#he and his salad will never know peace

[softquietsteadylove]

JESUS your prompt with Gil being a special force agent was sooooo good! The DRAMA! my heart! Pls do a part 2! the mission and if he fulfilled his promise! I need to know! May the drama, action and sweetness be with you! :D

Gil opened his eyes to a white ceiling and a dim light over him. Last he remembered was the operation and covering the stairwell. He was pretty sure it was going well, last he recalled.

He tried to raise his hand to rub his eyes but found it occupied. He looked down, and now he was pretty sure he had died during the sting and was now in his own personal heaven.

Thena was asleep in the chair next to his recovery bed, head on her arm, her hand holding his in her sleep.

Yeah, he had definitely died. He must have, for this to be happening.

"Hey, man."

Gil startled, looking over and getting just a peek at Kingo, where the curtain between their beds had been pulled a little too far. He could just see a little bit of him. "What happened?"

"It went fine until there were more unsubs than we thought," Kingo narrated, his eyebrow doing a lot of work to help him express what he thought of it all. "One of them tried to take the stairwell to escape and, well, that's where you come in, pal."

Right, now Gil could recall the weight of three men plowing into him, pushing them all down one and a half flights of stairs. And that was before he had to fight and apprehend them all, too.

"Good thing you were in there," Kingo puffed out a faint laugh. "That's the Boss, though--doesn't leave any stone unturned."

Yes, that certainly was their surprisingly fretful and caring boss. Gil snuck a look back at her on his other side, probably completely concealed from Kingo's view by his body. At least for the time being, so long as he could be cool about it.

"Relax, I know she's there."

Fuck.

"She came in a few hours ago, after everyone else and the higher ups had already come in to tell us the mission went well," Kingo snorted amidst his quiet laughter. "She took one look at you and didn't leave your side--obviously still hasn't."

Gil blushed, his hand aching to tighten around hers but not wanting to risk waking her and ending his little moment of bliss.

"She really cares about you, big guy," Kingo said softly from his half of the room. "Tries not to--I guess it wouldn't look too good for her rep. But it's obvious you mean a lot to her, at least from where I stand."

"Well," Gil sighed, now free to look at her all he liked with Kingo's graciously given secrecy. She looked even more beautiful than she did when she had her stern Goddess of War face on. "She means a lot to me, too."

"Oh my god, I'm going to sleep."

"You brought it up!" Gil hissed at his partner, who was already faking a deep, loud snoring next to him. Gil rolled his eyes, at least shifting to look at Thena again. As soon as she did wake up he was going to tell her to sleep in a proper bed, for the love of-

"Gil?" Thena blinked herself awake, pulling her head up and cracking her neck through her discomfort. She looked at him, finding him still asleep. She sighed, "what am I going to do with you?"

Gil let himself 'awaken' as he felt her fingers brush over his forehead. If he let this go any further he might not be able to live with himself. He opened his eyes and the first thing he did was smile at her, "hey."

"Hey," she smiled back, resisting the urge to put a nautical mile of distance between them. In just this particular moment, her concern for him won. "How are you feeling?"

"Well, I'm guess I'm pumped full of drugs at the moment, so not so bad," Gil noted lightly, much to Thena's chagrin. He was always like this, happily reporting that so long as things went well, then he could endure whatever collateral damage he had suffered in the process.

"You had quite a fall, Gil, and then quite a fight," Thena informed him more firmly, one hand still on his, the other smoothing down some of his bed head for him. "It's nothing to take lightly."

"But I still did it," he proclaimed proudly. She blinked at him in confusion, but his smile only grew, "I cam back to you...alive."

"I suppose you did," she cleared her throat, finally pulling back and standing, brushing off her skirt suit and smoothing down her hair.

He supposed it could have been the weird hospital lighting, but Gil really could have sworn there was a little bit of pink in her cheeks. "I will next time too, Thena."

She spared him another, quickly withering glare. Her hand brushed over his shoulder ever so lightly - and too quick for his hand to come up and reach for it to keep it there - before she went to retrieve his doctor, "consider it a direct order."

Kingo lay in his bed, wide awake and wishing he weren't.

[babyleostuff]

𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞

𝜗𝜚 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌𝐄: fluff, established relationship 𝜗𝜚 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆: idol!hoshi x fem!reader 𝜗𝜚 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓: 565

⦗💌 ⦘ it's no secret that the kwon siblings love to tease each other. but what happens when you come into play?

“stop touching my food!” soonyoung whined, as his sister quickly stole another piece of meat from his plate, giggling quietly. that had to be the third time she did that in the last five minutes, and hoshi was having none of that. “told you you shouldn’t have ordered that salad,” he muttered, looking at the last pieces of his favourite food on the nearly empty plate. 

“children, could you stop fighting for once and let us eat in peace?” his father chimed in. “we can’t take you out anywhere.” 

you, on the other hand, were too focused on your own food to notice the bickering that was happening right next to you. your day had been long and tiring, and this had to be your first meal of the day, so no one was really surprised that you were kind of in your own world at the moment. besides, at this point you were so used to the kwon siblings teasing each other that you stopped paying much attention to it. 

“it’s not my fault he’s being a chil- hey! why does she get to steal your food?” soonyoung’s sister asked indignantly, pointing her finger at you. “why are you not yelling at her, huh?” 

you quickly stopped in your tracks with your fork between yours and hoshi's plate with the last piece of his meat on it, and you could feel everyone's eyes on you without having to look up. “huh? what’s going on?” you asked, confused. sharing food in your relationship was normal, to be honest - you never fully ate whatever you ordered, you always shared it between each other, so why did you feel like you just committed a crime? 

“maybe because she’s my girlfriend, you moron,” soonyoung snickered, and moved his arm from the back of your chair to lay his hand on your thigh. “eat up, baby. don’t worry about her,” he said, and pecked your temple. 

his sister laughed bitterly, and set her fork down, clearly annoyed. “don’t worry about her? remember who’s the oldest here, kwon soonyoung.” 

your eyes wandered between the two with amusement, as you munched on the meat you just stole from soonyoung. it must have looked really funny from the perspective of the people sitting at the nearby tables - two adults shouting insults at each other like five-year-olds, but for you (less for their parents) this  was pure entertainment. 

your boyfriend and his sister were the epitome of a brother- sister dynamic. 

“oh my god, why are you so surprised i’m letting my literal girlfriend have my food?” he probably didn’t notice how his grip on you slightly tightened on the word “girlfriend”, but you couldn’t hide the small smile as he did that. it was cute how his body was unconsciously paying attention to you without him even knowing. “stop being a pain in the ass, and keep eating that grass or whatever that is.” 

“did you just rhyme ass with gra-?” 

“okay, you know what? you,” soonyoung’s mom pointed her fork at her daughter, “stop stealing his food. and you,” now she turned her head to her son, “have nothing left on that plate so leave, or keep your mouth zipped.” 

“but mom, it wasn’t me who started this!” 

yeah, the kwon family was a funny bunch, and you thanked your luckiest stars you could be a part of this beautiful mess.

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[thelostconsultant]

Lunch with a stranger

pairing: Charles Leclerc x female reader

summary: You've seen Charles before, but it's only when he interrupts your lunch when you exchange more than one word.

You were so lost in the screen of your phone that you didn't even notice the furry baby shark approaching you.

As you sat at a table on the street with a glass of ice cold lemonade and some snacks serving as your lunch, you talked to your friends in a group chat to arrange your plans for the weekend. Brunch in the morning, beauty salon before lunch, then a quick shopping trip in the afternoon.

And then you felt it; sharp teeth gently nipped the skin on your calf until they were replaced by the little creature's tongue as it licked your leg. You leaned to the side to see the criminal under the table and saw an adorable little puppy who looked surprisingly excited to see you.

But why did it look familiar? You could have sworn you had seen this dog before, and not just once, yet your mind couldn't put the pieces together to help you out. Then you noticed the leash and followed the thin line to the owner. A familiar face. That explained everything.

“I'm sorry, he likes to make friends,” the guy said with a sheepish grin.

You waved your hand in a way to tell him it was no problem, then returned your attention to your phone and lunch, expecting him to move on. But he didn't. Out of the corner of your eye you saw him pick up the dog and take the seat across from you.

“I'm Charles, by the way,” he said.

Nodding, you took a sip of your drink, enjoying the way it cooled you down from the inside. “I know. Our nation's greatest hero as of now.”

You didn't want to talk to anyone today, especially not to someone you knew from your psychologist's office, but he seemed really determined to get more than a few words out of you. You had never spoken to each other more than politely greeting the other, and honestly, you didn't even think he would remember you.

But he did, apparently. He waved over the waitress to come and take his order, ignoring your silent protest, then looked at you with an intrigued glint in his eyes. “So you watch F1?” he asked casually.

“I watch the Monaco GP since all I have to do is go out to my balcony, but that's the most I see from it,” you replied, not missing the disappointed look that crossed his face. But he didn't say anything, he just scratched his dog’s soft spot behind his ear. “What?”

Charles looked up with a questioning hum. “What what?” You rolled your eyes, but since the waitress had just arrived with his order, you didn't want to go into the details. “Okay, look,” he began once you were alone again, “I just… I see you at Dr. Brezzo’s office whenever I can go on my normal schedule, but we never have the chance to talk. So when Leo found you, I thought I should take this chance.”

He seemed like such a sweet guy, but at the moment you didn't need new people in your life, especially not ones who lived in the spotlight. You just wanted to have some quiet and peaceful months until your meds kicked in, until you were finally back to normal. You'd been doing great, it would have been a shame to risk it.

But when you opened your mouth to tell him you weren't interested in this chat, he gave you the damn puppy eyes as if he had known what you wanted to say. With a sigh, you nodded and stuffed a forkful of salad in your mouth. He waited patiently, even began eating his own food while making sure he gave his dog a bite so he wouldn't be left out.

“You look tired,” you noted, earning a surprised look from him. “A friend of mine is a huge F1 fan and he told me about how terrible things have been for you. I'm sorry. Is that why you need therapy? No, wait, don't answer this, it's too personal. Let's talk about something else.”

For a while he was just watching you with a barely visible smirk, and then he surprised you with what seemed to be an honest response. “I would go to therapy anyway, my job is stressful enough on its own, but yeah, the team's recent performance is definitely something I need to learn to deal with.”

“I'm sure there are highs and lows in every aspect of life, so maybe it won't last much longer,” you offered with a warm smile.

Charles nodded. “That's what I'm hoping for. What about you? Why do you go to therapy?” he asked cautiously.

Well, since he was honest with you, there was no reason to lie. It's not like he would go around telling everyone about it. “I have bipolar disorder. The meds will hopefully work, but I need therapy too. Makes things easier,” you added with a shrug.

He was awfully quiet, and for a moment you expected him to stand up and leave. Wouldn't have been the first time, you had already lost a friend thanks to this. But then he picked up his glass and watched the bubbles move inside as he broke the silence with a smile. “You look well to me.”

A small smile crept on your lips when you heard this. “Thanks. Honestly, I feel better too,” you said proudly. Because you were proud of what you achieved in a short amount of time.

Then you both returned to your respective lunches, but Charles had to focus on keeping a healthy balance between feeding himself and Leo for now. It was adorable, really. You felt like you should say something, anything to break the silence, but he didn't seem to mind it. To him it might have been comfortable, because when he noticed you staring, he flashed a smile at you without saying a word, then returned to his lunch.

A good fifteen minutes later your phone had begun to blow up. Your friends were sending dozens of messages into the group chat, making your phone ping and buzz non-stop. With an apologetic smile, you took a look at it, and your breath caught in your throat as you tapped the links they threw in there.

“Oh, shit,” you muttered, a painful groan leaving your throat when you noticed you'd been tagged in several social media posts too.

Charles looked at you with a puzzled look. “What happened?” he asked.

Instead of answering, you just showed him your phone. He kept scrolling, his eyes growing wider as he began to process the dozens of posts and hundreds of comments about the two of you having lunch together. It was insane how fast rumors flew across the internet, and it didn't make you happy at all.

Despite being born and raised in Monaco, you had been taught to stay under the radar your whole life. Your parents made sure no photos of you would be published anywhere, and you were trained to do everything in a way that kept you away from the spotlight. People didn't know your name, they barely even knew your parents’ name, which was a good thing.

Well, so much for that.

“Hey, it's okay. Just a few photos,” Charles offered as he gave you back the device and placed his hand on your arm. “They'll move on soon, I promise.” When he saw you were still upset about it, he spoke up again. “Look, I think you already knew I wanted to ask you out, so if you would say no anyway, this is the time to tell me. I wouldn't blame you.”

How could he be so sweet? You did have a feeling that's where this conversation was going, but you weren't sure until now. Now that you knew, you had to figure out how to decide. When he showed up, you were sure you didn't want anything. But now? Maybe getting to know him better wouldn't be so bad after all.

“It's okay. I think I can handle it,” you told him with a small smile.

Your positive response made him smile too as he looked down at the puppy in his arms. “You heard that? You'll get all the kisses and cuddles you want.” He looked up at you with a playful look in his eyes. “Maybe I will too,” he added.

[forzalando]

anyone can cook

max + cooking date - 3k celebration driver scenario for @foreveralbon !! liyah, i do not know what happened but somehow this turned into just jokes and banter. i am so sorry, i hope you still like it!!!! special bonus scene at the end that is the most unserious thing i have ever written and i apologize profusely for it but i was writing this past bedtime and couldn't get it out of my head this is the end of the 3k celebration blurbs, i am kind of sad but also feel accomplished🥹 i only had to write 6 but i am notorious for not finishing things. patting myself on the back today! pairing: max verstappen x fem!reader word count: 660 words tw: none, unless boxed pasta offends you

“MAX! I said salt the water, not create the sixth named ocean,” you said through giggles. “Here, let me help.”

You cupped your hands under his, leading him to the sink to dump a considerable amount of salt under the rushing water.

“Use about…this much,” you mumbled, tongue poking out and concentrating on dumping the granules into his hands without spilling any onto the floor. Jimmy and Sassy were weaving in between your legs and you didn’t want them tracking salt into every room or, heaven forbid, rolling around in your bed.

After guiding Max to the boiling water, you turned your attention back to your blistering tomatoes and garlic, but not before passing a cheese grater and block of parmesan over to him.

“Cooking is so much work,” he whined. “How do you enjoy this?”

“Max, you’ve literally done two things. You filled a pot with water and salted it, how many things do you have to do simultaneously while in the car?”

“That’s different, it’s fun!”

“Cooking can be fun! Cuisine is an art – it’s therapeutic, calming, and you get to eat something delicious after all your hard work!”

“Yeah, and do a million dishes,” he grumbled under his breath. You immediately shot him a steely glare and he smiled big enough that his eyes crinkled. “But I love doing dishes with you! Quality time, right?”

“Nice save, Verstappen.”

For the next few minutes you worked in tandem and in silence – Max furiously grating cheese and hissing every few seconds when he accidentally caught a finger against the sharp holes, you stirring and perfecting your sauce with ease.

The stove timer interrupted the peace and you called Max over from his place at the countertop.

“Ok, lesson number three of the evening – ”

“What were one and two?” He interrupted you, hints of hesitation and guilt in his voice. When you turned to look at him, your mouth open in exasperation, you saw the teasing look in his eye and rolled yours in return.

“If Gordon Ramsay were teaching you, you’d have been called an idiot sandwich twice and kicked out of the kitchen by now.”

“Lucky me, you’re way nicer, way more patient, and way prettier than Gordon.”

He tickled your ribcage lightly, causing you to flip a spoonful of pasta water across the room.

“New lesson number three – no tickling the chef when boiling water is nearby. Lesson number four, previously lesson number three – never trust the cook time on the pasta box. A true pasta chef also finishes cooking their pasta in the sauce, so we’re taking it out a few minutes early.”

“Wouldn’t a true pasta chef use fresh-made pasta?”

“You’re on thin ice, Max.”

He leaned in swiftly to kiss your cheek and stole the pasta spoon from your hand. “I’ll be dumping the water, I don’t want it to splash on you.”

“Don’t forget to – ”

“Reserve a cup of pasta water, where is your faith in me? I pay attention to everything you say, mijn liefje.”

It wasn’t long before you had served up plates of pasta as fresh as you could make considering you’d just gotten back to Monaco that morning, slightly burnt garlic bread because Max forgot to set a separate timer, and a mixed greens salad so Max’s trainer wouldn’t sue you for mistreatment and neglect.

“I’d say this was a very solid date night,” Max said between chews. “Thank you for teaching me and being patient with me – I take for granted how much you do for me when we’re home.” He pressed another kiss to your cheek, this one longer and messier than the one before.

You couldn’t help but grin at him, a devastatingly lovesick grin, and your stomach fluttered when he returned the exact look. He had a tomato sauce stain in the corner of his mouth and a droplet of spilled wine on his shirt but to you he’d never looked more beautiful.

bonus snippet (i couldn’t help myself, please accept my apology)

“Y/N, I cannot cook. I can count on one hand the number of times I have cooked for myself in the past ten years. I will blow up the kitchen.”

“Relax, I’ll guide you the whole way! You’ll never be near an open flame unsupervised, no sharp knives, we can even start with something simple! Pasta al pomodoro – you’ll love it!”

“When the rat said anyone can cook, he did not mean me, I promise.”

You looked at him quizzically – “Max, what rat?”

“The little French rat, not Esteban, the one who lives in the chef’s hat and makes soup for him.”

“…Are you talking about Remy? From Ratatouille?”

“I don’t remember his name, I just know you made me watch a movie one time about a French rat that could cook.”

“Ok, well, that’s an animated kid’s movie, and actually Chef Gusteau said anyone can cook, but he's right! Anyone can cook, Remy is proof, so get ready to cook on date night.”

“Thanks a lot, Remy,” Max huffed, crossing his arms in defeat.

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

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[gyeomsweetgyeom]

[10:14 am]

(cw: pregnant reader, some cussing I think, pregnancy symptoms/discomforts)

You groaned as you continued walking. What would have been a beautiful day for anyone else felt awful for you, nearly 2 weeks overdue. The sun was shining brightly- which was making you hot and sweaty. There was a breeze- which wasn't strong enough to cool you down. The birds were singing- just more noise to piss you off.

"Come on, honey. Keep going, almost back home," Jaehyun smiled at you while his hands gripped your forearm.

You glared at him, fury in your gaze, "you better not be lying to me like the last lap around the block Jung Jaehyun."

Being nearly 2 weeks overdue was a major pain in the- everywhere. You back ached, you couldn't sleep, you felt every movement of the human inside you, you were hot, cranky, tired, swollen everywhere, and sore. You had spent hours bouncing on a yoga ball, eaten spicy food, chugged various teas, ate viral salads, and here you were, going on your- you lost count- walk since your due date. One foot remained on the curb of the sidewalk while the other stepped on the road for uneven steps to "really open your pelvis." Jaehyun was very supportive, maybe even a little too supportive, in helping you during this tough period. It was him that encouraged all this excessive movement! Lovely!

As much as you grumbled about it now, he truly had been such an angel your whole pregnancy. He had painted the nursery 4 times when you couldn't decide on a shade only to end up choosing the first color he had painted! He never complained about waking up to get you your fast food cravings in the middle of the night and even tried your weird combinations.

Finally your familiar front door came into view and you left Jaehyun's hold in favor of making your way back to your favorite spot on the couch. You sighed in relief as you settled into the cushions of the couch, the air conditioning quickly cooling you off.

"More raspberry leaf tea, honey? A date or some pineapple?" Jaehyun asked.

You sighed tiredly, your eyes falling shut. "Can I just get some peace and quiet please?" You asked quietly.

"Do you want a snack for your quiet time?"

You felt yourself getting overwhelmed, hot tears filling your eyes. You breathed deeply, trying to get yourself to calm down, but all you felt was your body temperature rise all over again as your feelings rose. Your breath trembled as you repeated, "Can I please just get some peace and quiet?"

Jaehyun scrambled over to you in a panic, "Honey! What's wrong?!"

You felt your shoulders shake as you cried harder. "I feel terrible! This baby was supposed to be out like 2 weeks ago. I feel like a hippo, I can't do anything by myself. I'm tired of raspberry tea and salads and dates and pineapple. And you always want me to be active and I hate it! It takes a lot of work for me move the way I used to with my center of gravity thrown off and an extra 30 pounds to move. I always feel the baby moving and even when I want to be alone, I'm not! I can't ever have any peace!" You ranted while hot tears streamed down your cheeks, "And every time we go to the doctor she always mentions that this kid has gotten you big ass head- do you have any idea how much damage a head the size of yours will do to my body?!"

Jaehyun looked at you in pure shock. His eyes were wide and lips pursed. "I-I-I don't know what to say." He didn't dare mention that the doctor had mentioned the high likelihood of a c-section.

"Because it's not happening to you! You don't get it and you want me to do everything the way I used to but I can't! And I really, really feel like if you try to touch me in any way for the next 3 days I will hire someone to kick you in the balls since I can't get my legs that high," you add while exhaling shakily, using the backs of your hands to wipe away at your tears.

Jaehyun cleared his throat with a decisive nod, "I'm gonna go shower. I'm closing the windows and turning down the air for you. Then I'm going to draw you a bath with your favorite bubbles. Can I get you anything else before I give you your peace and quiet?"

"I want an iced coffee, please."

Jaehyun opened his mouth to argue- you were supposed to be limiting your caffeine! Then he remembered the rant from a minute ago and decided not to. He disappeared into the kitchen, whipping up your coffee and setting it beside you along with the TV remote.

"Honey?" Jaehyun started almost nervously, "I love you."

You sipped your coffee happily, "I love you too!"

Jaehyun wasn't sure he'd get used to the mood swings that came with you being pregnant, but luckily they wouldn't last that much longer since you went into labor just 5 hours later. This of course brought a whole new wave of you cursing him and screams- but at least at the end of it all he got to welcome your beautiful baby girl.

[steddieas-shegoes]

sounds like a date

for @steddielovemonth prompt 'love is sharing food' rated g | 743 words | no cw | tags: fluff, established relationship, flirting

💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

"Can I have a fry?" Eddie asked with his mouth half full of the last fry he'd stolen off Steve's plate.

"Why didn't you just get your own fries?" Steve asked, handing him a fry from his plate.

"Because I only wanted a couple and you always share with me," Eddie shoved the fry into his mouth.

That was true; Steve always shared his food when they were having their usual date night at the diner. In fact, he pretty much only got fries because he knew Eddie would want some.

He preferred just eating his turkey club sandwich and smiling over at Eddie who always ordered two milkshakes because he could never decide on a flavor, a cheeseburger, onion rings that he complained were soggy every time, and a chef salad for balance.

Eddie never finished his food, or the milkshakes, but he always finished Steve's fries.

So it became an unspoken routine, something Steve wasn't even sure Eddie noticed even after months of doing it. Robin said he was a sap for doing it, but he didn't care.

"How's the chocolate shake?" Steve asked as Eddie dipped another stolen fry into it. "Good with the fries?"

"Yeah, but the strawberry is better. They didn't add extra chocolate syrup this time," Eddie half-pouted, as if he didn't complain about their lack of chocolate in the chocolate shake every time he ordered it.

"Can I have a sip of your Coke?" Eddie asked after another minute of stealing fries from Steve's plate.

Steve wordlessly handed his cup over, surprised it took him this long to ask for it. He usually asked way before he'd even started on the fries.

Eddie, as expected, took a few large sips, almost draining the rest of the drink.

"Why doesn't the waitress ever bring us napkins?" Eddie asked as he set the cup back down in front of Steve.

Steve handed him one of the napkins he'd grabbed from the table they passed on the way to their own. The waitress did always forget to bring them, so Steve prepared.

"You're so good to me," Eddie smirked, brushing his foot against Steve's ankle under the table.

Steve was pretty sure the waitress knew what was going on between them and just hadn't bothered to say anything, and the rest of the diner was empty. Their date night was pretty late, right after Eddie's Hellfire night with the kids that always seemed to go longer and longer. It was damn near midnight now, most of the town in bed, the rest up to no good somewhere else.

It was peaceful, being here with Eddie like this.

It was a look at a future they could have, at least a version of it, though neither of them planned on staying in Hawkins forever.

Steve slid his plate of the few remaining fries over to Eddie and wiped his hands on his napkin. "Finish 'em. I'm done."

"You didn't even eat any," Eddie pointed out before grabbing another one.

"Wasn't that hungry, I guess."

"Mhm," Eddie smirked knowingly, but didn't comment further.

"All set for the bill?" The waitress came by to ask, tapping her pen against the pad of paper. "Who gets it tonight?"

Eddie pointed at Steve, like he did every single week they did this.

Steve took the bill from her hand like he did every single week.

He pulled out his wallet, grabbed the $10 in cash he always kept there for date night, and handed it back to her.

Eddie waited until she walked away to pull out his wallet, grabbing $2 for a tip.

"You know at some point, you may have to actually pay for a date," Steve said as he slipped his jacket on.

"Maybe," Eddie shrugged, like he knew Steve loved paying for their date, made him feel like he could provide. Eddie joked it was his inner caveman. "Maybe I'll just take us on a nice road trip with all this money I'm savin'."

"Oh?" Steve froze.

Eddie looked back at him, beaming smile.

"Yeah. Next month sound good to you? A tour of diners across the midwest. Every night is date night. All my treat," Eddie suggested, like he'd already had this planned for a while. "I'd love to steal your fries in new places, Stevie."

Steve felt himself blushing, somehow always surprised at the lengths Eddie went to to make him feel so loved.

"Sounds like a date."

[imperator-titus]

Favorite Party Banter [Astarion Edition]

[Astarion (Ascended)] [Halsin/Jaheira] [Gale] [Karlach] [Lae'zel] [Minsc] [Minthara] [Shadowheart] [Wyll]

I often miss party banter because of party comp (and sometimes just straight up can't hear??) so here's a collection of my favorite bants while going through dialogue files. I know the wiki has the banter (most? all?) but I added the file names and dev notes.

Either Astarion (Spawn or unspecified) is the main speaker/subject or I think his reaction is good shit.

Not in any particular order.

(Big surprise it's probably the biggest list.)

[PB_Wyll_Astarion_SCL_FishermansHut]

Wyll: To think how vibrant this place must have once been. Children playing, merchants hawking. Real people living real lives.

Astarion: I know, can you imagine the noise? This is much more peaceful.

Wyll: Come, Astarion. I know you're not really as heartless as all that.

Astarion: Of course not, I'm a pussycat really. Just ask anyone who's seen my claws.

[PB_Astarion_Karlach_MountainPass]

Astarion: Gods, how are we not there yet? My feet are killing me.

Karlach: Want me to carry you?

Astarion: Oh, darling, would you? {Devnote: With genuine hope}

Karlach: Sure! If you promise to swap once I get tired.

Astarion: Please, I can barely manage my pack - you’d kill me.

[PB_Jaheira_Astarion_NorthAlleys]

Jaheira: Nevermind the shining squares - I am more comfortable on streets such as this. A peek at the true face behind the mask.

Astarion: Yet another thing we have in common. We’re two peas in a pod.

Jaheira: I said a peek behind the city’s mask, Astarion - not a look up its skirts.

Astarion: Jaheira! What do you think of me? {Devnote: mock shock/scandalised}

[PB_Minthara_Astarion_ROM_Act3]

Minthara: Are you a better man now that you are loved, Astarion? Did they mend your ways?

Astarion: I rather think they did. Can’t imagine anyone wanting to do that for you, though dear.

[PB_Wyll_Astarion_ROM_Act3_001]

Wyll: Astarion, I was wrong about you. Truly wrong about you.

Astarion: Let me guess - you thought I’d suck blood, but actually I just suck? Was that your witty jab? {Devnote: A little tired of Wyll’s bullshit}

Wyll: No, I mean it. There’s little between us we share. But you’ve fallen in love and stood by your lover. That is something this dreamer’s heart can appreciate.

[PB_Laezel_Astarion_ROM_Act2_002]

Lae’zel: The more I learn of this plane, Astarion, the more I believe ‘love’ is its greatest disease.

Astarion: Oh, I don’t know. The screaming fever is pretty bad.

[PB_Astarion_Halsin_ROM_Act3]

Astarion: I hear things got wild between you two. I hope no one was too badly mauled.

Halsin: We’re all in one piece. Perhaps you’ll join us next time.

Astarion: It’s bad enough having one person with fangs trying to keep control of themselves. Two of us could be dangerous.

[PB_Astarion_Minthara_MorphicPool]

Astarion: We’re getting close. I do believe fate is shuffling the cards for the final deal.

Minthara: Let the cards fall. We have a strong hand to play.

Astarion: And speaking personally, I intend to cheat.

[PB_Karlach_Astarion_ROM_Act2_001]

Karlach: Sorry if this is rude, but… can vampires fall in love?

Astarion: What a preposterous question. Vampires can do anything you can do, and a damn sight better.

Karlach: Sunbathe? Swim?

Astarion: All right, there are a few limited exceptions.

Karlach: Good to know love is on the table though.

Astarion: It is. Though if the table is laden with good wine and meat, love is often left to rot with the salad leaves.

[PB_Minsc_Astarion_ROM_Act3_Spawn]

Minsc: No, Boo. Astarion is a friend now - he would never bite you. {Devnote: quietly comforting}

Minsc: Yes, vampire?

Astarion: Yes… I mean - no? I am not interested in biting the rodent is the point.

Astarion: Not least because he lives in your trousers…

[PB_Astarion_Laezel_ROM_Act2]

Astarion: So Lae’zel, things seem to be getting serious with you two. Do you have pet names for each other yet?

Lae’zel: ‘Pet’ anmes? As if we were domesticated animals?

Astarion: Gods, you have so much to learn. Repeat after me: honey muffin, sweetie pie, sugarplum.

Lae’zel: Honey muffin, sweetie pie - Astarion, do you see all your lovers as food? {Devnote: As if they’re in another language}

[PB_Shadowheart_Astarion_ROM_Act1_PickUpArtist]

Shadowheart: I can't quite believe you've been a pick-up artist all these years, Astarion. {Devnote: Poking fun/banter. Referring to Astarion's romance with the player}

Shadowheart: Most of the things you say still sound like you're in a two-copper paperback read by little girls.

Astarion: I sound like a charming rake, you mean? The hero everyone fawns over?

Astarion: Well, if the doublet fits...

[PB_Astarion_Gale_Colony_Generall]

Astarion: It's enough to put you off tentacles for life.

Gale: You had a taste for tentacles?

Astarion: The Elfsong Tavern used to serve excellent calamari. Mind you, that was two hundred years ago...

[PB_Gale_Astarion_ROM_Act1]

Gale: I see you waste no time pursuing your quarry, Astarion. {Devnote: referring to Astarion and player beginning to date, amused by it}

Gale: Tell me, do you always woo your lovers with such patient attention? {Devnote: poking fun because it all happened so quickly}

Astarion: I rather thought I was a little slow this time. Usually, they're begging me to drain them on the first night.

[PB_Astarion_Gale_ROM_Act2]

Astarion: So, how was your night with Gale? Did you have a long, hard debate? {Devnote: teasing the player about spending the night with Gale}

Gale: Ignore him. Astarion envies the depth of our bond because he's of a shallower inclination.

Astarion: Snort.

[PB_Shadowheart_Astarion_Battlefield]

Shadowheart: Imagine what this place was like, on the day of the battle. The ground most have been covered with the dead... {Devnote: somber}

Astarion: A tragedy - just think of all that wasted blood.

Shadowheart: You wouldn't actually feed in the wake of a battle, would you? You're not a vulture. {Devnote: 'eww, really?'}

Astarion: Oh, I don't know. I've fed on things that would disgust most vultures.

[PB_Minthara_Astarion_ROM_Act2]

Minthara: Half the men of Menzoberranzan are pleasure-servants. Weaklings, whose beauty is their only redeeming quality.

Minthara: You would fit right in with them, Astarion. {Devnote: mocking Astarion, trying to get a rise out of him}

Astarion: You think I'm beautiful? Oh, Minthara.

Minthara: Hrmmph. {Devnote: scowling, irritated grunt}

[PB_Shadowheart_Astarion_SharTemple]

Shadowheart: You're uncharacteristically quiet, Astarion. Awed into silence?

Astarion: Awed? By this? Please - size isn't everything. At least when it comes to temples.

Shadowheart: Well what would impress you, then?

Astarion: Oh, I don't know, but a little more colour wouldn't hurt. All the black and purple just makes me think of bruises...

[mochinomnoms]

How would Jade react to a prefect who already knows all about foraging? If he had already caught feelings, and if he was still just meeting the..

Example: He's out and about because Mountain Lovers Club and the prefect is out there with a friend. He finds them playing 'death or dinner' with mushrooms, berries, and other plants.

Love your work! Your stories always make me laugh.

I finished the last episode of The Apothecary Diaries a few weeks ago and this made me think of a semi-mad scientist Prefect who is super knowledgeable about herbs and plants. They're scarily good at potions, and are able to identify poisons with just a sniff and a silver cup.

“They are also prone to straight up eat those poisonous plants because they just want to know what it feels like”.

Jade is rather fond of you, infatuated even! Mostly due to your straight-up feral antics in potions, as you and Grim are constantly causing all sorts of mayhem with your potions. He loves watching you as there's never a boring moment with you around, and you're so diligent with trying again and again to get your potion just right, Jade might just say he's charmed!

Come a random, warm Saturday, when Jade is out hiking and taking photos of the landscape, that that charm turns into a full-blown crush. It's quite peaceful, until he hears some rustling nearby. He softens his footsteps, cautious in case it's a wild animal, until he hears voices.

Peeking through the foliage of the bushes and trees, Jade saw you and Ruggie picking at a wild blackberry bush. You two were quietly sharing ideas on what you could do with your share, evidently splitting your findings in half.

“Think I can mix this with the dandelions for a salad?”

“No, blackberries are too tart. You should make them into a sauce, you got those discounted pork chops from Sam's, right? I asked him to save some for you.”

“Yeah, I almost forgot about those I was so busy, thanks. I can do that...hey, what about those mushrooms down there?”

Jade watched as you looked towards where Ruggie was pointing, at a cluster of orange-yellow funnel shaped mushrooms. To the novice, they looked like the chanterelle mushroom. Edible and delightful in a saute, the ones that Ruggie were pointing at were not chanterelles, but false chanterelles.

You gasped in delight, your eyes practically glittering as you squealed, “Oh! Neat!”

They looked similar, but the gills were different and the colors more white. Jade's eyes widen as you reached for them; they weren't fatal, but they would cause some stomach issues. Jade could use those blackberries anyways, so he decided to step in and 'save' you in exchange for a third of the berries.

“I recommend that you don't eat those, those are false chanterelles. They are rather harsh on the stomach.”

You both jumped as Jade emerged from the thicket, Ruggie giving him a wave as your face soured. Ruggie opened his mouth, the beginning of a 'thanks' leaving his lips before you bluntly replied.

“I know what I'm doing, thanks.” Jade blinked as you took out a small knife, cutting the cluster up and throwing them in your pouch. “And you're wrong, they're not false chanterelles.”

Jade slowly blinked again as you turned to him, displaying a small orange mushroom in your fingertips. Looking at it closer, Jade noted that the gills were well-developed and unforked.

“These are jack-o-lanterns, they're poisonous, so you were right that they are 'harsh' on the stomach.”

Jade's open fell slightly open, and Ruggie let out a harsh yelp, as you popped it your mouth and started chewing.

“Prefect!” Jade stepped back as Ruggie rushed over to you and attempted to pry your chewing mouth open. “I thought I said no more eating poisons! Weeds or herbs! The nurse is going to murder me! This is why I don't take you foraging with me!”

Jade watched as you swallowed, just as Ruggie managed to open your mouth, sticking your tongue out and saying 'aaaah' mockingly to him. Like you weren't even worried that you'd just swallowed poison.

“I told you, I'm super resistant to poisons! I used to eat them all the time!” You closed your eyes and smile, hands on your cheeks as you gushed.

“This one is gastrointestinal only, it leads to nausea, vomiting, and sometimes diarrhea.” You continued squealing like a schoolgirl about her crush.

“But my favorite are the ones that make your tongue go numb and body tingly until you're convulsing on the ground and twitching! They feel so electrifying! Aaa! How am I supposed to resist?”

Ruggie continued to fuss over you, dragging you back to the main path and muttering about having the nurse keep you on a leash. So concerned with you and your health, neither he nor you noticed Jade's wide eyes and red flush as you left.

Once you two were out of earshot, Jade clutched at his chest, right where his heart was, and fell to his knees like he'd been shot. Perhaps cupid finally decided to let loose the arrow he'd been pointing at Jade's heart for some time.

The glazed look in your eyes, the blissful smile, the near drunken looking flush on your cheeks. You'd looked absolutely breathtaking, you looked like you truly appreciated the mushroom for all its beauty and danger.

Would you eat anything? If jade were to gift you with a bouquet of hemlock and foxglove, would you sniff it and smile at him like he presented you with something priceless? Would you eat a white capped mushroom if he presented to you, taking the gamble between it being a death cap or a paddy straw mushroom?

Would you let him watch you writhe on the ground from eating fugu, the blowfish's poison entering your system? You wanted a tingling sensation? You wanted the pins and needles, the sweating, the tremors as you slowly became paralyzed?

Yes, you would, wouldn't you? Up until he presented you with some activated charcoal (you'd probably have some anyway), holding your hair back so you could puke your stomach out. Then he'd be able to nurse you to health again, up until you excitedly asked him to test out a new concoction with that same glitter in your eyes.

Jade covered his face, letting out a small whining noise as he felt the heat fill his face. Oh, how pathetic he must look, curled into himself and red-faced, squealing into his hands like a child. Can you fault him, though? He's hopelessly in love!

[letsgetrowdy43]

A long time coming—

Request: Luke has been in love with jacks best friend since childhood, but the reader never lets anything happen out of respect for Jack but eventually the two have a moment and she can’t hide her feelings for Luke anymore, and I think Jack would be supportive of his two favourite people

I changed the prompt a bit cause I read it wrong, so sorry abt that!!

“Luke we can’t,” she said in between kisses, her hands that had once been tangled in his curls now lightly pushed him away from her, “we can’t do this to him,” she mumbled as Luke shook his head in denial. “He doesn’t care, he’s understanding, and he’ll get over it,” his lips travelled down her neck as she groaned into his shoulder, his fingers digging into the soft skin of her torso as she let out shallow breaths.

The little voice in the back of her head kept repeating the same words to her, whispers about Jack being disappointed in her decisions made her tense and finally take a step away from the Hughes boy whose hands sat comfortably on her hips.

“I can’t,” she whispered. "Wait Y/n/n," he said as her hand went for the doorknob, "let's just talk about it," she shook her head and looked at him once more as the tears started and she left the quiet of the locked bathroom and ventured back into the party to find her friends to take her home.

That had been four months ago at a St Patrick’s Day party, it was now the end of June and Y/n and Luke had yet to talk about what happened.

Luke left for Jersey, and Y/n stayed in Ann Arbor to finish out her third year at Umich, so life got busy. They made it through playoff runs, final exams, injuries, and so many other bumps in the road, and finally, it was the Hughes brothers and company’s favourite time of the year.

Summer at the lake house.

Summers with the Hughes’ were always like an escape from reality, days on the lake, sun tans, sand, and beer, it was always so chalked full of life. Four months of being with the best people, at the greatest time of the year.

But she was dreading this particular summer.

“You seem down Missy,” Ellen hugged the girl as Y/n placed the last bag of groceries on the kitchen counter. The girl shrugged, “just tired, that’s all” the girl said as Ellen rubbed her back and nodded. “Well I’m sure the boys wouldn’t mind if you napped for a bit,” she ushered out to Jack, Luke, Trevor, and Alex who were playing ping pong in the backyard.

Y/n nodded with a sad smile and headed up to her room, flopping down on the soft mattress as she let the weight lift off of her shoulders for a second.

A light knock on the door woke her up from her nap, she groggily sat up and looked at Luke who was smiling at her, leaning up against her door frame, “Did you know you snore?” She stared at him with not a trace of amusement, “No I don’t.” “No you don’t,” he confessed as the girl stretched her tired limbs, “Mom told me to tell you that dinner is ready whenever you are,” he said with a nod and then headed back downstairs to get a plate without another word.

She got down to the bottom of the stairs to be whisked off into a conversation with Z, loud laughter erupting from Jim as Trevor poked fun at Luke for something. The girl sat in between Quinn and Josh who both picked at her for her bedhead, too which gained each of them a smack followed by no more pestering as she ate her burger and salad in peace.

Her eyes travelled over to Luke who was already staring at her, then to Jack who was watching the tension unfold. His brow quirked at her gaze immediately stared down at her plate.

To Y/n the idea of loving Luke, romantically, was something she never seemed to be able to shake. Nothing had ever erupted between the two of them except for that one kiss months ago in a random bathroom that smelled like beer and sex. Thinking back now, everything about that moment felt perfect to her. She would give up pretty much anything to go back to that night and live out her fantasy of finally giving in to the overwhelming urge, maybe even the need, to love Luke.

She’d give up anything, anything but Jack.

She stood in the kitchen, hands buried in the warm soapy water, as she scrubbed the dinner plates that the boys had so graciously dropped off at the sink for her to clean.

Jack walked in with a grin on his face, "You need to stop moping, you're making me depressed Missy," he grinned as she looked at him unamused by the nickname, even more, displeased by the poking he did to her side as he taunted her mood.

"Y'know a little birdy told me something about a kiss, and I think that's why you might be a little tense," she looked at Jack wide-eyed, her lips parted. "I'm so sorry Jack, it was once, and it was a mistake that never should've happened," she began to ramble as the boy smugly grinned at her. He placed his hand over her mouth to shut her up, "a mistake that you wanna do again?" he grinned as her cheeks heated up.

"I never wanted to upset you or break your trust, it was only once," she continued her rant as Jack laughed dryly at her panic. "I don't care Y/n/n, Lu's been crazy about me since we were kids, and I'd much rather you date him than the other douchebags you normally go after," he smiled as her face dropped. "I do not have bad taste in men," she gawked as he looked at her unconvinced.

Jack grinned one last time, "All I'm saying is that it's a win-win situation for me and you, you get the boy, and I'd get to see you more often in Jersey," he leaned against the counter as she stared at him, unable to tell if he was being serious or playing some sick joke on her. "I get the boy?" "You can have the boy," he nods, "but if he hurts you, you tell me and I'll set him straight," he said leaning forward to pull her into a hug and pressing a kiss to her temple as she smiled into his shirt.

"You're sure it's okay?" she said, her words muffled into his shirt as he nodded. He pulled away with a smile, "I approve," she grinned back as he headed back to the rec room where the rest of the boys were playing pool.

Luke walked in shortly after, quietly with a soft smile on his face as he picked up the dry cloth to help take a little bit of the workload off of her.

"You okay Y/n?" he asked as she looked at him with an unsure look, her hands still in the sink trying to finish the still never-ending pile of dishes. "You told your brother?" she whispered and looked at him her attention falling on a strand of hair that had fallen out from its place behind her ear and into her eye. Luke reached forward to brush the hair out of her face as he smiled sweetly, "I did," he said almost sweetly as he held her face in his hands.

"What did he say to you sweets?" he asked with a grin as she looked at him with something resembling love. She blushed at the nickname as chills ran up her spine due to the soothing feeling of his thumb running over her cheek, "well he said that he was okay with this," she motioned between the two of them as he grinned even wider. "I told you he would be understanding," he lowered himself down to capture her lips in a slow kiss, the hands that were previously in the soapy water were now gripping at the cotton material of his sweater as he pulled her closer.

She was the first to pull away, as a smile took over her face while recalling another thing that Jack had said during their conversation, "Jack said another thing that caught me off guard." A short hum left the boy's mouth as he chased her lips, pecking her once before noticing the pleased grin on her face, "what did he say?"

The boy's brows furrowed as she let out a short laugh, "he might've dropped that you've been 'crazy about me since we were little'" she quoted as Luke's face broke out into a bright shade of pink. "I might've been," he mused as she grinned and stood on her tiptoes while her arms looped around his neck. "Good, 'cause I might been a little crazy about you too," she whispered before smashing her lips back onto his, the dishes long forgotten as they stood in the lake house kitchen surrounded by love.

Both of them realizing that this romance had been a long time coming

-

-

-

It's not edited, so if it has bad grammar I'm sorry

[tasteleeknow]

HELLO STRANGER. PART FIVE.

PAIRING: minho ft. hyunjin x fem!reader GENRE: smut, angst, fluff, soulmate!au. enemies to lovers. jealousy. pining. unrequited love. WORD COUNT: 5.4k

masterlist and taglist ♡ pt.1 | pt.6

do not repost to other sites, including translations.

You came. You came to the thought of Minho wrapped around you and… inside you. Minho. The same Minho who tossed what remained of your self esteem into the dirt and pressed it so deep into the earth you have no idea if you’ll ever find it again. 

It’s fine. 

You’d already accepted he was pretty, maybe the prettiest person you’d ever seen. But that was before. Before he’d called you an infection and made you feel so, so, small. It was easy to see past his pretty face after that. 

And then he’d been kind. Fucking sat with you through a storm and asked you if you were okay and told you not to cry. It’s not enough. It shouldn’t be enough. He has an unfair advantage. He was picked out for you. Soulmates. Soulmates. Soulmates.

You could cry. Or scream. 

You do neither. 

You crawl into bed and try to forget. He didn’t want you. 

You are alone. 

—

It’s like he knows. It’s some sort of cruel joke. A soulmate who can read your thoughts, your internal conflicts. He’s sitting at the table when you stumble out of the bathroom the next morning—a pile of fruit in front of him like a peace offering. 

“I made fruit salad,” he says, all soft and fucking irritatingly sweet, “if you’re hungry.” 

You freeze, completely and utterly fucked. 

“I’m fine.”

—

Avoiding him is a ridiculous, impossible task. You live with him. Still, you avoid him at breakfast, and—after a few failed attempts to avoid him in the pool—you stop going all together. Hyunjin had attempted to squeeze the truth from you. He couldn’t understand why you’d stop doing something you seemed to enjoy so much. Never in a million years were you going to confess that seeing Minho dripping wet and shirtless each morning was fucking with your head. Not after everything. You couldn’t give Hyunjin any hope. 

“You can tell me,” Hyunjin says as he taps the end of his pencil on the small coffee table. 

He’d been spending the afternoon drawing while you read. It’s a peaceful, quiet company. Or it has been before his nervous tapping had started.

“Tell you what?” 

The tapping doesn’t stop as he looks up at you from the floor. “Have you fought?” 

You frown, closing your book and dropping it onto the couch beside you. 

“No,” you reassure him. “I mean a small one but we made up. We’re fine.” 

His pencil stops. He places it down gently. “Then what is it?” he asks. “What’s wrong?”

I think I want to fuck my soulmate. The one who made it clear he does not want to fuck me. The one we live with. 

“What… makes you think something is wrong?”

He offers you a sad smile—a knowing smile. He always seems to know. How can you be surrounded by people who seem to know your thoughts and still feel so… adrift… alone.

He joins you on the couch, replacing your book with his fluffy socks as he curls up beside you. He’s warm. He radiates warmth, as always. “You’re avoiding him,” he says, like he’s pointing out the sky is blue or the grass is green—like it’s simply and utterly true. 

How do you deny a fact?

“We’re being civil.” 

He tucks his feet underneath you and leans back on the armrest, making himself comfortable. “So this was a mutual agreement? To distance yourselves from each other?”

“We didn’t wanna argue anymore.” 

Hyunjin says nothing in return. Just looks at you, like he’s caught you with your hand in the cookie jar and you’ve just tried to deny it. 

“What?” you blurt.

“He asked me this morning if he’d done anything to upset you.” 

A short laugh bursts from your lips. You can’t help it. “Upset me?” you question, struggling to wipe the laughter from your face. “He asked if he’s done anything to upset me?” 

“Recently,” Hyunjin clarifies. 

You turn to face him, grasping his calves in your hands to use as leverage as you rearrange yourself. “Jinnie,” you start. “We should go out.” 

His eyebrow twitches. “Out?” 

“Mina’s wife is having a party tomorrow, for her birthday. Come with me.” 

He pulls his legs from your grasp, tucking them to his chest. “You’re trying to distract me.” 

“I’m inviting you to come out with me. It’ll be fun.” You lead forward and rest your chin on his knees. “Please,” you plead, offering him a small smile. 

He looks to the hallway as the water cuts off. Minho has finished his post pool shower. “What about him?” he questions. 

You press your lips together to prevent ‘what about him?’ slipping out. It’d be easy to find a reason, an excuse to keep this just between you and Hyunjin. Mina invited him specifically because of his attendance at her wedding. You want to spend a night with Hyunjin alone. Quality time minus the beautiful, asshole soulmate. Instead, you sit back and—with a slight furrow of your brows—you mumble, “He can come if he wants.” 

Hyunjin laughs, falling forward over you—his face pressed into your shoulder. “Try not to look too happy about it,” he says around his lingering laughter. “He probably won’t come anyway.” 

You push him off you gently before tucking his hair behind his ear. “You’re annoyingly caring, you know that?” you say. 

“Thank you,” he says. 

—

Minho does say no. He’d rather stay in, he says. Fine with you. You and Hyunjin leave him sitting on the couch with one of the cats curled on his lap. 

His eyes drift down your bare legs on your way out. You wouldn’t have noticed if you hadn’t taken one last glance back at him. You don’t know how you feel about it. 

You find yourself at the bar before you’ve even attempted to locate Mina or her beautiful, rich wife/soulmate. Alcohol is nice. Alcohol and friends and loud distracting music. It’s not something you usually enjoy. In fact Mina had made it clear you weren’t obligated to come exactly because she knew you so well. It feels different now. It feels like it’s exactly what you need. 

Hyunjin gets dragged off by the birthday girl at some point in the night, when you’ve had more drinks than you probably should have and then attempted to take the edge off the inevitable hangover with a tall glass of water. Mina sits with you, her legs stretched out in front of her to touch yours—each of your backs pressed up against opposite walls in the empty hallway. 

“It has to be weird,” she says. “It has to be.” 

You take another messy sip of water, wetting your lips more than anything. Then you nod. 

“Has… anything happened?” she emphasises her point with a look up and down your body, her eyes lingering between your legs. 

You kick at one of her feet. “God, Mina.” you scoff. “No. Did I not make it clear? He fucking hates me.” 

“And… you hate him?” 

You nod. 

“You sure?” she questions. 

You attempt to chug some more water. Most of it ends up down your dress. “Yes,” you grumble as you wipe at your dress uselessly. “He’s an asshole. He’s maybe the biggest fucking asshole I've ever known.” 

Mina gives you a look. A really fucking annoying look. Like she knows. Would everyone stop thinking they fucking know. 

You pull yourself up on your feet, a little less steady and graceful than you’d prefer. But you make it upright. Mina joins you with only a little help—a clumsy tug to one of her arms. 

“You can hate someone and be attracted to them,” she says as you stand there in the middle of the hallway, cool water dripping down between your breasts. 

“I…I know.” 

She shoves your shoulder, almost sending you back into the wall. “I knew it!” she yells. “You’re fucking—”

You slam your hand over her mouth. “We are not. I am not. I got myself off and he happened to be… the face I was thinking of. That’s it. Okay?” 

She nods and mumbles something into your palm. You release her. 

“Are you okay?” she asks, swaying a little on her feet. It almost sobers you completely. 

You had no idea. 

“I can’t want him,” you say eventually. “I can’t.” 

She must see something in your face because you find yourself tugged into her arms. It’s nice. “What do you need?” she asks as she strokes your hair. 

“I don’t want… to want him.” 

She takes a small step back and takes your face between her palms, holding you in front of her like a mother about to give her child a serious life lesson. “I saw a very pretty man in a tight black shirt earlier,” she says. “Would you like me to get him for you?” 

You huff out a small breath of laughter. “No,” you say. “Thank you anyway.” 

“You sure? Maybe you’re just horny.” 

You sigh, taking her hands from your face gently. “He’s my soulmate, Mina. I’m… fighting an uphill battle.” 

“Or… you’re horny.” She raises her eyebrows and bats her eyelashes. “It might help.” 

“If it doesn’t?”

She takes your hand. “I’ll text you everyday reminding you how much of a prick your hot soulmate is.” 

“You’re a good friend.” 

She smiles. “Let me show you the pretty man in the black shirt.” 

—

It’s a mistake. 

From the moment he kisses you, it’s wrong. It’s a pair of lips and they’re warm and wet and attached to a very pretty man but… that’s it. It’s nothing. 

You must be fucked in the head. A masochist. You want pain and hurt and suffering. The pretty man in the black shirt had been nothing but kind and sweet and pretty. You don’t want him. 

Still, you don’t stop it until he’s cupping your tits in his large hands. You don’t know why. It’d be easier to keep going, to pretend this is what you want—to pretend the man you want touching you isn’t at home with a cat in his lap. It’s tears that finally signal to the man pressing you into the wall that this is a mistake. It’s embarrassing and awkward and Hyunjin asks no questions when you find him shortly afterwards and ask him meekly if you can go home now. 

It’s only when you’re tucked under your covers an hour later that you confess. Hyunjin crawls in beside you. He doesn’t ask. He just waits. 

“I tried to sleep with someone.” 

It’s too dark to see his reaction. You’re grateful. 

“It didn’t go well?” 

“No,” you whisper. 

“Why?”

“He wasn’t him.” 

He wraps himself around you, tugging your face into his chest. It can’t be more than a minute before the tears come. You promised yourself you wouldn’t do this—you wouldn’t make Hyunjin carry any of this anymore. It wasn’t fair. It’s not fair. It’s not fair. It’s not—

“I’m sorry,” he says. “I shouldn’t—I told him to sign up. I’m sorry.” 

You shove yourself backwards, pressing your hands onto his chest to keep distance between you. “What?”

“I forced him into this. You wouldn’t… be dealing with this—with him. I—”

“Stop. Please stop. You can’t… seriously be blaming… yourself right now? You can’t. That’s not what’s happening.” 

He’s quiet. 

“Jinnie,” you whisper between shaky breaths, “You’re breaking my heart.” 

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” 

“I don’t regret it,” you murmur into his chest. “I don’t. I’m so grateful you made him sign up for that stupid app. I found you. You’re so, so worth it.” 

He lets out a shaky breath as his arms wrap around you. 

—

“I’ll be down in a minute,” Minho says as Hyunjin waits at the door with his towel draped over his shoulder. 

Hyunjin nods and then he’s gone. A sense of foreboding falls over you before the door even closes behind him. You’re alone with Minho.

“Can we… talk for a second?” he says, confirming your fears. 

You place your spoon down slowly, contemplating just making a run for it. “Sure,” you say instead. 

He clears his throat as he takes a small step towards you. “I just… I wanted to check that I haven't done anything recently… to hurt you.” 

“Recently?” 

It’s a low blow and not as satisfying as it should be. His shoulders drop and you watch as his towel drags on the floor as his arms hang at his sides. “Yeah,” he says. 

“No.” 

“I thought… I thought we were… getting along. Or better at least.” 

You wish you weren’t having this conversation right now, with his shirt off and his arms out. God his fucking arms. 

“We are. I’ve… been dealing with some things. I’m sorry if I've been distant.” 

“Some things?” 

“Personal things.” 

None of your business things. You didn’t want me. 

He blinks. “Right. Yeah. I uh… I just thought maybe you’d prefer I didn’t come to the pool. I know you liked it.” 

He’s offering to stop, to leave the pool sessions with Hyunjin to you. It should be easy to agree to his offer. But you can’t avoid him forever. Exposure therapy, you tell yourself. The more you see him… exposed, the less you’ll care. You sigh.

“Would you… wait for me to change? I’ll come.” 

You can’t help noticing the way he perks up a little. “Yeah, yeah I’ll wait,” he says.

You find yourself alone in the shallow end, watching as Hyunjin guides Minho out into the deep. They’d made some progress in your absence. Minho could almost make it to the other end unaided. You've known how to swim for as long as you can remember. It’s instinctual now. It’s hard to imagine what’d it be like to be unable to swim; to not be able to keep yourself above the surface… to sink. 

You lift your feet off the bottom and tuck your knees to your chest, letting yourself sink down under the water. It’s quiet; dulled. Apart from the muted sounds of the others moving at the other end of the pool, there’s nothing. 

It feels like yesterday, when you’d found yourself alone in the waves—heavy storm clouds overhead. The smell of the ocean mixing with the freshness of the incoming storm. The small group on the beach looked so far away as you made your way out of the water, your arms wrapped around yourself to shield from the chill. It was the start, the first moment you’d felt it. It was dark and cold, the heavy weight in your chest. It existed to remind you that even when you were surrounded by people, you were alone. You’d managed to ignore it a little in recent years, with Mina around so much. But then you’d been abandoned, by your ex, by Mina, by Minho. 

You were unwanted. 

A hand wraps around your bicep and tugs, hard enough to hurt. 

“—fuck are you doing?” 

Minho’s voice is the first thing you hear when you surface. You gasp as you shove your hair from your face, only realising as the oxygen floods into your lungs how much they were burning. You blink as you catch your breath. Then his tone of voice sinks in along with his grip on your arm.

“What—”

“What are you doing?” he says again, cutting you off. 

Your brows furrow. “Let me go.” 

He blinks and then releases you. You watch as his eyes widen a little and then he’s taking a large step back until he’s pressed to the edge of the pool. You suck in a breath—to say what exactly, you aren’t sure.

“You alright?” Hyunjin says, interrupting you before you can find out. 

“I’m fine.” 

“You were under for a while. We thought—” 

“I’m fine,” you insist, suddenly embarrassed—by the situation but mostly by the self pitying thoughts you’d let yourself be consumed by. They couldn’t know, you knew they didn’t know but the embarrassment bubbles up nevertheless. 

Hyunjin stands there, a comforting hand on your shoulder, looking at you like he cares. 

Because he does. 

You weren’t alone. He’d suffered so much more than you ever had and here he was, warm and kind and caring. You paint a small smile on your face and step into his arms. “Sorry,” you mumble. “I… didn’t realise.”

“Just don’t forget to breathe,” he mumbles back. “Please.”

—

Mina had been diagnosed with Celiac Disease three years into your friendship. She couldn’t eat gluten ever again, she’d explained to you. No bread. No pasta. Your favourite ice cream was even off limits. They snuck that shit into everything you had both come to realise. Still, she stuck to it. Even when she was piss drunk on a night out she’d remember to ask the bartender exactly what was in each drink. The thing that amazed you the most was her ability to turn down cheesecake. It was your shared kryptonite. You’d both taken countless midnight trips to the convenience store just to satisfy your all consuming craving for cheesecake. She’d cried the day you’d both tentatively read the ingredients label only to discover the dooming words in bold print ‘Contains Wheat’. She never touched it again. 

You’re reminded now—as you sit quietly on the edge of the pool—what Mina had said when you’d asked her how she did it; how she managed to resist the cheesecake. “Because I have to,” she’d said. As simple as that. “It’s off limits. I’ve crossed it out as an option. I can’t eat cheesecake like I can jump out of a plane without a parachute. It’s not an option.” 

You watch as Minho stretches his arms above his head. Shirtless and wet. He shivers a little. You imagine if you were closer you might be able to see the warm droplets making a slow path down his skin and into the water. 

Then you blink. 

It seems to click after that. He’s there. He’s beautiful. He’s dangerous. He's convenience store cheesecake… and he’s jumping from a plane without a parachute. 

It makes it almost easy. 

You can spend more time with him this way. It seems to take him a little off guard at first. He’s almost awkward. Then he settles. It works so well you wish you could go back in time and slap yourself for not realising it sooner. Treat him like he’s anyone—no one. Not an option. 

You’re a genius. 

“How much further?” Minho asks as he steps around you and nudges you away from the curb with his shoulder. The first car in five minutes passes you both a few seconds later. It’s late. So late the streets are nearly empty. 

“If you ask me that again I’ll push you into traffic.” 

“Well ‘not much’ doesn’t mean anything. You said ‘not much’ half an hour ago.” 

“Don’t be dramatic.” 

“I’m not dramatic.” 

You huff out a short laugh. He grumbles something under his breath in response. 

“There!” you shout, pointing across the street. “I knew I hadn’t missed it.”

“Hey!” he calls after you as you take off across the empty road. 

It’s exactly as you’d seen it last, the small gap in the hedge. It was easy to miss. You had to be looking for it. Minho is a little out of breath as he joins you at the wall of foliage. He shoves the sleeves of his hoodie up to his elbows. You expect him to question you, to make a snarky comment about the wall of shrubbery you’d dragged him to in the very late hours of the night.

But he doesn’t. 

You’re both quiet as you catch your breath. You’re silently hoping everything is exactly as you’d seen it last. You haven’t been here in years, not since long before Mina had found her soulmate. It was Hyunjin you’d thought you’d be bringing here. Never Minho. But then, you’d never imagined yourself getting along as well as you had been over the past month. The suggestion to come here had slipped out of your mouth before you’d even taken a moment to think about it. 

You were both awake late. Both sitting around with not much to do. “Wanna go for a walk?” you’d asked. 

“Where?” 

“There’s a place nearby… I haven't been there in a long time. It’s nice.” 

“Alright,” he’d said. Simple as that. 

You step forward into the hedge, pushing the branches aside as you go. Minho reaches in behind you, holding a few back before they can snap back into you.

“It’s here.” 

His breath tickles your neck as he leans over you. “A door?”

“A door,” you confirm with a smile, eyes fixed on the large wooden arch in the stone wall. 

It’s a struggle to get it open. You both end up pushed up against it until finally, it gives. You manage to catch yourself as you stumble forward. Minho isn’t so lucky. He takes you down with him, falling into your back and sending you both crashing into the grass below. 

You’re just grateful he manages to avoid landing on top of you. He just misses, landing hard just beside you. It only takes a moment for you both to recover from the shock of it. Then you’re laughing. You roll onto your back, laughing up to the star-littered sky. 

“Did you bring me here to murder me?” Minho asks as he sits up. “Is that it?” 

You look up at him from your bed of grass. “There are much easier ways to kill you.” 

“You’ve thought about it have you?” 

You smile sweetly as you give him a small nod in reply. 

His eyes flick across your face as the corners of his lips curve up to mirror yours. “Why did you bring me here then?” 

It’s a good question. One you’re not sure how to answer. So you don’t. Instead you pull yourself to your feet and take in your surroundings. It’s just how you remember it, your garden. It’s as dense as a forest with a small path winding through the bushes of flowers and towering trees. It’s lit by soft yellow lights scattered through the shrubbery and along the path. It’s only because you’ve been here before that you know where the winding path leads. A large tree at the centre, with a swing hanging down from one of its thick branches. You have no idea who tends to it all. The whole garden is well-kept. You’re unaware of any other entry point. It’s not something you want to know. Magic is better when you don’t know its secrets. 

“Is this… someone’s garden?” Minho asks, standing beside you now. “Are we trespassing?” 

“Dunno,” you say with a shrug. “I’ve never seen anyone else here.” 

He takes a small step forward, seemingly in awe. You can’t help smiling a little at his reaction. It feels like yours, this garden. It only deserves awe. 

The smells are the best part. It’s different at night. The fresh midnight air mixed with the fragrance of the flowers. How can anything be wrong in the world when a place this soft exists? 

Minho is quiet as you both wander down the spiralling path. He’s tugged his sleeves back down and his hands hang by his sides. You can almost feel the warmth radiating from him as his fingers swing past yours. Yours are practically ice cold.

“Has Hyunjin been here?” Minho asks.

Hearing a voice almost feels wrong now. A disruption to the perfect serenity. 

“I’ve only ever been here with Mina.” 

The fresh breeze picks up for a moment, rustling through the leaves above you. “How’d you find it?” 

“Her brother,” you say as you tug your sleeves down over your frigid fingers. “He brought her here. I don’t know how he found it.” 

“Mysterious.”

You hum. “Doesn’t it make it so much better? The magic of it all. It’s like stepping out of reality.” 

“Is reality so bad?” 

You kick a stray rock. “Sometimes.” 

They’ve been rare recently: the reminders. He’s someone who caused you pain, who worsened your self-doubt and anxieties. You haven't forgiven him. He hadn’t been redeemed. 

You shove it all down again. 

“Guess where this leads.” 

He shoves his hands in his hoodie pocket, the small pouch at the front offering him warmth you highly doubt he needed. He runs warm, you’ve come to learn. You were incredibly jealous. “It leads somewhere?” he asks. 

“Mhm. Guess.” 

“Do I get a prize for getting it right?” 

“No.” 

“It leads to hell.” 

A short burst of laughter escapes your lips. “What?” 

“You did bring me here to murder me after all. I’m being lulled… hypnotised by this spiralling path before you push me down an empty well in the centre.” 

You pause. He pauses too, turning to look at you. 

“You’re weird.” 

“Am I?” he says with a small tilt of his head. 

God, how you wish you had more self control. Then you could prevent your lips curving up into an amused smile. He reacts exactly how you expect. He smiles back. 

By the time you reach the centre, you’re half convinced he’s right. The spiralling pathway seems to have worked to lull you into some sort of strange spellbound state where you’re enjoying Minho’s company. You tolerate him usually, a neutral sort of company that you can find in most anyone you’re forced to share space with. Or, you’d thought it had been neutral. In this garden there’s no distraction, nothing you can use to convince yourself you’re not finding joy in his company in its own right. You wonder how long you’ve been in denial. 

It’s an uncomfortable thought that is happily disrupted by the centrepiece of your garden. The giant oak towers above the rest of the vegetation. You imagine it being here long before the wall was ever built to enclose her in. A swing hangs from one of her thickest branches, swaying in the gentle breeze. In a different garden the whole atmosphere might induce fear, an unsettling feeling. But not your garden. She’s good, soft, and welcoming. There are no ‘deep empty wells to hell’ in your garden. 

Minho leans against the trunk of the great oak as you rock back and forth on the swing—keeping your feet on the ground. He’s a comforting presence, you realise. You thought you might regret bringing him here, that he might taint your memories of this place. 

“Why haven’t you brought Hyunjin here?” 

“I haven’t brought anyone here.” 

He readjusts his position against the tree. “Except me.” 

“Don’t let it go to your head. I didn’t… think about it. I haven’t been here in a long time.” 

“Why?” he asks after a short pause. 

You shrug. “I don’t know. No reason I guess.” 

“You do.” 

“What?” 

“You do know. You always have a reason.” 

You watch him sink to the ground with his knees bent and his back against the trunk. He looks so comfortable, like he’s been here a million times before. 

“I always have a reason?”

He nods. He doesn’t offer any elaboration. 

You can’t help frowning a little, confused by his apparent insistence that he knew something about you that you didn’t. He knew something… about you. You shuffle in the swing, suddenly a little uncomfortable. 

“I wasn’t ready.” 

He waits for you to continue, seemingly completely relaxed. 

“I was always happy here,” you continue. “This place is… it’s happy. It’s outside of reality and it’s magic and it’s—” you suck in a deep breath before letting it out slowly, emptying your lungs. Minho waits. “I didn’t want to taint it with… all of my shit. If I started coming here when I was sad, that’s what it would be: my sad place.” 

“That makes sense.” 

You look up at him, finding him still looking entirely at home beneath your oak tree. “It does?” 

He nods with a small hum. “You’re good at that.” 

“At what?” 

“Knowing yourself, your… feelings.” 

It’s a strange compliment. You’re not sure what to make of it. You’re not even sure it’s true. 

“Are you not?” you question. “Good at that.” 

He drops one of his knees, leaving one leg bent and the other stretched out in front of him. “No,” he says simply. “I’m not.” 

“You’re good with Hyunjin’s feelings. He told me about what you did. Taking him to Europe after—” 

“That was nothing,” he intejects. “It was… an attempt to distract him. That’s it.” 

You’re walking on a tightrope. One wrong word and this all goes to shit. The last thing you want is to spark an argument in the middle of your garden. But this is what you did, you and Minho. You had these conversations in odd hours of the night. 

“I think… you’re cutting yourself short. You… You held him together. You showed him happy places, like this.” You’ve stopped swinging now, the movement feels dangerous. “I can’t imagine it. It must have been—” 

“I thought he might die.”

You hold your breath. 

“He just fell apart,” he continues. “He wouldn’t eat. He hardly drank anything. He just slept and cried.” 

It’s hard to think about. Hyunjin’s tears terrified you. Just the thought of him being in pain cut so deep inside you, you almost wished you didn’t care about him at all. 

“I could feel it,” he says, voice so low it’s only the stillness of your garden that allows you to hear him at all. “I could feel what he felt. It just… seeped out of him. He hadn’t even met her and he was so…” He sucks in a shallow breath. “I just needed to distract him.” 

“You’re a good friend, Minho.” 

He smiles at you. A sad smile. One you’ve never seen before. “Am I?” 

“You loved him when he needed it most. You… held him up until he could stand on his own.” 

His brows draw together as he looks at you, a heavy look filled with nothing you recognise. You can see his thoughts swirling, spiralling somewhere you clearly weren’t allowed to go. It’s only when he looks like he might cry that you stand abruptly from the swing. This wasn’t a sad place. 

“Your turn,” you say, gesturing to the empty seat. 

He blinks, unmoving. You march over and grab his hand from his knee, giving him a hard tug. “Up,” you command, taking note of his warm hand. Always warm. He complies, letting you drag him to his feet and push him gently towards the swing. 

You’re both quiet for a minute or two as you give him a head start, pushing him gently each time he swings back to meet you. 

“I haven’t been on a swing since… I don’t even remember.” 

He sounds lighter now, like the cool breeze has swept away some of the darkness with each swing. You’re surprised to find you care. That the thought of him recovering from sadness settles some anxiety deep in your chest you hadn’t noticed was there. 

“Minho?” 

“Yeah?” 

“I’m sorry if I made things harder for you. For both of you.” 

He stops the swing abruptly, his feet planted in the grass. You stand behind him. He’s completely still for just long enough to make your stomach drop completely. You’ve fucked up. 

Then he stands and turns to face you, the swing separating you both. He grips each rope, holding the swing still. “What?” he says. 

You can’t take it back. “I said I’m sor—” 

“I heard you,” he interrupts. “I just don’t understand why you would say that.” 

“I caused… a lot of distress to you both. I’m just s—” 

“Don’t. Don’t say it again.” 

He seems almost angry. Please, please don’t ruin this place, you silently plead. 

“You have nothing to be sorry for. Nothing. You don’t apologise to me. You never—” He cuts himself off before closing his eyes and breathing deeply. When he opens them again he’s much calmer, the intensity mostly gone as his grip on the ropes relaxes. “You did nothing wrong. You’re fine. Okay?” 

All you can do is nod. You’re fine. 

He takes a small step back. “Your turn,” he says. 

please reblog and share your thoughts. caption, tags, replies, or ask box, i read it all. feedback is what motivates me to write more!

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[rottenpumpkin13]

Out Of Context Shit Heard On The SOLDIER Floor #6

Previous: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5

Angeal: No, Genesis, you spaghetti-noodle-spine-having-ass bitch.

Sephiroth: I identify as a tonberry *chases Cloud with a kitchen knife*

Zack: Ra Ra Rasputin *kicks Sephiroth over*

Genesis: Unhand me you cretin *alone, talking to no one*

Angeal: Zack just showed me a picture of the Grinch and said "hear me out"

Lazard: No, Sephiroth, you cannot have a human-sized cat bed in your office "for enrichment"

Cloud: Parkour time *crashes through the air vents*

Sephiroth: I'm the biggest lesbian ally in this department, actually.

Angeal: For the sake of my sanity I'm gonna pretend I didn't just see Zack twerking to One Winged Angel.

Luxiere: I would commit unspeakable atrocities for a crumb of Zack's attention.

Lazard: That stripper pole better be gone when I get back or so help me, Genesis, I will return you to the goddess.

Sephiroth: *does a single pump of sore throat spray* This is enough for sustenance for the day.

Kunsel: Care for a deep-fried cigarette?

Angeal: You look like an AI-generated twink.

Sephiroth: I've grown so tired of Genesis's voice that we now communicate solely through interpretive dance.

Lazard, over the speakers: Whoever heated fish in the break room microwave, please come by my office so I can break your knees.

Zack: Aww, I forgot to feed the Roomba :(

Genesis: I don't know why me and Angeal are being judged. Simulating a birth with a watermelon is a perfectly normal activity for two people.

Kunsel: Hopefully this office party won't end in accidental weed use.

Angeal: WHY IS THERE A FAMILY OF RACCOONS IN THE TRAINING ROOM?

Genesis: I noticed some homosexual subtext in your screams, do you want to talk about that?

Angeal: *sniff sniff* Ooh~ who's barbecuing? OH MY GOD IT'S AN ELECTRIC FIRE.

Roche: Every time I think about chopping my hair short I think "Sephiroth wouldn't want this for me" and the feeling is gone.

Genesis: I made a friend *drags in a skeleton with a Sephiroth wig*

Cloud: *points at Angeal, Genesis and Sephiroth* Pure of heart, dumb of ass, big of tit.

Lazard: I told Zack to use Excel and he started sobbing.

Angeal: WHAT DO YOU HAVE AGAINST SEASONING YOUR GROUND BEEF?

Sephiroth: It's extremely rude to ask someone why they're eating a salad bowl of udon at 8 AM. Mind your business, Zack.

Cloud: Genesis likes Loveless so much because the title resonates with his love life.

Zack: You keep your anxiety pills in a takeaway to-go box? Dude that's so fancy.

Lazard: Why is Sephiroth the only one wearing a shirt??

Angeal: Common sense has chased Zack all his life but he wears wheelies so he's faster

Sephiroth: I personally don't use the peace sign because I haven't had a day of peace since I was 12.

Kunsel: I'm never going out in public with Zack again. A child's balloon popped when it went near his hair.

Angeal: No I'm not giving you an aspirin. Last time I gave you one you crushed it and snorted it like cocaine.

Lazard: An overwhelming majority of you peaked in kindergarten.

Sephiroth: Zack, I'm becoming increasingly concerned by the amount of potatoes in your pants right now.

Zack: This year I want an A/B/O themed birthday party.

Sephiroth: Please don't commit tax fraud, Genesis. You won't thrive in prison.

Genesis: Does anyone have an extra ramen packet to give Sephiroth? The 64 he consumed this morning weren't enough.

Roche: Commander Rhapsodos and his emo fringe is our culture.

Zack: I'm at my fucking limit! I'm about to eat a vegetable!

Genesis: He's a son of a bitch Sephiroth: That implies he has a mother, so I don't see how that's an insult.

Zack: Fuck around and find out *said with a chunk of Genesis' red coat hanging from his pocket*

Cloud: Does anyone have an extra brain cell? I lost my remaining one when Genesis spoke to me this morning.

Sephiroth: Damn.

Kunsel: Zack owes me so much money that if he sold his box of random shit he stole from Angeal, he still couldn't pay me back.

Angeal: Why are you guys playing Queen's Blood in the closet? is this a metaphor?

Genesis: Have you prayed to your Sephiroth cardboard cutout yet today?

Sephiroth: Alert me once Rufus Shinra arrives so that I may greet him adequately *said while building a pipe bomb*

Lazard: It's all fun and games until the timeout cage that I ordered online arrives.

Genesis: I will atone for my sins by becoming a nuisance to the environment.

Cloud: If Zack were a scented candle he'd smell like ADHD and crayons.

Sephiroth, standing on a table: DO NOT. EAT. THE CHEESECAKE. IN THE FRIDGE. It's mine.

Angeal: *with a bucket while it's raining hale* Free ice baby.

Zack: I finally have enough gil to buy a sixteen bouncy castles.

Genesis: Being overcome with the desire to eat pasta and call your mother at 2 AM and wondering if you're having a mental breakdown or are possessed by Sephiroth.

Lazard: I can't fire any of you, but I'm about to start setting things on fire.

[dotster001]

The Long Game; a For Tuna End

Custom content end, but takes place after the canonical bad end

Part One Part Two Part Three Choose Another Ending

Riddle remembers when he got the call. He didn't know how Grim even had his phone number. It was about four months ago.

“Now's your chance!”

“Sorry?” He was just about to leave his law firm for the day, when his phone had rung, and now he was stuck there.

“Y/N and the baker broke up!”

Riddle nearly dropped his phone. He put Grim on speaker and opened up his text messages. He was still very close with both you and Trey, having dinner with you both every Saturday. Often, you both joked with him about how you would adopt him so you could force him to take a break. Sure enough, both of you had texted him.

Hey, Riddle, so, Trey and I aren't seeing each other anymore. Wanted you to know before you heard it from someone else.

I know you were his friend first, but I hope you don't hate me, and we can still hang out?

Trey's message was similar.

Y/N and I broke up. We're still gonna be friends, nothing bad happened. But I wanted you to know.

Riddle watched the typing bubble on Trey's message space, and nearly threw his phone when he got the message.

I know you've never stopped loving them. So whenever the two of you get together, I want you to know I'm ok with it 😉

“Well? C'mon Mr. Lawyer! Will you be there tomorrow, or not?!” Grim shouted, clearly having been unable to get his attention for a while.

“Trey’s my friend. I can't just take his partner the day after they broke up,” Riddle sighed tiredly. Yes, Trey wasn't wrong. He never stopped loving you, no matter how hard he tried, how many people he dated, how much time he would stay away. But society has rules. He couldn't act on his feelings right away. It wasn't like you held those feelings for him. You wouldn't have dated Trey if you had.

“Don't be stupid, Rosehearts. This is your one chance. I have Ashengrotto on standby at any moment!”

Riddle held back a snicker. Clearly, that was untrue. Azul had been married for two years.

“Go ahead and call him, then.”

“I will! Goodbye forever, Rosehearts!”

Four months later, and it was the first chance he'd had to have dinner with you again. Grim was grouchy, slumping in his chair, refusing to do anything but glare at him. Your current tactic seemed to be to ignore him.

“Tell me everything! It feels like so long since I last saw you!” You said excitedly, scooping a portion of strawberry and walnut salad onto his, then Grim's, plate.

“I've been busy,” he hummed, skirting around the question. He'd been busy because he'd chosen to be. Between Grim's relentless phone calls, and Trey attempting to push him in “the right direction” every day since a month ago, he'd been being forced to face his feelings that he'd spent years trying to bury. Throwing himself into his work had seemed to be the only peace he'd had.

“Riddle, we've talked about this! You can't overwork yourself like this! Someone who spent a year in medical school should be well aware of that!”

Riddle rolled his eyes, but smiled playfully. “You sound ridiculous, right now. I had way more on my plate at NRC than I've ever have at work.”

“Maybe. But one of these days, I'm gonna trap you in my house, and make you take a vacation.”

That didn't sound too bad. Being trapped in a house with only your tender love and care to worry about.

“I'll look forward to that day,” he laughed tiredly. You seemed satisfied with that answer, and continued chatting about what you'd been up to. He winced, however, when he made eye contact with Grim, who looked suspiciously happy.

….

“So?”

“So?” Riddle echoed. He knew exactly what Trey had called him to ask, but he didn't really want to answer.

“So?! A little birdie told me you and Y/N are going on a trip this weekend!”

“It’s not like we'll be alone. Grim is coming,” Riddle held back a slightly bitter tone at that.

“Yeah, and for some reason he's desperate for you to be his dad. I'm sure he's got something worked out.”

“He only wants me so that he can “be rich” and get tuna. And because he was extremely bitter that you ruined his plans, years ago, and wants revenge on you.”

Trey laughed. “I think you'd be surprised, Riddle. He's an interesting little guy. I think he actually likes you.”

Riddle rolled his eyes. “Is it normal for an ex boyfriend to be this interested in matchmaking his ex?”

“It is when the ex boyfriend wants his ex and his old friend to be happy, and he can see how good they would be together.”

“Sure, sure. Listen, Trey, I gotta go,” Riddle muttered, wanting to end this phone call as quickly as possible.

“Don't forget to pack a toothbrush!”

“Yeah, yeah…”

“And a swimsuit!”

“Yeah, yeah-”

“And don't forget to pack sunscreen!”

“Bye mom,” Riddle sighed tiredly as he hung up. He leaned back in his chair, massaging his temples. Why did he even agree to a vacation with you? It was already seeming to be more effort than it was worth. But he'd already said yes. And he knew you, and his coworkers, wouldn't take it lying down. The moment his coworkers had heard he was going to have a weekend beach vacation, they'd put all their effort into making sure he had no excuse not to go.

You, meanwhile, had already purchased and planned the vacation. You gave him those sad eyes when he was about to turn you down, and he found himself nodding along.

Two days. That's all he'd have to put up with. He could do this.

….

“I need my own bed.”

Both you and Riddle stared at Grim, who had an angry look on his face.

“The fuck?” You muttered.

“I refuse to go back to the Ramshackle days. I will not be sharing a bed with a stinky human!”

“Stinky?” You sounded mildly offended.

You'd all just arrived at the vacation cabin, and found out there were two bedrooms. You had been preparing to put both your's and Grim's bags in one of the rooms, when he'd dropped the bomb.

“It's fine. I can just take the couch,” Riddle muttered, already tired.

“No! This vacation is supposed to be about you getting some rest for once! I'll take the damn couch,” you growled, dragging your bag over to the very stiff looking sofa.

Riddle grabbed the handle of your suitcase, yanking it away.

“You paid for the beds. You should sleep in one.”

“I have an idea!” Grim shouted. You both turned to stare at him. “Since both of you are stinky humans, and Y/N was prepared to share anyway, you could both share the bed!”

Riddle's eyes widened, his jaw dropping, but you spoke faster.

“I mean, if you're okay with that Riddle, I don't mind.”

He nodded dumbly, and you took his suitcase, carrying it to your now shared room.

It took a second for it all to process, but what made it settle in was the exaggerated wink Grim was giving him.

“Word of warning. Y/N is a major cuddler!” Grim whispered, scampering off to his own room. Riddle's face felt like it was on fire, as you called over to him, telling him the room was ready.

He stumbled in, trying to puzzle out how the trip had gotten away from him so quickly.

“Why did we let him win?” He asked tiredly.

You sighed, then gave him a war torn smile.

“He's really good at what he does.”

You went to the ensuite bathroom, and before Riddle could process, time had passed and you had reemerged in your pajamas. You pulled back the comforter, and snuggled yourself into the bed.

“Aren't you going to change?” You asked.

“My clothes are comfortable,” he muttered.

That was a lie.

“Alright then,” you patted the space next to you, and Riddle gulped. He trudged over to the bed, as though he was taking his death march. Then he stiffly flipped onto the bed.

“You can come closer. I swear I don't bite,” you laughed, as he pushed himself as far to the edge as possible.

“I don't need much space,” he muttered.

“Alright. Good night, Riddle,” you hummed. You quickly fell asleep, clearly used to sharing a bed.

Riddle, meanwhile, found himself staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. He wasn't touching you, but your body heat was fogging his mind. Your scent, as well, was inescapable, and sleep, inevitably, evaded him.

He looked at the alarm clock on the side table. 1:35 am. He groaned. This was never going to work.

As quietly as possible, he left the bed, and made his way out of the cabin. He wandered down to the beach, trying to clear you from his head. He stood near the edge of the ocean, and closed his eyes, letting the sounds of the waves drown you out.

Then he was sprayed with a wall of water.

He spluttered, choking on sea water. When he had finally recovered, he heard a voice he hadn't heard in years.

“Hey, Goldfishie!”

He groaned, looking out at the sea, where he saw a pair of glowing mismatched eyes.

“Floyd. How are you?”

“Same old, same old,” he hummed.

“Excellent. WHY DID YOU SPLASH ME?!” Riddle roared, making Floyd laugh.

“Because I wanted to. By the way, aren't you supposed to be making out with Shrimpy?”

Riddle's face went crimson. “What-”

“Y/N’s doing the same thing with Jade and Sea Turtle. The day they broke up, they started texting Jade non stop about asking him out. The difference is that Jade is so much better at it than you are.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Riddle snarled.

“It means, Jade already bagged his prey. Like, a month ago. Trey sent me here, because he knew you'd wimp out at some point,” Floyd gave him a disappointed once over. “He's gonna be sad when he hears how fast it was.”

“You used his name…” Riddle muttered in awe.

“Yeah?” Floyd shrugged. “He's prolly gonna be my brother in law one day. That makes him family. But you're dodging the issue.”

Floyd fixed him with a glare.

“Do I need to take a transformation potions, and take care of things myself?”

“First off, why would you even help me? Didn't you used to have a crush on Y/N?”

“Yeah. So did everyone. The difference between you and everyone is that, for everyone, it was just a crush, which meant it went away. For you, it's love. Which is why you're too scared to schmooze them right now.”

Riddle sighed tiredly. He never thought he'd see a day where he had a reasonable conversation with Floyd. He sat down in the sand, staring off into the distance.

“They always were so happy with Trey. What if I never match up?”

Floyd rolled his eyes, slipping below the surface as he groaned.

When he pooped back up, he fixed Riddle with a glare.

“Do you really think me, and Sea Turtle, and Jade, would all be pushing you to this if we didn't think you were capable of making Y/N happy?” He rolled his eyes again, before splashing him with more water. “Seven's, we all used to love Y/N! And we still cherish them! If anyone can give them a happy ending, it's fucking Riddle Rosehearts!”

Riddle stared at Floyd for a moment, before a smile split his face.

“Floyd, somehow you grew up.”

“Ugh!” Floyd splashed him a third time, before diving below the surface.

Riddle allowed himself a giggle, before making his way back to the cabin. He changed out of his dripping clothes, into his pajamas, and made his way back into the bed.

He looked at you for a moment, letting you fog his mind again. His heart skipped a beat, as you sighed softly, then flipped over, wrapping your arms around him, and tangling your legs with his.

For a moment, he thought he would die. Then you sleepily whispered,

“Grimmy, you're so squishy.”

Riddle sighed in relief. His dignity was safe for now. You were just asleep. You weren't actively trying to give him a heart attack.

It felt good though. Resting so close to you. And he soon found himself finally drifting off.

He woke up early. He was always an early riser. But he was pretty sure what woke him up this time was your head resting on his neck, cutting off his air supply. He didn't want to have to wake you, but he needed to breathe.

“Y/N,” he groaned, gently shifting as much as he could with you wrapped up around him. It took a couple calls of your name before your eyes fluttered open, sleepily looking up at him. Then your eyes widened and you shot up, pulling away.

“Oh my god, Riddle, I am so sorry! I cuddle in my sleep sometimes,” you hastily spoke.

“Y/N, it's fine,” he said, looking away so that you hopefully wouldn't see how red he was. He missed your warmth already.

“God, I'm so embarrassed,” you moaned, burying your face in your hands.

“Don't be. Actually,” he steeled his courage, looking at you with what he hoped was a calm confidence. “This seems like a good time to tell you something important.”

You peeked at him from between your fingers.

“I love you.”

Your hands dropped from your face, your jaw dropped.

“I know you were dating Trey, like, a year ago, but-”

“For Seven's sake! Riddle! This is gonna make me sound super sus, but do you think I would have so quickly agreed to share a bed with you if I didn't like you back?”

Riddle stared at you, before swiftly pinning you down, a dangerous smile on his face.

“And why, my dear Y/N, didn't you say something sooner?”

You stiffened, realizing you were probably in trouble.

“Ha ha, well um-”

“My darling rose,” he hummed, gently caressing your cheek. “It's against the rules to keep your queen waiting.”

He leaned in, and the door slammed open.

You both turned your heads to see Grim, who's eyes widened with glee.

“Finally! Tuna for everyone! Riddle's treat!” He skipped out of the room, laughing happily.

“What the fuck?” You muttered.

“I'll go deal with that,” Riddle said, leaving the bed and stretching, before making his way to the door. He stopped for a moment, then turned back to you with a wicked grin.

“Don't think for a moment that you have escaped punishment.”

He held back a laugh as he watched you hide under the blankets.

....

A/N: dear riddle fans. I have gifted you the longest ending to date. Am I forgiven for making you wait so long for his happy ending?

Tag list-@shytastemakerthing @stygianoir @leonia0 @lleoll @eccedentesiast-sapphic @supertmntgirl @cxsmicdustdreams @aethermostbeloved @krystalkiller25 @asmallbean3 @theneurodivergentdummy @candlewitch-cryptic @smilingfox22-blog @phantomgaming1920 @the-dumber-scaramouche @noidonothavetimeforthis @bontensbabygirl @xxoomiii @somany-fandoms-solittle-time @bre99 @stupidsimp @sus0daddy @a-small-tyrant @imlost-sendhelp @mizukiblogs @savanaclaw1996 @kazumify @auspicious-lilana @dragontamer222 @mutegummy @justm3di0cr3 @dreamlessnight @avi-enderson

[javierpena-inatacvest]

Chapter 9: I Promise

Summary: You agree to go to the Laredo Sheriff's Department's annual summer picnic. When Javi's co-workers bring up an unexpected topic of conversation, Javi begins to learn more about your life before Laredo.

Word Count: 11.5K (Is it bad I'm impressed with myself that this isn't longer?!)

Warnings: SMUT (18+), unprotected p in v sex (do better), shower sex, period sex, creampie, praise, masturbation (f), talk of drug use/overdose, grief/loss, PTSD (reader has a panic attack), drinking/alcohol (reader also gets a lil tipsy), mentions of food/eating, Javi's co-workers being assholes (not Carter and Miller, we love them), Javi being protective of you, Javi just wanting to give you every ounce of his love because he cares about you more than life itself

A/N: Okay y'all. I had to do it. I want nothing more for Osita and Javi to live in a world of sunshine and rainbows where they are nothing but happy all the time, but, sigh, that is not how life works. Osita's got some things Javi needs to learn about her past, and it's happening, whether we like it or not. This chapter really does have it all- pool parties, trauma, Jell-O shots, Javi talking about babies (I'm screaming too, it's okay), you name it, it's probably in there. Also, Osita's brother Patrick is inspired by sweet Frankie Morales from Triple Frontier because UGH. ALRIGHT, STRAP IN YOUR SEATBELTS AND ENJOY THE RIDE!!!

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“C’mon, Peña, you gotta come, you’re like, the only guy in our whole department who hasn’t RSVP’d yet.” 

“Seriously, man. It actually is a good time. Free food, free booze, hanging out at Morris’s pool all day? All the other guys bring their wives and girlfriends, too, so you can even bring your girl, if you want.” 

It had been almost two weeks since the flier for the annual Laredo Sheriff's Department Picnic landed on Javi’s desk. It had also been about two weeks that Agent Carter and Agent Miller had spent every day harassing Javi about coming to the party, claiming it to be one of their favorite days of the summer ever since they started working for the department a few years back. 

“Yeah? And who are you two idiots bringing?” Javi scoffed, shuffling through the folders on his desk as Carter and Miller leaned in the doorway to his office. 

“Low blow there, Peña, but okay.” Carter grimaced as he put his hands on his hips. “Listen, just think about it, okay? 

“Just RSVP before tomorrow or Barb is gonna lose her mind if she doesn’t know exactly how much Potato Salad to make. I told her that you’d tell her by then, and I don’t need another reason to be on her shitlist.” Javi and Carter shook their heads at Miller, not understanding how he was constantly finding ways to piss off the receptionists in the front office. 

“Fine. I’ll let her know by tomorrow.” Javi responded, not looking up from his paperwork. “Now, don’t you idiots have anything better to do than stand in my office?” 

Carter and Miller gave each other a quick high five, finally working at least a somewhat definitive answer out of their boss before they headed back to their desks, finally giving Javi a moment of peace. 

Javi sighed as he pulled the brightly colored flier out of his desk drawer, staring at it for a few seconds before setting it down on top of one of the manilla folders, running his hands through his hair. Social gatherings had never been his thing. To be honest, he really hated them. During his time in Colombia, the best he could normally muster was occasionally getting a drink at the bar, dreading the small talk, politics and ass kissing of every conversation. All he really wanted to do was sit by himself and drink enough to ease the pain and misery he felt with each day that passed in that God forsaken country. But he had to remind himself that this wasn’t Colombia anymore. His days of drowning his loneliness in liquor were behind him. Even when the sting of his time away haunted him, he had to remind himself of the life he now had in front of him. 

You. 

He had you. You had taken his world and turned it around. When he looked at you, he saw a life of everything he had ever wanted and never thought he’d have. You’d given him a chance at a future. If you’d asked him a little over a month and a half ago if he ever saw himself settling down, he would have probably laughed in your face. But now? The thought of you as his wife? A mom? To his children? A family that the two of you would build together? He’d marry you today and give you a football team’s worth of kids, if that’s what you wanted.

Fuck, he hoped that’s what you wanted. 

He would have let himself play out the rest of that fantasy in his head for as long as he could, if it wasn’t for the grumble in his stomach, loud enough to snap him out of his daydreaming. Javi looked up at the clock, realizing he had worked his way almost an hour past his lunch. Lately, he’d had the luxury of spending practically every night at your apartment, you insisting that you wake up with him every morning and make him breakfast and lunch before he went off to work.  Even though he had stayed over last night, he practically had to force you to stay in bed this morning, trying to tell him that your headache wasn’t even that bad after you practically winced in pain when he turned on the light to get himself ready. He’d promised you that he’d be just fine going out to get lunch today, and that he’d call during his break to check in on you. 

Pulling back up to the parking lot of the station after stopping at Alejandro’s Deli to pick up a sandwich (and extra chips and a cookie for you when he came home), Javi opened up his cell phone to call you, taking a bite of his lunch while the dial tone rang. 

“Hi, Jav.” Your voice instantly spreading a smile across his face. 

“Hey, Osita. You feelin’ any better?” 

“Yeah, a little I guess. I’m an idiot, I should have known this was gonna happen.” 

Javi scrunched his face in confusion. “What? How were you supposed to know you were gonna have a headache this morning?” 

“I uh…” You paused for a second, letting out a huff of nervous laughter. “I uh, I totally forgot I started my period today. I always get really bad headaches when they first start, and considering it happens every month, you’d think I’d remember, but apparently not. Makes sense why I cried at that commercial of the dog getting adopted yesterday.” You both laughed, it now making a lot more sense to Javi why you had seemed a little off the past few days. “I um… I know you were gonna come over after work today, but, um, don’t feel like you have to.” 

He paused, trying to read the tone in your voice. “What do you mean? Do you not want me to come over?” 

“No, I do, sorry, it’s just- If you’re weirded out by it cause you think it’s gross or whatever, I understand-” 

“Hermosa.” He interjected, cutting you off. 

“Yeah?” 

“It’s not gross, and I’m not weirded out by it. It’s totally normal, you don’t have to apologize for anything. I’m still planning on coming over tonight unless you tell me otherwise. I’ll pick up dinner and we can hang out and watch a movie together, sound good?” 

“O-okay.” He could practically hear the relief in your voice through the other end of the phone. 

“I gotta head back in to work, but I’ll call you when I’m leaving and you can tell me what you want for dinner and if you need me to pick anything else up for you, okay?” 

“Okay. Thanks, Javi. You’re the best. Have a good rest of your day. I love you.” 

“I love you too, Osita. Bye.” 

I love you. God, it never got old. 

 

Knock, knock, knock. 

You were glad to hear the familiar tapping of Javi’s knuckles against your apartment door, the promise of his presence bringing you joy in what otherwise had been a pretty miserable day, considering how terrible you felt. 

“It’s unlocked!” You yelled from the couch, curled way too deep in your blanket with your heating pad to bother getting up. 

“Baby, you really shouldn’t leave the door unlocked, makes me nervous when you’re here all by yourself.” Javi grumbled, kicking off his shoes by the door before setting down all the things he was carrying in his hands on the kitchen table. 

“Sorry, Mr. Safety. You know I normally do, I really just didn’t want to get up if I didn’t have to.” You replied sheepishly. Even though he wouldn’t admit it out loud, it didn’t take you long to figure out that Javi was incredibly overprotective of you. He knew how stubborn you were, and that you were more than capable of taking care of yourself, but that didn’t stop him from double checking all the locks in your apartment before you went to bed, or making sure that you told him if you going out somewhere so he didn’t worry if he called your apartment and you didn’t pick up. Was it a little much? Yes. But did it absolutely melt your heart knowing he cared so much about you? Also yes. 

You popped your head over the couch to see Javi in the kitchen with 2 different grocery bags, a pizza, a McDonalds’ bag, and flowers. “Javi, what the hell did you get?” You laughed as he stood at the table, unpacking the items. 

“Well, I got two different types of tampons because I wasn’t sure which ones you prefer, a box of Midol, a Twix bar, chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, a bag of potato chips- the wavy kind because apparently those ones taste better, pizza for us for dinner and McDonalds french fries for you, because even though you said you only wanted pizza on the phone, you still brought up the french fries like 4 goddamn times. And flowers, just because.” 

When Javi had called to tell you he was leaving work and asked what you wanted for dinner or if there was anything else he could pick up for you, your only answer was that you just wanted pizza and that maybe fries also sounded good, but not to worry about it. You hadn’t asked him to get you anything else, and yet, he showed up to your apartment with all of your favorite snacks, pain meds, flowers and tampons. It didn’t help that you were already emotional, feeling yourself on the brink of tears realizing just how much Javi cared about you. Jesus, this man was too good to you. 

“Jav, you didn’t have to get all this. Thank you. God, I love you.” 

“Of course, Hermosa. Anything you need, just let me know, okay? I love you, too. You hungry?” 

“Absolutely. Tell that to the sleeve of Oreos I already crushed earlier today.” You both snickered as Javi put away the rest of the groceries and changed out of his work clothes before bringing you both over a plate of pizza to the couch, yours with extra fries. “Thanks for still wanting to come over tonight.” You said gently, shuffling over to snuggle next to Javi on the couch, leaning against his shoulder as you took a bite of your dinner. 

“Osita, you don’t need to thank me. I just want to be here for you, whatever it is that you need. I just feel bad you have to go through all this shit.” 

“Just another one of the wonderful perks of being a woman!” You rolled your eyes, sarcastically, taking a bite of your fries. “To be honest, there is a tiny bit of me that was relieved today. Not that I don’t trust it or that I don’t take it religiously, but phew, my birth control has really been working overtime this past month, so I’m glad to know you didn't beat it. ” You both quietly laughed to yourselves, Javi swallowing before taking another bite of his pizza. He was quiet for a moment, but you could practically hear the wheels turning in his brain, like he was calculating his words before he spoke. Little did you know, at that moment, his head was flooded with his thoughts from earlier today, imagining the life you two could have together, if you’d let him. Maybe there was a subconscious part of his brain that wished he had beaten your birth control, because you were both a little unprepared for the next sentence that came stumbling out of his mouth. 

“Would you, uh, do you, um, not right now, but do you… Do you ever want kids?”  He looked down at the floor, taking a deep breath before turning back to you, anxiously waiting for your response. 

Oh fuck me. As if you weren’t already enough of a hormonal mess, the thought of Javi as a dad? Little baby Peñas? Oh God, you could practically feel your ovaries bursting at the seams. You’d be blatantly lying to yourself if you said you’d never thought about it, but hearing him be the first one to say it out loud? Oh boy. You fought with everything in you to not burst out in an ear to ear grin, trying to mentally compose yourself before answering the question. “Um, yeah, I do. I always have. Like you said, not right now, but yes. I- I do. Do you? Want kids?” You looked over at Javi, rubbing his hand against the back of his neck, his cheeks red and face flustered.  

“I um, I used to, before Lorraine and Colombia, and uh, those both kinda fucked me up for a while. I just kinda figured it wasn’t in the cards for me anymore.” His gaze shifted towards the ground again, staring there for a moment before shifting back to you, his sweet brown eyes locking with yours, the softest smile gently spreading across his lips. “I didn’t think I would anymore, but uh, things are… things are different now. I do, too. I definitely do.” 

“Okay. Good to know.” You didn’t even bother trying to hide your smile this time, the best you could do was bite down on your tongue inside your mouth to try and keep you from grinning like a complete idiot. You nestled closer into Javi, pressing your head against his chest, smirking to yourself at how fast you could feel his heart racing as you leaned into him. He wrapped his arm around you, pulling you closer, placing a long, soft kiss on the top of your head as you both sat there for a moment in blissful silence. 

“Sooooooo, what movie do you want to watch?” You asked, trying as hard as you could to not spontaneously combust from the conversation the two of you just had. 

“Your pick, Osita.” 

“Return of the Jedi?” You smirked, knowing how much Javi had been dying to watch it since you showed him The Empire Strikes Back a few weeks ago. 

“I was hoping that’d be the one you’d pick.” He got up excitedly, shuffling through the VHS tapes under your TV before pushing it into the VHS player and hitting play. He repositioned himself on the couch so you could lay your head down on his thigh as he rubbed your back. “So, don’t feel like you have to, but uh, the department is throwing their annual picnic thing next weekend. I’m not sure if I wanna go, but if I did, would you wanna come with me? Sounds like it’s kind of a big thing, Miller and Carter have been on my ass about it since I’m supposed to RSVP by tomorrow.” 

“Well number one, I think you should go, if Carter and Miller are being that big of a pain in the ass about it, it has to be at least a little fun, right? I’ve never met them, but from what you’ve told me, they seem like they enjoy having a good time. Number two, I would absolutely love to come with you. I think it would be really nice to meet your co-workers. Or I guess, technically re-meet some of them if they came to present at school before you did.” 

“You mean you didn’t purposely trip into them to get their attention, too?” He chuckled, thinking back to the first time you had met. 

“Oh shut up, I did not trip on purpose!” You playfully nudged the leg you were resting your head on. “I just happened to be very lucky that you were incredibly handsome and charming, and were nice enough not to let me fall and embarrass myself in front of the entire 3rd grade.” 

“Whatever you say, Osita.” 

“Oh just shhhh and watch the movie, you meanie.” 

About halfway through the film, belly full of pizza, french fries and half the Twix bar Javi had gotten you, you could feel yourself getting sleepy. You were now laying on top of Javi, your face on his chest and his arm on top of your back, fingers running back and forth across your shoulder blades. You felt so warm and comfortable pressed up against him, it wasn’t long before you could feel your lids beginning to droop, your blinks becoming slow and heavy before your eyes finally closed, shortly followed by the sounds of your soft snores against Javi’s chest. It had become very apparent to Javi that no matter what movie or TV show you picked to watch, if you were cuddled up against him, you were out like a light in no time. To be honest, he didn’t even care. There were few things in the world he loved more than you lying against him, falling asleep wrapped in his embrace. He truly hoped he’d get to spend the rest of his life explaining the second half of every movie you missed while you were fast asleep in his arms. 

Mmmmmhmmmm, Javi… 

Oh, fuck, babyyyy 

It feels so good….

Ahhhhhhhh, please-

“Ahg! Fuck!” You shot up in your bed, grasping at your sheets, your breathing heavy and labored as your eyes sprung open, greeted by the darkness of your bedroom. You paused for a moment, grounding yourself, shaking your head as you scrunched your face tightly before opening your eyes once more, looking over to find Javi still sound asleep next to you. 

Fuck, it was a dream. A good one at that, holy shit. 

You ran your hands through your hair, taking a few more deep breaths as you found yourself now wide awake, and very horny. You peeked over at the alarm clock on your bedside table, finding that it was still a good thirty minutes before Javi usually got up for work. If you weren’t on your period, you probably would have just woken up Javi to help relieve how worked up you had gotten from your dream- It wouldn’t have been the first time, and he certainly wouldn’t have been mad about it. But this was the first time you had been on your period since you started dating him. For as amazing as he was, there was one fact that you weren’t going to put past him. He was still a guy. Every guy that you had dated before him had all felt the same, and you assumed he would too- That he would wait for your period to be finished before wanting anything to do with, well, down there. That left you with two choices. 

Be an absolute horny mess until he left for work and then take care of yourself, which would probably still be another 2 to 3 hours from now. 

Take an extra early shower and take care of yourself before he wakes up 

Yeah, it was gonna have to be option two. 

Very quietly sneaking yourself out of bed, praying that Javi didn’t wake up for at least a little while longer, you tiptoed out of the bedroom, gently closing the bathroom door behind you as you turned on the shower. Besides it being fairly spacious for an apartment, another huge perk of your bathroom was the detachable shower head installed in your shower. Considering how much fun you and Javi have had together in the past month and a half, it had been a while since it had been put to use for its non-intended purposes. Once the water was warm enough, you stepped over the ledge of the tub, giving yourself a quick rinse before grabbing the shower head off the wall and bringing it between your legs. The jets of warm water splashing against your already throbbing clit were enough to at least start to ease some of the ache that was pooling in between your thighs, even though you desperately wished it was Javi who was helping you to relieve your neediness. You closed your eyes, reaching back for the memory of your dream that had woken you up just a few minutes ago, picturing Javi bending you over your couch as he plowed into you, over and over. You began to fidget the shower head in your hand, the water spraying back and forth against your sensitive nerves, feeling the heat begin to pool in your belly. 

“Mhmmmm, fuck, Javi…” You whispered to yourself, the image of him fucking you deeply and intensely overtaking your brain. You could feel yourself edging closer to you high, your breathing becoming deeper as you imagined him whispering those filthy, sweet nothings into your ear that he knew made you absolutely crumble. You were so consumed by the thought, that you hadn’t heard Javi get out of bed, had definitely not heard him as he opened the bathroom door, and were absolutely unaware of the fact he was now also wide awake and coming to check on why you were showering at 6:00 AM. 

“Hey, baby, is everything o- Oh.” He stopped himself midway through opening the shower curtain, realizing what he had just walked in on. 

“AH, Jesus Christ, Javi!” You screeched, dropping the shower head to the ground as you grabbed at the cool tiles of your shower wall to try and keep you from falling over. “Fuck, you scared the shit out of me!” You panted, trying to catch your breath, scrambling to put the shower head back up in its rightful position. 

“Sorry, I uh, I woke up and saw you weren’t in bed and heard the shower on, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” His face now a mixture of confusion and suspicion. 

“No, yeah, um, I’m fine, just um, you know, just, uh…” 

Think you idiot, think! You have to at least try to come up with a reason before you die of embarrassment.  

“Baby, it’s okay, talk to me. What’s going on?” Those stupid puppy dog eyes. When he looked at you like he was right now, no secret was going to be left untold. 

“Fuck. No, I’m fine, it’s just…. Fuck this is so embarrassing. I just, I had this dream and I woke up really horny, but I knew you weren’t gonna wanna do anything because I was on my period so I figured that-” 

“Hermosa…” He chuckled, taking off his boxers and tossing them on the floor before stepping into the shower with you. “When I told you if you needed anything, I meant it. This included.” He stepped closer to you, reaching down to grab your ass and nip at your neck leaving you stunned, trying to think of what to say next. 

“But, it’s just that, I just figured… Every other guy I’ve been with-” He placed a long, hot kiss on your neck before mouthing at your jaw, and whispering in your ear, the rasp of his voice making you shutter. 

“Well I’m not every other guy you’ve been with, am I? If you want it, sweet girl, you’ll get it. All you have to do is ask.” His hand snaked down your front, reaching under to rub his fingers against your already painfully sensitive clit, as you let out a pitiful whimper. 

“Javi…” 

“Just ask, baby. Ask me and I’ll give it to you.” He began to trace his fingers in slow, lazy circles around your mound, savoring every second of how already worked up you were. 

“Javi, I want you to fuck me. Please I want you to fuck me so bad.” You burried your head into the crook of Javi’s shoulder as you moaned. 

“There you go, Osita. That’s all you had to do. Hands on the wall, pretty girl.” You quickly complied, turning around so your arms pressed up against the tile, your back arched towards Javi as the warm spray of the shower hit your body. Javi stood behind you, one hand resting on your hip as he used his feet to nudge your legs open just a little further, the other stroking himself before feeling his tip slide against your folds. “Jesus, fuck me, you’re already so wet, Hermosa. What were you dreaming about that’s got you so worked up, huh?” He groaned, collecting your juices along his cock as he traced his length along your heat. 

“You, Javi. Fuck, I dreamed that you were fucking me and bending me over the couch, God, it felt so good.” You babbled, your brain short circuiting as he continued to run up and down you, your cunt clenching around nothing as you desperately waited for him to fill you. 

“Christ, Osita. Gonna have to save that one for later, aren’t we? How do you want it, baby? Wanna make sure you feel good.” He nipped at your shoulder as you could feel him lining himself up with your entrance. 

“Hard. Fuck, I want you to fuck me so hard, please.” You were almost on your knees begging at this point, you needed him so badly. 

“You sure that’s what you want, sweet girl?” You could practically hear the smirk in his voice as he finally pushed into you, taking you no time to adjust to his size with how worked up you already were. You finally felt him bottom out, his pelvis pressed against your ass, as he waited for you to respond. 

“Yes, yes, I need you Javi, I need you so bad.” Those were the last words you could find before you felt him pull all the way out before pounding back into you, making you cry out as you felt him brush against your cervix, every inch of him splitting you open. He quickly set his pace, fast and deep as he snapped into, each thrust making you whimper from the sweet stretch of how he filled you. The walls of the bathroom were rapidly covered with the obscene sounds of your moans and skin smacking against each other, drowning out the noise of the running water from the shower head above you. 

“Is this what you want, baby? Taking my dick like the good girl you are, letting me fuck you like this?” He gritted his words through his teeth as he rammed into you at a punishing pace, leaving you an absolute mess. His fingertips dug further into the soft flesh of your hips before freeing one of his hands to wrap around your front, thumbing at your clit. 

“Javiiiii, yes, fuckkkk, fuck.” You whined. The way he was pounding into you was making your vision go white, leaving you barely hanging by a thread as he wrapped his hand around your chest, pulling you to stand as he palmed at your breast. You could feel the tingle at the base of your spine building, your pussy beginning to flutter as his fingers ran faster and faster over your clit, his cock driving into, filling you completely. You could feel your legs begin to shake as sweet nothings fell from your lips, falling apart underneath him. “Fuck, Javi, I’m gonna, Ohmygodohmygodahhhhhhh.” You screamed out as you came undone, hitting your high with a rush of pleasure, Javi’s grasp around you the only thing keeping you from falling to the shower floor. With only a few more thrusts deep inside you, Javi followed suit, grunting as he spilled deep inside you, his cock pulsing as his seed covered every inch of your walls. Catching his breath, he slowly pulled out of you, as you gasped at the loss, legs shaking as Javi released his grasp around you. 

“Jesus fucking Christ.” You swallowed as you sat down on the edge of the tub, laughing to yourself. “You fucked me so good I don’t think my legs work anymore.” Javi joined in your laugher, extending out his hand to pull you back up to stand, cupping your face as he engulfed you in a deep, tender kiss. 

“Then my work here is done.” 

He winked at you as you rolled your eyes and playfully poked at his chest before he was peppering your wet body with the soft sweet pecks of his lips, spending the rest of your shower in a much better mood than when you entered it. 

 “Are you sure people are actually wearing bathing suits to this thing, or am I gonna show up looking like an idiot?” You shouted from your bedroom at Javi, who had been waiting for you in the kitchen after packing up the pasta salad you had offered to bring to the Sheriff’s Department Picnic today. 

“Yes, Hermosa, I’m sure. It says it on the flier- pool party, bring a swimsuit. I’m also in my bathing suit as we speak, so I can guarantee you will not be the only one there in one.” He laughed to himself as he leaned up against the kitchen counter, arms crossed over his chest. 

“Well that’s different, you just look like you’re wearing shorts and a T-shirt. I swear, guys have it so easy” You grumbled to yourself, finally deciding on a bikini before throwing it on and slipping on a coverup as you headed down the hallway. “You ready?” You asked, grabbing the bag of towels you had packed by the front door. 

“Really? I don’t get to see before we leave?” He raised an eyebrow at you, seeming disappointed by the coverup you had put on over your swimsuit. 

“Yes, really. We’re already 45 minutes late after you spilled all of our breakfast on the floor after deciding you needed to fuck me on the kitchen counter this morning. Knowing you, Javi, we’re gonna be another 45 minutes late if you see me in this bathing suit before we leave. Let’s go, you horn dog.” You laughed as you shook your head, grabbing your things as you opened the door to leave. 

“I didn’t hear you complaining… And we’d only be another 10 minutes late, I could make it fast.” He winked, grabbing the cooler he’d packed before locking and closing your apartment door behind you. 

From the amount of cars lining the street leading up to the Morris household where the annual picnic was being hosted, you were convinced you could have shown up 2 hours late and no one would have noticed. The impressive house was nestled on a corner lot at the end of the subdivision street, lined with other large homes in the newly built neighborhood. You and Javi were both relieved to find that the beverage cooler was one of the first things you found as you walked on to the large lot behind the house, already bustling with people, music blasting from the speakers by the pool. 

“Jesus, they weren’t kidding when they said this was a big deal, huh?” You looked up at Javi as he handed you one of the beers he had grabbed. 

“Fuck, I guess not.” He grimaced, taking a sip of his own drink before an older, broadly built man with salt and pepper hair approached Javi, outstretching his hand towards him. 

“Peña, good to see you. Glad you could make it.” You had a feeling it was Dean Morris, Javi’s boss and the host of the party, based on what Javi had told you about him, though his face looked semi-familiar to you. 

“Thanks for the invite. Beautiful house. Uh, Morris, this is my girlfriend-” Morris cut Javi off before he could finish the rest of his sentence, re-extending his hand out to you as you reciprocated. 

“Ah yes, I believe we’ve actually met before. I think I’ve had the pleasure of already meeting you one of the times the department had to come down to Alma Pierce. That’s a tough gig, if I do say so myself. Hard to keep those kids focused.” The wires clicked in your brain, remembering that Morris was the one who had made 80 3rd graders cry after talking about watching people get murdered by the cartel during his presentation. You politely smiled, pulling away from his handshake. 

“Yeah, it definitely is a lot of work to keep their attention. Thank God for summer vacation.” 

“Well, I definitely would have paid a lot more attention in school if a pretty lady like you would have been my teacher. Bet those little boys love being in your class. And their dads, too. Isn’t that right, Peña?” He let out a harsh and brash laugh, taking a hand and patting it on Javi’s back. “Daniels, you old bastard, is that you?” He shouted at one of the newcomers entering the party. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a buddy who just showed up whose balls I need to bust.” He nodded to both of you as he sauntered off, leaving Javi with a horrified look on his face. 

“Well, he seems absolutely charming.” You grimaced your face before taking another, much longer sip of your beer. 

“Jesus, Osita, I’m so sorry. I should have said something, he’s my boss and I-” 

“What are you talking about? I love when men do that to me.” Your voiced oozed with sarcasm, absolutely hating everything about how so many men felt entitled to degrade you about your profession as a backhanded compliment to try and tell you that you were attractive. 

“You get that a lot?” Javi’s face now looking more concerned. 

“Way more than you’d think was socially acceptable. Not the first time I’ve heard it, and to be quite honest with you, I’m sure it won’t be the last today.” You rolled your eyes, taking another long swig of your drink as you watched Javi’s jaw clench, his thumb rubbing along the tops of his fingers as they balled up in a fist. 

“Listen, if if any of these other bastards try to say shit to you, I have no problem putting them in their fucking place.” 

Your face went flush as you felt your heart pound a little heavier in your chest. You’d really have no problem handling yourself in telling any man to kindly fuck off if they were bothering you, but something about the way Javi’s protective instincts seemed to kick into overdrive had you feeling hot and bothered. 

“Cool your jets, killer. I’m a big girl, I can handle myself. I’ll be sure to let you know if I need you to put anyone in their place.” You giggled, mocking him as you pressed up on to your tiptoes to give him a quick kiss. 

“I know you can, Osita, just- some of the guys I work with are assholes who have no interest in being respectful. You absolutely are fucking sexy as hell, but you’re smart and funny and kind and you deserve to be treated that way.” He looked out around the crowd of people in the backyard before looking back down at you, sympathetically. 

“Thanks, Javi. I promise, I’ll be okay. The hockey player in me has no problem picking a fight if I need to.” You nudged Javi as you continued to walk further into the crowd. As you looked over the sea of people, you noticed two men frantically waving at Javi over by the pool, the taller, lankier one giving Javi an overexaggerated thumbs up as he looked in your direction, the shorter, stockier man next to him looking like he was rapidly nodding in agreement. 

“Looks like you’ve got a little fan club over there.” You laughed, giving a big thumbs up back to the two as Javi palmed his face, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“Jesus fucking Christ…” He whispered to himself as he saw Carter and Miller trying to flag him down in the crowd. 

“Carter and Miller?” You asked, still laughing at the pair and Javi’s embarrassment as he nodded his head. “Well, too late to escape now, let’s go say hi. At least that way we can be by the pool.” You grabbed Javi’s hand as you headed through the crowd. 

“Peña! So glad you came, man! We were hoping we’d see you! This your girl?” Carter smirked, raising his eyebrows at Javi as he gestured towards you. 

“I’ve actually never met him before, he’s kidnapping me and holding me at ransom to come to his party. No, I’m just kidding, yes, I am. It’s nice to meet you both, Javi’s told me a lot about you.” You smiled, reaching out to shake both of their hands as they laughed. 

“She’s fuckin’ funny, Peña. I already like her more than you.” You laughed as Miller elbowed Carter in the gut, causing him to drop his beer, spilling it down his shirt as it fell to the ground. 

“Way to go, ya fuckin’ doofus.” Carter groaned, peeling off his shirt. “I’m gettin’ the fuckin’ pool and then you’re getting me a new beer.” 

You were relieved to see that there were actually a fair amount of people in the pool, and it wasn’t a pool party where everyone stood awkwardly around the edge of the water without actually ever getting in. “Hey, I have to go drop off this pasta salad anyways, why don’t I grab you another one and then I’m about to get in the pool too. I love the heat but it feels like the surface of the sun out here. Does that work, Jav?” You asked, setting down your things before striping yourself of your coverup, revealing the light green, strappy bikini you had on underneath. You weren’t someone who was usually overconfident in themselves, but you did know that this particular bathing suit made you feel pretty damn good. As the 3 men turned around in response, Javi’s jaw just about dropped to the ground as he saw your swimsuit. “Javi?” You asked again, looking back up and the 3 who were all speechless, staring at you. 

“Uh, yeah, yeah, that sounds great, Hermosa.” Javi responded, his mouth still hanging slightly open as he looked you up and down. 

You grabbed the pasta salad from the cooler, walking over to Javi and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before whispering in his ear. “Told you we would have been another 45 minutes late if you saw me before you left. Keep it in your pants, Peña, we’ve got a long day ahead of us.” You gave his earlobe a quick nip before pulling away, giving him a wink as you walked over to the other end of the pool to set down your food. 

“Fuck me.” Javi muttered under his breath, eyes glued to you as you walked away. 

Javi turned behind him to see Miller and Carter quite literally biting their tongues, taking every ounce of willpower they had stored inside them to not ogle at you as you walked away. 

“I’ll say it once and then I’ll shut up about it, I promise, so please don’t kill me, but Jesus Christ, Peña, you are one lucky man.” Miller looked at Javi as Carter nodded rapidly in agreement. 

At that moment, Javi wasn’t even mad, because those two idiots were absolutely right. He was a lucky man, indeed. 

You were glad to see that Javi, Carter and Miller were already in the pool when you returned, your arms full of 4 beers and 4 Jell-O shots sitting on top of them. You tossed the drinks to each of the boys before sliding off the ledge into the water to join them. “I don’t know who Kevin is, but he very adamantly insisted that I take all of these Jell-O shots. The Laredo Sheriff's Department definitely seems like they enjoy having a good time.” You laughed as you popped the lid off your little container, slurping down the mixture and grimacing at the terrible vodka aftertaste it left behind. “Jesus, these are strong.” 

“Told you it was fun!” Miller said, motioning at you for one of the Jell-O shots. He took his, also scrunching his face after. “Yeah, knowing Kevin these must be double, probably triple the normal strength.” Carter followed suit, as you passed off the last one to Javi. 

“I’m good, Osita.” Javi smiled at you as he held up his beer. 

“You sure?” You gestured at him, waving the little plastic container at his face. 

“Yes, I’m sure. I told you I’d drive home. Either way, those look fucking disgusting. Plus, I have yet to see you drunk and was promised some obnoxious singing after you’ve had enough to drink.” He leaned over, kissing you on the head before you stepped back crossing your arms at him. 

“Only if you’re lucky, Peña.” You winked as you slurped down his Jell-O shot, sticking out your tongue in disgust after you finished. “Uck, I think that one was worse than the first.” 

It didn’t take long for you to make good on your promise of a drunken sing-alongs to Javi, already feeling decently intoxicated after your two beers and Jell-O shots. You were all giggles and smiles, feeling especially flirty Javi considering how hot he looked, all tanned and toned, the broadness of his shirtless shoulders practically taking you out at the sight of them. Javi was glad he was sober enough to keep his composure with the way you were dancing around him, seeming like you were finding any excuse to touch him and drive him absolutely crazy. He’d be lying if he said it didn’t fill him with a little sense of pride, that even as his co-workers stared at you long enough for Javi to shoot them a very subtle I swear if you keep looking at her like that, I’ll kill you look, you still looked at him like he was the only one there at that party, like there was no one else in the world you’d rather be with than him. After one of the speakers had finished blaring “Tubthumping”, who you had drunkley insisted to Javi was sung by “The Chub Chubs”, making you crack up in hysterics every time you said the name, you hopped out of the pool, telling Javi you were going to piss your pants if you didn’t go pee right this second. Javi insisted that he go with you to help you find the bathroom, not because you weren’t more than capable of doing it on your own, but because he didn’t trust a single one of any of his fucking co-workers with the way they had been looking at you, who were now equally, if not more drunk than you were. 

Javi wrapped you up in your towel before taking your hand and leading you through the crowded patio and into the house, where you found the bathroom, tucked around the corner of the kitchen. “I’ll wait right here for you, okay?” He said, giving you a sweet smile as you opened the door. 

“You better be, you’re not allowed to disappear on me, or I will be very sad that I don’t get to stare at your handsome face the rest of the night.” You crossed your arms at him, poking his bare chest as you giggled to yourself. 

“Go pee, you dork.” He laughed as he shook his head, gently pushing you into the bathroom, very amused by your drunken state. 

As he closed the door behind you, he couldn’t help but keep laughing to himself as he listened to you singing along to “Wannabe” by the Spice Girls over the sound of you flushing the toilet, now pressing his ear against the door as he heard you talking to yourself as you washed your hands. 

“You know what I wanna be?” You pointed to yourself in the mirror, giggling at yourself as you wiped your hands on the towel hanging by the sink. “I wanna be Javi’s wife. Oh my GOD, I love him so much. I wanna have that man’s babies, cause ho-ly shit. Jesus, he’s gonna be such a hot dad. Like, the kind of dad that comes in a parent teacher conferences and all the teachers go that's a hot dad, and I can be like, he's my hot dad. Wait, not like my- ew not like my father, that's not what I meant, but you know, you're the one talking to yourself. Okay, pull it together ya drunk ass, that’s a long way off, but a girl can dream. Go get back out there and find your sexy ass boyfriend, dummy.”

That was the second time today Javi found himself with his jaw practically on the floor, trying his best to compose himself as you stumbled out the doorway. “What are you smiling at?” You raised an eyebrow at Javi, leaning against the doorframe, cheeks red and grin wide. 

“You have a good talk in there, Osita?” He smirked as you stood there in shock, just about ready to die from embarrassment. 

“Did… did you hear what I said in there? Please tell me you didn’t hear what I said in there. Oh my god, oh my god, oh my goddddd.” You buried your face in your hands, unable to bring yourself to even look at Javi. 

“You really think about all that stuff, hermosa? All that stuff you said?” Even with your hands covering your painfully scrunched face, you could feel his sweet brown eyes practically burning a hole into you, leaving all of your secrets exposed. 

“Of course I do. All the time. I know I’m drunk, but my pants are not on fire because I am not lying. And I’m not even wearing any pants. Wait, that doesn’t make sense…” drunkenly lost in thought, Javi reached down, grabbing a handful of your ass before tilting his chin up towards you, his thumb stroking along the line of your jaw. 

“Jesus Christ, I love you so fucking much, you know that?” 

“I do, because you tell me all the time and I love you very, very, very, very lots of verys much too.” You giggled, smiling up at him. He leaned into you, planting a soft kiss on your lips, his mouth sweet and tender against yours as they met. He grabbed your hand, locking his fingers between yours as he led you back through the house, his eyes glued on you as you shuffled your way through the crowd. 

“Peña, I was hoping I’d see you again!” Javi stopped abruptly as a large hand grasped around his shoulder, making him turn around to see the group of men standing around the kitchen table you were just about to pass. Morris’s gruff voice had you both freezing in your tracks, already bracing yourself for whatever stupid, inappropriate comment he had up his sleeve. “Listen, I was hoping to talk to you about something, just the two of us. Do you have a few?” 

Javi looked at you with remorse, knowing there was really no polite way to say no to his boss who was already practically dragging him away from you. “Uh, yeah, sure.” Javi replied. “Just if it could be quick, okay? I don’t, I don’t wanna leave her here all by herself.” He gestured, nodding his head in your direction. 

“I won’t take up too much of your time, I wouldn’t wanna be away from such a pretty woman for too long either. Besides, she’s in good hands with these fine gentlemen, right boys?” He looked at the rest of the men still gathered around the kitchen table. You could almost feel Javi burning a hole with his eyes into each one of them, giving a look that said, you say or do anything stupid and I’ll fucking end you. It seemed everyone at the table picked up on the message as Javi gave you one last sympathetic smile before Morris dragged him away into the living room. 

“So, you Peña’s girl?” One of the dark haired men asked, taking a sip of his drink. 

“Uh, yeah, I am. It’s nice to meet all of you!” You tried to muster some courage, looking at the group of men now staring at you, feeling drastically more sober from the awkwardly uncomfortable circumstances you now found yourself in. 

“I’m Hernandez,” the man pointed at himself, “that’s Callahan,” he pointed at a taller, blonde man, “this is Richards,” a stockier man waved at you, “and this is Estrada.” Another dark haired man raised his drink at you as you tried to smile, waving back at them. You introduced yourself, the men silently laughing to themselves, as Hernandez spoke again. “Almost couldn’t fucking believe it when we found out Peña had a girlfriend, never though I’d live to see the day, that’s for fucking sure.” 

You pretended to laugh along with them, not really sure what he meant by the comment, but definitely knowing it didn’t make you feel great. “So um, what do you think Morris is talking to him about?” You asked, trying to see if the group had any insight why Javi’s boss was so insistent on speaking with him. 

“Oh, Mexico, 100%.” Estrada responded quickly, the other men nodding in agreement. “Gettin’ so fuckin’ bad down there, Morris has been on the phone with the DEA every other fuckin’ day trying to get Peña to go.” 

You could instantly feel your heart sink to the bottom of your stomach. They wanted to send Javi down to Mexico? They couldn’t just do that, right? There was no way he would go back to something like that, would he? 

“Fuckin’ DEA big shot Peña, Morris trusts him because of all the shit in Colombia. I heard it’s a goddamn mess across the border and they’re starting to get desperate.” 

“Couldn’t pay me enough money in the fucking world to go back to doing that shit, but I don’t know, sounds like Peña’s done enough fucked up shit to last him a lifetime, so what’s a little more, right?” 

It was like you had become invisible, the way they were talking about Javi in front of you. What the hell were they talking about? What had he done that was so bad? Was he ever planning on telling you? You could feel how fast your heart was pounding, your palms beginning to sweat as panic crept through you. 

“Someone’s gotta fucking do it. Richards and I were running the numbers the other day and the amount of coke they’ve got coming across the border now is fucking insane.” Callahan shook his head, setting his now empty beer bottle on the table amongst the large pile that had seemed to accumulate between them. 

“Listen, you guys already know how I feel about this shit.” Hernandez sighed, shaking his head. “The cartel is obviously a fucking problem, but it wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t for all the dumbass crackheads out there snortin’ this shit off the streets like it’s no one’s business.” 

Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no. Your hands began to tremble, your mouth painfully dry as you tried to swallow, frantically looking around for Javi, desperate to find a way out of this conversation as you felt your anxiety skyrocket. You knew where this conversation was going. You couldn’t do it. You couldn’t go through another conversation like this. Not again. Your brain was flashing images in your head as you heard your ears begin to ring, everything around you feeling like it was moving in slow motion. 

“He’s got a fuckin’ point. There wouldn’t be such a market for it if people weren’t so desperate to get their hands on it. Don’t these dumb motherfuckers realize how stupid they have to be to use that shit?” The men all laughed, their smug looks burning a hole in your chest as you felt your throat tighten with each breath. You tried with everything you had in you to fight the tears welling in your eyes, praying they’d stop or that you could find some way out of the conversation before you collapsed over the brink of full blown panic. 

“It is sad, the death count from that shit’s higher than it's ever been.” Richards chimed in, trying to bring some rationale to the discussion. 

“Honestly,” Hernandez spoke, breaking from his laughter, taking a swig of his beer, “and I hate to fucking say it, I do, but if these junkie bastards know better, it’s what they fuckin’ deserve.” 

That was it. Your brain snapped, sending you into full blown distress as you felt like the room was collapsing in on you. You could feel your heartbeat in your throat, pounding in your ears, as your body went numb, taking every ounce of strength in you not to fall to the floor in full blown hysterics. You couldn’t listen to this conversation anymore, not able to wait however long it would take for Javi to come back, you made up some half coherent excuse to the group that you needed to go get something from the car, desperate for someplace alone, away from everyone. You stumbled through the crowded house through the front door, trying so desperately to pull yourself together until you were back outside, away from anyone’s concerned looks and questioning glances. As you stepped off the front porch, the concrete sidewalk pinching against your bare feet and hot Texas sun pounding down on your skin, you burst into tears. Each sob was painful, your chest tightening with every breath you took as your mind raced at a million miles per minute. 

It wasn’t his fault. He didn’t deserve it. You tried so hard to help him. Was it my fault? Did I not do enough? Where’s Javi’s car? Where’s Javi? Please don’t let Javi leave. He can’t leave. I can’t do it again, I can’t do it, please, fuck, I can’t do it. 

Some way or another, you had managed to make it down the street to Javi’s truck, desperately shaking at the locked door handles before falling to the ground, legs curled up against your chest in a ball as you leaned against his tire, letting your fear and panic consume you whole. 

Back inside, Javi had finished his conversation with Morris, frustrated and annoyed he had taken up so much of his time with something he had absolutely no interest in. As he got back to the table where you were supposed to be, his defenses went up instantly, trying to find you. “Where the fuck is she?” Javi demanded, looking at the group of men talking amongst themselves at the table. 

“What?” Hernandez asked, barely looking at Javi. 

“My girlfriend, you fucker, where the hell is she?” 

“Jesus, calm down Peña. I don’t know, she said something about going out to the car.” Hernandez turned back to face the rest of his friends as Javi began storming his way through the party, pushing past people as he bursted through the front door, practically running down the street towards his car. His heart stopped when he found you, curled on the ground in a sobbing heap against his truck. In an instant, he was on the ground with you, wrapping his arms as tightly as he could around you, his heart racing almost as fast as yours. 

“Baby, what’s wrong? Osita, talk to me, are you okay? What happened?” His words were desperate and frantic as they fell from his lips, pulling you tighter in his embrace as you tried so hard to catch your breath, to get even just one word out as you sobbed against the soft skin of his chest. “Breathe baby, just breathe. It’s okay, I’m here. I’m here.” He took his hand, cradling the back of your head as he pulled you closer, the presence of his touch helping your mind to slow down for a moment, trying your best to stop your shallow, shaky breathing. “There you go, Osita. It’s okay, baby, deep breaths. Just breathe, I promise I’m right here, it’s okay.” You could feel him trying to slow down his own breathing, taking long, deep inhales and exhales as you rested against him, your face wet and messy buried in the crook of his neck as he held you. 

He’s here. Javi’s right here. He’s here.  

You repeated the words over and over again in your brain until you could feel the strain in your chest begin to ease, forcing yourself to take one deep breath after another, slowly starting to find relief from the panic that was flowing through you. Javi said nothing, just holding you as he breathed with you, squeezing you as hard as he could, like he was afraid if he let go, you would float away. After a few more minutes, you finally lifted your head off Javi’s chest, your eyes red and puffy as your cheeks glistened from the wet flow of your tears. Javi cusped your face so gently, his brown doe eyes heartbroken as he looked at the state of pain and fear he had found you in. “Baby, are you okay?” His words were shaky too, like he was pleading for something, anything, to know that you were alright. You bit down hard on your bottom lip, gulping down the tears you still were fighting against as you slowly nodded your head. “Osita, please talk to me. Please.” 

You weren’t even sure if you were going to be able to form a coherent thought. Tears streamed back down your face, your lips quivering and hands shaking as the wall that separated Javi from what you were about to tell him came crumbling down. It felt like your brain was short circuiting, your words beginning to flow out of you like a faucet who couldn’t be turned off. 

“They said, they said, they wanted you to go to Mexico. To go back like you did in Colombia, because of how bad things were there. But you can’t go back Javi, please I can’t lose you, I can’t lose someone again. It was like they were blaming him, like it was all his fault, it wasn’t his fault, it was my fault, I did everything I could, but he came back and he wasn’t the same. Please, Javi, you can’t go, I can’t do it again, I can’t do it, I can’t watch someone I love leave and come back a different person and let it ruin their life. Please Javi, you can’t leave me like Patrick, I can’t do it again.” 

Oh. Oh, Fuck.  

You fell back into Javi’s arms as the thoughts in your brain kept flowing from your mouth, sobbing between each sentence pressed against the tear stained skin of his chest. 

“I tried to do everything I could. When he came back from his second tour in Iraq he wasn’t the same. He couldn’t talk about what he’d seen or what he’d done. I knew he was hurting so bad. I came home one day and I saw him doing coke on the bathroom sink, and he swore to me he would stop and get help if I didn’t tell anyone. He said he just needed something to help him forget. I kept my promise. I didn’t tell anyone. Not my brothers, not my parents. I drove him to NA meetings, I tried to find him rehabs but he wouldn’t fucking stop. I just wanted him to stop. I just wanted my brother back. I finally had to say something, I had to tell my family because I couldn’t do it anymore. He found out and we got into such a big fight, we yelled and screamed at each other and I told him I hated him. I told him I hated him for what he’d done. I hated him because he wasn’t the brother I had before. I hated him because he wouldn’t stop. And that was the last thing I ever said to him. His friends found him in his apartment the next morning. He overdosed. He was just gone. It was like he just disappeared. I can’t have you disappear, Javi. I can’t. Please. I can’t.” 

Javi sat there silently as you sobbed in his arms. There were no words he could think of that could help. Nothing that he could say or do that could even attempt to patch the gushing wound that you had just ripped open for him. You had left yourself out in the open, bleeding and exposed as he sat there, helpless. He wished he could do something, anything, to take away just an ounce of the hurt and the pain you felt. But for now, all he could do was hold you, let you cry. Be there for you as you let the tears of pain and grief and hurt release from your body. The next words that came out of his mouth weren’t the words he should have said, but the only ones his brain could muster. “Baby… Why didn’t… Why didn’t you tell me?” 

You looked up at him, your eyes begging for forgiveness through their red and swollen tears. “I couldn’t, Javi, how could I? It’s your job. You’ve spent your whole life fighting to stop what happened to my brother. And now he’s gone. There’s nothing that you could have done. There’s nothing anyone like you could have done. It’s the fucking truth and it sucks. How am I supposed to let you live with that? I can’t be the one to add anymore to what you’ve been through. It’s my fault. It’s my fault that he’s gone. I tried so hard. I tried so hard, Javi. I’m so sorry, Javi, I’m so sorry, please don’t be mad at me.” 

He could practically feel his heart break in two seeing you hurt so badly. It broke him to see you blame yourself, to think you tried to hide this part of your life away to keep him safe. He hugged you so tightly, like he was trying to free you from the pain you had carried, make you feel safe and loved and to know that he meant it. He grabbed your face, using his thumb to wipe your tears, praying that you believed what he had to say. “It wasn’t your fault. Baby, please, it wasn’t. You did everything you could. I could never be mad at you. I’m so sorry, Osita. I love you. I love you so much. I’m not leaving. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll fucking quit before they make me go back. I’m not leaving you.” 

“You promise?” 

“Of course I do. I promise.” 

You let him hold you for just a few moments longer, saying nothing as you sat in the silence of his promise. You knew he meant it. You had never trusted someone like you had trusted him. In his words, in his eyes, in the way he held you like nothing else in the world mattered except for you. You knew Javier Peña meant every last word. You knew he’d keep his promise. 

You sat up a little taller, wiping your face with the back of your hand, trying to compose yourself, terrified to see the snotty, wet mess you’d become. “I don’t um… I don’t really wanna go back to the party, if that’s okay.” You spoke, words embarrassed and shaky as you stared sheepishly at the ground. Javi shook his head, only laughing to himself out of pure shock. 

“Osita, you were thinking about trying to go back there? Baby, I’m taking you home. Whatever you need, I’m yours.” His words made you shed a few more tears, this time a small smile spreading across your face as he helped you up off the ground, pulling you in for a long, tight hug, resting his nose among the soft waves of your hair. 

“Javi?” You whispered against the warmth of his chest. 

“Yes, Osita?”  

“Can we get ice cream on the way home?” 

“Of course, Hermosa. Of course we can get ice cream. I’ll drive you all the way back to Chicago for ice cream, if that’s what you need.” You let out a soft giggle as you hugged him just a little tighter before pulling away to look up at him. 

“Texas ice cream will do just fine.” 

“I’m gonna go grab our stuff and then we can head out okay? Are you gonna be okay waiting by the truck?” 

“I’ll be okay. Thanks, Jav.” He gave you a quick kiss on the head before running back to the house, returning quickly with your bags as he unlocked the door and helped you up into his truck. You sat in silence on the drive to Eva’s, one of your favorite ice cream places Javi had taken you to, ever since he had made good on his claim that they did, in fact, have the best cookies and cream ice cream you’d ever have. After ordering for the both of you, Javi brought your ice creams over to your favorite spot, a little park bench that sat in front of the small creek that ran behind the building. 

“Cookies and cream for you.” He said, handing you over your ice cream. “Chocolate and sprinkles for me.” He finished, sitting down next to you on the bench as you laughed to yourself. “If you’re gonna say something, just say it, Osita.” He smirked, knowing exactly what was on your mind. 

“I can’t believe that you try to deny that you have the biggest sweet tooth out of anyone I’ve ever met. Sprinkles?” You looked over at his cone, snickering at the little rainbow flecks covering the ice cream. 

“Whatever.” He smiled, taking a big lick out of his cone as he put his arm on the back of the bench, draping it over your shoulder. He paused as he looked over at you, just staring at your ice cream, lost in your own thoughts. “Hey.” He whispered gently, causing you to shift your gaze up at him. “I know it hurts. It never stops hurting, even when people tell you it should. We don’t have to talk about it anymore right now, but if you ever want to, I’m here okay?” You nodded, wiping away the tears welling behind your eyes. 

“Okay.” You sat there for another moment after finally taking a lick of your cookies and cream, watching the sun glisten along the babble of the creek ahead of you. “Can we talk about something else?” 

“Of course. What do you want to talk about?” Javi ran his thumb back and forth against your arm, drawing circles on your soft skin. 

“Anything. Literally anything.” You shook your head, trying to force yourself to let out a small huff of laughter. 

Javi grinned, taking another lick of his ice cream before he spoke. “I’m glad you made good on your drunk sing-along promise today. You’re right, it’s even worse than normal.” You let out a genuine laugh, nudging him as you finally let a smile creep across your face. 

“I tried to warn you. I blame those Jell-O shots.” You shrugged, rolling your eyes at Javi. 

“It was cute. Almost as good as your bathroom pep talk.” He chuckled as you looked at him in confusion. 

“What are you talking about?” You asked, taking another lick around the base of the cone to keep it from dripping. 

“Do you really not remember? I took you in to use the bathroom and you were talking to yourself in the mirror when you were washing your hands?” 

“What are you talking about? I don’t- OH. OH NO. I’m so sorry, I was really drunk. You were not supposed to hear that. How did you hear that?!” You could feel how hot your face was as your cheeks turned bright red, burying your head in the free hand you weren’t using to hold your ice cream. 

“You were practically yelling to yourself in the bathroom, Hermosa.” Javi chuckled, biting down on his lip. “Do you remember what you said?” 

“Of course I remember, why do you think I’m so embarrassed?” You replied, scrunching your face, looking down at the ground. 

“Why are you so embarrassed, Osita?” You looked up at him, surprised by how genuine he was, his voice soft and sweet, a smile peeking out of the corner of his lips. 

“Because… Because I shouldn’t have just, like, said that out loud. I don’t… I don’t wanna make you uncomfortable if you heard me say things that I want and you don’t. It was stupid, I’m sorry.” You looked back down at the ground, wishing you could repeatedly kick your past drunken self for letting Javi hear your rambles.  

“It’s not stupid. I want those things, too. God, I want those things, too.” 

You raised your head back up as Javi rubbed his hand along your back, making heat creep through your face, blushing, as you felt a smile stretch from one side of your face to another.  You ran your tongue along the top of your teeth as you took a deep breath in, exhaling and leaning your head against Javi’s shoulder. 

“You promise?” Your voice was low and quiet, almost soft enough to have gone unnoticed if he hadn’t been listening. Soft enough to have gone unanswered if what he had said wasn’t really true. 

“I promise.” 

You sat there quietly, the promise of his words dancing in the air between you. There were few people in this world that you trusted. It hadn’t taken long for Javier Peña to come into your life and become the one person in this world you now trusted the most. He had made you a promise- and you knew damn well that he’d keep it. 

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[raiynnah]

Academic Rivals (Wolfstar)

word count: 664

"Ugh, he's speaking Latin, that's so pretentious." 

"Remus, you speak Latin," Lily replies, rolling her eyes in exasperation. He ignores her.

"I bet he was born with a silver spoonful of dead languages stuck in his mouth.”

"What a delightful image."

“I hope he chokes on that spoon,” Remus continues, crossing his arms and glaring across the room where James Potter’s thundering laugh echoes from as Sirius Black grins in a way that could rival the sun. Lily scoffs. 

"What a prick, no regard for other people's peace and quiet."

"Lily, you have no regard for anyone's peace and quiet." And it's true, she can yell her lungs out when angered. 

"Shut up and stop staring at Sirius before he and his annoying best friend come bother us." 

"I'm not staring!" Lily grabs her backpack, throwing it over her shoulder just as the bell rings to mark the end of lunch. Her salad is still mostly uneaten next to Remus’ sandwich, both of them having been too wrapped up in conversation to really eat.

"Totally are,” she says back before glaring at James again, who seemed to have developed a sixth sense quick enough to wave at her excitedly at the same time. She picks up her newest book of feminine literature and her half-eaten salad, huffing in irritation at the boy that hasn’t left her alone since he found out she existed. Remus follows her lead, wiping imaginary dust off his uniform as he grabs his Latin textbook, and starts to head to class. From a few tables over, Sirius Black scowls at him but he pretends not to notice.

“Meet up after school?” he asks her, “My mom is baking.”

“Anything for Hope Lupin’s pastries,” she says, winking at him. “Tell me, is she still sure she doesn’t want to run away with me?”

“No, Lily.” Remus clicks his tongue disapprovingly but can’t help but smile at his best friend. “She’s still not accepting your marriage proposals.” Lily sighs.

“A shame, that.” Remus nudges at her as they take a turn in the hallway.

“If you’re that desperate for marriage…” He starts and looks pointedly at her.

“Don’t you dare, Lupin! If I accept a date with James Potter, take me to see a doctor because it will never, ever happen!” She’s almost shouting now as she shakes her fist at him in anger. Remus’ cringes at the weird looks they get from the people around them.

“Alright, alright, pretend I didn’t say anything,” he replies, palms out placatingly. She glowers at him playfully as they enter their classroom, which is less haunted by dead languages than it is the smell of jocks like Sirius Black, who somehow made it to class before them.

Remus sits at his desk, deliberately not looking at the desk that is unfortunately situated right next to him, and waits for class to begin. Professor McGonagall sits at the teacher’ desk, hands clasped together tightly, and dares to smile as she sends Remus to his execution without even a warning.

“For your next project you will be required to translate an excerpt from the writings of Cicero, which I will assign to you in a minute,” she tells the class mercilessly, “And you will work with the person next to you.”

The person next to you. Sirius. Remus almost complains but one look from McGonagall silences him, as if she knew that some people would argue and is ready to smite them at the smallest hint of rebellion. Work with his sworn enemy or face his professor’s disapproving glare. In his peripheral vision he sees Sirius watching him contemplatively, most likely stuck in the same dilemma.

Suddenly, a crumpled note hits him in the face. Remus frowns as it lands on his desk, pretending not to notice before succumbing to his curiosity. He unravels the note cautiously. Who knows what evils could be hidden in this wrinkled piece of notepad paper?

auribus teneo lupum

Remus snorts. Clever.

Meaning 'holding a wolf by its ears' aka being in a dangerous situation where both holding on and letting go could be deadly. Kind of like 'stuck between a rock and a hard place'. Obviously also a play on Remus' last name

[thisismeracing]

King of my heart | extras | Mick and Yn create a playlist together

― Summary: Yn and Mick are still threading through their feelings, none of them yet aware of how deep it is. Some say that actions speak louder than words, but guess songs do too sometimes. ― Word count: 1.3k ― A/n: This can be read as a stand-alone, but it’s better when you’ve read the series. ― Warnings: mention of food; tooth aching fluff.

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“I created the playlist,” Yn shares once she finds Mick in the garage. It’s close to lunchtime, and some of the crew are already leaving to eat at the paddock cafeteria. George is pointing something to Mick on the computer to which he simply nods before turning to Yn. “I just sent you the Spotify link,” she adds.

His eyes take her in and he nods again. He wants to say a lot of things, how beautiful she looks, how he missed her the whole morning, how boring it felt without her laugh, how happy he is that she created the playlist, that way he’ll have yet another excuse to text her, but he just nods. A lot of the things that are going through Mick’s mind are making him choose to keep his lips sealed. He knows each little thing can and will be pointed to by his friends as catching feelings.

The worst thing is that he believes that maybe it is true.

Maybe he is falling for Yn.

His friend’s sister. 

His co-worker's sister. 

“What playlist?” George asks, poking his head in their direction and Yn rolls her eyes playfully.

“It’s nothing, you’re a driver, not a reporter, you don’t need to know everything,” her retort makes Mick throw his head back in laughter and even Russell himself can’t contain the snicker.

“You’ve been walking too much with Lando, you’re getting sassier,” the British points while taking off the headphones from around his neck.

“As it happens, I’ve actually been walking a lot with you, George.” 

Mick snickers watching the whole interaction the way you watch a tennis match, head going from one side to the other to catch the faces the duo is making. 

“Anyways, I gotta go have lunch, you two have fun,” Russell patted Yn’s and Mick’s back before leaving them alone in front of the computer.

“Are you having lunch in the cafeteria with everyone?” he asks but what he really wants to say is: would you like to have lunch with me? 

Yn shakes her head, “I ordered lunch.”

“Oh-”

She adds before Mick can say something else, “I ordered two…you said you wanted to try that salad last time, and I thought-”

“Awesome! So we go through the songs while we eat lunch,” Mick has a small smile on his pink lips, whereas he’s jumping up and down inside. 

Yn nodded, starting the track to one of the meeting rooms she used to work while in the garage. Mick is right behind her, and the silence until they reach the door is peaceful. Yn left the package by the table along with two bottles of water, but they settled on the couch sitting in front of each other. Shoes discarded on the ground, legs crossed.

“I already added one song, I’m sorry,” Yn starts and Mick nods, silently asking her to continue. “Die Hard, by Kendrick Lamar.”

“This song is amazing!”

“Do you like it?” Yn asks, smile wider this time, and Mick nods.

“Can I add Lost by Frank Ocean?” the blonde asks and Yn jumps up and down while still sitting. 

“Yes!! Absolutely!!” 

She digs her fork into the food before taking a bite. Mick sips his water, and then asks, “So, you add one I add one? And we only add the ones we agree on or? How’s this gonna work?” 

“I think we can make a mix, no need to agree, we will listen to everything afterwards and then we can talk about the ones we never heard before… that is if you agree.” 

“Well, I’ve never made a shared playlist like this before, so yeah, I agree.” 

Yn smiles, “I do them all the time with Lewis, he hasn’t surrendered to Taylor Swift quite yet, but I always try,” Mick chuckles. “Anyways, I think we should add some classics like It Wasn’t Me, we were listening to it that day in the car, you remember?” 

“Yeah, you sang that Mick song too.” 

“Oh, Mick, you’re so fine, so fine you blow my mind,” she sang teasing him and the German rolled his eyes playfully, a flush creeping from his neck to his ears.

“Does she actually sing Mick?” he’s truly curious.

Yn shakes her head, “But I do,” the way she winks at him makes his stomach roll and feel cold in a strange yet good way. “She sings Mickey, but I think Mick fits better, don’t you think?” 

Mick is at a loss for words, so he chooses to stuff his mouth with lettuce and shrug instead of answering. How could he answer? Were they flirting? What the hell was this feeling in his stomach? 

“I propose we add the songs and go through it in real-time. Open the app there,” she points to his cell phone and Mick does as she says. 

“You just added Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls,” he states and taps his fingers on the screen adding Tennessee Whiskey, watching Yn as she furrows her brows.

“I’ve never heard this one.” 

“What?” 

“Yeah, I don’t know much about Country music,” she confesses.

“I’ll add my favorite ones for you.” 

Yn smiles at him.

They go about eating and adding songs to the playlist. There’s a smile and a giggle here and there, sometimes laughter, and frowns with the unknown songs. 

Yn is sipping her water and looking at the phone, when she sees a new song pop on the list, “What does ‘schön’ mean?” 

“I’m adding some German songs for you,” Mick explains, but Yn is not satisfied with the simple answer.

“‘Mkey, how do you say this?” 

“Sch-ön,” he slowly mouths and she giggles.

“With kissy lips?” Mick nods. “Man, you Germans are kinda cute. You make kissy faces every time there’s a word with this thingy?” 

“Umlaut,” he explains, holding back a chuckle. “And yeah, kinda.” 

“So…what is this song about?” Yn asks, hitting play.

Mick watches as Yn bops her head to the rhythm, a grin on her plush lips and her eyes closed.

Du bist schön und es macht Spaß, dich anzuseh'n

(So schön)

Du bist schön und meine Augen sind verwöhnt

(Verwöhnt)

Du bist schön, uh, du bist schön

“What is he saying, Mouse?” 

“You are beautiful, and fun to look at. You are beautiful and my eyes are… spoiled,” he tries to focus on the lyrics, but the second her eyes open and they find each other the song becomes mere background noise. “You’re beautiful,” this time his voice is a bit softer.

“Did he sing that again?” 

Mick shakes his head, notices what he just did, and then nods. 

“Yeah, it’s… it’s a simple song, it’s a good choice if you want to start learning some words in German.” 

They go about adding songs in silence again, until Yn jumps from the couch hitting play on yet another song, “Oooh, this one’s good, you’ll like it!” 

“Taylor Swift?”

“You were able to identify, that’s a good start. Yes. This one’s called Karma, it totally has your energy, Mouse.” 

Mick furrows his brows in confusion and Yn starts walking around the room while explaining to him the story behind the music which took them over twenty minutes, but the Schumacher wasn’t bored, quite the opposite, he listened to everything, asking one question here and there, and chuckling at her enthusiasm. 

It’s only when Lewis texts Mick telling him lunchtime is over that they wrap up their conversation, agreeing on adding songs to the playlist whenever they find something the other might like or should see. 

“Thanks for lunch. Guess I owe you dinner now, huh?” 

Yn sucks her bottom lip into her mouth, and Mick’s eyes drop slightly following the motion. 

“Yup,” she nods. “See you in a few, Mouse.” 

And when the door closes behind the blond Yn sighs. Her brother would have to forgive her. Not liking Mick was getting harder and harder. 

― ⋆🪩 VOICEMAIL: Hi, besties! I hope you guys like this piece! A huge shout out to my ☕️anon for proofreading this piece so quick ❤️ Don’t forget to reblog and comment, and follow me if you liked it!

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[gretavanlace]

Poppins (Epilogue)

18+ only! Minors do not interact!

Warnings: graphic sexual content, unprotected sex, language, oral sex (f rec), dirty talk, impact play, etc, happy tears, idk

Thank you for sticking with Poppins and all the heartbreak that came with it. I hope we can all breathe a collective sigh of relief and acknowledge that this was the only ending that was right for our dear characters. I love you all and thank you for going along for the ride with me❤️ ps- I didn’t expect to post this until tomorrow so it’s very lightly edited, forgive me

Josh’s warmth is what wakes you. His weight carefully hovering over you; chest pressed against your back, mouth humming along with tiny, breathy sounds as his lips travel the curve of your jaw.

You nuzzle further into the pillow, which feels a little too warm under the muted sunlight filtering into the room for your liking. You’ve never been much of a morning person.

Slowly though, he and Lil are changing that. Their sunny dispositions mirror one another’s and feed off of shared glee as they happily greet each new day. It is nothing short of infectious.

It’s difficult to be grouchy in a home filled to the brim with their lovely early hour enthusiasm.

“Time to open your eyes, sleeping beauty.” His voice curls across the shell of your ear, low and slow. You know that voice all too well.

“Better slow your roll, Joshua,” You mumble, eyes closed, body still heavy with slumber, “She’ll be awake and climbing into bed any second.”

“She’s been awake, sweetheart.” His lips are kissing love into your hair, lungs breathing you in deeply. “We read outside on the swing, and shared an apple. I fixed her hair pretty and helped her get dressed, and then Grandma came and whisked her away for a birthday girl breakfast. It’s just you and me.”

A smile flashes on your sleepy lips, stealing his heart away, “All that without me?”

He drops down against you a little heavier, a delicious weighted blanket of a man. “We decided to let mama sleep in. You looked very peaceful.”

Mama, mommy, mom when she’s exasperated…every iteration makes your body flush with maternal devotion and pride.

It had been over a dinner of pasta and salad when she’d first called you mommy like it was the most natural thing in the world. Picking at her plate, fist clutched around her fork, shoving a cherry tomato around, she’d explained how uncle sammy had made her angry that afternoon.

“I told him I wanted to hold Rosie’s leash,” she’d lamented. “But he said I’m too small to hold it at the dog park because she tries to run. I’m not too small though, mommy, I’m not!”

Josh had soothed her with something you hadn’t really heard through the blissed out ringing in your ears, cleared his throat, and excused himself.. You’d found him leaning over the bathroom sink, blinking tears away.

“Josh, I didn’t…” you had stumbled stupidly over your pitiful explanation, “I didn’t ask her to call me that. I’d never do that. I’m sorry, I understand why you’re upset….”

He’d turned on you so quickly you’d taken a step back in surprise, “Upset? Are you kidding me? I’ve never been less upset in my life. I don’t think I can even remember the definition of the word right now.”

Words kept in whispers, lest she overhear, he had pulled you into his arms, chin hooked over your shoulder to keep you close as he spoke, “I’ve waited such a long time for my little girl to have that moment that she just had. To be able to talk to her mama about her day while pretending to eat her vegetables. You belong here, sweetheart…you always have.”

What always stands to you about that moment of tears and whispers in the bathroom, of all places - what you think will always make you smile the hardest when you remember that night, is the fact that he never once asked you how you felt about it. He never asked if it had made you uncomfortable. Never questioned your love for Lily, he knew. He knew.

And now here you lie, cozy under the covers with your beautiful Josh pestering you with adoration and kisses, while the incredible little human being who calls you mommy shares a birthday breakfast with her grandmother.

“All alone,” Josh hushes into your ear, breaking the spell of innocence clouding your head. “Just me,” he leans up on his elbow, making room for his hand to slip beneath the sheets. “And you.”

“Joshua Michael,” you scold lightly, parting for him when his fingers begin to walk up the inside of your thigh, “You’re an insatiable pervert, you realize…a deviant.”

His giggle, huffed and sultry, somehow parts your thighs even further. “I’m not the one spreading my legs like a whore. I’ve barely touched you. Naughty girl.”

A shiver shakes your spine, driven by his words and the fingers he’s now sweeping over your panties. He is sunshine and light, love and laughter, all wrapped up in a gorgeous package that can switch on a dime and drench you in filth.

“I also happen to love it when you middle name me…” he confesses, circling your clit just to listen to you sigh. “Makes me impossibly hard.”

As if to prove himself, he grinds his cock into the small of your back, smiling against your cheek when you whimper.

“Listen to you,” he sounds mockingly sympathetic, “you’re very whiny, and so soon. Why, baby? Are you wet? Is it all slick and hot right here?” He presses at your panties a touch harder, “Would my pretty girl like to cum?”

“Listen to you,” you turn the tables, reaching back to drag your nails against his scalp. “You’re being very dirty. I think you’re feeling whinier than I am. You just hide it better. Isn’t that right, Josh? You’re just eager to fuck me all filthy and nasty in this big empty house where no one can hear, aren’t you? You want it, don’t you?”

He’s rocking into the swell of your ass now, fingers sliding over you, pressing satin into your folds, tapping at your swollen clit, teasing teasing teasing.

“Yeah,” his breath pants over your cheek, hard and quick, “yeah I fucking want it…and so do you. Cotton candy cunt is just begging for me, soaking your sweet panties, crying for cock. For my cock.”

Cotton candy never fails to make you weak, he’d called it that the first time he’d made you see stars, pressed up against the door that now stands open because there is no one here but the two of you.

His fingers have sneaked into your mouth, and you can’t seem to repress a prayer of his name as you suck and lick at them.

“Shh,” he hushes, so cocksure and sexy, “don’t talk with your mouth full.”

“Give it to me,” you pull away, longing for it to sound like a demand, but it slips off your tongue like the plea that it is as you reach back, trying to fight your panties down from your awkward position.

“Wanna taste you first,” he yanks your underwear down for you. “Want that beautiful pussy in my mouth, right in my fucking mouth,” with you bare enough for him to sink his fingers into the globe of your ass, he cracks a swift smack against it. “Tell me you want me to lick you. Tell me you want to cum pretty on my tongue.”

Your body is writhing now, twisting feverishly in a futile attempt to roll over and rip your nightshirt off all at once.

He’s having none of it, “I said fucking tell me,” he spanks you again, harder this time, groaning when you cry out, saturating the room with a needy, wailed moan.

“I want it, baby, please,” oh, how easily he can reduce you to a quaking, begging fool, not a thought in her head but Josh. “I want your mouth. I want to cum for you. Make me cry, Josh, make me fucking cry…make me cum.”

He growls out as his teeth drag over your cheek, and then your eyes are struggling to focus on the ceiling, head spinning from being flipped over without warning.

“Make you cum?” He’s taunting you now, kissing his way down to your breasts, making love to your nipples with his devious mouth. “Make you cry? Now why would I want to make my sweetheart cry?”

A soft bite arches your back away from the mattress, “Josh, baby….”

“Josh,” he whispers, tongue traveling the valley between your tits, “Josh, baby, don’t you sound meek? Like the prettiest wallflower who just wants to feel good…my sweet, sweet, sweetheart. I told you to fucking tell me…”

You know what he wants, and so you give it to him. “I want your mouth on me. I want you to lick me,” your hand fists in his hair, pulling him from your breast. “This, right here,” now you’re pinching at his plump, velvety bottom lip, fingertips pushing in to say hello to his warm, wet tongue “my pussy wants it so bad. Wrap these pretty lips around my clit until I make a mess.”

His face is buried between your legs so quickly you have to blink your way out of confusion. Just as quickly, you’re gripping and tugging at his curls, hips rocking up into his kiss while you beg him to stroke his dick while he devours your cunt.

“Yeah?” He mumbles, heavy and hot, into your aching flesh, “You want me to touch my cock while I eat this gorgeous pussy?”

“Yes, yes, yes…” you fall away into nothing sounds, mewling and keening into the morning light. A grunt as he shakes his face back and forth tells you he’s given you what you’ve asked for…and the sounds that chase that grunt shove you closer to the edge.

“I’m gonna cum…I’m gonna cum so hard,” it’s but a breath, you don’t know if he’s even heard you until his fervent nod answers back, save for the moans muffling from between your legs.

It is a warm wave that explodes over you as though you're the jagged, rocky shore. At the crest of it, you bolt upright, cradling his head against you as you pump your hips in time with your throbbing pulse, groaning like a jezebel until the walls drip with your sobs.

He doesn’t pull away until you’re pushing at his forehead and gasping for reprieve. When his breathtaking face resurfaces, it’s pink-cheeked and shining with your release.

“I’m fucking covered in you,” he crawls up, running the back of his hand across his mouth, mussing the soft hairs that perch above it. “Do you have any idea how fucking good you taste?”

He’s shoving and kicking his pants away as you pull his lips to yours, savoring your cunt and his need, all over them.

“Fuck me,” you’re clawing and pulling at him, hands flying about without care or thought as he bites at your collar bone.

“Yeah?” The tip slides, swollen and warm, against you, nudging at your quivering clit. “You want this? You want me to stuff your snug little cunt all full of me? Fuck you wide open?”

Your teeth are clenched and grinding though your reply, “Yes, fuck me…I want it, Josh. Give it to me, give it to your girl.”

That lazy drag against your center continues, “Think you deserve it, sweetheart? Does my baby deserve my cock this morning? Have you been a real good girl? Pout sweet, yeah? Make me want to give it to you.”

You turn your eyes soft, wide and wet, “Don’t you want to give it to me? Haven’t I been so good for you? Came pretty on your tongue just like you asked.”

A weak sound, something akin to a whimper, ripples out of his chest as he presses into you, gentle and slow. “Maybe you deserve just a little, huh? Don’t you, baby? Maybe you deserve just the tip, hmm?”

“Yes,” you lie, “Just the tip.”

He’s a liar too, and you both know it the second he slips inside.

“So fucking warm, sweetheart,” his mouth sinks into the crook of your neck, as he continues his relentless teasing, slipping just the silky soft head in and out of you “So fucking tight. Perfect, wet pussy, pretty and pink, greedy…all mine.’

“Yours,” you nod, pulling him in with your heels dug firmly into the base of his spine until you’re deliciously filled with him and rolling against his body like a glutton.

“Oh, you think you’re just gonna take what you want?” He sounds so sure of himself, but you can feel the resolve leaching from his frame, “Squeeze my cock with that needy cunt, then, sweetheart. Show me she loves it with a filthy little hug, dirty girl.”

You clench around him with a whine you wish you could say was purposeful, for as well as it works. The second it escapes your parted lips he’s pounding into you. Pressing into your lower stomach with a flattened palm and a hitching, “You feel me right here? You feel my cock right here, baby? So deep…fuck, so deep.” Fucking your body into the mattress as you claw at his shoulders, and gnash into his chest savagely.

“That’s it,” he grits out, huffing the words out between cruel snaps of his hips, “Tear into me, sweetheart. Make it fucking hurt. Harder,”

A growl, so reminiscent of a wild animal’s call, bursts forth from your heaving chest as you bite and suck at him, and it only serves to make him fuck away at you faster, deeper.

“Come on and cum for me,” his fingers are wrapped around the nape of your neck now, shoving your mouth against him. “Bite, baby, fucking bite. Hard. Do it.”

Sinking your teeth into his alabaster skin you let go, pulling away without weakening your grip, leaving a raised, purple and pink constellation in your wake as you shudder and convulse beneath his weight…calling his name, howling and shaking as those tears you’d begged for finally streak over your temples to chase each other into your tangled hair.

He’s lost it above you completely - cursing and grabbing at you wherever his wandering hands happen to land, his beautiful cock twitching frantically as it spills inside you. Filling you up, wet and dripping, as you both search for sure footing.

You haven’t all the time in the world, and surely you waste far too much of it staring at each other with his hands cupping your face - at last, he rolls to his side, curling himself around you until you feel safe and sound.

“You’re obscene, you know that?” You smile up at the ceiling, watching the fan as it swirls lazy circles above your heads.

“Oh yes, my love, I know,” he sighs, brushing a lock of hair from your face, “I make no apologies. We should shower.”

You nod, half sad to see it end, and half elated to get a move on for Lily’s big day. “Let’s shower, then I’ll run and pick up her cake. It won’t say Elizabeth this year, I can assure you. She’ll be in therapy over that for years,

Joshua.”

“Yeah, yeah…” his grip sinks into your ribs, tickling you gently. “Can you believe she’s five today? Five! I hate it.”

“I hate it too.” You nod, solemnly. “Talk to the science department on campus, tell them we need an anti-aging device or something.”

A laugh bursts out of him, dragging one out of you alongside it, “I’ll get right on that. Jake’s gonna be here around one, I told him his job is to blow up balloons. It’ll keep him quiet.”

“I bought a helium tank.” You remind him, toying with his fingers.

“He doesn’t have to know that.” His lips peck a quick line along your cheekbone. “I think he really might like this one. It’s getting kinda serious…well, as serious as Jake is capable of.”

“The girl he met in Lansing?” The jealousy that once might have lived inside your question is nonexistent. “Is he bringing her?”

“No,” his fingers tangle back around yours, “said today was Lil’s day and he wouldn’t draw focus from that. You know how he is.”

“He loves her so much,” now you’re choking up, but it’s because of Lily, not because of some errant territorial claim. Jake isn’t yours, and he never really was.

“That he does,” Josh nods and then tugs at you as he rolls off the bed and onto his feet. “C’mon now, sweetheart, shower time before the two most discerning women in our lives come back and discover us in a compromising situation.”

You follow after him, leaving the twisted sheets behind you, asking if he’ll wash your hair.

He turns around, eyebrow hooked like you should know better as he adjusts the water temperature. “Of course I’ll wash your hair, baby. I’ll take care of you. I’m always going to take care of you.”

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