#i also think that moon is always the one lifting other people up

[lyss-butterscotch]

Are you willing to do some what if scribbles or rambles maybe about what an alternate timeline would be like if sliver and nsh both shared moon(*projects my polyamory onto my blorbos*) or if moon just ended up with nsh in the first place? I think it would be cool to explore something like that

And also I’m just super self indulgent XD

I personally see them more as besties but i think they'd make a very sweet couple. Just 2 old souls getting some time for themselves free of their responsibilities. So lilypad doodles for the soul :)

[mountsmase]

I’m Yours

a/n : hi!! I can’t believe I’m finally posting this fic! I’ve had this concept sat in my drafts since March and I went through a bit of a hard time with writing but I’ve now turned this idea into something that I’m really proud of 🥹 this is the first time I’ve attempted to write something where the reader and Mase aren’t already in an established relationship, so I really hope that I did it justice and that you enjoy this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it!! These two are my babies 🥺 I really hope you enjoy ❤️ feedback is appreciated as always 🫶🏻 (also it’s my first time trying an actual header so please let me know what you think)

word count: 14k +

genre: fluff and smut

“There you are”

The deep rumble of your best friends voice startles you, his suit clad body brushing against the bare skin of your arm as he appears next to you.

Mason pulls out the chair beside your own, sitting down with you in the secluded corner of the crowded room.

The Together for Short Lives gala is well and truly underway, the large ballroom decorated in elegant black and gold furnishings as people talk amongst themselves around the room. It’s packed, an amazing turn out for such a meaningful event.

The evening so far has been nothing short of special, with a dinner followed by an auction, all of the money going to an amazing cause. Your heart filled with pride watching Mason up on the stage and you’re so grateful that he chose to share this night with you.

“You disappeared on me” Mason pouts, glancing down at the cocktail you’re holding in your hands before taking it from you and lifting it to his lips.

He takes a sip and you giggle at the face he pulls as he clearly didn’t enjoying the sweet tasting drink as much as he thought he would.

“Sorry, I just went to get another drink and then I couldn’t find you” You tell him, taking your glass back when he offers it to you.

“You should’ve called me, I’d of come to find you” He replies, and you try to ignore the way your tummy flutters at his words.

“I know you would’ve, but I can handle being alone for a bit, I’m a big girl”

There’s a playful glint in his eyes when you look up at him.

“But what if I wanted to come and find you?”

“Well you’re here now, so it couldn’t of been that difficult” You grin, watching as he rolls his eyes good-naturedly, and you’re briefly distracted when he reaches up to adjust his tie.

You and Mason have been friends for as long as you can remember.

Your dads used to work together when they were younger and they always had a close relationship both in and out of work, which led to your families becoming close as well. Your mums became inseparable when they were introduced, and a few years later, when you and Mason were born only a few months apart, you naturally became inseparable too.

You grew up together, your parents keeping you close despite the fact that you attended two different schools, and as you got older, your bond only grew stronger.

Some of your best memories are with Mason, you’d stay the weekend at each others houses, spend long afternoons doing homework together before playing in the garden, and there were even a few summers where your families had joint holidays.

It was the two of you against the world, and it had always been that way.

That is until his football career started to take off. You were so proud of him. Your friend was playing for one of the best clubs in the England and you were over the moon to see him doing so well.

But, it unfortunately meant that he became busier and was spending more and more time in London and away from Portsmouth. You tried your best to stay in touch, messaging all the time and video calling when you eventually got phones, but you can’t deny that it was hard not having him around anymore.

Things only started to get difficult when he went on loan to Vitesse when you were 18. It was harder to keep contact with him being away and being so focussed on football, but you’d never blame him for the fact you drifted apart.

You were in college at the time, spending any available minuet that you had on your classes, making sure you could pass your exams and get into the uni you’d always dreamed of attending.

It was difficult, you couldn’t be there for each other as much as you’d of liked to be, and as much as you’d both tried your hardest to stop it, it started becoming harder and harder as time went on.

You’d only see each other at family events like birthdays and weddings and it got to the point where you’d only talk once every few months or so. Even when he came back to the UK and was living in Cobham, you’d video call to catch up and then not speak to each other again for weeks unless you had something specific to talk about.

It was all part of growing up though. He was still one of your best friends, someone you knew you could trust and could call if you ever needed anything, and you were the same to him.

You both became increasingly busy, especially when he began playing for the first team and you were going through university, so it made sense that it became harder to make time for each other.

But, last year, it all changed.

After graduating from university and receiving your degree three years ago, you were presented with an amazing job opportunity in Manchester, which you just couldn’t say no to. It was a big change for you, moving somewhere so far away from home and having to start a new life in a new city, but you wouldn’t change it for the world.

You’re doing amazing at work, having received a promotion not even two years after joining your company, and you’ve got a cute little apartment that you’ve well and truly made your own.

You really didn’t think it could get much better, but you were proved wrong when Mason transferred to Man United last summer.

After a lot of uncertainty surrounding his career, Mason was relived to finally know who he would be playing for next season and was excited to start his new life up in Manchester.

You were one of the only people he knew in the city, and when he reached out, you offered for him to stay in your spare bedroom whilst he settled in and found a place to call his own.

He obviously took you up on your offer, loving the extra time he got to spend with you and the familiarity that came with being in your presence.

You had the best month living together. It was like you’d never been apart, all of those years of having distance between you forgotten. You’d cook dinner together, have movie nights, talk to each other after you’d had a bad day at training or work and even after he moved out and into his new home, you still spent as much time together as possible.

You had your best friend back, and you had truly never felt happier.

Now, fast forward 8 months, and you’re questioning if that’s really all you are anymore.

You’ve always known that Mason is an attractive guy. I mean, how could you not? He’s gorgeous.

But recently that attraction has grown deeper. And not only in a physical way.

The last couple of months have been filled with lingering touches and longing gazes, the line between friendship and something more slowly becoming blurred.

He’s no longer just Mason, your best friend, but he’s Mason, the guy you think, sorry, know that you’re in love with.

Mason is one of the few people who treats you like you’re somebody. He makes you feel like the most special girl in the world without even trying and you’ve had to remind yourself one too many times recently that there’s nothing more going on between you.

You haven’t mentioned your feelings to him because you’re scared. Scared of loosing him and ruining what is such an important friendship to you. Scared that you aren’t enough for him.

You didn’t have the best experience in your last relationship, and you know deep down that Mason would never treat you the way he did and that there’s nothing ‘wrong’ with you. You’re a pretty girl who has good morals and a good head on your shoulders.

But, the fear that you’re not good enough - that you wouldn’t be able to give him what he wants and needs - still clouds your mind, and it’s one of the reasons why you won’t admit anything to him.

And what if he doesn’t feel the same way? After the last couple of months you know deep down that he could, but the last thing you want is to throw away your friendship over it.

You just can’t ignore the growing tension between the two of you.

But…neither can he.

Mason has felt for a long time that there’s no one else for him but you, and his feelings for you just grew stronger after moving to Manchester.

You took him in and made him feel at home in a city where mostly everything was new to him, supported him through a tough transition period, and after moving out of your spare bedroom he found himself craving your company more than anyone else’s.

You feel like home to him.

Tough day at training? He wants to see you. He saw something funny on TikTok? It’s you he wants to send it to you. He burnt his toast that morning? He wants to tell you. You’re at the forefront of his mind all the time.

You’re the most beautiful girl he’s ever set his eyes on, both inside and out. You’ve got a heart of gold and he would do anything in his power to protect you from the harsh reality’s of the world. You’re the most important person to him, he just wants to make you happy and see you smiling all the time.

This tension that’s been building between you recently has been killing him, and as much as he worries that you won’t feel the same way, he doesn’t think he can hold in his feelings much longer.

There’s been too many moments where he’s had to stop himself from leaning in and claiming your lips with his own, and it’s been becoming harder and harder to restrain himself.

Especially tonight.

He’d invited you to join him and Lewis as a plus one to the black tie gala, wanting to experience the evening with you and share something that’s always been so special to him.

When you stepped out of the lift earlier in the evening, his heart soared at the sight of you in your floor length gown. You left him speechless, and he’s not been able to take his eyes off of you ever since.

The black material hugs your body in all of the right places, perfectly contrasting against your tanned skin. You’ve matched it with a pair of strappy heals and silver jewellery, going for a simple yet elegant look.

There’s a slit down the left side, starting at your upper thigh, and the sight of your leg poking out from underneath the satin fabric has Mason’s mind wandering to places that he knows it shouldn’t.

You look absolutely stunning, and he’s been struggling to hold himself back all evening.

He’s found his attention drifting to you through out the night, more often than not becoming distracted from whatever conversation he’s having to admire you, and he’d quickly become captivated by your presence.

Sitting next to you now is no different, he can’t help but let his eyes drift down your body and your cheeks heat when you notice his wandering gaze.

There’s a look of longing in his eyes, one you’ve become familiar with, but until tonight you’ve always thought that you’ve been imagining it.

“You need to stop looking at me like that, Mase”

The sound of your soft voice has his attention snapping away from your body, and your heart skips a beat when his warm brown eyes find yours.

His cheeks flush from being caught, but his confidence doesn’t falter.

“Yeah? And what are you going to do if I don’t?” He whispers, loud enough for only you to hear and the teasing smirk that finds his lips has your heart racing in your chest.

You’re overcome by a wave of shyness, any response that you may have had dying in your throat as he shuffles closer to you, his knee nudging into yours under the table.

He’s not sure what’s gotten into him, but the urge to touch you suddenly becomes too much to ignore. He finds himself reaching out, his warm palm landing against your exposed thigh as his other arm snakes behind you, resting against the back of your chair. Your skin burns under his touch, breath hitching in your throat when his thumb rubs in tender circles over the inside of your thigh.

Mason has always been a touchy person, you’ve seen and experienced it over your years of friendship, but there’s something about the way he’s touching you now that has your head spinning.

His hand ventures a little higher and you fumble to open your purse, pulling out your lipgloss and phone in a desperate attempt to distract yourself and he doesn’t fail to notice the way you’ve avoided his question when you open the camera app, using it as a makeshift mirror to reapply the gloss.

He watches as you swipe the applicator over your pink, plump lips, the action captivating him and it takes all of his self restraint to not lean in and kiss you right there and then.

“You look gorgeous tonight, Bambi”

You pop the lid back onto the tube and place it back into your purse - your distraction techniques having been unsuccessful - and look up and into his eyes.

The whispered compliment has butterflies erupting in your tummy, your lips tugging up into a smile upon hearing the nickname he’s always used for you.

It started when you were 10, you always loved the movie and had invited him over to watch it with you after school one day. About half way through you stood up to go and find more popcorn but being your clumsy self you’d ended up tripping over your own feet.

Mase took the opportunity to compare your clumsiness to that of the deer, and at first he used the nickname as a joke, but then it stuck, and now, even in your twenties he still liked to use it. And you love to hear it.

“You don’t look too bad yourself, Masey” you tell him, letting your gaze drop briefly and you take allow yourself a moment to admire him.

Mason is handsome even on his worst days - you’re convinced that he could wear the ugliest outfit ever and somehow still pull it off - but there something about the way he looks tonight that has you breathless.

The suit he’s wearing is simple - perfect for a black tie event. A white shirt with a black jacket and trousers, a matching tie and some dress shoes to complete the look. The chest strap that he wore earlier in the evening has been abandoned, the jacket now undone allowing for more of a relaxed look as the evening goes on.

His hair is freshly trimmed, styled into a short quiff and his facial hair is neat, more of a long stubble than a full beard. The lighting in the room is dim, but you can still make out all of his features, the freckles that are dotted over his cheeks, his long lashes and the dimple that appears whenever he smiles. He’s utterly breathtaking.

“Remind me to thank whoever tailored this suit for you” You smile, gaze locking onto his again as you reach up, smoothing your hands over the lapels of his jacket.

“You like it?”

“I love it, you look so handsome” you let your hands drop back into your lap and he misses your touch immediately.

“Yeah?” His voice is barely above a whisper and you tug your bottom lip between your teeth when you nod gently.

You feel his arm move from behind you as he reaches up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind your ear, his fingers lingering for a moment before brushing down your jaw and you become hyper-aware of how close you are when you feel his breath fanning over your cheek.

It feels as though the air around you has suddenly shifted, his gaze swimming with an emotion that you can’t quite place. The intense eye contact becomes too much for you, your eyes momentarily dropping to his chest but he brings them back to his with a hand cupping your jaw, tilting your head up so that you have no choice but to look at him.

His gaze drops to your lips, once, twice, and a third time, until the desire to feel them against his own becomes too overwhelming. He’s leaning in before he has a chance to stop himself, the lack of hesitation in your eyes only urging him on until someone clears their throat behind you.

“Hey guys” Lewis’ voice snaps you and Mason back to reality, the room around you coming back into focus.

His presence causes Mason to jump away from you, an unwelcome chill touching your skin where his hand no longer rests against your thigh. He groans in annoyance and turns towards his brother.

You release the breath you never realised you were holding, clearing your throat and fiddling nervously with the hem of your dress as Mason looks up at Lewis expectantly.

If he saw anything, he doesn’t let it show.

“Sorry Mase, there’s a few people asking for you”

Mason nods politely, standing up before turning to hold a hand out for you.

“You coming?” He asks, acting as though nothing happened - that he hasn’t just nearly kissed you.

It takes you a few more seconds to regain your composure, blinking up at him a few times before eventually nodding and taking his outstretched hand.

He helps you up, waiting until Lewis has turned away to lift your joint hands to his lips. He places a quick kiss to your knuckles, sending you a soft smile before letting them drop between you again and he doesn’t let go as you follow him through the crowd, fingers still intertwined as Lewis introduces you to an older man who you recognise as one of the event organisers.

You try your best to focus on the conversations that are happening in front of you. You really do.

But it’s hard to concentrate with Mason’s fingers still tangled with yours and the thought of what could’ve happened had Lewis not interrupted you a few moments ago.

That’s the second time you’ve almost kissed him. The first being a few weeks ago when he’d invited you and a few of your other friends over for a games night.

You’d gotten to Mason’s a little earlier than everyone else, wanting to spend a bit of extra time with him before the others arrived and you were in the kitchen, helping him find some snacks and drinks when your favourite song had come on shuffle through the speakers.

One thing led to another and you were dancing around the kitchen, singing your little heart out as Mason stood back and watched you, giggling at your terrible dance moves.

As the song went on you got a little more into it, accidentally crashing into him after tripping over your own feet and he’d reached out to steady you, the two of you laughing together as you found your footing and rested against his chest.

Your laughter had slowly died down, the air around you thickening as you looked up to find him already gazing down at you. The warm look in his eyes could only be described as endearment and what happened next was a bit of blur.

He was leaning in when the door bell went off, the others arriving at the worst time and ruining the moment without even realising.

You’ve thought about it every day since, wondering what could’ve been, and now here you are weeks later, still asking yourself the same questions.

You’re brought back to the present moment when Mason squeezes your hand, dragging your attention back to the conversation happening in front of you.

“You okay?” He mumbles close to your ear, hand letting go of yours to instead wrap around your waist and you melt into his warmth as he tugs you closer.

You nod, sending him a smile that says you’re cool, calm and collected, but it’s as much of a facade as it can be when inside you’re feeling the complete opposite.

“How about one more drink and then we head back to the hotel?” Mason suggests a few hours later, glancing down to his watch and noticing that it’s nearing 11pm.

“You guys go ahead, I’m going to go and talk to a few more people and then I’ll come and find you guys” Lewis tells you before heading to the other side of the room and you follow Mason over to the bar.

“Water?” Mason asks, voice low as you approach counter.

He knows you’re not the biggest drinker, only ever choosing to have one or two drinks when you go out, and you’ve already had a cocktail and a glass of wine with your dinner.

“Please” You smile, glancing over to him as he orders and pays for your drinks.

“Sorry mate, any chance we can grab a straw please?” Mason asks the bar tender when he places your water down in front of you, and you feel your cheeks warm at the simple gesture. You’ve always preferred drinking with straws, some people may think it’s weird, but to Mason it’s just one of the many things he loves about you.

You thank him as he slides the glass towards you, watching as he takes the paper wrapped straw from the bartender with a cheeky grin. He tears off the end of the wrapper, bringing the exposed end of the straw to his lips and you could predict what he was about to do from a mile off, but it still makes you jump when he blows on the straw, sending the paper flying and he laughs as it hits your cheek before landing on the counter next to you.

“Mason” You groan playfully, shaking your head at his childish behaviour. Still, you can’t help but laugh with him, and his heart soars at the sound.

It’s not long later that you’re leaving the venue after finishing your drinks and saying your goodbyes, stepping out into the chilly evening air as Lewis steps aside to call a taxi.

“Did you have a good night?” Mason asks, coming to stand beside you.

A gust of wind ruffles his hair, a couple of strands falling onto his forehead and you have to fight the urge to reach up and brush them away for him.

“Yeah I did, thank you for inviting me, it was special” you smile up at him, rubbing your palms against your bare arms in an attempt to keep warm when the wind picks up. The temperature has dropped significantly since earlier in the evening, and you’re now regretting your choice to not bring a second layer with you.

Mason doesn’t hesitate to slip off his suit jacket when he notices you shivering, slipping it over your shoulders before you can protest. You snuggle into it’s warmth, breathing in the scent of his cologne that still lingers on the fabric.

“Better?” He murmurs, making sure its wrapped around you enough before draping an arm around your shoulders.

“Thank you” You nod, melting into his side when he gently tugs you towards him.

The wait for the taxi isn’t too long, and you stay snuggled up to Mason’s side as he chats away to Lewis about your plans for getting back to Manchester tomorrow. You don’t pay any attention to their conversation though, too busy focussing on his little touches to listen to what they’re saying.

He holds you close, absentmindedly tracing patterns into your shoulder through the material of his jacket. You’re resting against his chest, and it rumbles underneath your cheek whenever he speaks, his soft voice soothing you.

You could stay wrapped up in him forever, but your bubble is popped when the taxi pulls up to the curb in front of you.

Lewis takes the front seat, letting you and Mason sit in the back together and you slide in when he holds the door open for you. He climbs in behind you, pouting as you settle into the far seat rather than the one next to his.

It’s only a short drive back to the hotel, and you spend it in a comfortable silence, stealing glances at Mason every now and then, unable to take your eyes away from him as the street lights shine through the windows, casting a golden glow over his features.

He turns his head suddenly, feeling the heat of your gaze, but you're quick to look away, cheeks blazing when you realise he’s caught you staring.

You start fiddling with your rings, one of the telltale signs that you’re nervous, but a warm hand intertwines with yours, stopping your fidgeting. Mason is already looking at you when you glance up at him, and your heart soars at the gentle look in his eyes. There’s a certain warmth behind them that tells you everything is okay, and you settle back into the seat, sliding your fingers between his and not letting go for the rest of the journey.

Mason is the first out of the car when you pull up in front of your hotel, quickly making his way around to your door before opening it for you and you accept the hand he holds out, letting him help you climb out. He quickly tips and thanks the driver before leading you into the hotel, through the lobby and towards the lifts.

You bid your good nights to Lewis when he steps out on his level, leaving you and Mason alone as the doors close behind him. You settle into another comfortable silence as you continue up to your floor.

The doors slide open and Mason moves aside, letting you step out in front of him before following you down the hall towards your room, wanting to make sure you get back safely.

You stop in front of your door, reaching into your purse to retrieve your room key before turning to thank him for walking you back, but the words get stuck on your tongue, not quite feeling ready to say goodnight to him yet.

“Stay with me tonight?” You whisper, not wanting to ruin the peaceful atmosphere that has somehow been set in the hallway, “we can order room service and watch something, just like we do at home”

He doesn’t respond straight away, and for a very brief moment you worry that you’ve crossed some sort of line, but you watch as his gaze softens, and he keeps his voice low as he says “Let me just go and grab a few things from my room and then I’ll be back, yeah?”

“Okay” you nod, watching as he heads back down the hallway before letting yourself into your room.

You feel giddy, buzzing with nervous excitement as you slip Mason’s jacket off and lay it over the back of the chair before busying yourself with tidying a few things away, making the room look a bit more presentable as you’d left it a mess in your rush to leave earlier.

You’re not sure where the sudden jitters have come from, it’s Mason. You’ve always spent nights at each others houses, snuggled on the sofa, talking until late before falling asleep in each others company. But something about tonight feels different.

You don’t have long to dwell on it though, hearing two taps on the door as you put the last few bits back into your suitcase.

His smile is bright as you swing the door open, stepping aside for him to come in and your eyes drop to his chest as he brushes past you. He didn’t bother changing, but his tie is nowhere to be seen, the top few buttons of his shirt now undone and his silver chain - the one that you brought him for his birthday last year - peaks out from underneath the fabric.

You click the door closed behind him, following him into the room and watching as he puts a few things down on the table beside the bed - his charger and what you think is his toothbrush, along with his wallet and a spare change of clothes for the morning.

“So, room service?” He asks, flopping down onto the bed and settling against the headboard.

He makes himself comfortable, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt to just below his elbows as you grab the food menu from the desk in front of the TV. Your breath catches in your throat when you turn to face him, your mouth going dry as the dark ink on his forearm steals your attention.

A smirk ghosts his lips upon noticing your brief loss of composure, but he chooses not to bring it up, instead patting the spot next him.

You slip off your heels, putting them to the side before climbing onto the mattress to sit beside him. “How about pizza? I’m not too hungry so maybe we could share?”

“Sounds good, chips as well?” He suggests and you agree, trying to pass him the menu but he doesn’t take it from you, “You choose, I’m not fussed”

You decide on a classic margherita, letting Mason call downstairs to place the order whilst you reach over him and grab the remote from the table next to his side of the bed. He sucks in a sharp breath when your hand falls on his upper thigh, not so innocently steadying yourself as you lean over him. You can’t say that you’d meant to touch him like that, but you won’t pretend that you didn’t love his reaction.

“Sorry” you mumble, cheeks flaming as you sit back and busy yourself with turning on the TV, logging into your Netflix account whilst he takes a deep breath next to you and finishes ordering the food.

You put on an episode of a series that you’ve been watching together, catching each other up on some plans that you have for the next couple of weeks whilst you wait for your food to arrive and you eat in a comfortable silence when it does, Mason letting you have the last slice of pizza like always.

After clearing away the tray and placing it in the hallway, you lock the door behind you and settle back onto the bed, tucking yourself into his side when he lifts his arm for you.

“Thank you for coming with us tonight. I know it’s a long way from home but it means a lot to have you at these things with me” He tells you, a warm feeling spreading through you as he pulls you closer and rests his cheek against the top of your head.

His arm settles around you, holding you at the waist as you rest your head against his shoulder. You sling your arm over his torso, goosebumps erupting over your skin when his free hand comes to rest on your forearm, fingertips tracing over your skin.

“Thank you again for inviting me, and you know I don’t mind” You tell him, tightening your arms around him slightly, “I’d fly to the other side of the world with you if you asked me to”

He chuckles into your hair, his smile widening. “Yeah? Looks like I should ask them to have the next gala in Australia then”

“Yes! You know I’ve always wanted to go and meet Kangaroos”

“It’s a long flight though, you’d have to let me sleep on your shoulder the whole way there”

“Oh,” you pout at him jokingly, “you wouldn’t buy me a business class ticket?”

His fingertips creep up your waist and you giggle, thrashing against him when they tickle over your skin through the material of your dress.

“I’ll take that as a no then” You sigh dramatically, slumping back into his arms when his fingers relent.

“I’d buy you as many business class tickets as you want, Bambi”

Here we go again with the butterflies.

You settle back into a comfortable silence, Mason keeping his arms locked around you as he tries to switch his focus back to the TV, but it’s impossible when you’re cuddled up to him so closely.

There’s something about being in your presence that makes him feel so calm. There’s no need for him to fake anything, no need for him to worry. He can just be ‘Mase’ without any added expectations or anyone analysing his every move. You accept him for him, and he thanks his lucky stars everyday that your parents met all of those years ago because he’s really not sure what he’d do without you.

But tonight he’s nervous. He’s not sure what it is because these feelings for you are by no means new, but after he nearly slipped up and kissed you once earlier, he’s not sure he’ll be able to stop himself if it happens again.

He wants you. Physically, emotionally, whatever you’re willing to give him, he’d take it, and tonight might just be the night that he does.

He doesn’t realise that he’s been staring at you until you tilt your head to look up at him, having felt the heat of his gaze.

“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?” He whispers, a soft smile sitting on his lips.

There’s a twinkle in his eyes as they drop down to your lips, only for a millisecond before returning to your own and your heart rate quickens, a giddy feeling spreading through you.

“Maybe a few times” you tease, lips curling into a smile, “but you can tell me again”

He lets out a breathy chuckle, “You look gorgeous, always the prettiest girl in the room” He tells you, heart thudding in his chest as a shaky hand comes up to cup your jaw.

His nose bumps against yours as he leans closer. His lips are mere inches away, your heart beating so fast in your chest that you’re sure he can probably hear it.

When you show no signs of hesitation he closes the distance, touching his lips to yours in a tender kiss that you feel all the way from your head down to the tips of your toes.

You feel yourself melting into him as he works his lips over yours with ease, one of his hands cupping your cheek as the other gently pushes against your hip, encouraging you to roll onto your back and your arms wind around his shoulders as he moves to hover over you.

It’s easy to get lost in the feeling of his lips against yours after what feels like an eternity of waiting for this exact moment, your hand weaving into the short strands of hair on the back of his head to hold him to you.

He keeps it soft, your whole body tingling from how gentle he’s being with you as his lips move over yours with a certain tenderness that has you craving more.

“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to do that” He breathes, forehead resting against yours when you separate to catch your breaths.

His heart flip-flops in his chest at the smile that paints your lips, unable to prevent his own as you gaze up at him with twinkling eyes.

“Then who am I to stop you from doing it again?”

You’re holding your breath, waiting for him to close the distance again, but when he leans forward he brushes a kiss over your cheek instead, a whine leaving you as you try and chase his lips but he only pulls back further.

“I need to know that you definitely want this Y/N” he whispers, a hint of vulnerability in his eyes as he looks at you, “I know I do, but I’ll never forgive myself if later on you realise that you don’t”

His voice sounds small, the confidence that he exuded earlier slowly fading away, and your heart aches as rest your head back into the pillows to look at him properly.

You slide your hand up from his shoulder, cradling his face in your palm and your heart soars when he leans into your touch.

“Mason, my whole life I’ve known it’s been you” You tell him, gently brushing your thumb over the apple of his cheek and a soft smile finds his lips at your words. “I want this, I want you”

“You’re sure?”

“I’ve never been so sure about anything” You whisper, watching as his features relax.

“I might have to change my mind if you don’t kiss me again though”

He lets out a breathy chuckle, not waiting another second before leaning back in.

It’s like someone has flipped a switch, all form of restraint gone as he claims your lips with a searing kiss that has your spine tingling. He coaxes your lips apart, easily slipping his tongue between them and he takes his time to explore your mouth, brushing his tongue over yours with slow, deliberate strokes.

His hand roams down your dress clad body, kneading into your skin through the satin like fabric and you arch your back into his touch, hands gripping onto his shoulders in a desperate attempt to feel him closer. His warm palm slides over your hip, finding the bare skin of your thigh, exposed through the slit of your dress, and he hooks your leg over his waist.

You moan into his mouth as he presses his hips into yours, the sound going straight to his centre and his length twitches in the confines of his boxers.

“You definitely want to do this?” He asks between kisses, his lips leaving yours to move over your cheek and down to your jaw.

You nod, tilting your head back to allow him better access as he trails his kisses down your throat.

“I need your words, Y/N” he urges, pulling back to look at you.

“Yes Mason, please” You plead, just wanting to feel his lips on your skin again.

He doesn’t waste anymore time, dropping his head back into the crook of your neck and you shiver when his beard scratches over your delicate skin, his lips peppering kisses wherever he can reach and you whimper when finds your sweet spot, your sounds only encouraging him.

He sucks on the sensitive spot below your ear, teeth grazing over your skin before soothing the sting with his tongue and then he’s continuing his kisses down your body.

“As much as I love this dress on, I’d much rather it be off right now” he speaks when his kisses meet the neckline of your dress, the material obstructing his path and stopping him from going any further.

You attempt to reach behind you to undo the buttons that hold it together, but you can’t quite reach them, your position on the bed just leading to an awkward tangle of limbs. You huff out a breath, slumping back into the duvet as he watches you, clearly trying to hold himself back from laughing.

You send him an unimpressed glare, trying once more to reach behind but you only end up finding yourself in the same predicament as before.

“Help me” you pout, and he leans down to kiss it away, loosening his hold on your waist before getting off the bed.

“C’mon, jump up” He holds his hands out for you and you take them, letting him pull you up until you’re standing in front of him.

He moves you so that you’re stood with your back to his chest, his hands lightly brushing down your arms and you shiver under his touch, instinctively leaning back into his warmth.

“May I?” He asks softly, his breath tickling over your shoulder as he speaks.

“Y-yeah” you stutter, trying to steady your beating heart as he brushes your hair to one side.

He must notice the way you tense up as he reaches for the buttons, his lips pressing to your shoulder in an attempt to calm you.

“Relax sweetheart, it’s just me” he whispers, and you force yourself to take a deep breath.

But what if that’s the issue? It’s just him, just Mason. The man you’ve loved for years. You’re comfortable in your body, but what if he doesn’t like what he sees? What if he changes his mind? What if -

Your thoughts are cut off when he gently takes a hold of your waist, turning you around to face him and you’re met with his soft expression, a hint of concern in his eyes.

“What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” He whispers, trying to meet your gaze but you look down, eyes focussing on his chest as a wave of shyness washes over you.

“Hey, look at me” He says, keeping his voice gentle as he brings two fingers to lightly nudge your chin so that you look at him again.

“Sorry, I just…” you begin, and he’s patient with you when you stop to take a few deep breaths, “Sorry. I don’t know why I’m so nervous, it’s just- the last guy I was with like this wasn’t the nicest and he had a fair amount of things to say about my body and - god I’m so sorry” You quickly cut yourself off when you notice you’re rambling, cheeks flaming when you release what you’ve just admitted to him.

Mason feels his heart breaking more and more with every word that leaves your lips. He could never understand how anybody could be so cruel. He feels himself growing angry at the thought of anyone treating you that way and frustrated with himself for not being able to protect you from someone like that.

He knows deep down that there’s nothing he could’ve done to stop it, but you should’ve never had to go through that, and it pains him to know that someone hurt you so deeply.

He doesn’t let his feelings show though, instead making a promise to himself to never, ever, make you feel anything less than beautiful. You deserve so much more and he’s ready to show you just how perfect you are and treat you the way you deserve.

“Listen to me angel, you have nothing to apologise for okay?” his voice is firm, making sure you’re looking right at him before continuing.

“I’m so sorry that you had to go through that. No one should’ve treated you that way. You deserve so much more baby. You are the most beautiful person I have ever set my eyes on Y/N, and I need you to know that I’d never treat you like that.” He tells you, cradling your cheeks in his palms as he rests his forehead against yours.

You nod as best as you can, tugging your bottom lip between your teeth to fight your smile as his words sink in.

“We don’t have to do anything tonight Y/N, if you don’t want to we can just watch another movie or something, I won’t be upset. All I want is for you to feel comfortable.”

Your nodding quickly turns into you shaking your head instead.

“No Mase, I want to do this. I want you.” You reassure him and he leans back slightly, leaving a lingering kiss to your forehead before lowering his hands to your waist again.

“Do you trust me?”

“Of course” you tell him, gulping down the nervous lump in your throat and willing your heart rate to slow down.

“Okay, you still want me to take this off?”

His fingers fiddle with the thin straps of your dress as you nod, trying not to seem to eager. “Please”

“Turn around for me then angel”

You do just that, turning around so that your back is facing him again and his touch is gentle, barely there as he reaches up to brush your hair to the side once more. His lips find the nape of your neck, scattering kisses over your skin, and this time you don’t tense up as he reaches for the fabric.

He’s slow in releasing the buttons, his fingers skimming over your now exposed skin as he takes his time, undoing them one by one before finally reaching the last after what feels like a life time. His lips never leave your skin as his hands lift to brush the straps off of your shoulders, guiding the material down your body before dropping it to pool around your ankles.

Left in nothing but a pair of black, lacy panties, it takes all of your strength to turn and face him. He takes you in, allowing his gaze to drift down your body and he feels himself twitch in the confines of his boxers. The sight of you bare in front of him makes his head spin, feeling overwhelmed by the need to reach out and touch you.

“So fucking pretty” he murmurs, his words setting your body alight as his hand slays out on your waist.

There’s a bright look in his eyes as he draws you closer, guiding you to step out of your dress, and you forget why you were ever worried.

“Thank you for trusting me” he whispers against your temple, scattering featherlight kisses there as you lean further into his body.

Wrapping his arms around your waist he trails his kisses down your face, over your cheeks before landing on your lips.

You melt into him, his grip keeping you upright as you kiss him back with everything you have. Your hands creep up his back, one finding its way into his hair as the other clutches onto his shoulder. Nails dig into his skin through the material of his shirt but he doesn’t care, losing himself in the feeling of your lips on his.

Your fingers rake through his hair, tilting his head to get a better angle and his lips part on a gasp when your nails scratch over his scalp. You take the opportunity to slip your tongue between his lips, clashing with his own as you fight to take control.

It’s a little messy, but neither of you care, years of pent up feelings and frustrations being poured into the kiss until the burning desire to please him becomes too strong to ignore.

“You’ve still got way too many clothes on” you complain between kisses and he chuckles against your lips, reaching to unbutton his shirt.

“No, sit” you say, and he falls back onto the edge of the mattress with a gentle push of your hands against his shoulders.

He leans back, gazing up at you through his lashes, watching with dark eyes as you settle into his lap with a new found confidence.

You leave enough space between you to reach up and fiddle with his buttons, undoing them one by one as your lips scatter kisses over his jaw. His pulls you forwards by your hips, fingers digging into your skin as you continue to undress him.

You struggle a little due to how close you are, but you manage to get the last few buttons undone, working the shirt off his shoulders. It gets discarded behind you, joining your dress on the growing pile of clothes on the floor.

His shoulders flex as he leans back on his hands and you take him in, eyes dragging down his chest from the chain that dangles around his neck to the small tattoo that sits high on his ribs, there’s a light dusting of hair on his chest, his muscles softly toned.

You’ve seen him shirtless plenty of times, but sitting under you now he has you unable to think straight. You have never been so turned on just by looking at someone.

Your need to please him becomes stronger by the second, your mouth having a mind of its own as you trail your kisses down his neck, lighting sucking on his skin until you find his sweet spot. A breathy whine falls from his lips, his fingers digging into your hips a little tighter and that’s when you know you’ve found it, your lips closing over the most sensitive patch of skin.

Your lips graze over the area, licking and nipping as you make your way down to his collarbones, careful not to leave any marks where they may be visible.

He shivers, trembling under your touch as your hands slide down from his shoulders and over his chest, your lips following their path. He sucks in a sharp breath as you tease at the skin right next to his nipple, sucking hard enough to leave a sneaky mark before continuing down to his tummy, making sure to pay special attention to any moles or freckles that you find on your way.

Your legs feel like jelly as you climb off his lap and lower to your knees in front of him, hands pushing his thighs apart to allow you enough space to settle between them. The carpet is rough against your skin, but you can’t bring your self to care as you shuffle around to get more comfortable.

He isn’t without your touch long, his muscles fluttering under your fingers as you graze your lips over the soft ridges of his abs, placing open mouthed kisses along the waist band of his trousers until he grows impatient, his hands aimlessly reaching for his belt.

“Let me” you murmur, moving his hands back to rest by his sides before finding the buckle.

You’re slow in pulling it from the loops, taking your time as you drop it behind you and move to undo the button and zipper, dragging it down at an agonisingly slow pace before sitting back and allowing him to lift his hips. You drag the fabric down his legs along with his boxers, mouth watering as his already hard length springs free from the confines of the fabric.

“Much better,” you drawl, and he lets out a whimper as your lips kiss a path along the inside of his thigh, ignoring the area he needs you the most before moving to the other.

“Y/N, please do something” he pleads, but you don’t need to be told twice, his thighs jumping when a dainty hand wraps around the base of his cock.

He feels thick and heavy in your palm when you give him an experimental tug, glancing up through your lashes to see his eyes fluttering closed, his bottom lip tugged between his teeth.

“Feel good, Mase?” You coo, and his eyes pop open again, the sight of you on your knees between his legs making him feel light headed.

“S-so good” he stutters, hips raising to meet your hand as you twist it over him again before releasing him all together.

You run your fingertips over the underside of his length and he lets out a breathy moan of your name, the sound going straight to your core as you swirl your fingers over his tip and smear the drop of pre cum that’s collected there.

“Fuck, Y/N” he curses, struggling to keep his eyes open as you move your hand back to his base, holding him steady as you lower your head, lips wrapping around his tip.

You flick your tongue over his slit, humming as the salty taste of his pre cum coats your tastebuds and he drops back, resting on his elbows and watching as you take more of him.

You relax your jaw, moving further down his length and taking as much of him as you can whilst your hand works what you can’t fit in your mouth. The sinful sounds that leave his lips only spur you on, continuing to bob your head as you gaze up at him through your lashes.

“Oh my-, fucking hell” he pants, his hand reaching for the back of your head to gather your loose hair into a makeshift ponytail. “You’re so good at that”

His eyes squeeze closed when you take him even further and you gag, eyes watering as his tip hits the back of your throat before pulling back to catch your breath.

Your hands keep up their movements, twisting and tugging until you take him into your mouth again and you let him guide you this time, hollowing your cheeks as he lowers your mouth down his length.

You brace your free hand against his thigh, letting him pick up the pace slightly as you work him towards his release.

“Gonna make me come, Y/N” he sighs, the feeling of your warm mouth around him sending him hurtling towards his orgasm.

“I’ve got you, Mase, come for me” you coo, and he fights to keep his hips still as you pay attention to his head again, tongue swirling over his tip.

One final flick of your tongue over his slit and he’s cuming into your mouth with a grunt, hand tightening in your hair as you work him through his high, swallowing every last drop. You only move away when his hips start bucking from the sensitivity, leaving one final kiss to his tip before sitting back on your feet, taking a moment to catch your breath.

After a few moments of comfortable silence he smiles down at you softly, reaching out for you and you take his hands, standing on shaky legs before lowering yourself back into his lap.

“You okay?” he asks and you nod, leaning into his touch when he cups his hand over your jaw.

His lips meet yours in a soft kiss, his tongue moving over yours and he hums when he tastes himself on your mouth.

His hands trail up your thighs until he finds your panties, hooking his fingers under the fabric, pulling them back before releasing them to snap against your skin.

“Lets get these off” He mumbles, helping you climb off his lap and you move to stand in front of him, shimmying the scrap of lace down your legs as he watches you with crazed eyes until you’re completely bare in front of him.

“Lay down for me” he requests and you do as he asks, sinking back into the duvet as you rest your head against the pillows.

You watch as he stands, walking around the bed to pick his wallet up from the pile of stuff he brought with him earlier and he pulls out a shiny foil packet before climbing back onto the bed.

“Not so fast, baby girl” he tuts as you reach for it, trying to take it from between his fingers, but he places it to the side instead.

“Lay back and let me love on you a little bit”

He moves to hover over you and his lips are on yours in an instant, staying there for just a moment before trailing his kisses over your jaw and neck, sucking lightly and nibbling on your delicate skin as he makes his way down your throat.

“Mase” The moan tumbles from your lips, nails scratching the skin on the back of his neck as you bring your hand up in a desperate attempt to move him lower.

“What do you want, Angel?” He coos, voice vibrating against your skin as he kisses over your collar bones.

“Y-you, please”

“Patience, baby. Let me take my time with you”

And take his time with you he does, his lips dragging over every inch of skin that he can reach as he learns and memorises all of your favourite spots, the ones that have you making those sweet little noises he’s loving so much.

He mouths over your chest, kissing from one side to the other before closing his lips over your nipple and your back arches to meet his mouth as he licks over the sensitive nub, his hand sliding up your body to pay attention to the other. He gropes at your skin, pinching and tugging at your nipple before switching sides to pay them equal attention.

His other hand stays steady on your waist as his lips continue south, keeping you pressed into the mattress when his beard scratches over your delicate skin, causing you to squirm against him.

“Gonna let me make you feel good, baby?” He asks, and you glance down at him, mind reeling as he gazes back at you through his lashes.

You nod vigorously, unable to form a coherent sentence as he slides his hands up the insides of your thighs, separating them enough to settle between them and his breath fans over your core as he inches closer.

“Fuck, look at you” he coos, teasing two fingers through your folds to collect your wetness and your brain short circuits when he takes them between his lips, humming as you coat his tastebuds.

“Taste incredible”

He uses the same two fingers to circle over your clit, waves of pleasure shooting up your spine, and you can’t help the pathetic moan that falls from your lips, head dropping back against the pillows as he shuffles closer.

“Feel good, Angel?” He hums, his lips ghosting over the inside of your thigh.

“Yes Mase, fuck. More” you plead, and his mouth finally meets your centre, a barely there kiss being pressed to your clit before he licks a long stripe up your entrance.

His hands move to hold your hips down as he eats you out like you’re his last meal, no longer wanting to hold back and your moans only encourage him. He alternates between licking and sucking, sealing his lips around your little bundle of nerves before dropping to dip his tongue inside of you, his nose nudging against your clit which has you moaning uncontrollably, back arching to meet his mouth.

Your hands fly to the back of his head, needing something to hold onto, and he hums against you when you tug on his hair, the vibrations only adding to the pleasure that you’re feeling.

You’re unable to think straight, the feeling of his mouth against your core making you forget about everything other then him and how good he’s making you feel, and it’s not long until you feel your orgasm creeping up.

“Mase, oh fuck” you sigh, and when he brings a hand between you to slip a finger through your folds, you’re done for.

His other arm hooks under your thigh, holding you open for him as he slips his finger inside of you, pumping it a few times to stretch you out before adding another.

“I’m gonna cum, Mase, oh my god” you whine, and he doesn’t relent, pulsing his fingers inside of you, his tongue working in tandem with them as he swirls it around your bundle of nerves.

“Let go for me, baby” he encourages, and you cum on his tongue as he suctions his lips around your clit, seeing stars as your orgasm hits you like a wave.

He works you through it, licking you clean until you’re tugging at his hair and he moves away, crawling back up your body.

You lay limp underneath him, eyes closed and lips parted as you catch your breath, feeling well and truly spent from the orgasm he just gave you. Your cheeks are flushed, hair sticking out in every direction, and your make up is slightly smudged, but he still swears that he’s never seen anyone more beautiful, his heart fluttering at the sight of you underneath him.

“So pretty” he murmurs, peppering kisses over your cheeks and the butterflies - the ones that have made a permanent home in your stomach - come back out in full force.

You flutter your eyes open and the twinkle that you find in his own has your insides turning to warm, bubbly liquid, his expression swimming with fondness.

“How are you feeling, baby?” He asks, shuffling slightly so that he can rest his weight against one elbow before trailing his free hand up your thigh, massaging your hips where he was gripping before.

“Good” you smile up at him, fingers toying with the chain that still sits around his neck, “More than good, actually. But there is one thing that would make me feel even better”

He raises an eye brow, “Oh yeah? And what’s that?”

You gather as much strength as you can in your post orgasm daze, hooking your legs over his waist to pull his hips down into yours and his eyes widen, realising what you mean.

“Needy girl” he tuts, hissing when you grind your hips and his hard length grazes over your core, “What am I gonna do with you, huh?”

“Please Masey. Need to feel you”

“I know baby girl, I’ve got you. Just relax for me”

He gives you a quick yet tender kiss before reaching over to pick up the foil packet from earlier and you shiver as he tears it open, squirming in anticipation as he sits back on his feet and pulls out the condom to roll it down his length.

“You still want to do this?” He asks you for what seems like the tenth time that evening, looking at you with soft eyes.

“Mase, what kind of question is that?” You chuckle, hand coming to cup his cheek and he leans into your touch when you brush your thumb over his skin gently, “Of course I do”

“Just double checking, Angel” he rests his forehead against yours, nose nudging your cheek and your heart soars at the softness of the moment.

“You ready?”

“Yeah, Mase. Need you”

You wrap your arms around his shoulder as he settles on top of you, spreading your legs for him to rest between as he finds a position that’s comfortable.

He runs a gentle, comforting hand over the outside of your thigh, using the other to guide himself towards your entrance and you suck in a breath as he lines himself up, his tip nudging against your slit.

Your quick intake of breath has his eyes snapping up to yours, concern etched onto his features. “What wrong, baby?”

“Nothings wrong” you reassure him, one of your hands finding its rightful place tangled in his hair, “It’s just been a while, just go slowly please?”

“We’ll go at your pace, baby. Just tell me if you need me to stop or slow down, okay?”

“Okay”

You reach down, encouraging him to move with a slow twist of your hand over his length and his lips are back on yours when he lines himself up with your entrance, swallowing your moans as he pushes in until only his tip is buried inside of you.

He gives you a few moments to adjust, not liking how you wince from the slight stretch, but you only nod up at him, encouraging him to keep going and you moan in unison when he buries himself to the hilt inside of you.

“Fucking hell, Y/N. So tight baby” he moans, his raspy voice right next to your ear.

“Let me know when I can move” his thumb brushes in tender circles over your hip, his other hand pressing into the mattress next to your head and you reach for it, unwinding one of your arms from around his shoulders to side your fingers through his.

Your walls flutter around his length, squeezing him in a way that has pleasure shooting up his spine and he drops his head into the crook of his neck when you give him the go ahead to start moving.

He keeps his pace slow at first, gauging what you enjoy and what’s comfortable. A slow push and pull of his hips as you learn each others bodies.

“You feel incredible, Angel” he grunts, head dipping into the crook of your neck as his hips press into you with every thrust.

“Mason, fuck” You scratch your nails over his skin, back arching as he gives one particularly hard thrust that has his tip brushing over your sweet spot, “right there”

“There?” Your eyes roll to the back of your head as he hits it again, a desperate moan leaving your lips as he keeps pushing deeper.

“Y-yeah, faster Mase, p-please”

Your stuttered request is barely audible over the sound of your moans but he hears you just fine, picking up his pace as you wrap your legs around his waist and the new angle allows him to hit deeper, finding that sweet spot with every roll of his hips.

Every single thrust feels incredible, his fingers now digging into your waist to hold you steady. The sounds of your moans and skin slapping against skin is all that can be heard as he works you both towards your highs.

“Fuck, Mase, I’m nearly there” you pant, the sensitivity from your previous orgasm and the feeling of him everywhere sending you hurtling towards your realise sooner than you’d expected.

“I’m right behind you, baby” he groans, pulling his head out of your neck when you tug on his hair, wanting to see him when you cum.

He looks ethereal on top of you, the bridge of his nose flushed as well as his cheeks, his hair a mess and falling over his forehead as that chain dangles between you. You reach for it, using it to tug him down and his lips collide with yours in a heated kiss.

“Mason…” you sob, unable to take your eyes off of his when he rests his forehead against yours.

“I know baby, I’ve got you. Let go for me” he encourages, his thumb finding your clit and that’s all you need to go falling over the edge, walls contracting around him as your orgasm hits you.

A wave of white hot pleasure rolls through you, your entire body trembling against him as he works you through it.

He isn’t far behind, pressing his hips to yours as the feeling of your walls fluttering around his length sends him toppling over the edge with a moan of your name.

His thrusts grow sloppy, hips faltering as he thrusts through it, thumb continuing to brush over your clit until you’re pushing his hand away when you get too sensitive.

With one final thrust he goes limp on top of you, nuzzling his face into the crook of your neck, spent from his orgasm. Your hand finds the back of his head, lightly scratching over his scalp as you both take a moment to catch your breaths. Neither of you make any effort to move for a while, Mason staying buried inside of you whilst your heart beats return to a steady pace.

You wince from the sensitivity when he eventually moves to pull out of you slowly, the kisses that he litters over your forehead soothing you before he discards the condom and collapses onto the mattress beside you.

He reaches towards the end of the bed, pulling up the blanket and you don’t hesitate to shuffle into his arms when he opens them for you, settling against his side with your head resting against his chest as he holds you close.

He knows that he should get you cleaned up, but he can’t bring himself to move as you snuggle into him, one arm draped over his waist and a leg hooked over his thighs, so he lets you get comfortable against him, enjoying the warmth of your body pressed into his.

A couple of minuets pass and you stay in a comfortable silence, fiddling with his chain as you rest on his chest, growing more tired by the second as his fingers sooth over your skin. He wishes you could stay like that for the rest of the night, not wanting to disturb you, but when you start to grow heavy against him he knows he needs to get you up before you fall asleep completely.

“Come on” he hums, lightly tapping your shoulder to encourage you to move. “Got to get you cleaned up, bubba”

You don’t make any effort to move, quite content with staying in his arms and not leaving for the foreseeable future.

“I’m tired” You groan as he resorts to gently pushing you off of him, rolling off the bed completely before holding his hands out for you to take, but you bury your face into the pillows and pull the blanket tighter around your shoulders, missing his warmth immediately.

The bed dips under his weight as he kneels back onto the mattress, hands massaging into your shoulders before rolling you over to face him.

You pout up at him, shaking your head in protest. You know you’ll regret it in the morning if you go straight to sleep without properly getting ready for bed, but nothing sounds better than climbing back under the sheets with him and falling asleep.

“I know, but the quicker we get in that shower the quicker we can get back into bed” he tells you softly, fingers brushing your hair out of your face as you gaze up at him sleepily. “Let me take care of you, bubs”

His gentle smile and sweet words are enough to have you crumbling, holding your arms out for him and he doesn’t need to ask to understand what you want.

He effortlessly scoops you up, a kiss being pressed to your temple as he cradles you in his arms and carries you through to the en-suite bathroom, careful to avoid the clothes that are still scattered around the floor.

He switches the bathroom lights on, keeping them on the dim setting when he notices you squinting from the brightness and moves to set you down on the counter.

Reaching to the side, he picks up your make up bag, looking through it to find some of your makeup wipes before taking one out of the packet. You try and take it from him but he swats your hand away, tilting your chin up with his fingers before bringing the wipe to your cheek.

Your heart flutters at how gentle he’s being with you as he takes his time, swiping the wipe over your skin as he makes sure to get every last bit of makeup. His little focused face makes you giggle, his tongue popping out from between his lips as he concentrates, being extra careful when he gets to your eyes.

He presses a tender kiss to your lips once he’s finished, throwing the wipe into the bin before turning around to get the shower started and your mouth dries at the sight of his back when he faces away from you.

Red scratches decorate his skin, some travelling as high as his neck and you watch as his back flexes when he reaches for the taps to set the water temperature. You feel yourself heat from head to toe at the sight, struggling to keep your composure when he turns to face you again, instantly noticing your flushed cheeks.

“What’s up, bubba?” He asks, hands coming to rest on your hips as he moves to stand between your spread legs.

“I don’t think you should let anyone else see you shirtless for a couple of days” You tell him, tugging your bottom lip between your teeth to hold back a giggle.

“Why? What did you do?”

He moves away from you to look at his reflection in the mirror, eye brows furrowing when he doesn’t find any hickeys or marks like he had expected to.

He looks back to you confused, but you wiggle your finger in a circle, telling him to turn around. He does, looking back at his reflection over his shoulder and you can see the moment he realises, his jaw dropping slightly as he takes in the scratches and marks left by your nails.

“You really didn’t hold back did you?”

“Sorry”

“Don’t be. Just means that I made you feel good” he says with confidence, winking at you with a cocky smirk playing on his lips.

You swat at his chest, not needing to admit that he’s right because you both already know the answer.

He holds a hand out for you, helping you off the counter and steadying you when you stand on wobbly legs, your body aching in the best way possible as he guides you towards the shower.

He steps in behind you, his arms wrapping around your waist and your body slumps into his, face finding a home in the crook of his neck as the water cascades over you.

“You okay?” He mumbles right next to your ear and you nod in response, letting out a content sigh as you nuzzle into his skin.

You stay like that for a while, the water soothing your aching bodies before he reaches over and takes your travel sized shampoo from the little shelf behind you. He squeezes a generous amount into his palm, lathering it up before bringing his hands to your hair and you hold onto his waist, needing something to steady yourself as the feeling of his fingers massaging your scalp sends you into a state of complete bliss.

He rinses it out after a couple of minuets - still way too soon for your liking - and repeats the process with your conditioner, letting you do the same thing for him.

As soon as you’re both washed off he gets out of the shower first, wrapping a towel around his waist before taking another and holding it out for you. Getting out behind him, you step into the towel, letting him wrap it around your shoulders.

You both get dried off, changing into the fluffy hotel robes before he moves to leave the bathroom, wanting to give you some privacy to finish up your nighttime routine, but you take a hold of his hand, not wanting him to leave.

“I’m not going anywhere, bubs” he reassures, noticing a faint look of panic on your features. He slides his fingers between yours, giving them a tight squeeze, “I’m just going to tidy the clothes up and grab you something to sleep in okay? I’ll be back in a few minuets”

“Okay, sorry” you mumble, loosening your grip on his hand, feeling silly for getting so paranoid all of a sudden. “I just don’t want you to leave”

His expression softens. “I’m not leaving, Bambi. I promise. Could never leave you”

He presses a series of kisses to your face, one to your forehead, one to your cheek, one of your nose - that one has you giggling - and finally one to your lips, making sure that you’re smiling again when he disappears into the bedroom.

You busy yourself with drying your hair whilst he picks up your abandoned clothes, placing them into a neater pile next to your suitcase so that they can be dealt with in the morning.

He grabs the spare blanket from the wardrobe and puts it on the bed, switching the main lights off so that only the beside lamp is left on before changing into his clean pair of boxers and finding his toothbrush and the t-shirt that he brought with him earlier.

You’re just turning the hair dryer off when he comes back into the bathroom, brushing through your hair as he places his toothbrush next to yours on the counter. The sight of them next to each other has your heart flip-flopping in your chest, the action oddly domestic.

The multiple bottles and pots of skin care products that you have laid out catch his attention when he comes to stand beside you and he picks one up, reading over the bottle curiously.

“What’s all this?”

“You don’t know?” You meet his eyes through the reflection, surprised when he shakes his head in response. But his skin is always so clear?

“Can you show me?” He asks timidly, watching as you nod before jumping up onto the counter again.

You spread your legs, pulling him to step between them and his hands rest against your thighs as you pick up the first bottle, squeezing some of the serum onto your fingers before massaging it into his face. His eyes flutter closed, enjoying the sensation of you working the products into his skin, tracing the contours of his face as you tell him what each product is and explain what it’s used for.

He listens to your every word, loving how passionate you seem about it and making a mental note to ask you what they are again in the morning, so that he can buy some of the products for himself and keep some at his house for when you stay over.

You finish up with one of your favourite moisturisers before running through the same routine on yourself, letting Mason help when he insists and enjoying the feeling of being pampered by him.

“Thank you” you mumble, leaning forward to brush your lips over his in a soft kiss and he reciprocates, stepping back to allow you to jump off the counter when you pull away.

“Here, put this on” he says, handing you the t-shirt that he brought in, and you happily change into it, his scent lingering on the fabric and filling your senses as the material falls to your upper thigh.

The sight of you in his clothes is one he wants to see for the rest of his life.

You stand side by side at the sink and brush your teeth together, pulling faces at each other through the mirror as you do before following him back through to the bedroom.

You climb into bed first, getting comfortable under the duvet as he plugs his phone in to charge, begrudgingly setting an alarm for the morning. You both know it’ll be a struggle to wake up, but your flight back up to Manchester leaves at 10am, and you still need to make it to the airport before then.

But that’s a problem for the morning. All you’re concerned about now is holding him.

He settles under the sheets next to you, cuddling into your open arms and sliding you closer with an arm hooked over your waist. Your legs tangle together, bodies pressed close as he snuggles into you, his head finding it’s home in the crook of your neck.

He sighs contentedly, melting into you as you rest a hand on his arm and trace the outlines of his tattoos with your fingertips, his own sneaking under your (his) t-shirt to draw random patterns onto the soft skin of your tummy.

It’s the most relaxed he’s felt in weeks. The feeling of being in your arms bringing him a sense of comfort that he never thought possible, but he knows you still have something to talk about, and he’s about to bring it up when you beat him to it.

“What does this mean?” You whisper, the question that’s been on your mind for the past half an hour finally slipping through your lips as you raise your free hand and brush your fingers through his hair.

“It means I’m yours Y/N” he mumbles into your skin before pulling his head from your neck. He shuffles up your body slightly, moving so that he’s hovering above you. “If you’ll have me”

Your hand moves from his hair to instead cup his jaw, your fingertips lightly scratching through his beard as you gently pull him down to press your lips to his in a soft kiss.

“I like you, like a lot” you tell him when you separate, but you keep him close, your arms wrapping around his shoulders

“I’m way beyond like, baby” He admits, a soft smile tugging at his lips and he knows it’s soon, but his heart feels like it’s bursting, and he can’t hold it in any longer.

“I’m in love with you Y/N, I have been for a long time”

He watches you carefully, waiting for any kind of reaction, and he’s a little worried when you don’t have one, your face staying neutral as his words sink in.

But then comes the smile, your lips tilting up as a look of complete and utter joy paints your features.

You’re overwhelmed by different emotions, cheeks hurting from how wide you’re smiling and you can’t help but lean up and press your lips to his again, stealing his breath away with a searing kiss.

The taste of your minty toothpaste still lingers on his tongue when he pushes it through the seem of your lips, working it against yours in slow, languid strokes as he reaches up to cup your jaw. His thumb brushes over the apple of your cheek, his fingers gently tilting your head back and your hand slides around to the back of his head, fingers threading into his hair.

Your chest is heaving when you eventually pull back, looking up up at him through your lashes as you catch your breath. His lips are swollen, cheeks flushed and his damp hair messy from you running your fingers through it.

“You don’t have to say it back, I know you might not feel the same but I-“

“Mason, are you kidding me?” You cut him off, cupping his face in both of your palms. “I’m so in love with you”

A breath of relief leaves his parted lips upon hearing your words, his heart rate settling as you look up at him with twinkling eyes.

“I always have been, Mase. You mean absolutely everything to me”

“Yeah?”

You tug your bottom lip between your teeth, nodding up at him with complete certainty.

“Mason you’re everything I’ve ever wanted. I’ve never felt this way before and I know that I won’t feel it for anyone other than you. You’re it for me”

His eyes shine with emotion, his jaw aching from how hard he’s smiling. He feels like he’s floating, your words putting him on cloud nine.

“I love everything about you, Y/N. You’re so fucking beautiful, but it’s not just that. You’re sweet, you’re kind, you’re funny, you make me feel wanted in a way I’ve never experienced before, I’ve waited my whole life for this and now that I have you, I’m never letting you go”

“Good, because I’m not going anywhere. I’m yours Masey”

You lean up, pressing your lips to his in one final kiss and when he rolls off of you, you move with him. He lays back against the mattress, arms opening wide for you to climb into and you settle against his chest as he adjusts the duvet over you.

“When we get home I’m taking you on a date” he tells you, and you tilt your head up to look at him. “I know you’re already mine, but I want to do this properly, and that includes you letting me spoil you”

Mine. You want to hear it over and over.

“Can I choose the restaurant?” You query, already making a mental list of places that you could go.

“Only if you let me choose the movie when we get back to mine after”

“Who said that I’ll be going back to yours?”

“Just because it’s our ‘first’ -” he lifts his hand, making air quotes, “ - date that doesn’t mean I’m going to do the gentlemanly thing and drop you home with a kiss to your cheek after”

“Looks like you’re picking the movie then” You pat his chest, giggling as he mumbles a quiet ‘good’ and you settle back onto his arms with a yawn.

He leans over to turn the lamp off, the room overcome with complete darkness as he pulls the blankets up to your chin.

“Get some sleep, bubba. Early start tomorrow” He whispers with a kiss to your forehead and you groan into his chest.

“Don’t remind me. Can’t we just stay here forever?”

That really does sound like the best idea ever. Here. As in the little bubble that you’ve built together in this hotel room. You’re not ready for it to pop.

“I wish we could Bambi, but I want to get home and take you on that date”

“I wonder what Lewis will say” you murmur.

Your families have been rooting you you both to get together for years, so you know he’ll be happy for you, but telling him as well as the rest of your families somehow seems really scary.

“Well, I was thinking-“

“Oh no” you cut him off, and he chuckles, chest rumbling under your cheek.

“How about we keep this to ourselves for a bit?” He suggests, fingers sliding between yours where they lay against his chest. “No one needs to know just yet, we’ll just take it slow and tell them when we’re ready”

“I like the sound of that. Just me and you for a little while”

“Exactly” he sighs, already looking forward to getting you home and exploring this new dynamic with you.

He feels whole as he glances down at you through the darkness, a wide smile painting his lips and he doesn’t think it’ll be leaving any time soon. He’s spent what feels like a life time waiting for this, waiting for his person, waiting for you. He’s not sure he’s ever been happier than he feels in this moment, all of his worries forgotten about as you lay in his arms.

He can just about manage to make out your features and his heart is bursting at the seams with love for you as he leans down to press another kiss to the top of your head.

“Goodnight, Bambi”

“Night, Mase. Love you”

———————

a/n: If you have made it this far I just want to say a massive THANK YOU! I really do hope you enjoyed 🫶🏻 Feedback is appreciated as always 🤍

[leascorner]

j.s. | Welcome home

Summary: After a mission, Jake gets some well deserved break at home. However the week might not turn out how he had planned.

Pairing:  Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x childhood bff!f!reader

Warnings: Angst, mention of death and near death experience, mention of break-up, probably inexact american army facts, ever most likely inexact description of Texas, mention of food, two idiots in love, happy ending

Word Count: 9.2k

A/N: I've said it before, I will say it again. The only trope that I can write/read about Jake is a childhood/best friends to lovers, don't fight me. I also see Jake as an older brother to two half-sisters his mother had with a very good man, after his father abandonned them. This is my canon.

Anyway, this is way too long and way too chaotic but I just couldn't stop writting so enjoy!

Masterlist

Y/N was literally hopping up and down with impatience - or perhaps was it the three cups of coffees she had drunk to be able to keep up with the 2-hour-long drive to the airport in the middle of the night. She was standing on the arrival floors, on her tiptoes, trying to locate the person she was picking up. The flow of travellers coming through the arrival doors was continuous, so many blond heads coming through and none of them was his.

Her childhood best friend’s flight had landed a dozen of minutes prior; 3:28 a.m. was the time she received a “be right there, see you soon” text. Ever since then, the seconds had been going past very - very - slowly and with every second passing, Y/N chest had got narrower from anticipation to the point she felt like she couldn’t breathe. It hadn’t been more than a year and a half now that they had seen each other in the flesh. Of course, there were the texts, the emails and the FaceTime calls, but it was never the same.

“Jake!”

The sea of people in front of them seemed to split in half to let them collide in one another. The said Jake let his bag fall to his feet to catch a flying Y/N, lifting her from the ground as if she weighted nothing. Her hands found the back of his neck and her head found the crook of his neck, reuniting their bodies as if they were only one mind.

“Hey sweetheart,” he sniffed her hair, intoxicating himself from her perfume.

Jake let her down reluctantly when he realized they were in the way of other people reunions. After swinging his bag over his shoulder and dragging her near a row of seats, he finally took a good look at her, dark circles under puffy red eyes and hair all other the place. He dried her tears softly and kissed the top of her head, something he was sure he hadn’t done since they were in high school and that fucker of Chad had broken up her heart - thinking of it now, it seemed like it was a lifetime away. However, he knew that in this moment there was no sadness in her tears. She was crying probably a little happiness to seeing him again, but most certainly a lot of relief to have him alive in front of her.

He took another step back to have an even greater look at her. Y/N was exactly how he last saw her one year or so ago, and exactly how she looked like even all the other times he had to leave. She did not seem to age, and he was sure that the fine smile lines she was now wearing had always been there. It brought comfort to his heart to know that whatever would happen, she would always be waiting for him. He knew it was also selfish, but he had made peace with those thoughts a long time ago. These were moments that he was collecting in his mind for when he was somewhere overseas, fighting for his life.

“My my, did you grow up a few inches?”

“Oh, shut up!” Y/N laughed and tried to nudge him in the ribs. Jake easily grabbed her right elbow to bring her closer in another embrace, so very glad to be home, even only for a little while.

Ventilation was swinging litters of hot air into the car's cabin as it was a rather chilly night for October in Texas. The full moon was lighting up all the roads in front of them, just as if it was making sure they would get home safely.

During the drive, the main discussion turned around how excited everyone would be to have him there. Y/N and her parents were the only ones to know about Jake’s surprise visit; they had only known for about three days before his flight landed that he unexpectedly got a week of leave. They would surprise his family later that day for lunch - only after they both had a rather long nap to make up for the sleepless night.

Jake had seen his family a couple more times than Y/N this past year and a half. Even if he considered Y/N to be family, this wasn’t exactly the rule of the administration. Blood family had some more privileges, like sometimes visiting for the holidays. His mother and one of his little sisters also visited him in Singapore when he was stationed there for an exercise in the Taiwan Strait; they had booked a vacation to be able to see him there. Y/N, at that time, had been unavailable - she had her own life after all.

It was what Jake found the more difficult; to keep up with her life. Most of her friends were common friends from high school. With her going to a different university and later with her different jobs, some of her friends were total strangers to him. However, they all seemed to come and go into her life, leaving more or less damage.

“I am sorry about you and Nick.”

Y/N finished getting back to the right line of the highway and removing the blinker, before glancing quickly in Jake’s direction. He was looking at her, with an expression she couldn’t quite read, but that she understood as some kind of gladness. She sighed while turning her focus back on the road.

“You can lie better than that, Jake.”

“Well, didn’t like the guy so…”

It had been a couple of months now than her longtime boyfriend Nick and she had broken up. What confused Jake the most was how this was not a topic for discussion. She hadn’t called crying; she did not seem to be angry. She just announced it to him like it was nothing and directly switched subject. He hadn’t found a way to bring it back on the table, so he asked their friends and family. They all had the same answer; she was doing fine. She seemed to have continued her life just like nothing had happened.

“Was it him-”

“It was me,” Y/N cut him off quickly abruptly, leaving Jake with an uneasy feeling. She sighed again, probably realizing how harsh her tone had been. “This wasn’t working out anyway.”

Though she could not see him, Jake nodded back acknowledging her response. He still felt like there were more to it, but he understood that now wasn’t the time to discuss it. Ever since they had known each other - and it went back to kindergarten, they hadn’t had many secrets for one another. And if they had, it was never anything major.

So, he shook off this feeling and gently grabbed her hand resting on the gearshift to squeeze it softly.

“I do am sorry, though.”

“I know.”

It was nearly six in the morning when Y/N pulled up in her parents’ driveway.

The porch light was on, welcoming them, making sure Jake knew he was expected, and it made him smile fondly. It still felt surreal somehow; after everything, he was home. Getting out of the car, he breathed the fresh air of Texas like he hadn’t breathed in years.

Y/N was already opening her trunk, getting out a duffel bag that seemed to contain some clothes for today. Jake jogged toward her before she was able to get his own khaki bag out. She rolled her eyes, smiling, when he gently slapped her hands away to take care of it.

“Mom set up a spare bed in my room,” Y/N informed him while walking to the front door. “Just like the old days.”

And nothing in the house had changed either.

The hallway was still a drive along memories with all sorts of pictures hanged upon the wall. Y/N’s parents wedding portrait. Y/N’s baby pictures. Y/N on the day of the start of her first kindergarten year - just before they met each other. A couple more of first day of school pictures - this time with him in it as well. A couple of family vacation pictures. And along with them, a couple of pictures of events he wasn’t even there to attend. Y/N’s university graduation, her parents’ thirty-year anniversary celebration party, her first promotion celebration dinner…

The kitchen was still on the right, the living room on the left and straight ahead the stairs to the bedrooms. Y/N’s bedroom still had Justin Timberlake poster hung up on the walls along with some pictures of friends and family. The teddy bear he won for her at the funfair when they were not even ten stood on her bed. Jake swore that if he opened the dresser, he would still find the shelf that was for his stuff back then.

Without many words, both of them got ready for bed. Y/N took the en-suite bathroom first and when Jake got back in his sweatpants, she was already in bed, cuddling Mister B the teddy bear. His chuckle made her look up to him with sleepy eyes and quickly look away when she realized he didn’t wear a shirt. He kissed her on her forehead before tugging her more tightly in her sheets and turning off the bedside lamp.

“Do you remember when I couldn’t sleep unless someone was holding my hand?”

Jake only hummed in answer, and even in the darkness of her room, his hand found hers instinctively. Their fingers intertwining immediately, he did just as he had promised when he was only just a kid; he never let it go.

“Son,” Y/N’s father spoke from the other side of the kitchen, “don’t worry about it.”

Jake shook his head, smiling, before proceeding with what he was already doing: loading the cup he had used to drink coffee in the dishwasher. Ever since he had been up earlier that morning, Y/N’s parents had pampered him with all their attention while also being busy preparing lunch. Every time he asked if they needed help, they would assure him he just needed to stay put in his seat.

It had always been like this, for as long as he had remembered. Whenever he had gone over when Y/N and he were still in middle school, her parents had always taken good care of him, making sure the crust of his PB&J sandwiches were cut off, putting on his favourite beddings when they were having a sleepover, drying his clothes in the air dryer when they came home soaking wet from the park. He felt loved in a different way than he did at home, where he had a hard time adjusting to his new family dynamics with his two younger step-sitters. Growing up, they continued on listening to him and caring for him. Y/N’s father was the one he went to for advice before he enrolled. Ever since, and with the little time he had with them every time he came home, it still hit him in the face how much they loved him like he was their own son.

“Do you need help with anything?” He asked once more.

This time, they did not have time to answer. Y/N appeared on the doorstep, changed out of her pyjamas, hair still wet. “The shower is all yours, Jake.”

She watched him go as if she had to make sure he remembered the way to her room. She hadn’t really realized yet that he was really here, with them, and feared that he would just disappear at any minute or that she would just wake up from whatever dream she was having. Somehow this also seemed to be all too familiar, like a play they had rehearsed a hundred time before. It broke her heart a little to know this was most likely not going to happen again before a very long time, that it could actually never happen again.

Y/N got this thought out of her head as soon as it came. She didn’t need to think about this. Not now. Not ever. She just needed to enjoy whatever time she had with him at home.

“He looks good,” her mum stated once Jake had made it to the top of the stairs.

“Yeah, he does,” Y/N spoke softly, eyes lingering to where Jake had been only a couple of seconds before, suddenly wondering if he was really as good as they thought.

When Jake got back to the kitchen the entrance clock had just struck eleven. Only sixty minutes until he would be reunited with his family. It never felt more real, but he couldn’t quite realize it. He was so used of being far away from them, totally disconnected from their realities, hearing their news after everyone else. Yet, he had always found them as he had left them, eyes watering to see him home or gone.

He joined Y/N on the vegetable preparation. Washing, peeling, cutting kept him busy while the anticipation started to build up. All while Y/N’s father asked him about what new manoeuvres he had learned. Being an aviator himself, they could talk about flying for hours to Y/N’s greatest damn; she had the biggest fear of flying - and perhaps the fact that Jake nearly crashed them while flying an old aircraft he had restored with her father when they were teenagers had something to do with it.

“These boys,” Y/N’s mother sighed playfully as Jake and Y/F/N were debating whatever solar planes were the future of aviation. Y/N smiled as she shared a knowing look with her mother, who was getting ready to lay the table in the dining room.

“Mom, hold on,” Y/N called before reaching inside the cupboard next to her, “you are missing a plate.”

“Why? Is Mark coming after all?”

Y/M/N’s face went white in only a second as she realized what she had just said. Not knowing what to do else, Y/N handed her the white plate. Looking sideways to Jake, she hoped he hadn’t heard - she didn’t want him to find out like this, when his whole family was going to be here in the next thirty minutes.

It was already too late though; Jake’s attention had of course switched to their awkward interaction. Her father was quick to step in, wiping his hands on a cloth and moving towards his wife.

“Of course he is, darling. Let me help you bring those into the dining room.”

Y/N watched them disappear before quickly turning back to the carrots she was now cutting in a Julienne, praying Jake would just drop the subject. Ever since she had learned that Jake was having a leave, she had planned their reunion to be perfect. She had purposely lied to his family, pretending to have a very big news to share with them so they all agreed to gather even if the atmosphere was not good. She had made them promise to bury the hatchet, for “her” and most absolutely for Jack. Whatever touchy topics they would have to talk about, they could do it after.

“Why wouldn’t he come?” Jake still asked and, at that moment, she knew that whatever she would tell him would never be sufficient to not draw his suspicion any further. She couldn’t lie to him even if she tried.

“Just been busing with work lately, you know how it is.”

Without letting him time to ask more questions, Y/N went for the stoves to make sure the sauce was still reducing as it should have. She could feel Jake’s eyes burning holes on her back and could only hope he would drop the subject.

“Jake, son,” Y/F/N had just gotten back from the dining room, “would you mind giving me a hand with the roast?”

After taking a last look at Y/N, still very focused on stirring the sauce, Jake turned to her father. It wasn’t until she didn’t feel his eyes on her that she turned to look at him. She watched as her father made him took out the turkey so he could put some more butter on it. Out of the corner of his eye his father gives him a reassuring wink signalling her he had got this.

The bell rang at the exact same moment Y/N put the last plate of hors d’oeuvres at the centre of the table. Shooting a look across the piece, she saw her father squeezing Jake’s shoulder in what seemed to comfort him. She smiled shyly, trying to hide her own nervousness. Thanks to her father, Jake had nearly forgotten about the earlier incident about Mark and the reason he wouldn’t have been able to make it. He hadn’t asked any other questions, and they hadn’t given away other secrets. All was well in the best of all words, or so she still tried to convince herself. It was all that mattered.

“Just like we said, you both stay here, and we’ll bring them for you.”

Y/N watched as her parents disappeared in the hall. She turned to Jake who she now realized he was close at her side - she knew from the way his lips were set in a tight smile that he was somehow nervous. When noises started coming from the hall, Y/N grabbed Jake’s hand without thinking. She needed him to know she was there, that she would always be there, just like they promised when they were younger. It would take much more than a thousand of miles and a few hiccups to take them apart. As if he was thinking the exact same thing, Jake squeezed her hand back.

Jake’s step-dad was the first to enter the dining room. Y/N saw his eyes go from herself to Jake right next to her side, his eyes lighting up in realization. Yet, he didn’t say anything, holding a finger to his lips to let them know he would stay silent while moving further into the room as if nothing had happened. He and Jake had never been particularly close; he was a good man, a good husband, and a good father to his daughters, but Jake’s fatherly figure had always been Y/N’s father.

Next to enter the room was Jake’s youngest step-sister, Sophia. She immediately spotted him, letting out a cry and running into his arms. He crushed his sister in one of those same hugs he gave Y/N when she picked him up from the airport. It warmed her heart to see them like that. Sophia was still very young when Jake had enrolled; she was only just a kid and had grown up with the lack of his older brother. She was looking up to him so much that Y/N had sometimes to remind her that he didn’t have only qualities. He was her hero in so many ways…

Sophia’s reaction got the rest of the family - his mother, Olivia, his other step-sister, and his step-brother, Mark - in the dining room quite quickly. There were a lot of “Jake!” shouted from across the room and loads of tears, happy smiles, and hugs.

“I can’t believe he is here.” Sophia cried again; this time she was in Y/N’s arms. “And I can’t believe you lied to us.”

“Sorry not sorry,” Y/N smiled, tugging a string of her hair behind her ears before bringing her in an even closer hug if it was possible. She wasn’t sure she had seen her this happy in her life, she realized.

Y/N was an only child with a very little family. Over the years, Jake’s family had grown to be her own as well. As children first, as they were always all together at either one’s house or the others. As teenagers when his step-sisters weren’t babies anymore and they had started to be able to play more with them. She remembered helping his mom getting both of his sisters ready for school, all of them celebrating Christmas at her parents or going dress shopping for Olivia’s first prom.

Ever since Jake had been deployed on the West Coast and later overseas, they had grown even closer. There were brunches on Sundays, just the three of them, where Sophia would file them up on her latest dating adventures. There were lunches at Olivia’s office after they had taken a midday yoga class. There were breakfasts with Sophia before her classes began. Y/N had always made sure they were alright, as if she had to do it for Jake.

So far, the lunch had turned out great.

Jake had told them all about his last position and this group of pilots he had been joining overseas. Everyone had started feeding him bits and pieces of what had occurred ever since the last time he’s been home. Olivia and Mark had managed not to fight, which was a miracle in itself, per Y/N’s opinion. Jake’s mom had finally stopped crying. And Sophia seemed to have forgotten about those hard choices she would have to make once she graduated from college at the end of the year.

At least, that was the case until Jake asked about it.

“So, any thoughts yet about what you’ll do next year?”

“No, not really.”

Y/N had already seen that look on Sophia’s face. It was the same one she made when she was hesitating between an avocado toast and pancakes at the place they were used to going to brunch; every time she had been making this face, she had ended up with ordering both. Sophia eyed her tentatively and Y/N immediately shook her head no, silently pleading her not to do whatever she was thinking.

Today was not the day. Jake had only gotten back from abroad hours ago, they would have enough time to discuss it in the next couple of days.

“I am thinking of enrolling,” Sophia stated abruptly.

Boom.

The bomb had landed.

Y/N sighed, mentally cursing Sophia for needing whatever validation from him. They all had talked about this extensively for months on now. Decide to enrol was one thing, accept that one of your relative would do the same was another. She knew how Jake was; he didn’t look like it at first sight, but his family was his everything. He had made the selfish decision that could result in them losing him forever, yet he wouldn’t accept that she’d do the same.

From the deathly silence that came after Sophia’s statement, Y/N rested the cutlery on the side of her plate, bracing herself for whatever had to come. Her attitude made Jake immediately turned to her. She had never seen the wrinkle between his eyebrows this deep before. She didn’t know if it was from dread, disappointment, or anger.

“You knew?”

Jaw tight, Y/N didn’t answer, and Jake huffed - of course, she knew. How could she not? She was here, with his own family, when he was thousands of miles away fighting for his country. She was here, only a ride away, when he couldn’t even remember the last time he had enough telephone network to FaceTime them. She was there, physically with them, when he was just a ghost, present for a few days a year before disappearing for months on hand.

Y/N tried to reach out for his left arm to try and calm the whole situation down, but he moved ever so slightly she couldn’t touch him. The fire in Jake’s green eyes was incandescent. He was angry, with Sophia, with her, with everyone. And to know he didn’t even know half of it…

“Let’s not start now,” his older step-sister stepped in to try and reason him.

“Why?” Jake retorted immediately. “Wanna updates me on what is going on with Mark as well?”

Olivia opened her mouth to answer and as she couldn’t seem to find something to say, she then closed it and lowered her head. She and Mark had officially announced a few weeks before Jake returned that they were going to take some time apart. They had been married for nearly three years and they were having a rough path. They had started couple therapy, trying to make things work. Y/N couldn’t count the hours Olivia had spent on her couch, crying and eating ice-creams.

Y/N knew exactly how she felt like. The deception of thinking she had found the love of her life only to realize it was more complex than this. The sadness of loving someone and it still not being enough for the two of them to be happy. The paralyzing fear of being alone, of never being well enough.

She needed a shoulder to cry onto and a lot of love, and not to be reminded of what a failure she thought she was.

“I am sorry,” Sophia mumbled. Y/N wasn’t sure to whom she was apologizing. Jake? Them?

“You can’t seriously be thinking about it?” Jake half-shouted, pointing her finger at her like he was accusing her of the worst betrayal.

“Don’t say anything you’d regret, son.”

Y/N’s father word seemed to put some sense into him as he leaned his back against his chair, folding his arms against his chest. The distress on Sophia’s face was now palpable and she was on the verge of crying from Jake’s quite violent reaction. Though she didn’t expect Jake to be totally supportive, Y/N had not expected him to reject the idea that much either. She had thought that he would’ve still listen to her reasons, maybe try to talk her out of it, but finally make peace with the idea. Just like they had. Just like they all had when he was in her shoes.

Olivia had regained her composure and wrapped an arm around her sister’ shoulders. The look she sent Jake probably refrained him from attacking again his little sister. Instead, he chose another target for his anger.

“How can anybody be cool with this?”

Before Jake’s mom could speak, Y/N called him out. “Why could you do it and not her, Jake, huh?” She wants to be like you so bad, don’t you see?

“That’s not the same thing.”

Y/N huffed and rolled her eyes.

It made her even bitter. For all the things he hadn’t told her when he had no reason to hide it from her. For him being hurt that they didn’t want to discuss as such important topics over the phone. She would have liked to be sorry to hide all this from him, yet his reaction had only comfort her on her choice.

“You’re being unfair.”

“Am I now?” he laughed. “Excuse me for putting my life at sake and not wishing for me sister to do the same.”

“Did anybody ask you to? If anything, we would all have loved to keep you by our side.”

“Oh, I see. So, this is all my fault, right?”

The daring look he offered her made her heart jump in her chest. Her stomach was in fire; consuming her from the inside. She was tired from the sleepless nights she had for the last few months. And sad about the outcome of this lunch. And disappointed in him. And quite frankly done with his attitude.

Sighing, she gave in and looked away, throwing her napkin on her plate at the same time. Whatever this was, it was too much for her to handle. “If you’d excuse me,” she announced as she moved her chair back. “I am not hungry anymore.”

“Y/N-” he called after her, grabbing her arm to make her stay. She gave him a pained look before abruptly pulling away from his grip.

“Welcome home, Jake.”

Jake’s face appeared once again on her phone screen.

Big bright smile, sunglasses on the bridge of his nose, forehead sun-kissed by the first rays of sunshine of spring. The picture had been taken one of the few times she had fly out to California to visit him. They had such a good time that Y/N used to hold all those memories close to her heart. Now, she couldn’t even look at it.

She couldn’t count the number of texts Jake had sent nor the number of messages he had left on her voice mail. She hadn’t read nor listened to any of them and had even decided to turn off her phone at some point during the night. She needed some time alone to take a breath and to swallow the disappointment that was forming a lump in her throat.

Despite the emotional roller coaster this day had been, she hadn't fallen asleep until late in the night, turning over in the sheet nonstop while thinking of all the comebacks she could have said to his face. And like every other night for months now, when she had finally managed to get some sleep, her worst nightmare had woken her up a couple of hours later.

It only made her feel worse and she cried all the tears in her body. It was like whatever emotion she had retained in the last year had come back to her like a wrecking ball. She was angry for all sorts of reasons all linked to Jake one way or another. She was also very sad of the situation she found herself into, of Jake having spoiled their reunion, of the spectacle she had given in front of her loved ones.

So, when she turned on her phone a few hours later, eyes still puffy and red from the lack of sleep and the crying, she didn’t hesitate to turn down his call when his smiley face appeared on her phone screen. At that time, she discovered the multiple texts and missed calls of her parents and Jake’s sisters. She sent them a quick group message, letting them know she was fine and that she would catch up later. Leaving her phone on the kitchen counter, she got ready for her day.

Her phone rang four more times while she was getting ready. She was now determined to let him know to leave her alone. She was still pissed, and she needed to compose herself. This was without counting on the doorbell ringing when she was about to answer her phone.

Stopping whatever she was doing, she made the few steps from the kitchen counter to her apartment door, opening it without even thinking who she would find behind. Much to her surprise it was the only person she didn’t want to see. Jake. Standing there, phone in his hand.

“Oh, come on!” he exclaimed when she nearly shut the door in his face.

He stopped it before it was fully closed and after a deep sigh, Y/N let him in without even giving him a look. She closed the door behind him, passing him - still without looking at him - and went to the living room. She leaned against the kitchen counter, crossing her arms on her chest much like he had done during lunch just the day before.

Jake stood in the middle of the room, watching around him. It was the first time he was in her new place, the one she started rented after she broke up with her long-term boyfriend. It wasn’t much, only a one-bedroom apartment with a sanitized decor - she hadn’t had the heart to make it her own. It was close to her work and not a too long drive from her parents; it was all she really needed.

Y/N studied him in silence. He must not have had the memo about the Texas weather at that time of the year as he was only wearing a beige sweater, sleeves rolled up. It wasn’t much of a surprise he had forgotten how it was; he had spent so little time home in the last ten years.

When her eyes finally got to his face, she realized he was now staring at her. She tried reading him like she could before, but what she found in his eyes, she couldn’t interpret. Perhaps something had been broken between them. Perhaps there were only so much absence someone could handle. Perhaps they had let the miles come in between them for real this time.

She couldn’t tell how long they stayed like this before he finally spoke.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Long gone was the hope she had that he would apologize.

Jake had never been one to be wrong; he was probably even the most stubborn person she had ever met. Though she liked this confidence in him, she also knew it was hiding something much deeper. His trauma of being abandoned by his father when he was still a toddler. The fear of his loved ones realizing what a failure he was, despite everything he had already accomplished. The fear of never being enough.

He had assured her it wasn’t one of the reasons he had enrolled, and she knew he was lying to her just as much he was lying to himself. But she wasn’t her twenty-something-self; she wasn’t going to protect his feelings anymore. Now that they didn’t have an audience, she could lay her cards on the table.

“Do you mean, just like you didn’t tell us about the ejection seat accident that you had six months ago?”

She saw his face drop ever so slightly before he regained his composure back. She wasn’t the only one keeping things from him, yet contrary to him, the things she was keeping a secret weren’t really hers anyway.

“How would you know?”

“Javy called me that time,” she stated dryly, memories of the call she got in the middle of the night flowing to her head. She still had nightmares about it most nights. “He wanted me to know in case your brain injury worsened, and they had to call your family.”

This secret, she had never told anyone and had carried the weight of it on her own until now. She had smiled and assured everyone that all was fine for the days - sixteen in total - they didn’t hear from him; how could he, he had been literally in a 24h surveillance at the hospital. She had had Javy on the phone to report every little detail he had of Jake’s evolution. She hadn’t had sleep for weeks straight and had nearly cried when Jake had called him after a very busy and unexpected mission he took part in - another way for putting he had just got cleared from the hospital.

“It was nothing.”

“It wasn’t nothing, Jake! You got banned from flying for six weeks. Six fucking weeks!”

“And yet, it wasn’t the first time I ended up in the hospital, nor was it the last time. You know that’s part of the job.”

Y/N snorted.

Like hell she knew. The job description went with never being in the same time zone as your loved ones, missing every single milestone in their life, putting his very own safety at risk so they could all be free and safe, and omitting all details of the national security missions to which he was taking part. She was pretty sure though there was no line in his contract about lying about his health, especially when he could have died, to his family.

For some reason, this whole situation had made his absence even worse. She realized he didn’t feel safe to let them know when things had gone bad; if this time she had known, she couldn’t even imagine all those other times Javy hadn’t been there to inform her. It had awakened a visceral (and most likely also irrational) fear in her. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing him and she still wasn’t ready to accept it.

“Why is this such a big deal when you knew what was going in here and didn’t even tell me?”

If she hadn’t been this tired, Y/N would have probably walked to him to slap him. How could he compare his near-death experience to his sisters’ decisions? How could any of it be equivalent?

“This was not my truth to tell,” she only replied blankly.

Yes, she wasn’t very proud of hiding things from Jake and lying on purpose. But she wasn’t thirteen any longer and when people confided in her - when she promised she wouldn’t tell him anything - she wasn’t going to go running to her best friend to spill all the tea.

“Will you then tell me the truth about what really happened between you and the other dickhead?”

“I already told you everything,” she answered dryly, a little bit too quickly for it not to be suspicious.

“I don’t believe you.”

Y/N knew from the sound of his voice it was pure provocation. He gave her the same daring look she had just seen the day before - the same consuming flame was in his eyes - and she could see his infamous smirk dawning on his lips. She wondered why he wanted to prove just how right he was - how he was always right - so bad. It made her skin scramble how infuriating he was.

She didn’t answer right away and stared at him, arms crossed on her chest a little bit tighter to protect herself. Everything that was happening was only making her angrier towards him. He had ruined everything, and he had just decided to continue on doing so.

She had dreamt about him coming home for months and months, to have him by her side and now, she could only wish for him to go away. The anger, the pain, the animosity; it was all too much. She couldn’t keep up anymore.

“What do you want me to tell you, huh? How much of a great boyfriend and man he was, but that it still wasn’t enough? How much a horrible person I am for not being able to fall in love with a person that would devote his own life to try and make me happy?”

Jake opened his mouth to respond, but closed it as the words sank in. It all made sense to him suddenly. Why she seemed to be relieved it was all over. Why she didn’t call him after he broke her heart. Why, on the rare occasion he had discussed the break-up with his sisters, they had never talked badly about her ex-boyfriend. He didn’t break her heart. He never did.

She was the one breaking his.

“Why didn’t you just tell me?” he asked, this time his voice much softer.

How could she? When it all started with his accident - that she wasn’t even supposed to know of. When it took her five years of a stable relationship to realize her longtime boyfriend had never have been the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. When it took her half of her adult life to understand she had been lying to herself for almost all her life and that even now, she didn’t know her truth from her lies any more.

Knowing the truth, Jake didn’t know what to say. He wanted to feel sorry, he wanted to tell her he was. But was he really? It would be lying to say he didn’t exult when he had heard of the break-up... On the day she introduced him to Nick, they he had discussed - quite vividly - about the country actions in Afghanistan - one of the campaigns he had just come home from - and from that day, Jake had just decided he wouldn’t like the man. He hadn’t been very subtle about disliking him, but in his opinion, Nick had paid him back in his own coin: monopolizing Y/N whenever Jake had her on the phone, making her choose between the two of them when he had had the opportunity to fly her oversea. He still felt nauseous to recall how Y/N had seemed to only look at him every time Nick was in the room with them.

He made a few steps in her direction, going to comfort her, but Y/N only shook her head. She wouldn’t let any of this go so easily. It wasn’t because she had confided in him, that he now knew all the truth from her part, that everything else would be forgotten. There were still a lot of unspoken truth to uncover.

“Why are you really here, Jake?”

“What do you mean?”

“The reason you got this leave, what is it?”

They stood less than a metre away, eyes in eyes. Jake never felt so vulnerable as every time she looked at him as if she could read his soul. He knew she was looking for something. Something he couldn’t give her.

Looking away, he answered, “It’s nothing.”

“That’s what I thought.”

Y/N slipped away before he could even react. He watched as she turned back towards the front door. She opened it without a word and looked into his eyes as she stood leaned against it.

“Goodbye, Jake.”

And this time, he didn’t even try to fight.

Javy: Hey, got Hangman on the phone today. You okay?

Y/N: Did he vent at you for calling me that one time?

Javy: Almost.

Javy: He wasn’t really angry though. Just frustrated I guess.

Y/N: I bet. Wasn’t really the nice little break he must have planned.

Javy: If there is anything to learn from all this it is that truth is better spoken from the person they apply to.

Javy: You should talk to him.

Y/N: Yeah well I’ll see about that.

Jake was very nervous, and he wasn’t very nervous a lot.

In fact, he was pretty sure the last time he was that nervous was when he had picked Y/N up for their senior prom. Just like every year since starting high school, she had been his date - though Chad nearly had taken her away from him, but this dumbass had broken up with her only a couple of weeks before prom. That year, for some reason, everything felt different. High school years were coming to an end, they were both going to different universities. Everything was about to change, and it would never be the same. Jake had dreaded taking their relationship to the next level. If only he had known that despite going to different universities, Jake enrolling and basically the two of them living their life in parallel, their relationship had made it.

More or less so... It had been three days now since the lunch at her parents, two since their other discussion - if he would call this an argument, he was still unsure - and today was the first time he was seeing her since then.

After spending time with his family, he was on his way to meet with some of their childhood friends. Normally, Y/N was one of them and she had been invited. But with the recent events, he didn’t know if she would be here. He had had time to reflect on what had been said and finally had apologized to her voice mail as she wouldn’t let his calls through. He had given her plenty of time and space, sending in only a couple of good mornings and good nights texts, just like he was used to. Yet he didn’t know what to expect.

When he spotted her already sat at the table he had booked, his heart started pounding furiously. It gave him hope not everything between them had been broken.

“Hey,” Jake greeted Y/N softly when he had gotten at her level.

Y/N only nodded, barely looking at him, before continuing her discussion with their friend, Monica, like nothing had happened. Jake swallowed the lump in his throat before continuing to greet everyone around the table.

In all those diners they had had with their friends when he had been home, she would have been sat next to him, so close but merely touching. He would have had his arm resting nonchalantly on the back of her chair. He would have whispered all sorts of things in her ears, and she would have laughed open light-heartedly at every single one of his jokes.

That night, she was sat as far as possible from him and he had difficulty focusing on the group discussion, his mind going back to her every time. He probably went the whole evening looking at her not so subtly in the hope she would like to give him a look. She did not.

“You good?” Matt, sat at his side, asked him after the main course.

“Yeah,” Jake answered though the little tremor in his voice didn’t reflect confidence.

“Just give her a little time. It’s just a lot, y’know.”

Jake only nodded.

The problem was indeed just that: time. His flight back was in two days now and she was supposed to be his ride. He knew she would be able to drop him off without speaking a word, while he sat there in the agonizing silence. He was sure he was not able to do it for a couple of hours, he couldn’t imagine what it would be to not have her speak to him every again. He couldn’t get back to combat with Y/N still mad at him. He needed to fix things. He had been able to do it with his sisters; he had to do it with Y/N.

Indeed, the lunch had finished soon after Y/N’s dramatic departure. His sisters hadn’t spoken another word to him, and Y/N’s parents had tried to maintain some semblance of a conversation. Jake had taken a quick walk to clear his mind before going to his parents.

He had sat down with Olivia first and then Sophia, so they could tell him everything that had been going on. He sat there listening to what they had to say until they were done. There had been a lot of crying on their side (only a tiny little bit on his side - most likely because he had a dust in the eye, he would say). In the end, they had hugged and laughed and remembered that they loved each other and that nothing could be more important than that.

He had realized Olivia seemed much more at peace, somehow differently but also similarly to Y/N’s. She had so many plans on her side - buying a house, planning a trip to Europe, getting a puppy – as if she had just discovered she could be a unique person outside her marriage and she genuinely was happier.

The talk with Sophia had been a little bit more sensitive. The idea of her enrolling made his blood boiling, but he had remained calm – or at least tried to - and listened to her reasons. If he was afraid to see himself in her, her reasons were solely different than his. She didn’t want this only to do like him; it was more that he had paved the way for her. He had made her promise to think some more about it - at least, graduate from college before deciding anything - and he had promised to be supportive. He would have some work on himself, but he would cross that bridge when he’d get there.

They had of course talked about Y/N and how she was carrying the whole family on her shoulders. She always made sure everyone was alright, answering her phone at 3 a.m. to pick up Sophia from a frat party gone wild, welcoming Olivia in her tiny apartment - giving her the only bed to sleep on the couch, despite her protest - the time she turned things round after Mark and she had decided to take some time apart. She even made sure their mother was alright when his step-dad was away for business, bringing her homemade meals that she only had to heat up and keeping her company.

If he always knew what an amazingly caring person she was, it only proved him right. He would be forever grateful she was the first person to have talked to him on his first day of kindergarten. He would be forever grateful for the woman she was. If he was honest with himself, it all made him love her even more.

He wasn’t ready to watch her from afar - well, from much far away than his current position - but he would do it (or at least try), should she ask him to…

After what seemed to be an eternity, the evening finally came to an end.

Jake didn’t get the opportunity to speak to Y/N though he hesitated multiple times to just call her out or walk to her and demand that they had a chat. She was currently bidding goodbye to everyone in front of the restaurant, and Jake was watching her attentively to ambush her just as soon as she was finished. He didn’t care if he would be rude to anyone by not saying thank you for coming and goodbye; he needed to talk to her.

After she hugged Monica and promised to let her know when she got home safely, she reached for her car key in her bag and made her way to her car without even looking at him. Jake took his luck and followed her. He called after her, but she refused to acknowledge him.

“Can we not?”

“Why?” she turned around suddenly. “Want me to tell you anything else?”

“Y/N, please.”

She only raised an eyebrow before turning back and continuing walking. Too bad for her, Jake wasn’t one to give up this easily. He followed her lead up to her car that she started to unlock to get in. A wave of panic got through him as he could feel her slip away from his fingers and he didn’t want that. If they didn’t have this talk now, he was not sure they would have it at all.

“I only have two days left,” he said, interposing himself between the closed door and her. “Please.”

Y/N froze at only a few centimetres away from him. She seemed to think about what options she had. Unfortunately for her, there just wasn’t much as she couldn’t make Jake move even if she wanted to. So, she chose the reasonable choice. She crossed her arms over her chest and listened.

“I-” he sighed, passing a hand on his face, frustration clearly visible on his face now. “There has been an incident. We lost two men.”

Y/N’s arms immediately dropped to her side; the mask she wore on her face cracked. She could have been angry he lied to her, yet again, but this time, it was too serious. People died. The command had given them time off because of it. It only reminded her it could end at any time. She really could lose him.

“Jake,” she sighed.

“I-”

His voice broke and Y/N didn’t hesitate to go in for a hug. Out of habits, his arms found her waist and he buried his face in her hair. He breathed her perfume in, trying to ground himself and not totally lose it. She was his rock. There were no ways he would still be here if it wasn’t for her waiting for him at home.

He couldn’t lose her.

“I can only imagine the worry I cause you all,” he muttered in her hair. “I didn’t want to add anything to it.”

Y/N grabbed his face with both her hands and forced him to look at her. She wore a small frown on her eyebrows and determination in her eyes. While she was touched he wanted to spare their feelings, not knowing what was going on was even worse. She couldn’t count the number of times she had thought he was dead when an unknown number had called her phone. In order to support him the best way they could, they needed to know.

“Getting you back in one piece is our priority,” she started, voice bold as if she wanted him to engrave her words in his head. “That’s why we are keeping things to ourselves. We don’t want you to worry about us when you should be solely focused on staying alive.”

Jake half-smiled in return, which made Y/N relax a bit. Her hands fall on his shoulder as he kept her close to him, so close that there was no space between their two bodies. They had realized they wanted the exact same thing for one another: for them to be safe and sound.

“I worry about you all, all the time. I worry about you, all the time,” he confessed, his voice still low.

Jake reached out to tuck a loose string of hair behind her ear and Y/N instinctively leaned in his touch. It was like this between them, easy and pure. It always had. Sometimes - like these last past days, they were so caught up in life they seemed to forget what they had was so unique. Every time they had found their way back to each other.

“I left you alone while I am off, living my dream.”

“Don’t say it like you could have made any other choice, Jake.”

“I don’t regret it,” he answered right back. “Yet if I had to do it all over again, there are a lot of things about you that I would do a whole lot differently.”

Y/N nodded slowly, her heart rate slightly going up. If they often shared I-love-you’s more out of habits than anything else - though they were always genuine, Jake had never really expressed out loud how he felt about her, and from the electricity in the air - totally different from the explosive tension that had built up until now, she could feel there were more to it.

“It’s never too late, they say,” he smiled softly, his hand making it to the back of her neck.

Y/N hold her breath, searching in his eyes if he was being serious and if he was really wanting to finish the conversation they had started the night of their senior prom. If he wanted to do it right here, right now in a parking lot. It was a conversation that could have totally changed their life if they had it. A conversation for which they every so often imagined what they would have said if fear hadn’t stopped them.

If there were much younger back then, nothing now had changed at all.

“I’ve always been yours,” Y/N whispered. It would be lying if relief hadn’t wash over Jake. Of course he had known - he had always known - yet, hearing it was another thing.

“I know.”

Y/N’s bright eyes saw his eyes dove down to her lips, only a dozen of centimetres away she realized now, then back to her eyes. Her cheeks were burning up from the anticipation of what was to come. Yet, lost in each other’s eyes, none of them moved.

At that moment, the world could have stopped that they wouldn’t have noticed. Nothing else but them mattered.

“Well, kiss me then.”

[lehguru]

MUSCLE MUSCLE! + ONE PIECE MEN

one piece men having a muscular fem!s/o feat. monkey d. luffy, roronoa zoro, trafalgar d. water law, sanji, donquixote rosinante, buggy the clown

info: again FEM!READER , this is so self indulgent its embarrassing; not proofread

luffy wouldn't mind you having muscles. he thinks that's something normal – just like some women can be skinny or chubby, others can be muscular. he would love to compare his biceps to yours if you love to flex, he takes it as a fun playful thing. he would adore to train with you, it gives him a big motivation; not only because it's someone as strong as him training, but also because he would adore to share earbuds with you and do silly dances to make you laugh between your sets.

zoro thinks the way you managed to build up your muscles is amazing. he often talks to you about your training techniques and diet; you're also one of the few – three – people he invites to workout with him. if you spot him during bench presses, he always puts a higher weight than he would while alone – that's his way to show that he trusts you and your strength. he will often stare at your body at the gym, but it's never in a creepy way, he just wants to make sure you're okay while doing your exercises (and he secretly enjoys to see your muscles working).

law is constantly wanting to rip his hair off with worry for you. he thinks your psyche is nice and he have no problem with it, his fears lie on your diet and your bones/joints. he fears that you might get an injury and you're not keeping a healthy fat percentage; even if you reassure him and say everything is fine, he always show up with food at your place. if he's not in that worried state, he loves to feel your muscles while you hug him (he has a skinnier build, so he enjoys the contrast). his favorite thing ever is to feel your arms around his head while he lays on your stomach.

sanji would love your body no matter what, but there's something about you being able to lift him up – and even throw him around if you want to – that drives him insane. if you post a picture with any of your muscles flexed, you will get a dozen of comments from him. if you take him to the gym to train with you, he will praise you and won't even train so he can "appreciate and help a goddess like you". he begged you for a long time to give him a headlock so he could take a picture and make it his profile picture in every single social media he have (and the background on his phone).

corazón always get shy whenever he looks at any of your muscles – you often notice it, because his cheeks become a nice shade of pink. at first you thought he didn't like you being muscular, but quite the opposite. unlike his brother, he doesn't build up muscles that easily (they have the same genetics, but he always says he was born to be the skinny brother), so you, the love of his life, being muscular? he is over the moon. if he gets your consent to do it, his hands will be all over you. if you need a massage, he's there. if it's just resting on your thigh or your back during a cuddle session, he's happy. he loves your muscles a lot, not more than he loves you.

buggy thinks you're one of the coolest people because of your muscles. he always wanted to be bigger and scarier, but his muscles always seemed to grow on his legs and stomach only, so if you are well-balanced on all your body, he is smitten. he loves to lay on any part of your body, giggling to himself if he thinks about doing that when you two are apart. he is constantly praising you, but, unlike sanji, they come in a more "if you were the queen, i wouldn't mind being the jester" way. he wouldn't mind tagging along with you to the gym, but he would spend more time glaring at any other men that looks your way than actually training.

2023 © content belongs to lehguru, but the characters used in them belong to their respective creators!!

[madkiska]

watching the entirety of jrwi: riptide again. here's some important things from the first few episodes that I feel we forgot (<110 mentions too though)

Jay

Had night terrors similar to those of Kubakinta's curse in episode 5, and they eventually start returning even after Loffinlot's curse is lifted ○ All of them were about her family and/or the navy ○ I simply think people leave her out of the nightmare stuff and she deserves it. Hurt her more, please (he said, lovingly)

was actually very upset at having to use her medal to get a Loffinlot rebellion to shut up ○ This could be because she didn't want them to guess she was a spy, but I choose to believe it's because she felt guilty

"If you're gonna be sailing with someone, you should have a good relationship with them. [nervous chuckle]." She says, while asking him for information about the Black Rose Pirates (ep. 10)

Said "thank god they didn't find me" after a nightmare about the navy attacking. Even when she was supposedly a spy, who one day would have to return to the navy ○ Very unclear if she was scared of her dad, or if it's because she was a secret spy so the navy would've just killed her

Rewatching, she was suspiciously into the plundering and gold and stuff. Like that was real sus. It doesn't fit her current character much

The only one among them who's gambled before

Chip

The entire thing literally starts off with Bizly holding a lit match

Called Gillion "Gill" and Jay "Sureshot" from an early stage

Was SO much more of a bastard. Lied to Gill constantly, didn't care about anything but the money, etc.

Had aggressive hand tremors alongside Jay's night terrors ○ Gill cures it with lay on hands

When he gets drunk married, they talk extensively about how he'd be released when he's dead. Welp.

They did actually break up and it was fine and they were still friends. They parted on good terms

Is really fucking good at chess ○ Beat Earl twice and Jay once. Jay had a point of exhaustion after a nightmare but Earl had no excuse ○ Lost to Gillion though, but only cause of prophetic screwup ○ This kid is smarter than he lets on, y'all

Was the first one to have a backstory dump while Jay is asking him about the Black Rose Pirates, yet still we know jack shit about his life before them other than "orphan"

Gill

Charlie has referred to Gillion with 'they' many times. I can pull receipts.

When describing Gill, Charlie said: "He's more.. elven, if you had to make a comparison. 'Cause I don't wanna be a fish guy". Oh, honey.

Smote a bald person by using his hair as a whip (ep. 4)

Was given anxiety and self-doubt alongside jay's night terrors and chip's tremors ○ "What do you want?" "I want the feeling of satisfaction I've been chasing my whole life." ○ This was episode FIVE.

First mention of the prophecy and how Gillion wasn't their ideal student is ep. 7, after he divine smites + prophetic screwups and deals like 60 damage to some beetles ○ Chip spends the next 30 seconds in gay awe

He refers to the crescent moon Niklaus tattoo as "my zodiac" (probably a bit) ○ It's not a lil basic white girl moon this thing is the entire size of his forearm

Gill had never heard about the Black Sea - it's unclear if the Undersea just don't know, or if that's just how sheltered he was (ep. 10)

Biz: "What would Gillion do. If he just had no goal - was just sitting there." "Gillion always has a goal." "Would his goal ever be to just.. Sit there?" "Absolutely not." ○ Later, Chip expresses that he doesn't know what Gillion likes. What he would want out of winning a bet. Gillion doesn't have an answer

Other

Apple, in a couple of early battles, acted like Gill's familiar (see: ep. 7)

They also pecked at his Niklaus tramp stamp and looked all confused at the idea of eating seeds

The specific crescent of the moon in the Niklaus tattoo is known as a symbol of "corruption" (ep. 9) and its antonym is the sun, for "life", similar to the yin and yang ○ Interesting to consider after what the tree said in 110 <_<

Pretzel has a masters degree in couple's therapy (ep. 10)

The Albatross/Millennium Chipper was described as the colour of rosewood or mahogany

Captain Lizzie's first introduction was a wanted poster, and Chip wanted to turn her in for the prize, then decided to try learn from her instead

Chip/Bizly called Old Man Earl "Erol" for a loooong time ○ Maybe it's an accent thing but I have an uncle called Erol and so this stands out to me

[mysterysage]

☆ Adrenaline

☆ Read at your own risk !

Tags: Ellie x Fem!reader, oral, r!receiving

The sun was going down and the moon was creeping up, Ellie had just gotten back from patrol and the people of Jackson were throwing a little party like they did every Friday evening. 

“Ellie? Hurry i don’t wanna miss the dancing” You said, rushing to get your jacket to walk out the door.

“Babe, i’m tired can we just stay in?” She pleaded, tugging at the bottom hem of your shirt.

“You’re always tired, Tommy’s gonna come by if we miss another get together.” You complied 

“Please?” She begged once more.

“..Fine.” You tried to hide the disappointment in your voice but you didn’t do a very great job. You found yourself always getting your way with Ellie, whether it was the desperation in your voice or the way you looked at her. 

You placed your jacket back on the worn out chair that it had originally lie, kicking your boots off and sitting them under Ellie’s desk. She sat back on the bed that you two shared and watched you get unready. You sighed, wanting to be with Ellie but also wanting to have fun at with the others at the same time.  Ellie must’ve noticed your desperation and decided to take action.

“I’ll make it up to you.” Ellie whispered, she had crept up behind you. She was humming one of your favorite songs.

mm mmm mmm MMmMm

All you heard were her soft hums and you two swayed back and forth. She spun you around to face her, now making eye contact in the dim room. She smiled, you knew something was up.

“Why are you looking at me like tha-“ Before you knew it, she had picked you up and took you to bed. She had sat on top of you, stuck under her you begged for her to let you get up, she didn’t budge. Almost out of breath from all your laughing, your loud begs had turned into breathy almost moans, and sent something off in Ellie. Without even thinking, she smashed your lips into hers, kissing you softly but that soon changed to a much deeper and hungrier kiss. 

Her desire for your touch grew and grew, it grew so strong she didn’t know how to control and more so not even wanting to. She didn’t break the kiss, not even for a second. She unbuckled your pants, struggling to get them down. 

Throwing them to the side, you were now in her lap. No pants, your shirt was undone, you were a mess and Ellie loved that. 

She slid one hand down your dark green panties, making you grind your wet clit against her hand. She kissed and sucked down your neck, eventually making her way to your boobs. She left marks all over, she always did and left you with the struggle of keeping them hidden.

She used her tongue to play with your nipples, you moaned and you moaned loud. She could tell you were almost at your climax but she wanted to go on longer.

“Fuck, Ellie.” You groaned as she stopped

she put you on your back, pulled you panties off, and pushing your legs up. Your fold were open and exposed, a cold breeze brushed over your hardened clit as Ellie teased you. She kissed between your legs, leaving a few pecks here and there. Another cold breeze grazed over you, making your body tense up a little.

“Relax.” She nodded, pulling you closer. 

She made eye contact as she attached her mouth to your pussy, burying her face in it.

“God..” you whimpered, she smirked hearing you. 

You pinched onto your nipple as she worked her tongue through your hole, trying not to be loud as you heard people’s footsteps crunching in the snow.

She licked you slowly, your juices dripping on her chin. The knot in your stomach became more evident. you were close.. and Ellie could tell.

She lifted herself up and slid one finger in you, you arched your back as she added another and began slowly penetrating in and out of you. 

“Whenever you’re ready babe.” She kissed the inside of your thigh repeatedly, your walls were tightening around her fingers as they curled in and out of you. You bit the pillow next to you as you came. Your back arched and you could feel everything rush out of you. Your cum covered Ellie’s two fingers, dripping down onto the bed sheets as she sucked them clean.

You had collapsed, catching your breath as Ellie crawled up next to you. You looked over at her, she was grinning from ear to ear.

“You didn’t seem tired just now.” You muttered. 

“Adrenaline.” She answered.

A/N:

☆ this might be shit.

[snowywolf1005]

JOYBOY LUFFY X MOON GOD FEMALE READER 🌙

THE SUN AND THE MOON

Warning: blood, curse

Luffy was defeated by Kaido, and now Kaido is attacking everyone. The strawhat thinks Luffy has died, as for you .

You were injured, badly injured so bad, you just passed out while luffy asked Law to put them in a better place.

You were with Nami, marco, and tama. "Luffy dead!? Now, way! That's ridiculous!" Nami cried. "When he says he's gonna win, he'll definitely win, at any cost!" She yelled.

Then Nami began to cry, "So stop lying, you disgusting snake! Luffy, I know you can hear me! Please don't make (Y/N) cry!" She yelled. "Keep your words as always!"

Luffy lay on the ground, and his heart started pumping, playing music. So, as you, your heart starts playing like shamisen.

Zunesha heard the sound of bumping and the shamisen. "momonosake," he said, "what? Zunesha!?" Momonosake asked.

Then the drum started playing in music. "Momonosake! I can hear them!" Zunesha yelled.

"It been a while..." he said, luffy hand start twitch. Momonosake looks confused, "you can hear them? It's been a while? Zunesha, what are you talking about!?" Momonosake yelled.

Luffy body started steaming. "I can hear the drum of liberation. I'm hearing them for the first time in 800 years! I'm positive that they are here!" he yelled.

"wh-who's here?!"

"Joyboy, lunala... has returned!" He screams. Luffy hair turned white, and his body started jumping. Red and white lighting flying everywhere.

Luffy lifts his body. "What happened... to me?" he said, standing up and trying not to fall. " How come I can still stand up?" He asks, then Luffy starts smiling.

" I lost the battle," he said, smiling. "But this is getting fun!" He laughed, falling to the ground. As for your body, it started moving a little.

"Joyboy! Lunala!" Momonosake yelled, "luffy and (Y/N) is joyboy, lunala!" Yamato yelled. "Is that what zunesha said!?" Yamato question.

Luffy laughed, rolling on the ground, and couldn't stop laughing even more. "This is getting fun!" He said, his clothes turned to white, his eyes turned pink.

In the performance floor. Everyone was shocked to see on above, "What? Is that straw hat man?" Said hyogoro, then he smiled.

"Straw hat!?" Said marco, he turned to Nami and tama, who were hugging each other and you too. "Hey! He's still alive-yoi!" He yelled.

"Luffy's not dead?!" Nami yelled, crying. "Big bro's still alive?!" Cried tama, "That's great!" They said crying. "(Y/N)! Luffy is alive!" Nami cried, hugging your body.

Luffy laughed, jumping.

In the mary geoise, pangaea castle, the hall of power. The five elders were in the meeting.

"Sacrificing one of our best agents... only to enrage kaido is like putting the cart before the horse," said warcury.

"But what if it's better than the alternative? It's better to eliminate a risk factor." Said Saturn.

"The world government... has always tried to get hold of the gum-gum fruit and the moon-moon fruit, but it never came into our hands. For 800 years!" Said nusjuro.

"It's as if... the fruit is evading us... That not entirely implausible," said Mars. "Zoan type devil fruit have a will of their own." Said Peter.

" Furthermore, that devil fruits bears the name of a God. Another name for the gum-gum fruit and moon-moon fruit is..." said warcury.

"The Zoan, human-human fruit, mythical type, model... 'nika' 'lunala'. They say that his body had the exact properties of rubber, as for lunala. She can shapeshift and illusion. They fought as they fancied and made people smile." Said Peter.

"The warriors of liberation and the moon queen, also known as... nika, the sun God! Lunala, the moon, God!" Peter yelled.

"Awakening it is said to give its user's rubber body and the shape shifting body even more strength... and freedom. I heard that it's the most ridiculous power... in the world, " said Peter.

Luffy jumps in the sky, jumping on the ground, clapping his hand. "I can do everything I wanted to do! I think I can fight a little bit more!" Said luffy.

Jumping around, dancing around. "My heartbeat sounds funny!". Luffy jumps high, "This is our peak! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Luffy laughed.

"This is it! Gear five!" Luffy yelled, letting out all lighting go nuts around. And you, you opened your eyes and it full of red. 'What going on?' You question.

'How come I can't feel anything pain at all? What is this?' You keep questioning yourself. Then you hear drums, 'what that sounds? It sounded familiar? Why can't I remember?'.

Luffy jumped around, clapping his hand. Smiling, bouncing, dancing. Being all goofy all that stuff and started laughing.

As for the bottom, everybody was shocked to see full lightning. 'What going on? What happened to luffy?' You question, luffy grab his tumb and stared blowing on it.

His arm became bigger and bigger. "Hey, what on?!" Someone yelled, "someone's color of the Supreme king?!" They yelled.

"Where is it coming from?!" Someone yelled two, kaido looked above and saw someone outside above. "What's that on the roof?" Kaido said. He looked a hole on above, then a huge hand burst out and grabbed kaido.

"L-luffy?" You said with a lower voice, luffy pulled kaido up, Law and kid was surprised. "Straw hat?!" Said kid, "is that luffy?!" Chopper scream.

Luffy pulled kaido way up, kaido scream. Then luffy pulled his pruple rope on his waist and became muscles. "Muscles! Muscles! Muscles!" Luffy yelled, luffy flew to kaido face.

And punching him, luffy jumps back and grabs kaido body. "Here we go!" Luffy yelled, luffy spin kaido body around, then slamming his body on the ground.

Luffy keeps slamming kaido body on the ground. You, on the other hand, are still injured. You can see Nami, tama, and marco taking, "l-luffy," you said.

Nami turned around to see you, talking. "(Y/N)! Aaaaaa!! I thought you were dead!!!!" Nami cried as she hugged you. "Luffy, I got to help Luffy," you said, trying to stand up.

"(Y/N), you have rest!" Marco yelled, and then you finally opened your eyes. Nami screamed, Marco and tama looked at you and was shocked.

Your eyes turn to red, "(Y/N)?" Tama asked, then you stand up. Your skin turns white, and pruple lightning comes everywhere on your body, and a pruple smoke sorm around you.

"(Y/N)?!" Nami yelled, your body turned to blue, then you transformed into a gaint shadows monster.

Like this:

"AAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" Nami and tama scream. Then you fly up, everybody looks at you in horror, "What is that!?" Someone yelled. You look up to see a hole lend to outside.

"Luffy's," you said, you go through the hole and make bigger holes. You looked to kaido turn black.

Like this

And luffy laughed when luffy looked at you.

You flew over to luffy, and you turned to your human form. And luffy was shocked to see you alive. He put his hand on your cheeks, "(Y/N)!!!" Luffy laughed, and he hugged you tight.

He started kissing you all over your face, and you kissed him on the cheek. "So you're alive as well?" Said kaido, you look at him and transform your monster form.

You and luffy V.S kaido, let see who wins.

PART 2 COMING RIGHT UP!!!!!

If you want more, just leave a comment below!!!!!

[elsweetheart]

♡ abby anderson headcanons ♡

bc dom!abby has my heart

• abby loves when you ride her thigh. it’s a huge ego trip for her, as you get to appreciate her thick legs which she works so hard on during her lengthy workout sessions - but she also adores seeing you get so needy for her, sometimes she’ll just be sat cleaning her weapons or something whilst you writhe on her lap, grabbing at her strong arms as you work yourself over. she’ll pretend to ignore you at first, occasionally chastising you and chuckling mockingly, or just telling you how good you’re being - but she’ll usually end up breaking and just fucking you.

• she gets cuteness aggression towards you, bad. like you know the feeling when you see a lil puppy or kitten and it’s so adorable that you just wanna squeeze it? that’s how she feels towards you when she rocks up late from patrol and sees you fast asleep bundled up in your blanket all warm and docile. she’ll slide in right up next to you and effortlessly lift you to practically be on top of her, kissing your warm cheeks muttering “how are you so fucking cute? you are so adorable. what the fuck.” which only intensifies when you whine a little because she woke you up. if you couldn’t hear what she was saying, you might think she was actually mad at you but she’s genuinely frustrated that you’re so cute.

• she’s not the most affectionate in front of other people, and she might joke around with others but ultimately she worked hard to appear intimidating in a world now dominated by men and she likes to keep up an image that leans more towards stoic. however, she will let you clamber all over her and cling to her jacket wherever you go. her one exception to not initiating PDA will always be when you’re looking for somewhere to sit, as she will always pull you to sit on her thigh - and it’s the best seat in the house.

• her preference is to fuck you with her strap, and honestly she can get off just from getting you off like that, however - once in a blue moon, often in the middle of the night when abby can’t sleep and is craving that skin on skin contact she’ll push your thighs up and grind her own cunt against yours- holding you down and bumping it against yours until you cum.

• much like her aversion to copious amounts of PDA, abby reserves the lovey dovey nicknames for your private time with the exception of the occasional “babe” which still makes you blush. however, if you’re being particularly difficult that day - she will forget your name completely and refer to you only as “brat”. it’ll make you pout and roll your eyes, but she’ll completely dismiss your complaint, leading you ahead of her with a “c’mon, this way brat.”

• she hates it when her pretty girl is stressed or anxious or scared, and if she notices the telltale signs of you displaying these emotions she’ll be sure to pull you aside or into another room to talk you down. she’ll squat infront of you, holding your hands as you weep, and gently swatting them away when you go to swipe your tears away, wiping them softly with her own fingers. “talk to me, pretty.” she’ll quietly demand and you’ll shake your head drawing in a stuttered breath. “s’not your problem abs.” you whine and she’s quick to shake her head in disagreement. “then make it my problem. i’m not letting you leave this room until you tell me how i can make it better.”

• if abby is the one that’s stressed or anxious, for some reason she just needs you to lay on her to feel better. hear me out, it’s something about the compression and your body weight that makes her feel like a person again- and your presence is just so calming to her. she’ll be laying awake beside you, mind racing before she’ll apologetically lift you and cradle you on top of her, and you’ll whimper at the intrusion of your sleep at first (and she’ll shush you so quietly and lovingly that it lulls you back into your relaxed state immediately) and then you settle and snuggle down because she is really comfy to lay on.

• strength kink. i feel like this is a no brainer, but she’ll do anything to display how strong she is, and how easy it is for her to overpower you at any given moment. she’ll fuck you standing up with you in her arms as she bounces you on her strap, or eat you out against a wall with your legs over her shoulders. abby is strong as hell, and she loves how weak and vulnerable you are to her, completely at her mercy.

• she’s super disciplinary. not even always in a sexual way, but she’ll always be telling you to “watch the attitude.” or asking “wheres your manners?” which always fixes your behaviour asap, fluttering your lashes at how dominant she can be. of course in the bedroom, it’s a whole different ballgame — she’ll spank you for being greedy but will always reward you with rubbing loving circles on your clit with a “see? such a good girl for me, aren’t you?”

• if abby is anything, she is a manspreader. she takes up so much space just to remind everyone that she’s in charge, and if you’re not perched on her thigh around others, or squished with your legs pressed together to make room for hers beside her, you’ll be sat on the floor between her wide stance with your cheek to her thigh, with big pretty glazed over eyes asking her for something.

• you’re always on her mind, so if she’s out looking for supplies without you and she sees something cute she thinks you’d like she always stuffs it in her backpack to bring back to you. she likes to gift you to reward good behaviour, abby passing a hand over your head gently as you grin at your new gift. “see, it pays to be a good girl, huh?” she’ll smirk with a slight eye roll.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hi, I have a question for you about TWST. Do you think that in terms of medical care and technology our world is more advanced in some ways? I had this one idea that in TWST they don’t know CPR because they have magic. Also do you think that they had a moon landing or a space race?

On the contrary, I think Twisted Wonderland’s medical care and medical technology is more advanced than ours, if not just as advanced. Twisted Wonderland has many of the same inventions as we do (cars, smartphones, social media, etc.) and even magical variants of those (a magical wheel/blastcycle is a magic-powered motorcycle), so it doesn't make sense to me that medicine and healthcare would be the one area where the real world is ahead of TWST's. Twisted Wonderland would be more advanced than us because magic would allow them to enhance their technology to surpass what we are realistically capable of. Technomantic assistive devices integrate elements of both technology and magic to assist those with impairments. Additionally, healing potions (which accelerate the speed of one's recovery) existed as far back as 400 years ago. For those skilled in potionology, they may whip up antidotes on the spot with the right medicinal herbs.

I also don't think that the existence of magic completely negates the need for regular first aid procedures. Non-magical methods and skills must still exist since the majority of the population are non-magical. Among humans, 90% are completely incapable of magic and of the remaining 10%, most of them are not able to produce enough magic to so much as lift a cup. Very few left are competent enough to become skilled mages, and even fewer are competent enough to become medical mages. Why would the entire healthcare system of the world be entirely based in magic when so few people would be capable of administering that kind of care? CPR and first aid exist in the first place so the common everyday average Joe can help others until actual medical personnel can arrive. It wouldn’t make sense to gatekeep these skills or for them to not have been invented simply because magic is A Thing. In fact, magic is not widely accessible and is implied to be kept for the elite and well-off (more on that here and here).

“Not many humans can use magic, so we turn to chemistry for stuff like this,” Trey says in his Silk Adorned vignette when explaining to the group how the colors of fireworks can differ. The existence of regular sciences—devoid of magic—implies the existence of regular medicine as well. Remember too that not all schools teach magic, therefore regular subjects must exist and be widely taught in non-magic schools.

It should also be noted that, even with magic, it's not a perfect solution for every ailment out there. For example, the healing potions in 7-68 do not instantly restore Lilia to full health; he notes that he must still rest and that his magic is still depleted to the point where he cannot fly back in the direction he just came from.

Magic was also not always viewed as a positive either; a few hundred years ago, it was viewed as a frightening thing. Mages were referred to derogatorily as “witches” and “wizards”. Most societies were not structured around magic (and still aren’t to this day, with fae seeming to be the exception). This means that normal medicine and related first aid must have still existed since magical medicine was presumably not widely accepted.

All of that was to say that I’m pretty sure Twisted Wonderland still has CPR, among other means of non-magical medicine and healthcare 😅

Now as for your final questions, I do think that Twisted Wonderland has achieved space travel. Idia was able to launch Ortho into space in Wish Upon a Star, so the technology is definitely there. It should also be noted that spacesuits and astronauts have been mentioned in the 4koma, which implies the existence of space travel. Again, I’d also like to point out that TWST’s general technological advances are about on-par with ours (including modes of transportation), so there’s no reason not to believe they haven’t gone to space as well.

I don’t think there was a Space Race though? That’s an event that happened in our history, and we know that TWST, while borrowing ideas from irl does not cleanly align with reality. For example, the fictional countries we visit have elements from many cultures (Sunset Savanna has onsen eggs, which are Japanese, not African; Harveston has fashion and foods from various Nordic cultures, etc.).

For historical events… I think Twisted Wonderland is more likely to get its inspiration from Disney movies rather than look to actual irl history. It gets into too much muddy political tension otherwise, which I totally understand TWST wanting to keep out. There were probably other circumstances that led to the advent of space travel in Twisted Wonderland.

[hereforreadandwrite]

Abandoned Part 2

Masterlist

Your mother always knew what was best for you.

She always saw through the intentions of others, warning you against people who were malicious or who simply wanted to take advantage of you, and she encouraged you to go towards those she liked. When you told him about Kratos and he came to give you your wedding ring. Your mother disapproved of him as soon as he walked through the door, but you were too in love to actually listen.

Your mother knew better, you wish you would have listened to her and stayed away, but no. You listened to your heart and went with Kratos, becoming his "wife."

Why did you think he loved you?

“One way or another, something is going to go wrong,” she said. "He's only here because you're young and he's lonely. As soon as he finds a woman he's interested in, he won't stay. All he does is lie and fool you 'illusion. A man like him has an ego. You deserve much more (Y/N)."

Your mother tried to protect you from this pain, but you didn't listen to her. You were so happy that a man like Kratos was interested in you.

You left your mother.

You left your loving home for a man who didn't care about you.

Now you stood in front of your childhood home. You were terrified of facing your mother. You were sure and certain that she wouldn't want you anymore, especially when you told her that you were pregnant. Speki and Svanna moaned beside you, licking your hands. You smile at the wolves, finally gathering your courage to go and knock on the door. When the door opened, your courage melted like snow in the sun. Your mother looked at you in surprise. You jabbered incomprehensible words. To your surprise, your mother hugged you.

“I missed you so much,” she said, hugging you.

You cried with all the tears in your body, of relief, of anger, of sorrow. It was probably the hormones that were causing you to have this whirlwind of emotions, but you were happy to be back home.

Your mother allowed you and the two she-wolves to go inside. You explained to her what had happened and why you were back home. Your mother had listened to you patiently without interrupting you or judging you. When you told her about your pregnancy, she hugged you, reassuring you, saying that she would do everything to help you with your child.

A weight lifted from your shoulders.

You finally felt welcome and loved.

Your mother also loved Speki and Svanna.

She has always loved animals.

Your pregnancy was going wonderfully. Your belly grew bigger day after day. Six moons had just passed and in all that time, Kratos never came. You would have thought he would have come, at least to pick up Speki and Svanna, but no. He probably never bothered to look for you. Had he even returned? It wouldn't surprise you if that wasn't the case.

Even during Ragnarok, Kratos was always out of the house.

At first, you understood that he had to train Atreus and hunt. There were times when you were alone for days at a time, taking care of Fenri when he was sick. When Kratos came home, he barely spoke to you. He preferred to take care of his weapons and other tasks. Whenever you tried to approach him, he pushed you away.

The only reasons that kept you going were Mimir and Atreus. The two had welcomed you into the home with open arms. Then Atreus left. Mimir was still with Kratos.

You have always been alone.

“I’m sorry mother,” you say, stroking your belly.

“Why are you apologizing?” your mother asked, looking at you perplexed.

"Because... I didn't listen to you... and I left with this man who never cared about me. I was stupid."

"Child. You're not stupid," she said, leaving her work to come and sit next to you. "You were in love. How could I blame you for that? I also had this bad judgment when I fell in love with the man I dreamed of spending the rest of my life with."

“Were you in love before you met father?”

"Yes, I found this man kind and caring. But... he loved me just for my beauty. He didn't hesitate to dump me when he found a more beautiful woman. Then I met your father. He helped me. He consoled me and I agreed to marry him. And before he died, he gave me the greatest gift. You."

You would never have believed your mother had the same experience. That was why he was so harsh towards Kratos. You hugged your mother, crying your eyes out. Your mother always knew what was best for you.

Why did you think Kratos loved you?

He who said he hated the Gods. He was worse than Odin.

Three new moons passed, the baby was ready to come into the world. The day he was born had become the longest day you had to live. The pain that tore through your stomach was horrible. You screamed, cried, begged your mother for this pain to finally stop. Your mother helped you as best she could, telling you to take deep breaths and push. The pain will stop when the baby is out. Speki and Svanna squealed as they heard you scream in pure pain.

Your mother couldn't help but be worried. The birth was long. Too long even. The baby should already be out. But it wasn't just that. You were bleeding profusely. She tried to stop the bleeding, without success. It didn't bode well. After one last painful push, your child finally came out of your body, finally coming into the world. Her tears invaded the little cabin. Strangely, your mother was silent, staring at the horrified child.

"How...what is that?"

"Mother... my baby..."

Your mother showed you your child. You understood why she was so horrified when she saw the baby, her left side was perfectly formed, but her right side was devoid of skin, revealing her muscles and bones as black as darkness.

“It’s a girl,” you said under your breath.

“(Y/N)…”

“She’s perfect,” you said, sobbing and hugging your daughter to your chest. “My daugther... you are the best thing that ever happened to me!!”

Your mother looked at you without knowing what to think about this situation. This child should be dead. It was impossible for her to survive with such a deformation. She was brought out of her thoughts by feeling a warm liquid spilling onto her knees. Her gaze rested on the bed. The furs were soaked with your blood. The bleeding had become more severe. Your mother tried to stop the bleeding as best she could, but her attempts were in vain.

“(Y/N)!”

Your mother's throat tightened as she noticed that you had just taken your last breath, holding your daughter to your chest.

“No…,” she whispered, shaking you. "(Y/N)! No! Daugther! Open your eyes!"

From outside the cabin, anyone could hear Speki, Svanna, the baby and your mother crying over your death.

It was only at sunrise that your mother had the courage to prepare your pyre. She wrapped the baby in thick furs, placing her granddaughter in a basket. She placed the basket on the table as she went outside to take from her supply of logs. You were never going to be able to see your child grow up, become a woman. You were never going to be able to know all his joys and sorrows. You should never have left first. You should never have died this way. You didn't have time to give your daughter a name. She was going to have to decide for you. It wasn't her role to name your daughter and raise her.

The sun was now high in the sky when your mother placed your body on your pyre and set it on fire. She will be your daughter in her arms, watching your body turn to ash.

How could things have gotten so bad for you?

Why were the Gods so cruel to you?

But now you could finally be at peace. Your mother looked intently at your daughter, her granddaughter.

Neither alive nor dead.

Your mother didn't know how that was possible, but the facts were before her. The night had passed and the child was perfectly well. She slept peacefully in her arms.

"We need to find a name for you, little one. What do you think of Hel? This name suits you perfectly."

Your mother went back inside her house. The Gods have truly been cruel to you. Your mother knew she couldn't allow your daughter to see the outside world. Your mother placed Hel in her basket to close the windows and the front door. Your mother knew she had to hide her granddaughter from the outside world. Other mortals were not going to welcome a different child with open arms.

Your mother didn't know how to protect you as she wanted to do.

She was going to protect Hel as best she could.

tag: @pookiesnatcher

[thataddylady]

Analysis: 'To Sir Phillip with Love' What do Philoiseers love about Eloise x Phillip?

So on to the final part, what do we like so much about this pairing and this book? This book has the vibe of Persuasion by Jane Austen, Charlotte Heywood x Alexander Colbourne from Sanditon, or Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock in The Lakehouse.

This is for the late bloomers who thought they needed to give up because there was no chance of finding their match and ended up finding the love of their lives.

Eloise was a character I related to. From the strong personality, the rambling and the anxiety about life passing me by, to the prank war with the kids that eventually breaks the ice. I saw myself in her. Eloise is a character with a high opinion of herself but she is very aware that it's not a shared opinion. Which is isolating. Her family loves her but her brothers avoid her and her sisters don't share her interests. No one has the stamina to keep up with her. She's looking for peace and companionship over love.

But then she meets Phillip. He's isolated, has been mostly ignored and passed over most of his life. He is an untapped mine of humor, intellect, tenderness and love. He is desperate for help with his children and his life, it's true, but he is also touch starved and desperate for someone to talk to. he reaches out to Eloise because through their letters to each other he thinks they could find friendship and companionship. Ultimately they want the same things.

What they both end up getting is a champion in their corner who sees them, understands them and appreciates everything they bring. Phillip is a character who has never really had anyone take an interest in him or his interests. Eloise is a person who has always been told that she is too much, too pushy, too talkative. Neither of them are a good fit for society life.

It's the fact that Phillip loves listening to Eloise talk, and genuinely adores pretty much every aspect of her personality. He loves and values how bossy and opinionated she is, he loves how she expresses herself. He loves how intelligent and expressive she is, he loves how capable she is. He is not cowed or put off by these very strong parts of her personality. When her brothers make a joke at her expense he is the first to tell them to knock that shit off, despite the fact that they nearly killed him when they first meet. He loves the color and noise and energy she brings to his life and he nurtures it in her. This is something Eloise has never had with anyone else, not even her family.

For Phillip, Eloise is able to give him a clearer and healthier perspective on his life. The first time anyone tells him "No your father was a monster and I wish he was alive so I could thrash him." is Eloise. The first person to say "I don't think anyone or anything could have made Marina happy," which is a fact (it was beyond his ability as she was clinically depressed with severe postpartum depression) is Eloise. She is the first person he is able to talk to about his marriage and lift the weight of bearing it alone. Eloise is the first person to tell him his children need him and miss him because they love him.

It is something you think is obvious, but he legitimately doesn't realize it. If you look at his history, it makes sense that he would also see his children as people who are stuck with him because there was no one else. His life has also taught him that no matter how hard he tries, he will never be enough, never be what someone needs or wants. When he marries Eloise, he thinks he's gotten them the parent they always deserved, someone better than him. The idea that they genuinely want to be around him as well is not something he has considered.

His children, who are super clever but mischievous and adorable think Eloise hung the moon and basically agree to make her their leader.

Essentially, Phillip and Eloise both become more of themselves but better in a very supportive, loving, wildly passionate relationship. Like they are having sex on the regular. If you think Colin is obsessed with Penelope, buckle up because you haven't seen Phillip Crane. Their love story is the adage that 'everything about you the wrong person couldn't handle is the exact thing the right person has been waiting for'.

The critique I hear a lot is readers wanted Eloise with someone more exciting who challenges her. Phillip isn't a reformed rake with rogueish charm and toxic masculinity who needs a loving touch from the right ball buster to remind him to be human. And I can see the appeal for that kind of hero, especially for Eloise. But would that hero be a better match for Eloise, or is it simply a more entertaining story with a flashier hero for a flashy heroine?

The truth is Eloise is surrounded by people who challenge her. What she lacks is acceptance vs tolerance and genuine appreciation for what she's been told are flaws. Her brothers hate shooting with her because she's too good. Phillip doesn't care, he loves to see her be her awesome self. Her brothers find her too domineering, Phillip loves that she always has a plan and an opinion to share. Phillip isn't a pushover incapable of standing up to her. But he isn't going to fight or argue with her for the sake of it. He'd rather help her do what she wants to do and then make love to her all night afterwards.

Eloise is a person who is in constant battle with the world, with opinions and forces she cannot control but certainly would like to. Does she really need someone to challenge her at home or does she need someone who sees her as she is and accepts her fully, giving her a warm soft place to land? Does she need a sparring partner or a quiet champion who adores her, nurtures her, and is ready to step up to smooth her way when she needs it?

That's all I got folks.

@whatsaweekend this is it!

[iwas-tooru]

how i think the kny demons let it rip

AKAZA

refuses to fart in a public space, the thought is absolutely mortifying to him

excuses himself politely and goes into a little corner to do it

occasionally when he can't hold it in he lets it out and blames the smell on Douma

DOUMA

accidentally farts when he's laughing too hard but isn't necessarily ashamed of it

it's very unexpected like one second he's wheezing hard and the next you hear a loud one rip

it surprises him too but he just goes "ah, excuse me ✋🏻✋🏻" and just goes right back to saying whatever he was saying

doesn't really stink, unless he's freshly back from munching on women at his shrine lol

KOKUSHIBO

he doesn't feel the need to hold it in if he senses a discreet one coming on but Kokushibo is like really bad at reading his own farts lol

he suspects a silent one bubbling up in his stomach and just decides to let it out at the upper moon summon while he's sitting like 🧎🏻‍♂️ as usual but turns out he misjudged it and it actually comes out loud as fuck scaring everyone in the vicinity

he knows nobody will dare say anything about it cause he's upper moon one and tbh he doesn't really give a shit, he just goes:

👁 👁

👁 _ 👁 "excuse me."

👁 👁

GYOKKO

like those watery ones that sound like someone blowing into a glass of soda with a straw

this mf sharts, i just know he does

does it at the worst moments too like Muzan be talking about how worthless and useless the upper moons are and he's trying his hardest to hold it in but it just comes out right in between Muzan's speech

turns very red and embarrassed

doesn't stink in the air but woe betide if you catch a whiff of his behind

HANTENGU CLONES:

HANTENGU

he has those really high pitched squeaky musical note ones that stink like a septic tank

it happens when he's really scared or anxious and just sinks into the floor when they escape

they come out anywhere and everywhere lol Douma snorts everytime it happens and damn near bites his own tongue

SEKIDO

one loud angry fart that just goes 'BLARP'

mostly happens when he can't hold it in anymore and even tho he's embarrassed as hell he'll be looking at you as if daring you to comment on it like "tf you lookin' at huh 🤬"

KARAKU

this mf farts in the blanket and traps Sekido inside, shoving his head in and holding it in a death grip till he's choking and sputtering

he also lifts his leg to do it onto Sekido sometimes just to annoy him

gets his ass beat each time but to him it's worth it lol

UROGI

man has no shame whatsoever will do it anywhere and everywhere and he has those little continuous ones that rumble and stink like hell

sometimes he lets out a long string of trumpet ones. he mostly likes doing it while he's flying cause he feels free and finds it funny that people could be going on with their lives as usual and suddenly they look up to see an overgrown chicken zooming across the sky while letting out a long engine-like backfiring with each toot varying in pitch and tone

AIZETSU

has those silent and deadly ones when he gets overtly anxious or sad

it's bad enough to make the other three gag and cough and he just turns red and starts stuttering out apologies

will probably never look you in the eye again

ZOHAKUTEN

look i don't' know how to describe it but it's as if he's been holding it in for fucking centuries????

like he's deadass gonna stand there with his arms crossed and his face all (ㆆ_ㆆ) while he lets it rip and oh lord it's going to be one of those that just keeps on going and going and going

worst part is he'll probably stare you right in the eye while doing it and woe betide you if you dare laugh at him

the pitch increases as the fart begins dying out

ig thats what happens when you remain fused inside hantengu's body for too long......

DAKI

dainty toots, always excuses herself to go into a corner

lowkey terrified of doing it in public so she always runs off into a restroom when she feels the slightest bit of churning in her tummy

forces them out sometimes while she's alone so that they don't come out in public and those ones are real loud and stink terribly lol

GYUTARO

is neutral about it i think

he feels its a regular bodily function so he ain't necessarily ashamed of it

in short he doesn't really give a shit and doesn't even excuse himself when he lets one out lol

they're usually pretty plain and straightforward smell like the normal level of stink

only excuses himself if he does it in front of Daki

KAIGAKU

this mf squats lol

has those loud ass ones that start out low and rumbly and go higher and higher by the second and finally end when they've reached the maximum pitch

he doesn't give a shit and just sniggers at whoever is on the receiving end of this monstrosity

stinks like hell, he really needs to fix his diet

ENMU

he has those little tiny toots that come out unexpectedly and randomly like he could be walking and suddenly you'd hear a little squeak come out from behind him

has definitely accidentally done it in front of Muzan lol the memory still haunts him

turns scarlet and begins stammering apologies

goes into a corner and has a mental breakdown soon after

RUI

he has those loud, rumbling ones that you let out when you're really stressed/angry if you get what i mean??

has no shame in it fr, and besides everyone in his 'family' is too scared to say anything to him lol so he gets away with it pretty easy

NAKIME

now don't come for me but i feel like she lets out silent stinky ones and blames them on someone else (mostly Douma)

like she's chilling with her biwa and feels a lil rumble in her tummy so she just lets it out silently and keeps quiet abt it until someone goes "ewww what's that smell" and she deadass says with a straight face "it appears Lord Douma has had a good meal today"

LIKE JUST STRAIGHT UP BLAMES IT ON HIM AND THEN WATCHES THE CHAOS UNFOLD AS DOUMA DENIES IT AND PINS IT ON AKAZA AND THEY END UP FIGHTING WHILE SHE'S JUST CHILLING TRYING TO FIGHT BACK A SMIRK LMFAO-

MUZAN

he doesn't fart.

he just doesn't.

no criticism shall be taken.

[fallingdownhell]

Hi There,

I loved the convincing dumping ask you did I keep going back to read it all the time! I would really love if you did a part 2 with Itto, Gorou, Diluc and kayea if you don't mind.

Thank you for taking my Ask!

Aww, thank you so much! I feel so honored hearing that<3

I already did a part 2 (so that makes this part 3, holy shit!) where Kaeya and Diluc were involved, but I'll still do the other two. Hope you don't mind that.

Characters Included: Itto; Gorou

Content: gender neutral reader; she/her pronouns for the best friend; cursing; oblivious and dense Itto, but he is whipped for you; Gorou is a sweet and cute boi; dense reader in Gorou's part

Word count: 2,5k words

Thank you so much for the request and hope you enjoy!

Itto

Oh boy.. Itto in a relationship would be so down bad for you

Like, the dude is already dense as fuck. He did not notice that you were flirting with him for the longest time

It took you, literally screaming it to his face, for him to realize

Was over the moon when he knew his feelings for you were reciprocated

absolutely so focused on you and making you happy that he doesn't even pay attention to any other people anymore

You let out a deep, exhausted sigh as you left your workplace for the day. It had been a very, very long day and right now, you wanted nothing more than to see your boyfriend again.

You usually hang around with them after work, since it's a great way to destress and calm down again. Though finding them is an entirely different issue, since they are always somewhere else, very rarely are they found in the same place twice in a row.

So, without having any destination in mind right now, you start walking through Inazuma City, looking at the different trinkets that were being sold at almost every corner.

You did, in fact, stop to by some Dango from one vendor, thinking that the treat might cheer you up as well.

You continued walking through the streets as you were enjoying your food, but you had yet to stumble upon your boyfriend and his gang members.

When you searched almost all of the city, you decided to look for them at the outskirts of the town. But everything there was quiet and peaceful as well, giving you no indication that they were here.

Sighing, you gave up on your idea and decided to instead go for a walk around Byakko Plain, maybe that might help clear your mind. After all, you could always talk and spend time with your boyfriend later, knowing that he would return to your home anyway for the night.

So, with a somewhat lifted mood, you went for your walk, enjoying the quiet, peaceful atmosphere around you as you observed your surroundings. The sun was starting to set, turning the sky into a beautiful bluish-red colour, birds were chirrping all around you, making you feel at ease.

You have been walking for some time and decided to head back to the city again, to go home for the day, when some noise caught your attention.

You soon realized that it was a group of people, talking, not too far away from you. Thinking that it might be some Nobushi hanging around, you went behind some trees for shelter, trying to locate the source of the sounds so you could avoid them until you made it to the city.

However, once you found the source, you recognized the people of the group to be Itto and his gang themselves. Feeling relieved, you left your hiding spot and decided to walk over to them. Upon getting closer, you saw another person with them that you usually didn't see around them very often.

It was one of your best friends who was hanging out with the gang. Which, in and of itself wasn't a problem, even though she never told you anything about that, but what made you wary was the way she was so close to your boyfriend.

It was like she was glued to his side, always looking at him, hanging on every word he spoke. It set you off, but you also didn't want to start any drama, so you shoved those thoughts and feelings into the back of your mind as you approached the group.

Kuki was the first to notice you. She just nodded at you before nudging Itto in his side, apparently too hard for the male. He looked at her, complaining about her action, but Shinobu just nodded her head in your direction.

Confused, everyone followed her direction, now noticing your approaching form. You waved at everyone, but before you got a chance to say anything, a loud yell interrupted you.

"(NAME)!", Itto screamed as he got up from the ground and ran the rest of the way towards you, hugging you and lifting your feet off of the ground, twirling you around a few times.

You laughed as you hugged him back, holding onto him so you wouldn't fall on the ground. Once he sat you down again, he immediately began to tell you about his day, what he and his gang had been up to as he lead you back to the group.

You greeted everyone with a smile, getting one back from everyone in return, except for your friend. She was looking at you with an angry, serious expression, but you decided to pay no mind to it for now.

All of Itto's attention was now entirely on you and the longer this went on, the angrier the look on your friends face got. It didn't take much for you to put two and two together, to figure out why she was out here spending time with Itto and the gang while being glued to him.

Her jealousy was clear to everyone, except the oblivious Oni, since he truly only got eyes for you. In a sense, it made you proud, but it also made situations like these quite difficult sometimes.

After some time of your friend being ignored by everyone, including Itto, she decided to speak up again, asking to talk to him alone about something important.

He just looked at her with a blank face as he just said "Why?"

Her face got a little red, which annoyed you, but you decided to just let this play out for now. You could always interviene if things got too out of hand.

"..it's just something I want to talk to you about."

"Then you can tell me here. I got no secrets from my buddies and especially not from my beautiful partner right here!"

At that, she got even more angry and you, as well as everyone else, had to really try to hold back your laughter at this hilarious situation.

"You know what? Fine!", she said, standing up from her spot, looking down at Itto who was staring at her, but kept sitting on his spot beside you, while all of you observe her.

"I like you, Itto. I like hanging out with you and I don't like you hanging around (Name) all the time!"

She nearly yelled and by the time she was done, she was almost out of breath. Everyone was looking at her in shock, not having thought that she would actually go through with this. Itto, however, still looked utterly confused.

"Well, I like you, too. You're a great friend and fun to hang out with. But.. (Name) is my partner, after all. So they're gonna be around me. That's just how it is. But I'm glad you enjoy hanging out with the gang!"

"Wha..? No, that's not.. Ugh!"

She stormed off, still angry and upset, while you and the others burst out into laughter, holding your hurting stomachs from how hard you were laughing.

"Huh? What was that about? Did I do something?", Itto turned to you, asking, looking utterly confused at the situation. You couldn't help but find him absolutely adorable right now.

The mood soon settled down and you all went home for the day. Your friend, however, avoided you and the gang since then, like you all were some kind of disease.

Not that you were complaining about that outcome at all...

Gorou

Gorou is a very devoted lover

he always wants to be around you. He doesn't necissarily spend the time with you. It's enough for him to be in your presence while the two of you are doing your own thing

sadly, he doesn't often have the time to do so, as the duties of a general are many and his people always need something from him

days off are very rare for him, but when he does get them, he spends every second of it with you, no matter what you guys decide to do

It's finally happening again..

After weeks of not having a day to himself, always on duty, dealing with some issues, Gorou finally has a day off again, issued by the priestess of Watatsumi Island herself.

She often advises Gorou to take some time off, to take care of himself and you, but only when she practically forces him to do so, does he oblige to her suggestion.

You were ecstatic about this, having missed your lover dearly since you only get to see and be with him for short periods of time during his work days. Both you and him hate it, but there is nothing that can be done about it.

So, since now you have a few days all to yourselves, Gorou decided to plan out a few things to surprise and treat you, like you deserve. He's so grateful that you're patient with him, and he wants to show his appreciation for you through this

He had planned the next few days out, knowing exactly what he wanted to do and where to take you, however... there was one problem.

Since neither of you had anticipated him getting a leave from work, you invited one of your friends over to Watatsumi Island to keep you company, letting her stay with you for a few days. And she only arrived two days ago..

Gorou had half a mind to ask her if she would be willing to depart ahead of time so you two could spend the time together, but he didn't want to come across as rude, so he didn't say anything to her. Plus, you seemed to enjoy the time spent with her, and he didn't want to take that away from you, even though the craved for your touch and attention to only be on him.

So, when he next caught you in a minute where you were alone, he went up and spoke to you about his ordered time off. You were thrilled and when he suggested you two go on a walk in the evening, you agreed, saying that you can take some time that you don't spend with her.

Gorou was so happy to hear that, his tail wagging excitedly behind him. You giggle at that, reaching up to softly pet one of his ears.

Archons, he had to hold back a whimper. How much he had missed your touch. How long had it been since you guys last had a real, thorough cuddle session? Too long, Gorou decided on the spot.

But you let go of him not too long after, saying that there was still time for that later on. He pouted a bit but nodded his head, already looking forward to that.

...

A few hours later, Gorou was waiting for you outside your shared tent, since you wanted to put on some other clothes for your walk with him. The two of you had a habit to always wander a bit further out than originally intended when going on a simple "walk", so you wanted to be prepared, just in case.

When you left, his mood immediately brightened upon seeing you. You were just about to leave the camp when your friend spotted the two of you and came up to you guys, asking where you were going.

You explained to her that you were simply going for a walk, so she decided to ask if she could join you guys. Gorou was a bit reluctant but agreed in the end, hoping that he could still enjoy the time with you..

...

It was a total nightmare.

Every time Gorou tried to hold your hand, or walk next to you, or tried anything else, your friend always butted in, shoving herself between you two, ruining every chance Gorou was about to take.

He deeply regretted having her tag along to this. He wished he just declined her request..

The worst part is, you didn't even seem to notice what she was doing. Either that, or you didn't care about it, but Gorou didn't think that that was it, so this only leaves him with the first option..

He pondered and thought about what he could do to even only get a few seconds alone and uninterrupted with you, when he noticed your friend being quite a distance away from you two, and you were right in front of him..

Your hand just hanging by your side as you were looking around the scenery..

He didn't think about it twice and went to grab your hand to hold it in his own, but-

"Look! What's that over there?", you exclaim, running towards something you just saw, effectively getting out of Gorou's reach.

He just stood there, dumbfounded, for a few seconds, before sighing and turning to go after you, when a tug on his sleeve made him stop in his tracks.

Your friend was standing there behind him. He hadn't even noticed her getting close to him.

He wanted to ask her if she was alright, but she spoke up before he could say anything.

"What do you even see in them?"

At first, he was confused at the question. It took him a few seconds to realize what she actually meant with that.

"Why are you even with them? You could do so much better. You deserve someone who actually cares about you, not someone so stupid as them."

"What? Don't tell me you mean someone like yourself?", Gorou scoffed and pulled his arm out of her grasp, but as he looked at her again, he saw her serious expression.

"I do mean myself, yes. I love you, Gorou. I have been in love with you for so long. And I hate that you don't see that. I could treat you so much better than (Name) ever could. Why won't you see that?"

She was starting to get desperate now, grabbing onto his arm again. She attempted to pull Gorou down towards her to kiss him, but he saw this coming and quickly dodged her, pulling out of her grip again, putting some distance between them.

He looked at her, warily, as he chose his next words carefully. "That will never happen. No matter how much you wish for it, I love (Name) and I will always choose them. They are a great partner to me, you know nothing about our relationship. So, if you're only here in hopes of getting with me, then I ask you now, kindly, to leave. If you try to sabotage us any more than you already have, I won't be so kind with you the next time."

After that, he didn't wait for her response. Instead, he turned and walked over to where you ran off to. When you later realized that your friend was not with Gorou, he told you that she went back to the camp on her own as she started to get tired.

He would tell you about everything that had happened, later. Right now... he just wanted to enjoy the time you finally got to yourselves...

[sykestarot]

what's up in love and some advice pac

i do not own any of these images

1-2-3 (left to right)

hey babes, this is my first ever collective reading post, so I hope all the messages are accurate and good lol. if you enjoy this feel free to follow or reblog! I'm gonna try to post weekly :) thanks for stopping by!

Pile 1 

“Those chills that I knew, they were nothing without you” (King of Swords (rx); 8 of swords (rx); The Magician (rx); Knight of cups (rx); 5 of cups (rx); Knight of Pentacles) Okay pile one I’m sensing that you recently went through a pretty bad breakup or heartbreak. You and this person could’ve been friends in highschool or met through a mutual friend from highschool? You guys were an unlikely pair, or had many differences fundamentally and on the surface. Leading this relationship to not work. Although this was a painful break up you are doing a great job being positive about it. I hear you guys know your worth and have to keep it pushing. I see you are still trying to date casually but it's working against you and hurting you more than it should. Don't feel pressured to hook up with random people because you think that's what you should do. If that's hurting you then take time and space for you instead. When you have a better understanding of your emotional self the right person will appear. Albeit it seems that the appearance of someone new will take a while. I also kept hearing pick yourself up.  The advice for you is to continue to be optimistic and playful. You also have to be loyal to things you love doing and activities that remind you of the love you have to give. I see for this group friendship will be the biggest healer. (funny since you chose the sailor moon pic lol!) Go be with friends and let them heal you as well. You’re already doing a very good job on your own but sometimes the help of others can lift you up tenfold. Signs: boats, the ocean, water, bridges, the color orange, ctas, blue eyes, communication, lotus, tattoos, highschool, shared friend group, coworkers?, fish or fishing, champagne

Pile 2

“Haven’t had a dream in a long time” (Two of swords; 10 of pentacles (rx); 5 of pentacles (rx); The High Priestess; Ace of swords (rx); Justice) Pile two, your energy isn’t as free flowing as pile one’s was. You feel confused or at a loss. I feel like maybe you got fired or quit your job recently. Perhaps because of a relationship that turned sour? I feel pain behind my eyes so maybe it was a desk or office job that you work at. I feel like you were choosing to stay stagnant because of a relationship. Either you had better opportunities and they didn’t want to move with or for you. Or you held  yourself back from growing for their sake. Or maybe even someone had been leeching on you for money. Maybe you stopped practicing your spiritual or religious beliefs for this person? I see you not communicating any of your needs whether it was emotional or physical. Your energy is hard to get a straight message. I keep getting distracted, almost as if you don't want to admit these things. Maybe you’re still with this person and you know these are problems but don't want to say it outloud or admit it. I see that eventually justice will be served and the karma this person will face will be a heavy dose, however you have to choose to leave or that karma will affect you both. The advice for you is take the blindfold that you willingly have on off immediately. The only person you're hurting is yourself. I see that spirit is begging to work with you. I feel like you’ve been seeing repeating numbers a lot. Google what these numbers mean and how they fit into your life. I feel how somber your guides are that you won't hear them when you always have. It’s making my eyes water. I also see that you need to take things slowly and be in the present and not live in fantasyland anymore. You are worthy of so much more pile two. I only hope that you can at least feel the love you deserve within this message. Signs - crows, owls, bird in general, music, sea turtles, hawaii, snorkeling, planes/jets, pilots, Top Gun, traveling, military, marines, mother mary, rosary, catholic churches?, prayer, music music music, guitar or bass, M names?, 111

Pile 3

“You can drive all night, looking for the answers in the pouring rain” (The Star; 6  of swords (rx); Ace of swords; The Hermit; 7 of cups (rx); 5 of cups) Pile three, I feel you are a beautiful and necessary light in this world. You have such a big purpose in this world and I feel like you don’t see it. I’m talking about the things that you were put on this earth for will change the trajectory of things. Whether it's changing people's lives or discovering a new element. But youre so scared of starting the journey because you're afraid of the unknown. The way you speak is so eloquent and well thought out but I feel like you don’t like speaking to others very much because you feel like people misunderstand you due to lack of responses but people just love hearing you speak. You sound like the smartest person in the room when you speak. Perhaps you're an educated witty type and people find your well thought out jokes so funny, like they think about them later. But you feel without options. Perhaps you're doing things differently from your friends? And you feel behind because of that or without. However there are options that you don't even know about yet. You are so much more than what you think you are. Trust. Maybe you feel discouraged in love because no one satisfies your needs or everything falls apart.  Advice for you is to remember who you are. You must find who you are first to gain a relationship worth having or to find an equal. Remember that you are spiritually protected and guided and the strength that you possess is so great. Do not give up just yet continue to move forward. Whatever ideas you have you can bring them into your physical life. I also see the more gratitude you have for things it will help you better your perspective on your own life and goals. I kept on hearing you ill get there because you're you. Signs - Rhinos, lions, lion king, 5’s, microphones, theater, stages, stage lights. Angels, the color white, full moons, lizards, sagittarius moon?, the veiled lady?, fine arts, actor/actress, science, chemistry 

[strstab]

𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 - 𝐣.𝐦

summary ; planning to study on the beach, not much gets done as your boyfriend comes to you for affection

pairing ; jj maybank x fem!reader

notes ; kissing, beach studying, pda, fluff, mentions of kids & marriage

a/n ; i had something else planned for today but i wouldn’t be able to finish in time so hopefully it’s out tmr? sorry this sucks it’s last minute 😓

ALSO THANK YALL FOR 200+ NOTES ON MY PREV POST. honestly my phone was buzzing every couple minutes and it made my day. hopefully this gets around the same attention as the last. enjoy &lt;3

after hours of surfing and downing beers with your best friends, you decided to settle down and do you homework as the sun began to set.

after setting your notebooks and laptop onto your towel, you laid on your stomach and began to copy down your notes that were written on your notebook. writing paragraphs and finding answers came easy to you, but not to the blond that approached you after a good 10 minutes with droplets of water dangling from his hair.

“left us for a computer and stacks of paper, baby?” he looked down at you with a lopsided grin. you looked up at him, shielding your eyes from the beaming sun that was soon to be gone and replaced with the glistening moon.

jj plopped down next to you, ruffling his hands in his wet hair causing the drops of water to fly onto your dry skin and notebook. you slapped his knee and scolded him for wetting you and your work. he refrained from making a dirty joke and apologized. he stared at you as you typed along the keyboard of your laptop, fingers leaving satisfying clicking sounds at each key you tapped.

you looked ethereal in this moment. sun beaming on your glowing skin, strands of hair dangling in front of your oh so focused face. he loved that face you made when you were focused. determined or just simply thinking of the random thoughts that flooded your mind when you were around people. the ways your eyes squinted in the slightest way and brows creased as you chewed on the bottom of your lip. or your nails. he knew you chewed on your nails at times. the nails that you got done once every month. every month he’d pay that place on figure 8 to see his favorite girl pleased as she looked at her designed nails, even if she was able to pay them herself.

he pressed a soft kiss to the back of your neck and you laughed at the ticklish feel. he snatched the mechanical pencil from your fingers and threw it far towards the sand that faded into blue waters.

“jj! that was my last one and kie’s going to kill you for throwing plastic AND lead into the ocean!” you chide, sitting up to look at him.

he muttered something a long the lines ‘she won’t know’ or ‘she won’t notice’ and pulled you into his lap. you let out a loud sigh as he left a trail of kisses on your cheek and down to your neck.

when he was done, you decided it was your turn. you kissed his jaw and tried to suppress a smile. how could you be mad? yeah, you spent the whole day together but your boyfriend was too cute to be ignored. homework could be finished… sometime later. or maybe never.

he nuzzled into the crook of your neck and whispered pretty nothings only you two could hear. there was something about the waves crashing in and the sun being right on the horizon as you watched the silhouettes of your friends splashing each other with the love of your life right behind you.

jj lifted his face and whispered something inaudible. you tilted your head to look at him but his were fixated on the ocean before you. “what’d you say, baby?”

“i said ‘do you think we could get married on the beach?” you were a little taken aback by the sudden comment but smiled nonetheless. he wanted to marry you. you always saw a future with jj, but hearing him mention it out loud just hit different.

you pushed him onto his back and kissed his lips. he cupped your jaw and melted into you as your lips moved together. you pulled away with a big smile and planted soft peck onto the tip of his nose.

“is that your way of proposing, mr. maybank?”

he sneered and shook his head, “hell no. baby my proposal for you is going to be so big that you’re going to remember every little detail of it and stress out our kids about it so they grow to have high standards,”

kids. jj never was a fan of children. even when he was one himself. but with you, he’d be willing to give up stealing and smoking if it meant being with you for a little longer. so if it was kids you wanted, kids he’d give you. raise with you, scold with you, maybe drink without you but you get the gist.

“but i promise i’ll make you my mrs one day.”

“did you look at the list of baby names i sent you?” you asked looking into his pretty blue eyes.

he had. he went through all of them and surprisingly liked some of them. but you had A LOT of time before he was signing the birth certificate of your kids.

you leaned in for another kiss right as you were smacked in the head with a cold, aluminum can. you snapped your head into the direction where the can flew from and saw your friends standing with grossed out faces.

“get your asses up before we call the PDA police!” john b yelled as kiara and sarah mimicked siren noises.

jj groaned and sat up, giving your cheek a kiss before sliding you off his lap and cleaning up the area.

[gadriezmannsgirl]

Hi can u do one where reader childhood bsf comes over by surprise when the team and wags (w readers &gavis fam) are over at readers house in there big yard they having a get together and him and his family were invited to stay and he keeps making remarks and saying things about there childhood memories and his sister says “I really wanted you as my sister in law”wich made everyone mad like gavis family and friends and his mom said “maybe I can stil have y as my daughter-in-law and that caused everyone to get even more mad bec everyone loves them together and they don’t want anything to happen to them and can we have a jealous gavi?

I programmed this with the hour-posting thing, hope it works!

Kinda loved this request, I mean... The audacity of the mom saying "Maybe I can still have you as my daughter-in-law" makes me think of Belén going all crazy and defensive like: "Hell no, she's mine!"

Audacity -P.G

Summary: When you get hints of love confessions in front of your boyfriend made by your best friend, you gotta step up and make things clear.

You were having the greatest time ever with your family, your boyfriend's family, a few of his friends and teammates like Pedri, Ansu, Alejandro, Ronald, Kessié, Ferrán, Eric, Robert and his girlfriends/wives were here doing a parrilla, most of them still over the moon with their LaLiga title, taking advantage of the fact that the Páez Gavira family was also here and fourth members complete you decided to do another little celebration.

A few of the lads like Busi, Alonso, Ousmane and Frenkie couldn't come because of personal stuffs but the rest of them said "I'm in".

You laughed when Pedri was telling an story when the bell rang, confused you thought it was one of the guys but everyone was already there so deciding to not interrupt everyone else you went to open the door.

When you did so, you didn't expected for your best friend to be behind it, especially since he left for Portugal to study and you had four years and half without seeing each other but still talked, not frequently as you used to do but still.

You were surprised? Yes, in both good and bad ways. You missed him? Yes, this guy has been your best friend since you were eight years old. You were mad? Yes too, you already have plans going on and he just can't appear himself like nothing. Also, how did he knew the direction of your shared house with your two years boyfriend, Pablo? And most important... How was he let in if you lived in a residential condominium?

"Hey!"

"Hola" You said tight smiling still not processing everything

"Do I not get a hug or you already changed me?" You laughed lightly shaking your head but still decided to hug him

"I'm surprised, it's all" Your voice came out muffled by his clothes

"Gonna let me come in?" Your eyebrows lifted at his request. This wasn't like him. Where was left the sweet and shy guy that you always had to protect from people?

"Portugal has changed you, hasn't it?" You asked still not letting him in but in fact leaned at the door

"For the best" You nod taking him in

"Thought you hated tattoos?" You asked watching one on his bicep

"This one is meaningful" You hum nodding

"What does it mean?"

"The skateboard is me and the sunflower is you. You've always liked sunflowers and I remember that time where you putted a sunflower in the skateboard and I pushed it" You laugh at the memory lightly

"It fell off the hill" You said still giggling making Josué laugh too

"It did"

"You shouldn't have done that though. You could've done something else, there's like a million significative things to do" You shook your head

"Well... I missed you and I wanted to have this memory of you" You smile lightly

"Well thank you" You nod "Don't expect me to do me one though"

"Only if you want" You shook your head

"Not in the mood for one of those" You reply lightly as he laughs

"The new house is pretty... And really big. All for yourself?" You nod "When did you left your parents house?"

"Like sixth-seventh months ago"

"You didn't told me" You shrug your shoulders

"I guess I forgot to" You look at him "Sorry for that" He shakes his head not really paying attention to it "What are you doing here by the way?"

"You don't want me to?"

You laughed "I told you I'm surprised" You removed yourself from the door "Short vacations? Long vacations?"

"Short vacations" You hum nodding "Uni's been hard so I took the first chance I got to come back here for a week"

"I'm glad for you" You said smiling

"Are you busy?" You nod

"I am actually"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm in a... celebration? get-together? both?" You ask laughing lightly "So yes... You can come back tomorrow and I can help you with anything, we can catch up too" You propose excited

"I'm leaving tomorrow to Madrid to see my mom's family side"

"Ah! What a shame" You say when all of sudden you heard a woman's yell

"Y/N!" You look behind Josué's shoulders and see his mom and his older sister making their way towards you

"You brought your family?"

"I really thought you were doing nothing, like old times where you only did school things"

"Yeah well... Old times" You fake laughed, not liking his comment "I'm busy, Josué"

"Please, just a few minutes then we'll be out of your hair" You sigh opening the door for him to come in

"Fine" He fistbumps the air "Only because of your family because if not I would have made your ass get back" He laughed as you hug his family, also not seeing them for the same amount of time as your best friend

"We missed you so much!" You smile

"I have missed you too, señora Ana"

"None of señora, just Ana" You laugh closing the door

"I'm loving your house, girlie" Josué's sister, Bárbara said "Can I stay over?"

"Maybe not today" You laugh "Make yourselves at home" You say going to the kitchen to settle the five of you there for a while.

A few minutes have passed, you were chatting with them when your mom comes inside asking for you and gasps when she sees her friend, Ana. You fought the need of rolling your eyes, this wasn't supposed to happen.

You loved them but you were pissed at the fact they just showed up like I'm here, if you haven't seen me and done, no. It didn't worked it that way, you were busy and they didn't respected that.

Now, your mom was talking with them all excited and invited them to stay for a little while and you wanted to yell at her no but two things happen. One, you never raised your voice at her. Two, it would be seem in a bad way that you don't want them here.

And you don't. Right now, you don't.

Seconds later, Pablo came in worry written on his face "Amor, is everything okay?" He asked and when he saw you his worry left but then confussion took over his pretty face watching the four unknown people to him in his house "Sorry" He apologized

You walked towards him, grabbing both of his hands "Everything's good, mi vida. Don't worry"

"And who are they?"

You sigh "He's my whole life-best friend, the one I told you about that's living in Portugal now" You said looking at Pablo "He's Josué Salvador" You introduce your best friend "His sister, Bárbara Salvador" You point out the girl "And his mom Ana" Pablo nodded "Señores, this is my boyfriend Pablo Páez" You smile

A few "Nice to meet you's" were heard in the exchange

"They decided to give me a little surprise visit, considering we've not seen each other for four years" You added smiling

"Que lindo de su parte" (How nice of them) Pablo said looking at you as you tried to apologize with your look

"But Y/N told us you guys were a bit busy so we might as well go now" Josué said as Ana lamented

"Already?" You smiled painfully at her

"I'm sorry, I asked him to come tomorrow but he said you'll be off to Madrid to see your family. You grabbed me by surprised, we had already done plans" You felt Pablo's arm go around your waist as you lean into him

"They can stay for a while" Pablo blurted out as everyone look at him

"You sure?" Bárbara asks impressed

"You sure?" You ask not believing him and at the same time giving him a look "I mean... You sure?" You changed your tone

"We wouldn't like to step in and-" Pablo cut them off

"You can join us for a while if you'd like. You haven't seen Y/N for four years and it was a nice gesture of you to surprise her, a few minutes more won't hurt anybody" You gave him another look and he just brushed it off

Fun thing he had said that.

One hour later he was clenching his jaw over and over again, he was with his eyebrows furrowed and he only heard the "Do you remember when we..." words over and over again. It wasn't fun anymore. Everyone and even you, kept trying on taking the lead of the conversation to another place, change the subject, but everything you said he always managed to bring it back with a: "That reminds me of..."

Every single one of you were tired of hearing those stuffs. Pablo was retracting his words and he now understood your looks.

"You know" Bárbara spoke "I really wanted you both to be together as a couple and for you to be my sister-in-law" Now, everyone opened their eyes wide as possible as you coughed the drink you had taken and Pablo sat up straight in his seat, pulling you more into him. You put your hand on his thigh

You could see the looks of disbelief, anger and annoyance of everyone

"Really? I didn't know that" You tried to play it off "Sorry to say that won't happen. I've never seen Josué in that way and I don't think I ever will, I already got my boyfriend"

"We thought it was obvious Josué was in love with you" His mom said

"He almost didn't took up on the scholarship for you" Bárbara continued

"Glad he did, wouldn't wanna be a dream crusher" You replied quickly as they got quiet for a bit

"Also, she already has a sister-in-law" Pedri says nodding as Aurora smiles pointing at herself

"The best one" You go to high five her but miss it causing you to laugh

"But you can still be" Ana said "You know, maybe you can become my daughter-in-law and Bárbará's sister"

"Maybe you can go and look for another one" Belén said laughing lightly trying to light up the mood "This one's mine" She grabbed your shoulders and kissed your cheek as you grab her hands and kiss her cheek smiling

"We saw her first" Bárbara said

"She's not an object" Alejandro says shaking his head

"She can choose who her in-law's will be" Ana, Robert's wife said as you nod

"And those are the Páez Gavira family" You said immediately, happy that your friends got your back

"Yes for now... Maybe in the future who knows?" Ana said smiling

"I don't think so, señora" Pablo said "I intend on spending the rest of my life next to Y/N as her boyfriend, in a future her fiancé and then her husband. You can add into the mix the dad of her children, I'm not letting her go, she's the love of my life" You smile grabbing his hand

"It's disrespectful of you to come here and say those kind of stuffs" Araujo's wife, Abigail said "And mostly when we all love Y/N and Pablo together, they are it for each other"

"Yes, it truly is" Your mom said nodding "This is a family get together too, we don't really appreaciate these kind of vibes here and mostly when we are celebrating something really important for all of us. I'm not letting you enter my daughter's and my son-in-law's house and sit there talking trash, I'm sorry to be the one who says this but I think it's the best if you leave"

"Walk us out?" Ana asked you, your mom stood up without problem and opened the door that gave access inside your house.

"Are you really gonna let this happen?" You shrug your shoulders as you see Josué turn around at the door, you sigh lightly

"Hey, I wasn't the one who started saying stuff that I wasn't supposed to say, I have a boyfriend and for your sister to say something like that in front of our faces, bro... She has THE balls" You shook your head "We've changed, Josué. Our friendship isn't the same it used to be as when we were fourteen and much less when we were eight. I'm not the same and you're not the same" You look at his tattoo "I'm sorry I never knew you were in love with me and I'm sorry I don't see you in that kind of way, I'm happy with my boyfriend, I'm in love with him and I want the rest of my future with him. That little stunt your mom and sister did was awful and childlish"

"Your life is in Portugal now, mine is still here in Barcelona. With this amazing people" You mention all around you "We can remember the good times because you're still my best friend the one who supported me through everything and you will always be. But I don't think I can forgive this, your family didn't just insulted me, they insulted my boyfriend, his family, my family and our friends, that crossed a line. I hope you get the best girl ever because you are an incredible boy and wish you the best" You smile pushing your fist out for him to hit it

"Sorry for everything" He said pushing his fist with yours "Lamento mucho todo esto, gente" (I'm sorry for all of this, people)

"Try not to do it often" Pablo said behind you as everyone laughed lightly

And with that Josué left and a big silence was formed in between you.

"Okay... We know you're guapa, Y/N" Pedri said smiling "We just didn't know you had that kind of power, attracting not only the men but their families as well" You laughed loudly

"La señora Belén fighting for her yerna" Robert said making you laugh as Belén kissed your hair

"I was just protecting one of the family members" She said as you smile at her

"I didn't liked her from the beggining" Aurora said shaking her head as your mom returned

"We could see it when Bárbara mistaked the Gucci belt" Ferrán said still making the laughs return but Pablo stood up, excused himself for a moment and left.

You sighed, excusing yourself too and left after him.

"Pabs" You said jogging upstairs into your shared bedroom "Pabs" You called out for him "Amor" You watch him sit on the edge of your side of the bed, hands on his head as his elbows rested on his knees "Talk to me?"

"I'm just impressed by the audacity of that people" He said shaking his head in disbelief "They just passed over me like as if I was nothing. I felt fucking small"

"Even I did. I was so uncomfortable, I didn't even wanted them to come in. Not everyone can appear as if nothing, I only let them in so I could talk with them for a few minutes but everything went out of hand. And you were just being nice when you let them stay... But I gave you your place, I let them know I'm not changing you and the lads helped too"

"I know" Pablo nodded looking at you "I'm just shocked"

"And jealous?" You hinted as he gave you a look but sighed

"He shared so many things with you, mi vida! It is a bit impossible to not get jealous, I think he knows you even better than I do"

"Stop that. He doesn't. You know me, the present me and you will know the future me. He knows the past me and like I said, I changed. He knows my favorite fruit at twelve was strawberry but you know now that, that's not true..."

"Because you love watermelon" You nod

"I love watermelon" You agree "See? There's a whole stuff he knew about my twelve year old me but you know them better. Don't be jealous because yes, he may have been my best friend, but you're my best friend now, you're my partner in crime, you're my rock, the shoulder I lay and cry on, the ying to my yang, the love of my life, my boyfriend and my everything. Stop that and focus on the important things, your career, your life, your family, us" Pablo smiled

"You're right... Just like always" You smiled giggling and leaned up to grah his face and kiss his lips "Love you" He said as you blush

"Y yo te quiero mucho más" You replied standing up "C'mon, let's tell everyone the party's cut short so we can cuddle. I know you want that and I also want that"

"You truly are it for me, you know me so well" He hugged you from behind kissing your neck as you both laughed

"What can I say? I'm whipped for my man"

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