#i forgot how to draw faces when i got to josh and you can TELL

[z0mbatz]

SMELLtingville headcanons because i HATE them,,

i TRIED to make them as greasy and disgusting as possible and somehow they STILL dont look rancid enough????

[doctorstethoscope]

The Right Chapter 3 || Aaron Hotchner x Fem!Reader

Hey gang, I wanted to give y’all another update this week because I know there wasn’t a lot of hotch in the last chapter. This is a long one! 

Read previous chapters here!

wordcount: 3.6k

warnings: canon-typical harassment and violence, swearing

tagging: @the-modernmary @greeneyedblondie44 @angelic-kisses13 @wanniiieeee

It’s closer to the afternoon than the morning when you finally get out of bed the next day. Aaron had set you up in his guest room before going to bed himself, and had dutifully woken you up every two hours. You emerged into the kitchen to see him sitting at the table with his laptop open, surely working even though he was technically out on sick leave. 

“Good morning” he says when he sees you appear in the doorway. “The coffee’s still hot, if you want some. I don’t have any RedBull, though.” 

You rolled your eyes as you crossed the kitchen to make yourself a cup. “Is it still morning? It feels like I must have slept through the whole day.”

“Well, you needed it. Long night.” He tells you, and you let out a little hum in response. “Hey, uh. Your cell phone is on the counter. It was making a lot of noise and I didn’t want it to wake you.” he admits sheepishly. “I didn’t read anything, but Josh’s name popped up a lot.”

You pouted a little. “I guess I did kind of just disappear. I probably owe him an explanation,” you said, crossing the kitchen and picking your phone up.

“You don’t owe him a god damned thing.” Hotch said a little harshly, but you knew his tone wasn’t aimed towards you. 

You powered your phone on-- Hotch must have turned it on after he took it. 13 missed calls and 27 texts, sheesh. Not all of them are from Josh, thankfully. You shoot a quick text back to JJ, Garcia and Emily, who had all individually checked in when you didn’t show up at the office. With a little more trepidation, you opened up your thread with Josh. 

“Where are you?”

“You never came to bed last night.”

“Off fucking the boss man?”

 “Did I catch you before you got down to anything good?”

“Fucking slut.”

“Couldn’t even finish cleaning the carpet before you left.”

“Fucking answer me.”

“Did I bash your skull so hard that you forgot to pack my lunch before you left?”

“This is ridiculous.’

“So you’re just running away?”

“Don’t be such a baby.” 

“You are so in for it when you get home.”

“I should have killed you.”

There’s more, but you’re not sure you can stomach it. You drop your phone to the counter, swallowing back a bit of bile that has risen up from your stomach. Aaron is at your side in an instant. 

“Can I look?” He asked quietly. He’s looking you right in the eye but you feel like you can’t see him at all, like he’s not really there. You must have nodded your head, because he picked up your phone and started scrolling, but you have no way of knowing how you even told your body to do that. After a moment, he sets your phone face down on the counter, and turns to face you, placing a gentle hand on each of your upper arms. “We are going to figure it out, okay? You’re not in this alone, and I’m not going to let you get hurt again. You did the right thing. You got out. And now you have help.” 

 He’s staring into your eyes as he promises to keep you safe, and the dam breaks. All of the emotions that you’ve bottled up for the last ten hours are flooding through you, and you’re sobbing uncontrollably before you have even recognized how upset you really are. Aaron gathers you up in his arms in an instant, and you wrap your arms around him, crying into his old sweatshirt. 

“It’s okay. I’ve got you. Let it all out,” he whispers in a mantra, rubbing your back.

You realize in this moment that Aaron is truly your best friend-- you’d always known that you were closer to him than anyone else in the office, and the same was true for him, with the possible exception of Dave. What you hadn’t realized, is that somewhere along the way, your college friendships, your academy friendships, your girlfriends, had all faded into the background, and Aaron became the person you wanted to tell good news to, the person you drew comfort from, and the person you called when you realized you couldn’t get the blood out of the carpet. The realization surprises you, enough to let you get a few deep breaths in and calm yourself down, untucking from Aaron’s shoulder and dabbing at your eyes with your shirt sleeve.

 “Thank you,” you say through your choked voice, even though it could never be enough.

“How’s your head?” He asked, looking over the top of your head to the clock on the stove to see if it was time for you to have more pain meds.  

“Ah, well, I don’t think the crying really helped.” You shrugged, attempting to bring some levity back to the situation as you picked your phone back up. 

“What are you doing?” Hotch asked, eyeing you and the phone. 

“I’m calling Josh back.” You said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

“Okay, now I’m sure you hit your head,” he said, swiping the phone out of your hand before you could place a call.

“Hotch--” 

 “Can you at least tell me why you want to do this?” He said, and you can see the concern etched into his face. 

“I’ve got to go back at some point. I’m sure it’ll be easier for him to cool off if I’m not completely ignoring him in the meantime.”

“Go back? What are you talking about?” Aaron asked

“I live there, Hotchner. I can’t avoid him forever. Even if I move--”

“You’ll stay here. For as long as necessary. It’s not safe for you to go back there.” He says, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“Do I get a say in this at all?” 

“Not if your only defense is that you don’t want someone else to take care of you. Because right now you need caring for, and I’m not letting you talk your way out of it.” Hotch said resolutely, and you sighed. The silence lingers for a moment before you speak up again, quietly. 

“I could use some more pain meds.” You admitted. 

“You shouldn’t take these on an empty stomach. Let’s get you some toast, drink your coffee to clear up your sinuses and then you can take your next dose and go back to bed.” 

“Hotch, the day’s half over. I can’t go back to bed.” You argued, with significantly less heat behind it, lifting the steaming mug of coffee up to your face at his suggestion. 

“It’s a sick day. You’re injured. You’re supposed to rest all day and let your body heal. You won’t be arguing with me once you’ve taken the pills.”

Hotch had tried to get you to take the rest of the week off, but you couldn’t stand the thought of sitting around in his apartment doing nothing. You also knew that an extended absence would catch the attention of your teammates-- and you weren’t sure if you were ready to share all of this with them yet. That was why you were perched in front of the mirror in Hotch’s guest room, liberally applying concealer and powder to your healing black eye. Aaron had made you promise to take it easy, and you already know he’d have eyes on you all day to make sure you weren’t overdoing it. No need to attract any more attention. There’s a soft knock from the hall. 

“Come in,” you called.

“Hey,” Hotch said, swinging open the door. “We’ve got to leave in a few minutes.” 

“I’ll be ready,” you assured him, dipping your brush into the powder before brushing it over your nose and cheekbone, wincing a little. 

“When did you learn to do that?” Hotch asked softly.

“Hotch…” You responded softly. 

“Sorry, I don’t mean to pry. You don’t need to answer that.” He apologized, averting his gaze to the floor.

“If I answer, are you going to stop blaming yourself for not noticing?”

“I can’t promise you that.” He shakes his head. 

“I wasn’t… I’m not a battered woman, Hotch.” 

“Of course you aren’t.” He’s quick to affirm you, to make sure you know he doesn’t see you as a victim.

“No, I mean, this was excessive. Was he rough? Sure. Did he leave marks? Yeah, he did. But I wasn’t getting tossed around and beaten like that. He’s not really like that, normally. He was just drunk, I think.” 

“You’re not seriously making excuses for him, are you?” Hotch asked, and suddenly you’re indignant, even though you know he’s right.

“He had a bad night.” You protest weakly. 

“He almost killed you!” Aaron raised his voice, just a tad.

“He was just trying to scare me.” You countered. 

“He was escalating. I know that you know that,” Hotch said, searching your face, looking for something to profile. You didn’t blame him, you knew your behavior was erratic. You draw a deep breath, your chin quivering as your eyes welled up. 

“It worked. I’m scared.” You squeaked out, trying not to let the tears fall and ruin the makeup you’ve worked so hard on. Hotch wrapped you in his arms again and you breathed in deeply, letting his cologne fill your lungs and lull you into a calm.

“You don’t need to be scared. I’ve got your six. I’ve got you.” He reminded you, and you pulled away from him. 

“I don’t think I’m ready to share this with the team yet.” You told him, and he nodded. 

“Like I said, your pace. When you’re ready, you’ll tell them, and if you want my support, I’ll be there. I’m gonna go make us some coffee, meet me in the kitchen when you’re ready.”

You were silly to think that you could hide anything from a group of profilers-- none of them have guessed it, yet, or if they have, they’re too polite to say anything about it, but they’ve certainly noticed something. They surrounded you with concern and peppered you with questions the second you walked into the office, and Hotch’s devotion to making sure you weren’t pushing yourself too hard certainly wasn’t going unnoticed. It was during one of your Unit-Chief-Mandated-Breaks that you snuck into the kitchen to refill your water bottle. Almost silently, JJ slipped in behind you. 

“You know, you can just say the word, and we’ll all stop pestering you.” She says, and you can hear her gentle smile.

“That’s okay. If I call you off, I lose the right to fuss over whoever’s next.” You tried to crack a joke. 

“Good point.” She chuckled. 

“I really am okay, Jayje.” You assured her. 

“No, honey, you aren’t.” She shook her head. “But you’ll tell us when you’re ready, and we’ll support you even if the secret dies with you.” She laughs, wrapping an arm around your shoulders as you walked out of the kitchen together, sharing a small conspiratorial laugh, your heads thrown back as you pass through the doorway. When the ping of the elevator doors opening grabs your attention, you drop your water bottle in shock. 

“You okay?” JJ asks, bending over to pick up your water bottle as he storms through the glass doors of the BAU. 

“You whore!” Josh spat out, catching the attention of the whole bullpen. So much for keeping them out of it.

“Who the hell do you think you’re talking to?” Morgan asked, rising from his desk immediately. 

“Josh?” Emily says, the first one to recognize him. Your eyes dart around the bullpen, and you spot Reid at his desk phone, no doubt calling security.  

“You fucking bitch!” Josh says, still advancing towards you. Your brain is screaming at you to run but you can’t get your legs to move. It’s a literal childhood nightmare, playing out in the flesh.

“Come on, let’s go back into the kitchen” JJ says softly, her tone betraying none of her fear as she practically shoves you back into the kitchen. You stumble into a chair, and the sound is muted because of the door, but you can still see and hear everything through the glass. Josh takes another step into the bullpen, but Morgan’s in front of him. 

“Turn around and walk out of here, man, because there’s no other way this ends well for you.” Morgan puffs out his chest, trying to stop Josh from looking over his shoulder and seeing you. 

“Not until that slut gives me some fucking answers,” He spits out, and you feel JJ squeeze your hand, but you’re too laser-focused on the scene in front of you to acknowledge her.

“I’m going to give you one more chance to walk away.” Morgan hisses through his teeth, advancing closer to Josh. 

“I’d listen to him if I were you.” Hotch said, suddenly appearing on the other side of Josh. You hadn’t seen him come down the stairs. 

“Ah, good old boss man.’ Josh jeered. “How’s my sloppy seconds? I hope she’s treating you real good seeing as how you stole her right out from under me in the night.”

Without warning, you watch Hotch’s fist connect with Josh’s face. Josh stumbles away, holding his nose, when security comes in through the elevators. 

“I’m leaving, I’m leaving.” He says, raising his hands in surrender. He turns around to face Hotch once more. “This isn’t over.” He says, bringing his hands back to his nose and following the security officer into the elevator.

There’s a stunned sort of silence that hangs over the unit for a few moments before you hear someone break out into a sob. When you feel JJ’s hand start rubbing across your back, you realize that it came from you. The door flies open and you startle, but when you look up, you see a clouded figure of Hotch through your tear-saturated eyes. 

You hear JJ and Aaron whisper to each other, but you can’t focus enough to hear what they’re saying. Whatever it is, the conversation ends with JJ slipping out of the kitchen just as quietly as she came, and Aaron sliding into the chair across from you.

“Can I touch you?” He asked, his voice only just loud enough for you to hear over the sound of your own labored breathing. You nodded, unable to verbally respond. He smoothed his hands over your shoulders, down your arms, taking your hands into his own. “You’re okay, he’s gone. Security knows who he is now, he won’t be allowed back in the building.” He tells you, and you nod again. 

“I’m okay.” You manage to choke out. 

“I need you to take some deep breaths for me, okay? You’re going to make yourself sick.” He asked of you, disarmingly calm, as he modeled the deep cleansing breaths for you. You take a deep, shaky breath in, trying to force the oxygen all the way down into your lungs before letting it back out in a huff. “Good,” he told you. “Good job, sweetheart, keep going.” he encouraged you, tucking a piece of hair that had gotten stuck to your tear-stained cheek behind your ear. When you were finally calm enough to look up at him, you did so. “There you are,” he smiled at you. “You’re okay.” 

“I’m okay. Your hand--”

“I’m okay--” He assured you, but you flipped his hand over in your own anyways. It’s swollen. 

“You need ice.” You said, standing up and crossing to the freezer. 

“You need to sit down before you fall.” Aaron stood up to follow you, shaking his head. 

“I took my deep breaths, Hotch. I’m not an eighty year old woman.” You chastised him as you pulled a few ice cubes out of the freezer, putting them in a plastic bag and wrapping a paper towel around it. 

“My hand is fine.” He argued with you as you pressed the ice pack to his knuckles. 

“You are in absolutely no position to argue with me about letting someone else take care of you, hypocrite.” You fought back, with nothing but concern behind it. 

“Okay, fine, but can you sit down, please.” He begged of you. 

“Don’t I owe the rest of the team an explanation for all of that?” 

“They can wait. Sit down.” He said, and it was no longer a request. You sat down in the seat across from him. “How’s your head?” 

‘It’s been better.” You tell him honestly. 

“Take a few more deep breaths, please.” He tells you, and you roll your eyes. 

“Hotch, I’m--”

“You’re holding your breath. Your shoulders are practically touching your ears. Plus, it would make my hand feel better.” He says, shooting you a grin that would be wholly inappropriate for the situation if it didn’t make you feel so at ease.

You roll your eyes at him in mock-contempt, taking the breaths to appease him and dropping your shoulders. “How is your hand, seriously?” 

“I’m fine. I’ve thrown my fair share of punches.” He smirked at you, still trying to distract you, to lighten the mood. “We can just leave. You must need more pain meds, if not a nap. We don’t have to get into all of it today.” 

“Well, they all basically know now. We should probably just go to clear the air that I’m not sleeping with you for a promotion.”

“If you’re not up to it, we can--”

“No, Hotch.” You stand up, shaking your head at him through a smile. “Let’s go get it over with.” 

 The team, of course, didn’t need you to explain that all of what Josh had said was false. Your integrity and the trust shared between all of you was louder than any stupid asshole that could bluster in through those glass doors. You’d cried all of your makeup off, so your black eye was now fully exposed to the team. Aaron left a protective hand on the small of your back the whole time you spoke, never once speaking over you or interrupting. As soon as you finished, you felt silly for ever thinking you needed to hide this from them-- they were supportive without being pitying, and JJ, Emily and Garcia had wrapped you up in hugs just as soon as you finally got it all off your chest. 

“We’re going to head out, obviously call us if there’s an urgent case notification.” Aaron explained to the team. “You all should feel free to leave as soon as your paperwork is done.”

“Hotch, I’m really fine,” you tried to insist. 

“Are you gonna tell the team they have to keep working?” Aaron quirked an eyebrow at you and you scowled, knowing there was no going back now. “I’m just going to pack some of my stuff up.” He told you, turning back to his office. You followed suit, going to your desk and tidying up. 

“Hey, cupcake.” Morgan whistled to get your attention before crossing the bullpen to get to you. “If I had known--if I had seen that bruise on your face before he walked in here -- I would have taken him down myself. Hotchner showed an... impressive amount of restraint.” He told you with a humorless chuckle. 

“Thank you, Derek. But he’s not worth it, seriously.” You told him with a smile. 

“No, he’s not.” He agreed. “But you are. Don’t you forget that, okay? If you need anything, I’m here.” 

Instead of responding verbally, you pushed yourself up onto your tiptoes to wrap your arms around his neck in a hug. He wrapped his arms around you snugly, crushing you into his chest. It hurt, a little, but the overwhelming security you found with him holding you was far stronger than any pain.

You pulled away and bid your goodnights to the team, following Aaron out to the car taking off towards his apartment. 

“You were really brave back there. I’m proud of you. As your friend, not your boss. Or, I guess as your friend and your boss.” He tells you, taking one hand off the steering wheel to squeeze yours briefly. 

“I didn’t really have much of a choice,” you rolled your eyes with a small smirk. 

“There’s always a choice. You chose to get out, and you chose to let your team in. That’s not nothing.” He told you as he parked the car in front of his place.

 “Thank you,” you said, choosing to accept the compliment even though you didn’t believe him. Aaron saw it in your eyes, but he let it slide. You’d see, eventually.  At her pace, he reminded himself. 

“I was thinking I’d cook tonight. Do you have anything particular in mind?” He asked as you settled into the apartment, hanging up your coats. 

“Aaron Hotchner, you can cook?” You laughed, turning around and beaming at him. He couldn’t help but return your smile. 

“I’m not Dave, but I manage.” He said coyly. 

“I’m sure whatever you make will be delicious.” You told him graciously. “And I’m very excited to try it.”

He tossed you an orange from the bowl of fruit on his counter, and then your pain meds. “Go take a nap.”

“Hotch, I’m---”

“Nope, I don’t want to hear it. I let you spend six hours squinting at screens and paperwork under fluorescents. None of that was good for your head. Go.” 

You rolled your eyes at him goodnaturedly before going to the guest room, stripping your work clothes off in favor of a pair of sweats and an FBI Academy t-shirt. Truth be told, everything that had gone down at work had been exhausting, and it wasn’t long before you fell asleep. 

[inawickedlittletown]

Serendipity - Buddie Soulmate AU - 22/25

Summary: Soulmate Marks were personal, they were the most personal thing that a person could have. They were the connection to your other half, the thing that linked you so completely to someone in a way that was magical and unexplainable and they were supposed to be yours and your Soulmates and no one else’s.

When Buck’s Soulmate Mark is leaked to the world, ruining his plans of meeting his Soulmate organically, he has no idea that fate has him covered.

Meanwhile, Eddie has never watched an episode of Serendipity, but starting the show involves becoming a fan of one Evan Buckley and finding out that the Soulmate he wasn’t looking for is a famous actor responsible for his new favorite show.

Notes: Serendipity is defined as: the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.

Read on Ao3

Masterpost

-

Chapter Twenty Two

 Eddie was glad when Buck arrived, and he let Buck pull him into a tight hug and whatever tension had been left over faded away. 

 “Where’s Chris?” Buck asked.

 “Watching a movie upstairs,” Eddie said. 

 Buck didn’t let him go at once, but after a few minutes, he stepped back. “Okay, tell me, what’s the plan?” 

 “Mer and I talked about it. I don’t think I want Christopher’s face online even if we put it there, and the more your team suggested, the more I just wanted everything to stop. What’s the point of drawing more attention to Christopher?”

 “We don’t owe anyone any explanation, Eddie. No one needs to know more than what is already out there. They can speculate all they want, but we don’t have to respond.” 

 Eddie nodded and there was relief mixed in him that Eddie hadn’t expected to feel. It was just that Buck was the one that was famous and the one that would have to really deal with it all. 

 “What about…well, Buck, this affects you more, it’s you they’re all really talking about.” 

 Buck rolled his eyes. “I don’t really care. Here, I’ll even shoot a text to Mer and tell her to just leave it be.” 

 “Are you sure?”

 Buck nodded. “Of course. Anyway, I think what we’re shooting tomorrow is gonna be put on Youtube as soon as they edit it and that will distract. I don’t even know what it is, but Josh is really excited.” 

 “When isn’t he excited?” Eddie asked. 

 The thing that Eddie hadn’t expected to come out of meeting his Soulmate was how domestic it could all be. With Buck being an actor, Eddie had almost expected it to be different and involve less of them just staying in and hanging out with his kid. He loved every moment of it, wished that he could have more. 

 Christopher was excited to see Buck when they went upstairs, immediately asking him if they could play video games. All the game consoles that Buck had probably rarely used before had drawn Christopher’s eye and Buck — big kid that he was — loved having someone to play with. Eddie dabbled a little, and maybe he and Buck got a bit competitive, but he was the one usually trying to limit the amount of time that Chris spent in front of a screen and convincing Buck to do the same. 

 He watched them from the doorway, taking in the way that Buck leaned towards Chris to hear him better, to the giggles that came out of his son. 

 —

 “Where are we going exactly?” Buck asked. 

Buck was back in one of the vans that the studio hired to take them from place to place. It wasn’t just him, Josh, and Matt, but Amy had been called in. The crew sat in the furthermost seats, and it was Dave at the wheel again. 

 “If you read any of my emails, you would know,” Josh said. 

 “It’s the firefighter special,” Amy supplied. “We’re meeting some of the first responders from the accident. That’s why I’m here.” 

 “Oh,” Buck said. “I forgot all about that.” 

 “Clearly,” Matt said. 

 “In my defense, I’ve been busy,” Buck said. 

 “Busy indeed,” Josh said complete with a grin and eyebrow wiggle. 

 Buck shot him a glare. 

 When they arrived, they had to wait for all the filming equipment to be ready and Josh then explained that they were sort of showing up to surprise them. 

 “It’s already set up so that they don’t get any emergency calls unless something really drastic happens,” he explained. “But the city also wants us to talk about how people can support their local fire department.”

 “Was all of this in the emails?” Buck asked. 

 “It was,” Matt confirmed.

 The cameras settled on Josh when they were ready to begin. 

 “So, what we are doing today, is surprising real life heroes,” Josh said. “For anyone that doesn’t know, on the first day of filming for the new season we were in a car accident. This is one of the L.A. fire houses that responded to the accident and worked on making it so that every single person involved left the accident with their lives, if maybe some injuries.”

 Josh began to walk and the rest of them followed, Buck keeping pace with him because that was probably what they wanted. Matt was walking with Amy and Dave just behind them, and one of the other cameras was capturing their approach from behind.

 “They don’t know we’re coming,” Josh said, turning to look directly at the camera. 

 The big door was open and the trucks and ambulance gleamed. It was on their approach that Buck was suddenly sure that they weren’t going to just any fire house. It was the 118. When he glanced at Buck, the smile on his lips told him that Josh had definitely known. He hadn’t told Buck. And that meant that Buck hadn’t been given the time to warn Eddie. 

 —

 People arrived at the station all the time. They had questions, or they wanted assistance, and sometimes people even dropped off unwanted babies. It was just the nature of their work. The morning had been slow, though no one said it outloud, and so they were over by the pool table. Even Bobby had joined them, teaming up with Eddie against Chim and Hen. 

 Eddie was taking a shot, when they heard the voices. Hen and Bobby went over to the banister to check. 

 “That’s — hey, Eddie, your Soulmate visiting us today?” 

 “What?” Eddie asked. He missed his shot. 

 “They have a whole camera crew,” Hen added. 

 Bobby was already headed for the stairs, but Eddie joined Hen and Chim at the banister. Sure enough Buck was down below by the ladder truck and with him was Josh and Matt and a camera crew that was currently filming Josh. 

 Hen nudged him. “Know anything about that, Diaz?”

 Eddie checked his phone. No texts from Buck. “Nope,” he said. 

 Bobby had approached the group on the ground floor and he looked up to wave them down. Eddie followed behind Hen and found that a camera was pointed to them on the stairs as they walked down. 

 “Uh, what’s happening?” Eddie asked. 

 Buck came forward and one of the two cameras were on him. “It’s a featurette we’re doing about the accident and as sort of promo for the show.”

 “Oh. Right. Josh mentioned that. I didn’t know you were doing it so soon.” 

 Buck shrugged. “One good thing, I’m getting to see you in that uniform.” 

 Eddie knew his cheeks had gone red, and he was conscious of the camera that was on them, but Buck just smiled and then when he turned to face the camera, he began to speak. 

 “This station also happens to be the one where my Soulmate, Eddie, works,” Buck said. “Although we didn’t meet during the accident, he was there that day and he did work on our car.” 

 Eddie found the whole thing bizarre. He could tell that Bobby wasn’t too fond of the whole thing, but he was taking it in stride. The cameras didn’t seem to focus on any one person, and Josh was the one that explained things to the camera from time to time. There was a tour of the fire house and then there were a few moments where Josh, Buck, and Matt asked questions from them. Eddie stayed close to Buck, sharing a few looks and smiles. 

 It was over after a while, after the crew seemed to think they had enough footage and they started to pack up the cameras. 

 “Now, I can finally do this,” Buck said, hand landing on the side of Eddie’s neck to bring him into a kiss. 

 Eddie melted into it, and he wondered if it was always going to be like that. If Buck’s very touch would always affect him. 

 “Aww, look at those two,” Hen said. 

 “Cute, I’d say,” Josh said.

 “Or sickening,” Chim added. 

 Buck pulled back, but he was laughing and leaning into Eddie as they turned to look at their audience. Even Eddie’s Captain was watching them with some amusement. 

 Although everyone had met during the course of the video, Eddie still introduced Buck to Hen again and he wasn’t surprised when she pulled out her phone to facetime Karen. 

 “Oh, your Soulmate?” Buck asked. “I’d love to say hi.”

 Buck talked to Karen for a while and he even brought Josh over to join in the conversation. 

 “He’s a good one,” Hen said. “We all knew that, but it’s really true. Eddie, I’m really happy for you.”

 Buck rejoined them after a few minutes, passing her phone back to Hen. 

 “Hey,” he said. “This wasn’t that bad, was it?” 

 “No. Surprising. But not bad.” 

 “Good,” Buck said. 

 They hung out for a while longer. Eddie introduced Buck to Bobby properly and he could tell that Buck liked Bobby right away. Ravi was a nervous mess when Buck talked to him and somehow worse when Josh did. 

 At some point, Josh wound up with Eddie. “Hey,” he said. “Thanks for not telling Chim. His face was hilarious.” 

 “I forgot all about it, so I couldn’t have told him,” Eddie admitted. 

 “A lot has happened,” Josh said. “But I just wanted to say that you’ve been really great for Buck. He was content before and now he’s happy all the time. Kind of makes me rethink my own definition of happiness and what I might want to do about it.”

 Josh clapped him on the shoulder and walked away before Eddie could say anything. He joined Matt, Amy, where Hen was probably pestering the two actors about their roles in the new season.

 “Want to come back to mine when you’re off?” Buck asked, an arm wrapping around Eddie’s waist. 

 “Yeah. I’ll have to stop and pick up clothes, but sure,” Eddie said. 

 “One day,” Buck said, “our clothes will all already be in the same closet.” 

 Eddie kissed the corner of Buck’s mouth. 

 —

 Buck heard Eddie drop his bag off by the stairs and a smile immediately settled on his lips. He was in the middle of putting their dinner in the oven, so he didn’t immediately go out to greet him, and he didn’t have to wait long for Eddie to appear. 

 “Hey,” Eddie said. “You know, you don’t have to cook all the time.” 

 “I want to,” Buck said. He wiped his hands on a kitchen towel and walked over to Eddie. “Hi,” he muttered before they kissed. 

 Eddie backed him up into the island and his hands were gripping Buck’s waist and Buck loved the way that Eddie could manhandle him, move him around and probably pick him up without much trouble. It was a good thing that Buck didn’t have anything sitting on a lit stove because kissing Eddie wasn’t something Buck could easily stop. 

 “Wanted to do that when I saw you earlier,” Eddie said, breathless and against Buck’s ear. He kissed the skin behind Buck’s ear and then the line of jaw.

 “Just that?” Buck asked.

 “For now,” Eddie said, kissing him again but it was slower, sweeter. 

 Their foreheads were pressed together and their breaths mingled between them and they shared that moment, enjoying it for what it was. They could have that forever. 

 “Well, I still have to mash those potatoes,” Buck said. 

 Eddie chuckled. “Do you need help?” 

 “Sure,” Buck said. “But I’ll be watching you.” 

 “Not something I mind, Buck,” Eddie said and he stepped around Buck to walk to the sink and wash his hands. “Now, where do you need me, chef?” 

 “See, talking to me like that will get you everywhere,” Buck said. “Can you drain the water from the potatoes?” 

 Having Eddie help, the way that Eddie looked at him and how close Buck could stand behind or next to him was so domestic that Buck almost couldn’t handle it and he wanted it to be like that as often as it could. He passed Eddie the potato masher and Eddie seemed to be able to figure that out easily enough, but Buck added other ingredients to the potatoes as Eddie mashed and mixed. 

 “We make a good team,” Eddie said. 

 “Definitely,” Buck said, pressing a kiss to Eddie’s cheek for good measure. “You have my back. I have yours. My kitchen doesn’t catch fire, and I guess if it did you’d be the person to put it out.” 

 Eddie laughed and they kissed again. 

 They got their dinner together, and they ate at the island side by side. It was reminiscent of their first date and Buck mentioned as much to Eddie. 

 “You gonna take me upstairs so we can watch another of Josh’s movies?” Eddie asked.

 Buck couldn’t help but laugh. “No, definitely not. I think Christopher isn’t home and we have a lot of other things we could be doing.” 

 Eddie’s face went warm with a blush and Buck was hoping that it was something that wouldn’t change, because he loved how beautiful it made Eddie look. Still, it was Eddie that insisted on cleaning up and Buck helped him, feeling the anticipation of what was to come. He was at the fridge, putting their left overs inside and was surprised when Eddie wrapped arms around him from behind, his wet hands leaving marks of his hands on Buck’s shirt. Buck turned in his arms and Eddie closed the fridge door, pushing Buck against it. 

 They were kissing again and Eddie’s hands were pulling at Buck’s shirt, getting underneath and touching him with cold but strong hands that made Buck shiver. When Eddie’s fingers touched Buck’s Mark, he shuddered at the way that it sent tingles down his body different from the feel of the cold fingers on other parts of his chest and Eddie chuckled against Buck’s neck. 

 “Bedroom,” Buck panted as Eddie’s mouth dragged down his neck.

Buck pushed him back and Eddie walked backwards, but Buck kept him walking until they had made it out to the living room where Eddie pushed him against a wall and they were making out again, pressed so close together that Buck could feel every part of Eddie including how hard he was in his jeans. They grinded into each other, desperate and needy whimpers coming from Eddie until Buck dragged him to the stairs and then they were stumbling up. 

 They had talked about it after the first time, a conversation that should have come before, because Buck had had no idea that it was Eddie’s first time with a man. So they hadn’t actually done a lot with their limited time and how tired both of their jobs made them. Buck wanted time to do it right, to make love to Eddie and show him how amazing it could be. He didn’t want something they rushed into, but to really have the time to enjoy every bit of Eddie’s pleasure. 

 His bedroom was dark, but Buck turned on the light and then he pulled Eddie to the bed. Eddie reached for him, but Buck pulled back. 

 “Supplies,” Buck muttered and found the lube and the condoms in his bedside drawer. 

 When he turned, he found Eddie on the bed, entirely naked his beautiful cock hard and standing, twitching under Buck’s eyes. Mouthwatering. 

 “You’re a little overdressed there, Buck,” Eddie said cheekily and it was like a challenge. 

 Buck took off his remaining clothes and he climbed on the bed, crawled to Eddie’s side and touched his smiling cheek, turning Eddie’s face to face him. 

 “You have to tell me what you want,” Buck said. “How you want to do this.” 

 Eddie was blushing again and Buck couldn’t help but lean down to kiss Eddie’s cheeks and then his lips, letting the kiss drag out for a while. He touched Eddie’s chest softly, lovingly, feeling the beating of Eddie’s heart. 

 “You, Buck,” Eddie said. “I want you.” 

 Eddie’s eyes told him everything and Buck nodded, kissing him again and again and again and getting lost to just that for a while before he pulled away, pushed Eddie to stay on the bed and he spent some time kissing Eddie’s chest, laving at his nipples and smirking at the reaction that got out of Eddie. He spent some time on the Mark, licking it and kissing it and tracing it with his fingers because he loved that Mark, loved it on Eddie’s skin and loved what it signified. 

 He opened Eddie up, slowly and carefully and mixing it with kisses and whispers of how good Eddie was doing. Buck took his time, aware of the importance, aware of how painful it could be otherwise and having no desire to hurt Eddie in any way, keeping track of every wince and the way that his dick deflated a bit until Buck took him in his mouth, bringing his pleasure back and continuing to use his fingers until he was satisfied and Eddie was asking for more. For Buck. 

 —

 Eddie felt every single centimeter of Buck. He leaned into Buck’s kisses and couldn’t help but admire the way that Buck was holding back. It was slow going, but Buck slid the whole way and Eddie had never felt full that way. It was strange and new, but it felt amazing and right. 

 Buck kissed his face, dropping kisses everywhere he could. His love shone through his every action and Eddie didn’t think that he had ever felt as cherished as he felt with Buck right from the start even down to the pillow that he’d put under Eddie to prop him up. Buck moved slowly, letting Eddie get used to the new feeling, the drag of Buck’s cock inside him and the sharp pain mixed with pleasure. 

 Eddie couldn’t put words together, but he could pull Buck closer to kiss him and touch him and let him know that Eddie was okay. And then there was Buck’s hands on his skin and then reaching for Eddie’s cock, intensifying everything as Buck fucked into him. 

 He felt hot, sticky with sweat and Buck was panting into his neck. Eddie’s hands grasped at Buck, his fingers digging into his back and probably leaving marks with his nails. 

 Eddie came first right over Buck’s hand and he felt it when Buck did too from the way he stilled, shuddering before he pulled back and collapsed on the bed next to Eddie who was so spent that he couldn’t move other than to face Buck who smiled back at him and reached over to grab his hand, squeezing it.

 “That was,” Eddie gasped out, “amazing.” 

 “Yeah?” 

 “Yeah.” 

 Buck kissed his cheek, pressed their faces together. “I love you so much, Eddie.” 

 Eddie turned, feeling already that his body was sore, but he kissed Buck and let that linger until Buck pulled back and stood up. Eddie grabbed for his hand and when Buck turned, he looked at him so tenderly that it made Eddie warm all over.

 “Hey, I love you too.” 

 They kissed again and Buck’s hand was in his hair, but he pulled away after another kiss to Eddie’s forehead. Eddie followed him with his eyes as Buck dropped the condom into a trash can before he returned and somehow he gathered Eddie in his arms and it didn’t matter that they were sweaty and that Eddie’s cum was drying on his stomach. Buck pressed kisses to his neck and his shoulders and his hair and his hand found its place on Eddie’s Mark.

-

Chapter Twenty Three

[fandom-imagines-stories]

Black Umbrellas

Josh Lyman x Reader

Words: 2277

Part One

Summary: The funeral arrives and everything seems to fall apart. Josh tries to keep his temper in check with Celia, but soon the reason behind their ongoing feud is revealed. 

Notes: Josh is definitely one of my favorite fictional characters and it seems like more of you are liking his imagines. As always, comments are always welcome!- Side note: I know that it’s been forever since I posted part one to this, and I’m very sorry. I hope to be writing for more West Wing, including more characters. 

-

It was just like he would have wanted. The morning was bright and sunny and began with laughter. Josh was standing in the kitchen with your mother and something he had said made her laugh, making the rest of you feel a little lighter on a day that would leave a great deal of weight on your hearts. It’s how your dad would have wanted his funeral to start. Not with sorrow, but with the sense of being together. 

Your mother made blueberry pancakes for breakfast using your dad’s famous recipe and  the three of you had coffee on the porch. Celia and Thomas were still asleep, so there was no danger of an argument breaking out for now. 

“It’s a beautiful day.” Marissa hummed, taking a sip of her coffee. Josh nodded in agreement, wrapping an arm around your shoulders, drinking in the morning sun as it rose over the trees. 

“How are you feeling?” He whispered as you rested your head on his shoulder. You shrugged. 

“Best that I can be, I guess.” He nodded in understanding and sweetly kissed the top of your head. 

“I’ll be here the whole time.” You placed a hand on his leg, drawing circles on the denim. You loved it when he wore jeans. It made him feel like he was yours for the day and not rushing off to assist in a national crisis. But even now, he was still the Deputy Chief of Staff. 

You probably noticed his pager buzzing before he did. He looked at you mournfully, his tone apologetic. “I’ve got a call from Leo.” 

You gave him a small smile and a node. “You better take it.” 

He moved out onto the lawn for some privacy and your mother gave your hand a gentle pat. 

“You picked a good one.” She smiled. You both watched as he ran a hand down his face, his expression morphing from saddened to angered to calm in a matter of seconds. 

“Is he seriously working right now?” Your sister’s shrill criticizing voice emerged from inside the house. 

“He’s the Deputy Chief of Staff for the President,” You scoffed, “the world didn’t stop just because he’s here.” 

“Sorry, I forgot. Not all of us are lowly small town journalists like me and dad.” 

“Are you serious, right now?” 

“No, you’re right, I’m sure it’s a matter of national security.” She spat and you stood up from the swing. 

“It very well could be!” You shouted. You wanted to slap her. Who was she to criticize Josh? 

“Girls!” Your mother finally interjected. You both turned your heads towards her and you immediately felt guilty, seeing the tears welling up in her eyes. “Don’t do this today. Please.” 

“Sorry mom.” You both said, hanging your heads. While you could feel everything start to burn up in your chest, you pushed it down. You had to be strong today. Luckily, your own pager went off before any more arguing could occur. 

“Hey Sam.” You sighed in greeting, grateful for a distraction. 

“Hey, how are you doing?” His voice was sympathetic and sweet. Typical Sam. 

“Okay, all things considered.” You laughed lightly, hoping to keep the conversation from getting too emotional. “How are things there?”

“Crazy as usual.” He chuckled. “I just wanted to call and check in.” There was something in his tone that told you there was more. 

“Sam… something is wrong with the speech, isn’t there?” 

“Well,” He blew out a breath, “Since you pushed it back, we’re speaking after Congress is handing us our asses which means that Toby needed to make some changes so we don’t sound like-”

“Kids trying to start a fight on the playground?” You finished. Josh had said the same thing. 

“Yeah…” 

You thought for a moment, but couldn’t focus on any one thing. “Just make sure that he sounds like we’re still coming out on top.” It was the only thing you could do. 

“We’ll try.” He paused, but you already knew what he was going to say. “And Y/N-”

“I know.” You smiled slightly to yourself. “Thanks Sam.” 

You strolled along the wrap-around porch, hoping to avoid Celia for at least a few more minutes, telling yourself it was the stress of the day. She would cool off eventually. 

“I hope everything is doing okay.” Your mother’s comforting tone helped to calm you down. You shrugged. 

“As okay as it ever is.” She nodded with understanding. She knew how messy the political world was. It didn’t stop because someone died. 

Josh came back, the stress clear on his face. When he locked eyes with you, he tried to brighten up, but you could tell that there was something weighing down on his shoulders. You implored him with a look, but he shrugged it off. 

“The usual.” He whispered, draping his arm around you again. “Don’t worry about it.” He turned to your mother with a sad smile. “Leo McGarry and The President send their deepest sympathies.” 

“I appreciate that.” She nodded and looked out over the orchards. How was she so strong through all of this? You felt ready to fall apart at the seams, but your mother was the picture of grace. She always did everything for everyone else and now she wasn’t giving herself the chance to grieve. 

Celia had gone inside to make calls to the funeral home and Thomas was in town picking up groceries. He wanted there to be one less thing for all of you to worry about. 

With a few hours until the funeral, all you wanted was to make it through the day without any more arguments. Josh had a few more calls with Leo and did his best to hide it from your judgmental sister but there was still that tension between them. You took a few sympathy calls from Donna and C.J.- both of whom were very kind in expressing their regrets in not being able to make it to the funeral. 

It was about noon when the President called. Your mother must have spent an hour talking to him in her office before she came back into the living room, passing off the phone to you. 

“Good afternoon, Mr. President.” You started, forcing yourself to keep it together. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t catch you the other day before you and Josh left.” He sighed. “I wanted to give my condolences in person.” 

“My family and I appreciate it nonetheless, sir.” 

“I am truly sorry for your loss, Y/N.” His fatherly tone made you want to cry. Truthfully, you’d always seen President Bartlet as your work-father more than your boss. “Bill was a good man and a good friend.” 

“He would have been honored to hear you say that, sir.” There was a long moment of silence between the two of you as you both let those words sink in before he concluded. 

“He was always very proud of you, Y/N. I hope you know that.” 

Your breathing hitched as you held back a cry. “Thank you, Mr. President.” As you hung up, you tried to keep the tears from falling. Your quiet moment to yourself was interrupted by the sounds of whispers growing into shouts on the front porch. Celia and Josh. 

As you approached, their words became more and more clear. 

“When are you going to stop treating her like a child?”

“I’m sorry, but I figured I would let her go on thinking that her sister is a crazy lunatic!” 

“Keep your voice down! She’ll hear you.” 

“Let her hear, Celia.” Josh’s voice became a growl. “Let her hear that after all these years, you’ve just been jealous of everything that she’s been able to accomplish and you couldn’t.”

“I don’t know why we’re even having this conversation.” Celia scoffed. You opened the door a crack and watched her step closer to him. “I’m not jealous, Josh. I’m right. Y/N has had everything handed to her since the day she was born. She doesn’t deserve her job.. And she doesn’t deserve you.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.” Josh ran a hand down his face and turned away, but she was persistent.

“We met first, Josh. We started seeing each other and then you fell for her little charms just like everybody else.” 

“You two were seeing each other?” You gasped, finally stepping out from behind the door. Josh let out a frustrated groan. 

“No, honey, we weren’t-”

“Is that why you two are at each other’s throats all the time? Because you were together?”

“We were never together!” He exclaimed. He reached to put his hands on your shoulders, but you stepped away, staring down your older sister. 

“You really think I don’t deserve my job… my husband… my life?” 

She said nothing. Her mouth formed a thin line as she gave you a silent, hard stare. You wanted to slap her. You wanted to scream. Instead, the sky let out a low, tumbling growl of thunder that served as the final straw. You looked up at the darkened clouds as the first raindrop landed on your cheek. 

“No no no no no. This isn’t what he would have wanted.” You cried, holding out a hand as more water fell. “It’s supposed to be sunny and beautiful and… and…” 

“Y/N,” Josh started, but you didn’t hear him. 

“I can’t deal with this right now.” Was all you said as you took off down the steps and towards the road. You didn’t know what to think, but the rain hitting your skin was enough to fuel your fury to hide your sadness. 

“Where is she going?” Marissa asked, feeling the tension in every thunder roll. Josh slammed his hand against the porch railing. 

“I don’t know. But I’ll take care of it.” He gave Celia a glare that could halt an army before running after you.

-

You ended up in an old tool shed somewhere in the orchard, your cries drowned out by the rain pounding against the wooden walls. Your clothes were soaked but you didn’t care. There was just an hour until the funeral and the storm didn’t show any sign of stopping. This was all wrong. 

Your dad was the only one who could have fixed this mess. Whenever either you or your husband fought with Celia, he was the one that could settle everyone down and make you all laugh until your sides hurt. What if you never laughed like that again? 

The rain turned into a soft- but consistent- drizzle and you were sure you heard the sound of a car approaching the shed. You heard your husband calling your name before you even opened the door. 

“How did you know I’d be here?”

He gave you a long, sad look. “When you ran off, your mother said it’d be best if I took a car so we’d have someplace warm to sit and talk. She said you’d probably come here.” He opened the passenger door of his car and just waited. 

Instead of running into the warm heat of the car, you ran into his arms. While you felt like you had no more tears to shed, your body just shook with silent sobs. After a while, he picked you up and put you in the car, quickly going over the driverseat so he could take you in his embrace again. 

“I feel so stupid.” You sniffed. “We’re supposed to be mourning dad and I’m running off like a child.” 

“Don’t beat yourself up.” He muttered into your hair. “Grief does something to our heads… everyone has to deal with it.” He pulled away to look at you. “I shouldn’t have argued with Celia.” 

“No.” You shook your head. “No, I’m glad I know what she really thinks of me. Of us.” 

He pushed a hair behind your ear and gave you a small smile. “You have to know that I would never hide something like that from you unless I thought it didn’t matter. Celia and I got drinks one time before I met you and now she likes to hold it over my head.” He sighed. “And don’t beat yourself up about what she said. You’re one of the hardest working, badass women that I know. You deserve everything that you’ve built.”

He kissed your forehead and you fell into silence again. Without any words, he knew that you believed him about Celia and that the whole thing was blown out of proportions by your sister’s need for attention. He just hoped that you and Celia could start over. As much as he despised her most of the time, he knew what it was like to lose a sister. 

“Why don’t we head back to the house and try and dry off before the funeral?” He suggested softly. You just nodded, laying your head on his shoulder as he drove back to your childhood home. 

-

It wasn’t the sunny day that you wanted it to be. Everyone stood with black umbrellas and somber faces and you did your best to keep it together. Josh held your hand the whole way through, his support not faltering for a single second. You knew this couldn’t be easy for him either and yet he was your rock through all of it. 

The clouds blocked the sun for the rest of the day but you told yourself that it was okay. They were the cloud-kingdoms your father always talked about. The ones he wrote in those little books tucked away in the house. And you took comfort in the fact that you knew, now, that he was up there with them. 

[chromium7sky]

The Devil wears Armani | chapter 12

A/n: I'm really sorry for the long hiatus of this au 😭. Finally got some spark about this update and I hope you guys enjoy it. Btw, guess who finally meet Raven? 😆😆

Raven finally reached her home after outing and small reunion with Karen. She remove her heels awkwardly as she yawned. It was a long night.

She tell Karen everything about what happen between her and Damian and of course minus the intimacy in his office.

-flash back-

Karen land her chin on her palm propped on the table as she listen to Raven's story. "You know, this is an interesting story though but did he knew about Melchior?"

Raven narrowed her eyes. " Why would I mention that jerk? Besides me and Damian still haven't declare about our relationship, I mean, he does flirt me back. Not to mention we did kiss..." Raven stop at the kissing part.

"Men can be complicated sometimes." She sighed as she take a bite from the cake she ordered.

"Couldn't agree more since I'm about to marry one." Karen wiggle her fingers that had betrothed ring on it.

Both designer and ex model giggled.

"I...I just hope Damian is serious about it. I'm quite invested my feeling for him." Raven chewed her lips.

"I hope so, Rachel. I hope he does." Karen smiled.

- end flashback-

Raven sighed on her bed after she change her clothes into night gown. "Gotta get some sleep because I'm going to meet him tomorrow. Should I ask again about us?"

Raven's mind wander about the golden question, her eyes start to droop as the cold night beckons her to the land of morpheus.

--------

Damian watched the E! Entertainment as he tidy up his studio to catch up any news on fashion industry then the anchorman, Josh Dirkmann said about a known designer from Europe came to town known as Melchior Draco.

"Melchior?" Damian arched his brows. Another designer in town? Maybe there's an event? And as soon as the reporter had some short interview with the silver hair gentlemen with black suit.

"So what makes you come to Gotham?" The reporter pointed the mic towards the designer.

"Well, a big company invited me to launched both of our collaboration and they said Gotham fit the aesthetic." He answered as he tug his silver hair behind his ears which earn a sneer from Damian as he watch the interview.

"Do you know Raven the designer?"

" Oh, yes. We did compete each other in Paris Fashion Show. She won first while I won second. It was a tough decision for the judges. Just so you know, between you and me, we kinda close during that time." Melchior slip out some interesting info towards the reporter.

The reporter almost gasped and demand for more answer but Melchior quickly waved away and walked towards the hotel lobby.

Damian quickly grab the remote control and closed the show.

" What do you mean close each other?" Both of his eyebrows knitted together. He closed his eyes and throw the remote at the couch. "It doesn't matter."

-------

Raven now in mess. The phone call came in nonstop just because of a statement when Melchior mention that both of them were close and the paparazzi possible sniffing out a scandal.

She sighed and landed her head on her desk. A hard knocking landed on her door makes her jolted. " Come in." As she turn her head towards the door.

Mona came in a hurry with an apologetic face. " Miss Rachel, I forgot to inform you that there will be a journalist came for your gala interview today. I'm really really sorry." Mona bow her head.

Raven stare blankly at Mona while her internal having conflict. 'First it's was Melchior statement and now interview? What...what should I do?'

Her palm start to sweat but quickly she fist up her hand. " When will be the journalist comes?"

The assistant girl check through her tablet. " In two hours."

"Who from where?"

"Jonathan Kent from Daily Planet, ma'am."

"Oh?" The same journalist who interview her winning success in fashion show. " Well, make sure escort him to my office and prepare our boarding room. Easier to execute it in there." Raven gives a stern order.

Mona nodded her head vigorously then quickly exit her room.

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

She straighten her back as she heard a knock. She breath in. "Come in."

"Ms. Rachel!"

"Mona."

"A journalist came to meet you for Wayne's Gala interview." She gesture her hands towards a young man with curly hair and those prominent square glasses. "Mr. Jonathan Kent."

"Ah, Jonathan. Hi! It's been a while." Raven stretch her hand towards him.

Jon adjust his specs then handshake with her. "Thank you for letting me interview again , Ms. Roth." His face display his friendliness towards her.

Mona bowed her heads and quickly went out of her office. "How about we bring this interview to boarding room? More comfy?" Raven suggest about changing place.

"Yeah, you're right." Jon nodded.

Raven stood up and escort Jon to the meeting room for more proper place to interview.

She open the light switch and pull out a chair. " You can sit here."

"Ah, right, thank you." Jon smiled sheepishly as he pull the leather chair and sit, opposite with the owner of AMZ company.

" So, how long does this interview lasting?" Raven asked him as soon as she's in her seat and lean on the table with both of her hands propped on her chin.

"Well, not long, more or less 10 minutes." The journalist smile sheepishly. "Anyway..." He pull out his notebook, voice recording and a pen."Let us start with, how long you know Damian Wayne?"

"Well...since I was freshly involved in this industry, Mr Wayne offered me to promote myself at Gala." Raven calmly answer as she tried to cover Damian from being involve with fashion drawing class back in those days.

Jon then stopped the voice recording which made her jolted then adjust his specs. "You are the one who have the same class with him right?"

Raven almost gasped but she quickly act nonchalant as she tried to deny it . "Are you try to dig something from me, Mr Kent?"

"Ah, yes. Such as wanted to know more about Dami's secret girl." He smiled.

Dami? Her eyebrow arched as she heard the name. Why in the world he would address Damian that way? "You must be mistaking. We were only in term of business."

"Seriously? I thought you guys were serious." He's moping. "He did ask me about how to flirt a girl too. Man, he's really an emotional constipated." He laughed. "Besides, Dami said he haven't meet her in 3 years after he's graduated."

Raven with her eyes wide as she heard it from him. "HOW DID YOU KNOW ALL THAT?!" She quickly rised from the desk.

Jon jolted as he seen her reaction. " Ah, I guess that's why he keep a secret about his girl." Sweat drop start to rolled down on his forehead. "I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable. Let me introduce myself again."

Jon straighten his back and stretch his hand. "Hi, I'm Jonathan Kent. Dami' s childhood friend and school mate, same goes with roommate at uni and currently, a journalist." He smiled.

Raven tried to process all the information at once and it takes a few moment. "So, you are Damian's close friend?" She point out with as she narrowed her eyes.

"That's right!" Jon's smile getting wider.

"Ah, hello." She slowly put her hands on him which Jon grab it and makes a several shake as he excited to met her.

"It's really pleasure to meet you by the way! For sure if Maya and Colin knew about you they will be screaming or teasing him saying Dami has finally grown up!" He laughed.

Raven sit on her chair with unsure feeling. First the confession, then his childhood friend meet her, and then what? A wedding? She press her lips into a thin line.

"You know, Dami is not that kind of guy when it comes to women. He always thought they were hyenas." Jon chuckled.

"Hyenas?" Raven puzzled. "What's with hyenas?"

"Ever since he lives in Gotham, he always seen his father been in and out with other women who prey for money. Still, poor him having lack of parent's love." Jon sighed.

That explain why he's being hard on anyone. Raven attentively listen to Jon's story. "You know, he has pets like a zoo at his house. From cow to snakes. I remember when I came, This Alfred the cat always sulking and threaten to scratch me."

"An animal lover? That much?" Both of Raven's eyebrow jumpy as she heard it. She could imagine if Damian standing on the field, as birds will land on him, it either makes him look like Disney princess or a scarecrow.

"Most of them are animal rescue." Jon nodded.

"I see..." Then Raven suddenly remember something. "How did Damian took fashion drawing class by the way?"

"Actually we suggested to him. I mean seriously, you haven't seen his potrait and figure drawing, Those are amazing! He most likely to observe the surrounding and draw on his sketch book while on his free time."

Wait. Does that means Damian has a secret sketch book like her? Raven unconsciously put her hands on her lips.

"Still, what makes you suspect it was me? I mean we haven't contact it for a while."

"Other than he told me that he haven't met her in three years, I've seen a drawing that looks just like you at his studio." Jon smiled.

There it is.

Raven sighed and there's a slightly red tint on her ears.

"Why you haven't contact him when he's in middle east?" Jon asked curious question.

"It was because when I know that he's Damian Wayne, I..I was screwed. I mean, Wayne as in Wayne Enterprise. The biggest contributor on east side. Me? I'm just, just an orphan girl who try to rise my own feet."

"Oh?"

"My mother died when I was 14. I still don't know who were my father is and all I got is this necklace from my mother." She showed the necklace to Jon.

The young journalist seems to be fasinating with it's design. "I wonder where did your mother got this?"

Raven sighed as she try to remember. " I'm not sure. All I remember that it's been in heritage for years."

"I see." Jon rubbed his chin. "Well, Maybe you should hang up with us sometimes. I'm sure Colin and Maya would love to see you." He smiled.

"The thing is, Jon. I'm still unclear about between us." Raven chewed her lips.

"Ah nonsense, he really likes you. I can see from the way he look at you."

"Is it? Wait, where did you saw him see me?"

"I think it was two day before?"

Raven slap both of her cheeks. OH MY GOD, HE SAW BOTH OF US KISSING.

"And don't worry. I won't tell a soul, though, I've been warn by him and probably will be dig out by Colin and Maya." Jon widen his smile as sweat start to rolled down on his cheek."Dami has been my friend of more than a decade. I understand the way he express himself."

Raven nodded slowly. " Jon, a question."

"Yeah?"

"Since you are a journalist, do you know anything about Melchior?" Raven voice change to serious tone.

"That Silver Blond guy?"

"Yeah."

" I heard he's having collaboration with a big company. However, another speculation I heard that he choose Gotham because of its mysterious aesthetic."

"Well, uh, there's something I heard during interview. He claimed that we were close during the fashion show competition."

Raven as stared at the desk.

"Been wondering myself too. Are you close to him?" Jon's curious eyes start to lit.

"We do only for a while but the thing is he stole my design during that time which I never forgive myself for letting me get fooled by him." Raven sighed then she looked at Jon. "Wait. Don't tell me you're going to put this on paper?"

"Wait, I get it." Jon again propped his hand on his chin. "No wonder I've seen familiarity design between both of you. Plus you're having a hard time too."

"Uh, Jon?"

"I think I found something to investigate." Jon's mischievous smiles start to paint on his face.

"Now you act like Damian."

"Damian is more hardcore. I'm still on the average level." Jon beamed his happy face on her.

"Well, I think our interview stopped here. Besides, I need to cover some story from Me Wayne itself about the gala."

"Dami?"

"Yep."

"So, nice to meet you, Ms. Rachel Roth. It's been a pleasure talking to you."

"It's been a pleasure to spill tea with you." Raven smug.

Jon blinked then put on his mischievous smile.

-------

Somewhere in his office, Damian sneezed for no reason. " Is it me or is this office are getting colder?" He looked at the air ventilation.

[twoidiotwriters1]

Starcrossed Losers II (Josh Wheeler xReader)

A/N: Loving this thing already, seriously hoping to keep the constant of posting two chapters every week lmao

Words: 2,766

Warnings: Swearing ig

Previous Chapter // Next chapter

Of course. Of course, it was this guy.

Eli fucking Cardashyan, or as I liked to call him, the goblin under the bridge that always copied my answers on every test since we were thirteen. Just like Josh, Angelica and Wesley, I knew Eli from a while back. He wasn’t exactly popular but everyone knew him as the school’s “wanna-be”, I thought he would be dead by now, I’m glad to see I was wrong.

But I can’t believe he’s got the mall for himself. Even worse, I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. The mall was neutral territory, everyone could go and hang out with their friends, so the most logical thing is to say everyone had the same right over it. And is Eli Cardashyan the one who gets to have it all for himself? I call bullshit. This kind of situation is what leads me to believe that there is really no god.

“This is who we’ve been scared of?” Angelica complains, “A light breeze could kick his ass!”

“I thought it was gonna be Hoyles,” Wesley adds in a mix of disbelief and disappointment, “this is... Who is this again?”

“It’s Eli,” sighs Josh, he walks towards the bike and examines it, then lets out a childish laugh, “it’s fine, He’s a knock-off Baron Triumph”

And yes, obviously he was. Eli could be an idiot sometimes but he wasn’t a murderer. He went off on his (honestly weird as hell) speech until Josh cut him off.

“Who else is with you? Where is Sam Dean?” Eli scoffs.

“Do I look like her publicist?”

“Sam’s not here?” 

“I’m sorry, it’s just me and my girlf, Mavis” He answers with a smirk.

Josh and I share a look, I shrug and mouth a ‘sorry’, Josh shakes his head, telling me not to worry about it.

“You have the entire mall? You?” asks Angelica.

“Right?! How did that even happen?” I ask in frustration. Wesley mumbles a ‘chill, girl’ that I decide to ignore.

Eli went on and on, and to be honest I think I only understood like fifty percent of what he was saying, part because I wasn’t listening, and part ‘cause the boy has a wild vocabulary. Josh and I looked at each other in annoyance and I knew he was feeling as done as me with the conversation. When I was starting to think this day couldn’t get any crazier, the real Baron Triumph made his entrance.

We all hurl up at the doors and Eli pulls out a set of keys from his pocket, desperately trying to open them.

“Faster, he’s almost here!” says Josh.

“Get your own mall, this one’s mine” Eli grumbles.

“Are you twelve?” I reply, “We’re on the same side here!”

“We’re finna get eaten out here...”

“Not helping, Wesley.” 

“Got it!” Says Eli. The other boys pull him aside and practically rip the chains from the handles, “Hey!”

Josh pushes me inside hurriedly before entering himself. The others soon following after. I hear the door slamming shut and I look over my shoulder to see Eli running behind us; we’re all safe.

We reach one of the halls and Josh stops in awe, it takes me an extra second to stop completely cause I’m still wearing my skates, but when I do I’m just as amazed as him. Behind me, I hear Angelica talk.

“There’s power and air conditioning...”

“Everything is so... clean”

“Still smells like cinnabon”

“Am I still alive?” I look over at Josh, “You sure I didn’t die when you hit me this afternoon?”

“I didn’t hit you that hard,” He replies, still looking around like it was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen.

“Solar panels on the roof!” Eli sings, “This is an island of paradise in an ocean of poop.”

“What a fancy allegory,” I snicker.

I’ll allow myself to remember, I don’t do it as often as I’d like...

-Flashback time-

What? You thought I wasn’t going to do this? C’mon, I’m a lonely child. All I have are my memories of the good ol’ times, so you’ll be forced to relive them with me. Sorry, I don’t make the rules. (I do, but I don’t wanna brag about it).

“We should go to my place, there’s nothing to do here...”

“Maya, for the last time,” I look at the girl standing next to me, “we told Alex we would meet here.”

“I know,” She whines, “but Hoyles is here and that guy gives me the creeps. I heard he tried to have sex with Ashley Miller while she was completely wasted”

“Sounds like Hoyles,” I nod in agreement, “but we can’t scatter everytime we run into them. We’re not little kids anymore, he can’t hurt us”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” She points to the opposite corner, Hoyles and his gang are terrorizing a freshman and the people around does nothing but move away.

“Can you belive that?” I start to walk towards them but Maya grabs my arm tightly, “What?”

“Don’t be stupid,” She rolls her eyes, “don’t even try to stop them, seriously, they won’t stop and you’ll get harassed.”

“It’s a freshman!” I insist, “Hoyles is like three times his size! You can’t expect me to do nothing”

“Listen,” my friend raises an eyebrow, “Y/N, those guys are crazy, please...”

I look back at the boys and realize they’re no longer there, I turn to her in defeat.

“I just really hate bullies, okay?”

“Let’s face it, we don’t have the ability to stop them all.”

“To stop what?” 

I quickly turn around and see the person I’ve been waiting for: Alex, my best friend since childhood. My mood switches instantly and I shrugg it off, already starting to forget.

“Just the usual dumbassery,” I reply with a chuckle.

“Hey loser,” Maya adds, “you’re late.”

“Yeah, I know” Alex nods awkwardly, “lost track of time again, sorry.”

“What was it this time?” I ask, “youtube or the comic?”

“Youtube,” He smirks, “vine is honestly a national treasure.”

“Sure,” I snort, “too bad is dead now.”

“Those who are great live the shortest lives,” He replies with his ‘wise old man’ voice.

“So,” Maya hops between us and puts her arms around our shoulders, “you want to look around?”

“I wanna go see the skates,” Alex adds, basically vibrating, “they have a new model and I wanna try them on.”

“The skates place, then,” My friend nods and pulls us with her.

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

A loud bang brings me back to the present and I remember why were we hiding here in the first place.

“This way, quick!” Eli tells us before he starts running. I move fast since I’m the only one with wheels on her feet. And soon most of them are behind me. Eli presses a button on the keychain he has, and the metal curtain lifts up enough for us to get in. “Go under, we’ll be safe in here...”

As soon as Josh, Angelica and I get in, the curtain comes back down.

“What the hell?” asks Josh.

“I’m not sharing my kingdom with you, sheep. No one busts into Eli’s mall. And don’t even try to escape.”

“We weren’t trying to escape, you brainless leprechaun!” This is unbelievable, I swear, I just want out of this day, “We’re running away from the monster that's on your side! You won’t make it on your own against Triumph, he’ll find a way to get in and eat you”

“Every door is locked or booby-trapped.” A laugh distracts us from the discussion and I see Wesley next to Eli... on the other side.

“Booby,” He chuckles. He’s been smoking, so you can’t expect him to behave.

Eli groans. Josh steps closer and smirks.

“Wesley Fists lead the state in sacks last season. Take him out, Samurai.”

“To fight someone so obviously inferior would be dishonorable.” He raises a brow. Eli shows us both of his middle fingers.

“Great,” I throw my backpack on the floor and walk away from the curtain, “this is only getting better and better...” 

“One punch, Wesley, come on,” Josh insists, “one punch.”

I let out a sharp breath and sit on the bench a few feet away from them to take off my skates. As useful as they are, I’m starting to feel sore and they’re not the most comfortable thing to wear after a few hours of running. While I’m doing so, another memory comes to mind and I’m unable to stop it.

Where was I? Oh, right...

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

“I think these are more you’re style,” I grab the bright, lime-green pair from the right shelf and hand them to Alex, he laughs and examines them for a moment like he’s actually considering the idea.

“I mean, they wouldn’t match any of my outfits but they’d totally be catching everyone’s eye.”

“Isn’t that the point, though?”

“Obviously,” He shakes his head pretending to be offended by the question, “though I think I’ll have to pass this time. I already made my choice.”

He shows me a pair of white-colored ones.

“Dude, are you serious?” I grab the skates and raise them to his eye level, “These are the most boring pair of skates ever”

“Now they are,” Alex moves my hand slightly so he can see my face, “but I bet that you can turn them into a masterpiece”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Please, Y/N don’t play dumb, you know I love your drawings”

I blush at his reply. Sure, I like drawing but I’m no Van Gogh at it. The best thing I ever drew was probably a worm.

“You’re telling me you’d spend your money on the newest model of skates just to ruin them with your best friend’s nonexistent skills?”

“To me, their value would go up by a thousand if they had your drawings in them.”

“Jesus, get a room!” Maya exclaims beside us, she’s sitting on a small chair, trying random pairs of skates out of pure boredom.

“Shut up!” We both respond quickly. 

He looks at me and I’m pretty sure he’s blushin but I can’t really look at his face cause I’m too embarrassed to do so.

Oh, right. I forgot to mention that I had a crush on my best friend, didn’t I? No, I wasn’t avoiding this topic. I thought it wasn’t important anymore. And it isn’t! I promise it isn’t. Alex is gone, and with him so are my feelings.

Yes, you can laugh all you want cause I was one of those basic idiots who fell in love with their best friend just cause he treats me like any decent human being should. Can you blame me, though? Compared to Hoyles and his team of dickheads, Alex was a fucking teddy bear. 

And the worst part? I’m pretty sure he liked me back. 

We never made a move.

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

A loud scream makes me drop my broken skates and I run back to were Angelica and Josh are.

“What the fuck...” I whisper, clinging to the curtain.

“What the fuck is here with us?” Angelica is the first to ask what Josh and I were wondering as well.

“Ooh, a ghoulie witch,” Eli steps closer, lowering his voice, “once upon a time, she was a normal girl who liked hanging out at the mall. But now she’s got mad powers, and she will fuck your shit up. She is unkillable and she is hangry.”

“There is no such thing as witches.”

“Well, a few months ago there weren’t mutant squirrels or ghoulies either.” Adds Angelica.

“That’s right. And when the witch eats your intestines like spaghetti, you’ll think: I never should’ve dissed king Eli...” He walks backwards and leaves us here with fuck knows what.

“I swear every time he opens his mouth I feel like I’m having a stroke,” Now that I don’t have my skates on, I realize Josh’s taller than me. I barely reach the tip of his nose.

“Don’t worry, I’ll convince him to let you out.” Wesley says, “I’mma go full Gandhi on his ass. Hunger strike.”

“Easy there, we don’t want to traumatize him for life” I reply dryly.

Angelica and Josh step back from the curtain and I follow them. We sit on the bench and I look at my skates, cursing under my breath. Josh notices and gently nudges my side with his arm.

“Sorry about that. We can find a new pair somewhere around here if you want.”

“I hope so,” I kick them and they slide miserably on the floor, the wheels almost fully worn out, “I really liked them.”

“You used to skate a lot? Before the nuke,” He asks in curiosity.

“Not at all. I didn’t even know how to use them,” I laugh lightly, “my best friend used to, though. He promised he would teach me one day but... things didn’t go as planned.”

“Is he..?” He leaves the question open but I understand perfectly what he’s trying to say.

“Fuck, no,” I feel a shiver going down my spine just by thinking about it, “we wanted different things, that’s all. He had a plan and I had another. Alex wanted to leave town and travel around the country now that we’re free to do whatever we please. I just wanted to find my sister.”

“And where is she?”

“She turned into a ghoulie, so I... I took care of it.”

“Shit,” He whispers, passing a hand through his hair and looking a little pale, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Again, I’m not gonna talk about this stuff with someone I just met.

“Did I ever meet your friend?” Maybe Josh can tell I don’t want to keep going with the hard topics, and I appreciate his effort to respect that.

“Dunno,” I shrug, softly massaging my feet, “He’s Alex Murphy. Bit taller than me, cool guy...”

“Oh, him,” He nods, then adds, “I have no clue of who that is.”

I laugh louder this time, giving him a gentle push.

“Dumbass,” I shake my head, “anyway, after Alex and I went our separate ways I decided to learn on my own and I think I did pretty well, they’re quieter than cars and definitely easier to control than skateboards.”

“Oh, so you’re still not over that?” He raises a brow, a smirk growing on his face.

“Well, I’m not the one running over innocent people on the street.”

“It was an accident! I wasn’t watching where I was going. I was too busy trying not to get killed by the jocks”

“You sure? Cause so far all I’ve seen you do is nothing but the opposite. If I may give my humble opinion, it's not something very smart considering you’re alone.”

“I was doing well until today,” He sighs.

“I believe you, Wheeler,” I eye him up, “you're not like I'd pictured.”

“Really?” He smiles, “What did you imagine?”

“Kinda like those boys who pretend to be all grown up,” I reply, scrunching up my nose, “the ones that can’t be caught having fun or they’d lose their cool, like some sort of bitter old man in the body of a seventeen-year-old boy...”

“Okay, okay! I get it,” Josh laughs, raising his hands in defeat, “jeez, thanks for the compliments”

“I am complimenting you!” I exclaim, “I’m saying I was wrong and you’re not what I thought you were”

“You did think I was, though”

“Well, at least I had an opinion on you,” I scoff, “I’m sure you didn’t even think of that after we did our school project, I probably just stopped existing in your world or something...”

“Of course not,” It was his time to act offended, “every time I saw you on the hall after our project I made sure to wave at you, remember?”

“How kind of you”

“What can I say? I’m a real-life gentleman.”

I laugh again and pull my shoes out of my bag to put them on.

“Is that the reason why Sam Dean fell head over heels for you?”

The effect was immediate. Josh’s shoulders tense and his smile disappears, he clears his throat and looks anywhere but me.

“Uhm, I don’t really know if she...”

“It’s alright,” I add promptly, “sorry, I didn’t mean to make you sad”

“I’m not sad,” He shakes his head, “it’s just that I keep thinking... maybe things could’ve been different if I had said something sooner, you know?”

Trust me, Josh. I know.

Taglist.

@letsbloodmagic 

[raysofcrosby]

HOMETOWN PT. 3

"𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦." – 𝙎𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙝 𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙣, 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 𝘼𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧

𝘨𝘪𝘧 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵 (𝘹)

𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥: yes and no

𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨(𝘴): just some angst (ofc) and bad language!!

𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵: 7,059

𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺: give me back my hometown by eric church

𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰: i did with you by lady antebellum and what if i never get over you by lady antebellum ( like deadass on an epic repeat plz check out these songs!)

𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦: if you haven’t read the first two parts, you can find them here and here! okok so this has been rough to write bc i couldn’t figure out how i wanted it to end and whatnot. but it’s done and i’m actually lowkey sad lmao. but don’t worry the angst has come to an end :-) also s/o to @freddiesandersen for showing me ‘what if i never get over you’ bc that song played a huge part in this finale!! ok enjoy :-)

He was dreaming. He had to be dreaming.

There was no way that you were sitting across from him in the diner right now. Maybe he’s not even here right now. Maybe he’s sitting at a table at the reunion, drunk off his ass and just imagining that the two of you were here. Yeah, that’s it...this was all a dream. Josh blinked once, twice and then shook his head as if this entire situation was some shitty etch-a-sketch drawing he could erase. But he wasn’t coming back to his dream reality– he was here, at the diner, this was real.

Which meant you were real.

“This wasn’t exactly how I planned this going…” You said, talking to yourself as you brought the shake towards yourself and took a sip.

He continued to just stare at you and if you didn’t already find it scary, you’d laugh a little bit. But you understood how he was feeling. Hell, you contemplated turning right back around the moment you found him here, but you had a plan, and dammit, you were going to woman up and face your past. Yet the moment you sat down in the booth, it was like every word you’d saved for this very moment over the last 10 years had just dissolved and you were left with a blank slate, which was fucking terrifying. What the hell were you supposed to say to the boy who single-handedly broke your heart 10 years ago with a few measly sentences?

“H-“ Josh cleared his throat, bringing you out of your thoughts, showing that he too was nervous about being here with you. And you didn’t know whether or not to be offended by that or grateful because you weren’t alone. “Hey Y/N.”

“Hey yourself,” you replied, sliding the shake back to the center and nudging it more towards him with your index finger. “Want a sip?”

You watched as he eyed the delicious drink, your heart hammering in your chest and hoping that he’d accept it. Maybe it could be the peace offering to start off the conversation. He reached out of it, resting his fingers on the base of the glass. “Strawberry?”

Instinctively you smiled while letting out the breath you’d been holding. “With one scoop of vanilla. Wouldn’t order anything else.”

A corner of his mouth turned up as he brought the glass towards him and took a sip from a separate straw. His eyes were trained on how much of the drink he was taking in, while yours were trained on him. And all you could think at that moment was– He remembered.

Josh could groan in relief right now from how delicious the milkshake was. But instead, he just focused his eyes on the inside of the glass and took a few sips. He couldn’t believe that you remembered the shake the two of you would always share. Yet again, he never forgot either. It’s what deterred him away from anything Strawberry flavored for the last 10 years. At first, it hurt too much to even look at something without thinking about the explosive break up, right here in this very booth. But as the years went by, like all things, it got easier and easier and before he knew it, avoiding it was like walking down the street.

“You know,” He sighed, pulling away from the drink and pushing it back towards you. “This is the first one I’ve had in, God…so long.”

“Really?” You asked, bringing the glass back to you and using your straw to stir it around. “Strawberry is your favorite, though.”

“Yeah well, it didn’t really bring up good memories, so.”

Shit. He thought that sounded too harsh, right? He didn’t mean for it to come across as aggressive as it did– it just kind of…slipped out. He immediately looked at you and felt his throat tighten a little. You weren’t making eye contact with him. Your eyes were focused on the milkshake, just staring into the glass, not even stirring it anymore. He fucked up and he knew it. “So uh, life! How’s life?”

You shrugged your shoulders, keeping your gaze on the glass. Your brain was still trying to process the tone of his voice when he had basically implied that your breakup was the reason he no longer drank Strawberry milkshakes. “Fine, I guess. A lot can happen in 10 years.”

“Yeah…it can.” He replied, sinking down into his seat as he tapped his fingers on the table. He was trying his best to take you in without getting caught; still in disbelief about just how grown up you’d come to be. And that’s when he saw it.

The ring.

At that very moment, Josh could feel his stomach drop into the bottom of his shoes, but he couldn’t even begin to understand why he had that reaction. As far as things were considered, neither of you belonged to the other, so what was it to him that you were marrying another guy? Why was it that picturing you in a white dress, making vows and dancing to your dream first dance song with someone that wasn’t him…was making him feel so hurt?

“That’s a uh…” he cleared his throat and nodded at your hand. “A pretty ring.”

Nice job Josh, that’s a good way to ease into the conversation, he thought. But why was it any of his business to ask further questions about your fiancé? Were you two even friends anymore?

He watched your eyebrows furrow as you looked down at your hand, only for them to soon relax before you looked back up at him. “Thank you, it was my Grandma’s.”

What dude proposes with your own Grandmother’s ring? He thought only for another thought to intervene about just how much your Grandmother meant to you and how romantic and meaningful the gesture would mean. “So who’s the lucky guy?”

He mentally groaned. That could have been said in a less cringe-worthy way.

Your eyebrows furrowed again as you brought your hand up to your face, twisting the ring around your finger. Only then, did he see you begin to blush. “Oh no,” you shook your head, laughing. “I’m not engaged.”

“Oh!” His own eyes went wide before he nodded his head. “Well, that’s good.”

“It is?”

“Well I mean, uh…” He could feel the foot he shoved into his mouth travel further down his throat as he gulped. “Yeah, I don’t know what I mean.”

He kept looking between you and the table, unsure of how you were going to react. And when you just smiled and shrugged, he felt a heavy weight lift off of him.

“I actually always wear it on my right hand when I go to events like this,” you sighed, switching the ring to your opposite hand. “But yesterday, Amy had the bright idea of me wearing it on the left. ‘That way people won’t know you’re still miserably single’ I believe is what she said.”

Josh laughed. “She said that?”

“Oh yeah, but you know her. She’s never had a filter.”

Josh shook his head and let out a relaxed laugh as he watched you fiddle with the ring. “Well has it been?”

“Has what been?”

Josh regretted asking that first question because he knew that he wouldn’t be able to come up with a different question and turn away from the awkward moment he was no doubt, creating. “Being single? Has it been miserable?”

You stared at the ring a little longer before looking at Josh and nodded. “I mean, I’ve met a lot of great guys and I’ve been on dates but nothing ever just felt right, you know?”

Josh knew, hell he fucking knew more than anyone else how you felt. There was a reason why he hadn’t been in a solid relationship since the two of you broke up and it was because nothing ever felt as right as it did when he was with you. The countless hookups and one-night stands held nothing against his years with you and that scared him to death. He wanted the whole shebang one day– wife, kids and a house with a dog or two. But he was terrified that he’d never find that with someone else, who wasn’t you.

“Of course you wouldn’t, Mr. Professional Hockey player,” you joked, shaking your head and letting your hand fall onto the table. “What about you? Any prospective Mrs. Andersons cross your path?”

He knew he could go two ways with this. The first, lie straight through his teeth, play along with your joke and say that he’s found one or two. The second was to tell the truth and open a door to the conversation that the two of you no doubt, both wanted to have, but terrified of doing so. “Nope, not even close. It’s been 10 years and I haven’t really been able to find someone who makes me feel…” He stopped; realizing that a simple ‘No’ would have sufficed and just shook his head. “Never mind.”

An awkward silence fell over the table and you couldn’t help but think about every moment over the last 10 years that you hoped Josh had grown up and was able to own up to your break-up. That by the time the two of you would reunite, things would be easy to talk about. You’d get a fairytale ending without well…the happily ever after standing by his side. But that was not the case. Instead, you got a half-empty milkshake glass, awkward silence and Josh barely able to keep eye contact with you.

You couldn’t help but think that maybe chasing after him was a mistake and his silence wasn’t helping you think any different. “I think I should–“

“Well as I live and breathe,” Mrs. O’Donnell walked up to the booth with her signature friendly smile on her face. “Is that you, Y/N?”

You put on your best smile as you turned to face the elderly woman. “Hi, Mrs. O’Donnell.”

“Oh sweetheart, don’t just greet me. Come give me a hug!”

You stepped out of the booth, thankful for the distraction as you hugged the woman who was like your own Grandmother. “You always give the best hugs, Mrs. O’Donnell.”

She pulled away and cupped your face, keeping her friendly smile on her face. “Gosh, just look at you. You were always such a pretty girl, but you grew up to be a stunning woman.” She turned her head towards the kitchen. “Hal! Hal get out here!”

You shuffled back into the booth, looking at Josh who has his attention still on the table. “What is is Diane?” Mr. O’Donnell replied, coming through the kitchen door.

“Oh shush with the tone and look who’s sitting over here.”

Mr. O’Donnell looked over in your direction and smiled. “Diane, who do you think made Y/N that milkshake?” His eyes moved over to Josh and he walked over. “But this strapping young man, I’ve yet to see. Look at you! Win a Stanley Cup, bring it home and then never come back?”

Josh laughed and stood up out of the booth giving Mr. O’Donnell a hug. “Sorry sir, life’s just been…hectic.”

“Oh cut the shit,” Mr. O’Donnell said, pulling away from him and wagging his finger at him. “You come home more often from now on, okay? You, and the rest of the boys. Who else is going to keep this place in business with their monstrous orders?”

Josh just laughed and nodded sitting back down in the booth. “Oh, will you look at this?” Mrs. O’Donnell smiled, walking three booths down and coming back with a picture frame from the wall, in her hands. “I almost forgot this was added onto the wall.”

She put the picture frame down onto the table in between both you and Josh and your stomach sunk. “Look at the two of you. Gosh, I can’t even remember how long ago this picture was taken, but I do know it was in this very booth!”

“10 years ago…”

“10 years…”

You and Josh looked at one another for a split second before turning your attention back to the picture. It was a picture of the two of you, obviously, with a milkshake sitting in the middle of the table and both of you leaning across the table with smiles on your faces. It’s funny. Josh remembered a lot of things about that fateful day where the two of you broke up– but he didn’t remember Mrs. O’Donnell taking this picture.

He knew it was from that day because, in the picture, you were wearing his Knights shirt, the same one you’d leave on his front porch three days post-breakup and the one that he buried in the bottom of his dresser drawer, never to touch again. He stared at the younger version of himself and wanted to do nothing more than to reach into the picture and yell at him for being such a douchebag. Or at least warn him for what was to come.

He looked at you, trying his best to read your expression. You were never really good at shielding your emotions and that was something he remembered and was now extremely thankful for. Because this could be his way to find out just how you felt about seeing him again…about the break-up, 10 years later. Yet, he didn’t know how to feel once he saw the sadness in your eyes…or at least he didn’t expect him to punch him in the gut as hard as it did.

“You two were the cutest things,” She smiled, picking up the picture frame and looking at the two of you. “It makes my heart happy to see you two sitting here together again, and in the same booth too.”

“We’re closing up in about 15, but you’re more than welcome to stay here. We can just clean everything up and then leave the keys with you so you can lock it up and–“

“No, no uh…” You cleared your throat and pushed the milkshake back towards the center of the table. “That’s fine. I think we’re good here, right?”

Josh furrowed his eyebrows, as he looked at you, both confused and a little bit angry. There was nothing ‘good’ about anything. You hadn’t even had a conversation! “Actually–“

But you were already standing up and giving the two O’Donnell’s warm hugs. “I’ll stop by before I leave again, grab something quick.”

Josh felt like it was all happening again, you leaving him there in the booth with a goodbye and nothing else. He pushed himself out of the booth as you walked out of the door and looked at the couple. “It was nice to see you both again.” He smiled.

Mr. O’Donnell nodded and walked off back into the kitchen and Mrs. O’Donnell grabbed the glass off of the table, grabbing onto Josh’s arm before he could leave. “Josh?”

“Yes, Mrs. O’Donnell?”

Her gaze went off towards the door before returning back to him and immediately he knew what she was going to say. “Girls like her don’t come around often. Now, I don’t know what happened between the two of you, but what I do know is how good you were together, friendship wise and relationship wise.” She turned the picture frame towards him and put it into his hands. “It’s not a coincidence that the two of you found your way back here.”

Josh swallowed and looked down at the smiling faces of your younger counterparts. His eyes lingered on your smile and he felt something that he hadn’t felt in a long time– warmth in a place within his heart that nobody had ever been able to reach. He looked up from the picture and nodded. “Thank You, Mrs. O’Donnell.”

He turned away from her and ran out of the door, stopping on the sidewalk and looking out in the parking lot for you. He spotted you halfway across the parking lot, making your way out to the street. “Y/N, wait!”

“Go back inside Josh, please.” You replied, keeping your back to him, but he wasn’t oblivious to the emotion in your voice. You were crying…or at least had cried since you left the diner.

“Y/N, please we need to talk.”

“I don’t want to.”

He could feel the frustration from the last few hours begin to bubble up inside of him. “That’s why you came here, isn’t it? To talk about what happened?”

You had reached the street corner and stood beneath the street light, keeping your back to him and subtly wiping your cheeks. “Just forget it, Josh, it was a mistake, okay?”

“No, I’m not going anywhere because I want to know why you came all the way here, leaving the reunion early. I know you had people you wanted to see and catch up with. Hell, you liked more of those people than I ever did. And yet here you are, away from your old friends and the party to talk to me and you run away…again.”

You kept silent as his steps grew closer and his voice louder. “Stop shutting me out, Y/N. You don’t get to do that, not when you came here to find me!”

You whipped around and faced him, not caring if your eyes were still letting the small tears fall. “I didn’t think it’d still hurt!” You yelled, a small sob escaping from your throat. “I-I thought that maybe I was over it all. That 10-years was long enough f-for me to get over how you broke me into pieces, but it turns out the joke is on me,”

You lifted your arms, only to let them drop to your side again. “Seeing you at the reunion was like every good memory from our relationship flashing in front of me like a movie.” You wiped beneath your nose and shook your head. “But seeing you sitting in that booth again…it was like reliving that day. Only this time, it somehow hurt a whole lot worse.”

For the first time, you took into account just how close Josh was to you. He was standing maybe two steps away from you and you could smell the hint of scotch from his breath and feel the heat radiating off of him. He looked like he wanted to say something and the struggle behind his eyes was showing just how badly he was fighting with himself on whether to stay silent or speak up.

When he didn’t say a word, you just nodded and laughed. “Figures you have nothing to say Josh. 10 years later and yet you still act like you’re 18-years-old,” you turned away from him only to turn right back around, thinking of more to say. “I hated the fact that our breakup ruined me as bad as it did. I’ve met great guys, guys who would make amazing boyfriends and amazing husbands. Who’d treat me right and who’d listen to me and not jump to conclusions, but I can’t allow myself to get attached to them.”

“Do you want to know why Josh? Why I can’t allow myself to open up and care for these amazing men?” You walked towards him and shoved a finger into his chest. “Because of you. Because you basically attacked me with accusations of holding you back that day in the diner. When all I did was give myself, my hopes and my dreams, for you– and you go and switch it around on me.”

You shoved him back with your whole palm, the tears stinging in your eyes as he allowed you to hit him. “I hated you for making me feel like that. I hated you for making me so scared of opening up to another man because I was terrified that somehow, even if the situation was nowhere near as similar– it’d end the exact same way.”

Car headlights caught your attention and you sniffled, wiping your eyes as the car pulled up. “Y/N L/N?” The driver asked through their rolled down the passenger window.

“That’s me,” You said, adjusting your jacket and opening the back passenger door. You turned back to Josh and looked at him through teary eyes. “Why did you have to come after me?”

He just stared at you, not saying anything, so you shook your head and sniffled again. “Goodbye, Josh.”

Josh stood there, frozen in place as he watched you get into the car and drive away. When the car was far enough away, he clenched his fists and screamed into the night sky. Once. Twice. Multiple times before he even felt a slight weight lift off of his shoulders, only for it to crash right back down. You were right there, pouring your heart out to him and he wanted to reach out and take you into his arms so fucking bad, but he couldn’t get himself to move. He couldn’t even get himself to speak.

He ordered an uber back to the school, not bothering to go back inside and see if you had rejoined your old classmates. Instead, he got back into his truck and drove away from his own personal hell. Part of him wanted to just get up and leave, he had the opportunity to do it, and had, by all means, fulfilled his promise to his friends by attending the reunion. Yet he couldn’t ignore the feeling inside of him that was telling him to stay.

And so he did. Pulling up into the driveway of his childhood home, he sat in the car and stared off at your parents’ house just two doors down. Were you inside? Would your parents remember him? God, did they know how bad things ended all those years ago and hate you now? Pulling the keys out of his ignition, he got out of the car and opened the back door, grabbing his suitcase and closing it soon after.  He walked up to the front door, hoping it wasn’t too late and that his parents weren’t asleep yet. Then he’d have to hear the lecture about forgetting his copy of the house key back at his apartment in Columbus. He felt a sense of relief when it was his mom who answered the door and no sooner than she opened it, was he in her arms, giving her a hug.

“Oh!” She said, obviously caught by surprise, returning his hug just seconds later. “Honey, what’s wrong?”

Damn it. Now he was wishing that it was his dad who answered the door instead. He should have known she’d read him like a book. “I saw Y/N.”

He could feel her stiffen but keep him in a firm hug as she rubbed his back. “How did that go?”

He could feel his right foot begin to shake as he got anxious and he knew that he was only moments away from his emotions taking over. He took a shuddered breath, holding her a little tighter. “It really fucking hurt.”

“Josh, I need you to be honest when I ask this, okay?” The more she rubbed his back, the more he relaxed into her embrace and with one shuddered inhale, his exhale was a small sob– the first time he’d ever remembered crying about your break-up since it happened. She pulled back, bringing a hand to cup the right side of his face. “Do you still love her?”

When he looked her in the eyes he could hear your words echoing in his head and how bad the guilt from what he did to you 10 years ago was weighing him down. “It doesn’t matter Mom, she hates me.”

She gave him a small smile and brushed back the hair out of his face. “Oh Josh, I don’t think she could hate you even if she tried.” She sighed and patted him on the cheek, nodding into the house. “Come sit down and tell me what happened. Your dad is out in the shop.”

And just like that, for the first time in a really long time, Josh loved being home. He knew he missed both of his parents, but talking to his mom about you and telling her what had happened at the diner with his friends, the reunion and ultimately your blowup on the street– he felt a little bit lighter, but that lingering feeling was still sinking him down. But perhaps telling his mom everything was the best thing because she was able to give him a perspective. Not your full perspective, of course, but a female perspective in general. Plus it helped that she and your mom were best friends, so she had some insight on how your life has been the last 10 years.

As he stared up at the ceiling of his childhood bedroom, he couldn’t stop thinking about what she had told him. How after College you had gotten your dream job in Detroit– only a mere three and a half hours away from him.

How you tried dating and ended up dating a really good guy a few years back, one that your parents thought was going to propose and how you broke it off with no reason, at least no reason to them.

How you were doing pretty successful in the said job and that your parents were shocked when you had requested to be transferred to Toronto out of the blue just last month.

He learned of your life of the last 10 years, one that sounded like you’d reached every dream he knew that you had and he was happy for you, he really was. Yet the one thing that perhaps was bothering him the most, was that you were in Detroit this entire time. You had been so close to him, yet so far. If he had known, maybe he would have reached out and talked about things sooner, invited you to a game. And maybe things wouldn’t have been like this. Maybe you’d be civil towards each other, friends even. You wouldn’t have screamed at him in a parking lot.

And he couldn’t help but think on the happily ever side that maybe, just maybe if he knew you were so close, he would have reached out and the two of you would have cleared the air and ended up back in one another’s arms again. But that’s exactly what it was: a fairytale, and unless you’re the Royal Family, that shit didn’t exist.

He sighed and his eyes, already adjusted to the darkness of his room, wandered over to his dresser that was no doubt still full of clothes he hasn’t touched in years. He couldn’t help but wonder though, if the one thing he had hidden in there was in fact, still there. Pushing himself out of bed, he felt his joints ache in ways that no 28-year-old’s joints should and he walked quietly over to the mahogany dresser. Using the flashlight on his phone, he propped it up against a picture frame and opened the second drawer. 

As expected, it was full of old t-shirts he hadn’t worn in years, including the one you’d given back to him. He pushed them all aside, flipping them up as he looked for it, but it wasn’t there. He sighed, thinking maybe that it was in the third drawer. Flipping through old shorts, again, he came up empty. His eyes settled on the top drawer and he mentally cursed himself for being such a typical boy. Opening it, he flipped through the countless pairs of boxers and briefs, coming to a stop when he lifted up his old, favorite Stewie boxers.

He smiled and picked up the black velvet box, opening it to reveal the golden chain with the matching locket and charm of his number, nestled inside. The very same one you had dropped onto the table in front of him 10 years prior before telling him to ‘have a nice life’ and walking out of his life, seemingly forever. He didn’t even have to try to be able to remember the day he gave it to you.

The locket, one his mom had helped him pick out, was a gift for your 16th birthday and an early 1-year anniversary present. His mom had picked out her favorite picture of the two of you to go on one side and he left the other side up to you. That Christmas, coincidentally, the clasp on the necklace had broken and he took the opportunity and told you he’d get it fixed for you. And he did, but when he gave it back to you at the old park, it was wrapped up in a small box, this black velvet box, and had an additional charm on it– his number.

Up until the moment you left it on the booth table that night at the diner, you had never taken it off. And besides seeing it on display in a store, Josh had never seen it anywhere else, but on your neck. Which is why, when you gave it back to him, he put it back into the box and shoved it in his underwear drawer. Not wanting to see it because it only reminded him of how much of a jerk he was to you.

Seeing it and holding it now though, was a whole different story. While he was easily reminded of the way you looked at him and the sound the locket made when it dropped against the table– all he could think about was the way your eyes gleamed when he’d given it to you the first time. How excited you were about printing out the perfect picture for the other side. The way you giggled when you noticed the added charm on the chain and told him you’d ‘wear it forever.’ 

Since he arrived back in town, even though most times he wasn’t really aware of it, you were on his mind. Just like Tucker said, this place held so many memories, everywhere he went, he swore he could see younger versions of the two of you there too. It’s been 10 years. 10 years of pointless hookups, miserable nights spent drinking away a pain the alcohol was never able to touch, and even the joy of winning the Stanley Cup couldn’t ease it. Yet, it only took him 10 minutes of being back in the town he tried so hard to put behind him, to realize that you were it.

You were the one thing he’d been missing all of this time. The ache in his heart, he could never seem to fix. The reason why every failed attempt at trying to fill a void with mindless sex never worked out. You were his person. His endgame. His, once in a lifetime, girl.

You were it for him and he still loves you.

                                                         ──

The next morning, working off what little sleep he had gotten, Josh greeted his parents, ate his moms cooking while downing a cup of coffee or two and then raced over to your house. He had hoped that by the time he knocked on your front door, you’d be awake and maybe even answer the door, but that wasn’t the case. Your mother greeted him instead and gave him a hug, a reaction he was surprised to receive– which possibly meant that you hadn’t fully disclosed why your relationship ended so long ago.

After cordial greetings with her and your father, Josh asked if you were home. His heart sank the moment they told him no, that you were out and about. But when he asked if they knew where you were going and your mother told you, a sense of hope rose within him.

You were exactly where they said you’d probably be which only made his hope grow a little more. You had your back turned to him, sitting on the swing set on the old park that overlooked the lake where he had kissed you for the first time.

Your park.

He took deep breaths trying to calm his racing heart as he made his way over to you, unsure of how to greet you when he got close enough. Should he say hi? Jump right into a conversation? Maybe just turn around and call it a day? He came to a stop only a few feet behind you and watched as the wind whisked a few pieces of your hair behind you. Your shoes were dragging in the woodchips, keeping your swing in place, but giving yourself small pushes every now and then.

With each second he stood there, he could feel his heart rate begin to rise. But he was going to do this. He needed to do this. “It killed me,” your swing had stopped and your body had perked up at the sound of his voice. He cleared his throat and took another deep breath, closing his eyes only for a moment before returning his gaze back to you. “Seeing you at the reunion…it killed me. Hell, even thinking about running into you at the reunion killed me.”

“Josh…”

“No, Y/N,” His voice was raised, a sign his emotions were taking over. So he did what you and his mom always had him do: close his eyes, count to ten and take three deep breaths. He opened them again to see you with your back to him still and he had to admit, he was disappointed. “You had your turn to talk and I listened, now it’s my turn.”

“It killed me, the thought of seeing you and actually seeing you because I know how bad I fucked up back then,” He exhaled, feeling his chest quiver. “I know how bad I hurt you when I suggested that you were trying to drag my career down, but I was 18 and a total fucking idiot.”

“I’m not making excuses, understand that. Back then I had the NHL draft, London putting pressure on me to stay, I was trying to figure out what my family thought was best…and you. I had to think about you and what would benefit our relationship the best to where we could both follow our dreams. It killed me to hear that you didn’t apply to UBC, Y/N because I knew that was your dream school. You’d been wearing your dad’s old hoodie since you were 9 and suddenly, you didn’t apply?”

You hadn’t made an effort to turn around to face him, which Josh couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing. But he wasn’t going to question it, he wanted to get out everything he needed to say…even if it turned out that you had blocked him out the entire time.

“I was 18, I was naïve and selfish and I attacked you over something I had no knowledge of because I was stressed, insecure and I didn’t want to think that I was the reason you weren’t following your dream when I was able to follow mine. It was fucked up and I know that now and I’m so fucking sorry.” He took a deep breath and sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “Hell, it’s been haunting me for the last decade, Y/N.”

“You know how we were talking about relationships? And you said I fucked you up? Well, I guess I fucked myself up too because I haven’t been able to even consider a relationship with a girl since you. I’ve had meaningless sex, drank myself into blackouts– hell even winning the Stanley fucking Cup wasn’t able to fill the void you left in me.”

He swore he could hear you sniffling, that or it was just his imagination getting to him. He didn’t want to make you cry, that was the last thing he wanted. But maybe, he thought, maybe it was a good sign because that meant you still cared. You still felt the slightest way that he did.

“I want to get married. I want kids. Two, three, six– I don’t care, but I know I want a family. I want a dog, a beautiful house in a city I love– hell maybe even a cliché ass white picket fence. I want it so fucking bad, I know that I do. But the thing is,” he took a few more steps closer to you, wanting to make sure you were hearing what he was saying. “I can’t seem to find a single person that gives me a feeling like you did when I was with you. All of that stuff? It’s you. In my 10 years of being single, you’re the only girl I ever saw that happening with.”

This time he was sure you were crying. He didn’t know if you knew how close behind you he was, but he could see the movements of your hands coming up to your face to wipe your cheeks and your sniffles being carried through the summer air.

“I know about Grayson, my mom told me. She said that your parents thought that the two of you were it– that he’d propose and you’d get married. That you seemed…” he took a deep breath, not wanting to imagine you marrying someone that wasn’t him for it hurt too damn much. “That you seemed happy and in love, but that you broke it off and never gave them a reason why. But I think that you do and I think that I do too.”

“You couldn’t go on with him because somewhere in your heart, whether it be deep down or right there on the surface, you knew the truth. That it’s been 10 years and somehow, you still haven’t forgotten about me or all of the times that we had and it scares you.” He walked up to the empty swing beside you and dug into his pocket, bringing out the black velvet box with your necklace inside. He placed it down onto the empty seat and backed away. “It scares you that you still love me…just like I still love you. It’s been 10 years for me too Y/N and I swear on everything…I’ve never been able to forget you. You’ve still got my whole heart.”

As he stared at your back, he could feel the weight from holding everything in begin to lift off of his shoulders. That was it, that was everything he had to say and now all he had to do was wait and see if you said anything back. Seconds went by and you hadn’t even looked at the swing beside you to see what he had put down. He sucked in his bottom lip and nodded, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his shorts as he went to walk away.

He turned back and took a deep breath, deciding to say one final thing. “I leave tomorrow night to go back to Columbus. I know that you don’t owe me anything, especially since what happened was all my fault…but I’ll be at the diner around 1:30 tomorrow to grab something before I head off...”

With one last look, he nodded his head and turned away from you, walking all the way back to his car knowing that he did all that he could. If you wanted to talk to him, you knew where he’d be. And if you didn’t show up, he’d know that it was time to start putting effort into moving on.

But God, he really hoped you’d show up.

                                                         ──

Another night of restless sleep had Josh looking like a zombie that afternoon when he walked into the diner and headed over to all too familiar booth. Not even the three cups of coffee with his breakfast this morning could have masked just how late his thoughts about you and whether or not that you’d show up, had kept him up.

Mrs. O’Donnell had greeted him with a warm hug and a strawberry milkshake with two straws already placed on the table. He didn’t know what she knew, but if there was one thing he was grateful for, it was how hopeful and positive she was that this thing…whatever it was, would work out between you two.

He had ordered a basket of fries to munch on as he repeatedly checked his watch and grew more anxious as the time neared 1:30. Maybe it wasn’t smart, suggesting that she come to the diner– maybe he should have picked a different spot. At least, that’s what he was telling himself so he didn’t have to face the only truth– that she didn’t want to come because there was no way she could forgive him or even see herself with him after everything that happened.

He was halfway through with his fries and the whipped cream on the shake was starting to melt when he looked at his phone again.

1:40.

The bell above the door rang out, but he didn’t turn around. No matter how much he wanted it to be you, he knew that there was no chance that it could have been. The place was packed and he was sure that it was just another table leaving or another family coming in for some food for the day.

He sighed and popped another fry into his mouth before taking a sip of the milkshake, letting the taste linger as if he was drinking it for the last time. When he went to reach in for his wallet to grab some cash, he saw someone place something in the middle of the table. When he looked at it, he saw that it was the black velvet box, opened…and empty. His head shot up to see you standing there, wearing that old UBC sweatshirt and your hair tossed up and out of your face.

Peeking out from the collar of your sweatshirt was a gold chain and though he couldn’t see what hung from it, he knew was it was. The empty box told him.

You took a deep breath and sat yourself down, unwrapping the second straw and plopping it into your shared milkshake, tossing the wrapper off to the side and looking up at him with a small, but hopeful smile. “Third time’s a charm, right?”

[blurry-fics]

Chapter Nine

Realize That It’s Gone | Series Masterlist

Warnings: Angst

Word Count: 2103

Author’s Note: I hope you enjoy the chapter! :) (picture credit)

“Where’s Marenna?” you asked as you tossed your backpack down next to the door. “I thought she was going to be here today?”

“She was,” Carter answered as he closed the door behind you. “But something came up with her sister and she had to bail.”

“Oh, that’s too bad.”

“What? Am I suddenly not cool enough on my own now that Ren is back in the picture?” he laughed, giving you a playful punch in the shoulder. You retaliated with a shove.

“Not at all. I just have some more… information and wanted to hear what you both thought.”

“Information? That sounds serious.”

“Later, Car. I just want to hang out for a little bit.”

“Then what are you waiting for?”

Carter slung an arm around your shoulder and led you into the living room. You had grown to love his little apartment, crammed full of old vinyl records and music posters he had been collecting for years. It was decorated almost identically to what his bedroom had been at home, if his bedroom had contained a kitchen and proper living room. You always felt safe at his apartment and, as a result, you were always finding excuses to visit him. It was never difficult, considering Carter always loved having you over.

“Want something to drink?”

“Do you have vanilla Coke?”

Carter’s eyebrows were furrowed when he turned to you, “When did you start drinking that?”

“Car! I’ve been drinking it for years.”

“Well, no, I don’t have any vanilla Coke.”

“Root beer?” You already knew the answer to that question. Root beer was pretty much the only thing Carter drank.

“Of course.”

“Then I’ll have that.”

“One root beer, coming right up.”

You kicked your feet up onto the coffee table and let yourself sink back into the couch. A smile started to spread across your lips as you enjoyed the peace and quiet, that is, until Carter tossed a can of soda at you. It hit you squarely in the stomach.

“Carter,” you wheezed, “why?”

“Because I knew you would do that,” he smiled as he collapsed down onto the other end of the couch.

“I knew you would do that,” you mocked him under your breath as you popped open the can. It, by some miracle, didn’t explode all over your hands and the couch.

“So, what have you been up to lately?”

“Not much. Seeing Tyler every now and again, playing video games, taking care of Georgie. The usual.”

“How is Georgie being?”

“Chaotic, as always. I’m hoping that he calms down a little as he starts to get older. Maybe we can finally leave him unattended for more than a few hours at a time.”

“Yeah, Mom and Dad’s plan really backfired, didn’t it?”

“Big time,” you laughed.

You and Carter sat and talked for quite some time. He told you all about what he had been up to and filled you in on all the things Marenna had wanted to tell you. You told him all about Tyler and Josh’s new album, but made sure to keep all of the top secret details to yourself. Eventually, Carter sat up and folded his hands in front of him, a surefire sign that he was about to bring up something serious.

“Alright, we’ve caught each other up, now I want to hear about this information that you were talking about.”

You took a long sip of your root beer before setting it down on the coffee table.

“Where do you want me to start?”

“Wherever feels right.”

“Um, ok. Well, they picked me up yesterday. Tyler drove, although I guess that isn’t really important. Things were… normal, at first. The boys just talked about what they wanted to practice and what they felt like they needed to improve on. I just stared out the window and listened to Tyler’s music, although I’m pretty sure he deliberately played music that I liked. You know, so I wouldn’t get too bored.”

“This is your serious information?” Carter asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m getting there! I needed to set the scene first.”

“Ok, so everything was going completely and totally average.”

“Car-ter.”

He held his hands up in defeat, “Ok, ok, sorry. I’m done.”

“Alright, so we got to their practice space and they, well, practiced for awhile. I just listened and worked on some stuff on my laptop, which is whatever. They eventually decided to take a break, which is where things finally start to get interesting.”

“Oh thank god.”

You rolled your eyes, but continued on with your story. “You remember how I told you Josh was flirting with me when I went over to their apartment?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, he was flirty again. And it was a lot more obvious this time.”

“What was he doing?”

“It was just little things at first. He would make comments or jokingly tap his foot against my ankle. But then, before they started practicing again, we started talking about drumming and I made a comment about how I had always wanted to try it. Josh decided this was a good opportunity to let me try his drums.”

“Did you break something?” Carter asked, his eyes going wide.

“No. No! Carter, just listen. I was playing his drums, and I was absolutely atrocious. Even Tyler was laughing at how terrible the entire thing was. But then Josh offered to help and next thing I knew his arms were around me and he was helping me play the drums in the most intimate way possible.”

Your face felt hot simply from telling Carter about what had happened. When Josh had actually had his arms around you, you were pretty sure that you were going to melt. Something about how his hands had felt on yours and the way that you could feel his heartbeat against your back…

“Y/N?”

“Huh?”

“I asked how you felt about it, but I think the look on your face is more than enough of an answer.”

“Sorry,” you mumbled, already pulling your bottom lip between your teeth. “I was… yeah.”

“What did Tyler think about that whole exchange?”

“I’m not sure, my attention was elsewhere while it was going on. He stepped out of the room shortly after, though, and he didn’t seem too pleased.”

“So, let me guess, you’re right back to where you were when we talked earlier this week.”

“Exactly,” you sighed, reaching a hand up to rub at your shoulder.

“Have you talked to Tyler yet?”

“No. I haven’t had an opportunity, since Josh has been there every time I’m with him.”

“When are you seeing him next?”

“We’re hanging out tomorrow. I think I’ll probably bring-,” you paused upon feeling your phone start to vibrate in your pocket. “Hold on.”

You lifted your hips so that you could more easily slide your phone out of your back pocket. Your eyes went wide as you read over the name on the screen. It took three tries before it finally sunk in.

“Who is it?”

“Josh.”

“You have his number?”

“Yeah, he asked for mine last night as I was getting out of the car.”

“Are you going to answer?”

“I don’t know why he’s calling me.”

“Y/N! Come on! Answer it!”

“Ok, ok. But I’m going in the hall.”

You frantically got off the couch and half-jogged out of the apartment. There was a window at the end of the hall, so you started to wander that way as you hit answer and brought the phone up to your ear.

“Hello?”

“Hey, this is Y/N, right?”

“Yep, that’s me.”

“This is Josh.”

“Yeah, I, um, recognized your voice,” you laughed quietly. “And had your number.”

“Right, I forgot about that.”

“It’s alright.”

A pause.

“So, um, you’re probably wondering why I’m calling?”

“I am.”

“I had something that I wanted to ask you.”

A chill ran down your spine, but you managed to keep your voice steady.

“Sure, what’s up?”

“I was… oh wow, this is harder than I thought it was going to be,” he laughed.

“It’s fine, Josh. I’m sure whatever it is isn’t a big deal.”

“I don’t know, it feels like a pretty big deal to me.”

“Just spit it out,” you giggled.

“Well, ok, would you maybe… possibly… want to go on a date with me?”

Ok, so maybe it was a big deal.

“A date? Like, an actual date?”

Your heart was pounding against your rib cage. Being taken on a date was a completely foreign concept to you and now that it was laid out in front of you, you weren’t entirely sure what to think. Or do, for that matter.

“Yes, an actual date. You know, like getting dressed up and getting food? I mean, I don’t want to give too much away.”

He had a plan? For a date? With you?

“Sorry, I’ve just never been asked on a date,” you exhaled. “I’m still trying to process that part of this conversation.”

“You’ve never been asked on a date?”

“Never.”

“Never ever?”

You laughed, “Never ever.”

Your head was still spinning from all this new information. The thought of going on a date with Josh was enough to have you smiling like an idiot and preventing yourself from doing a happy dance around the hallway.

“So,” Josh asked, drawing out the word. “What do you say?”

Yes. There was no hesitation. You started to say it when a new thought came zipping into your mind, stopping you dead in your tracks.

Tyler.

You still hadn’t had the talk with him about pursuing things with Josh, and there was no way you were going to agree to a date without running it by him first.

“Um, is it alright if I wait to give you an answer? There’s just a few things that I need to work out before I say anything final.”

“Yeah, that’s totally fine. And if you’re worried about saying no, I promise I won’t make it weird or anything. I just thought it was worth a shot.”

“No, no, it’s not that at all, Josh. I’ll call you tomorrow night with an answer.”

“That sounds great.”

“Um, I guess this is goodbye then?”

“Yeah, that sounds right.”

“Bye, Josh.”

“Bye, Y/N.”

You ended the call and held your phone to your chest, allowing yourself a moment to fully process everything that had just happened. After a couple deep breaths, you ran back down the hall and burst through the door of Carter’s apartment.

“Oh my god. Oh my god,” you said, hastily shutting the door behind you. “What is happening?”

Carter whipped around to face you, concern already etched across his features. “What? Is everyone ok?”

“Yeah, everyone is fine. Everything is fine. Kind of. Maybe.”

“Ok, ok, slow down. What did you and Josh talk about?”

“He asked me on a date,” you blurted out. “A real getting-food-together-and-being-romantic date.”

“And what did you say?”

“Maybe, because I still have to talk to Tyler and see if he’s ok with the whole idea.”

“I think that sounds like a solid plan, Y/N.”

“Car, this is a bad idea. Please tell me it’s a bad idea.”

“I think you’re overthinking this. It’s just one date. That’s it. I know you haven’t been on many dates-”

“No dates, actually.”

“Ok, you haven’t been on any dates, but they’re not some big deal like you think they are. It’s like hanging out, but with a slightly more romantic undertone. You’re not promising to forever be devoted to Josh or anything.”

You nodded. Slowly but surely, your heart rate was slowing back down to normal and you were starting to feel calm again.

“I know, I’m just worked up because I’ve never been asked out like this, much less by some super attractive guy like Josh. Then you add in Tyler and it just becomes this big, overwhelming mess that I can’t seem to sort out.”

“Hey, remember what we talked about. Talking to Tyler is the first step, because if he’s not cool with it, there’s no date for you to even worry about.”

“Right. You’re right.”

Carter scooted a little closer to you so that he could put his hand on your back. You took a few more deep breaths as he lightly rubbed your back.

“I just don’t know what I’m doing, Car.”

“You don’t always have to know, Y/N.”

“What if I end up with the wrong person?”

“That’s not going to happen. You’re going to end up with who you were meant to end up with.”

*     *     *     *     *

Taglist

@faceofcontvsions​ @ohprettyweeper​ @tylersheavydirtysoul​ @topownsmyheart​ @schrodingersjustine​ @heythereitm3​ @leam-2001​ @breadbinishigh​ @wearebxnditos​ @iguessimsatan @harishaanne​ @5secondsofmoxley​ @patdsinner33​ @littlerachelbee​ @iamnotawasteofspace​ @nostalgic1975​ @fruityfreddie​

[hiqhways]

DAVID DOBRIK X DAUGHTER READER

(This is from my Wattpad (hiqhway)

Hey everyone! Welcome to my imagines book! The beginning of this story will be told in your POV!

WARNINGS- some cursing, mentions of young pregnancy.

-

I was a mistake, plain and simple. I was convinced at a high school party. And nine months later, I was born. My mother was only 16 when she gave birth to me. She was too young to take care of a child, she put me up for adoption a week after I was born and left without a trace.

I don't know much about her besides a necklace she gave to me as a child. Ever since she dropped me of at the center i have been jumping from one foster home to another, but none of them ever wanted to adopt me. I'm now 15.

I've been here for my whole life. 15 long years of being neglected and left behind by my piers. All my friends where adopted, I had to constantly make new friends. I was just one of the unlucky ones, the one that nobody wants. Madam Lizzie said that I still have a chance but so far, I'm giving up hope.

Every night before adoption day I stay awake until the birds start chirping, my thoughts were always so loud, wondering if tomorrow would be the day I would have a family of my own. But it never was. Today was adoption day, and I had to get ready.

I just slipped on my tank top and jeans and helped the kids onto the bus. Two hours later we arrived at a large park, all decorated at usual.

Now when I say I was the only kid who didn't get adopted isn't completely true. Me and a huge group of other teenagers rarely get adopted because everyone wants a young kid, not a teen. The thing is, over half the kids who age out of foster care end up homeless, addicted, incarcerated, or dead within two years. So with no parents to cry to when I'm heartbroken or nobody to come home to on the holidays... I felt, lonely. But me and the rest of the kids were used to it by now.

Me and the other teens sat on our usual spot on the stairs away from the rest of the kids. We all were casually eating and drinking just talking to each other without a care in the world. That's when a voice interrupted my thoughts.

"David what are you doing?" Said an annoyed voice. Which grabbed my attention. "Everybody's avoiding them like they're

dipped in shit. I'm just gonna go say hi!" I could tell hey were referring to me and my friends.

"I know. I think it's awful. But they're teenagers, okay? They use drugs, and they masturbate!"

I then stood up and lightly threw my drink on the grass and walked over to them.

"Excuse me? Hi." I said to them, both their heads turning to me. One of them had black messy hair with a black hat on, he was holding a camera by his side. The other one was an older looking man.

"Just FYI, we can all hear you." I said

"Hmm?" They replied with a confused expression.

"Uh, we appreciate the concern, but there's no need to go all pity crazy. We know how this works. So just go on. It's okay. Go mingle with the kiddies and don't give it another thought, okay? Have a good day, folks. Thanks. Bye-bye" I said walking away leaving them dumbfounded.

-

[TIME SKIP]

"Y/N there is someone who wants to talk to you!" Madam Lizzie told me with a bright smile.

Is this my chance to finally have a family? My anxiety started to build up when I walked into the room, but I put on a bright smile. The door opened to the two men that I saw earlier at the park.

"Hi Y/N, my name is David Dobrik and this is my good friend Jason, nice to meet you." The man with the black cap told me with his hand out for me to shake which I gladly took.

"Hi! Im Y/N. I'm sorry about earlier, it's just that kids like me don't really get these kinds of chances here at the adoption center."

"We understand, but we don't care about age. You deserve a chance. We would like to adopt you." 

I stared at David will my mouth hung open. I was at a loss of words that I didn't realize the tears streaming down my face. Without realizing I gave David a bear hug.

"Thank you, thank you so much." I said between sobs. Before I pulled away, wiping the tears from my eyes.

"Now David I need you to sign these papers and your all set." Madam Lizzie said as she handed the release papers to David. After he signed them, him and Jason brought me outside.

"HOLY SHIT DUDE! Is that a real Tesla?!" I said referring to the expensive white car that we got into. David laughed at what I said, nodding.

"So Y/N tell us about yourself." Jason said, grabbing my attention.

"Well, I'm 15 years old and when I was a child my mother was only 16, so she put me up for adoption. I've been jumping from foster home to foster home my whole life. I play volleyball, the adoption center has some sports teams. I'm really good with dogs, like a can basically speak to them. I love animals" I said with a laugh

"Umm I have trouble falling asleep sometimes, my thoughts are always so loud. I also like to draw things. I actually have some sketches if you want to see them."

David put his Tesla on auto pilot as I took out my sketch book, opening to my favorite and most recent sketch.

"I like to draw dogs mostly but I also like drawing people. Whenever I'm in public I always draw things around me."

I handed the book to David who passed it onto Jason. "Damn girl, these are good" Jason said in an annoying white girl voice.

"Yeah Y/N these are really good!"

"So David can you tell about yourself?"

"In around 2013 I was a famous viner and a couple of years after I made a YouTube Chanel. I make vlogs with my friends Corinna, Jeff, Alex, Todd, Johona, Zane, Heath, Jason and so on. Also my assistant Natalie, who is my best friend from my hometown Chicago. I used to live in Slovakia but immigrated to America. FYI me and my friends so dumb shit." David explained.

"So your like famous? Shit that's cool"

After a while of talking we finally pulled up to this HUGE house on top of a hill. I just stared out the window looking at it, zoning out, that I didn't realize that David was calling my name and that him and Jason already left the car.

"Sorry, this place is just so AWSOME" i apologized as we walked into the house.

"Natalie! Y/N is here!" David yelled out. Shortly after a girl with dark hair walked in. She was so pretty.

"Hi I'm Natalie" she introduced herself, with her hand out for me to shake, which I took. "I'm Y/N it's really nice to meet you. And btw your house is sick!" I said with a laugh.

"Haha. I can already tell we will be good friends. Here I'll show you to your room." She motioned for me to follow her. She led me to a big room. It was so pretty.

(Kinda like David's but the shapes are grey not black)

"Wow. I love it! Thank you so much." I gave Natalie a big awkward hug. "No problem kid. You should get some sleep. It's been a long day for you." She said shutting the lights off on the way out.

THE NEXT MORNING

I woke up to screams and laughs coming from the living room. Rubbing my eyes and brushing my hair I walked into the living room to be meet with a group of people fooling around.

"Oh I forgot to tell you. This is Y/N she is 15 and I adopted her yesterday. Y/N these are my friends Corinna, Jeff, Todd, Erin, Carly, zane, heath, Alex, josh, Ilya, Dom and Mariah" David said motioning to the big group

"Hey guys. I'm Y/N and I'm tired" I said plopping down on the couch. Making them all laugh.

TIME SK IP

After a long day of fooling around and getting to know each other I finally got close with everyone, they were basically like family now. I'm mostly close with Jeff out of them all besides David and Natalie of course. But they are all so amazing. I guess life is gonna be great from now on.

A/N- Thank you guys for reading! Don't forget to Vote and leave your comments! Hope you guys enjoyed this! If you didn't notice some of this was based off of the script of INSTANT FAMILY (2018)

[dreams-madeof-strawberrylemonade]

Sound of Nature- Part 2

Warnings: language a little bit, nothing serious Word count: 1,8K+ A/N: It has been so fun writing this, and I want to thank everyone for the feedback so far! Also, I want to mention that any critiques and comments are welcome. If you want to be added to the taglist, send me an ask or DM me. Enjoy! P.S.: Sorry the upload is late, I just got back from the cinema and forgot to upload it before I left oops

Josh Kiszka x (female) Reader

Part 2 - Sunshine

Josh just looked at you, in complete silence. You knew you fucked up. You shouldn’t have said that. The look in his eyes didn’t change at all, they were still unreadable. You could tell you caught Josh off-guard.

“Y/N…” he started softly and put his hand on your shoulder. You looked up at him, sadness in your eyes. “You and I are both kind of drunk. I think it would be better if we have this conversation tomorrow, what do you say?”

You just nodded sadly. You knew that Josh was a good guy and he didn’t want to get your heart broken. “I am going to stay outside,” you answered him as you sat up and put the fire out.

“Take care, darling. I promise we will talk first thing in the morning,” he ended and walked to his tent.

You remained outside. The sky was still dark, but with slight hints of the sunrise coming in the next hour. You were surrounded by a deafening silence. You could hear your heart beat as you laid down on one of the logs, face up, observing the sky. A thousand thoughts passed through your mind in those first moments, but slowly you reached the eye of the storm.

Your eyes slowly closed and drifted temporarily to a space worry and stress-free.

~

You opened your eyes at the soft poke on your arm. It took you a moment to see who was next to you, but you immediately recognized Danny.

“Hi,” you muttered, rubbing the tiredness out of your eyes.

“Hey. What’s up? Is everything alright with you and Josh?” he asked, while you sat up and fixed your Y/H/C hair. You just stayed silent, remembering the events that took place few hours earlier. Daniel’s eyes got a hint of sadness after they followed you for a couple of moments. He understood the look on your face. “Come with me, let me tell you something,” he said and you just followed.

You slowly walked over to the lake in the approach of your camp. The sun was up on the sky; you unfortunately missed the sunrise. The wind was softly blowing your hair off your shoulders. You were too lost in your thoughts to notice Danny’s worried look.

You two got on the shore of the lake and sat down at the end of the wooden deck that extended for a couple of feet over the crystal-clear water.

“Look, Y/N, I can see something is wrong, do you want to let it all out?” Danny started.

You just shook your head in dismissal. You knew Danny had good intentions, but you weren’t in the mood to talk to anyone about anything.

“That’s okay then. But let me tell you, since I believe that it is something between you and Josh – he is a good guy, Y/N. You know that no matter what happens between you, he can’t stay away from you. All the time we were away he talked about you and the memories you had together. He really cares about you,” Danny spoke. His words made you smile sadly. Deep down, you hoped that would be the case.

The two of you sat in a comfortable silence for quite some time. You loved how Danny was the peacemaker in any situation. He has been a good soul only with good intentions since day one you met him.

“Danny, thanks,” you smiled at him.

“No problem, kiddo!” he smiled back and threw a splash of water onto your face.

“Kiddo? I am older than you!” you laughed it off and stood up.

Danny stood up as well. “But you’re so short, so kiddo it is!”

You laughed loudly, the sound of your voices echoing through the woods and over the lake. From behind you, you could hear footsteps approaching. You turned around to see a tired looking Josh. You could tell he had had a rough night. With just one look from Josh, Danny understood that the two of you needed to have the talk in private, so he left back to the camp, where the rest just started to wake up.

“Morning,” Josh spoke softly, his voice giving away a little bit of the emotion in his heart.

“Hey, listen Josh, I am sorry, I didn’t want to scare you off, you’re my best friend and I don’t want that to change over a stupid thing that I said,” you defended yourself before even being accused of something.

“A stupid thing? Y/N, I said I wanted a sober conversation about it. I wanted to tell you that I feel the same way about you. But I didn’t want to say it last night, because drunken conversations on this matter won’t always end up good, talking from experience. Do you consider it only a stupid thing?” Josh spat out in a rush.

His words left you speechless. You could feel a slight itch in your eyes, the tingle before the tears and you could feel your heart drumming against your chest without any particular rhythm. “No- I didn’t mean that- I mean that I shouldn’t have just came to you out of the blue and said it like that and I am sorry.”

“Well I am not sorry you said it. But I want to hear the truth from you,” Josh started as he gradually got closer and closer to you, looking you straight into your Y/E/C eyes. “Do you mean it?”

“Yes, I do,” you stated in an instant. You could feel as if a heavy weight had just been taken off your heart. You didn’t know what was coming next, but for the moment you were relieved you managed to finally give away your feelings for Josh.

A smile spread across Josh’s lips, and you could see the happiness creeping into his tired eyes, that finally got back their familiar glow. “In this case, may I kiss you?”

You blushed at his words and just nodded. You felt like a teenager again, but it made you happy, so who cares?

Your eyes closed in anticipation, and soon, the awaited moment was there. Josh gently pressed his lips onto yours. You could feel the butterflies in your stomach going crazy from this. He made you feel this way and you loved it. Your lips pressed harder together and when Josh pulled away, he was basically shining from happiness and so were you.

“Y/N, thank you again for being in my life, you’re like a light sent from above during nighttime, you are guiding my way through life,” Josh whispered softly as your foreheads pressed together.

He grabbed your hand and interlocked your fingers. You could feel his soft skin against yours and you could feel his thumb drawing soft circles on your palm. You looked at him in awe.

“Before anything else, we are best friends, Y/N, right?” he asked as he looked at you.

“Best friends,” you answered him in a whisper.

Josh pressed his lips onto yours once again and once he pulled away, he lead you to the edge of the deck you were on.

Both of you sat down and took of your shoes. You dipped your feet in the cold water as you let your head fall onto Josh’s shoulder, while he held you close with a protective arm around your waist.

“It is so peaceful here,” you whispered, trying not to disrupt the silence.

“This is the sound of nature, sunshine,” Josh whispered back as he took in the whole situation. “Nature speaks a wonderful language, you know, but people need to observe and feel it.”

“And what language do you think it speaks?”

“I think that the language of love,” Josh whispered as he planted a kiss on your forehead. “Nature has love for each and every single one of us, and when it feels that the world is aware of the wonderful feeling that is love, it gives you as a gift, what you have always wanted.”

“And do you think we are worthy of this gift as you call it?” you ask as you look at the mountains’ reflection in the clear water.

“We already got it. This- this is our gift. Each other, in this wonderful peace, in a state of love.”

You smiled and looked up at him and cupped his cheek with your tiny hand. You got lost in his gaze. It was true after all, eyes indeed are the mirror of the soul. His eyes gave away a mix of feelings. You could see the way he looked at you, all the love and all the harmony that came your way was almost too much to take in.

“I love you,” Josh whispered as he got closer to you. Your heart fluttered at his words and you couldn’t believe that there you were, with the man of your dreams, sitting on a deck and confessing your love for one another.

“I love you too,” you whispered back as your lips got closer. The both of you were caught in a kiss that slowly got more and more passionate. You could basically feel the love that Josh was emanating and you felt like the luckiest girl in the world. Both of Josh’s arms slid around your waist and he held you close to his body.

“You are my sunshine, please don’t ever leave,” he whispered more to himself as he pulled away.

Your heart melted at his words.

You suddenly heard voices, coming from the other end of the deck. Both you and Josh, still caught up in your embrace, turned around to see the owners of the voices. To no surprise, they were Sam, Jake, Danny and Vic, high-fiving and grinning at each other.

“Josh’s got a girlfriend!” Jake shouted, a shout that echoed all around you.

You had no idea for how long they have been staying there, but little did you care.

Josh helped you stand up, while still holding an arm around your waist. You waited for the boys to approach you.

“Yeah, you’re right. She’s my girlfriend!” he smiled, showing you off and looked at you as if you were indeed, the light of his life.

The boys cheered and congratulated the two of you. Danny winked at you, as if to say “See I was right earlier”. You smiled at the whole situation, you couldn’t have asked for better friends.

“Now, let’s have some fun!” Sammy shouted and pushed both you and Josh into the cold lake, as he followed by jumping in fully dressed. In the next moments, everyone was in the water, shouting at the impact with it.

At first, you felt so cold, but soon it all went away. Sam splashed Jake and Danny, and soon the two of them joined their forces to splash Sammy back. Vic was observing them and joined in.

Josh swam to you, his usual soft curls now all wet, but he had the same adorable smile on his face. He reached for your hand underwater and held tight to it as he pecked your lips. “Don’t you ever forget that you are my sunshine.”

Tags: @myownparadise96, @jeordinevankiszka, @littlegeekwonder, @songbirdkisses

[suicidalcatz]

DOG DAYS ARE OVER : CHAP 5

AN: Hello frens! Are you having a nice sunday? In this chapter we exchange some texts. But also we make fun of Josh just because. In the next chapter, things get complicated between the three of you... I hope you’ll like it. Please feel free to comment or send me prompts!

Pairing : Jake Kiszka x Reader

Genre : College AU

Previous parts : Prologue ; Chap 1 ; Chap 2 ; Chap 3 ; Chap 4

Masterlist : here

Chapter five : New number, who dis ?

Packing never made me feel weird before. It was friday afternoon so a majority of students were going home or, like me, to their parents' place for the week end. Most of the time I'd stay in my dorm with Mandy because we had so much homework there was no point coming home at all. I already knew for a fact that I'll be locked up in my room all week end painting, drawing, and cutting paper, but I promised I'd see them since it has been a while. My parents' cooking and comfy house usually made me impatient but not this time. I knew the boys were staying on campus because they lived far away, and it gave me mixed feelings. Part of me longed for Jake, and the feeling of his touch on my wrist was still so vivid I sometimes got the impression his hand was still here. On the other hand, he and Josh were big family guys, and seeing them missing their home so much while I was reluctant to see mine made me feel like a spoiled brat. That's why instead of calling to tell my parents I wasn't coming home this week end either, I went home to enjoy every bit of it.

My mom had already made my favorite dish, and dad was excitedly chatting about this new movie  he saw on tv the other day. It felt good, I could allow myself to relax a little, take a bath, hang out with some friends for an hour or two after finishing an assignment.

Sitting at my desk, I dropped the pen and stretched my back, falling back onto the chair and looking at my work. I did good this week, so the teacher didn't make me redo any of my assignments, which was very fortunate because I still had a flyer design to create. I unfolded that one Jake gave to me and took a look at all the infos, preparing a draft of my first idea. Why they didn't let the Illustration department do the visual com design was a mystery. By the look of it I bet it was the Music and Architecture dudes who made it. There was a bunch of band names thrown in the middle, what looked like a pixelled stock image of a Santa hat in a corner, « with beer ! » in a really ugly comic bubble in another, and the worst was that they though Comic Sans was an acceptable font choice. Unbelievable. That's why we can't let Architecture dudes do anything.

Creating a decent design took me a solid two hours, which was way faster than I planned. Getting up, I studied it from a distance, looking for flaws. It wasn't the best I could've done but it was pretty cool and not printed with neon yellow paper. For now, I'll rest my head for a bit and see if I can sketch the few more ideas I came up with later on. Feeling proud of my work, I took a picture to send it to Jake. It was dark and quiet outside, and one glance at the clock confirmed my thoughts on how late it was already. Biting my lower lip, I struggled. Maybe he was sleeping.

I never texted him since he gave me his number. I mean he gave it to me so we could talk about the flyers, right ? I would've been uneasy using it for another reason. Pondering whether of not I should maybe wake him up, I started pacing in my room, tidying and touching things, stuff I did when I was nervous. My arm still had some black marker on it, faded shapes and symbols vaguely resembling numbers, like an old letter with smudged ink and discolored paper. At first I didn't wanted to wash it off. Mandy and I got so excited by it we cheered together right after school, and classmates seemed intrigued by it. The cold weather didn't allow me to show too much skin so it could look like a tattoo, or a hot guy gave me his number (which was technically true). It could look like I just wrote it myself, but it was totally lame so I didn't want to think about it. Although I really enjoyed that empowering feeling of being someone's interest, at least a little, I scrubbed it hard the same evening. I didn't know if Josh was aware of it and couldn't raise suspicion in case he wasn't. It looked like we were doing something bad, and maybe we were, I had no clue. Guys had that weird rule regarding friends dating brothers and according to Netflix romcoms I was walking on thin fucking ice so I wasn't taking any risks. To be honest I don't think Josh would mind us talking but Jake seemed like a secretive guys so if he told Josh then I'll talk about it and otherwise, I won't. I'll just go with the flow and follow his lead on this, it was safer.

It was almost 2AM when I sent the pic and left my room to get a nice cup of tea/coffee after all these efforts. By the time I got back I had one new message.

« Hi to you too »

I felt my heart jump a little when I saw his name at the top of the screen, and his first text made me smile. I got so pumped by all these design ideas that I forgot to tell him it was me. The picture made it clear enough, though, but maybe it was a bit rude of me. Taking a sip of hot tea/coffee before putting the mug on the night table, I sat on the bed, eyes still on my phone, thinking of an answer. It took me maybe too long because I kept on rereading it to be sure I wouldn't embarrass myself with a typo.

« Hi, sorry. So what do you think ? »

The phone was threwn on the blankets and I turned on the tv to make me think of something else than his future reply. Saying that I was confident would be half-true. The design was good or so I thought so, but then again tastes were all too subjectives and art was tricky. He had all the right to hate it, I wouldn't take it personally (well at least not a hundred percent...). Idly watching a re-run of some old sitcom, I continued to quietly empty my cup and switch channels without really paying attention when I heard my phone buzz and let everything down to grab it.

« I got to admit you were right, our flyers sucked, this one looks fantastic »

And maybe my cheeks started turning pink. Compliments on my art meant a lot, more than those on my personnality or physic. It was really rewarding to have someone enjoy something you created from your own hands. It felt better than any other flattery, so the reply came naturally.

« I'm so glad you like it. I had a few more ideas in stock just in case »

His next message came so fast this time that I didn't even put down my phone yet when I felt it vibrate in my palm.

« Thank you for this, I really appreciate it. I'll owe you one. »

His sweet personality made a smile spread across my face. I took the flyer in my hand again, studying it. The number of bands playing this day was surprisingly high. Some of them I knew because I either heard people talk about it, or knew the guys playing. One especially because they kept rehearsing their rap lyrics in the dorms for everybody to enjoy, which I didn't since they started loudly singing at three in the morning and ignored all my complaints about the noise of their boombox. But most of the bands, no, I didn't know. I continued watching intently the names of the bands playing as if I'll have an epiphany and guess which was Jake's. Giving up, I took my phone again to tap.

« Don't sweat it, I'm glad to help. So... which one are you... ? »

Again, the reply was faster than the first texts we exchanged, despite the late hour.

« You mean the band ? Guess you'll have to come and find out »

I raised an amused eyebrow at this. Getting cocky, aren't we ?

« Alright then, Mister Mysterious, I'll wait and see. »

« You won't regret it. », replied Jake, and for some reason my face started heating up again.

We didn't speak for several minutes, I didn't know what to say now that the topic was closed, and I had nothing to add to it. Switching channels and drinking tea/coffee didn't gave me much help either, at this hour it was either old re-runs, or tv shopping. My eyes looked at the digital alarm clock, and it was almost three in the morning. That's how I knew what to write next.

« I just thought about it, but didn't I wake you up ? »

He was fast as ever again this time, probably wide awake and without anything to do.

« No, don't worry. Rehearsing with my brothers. I'm taking a break until Sam and Josh stop arguing and find a compromise for the new song. Our friend Danny's being the peace keeper once again, I left him alone on the battlefield and went out for a smoke. »

The war metaphor made me chuckle lightly, causing my imagination to run wild. The thought went through my mind that I couldn't believe they would argue, but since they were brothers it was normal I guess, even if they seemed pretty close. Close enough to form a band together at least. I never saw Josh angry, but he had a very vivid temperament, so it wasn't really much of a surprise either. My mind wandered a bit, and I briefly wondered how Jake looked in a heated argument. Probably hot, but also intimidating. He had that kind of quiet aura that seemed like it could become suddenly agitated, like a spotless watercourse that got troubled by the rain or rocks that ricocheted on it. I couldn't explain it, but it was how my limited knowledge of him perceived it.

My phone buzzed again, and this time it was a picture that made me snort in the ugliest way possible. It was a very unflattering close up of a moody and clearly unamused Josh who looked like he was in the middle of scolding Jake for doing whatever he did that got him upset. More of it  came, one after the other, for my greatest amusement, and by looking at them in order I could see his actions and movements, like a flipbook of ugly pictures of an angry Josh wearing a colorful dyed t shirt and ample pants that I assumed were his pajamas. The last one got me shaking with laughter, poor Josh looked awful, in a middle of what I assumed was a menacing speech for Jake to stop his bullshit, with an eye half closed and his mouth stuck the weirdest twist of the lips humanly possible. I saved this one as blackmail material, might be helpful in the future.

I didn't even know what to respond to that, they all radiated such chaotic energy it was splendid. Jake was quicker, and sent me a text this time, saying Josh threw his slipper at his face and that he was lucky he hadn't had the tambourine in his hands at that moment.

« I guess rehearsal is over for today, hopefully they'll make up their minds about the song tomorrow. Thanks again for the flyers, see you on monday, we'll print them. »

I never knew I'd be that impatient to go back to school before meeting him.

[flowrxchild]

🌼Get To Know Me Tag🌼

Thanks @satans-helper for tagging me!!! This is gonna be a long one so if anyone feels it’s necessary, please tell me to shut up! oke doke les do it❤️

1. What’s your middle name?

Olivia!

2. How old are you?

20, very cool and very funky years..

3. When’s your birthday?

January 8th

4. What’s your zodiac sign?

Capricorn ���� also an Aries rising, Libra moon if anyone cares lol

5. What’s your favourite colour?

Rn it’s yellow!

6. What’s your lucky number?

Ok I rlly gotta pick one soon cuz I just don’t have one lol

7. Do you have any pets?

Used to have a chubby brown lab but she was an old girl:( BUT recently I have fed a stray cat enough for him to come back everyday so he is now mine by Ricky Law™️

8. Where are you from?

Toronto, Canada baybee

9. How tall are you?

5’5

10. What shoe size are you?

7 and a half? I think?

11. How many pairs of shoes do you own?

Not that many like 5 tops lol

12. What was your last dream about?

Last night I dreamt about going horse back riding?? I woke up like ...she’s a horse girl, I knew it..

13. What talents do you have?

I can draw/paint?? Also I’m a pretty snazzy photographer

14. Are you psychic in any way?

I’m definitely intuitive...I’ve experienced some very strange coincidences in my life...

15. Favourite song?

Jimi Hendrix’ Voodoo Chile

16. Favourite Movie?

Moonrise Kingdom

17. Who would be your ideal partner?

*stares in Josh Kiszka yearn*

18. Do you want children?

Erm not sure yet

19. Do you want a church wedding?

Lol I want whatever the opposite of a church wedding is..

20. Are you religious?

Nope.

21. Have you ever been to the hospital?

Yes. I’m so clumsy I am a danger to myself at this point...

22. Have you ever gotten in trouble with the law?

No I’m literally a baby chicken and will cry if u raise ur voice at me

23. Have you ever met any celebrities?

Not formally? I’ve seen a lot of random celebrities just walking around tho cuz I live in a big city

24. Baths or showers?

Showers, practically but I love me a good bath now and again

25. What color socks are you wearing?

Im not wearing any ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ;-) Sam Kiszka tease ;-) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

26. Have you ever been famous?

One time my painting was put into a community art gallery and they took my photo for the local newspaper except they made the centre fold of the page fold into the picture around my face so it got all distorted and it was like when Mike Wazowski was in the Monsters Inc commercial...

27. Would you like to be a big celebrity?

Not rlly..

28. What type of music do you like?

Rock, folk and indie but I will listen to anything

29. Have you ever been skinny dipping?

Yes. Me and my friends do it every year as a cottage tradition!

30. How many pillows do you sleep with?

3...I need to be snuggled AND supported

31. What position do you usually sleep in?

I don’t sleep unless I curl up into the smallest ball possible like a friggin cat

32. How big is your house?

She smol

33. What do you typically have for breakfast?

Literally just coffee most days. I love anarchy

34. Have you ever fired a gun?

Nope. Don’t have the desire to either.

35. Have you ever tried archery?

I have not but I’ve always wanted to!

36. Favourite clean word?

Cozzy

37. Favourite swear word?

Cunty but like as an adjective

38. What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without sleep?

Not rlly sure...probably only a day. I’m a very sleepy person

39. Do you have any scars?

Yep

40. Have you ever had a secret admirer?

If I told you, they wouldn’t be secret ;-)

41. Are you a good liar?

No not at all. My face gives it away so badly

42. Are you a good judge of character?

I like to think so. My first impressions of people tend to be true.

43. Can you do any other accents other than your own?

Ya but not well ahsgag

44. Do you have a strong accent?

I don’t think I do, but my family from the states always says we have the stereotypical “Canadian accent”.

45. What is your favourite accent?

I loooove Irish accents. I find them very pleasing to hear!

46. What’s your personality type?

INFP-T to be precise

47. What is your most expensive piece of clothing?

My prom dress I think? I got it a Free People for 90$ and at that store, that’s a steal...

48. Can your curl your tongue?

Yeth

49. Are you an innie or an outie?

If this is referring to my belly button then, innie

50. Left or right handed?

Right handed

51. Are you scared of spiders?

Ew ya

52. Favourite food?

Ok my fave food is also my fave foreign food and it’s Indian!

53. Favourite foreign food?

^

54. Are you a clean or messy person?

messy...ITS CAREFUL CHAOS OK?

55. Most used phrase?

I really am not sure...

56. Most used word?

probably ‘like’. Yes I’m gen Z, yes I have trouble articulating my thoughts. And what about it???

57. How long does it take you to get ready?

I need at least an hour...I like to plan

58. Do you have much of an ego?

I don’t think so??

59. Do you suck or bite lollipops?

If you bite lollipops, you’re in jail now, I don’t make the law.

60. Do you talk to yourself?

Yes, I’m the funniest person I know.

61. Do you sing to yourself?

Yes, funny you ask, I’m not only the funniest person I know, but also North America’s greatest entertainer!

62. Are you a good singer?

No! But I will preform for myself and the spiders living in my room. Yes, we exist!

63. Biggest fear?

Losing the people I love, being trapped.

64. Are you a gossip?

No yuck i hate it.

65. Best dramatic movie you’ve seen?

this is too broad and difficult but The Witch. It’s spooky and dramatic.

66. Do you like long or short hair?

I don’t rlly have a preference...

67. Can you name all 50 states of America?

Probably if I try really really hard lol as a Canadian, this is a good road trip game

68. Favourite school subject?

Art or English!

69. Extrovert or introvert?

Introvert

70. Have you ever been scuba diving?

No but something about makes me anxious

71. What makes you nervous?

I would really love to find something that doesn’t make me anxious. Let’s start with that.

72. Are you scared of the dark?

No! I find it comforting sometimes actually

73. Do you correct people when they make mistakes?

Depends. I hate confrontation so I only do it if it really matters...

74. Are you ticklish?

Ok I wanna know who isn’t! Like whomst is not ticklish??

75. Have you ever started a rumour?

I hope not...I would feel very stinky

76. Have you ever been in a position of authority?

If by authority you mean telling my sister to get out of my unassigned-assigned spot on the couch even though my voice cracks a little as I do it causing her to laugh even harder, than yes.

77. Have you ever drank underage?

Yes. *police sirens grow closer*

78. Have you ever done drugs?

I have done a weed or 2. Yes

79. Who was your first real crush?

My neighbour lol

80. How many piercings do you have?

3! My ears and also my cartilage! Used to have my septum, but it caused me too many problems so i let it grow over :(

81. Can you roll your R’s?

Ya!

82. How fast can you type?

So fast *spongebob voice* wanna see me do it again?

83. How fast can you run?

I would probably be the first to go in a horror movie

84. What colour is your hair?

Dark brown

85. What colour are your eyes?

Brown

86. What are you allergic to?

Nothing substantial.

87. Do you keep a journal?

Ya I do!

88. What do your parents do?

My mums a school secretary and my dads a fraud investigator

89. Do you like your age?

U know what, ya..I can’t complain.

90. What makes you angry?

Injustice and rudeness

91. Do you like your own name?

Ya I don’t mind it

92. Have you already thought of baby names if so what are they?

I mean I have names that I like but it’s not something I write down so I always forgot lol

93. Do you want a boy or a girl child?

I really couldn’t care less

94. What are your strengths?

Physically, I’m a sack of bones with the upper body strength of a new born baby but I like to think my sense of humour makes me tolerable *finger guns*

95. What are your weaknesses?

I am one frightened human bean.

96. How did you get your name?

Tru story: throughout my moms whole pregnancy, everyone including the doctors were convinced I was gonna be a boy because they could never get a clear look at me in the ultra sounds so my parents had only picked out boy names until I was born to which they changed their choice of “Eric” to Erika :))

97. Were your ancestors royalty?

Not at all lol

98. Do you have any scars?

Did I already answer this one? I think I did?

99. Colour of your bedspread?

White with pink floral pattern! (From ikea lol)

100. Colour of your room?

It’s an off-white

Ok I wanna tag these lovely beans @pe2chie @turntonightfirelight @camomillacatalina @witchgoddess @blackdressedtinyone 💗💗💗

[suffering-and-happy-about-it]

Imagine Samuel being a father

A/N: So, in my opinion... Samuel Drake as a father would a killer. I think that he would be somewhere between Ryan Reynolds (find his parenthood tweets, oh lord) and Josh Wolf (such a good stand up comedian).

He would love his children endlessly, he isn't his own father, after all, but he'll maybe terrorize them a bit. Like in a funny way.

Also, I might start a series of one-shots, because I have a ton of ideas for this one.

Warnings: Samuel being a kickass father. There's some weed mentioned in here, but it is meant to be fun.

You and Samuel were together for some time.

Let me say, you were that badass Californian couple - partying, drinking your ass off, smoking weed and doing a lot of fucking things.

Like, you were practically animals. Party animals.

And of course, you were on your pills. We don't want any accidents here, right?

But, if ya know and are aware of - antibiotics and hormonal pills kinda don't do a single shit when mixed.

You should let him know that when you were finishing your antibiotics after a looong illness.

But you somehow magically forgot when he started to nuzzle you on the sofa. You know the drill really well. But why not, you were horny as hell, you missed his weenie and his body. Boy, it shouldn't be a sin to make love with your boyfriend, right?

Ya know how this goes, don't you? You don't? But I do and let me tell you.

Nuzzling > nude dudes > just the tip > oops, I cum in you.

It wasn't a sin to make love with your boyfriend. But you didn't count on that you actually get pregnant.

Yet there you were, holding that goddamn stick in front of his hazel brown eyes.

"Alright, young man." - You went. - "You wanna tell me something about dat? Because I'm pregnant and I don't certainly didn't impregnated on my own." - You asked, looking at him with that you know what you have done. But he just slapped you in the face with his answer.

"Maybe it's God's will?" - Samuel asked and you didn't know if you were about to cry or laugh actually. There was a fucking baby on the way and you two weren't that couple who would get rid of it. Maybe it hadn't the most perfect timing, yet you two have done it, so it was your responsibility now.

"Are you joking me?"

"Babe, I have one question and I am scared of the answer." - He whispered and you waved your fingers as sing for him to go on. - "I've heard some... Rumors? Like... Will your vanana be the same when he or she gets out of your body? I kinda like your tight little girl."

So yeah. There were no fights, no yelling or tears. The only two things Samuel was concerned about was the health of the baby and how actually make your vanana tight again after that.

He's an idiot. Don't mind him. At least he was looking forward to being a father. He looked like the type who runs away directly after telling him - but he was fucking pumped for your child.

That didn't mean he would be a good father. Not at all. You could tell, you could fucking tell, that he'll be that prankster, pretty tough dad with some terrible fucking jokes and you were sure that when your child will be an adult, they'll have some freaking funny memories to share.

Let me say one thing - he read as many books about labor and pregnancy as he read on the topic of vanana. He has his priorities straight. And you couldn't tell otherwise.

But no one else could believe.

"I'm with a baby." - You told Elena and Nathan who has their daughter just a few months ago. She was gorgeous after her mother and you were all scared that she'll catch Nathan's attributes.

Nathan started to laugh hysterically, but you guys were looking at him with a frown. Elena slapped his back and her stare was like can you calm the fuck down, man?

"I meant that they were joking."

Nobody could believe that Samuel Drake is about to be a father.

But when your belly got bigger and bigger, they figured out you might not be joking at all.

Samuel loved when he could speak with your belly, whispering to it when the evening came and you two lazily lied on the sofa, watching some dumb movies with Bruce Willis.

"Hi there, little one." - He carefully descended between your legs, nuzzling your belly with his lips and nose. You unconsciously messed his hair with your hand.

"Had a crazy day, I tell ya, buddy. My head is blowing up with one thought at the moment." - Samuel sighed dramatically.

"What thought, daddy?" - You messed with him with a quiet laugh. You were all in about calling him daddy in the family way and in a naughty way as well.

"I was thinking about marrying mommy, little fellow."

It wasn't history's greatest proposal, but it was something, right? It was romantic in its own way and it made you really happy.

And when the baby moved under his palms for the first time ever, it made him legit cry like a little boy.

At the moment he officially started the age of Sam, the sensitive and loving father™ (even tho it was insanely lovely, it didn't stop you from making fun of him).

He acted around you as if he was walking around some porcelain which he could break easily. He made sure you don't drink, you don't even get close to some weed, he was cooking you the healthiest recipes and even bought you some pregnancy clothes.

You wanted to know the gender, of course, but Samuel was strictly against it. So you knew it would be a boy from the start, right?

But his curiosity almost killed him. He asked you many times during different events.

Once you made dishes? He asked. You were cooking? He crept being you and almost killed you because of freaking out. You were washing clothes? Dear, that man just magically stood next to the washing machine.

But in the end, you finally told him.

And he cried again - he was about to have a baby boyo. His own son. Someone to pass the legacy on.

That made him the happiest man under the sun.

When that day came and Thomas finally saw the light of the world, Samuel was under serious pressure, shaking and crying a big time, white as a fucking wall - and you were screaming that you'll kill him if he ever tried to have another child with you.

And yes, your firstborn son was named after a pirate - Thomas Tew.

It was a long and let's be honest, painful a fucking lot in the end, labor but there was a small little bean in your arms, both of you were crying like little fucking girls and you almost immediately fell asleep after breastfeeding the baby and having all of those pregnancy things out of your body.

"You can breastfeed me as well." - Samuel whispered wickedly, thinking about sexual stuff again, and you were so disgusted by it after baby just fucking crawled from your vanana that you smacked his cheek hard. He was mesmerized, shocked and partially amused.

"If you ever put your lips close to my boobs or your penis somewhere near my vagina, you better be sure that I'll cut your weenie off, you motherfucker." - You sighed painfully with your eyes closed. He chuckled.

"From today on I'll be a motherfucker, I solemnly swear." - Samuel said in a loving tone.

He called Nathan as soon as he left you when you fell asleep. Both of them cried and they decided to have a shot for the welfare of his son - which meant that Nathan vomited in the park at three am and Samuel tried to kick hydrant because that hydrant insulted him.

They were fucking high, having the biggest hungover of their lives, waking up on the beach and neither of them knew how the fuck they got there.

You came home after a few days with a baby in a safety cradle and you couldn't believe your eyes. Those little things which made baby safe about sharp edges and some fuses.

The funniest was when Samuel forgot how to open the one on your toilet. And he needed to pee desperately. 

He always thought that babies are more fun than just crying, eating and pooping - why would everyone want them then? 

He kinda didn't understand Nathans feelings about Cassie. It doesn't mean that he doesn't love his little baby boy, alright? He was just that kind of a man who thought that babies crawl out of the woman and they immediately do everything. He needed to learn that it takes some time before they walk and talk.

So when he was holding Thomas in his armchair, he whispered him his pirate stories and fact and that little one didn't understand a single word, but it calmed him down.

So be sure that Samuel was PUMPED when the boyo started to crawl around and saying those sweet nonsenses. Samuel also almost threw a huge celebration when Thomas said mama for the first time or when he did his first step.

“He's a genius! Have you heard the pronunciation? Our little boy is exactly like his dad - fast, charming and extremely good with ladies. Have you seen him with Cassie?”

“Samuel, I think that you're freaking out and overthinking it a lot.”

He was basically pumped every everything Thomas did. 

And when his boy started to draw? Jesus, Samuel was ready to call him Picasso. In his eyes, he was extremely talented (and you didn't ruin it by saying him that Thomas is completely normal, little boy).

You were pretty lit parents, to be honest. 

When you had a long day at work and Samuel was too sick from Thomas making him angry (like when he fucked up your beautiful white wall with Nutella and fucking ketchup), you just waited until your son fell asleep.

“Are you ready for it?”

“You bet your ass, Samuel. I just need to turn off my brain.”

And you two smoked some tree (weed, who doesn't know). You were high as a kite. You didn't smoke weed much, just sometimes and it wasn't even a lot of it. Just to make you feel ok, restart your brain.

But one day you came to the bedroom and Samuel was pale and looking into your closet. 

“What is up, baby? You look scared.” - You said and stood next to him, looking into that closet next to him. - “Babe?”

“You were... You know, eating our happy brownies what you've baked for today's evening?” - Samuel asked and you shook your head and his eyes and expression went to “What?” to “Oh fuck, fuck, fuck.”

Thomas ate your weed baked in brownies. There was not a lot of it, thank god, so he was mostly okay. He was totally fine the next day - but the evening, man, that was a wild one. You both didn't leave his side all night, watching him and you didn't even fall asleep. Nothing happened, thanks to god.

Even tho, years later you burst out of laugh when Samuel was talking about his baby boy getting high on accident.

Yet, from that day on, you started to hide your edibles and weed more carefully.

From that day on, Samuel sometimes didn't leave his side all day - he woke him up, prepared breakfast, took him to kindergarten, took him out, went out with him and so on - sometimes he even fell asleep during telling him a proper pirate story. 

Especially when you somehow got pregnant, again. What should I say? This man just has good genes and really good sperms. 

Nobody knew how it happened again. 

But Thomas was just about to have a sibling when he was four years old.

So Samuel took the role of father for 24/7 when you got really pregnant. It was nice and Samuel was a lot calmer this time. 

He was a self-proclaimed pregnancy expert since Thomas was born and he was pretty sure your vanana can be tight once again after labor because you were successful the first time.

Especially he loved to take Thomas out to the park. 

He was sure that his son will be like him. When he was five years old, he was pretty good with the girls his age and because he took after your beautiful face and he took after Samuels' eyes, he was good even with women. Thomas was an adorable boy.

But that's what made Samuel worried - if he would be like Samuel as a teenager, you will through some tough shit. 

But hey - for that moment, he was only five and he had a little sister named Anne after a pirate woman Anne Bonny. Sam did his puppy eyes for that one and he promised you endless nights of eating out if you name her Anne. 

And Thomas was like “Why the fuck should dad eat mommy?”. He was pretty scared at that moment.

When Anne was actually born, you had already learned from the mistakes you have done with Thomas. 

Your life went on - you got a house, Sam was still in the business with Sully and yet Sam wasn't exactly the youngest, he had a hella energy for his children and job. And he got a hella money from that. Sully knew really well what he was doing. Tom started to go to elementary school and it wasn't a much of time before Annie went to kindergarten.

You stopped smoking tree at home; Elena and Nate were looking after Tom and Annie and you just got off to the woods or you want on to some mountain cottage. But you have still done that only when life was too hard on you and you needed to relax really badly.

Sometimes you took Cassie to your house, planning the evenings of their life to them.

Samuel and Nathan even started a competition who will do it better - but let's say that Samuel wasn't as much pussy as Nathan. That prison made him crazy a bit.

But oh man, then it started. 

Thomas was twelve years old and he was a high-school boy. So watch out. Obviously, you are old as fuck and you don't know shit about his cruel, tough life.

He stopped telling you everything, but you know it was only a natural thing that you had to accept. Annie was seven at the time and she was Samuels little sunshine and princess and you were her best friends.

But Tom had a strong relationship with Sully and Nathan and Sam. And the older he was, the stronger it was. 

He wasn't that little boy anymore. He slowly started to be a man. And you couldn't be prouder.

He had his moods, yeah, but he helped you at the home, he cared about his grades, he even hadn't that much of a mess in his room and he was really well brought up. And he loved you more than anything else in the world - you were his mommy. 

But just as Sam, Nate, Sully, and Tom had their club, you, Elena, Cassie and little Annie got you a one.

But oh my fucking Lord, you loved the stories what Sam was telling you when you got to bed. He didn't tell you Tom's problems in from of him, but you two were still his parents and you know how the drill goes: what does your dad know, your mom knows too.

"Dad?" - Tom came to Samuel one evening and he was looking like a piece of shit. Samuel frowned immediately and put his newspaper on the table. He was still worried about Tom even tho he was really smart, pretty non-problem thirteen-year-old boy. He knew how to take care of himself.

"What's up, kid?" - Samuel smiled and massaged his son's shoulder with his palm, trying to calm him down.

"I, uh, oh damn I don't know how the hell I should start." - Tom said quietly and if you were there, you would look at your son and mouth language, but there was only the two of them, so it was cool. - "Okay, okay, okay, I have a problem. It's a huge problem. I think that there's something wrong about me." - Tom whispered.

"Why would you think that? Look at you, you're a handsome young lad, just as I was back in my days." - Sam chuckled and gulped a sip of beer.

"I just gonna tell it, okay?" - Thomas took his face into his palms and started to mumble. - "So my classmate Lindsay had a really nice, tight shirt on today and I saw her boobs in a coincidence and something happened in my pants, you know, with my weenie. And then it happened again when I was a math class and I don't know what to do, because it never happened before and I'm so scared." - He finished and Sam just smiled and patted his shoulder.

"There's nothing wrong with that. Your body just tells you that you're ready to have a woman. But try something when you're underage and I'll kill you, understood?" - Samuel told him with a proud smile. - "And I don't know if this happens, but if you get hard for a man, I don't tell you it has to happen, it's just as good. I don't care whom you bang when you'll be an adult, understood? But you are still young for doing that, so try anything and I'll tell your mother."

He was so proud at that moment. His boy became an official man in his eyes. He wasn't little anymore. But still fairly young.

And you also worked as the biggest threat to Tom, so he was almost shitted because of fear at the moment. You were worse than a hurricane when he did something really bad, like throwing up on your mom's dog or when he broke a toilet at his school.

And you giggled when Sam told you that your son is a man.

He talked with Sam about everything as he grew up - he had told him about his first making out with a girl, about his first boob-touching session which he was really excited about (Tom hummed songs all evening, which wasn't a thing he would normally do) and he even asked for advice when he was about to touch his girlfriend's, her name was Carmen and she was a lovely girl, vanana for the first time ever. They had a big group meeting with uncle Nathan and pa Sully about that - it was huge for Tom and they just quietly remembered how it was for them.

But let me say - Samuel and Nathan aged like a fucking good wine. They maybe weren't the youngest around, but hell, they still did something to the women around and they had plenty of experience.

And it was three times more for Sully. Even he got married to a woman named Florence (@missdictatorme I had to) and when he was twenty years younger, he knew how to do her good.

"Alright, old man." - Eighteen-year-old Tom sat next to his father and grinned at him in the Drake-typical way with his corner-turning upwards and his eyebrows risen a little. - "Might I ask you for some tips and tricks? I think I really love her and I need to be gentle with her so she would enjoy as well."

"I might be an old man," - Sam grinned and looked at his younger brother. - "But I think your mom doesn't think so at times. Am I right, boys?" - He looked at Sully and Nathan, and every one of them laughed a bit. Sully was a really old man; each one of them was considered old, and he was now sitting on a wheelchair. He could walk, but those years of treasure hunting hadn't done any good to his poor knees.

"Ew, Jesus. That's gross. I don't wanna think about that at all."

But they got him some useful tips. Like: don't try to find her vanana on her stomach or when you stick a finger inside, make sure it's wet and don't your hand just, you know, stuck out there. Move it.

They had a great bond. Otherwise, he and Samuel would never talk about it this openly.

You two as parents got a lot of fun with your son, especially when he was nineteen and he was ready to try some new stuff. You knew he will get drunk - but when he vomited all over your terrace and when you heard him speak and say I love you for a million times while you recorded him, you had the fucking time of your whole life. Don't worry, you made it clean up after himself.

Samuel recorded all of his son's bullshit - how he spoke when he had eaten those weed-brownies when you were camping in the wood while he was eight and somehow he got his shit on his earlobe when he totally burned your Christmas sweets... Baby, there is a lot of your son's mistakes you had a proof for.

But the biggest fun actually came when he wanted to try weed. You and Sam acted a bit mad, but you knew it had to come at one point.

So, in the end, you told him "Okay, you're eighteen, so you're in law, but we'll do it together so when something happens, we are with you". And of course, he went like "Wtf no".

But you have all of that shit recorded, and when you have your bad day, you just play the speech of your stoned son. It's embarrassing and he wanted you to delete it immediately - so you knew you'll play it at his wedding.

But when it came to Annie, his baby princess and a flawless small girl being in the same age his son were when he started his sexual life, oh dear lord.

A boy looked into her direction? Sam was there, looking at him like "touch her and I would fucking break your hands, hands and penis, punk".

But you knew it is going to happen someday, so you went all in about hormonal pills, condoms, other sources of protection, you told her a hundred times that she shouldn't do it because every girl has done it but because she loves somebody... And she was like "mom, you've told me a million times and I'm not an idiot."

But you know - Tom, now a twenty-two-year-old adult, and his fiancée moved into a flat together, so you took care of Annie even more intensely.

Annie accepted your opinions if they were useful and not too idiot-sounding like. But you know girls her age - she was sure that Samuel is a huge dick who just wants to make her life harder.

And he almost fainted when she came home with a boyfriend. His name was David.

In your opinion, he was a nice boy, he was really nice to you and your daughter and polite to Samuel as well. They got through everything together - first kiss, boob-touching, making out, even first sex.

Annie even married him five years after that evening. And they moved out as well.

At the end of the day, besides for your son getting high as a kite when he was just five years old, your daughter accidentally drinking aid alcohol, losing your children in the mall a few times, a heck of bruises and a load of embarrassing, childhood stories... You were good parents.

And your son and your daughter knew that they were very lucky to have you because you taught them how to love and enjoy life and every time they need you for anything...

You were there for them.

[allycat-writes]

Before Happily Ever After Epilogue

Okay, back again with the epilogue for my last Josh thing. One year later, the group reconvenes on the mountain.

Warnings: Just swearing and kinda shitty storytelling on Josh’s part.

Part 1   Part 2

Again, likes are incredible but reblogs are phenomenal!!!

“So, what do you say? My sisters’ are busy and no one else is here yet…” Josh started, drawing your attention from where you were leaned on the stairway, examining the cabin you’d practically grown up in. You glanced down to find him giving you that familiar mischievous look as he leaned against the bottom bannister, raising an eyebrow.

“Are you always this horny? God, Washington,” you replied, rolling your eyes. He grinned, shaking his head.

“First off, flattered to be called God. I know I am pretty great at what I do,” he paused, giving you a playful wink causing you to roll your eyes at your boyfriend again as he started up the stairs to meet you, “Second! Why do you always assume I’m talking about sex? I mean, it is our one year anniversary but I had something else in mind. At least for right now.” He grinned, wrapping his arms around your waist to pull you flush against his body.

“Then wha-” You froze as you realized what he wanted. “Oh, no. No, no, no. Are you fucking serious, Josh? No way in hell am I ever stepping a goddamn foot back in that place and there’s no way you can convince me otherwise!”

“Princess, come on! It’ll be fun! You think I’m gonna let anything hurt you or that banging bod of yours?”

“I honestly think that’s all you like me for,” you muttered, rolling your eyes. Josh gripped you tighter, lifting your chin up to place a soft kiss on your lips that had you melting against him.

“You know I love you. You may be absolutely stunning but that’s just a bonus. You’ve been there for me. Through everything. The psyche ward when I was younger, my abandonment issues, my fears and upsets. How could I not love everything about you?” he asked, his voice soft as you met his striking green eyes. You sighed, shaking your head. You stood on your toes, pressing another kiss to his lips. You broke away with a groan as a wolf-whistle sounded through the cabin, Chris clapping at the show.

“If you like what you see so much, why don’t you join us?” you snarked, rolling your eyes at him.

“Sorry, you’re not really my type. Josh, on the other hand…” Chris joked, giving your boyfriend a wink.

“Shit, I guess we are gonna party like pornstars this weekend!” Josh exclaimed, his eyes lighting up, giving Chris a playful grin.

“Hey, yeah, sorry to ruin this thirst fest, but he’s mine and the only one fucking him will be me, kisses,” you sighed, dragging him to his usual room.

“Guess you can’t play nice with Chris, huh?” Josh teased as you shut the door behind you two. You rolled your eyes before you pushed him back onto the bed, standing in front of him. His eyes followed your movement as you reached to pull your shirt over your head, effectively silencing him.

———————

Later, when you and Josh finally emerged from his room, you found Chris and Ashley cozied up together, sharing a bottle of wine, and Hannah and Beth looking through old family photo albums with Matt. “Shit, Josh, I forgot how dorky you used to look before you finally passed four feet.” Josh just grinned, shrugging slightly as he pulled you downstairs to join the party. He disappeared for a moment before coming back with two containers of whiskey and you groaned.

“I’m gonna spend most of the night babysitting your black-out drunk ass, aren’t I?”

“Hey, at least it’s a great ass,” Josh joked, winking at you as he handed you a bottle. You rolled your eyes, setting the bottle down before you sat down on the loveseat, curling your legs underneath your body. Josh took a seat next to you, pulling you close as he opened the bottle of whiskey, taking a swig. You leaned your head on his shoulder as he started speaking. “Wanna hear a story?” He grinned, looking around the room at his friends and his sisters.

“Please tell me it’s not a sex story you’re about to tell them,” you groaned, looking up at him. He turned his head to wink at you.

“Not unless you want me to,” he replied, grinning at you. Beth rolled her eyes. She heard the bathroom door open and saw Sam emerge from the bathroom, wrapped only in a towel. Josh took a swig of the whiskey.

“I would rather not hear about your sex life, Joshie. My sex life is a lot more interesting,” she replied, raising her voice so Sam could hear from upstairs. Josh started coughing the whiskey, staring at his sister in shock as he coughed.

“Oh fuck off, Beth,” Sam called down, rolling her eyes. She disappeared into her room, shaking her head at Beth. Six pairs of eyes stared at Beth as she shrugged, smirking.

“Well, fuck,” you breathed, grinning at her.

“Fuck. Let’s drink to that shit! Fuck, that’s my little sister!” Josh exclaimed, his eyes still wide as he grinned. He whooped as Sam stepped out of her room, starting towards the stairs.

“Hey, you owe me $20, man,” Matt started, leaning towards Chris who was staring at Beth, mouth agape.

“……You…You were betting on my boyfriend’s sister being into girls?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Both of them, actually. Five for both of them and then ten they’d get together,” Matt replied smugly, as Chris grumbled, fishing his wallet out of his pocket and pulling a $20 bill out. Matt grabbed it, saluting two fingers at Chris. “Anyways, you were talking about a story?”

“Oh, shit, yeah,” Josh laughed, taking a swig. “So. This is a mostly true story that happened not too far from here on a dark, noiseless night like tonight. A guy and his best friend, a girl with a banging body,” Josh paused his story to give you a playful wink and you groaned, “found some creepy ass, abandoned sanitarium in these very woods. The guy figured if he got his friend scared enough it might lead to some much needed comfort from him. So, he convinces her to go in and explore.”

“Why do I feel like this is the two of you but it’s about to turn into some B-List horror movie shit complete with some sort of raunchy shit mixed in?” Sam sighed, sitting on the ground in front of the couch Beth was sitting on, Sam leaning against Beth’s legs.

“Hey, I’m telling the story. If you think you can do better, too bad, fuck off. Anyways, as I was saying before someone so rudely interrupted me, they head in and check this shit out, right? It’s been abandoned for practically forever so there’s fucking wheelchairs left overturned and decaying walls and doors that are left cracked. So, they decide to go explore, because what’s the worst that could happen, right? So he thinks maybe he can convince her of a quick bone session in one of these empty rooms they’re coming upon. So he’s trying to make his move on this gorgeous babe when they hear it. The soft sound from one of the hallways they’d just explored of a wheelchair quietly screeching down the hall. So. Slowly. So, obviously, he’s gotta save the girl, right? So he puts on this macho show to impress the girl thinking it’s just some vagrant that’s been squatting in the vacant, destroyed building. He steps out into the hallway, opening his mouth to tell whoever to scram, when he sees it. This big, ugly thing with antlers, bone thin, long limbs, and it towers over him, a crazed look on it’s warped face—”

“Seriously, Josh? A wendigo? That’s what you think that noise was?” you scoffed, rolling your eyes.

“Would you hush up? I’m trying to tell a story here!” he whined, glaring at you. You waved a hand, raising an eyebrow at him to continue. “Thank you. So. Yeah, it’s a big ugly, fucking terrifying thing. He screams, drawing his lovely companion’s attention to the hallway, unaware that he’s effectively dooming her, too. So this creature carts them both off to its lair, trapping them. So the guy decided to show the girl one last night of pleasure before they both end up toast. And pleasure it is,” Josh wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, causing Ashley to snort, rolling her eyes at him. “Anyways, the next day their friends are looking for them, searching everywhere like crazy and the only thing they find is a blue, lace bra.”

“You are honestly so stupid, Washington,” Sam sighed, rolling her eyes as Chris and Matt stood up, applauding loudly. Matt mimicked the sound of cheers as Josh stood up, raising the whiskey bottle in a salute before he bowed, sloshing whiskey on the hardwood floor.

“Jesus, Josh, would you watch out, you drama queen?” you asked, pulling him back down next to you.

“That was honestly the lamest story I have ever had to witness. Shit, Y/N, sorry you’re stuck with my brother,” Hannah snorted, shaking her head at her brother’s antics.

“It could be worse, I guess. At least I’m not poor Ash, stuck with Chris,” you teased, wrapping your arms around Josh to bury your head in his neck. He smiled, happy and content, surrounded by his friends, and family, and his soulmate. “Do you really think what we heard was a wendigo last year? You know those aren’t real. How do you even know what they are?”

“You inspired me with your weird fascination with supernatural shit and folklore. Decided I’d see what all it’s about and I stumbled on some weird shit the natives of this area believed in.” He shrugged, turning to press a soft kiss into your hair. He turned back to look at his friends. “You know. You guys have been here for me through everything. Through all of the struggles and the good times and the parties and just all of this. Through thick and thin. I don’t know honestly what I would do without all of you,” Josh paused, smiling fondly at the group, “Anyways, enough with the sappy shit. Who wants to go explore an abandoned sanitarium?” You laughed, tightening your grip on him, hiding your smile in his shoulder. You shook your head because you knew there was no one else for you.

———————

@fahrenheit39 (ilysm Shay I knew you’d kill it at class today)

Permenant Tag List:

@killerqueenofthenight

[twoidiotwriters1]

Starcrossed Losers IV (Josh Wheeler xReader)

A/N: Y/N has trust issues and terrible luck.

Remember to leave feedback!

Words: 2,199

Warnings: Blood, a lot of running, cursing, a lot of gross ig??

Previous chapter // Next chapter

Josh steps inside the store and prepares to put his hand in danger, not without whining and groaning, of course, I can’t blame him, putting your hand down someone’s throat must be disgusting. 

The closest thing I’ve seen to this is that time Alex and I were over at Nathan’s and Alex had to pull a plastic cap out of Nathan’s dog’s mouth. The way his hand smelled that day... ugh, totally would not recommend. We had to rush over to the vet to make sure Patty hadn’t swallowed any more plastic items, it’s like a block away from the mall, so we decided to let Nathan take his dog back home and we stayed here.

-Time for another beautiful flashback, sponsored by the terrible image of Josh searching on a ghoulie’s stomach with his bare hand-

“Don’t ever let me put my hand down a dog’s throat ever again.”

“How often do you think it could happen?”

“Dogs are silly, Y/N, I don’t know,” He shrugs, examining his hand with repulsion.

“If you ask me, I think that was pretty heroic,” I offer.

“Shut up,” He whines.

“For real!”

“You’re only saying that so I don’t feel as gross...”

“I say it cause I think it was a brave move. Patty’s a pitbull, she could’ve eaten your arm,” I giggle.

“Nah, she’s an angel” 

Alex is the angel, but I won’t admit that to his face.

“Will you ever take a compliment without shrugging it off?” I roll my eyes, “I’m trying to say that I admire you, bitch.” Alex laughs at my outburst.

“I only do it so you keep complimenting me, isn’t it working?” He winks at me, and I feel the urgent need to push him towards the passing cars. Or hold his hand. Whatever.

“Sure. Tell you what, let’s go to the mall, I’ll get you icecream and you can look for a bathroom and wash your hand.”

“Yes, please,” He sighs and takes my hand to practically drag me on the direction of the mall. Alright then, I don’t mind at all.

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

Josh got the keys. His hand is covered in something gross and I can’t hide the smirk that’s growing on my face.

“The things we do for love, am I right?” I grin.

“Don’t start, Y/N,” He complains.

“No I mean, fucking respect. Not everyone would do that for their crush.” He shakes his head at my statement, not flattered at all.

“I just wanna find Sam.”

“And I want to get out of here, so let’s go!” I start walking, a new burst of energy going through my veins now that we have the keys.

“I’ll see you around,” He tells Angelica, and I happily wave goodbye while passing.

“Guys!” She says, following us.

“So what’s your plan, then?” Josh looks at me, “You’re leaving too? What about your skates?”

“There’s a store close to my old neighborhood, I’ll get a new pair from there.”

“You can’t wait to leave, huh?”

“Same as you,” I frown, “I’m sure anywhere’s better than with a bunch of weirdos.”

“Hey! Just because you’re not as cool doesn’t mean I’m weird” He replies playfully.

“I don’t think so, mister,” I hold to my backpack tighter, getting ready to go out, “I just need to leave this place, this mall has brought me nothing but trouble...”

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

And I wasn’t talking about Triumph or the Jocks only, I was also thinking about that day with Alex:

“How’s that hand?”

“Still smelling like crap.”

“Too bad. Here, take it. My treat,” I give him the icecream cone I bought moments ago, hoping it’ll make him feel better.

“Jee, thanks, Vinchi.”

I smile at the stupid nickname; it was the invention of a ten-year-old Alex that saw my drawing of a butterfly and thought  I was the next big paintor, “like that guy, ’vinchi”. He meant to say Da Vinci, but the other name was funnier so it’s the one that stuck. You know how you’re supposed to hate silly nicknames? Well, even that was impossible when it came from Alex. I liked him too much. 

I liked everything about him, or slightly related to him. Yet, I managed to keep my distance. Why? Cause you don’t get attached to things you cannot have. Alex was dating our friend Stuart. 

Unrequited love is not something I personally enjoy, so is better to stay away from it. And just like unrequited love, if a bunch of rowdy misfits is running in your direction, you run faster and hide.

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

Angelica has been insisting on staying and forming our own tribe. Fucking crazy, right? You’d have to be out of your mind to try to form a tribe with these people. There’s no way I’m trying that.

“Angelica, maybe next time okay?” I look at her over my shoulder, “seriously you don’t want us on your tribe, we’re very dumb and slow.”

“You know that’s a lie.”

“Still, it’s better this way, you don’t need us.”

“Bye-bye Angelica,” Says Josh while opening the exit door.

You know when things are bound to end in tragedy? You get this feeling that it’s going to be one shit after the other, and you’re right, cause that’s all that’s been happening so why would it change, right? Yeah, well I was so excited about leaving that I forgot this was the case.

The same ghoulie that had run off with Josh’s sword on her back was outside the door, she jumps on him and throws him to the floor, Angelica and I jump back in surprise.

“Get off me now! Shit!” 

“Don’t die!” Angelica runs back to get her molotov bombs (because according to her, fire is the only answer) and I’m left with no weapons to defend us.

“Okay! it’s two against one I can do this!” I try to reach the sword but the ghoulie keeps moving and I don’t wanna hurt Josh by accident, “Hold on, I’m trying to get the sword!”

“Try harder!”

“Shut up, I’m saving your life!” I kick the ghoulie’s hip and she doesn’t budge. Josh seems to be having a hard time and I can’t do much without putting myself in danger as well, the sword is halfway out and is dangerously close to his chest. If I make the wrong move, I’ll kill him.

“Fuck! I need a real weapon, hold on!”

I run like hell until I get to the hardware store and my eyes land on the only thing that I feel capable enough to handle. A sledgehammer. Because judging by my record, I’m pretty good at smashing things. I grab it and run back to where Josh is, lifting the tool at shoulder level.

“Here’s Johnny!” 

I swing it hard and hit the ghoulie’s head with full force, she tries to stand up but Eli appears on the other side of the hall exactly where she landed and pulls the sword from her chest only to put it back, this time in her head. She falls like a puppet on the floor.

“Eli?” Josh seems disoriented, I help him stand up.

“You better be worth it,” He replies, handing him the sword and looking at my hammer with a nod of approval.

We run again until we reach the elevator, we find Wesley there, keeping the door closed.

“I can’t hold it!” He screams.

“Let him in!”

Wesley steps back and the door opens harshly, Triumph stepping in like a nightmare. The guys attack but Triumph easily beats them, I swing my hammer but he traps it mid-air and pulls me towards him. I kick his crotch and he barely groans. It’s not enough.

“Hoyles! Man! This does not need to end up in violence!”

Triumph stops and lets go of me, throwing me into the floor. Eli and Josh both pull me far from him, I grab my hammer tightly.

“Wes!” Josh warns him. Triumph is getting close to the boy and I know that he won’t be able to pull it off alone either, Samurai or not, he’s still a kid.

“AHHHHHHHH!” Crumble jumps from the roof of the elevator and attacks Baron Triumph with her bare hands. He easily pushes her away. Crumble stands up slowly, we’re all expectant, not knowing what the hell to do.

And then Crumble raises her hands and starts speaking in what I’m most certain is nonsense in Spanish, but it does the trick: Triumph backs off until he reaches the elevator and closes the gate. Wesley closes the second gate and supports his back against it.

“What the fuck was that?” Asks Josh.

“I wanted to help you,” whispers Crumble.

“How did you get out of the store?”

“I can turn myself into mist,” She explains excitedly, “and then I float through the cracks. Watch!” Then she proceeds to run straight into the elevator’s door and knocks her lights off.

“Outstanding,” I look over to Angelica, “bet you’re really proud of your Ghoulie witch now.” Angelica just smiles back at me.

So... that happened. Thank god it’s over, now I can finally go. But first, I think I’ll take Josh’s word and go shopping one last time.

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

“Thanks again for the icecream.”

“Anytime, Al,” I smile.

“You ‘going home now?”

“I guess, it doesn’t look like anything interesting is about to happen so...”

“Hey, about what you said...” He scratches the back of his neck, “you really think it was heroic?”

“Patty could’ve died. Of course I do,” I answer with full honesty.

“Thanks... I think you’re very heroic too.”

“What?” I laugh, “Dude, I’ve never done anything out of the ordinary.”

“You call out the jocks on their bullshit even if they annoy you afterwards. When Lily got high and was having a bad trip, it was you who took her to the shower and made her threw it up out of her system,” He puts a hand on my shoulder, applying light pressure to it, “You may not be saving the world, but you take care of your people. That’s cool.”

And maybe it’s the sugar rush, maybe it was the way his words sting on my heart or the way the artificial lights inside the mall made his eyes look so shiny. But my feelings for him went through the roof. Exactly like my common sense.

Whatever it was, all I know is that suddenly we were too close, and suddenly we were kissing outside the icecream shop. It lasted only five seconds though, cause then he tried to cup my face with both hands and the smell of dog’s saliva made me step back in disgust.

“Oh my god, what is that dog eating?”

“I’m sorry!” Alex covers his mouth with both hands and regrets it immediately after, grossed out by the smell, “fuck, I need to put on sanitizer.”

“I have to go,” I mumbled in a hurry, walking towards the exit.

“Wait, Y/N!”

“See you on monday, Alex,” I walk faster, almost crashing against a random boy wearing the ugliest reddish pants on earth, seemingly also running for his life.

Don’t. Just don’t. Whatever you have to say, trust me, I already heard it in my head every night for the past six months. I know it was a shitty thing to do, kiss someone else’s boyfriend. My best friend. Who had been dating my other friend for the past four months.

It doesn’t matter that he kept going. It was wrong. “Y/N, you bitch ass liar, you told us none of you ever made a move!”. Joke’s on you, a kiss is not a move if it doesn’t affect on anything after it happens. A kiss is just a kiss. Mine was a huge mistake for sure, but not a love declaration.

Alex and Stuart kept dating and we never mentioned our incident. Not even after he broke up with Stuart two months before the nuke. Not even when he went with me to look for my sister Katie.

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

So how’s that for a move huh? That’s the reason why I’m leaving. Cause it doesn’t matter if you’ve known them for a day, a semester or ten years. I thought that the people I hung with during Highschool would be my tribe during the apocalypse. That we were inseparable. Turns out we weren’t.

Love is weak compared to personal interests and I refuse to be the only idiot that gets attached. No one is worth that much pain. I’m leaving. Best of wishes to Josh and gang of weirdos but I’m out. I’m backing up. Stepping back. I’m-

“Y/N, come here quick! Stupid Josh cut his finger and now I need to get bandages and duct tape! Make sure he doesn’t faint!”

I’m coming into a halt and drop my backpack and weapon to the floor as I’m rushing over to the restrooms.

“He did WHAT?”

Taglist.

@letsbloodmagic​

[cocochannel00]

Harry with kids #2 Never home (part 1)

kids: Connor (17), Rebecca (15), Grayson and Riley (13), Victoria (10), Casey (5) 

Let me know if you guys want a part 2! Also p.s I doubt Harry would ever neglect his family like this

"Mom we're home!" yelled Connor, your 17-year-old son, who had just gotten back from football practice.

"You think you could wash my uniform tonight? I've got a game tomorrow and it's starting to smell." Rebecca, your 15-year-old daughter, asked as she threw her soccer bag on the floor and pulled it out.

"You do know that the washing machine doesn't have a passcode on it and you don't need to be 18 or older to use it right, Becca." You say sarcastically.

"Fine I'll do it" she grumbles and starts reading the detergent boxes as you laugh at how clueless she looks.

While you were helping her set it up the twins, Grayson and Riley, ran off the bus and into the kitchen looking for food.

"Boys there are no snacks until you finish your homework and besides we're leaving to go see Connor's game in a couple of hours and you can eat there" you explain as your second youngest child, Victoria, who's 10, came grumbling into the house with her recorder in hand.

"What's wrong baby?" You ask as you picked her up from the ground and sit her on the stool.

"Dad never showed up to my concert at school today and he promised he would," she said on the verge of tears.

"I'm sure daddy feels very sorry that he missed it but you know daddy is really busy with the new album," you tell her as you hugged her tight.

"I wouldn't bank on dad's promises Vicca. He isn’t known to keep very them well" Connor explains grumbling as he walks in with his football padding.

"CONNOR!" You yell as you see tears come down Vicca's face.

"What mom you know it's true.... He's promised to come to my games and he hasn't shown up to one and it's the state championship tonight." Connor says while grabbing a water and heading out the door.

"Hopefully he manages to make it this time," you say with a bit of hope that your husband Harry will get his act together.

Afterward, you text Harry and tell him that he better make it to Connor's game and that Vicca was crying cause he didn't go to her concert. He texts back saying he'll be there but you are still skeptical that he will show up.

"We're leaving in a half hour for the game and I expect everyone to be ready to go!" You yell from the kitchen as you lay your head down on the cool countertop in order to try and relive the headache forming from the stress of having all your kids upset.

You go upstairs and walk into your youngest child's room. There you find your 5-year-old daughter Casey coloring a picture of what looks like a family.

"Look mommy, I drew a picture of our family. I'm gonna give it to daddy when he comes home" she says excitedly as she holds up the paper.

"It looks beautiful Casey now let's get you changed into your jersey," you say as you find Connor's jersey number sticking out of a pile of her clothes.

Once everyone was ready you head out with all your kids hoping that Harry would make it.

You all cheer loudly as the buzzer rings signaling the end of the game. You could not be more proud that your son had helped his team win a state title.

You and your kids ran to the field to go congratulate Connor on his win. As soon as he saw you guys he ran up to you and gave you the biggest hug that made your heart melt.

"I am so proud of you Connor you have no idea. I love you so much!" You say forcing yourself not to cry.

He chuckled a bit. "Thanks mom I love you too" he said.

Casey starts pulling on his pants and signaling for him to pick her up. Connor puts her on his shoulders and starts running around.

You being the mom that you take a picture of the two from the back as Casey's jersey had Connor's number on it.

"Dad never made it did he?" Connor asks you as you try and stop Grayson and Riley from beating each other up.

"I'm sorry baby he didn't come but I'm sure he is excited that you won" you state trying to bring the mood up again.

"Figures...." Mumbled Connor just quietly enough for only you to hear.

"Well let's go, I think I've had enough disappointment for one day" Becca says as she carries Casey to the car.

"I'll meet you guys at home, Josh is having a party at his house to celebrate and I'm going to swing by for a bit," he says.

"Please be safe and try to remember curfew this time," you say before kissing his cheek and walking to the car.

The ride home was silent and you could feel the tension build as you pulled into the driveway and Harry's car was there.

Everyone got out and as soon as Becca opened the door Casey launched herself towards Harry as the rest of your kids headed to go watch tv in the living room.

"Hi baby how are you today," he says to Casey as she giggles in his grasp.

You walk towards the medicine cabinet and grab the Advil from the shelf.

"What's wrong babe? Stressful day today" he asked while looking at you from across the room.

"Sure you could say that" you grumbled as you sat on a stool slightly mad at Harry.

"Casey go with Grayson and Riley and show them your picture," you told her as she ran out to go find them in the living room.

"Y/n, what wrong?" Harry asks as he comes behind you and wraps his arm around you. You shrug his arms off of you and walk to the otherwise of the counter.

"Do you know how upset Vicca came home today because her dad didn't go see her concert today, or how mad Becca was yesterday because you missed her soccer game because of album promo. Let's not even start on the look of disappointment Connor had when I told him you never made it Harry. He won states, Harry, states" you rant to him as anger started to boil in you.

"I'm sorry I missed all of that but you know how hard I’ve worked on this album. You know I have to work with the schedule Jeff gives me" he said trying to gain sympathy from you.

" I get that Harry but you can't keep blowing off your kids like this. It's not even this week, it's every week H! When was the last time you went to see one of Connor's games? When did you last talk about soccer recruitment with Becca? When was the last time you came home and had dinner with your kids Harry! That's my problem" you tell him.

"Don't you think I want to be here for all of that Y/n!" He yells at you. "I'm trying but it's not that easy to make my schedule revolve around games and dinners and every other thing that happens in this house!" He exclaims.

You look at him and hold back the tears that are threatening to spill over because of his statements.

"Maybe you should just leave if this family involves to much commitment. Correct me if I'm wrong but that's what you signed up for when you had 6 kids Harry" you say as you walk into the living room.

You hear Harry calling your name as you send your kids up to bed.

Casey runs up to Harry and hands him her drawing. Harry gives her a hug and asks her why not everyone was smiling.

"That's cause they are not happy because you broke your promise to them. Goodnight daddy!" she says as she runs back up the stairs.

You turn your back to Harry, afraid that if you look at him you'll break down.

Just then Connor walks into the living room. "Hey mom Josh gave me some cookies if you want-" he stops mid-sentence as he sees Harry.

"Your late for curfew Connor," Harry tells him while looking at his watch.

"Yeah well, I was celebrating my state title not like you would know since you've never come to a game" Connor replies back.

Harry began to get frustrated. "I'm sorry I couldn't make it but I'm very proud of you however that still doesn't excuse you for being late," Harry says as he tries to calm down.

"You don't get to discipline me because you're never here. Mom basically raised us on her own while you were off touring the world." He yells back through gritted teeth and clenched fists.

"I will not have you speak to me that way Connor Robin Styles," Harry says as he gets up in front of Connor.

"I'll say what I want because you are never home, therefore, have no power over me. You're a horrible father" Connor spits out.

"Boys tone it down you'll wake the rest of them up," you say trying to prevent a full-on screaming match.

"Not now Y/n," Harry says angrily.

"Don't talk to mom like that she's done nothing wrong. Your lucky you still have her cause if I was her I would leave your sorry ass in a heartbeat" Connor shouts back.

"Stop fighting!" Becca yells. "Dad you have no right to yell at us because you haven't raised us," she says from the bottom of the stairs while Vicca rushes down the stairs and hugs you as she cries.

"Are you and daddy going to get a divorce?" Vicca asks as Grayson and Riley come down with Casey in their arms.

You look at Harry as your own eyes starting to water. "No ones getting a divorce don't worry," Harry says quietly as he looks straight at you.

Casey runs into his arms as she has no idea what's happening.

You sniffle. "Alright guys it's over let's all head up to bed. Connor, can you please bring Casey up to her room when you go?" You ask and he nods.

"Ok come here and I'll give you a kiss before you go" you say as you give each child a kiss on the forehead before pulling Connor aside and giving him a hug.

"I'm so very proud of you and no matter what happens we will all always be proud of you. You have grown up well. Thank you" you tell him as he pulls you in for a tighter hug and you feel his tears on your shoulder.

"Thank you mama" he whispers before taking Casey upstairs with him.

"Y/n....." Harry says at a loss for words.

"H just drop it I think we've had enough arguments today. I'm going to bed" you say as you walk up the stairs to your room, leaving Harry alone.

You do your nightly routine and wipe away your tears as you get ready for bed but as soon as you get into bed you realized you forgot your phone downstairs.

You walk down and see Harry hunched over on the couch crying. It breaks your heart to see him like this no matter what happened in the last half hour. You walk over and sit next to him and slowly wrap your arms around him.

He grabs you and sits you down on his lap as he cries into your shoulder. "Shh... it's okay. You'll be okay" you whisper repeatedly in order to calm him down.

He sniffles a bit "Maybe they're right Y/n, maybe your better off without me" he says glumly.

You grab his chin and forced him to look you in the eye. "Harry Edward Styles I don't ever want to hear you say that ever again. I love you so much and could never live without. Please don't say that" you cry as he hugs you tighter and rubs your back.

"I'm sorry I've put you through this for so long Y/n and I'm sorry for being a horrible father to our children. They are the most important things in the world to me and I can't even raise them" he says.

"You're a great father H their just upset that you keep promising things you can't keep. You know they love you as much as I do right?" You ask as he looks at the drawing Casey drew.

"I guess but I don't know how to make up for all the times I've screwed up. Connor's games are over, the concert was today.... I don't know what to do" he says burying his face deeper into the crook of your neck.

"You can start by make breakfast in the morning. Then apologizing to Connor for tonight and go watch Becca's soccer game tomorrow. Tomorrow night we can have pizza for dinner and have Vicca and the twins give their own concert. If you give Casey a hug I'm sure she'll forgive you on the spot" you tell him as he chuckles at the last one.

"Ok, but how do I make it up to you?" He says looking up at you in a way that makes your heart clench.

You smile. "Make our kids happy and come to bed with me so we can get some sleep," you say as you begin to get up.

"Have I ever told you how much I love you" he asks while holding you close.

"Every day of the week, now come on" you tell him as he gives you a passionate kiss before you have the chance to move.

"Well, I love you so much Y/n. I don't know what I'd do without you" Harry said kissing you again.

You got into bed and cuddled up to Harry hoping to forget the argument for the night.