Dustin and the other little shits when we fly back on the 27th. Your mom said it was fine. In fact, she said everyone was pretty happy to hear I was coming…once they found out who I am, I mean.”

You cringed at the explanation. So your family already knew. Your mom knew, your dad knew, which probably meant your grandmother knew. And once Grandma Cecile knew…..everyone knew. “Oh God,” you groaned, hands reaching up to cover your face. 

“Babe?” Steve’s voice was concerned now. “Babe, what’s wrong? Did I do something? Are you mad?”

“No!” You replied way too quickly. “I’m not mad and nothing’s wrong per say. I just…may not have explained to my family that we’re….” You made weird gestures with your hands in an attempt to select the right words. 

“Dating?” Steve supplied, causing you to nod. 

“Yeah,” you admitted. “It’s just- every year I’m badgering about my love life or what I plan to do. And this year, I- well I finally have something I can be happy about sharing. I got into a good college, made some great friends….started dating my boyfriend.”

Steve grinned. “Boyfriend, huh?” 

You felt the bright flush crawl up your neck and rest itself against your cheeks. “Yeah,” you admitted quietly, “boyfriend. Is that- is that okay?”

Steve’s response was a gentle press of his lips to yours. Yes, it said. That would be more than okay. You allowed yourself to relax against his hold and return the affectionate gesture. It was a feeling you thought you had needed to deprive yourself of for the next few weeks. Even though it was a shock, you were glad Steve was coming to spend the holidays with you. 

You just hoped that your family wouldn’t scare him away. 

All of your traditions

I wanna know 'em all

You'll check every box off of my list

If you take me home for Christmas

======

Author's Note: So sorry today's fic got out so late -- I meant to post it sooner, but due to life getting in the way, it just didn't end up happening. This is one of my favorite stories I've written for the event so far...I'm really hoping that the timing of it's publication doesn't make it flop :(

If you liked this story and want to see more like it, make sure to leave a comment and reblog! Likes are very much appreciated, but it's the other two interactions that really help me out as a writer. It spreads the word about my work AND gives my brain cells the happiness they need to be motivated to keep writing! To make sure you don't miss out on all things Stevemas and ficmas for this year, maybe consider giving my blog a cheeky follow. With Tumblr eating posts in tags, it might help keep you in the loop as to when the next fic will be posted, as well as other crazy happenings in the life of El!

Until next time, my little sparks <3

Taglist: @bakerstreethound

[jess-suvari]

holiday prompt → tara mikami.

001. under the mistletoe—

Her first kiss under the mistletoe was probably around middle school with some random kid at a friends holiday party, nothing special, just something she did to get out of the way cause all her friends already had and she wanted to fit in.

This year she was hyper aware of where all the mistletoe was considering how Willow and Jess were set on pushing this friendship between her and Chan and the more than usual amount of mistletoe at both of their houses. Nice try.

002. in front of the fireplace, cuddled up under a blanket with a hot drink.

If there's any takers hit a girl up *finger guns* Honestly she probably just dissociated in front of the fireplace when the rest of them broke off to do their own thing. Probably just went to her room to watch rom coms once she felt like enough of a third wheel.

003. snowed in from a heavy snow storm.

people she would want to be snowed in with would be: 1. Margaux. Her best friend. As smart and resourceful as she is pretty. Could probably keep each other distracted while everyone goes Lord of the Flies on each other. 2. Her uncle Ace since he would probably find a way for them to get out of any situation in 5 minutes, max. 3. Chan. Not that she necessarily cares to have him around. He could probably keep her entertained though and if worse came to worst she could offer him up as a sacrifice. 4. The dance rival who injured her. Just to see how tough she is when she doesn't have her posse backing her up. 5. Harper. Even though she would be a drama queen about it the whole time. She had plenty more people who would care where she was and would actively go rescue her.

004. at a busy dinner table, food piled on the center and family chaos ensuing around the house.

Like Christmas wasn’t gonna be a whole Lost Boys love fest? Especially now that Polo’s back in the mix? Probably loud, rowdy, and runs into the next day.  A little awkward for the younger ones this year with all the unresolved tension between Polo and the rest of the Mikami kids. So a lot of tip toeing around each other to not ruin the holidays for everyone else. Someone sit them down and make them talk please.

005. standing in front of the christmas tree, decorating it with an assortment of baubles, lights and tinsel.

Usually it’s probably Harper taking the lead, decorating it according to whatever is trending at the time, so that it’s to her taste when she takes her pics for social media. Typically it usually calls for a big tree with a lot of lights. Tino probably tries to sneak in some gag ornaments on the tree and he and Harper fight about it until she let him add them on, to the back of the tree lmaooo

006. setting out snacks for santa and his reindeers. don't forget the milk and cookies for christmas hardest workers!

Gonna be real the best parent out of the pair was probably Polo. Not that Jess didn’t entertain the idea of the whole Santa thing but with his enthusiasm and playful attitude she let him take the lead on all that. And helped him put the presents under the tree and finish the cookies he couldn’t stomach. So when he went to prison the quality on all that kinda went downhill. Which is probably when the kids stopped believing in all that. 

007. at the mall, waiting in line to sit on santa's lap and spill your christmas gift wishes. will you be deemed naughty or nice?

She would probably be on the nice list. At least she hopes she would be. She’s a kind person with a lot of love to give even though she sometimes has trouble expressing that. Anything shitty she’s done has mostly been to the detriment of her own well being. 

008. exchanging and open gifts, anticipating what gift they may get. is it something cool or just another pair of socks?

There were a few material items on Tara’s list, very on brand for my little coquette girlie. A locket ring, lots of cute platform heels, some over ear headphones to block out her family’s bickering lately. As for non material things she would want but would never say out loud she would like to not be in pain anytime she dances anymore.  And I guess it would be kinda cute if someone put in the effort to help her break her pointe shoes in.

009. auditions are now open for the town christmas extravaganza !!!

Considering she’s been doing ballet for almost as long as she’s been walking, Tara’s always been in some winter recital. But her favorite performances and best memories were the little shows she and Harper used to organize a la Little Women style and dragged all the kids in their family friends circle to take a part in, whether they liked it or not.

010. in the trenches of snow forts, amidst a war of a snow fight! who will win?  

Girlypop runs for her life when it comes to any kind of confrontation, snowball fights are no exception. As much as she would consider herself an athlete and has always had a very active lifestyle her aim is shit. So she can be caught hiding behind cars or even using others, usually Tino, as human shields.

[sapphim]

so I don't think I've ever really sat down and done a full writeup of my canon multiwarden worldstate, and it's been a hot minute since I've posted bits and pieces of it, so I'm gonna do this as a series of posts until I lose interest and stop abruptly partway thru ☺️

first, the origins~ or, one of them, anyway~

Duncan's hoping to find a few more good Warden recruits on this tour of Ferelden, but his main impetus for this trip in particular is because he has reached out to Orzammar about a venture into the Deep Roads to confirm the Blight has started, and he has received word back that the Wardens are, of course, formally invited, and they'll throw their honored guests a party while they're there. So Duncan and a few other wardens—including Alistair, who has only recently undergone the Joining and not done much Warden stuff beyond scouting in the Korcari Wilds around Ostagar—make the journey to Orzammar.

Duncan purposefully chooses a route that will take them past Kinloch Hold, and sends the other wardens to travel ahead to Orzammar to start getting things set up while he takes a quick detour at the Circle.

Bound in Blood and Magic

The three OCs of interest here are Rowan, Rafael, and Spiro Amell.

Rowan is an apprentice at the Circle. She's ~17 years old, nearly six feet tall, and half-elven, albeit not very visibly. She was raised in the Gwaren Alienage, where she assumes her mother still resides. She's friendly and extraverted but also gangly and awkward. In a kinder world she'd be sporty. She attaches herself to Jowan and Lily's plot to destroy their phylacteries and flee the Circle early and eagerly.

Rafael [Surana] is ~20 and a lil nerd who just passed his Harrowing with flying colors, although his aspirations to study spirit healing under Wynne have been dampened as she's been recently dispatched to Ostagar. He's a bright student and believes in the promises of the system—that by excelling scholastically he can overcome any prejudice introduced into the meritocracy from external sources. He seized the opportunity to reinvent himself with a new identity when he was brought to the Circle at a young age, and they've provided support for his gender transition. He's got a nerdy lil elven boyfriend, Eadric, he's been seeing on the dl. He's pretty content with his lot in life and he really doesn't want to confront anything that could ruin this for him.

When Jowan approaches Rafael about his fears about being made tranquil, Rafael 100% believes Jowan's in a conspiracy theory-fueled anxiety-spiral, and relays his concerns to First Enchanter Irving, who manipulates Rafael into giving up more about Jowan's plan than he intended and extracts an agreement that Rafael will monitor his escape attempt for him. Raf will spend the rest of the origin trying anxiously and unsuccessfully to talk Jowan out of the escape without giving away his role in the ordeal.

Spiro Amell, being in his early 30s, is in Anders' cohort rather than that of the elder apprentices. He's another Circle success story: attractive, clever, but most importantly charming. Academically he's coasting somewhat, but socially he's popular, he's likable, and he refuses to get tied down in fraternity politics. Being from a noble family, even a disgraced and foreign one, has absolutely started him with a leg up in the Circle hierarchy that most other mages would have to fight tooth and nail for. He is extremely chill and easy-going, and he doesn't make it a habit to make waves, though he's not unwilling to spend the social capital he's accumulated to help out a fellow mage.

Jowan & co. are not being as subtle as they think they are, and not nearly as subtle as they should be, which is how Spiro gets involved. He can't talk them out of it, but he might be able to keep them from getting themselves killed and dampen any fallout should they get caught. It's definitely not the first time he's assisted someone else's escape attempt.

Spiro may get a little bit uncharacteristically clumsy and in the basement while Jowan and Rowan are taking too long to locate their own phylacteries and Rafael is anxiously unraveling his own robes thread by thread in the corner of the room and—oops, aw dang, there goes an entire shelf. Let's skedaddle, fellas. The Circle won't have completed sorting that mess out by the time Uldred enacts his takeover of the Tower later.

When they emerge, they're confronted by First Enchanter Irving, Knight Commander Greagoir, and a host of templars. Raf's outed as a snitch. Jowan reveals his blood magic and flees. When everyone else comes to, Spiro, Rowan, and Lily are groggily and unceremoniously escorted away to the dungeon to be held until a fitting punishment can be enacted. Rafael is absolutely losing his shit over what he's learned about Irving deliberately entrapping apprentices with blood magic and setting them up to fail. Greagoir would like to completely disregard the amnesty Rafael was promised and haul him off the same as the others, even though he was acting entirely under orders from Irving, and Raf's attitude is not helping. This is when Duncan—who was pretty impressed when he spoke with Rafael earlier in his visit—steps in and conscripts him out from under them.

Duncan and Rafael—after a very brief moment for Raf to grab his things and wake Eadric to say goodbye—leave the Tower and make their way to Orzammar, arriving only a day or two after the other Wardens.

(Not long after this, Anders will take advantage of the chaos caused by Uldred's rebellion to spring Spiro and Rowan from the dungeons in the process of his own escape. The three of them will spend the duration of the Blight engaging in shenanigans just slightly off-screen from wherever the main action is located.)

Next up! Orzammar and the Deep Roads.

[tattlesandtales]

Character Cast: Mortals (male-ish)

(All characters operate within the multi-verse and multi-ship ideology.)

This is all the mortal male(ish) characters that Tumblr will let me put on one post. There is a fair abundance more, if you want to write with me but don't want to write opposite any of these people, feel free to look at my other casts or dm me to hear about the ones who haven't made it to a list yet.

Alex Finnegan: reformed catholic turned criminal. Reformed criminal turned national collegiate athlete. Reformed athlete went full circle to prodigal musician (sans religion). Alex learned soccer in the juvie system after being incarcerated for solicitation and drug possession, which they turned to after coming out of the closet and was consequently thrown out of home as a teenager. He was studying music at college on a soccer scholarship before taking the opportunity to join the national orchestra as the pianist (their one true love). They are finishing their degree in NYC. Alex is determined, ambitious, brave, awkward and anxious. Transmasc (they/he), bisexual, mid to late twenties, Bex Taylor-Klaus.

Casey Hamersley: prodigal football star, collegiate athlete, quarterback, often under the influence of alcohol, closeted gay man, religious background, studying a generic history degree. Casey feels like he is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders and doesn't know what will happen if he stops holding it all. he/him, closeted gay man, ear twenties, Matt Rife (subject to change post comedy special).

Darius Hill: with an abusive and angry man for a father, and a selfishly self-serving eldest brother, Darius was primarily raised by the middle son of the family who did his best to protect him. However, when he was nine, Darius and the middle brother, Cassius, were won in a poker game between their father and Cassius' girlfriends' do-good ex-con/criminal father. Kas and Klaudia, the girlfriend's parents, raised Darius as their own, but he did struggle to make friends and form meaningful relationships in the town he'd been born in, so when Kas and Klaudia's biological children moved out over the next five years, they moved Darius to Wisconsin where their family friends lived. Darius, once withdrawn and anxious, began to flourish in the snowy town, seeking out freedom and friendships, and despite being socially awkward and a little behind in his education, Darius was happy. Determined to keep that up, he studies veterinary medicine online and under the careful tutelage of his adopted mother who is a vet surgeon. Snowy small town aesthetics all around. He/him, gay, early twenties, Charlie Plummer.

Harper Bright: a pretty party person, with classically vampiric features and a pirate aesthetic. Harper volunteers at the youth queer centre in the middle of the city, basically doing peer support programs and tutoring in an environment safe for people aged 12-24. He's kind, patient, passionate, and wants to spend the rest of his life making a difference to the lives of those around him. He/him transman, bisexual, 21+, Jaco van de Hoven.

Josh Richards: raised in a white collar crime syndicate/cult, Josh was brainwashed into a violent soldier from a young age. While his little sister (Emma) was learning how to manipulate her way into people's lives and indoctrinate them into their expansive crime network (known as The Circus), Josh was learning how to make sure people kept secrets and protect those in the network who needed it. The cult brainwashing melted away six months before he turned eighteen when he walked in on their father assaulting Emma. Their father didn't walk away from the consequential exchange, and Josh was arrested for murder. Whilst in prison, Josh was able to negotiate an out for himself and Emma from the cult as long as he kept his mouth shut in protective custody in prison. When Josh got out of prison four years later he moved in with his unravelling sister and his only friend. Focusing on helping Emma, and after being raised in a cult, Josh hasn't learned who he is yet and is on a journey of self discovery, only recently discovering that he's gay and likes the sound of rain. He/him, gay, 23, Colton Haynes.

Kieran McNulty: A young single dad to a three year old girl named Andi, Kieran is a mixologist at a hotspot/trendy cocktail restaurant in the United Kingdom known for it's outlandish and creative cocktails. Keiran is one of their main mixologists who works in view of the customers who wow at his deadpan expression as he mixes the drinks in fun, flirty, and fabulous ways. Kieran is fiercely loyal and protective, perpetually exhausted, often horny, and misses when life was easy back in his youth--but he also knows deep down that it has never really been that easy. All Kieran wants is to provide for his daughter and build a community around himself, but he's struggling in all aspects. Transman he/him, bisexual, 21, Jeremy Allen White.

Lewis Schaeffer: a creative mind who runs a lot of the lights and production/communication hub for a horror theme park that primarily runs at night. Fairly introverted, he keeps to himself and keeps himself busy. He loves his job, and he loves the horror park, and is actively involved with the creative process of developing the stories and themes for the month. His brother was one of the founders of the park, but none of the founders are involved anymore and none of the current staff know anything about them, so Lewis keeps it to himself—especially since he lost the brother to suicide the year before he started working there. Lewis is trying to find joy in every aspect of his life, and although it's incredibly hard sometimes, he is doing his best. He/him, bisexual, 21, Timothee Chalamet.

Quinton Michaels: studying visual art in a prestigious art college, Quinn doesn't really know what they want to do with their adult life other than surround themself with beautiful things and explore the rich tapestry of gender, sexuality and humanity. He thrives on passion and creativity, and has a bit of a frenetic energy to match it. A firm believer that gender and sexuality is fluid, and that fashion and style don't have an assigned gender, you can often find Quinn dressed in an array of colours or style aesthetics. they/he/she (doesn't give a fuck), bisexual, 20+, Miles Frank.

Ronan Duffy: an older brother and middle child, a best friend, a beloved nephew, an adored son, an intelligent mind, a curious heart, and a fan of film and tv. Ronan has an Irish dad who cut all ties with Ireland when he fled with his deceased brother's young daughter after the murder of her parents. Ronan has an anarchist, ACAB entrenched mother who was raised by a police chief, and is surrounded by some of the most brilliant minds of the 21st century. It was almost guaranteed that Ronan would be intelligent, street smart, and charming. He is fiercely loyal and protective, and despite being strong and nimble, Ronan would rather spend an evening analysing 90s movies than fighting, dancing, clubbing or hooking up. he/him, bisexual, 21+, Dylan Spayberry.

Rowan Black: gave his entire youth, his sanity, his body, and his heart to ballet, going to a prestigious dance academy from seventh grade until graduation where he was given a place in an international ballet company. It was everything Rowan had worked for, and all he'd ever wanted, and he was ready to take his place on the stage...until a career ending injury during a dress rehearsal took him out of the game before it could even really begin. Rowan spent six months in physiotherapy, but he never fully healed, and the chronic pain is in his leg and his heart. After an attempt on his life and more time in hospital, Rowan is finally ready to face the world after ballet and find out what the rest of his world holds. he/him, gay, 20+, Valentin Humbroich.

Shepherd Ellis: he had it all: a high school sweetheart, a career he loved, and a secure future. The only thing he didn't have was honesty, and true love, until he threw the mirage away, broke up with his long term girlfriend and came out of the closet. Shepherd is looking for the community, love, and future he craves. he/him, gay, 20+, Nick Jonas.

[no-i-cant-decide]

.

[heesterical]

Falling For Another — Jung Jaehyun.

PAIRING Ex!Jaehyun x F!Reader.

SYNOPSIS when relationships go sour, break ups are inevitable. But Jaehyun and Y/N were different: they decided to stay friends who occasionally reached out to the other. That doesn't mean being invited to his wedding made Y/n happy though.

GENRES Romance (past kind). Angst with a little fluff (like little) mostly Bittersweet?? Lovers to Exes (to friends) trope, flashback midway through the fic, Jaehyun is getting married 😵‍💫 only hurt, no comfort 😃

WARNINGS alcohol consumption, Y/n is sad, mentions of their break up.

NOTE reposting from my old blog because I just love this fic too much.

WORD COUNT 1.9k words.

Y/n’s memories of Greece were bittersweet.

It was where she had first met Jaehyun at a beach party, both tipsy and done with the crowd. In hindsight, the party had sucked pretty badly and if it hadn't been for the something of a meet cute with him, she probably wouldn't have bothered remembering it.

It had gone from there: a long conversation about their favourite songs and genres in music, and a couple more drinks later, they had decided they were acquainted well enough to exchange numbers.

The catch? It was also the very same place they had broken up at.

Memories of coming to this exact beach and spending time with Jaehyun here filled her mind. Memories that made her smile, yet made her heart ache.

And now, as she saw him standing in front of the huge mirror, dressed in a expensive suit, nervously fixing his bow tie whilst speaking animatedly to Johnny, his best man, all she could do was tuck away the lingering sadness she felt and put on a bright smile; for him.

They might be exes, but they were friends first.

“Well hello there, Mr Jung,” She greets him with a dramatic gasp. “Looking handsome in your wedding suit!”

Jaehyun whips his head around at the sound of her voice, his smile brightening further at seeing her.

“Well hello there, Ms L/N,” He rolls his eyes with a grin, but plays along. “Looking beautiful in your dress!”

She laughs at that, walking further into the room to stand next to Johnny, who gives her a one-armed hug. She notices Jaehyun’s hand reaching for his bow tie again and stops him by the wrist.

“Don’t fidget.”

Jaehyun gives an awkward chuckle, tucking his hands into his pockets to keep from fidgeting further.

“Nervous?” She inquires teasingly.

“Me? Nervous? Never.”

“Yeah, right. He almost passed out when his mother said Yeona’s almost ready and the ceremony would begin soon.” Johnny laughs, and Y/n smiles, a small twinge in her chest.

Yeona was the name of the bride - Jaehyun’s to-be-wife.

When Y/n and Jaehyun were seeing each other, his family had wanted him to 'hangout’ with a business partner’s daughter, despite knowing about their relationship. Their suggestion had been innocent enough, but Y/n knew better.

He had refused and there had been a huge argument within the family and Y/n had just smiled sadly and told him to go. He had protested, but she didn’t want him to fight with his family.

That was her first mistake.

Because one hangout became several and it looked like he liked hanging out with Yeona. Until eventually he ended up liking her as well.

And then came the canceling on her because of some “family gatherings” with his parents, Yeona and her family.

And she agreed, not complaining much - though she felt him drifting away from her.

Soon, their parents began talking about marriage; and the rest was history.

She wished she had been more selfish and possessive of him. But at the same time she was glad she had let him go - it was over ever since he started prioritising someone else over her.

Shaking her head at the unwanted bout of memories, she cuts off her inner monologue.

They were just friends now. And he was getting married.

She didn’t want to further ruin her memories of Greece with anymore bitter memories.

Seeing Yeona walk down the aisle and towards Jaehyun wasn’t per se pleasant to Y/n. Seeing the smile he gave her as she slipped her hand into his outstretched palm, almost hurt. Almost.

It was the same way he had looked at her before; fond and happy, as if she were something precious to him. Although she had moved on — she swore she did, — she couldn't help the bitterness.

When the time came, everyone stood to congratulate the couple on getting married and amidst the happy sighs and coos from the others, all she could do was watch.

The wedding reception was at full swing. The happy crowd surrounded the star couple, laughter and joy filling the room; while Y/n stood by the railing out of the celebration hall, looking out into sea instead.

The buzz from the alcohol she had drank earlier still lingered, bordering on tipsy - allowing memories that she had been repressing, to flow in more easily.

Jaehyun was the one she had spent many of her firsts with - first love, first real relationship, first heartbreak, etc. So it was rather difficult for her to move on from him.

⇝(begin of memory lane)

Standing at the balcony of the beach house with a coffee mug in her hand, Y/n continued to gaze at the sun rising beyond the waters, colouring with rays of gold, yellow and orange.

“Hey.”

She starts at the sudden voice, and the feel of arms around her, but eases into it immediately when she realised the source of the warmth against her back, and the chin resting on her shoulder.

“Hey,” she greets back, smiling as she reached up to brush Jaehyun’s cheekbone with her free hand.

“Sleep well?” She questions, voice soft as she turned in his arms, carefully cradling the coffee so as to not spill it — before she sets it down on the table placed next to the relaxing chair. She settles her arms around his shoulder, smiling in content as he lightly bumps his forehead against hers.

He hums in response and grins, wild haired and handsome, the gleam of the rising sun softening his features and leaving her feeling breathless.

He was so painfully beautiful that it made her heart stutter in her chest. It was then that she realised that she didn’t just like him.

She loved him.

And she hoped that there would be many more sunrises to come, where she could enjoy them with him. So she smiles and quietly makes a wish, closing her eyes and savouring this moment with him, hoping that it would come true.

“Hey, Jae?” Y/n calls for Jaehyun, her tone mischievous.

When he turns around with a smile, she splashes him with water, immediately running away as his relaxed smile fades away to an incredulous look.

He drops her hat that he had been holding and chases after her, to get revenge.

“No! Stay back-” she shrieks as Jaehyun picks her up effortlessly and throws her over his shoulder, both of them laughing as she pounded her fists on his back.

He doesn’t stop, however, continuing to walk a little deeper into the water and shuffles as if he were about to drop her.

“Jae, wait! I’m wearing a dress-”

And she gets thrown into the water.

Resurfacing, she glares at him, but he just laughs, borderline cackling at her misfortune. Huffing, she reaches out her arms towards him with a pout. He raises an eyebrow, but complies, stepping forward to help her up when she yanks on his wrist, causing him to fall in after her.

And they continued to laugh and splash each other, joyful and blissfully unaware of what was to come.

“Stop that!” Jaehyun yells as Y/n, yet again, moves the decorations around and changes it from how he had set it up.

“No, you stop that!” Y/n counters, tired of having to keep moving them again and again because he was so darn stubborn.

“I asked first!”

“Well, I was the one who gave you the idea!”

“God, you’re so annoying!” Jaehyun grits his teeth, jaw clenching.

Y/n gasps at that, eyes narrowing at him threateningly and Yuta, Jaehyun’s friend, shuffles uneasily.

He really regretted asking you two to help him decorate the house for his partner's birthday surprise.

“I think you two should just take a break for now-”

“I can’t believe I love someone like you!” Y/n exclaims, frustratedly throwing her hands in the hair.

“I can’t believe I was attracted to you first.” he grunts, with an exasperated eye roll.

“Hey! I confessed first!”

“But I asked you out first.”

“And I said I loved you first-” Y/n gets cut off by a very frustrated looking Yuta.

“Are you two seriously fighting over that now?”

And that’s how those two got kicked out of his house.

“Hey Jae, it’s late where are you -”

“Y/n, I’m so sorry I don’t think I can make it to today’s dinner.”

There’s a pause as she blinks, confused at the voices in the background. And then she a female voice calling for Jaehyun and he hurriedly apologises again and hangs up on her, leaving her confused and dazed.

“Babe?”

“Yeah?”

“I… I think we should break up.”

Y/n’s hands pause mid-stir, halting mixing the batter. She turns off the stove and turns towards him.

“What… What do you mean?” Y/n couldn’t believe her ears.. What was he saying, all of a sudden?

“Listen, I’m sorry -” Jaehyun tries to explain, holding her by the shoulder, but she shrugs him off. Sighing, he runs his hand through his hair.

“Do you mean that? Please tell me it’s a joke-” Jaehyun cuts her off this time, with a shake of his head and her voice trails off.

“Why?” her voice tremors a little, and she swallows thickly. “Why now?”

And the guilty expression he gives as he explains how his family wished for him to marry Yeona, instead.

What hurt the most was, he didn’t even seem to want to fight back.

⇝(end of memory lane)

After weeks of moping around and avoiding people, Y/n had finally begun to feel like she was recovering - Jaehyun had tried to reach out to her several, under the request that they remain friends.

She said she would think about it.

She would be fine.

And eventually she agreed, but then a few months later she received an invitation to their wedding and it had felt like a slap to her face. She wanted to decline, but didn’t want to seem like a petty ex. They had been friends at first after all.

“Are you okay?”

The sudden voice snaps her out of her mini walk down the memory lane moment and she turns around to see Johnny standing there with his hands in his pocket, a small smile on his lips.

She looks away from him and at the water, pondering at what to answer.

And she was fine now, standing there with a drink in her hand, eyes on the beach where the water reflected the moon and the sand glistened from the light shining from the millions of lights set up outside the venue.

She was fine before him, and she would be fine now too.

“Yeah.” Her voice comes out soft but firm, and she’s grateful it doesn’t shake.

Johnny just nods, coming to stand beside her in silence, and she was fine with just standing next to him, sharing company in a comfortable silence as they both gazed out into the night, under the peace of the stars and beauty of the moon.

NCT masterlist.

[newtonsheffield]

so this is probably super weird but could we please maybe see Deb Kate and Anthony for spicy Sunday?? I just love them, they are so young and trauma free and in love!

Right so Debutante Kaye isn’t good at cooking, but you mentioned she might have skills elsewhere thag Anthony find more than appealing 🌶🌶🌶 Can we see a sneak peak?

Ahhh... These two little horn dogs. There's a reason Kate was pregnant just five months after their wedding: They're horny teenagers who just figured out how to do the sex.

Surely, there was something wrong with her. There had to be. There had to be something wrong with her, because surely every woman did not go around all day desiring their husbands this much. Mary had of course sat in the room with her above the Horse and Harrier the night before her wedding, her fingers twisting uncomfortably.

"Darling, I know this may seem a little... ridiculous to you, given you've already likely-"

Kate's cheeks had burned. "Mama, Anthony and I haven't- we've... kissed and perhaps once or twice he removed his shirt when I asked but that's all."

Mary had looked so surprised, her lips parted with it for several moments before she said- "Well, of course, I only- many couples when their is love involved preempt their marital vows."

Kate had startled, her mind racing. "Mama, I don't want to hear about you and Appa!"

"I didn't mean to-" Mary cut herself off with a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Darling, are you... do you have any questions?"

And it had bubbled out of Kate before she could stop it. "What if I'm not very... good at it? What if he doesn't find me... pleasing I suppose?"

Mary stared back at her for a long moment before she sighed, brushing Kate's hair back from her forehead, tucking it behind her ear. "My darling, where there is love there is no reason to be scared. There is nothing so natural as this when you're in love, I promise."

But Kate hadn't believed her. Hadn't believed her even as she'd sat down on the bed in the tiny cottage not far from Anthony's family's farmhouse, with her cheeks burning as Anthony had cleared his throat.

"Alone at last and I'm not worried your father will find out and skin me alive."

She'd chuckled despite her nervousness, "He wouldn't skin you. He might have hit you in the knees with a cane."

"Much better." Anthony had agreed, silence tense and awkward between them before Anthony had sighed, "I'm sorry, I'm very nervous."

"So am I." She'd sighed, relaxing a little as Anthony had tucked his arm around her waist, still in her wedding dress, his chin resting on her shoulder.

"I've only... done this once before and I'm worried you won't... enjoy yourself." Anthony admitted, his fingers intertwined with hers and suddenly the idea seemed so ludicrous.

"Anthony I can't imagine being with you in any way would not be enjoyable."

"If you don't enjoy anything, you have to tell me. I'm your husband and all I want is to please you." He'd had his forehead pressed against hers, his hands soft on her face just before their lips touched. And his hands had shaken a little when he'd tugged at her corset, and hers had ripped a button from his shirt as she'd tugged at it, and his voice had been reverent when he'd made her his wife and they'd gasped together. You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen and when they'd lay together in the after with the fire crackling in the grate, gasping for air, Kate hadn't been able to stop herself from letting out a hysterical giggle.

"I think I'm going to quite like being a wife."

Anthony's breath had shuddered nuzzling against her bare chest where he'd collapsed. "I absolutely bloody love being a husband. I'm not going to work tomorrow, we aren't leaving this bed Mrs Bridgerton until I know what absolutely every inch of you tastes like, I'm afraid."

"Well if you insist."

"I do. I'm afraid I do."

Of course it had been rather embarrassing to stand in front of Anthony's mother the day after their day in bed, when she must have known the reason for their absence, but Anthony hadn't seemed at all bothered. And Kate had thought this would change. That her cheeks wouldn't grow hot whenever she saw Anthony, that she'd grow used to how his body looked as he wielded the scythe, how he looked on his horse, powerful and strong and hers and she burned.

But it didn't. And she didn't. And all she did was desire her husband, it seemed. She burned for him in the morning, when he stood from their bed as the dawn broke naked as the day he was born and his skin glowed in the sun as he groaned, looking back at her in bed. Pull the sheets up, my love. If I see you like that I'll never leave. And she thought about him all day. Thought about the way his hands, rough from work, felt on her skin, the way his lips felt against hers the way his lips felt trailing down her body. The way his voice broke on her name as his hips stuttered against hers. The moment he came through the front door in the afternoon, her hands reached for him tugging his lips down to hers, swallowing the fevered groan that rose in his chest I thought about you all day sweetheart while her fingers tugged at the fastenings on his breeches. And it never stopped.

She loved the land that they lived on, the fields that rolled on forever and the animals in the distance, the peace and quiet. And as the afternoon sun set she'd become fond of sitting among the wildflowers that grew behind the cottage picking flowers to sit on the table in their kitchen, watching for the first signs of Anthony, jumping over the fence from the farm.

It was just like that today, the birds chirping in the afternoon sun, flowers all around her.

"My lady!"

Anthony's voice carried on the wind towards her, forcing her head up in surprise given he shouldn't be home for another hour at least, but there he was, jumping down from the fence. The sun was shining in his hair casting little streaks of red into it, the shadow on his cheeks the slight beard that grew during the day, the grin on his face, always so handsome at this time of day. his neckcloth abandoned, braces hanging around his waist, his shirt unbuttoned nearly to his navel.

"You're early!" She called back, watching him run towards her, his boots crunching through the grass, his smile growing as she stood, waiting for what she knew would come.

"I was extra quick about my work today." He caught her around the waist, spinning her around as he lifted her, his lips clashing against hers, his tongue slipping over hers, a grin on his face as he pulled back, his thumb swiping gently over her cheekbones. "I thought about you all day."

Kate sighed letting herself relax against his chest the closeness between them tugging at the heat in her stomach. "What did you think about? My cooking no doubt."

Anthony chuckled, ducking down to kiss her quickly again. "Oh no doubt Mrs Bridgerton." His fingers were skimming over her thighs, still through her dress but she could feel the heat of his hand, his voice deepening in her ear. "I thought as well about how I wanted to sink between your legs the minute I got home, how I wanted to take you right here, amongst the flowers."

Kate felt her cheeks burn, her fingers already tugging his shirt from his breeches. "Why out here?"

Anthony chuckled, tugging at her dress until it slipped down, leaving her in her corsets. "When we first met, and we'd sit together at the edge of the park I wanted you so badly. I'd go back to my inn and think about how you'd feel around me, and i'd finish in my hand just thinking about it."

Kate let out a groan, tugging Anthony's shirt from his chest, letting it float to the ground, the feel of his warm skin under her hands, warm against her own skin.

"If you'd asked me, I would have let you."

Anthony groaned, his fingers slipping between her legs eyes fluttering closed at the feel of her, swallowing her gasp with his tongue. "Don't tell me that, don't tell me that sweetheart."

Already she couldn't breathe, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck as Anthony's fingers slipped over her, into her, his eyes catching with hers, burning together in the fading light.

"You're so perfect, sweetheart, so perfect."

heat was building quickly between them, Kate's hips rocking towards him a little desperately, her eyes slipping closed as Anthony's hand gripped at her chest, his lips nipping at her neck, pushing her higher and higher, the heat, even in the open air, stifling and-

No, Anthony, I want you. I want you instead.

Anthony let out a desperate growl, his lips crashing against hers again, his hands tugging at her hips until her legs were wrapped around his waist. One hand shot up, cradling her head as he lay them down in the grass, the weight of his body against hers, the slide of his skin against hers, her body trapped between the firm wall of his chest and the soft grass.

A groan rose between them as Anthony's hips rocked towards her, joining them together. Kate let out a desperate gasp, her fingers pushing Anthony's hair back from his eyes. There was a muscle clenching in his jaw as his hips rolled towards hers, rocking them together gently as though he was holding himself back, just as he always did at the beginning, and she loved him for it. Loved the slow dismantling of his self control as though he couldn't remember how to be himself, how to do anything when they were like this, desperate for more, desperate for her.

It was heady, looking at Anthony like this, desperate moans and gasps of her name falling from his lips, every muscle in his body coiled tight, powerful and strong above her as his rough hands roamed over her soft skin, tugging and pulling as she encouraged him against her.

It feels so good, Anthony. So good, I know you can give me more

The feel of his skin against hers, the smell of sweat that clung to his skin from the hard day's work he'd done to provide for her, it was all overwhelming as his eyes fluttered closed, fighting and fighting to regain control, and he couldn't. Another growl fell from his chest as his hips snapped towards her, her own hips rocking up to meet him as they hurtled towards the end, the heat in her stomach climbing higher and higher, pushing and ebbing and flowing between them until everything shattered.

Her fingernails cut into his skin as she clutched him to her chest, her vision blurring at the edges. Anthony's hips stuttered against her, once twice three times, his shoulders heaving.

Kate!

And everything went still as he collapsed against her.

"I love you." Anthony was still breathless as his lips brushed her neck messily, clinging desperately to her as he always did in these moments after. Content and happy, and satisfied. "I have no idea what I ever did to deserve you, but for the rest of my life I'll be glad I did it."

A stupid giggle fell from her lips as she kissed the top of his head, taking in the smell of him. "In all honestly, my head was turned by the way your muscles moved when you unloaded your cart."

And she'd remember Anthony's beautiful laughter for the rest of her life.

So no. Kate truly shouldn't have been surprised when she sat in her mother in law's kitchen with nausea rolling over her, stiflingly hot for autumn, struggling for words as she fanned herself.

"I'm sorry, Violet, I've been feeling rather unwell these last few days, perhaps my cooking truly has finally been the downfall of me."

And her mother in law took one look at her and sighed, "Kate, darling, when was the last time you had your courses?"

Kate had frowned, thinking back, her mind turning before "You don't think I could be-?"

Violet chuckled, "Why? From the grass stains I've seen you trying to get out of your clothing I'm not sure anyone could call your marriage chaste, my dear."

And perhaps she shouldn't have, but Kate couldn't help but feel a little smug. "No. Not particularly."

[bridgertonbee1814]

Jerin future/family headcanon:

. In 2008, Erin and James are expecting their first child. It's early January, Erin is ten days past her due date and absolutely sick and tired of being pregnant. Plus, Derry has been hit with a record-breaking snowfall over Christmas that's iced over every possible surface, meaning she can't so much as walk down her own driveway to collect the post without James hovering nervously beside her and insisting she be careful.

. Despite the discomfort of being ten days overdue, Erin is surprisingly calm about becoming a parent. James, on the other hand, is a nervous wreck, mostly due to the complete absence of a real parental figure for most of his life. For the past nine months he's been obsessively reading baby books, panic-buying dummies (pacifiers for the American readers), onesies and an unfeasible amount of nappies, currently stuffed into a cupboard in the upstairs hallway.

. On January 8th, Erin starts getting aches and odd feelings from around 6pm onwards, but doesn't think anything of it and goes to bed. At 1am on January 9th she wakes up and realises she's having proper contractions, but she doesn't even bother waking James due to her ma's advice that labour takes forever and she'll have a few hours before it's time to go to the hospital. She does send Mary a quick text to let her know things are starting.

. At 1:33am in the Quinn house, Gerry is woken up by noises in the kitchen. He wanders downstairs to find Mary in her dressing gown and slippers, making piles of cheese sandwiches and filling a travel flask with tea.

Gerry: *very confused and sleepy* What's happening...?

Mary: *frenziedly buttering bread* Erin texted me, we've got to start getting ready.

Gerry: And that somehow involves sandwiches?

Mary: For the car ride, keep up, Gerry! The awkward bastards aren't gonna let her eat at hospital!

. At 2am at Erin and James's house, James is woken up by his wife, who turns on the bedside lamp and calmly informs him that her contractions are starting to get closer together and they should probably get ready to go to the hospital. He then proceeds to jump out of bed shouting, "Oh my God, IT'S TIME" and frantically looks for the hospital bag and attempts to get dressed at the same time until Erin has to grab him by the shoulders and remind him to breathe.

. 2:10am - Erin is dressed and struggling to put her shoe on until she eventually just gives up and decides to go with slippers (they'll be much comfier, anyway). James has had to go outside into the freezing winter morning to pour boiling water from the kettle over the car windshield, which has iced over in the night.

. 2:15am - Erin sends a text into the "Derry Girls" group chat letting the rest of the gang know that they're headed to the hospital, but it'll probably be a while and she'll message later when they know more. James, meanwhile, has been fighting with the heavy, overly complicated carseat which requires a lot of adjusting and fiddling to get it installed. There was one moment where he accidentally caught his finger in one of the attachment parts and it bled, and he genuinely considered just throwing the stupid thing off the nearest cliff.

. 2:20 - The bastard carseat is finally installed, James's finger has a plaster on it, the car is packed and they're ready to set off for the hospital.

James: *In the car, driving at approximately 5 miles an hour because road safety is life* Okay, I've got the carseat, hospital bag, map... Is that everything? I swear I'm forgetting someth-

*Slowly looks across to the empty passenger seat *

James: Oh, shit!

(Shot of James's car reversing speedily back down the street, coming to a stop in front of their house with Erin standing by the gate, her arms folded and looking unimpressed.)

Erin: *Gets in the car*

James: *Opens his mouth to apologise*

Erin: Just drive.

. They arrive at the Quinn house at 2:25am, greeted by Mary and Gerry shuffling out the front door bundled up in winter coats and knitwear, Mary toting a large bag filled to the brim with sandwiches and other supplies. They get in the car and head for the hospital, James driving painstakingly slow because of the weather and Mary attempting to force-feed Erin cheese sandwiches en-route while talking excitedly about how she's going to be a granny. Gerry falls fast asleep in the back seat and is rudely awoken ten minutes later by Mary shaking his shoulder and the sound of his daughter groaning in pain mid-contraction. Mary warns him if he dares fall asleep again instead of being useful and comforting his child, he'll never hear the end of it. He spends the rest of journey holding Erin's hand and trying to keep his eyes open.

That's all for now, I will post Part 2 of possibly my longest headcanon yet soon:) Enjoy!

[letstalkaboutfandomsbaby]

hi so you know the nanami headcanons with him being a momma boy and his upbringing, well what would happen if you know…him bringing chubby reader to meet them and his family loves her. all fluff up here

OMG PLEASE im crying, im fucking sobbing good lord, gimme a minute—

CW: chubby fem reader, fluff so much fluff omg, not beta read bc my two brain cells are at full capacity and can't do it sksksk

Okok hold on ok—

Let's backtrack

Nanami may be a momma's boy, but he doesn't really talk about his family

Tbh you thought he was an orphan until you walked in on the end of his phone conversation with his mom (you asked who he was talking to and when he said it was his mom, your jaw DROPPED like?? Were you ever gonna tell me tf sksksk)

It's not that he doesn't want to talk about his family: he just doesn't necessarily find himself exciting or interesting like he'd much rather focus on you

But he wants to take the next step

Kento adores you and wants to spend the rest of his life with you, so he wants his family to meet you

He brings up the idea of spending the weekend at his parents' place and meeting his whole family and you're so excited!! Yes! Let me meet your family jesus christ Ken it's been like six months of dating wtf

You pack up your things and start your mini roadtrip on Friday: Nanami only worked a half day, so the two of you ate lunch and then got on the road

His parents lived a couple hours away in the country, so you had plenty of time to ask him questions about his family

What are his parents like? Does he have siblings? Oh, he has two older sisters: what are they like? What was his childhood like? Did he have any pets when he was little??

Nanami finds your curiosity adorable and humors you by answering your questions as best as he can

The two of you arrive at his parents' house around dinnertime!!

You're met with a pleasant little cottage surrounded by farms and woods, like it's so cozy and cute and you're elated

You're bouncing with excitement as Nanami takes your suitcases out of the car, leading you to the house

"Fair warning: they can be a bit... clingy." KENTO PLEASE WE HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR HOURS AND I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS FOR MONTHS, I DON'T FUCKING CARE

Nanami knocks on the door and it opens soon after

"There's my little Kenny!"

Cue a tiny woman greeting Nanami with open arms, pulling him down to her level for a hug, making him chuckle

You're standing back, a bit cautious. Your nerves are starting to get the better of you, making you worry that his mother won't like you

"Hello, Mom. How are you?"

"I'm overjoyed!" She let's him go after a minute or so. "Now where's this Y/N that I've heard so little about? I have to catch up with my future daughter in law while I have the chance!"

Oh ok, she's excited to meet you so there's nothing to worry about 🥰

Nanami steps aside to introduce the two of you, but his mother pretty much barges past him

"Oh my stars, look at you! My goodness, aren't you just the prettiest thing? C'mere, lemme get a look at you."

His mother proceeds to twirl you around and compliment your outfit, telling you how you're so lucky to have a figure that fills clothes so well ("I would kill for hips like yours")

Nanami has to stop his mother from talking your ear off, convincing her to continue the conversation inside so he can put down your suitcases

The three of you head inside, Mrs. Nanami taking you into the living room while Kento takes your things to your room

She starts asking dozens of questions sksksk

When did yall meet? Where was it? Was Kenny awkward when he asked you out, he's always been a shy kid so it wouldn't surprise her—

Suddenly yall are talking about how Nanami was as a kid and she's pulled out a photo album with all his baby pictures 🥺

Nanami was the cutest baby! So sweet! So chubby! Just had the roundest cheek imaginable and they were so pinchable!!

Mrs. Nanami is reminiscing a lot sksksk

Once Kento returns to the living room, Mrs. Nanami has reached his teenage emo phase and is complaining about how her sweet baby boy wouldn't let her love on him the way he used to and how she didn't have many pictures because he hated being photographed—

Bruh, Nanami is so fucking embarrassed wth sksksk

His neck and ears are turning red as he suggests moving to the kitchen so he can help his mother make dinner, but Mama Nanami ain't havin it and just wants to show you how cute her wittle bubbaloo was when he was younger 💕

You're just sitting back and enjoying the playful banter between mother and son when the door opens and Mr. Nanami arrives home from work

Kento greets his dad in a professional manner (like "hello sir, it's good to see you. Are you well?" It's just v awkward tbh sksksk) and introduces you to him

His father is respectful and kind, but not as friendly as Ken's mom, so it's a little jarring ^^;

You move to the kitchen where Kento and his mama start dinner, and his father goes off to get changed, eventually going back to the living room to reading a newspaper

You're not sure where to go like should you stand awkwardly in the kitchen or sit awkwardly in the living room with his dad, but before you can decide, Kento lifts you up and sits you on the counter

"Stay here," he says in a calm almost demanding tone before he turns back to the stove with his mother

They're kinda in their own little bubble, catching up on certain topics while you just 🧎‍♀️ sit at the counter not knowing how to contribute sksksk

But once they start cooking, Ken starts bringing small bites over to you so you can taste test dinner

Like he's still talking with his momma but he's also focused on you and tells you to open up and listens carefully when you tell him your thoughts and he's just 🥺💕 such a sweet man!!

Yall eventually have dinner and retire to bed

You and Ken gotta squeeze into this fullsized bed from his childhood but it's not so bad having to sleep on your big strong man 🥴

You wake up the next morning to Nanami cooking french toast for everyone with fresh berries from his mom's garden and it's sooooooo good and his mama is so proud of him and his cooking skills

His mom planned a whole day for the four of you!! You go to the local market for groceries and after lunch you go on a hike to a pretty lake and it's just a really nice day where his parents get to know you 🥰

It's about an hour before dinner when you hear the front door open

"Alright, alright, calm down! Go find your grandma!"

Cue two little boys running into the living room cheering as they almost tackle Mr and Mrs Nanami

Who's here? It's Nanami's sisters and their families!!

His sisters, Momoko and Mitsuki, are literally so pretty wtf

They don't have blond hair?? They have straight, brown hair that goes down past their shoulders and hazel eyes and they're tall and thin and stunning—

"Oh my god, is this Y/N? Kento, you didn't tell me she was so pretty!"

Wait what?? 🥺

His big sisters fawn over you, talking about how they've wanted to meet you for so long and how they can't believe their little brother found someone as pretty as you and are you sure you really like him bc you seem way too good for their lil dumby dumb brother—

"Alright, that's enough," Kento interrupts the conversation, his two nephews hanging off of his body

ALSO KEN WHEN WERE YOU GONNA TELL US YOU HAVE NEPHEWS?? HUH??

"I also have a niece" WHATTTTT?????

Cue Mitsuki's husband coming in with a little girl 🥺💕 she's so cute, she's in a little dress and she's got precious chubby cheeks and a little cap—

Mitsuki asks if you wanna hold her

UHHHHH YEA I WANNA HOLD THE CUTE LITTLE BABY, PLS GIVE HER TO ME 🥺😭💕

You get to hold Nanami's wittle niece and she's cute and precious and you love her 💕

Holding a cute baby almost makes you forget that you boyfriend has been keeping information away from you

Don't worry Ken, we're gonna have a talk about that later 😒

The energy has COMPLETELY changed from what it was just an hour ago

There's so much energy and life in the little house, but somehow it's just as intimidating as Kento's dead silent dad

Kento and his mama make dinner, there's a shitload of small talk while they cook, and you all sit down to share a meal

You are bombarded with questions from the Nanami sisters

Similar questions to what his mama asked, but they don't hold back on roasting their younger brother

"So how did a pretty girl like you ever end up with a dweeb like Kento?"

"Was it a blind date? I bet it was a blind date."

"Did he have to bribe you to go out with him?"

"Let me guess: he took you to an expensive restaurant on your first date? Since food is the only real personality trait he has—"

"Alright, we get it—"

"Quit yelling, Kento, your girlfriend's gonna break up with you."

"I wasn't—"

"Look at him! He's getting all red!"

"Please stop—"

"Kento always gets soooo embarrassed when we talk about him! No clue why"

Dinner is just entertainment at this point, with you barely answering questions as the sisters bounce off each other's statements as Kento tries to cut them off and get them to stop, as well as their mother chiming in with her own comments

Their husbands seem to be used to this, quietly eating and tending to the children

You're just 🧍‍♀️ not sure what to do! Do you say something or stay quiet or???

Dinner is over before you know it but the conversation doesn't die down after the dishes, and suddenly you're all moving outside to the back porch where the sun is setting and Mr. Nanami is bent over by the firepit while the kids are running around and everyone is catching up

You're still a bit stand-offish unsure if you fit in. I mean, their family is so lively and beautiful! You just feel out of place—

"Darling." Kento interrupts your thoughts, his hand on your elbow. You meet his gaze and feel your face burn when you see the loving look he's giving you. "Would you like a smore?" Suspend your disbelief and pretend it's normal to make smores in Japan

You don't feel so nervous after that 🥺💕

Kento is a gentleman and toasts a marshmallow for you so you don't have to sit near the fire smoke and when the sun goes down and it gets chilly he gets a blanket for the both of you to share and he's so sweet literally perfect 🥺💕💕💕

"Are you lovebirds gonna stare into each others' eyes all night or are we gonna have a real conversation?" OMG NOW HIS SISTERS ARE ROASTING YOU WTF SKSKSKKS

It's a good thing tho: they're roasting you bc they're comfortable with you and see you as family 💕

You start talking with his sisters about your job and your own life while Ken goes to help his dad tend to the fire

Kento is shocked when he feels his dad pat his shoulder

"She's a very nice girl, Kento. You did well."

Nanami rarely hears praise from his father so he's a bit taken aback.

"... Thank you sir." It goes quiet for a bit. "When... when did you know that you wanted to marry mom?"

"Hmm... probably our third date." His father leans back in his chair, sighing loudly, folding his hands over his stomach and looking up at the stars. "We went to a movie. I can't remember what it was called. All I can remember is that you mother found the movie hilarious and was laughing so loudly that people shushed us several times... I can't explain it, but every time she laughed beside me, I just kept thinking 'I want to spend the rest of my life with her'." Damn dad, didn't know you were such a romantic at heart 🤧

Nanami goes quiet, staring at the fire before he looks over his shoulder at you.

His younger nephew has fallen asleep on your lap, wrapped up in the blanket with you, your chubby cheek resting against his head

You look tired, but when you look up at meet Kento's gaze, you smile, making his heart pound.

For a moment, he thinks about the small box sitting at the bottom of his luggage, hidden away from you, and he knows deep down that he won't have to return it.