#good? unsure. entertaining? yes. will I be watching next season? of course

[sleeplessinseattlee]

I did watch the criminal minds reboot but I struggle to remember what even happened…. uhhh there was a network of serial killers. rossi said fuck a lot. they milfed emily. there was… evil buried treasure?

[boldlyvoid]

ain't it fun? | Part five

Summary: reader just needs an NA meeting before they have a meltdown, they end up with the best friend they could ever make.

Warnings: pregnancy, chronic illness, spencer's career chance - he's a high school teacher now, they have a 1-year-old, smut at the end but not graphic.

word count: 2.8k

a/n: I imagine this is in season 10, so they've been together at least 7 years-ish now, I just jumped well into the future because I wanted to! also, Cordelia's nickname is Edie and pronounced Ee-dee !!

P1 P2 P3 P4

“No.”

Spencer sighs, “are you going to like any of my suggestions?”

“When you give me a baby name that isn’t from some weird old male book character, then yes, I’ll take them into consideration,” she replies, hand on her stomach as she lays back against the pillows.

She was huge, 9 months pregnant and so, so close to the finish line. She was swollen and in pain and exhausted. Going off every single medication and recreational drugs to make a life was a commitment and a half, she was doing well but she was so ready to be done. To do a few more months of breastfeeding and then go back on her medications.

Spencer was terrific. He was googling and asking Penelope to research things, he had called doctors he knows and friends and did everything in his power to find a way to ease her pain even before they got pregnant. He’s taken the last 3 months off of work and he doesn’t know when he’ll go back. He has just been so, so incredible the whole time.

Naming a child was hard. You had to not only think about all the nicknames and what their initials spell, but you also had to think about how they’ll like it; if it’ll fit their personality and spirit. And most of all, is it going to get them bullied? There are some terrible kid names. Like Richard… how do you name a newborn Richard?

“I want something meaningful with a nice nickname and works with our names and her siblings,” she whispered towards him. “They need to all work together.”

“What are some of your favourites?” He asks, moving in closer and finding a way to cuddle in with her and her pregnancy pillow who has all but replaced him lately.

“I like earthy names, like Lennox, Juniper, Aspen, Elowen,” her voice is really soft, she bites her lip at the end as she thinks them over again. “And old things like Cordelia and Winnifred.”

“Which one sounds the best with Reid?”

“I like Cordelia Reid the most, and then we can call her Edie and I was thinking you can pick her middle name?” She’s been thinking about it for a while, but too afraid to know his opinions.

“Cordelia means core in Latin, which makes sense cause she already has my heart,” Spencer teased, he has made it very clear that their little girl is going to be spoiled, loved and a daddy's girl.

He took all his fears of being a bad dad and threw them out the window. He knew that just being there was all he wanted from his dad, and so that’s what he was going to do. He left the BAU for the time being, he was doing the odd lecture at the academy and answering calls for cases. They couldn’t just stop using his brain, there were some things too pressing to not ask the walking computer, but other than that, he was done.

He was looking into other jobs for when he finally decides to go back, he was unsure how long of a paternity leave he wanted. He was really content with just staying home all the time now, but he did miss going out and being useful during the days. The job he was most interested in, however, was a high school teacher.

A prep school in DC is looking into adding an Anthropology, Psychology and Sociology course to their curriculum, and they wanted Spencer. They thought he would be perfect for the seniors, he is fun and young and attentive, he can control a room and keep them entertained, and he’s probably the best teacher a kid could get.

It was going to make him a good dad too.

“I think Jade is a nice middle name,” he adds after thinking it over for a few minutes.

“Cordelia Jade Reid,” she says the full name for the first time and it just feels right, like they already know her.

—

She was very calm for a newborn baby.

She liked to just look around and blink, she licked her lips a lot and she was constantly breaking out of her swaddle. She was always happy to have cuddles with her dad and she pooped every night at exactly at 3 am, without fail. She didn’t cry a lot, but when she did it was still wonderful to hear.

They were so in love with her, she was absolutely perfect for them. She fit right into their sleeping schedule and their life, she ate like a pro, she slept most of the night and she was growing way too fast for their liking.

One day they’re crying over the fact they made a life in a tiny little hospital room, and the next thing they know she’s about to turn 1.

She’s sitting in bed with Y/N, she’s sitting in her lap with two handfuls of hair and a story to tell. She’s been babbling so much lately, she hears them talking all the time and she wants to join so badly. They indulge her, asking her to continue her thoughts and gasping at her gossip.

“No way, and what did you do next?!” She asked the little one sat in her lap.

Edie babbled on once more, smacking her tongue on the roof of her mouth as she pushed air past her vocal cords, humming and making the funniest sounds. She went on and on, she was so enthusiastic, like her father, as she waved her arms around to make her point.

“That is so fascinating, you are so cool, little Edie,” Y/N hyped her up, smiling at her as she leaned in close and pressed their noses together.

Cordelia laughed and it finally made Spencer giggle too, he had been watching from the doorway as his ‘wife’ and daughter talked in bed. They were best friends already, always talking and snuggling, learning or reading together. She was always happy when she was with one of them, she was needy and snuggly and very co-dependent but they didn’t mind, they preferred all the attention from her.

“Look who’s home,” Y/N whispered and Cordelia shot a glance towards the door, she smiled and screamed as she saw him.

“Hi Edie!” He waves at her with a smile, he takes his bag off and places it by the dresser followed by his blazer.

He gets into the bed and she instinctively reaches for a hug. He wraps her up and she snuggles right into his neck, with a fistful of his shirt, she just holds him there. She didn’t understand why he wasn’t home all day anymore, she missed him for lunch and at nap time but she loved the new routine of a snuggle when she woke up and he got home.

Spencer leans back against the pillows beside Y/N, turning his head to capture a kiss from her lips. They always just spend a quick second kissing when he gets home, even if it’s just a peck or a full-on passionate make-out, he always kisses her when he comes home. He smiles at the end of the kiss, pulling her into a hug too.

“I love Fridays,” he whispers, “Edie do you know what Fridays mean?”

She pulls away and sits up, she loves to listen to him. “Friday is the last day of the school week, which means I get to spend 2 whole days with my favourite people now.”

Edie smiled, almost like she understood what he meant, and then she was talking again, it was completely incomprehensible but they imagined she was telling him about her day.

“You forgot the part where we went to the park,” Y/N added.

Cordelia looked at her with wide eyes, “dada,” was the only word she said before babbling on again and they both stopped.

“Did she just?” Spencer was shocked and frozen still after asking.

Y/N sat up and looked right into Cordelia’s eyes, “who is that?” She pointed at Spencer.

“Dada!” She said it again and they were suddenly all squealing, even Cordelia was suddenly excited as she kept screaming dada over and over again.

“Can you say, mom? Or mama? Mummy?” Spencer tried his hardest to find an easy way for her to say it.

“Mumm,” she pushed her lips together to hum her M sound and Spencer was floored, he bounced her up and down a small amount as they cheered.

“Smartest girl in the world!” Spencer cheered her on before pulling her into another hug.

Y/N was crying softly, little tiny dreams that she didn’t even know she had were coming true every single day with them. She knew she wanted to be a mom when she was growing up, all those dreams died when her illness got worse and they all warned her that having kids would put her at risk of being moneyless and that working wasn’t an option to even support them. Let alone the threat of them taking them away just because of her autism or depression possibly being considered ‘too bad’ to care for them.

Spencer took all those fears and he kicked them out. Every day she got to experience the most precious gifts the world had to offer, her daughter was perfect and her husband was incredible. Together they were a perfect little family that ran on trust, love, and communication. Always talking, always hugging, always there for each other.

—

They crawl into bed much later than they expected to. Cordelia didn’t want to go to bed, she was trying her hardest to keep staying awake to spend time with them but eventually, sleep won. They finally placed her in her crib with her white noise and her complete darkness and closed her door for the next few hours of peace.

They both let out a deep sigh before rolling to face one another. “How was your day?” He asks, like always.

“Good,” she smiles, “I think having a kid and getting on her schedule was the best thing I’ve ever done actually, cause I’m sleeping on time, I’m eating when she does and I’m outside a lot more. She’s given me this purpose and it’s rewarding on my body.”

Spencer moves in so he can kiss her nose, “I love hearing that.”

“How was your class today?” She asks back, loving his little stories about all the 17 and 18-year-olds that were fascinated by him. As well as the kids who thought it was cool to try and pick on him before getting the shit verbally kicked out of them in front of the whole class.

It was interesting seeing him in a form of authority, he never really took charge at the BAU, she’s never seen him yell at his friends and he’s never really yelled at her either. He’s been incredibly calm, so to see him verbally tear someone apart by acknowledging their biggest flaws to make sense of why they feel the need to bully, it was pretty intense.

“They were a lot better today, they enjoyed the lesson and the kids that were giving me trouble skipped, I guess he really didn’t appreciate me calling him out that bad on Tuesday,” Spencer smirked, rolling his eyes like he cared.

“I still can’t believe that he thought it was okay to call you names in front of other students, where is the respect these days?”

“Well,” he’s about to do what he always does. He can never be truly mad at someone because he knows why everyone does what they do and that they can’t help it. “In his file, it says his parents are newly divorced, we get a list of all the kids information on the attendance like allergies and things, but also small info like life changes in case they act out.”

“Doesn’t mean he can call you the f slur,” she whispers, “all because you wore a purple shirt?”

“If I met his father I’d probably get an answer for that,” he adds, “if he’s afraid to show his emotions around his son, it’s probably why his son thinks colours are gay.”

It makes her laugh, “you look hot in purple too so I don’t see the problem?”

“Do I?” He teases, getting in even closer and pressing their bodies together.

She rolls her eyes before wrapping her arms around him and leaning forward for a quick kiss, “I think you look sexy all the time.”

He kisses her as a thank you, “I think the same about you.”

“Even when I haven’t showered in 2 days because she cries if she can’t see me and she cries if she gets wet?” Y/N laughed, annoyed but in love with their little monster at the same time.

“Always,” he reminds her. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she kisses him again after.

There are probably a million more things to share from the day, but they spend their time kissing instead. It’s been too long since they’ve just rolled around in the sheets making out like they did in the beginning. Before they ever had sex, before they had kids and a house and a love as strong as they do now.

A part of them missed the early days when everything was new and exciting, but she also loved the fact that they knew each other so well that they didn’t have to communicate anymore. They ran like 1 unit, always completing the other person's thoughts, needs and wants. They were so unbelievably happy.

She wants him badly and he wants her just as much, and he’s about to take her when she pulls back. “Nope, as much as I love her I can’t get pregnant again for at least another year.”

It makes him laugh as he pulls away and rolls over to look through his nightstand for a condom, “it wouldn’t be that bad?”

“You carry it then, seahorse it up,” she teased. “I like being back on my medicine, I need some time to be okay before I go through all that again.”

Once he’s all situated in the latex and back between her legs, he hovers over her, so close that their lips are touching ever so slightly. “I am fine if it’s just the three of us forever.”

“I’m not,” she smiles, “there will be 4 of us one day, just not today.”

With that, she’s pulling him into another kiss as he pushing inside. It’s a feeling she’s accustomed to but will never be used to, it’s a stretch that shouldn’t be as intoxicating as it is. She holds him closer as she plays with his tongue in her mouth.

He was so good at everything he did, especially the sex. He knew every single part of her body now and exactly how to push all her buttons the right way. She could live in the moment of his pumping in and out of her while his thumb circled her clit and his other hand groaned her breasts. Eventually, he kissed down her throat and she was a mess of breathy moans and low gasps.

Writing in the sheets, her legs wrap around him as she tried to pull him in even closer. It was impossible to get closer but he was still too far away, she wanted to absorb him and live in him forever. He was her safe place and she never wanted to be anywhere else.

As her orgasm bubbled, so did his. The both of them gasping and panting, she whined as she breached the edge and gripped his back, “Spence!”

“That’s it, sweetheart,” he whispered before fucking into her harder and faster, pushing her through it as he reached his own.

His movements on her clit never stopped and suddenly one felt like two and she wasn’t sure when the rush was going to stop and she didn’t care when it did. It was powerful, soothing and euphoric. A high she could live in for a while and return to it without problem as long as she had him.

He came with a small moan, trying to keep quiet as he muffled it into her neck, stilling his hips on his last thrust and dropping onto her more. Her hands were all over his back as she pressed kisses to his forehead, coming down but not wanting the love to stop there.

The love was never going to stop there for them. Their love was never-ending, and somehow as she held him there in her arms and felt his breath on his neck, she turned to see the baby monitor with their peaceful child sound asleep down the hall, she loved him even more now somehow.

Loving Spencer Reid was like falling down a bottomless pit. She never knew when she was going to reach the end, but she was content with falling.

smut taglist: @g0lden-cth @doctorspenceryeet @samuel-de-champagne-problems @reiding-recs @shemarmooresfedora @spencers-dria@reidsfish @manuosorioh @mochionly @jswessie187 @k-k0129 @calm-and-doctor @blanchardsbk

[my-sherlock221b]

Supernatural Rewatch Ramblings: Wendigo

Wendigo

The long line of the MoTW series in Supernatural starts off with the Woman in White which is fairly well- known legend/ myth in most countries.  Then we get this one next which claims origin from the Native American mythology.

Here is a review of the Wendigo episode with thoughts from me and @soulmates-for-real​

I have always wondered why they were not so inclusive or better at being inclusive as a show. Yes, they did have many women and people of colour in important and strong roles, both positive and negative (though they could have done so much better!). But they steered clear from some of the huge mythology lores like that from Native Americans, Hindu, Latin American cultures. This may have been a wise political strategy to avoid conflict and so they stuck to the Judeo- Christian core but still managed a rather radical take on it!

Spoiler alert:

*God was the final villain?! Who would have guessed? And that the angels were dicks, relentlessly, and demons were in fact ex-humans.*

So back to Wendigo.

What a monster the Wendigo is!! In later seasons when we got only angels and demons and some vampires etc the other monsters were monsters in and of themselves. Like they were born that way—needing to eat human pituitary glands or whatever.

But Woman in White and Wendigo, and even Dead in the Water, or the Shapeshifter --the monster was created by circumstances. Betrayal and infidelity leading to murder suicides, extreme starvation leading to cannibalism and eternal hunger.

Far more terrifying than someone who is born a ghoul perhaps.

So here we are in Wendigo, at the forest/camp site with these fake, charming, rather useless camp rangers who carry M&Ms (nice touch and throwback to E.T. !), don’t wear shorts ( which anyway seems like a weird thing to wear when there is grass and stuff—why would you want to expose your legs?!), can’t see bear traps ( Seriously Dean?! ).

Sam is still restless and bristling at Jess’s death, as well as angry at Dad. All those years of separation do not seem to have given him any peace in his relationship with his father. Now to add massive insult to his already injured sense of self—he has lost his girlfriend in exactly the same way as his father lost his wife—making them even more identical.

So he is cranky and unwilling to give in to any of Dean’s suggestions. He denies his own nightmares, refuses good advice and food and is generally misanthropic. While Dean on the other hand seems to be enjoying this like a happy jolly road trip. The monster is almost like a secondary priority now.

What is most important, (and this becomes even more obvious in a re-watch post finale)—what is THE most important thing is that Sammy is riding shotgun, is in front of his eyes and safe.

Miserable and bitchy but safe.

That allows Dean to dial back a bit and bring into focus what has always been, for him, the really important part of their lives—saving people. This is always more important to him that hunting things. So, when he finds out about someone’s brother being lost and the coordinates match what his dad has left, well there is no choice really.

They have to find a way to save him.

If they find Dad there, well, good, but that is suddenly not a priority for him at all. He turned up at Sam’s doorstep, and as we know from the finale, waited there for HOURS since he was unsure of his welcome, then broke in at 3 am or something like an idiot….but anyway…..all that was because Dad had been away on a hunting trip and hadn’t been home in a few days…blah blah blah.

The first contact Dean makes with Sam who left home to go to college is to recruit him to help find Dad—the same guy who told Sam that if he went away to stay away.

And then suddenly now that Sam is with him, finding Dad is like meh. If we find him somewhere by the wayside while you and I hunt monsters Sammy, then yeah sure, great.

If not…well….we have stuff to do you and I…saving people, hunting things. The family business. 

And John Winchester….well, what can I possibly say about him without taking up pages in ranting?! Why did he ditch the first monster? Why was he in SUCH a hurry to leave that he left his journal behind??

My theory of course is that he had to run away from the Woman in White since he had been unfaithful to Mary ( yes yes I know it had been YEARS at that point, but hello, this man made his life a crusade for revenge and sacrificed his kids’ lives also to that darkness, so…yes, being with Adam’s mother was an infidelity and you can’t change my mind on that !).

So naturally John was afraid he would be killed.

But still….he left coordinates for the next hunt in the journal and just ran off?!

The other question is what the hell is happening in motels across USA? Guys like these can just check- in on fake credit cards, leave a room full of satanic and serial killer-y documents, sometimes dead bodies, lots of salt at the door and windows, and just disappear without checking out….

Though the police do seem quite alert and swift in action in the Pilot compared to some of the laidback and clueless ones we see later.

What is most interesting is to see the character of season 1 Dean emerge.

He sass, he boss, he flirt, he lie, he charm, he fight, he save.

In fact, the very first time I saw Supernatural, it seemed that Dean occupied so much of the narrative space that I barely noticed Sam except as a foil to and a brother to Dean.

Now in the re-watch what is fascinating in retrospect is to watch Sam slide into ‘the life’ without a hiccup. He reads the journal, he figures out it’s a wendigo, he gets the civilians to cooperate, he also fights and saves.

And that look he gives Dean in the car?

Well, those who missed the signs in Pilot and didn’t ship Wincest from day one, surely started doing it then!

https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/supernatural-rewatch-s01e02-wendigo/

This is also the first episode that gives a clear parallel to the Sam and Dean relationship through the B plot. When Haley says she MUST go to find her brother –Dean nods in instant understanding while Sam is pissed off at having to ‘babysit.’

We see this in many more episodes in the future, and what is fascinating is to see Sam gain insights into his brother with every such parallel. To recognize what being the big brother has meant to Dean and how much he has done and given and even suffered for that. We will discuss this in more detail in the next episode review! ( Dead in the Water)

The chemistry and ease, almost a fluid sense of flow between the two actors is unmistakable in this episode. Even as Sam is really being a bitch and Dean is being a jerk, there is a definite undercurrent of something holding them together. It may be all about revenge for Jess’s death and finding Dad for Sam, but he will still stick with Dean and want to protect him as fiercely as Dean wants to protect Sam.

.

Sheila O’Malley has given a detailed explanation for the acting styles of Jared and Jensen and what she said about Jared is spot on and brilliant. He does what she calls active listening.

It is amazing how once you realize that you notice it all the time.

The reason why Dean can manage such perfect comedic timing or non- verbal communication is because Sam is always ALWAYS tuned into him. Listening, watching, reacting, observing.

Once again, for those of you interested in the meta and more erudite and informed reviews that this one 😊 do read what Sheila O’Malley has written.

Here are some excerpts which will entice you!

“David Nutter, who directed the pilot, also directed episode 2, and there’s a new DP here, the phenomenally talented Serge Ladouceur, who is still shooting the show. If the DP for the pilot, Aaron Schneider, helped establish the dark mood and horror-movie feel of the series, then Ladouceur just helped deepen and strengthen that continuum. The look of the show has changed, by Season 9. I would say that it has a more glamorous look now, more colorful, while certainly still very dramatic (even melodramatic). Supernatural is (and has been) one of the best looking shows on television.”

“The ranger comes in to talk to them, and they pose as environmental studies majors at the university in Boulder. Sam says they are “working on a paper”, clearly improvising, and you can watch the glorious schtick of Jensen Ackles as he adjusts to the new information of who he is supposed to be pretending to be. God is in the details, people, and it’s the detailed scene work of both Ackles and Padalecki that keeps this show going. David Nutter referred to Jensen Ackles once as a “meticulous actor” in terms of his preparation for every scene, no matter how small, and it pays off. He knows what the fuck he is doing. So does Padalecki. I couldn’t give two shits about the demons. It’s that DYNAMIC that is so entertaining and watch-able.”

 .

And here are some thoughts on the episode from @soulmates-for-real, my partner in crime for the rewatch 😊

Except the fact that Sam is quite secretive about his nightmares but his body language is quite open and his expressions easy to read. On the contrary, I saw Dean posturing a lot with other people, pouting, flirting, making eyes...trying to be all nonchalant. But when it comes to Sam we see a different Dean - the more antsy and angsty Sam gets, the more intensely Dean reacts to him and you can see Dean's concern shining through. Leading to Sam coming to some kind of resolution and giving Dean 'that look' at the end! 

[forever-rogue]

Soft prompts!!! Din and reader land on a planet near a town that's having a celebration. She wants him to dance with her, and he admits after some prodding that he doesn't know how. Either she teaches him how to dance OR they do something else equally soft (star gazing? A silly game?)

Hi, I love this and I love you. It’s apparently soft Saturday, so please enjoy!

Mandalorian Masterlist

»»————-　♡　————-««

“Are you sure you want to go?” Din’s soft voice was laced with worry as he looked between you and the sprawling village that was in the distance. You’d come to this random planet that you’d never heard of before for a bounty, but after it was all said and done you’d reminded there for some time. There was something so peaceful and relaxing about the lush, forest over place that kept you there, despite not having any reason. No one here questioned you, who you were or what you were doing they were…kind. Welcoming.

“Please, Din?” you as you tugged on his arm and give him the biggest and most innocent eyes possible (you’d taken to learning from your little adopted son), as you silently pleaded with him. You knew he’d eventually give in; it never took him long when it came to you. But you already about the hold you had over him; you were just as enamored with him after all. You swore you could see his brows furrowing under the helmet, “I promise it’ll be fun!”

“Okay,” he agreed after a few moments, a light sigh in his voice. He paused for a moment before quickly talking a glove off and putting his hand on your cheek. You closed your eyes as you made a sound of content and leaned into his touch, “we’ll go to the festival this evening. What are they even celebrating?”

“O-oh,” you feigned dumb for a moment as you felt your cheeks heat up. A woman at one of the markets, the one that mentioned the festival to you in the first place, did mention what all the festivities were for - the changing of seasons, and on top of that love, “just the coming of the spring and summer - the warm season. Harvest season.”

He seemed to sense your slight hesitation, a little smile spreading across his features, but he wasn’t about to push you. Besides, he thought it was cute when you got flustered, your cheeks would flush and you’d bite your bottom lip in a way that drove him crazy, “sounds like it should be fun. Alright, we’ll go this evening, okay?”

“I promise you won’t regret it!” you beamed at him, bouncing on your heels as you leaned up and attempted to press a kiss to his cheek. You stopped when you realized he was wearing his helmet, both of stopping to laugh for a moment before you proceeded to press a kiss to his helmet, where his cheek would have been, “I’m going to go change! I’ll be ready soon!”

»»————-　♡　————-««

Everything about the festival, which you had thought would a small celebration as you were led to believe, was extravagant and over the top: the colors, the music, the entertainment, the foods, the games - all of it. Your eyes lit up at all the sights and sounds as you surveyed everything, trying to take it all and ingrain it into your memory.

You had opted to wear something simple, and what you considered rather plain, but it was a nice change from the garb you normally wore - no, those were left behind for the everything, to be forgotten until the next time you had to go on a hunt. You thought it was nothing special, but that didn’t stop Din from looking at you like you had hung all the glittering stars in the night sky. Sometimes he was glade for the helmet. Otherwise you’d probably have caught him staring at you many times over.

Your arm was looped through his as you walked around and looked everything, words spilling out of your mouth with excitement, so much so fast that Din was hard pressed to keep up with everything. He had changed, opting to keep the armor on, you know, just in case,  but you were almost positive that he had polished everything extra well and changed his under clothes from new ones you hadn’t seen before. He maintained the slightly intimidating look of a Mandalorian but he still looked good. Handsome. You almost felt a small sense of pride at the fact that you knew, and virtually only you, knew what looked like underneath it all. But that had been a privilege earned by a build of trust - you trusted him like he trusted you.

You almost stopped dead in your tracks when you’d approached the town square, finding a small stage with a band and lots of people dancing around everywhere. Mostly couples, that fact wasn’t lost on you. Din hadn’t noticed you stopped at first and had continued to walk on, almost dragged you behind him until you almost fell, stopping yourself with a soft oof.

“Y/N! Are you okay? I’m sorry I didn’t -”

“Dance with me?” you asked, completely cutting him off as the sounds of a familiar tune met your ears. It was one that was familiar from your childhood, you couldn’t quite place it, but it was comforting. When he didn’t respond, you knew something was up. He seemed to be looking anywhere but your face, and you titled your head to the side, “Mando?”

“Hmm?”

“I asked if you’ll dance with me…”

“I know…it’s just that there’s a lot of people already…”

“Please?”

“It’s crowded and we’ll probably-”

“For me?”

“Knock elbows with everyone-”

“Just one dance?”

“Music is very loud-”

“It won’t be bad.”

“And-”

“Mando,” you stopped him by grabbing his hands and holding them tightly in your own, facing him and all but forcing him to look at your face, “do…do you not want to dance with me?”

He felt a little pang tug at his heartstrings at the question you posed. Of course he wanted to dance with you, nothing would make him happier there was just one thing little setback, “I…don’t know how to dance.”

“What?!” you almost shouted at him before giggling lightly, “really? That’s all?”

“I never learned,” he admitted quietly and you desperately wished you could pull off the helmet and press gentle kisses all over his face, “I don’t want to disappoint you.”

“You could never disappoint me,” you promised him, taking his hand and dragged him closer to the center of the dancing area, “and I promise you, it’s the simplest thing ever. I’ll teach you!”

And who was he to refuse an offer like that? He let you take the lead as you placed one of his arms around your waist and the took in yours, your free hand reaching up and snaking around his neck, pausing for just a moment to touch the slightest bit of exposed skin at the juncture of his shoulder and neck. He swallowed thickly as you slowly started swaying to the music, watching your feet to pick up the pattern. You thought your face might break from the size of smile on your face.

Like with most things, it didn’t take him long to pick up on how to move his body perfectly in time with yours, his footwork almost immaculate. Soon enough, he was taking the lead, which you gladly let take, eventually leaving almost no space between the two of you a time seemed to stand still. There was only one thing left on Din’s mind; how much he would have preferred to be armorless, just like you, and hold you directly almost his body.

“Credit for your thoughts?” you asked after he was silent sometime? He shook his head lightly before leaning down slightly and pressing his forehead against yours. You didn’t need anything more, you knew what it meant it.

»»————-　♡　————-««

By the time you had returned to the Razor Crest, it was late and the Child was fast asleep, much as you were sure you’d soon be too. You’d quickly changed into bed clothes and were about to climb into bed when you heard the soft sounds of music coming from the small living area. Maybe it was just your tired mind, but you decided to investigate it anyway.

When you had made your way to the source of the music, your heart almost stopped at the sight of Din, only in sleeping clothes, looking back at you with the sweetest eyes and softest smile you had seen. It was a sight you had grown accustomed to, but it still took your breath away almost every time. What a shame, you thought to yourself, that such a wonderful face was hidden from the world. But you understood, you knew why.

“Hi,” he said as he took a few steps closer to you, almost seeming nervous.

“Hi,” you repeated as you took his face in between your hands, studying it momentarily before gently kissing his laps; they were soft, always so soft and every kiss told you more and more about him, “what’s all this then?”

“Will you dance with me?” he echoed your words from earlier and you were sure this was it. Your heart must have stopped and you had ascended.

“W-what?” was the only question you managed to get out as his hands found your waist.

“Will you,” he started as he pulled you closed against his warm and your hands instinctively found their way around his neck, “dance with me?”

“Yes,” was your simple reply as your buried your face in his shoulder, letting him hold you tightly as he started to sway to the soft music in the background. This is was it, this was pure and unadulterated happiness. You were content to stay in his arms forever.

Eventually, he mumbled something you couldn’t quite hear, his head resting on top of yours, occasionally pressing a few soft kisses to your hair.

“Hmm?” you asked, the sound in your throat vibrating against his chest as you tried to keep your eyes open. The soft motions were making harder and harder to evade sleep, but you would have been more than happy to remain just like that.

“I-I love you,” he repeated, almost shy, almost unsure if this was the time or place to finally, finally, say those words to you. But they felt right, they felt natural, and there was nothing but a sense of warmth flooding through his veins at the revelation. He could feel you grinning his skin as you gave his shoulder a few butterfly kisses. This was definitely it - everything.

“I love you too,” you said quietly, and the sensation in his body increased as he closed his eyes and let out a small sound of happiness, “that is one thing you will never have to question.”

Everything. This was it. With just a few small words.

[gleekto]

Full Fic: Even Better Than the Real Thing

Words: 18,295 (how did that happen?)

Full fic now on AO3

Summary: College AU/Famous!Blaine and Fanboy!Kurt - Kurt POV

Kurt really doesn’t have time to figure out the dating world between being a freshman at prestigious theatre school, LAADA,  and his active but secret blogging life in the Sing!Fandom. So what if Sing! ended last year? There are still fics to read and actors to follow. Especially the uber talented heartthrob lead, Blaine Anderson. He can act. He can sing. He can even dance. He’s gay. He’s out. And he’s only 24. Kurt is willing to twiddle his thumbs and click refresh until Blaine Anderson’s next project.

He just didn’t expect the next project to be on his roommate Rachel’s new TV show.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12

Even Better than the Real Thing (13/13)

They decide to tell Rachel first. Aside from being the obvious choice, she would be a nightmare if she ever found out she was second shrift to anyone in Kurt’s life. He would definitely not be able to handle her moping around the apartment wondering if he even really considered her a friend in the first place - last week he finishes her oat milk, this week, he’s dating her co-star and she’s the last to know. Of course, in this scenario he never had any of her oat milk, and she wouldn’t be the last to know, but regardless, not telling her first certainly wouldn’t be worth the headache.

“So you think we should just let her walk in on us?” They’re still lying half naked in Kurt’s bed hours after their “reunion”, Blaine lying on his front, Kurt on his back, with Blaine’s butt as his pillow. “I mean she should be home in what - 20 minutes?”

“Oh shit,” Kurt looks at his watch. “More like 10. And I think my breakfast dishes are still sitting on the table.”

They scramble to put on clothes, quickly make Kurt’s bed, and Kurt amusedly watches Blaine try to figure out how to arrange his throw pillows, while he finishes cleaning up his dishes. By the time Rachel waltzes in the front door, they’re sitting across from each other at the kitchen island, each with a cup of hot lemon tea, and trying to look casual.

“Hi Kurt. I have had the busiest day. Let me tell you I’m completely exhausted-” Rachel finally looks up and sees them. “Blaine?” Kurt can feel Rachel trying to come up with a way to phrase her obvious question.

“Hey Rachel,” Blaine smirks, amused, but doesn’t offer any explanation. Kurt kicks him under the table. “Ow.”

“So you’re um-” Rachel purses her lips. “Both feeling better now, I take it?”

“Much better,” Blaine smirks again. 

“Okay yes,” Kurt huffs. “We are feeling better and we are,” Kurt motions between Blaine and himself. “Yes.”

“Yes?” Rachel claps her hands excitedly. “This is so great - can you imagine the PR headlines for the show?” Kurt glares at her and she stops. At least for the moment. “I mean, I’m very happy for you. So anyways. You have my blessing.” Kurt laughs out loud.

“Thank you?” Blaine looks at her suspiciously.

“Well, Kurt is my best friend and I do have inside knowledge that you are a good kisser.” Now Blaine laughs out loud. “So may you be blessed with all that goodness.”

“Oh I will be,” Kurt says and Rachel at least looks slightly embarrassed. So he’ll take it as a win.

...

The fun part is telling Mercedes - it’s always so satisfying to have her approval. They FaceTime her.

“You look better,” She notices right away.

“I am,” Kurt beams, Blaine standing behind the computer out of her view. “We talked and-”

“And?” Her eyes go wide.

“And, yeah,” Kurt shakes his head still in a bit of disbelief. We’re seeing what happens.” She squeals in the best way. “And actually,” Kurt smiles even wider, “There’s someone I’d like to introduce you to.” Kurt’s favourite part is watching Mercedes’ jaw drop as Blaine saunters into the frame.

“Hey Mercedes,” He smiles his warm smile. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

“And you, Mr. Blaine Anderson.” Mercedes smiles reflexively shaking her head back and forth. “I am just - wow. Hello.” Kurt remembers being starstruck. It feels like a long time ago.

“No need to be so formal,” Blaine dismisses. “Kurt just calls me Mr. Anderson.”

“You wish,” Kurt elbows him in the side.

“And he even has a sense of humour,” Mercedes is still smiling dumbly.

“Well, maybe next time we’re alone,” Blaine whispers so only Kurt can hear and he gets elbowed even harder, Kurt trying to remain casual.

“So we do need to ask you not to mention this - or any of our future hang outs - on your blog,” Kurt adds, half in jest all in earnest. 

Mercedes nods but Blaine chimes in, “Though if you did say that you had a friend who met me, and that I do have a much better sense of style than Colin Red, I would appreciate it.”

“You did get yourself a comedian, Kurt.”

“My style is better,” Blaine huffs.

“And you can mention that ‘your friend’ said the guy Blaine was with was at least a 9/10,” Kurt says.

“You mean a 10?”

“Aren’t you sweet,” Mercedes nods at Kurt, impressed.

“You think I would date a 9? Please. It will all be confirmed when I talk to my publicist, anyways,” Blaine says nonchalantly.

“Your publicist?” Mercedes and Kurt repeat at the same time. Mercedes in shock, Kurt curious.

“Just give me five minutes.”

...

Who is the pretty face having coffee with Sing!’s favorite heartthrob? You asked  and JustJay has the answers. His name is Kurt Hummel and we have got the SCOOP! 

Kurt laughs as he clicks on the link the next morning. Blaine had spoken to his publicist for a total of five minutes and said a sum total of seven words. Kurt Hummel...Dating...19...LAADA...Rachel’s roommate.

Sorry to any of the hopeful fans out there. Blaine Anderson of Sing! and That’s So Rachel fame, officially confirmed that he is off the market. At least for now. He is dating Kurt Hummel - and he’s his co-star’s roommate. Awkward!

But good luck to the happy new couple!

And that’s it. Kurt Hummel is dating Blaine Anderson. And some of the more ‘high end’ entertainment bloggers note that Blaine requests privacy about his personal life at this time. At least that way they can decline couple selfies when a fan sees them out to eat.

...

Kurt isn’t able to see Blaine again until the weekend, thanks to a lengthy  location shoot. He has the week to catch up on his school work, only being mildly distracted by Blaine’s flirty texts - He laughs out loud to his empty apartment when a pic of Blaine shirtless in his trailer, with the top of his boxers showing above his jeans, pops up. 

Blaine: Finally gets to see me shirtless whenever he wants.

What an ego. 

Kurt: Definitely not as often as I want.

Kurt is pretty sure that’s what makes Blaine come right back to Kurt’s apartment with Rachel that Friday, rather than at least dropping his bag off at home first. “First weeks of dating are always the hardest,” Blaine says as he shuts Kurt’s bedroom door and pulls Kurt on top of him and kisses him long and slow. 

Kurt pulls back. “The hardest?”

“Mmmm,” Blaine mouths along his neck. “Very hard not to want to be naked all the time.” Kurt can’t really argue with that. Despite his sense of romance, he definitely does not want to go out right now.  

It doesn’t take them very long to shed their clothes and crawl into Kurt’s bed to wrap around each other. Then it slows down as if in slow motion. The last time they were together was desperate - Kurt was surprised and nervous and unsure of what was happening. Now he’s calm (in a horny sort of way) and he lets Blaine wrap around him as Blaine explores his body - the sensitive spot two inches under his armpit, the strip below his belly, even his balls which Blaine cups in his hands. He moans in appreciation and Blaine likes it. He likes it too.

He lets Blaine finger him open that night while Blaine gives him a blowjob and it doesn’t even feel like a thing. Kurt is on his back and Blaine is sinking up and down on him, wet and slow, slurping in a sort of grotesque satisfaction. Kurt lifts his knees up to see what might happen andBlaine pops off momentarily and stares at Kurt’s open legs, then stares at his eyes as he grabs the lube. When Kurt nods, Blaine sinks back down and touches him so effortlessly that Kurt forgets to be nervous. Light presses turn to one finger, then two. In and out.  So many sensations and then he’s coming in Blaine’s mouth.

There is just something very easy about being with Blaine Anderson.

...

Rachel is the one who convinces them to do the interview. 

They’ve been dating uneventfully for half a year when That’s So Rachel gets renewed for a second season. Other than the occasional photo request or silly headline - Blaine Anderson buys some strawberries while out for a walk with his beau - Kurt feels like he’s having a pretty regular first relationship. They spend several nights a week together, but not every night, they see plays, bake cookies, hang out, have spectacular sex thanks to Blaine’s well honed skills (It’s not my skills, it’s you, Blaine says over and over but Kurt still thinks he’s indulging him). Tumblr seems like a distant memory though Mercedes tells him there is an active RPF fandom writing fics about them  - Klaine, she says. What on earth is a klaine? And he’s still acing all his classes.

Then one day the request comes from good old JustJay, and Rachel is all in.

“It will be such great publicity for our new season,” Rachel insists. “The true love behind the show. Come on, you know it will be fun.”

Kurt definitely does not know that. Neither does Blaine. But they give in mostly because Rachel is pure enthusiasm and what really is the harm? So they find themselves sitting on a little couch in JustJay’s small rented studio, arms crossed on their laps like the little old couples in When Harry Met Sally.

“It’s true. He was a fan,” Blaine confirms. “Of my first TV show, Sing!”

“That’s his false modesty talking. I was a fan of Sing! But mostly, I was a fan of Blaine Anderson - young, out, gay. Not bad looking,” Kurt teases. “But I was Rachel’s friend and roommate long before I knew anything about them working together.”

“It was serendipity,” Blaine squeezes his hand and the camera pans in. Kurt can just imagine the fics that will come out of this.

“It was random luck.”

Blaine continues, “We have a lot in common - growing up gay in Ohio, love of musical theatre. We even both sang in show choirs. I’d never date a fan, though.”

“But,” Kurt continues his sentence. “When we met through Rachel, I was too embarrassed to admit I knew who he was. I was just trying to get through a five minute awkward conversation with my celebrity crush without making  a fool of myself.”

“But I wouldn’t let him go.”

“He wouldn’t let me go.”

And the rest is history.

[awesomesusiebstuff]

Time Together Changes Everything

This was written for @idreamofplaid Thanks For The Memories Challenge.  It was inspired by scenes form Supernatural Season 13 episodes Patience and The Big Empty and by my love for the relationship between Sam and Jack.

Characters:  Sam Winchester, Jack Kline, Dean Winchester

Words: 2,113

Warnings:  None that I could think of.  Pure fluff.

A/N Thanks to @fangirlxwritesx67 for reading and encouraging and to @thoughtslikeaminefield for beta read and suggestions for improvement.

Summary: Dean is angry.  Jack is afraid of Dean and of his own powers.  Sam is trying to keep himself and everyone else together.  Someone has to be the adult in the bunker. Who knew trying to raise a Nephilim would be so difficult?

With Cas dead and Mary gone, life in the bunker was very uncomfortable.  Truth be told, uncomfortable was too small a word to describe the atmosphere.  Charged, hostile, despairing. Those were more accurate descriptions. Everyone who remained had been sent reeling.  The world had spun off its axis and no one had time to adjust to the new trajectory.  

 Dean was mourning his best friend, and his mother, and was caught up in blaming the bunker’s newest resident for his loss. Jack was feeling alone and frightened.  Everything was new and terrifying to him, including his own powers. And Sam, Sam was just trying to keep it together.  

He had lost his friend and mother -- and, God, it hurt!  But he was convinced that Jack was not a monster and knew that someone had to look after him. So, in one of the greatest ironies of all time,  Sam chose to step up and protect the son of Lucifer, which included helping Jack learn how to control his powers and use them for good.

Training was not going well. Jack had been trying his hardest to please Sam by making a pencil levitate.  Sam had been trying his best to be patient and not pressure Jack. He knew Jack was scared. Sam was frustrated though, and felt he was doing everything wrong.  He had no real experience with kids. And, even though Sam knew he did the best he could, his own father was not exactly a role model. Sam was worried he would not be an adequate parent for any child, let alone for a Nephilim. Just the thought of it was overwhelming.

Sam wished he could get Dean on board for some much needed help, but Dean was convinced Jack was evil and would turn on them as soon as he had the opportunity.  Dean had gone so far as to tell Jack he would be the one to kill him if he went dark side. Sam understood that his brother’s first response to any strong, uncomfortable emotion was anger. He knew this was part of Dean’s grieving process, but his brooding and glaring at Jack was not helping the situation. 

The day everything changed was the day Jack blew up at Sam and fled to his room.  Sam found him sitting in the corner in tears. Sam knew what it was to feel like a disappointment. He was mortified to be the cause of Jack’s tears. 

Sam sat next to Jack on the floor and bumped his shoulder to get the boy’s attention. In the gentlest voice possible, Sam said “I’m sorry for pushing so hard, Jack.  I forget that you’re just a kid. I want you to know that whether you get a handle on your powers or not, you are not a disappointment. Your mom believed in you. Cas believed in you.  And I believe in you.”  

By this time, Jack had turned so he could look at Sam, his face so open and hopeful that Sam found himself close to tears. “OK,” Jack said.” I’m ready to try again.”  “Great!” Sam replied. “But let’s have a little fun first, take a break.”

Sam wasn’t really sure what would be fun for a Nephilim. Truth be told, he wasn’t certain what would be fun for a child. Sam thought about things he had liked to do as a child. He remembered that most of his favorite things involved fantasy of some kind.  He didn’t think he should resort to playing Batman and Robin or soldiers with Jack. He decided to start introducing Jack to the world of Star Wars, figuring that would at least be interesting for him.   

He left Jack in his room with a laptop and Clone Wars. When he checked back a few hours later, he saw that Jack had not moved off his bed and was still working his way through the episodes.  Sam asked, ”Hey, how’s it going?” Jack looked up and replied, “Good. I’m enjoying it. I’m not too fond of Anakin, though.”  Sam laughed when he heard this. He was taking this as an indication that Jack was not going to go all Darth Vader on the world.  At Jack’s questioning look, Sam smiled and said, “I’ll explain it to you another time.” Jack just nodded and went back to his viewing.

Sam left to make Jack something to eat and ran into Dean in the kitchen. He was still smiling when he said, “So get this. Jack doesn’t like Anakin Skywalker. Dude, that’s a good thing, right?”  Dean didn’t really answer but he actually smiled. Sam chose to see this as another good sign. Maybe the ice around Dean was starting to thaw and he would begin to warm up to Jack. 

Jack really seemed to enjoy the animated series so Sam downloaded the movies for him, starting, of course, with the original one featuring Luke Skywalker and Han Solo.  While Jack watched, Sam returned to the library to do more research on Nephilim.

Thinking about Star Wars and his own childhood had triggered some not so great memories, like how much he disliked being left alone to entertain himself when Dean and his father went on hunts.  Those memories made him realize he was doing the same thing to Jack. Sam might not know the best way to teach Jack to use his powers, but he could spend time with him and show Jack what it was like to be human.

From that day on, Sam made a point of spending time with Jack and introducing him to what he called “the human experience.” He listed what he considered essentials and set himself the goal of checking at least one thing off the list every day. 

Sam was aware that Jack was too small to wear any of Dean’s clothes.  And his own clothes certainly would not fit him. So clothes shopping moved to the top of the list.

Sam never paid much attention to clothes but he found that he actually enjoyed helping Jack find things to wear that he would like and that would feel comfortable. One of their most successful shopping excursions netted Jack a new “favorite” hoodie and a pair of sneakers with Velcro, both of which quickly became part of his daily wardrobe.  

Grocery shopping was not quite as successful.  Jack discovered he liked candy, sugary cereal, and just about anything sweet.  Sam tried to introduce him to all sorts of fruits and vegetables. Jack would try everything but nothing beat nougat and Sam would always catch him trying to sneak sweets into the grocery cart. 

Sam was aware that Jack’s grocery preferences contributed to Dean’s warming up to him.  Dean would never take Jack shopping, but whenever Dean went on a supply run, Sam saw that a handful of candy bars and a couple boxes of sugary cereal mysteriously made it into the bunker. 

Dean couldn’t help noticing that Jack looked up to Sam and that Sam looked happier when he was doing things with Jack. One day he commented, “Dude, I’m glad to see you looking like less of a sad sack.”  Sam gave Dean the patented eye roll and said, “Yeah, I think things are getting better.” Sam knew better than to push Dean so he just smiled to himself and let it drop.  

Hunting was the family business, so, of course, Sam taught Jack about monsters and the lore.  He took Jack out to walk around a cemetery and explained how EMF worked. He let Jack read his hunting journal and some of the notes he kept about monsters he and Dean had encountered. 

Sam stayed away from the topic of Lucifer as much as possible.  He knew Jack had questions. Jack finally came out and asked, “Is my father a monster?” Sam answered honestly, ”Yes, Jack, he is. And someday I’ll tell you more about him and why I know he is evil.  But Jack, that does not mean you will be evil. You have a choice and I believe you will make the right one.”

After that, Sam was always very careful to make sure Jack knew he and Dean did not see him as a monster. He believed that Jack trusted that Sam saw him as a real person and not just some “cosmic entity” with potentially useful powers.  He knew Jack was still unsure about Dean, especially after Dean’s “cosmic can opener” crack. Sometimes Jack had bad dreams and he would go to find Sam. He would always ask, “Is Dean going to kill me?’ And Sam always replied, “No. I won’t let that happen.”

Jack’s nightmares became less frequent.  One morning he came to Sam and said ”I don’t think Dean plans to kill me anytime soon.” Sam recognized this as real progress and decided to plan a Lord of The Rings movie marathon to celebrate. However, before the marathon could begin, Sam decided Jack needed one more lesson.  Sam wanted to show Jack the failsafe weapon to be deployed when trying to get Dean to do anything. Sam left Jack practicing his puppy dog eyes in the mirror and went to find Dean. Sam used his own puppy dog eyes on his brother and Dean agreed to join them in watching the first movie. 

Midway through the movie, Jack asked ,“Aren’t people supposed to have snacks when they’re watching a movie?” and Sam watched Jack unleash his version of the pleading eyes on Dean.  Sam smirked as he watched Dean jump up to go to the kitchen, saying “I’m on it. Popcorn and nachos coming right up. Anybody need another drink?” By the time the credits rolled on the last film, all three were devouring a Dean made “hobbit second breakfast” of waffles, bacon, and a veggie omelet for Sam.

The next day, Jack proudly announced, “I found a case for you.”   Dean surprised Sam by inviting Jack to come with them on the hunt.  It turned out to be a simple salt-and-burn and didn’t require any use of special powers.  Jack showed he was able to listen and followed Sam’s every direction. And Sam knew Jack’s willingness to do the grave digging won him points with Dean.

Jack’s full acceptance into the Winchester family became apparent to Sam the day after they returned  to the bunker. Sam noticed that Dean had begun calling Jack “kid” and he immediately recognized what that meant.  Any lingering doubt Sam may have had disappeared when Dean began teasing Jack about his hair.

 Dean said “Hey, kid.  You’re getting a little shaggy.  Which is ok if you want Wookie hair but…” and then gave Sam a pointed look. 

Jack looked at Sam for guidance, unsure of how to respond.  Sam just laughed and directed a “jerk” at Dean.  

Sam said, “Jack, it’s your hair and you decide how you want it to look.”  

After giving it some thought, Jack said, “I guess I don’t want to look like a Wookie.  Can I get a haircut?”  

Dean volunteered to cut Jack’s hair but Sam just chuckled and shook his head.  Sam decided he would make an appointment with the girl who cut his own hair and take Jack into town for his haircut. 

The next day, Sam and Jack drove into town.  Sandra, Sam’s usual stylist, greeted them with a smile and innocently asked Sam, “And who is this?” referring to Jack.  

Giving one of his awkward waves, Jack shyly said, “I’m Jack.” 

Sam was taken aback because he hadn’t thoroughly thought this thing through. Of course, Sandra knew Sam and would be curious about Jack.  By that time, Jack was nervously staring at the floor. And Sam was hit by the realization that that this was Jack’s first haircut and it was a big deal for him. 

Not giving himself time to think, Sam blurted out, “He’s my son.”  When he saw the biggest smile he had ever seen on Jack’s face, he knew it was the right thing to say.  More than that, he knew it was the truth.  

He felt himself smiling just as big when Jack answered, “Yes, that’s my Dad.”  

He might not have been prepared to be a parent. But at that moment, if anyone had asked Sam Winchester if he was happy to be a father, his answer would be a resounding “Yes!”

 Tagging Interested Parties:  @idreamofplaid @fangirlxwritesx67 @thoughtslikeaminefield @kickingitwithkirk @klaatu51 @aeo10fan

[brindlestorm]

My Truth or Yours?

CH1 | CH2 | CH3

______________________________________________________________

It hadn’t stopped.

For two moons, every border patrol was on high alert for the ‘fox’ that was scented at the Shadowclan border, but Tigerclaw knew that the only fox hanging around there was none other than their own deputy. When each patrol came back empty-pawed and more confused than ever, suddenly the scent became that of a badger’s.

How convenient, that when Tigerclaw had just chased off a badger from it’s den in the direction of Riverclan, one would show up at the Shadowclan border.

And speaking of Shadowclan, troubling news had occurred at the last gathering. Every clan knew of Brokentail, Raggedstar’s only son, and how proud the leader was of the bloodthirsty creature he had named deputy. Shadowclan and Windclan had been at each other’s throats for almost five moons over supposed prey-stealing, and at the last gathering, Brokenstar had accused Windclan of cowardly attacking and killing Raggedstar when he was on a lone border patrol.

The way Redtail had flinched at the news told Tigerclaw all he needed to know.

At this point, Tigerclaw wasn’t sure whether or not to do more paired sessions with Redtail to keep an eye on him or to keep Ravenpaw as far away from the Thunderclan deputy as possible. The sessions they did have together went seemingly well so long as Tigerclaw was the one coaching Ravenpaw. The poor apprentice jumped more when Redtail talked than himself now, Tigerclaw couldn’t blame him though, not after what they both witnessed.

It was mostly at night now that he caught Redtail sneaking out of camp to meet with the Shadowclan warriors. He always came back smelling strongly of ferns, but now that Tigerclaw knew what to look for, there was always a lingering scent of pines and marshes on the deputy’s pelt.

Tigerclaw had just returned from a hunting patrol with Mousefur and Runningwind when he was summoned to Bluestar’s den.

“Tigerclaw, a word? I need to speak with you and Redtail.”

Tigerclaw’s hackles began to rise, Had Bluestar began to notice the growing animosity he had for the deputy? What did she want to talk to them about?

“It's about your apprentices, I’d like to hear about their progress.” Bluestar continued, paying no mind to Tigerclaw’s unease.

“Of course, Bluestar. Shall I fetch us some prey to share while we speak? Runningwind managed to catch a rabbit on our patrol, that should be enough for the three of us.” Tigerclaw replied smoothly, forcing his fur flat again before Bluestar could notice it.

“A rabbit would be good, thank you Tigerclaw. Grab the rabbit and then come to my den.” Bluestar said, flicking her tail as she headed back to her den where Redtail was waiting for them.

Tigerclaw snatched the rabbit just as Runningwind let it fall from his jaws onto the freshkill pile, leaving a rather confused pair of siblings to watch as he trekked his way up to Bluestar’s den.

The three cats settled down, taking turns eating the prey before Bluestar finally asked about their apprentices.

“Dustpaw is turning into a fierce fighter, he was able to catch me off guard not too long ago, I think he’s getting impatient with the rate I’m teaching him new moves at.” Redtail reported confidently.

“I’m still working with Ravenpaw on his confidence, it's been a little slow going but he’s stopped flinching during battle training. I had intended to test his stealth and tracking two moons ago but I ended up sending him hunting for the queens. Not only did he do that, but he followed me from above from sunset to nightfall. He told me exactly what I had done from the moment he found me to when he got back to where he had buried his prey.”

Not entirely a lie, Ravenpaw was certainly silent when he returned to the Shadowclan border to surprise his mentor. Had it not been for what they caught Redtail doing, Tigerclaw would have been sufficiently impressed by the timid apprentice’s stealth.

Bluestar nodded, “Sounds like Ravenpaw is shaping up to be a good hunter, and how is Dustpaw coming along in that aspect? 

“Dustpaw has been... growing rather quickly.” Redtail said slowly, as if he was unsure how to word it properly. “I think he’s become frustrated with hunting these days, he only wants to focus on his battle techniques. It's been a challenge, though I can’t blame him. It's like every time he adjusts to his paws something else gets bigger. I swear, that tom is growing one leg at a time!”

Bluestar purred in amusement, “Well, it's still a little early to test them on their battle training, but I believe it's about time they had a hunting assessment!”

Tigerclaw nodded, “With all those predators our patrols have been scenting, shall we take them to hunt near the Great Sycamore or the Owl Tree?”

Bluestar shook her head, “No, Redtail can assess them by the Owl Tree tomorrow morning. You and I are taking a patrol, I think Longtail and Runningwind should come as well. We need to check Snakerocks to make sure the rocks blocking the adder-holes haven’t been shifted.”

Tigerclaw bristled slightly, “Shouldn’t I be there to assess my apprentice?”

“I’m sure Redtail can handle those two. I need you on this patrol Tigerclaw, Longtail and Runningwind may be fast enough to catch the adders, but I need your help to shift the rocks with me. Are you up for it?”

Tigerclaw took a breath, yes. Redtail may be a problem, possibly a traitor. But surely he could trust the deputy for a day, his leader was asking him to make sure that Snakerocks would be safe for hunting, an important task with Leafbare creeping up in a moon.

He dipped his head, “Of course I’ll come Bluestar, you can count on me.”

“Good, you can both go and inform your apprentices. Tigerclaw, we’ll wait until after you’ve seen off Ravenpaw before we head to Snakerocks, alright?”

“Yes, thank you Bluestar, I'd like to tell Ravenpaw now if I can, I'd imagine he'll want to fit in some hunting practice before sundown and I ought to be there with him."

Bluestar purred, "At least he's a dedicated one! Redtail, perhaps you should do the same with Dustpaw if your concerns are anything to go by."

Tigerclaw opted to leave first, not pausing to see if Bluestar had anything else to say to him or Redtail. He hurried to the apprentices den, nosing his way through the small entrance. Instead it was Sandpaw who greeted him from where she was resting next to Dustpaw.

“Looking for Ravenpaw?” She rasped, Tigerclaw took a second to pity the molly.

Not even a moon ago yet, Sandpaw had been out training with her mentor when they had a surprise run-in with a fox cub. Whitestorm had tried to order her back to camp but she refused to listen, they were able to drive it off easily enough, but the fox bite Sandpaw had received became infected, only now was she recovered enough to help entertain kits while she was still being confined to the camp.

Continuing on as if she hadn’t expected him to answer anyway, “You just missed him, he went to Spottedleaf’s den, said something about getting me coltsfoot because I was coughing in my sleep last night. If you ask me, he ought to just move his nest in there with how often he spends running back and forth!”

“Thank you, Sandpaw. I’ll go see if Spottedleaf can bear parting with my apprentice. I want to make sure he’s ready for his hunting assessment tomorrow morning.”

Sandpaw’s ears flattened when she heard that and glared down at her leg. 

“I’m sure you’ll get your assessment soon Sandpaw, as soon as your leg has healed I’ll go to Bluestar myself. It won’t take long for you to catch up to your denmates.” Tigerclaw added, kindly.

Sandpaw just sighed and rested her chin on her paws, stifling a cough as Tigerclaw left the den. It only got worse as he left, Tigerclaw didn’t know if coltsfoot would help her, but he hoped to Starclan it would, Thunderclan couldn’t afford to lose any apprentices this season.

Redtail flicked his tail in greeting as he brushed past him into the apprentices' den to collect Dustpaw, Tigerclaw felt his heart clench again at the thought of leaving either apprentice alone with the deputy. Oh how he wished he could stay for the assessment, but the danger of Snakerocks was more important than Redtail at the moment. At the very least, whatever plans Redtail had wouldn’t be able to include the adders, it would be too suspicious to move them so soon after the rocks were checked by the leader herself.

Tigerclaw ducked down low to enter the medicine den, immediately picking up on the conversation between the pair.

“-that could work, but why not just give her tansy then?”

“Because tansy should only be eaten in small doses,” Ravenpaw replied confidently. “Coltsfoot would be better because she can chew on the stalks throughout the night if her coughing wakes her up.”

“You learn quickly!” Spottedleaf purred with amusement. “Take her the three stalks of coltsfoot and a few juniper berries. She can have two berries now with one stalk of coltsfoot, the last berry should be saved for when she wakes up tomorrow.”

“Putting my apprentice to work, are you Spottedleaf?” Tigerclaw rumbled good-naturedly as he entered the den.

“Only because he wants to be!” Spottedleaf replied cheekily. “What can I do for you, Tigerclaw?”

“I’m here to collect Ravenpaw, but I’ll let him see to Sandpaw first seeing as he already came all the way here to do it.

Ravenpaw nodded hurriedly and rushed out of the den with the herbs wrapped carefully in a leaf.

“He visits me a lot you know, pretty interested in herbs.” Spottedleaf began, turning to sort the already neatly stacked pile of herbs in her stores. “Has he ever mentioned it to you?”

“He didn’t have to, I’ve seen it for myself enough times.” Tigerclaw replied flatly, “Everytime we try to go hunting or patrolling, he’s always sniffing around your herb patches or lagging behind to watch the clouds cover the sun.”

Spottedleaf flinched slightly, “Well, it's nice to have an apprentice interested in herbs, I’m not trying to take him from you Tigerclaw, I was just making  conversation.”

The slight hitch in her voice told Tigerclaw that she was worried she may have overstepped, so he did the only thing he knew how to do in situations like this.

Tigerclaw placed his massive paw gently on Spottedleaf’s face, effectively silencing whatever else she was going to say.

“Ravenpaw and I have already talked about it. His trip to the moonstone will be coming up soon, when he shares dreams with Starclan, his path will be revealed to him then. But until that day comes, I will continue to train him as a warrior. I won’t stand in his way, but I won’t let him slack off on his battle training either. No offense to you of course, Spottedleaf, but I want him to be able to hold his own in a fight no matter what he ends up as.”

Spottedleaf playfully batted Tigerclaw’s paw off of her face, “Excuse you, but I can hold my own in a fight, thank you very much! Thrushpelt taught me more than just hunting!”

“In that case, perhaps you’d like to sit in during a training session? Not that you have anything to prove, I’d just like to see you in action for myself.”

Just before Spottedleaf could make a retort, Ravenpaw made a reappearance.

“Tigerclaw? You said you needed me for something?”

“Ah yes, we’re going to do some training. I’ll tell you about it as we walk.”

Tigerclaw left the den with Ravenpaw trotting along at his heels, and untrue to his word, Tigerclaw didn’t speak a word the entire walk until he found the abandoned den he talked to Ravenpaw in a few moons ago.

“Tigerclaw? What’s going on-?” 

“Quiet!” Tigerclaw hissed as he shoved Ravenpaw down the hole, with a squeak, Ravenpaw tumbled in.

He scrambled to his paws, spitting out dirt and glared at his mentor. “Hey! What was that for?”

“You and Dustpaw have a hunting assessment tomorrow morning at dawn.” Tigerclaw told him.

Ravenpaw’s ears pricked up, “Really? Wow, it's so soon! You really think we’re ready?”

But then his brow furrowed. “But what does that have to do with you pushing me down a hole?”

“I won’t be there to assess you. Bluestar wants me to go with her to Snakerocks to make sure the adder-holes are still blocked.”

Ravenpaw looked confused still, but Tigerclaw just sat back and waited for it to sink in for his apprentice. 

“....... No.”

“No, what?” Tigerclaw rumbled.

“No, I... I’ll refuse to take the assessment! I’ll... I’ll tell Spottedleaf I’m sick so that she’ll keep me in camp! A... a bad piece of prey or something!” 

Ravenpaw was shaking now, eyes darting around. “Tigerclaw please don’t make me do this! I don’t want to be anywhere near him, I can barely keep quiet even with you there, I just... I can’t!”

Tigerclaw moved to sit next to Ravenpaw, placing his chin on the apprentice’s head to offer comfort. 

“I know Ravenpaw, I don’t want you to be near him either, but there’s nothing we can do about this. Besides, who’ll protect Dustpaw if you aren’t there?” Ravenpaw shuffled his paws dejectedly, “Dustpaw has always been the better fighter, he doesn’t need me.”

“He doesn’t know about Redtail though, and we can’t tell him because it would put him into more danger. He needs you Ravenpaw, he just doesn’t know it.”

Ravenpaw flicked his tail thoughtfully, “I... I could keep an eye on Redtail for you? Where’s the assessment supposed to be? Maybe I could stray near the border, see what happens?”

“You will do no such thing!” Tigerclaw thundered, jumping to his feet to glare down at the apprentice. “Don’t do anything that could put yourself in danger, do you hear me? I... I can’t lose you Ravenpaw, as your mentor I’m supposed to keep you safe, but when I can’t I expect you not to do anything stupid!”

His apprentice nodded mutely, gaze downcast. Tigerclaw sighed and rested his chin back on Ravenpaw’s head.

“Your assessment will be by the Owl Tree, promise me you’ll stay safe?”

“I promise.”

Ravenpaw didn’t get any sleep that night, not even his sore muscles from training could convince him to close his eyes for some rest. He just watched as his brother slept on his side of the den with Sandpaw.

Tigerclaw had drilled him until sundown, not on hunting, but the best to avoid being followed or throw a cat off his scent. Ravenpaw did get his chance that night to show off his tree stalking skills. Despite the danger, Ravenpaw couldn’t help but be a little smug about the look on his mentor’s face when he dropped down on top of him.

Both mentor and apprentice returned to camp satisfied with their progress, and Ravenpaw swore to himself he would do whatever it took to keep his brother safe. Dustpaw didn’t talk to him as much as littermates usually did, Ravenpaw often wondered why. It wasn’t that his brother avoided him, he just didn’t... talk to him.

Maybe Dustpaw still saw him as the weak, sickly kit everyone had to dote on just so he could live to see his apprentice ceremony, or maybe Dustpaw wished his mentor was Tigerclaw instead of Redtail.

Five moons ago, Ravenpaw would have happily swapped mentors with his brother when he saw how kindly Redtail treated his brother, a harsh contrast to Tigerclaw’s gruff commands and tendency to start training before the sun could even warm the training hollow.

But now.....

He would still trade mentors if it were possible, anything to keep his brother away from their traitorous deputy.

At least he and Tigerclaw had the upper paw in all this. Redtail still didn’t know that the mentor and apprentice were onto him, and as long as Redtail didn’t know then they were safe.

But how long could they allow this to continue? For every meeting Redtail had with the Shadowclan cats, he would do something heroic for the clan. Be it fighting off the mother fox of the cub Sandpaw fought by himself, to staying out all night to to restock half of the prey pile during Leaf-fall to feed the elders and queens in the morning. 

There was no way to cast the deputy into doubt at this point, which left Ravenpaw and Tigerclaw to helplessly watch as Redtail betrayed their clan in secret.

Ravenpaw tiredly got to his paws. He could hear Redtail giving orders to the dawn patrol, may as well wake up his brother so they have time to wash themselves before leaving.

Ravenpaw prodded at his brother, who was snoring so loud he was amazed that Sandpaw could stand it. Dustpaw snorted and rolled over, sleepily kicking at his brother. 

When the next few tries were met with the same reaction, Ravenpaw instead decided to wake up Sandpaw instead. Her coughing had went down some during the night, it wouldn’t hurt to wake her up to remind her to eat the rest of her herbs.

It also came with the added bonus of not accidentally waking her up while waking up Dustpaw, she’d have his pelt if she was woken up rudely for no reason.

Sandpaw had always been an early riser, which made Ravenpaw’s job much easier.

Gently, Ravenpaw poked his denmate’s shoulder, jostling her awake as subtly as possible. “Sandpaw? You need to wake up and eat some more coltsfoot and juniper berries, remember? Spottedleaf told me to wake you up at dawn to remind you.”

Sandpaw blearily opened her eyes and blinked up at him, for a moment Ravenpaw thought she was going to snark at him, but instead she just sighed and pulled the stalk and berry closer.

As she munched on the coltsfoot, Sandpaw eyed Ravenpaw. “Shouldn’t you be leaving for your assessment?”

“I will be, as soon as I wake up that sleepy slug over there.” Ravenpaw snorted, flicking his tail towards his brother, who was now sleeping on his back with his tongue hanging out slightly.

Sandpaw stifled a laugh, “Want me to wake him up? I could screech in his ear for you.” she offered.

“Thank you, but I can get him up myself. Mind standing back? I think Dustpaw ought to learn how it feels to be woken up the way he would wake me up when we were kits.”

Sandpaw purred as she stood up to give Ravenpaw more room, Ravenpaw backed up a bit, then took a flying leap at his brother, pushing him out of his nest and all the way through the entrance of the apprentice’s den.

That... wasn’t what he had meant to do, but at least his brother was awake now!

In the clearing, Ravenpaw could hear laughter from the warriors about to leave on patrol, as well as his brother hissing and spitting while struggling to get the dirt out from his pelt, still disoriented from being woken up.

“Who did that?!” He heard Dustpaw shriek.

Ravenpaw looked to Sandpaw nervously, hoping she would at least offer to face Dustpaw’s wrath with him.

“Nope, not today.” Sandpaw snickered, curling back up in her nest. “I’ve had my herbs, watched you make the biggest mistake of your life, I think I’ll go back to sleep now! Good luck on your assessment, Ravenpaw. Hope you make it out alive, Dustpaw’s going to be on your tail all day.”

Ravenpaw sighed and squared his shoulders, taking a deep breath before he stepped out of the den, immediately the clearing fell silent.

Dustpaw turned to glare at him, “Why. In Starclan’s name. Did you do that?!”

Ravenpaw licked his paw innocently. “We have an assessment this morning, remember?”

“Then next time, wake me up the way any other normal cat would!” Dustpaw hissed crossly.

“I tried though,” Ravenpaw protested. “You almost kicked me halfway out the den in your sleep!”

“Not my fault you can’t stand your ground against a sleeping enemy.” 

“The only dangerous thing about you was your snoring, you’ve probably scared away all the prey in the forest in your sleep alone! And if you don’t believe me, feel free to ask Sandpaw how bad it was. You were sleeping next to her after all.”

Dustpaw spluttered, and Ravenpaw honestly wasn’t sure what Dustpaw was more upset about. How he woke his brother up, or teasing him about his closeness with the injured molly.

Fortunately for Ravenpaw, Bluestar and their mentors padded over.

“Ravenpaw, did you attack Dustpaw?” His leader asked.

Ravenpaw flattened his ears and looked away, “I didn’t mean to push him out of the den, I figured I’d just jump on him the way he used to do to me in the nursery!”

Bluestar just stared at him passively, waiting patiently for him to continue.

“I swear! Besides, he always beats me in battle training, I didn’t think I’d even be able to push him out of his nest! I just wanted to wake him up... And he was sleeping pretty soundly, nothing else I was doing would wake him up.”

Redtail took the chance to speak up, “Normally Ravenpaw, I would ask you to leave waking my apprentice up to me for an assessment, but Dustpaw... You should have been up by dawn, Tigerclaw and Ravenpaw stayed out later than we did for training and Ravenpaw woke up just fine on his own. What’s your excuse?”

Dustpaw gaped at his mentor, his brother attacked him, and he was the one getting in trouble?!

“I.... well, I was up with Sandpaw! I heard her coughing so I stayed up in case she needed something!”

“Nice try, Dustpaw!” Came a shout from the apprentice’s den, “I woke up four times and the only one awake was Ravenpaw, not you!”

“So what I’m hearing is that Ravenpaw stayed out later than we did, stayed up later to help my daughter through the night, and still managed to be up before you?”

Dustpaw scowled at the ground, tail lashing hard enough to stir up the dust. Ravenpaw immediately felt bad for his brother, it wasn’t his fault he slept in, so what if he was a little tired? Ravenpaw hoped that neither of them would get in trouble over this.

When it became clear that Dustpaw wasn’t going to respond, Redtail just sighed. “You’re lucky this is an informal assessment Dustpaw, rather than your final. Let's get a move on you two, we’re wasting daylight just standing around out here”

Redtail headed for the entrance while Bluestar and Tigerclaw stayed with the apprentices for a moment.

“Neither of you are in trouble; Dustpaw, you aren’t the first apprentice to oversleep and you won’t be the last. And Ravenpaw, don’t feel bad about this, Patchpelt overslept once as an apprentice and it took me and his sister dragging him over to the freshkill pile to wake him up!” Bluestar reassured them.

Ravenpaw purred in amusement, trying to imagine the good-natured senior warrior as a young apprentice, what was funnier was imaging his leader dragging the old cat around camp while he slept.

Pressure on his shoulder pushed him out of his thoughts, Tigerclaw had bent his head to nudge Ravenpaw in greeting. “Good luck out there Ravenpaw, make me proud and stay safe.”

“I will, Tigerclaw, I promise!”

“Can we get going now?” Dustpaw asked sullenly, glancing at the entrance where Redtail was waiting, tail twitching impatiently.

“Go on you two, I expect to see the freshkill pile refilled when we return!” Bluestar called after them.

The apprentices nodded and hurried off to follow Redtail up and out of the ravine.

As they walked, Ravenpaw found his thoughts turning back to the real problem at the moment. What could be done about Redtail?

Tigerclaw made him swear not to do anything that would put him in danger, but how long could they just sit around while Redtail makes friends with their enemies? How long did they have before Redtail led Shadowclan into the heart of their camp?

Glancing at Redtail, Ravenpaw almost dismissed that thought entirely. Maybe once, Ravenpaw would trust the deputy without question, but even before that day at the thunderpath, he had noticed Redtail acting.... Well, acting not normal. 

He had noticed Redtail’s coming and going in the night, returning just before dawn looking exhausted but still doing his duties for the clan and organizing patrols. The deputy looked half dead most of the time, it was a wonder he was still awake, even if it only happened once or twice a quarter moon.

Ravenpaw wished he could go back to the times when he was blissfully ignorant of the true nature of their deputy and able to walk alongside him without flinching. Now he found himself on high alert whenever the deputy disappeared from sight.

It just didn’t make sense! How could their deputy, the cat Bluestar clearly trusted above all, betray them like that?

“Ravenpaw, are you listening?” Came the annoyed mew of the deputy.

“Aahh! Sorry Redtail, I guess I’m more tired than I thought.” Ravenpaw stuttered out.

Redtail snorted, “Dustpaw, why don’t you share some of that extra sleep you got with your brother? Looks like he needs it more.”

“How about I give him a good nick on the ear? That’ll wake him up plenty.” Dustpaw muttered.

“Sure, but I get to give you one if you try.” Redtail retorted. “I don’t want any more attitude from you today Dustpaw, you’re lucky Bluestar didn’t send you to clean the elder’s den instead of doing your assessment.”

“Dustpaw, from the Owl tree you will go downstream for your hunting assessment. Ravenpaw, you can go upstream. Bring all of your catches back here by Sunhigh, whoever catches the most gets first pick of the freshkill pile when we return. Are you ready?”

The apprentices leapt to their paws, even Dustpaw managed to look a little excited.

“Go!” 

And with that, the apprentices took off, one throwing up leaves as he hurtled downstream while the other flung himself at the nearest tree, disappearing into the branches above.

_______________________________________________________________

Ravenpaw was trying to focus on his assessment, really, he was. He caught a few birds while stalking along the branches, as well as a small squirrel. Leafbare would be here soon so he had to be careful he didn’t over hunt or catch prey that was too young.

Idly, Ravenpaw wondered if he ought to do some hunting on the ground soon. He had already returned to the holly bush by the Owl Tree with his catches a few times now so that he wouldn’t have to dig up his prey twice. Redtail probably couldn’t see him from where he was so high up, and he hadn’t heard the tell-tale signs of a cat following him from above.

Redtail... couldn’t see him?

Maybe this was the chance he needed!

He could deal with Redtail on his own, all he needed to do was get Redtail to follow him as far as the thunderpath! From there he could confront the deputy about his alliance with Shadowclan and then....

Shadowclan would be welcome to take him if it came to that.

Ravenpaw glanced down and saw Redtail sniffing the base of a tree a few fox-lengths away. Purposely, he pushed his weight onto a thinner branch, making it bounce and drop leaves onto the ground.

Redtail glanced up and Ravenpaw made sure to turn quickly, letting the deputy catch a glimpse of him before bounding away along the branches, leaving a careful trail for the deputy to follow.

Ravenpaw was going to get to the bottom of this, he would not let Redtail destroy his clan! ________________________________________________________________

Oh no, Ravenpaw... What are you planning? Would you believe me if I said that this came to twelve pages? Man this took awhile! I hope you all enjoyed it!

[raysofcrosby]

LITTLE DO YOU KNOW PT. 7

"𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦–– 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘦'𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵." – 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐨𝐧, 𝐀𝐦𝐲 & 𝐑𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐜 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫

gif credit (x)

series masterlist

requested: yes | no

warnings: slight *unprotected* smut, implied sexual situations, otherwise its just fluffy convo.

word count: 10,282 [it’s a fucking novel ladies and gents, better buckle up]

authors note: FIRST AND FOREMOST, i’m going to apologize for the horribly written smut. i never write smut bc 1) i suck at it and 2) it makes me feel awkward lmao [sidenote: safe sex is great sex!!!].  also, if a boy did for me what tyler did for baby benn in this– then homeboy could like...get it. ALSO this ending wasn’t supposed to be the original ending, but i feel like it adds a little more oomph when it comes to small things involving the storyline– so i hope it doesn’t flop. i hope you guys’ enjoy! i love reading your comments, seeing your tags in the reblogs and just seeing that you guys’ enjoy this story as much as i enjoy writing it! without further ado, here’s part 7!

Your weekend with Tyler was exactly what you needed as a break away from school and of course, the biggest blessing Dallas was about to receive– the rest of the Benn's. Jordie was in town with the Canucks and your parents, Jenn, your brother-in-law, and your niece were all flying down to not only have a small visit with you before you traveled home for Christmas but to also see the two boys play against each other. Sure, they were able to see Jamie and Jordie play against each other only a few days ago when the Stars stopped in Vancouver, but there was one thing that the game didn't have– you. And you were never one to toot your own horn when it came to your siblings, but you were the favorite– second to Jenny at times. She was the firstborn and she had blessed your parents with a grandchild way before the rest of you. But you were the baby, and that was always a prize.

The rest of your family all got into Dallas around the same time, but since you had class and Jamie and Jordie had workouts, you guys didn't plan to get together until lunch, which unfortunately for Jamie, cut into his pre-game nap– but at least he'd get a free meal out of it, thanks to your parents. Until then though, you were suffering in your classes, too busy thinking about this past weekend and telling Kennedy everything you'd learned from Brandon about this Maisy girl. Kennedy didn't know who she was, and being the best friend ever, kept you out of your own worst thoughts by assuring you that if the relationship was as serious as Brandon said it was– Tyler wouldn't have played it off as nothing.

And that kept the bad thoughts out of your head for most of the day, until it came time to pick Jamie up at his place. The conversation in the car between your parents, you and Kennedy also kept you distracted– it was easy to talk about how school was going and how her family was doing, but when they mentioned your internship, it was hard not to immediately think about Tyler. Thankfully, by the time that came around, you guys were pulling up to Jamie's. Before your dad could even put the rental into park, you offered to run up and grab Jamie, that way they didn't have to get out of the car. You ran up the front steps and rang the doorbell an obnoxious amount of times and when the door opened, you were pleased to see Jenn standing there with a smile on her face.

"You know, there's a child sleeping in here," she joked, wrapping you in in a hug.

"Sleep is for the weak, Jenn. Kennedy is in the car with mom and dad, just send her to the back of the SUV so you guys can make room for the car seat."

"That's okay, Y/N. I managed to snag a sick rental," Andrew, your brother-in-law smiled, walking past with the car seat in his hands and giving you a one-armed hug.

"And by sick, he means a red 4runner," Jenn rolled her eyes as Andrew carried the car seat to their rental in the driveway. "He really just left without letting you see her, didn't he?"

"I'll see my favorite niece at lunch, that's fine," you laughed, watching as she put her purse on her shoulder. "Is he inside?"

"Jamie? Oh yeah, he's almost ready. We'll go ahead and follow you guys to the restaurant."

You nodded and walked inside as she walked out to their rental, closing the door behind her. "JAMIE EVERYONE'S READY BUT YOU!" You yelled out, unsure just where he was in his house.

"Jesus Christ, Y/N. You don't need to blow a guy's eardrum out like that," he groaned, walking from around the corner. "I just need to finish my hair and then grab water and I'm ready to head out."

"J...why are you even bothering to do your hair when you'll mess it up during your nap?"

He stopped in his tracks as if the thought never even crossed his mind. "Well, fine. But let me grab a hat at least so I don't have to brush it."

You sighed and leaned against the stairway, looking around his house aimlessly. When your eyes landed on an old picture of him and Tyler with Dude Perfect, a thought entered your mind. "Hey J? Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, why not?"

You bit the inside of your cheek, wondering whether or not you should ask. Would it make Jamie suspicious to...whatever the hell you and Tyler had? Would he tease you for even wanting to know? "Do you know who Maisy is?"

"Huh?"

"Maisy! Do you–" You started to yell, only to see him come back down the hallway with a hat in his hands. "Do you know who Maisy is?"

He didn't even bother to stop this time, only walking away and into his kitchen. "Like, Tyler's Maisy?"

Your stomach dropped then and there straight into the bottom of your shoes. 'Tyler's Maisy.' You weren't sure if it was the nonchalant way that he said it or the fact that he just confirmed that Brandon wasn't lying that made you feel so uneasy– but either way...you were.

"Yeah, where they like...a thing?"

He came out of the kitchen holding onto two water bottles and tossing you one. A genuine look of concern on his face sent your heartbeat into overdrive as you tried to keep your expression as neutral as possible. "I mean, yeah. I don't know if they were ever really official, but she was his man hookup all last season."

He walked away again, this time coming back and shoving his wallet into his short pockets. "She also kind of played a roll in why he had to pick his new house so fast. Granted he already had two settled, but I guess she accidentally leaked his address on Instagram or snapchat or something after order postmates." He opened the front door, grabbing his house keys off of the hanger. "Also, there was this huge spamming thing from random accounts on twitter, some sports forum and other crap saying he needed to go public with her. They'd even comment on Candace and Cassidy's stuff."

As you followed him out of the door, it all started to make sense as to why Tyler didn't want you to ever post that you were at his house– it wasn't fully out of fear that Jamie would know you were there...but because he was scared that maybe you'd leak his address. And while that revelation made you feel a little more at ease, you couldn't help but acknowledge the hint of sadness when you connected Brandon's comments about Tyler not letting Maisy post stuff, to what Jamie just confirmed.

"I think he broke it off in the summer though, why?"

You shook yourself out of your thoughts and walked ahead of him. "Oh nothing, I just heard some frat guys talking about her when I dropped Cole's stuff off."

"Yeah, well I wasn't the only one who warned Seggy about getting involved with a college girl. I mean, I got lucky with Katie, but there's also a three year age difference between us." You were shocked at Jamie's reply as he walked ahead of you this time. "Tyler's going for girls now where the age difference is like six to seven years– I mean, maybe mentally he's right for them, but it's just...I don't know it never works out and we keep trying to tell him that, but you know how he is."

You just smiled and nodded as he opened the car door for you and you saw Kennedy climb into the next row of seats. You followed suit, saving a seat for when you went to pick up Jordie and ultimately ending your conversation there. The conversation picked up between everyone in the car as you made your way to your lunch destination, but you were lost in your little world, resting on the things both Brandon and Jamie have said...plus the fact that Tyler would be joining you guys for the post-game dinner in just a few hours.

How bad could it all go?

❒❒❒❒

Dinner was going to be a fun time and it would only be because you were going to be witness to Jamie rubbing it into Jordie's face that they beat them twice in less than a week. Little brother beating big brother– the theme to their entire childhood, was enough to entertain your dinner for 11. They spent a good five minutes arguing about who would cover the check, Jamie or Jordie and for a hot second, they both agreed that you would cover it– but a quick reminder that you were a college senior with no job and an unpaid internship, shut them down real quick. Otherwise, dinner was fun and heartwarming.

Your parents had invited Big Rig and Tyler along– Big Rig once they learned that he and Kennedy were an item, and Tyler because he was like another son to them, and Jamie's best friend. Luckily for you, the way everyone ended up being seated around the table, you had Kennedy and Big Rig to your right, and Tyler to your left, before it moved on to Jenn at the end of the table with your niece. The conversations were flowing all across the table and seemingly never-ending, everyone around the table, at least once, having the conversation focused on them. With Big Rig, it was his sister and if he liked being back in Dallas versus being in Pittsburgh. 

With Kennedy, it was how her family's work is going and whether she was ready to deal with the Canadian cold come Christmas. Jamie and Jordie were tied together, the same with Tyler when they weren't asking about how his family was doing. With you, it was school and how your internship with the team was going–  and God the conversation seemed never-ending. But you weren't sure if it was because you hated being the topic of everyone at dinner or if it was Tyler's hand resting on your thigh.

The entire night, beneath the table Tyler had been touching you. At first, it was knocking his knee against your own now and then before full on pressing his leg against yours. Then it escalated to him touching your leg and eventually keeping a hold on your leg throughout dinner. Acts that seemingly everyone around the table was oblivious to. And during dinner, the two of you kept up your chirping at one another like it was another day in the locker room, though there were few moments that slipped through, where it was like you were the only two in the room. A time, that once or twice, Kennedy had to nudge you with her knee to warn you that your flirtationship with Tyler was starting to make its presence known in front of your family. You would then nudge Tyler with your leg, signaling for him that the two of you needed to cool it down a little, but then you'd place a hand on his thigh, letting him know that a little touch was still okay. While keeping it on the low was a high priority, you couldn't help but feel reassured about Tyler's feelings towards you with those small touches– for they cast away any doubts you'd been thinking only hours before.

Everything was fine until you got up to go to the bathroom just before Jordie handed off his card to pay the bill, at least you thought it was. Because the moment you walked out of the bathroom, Jordie was leaning against the awning for the bathroom hallway, waiting for you. "Creeper isn't a good look, Jordie." You joked, brushing by him as you continued to shake your hands dry of the water that the air dryer didn't get.

"Is there something going on with you and Seggy?"

The question stopped you in your tracks, both because you had feared that maybe he had picked up on something during dinner and because he had asked so blatantly that you were scared someone else would hear. "What?" You asked, turning around.

He moved off of the wall, still crossing his arms and walked up to you. He looked around before looking back at you again. "Is there something going on with you and Seggy?"

"What?" This time, the question didn't come from you, but from Jamie who had just walked towards the bathroom awning. "No way, that's ridiculous!"

You looked between the two Benn brothers, Jamie looking at Jordie as if he was insulted that Jordie even suggested it, and Jordie giving you his 'I'm your big brother, I'm not as oblivious as this idiot so I already know the answer' look. "What are you three talking about?"

We looked to see our Mom coming around the corner with everyone else slowly trickling behind. "Jordie seems to think that Y/N and Tyler have something going on, which is stupid and he's probably just still bitter that he lost."

Your mom just looks between the three of you with raised eyebrows before nodding her head. As if he had perfect timing, Tyler came strolling around the corner and plopped two hands on Jamie's shoulders. "I'm going pee and then I'm headed home, the dogs need to be fed and let out."

You sent up a silent prayer to the Universe at the fact Tyler hadn't offered to drive you back to your dorm, especially after Jordie had seemingly connected the dots. "I'm going to catch wait by Big Rig's car, he's taking Kennedy home...so I'm catching a ride." You smiled, before removing yourself from the situation and walking out into the crisp, night air. 

It felt too stuffy in that restaurant all of a sudden and for the first time all night, you were grateful that your parents were staying with Jamie at his place instead of a hotel. That way, they had no choice but to take him straight home before they called it a night. They weren't obligated to drive you back to your dorm and both the Stars and your family were heading out of Dallas the next day.

"Hi, Sweetie." You turned around to see your mom making her way over to Big Rig's vehicle, pulling her cardigan across her chest. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," you huffed, nodding towards the restaurant. "It was just a little hot in there."

She nodded, seemingly accepting your pathetic excuse. She barely let the silence settle between you before she spoke again. "You know I love you and that no matter what it is, you don't have to keep secrets from me...right?"

You tried not to let your face give it away, that you knew where she was going with her conversation. "Y-Yeah, I do..."

She took a deep breath before turning to look back at the restaurant, making sure the coast was clear. "Is Jordie right? About you and Tyler? Is there...something going on between you?"

When Jordie had asked, you were fearful– scared that he would judge you on being with Tyler, your brother's best friend, hell...a close family friend in general. That if he knew, all of a sudden he'd see you as just another one of Tyler's playthings and not Y/N...his younger sister. But when your mom asked, it was like the pressure of hiding it, mixed with a huge swell of emotions just washed completely over you, drowning you if it could, and you started to cry. 

"Y-Yes..." You let out a small gasp as you went to speak immediately after your confession, "but please don't be mad at me mom– please don't–"

She took you into her arms and hugged you tightly, a hand resting at the back of your head and shooshing you to calm you down. You closed your eyes, taking in her embrace as you felt your shoulders feel a little lighter at the confession. When you pulled away, she held onto both of your hands before smiling at you. "So you and Tyler, you're...dating?"

"Yes...No..." You sighed, wiping your cheeks and shaking your head.  "I don't know."

Your mom laughed, which was a reaction that you didn't expect from her. "I'll never understand this generation and your definition of relationships. Just tell me one thing...do you like him?"

You looked down at the ground, thinking about the last few days that you'd spent with Tyler and smiling at the way he made you feel and the funny moments in between. "I do...a lot. We have fun together, you know? It's just...it's easy."

"And I assume that Jamie doesn't know?"

You looked away from her again, nodding your head in shame. "We haven't told him yet...I'm just, scared of what he'll think."

"He's your brother, Y/N. I'm sure he'll think no less of you because of who you're dating." She sighed, squeezing your hand and gaining your attention. "And Tyler, well he is quite the step up from Cole."

"Yeah," you laughed, smiling at her. "He really is." As your eyes skimmed her face, your heart and brain prepared you for the 'but' that you knew was coming.

"Tyler's just..." Your mom shook her head, sighing again. "He's a little too old for you, don't you think?" She must have seen the look on your face when those words left her mouth because she held onto your arms and looked worried.

"I'm only saying that because well, the two of you are in very different stages of your lives. He's almost 28 and he's been in the adult world long enough to find out who he is and what he wants for his life. And you...you're barely 22, about to graduate college and experience the real adult world for the first time. You still need to find out who you are and what you want."

You understood what she meant and took her fear into account because if you were being honest...she had a point. Besides the summertime, you were in school for 9 months out of the year, living to a strict class schedule and figuring out your day to day routine without the fear of bills lingering over your head. You've had your little taste of the adult world, but come May you were about to get smacked in the face with reality...whereas Tyler's already figured out his life.

"Just...be careful, okay? You can have your time and relationship with Tyler, but don't lose yourself in this."

"Thanks, Mom, I love you." You whispered, hugging her close and wishing with everything that she didn't have to go back home tomorrow.

"I love you too sweetie." She pulled away and cupped your face, kissing your forehead. "Now promise me that you won't hide this from your brother forever, okay? It'd be a lot worse for him to find out from someone else rather than hear it straight from the both of you."

You only nodded in reply as the rest of your dinner group walked up, saying their goodbyes before separating to their cars. You lingered your goodbyes with Jenn and Jordie, telling them that you'd see them come Christmas time before hopping in the back of Big Rig's car and burying yourself out of sight. The entire ride back to the dorm, you were playing countless scenarios of how you'd tell Jamie about you and Tyler, hoping that there'd be the magic one that would solve every worry you had.

Only they all ended horribly wrong.

To make matters a little more stressful, when you got to your room, Kennedy had asked if she and Big Rig could have some private time alone. You agreed because at least one of you was going to get laid after that stressful dinner. So you did what you always did, packed an overnight bag and sent Tyler a text, wondering if he'd mind some company.

Of course, be there soon! 😁 All of your boys miss you (me included if you weren't aware)

Oh also, pack a bathing suit 😏

You quickly shoved your hottest bikini into your overnight bag and wished the two lovers goodnight, not failing to remind them to stay safe because you were too young to become an aunt again. They laughed you out of your dorm room and you raced down the stairs and out towards the parking lot where you knew Tyler would be waiting.

When his headlights shined on you, you felt a little burst of happiness rush through your veins as you climbed up into his jeep and immediately greeted him with a kiss before he could even say a word. "Wow, not that I'm complaining but...what was that for?" He laughed, waiting for you to put your seatbelt on before driving away.

"For saving me from having to wait hours before I could sleep in my sinful dorm room."

He threw his head back and laughed. "Wow, sinful dorm room? Is it that bad?"

"Tyler...we barely got two steps into the room before she straight up said 'I need to get laid, can I have the room?'" You joined in with his contagious laughter. "They're lucky I love them so much."

"Well, I for one am grateful for their horny actions," he reached and grabbed your hand, intertwining his fingers with yours and bringing your hands up to his mouth, kissing the back of yours. "Because now I get to spend the night with you and show you my surprise."

"Does it have anything to do with me needing to pack a bathing suit?"

He wiggled his eyebrows and kissed your hand again. "It has everything to do with a bathing suit. Speaking of," he let your hands rest on the center console. "Did you pack the...what did Kennedy call it? The raunchy red bikini?"

"Shut up, that was so embarrassing!" You leaned over and smacked his shoulder with your free hand as you felt your cheeks warm up. "And for your information...yes, yes I did. But if you keep teasing me, you won't get to see it."

Tyler coughed, this time trying his best to hide the fact that he was getting a little bashful. "There are two ways I could take that statement...and I'm not sure which one you meant."

God the two of you were practically downing in the awkward, sexual tension that surrounded you. You knew which two ways he was speaking of, too– either you don't do whatever activity involved your bathing suit, or you go full-on nude during whatever activity. And in all honesty, the thought of being naked with Tyler has been lingering in the back of your mind since the weekend when Kennedy asked if the two of you had had sex yet. 

Plus, let's be honest...you've seen his ESPN body issue shoot...and seeing him naked wasn't the worst thing in the world.

When you guys got to his house, you greeted the dogs before he could manage to usher them all away from you. He handed you your bag and kissed your cheek before nodding at you to go upstairs. "Go ahead and drop your stuff off and get dressed, then meet me outside."

The chill he sent down your spine lasted well into your trip up the stairs and into his bedroom. You could only wonder what he had planned but made sure to keep your imagination tamed as you stripped off in his bedroom and put on your bathing suit. Which, until Kennedy said so, you didn't perceive as all that raunchy. It was your favorite, simply because its fabric hugged you in all the right places– making you feel like you could take on the world...if you were going to take on the world half-naked. When you left his room and walked back down the stairs and outside, the cool night air greeted you and the light wind blew some of your hair into your face. When you looked out for Tyler, you heard mumblings of music and saw lights stationed around the jacuzzi.

Holy shit, he put fucking candles around his jacuzzi and had music playing nearby? Cheesy? Everyone else would think so. But the fact that you had just broken up with a boyfriend who never really did anything like this for you...it was cute and romantic. It got better when you walked closer to the jacuzzi to see that the little candles were electronic and you couldn't help but laugh.

"I know, I know, it looks stupid, but the wind and fire hazard," Tyler said, keeping his back to you, across the way in the jacuzzi as he adjusted the volume on the Bluetooth speaker– before turning your way and smiling. "But its the thought that counts, right?"

"Tyler, what is this?" You laughed, sliding off your shoes at the edge before stepping in.

He walked across and reached out his hand, holding onto yours and making sure you didn't fall in. "You've been studying like crazy lately, plus dealing with us needy assholes almost every day...so I decided that you need to relax."

You had to admit, the moment that your body was engulfed by the hot water and jets– you were relaxed. It felt like if Tyler wasn't holding on to your hand, you'd probably slipped under and let the water swallow you up. You never realized just how tired your body was. You sat across from him, extending your legs out and letting them float as you closed your eyes and felt the jets against your back. "Is this what you do after every game? Come here and forget your troubles?"

"Usually," he laughed, moving his arms in the water. "Though sometimes I'll take an icebath upstairs or when you're here, I just kind of chill out. It all depends on how much energy I have left."

You sighed, letting the feeling of the water take over your mind as you laid there listening to what seemed like a top 50 hits playlist. "I wish I had one of these in my dorm room. God, I think I'd go from the library to my bathroom and never leave. Studying is stupid, don't ever do it. It's hard to believe finals are only–"

"Ah, ah, ah!" He said, interrupting you and reaching out for your leg, tugging you out of your relaxed state. "No school talk. This is why we got into the jacuzzi, now come here."

You sat up and walked over to where he was. He grabbed onto your shoulders, turned you around and placed you in front of him in the space between his legs. "Loosen up and relax, Y/N. I'm not going to drown you."

You took a deep breath and sighed, closing your eyes and anticipating what he was going to do. When you felt his calloused hands on your shoulders, you stayed relaxed. Only when he started to add pressure with his thumbs did you realize what he was doing. "Okay wow, did you go to massage school or something?"

He laughed, moving towards the center of your neck. "No, but I've had enough done that I remember a few things."

You felt his breath along the back of your neck as he continued to apply pressure with his hands and dig into your shoulders with his thumbs. It felt good, really good and you had to bit down on your lip to prevent a moan from coming out of your mouth. It was one thing that Tyler was giving you a candlelit massage in his jacuzzi, but it was another thing for you to moan out just how good he was doing. Your mind wandered down the road of no return as his hands kept doing the Lord's work. You couldn't help but wonder how his hands would feel if they were touching and massaging other parts of you and how bad you wished that they would just linger a little bit lower than their current  location.

"See, now isn't this better than talking about school?"

You were too lost in your daydream until you heard the moan you'd been holding back, escape from the back of your throat. You felt embarrassed because the moment you let it happen, Tyler had paused his hand movements for only a second, before picking them back up. You sat there, biting the inside of your cheek and focusing on how fast your heart was racing against your chest.

Should you do it?

What would he do if you did?

"Fuck it," you whispered, stepping out from under Tyler's hands and turning to face him.

"What?" He laughed, "Did I suck that bad?"

You didn't say anything as you moved closer to him and crawled onto his lap. You felt his quads tighten and watched as his eyes went wide, almost as if he was too afraid to move because he was too focused on what you were doing. You were nervous as hell, never really one to make big moves like this, but you were tired of just dancing in circles with Tyler and more than anything, you were hoping that taking the leap on this one...wouldn't bite you in the ass.

You wrapped your arms around his neck before leaning in and pressing your lips solidly against his. It was like the first time he kissed you, nothing crazy, just a kiss. And when he didn't kiss you back, you felt yourself begin to get swallowed up by a hole on embarrassment. No sooner than you went to pull away, Tyler grabbed your lower back and pulled you further onto his lap, groaning quietly before kissing you again. This time his mouth moved with your own, setting the pace that you were more than pleased to follow. You were the first to tease, dragging your tongue slowly across his bottom lip before he took it up a level and teased your tongue with his own. Your fingers looped around the back of his head, tangling themselves in his curls, just as he brought one of his hands down to your hip and tugs you against him once more.

Goosebumps erupted over your entire body the moment his hands started to wander across your skin. One stayed beneath the water, constantly guiding you across his lap as the other wandered across your belly before landing on the side of one of your breasts, his thumb rubbing over the front of your top. It was like he had well-timed the entire ordeal, because the moment you moaned at the sensation coming from beneath your top, Tyler stuck his tongue back into your mouth before biting down softly on your bottom lip. When you went to kiss him again, you untangled your fingers from his curls and untying the back of your bathing suit, taking the material and blindly tossing it aside before pressing your bare chest against Tyler and kissing him harder.

You were desperate to get him to understand just how badly you wanted him and when you could feel all of him brushing against your inner thigh, you sped up your movements, rolling your hips against him as he held onto your hips tightly. "Oh Fuck Y/N," he groaned, letting his head fall away from you.

You took the opportunity to reach your hands down into the water and grab onto his swim trunks, searching for the tied strings. You started to feel embarrassed at how you couldn't find them until you felt Tyler stir and you looked up to see him staring blatantly at your chest– reaching for a breast and cupping it. "You weren't wrong," he looked up at you with his childlike smile cupping the other breast and massaging them both. "Your boobs are pretty great."

You laughed before leaning in and kissing him, running your hands down his stomach and coming to a stop, once again at the waistband on his swim trunks. "No strings, you just tug em," he pulled back and reached his hands beneath the water, shifting as you felt the fabric of his swim trunks brush against your bottom. "It's easy science."

You rolled your eyes as he brought you back into his chest and you let your hands continue their journey down his body. To your, happy, surprise, the waistband of his swim trunks was no longer blocking your way. He kissed down your neck as you felt his hands wander down to your bottoms, twirling with the strings on either side of your hips. "Yes," you breathed out before he could even ask the question, even nodding your head in case he wouldn't get the signal.

His tugs on the strings of your bottoms were in synch and you felt him pull the fabric away from your body, leaving you vulnerable and naked beneath the water and on his lap. His hands traveled down to your butt as he tugged you closer against him, to the point where you could feel his cock resting between the both of you.

As he continued his assault on your neck, one bite caused you to moan loudly and he pulled away with wide eyes and a smile. "Not going to lie, that was kind of hot, and I’m definitely a big fan of the red raunchy bikini..."

You smiled, before the reality of your situation set in and you looked down at the water. The adrenaline was running through your veins, making you feel on top of the world– this was it. You and Tyler were going to finally have sex.

"I-I've never done this before," you blurted out, swallowing the small nervous knot in your throat.

Tyler stopped kissing down your chest and pulled back, looking at you. The look on his face could only be described as one that was worrisome as his hands cradled your lower back. "I thought...I mean...you and Cole never..."

"Oh no! No, no, no, we did!" Only then did you realize what your statement had made him think and you wanted to do nothing more than drown yourself in the jacuzzi. "That ship sailed a long time ago, like a lonnnng time ago. Junior winter formal, Jack Makenzie at Jamie's cabin– post formal party. Though, don't tell him that because I kind of lied and said it would be only girls, but it was actually–"

Tyler leaned forward and kissed you softly, a hand coming up to the left side of your face and cradling it. When he pulled away, his thumb was rubbing along your cheekbone. "Relax, Y/N, it's just me. If you don't want to do this, we don't have to. We can cuddle in bed and fall asleep."

"No, I want to do this, I want this..." You leaned into his touch, closing your eyes only for a moment before looking back at him. "I want you, I just...I've never done it in a hot tub before so..."

Tyler tried so hard to hide his dire want to laugh, but as always, he failed and burst out into laughter. He kissed you once, twice and pressed his head against yours. "You're such a dork, you know that? And I love that about you."

Your heart fluttered when he said it, and while you know that he probably didn't mean the big L...it still felt the same. You pressed yourself against him and kissed him until you were out of breath. When you pulled away, you kept your forehead pressed against his as the both of you tried to catch your breath.

It should be noted that hooking up in a jacuzzi, will leave you just as breathless as the hooking up itself– and you were going to be sure to mention that to Kennedy as a lesson learned.

Tyler's hands traveled up your sides, resting on your ribs before you looked at him. His eyes were staring into yours as if he was trying to find any hint of regret– that you weren't choosing to do this because it was a spur of the moment thing. You nodded before breathing out a breathless 'yes' and his hands traveled back down to your waist and beneath the water.

You were waiting for the touch of his you'd been longing for and when it'd yet to come you looked at him to see he has a sheepish smile on his face. "Do you want to uh..." his eyes traveled to the water, "I just don't want to um...I want it to be comfortable for you and you can set it at your own pace and–"

This time, you cut him off with a kiss before laughing and nodding your head. You took a short, but deep breath as a way to calm yourself before dipping your hand beneath the water and finding Tyler's wrist. You followed it to his hand, lingering your touch against his fingers before grasping his cock in your hand. He coughed to cover up his groan at your added touch but kept his eyes on you as you positioned yourself over him.

The both of you took sharp inhales of breath as you suck down onto him, one hand grasping onto his chest as you felt your head fall back slightly in relief. You took your time, taking him in and admiring the slight burn of him stretching you out. You needed to go slow, it's been months since you've had sex and Tyler was considerably thicker and longer than Cole.

"Y/N..." He whispered, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear and kissing your neck. "You need to breathe, babe."

"Sorry, it's just...it's been a while and you're so..." His hips tugged you down softly the last few inches and you moaned, falling into his chest. "Oh fuck."

You stayed pressed against his chest, focusing on breathing as he told you too– all in the while, he was stilled within you, rubbing your sides and switching between kissing your neck and your shoulder blades. As soon as he turned his face into the crook of your neck, you relaxed and pulled back nodding your head. "You ready? Can I move?"

"Yeah," you leaned in and kissed him hard, a clash of teeth and lips before moving to his neck and nipping just below his jaw. "Go ahead."

He thrust his hips up, pushing himself further into you and hitting a spot that made your legs feel like jello. When you felt him smirk against your neck, you laughed to yourself and knew that it was game on. You weren't one to toot your own horn, but little did Tyler know, this position was your expertise. You always had Cole melted like putty in your hands whenever you topped him and unfortunately...or fortunately for Tyler, he was about to find out.

You raised your hips and circled them before sinking back down again, grinding down onto him hard. "Oh fuck that..." his head fell back as his grip on your waist loosened, giving you more control. "That feels so fucking good."

You grinned to yourself as you placed your hands on his shoulders, pushing him against the wall of the jacuzzi, earning wide eyes and a smirk from Tyler. "Oh, shit Y/N...are you trying to dominate me?"

Your only reply was a flirty grin and your hips grinding down against him harder before clenching down onto him, causing him to choke on the breath he'd been holding. As you quicken your pace, Tyler started to meet you halfway but keeping his focus on his hands massaging your breasts.

"Tyler...fuck." You moaned, pressing your face into the crook of his neck and focusing on how good he was making you feel...until a jingling sound tore you away. "Did you hear that?"

"Huh? What?" He mumbled, thrusting his hips up again, completely enamored in you to even pay attention.

You heard more jingling, this time your eyes focusing on the house. You grabbed Tyler's face and turned his head towards the backdoor. "It's coming from over there...wait..is that?"

"Oh no, you've got to be kidding me," He groaned, stilling inside you and bringing you closer to his chest as the two of you watched the three figures get closer. "No! Go, bad boys!"

The three furry Seguins came running up to the two of you, tails wagging and tongues out. Gerry attacked Tyler's face with kisses as Cash and Marshall tried their best to get to you. Tyler wrapped one arm around your waist, pulling you into him as he shooed the dogs away with the other. "Go away, you're ruining it!"

You laughed, pulling your face out of his chest before patting it. "I don't think they're going away any time soon."

He looked at you, pouting before groaning. "I just got cockblocked by my own dogs, man's best friend my ass."

"Who said we were done?" You replied, climbing off of his lap.

He raised his eyebrows and let his eyes linger on you before he tugged up his swim trunks and climbed out of the jacuzzi. He picked up a towel and unfolded it, holding it up for you.

You stepped out of the jacuzzi, easily feeling his gaze linger on you before stepping towards the towel and letting him wrap you up in it.

He picked up his towel, wrapping it around his waist and touching your elbow. "Meet me in our room while I go deal with these," he turned his attention towards the dogs, who were all sitting down and staring at you both with big smiles. "Very bad boys."

You watched as he walked the dogs back into the house and took that time to not only collect your bathing suit but to turn off all of the lights and grab the Bluetooth speaker. As you made your way into the house, you couldn't wrap your mind about what just happened. Every time you tried to, the result was always the same:

Holy shit, you just had sex with Tyler.

And the butterflies haven't left your body at the way he called his bedroom, your bedroom or how slow and gentle he had been with you. It's only been a few moments since the dogs interrupted you, but you swore that you could still feel his touch and you were more than positive that you'd never forget the way he felt. When you got to the bedroom, you walked into the bathroom and laid your bathing suit over the tub before placing the speaker onto the counter and walking back into the room.

Now it felt like a waiting game and you could feel your nerves start to return– mainly in the fear of, what if he doesn't want to continue? You were beginning to pace around the room, clinging to your towel before you saw it– his jersey. The jersey he let you wear on Halloween, the one Jamie said he was waiting to get boxed up in a shadow box. You smiled, dropping your towel and walking over to the jersey, picking it up and letting it fall down your body. As you heard his footsteps coming up the stairs, you quickly walked back over to the bed, standing at the end of it and kicked the towel away.

"I don't know how the hell they even got out! I could've sworn that I left them in the–" He stopped in the doorway, his eyes glued to you in his jersey and you could tell that he was seconds away from drooling.

"So?" You smiled, raising an eyebrow as he made his way over to you.

"I wanted to have you the first time I saw you in the jersey," he smiled, making his way over to you. "With nothing but spandex, heels, and those cute bunny ears."

"Aw shucks," you pouted jokingly, "no bunny ears."

His hands traveled up the bottom of the jersey and ran across your bare skin, coming to a stop on your hips. "I like this outfit much, much better."

You wrapped your arms around his neck, smiling up at him. "Even without the ears?"

"Hell yeah," he replied, pulling you into him and kissing your cheek, moving down to your neck. "But I can always go and buy another pair."

"No need," you grinned as he playfully nipped your neck and you pushed him away. "Well, I think we've got too many clothes on, Seguin. What about you?"

"I think we can fix that," he replied and you watched as his childlike grin took over his face before he pounced on you, playfully tackling you onto his bed and sending you both into a giggle fit.

❒❒❒❒

When you woke up the next morning, the two of you were intertwined in mess of limbs and bedsheets. He had his face smashed into his pillow and he was drooling a little bit, add in his slight snoring and you knew that he was still sleeping hard. And you couldn't blame him, because last night was the most physical activity you had in a long time and if it wasn't for your immediate need to pee, you'd still be sleeping too. You snuck out from beneath his arm and he immediately stirred away, glaring at you with sleepy eyes. "No, come back."

"We have to get up, Ty," you groaned as he pulled you back into him. "We have to be at the arena in an hour for morning skate and we both need to shower."

His eyes shot open and he smiled at you. "Shower sex?"

"If you get up now, then–"

He practically jumped on top of you and kissed you before rolling off and running into the bathroom, stark ass naked. "I've got the water, you bring yourself and we're all set!"

"You're insatiable, Tyler!" You laughed, leaning up on your elbows and looking into the bathroom.

He peeked out from around the corner, still with a smile on his face. "I don't know what that means, but it sounds kind of hot so thank you." He disappeared back around the corner, the shower door opening. "Now get your cute ass in here so I can wash your hair."

Your time in the shower cut your 'get ready' time short, but Tyler made up for it by practically speeding to the arena. Luckily for Tyler, the morning skate wasn't going to be a normal practice, seeing as the Stars flew out to Nashville later that afternoon. When the two of you got out of the car, you told Tyler to walk ahead of you and that you'd wait for Big Rig, that way it wasn't suspicious of you to arrive with him rather than Tyler. When Tyler went to leave, Big Rig pulled up and you waved him down. You were leaning against Tyler's car when Big Rig walked up to you, adjusting the duffle bag on his shoulder. He stopped in front of you and took in your appearance before getting the biggest grin on his face.

"What's your problem, Teddy Bear?" You asked, looking back down at your phone to reply to a text from Kennedy.

"Oh yeah, you so got laid." He picked at a wet piece of your hair and smirked. "Last night and maybe some shower sex this morning I assume?"

You almost dropped your phone with how straightforward...and quite frankly correct, he was. "Don't say it so loud, you ass!" You smacked his stomach and he just laughed. "But how do you know?"

"You've got that post-sex glow," he waved his hand at you as the two of you made your way into the building. "Plus your RBF isn't as bad this morning like it always is."

"Oh shut up," You said, bumping into him as he kept laughing. "Don't think I don't know about your post-sex routine."

He gasped, looking at you with wide eyes. "She told you about that?"

You smirked and patted his chest. "We're best friends, Teddy Bear. I know everything." You eyed him up and down before patting him on the chest again and walked ahead of him.

"Wait! What do you mean everything! What did she say?"

You kept mum all while trying not to laugh as he kept begging you to spill the details on what you knew, your entire journey to the training room. And just when you were about to tell him, Jamie came jogging down the hall. "Y/N! I need you to grab my foam roller from the car, pretty please?"

"There's like five foam rollers in the room, why do you need yours?"

"Because everyone's using one and I forgot to bring it inside with me and my hamstrings are dying," he tossed you his car keys. "I'll tell Dave you're there, please!" You groaned, but ultimately agreed to go to his car and he smiled. "You're the best little sister ever!"

You turned to walk down the hallway, giving him a deadpan stare. "I'm your only little sister."

"Fine. Best sister!"

"I'm telling Jenn!"

He and Big Rig ignored your comeback and continued their way to the locker room as you made your way back out to the parking lot. On the bright side, this little detour gave you a little more time to yourself to absorb everything that happened last night, without having to do so in a room full of hockey players. Your busy night replayed in your mind and you pushed back the blush that so desperately wanted to make an appearance on your face. One thing that you couldn't help but wonder, is whether or not last night with Tyler and everything you guys did meant you were official on some kind of level.

"Nope, don't do that," you shut Jamie's car door, tucking his foam roller under your arm as you shook your head at yourself. "Don't be that girl who falls in love with a guy the moment you have sex."

Though to be fair, it was some pretty great sex. The best you've ever had and it only made sense as to how Tyler maintained to get so many girls throughout the years and kept them coming back. When you reached the training room, you stood outside of the door for only a few moments and composed yourself before opening it and walking inside.

You were immediately greeted with wild laughter and chirps being thrown left and right, the focus mainly being on Big Rig. "What's going on?" You asked, tossing Jamie his foam roller and walking over to your designated desk to grab the bands for Big Rig's stretching.

Dickinson smiled, wiggling his eyebrows in Big Rig's direction. "Oh nothing, just asking Big Rig how his trip to the zoo was."

"The zoo?" You came to a stop in front of Big Rig, handing him one end of the band. "When the hell did you go to the zoo?"

Big Rig looks at you before tugging onto the band and starting his stretches, trying his damndest to hide his blushing. "Not the literal zoo, Y/N," Pavs chimed in from across the room. "We're just pointing out how it looks like he jumped into an animal cage and got bit quite a few times."

You were confused as hell as you looked around the room to see everybody still laughing at Big Rig. When you turned your attention to him, your eyes widened the moment they landed on his neck. He had been wearing a sweatshirt beforehand, hiding the purple bruises that traveled below the shirt collar. "Holy fuck, what did she do to you?"

The boys' laughter roared again before fading as Big Rig finally looked at you with a groan. "She just wanted to celebrate the win." He tossed his towel at Rads and Dickinson. "At least I'm getting good sex, assholes."

You cringed, hitting him on the shoulder before moving towards your desk. "Please don't talk about that."

"I thought you already knew everything?" He replied, obviously mocking you.

"Yeah, but I don't need to hear YOU talk about it to your teammates, including my brother," you shuddered, shaking your head at the thought. "Ew."

"Hey Y/N, can you grab me two ibuprofen?" Jamie asked, raising his arm into the air.

You nodded and turned your attention over to the medicine cabinet, your back to the now relaxed and chattering group of men. The door opened again, followed by a whistle. "Looks like Big Rig wasn't the only one who found himself in bed with an animal, boys."

You rolled your eyes at Rad's comment, trying your best to mute out the guy talk as your eyes skimmed the shelves for the ibuprofen. "Jesus Seggy, did you and Big Rig take trips to the zoo together?" Miro chimed in, probably still a little confused at the metaphor.

"What the fuck are you on about, Miro?" Tyler asked, moving about the training room.

"Ha, got ya!" You smiled, reaching into the back of the cabinet and grabbing the bottle. You kept your focus on opening the bottle as you closed the cabinet and turned back to face the room.

"I'm talking about the sex scratches all over your back. It looks like you bedded a fucking leopard!" Dickinson laughed. You looked upon instinct to see him tugging on Tyler's shoulders and eventually forcing him to have his back faced to the room.

The moment your eyes landed on his muscled back, your body froze and the bottle of ibuprofen fell from your hands and onto the floor. Your eyes lingered on the bright red scratches that decorated the entirety of his back– evidence of your night together and just how good Tyler had made you feel.

"Let me see!"

"No, I want to see! Are they that bad?"

You watched, horrified, as his teammates kept tugging him around, trying to get a glimpse of the so-called 'sex scratches', their laughter bouncing off of the walls. Your cheeks were no doubt a deep scarlet color by now and they only got hotter when you saw Jamie bend down and pick up the ibuprofen in front of you. "Jesus Seggy, you're telling me that you didn't know those were there?" He asked, opening the bottle and grabbing two pills before handing it back to you.

"I was uh, a little distracted I guess."

You made quick eye contact with him before tucking your head into your chest and turning away, trying to prevent yourself from any more humiliation. You kept your back to the rest of the boys, looking up only for a moment to see Big Rig looking at you with a smirk. As you walked by him, you reached out and pinched his inner thigh hard, quickly rushing by him and going to the cabinet.

"Let me guess the number for the o-scale...three for four?" Pavs called out, silencing the roaring laughter.

"No fucking way, I say one and done. He's getting too old.." Dickinson chimed in, elbowing Tyler. "There's no way he can hang on that long."

You bit your tongue as an effort to prevent yourself from saying just how many times Tyler had made you cum last night, instead, choosing to focus on helping Big Rig continue his stretching– though it wasn't needed. "Yeah Seggy, tell us!" Big Rig said, keeping his eyes on you and the smirk on his face. "Three for Three? More than four?"

If looks could kill, Big Rig would be buried in a casket six feet under right now and you made sure that he knew it. You grabbed the elastic around his foot and snapped it back, only making him laugh.

"The gel's over there, Tyler. Grab it for me and I can get out those knots." Craig said, paying no mind to the conversation around him.

Tyler was turning red and rubbing the back of his neck in an effort to try and hold them off and you were silently praying that he wouldn't cave into their pressure. "Four for four..." He mumbled and you could feel his gaze scrape over you.

The hollering from the boys around him was deafening as they all congratulated him and patted him on the back. Meanwhile, it was all you could do not to die from embarrassment while dealing with the plaguing smirk coming from Big Rig.

"Damn Seggy," Jamie laughed, patting Tyler on the back like some proud dad. "You've got a real keeper there, don't you? She managed to scratch you up that bad? She must've been doing all the work for you."

Big Rig couldn't hold back his laughter anymore, making a noise that mimicked an elephant as he let go of his side of the band and fell back onto the table, clutching onto his stomach. "Oh my God," he whispered, his face turning beet red.

You were too busy focusing on anything but the nauseous feeling you started to have the moment Jamie unknowingly congratulated Tyler on having sex with you, his younger sister. "Yeah, she is..." Tyler replied.

You kept your focus on the band around Big Rig's foot, constantly tapping his shins in an attempt to try to get him to sit back up. Before he made it known, you could feel Tyler's presence and were sure of it when Big Rig finally sat up, still with a grin on his face. "Well, isn't this a lovely sight? At least I'm not the only one getting chirped."

Tyler laughed and looked at you, seeing that you were extremely embarrassed. In an effort to calm you down, he moved closer to you, pretending like he was asking you a question. "I'm sorry. I forgot they were there and I need to get scraped and I just...came in here without a shirt."

You shrug it off, focusing on Big Rig. "It's fine. Though I'll admit, hearing my brother talk about us having sex is something I never thought I'd experience." He laughed and you looked at him, leaning against the table. "So what do you need?"

"I need a lot of things," he whispered, smiling at you. "A massage like last night, for one." He scoffed when he saw you roll your eyes in reply. "Okay yeah, don't act like my massage last night didn't do something for you."

"Man," Big Rig laughed, shaking his head at the two of you. "These Copeley 206 girls, am I right Seggy?"

You pinched Big Rig again, this time on the inner knee and he flinched away from you as he and Tyler laughed. "Well, he's not lying. I mean have you seen what you and Kennedy have done to us? Ruined our beautiful, athletic bodies with your...sexual marks."

"Yeah, well if Big Rig doesn't stop and you don't stop encouraging him," you turned to Tyler and gave him a sarcastic smile, batting your eyelashes at him. "You'll be getting none of my services from last–"

"A mini towel and some gel!" Tyler blurted out, his smirk falling and his eyes looking panicked. "I just need one of those towels and the gel. Craig said it was over here somewhere with you?"

You furrowed your eyebrows, shaking your head slightly. "What are you–" When you saw Tyler move his eyes to your left, you pretended to look for the stuff he needed and that's when you saw just how close Bishop was standing by your area, doing his band exercises.

You felt yourself begin to panic, but took a quiet, deep breath and exhaled before clearing your throat and bending down beneath the table, grabbing a towel. "I have towels, but the gel is probably with Dave. You must've heard him wrong."

Tyler nodded, taking the towel from you. "Probably, seeing as I didn't get much sleep last night." You saw the mischievous gleam in his eyes before he nodded at Big Rig. "Nice marks, did you cross paths with a squid?"

Before Big Rig could smack him with his free band, Tyler ran off laughing. You kept working with him, adding in new stretches until Bishop finished with his and left the training room. When you reached another point that Big Rig was done with his stretches, he leaned up and put both hands on your shoulders. "You need to breathe Y/N, because you look like you could pass out at any moment."

"I think I'm going to, what if..." You looked around the now, less crowded training room, collecting the bands from him. "What if he heard something? Anything or all of it? I'd be dead! My own brother would probably murder me with his hockey stick..maybe even his skate if he was angry enough."

"You'll be fine, Y/N." Big Rig patted your shoulders before hopping off of the table. "Bish has old man hearing, I doubt he heard anything."

He gave you a reassuring smile and you felt yourself start to relax. He was right, there was no way that Bishop could've heard your entire conversation, and now that you thought about it...he wasn't really all that close to you guys after all. Your gut feeling was wrong this time, you were sure of it.

"Hey Y/N, can you help me real quick? I just need my ankles taped." Miro asked, walking over to your table before hopping up and greeting you with a smile. "Best ankle taper in the game."

You smiled, before walking over to the cabinet and grabbing some pre-wrap and tape. You closed your eyes, took a deep breath, opening them once you exhaled and closed the cabinet.

Everything was going to be fine...perfect, even.

[tjkiahgb]

Episode Recap: 3.18, “Something to Talk A-Boot”

I got sent this almost immediately after people were able to stream the episode last night:

First of all, thank you, anon, for thinking of me.

But also, honestly? This entire episode feels like it was written specifically for me. TJ Kippen being a hashtag good boi? Check. A bunch of Tyrus scenes? Check. A couple of random, nonsense plots that I could make jokes about for days? Check and check!

The episode starts with Andi, Jonah, and Cyrus hanging out, waiting for Buffy.

Andi is dressed like she just walked out of a punk show in 1970s London for some reason.

Cyrus says Buffy’s on her way. She’s coming from an appointment. Andi’s like, but she’s not doing her hair until next week and Cyrus notes that she just had her teeth cleaned.

Jonah notes how they seem to know everything about Buffy and they’re like, yeah, we do.

And then Buffy comes hobbling over on crutches and with her foot in a boot and Andi and Cyrus look around in confusion.

So it’s that level of closeness where you know someone’s entire schedule but don’t pay attention to them complaining about their foot pain for weeks or notice them badly limping around places.

They ask her questions about this mystery injury. Buffy explains it’s a stress fracture she got because she tried to run a marathon on a dare.

Jonah asks her if she’s going to be able to still play basketball and Buffy’s like, yes...

And Jonah’s like, “Oh you know what I meant.”

At school the next day, Buffy walks the long way through the football field to class, when TJ shows up in a golf cart like an angel sent from the country club.

Buffy wants to know what he’s doing. He tells her he’s there to give her a ride to class, since apparently Jefferson offers no assistance to injured students.

“Can we offer a way to help incapacitated students get around the campus easier?” asks one of the teachers. “So they don’t risk further injury?”

“No, sorry,” says Metcalf, staring at rows and rows of hundreds of white rabbits locked in cages, each one labelled with the name of a student currently attending Jefferson. “There’s just no room in the budget.”

Buffy tells him how it stinks she hurt herself right before the last game of the season and now she can barely get around. So, he tells her, get in the golf cart already so he can get her to class. She does.

Making sure she uses a seatbelt on a vehicle that’s going no more than four miles per hour? I mean, talk about good behavior.

Later at the Spoon, Buffy talks about how far TJ has come. He used to be the worst but now he’s the best and, really, that’s like as far as you can go. That’s the whole span.

Cyrus is like, lemme just take this modeling pose...

...and put another point up on the scoreboard for the ol’ C-dog.

Behind them, Amber comes and dumps some girl’s food on the counter.

Andi notices and says it seems like Amber’s still struggling because she’s being a terrible waitress, but not in the normal way that she’s a terrible waitress.

Jonah’s like, you think this is my fault? Buffy’s like, I don’t think it’s an existential crisis. Jonah’s like, huh?

Well, sure, it could be that, but, if you’re not feeling artistic, it could also just be locking yourself in a dark room for several hours and crying. It could manifest a lot of different ways! Don’t limit your existential crises.

Amber comes over and asks to talk to Jonah.

Jonah apologizes for doing a bad job of breaking up but Amber doesn’t want to go back over all of that. She just wants one thing from Jonah: for him to leave. Don’t come to The Spoon because it makes her sad to see him.

And now it’s costing her money!

Jonah says he’ll go then. Amber says he won’t have to be gone for long, but also can’t really put a time frame on when he can come back.

I wonder how the owners of The Spoon are going to feel when they learn one of their waitresses banned a frequent customer from eating at their establishment.

Jonah tells the GHC that Amber needs some space, so he gathers his things and heads out into the cold.

At Bex’s, Bex and Bowie watch something funny on a really old TV.

It looks like one of those old microwave-sized boxy TVs with antennas and dials and everything from like the 1960s. One of these things:

The kind that’s technically a color TV, but only like four colors, and most of them have a brown tint. The kind that’s so grainy it looks like you’re watching everything through a coffee filter. The kind that emits the constant low-hum of radiation to let you know it’s working.

Where did they even find something like this? It’s older than they are. And how does it still work? I want to say this is the kind of thing you only find at your grandma’s house, but even grandmas got rid of this outdated scrap 30 years ago.

Also, why?!

I’m not exaggerating when I say nowadays there are literally thousands of better options for entertainment than stacking a bunch of tray tables on top of one another and putting a 10 inch screen, piece of junk on top. What point are they trying to prove?

Anyway, Andi’s upset, and not just because she lives with a couple of weirdos. She finished her application to SAVA but she doesn’t know if she’s going to submit it. She’s worried she might not be one of the small group who gets accepted. She asks Bex what she thinks.

Andi’s like, EXCUSE ME?!

Andi wanted her to say that she was talented and that she believed in her. Bex is like, of course I believe that! Haven’t I said that to you like hundreds of times? Andi’s like, well, you didn’t say it in the last thirty seconds so do you really??

Andi gets up to leave. Bex is like, hey, if they don’t accept you, it’s because they’re wrong and dumb! Andi’s like, OH SO YOU DON’T THINK THEY’RE GOING TO ACCEPT ME!?

Bex is taking a beating like a boxer on the ropes here. It’s like, why is everything I’m saying wrong?! PLEASE TELL ME WHAT TO SAY SO YOU DON’T GET MAD AT ME!

Bex says she wasn’t saying Andi wouldn’t get in.

Andi leaves.

Bowie’s gotta be sitting there going, “Boy, I made the right decision to just not say anything.”

He asks Bex why she didn’t just tell Andi she’ll get in.

It’s a tough line to toe. You want to be realistic with your children, and not set them up for an emotionally crushing blow by telling them “Get all your hopes up! Nothing can hurt you!” but you also don’t want to damage their self-esteem. You can see Bex battling with the nuance of the issue.

Or, as Andi would’ve heard it:

At school the next day, Cyrus finds TJ out on the bleachers. TJ’s been summoned to Student Court, which is where a group of students figure out your punishment for a wrongdoing.

Mr. Bag is forcing TJ to go because TJ took his beverage transportation machine.

Cyrus is like, but you were just being a hashtag good boi! And TJ’s like, I know! And now I’m being hashtag persecuted for it!

Cyrus, seeing an injustice, decides he’s going to be TJ’s lawyer. TJ tries to tell him that’s not a thing, but Cyrus is like, too late! Train’s already left the station! I’m off to steam my lawyer suit. And he leaves.

TJ watches him like, “Uh oh, maybe I gave him too much confidence.”

Andi, meanwhile, debates with herself as she stares at the SAVA website.

Okay, I mean, in fairness to Bex, Andi’s awards are first place at a “Sew and Show”(?) and an honorable mention at the County Fair, so, you know, I wouldn’t say she’s a lock to get in.

Also, I like SAVA’s go big or go home attitude. There’s no save progress button. Submit your application or delete the entire thing and get out. Don’t waste our time with half-measures!

Jonah stops by to terrify Andi.

For old times’ sake.

She slams her laptop closed. He asks her what she was working on but she doesn’t want to say yet. She just says she has to make a decision.

Jonah’s like, don’t say the d-word around me. You know I hate that word.

Andi explains how she doesn’t want to say what it is because it might not happen, and she doesn’t want to open up to people about something personal like this, something that she’s so unsure about. And then she’s like, but I guess you couldn’t possibly have any idea what I’m talking about, JONAH BECK.

Jonah’s like, actually, that’s been my life for three years now so...

Andi’s like, okay, without me telling you any details, what should I do?

Jonah says this is making her tense and nervous, so forget about it.

Andi’s like, really? Jonah’s like, yeah, don’t do anything you have trepidation about. Andi’s like, sounds good to me.

Lemme just warn you, kids, following this advice is going to severely confine how you’re able to move through the real world. The real world is nothing but things that stress you out.

Andi thanks Jonah for helping her out and tells him to go.

Jonah’s whole storyline this episode is about people telling him to leave places.

Jonah heads off. Andi opens up her laptop and finds...

...that conversation was all for naught. Honestly, this is what you get for asking Jonah for advice.

Buffy meets with Kaitlin. Kaitlin sees her broken foot and goes, welp, guess that’s it then. We have no chance to win our last game, which she sees as a shame because they were getting so close.

Question: where is she getting this hope from? Last time we saw the team, they were in such shambles that Andi had to play and they lost so badly, they had to resort to celebrating just being alive. Good for her though, for keeping the faith.

Buffy says they still have a shot, that the team is light years better than it was before. I guess that happened off-screen. Either that, or I guess it’s like saying you’re light years better now at driving a car than when you were a newborn. When you start at the bottom, there’s nowhere to go but up.

Plus, Buffy adds, she made a playbook.

Like, yeah, she’s been trying to teach them plays for months and they just kept running into each other, but now that it’s in graph form? How could they not succeed?

Kaitlin’s not feeling it. She doesn’t understand all these complicated dots and arrows and it won’t matter because it’ll never replace having Buffy on the court anyway.

At the trial of TJ Kippen, Gus calls the court to order.

I have to know, how in the world did Gus end up a judge? Who looked at Gus and thought, “There’s a guy who’s got his stuff in order, let’s put him in a position of power.”

Cyrus comes running to the stage, pulling several boxes of files behind him. TJ asks him what all of that is and Cyrus says evidence, but then he’s like...

Where do you even get phone books, plural, in 2019? There’s gotta be a store in Shadyside that’s just called Retro Junk and it sells things like 1960s TVs and phone books and only the characters on this show are keeping them in business.

Cyrus says it doesn’t matter because it’s an intimidation tactic anyway. He’s come to fight to make sure TJ’s not kicked off the basketball team.

Cyrus announces himself as TJ’s defense council. Gus is like, is that a thing? Let me consult with my voiceless co-judges.

Gus’s co-judges voicelessly agree to allow it. Gus says TJ is here to answer for his crime of “Grand Theft Golf Cart.”

Gus asks him to explain himself, so TJ and Cyrus launch into his defense, which boils down to this: he saw someone in need and he did something hashtag good because that’s who he is as a person, and, really, isn’t the real crime here that the school was going to punish an injured child for not being able to drag herself across campus in an unreasonable amount of time? How could any morally conscious person just sit idly by and let that happen?

Gus feels he and his co-judges have heard everything they needed to hear, but Cyrus disagrees. He thinks they all need to hear from a key witness: Cyrus Goodman. Cyrus grills himself.

Gus asks him to speed it up but TJ’s like, I think we have to let this play out.

Then, as his defense attorney continues to argue with himself, TJ tries to come to peace with the fact he’s going to jail.

At Buffy’s house, Buffy hangs out in her room when there’s a knock at the door.

It’s the entire girls’ basketball team.

They were wandering the neighborhood together and wanted to celebrate a season of losing all their games before they lose their last game and then don’t want to celebrate losing all their games anymore. I know that sounds like nonsense but I just described the line of thinking perfectly.

Buffy doesn’t like that attitude as the team’s captain, but as a human being, sitting in the room with baked goods mere inches from her, she agrees to the party.

At Bex’s, Bowie tells Bex he found a postcard from SAVA in the mail.

They both get excited that she applied and she’s going after her dreams. Bex also thinks it’s great that she didn’t accidentally crush Andi’s hopes for the future.

They realize Andi didn’t tell them because she didn’t want them to know she applied, so Bex makes Bowie put the postcard back in the mailbox.

Back at Buffy’s, Kaitlin brings her computer by and asks who wants to watch videos of their old games. She says they’re hilarious. I don’t know about that. Entertaining maybe, in the way that videos of building implosions are entertaining.

They agree to watch the videos. Kaitlin pulls one up of her shooting a free throw in which she legit closes her eyes for a full two minutes before shooting.

Kaitlin’s like, ugh, I’m so terrible and I DON’T KNOW WHY!

Buffy, using all the knowledge and experience she’s picked up from her time as both a basketball player and coach, says hold on, I think I know what the problem is.

She makes her go back and look at the footage again.

OH?! YOU THINK?! COULD THAT POSSIBLY BE IT?! YOU CAN’T PLAY BASKETBALL WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED?!?!?

I’m screaming. This isn’t some subtle thing only a master of the sport would notice like, oh, you’re not lining your feet up right or you’re letting go with your guiding hand too early.

She shut her eyes!

For a long time! Like she’s trying to will herself to sleep.

She shut them before she even looked at the basket to aim for it! What did she think was going on?! When things went pitch black?!

“Okay, so, I’m holding the ball and want to shoot it into the basket. Then things go dark and when the lights come back, I’ve missed the shot. Just what in the world is going on here? Who keeps turning out the lights on me?”

How has this gone on the entire season? Better question, how is Kaitlin able to feed herself? How is she functioning in every day society? There are plants with better problem-solving skills.

Buffy guarantees Kaitlin if she just OPENS HER EYES TO PLAY BASKETBALL, her game will improve.

Then she tells Maria that she’s great at getting open, but that she never calls out to her teammates to let them know.

Buffy’s like, you have to use your voice, Maria.

And Maria’s like...

Lesson learned.

Buffy tells the girls they are better than they think. They can win if they fight for it.

Also, if they don’t shut their eyes for the majority of the game. Fight and keep your eyes open. 1a and 1b.

The girls agree and Buffy hands out her playbooks.

At the game, Buffy pumps up the team.

Armed with confidence and the newfound knowledge that being able to see what you’re doing vastly improves your chances at successfully doing it, the Spikes put up a fight.

Buffy coaches from the sidelines.

You know, I appreciate the wordplay of the “See you in court” sign that that girl is holding, and how it plays into the other storyline of the episode, but, honestly, who is that sign for? Which team wants that? Is that pro-Spikes or pro-Spartans or just... pro-basketball? Pro-wordplay? Does she just want one of the players on the court to see the sign and go, “Huh.” and give her a polite nod or something? What was the goal here?

Buffy continues to coach.

I’d say that’s over-coaching, but there’s a decent chance Kaitlin forgot between the sleepover and the game what the problem was.

The game nears to a close. Maria gets open and does some clapping, but doesn’t really call out to her teammates like Buffy told her to.

Half-credit, I guess. Light years improvement.

Speaking of credit, let’s give some to this loyal group of Spartan fans behind Maria, who show up to every game and sit in their same lucky seats, and wear their same lucky exact outfits.

Because they were there for the last Spartans/Spikes game, too.

You know what, if I had a cool shirt that just said “Weird” on it, I’d probably wear it all the time. I get it.

Anyway, Maria gets the pass and Buffy delivers her best bit of coaching advice yet.

Again, I don’t know that that’s over-coaching. That might be the exact right level of coaching for this team.

Maria’s shot goes in and the Spikes finally win a game. They all celebrate with Buffy.

Then Buffy’s friends storm the court and celebrate with her.

And credit to the girl who’s still waving the pro-Spartans sign even though the game ended several minutes ago. Keep up the spirit.

TJ’s phone buzzes. The court reached a verdict, so he and Cyrus run off to the theater.

Gus has TJ stand so he can read the verdict, and what he and his co-judges have verdicted is:

Cyrus doesn’t take it well.

Or, in other words, this is a KANGAROO COURT!

TJ tells Cyrus to stop fighting. He tells Cyrus he did his best, which... ehhh...

He kept his eyes open at least.

Gus sentences TJ to the harshest punishment allowed by Student Court:

TJ and Cyrus are surprised, but Gus explains they have very little actual authority.

So, wait, if they don’t really have the ability to hand out any kind of actual punishment, why even bother? If you can’t accomplish anything, then let him walk, otherwise you guys are just being jerks and ruining TJ’s lunch.

TJ grabs Cyrus’s shoulder.

I... think that was just supposed to be a joke about prison but... my God that got gay in a hurry.

Gus says court is adjourned and he and the other judges head off to return their robes to the choir while TJ and Cyrus hug.

This whole plot was silly. So so silly.

And I loved every second of it.

Jonah waits for Amber outside The Spoon. Amber spots him and she’s like, I thought I said to get! Scram! He’s like wait, don’t pepper spray me! I just want to tell you something. His dad got a new job and his parents rented a new apartment, which they’re moving into next week.

Amber says that’s great and she’s really glad for him.

Jonah says she really helped him through this tough time. She says he was there for her, too. Before he leaves, Amber offers to get him a milkshake. Not an invite back into The Spoon, mind you. Just a milkshake to go. The Spoon is still off-limits.

Back at school, Cyrus walks out when TJ shows up with another stolen golf cart like a demon sent from the country club.

Cyrus is like, did you learn nothing from your trial? TJ says he lives on the edge. Cyrus says he lives in the middle.

Cyrus gets in and he and TJ drive around the school with gay abandon.

I can’t believe I’m watching a gay teen romcom on the Disney Channel.

At Bex’s, Bex and Bowie spot Andi coming home, so they get in position to play it cool by turning on the TV and putting on one of their weird shows.

“It’s hideous!”

They ask Andi how her day was, hoping to hear about SAVA, but then Andi only tells them about the Spikes game and walks off.

Bex is shaken. Bowie tells her that’s okay. It’s the way it is. Kids don’t tell their parents everything.

Bex is like, yeah, I guess I just thought we were different.

The episode ends with Bex dealing with her greatest fear: she’s becoming her mother.

[galaxy-kyun]

Practice room

Group: Stray Kids Pairing: Lee Minho/Lee Know x Reader (gender neutral) Genre: smut, one-shot, request Word Count: 1.8K Summary: in which you and your boyfriend Minho experiment with some more kinkier sex in one of JYP Entertainment’s practice rooms. Warning: includes following kinks: mirror sex and choking

Having Lee Minho as your boyfriend had been a whole different experience from your previous relationships. Past relationships had classified as boring, to be brutally honest: they had just been being in a relationship for the sake of not being alone but with Minho, it was different.

First of all, this was the first time you’d ever dated an idol, not that that was a criteria or that it mattered at all but you did have to get used to his schedule. You didn’t mind it one bit because Minho gave you a whole different vibe from those past relationships, both romantically and sexually, and you absolutely adored it. Minho loved it to bring you over during more chill practice days but silently preferred it to come over to your place after a busy day of practicing.

Second of all, Minho brought a whole different vibe to your sex life. Between your friends, you had always been known as ‘the kinky one’, not that you openly talked about it a lot but when it was brought up, you always answered honestly. Your past relationships had been only vanilla and never showed interest in anything else but vanilla so you kept your mouth shut. Minho wasn’t like that, in fact: Minho was probably kinkier than you yourself and had proven so when he had basically fucked your brains out in his car at 11.30 PM in the abandoned parking garage of your apartment complex.

Yesterday, Minho surprised you with a text message. Comeback season was right around the corner so Minho spent a lot of time in the practice studio, to which he invited you to show his new choreography. You were always very proud of him for choreographing and were eager to watch him perform the new dance so without a doubt, you messaged back you’d show up the following day which is today. You were excited, nervous and tired. Minho had texted you that you could come around at 10PM because A) Most people would be gone by them and wouldn’t ask why a complete stranger was running around the JYP building and B) Afterwards you two could walk home together and spend the evening and night together.

At 9.50, you texted Minho from down the street that you were approaching the JYP building. He had agreed to let you in because, of course, at this time there was no-one there anymore to let you in.  Down the road, you saw the door of the JYP building already being opened and Minho standing in the doorway in his sweatpants and a T-shirt. It was a simple outfit, yet he made it look good.

“Hey angel” he spoke as soon as you walked up to him and gave you a hug and a kiss on the cheek. You blushed. Minho had a thing for calling you ‘angel’.

“Hey love” you greeted him back, making your way inside and following behind him to the big practice room.

“I’m really tired but the adrenaline of showing the choreography to you is keeping me awake! I hope you like it, we put a lot of time and effort in it. Some part we aren’t sure of yet but maybe, you could give some feedback to let me know if you like it? Then I’ll get that feedback back to our choreographer, Hyunjin and Felix” He spoke excitedly as he dragged you across the building.

You blushed furiously. Minho was so passionate about dancing and for him wanting you to give your opinion on their choreography, it really was special to you.

“Would I be the right person to give feedback on it?” You ask uncertain. Minho laughed.

“Well, you have eyes and you are able to voice an opinion. You can tell me what you like and didn’t like, right?”

And in fact, he was right.

                                            __________________

You were unsure why Minho had asked you to give feedback, the choreo looked amazing. Everything felt right and you were very proud of him as he performed it amazingly. It was currently 10.40 PM, as Minho wanted to show you the next choreography but also perfect it more and show you some freestyles and choreos he had worked on in the past. You didn’t mind, you loved watching him dance. Right now, you were chilling against one of the blank walls, playing with your phone as Minho was cooling down his muscles after a long day of dancing, since cooling down wasn’t the most interesting to watch.

"Angel?" Minho asks, you look up from your phone.

"Yes babe?" You reply, Minho slides down the dancing floor to sit in front of you. His eyes sparkle with mischief.

"What are you into?"

The question catches you off guard.

"W-What are you talking about, Minho?" You stutter. Minho's hand slides up and down your thigh… When did he even put it there in the first place?

"I mean: we’re both pretty kinky, as we’ve experimented with a few of my preferred kinks but what are you into, angel?”

You swallow. This was a question you never saw coming. Your friends and past partners had always kind of made fun of you as soon as it came to kinks and sexual preferences and before Minho, you had never dabbled outside of vanilla sex in the comfort of a bed.

"I uh…." You mutter nervously, looking around helplessly as Minho's hand slides up from your thigh to the hem of your shirt before sliding underneath to rub your side and tummy.

“You know you don’t have to be shy, right?” Minho whispered as he leaned in closer, almost touching your lips, “you can just tell me”

“I… I’m afraid you may think it’s weird” you muttered, your eyes looking everywhere but Minho’s face. One of his hands went up to cup your face while the other kept stroking your side.

“What if…” Minho started, looking you in your eyes, “I tell you one of mine and then you tell me which one of yours you would like to try the most, can you do that for me angel?”

You swallowed heavily, staring into Minho’s warm, brown eyes before nodding.

“Tell me, angel, what’s my favourite position?” Minho asked you, confusing you.

“Taking me from behind” You answer him without any hesitation. He smirks.

“But what’s the biggest con about it, I always tell you?” He asks once again.

“That you can’t see my face when I cum” You answer him confidently.

“Correct, baby… Now, if I do this, what do you see, angel?”

Minho retrieved his hands from your cheek and your shirt and swiftly got behind you, lifting you into his lap with your back against his chest. You swallowed as you stared at both of your reflections into the big mirrors of the practice room.

“I see myself…. I see both of us” You swallowed. Minho nodded.

“I could stare at your pretty face when I fuck you from behind if we do it in front of a mirror. Finally, I could see your cute face when you cum…" Minho trails off. You can't lie but the thought excites you… A lot.

"I would like to try choking" you mutter silently, looking at Minho in the reflection of the mirror. Minho chuckles and spins your head to face him, not his reflection.

"Say that again, my pretty angel, but now say it to me" he says, giving off a slight dominant vibe which sent shivers down your spine.

“I want you to choke me, Minho” you said confidently while looking in his eyes. He smirks.

“So good for me, I knew you’d be able to say it” and smashes his lips onto yours. The kiss turns in a full on make-out session with Minho’s hands wandering all over your body. Clothes fly everywhere across the practice room as Minho shifts the two of you more to the centre of the room.

“I like the view better here” he had only said while his hands roamed over your naked body, fully on display now and extremely visible in the mirrors on the opposite wall.

“You look so fucking beautiful” Minho muttered as he kissed the side of your neck, his hands massaging your hips. Meanwhile you slid your dominant hand behind you to grip Minho’s dick. He groaned as soon as he felt your hand pump him, making him grow to his full length.

Gently, he pushed your hand off his dick and used his other hand to take your chin between his thumb and pointer finger and guide your face towards the mirror. Once again, your eyes made contact with his in the reflection.

“Now, keep looking at yourself” Minho muttered gently in your ear as you felt his tip at your entrance.

“Please…” you whisper and with only one, little plea, Minho enters you from behind. Your face scrunches in pleasure of him filling you up, it’s always good when he enters you. He smirks

“You look so fucking stunning like this… And you’re all mine to wreck” He groans as his eyes stare back at you through the mirror with a dark lust. His hips start moving, thrusting in and out of you while his hands roam your body. At one particularly hard thrust, you fall forwards putting your hands on the floor of the dancing room to support you while Minho picks up the pace.

“So good Minho, so so good” you mutter as you close your eyes. Minho puts his hands on your hips, his pace so quick you feel your orgasm nearing and knowing Minho, his isn’t far behind.

It was as if you’ve forgotten part of the deal, the exploration of your own kink but this was soon forgotten as Minho pulled you back up, your back against his chest as he made you look at the two of you again in the mirror.

“You don’t think I’ve forgotten, right?” He smirks as he puts his dominant hand on your throat. Your breath already hitches.

“You can always ask to stop if it’s too much, tap my leg or say something” He whispers right before he adds pressure on your throat. Your eyes roll back and you grin as your airflow is cut off. The feeling is intense. Minho loosens his grip.

“Was that alright?”

“Yes, please, continue, I’m so close” you beg him, he only laughs and mutters a ‘you’re so kinky’ right as he applies pressure again, his hips pick up an even faster pace.

“Close, so close” he mutters in your ear but due to the lack of oxygen, you’re the one orgasming first. Everything feels more intense, from the way your orgasm was building up until the actual release. Minho swiftly let’s go of your throat and pulls your hips down quickly one last time, hard, against his as you feel him release inside of you. The intense pleasure makes the both of you fall to the floor, breathless.

“That was amazing” you laugh, maybe a bit shocked this happened. Minho laughs too while kissing your cheek.

“I know right, see that there’s nothing wrong with being kinky? I hope we’ve now opened a door to your kinks as well” He grins, you only slap his chest as the both of you continued lying down in the middle of the practice room.

[do-your-socks-have-holes-in-them]

Spooky Month 10/25

Prompt: Ghost Hunting

Summary: Patton joins his brothers on their ghost hunt, and makes a new friend.

Warnings: implied past character death, because... ghosts

Pairings: platonic Moxiety

@sanderssidescelebrations​

~ ~ ~

Twelve-year-old Patton Sanders sighed and crossed his arms, leaning back in the creaky old porch swing. He didn’t even want to be here, really. Ghost hunting in some abandoned house that was supposed to be haunted hadn’t sounded like that much fun to begin with, especially the way his older brothers described it. Logan kept going on about proving whether ghosts existed at all, and it wasn’t very exciting to start out with the thought that what they were looking for probably didn’t exist in the first place! Roman, on the other hand, seemed convinced he could fight a ghost with his bare hands and become some sort of hero.

Patton didn’t like either of those ways of thinking about it, not that the twins listened to him—they were going into high school next year, so obviously they knew everything. They had only invited him at all because they wanted another person to help carry all the equipment they’d ordered from Amazon, and he’d agreed because he didn’t have much better to do that day. Then, as soon as they got to the house… 

“Um… Patton… maybe it’s best if you stay out here for now,” Logan had suggested when he’d tried to follow them in.

“We wouldn’t want you to get hurt if it turns out to be dangerous,” Roman added. “We’re technically responsible for you right now.”

“If everything seems safe, then you can join us.”

“Make sure nobody steals our bikes, okay?” With that last remark, they’d both disappeared into the house and shut the door, leaving him outside on the porch. He wasn’t mad at them exactly, but he wasn’t having a great time either. It was nice out, at least, but it was still boring out here, and if anybody came by and saw him they’d all probably get in trouble, and he hadn’t even thought to bring anything to entertain himself with.

Through the door, he tried to listen for what exactly they were doing in there. It sounded like mostly a lot of metallic clunks as they set up their stuff, plus the muffled sound of each of them trying to tell the other he was doing it all wrong. Patton jumped and almost fell off the swing when something started making a horrible staticky noise, but he was pretty sure he remembered them saying it was supposed to do that. …For some reason. They would have demonstrated last night, but had ended up decided there was no point turning it on when there couldn’t possibly be a ghost in their house. (Patton was pretty sure they were afraid there might be, but he was nice enough not to say so.)

“Ghosts!” Roman called, loud enough to be heard clearly through the door. “If there truly is anyone… or anything… haunting this house- come out and show yourself to us!”

Silence followed, except for the horrible static, of course. Logan gave it a try next. Less dramatic, but still loud enough to be heard from anywhere in the house, of course.

“If there are any spirits here, give us a sign of your presence.”

There was another silence from any potential ghosts. Logan started to say something else, but Roman was already trying a… different strategy, encouraged by the lack of response so far.

“Hello? Ghost? Get out here, unless you’re afraid to-”

He cut off with a muffled protest, and Logan hissed something at him Patton couldn’t make out. Roman was laughing almost too hard to continue. Only almost, though.

“Why not? The ghost is a coward!” Logan snapped at him to cut it out, but it was easy to tell he was laughing, too, however much he wanted to pretend he wasn’t. “Hey! Ghost! You’re-”

Patton had no idea what happened after that, but he heard a crash, and then his brothers screamed, and before he could finish scrambling off the swing to make sure they were okay they had already come running out of the house with everything they’d set up scooped haphazardly into their arms.

“What happened?! Did you see the ghost? Guys?”

They didn’t seem to hear him. They were busy sorting out the equipment to make sure it wasn’t damaged from their hasty exit, looking wide-eyed at each other and saying things like “do you think that got recorded?” and “Roman, I told you not to do that-” “But it worked!”

“Does that mean it’s not safe?” Patton tried again, except not very loudly. “If you don’t tell me it’s not safe, I’m gonna go in, okay?”

They did not, in fact, tell him anything of the sort, or even appear to notice he had said anything. So, feeling a little bit guilty, but not very, because they hadn’t been very nice to him so far today, he opened the door as quietly as he could and walked inside.

The interior of the possibly haunted house wasn’t all that impressive. Mostly, it was just dark and- he sneezed mid-thought- dusty. There wasn’t even any furniture. Which made sense, because there was no one living here- or, at least, no one living here- but it was still weird, walking through a house with completely empty rooms.

“Hello?” he called quietly. There was no answer, which was a little bit of a relief. “Uh, sorry about Roman and Logan. It sounded like they were being kinda rude, but they… didn’t mean it? I mean, I don’t think they thought you were real.” He paused again, shuffling his feet awkwardly. “I just wanted to say hi, I guess, if you’re there…” He waited a few more seconds, then sighed disappointedly and turned to leave.

“Hey.”

Patton squeaked and spun around. There was a boy standing behind him. He looked closer to the twins’ age than Patton’s, with dark clothes and dyed hair. More to the point, Patton could see through him.

“Oh- oh gosh, hi, I didn’t think that would actually work!”

The boy shrugged, almost embarrassed. “Not a lot of people to talk to when you’re haunting a house, so, if you’re not gonna be a jerk about it…”

“Of course not!” Patton started to put out his hand to shake, but stopped when he remembered his new friend wasn’t really… solid. “Um- I’m Patton, what’s your name?”

“Oh, uh…” Now he did look embarrassed. “It’s Virgil,” he muttered.

“That’s a cool name!” He smiled, and Virgil blinked and hesitantly smiled back.

---

It took far longer than either of them would have liked to admit for Logan and Roman to realize they couldn’t see Patton anymore. Logan dropped the camera he’d been bemoaning the lack of clear ghost images on and looked around a bit frantically, only to realize the door of the house was ajar.

“Oh. Oh, no.”

“We’ll just have to go back in there and save him,” Roman decided, pacing back and forth on the sidewalk. “Patton is not gonna get killed by a ghost on my watch!”

Logan had to agree. Much as he didn’t like the idea of possibly missing out on evidence, he also agreed they would have to leave the ghost-hunting equipment outside- if the ghost showed up again, it would be much easier to run away without all that. (Also, he was pretty sure half of that stuff was fake anyway.) They crept up to the door together and eased it open, almost holding their breath. They were not prepared for what they saw inside.

Patton was sitting cross-legged on the floor, and the ghost who’d appeared out of nowhere to scare them half to death earlier was in a similar position next to him, and as far as either of them could tell they were just… talking. As they watched in stunned silence, Patton cracked a terrible pun, and the ghost laughed.

This was insane. Logan took a step forward, unsure if it was still a good plan to grab Patton and run, and a floorboard creaked. Both Patton and the ghost looked up. He resisted the urge to take a step back again. “Patton? What… are you doing?”

“Right- guys, this is Virgil! He’s sorry for scaring you earlier, right?” He stared at Virgil, who looked incredibly awkward and sheepish.

“Y-yeah. Sorry. I guess I overreacted a little.”

“A little?!” Roman scoffed. “I thought you were going to kill us!”

“And now,” Patton interrupted, raising his voice, “you two have to apologize for coming in here and being rude to him.”

They both looked at him with incredulous expressions. But then they looked a little to the side of him, at the ghost waiting expectantly, and mutually decided it might be a good idea to just go along with it.

“Yes… Of course. We apologize.”

“Sorry I called you a coward.”

Patton beamed. “There we go! Come sit with us, I was just telling Virgil about the last season of Steven Universe ‘cause he doesn’t have a TV in here and-”

“Well, I’m sorry to interrupt,” Logan interrupted, “but we do sort of need to go home. It’s getting close to dinner time.”

“Oh.” Patton slumped sadly, and Virgil looked disappointed as well. He leaned in and said something to Patton, very quietly.

“Yeah, of course!” Patton turned back to his brothers. “We can come back to visit again, right?”

They glanced at each other. “Why?”

“To see my new friend?” But they didn’t seem to be particularly swayed by that, so he added, “And if you don’t, I’ll tell mom you brought me here in the first place.”

Now that was a threat. “Fine,” Roman agreed quickly, “whatever- do not tell her anything about this.” Virgil was laughing. Roman waited until Patton was looking away and made a face at him. Apparently, just because he was dead didn’t mean he was above being just as childish and making one back.

“Come on,” Logan said to both of them- still not willing to leave the safety of the doorway- and Patton stood up reluctantly and followed him out. Just before closing the door behind him, he turned back and waved to Virgil.

“Bye,” he called. “See you later!”

After a moment, Virgil smiled and waved in return. “Yeah… Later.”

[coneygoil]

The Home We Built Together, part 22

Two young Vikings. An arranged marriage. Hiccup always wanted to win the girl of his dreams, but not like this. Now he and Astrid must learn to live together and maybe one day, learn to love…

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9| Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21

It was strange how an unexpected turn of events could bring two people closer together. When Hiccup imagined Astrid discovering he’d sided with the enemy, he hoped she’d understand and hear him out. He could hope all he wanted, but in all honesty, he expected her to be a ball full of rage and come slicing with her axe. Thankfully, the former happened and somehow, this crazy friendship with a dragon had brought him and his wife closer than ever.

Maybe it was the comradery of keeping an earthshaking secret between them. Maybe Astrid changing her attitude towards dragons had opened a door inside her to let Hiccup walk in further than he’d ever been. Whatever it was that had changed, Hiccup was enjoying every second of it.

He glanced at Astrid from the corner of his eye as they strolled through the village hand-in-hand. She insisted on walked him to the forge every morning instead of saying goodbye at the front door of their home. There were still traces of awkwardness between, unsure moments of bridled affections. Those moments were becoming less.

“Are you asking him today?” Astrid inquired as they approached the forge.

“Yeah.” They stopped at entrance their hands still intertwined. Hiccup sucked in a deep breath. “Are you ready for this if Gobber says yes?”

Astrid pressed her lips into a thin line, her gaze wandering before bringing it back to Hiccup’s face. “I’ve seen what you’ve accomplished, Hiccup. I know you can do this.” Her free hand cupped his shoulder, reassuringly. “We can do this.”

Hiccup beamed at her. Toothless trusted him. Astrid trusted him. Someone finally had faith in him.

Astrid tugged him to her, planting a kiss on his cheek. “Now, go to work!” She laughed, pushing him into the forge and jogged off.  

Hiccup knew he’d never tire of the lightness rising in his chest as he watched her leave.

“Lookit ye two lovebirds.”

Hiccup jumped. “Ahh! Gobber! What’re you doing watching on us?”

“Ah, don’t get your knickers tied in a knot, lad. It’s not like you two were trying to hide your affections. It’s good to see you two falling in love.”

Hiccup’s eyes bugged and he nearly choked on his own saliva. Love? He’d been in love with Astrid long before this whole marriage ever existed. At least, he thought he was in love, but he’d come to realize his affection during that season of his life was projected onto an idea of who he thought Astrid was. Strong. Level-headed. An aspiring warrior. Well-renowned for what she was doing right. It also helped that she was incredibly attractive.

The way he viewed her had changed. He knew he loved her still, though it wasn’t as clear and to the point anymore. But the real question was, did she love him?

It was obvious she’d developed a fondness for him. She wouldn’t subject her lips to touch his or allow him to hold her in their bed if she didn’t share the same affection. She enjoyed his company. He’d never heard the ring of her laughter until they’d grown close, and he wished to hear it for the rest of his (most likely, short) life. She seemed content, but was Astrid really falling in love with him? Entertaining the very thought sent Hiccup’s mind reeling.

Hiccup pushed aside the massive revelation and focused on the task at hand. “Hey Gobber, who takes care of feeding the training dragons?”

Tinking tap noises filled the forge as Gobber flattened out a door hinge. “You’re looking at him.”

Hiccup nodded, scanning through the inventory pile of the day. “Me and Astrid were discussing taking on more responsibilities and thought maybe…feeding the training dragons could be one of them.” He pulled out a shield that needed some bolts replaced. When he turned around, he nearly jumped out his skin at the sight of Gobber right behind him, smiling widely.

“Exceeding at dragon training, taking on responsibilities, proving that you could be Chief material.” Gobber wiped a single tear from his eye. “I knew you had it in you.”

“Uh…thanks—” this was turning out to be the most awkward conversation he’d ever had with Gobber, and that was saying a lot. Hiccup diverted off this unexpected (and uncomfortable) ride to get back to the point. “So, where do you get the food for the dragons?”

“I mostly use the rejected fish from the daily catches. They’re put in a barrel on the docks.”

“Wait, that’s all you feed them? Rejected fish?”

“Basically.”

“Why aren’t you feeding them the food they need?”

“What’s the point, lad? They’re going te die anyway sooner or later.”

A chill crept down Hiccup’s spine at Gobber’s haunting words. He knew the training dragons would be killed one day, whether during a training lesson or euthanized, but that known knowledge didn’t make it any less horrifying. His thoughts zeroed in on Toothless and how he’d taken care of him the last few weeks. Hiccup made sure the Night Fury had everything he needed, not only food but affection and companionship. Those poor dragons locked away in the cages were underfed, lonely, and afraid. Hiccup was determined to change that. He would save those dragons from their ultimate fate.

***

Toothless grumbled as he dived down to scoop up another mouthful of fish. Hiccup patted his friend’s neck. “Oh, come one, bud. You’re doing some extra fishing for a good cause.”

The next morning before the sun had awoken, Hiccup and Astrid left for the arena to begin training the dragons without the prying eyes of the other villagers. It was a risky move, training the dragons with a chance of others catching them. But the arena was a fair distance from the early morning activities of the village. Maybe they had a shot at this without getting caught.

Hiccup stood in the middle of the arena floor sweeping his gaze back and forth, lost in thought. He had to choose wisely which dragon to earn trust from first. The Gronkle was smaller than the rest of the dragons (besides the Terrible Terror), and maybe it could be easily won over by a pile of tasty rocks.

Something kept pulling Hiccup to the Monstrous Nightmare. If he could earn the trust of the most dangerous dragon then the other dragons would likely follow. Taking a deep breath, Hiccup squared his shoulders in determination and strode to the Nightmare’s cage.

“You’re starting with the Monstrous Nightmare?” the voice of reason floated from the back of him. He glanced over his shoulder to find Astrid looking positively aghast. “Do you have a death wish?”

“You trusted me this far, Astrid,” Hiccup pointed out.

Astrid stepped up to him and poked him in the chest. “You’re right, but don’t make me have to bring you back from the dead just so I can kill you for making me a widow.”

He snatched her finger and pushed it back towards her with a grin. “Have I told you I enjoy your heartwarming encouragement?”

Astrid’s eyes flew skywards. “Just go already.”

The playful banter had eased the nerves that were building in his stomach. Hiccup wondered if Astrid sassed him on purpose to help with that. He turned back to the present task: training the Monstrous Nightmare.

On the cage door was a smaller door that swung out. Hiccup unlatched the door and immediately ducked as a flaming stream shot through the opening.

“Hiccup!” Astrid yelled, ready to run to his aid.

“I’m okay!” He got back to his feet and grabbed a fish from the basket nearby. “Hey, big guy,” he greeted with an air of friendliness, “I’m not here to hurt you. I want to be your friend.”

Hiccup stuck the fish in view of the opening. When no more fiery blasts flew through, he peeked his head up. The Monstrous Nightmare stood several feet away, watching him with sharp, cautious eyes. His nostrils flared causing a dusty cloud to stir up at his front feet.

“Are you hungry?” Hiccup kept his tone light. He stuck the fish further into the opening. “Do you like cod? It’s much tastier than those sad little herrings you were being fed.”

The Nightmare snarled and shifted closer.

“There you go,” Hiccup encouraged, emphasizing the fish with a shake to draw the dragon nearer.

When the Nightmare had drawn close enough, Hiccup tossed the fish his way. The clamp of the dragon’s jaws echoed off the stone walls. Hiccup smiled when the Nightmare looked at him expectantly for more.

“Astrid, go raise the lever.”

Raising the lever meant releasing the dragon. Releasing the dragon meant risking being flame broiled.

The playful exchange from a few minutes earlier had completely fled as a tinge of worry shaded Astrid’s words. “Are you sure?”

He’d faced certain death at the mercy of a dragon who should have taken his life with the snap of the jaws. But he was still alive and whole and that dragon was considered his friend. Hiccup couldn’t guarantee that the Monstrous Nightmare would take the same path, but he had to try.

He met Astrid’s concerned gaze. “If this goes wrong, promise me you’ll take care of Toothless.”

“That’s not comforting, Hiccup.” The edge in her voice was evident, but Astrid wasn’t making an attempt to stop him. “Of course, I’ll take care of Toothless.” Squeezing his shoulder, she added, “But promise me, I won’t have to.”

He couldn’t. No simple promise could keep a fierce and angry dragon at bay. No promise could shield him from the fiery blasts Nightmares were known for. Hiccup offered a tight-lipped smile that couldn’t convince a fish it lived in water. Astrid moved to fulfil his request and in a minute’s time she was on the rocky ledge hovering over the lever.

Hiccup backed up at what he prayed was a safe distance. Filling his lungs with a calming breath, he nodded at Astrid. The massive wooden peg lifted, and the cage doors swung open to reveal the frightening dragon that was adequately named for haunting nightmares.  

The Monstrous Nightmare loomed ominously, puffing smoke, the orange eerie glow of its eyes staring right through Hiccup. Hiccup expected more of a reaction, for the dragon to rampage out on fire. But it remained calm as it glared sharply at him.

Hiccup had planned to take the affable approach; to show the Nightmare that he wanted to be his friend, throw in some lighthearted conversation like he had a minute ago when he offered the fish.

That planned changed the moment the cage door opened.

The Nightmare approached, it’s terrifying claws scraping the ground and head dipped into a strike position. Hiccup stayed planted in his spot a few feet away from the creature that could be his demise. The Nightmare’s hot breath blew over him.

“It’s okay. It’s okay,” Hiccup reassured, and with every fiber in his being, he spoke the words that he had resolved to in his mind for weeks, “I’m not one of them.”

The Nightmare gurgled curiously, blinking its orange eyes.

Hiccup held his palm out in front of him and with one decisive step, his skin made contact with dragon scales. He hadn’t realized how fast his heart had been pumping. His face split into a relieved and overjoyed smile as the dragon’s nose pressed firmer against his palm.

His gaze flicked up to find Astrid. Both hands covered her mouth, her eyes round in shock and awe. He nodded at her in silent agreement and she returned the gesture.

Their crazy plan to train dragons may work after all.

 tags: @martabm90 @chiefhiccstrid  @lauracalabresi  @drchee5e @celtictreemuffin 

[btsvt-adventures]

Ice Skating AU - Opposites (sometimes) Attract

A/n: So, this literally took me eons to write, even though I’ve been planning this for a month smh. This is also literally stupid long god... .

Pairing: Jicheol (Jihoon x Seungcheol), Jihan (Jisoo x Jeonghan)

Warning(s): Nothing too major, lots of fluff, some drunk jihoon (drink responsibly kids!!!)

Word Count: 3,388

Want more of this AU? Ask me here!

Ice Skating AU: Introductions | The Beginning | Drunk (Almost) Kisses | I Have Faith | Promised Rewards | Secret Plans | Opposites Sometimes Attract

Jihoon wants to strangle Soonyoung, and maybe.. to an extent… partly, Jisoo as well. He knows, he just knows that it’s their doing that he’s been tasked with getting drinks with none other than the big, stupid, (cute) figure skater doof Choi fucking Seungcheol. He sends Soonyoung a quick text right before Seungcheol is meant to pick him up, threatening death by hockey stick, and his ex-captain just replies with a lot of winky faces, and a couple eggplants.

Asshole.

Jihoon’s already waiting when Seungcheol pulls up, and the figure skater has to resist the urge to squeal, because Jihoon just looks so fucking cute. He’s drowning in an oversized hoodie, with his blonde hair all tousled from the wind, and he just looks so tiny and adorable (not that Seungcheol would say that he doesn’t want to make things worse.) Jihoon’s ripped jeans however, leave nothing to the imagination, and Seungcheol is quietly drooling over the perky round ass he spotted as Jihoon climbed into his car. 

“Let’s go, I have work to do and I don’t want to waste too much time arguing with you over what kind of drinks to get,” Jihoon grumps, pulling out his phone to play some music game while Seungcheol drives, humming to some girl group song.

“I play that too,” Seungcheol piques, startling Jihoon while he’s scrolling through songs to play. “You’re much better at it though, I suck at games like that,” he mumbles, and Jihoon snorts.

“I hope I’m good at it, I’m a music producer; if I can’t match the beat to my own songs I better change careers,” he shakes his head, and Seungcheol reels from the information Jihoon just offered up.

Before he can ask anymore, he sees the supermarket, and decides to hold off his questioning till after he’s parked. He almost makes it too, reversing into a lot when he hears Jihoon humming to the song on the radio, and Seungcheol can’t hold it in anymore.

“What’s your producer name? Have you met any kpop groups? Who do you produce for?” he blurts, flushing red when Jihoon stares at him confusedly. Seungcheol flushes, quickly putting the car into park and getting out, plastering a fake smile on to try and hide his embarrassment.

“Well, I use Woozi, under the studio ‘Universe Factory,’ yes of course I’ve met idols, and I produce for Pledis Entertainment,” Jihoon answers quietly, suppressing a laugh when Seungcheol gawks at him for voluntarily offering the information. “What about you?”

Seungcheol’s brain farts entirely, and he just goes “uH oh right, well I skate professionally of course, but during the off season I teach kids back in my hometown, Daegu,” he stutters, and Jihoon nods, letting the conversation die off.

It’s not an awkward silence, but it is silence, and Seungcheol wants to keep Jihoon talking. He’d seen the way Jihoon had lit up when he mentioned his music, and he wants to see that happen again (he’s already so whipped what the fuck Choi get a grip).

“… box, yeah?”

Seungcheol’s so busy yelling at himself he totally misses whatever Jihoon says, and glances into their trolley to see a giant Styrofoam box.

“Uh…. Why do we need a styrofoam box?” he asks, staring dumbly at it while Jihoon just tsks.

“To keep all the drinks,” he deadpans, like Seungcheol’s stupid for even asking a question like that. Seungcheol shakes his head, plucking the box out of the trolley and putting it back. Jihoon frowns, raising an eyebrow when Seungcheol rounds the corner, re-appearing with a giant cooler box on wheels.

“No, no you gotta use a cooler! A nice big one to keep the drinks chilled properly,” he insists. Jihoon rolls his eyes, turning his nose up at the stupidly expensive box, defiantly picking up the styrofoam box again.

“This will do just fine! What are we gonna do with a giant cooler box after the party anyway?” Jihoon challenges, but Seungcheol refuses to give in, and Jihoon throws his hands up in frustration. “Let’s just get the damn drinks, we can come back to this shit later,” he grumbles, stuffing his hands into his pockets, and Seungcheol shrugs, leisurely following Jihoon towards the drink aisle.

They end up with more drinks than fifteen people can (presumably) drink, and not a lot of ways to carry them. Jihoon, as Seungcheol is quickly learning, is frustratingly (read: endearingly) stubborn when he wants to be, picking up the cartons before Seungcheol can take them.

He stops Jihoon from trying to carry his body weight in liquor and soft drinks, offering what he thinks is a kind, helping hand. Jihoon, of course, reacts in a way only Jihoon can react.

“Are you implying that I’m weak?” Jihoon snaps, glaring (or trying to) at Seungcheol over the top of the boxes. It takes everything Seungcheol has to not burst into laughter because he just looks so cute, but he manages to get himself under control.

“No, no of course not, but you uh… also can’t really see where you’re going, so I thought I’d offer,” he says delicately, and Jihoon makes an incoherent noise of assent, grumpily letting Seungcheol take half the boxes he was attempting to carry. They dump the drinks in Seungcheol’s car before they stand awkwardly next to each other, unsure of what to do or say, letting the silence slowly engulf them.

“Let’s grab dinner,” Seungcheol blurts, ears turning red before he can take it back. “I mean, we can get some food and then I can drop you at home, I mean- your house!” he yelps, and Jihoon stares at the figure skater like he’s grown a third head. Seungcheol flails uselessly, hands fidgeting nervously as he watches the cogs in Jihoon’s pretty blonde head turn, lighting up when the hockey player nods slowly.

“It’s not a date,” he warns quickly, ears quickly turning red. “It better not be, or I’ll kick you with my skates,” he huffs, turning away with a huff. Seungcheol can’t help the grin splitting his face as he climbs into the car.

“It can be whatever you want it to be,” he glances at the younger man,  praying he isn’t pushing too hard, watching as Jihoon sputters indignantly.

“NOT A DATE!” he yelps, smacking Seungcheol in a panic. Seungcheol bursts into laughter, as Jihoon glares at him. “For that you’re paying, and I want meat,” he huffs, chin pushed out defiantly as he dares Seungcheol to refuse him.

Adorable.

Seungcheol chuckles, turning to face the disgruntled skater, grinning wickedly. “Yes dear,” he coos, and Jihoon groans, head thunking quietly against the headrest.

“Fuck, I really need a drink,” he mutters, turning away and shutting his eyes while Seungcheol hums to the muted music. He glances at Seungcheol, drinking in the way the streetlamps outline his silhouette, almost contouring the lean, muscular lines of his arms.

God, he’s really hot, Jihoon thinks helplessly, forcing himself to turn away before Seungcheol catches him staring. He watches the street fly past, wondering idly if Seungcheol was genuinely interested or if he just wanted to rile Jihoon up.

“You’re thinking really loudly,” Seungcheol says suddenly, and Jihoon startles, letting out a surprised squeak. Seungcheol glances quickly towards Jihoon, who just shrugs, claiming he’s thinking about food.

Seungcheol laughs, wanting to probe further (because seriously, no one thinks that hard about food), but they arrive at the restaurant before he can ask. Jihoon practically throws himself out of the car, claiming to be starving, and Seungcheol snorts, figuring that Jihoon probably would be full after two portions of beef or something.

He should’ve known.

An hour later, he’s staring at Jihoon in mild horror as he polishes off his third bowl of rice, and his nine (and counting) portions of meat. Seungcheol’s only on his second bowl, and already his stomach feels like exploding.

 “How the fuck do you eat so much?” He gapes, and Jihoon shrugs, taking a sip (read: gulp) of his soju.

“Your lips are so pretty, soooooo prettyyyy,” he grins dopily, reaching for the soju again and pouring himself another shot. Seungcheol blinks, frozen in shock (and fear, because did Jihoon just compliment him????)

“W-what?” Seungcheol stammers, and Jihoon lifts a finger lazily, poking Seungcheol in the chest, eyes unfocused and –

Oh.

It hits Seungcheol suddenly. Jihoon’s drunk. Like, full on, giggling and cute and slurring drunk. He looks at the empty bottle of soju next to Jihoon and realizes that not only is Jihoon drunk, but he’s also this drunk after a single bottle of soju.

“Y-you,” he mumbles, eyes wandering before focusing on Seungcheol. “You’re so hotand mus-muscular is not f-fair,” he hiccups, giggling when Seungcheol’s cheeks flush. “Pretty too when you blush- take me home hyung,” he blurts suddenly, head flopping into his waiting palm. “Tired, want cuddles,” he pouts, and Seungcheol nearly goes into cardiac arrest.

He quickly calls for the bill, helping Jihoon slip his jacket back on. Jihoon clings to him, nuzzling Seungcheol’s chest, quietly whining for cuddles. He taps his card on the machine and tugs Jihoon out of the restaurant so he doesn’t do something he’ll regret later on.

“Cuddlessssss hyung,” Jihoon whines, pouting up at Seungcheol again and fuck, Seungcheol so desperately wants to kiss the pout away.

“It’s not a good idea Jihoonie, you’re really drunk right now,” he coaxes gently, trying to offend a drunk Jihoon as little as possible. Jihoon pouts even harder, clinging tighter to Seungcheol’s jacket sleeve, nestled perfectly into his side.

“No, no, no hyung need cuddles,” he insists, and Seungcheol sighs, giving in and tugging him to the car, heading to his apartment so he can at least make sure Jihoon doesn’t hurt himself while he’s drunk.

For someone so much smaller, he’s surprisingly strong. It takes him an hour to finally get Jihoon into bed, with most of said hour taken up by Jihoon insisting he have his required cuddles. He tucks Jihoon into his bed after forcing the younger to take some Aspirin, and flops onto the couch, sighing heavily.

Fuck, Jihoon’s so fucking cute.

The hockey player however, definitely does not feel cute. He cracks his eyes open and jerks upright, groaning when the movement makes his head pound.

“Where the fuck am I?” he grimaces, glancing around at the unfamiliar surroundings. “At least I’m clothed this time,” he sighs, peeking out the open door, trying to get a glimpse of whoever it is that brought him… wherever here is.

Did I get kidnapped or something dear god why don’t I remember anything, why the fuck do I drink alcohol– “WHAT THE FUCK CHOI SEUNGCHEOL PUT ON A GODDAMN SHIRT!”

Seungcheol jumps so hard at Jihoon’s exclamation he almost breaks something, and he flails, apologizing repeatedly as he scrambles to put a shirt on. (Jihoon half wishes he wouldn’t, even though he told him to because hot damn, ice skater boy is hella fine) Seungcheol, in his flustered state, desperately tries to not trip over the various pillows Jihoon had apparently kicked to the floor, but before he can shout a warning, Seungcheol trips on a pillow and tumbles onto the bed.

Right on top of Jihoon.

The air whooshes out of Jihoon’s lungs as Seungcheol lands on him, and he finds himself staring into the prettiest, widest eyes he’s ever seen. Their lips are so close they’re practically brushing.

Fuck, he’s so pretty, Jihoon thinks breathlessly, silently hoping Seungcheol would make a move, but the older comes to his senses and throws himself backwards, much to Jihoon’s disappointment relief.

“You’re heavier than a sack of potatoes,” Jihoon huffs raspily, still breathless, although he’s not sure if it’s from Seungcheol trying to flatten him or if it’s from the overwhelming emotion he’s trying to hide.

Seungcheol dusts himself off, mumbling something about getting ready for the party and making breakfast, disappearing from the room, and Jihoon sighs, grabbing his phone and texting Soonyoung to grab his outfit before meeting at the rink. Soonyoung responds with an affirmative, followed by more smirky emojis, and Jihoon contemplates Soonyoung’s murder for the second time in as many days.

He wanders out into the kitchen after a shower, wearing Seungcheol’s smallest clothes (which are still three sizes too big), looking around the spotless space Seungcheol apparently lives in. He turns to Seungcheol, who’s setting down some hangover stew and rice, and motioning for Jihoon to come in.

“What’s all this for?” he asks, grabbing the rice bowl and taking a sip of the hot stew, sighing happily when he feels it soothe his empty, growling stomach. Seungcheol shrugs, picking up the other rice bowl and loading it with pickled radish.

“Consumption and energy, but also I’m sorry for scaring you awake like that,” he mumbles through a mouthful of rice. “You were kinda drunk and I was worried about leaving you alone in your apartment, so I brought you to mine  hope that’s okay,” he frowns, swallowing and looking at Jihoon worriedly.

Jihoon laughs, shaking his head gently. “Yeah, that’s fine I should’ve warned you that I was a lightweight. sorry about all the trouble, and thanks for the food.”

Seungcheol grins at him, turning his attention to their shared bowl of stew before Jihoon inhales all of it (again). A ping from both their phones just as they finish, and they scramble to get ready before Jisoo beheads them for being late to his beloved’s surprise birthday party.

“Hurry up of Jisoo hyung will literally kill us,” Jihoon nags, grumbling when Seungcheol comes out of the apartment with the cooler. “Can’t believe you talked me into buying the fucking cooler,” he huffs, and Seungcheol just laughs, telling Jihoon to pull up the directions and tell Jisoo that they’re on the way.

 Jisoo, on the other hand, is a nervous mess. He knows he’s planned everything to the best of his ability, and there’s literally nothing else he can do, but he’s still scared.

What if Jeonghan figures it out?

What if they all arrive later?

What if Jeonghan doesn’t arri–

His train of thought breaks off when he sees his boyfriend walk through the arrival doors. He runs up to Jeonghan and literally throws himself in his arms.

“Hello to you too baby,” Jeonghan laughs, hugging Jisoo back equally tightly, lips pressed against Jisoo’s hair.

Jisoo sighs, pulling away and handing Jeonghan the flowers and the gift, excitement humming through his veins. “Happy birthday Hannie,” he grins.

Jeonghan lights up at the roses, pressing them carefully to his nose and sniffing delicately, handing them back to Jisoo with a kiss so he can open his present. He tears the wrapping eagerly, gasping when he sees the silver necklace nestled in the black satin. Jisoo beams, tugging something from under his collar.

“We match,” he murmurs, and Jeonghan’s grin gets impossibly bigger. Jisoo takes the box from Jeonghan, carefully taking the necklace and securing it around Jeonghan’s neck, watching as the necklace sparkles prettily between his clavicles.

“It’s beautiful, I love it,” Jeonghan hums, pulling Jisoo close for a kiss. “and I love you,” he breathes, humming contentedly when Jisoo blushes hotly.

He presses another quick kiss to his boyfriend’s lips, pulling away slightly. “Do you trust me?” he asks, Jeonghan nods immediately eyebrows disappearing into his hairline when Jisoo pulls a blindfold out of his pocket.

“In public? How kinky,” Jeonghan teases, laughing harder when Jisoo swats him huffily, but he takes the blindfold, securing it over his eyes when they’re in the car. His vision goes dark immediately, and it’s a little uneasy, but Jisoo assures him that everything’s going to be great.

 Seokmin’s (and everyone else’s, really) phone pings with another update. “GET READY!!!” he screeches, and everyone scrambles to get into position. Seungkwan yelps, rolling out the carpet so Jeonghan doesn’t faceplant on the ice in regular shoes, and they wait in silence, staring at the entrance eagerly.

 Jisoo appears with a still blindfolded Jeonghan, and they stay frozen in position until Jeonghan’s standing in the middle of the rink.

“Three,” Jisoo whispers to Jeonghan, who’s already itching to take his blindfold off. “Two,” he breathes, hand raised as he counts down to the surprise reveal.

“One.”

“SURPRISE!”

Jeonghan startles so hard he nearly falls over, and his eyes widen as he takes in the familiar faces suddenly surrounding him, gasping when he finally recognizes where he is. Jisoo grins so brightly, watching the emotions play across Jeonghan’s face.

“How-“ he stammers, staring at everyone who’s cheering and clapping, laughing as they celebrate a successful surprise. “You did this?” he asks incredulously, staring at Jisoo.

 “Yep! Happy birthday Jeonghannie,” he giggles. “I have one more surprise for you though, but you gotta put on your skates first.”

Jisoo knows Jeonghan can put on skates quickly, but he’s never seen anyone put them on that fast. It’s endearing, really, knowing how eager Jeonghan is for his second surprise. He steps off the carpet, spinning gracefully before he turns to Jisoo.

“Surprise, now,” he pouts.

“Still as demanding as ever,” a deep, husky voice breaks through, and Jeonghan whirls around, breath hitching as he sees someone he honestly never thought he’d see again.

“Ssaem,” Jeonghan breathes, vision suddenly blurry as he launches himself forward, enveloping the elderly man in a crushing hug. The old nightguard laughs, holding Jeonghan equally tightly, blinking away the tears clinging to his lashes.

Jeonghan lets out a sob, burying his face into his teacher’s shoulder, shaking from the overwhelming emotions. The guard takes it in stride, petting Jeonghan’s back comfortingly, and Jeonghan pulls away, still sniffling, but grinning widely now.

“S-still not dead yet I see,” he jokes tearfully, and the guard guffaws, smacking Jeonghan lightly upside the head.

“Still disrespectful I see,” he fires back. “Now stop your baby crying, this is a party so we damn well be celebrating,” he pats Jeonghan on the back again, and the figure skater wipes his face clean, nodding.

“Let’s get fucking liT!”

 The party winds down after a couple hours, with everyone either in food comas, drunk or exhausted from Seungkwan and Soonyoung’s games. Seungcheol spots Jihoon drinking his (hopefully alcohol free) coke, watching as Jeonghan and Jisoo dance and spin in a corner of the rink.

“So,” he starts, making Jihoon jump in surprise, but Seungcheol decides to push on. “So.. since we did spend a night together,” he pauses, and Jihoon turns to glare at him murderously.

“Die in a hole, thanks,” he hisses, taking a sip of his drink. “What do you want?”

Seungcheol chuckles, leaning against the barrier. “Go out to dinner with me. Like, y’know, a date,” he blurts, praying Jihoon can’t hear his heart thundering in his chest.

They both fall silent, watching Jeonghan and Jisoo perform their duet for Jeonghan’s old teacher. Seungcheol tries not to fidget, but he’s desperate to know Jihoon’s answer. The duet ends, and Jihoon turns to face Seungcheol.

“One one condition,” he says, and Seungcheol nods immediately. “Keep me away from the alcohol. I don’t need, or want, to remember me waxing fucking poetry about how pretty you are– “

Seungcheol’s grin is blindingly bright, and Jihoon feels his heart stutter for a moment. “Aw,” he coos, and Jihoon’s already beginning to regret his decision. “You think I’m pretty!”

“I  take it back, I don’t want to go on a date with you,” Jihoon grumbles, pushing uselessly at Seungcheol’s chest.

“Too late! I’m about to make a reservation for a BBQ place” he chirps, and Jihoon sighs defeatedly, playfully rolling his eyes at the figure skater.

Jisoo catches Soonyoung’s eye as he skates past, pointing at Jihoon huddled up with Seungcheol in the corner of the rink. Jeonghan raises an eyebrow questioningly, wondering what his deviously brilliant boyfriend is up to this time.

“Long story, tell you when we get home,” he winks. “Maybe I’ll even let you use the blindfold on me.”

Jeonghan chokes, and everyone else makes a face.

Oops.

Please like and reblog! <3 Leave comments too!

If you’d like more of this AU, or your own lil thing, of if you just wanna yell at me, you can do so here~

[knybits]

A Murder of One

Chapter: 

6

Summary:

Akiko discovers her own happiness within her independence. This comes to a halt. 

Previous Chapter | Origin | Next Chapter

“I refuse.” 

Shinobu blinks owlishly at Akiko, thoughts halting to a stop by Akiko’s sudden declaration. 

“I don’t want a kasugai karasu.” 

“You need one,” Shinobu smiles. Akiko can see the annoyance radiate off Shinobu but she doesn’t back down. 

“I don’t care. Give it to Aoi.” 

Aoi looks over at Akiko, face contorted into anger as she’s suddenly dragged into the argument. 

“Don’t bring me into this,” Aoi snaps, and Akiko rolls her eyes. 

“I saw that!” 

“You were supposed to-” 

“Girls?” Shinobu sings, and the two shut up, Aoi’s head bowing ever so slightly. 

Lilac turns to amber, and Shinobu allows a sigh to pass from her lips. Akiko looks unwavering from her decision, jaw set and a different spark in her eyes. For some reason, Shinobu can guess the spark. 

Fear. 

“Akiko, you understand that this crow is supposed to tell you, personally, the status of the incoming patient. That way you have time to prepare. This allows you to become more independent from Aoi and the other girls.” 

Sumi, Naho, and Kiyo look at Akiko with an unsure expression. They’re fine with helping Akiko, but one look from Shinou and they know to stay quiet. Kanon sits with the girls, mindlessly braiding and tying their hair for the day. 

“I… I know this…” Akiko grasps her right eye, biting down onto her lips as her shoulders tire at being so tense. She’s far too exhausted to raise her voice, and Shinobu has to strain to hear what Akiko says next.

“But they’re cursed…” 

Akiko leaves the room with a compromise. 

Her kasugai karasu is to never be in the same room as Akiko, and will crow its message. If Akiko needs a message sent, Aoi will be the one to tell the crow. 

No one ones how this will play out, since there are so many loopholes to work around, but Akiko is willing to accept it for now. 

---

“How many girls have you killed?!”

Tanjirou’s ink black blade points threateningly at the demon's throat, but the smell of rotten oil nags at him. 

“Listen! If women live any longer, they turn ugly and start tasting like crap! So, we killed them for their own good!!” It yells back, focusing on regenerating its arms back. 

Anger courses through Tanjirou, the face of his smiling fiancée flashing through his mind briefly. 

“You should be thankful to us demons-” 

The last straw. 

Tanjirou lashes out, a shadow cast over his face as he runs his blade clean across the demon’s mouth. Blood pours out like a running faucet, but the heaviness in Tanjirou’s heart doesn’t fade away. 

Just the idea of Akiko getting eaten alive because a demon like this one doesn’t want her to taste bad… He can’t stand for this. 

Tanjirou doesn’t receive much information on Muzan, and he’s quick to finish the job. The demon is quick to dissolve and a sleeping Nezuko is gently placed back into the box before Tanjirou checks on Kazumi next. 

“Kazumi-san? Are you alright?” He asks delicately, crouching down to the tired man. 

Tears bubble out of Kazumi’s eyes at the realization of what’s happened within the night, “I’ve lost my fiancée. How can I be alright?” 

He can smell the mourning from Kazumi, and again Akiko clouds his mind. For his first mission, he’s finding too many things to connect himself with. 

“Kazumi-san… No matter how many people you may lose, you have no choice but to go on living. No matter how devastating the blows may be.”

The smell of fury comes forth, but there’s still the smell of sadness that brings Tanjirou to allow for Kazumi to grab him. 

“What do you know?! A kid like you?!” He lashes out, mind wild and no clear thought running through his head. 

But he feels dirty hands touch his own, soft and gentle but worn with bumps and scars and cuts. Kazumi can’t place a specific feeling to the hands, as they work like water to remove Kazumi’s hands from the green haori. 

It’s Tajirou’s face that says it all. 

And Kazumi understands. 

‘You went through the same thing too?’ 

---

“Large anterior abrasion to the upper right extremity proximal to the elbow!”

Akiko flinches at her crow, waiting for the sound of beating wings to confirm that it's gone before rushing to the front gate to greet the patient. 

She smiles when she sees a familiar kakushi, their dull eyes a familiar sight (for Akiko, at least.)

“Goto! Good, you’re the one that brought the patient,” she smiles, and Goto looks at her wearily. 

He’s the kakushi that Akiko yelled at during her test two weeks ago, but he’s quick to shape up and now makes sure to do everything that Akiko says. She’s grateful that he didn’t take her harsh words to heart, and always offers him tea when he arrives with patients. 

She ushers the kakushi in and he follows after, led to the medical ward and helps to lay the patient onto a bed. 

“Not the operating room?” Goto asks, and Akiko rolls her eyes. 

“He’s lost a pint of blood at most. He’s fine. Even Sumi could patch him up,” she digresses, and Goto weakly nods his head in understanding. 

Naho is called over instead, and Akiko decides to have tea with Goto, listening to him talk about how terrifying the pillars are and how some of the other kakushi are getting on his nerves. 

“Akiko?” 

Goto jumps 12 feet into the air before setting his cup of tea down, bowing low enough to slam his forehead into the floorboards, then high tails it out of the Butterfly Estate. 

Akiko sighs in defeat at Shinobu before smiling anyhow, finding the show to be entertaining despite losing company. 

“Yes?” Akiko asks and Shinobu ushers her to follow behind. Akiko stands from the engawa, and is surprised to see a swordsmith standing by the front entrance. 

They wear a hyottoko mask and a blue kimono, different from Shinobu’s usual swordsmith. Akiko looks over at Shinobu curiously, eyebrow raised and her hands fiddling with the cuffs of her sleeves. 

“Who’s this?”

“Your swordsmith!”

“Hah?”

Akiko doesn’t believe that she has her own swordsmith now. It doesn’t sink in until her swordsmith sits in front of her, drinking tea under their mask and placing a leather bag in front of Akiko. 

“Are you sure you haven’t mistaken me for Kanao?” Akiko asks again, and the swordsmith sighs. 

“Just open the bag, yeah?” 

She stares at it tentatively, not sure how to react. She’s not a swordsman, and doesn’t know how to use breaths. So there’s no way there’s a katana in here. But judging by the bag, Akiko assumes there’s there’s more than one thing in the bag. 

And it reminds her of her dad. 

“This… This is a physician’s bag. But I’m not a physician.” 

The swordsmith looks at Shinobu, and Akiko can tell that they’re looking at her with a completely done expression. 

So Akiko humors her swordsmith, finally opening the bag and peering inside. 

A bone saw, pliers, a container of stitching needles, a bamboo roll with neatly lined scalpels, syringes and more are piled into the bag. The clean shine of the new tools reflect in Akiko’s eyes, and Shinobu feels much happier knowing that Akiko is brought to tears-

“Hey don’t cry on them!! They’ll rUST- STOP!! STOP YOUR TSUGUKO! SHE’S RUINING MY WORK!!”

---

“-signed, Kamado Tanjirou.” 

Higuchi looks at the 84th letter she’s received before thoughtlessly tossing the letter into the fire. 

“That boy just doesn’t know when to give up…”

---

Akiko continues on for the next year, seasons fading into the next and time seeming to blur as it brushes past her. 

Kanon spends less time in the kitchen, finishing the day’s worth of food before leaving the Butterfly Estate to Giyuu’s house before returning before night fall to watch after her brother for the rest of her night. 

Akiko doesn’t like the idea of Kanon spending her time with Giyuu, but Kanon looks happier, so Akiko can’t do much about that. 

On the rare occasion that Kanao comes back to the estate with injuries, Akiko takes the time to talk to her more. Sure, they talk, but there isn’t much to talk about. 

They normally spend their days together blowing bubbles, Akiko watching Kanao perform full concentration breathing and unleashing forms against test dummies. 

When there are no patients, Akiko walks into town to talk to villagers and buy supplies. They aren’t the same villagers she grew up with, but they have their own charm and Akiko makes herself feel at home with them. 

She knows which shop has the best udon (though she’d never admit it out loud) and she knows the usual gossip. They’ll remind her to go home before the sun sets, and she’ll walk back to the estate with a small trinket or two she bought for herself. 

Her life is easy, despite the fact that she plunges her hands into bodies and moves organs, mend broken bones and prevent soldiers from drowning in their blood every other day. 

She’d invite kakushi into the estate when they bring in soldiers that don’t need a table and they’d talk while eating rice crackers and drinking green tea. 

Sometimes, the kakushi bring their own snacks because they can tell what a bad wound is from a not so bad one, and know that they’ll be spending the rest of their day talking to the resident physician. 

For the first time in three years, Akiko goes back to Tokyo to spend her New Years with her parents. 

They hug their little girl upon her arrival, and their hearts melt to see that Akiko is wearing a white blouse and blue hakama rather than a black kimono. She smiles in the house and eats food that’s given to her. 

Hiratsuka takes her Asakusa to shop, and Ray has her help in the hospital. 

Spending time together helps them to forget their loss, and Akiko has both western and japanese clothes to take back to the estate. 

Ray is beyond impressed with her work at the hospital. He allows her a patient and observes silently, not needing the help of other nurses and handing the patient differently than he would, but wasting no time and saving their life with eloquence. 

“You seem to be doing well at that school,”Ray smiles at his daughter during their lunch break. 

It’s hard for Ray to believe that she’s 16 now, her bratty attitude lessened since three years prior. Now Akiko sits with her back straight and a pleasant smile on her face, leading conversations and laughing as she jokes around with people. 

Akiko nods her head, “I’ve been learning a lot there.”

“I suppose this means you’ll continue your studies there?” 

She merely smiles before leaving the hospital to join her mother at Akihabara, the two out and about till the moon is high in the sky. 

But New Years comes and goes, and Akiko has to leave after only staying for two weeks. 

Hiratsuka fixes Akiko’s hakama for her, patting away imaginary dust and choosing Akiko’s earrings for the day. Akiko tries to brush her mother’s hands away, but Hiratsuka is insistent on dressing her daughter up. 

“You haven’t forgotten anything, right? Where’s that yellow dress we bought yesterday? Also, I know you bought that flapper dress the other day but you better not wear it.”

Akiko rolls her eyes at her mother, “Can I go now? I have patients to get back to.”

Hiratsuka pouts, patting Akiko’s cheek with tearful eyes and Akiko feels bad. Ray places a hand on his wife before offering Akiko a smile. 

“I know dear. You’re all important now, aren’t you? Mommy’s just worried… Strange things have been happening around here… Just last week in Asakusa-!”

“Mom,” Akiko interrupts, “You have to stop listening to the gossip around here. Nothing strange is going on, okay? I love you, but I have to go.”

And with those words, Akiko climbs into the family’s Model-T before leaving Tokyo. 

A few months fly by and Aoi comes back home from Final Selection, passing just like Kanao did a year prior. But her drive to kill demons is low, and Shinobu allows Aoi to remain by Akiko’s side and focus on medicine. 

“A large amount of soldiers!” Akiko hears her crow and she still flinches even a year after receiving it. 

Sumi understands to prepare all available rooms, Naho orders Akiko’s crow to go into town to call for more doctors, and Kiyo rushes to the supply closet to grab the ribbons. Aoi follows Akiko out into the garden. 

The kakushi are much better prepared this time and one steps forward to relay as much information as possible. 

“Ten or so demon slayers were initially deployed, but three more joined in later. Then, Kochou-san, Tomioka-san and Tsuyuri-san were called in. The three don’t have injuries. A demon slayer was sent to the Ubuyashiki estate, but will be coming in later.

There are more coming in that have sustained poison related injuries. This male is one,” Goto steps aside and Akiko is met with a male about a year older than her with shrunken limbs and tears falling from his face, mixing with the blood. His hair is blonde, which is unusual for a Japanese male, but his eyes are just as gold as her own. 

“Kochou-san used this on him,” he hands her a syringe and Akiko hands it off to Aoi to start reproducing. 

“Sumi, Kiyo, Naho, you three know what to do,” Akiko’s eyes quickly survey the field of demon slayers, recognizing familiar faces. Her eyes calculate the severity of their injuries and the one most close to death. She then points to one wearing a boar mask. 

“That one. Table. Now.” 

She spends two hours with him, helping with his crushed larynx and the deep cuts littering his body. He’s lost a massive amount of blood, but he seems to be knocked out for now. Akiko is almost impressed that he doesn’t stir from the pain of her needle stitching his wounds shut. 

Akiko counts 14 dead bodies. 

Soldiers that are brought in are more often dead than alive, and Akiko grits her teeth as her heart twists. 

Too many black ribbons. 

A day and a half passes by and most patients have left. 

The boar man Akiko saved is laying in bed, and the male with blonde hair lays in the bed next to him. He always brightens up whenever Akiko walks in, but she can hear him scream at night. 

“Medicine,” she places the cup onto the table beside him and he takes her hand, blushing wildly. 

“You’re a goddess.”

“Just drink your damn medicine.”

A familiar caw catches Akiko’s attention and she keeps her head turned from the window. 

“A patient with a dislocated jaw! Multiple abrasions scattered across his body!” 

Akiko sighs in relief, pulling her hand from the blonde’s hold before scurrying to the medicine room to start making tea. 

She mixes the pain killer with honey, ginger and green tea, placing the cup onto a tray before leaving the room. 

“Pardon the intrusion,” Goto’s familiar voice sounds and Akiko finds herself smiling. 

“Goto! You’re here! How’ve you bee-” 

Akiko rounds the corner of the hallway and drops the tray. 

The cup shatters and the tea splatters across the floor but Akiko’s body shuts down.

Cold sweat, shivers raking her body, the rise of bile in the back of her throat, dilated pupils. 

“Aki...ko?” 

Kamado Tanjirou, Tamura Akiko’s fiance, is breathing the same air as she. 

tHERE ITS DONE. WE FUCKIN OUT HERE GUYS. THINGS ARE PICKIN U P 

hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!! we’re past the anime now, so from here on out its spoiler land :,,) 

thanks for stickin with the story! wonder what happens next 👀👀👀 my beta reader knows lmao (thanks @giyuwu-writings!!)

[newbi-ginning]

The day I came out to Her

Gather round for a heartwarming tale about the day I came out to my wife that I was a bisexual man.

Seriously. It’s sweet. I wish more people were as lucky as I am.

Background...  a few months ago, we had been talking about threesomes, and that working from my desire for her to be comfortable with her needs, I said it was ok with me if she wanted to try sex with another woman, without me present, or with me in another room, available for emotional support. I didn’t want her to be under any pressure to perform for me. I was also ok if we wanted to try an MMF threesome, as straight MMF play was something she had described to me in one of her fantasies.

You see... I had assumed, incorrectly, that she was bi-curious or bi-flexible based on some things she had said. And while she could absolutely understand where I misunderstood her, she said she didn’t have any desire to go down on another woman, any more than I had a desire to go down on any man. (Oh, how surprised I would be on that account!) She also wasn’t very comfortable with threesomes, but would think about it. She wasn’t saying no, just not yet.

We talked a bit more, mostly on the Kinsey scale, and while it isn’t perfect, it was good for our discussion. We both agreed that we were 0.5s. Put the right dick (for me) or pussy (for her) in front of us, and importantly, the right person attached to those parts, and either of us could probably go for it, if we had permission from the other. I wasn’t going to push it. If she didn’t have any interest, that was that. Unless consent was enthusiastic, we would stay right where we were.

I told her that I appreciated her honesty, and that I wasn’t hurt that the kind of MFF threesome I had fantasized about was not in our future, and reassured her that my wanting something was a lot different from needing something that she couldn’t give. I also said that it meant a lot that she hadn’t reacted negatively to my being on the edge of bisexuality, as it was much more socially acceptable to be a bi woman than a bi man. Of course, that itself was a mixed bag, due to the fetishization of bi women in the media. She didn’t care what was socially acceptable, though. 

If our interests were swapped, bros would absolutely be trying to give me high fives and propositioning her or us for sex. Not as likely for what our future will hold now, but that is not acceptable either way.

Fast forward several months... I was watching Netflix’s GLOW, which is campy as hell, fun, but has a lot of sucker punches for those of us who lived through the 80s... and still see the holes left by those that didn’t survive. 

***Spoilers for 3rd season of GLOW, which you honestly should have watched already, and for 1st and 2nd seasons, too, I suppose.***

There is this scene towards the end of the third season where Rhonda (stage name Britannica) tries to reignite the flame of her very convenient and very recent marriage to Bash (the producer of the women’s wrestling show), not through communication, but games and deception. She hires another wrestler’s boyfriend (also a gigolo/sex worker) to just be in their room to play the part of a hotel plumber, who is so very good with his hands, chatting and flirting when Bash comes back at the end of the day, which she expects to make him jealous enough to stop sexually neglecting her. 

We know that Bash is pursued by men and women alike, that he has some homophobic responses to some of those men, and that his butler/best friend Florian has died from AIDS related pneumonia, so what happens next is not completely unexpected. How it progresses was. 

Bash seems nonplussed (that glorious word that means both annoyed and not annoyed at the same time) by this, and suggests that Paul the Plumber kiss his wife, touch her, caress her. I liked how this was going, and really hoped it wasn’t going towards cuckoldry roleplay, as GLOW does tend to drop current buzzword topics into scripts, but I just don’t like that dynamic. No shade on those that do. Rhonda seems to melt at finally getting the affection she has been needing, despite being unsure where this is going.

The bedroom is where this is going, at Bash’s suggestion, where Bash and Paul make a Rhonda sandwhich. Both men kiss Rhonda... then each other... and then put their hands down each others very 80s underwear. Rhonda is a little confused, but she rolls with it as the scene ends.

Except, it wasn’t weird. Just surprising. 

Moment of clarity.

I wanted Rhonda and/or Paul. 

The story continues, and takes a very 80s turn, because this side of Bash scares him. He doesn’t want to die like Florian did. We don’t know if Bash is bi or gay at this point, and I’m not certain that Bash knows. I hope he develops as bi, and that he and Rhonda can have a good relationship, especially as the 80s progress and people better understand how to safely be themselves.

***Spoilers over***

The entire scene showed me something. I was bi. Like I said, moment of clarity. Couldn’t argue with that. A lot of stuff made sense.

I spent the next two weeks grappling with this (and my erection), read some, watched a couple youtube clips on what being bi meant, and watching a lot of bisexual male porn. Which I really liked. A lot. I fantasized about a lot of man on man fun, and how much fun it would be to share a man with Her. I read up on safer same sex. 

And about a week ago, when She asked how my day had been, and mischievously asked if I wanted to share anything sexy with her. I decided that this was as good of an opening as I would have, and I didn’t want to hide this from her any longer than I needed to. It hadn’t gone away like previous urges had. It was fully formed and it was real.

So I said, “Maybe. Can we do facetime?”

Yeah. Facetime. 

Maybe I hadn’t mentioned that I’m putting the finishing touches on our house before we sell it, and She is living in another city, since Her job there has already started? This might seem a bit fucked up, dropping a bomb like this on video chat instead of face to face, but I believed in us.

I told her that I had seen a really hot porn scene (the Glow connection had slipped my mind at this point), and followed it down a bit of a rabbit hole, and that this did not change anything about my commitment to her, but the scene included two guys fooling around. And I had realized that I was bisexual. 

I hadn’t done anything, but that didn’t matter. Bisexuality is about attraction and desire, not actions. A gay person can be a virgin, and if I never have sex with another guy, I’m still bisexual. 

She said that was fine. She loved me, and this didn’t change that. We were strong, and that she accepted me unconditionally

Yeah. She really is that wonderful. I had expected that result, but after about an hour of discussion, not instantly.

I continued to say that watching a guy suck another guy’s dick was really hot, and - 

She interjected, “Well, yeah! Of course it is!”

I knew that there were a couple bi MMF scenes she had talked about being really sexy in various shows she had watched, Sense8 was one, and that she occasionally watched gay porn, and liked it. I just didn’t realize that she thought gay porn could be as hot as I thought lesbian porn could be (and yes, we both realize how problematic it is to consume porn that reduces wlw to entertainment for men, or mlm for women).

Checking to make sure that I hadn’t lost my teeth, I continued. 

I wanted to try giving oral to another man, but not without her permission, as safely as possible, and preferably with her present for emotional support and/or even to join in to whatever extent she was comfortable with. 

She said that she definitely wanted to talk more about it, and that this conversation needed to be truly face to face, but that she would support me, and wanted me to be fulfilled as a person. Until then, I was expected to keep my hands, mouth, and dick to myself. She did say that with love in her voice, but we understood each other. It would hurt her if I went outside our relationship without talking about it. 

And then she said, “Love is love.”

We have talked for hours every day since (so nothing has changed there), and the day that we list the house is getting closer. She says that I’m sounding happier, more confident, and she loves hearing what I’m learning about myself. She has started looking for support groups for spouses of bi people in our new city, and promptly rejected the Straight Spouse Network as coming across as way too toxic and fatalistic from its website. She wants this to work, and I do to. 

And we will.

I’m not just with someone that I want to be with more than all the other women in the world. 

I want to be with her more than everyone else, man, woman, or GNC person. 

I know that not everyone will have a first coming out as positive as this, but we hear about bad ones, and my fellow bisexuals are more likely to be in the closet than most other parts of the rainbow, and have higher rates of mental illness and self harm than gay and lesbian people. The closet is a coffin for us, too. Being as out as you safely can be will show people that biphobia is just as groundless as homophobia. 

I’m not ready to be completely out. That will happen with time. But there are people that are at the top of my list. She wants to be with me as I begin that process, in case anything doesn’t go well. I’m strong, but sometimes a bit delicate.

We still won’t be welcome in many circles, especially conservative and religious ones. And some LG parts of the LGBTQ+ family will still push us away, and I’ll never tell someone that doesn’t feel safe around men that they have to put up with me in their space (I’ll go stand somewhere else, but I AM coming to community events that are open to bi people). 

I’m as much a part of the larger community as they are, and for each of us that is out, it makes it safer for others to be out. It shows we are trustworthy. We aren’t dangerous. We aren’t any more likely to cheat than straight people are. We aren’t spreading STIs. We just see more potential partners in the world than they might. This difference is part of life. 

Viva la difference!

[willow-of-hingashi]

The Ijin Shikomi [RP]

(( Rating: PG ))

(( Genre: Slice of Life ))

(( Cast: Kikyo Hagane of @the-firetouched and Nobuyuki ‘Ichihiko’ Ienaka ))

 Kikyo Hagane has been padding about the mansion for some time in her bare feet, feeling the tatami against her toes. How unusual to find a place like home so far from where she once had grown. She hums softly to herself as she goes, eyeing the curious decorations and trying to learn about the place where she will soon work. But really she was looking for one person: the geisha who apparently worked within these halls. Kiyo-chan so badly wanted to learn as the geisha learned in Kugane. To exalt in the music and the dance and the beauty that had captured her heart...but then, as she pushes through another set of doors, she spots a well-dressed individual. Worth another ask, even if this person also has no idea how to answer her! She performs the proper bow. "Hello. I am Hagane no Kikyo. Do you know where the geisha who works here is?" Her Eorzean is heavily accented.

 Nobuyuki Ienaka curled a finger in front of the neck of his shamisen, each pluck soft as the tuning pegs creaked with each twist. The sheet music that sat before him wasn't in Hingan notes, but Western order. A treble clef sat at the left of each page. ["Western keys. . . what is it with them and G major? I don't get the appeal. . ."] His muttering ceased when the shoji slid open. "Oh, good evening," he began with a bow of his head. He listened to the girl for a moment before tilting his head. She didn't sound or seem all that old, either. . . but he didn't know a lot about the aging of races outside of Hyur and Kojin. "You are speaking to him," he responded, going to set aside the instrument that was in his lap.

 ["Would Hingan dialect be easier for you?”] he asked. [”Your accent is Doman, though."] Hingan and Doman were essentially the same language, but their dialects were distinct in their sound and even word usage.

 Kikyo Hagane is Doman by nature and thus her reaction of excitement is reserved. But it would be quite clear to an Easterner such as Nobu. She clasps her hands in front of her and her eyes light up. She smiles. [”I can speak Hingan!”] she says. [”I lived in Kugane for...a short time. It would not sound as beautiful as yours,”] she adds quickly. She bows her head again. [”I am so honored to meet you, Geisha-sama!”] A phrasing which may...clue into her youth. [”I have searched for you all day. For it is my greatest dream to train in the arts...though I worry I may not be good enough,”] she admits. She keeps her eyes to the floor, respectfully. [”I am a new worker here at the onsen.”]

 Nobuyuki Ienaka hummed, his head tilting back a bit. ["So, you are a Doman,"] he noted out loud. He observed her for a moment, giving a polite look-over. ["Seventeen summers old is a good age to begin as a maiko. I started myself when I was fifteen. From the sound of it. . . you haven't been a shikomi, have you?"] He didn't sound disappointed, but it was clear he was scrutinizing her.

 Kikyo Hagane 's unflinching smile finally hesitates a little, sensing she is being scrutinized. She tries to stand a little taller and hold herself more elegantly. ["No, geiko-sama, I was never allowed service in any Okiya. I did try!"] And while her face remains placid, her eyes spark with determination. ["This is when I learn they do not prefer ijin in their ranks...for yes, I am from Doma."]

 Nobuyuki Ienaka blinked. Then, he sighed. It almost seemed like he was unimpressed for a moment until he spoke. ["That tends to be the case for ijin,"] he responded. ["They're turned away and sometimes, they run off and try to make their own okiya. Sanjo Hanamachi has only been slightly forgiving of this. . . you have to know people."] He pursed his lips. ["I do not doubt you didn't try. I'm Hingan and I've have a similar experience. . .  but, answer me this; when exactly is your next nameday?"]

 Kikyo Hagane nods politely as he speaks, still trying to impress with her politeness. ["The 5th sun of the 6th Astral moon! So soon, is it not? I am sorry to hear that you have seen the same...you're so fashionable,"] she says, slipping up. She starts and bows. ["That was forward of me, I apologize."]

 Nobuyuki Ienaka watched Kikyo fumble with a polite smile. It wasn't out of pity; it was rather cute. She resonated her youth. ["You're forgiven,"] he replied, content. ["It is quite soon. . . but I have a plan."] He folded his arms, raising a hand to his chin. ["I an Ichihiko of Ichimitsu Okiya. I will. . . send a letter to my okiya and see if they would accept you as a shikomi under their name and my watch. I'm a licensed professional geigi, so I have the authority to oversee your apprenticeship. If they would allow me to do it is another thing, but I got along well enough with the otou-san of the okiya. It should be alright."] His arms returned to his sides. ["I'm going to ask you something you might have already answered for, but I want the answer in detail. Can you dance? Can you sing? Can you play an instrument?"] He canted his head. ["Your conversation is fluid enough in Eorzean and Hingan. . . your etiquette is proper, but could use some refining."]

 For the first time, Kikyo hesitates in answering -- not out of doubt of her answer, but of the strange and dark memories it surfaces. ["I trained as a shrine maiden in my home village until the Empire finally decided they were no longer entertained,"] she says, as diplomatically as she can. ["I have sung hymns and know dances to calm the great kami of our mountain home. I am eager to work and learn!"] she adds, hopeful.

 Nobuyuki Ienaka 's gaze was filled with sympathy. So many Domans displaced at such a young age. . . and one was upon him. ["I am sorry for your loss,"] he responded softly. ["That will do as a foundation. I will see you trained in seasonal dances and in Hingan instruments. The shamisen is a good start. You'll be practicing the shamisen for two bells every morning. Your dance lessons shall be in the evening, also for two bells. These are daily. You'll also have tea cereony, calligraphy, etiquette, and lessons focused on another instrument. Ths shift throughout the week. I'll arrange a schedule for you and you'll follow it. Is this clear?"] His shoulders squared some. ["This will begin once I have the otou-san's permission. We'll arrange for getting you your gei license. Hopefully, your misedashi - your debut as a maiko and the start of your career - will be shortly after your nameday."]

 Kikyo Hagane is old enough to understand but, perhaps luckily, too young to truly grasp the exact level of devastation enacted upon her lands and family. Or perhaps her optimism is blind and wishful. But not today! As Nobu lists her training, she cannot help from rolling to the balls of her feet in true excitement. ["Yes, Ichihiko-sensei! You honor me so much! I hope to honor you by serving as a good student,"] she says genuinely, bowing. ["What would you have me do before the debut? Do you require maid services? I shall of course be about the onsen as well..."]

 ["As a shikomi, in between your lessons, you will be doing chores. Preparing food for ozashiki and for our daily meals, serving and cleaning dishes, folding and cleaning kimono, tidying the ozashiki hall. . . many simple things."] It hardly sounded like Kikyo would be getting any free time!

 Kikyo Hagane seemed perfectly fine with this -- excited about it, even! ["I will do this! I will be the best shikomi of Uranami Onsen,"] she declares seriously, for being the only shikomi at the onsen....

 Nobuyuki Ienaka clasped his hands together with a polite smile, but his eyes were still serious. ["Very good. I'll give you your first official duty after I send the letter. It may take a while to get a response, but seeing as the onsen's already hired you, I don't see why you can't already start. We just need to get your gei license for your misedashi. Then you'll be good to go. Your first business would likely be helping me attend the onsen's stall at Ketto-Sai, the festival of samurai in Kugane."]

 Kikyo Hagane seems a little nervous at the mention of Kugane...but she wouldn't be alone this time! She had a real job! She would be at a festival working in probably nice clothes. She recovers and nods. ["Oh, a festival...how exciting! What will we be doing there, if I may ask?"]

 Nobuyuki Ienaka gave the answer bluntly. ["Selling soap."] He shifted his weight between his feet. ["We'll also be advertising the ozashiki hall for banquets. Which do you think you can handle more? Advertising the geisha or selling onsen goods? The former might be good if you want to try your hand at explaining to others what we do as geisha."]

 ["Soap can be pretty and smell very nice,"] Kikyo says, nodding, taking everything seriously as she is wont to do. ["I love the geisha arts. I would be honored to explain it to others!"]

 Nobuyuki Ienaka nodded once. ["Excellent. You must keep in mind, though; there will be Eorzeans there. Westerners. They /will/ ask if or why geisha are sex workers. You tell them they are not! It is forbidden by Hingan law to hold both a gei license and a prostitution license."] He tucked some hair behind his ear before reaching for a notepad, of which also rested on the stage. ["I have a number of performances scheduled this moon. . . most notably at this strange 'KupoCon.' I think someone your age may enjoy it."]

 Kikyo Hagane looks shocked at this! That people would even think that!! ["I will tell them!"] she says seriously. ["It is a job of beauty and artistry..."] As Nobu obtains his clipboard, she watches curiously. As to the topic of Kupocon...she tilts her head. ["Is a Kupocon where they celebrate the poofy ball mail creatures? They are cute..."]

 Nobuyuki Ienaka 's eyes shifted. ["Eorzeans are. . . forward and don't understand our concept of keeping face,"] he responded. ["Respect becomes something foreign. Show them geisha deserve it. . . and that means being on your best behavior."] He glanced back down at the notepad. ["I am actually unsure. Sort of? It's in their logo. Anyway, I'll be one of the 'idols' performing there. I am also hosting a talk about how geisha actually function to teach the Westerners about them. Your assistance, if you'd like, would be appreciated. The performance, you are free to watch. There's a party towards the end of the evening. You're quite free to attend."]

 Kikyo Hagane straightens up her posture once again when he mentions being on her best behavior! She cannot erase her excited smile, however. ["I would love to attend and assist however I can. I like very much to be helpful. And..."] She looks away, blushing a little. ["...I would like to see this party. I want to touch one of the kupos..."] She doesn't know they aren't called that!

 ["It's a great mesh of Western and Eastern culture. It shall be interesting."] Nobuyuki sets the notepad aside. ["Ah, one of the moogles? There might be some. Many stalls are selling graphic novels. It seems to appeal to many Western teenagers, and I can understand why. Such novels are popular in Kugane as well, I've noticed from my time there. Having been a shrine maiden, I trust you can read."] Then, he started to make his way for the door. ["Come. There are pumpkin cookies at the bar, along with some tea. Let's partake of it while we talk."]

 Kikyo Hagane follows excitedly! ["A moogle..."] she tests the word. How strange. But her joy largely bubbles up fro the promise of cookies. Yay! ["I love reading stories...I am learning Eorzean words very quickly..."] she would say, as they settle in for their chat...