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javierpena-inatacvest · 1 year

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Chapter 10, Pt. 2- Happy Birthday, Javi

Summary: Javi is convinced that after the perfect morning you've given him, his birthday can't get any better. Little does he know, his birthday still has a few more surprises left.

Word Count: 11.7K (Told you it'd be 20K if i put these two parts together)

Warnings: SMUT (18+), unprotected p in v sex (pls be safe), semi-public sex (and kind of getting caught?), vaginal fingering, creampie, praise kink, breeding kink (are we surprised, cause I'm sure not), mentions of death/loss (but it's really sweet), mentions of alcohol and drinking, mentions of food, Steve Murphy not letting Javi have a moment of peace, Javi holding a baby (please don't mind as I scream into the abyss), if you've made it this far, you already know the sickening amount of fluff there's gonna be (hehehehe)

A/N: Our favorite birthday boy is back!!! I'm excited for this one cause it's CUTE. But when are these two idiots not like, the most adorable couple alive. Enjoy the rest of our sweet Javi's birthday!! Also please someone understand my self indulgent Foo Fighters/Blink-182 references

Series Masterlist Next Chapter Previous Chapter

“So you’re telling me I don’t get to know anything about the rest of the day? Coming from the person who hates surprises more than anyone I know?” Javi chuckled to himself, wrapping his towel around his waist as he stepped out of the shower, handing you yours as you followed behind him.

“Okay, just because I hate being on the receiving end of a surprise doesn’t mean I don’t like to be a part of planning a surprise. So no, you don’t get to know. Although, I will say what happened this morning and the way you just pressed me against the wall and fucked me in the shower are two surprises I’m not upset about at all.” You smirked at Javi as you watched him run a towel over the damp curls of his hair, seeing his satisfied grin from underneath the fabric. “Now go get ready, birthday boy, you’ve got a big day ahead of you.” Javi pressed a gentle kiss onto your bare shoulder as you organized your things on the bathroom counter, rolling your eyes as you watched him look you up and down in the mirror.

“If we didn’t have places to be, I’d bend you over this counter and fuck you right here.” The kiss on your shoulder being replaced by a nip, making you giggle and swat at his broad body standing behind you.

“Javier Peña, you are a goddamn menace to society, go change!” The two of you laughed as Javi gave you a wink and a quick smack on the ass as he left you in the bathroom to start getting ready.

A menace to society in-fucking-deed.

You made sure to get ready as quickly as you could, wanting to make sure that you stayed on time for the rest of Javi’s birthday festivities. You had plenty planned to keep him busy until 4:00, the time you told Chucho you’d arrive at the ranch, giving your guests an hour to show up beforehand without ruining the surprise. After changing into a new, cute peachy dress with little white flowers, you met Javi in the living room, sitting on the couch watching TV, looking handsome as ever in the dark wash jeans and cream colored short sleeved button down.

“The watch looks good with your outfit.” You teased, noticing that Javi was already wearing one of his birthday gifts that he had insisted on giving you a hard time about after finding out about its cost.

“I love it, Osita. I’ll wear it every fucking day. And it actually tells time, which is helpful.” He laughed before turning his head around over the top of the couch to see you in your dress, jaw going slack as he watched you move about the kitchen, gathering things for the next part of your day. “Fuck me. Is that new?” he asked, taking an extra moment to appreciate how well the peach colored fabric hugged your body in all the right places, particularly as you bent down to pick something up out of the fridge.

“Mmmhhmmm.” You hummed, trying your best to hide the pozole de pollo you had made for Javi the day before in your travel sized cooler. “Same shopping trip as this morning’s outfit.” You looked up at Javi, giggling, as he ran a hand through his hair, knowing he was using every ounce of self control in his body to let you keep working on whatever you were doing. “Alright, I think everything is packed and should be good to go. You ready, roomie?” You smiled, grabbing the bag you had packed in preparation for the next part of your birthday plans. That one made Javi grin from ear to ear, still processing the fact that you had asked him to move in with you. He had practically already been living there, but something about knowing you wanted him to be the first thing you saw in the morning, and the last thing you saw before you fell asleep at night every damn day filled his heart in a way he didn’t know was possible.

“Ready. Sure I don’t get to know where we’re going?” He chuckled to himself as he got up, putting on his shoes and grabbing his keys, including the newest one to your shared apartment that he had already slipped onto the key ring while you were getting ready.

“You’re starting to sound like me. C’mon, let’s go.”

Walking down the stairs of your apartment, you grabbed Javi’s hand, knowing that he was going to lead you to his truck. Before he could lead you any further across the parking lot, you tugged him in the opposite direction, leading you towards your car. “Nope, I’m driving today. How were you supposed to drive if you didn’t know where we were going?”

“You could still drive my truck, if you wanted. You’re always complaining about how shitty your car is.”

He wasn’t wrong. After getting stationed in Oregon after his deployment, your oldest brother, Charlie, had offered to let you have his 1985 Jeep Wrangler. In reality, the car was only a decade-ish old, but the way he had treated it before he gave it to you had it barely hanging on by a thread. After your drive to Texas, Woodstock (the name you had given the car, given its obnoxious bright yellow color) was in rough shape, but, like most things in life, you were too stubborn to give it up and get a new one until you ran it into the ground.

“Every ounce of feminism in my body evaporates if I even think about driving that truck. It’s huge, and I’m terrified I’m gonna crash into something, and at least one of us needs a car that isn’t an absolute piece of shit.” You sighed, throwing your bag in the trunk before hopping into the driver’s seat, Javi taking his spot next to you as a passenger. “Please, please, please.” You mumbled to yourself, twisting the key back and forth in the ignition before turning the car over, praying it would start. “Yes! She lives to see another day.” You nodded your head in satisfaction as Woodstock’s engine rumbled. Javi shook his head, laughing to himself at your antics you had convinced him were the key to getting your car to start. “Alright,” You said, backing out of your spot and pulling on to the road, “you’re in charge of music today. Sorry I don’t have the Grease soundtrack in my car, but I do have some ABBA which I feel like could be a good replacement if that’s what you’re in the mood for.”

Javi rolled his eyes at you as he reached up to pull down the visor in front of him, lined with the CD’s in its sleeve. Since the two of you normally didn’t drive in your car, Javi wasn’t used to your music selection. Flipping through the discs, he found some overlaps, Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumors”, Queen’s Greatest Hits, AC/DC’s “High Voltage”, along with some CD mixes that your brothers had probably given you, but he was surprised to find a few CD’s of bands that he had never even heard of before. “Blink-182?” He asked, holding up the disc with a picture of a bull with the band’s logo branded into its ass.

“David really likes them. They’re okay, there’s a few songs on there that I like, but some of them are really weird. I’m pretty sure there’s a song on there called “Dick Lips”.” You snickered, peeking over at the other CD’s Javi was shuffling through. “Oh, oh, that album is amazing.” You pointed at the dark blue disc Javi was now reaching up to grab. “David and Charlie both love these guys. You know the band Nirvana? The guy who was the drummer for them made his own band after Kurt Cobain died. I’ve been listening to this album every time I drive.”

“I don’t think I’ve heard you play it around the apartment. The Foo Fighters? Literally never heard of ‘em.” He shrugged, pressing the disc into your car radio.

“I think you’d probably would’ve remembered if I played them around the house.” You huffed under your breath sheepishly. “They’re a little more… intense than what I normally listen to at home, so no judgment, okay? Skip to the second song, it’s the best one.”

“Now I’m intrigued.” Javi responded, placing his hand on your leg after skipping to track 2, his face scrunching in surprise at the intensity of the guitar and drums now blaring through your speakers. It didn’t take long for you to start drumming against your steering wheel, nodding your head to the beat, as you sang along to the words.

“Don’t wanna be your monkey wrench. One more indecent accident. I’d rather leave than suffer this. I’ll never be your monkey wrench.”

Javi watched as you lost yourself in the song, belting the lyrics as you banged against the steering wheel, practically out of breath as the CD moved on to the next track from singing. Javi always loved watching you sing along to whatever music you had playing, but something about watching you now was different, like there was intention behind every word that you sang along to, like you were letting something out that had been weighing on your chest with every thud of your palm against the steering wheel.

“Sorry.” You sighed, lowering the volume of the next track as you caught your breath. “It’s a great song, but this is my angry screaming in the car song if I’ve had a shitty day.” You tried to play off your comment jokingly, Javi sensing that you had more you wanted to say, but you weren’t telling him.

“What’s the song called?” Javi asked, trying to pry more out of you.

“Monkey Wrench.”

“Like the tool?” He laughed, making sure he understood you correctly.

“Yes, like the tool.” You half smiled back. “The song’s not actually about the tool… Well, I guess it kind of is. It’s about someone who gets pushed around and used because they’ve always tried to be flexible and adjust to make someone else happy, but eventually they realize they can’t take it anymore, and are done putting up with that person’s shit before it breaks them. You finally come to terms with what a fucking waste of time it was being with someone who couldn’t have gave a shit about you.”

You sat there in silence for a moment, embarrassed by your last sentence, realizing your comment had definitely become a lot more personal than you had intended it to be. “Sorry, I don’t- I don’t know why I’m talking to you about this, I shouldn’t have said anything about the CD, this is supposed to be fun, it’s your birthday, and now I’m ruining it and-” You stopped to look down as you felt Javi squeeze your leg, like he was trying to stop the apology that was flowing from your mouth with his grasp around your thigh. “Sorry.” You whispered, your voice shaky as you tried to hold back the tears welling in your eyes. “I know I always joke about Paul being an asshole and try to play it off like it’s not a big deal, but I think it fucked with me a lot more than I’d like to admit.” You took a long breath in before exhaling, shaking your head to clear your thoughts. “Okay, that’s all I have to say about that dickhead. He doesn’t even deserve the time of day to take up any space in my head. He’s a piece of shit, and I have you, and that’s all that matters. He can go… He can go… eat… rocks.” The both of you snorted at your terrible attempt at comeback, easing the tension in the car.

“You’re not ruining anything, Osita. I promise. I can understand why the song makes you mad. Makes me fucking pissed for you. I swear, if I ever meet that motherfucker, I’ll kick him in the dick ‘till he can’t fucking walk.” Javi snarled, the idea of someone treating you like how your ex did practically making his blood boil.

“I’d pay money to see that. Okay, no more Foo Fighters. Pick whatever you want and don’t listen to any of my suggestions because I am 0 for 1 today on birthday music.”

Shuffling through the rest of the CD’s ejected the Foo Fighters album to replace it with one he knew would make you smile. As soon as the keyboard riff to “Rich Girl'' by Hall and Oats started, your mood instantly shifted, wondering how Javi always knew exactly how to make you feel better. “Listen, Javi, you don’t have to use the song, you can just tell me that you’re in this relationship for the enormous salary I’m raking in from teaching, it’s okay.” Javi reached down to grab your hand as you giggled, giving it a gentle squeeze as he watched you sing along, dancing in your seat, with a smile on your face. Truth be told, Javier Peña was a simple man, and knowing you were happy with him was the best birthday gift he could ask for.

“Okay, we’re here!” You beamed, pulling up to the first stop of your surprise destinations for the day. Javi had lived in Laredo his entire life- he knew the city like the back of his own hand. That’s why when you pulled up to the small park entrance, Javi was perplexed as to where he was, or why you had taken him there.

“Have I had it wrong this whole time, Osita? Are you the one that’s really the serial killer and you’re taking me out to some park I’ve never heard of to get rid of me?” Javi mocked as you playfully punched him before the two of you got out of the Jeep, grabbing the bag you had stored in the trunk.

“Oh, shut up. Believe it or not, your dad is actually the one who told me about this place. C’mon, let’s go.” You hoisted the bag up onto your shoulder, making your way down the gravel path through the trees that lined the trail. Javi followed behind you, interlocking his hand with yours as you led him through the brush. The path opened up, revealing a small area overlooking Lake Casa Blanca, tucked away in its own corner, surrounded by trees and tall grass that swayed in the gentle summer breeze. It took Javi a moment to realize where you were, having been to the lake every summer since he could remember, but never once had he been here, shocked to find how quiet and peaceful the secluded patch by the water was.

“Lake Casa Blanca?” He asked softly as you started pulling things out of your bag, laying down a big blanket, followed by a variety of containers and thermoses.

“Mmmhmmm.” You nodded, fixing the edges of the blanket as you sat down, Javi joining you as you rustled around for the bowls and spoons at the bottom of the tote. “Your dad said you used to love coming here as a kid. So much that you would cry every time you had to leave. But he said there was a secret place hidden away on the opposite side of the lake where he always used to take your mom when they first started dating. They would be all cute and watch the sunset together before he had to take her home for the night. I know it’s not the sunset, and I know it’s definitely not your mom’s but um, I wanted to try and make you something for your birthday. I got her recipe from your dad. I know it’ll never be the same as hers, but your dad told me how much you loved it, and I-I hope that’s okay.” Carefully, you poured the pozole into one of the bowls, grateful that it still looked hot before you grabbed some of the garnishes out of the plastic containers and sprinkled them on top of the stew.

“Is this… Is this her pozole?” He looked down at the bowl in shock, like he couldn’t even comprehend that the dish was really in front of him. He hadn’t seen the sight of his mom’s pozole de pollo in over a decade. He refused to eat anyone else’s, knowing it could never compare to his mamá’s. The memory of his mother lovingly feeding him bowls of the stew filled him with a comfort and heartache he wasn’t quite sure how to describe. He had never even bothered to ask his dad to make it, figuring like most of the things that brought him pain, it was easier just to avoid it all together. But then, there was you. How had you figured out this was his favorite? You must have gone out of your way to ask his dad? You made this just for him? You cared about him that much? He picked up the bowl and one of the spoons, realizing how nervous you looked as he scooped some up, bringing the spoonful of vegetables, chicken and broth to his mouth.

You were practically holding your breath as he took a bite, praying to whatever higher power there was that he just didn’t hate it, or worse, that he was upset with you for even trying to attempt it in the first place. You watched hesitantly, over-analyzing every twitch of his face as he chewed and swallowed, looking up at you, tears welling behind his eyes.

“Baby…” He paused for a moment, setting the pozole down.

Fuck, was it so bad that you made him cry? Oh please, God, please not let it be terrible.

He brought his hand to your cheek, caressing your jaw, his lips drawn in a soft sweet smile. His voice trembled, barley above a whisper. “It tastes just like hers. I-I never thought I’d get to taste that again. Thank you, Osita. You- You have no idea how much this means to me. It means everything. Thank you. Thank you so much.” A tear gently rolled down his cheek as he pulled you into his chest, cradling the back of your head as he brought you closer to him. He sat there for a moment, looking out at the lake then back down at you as he held you in his arms, the sweet scent of the pozole lingering in the peaceful silence. He wasn’t quite sure how you did it, but he swore he fell more and more in love with you by the second.

“So, it’s okay? You’re not mad?”

“Mad? Baby, how could I possibly be mad? I couldn’t be fucking happier. I love you so much.” He pressed a soft kiss on the top of your head, savoring the sweet scent of you as he buried his nose in your hair.

“Well if it was really awful, it would be very fair if you were upset.” You let out a small huff of laughter, relief washing over your body, feeling like you could finally breathe again. “Like I said, I know it can never replace your mom’s, but it’s your birthday, and you deserve everything in the world- today and every other day. I love you too, Javi.”

You were glad you had made as much pozole as you did, watching Javi practically inhale every last drop you had made. When you told him that there was still more in the fridge at home, his face lit up like a little boy on Christmas day. He was equally excited for the cupcakes you had made him, gobbling several of them down almost as quickly as the pozole. You sat at the edge of the water after finishing your food, listening to Javi tell you stories of his favorite memories at the lake, particularly enjoying the one where his older cousin had convinced him that you were allowed to take fish from the lake home as pets, and somehow managed to bring a full bucket back to the car with him before his parents found out.

“Did you ever have any real pets as a kid?” You asked, finishing the last bite of your cupcake, still giggling from Javi’s story.

“Besides all the cows and sheep and horses?” He laughed, face palming yourself for forgetting that Javi had literally grown up on a farm. “Yes in that sense, but never anything that lived in the house, besides that bucket of fish I almost got away with if my cousin wouldn’t have ratted me out.”

“My house was a goddamn zoo growing up. I think by the time I was born, my parents already knew it was going to be chaos, so they figured, what were a few more animals going to do? I’m pretty sure at one point we had 3 dogs, a cat, Charlie had a rat and a snake which did not end well, and one day, Patrick and David came home from the pet store with an iguana, which only lived in the house for one day before escaping out the bedroom window at night, never to be seen again. Rumor is, that iguana is still roaming through the suburbs of Chicago to this day.” The both of you laughed, Javi raising an eyebrow, picturing you with all your brothers and animals running around the house. “After all of that, I am more than happy with just a dog, singular, not plural. I was close to adopting one when I moved down here, Paul hated animals- another red flag, despite how much I told him I wanted one, but it wouldn’t have been fair with me living in the apartment. I wanted to get a house when I moved down here so I could have a yard, but again, the giant teacher salary wasn’t doing me any favors, unless I wanted to live in a box by the side of the highway.”

“I’ve always wanted a dog. I’d love to have one when we get a house.”

We. When we get a house. That one put butterflies in your stomach.

“When we get a house, huh?” You put a little emphasis on the word, the both of you blushing, quietly laughing to yourselves.

“I mean, I love your apartment. I couldn’t be more fucking excited to live with you. But I mean- I don’t know, correct me if I’m wrong, I’m guessing you don’t wanna live there forever?” He traced his fingers along the small of you back as he sat propped up next to you.

“I mean no, but again, not really rolling in cash over here in the money department, Jav.” You rolled your eyes, a part of you feeling guilty that your career choice always made you feel like a financial burden, despite how good you were with saving your money.

“Listen…I don’t wanna sound like an asshole. I already know how much you hate the “I’m a man so I have to provide for you” stereotype, believe me. I’ve got a good amount of money saved up, and my job now pays better than the DEA even did. I just- I don’t want you to worry about it. I know how much you love teaching, and it’s un-fucking-fair how little teachers make, but I don’t ever want you to think you’re a burden because of it. I’d support you if you wanted to have 6 jobs, because if there’s anyone who could do it, it would fucking be you. But, I- I know you said that you wanted kids, and- and if you ever wanted to not work and stay at home with them, I’d support that too. I just want you to be happy, Osita. You deserve the world and I’d fucking give it to you if I could.”

Those sweet chocolate eyes went straight to your heart. The way he looked at you made you feel like you were the only person on the face of this earth. He was right, you loathed the idea of a man telling how to live your life because he was the breadwinner, but you knew that’s not what Javi wanted. He cared about you. He cared about you so fucking much that almost hurt. He wanted to look after you because you were the only person in the world he ever wanted to treat this way. All he cared about was your happiness. And God, would more than gladly spend the rest of your life doing the same for him.

“You trying to tell me you want me to stay at home and run the Peña household zoo while you’re at work?” You teased, giving him a little nudge as you smiled at him.

“If that’s what you want, it’s what I want too. Although I may have to draw the line at having a fucking iguana in our house.” The two of you snorted, resting your head on Javi’s shoulder as he leaned down to kiss your head, placing a soft peck on your temple.

“No iguanas is fine by me. Like I said, A dog is plenty. Maybe less kids than 4, but I could also be jaded from the 3 older brothers. But I mean- I guess, have you thought about how many kids you’d want?” You should have been embarrassed by how easily the question slipped out. There are lots of things you should have felt uncomfortable bringing up as you talked about your future together at this point in your relationship. You should of, but both of you seemed to agree that those should of’s flew out the window a long time ago.

“Osita…” He paused, laughing to himself, shaking his head as he and those puppy dog eyes glanced over at you. “Baby, I’ll give you however many kids you want. I’ll give you a fucking football team if that’s what makes you happy.” Fuck, he’d give you a baby today if that’s what you wanted- but that’s one he still had enough willpower to keep as a should of, for now. Little did he know, you would have had as many babies as Javi wanted to give you right this very second. But that was a should of you could keep to yourself a little longer too.

The two of you spent a little more time enjoying the warm Texas sun by the edge of the water, Javi bruising your competitive pride in your rock skipping competition, as you tried to persuade him that you only let him win because it was his birthday. Glad that Javi had decided to wear his new watch, you were able to keep a close eye on the time, gathering your things and ushering him to your last pit stop before the Peña ranch.

“Alright, stop number two!” You smiled as you pulled up to Eva’s Dairy Barn. “Wouldn’t be a good birthday if I didn’t take you for ice cream.”

“I was hoping this would be part of the surprise.” He grinned at you as the two of you exited your car, grabbing your hand as you stood in line.

“Of course, Mr. Sweet Tooth. What’s today’s choice? They have a flavor that’s called birthday cake! Or does that not have enough sprinkles for you?” You stuck your tongue out at him as he wrapped you in a bear hug, shaking you as you both laughed.

“Even on my birthday, you’re not gonna let me have a moment of peace, are you?”

“Never. Where’s the fun in that?”

You had never been more thankful for Javi’s incredibly fast eating skills, the impressive speed that he consumed his ice cream at keeping you on time for his last surprise.

“You sure my dad really wants to see me that badly? I told him I was spending the day with you and that we could celebrate a different time.” Javi asked as the two of you got in your car to begin your journey to the Peña ranch.

“Uh, yeah, he called the other day while you were at work, and said that he had something at the house he really wanted to give you today since it’s your actual birthday.” You replied, trying your best to make your lie as convincing as possible. It wasn’t until just now that you began to feel the nerves building in your belly. The day had already been so perfect, you hadn’t stopped to think about the surprise party until now. What if Javi hated it? What if he was mad at you for inviting all of these people? What if you had ruined what had already been such an amazing birthday for him? Javi could clearly sense that your mood had shifted, noticing how tightly you were now gripping the steering wheel of your car as you drove.

“You okay, Hermosa?” He questioned, looking over at you with concern.

C’mon, pull it together, you literally have like 20 more minutes, don’t ruin it now.

“Me? Oh yeah, I’m fine, my head just kind of hurts. Probably didn’t drink enough water today.” You shrugged, turning up the radio volume, your answer seeming to satisfy Javi enough to keep him from pressing anymore. You tried your best to keep your cool for the rest of the trip, singing along to one of the Rolling Stones albums Javi had found tucked behind one of your other CD’s. By the time you were pulling down the driveway, you could feel how sweaty your palms were, relieved to see that Javi hadn’t noticed any of the guests’ cars peeking out from behind the other side of the barn as you approached the house. He reached over the center console to give you a quick kiss before the two of you exited, taking a few deep breaths and frantically wiping your clammy hands on your dress before Javi interlaced his fingers with yours to walk up to the house.

“Hey Pops, we’re here!” Javi announced, opening the door for the both of you. He stepped a little further into the living room, a concerned look now growing across his face at the lack of response. “Dad?” He called out again to the sound of silence. Javi wandered a little deeper into the home, peeking his head into the kitchen and down the hallway as he looked back at you in confusion. “That’s weird, he’s normally done working by now.” He looked around, placing his hands on his hips before looking down at you, crossing your arms and biting your lip.

“You promise you love me and you’re not gonna be mad at me?” You asked, scrunching your brow.

“Baby, what is going on?” His face now even more puzzled.

“You promise?”

“Of course I promise, Osita, what is happening, why are you being so weird?” He now mirrored your stance, crossing his arms over his chest, trying his best not to panic. You grabbed his hand, leading him towards the door of the backyard patio, letting out one last little gulp before you spoke.

“I love you more than anything in the world, Jav. I know you said you don’t think that anyone cares about you or your birthday, but there are so many people who love you, me included, who think that you deserve to have the most amazing day ever. I know you don’t believe it, but I do, and so does everyone else.” You pressed up on your toes to give him one last kiss before opening the sliding glass door, watching him walk out to the back porch. He looked around to see the balloons, streamers and string lights hanging from the deck as you stood behind him, giving a thumbs up to Chucho, who had all of the party guests hidden on the side of the house. He turned back around to face towards you, completely bewildered.

“Osita, what’s going-”

“SURPRISE!”

Javi spun around to see not one, not ten, but a crowd of people now standing at the bottom of the deck, smiles stretched across their faces as they looked up at him. At first, he thought it was a joke. He looked back at you, nodding your head in reassurance, like you could read his mind.

Yes, these people are all really here for you, pendejo.

He looked back out into the sea of people standing in the backyard, now realizing just how many people had shown up just to celebrate him. His whole family- Aunts, uncles, cousins, and their children, his family friends, your 3rd grade co-workers, Carter and Miller, fucking Steve Murphy? And Connie? He turned around to face you one more time, tears welling in his eyes, truly in disbelief. “Baby… Did you… Did you do this all for me?” He cupped your face, cradling your cheek.

“Yes, well me and your dad. Just about killed me to try and keep it a secret this long, I think I was gonna spontaneously combust if I had to tell you another lie.” Your gaze was soft and tender as you stared up at him, letting out a little laugh at the state of disbelief Javi was still in. “Happy Birthday, Javi. Te amo.”

Taking his hands and grasping both sides of your face, Javi pulled you in closer, his mouth meeting yours with a passion that made your heart flutter, his kiss was deep and intense. It was almost enough to drown out the hooting and hollering of the crowd you forgot was watching you from the yard, Javi pulling away in laughter as he heard, who he assumed to be Steve’s loud “OW OWWWWW!” as the two of you found yourselves dangerously close to making out in front of Javi’s friends and family. Chucho joined you on the deck, his grunt from each step of the stairs giving away his presence as you ran over to give him a hug.

“Lo hicimos, Chucho. Buen trabajo, Chiflado.” (We did it, Chucho. Nice work, crazy.)

“Lo hicimos, Mija. Ven aquí, Javier. (We did it, mija. Come here, Javier).” Chucho held out his arm, motioning for Javi to join them in their group hug.

“Feliz cumpleaños!” (Happy birthday!) you both beamed up at Javi, wrapping your arms around him. At that moment, Javi didn’t care how tough of a man he thought he was. He didn’t care that he was in front of almost everyone he knew. He didn’t care what anyone thought. The sight of the two of you wrapped around his waist, laughing and smiling together as you held him brought him to tears. You were the two people he cared about more than anything in this world, and the fact that you both cared about him just as much made him weak in the knees. For a very long time, Javi had convinced himself that he wasn’t worth caring for. Sure, people would say they cared, but words were really nothing but- They were just words. But then there was you. Your words, your actions, your kindness, your sweet heart. You. Everything about you. You cared about him. You loved him. For the first time in a very long time, Javier Peña could feel himself finally starting to believe that maybe, just maybe, he really was worth caring for.

Chucho grabbed his son by the arm, giving him a firm grasp, as he too, wiped the tears rolling down his cheeks. “Te amo, hijo. Me enorgullece el hombre que eres. Yo se tu madre estaría tambien. Feliz cumpleaños, Javier.” (I love you, son. I am so proud of the man you've become. I know your mother would be, too. Happy birthday, Javier). You watched as the two of them embraced, Chucho patting Javi on the back, squeezing him tightly before pulling away and pointing at you. “She’s a good one. You better marry this girl, Javier. And not just because I want my nietos (grandkids).” That one had both your faces turning an embarrassing shade of red as Chucho pulled you both back in for a hug before letting you go to address the crowd.

“Vamos de fiesta!” (Let’s party!)

As the upbeat music began to play in the background, Javi grabbed you by the hand, leading you down the deck into the crowd below. It was no surprise to either of you that the first voice that greeted you was one you hadn’t heard since the beginning of june.

“MIJAAAAAAAAA!” Maria screeched as she wrapped her arms around the two of you, squeezing you in for a hug before pulling away with a staunch frown on her face. “Why have neither of you called?! Apparently you two are in love and I have to hear it from Chucho?! Dios Mio, I cannot believe it!” You and Javi laughed as she swatted at the both of you, the two of you grimacing between your giggles.

“Sorry, Maria.” Javi replied, leaning back down to kiss her on the cheek, easing some of her theatrics.

“Fine, I will forgive you. Only because it is your birthday. As long as I am invited to the wedding, I won’t complain.” She pointed a finger at Javi as he pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath.

“Maria… Please?” He looked down at her, giving your hand a little squeeze as you quickly caught him smirk in your direction.

“Oh, pshhhhhh.” She waved her hand at him again, rolling her eyes. “I already know it will happen, so just keep me on the guest list. I really am glad to see you both so happy. Feliz cumpleaños, Javier.” This time, she ended her sentence with a genuine smile, bringing you back for one last hug before giving a wave and heading back into the crowd.

“Well… This school year’s gonna be fun.” You raised an eyebrow at Javi, the both of you knowing Maria was about to be a relentless investigator in your relationship once September rolled around. “I’m gonna go check on something inside really quick, are you gonna be okay if I leave you to fend for yourself?” You smiled at him, telling that as thankful as he was, Javi was still feeling a little overwhelmed by all the attention. He nodded, giving you a quick kiss on the head as you disappeared to make sure everything had made it to its proper place before the party kicked into full swing.

Javi took a deep breath, relieved to find his dad approaching him, already holding out a beer in his hand for his son to take. “Figured you might need a little liquid courage.” Chucho chuckled, patting Javi on the back. Javi quickly took the can, cracking it open and holding it up to cheers with his dad, taking an extra long sip before holding it by his side.

“She really planned all this?” Javi grinned at his dad in disbelief, looking out at the crowd around him.

“Sure did, hijo. She’s been planning it for weeks, been over here more times than I can count while you’ve been at work. She wanted to make sure everything was perfect for you. That girl loves you so much, Javier. I hope you know how lucky you are.”

Javi watched as you made your way back down from the deck, awestruck by every inch of you as you made your way back to him. Looking at you was like looking at a fucking dream. He was the luckiest man on the face of the earth. He knew that for damn sure. Before Javi could respond to his dad, he felt two hands grab him by the shoulders and shake him from behind, already knowing exactly who it was from the moment he heard his voice.

“Happy birthday, you grumpy old bastard.”

Never in his life did Javi think that he would be so excited to see Steve Murphy.

“Hey, Murph.” Javi chuckled, grabbing Steve in a tight embrace, the two patting each other's backs before pulling away.

“Fuck, you look old. What’d ya turn this year, 76?”

“Fuck off, Murphy. Could say the same for you.” It had been years since the two had seen each other, but the way Javi and Steve picked right back up where they had left off made it feel like not even a day had passed between them.

“Havin’ kids will do that to ya. Sure it won’t be long ‘till you find that out. Speakin’ of which, where’s the girlfriend?” Steve winked, taking a sip of his beer as Javi took an over exaggerated sigh, raising his own beer up to his mouth, relieved to find you walking up to the two of them.

“Oh, you already got a drink? Okay, two for me then, I guess.” You shrugged, setting one of your beers down in the grass as Javi wrapped his hand around your hip, planting a kiss on your temple. “You must be Steve?” You asked, outstretching your hand toward his tall, lanky frame.

“You must be the girlfriend?” He replied mischievously.

“I wish. He’s just paying me to walk around with him all night to make him look good. Felt bad for the guy with it being his birthday and everything. What’d you say your name was again? Julio?” You snorted as you looked up at Javi, shaking his head as you nudged his side.

“Fuck, she’s funny. I like her, Jav.” Steve grinned at Javi, raising an eyebrow.

“You two are both the biggest pain in my ass I think I’ve ever met.” Javi retorted, smirking at you as he gave you a little nudge back.

“Well, at least he’s got a type.” You held up your drink up to Steve’s, the both of you laughing as a petite blonde haired woman approached with 2 little girls behind her and one in her arms.

“Hi Javi.” She smiled warmly, passing the baby off to Steve as she gave Javi a hug. “It’s so good to see you. Hope Steve isn’t already giving you too much of a hard time.”

“Thanks, Connie. Good to see you too. Con, this is my girlfr-”

“Girlfriend? I had a feeling. Steve told me all about you. It’s really nice to meet you.” Connie reached her arms out towards you, pulling you in for a hug.

“It’s really nice to meet you too, thank you so much for coming.” You smiled at her, looking over at the two girls behind her. “Are these your daughters?”

“Oh yes, this is Olivia and Abby, and the little one is Madison. Can you say hi, girls? Javi used to work with your dad a long time ago!” Connie cooed at the girls, playing with each other behind their mom.

“Hi!” The girls waved shyly before darting behind Connie’s legs, giggling to one another.

You and Javi both waved back as you crouched down on your knees to talk with them. “So Olivia and Abby, how old are you?”

“10!” Olivia responded, trying to pull her sister away from Connie to get a better look at you. “Abby’s 6 but she’s really shy.”

“I am not!” Abby demanded, stomping her foot at her sister. “I’m almost 7, so I won’t be 6 for much longer.”

“Well it looks like we have two birthdays to celebrate!” You smiled as Abby peeked a little further from out behind her mom. “So let me guess, you girls are going into 5th grade and 1st grade? I teach 3rd grade, so I’m right in between you two!” The girls' faces lit up instantly as you told them about your profession.

“I wanna be a teacher when I’m a grown up!” Olivia beamed, tugging at Connie’s sleeve. “Mommy, do you think she’ll play unicorns with us?” Abby now bouncing up and down in excitement next to her.

“Oh sweetie, I don’t-”

“No it’s okay!” You interjected, cutting off Connie. “Of course I can play. Just for a little bit though. I’m sure playing with you is way more fun than talking with grownups, but I promised Javi I’d spend time with him tonight because it’s his birthday, okay?” You stood up, now facing Javi looking like he hadn’t heard a single word you had just said. “Jav?”

“Uh yeah, sorry, what’d you say?” He shook his head, trying to clear the strangely comforting feeling he had growing in his chest with how sweetly you had talked to the girls.

“You okay if I go hang with these two cuties for a little while? Unless you’re also dying to go play unicorns, in which case I'm sure the girls will let you join since it’s your birthday.” You gestured back over to Olivia and Abby, laughing as you watched them already pretending to gallop around the backyard.

“I’m good on the unicorns, thanks Osita.” He chuckled as you pressed up on your tiptoes to give him a kiss before heading off to join the girls.

“THERE’S NO KISSING IN UNICORNS!” Olivia shouted from across the yard making you, Connie, Steve and Javi burst out into hysterics, holding up your arms like you had been caught, turning around to point at Javi and give him a playful stank face as you walked away.

“Goddamn, Jav. When you puttin’ a ring on that girl’s finger?” Steve and Connie both smirked as he passed baby Madison back over to her, Connie carrying her over to watch where the girls were playing.

“Murph, c’mon-” Javi tried to stop him from getting any further before he knew how much shit Steve was about to throw his way, regardless of what his answer was.

“I’m bein’ serious, Javi. She’s a fuckin’ catch. Happiest I’ve ever seen you, that’s for sure. What the hell you waitin’ for, man?” Javi could tell Steve was being genuinely serious, something that didn’t happen often. Javi took another sip of his near empty drink as he rested his hands on his hips, staring back at Steve’s impatient glare.

“I don’t know, Steve. I- She’s perfect. Fuck, I don’t know, it’s only been 3 months, I don’t wanna rush things or scare her off, I- I didn’t know you could love someone this much, Murph. I’m scared I’m gonna fuck it up somehow.” Javi’s gaze shot down to the ground, running his hands through the dark curls of his hair before setting his can down in the grass.

“Listen, I’ll say one more thing and then I’ll shut up about it, I promise.” Steve held his hands up in defense as Javi nodded, waiting for what Steve had to say. “I dated someone before Con for 3 fuckin’ years and it blew up in my face because it just wasn’t it. I met Connie two weeks later, and I knew from the moment I met her I wanted to spend the rest of my fuckin’ life with her. Got married 10 months later. When ya know, ya know, Jav. And if there’s one thing I can tell for certain is that you’re fuckin’ lovesick fool for her, and she sure as hell loves you too. You won’t mess anything up, Peña. Now c’mon, I got a lotta birthday whiskey I need to give you.”

Looking over Steve’s shoulder, Javi watched as you ran around with Olivia and Abby, that bright beautiful smile stretched across your face, his heart bursting as he watched you laugh and giggle with the girls in the grass. He hated to admit that Steve was right about anything, but there wasn’t a doubt in Javi’s mind that he wasn’t. He’d marry you tomorrow. He would have married you yesterday. Fuck, he would have married you 2 months ago. God, the only thing stopping him at this point was not wanting to hear the 10 pounds of shit Steve was going to give him during the best man speech at his wedding.

Despite getting roped into playing Unicorns for a little longer than you had intended, the party seemed to be going off without a hitch. People were having fun, the food Chucho had grilled was delicious, and more important than anything else, Javi was happy. Genuinely happy. You were worried that with the amount of people who had come, Javi would be overwhelmed by the attention, counting down the minutes until the night was over. It had shocked you how many times Javi had thanked you not only for everything you had done for him that day, but for inviting so many people that he had barely seen since his mom had passed. He was so excited to introduce you to the rest of his family that you hadn’t met yet, and found himself on the brink of tears as you tried to converse with them in Spanish, finding out that part of the reason you had spent so much time with Chucho was to learn more so you could talk to the people he cared about the most in their native language. It made him burst with pride how each friend and family member he introduced you to couldn't express enough how much they loved you, and how happy they were for him. Truth be told, the only thing that Javi had to even try to complain about was the fact that you still made everyone sing him Happy Birthday and blow out the candles on the cake you had made. Even when he told you that you were mad about it, Javi knew that you could see right through him, and that he couldn’t have been more thankful for every single thing you had done for him that day.

Long after the sun had set below the horizon of the Peña ranch, the party was still in full swing, the string lights you and Chucho had hung along the deck now lighting up the boisterous dance floor the patio had become. Despite his genuine happiness, you were more than convinced that Steve’s birthday whiskey definitely had something to do with the fact that Javi asked you to go dance with him, but wasn’t quite enough liquid courage to keep him on the dance floor as you tried to drag him back out to do the Macarena with you and his tías. After a few of his cousins had dragged him inside for another beer, Javi found himself sitting at the kitchen table, still getting a good view of you on the porch as you sang and danced away. Javi took a sip of his drink, letting out a content sigh as he leaned back in the chair and watched Steve fumble his way into the kitchen, holding Madison with a desperate look in his eyes.

“Thank God, there you are. Can you watch her, please?” Steve outstretched the baby girl out to Javi, panting like he had sprinted to come find him.

“Steve, what? Are you sure that-?” Javi looked back at Steve suspiciously, leaving Madison dangling between the two of them as Steve practically set her in Javi’s lap.

“Listen, I got two little girls out in the backyard fightin’ over who the hell gets to be the purple mermaid, Con’s out at the car tryin’ to get the girl’s pajamas, so either you take the baby, or go help Olivia and Abby decide who the goddamn purple mermaid is cause I can’t do both.” Sensing the desperation in his tone, Javi took Madison in his arms as Steve went as quickly as he came through the kitchen. “Word of advice, Jav?” Steve yelled across the room as he moved towards the door.

“Yeah, Murph?”

“Don’t let the kids outnumber you.”

Javi chuckled to himself as he looked down at the baby now sitting in his lap. “Guess it’s just you and me, huh?” Javi shrugged as Maidson as he bounced her in his lap. Javi had never really understood why people were so obsessed with babies, considering that they didn’t really do much. But as Javi listened to Madison babble and squeal as he rocked her up and down, he found himself with a grin stretched across his face that he was definitely not expecting. Now on a mission to get another cute reaction out of her, Javi held Madison in his arms, making goofy faces at her as her happy shrieks and coos continued.

Realizing that Javi had been gone for a good amount of time, you looked around the yard, finding that Javi was nowhere in sight. Chucho mentioned something to you about seeing Javi head into the house with his primos (cousins) not too long ago, so you decided to make your way through the crowd to see if you could find him.

“Oh hey, there you are, Hermosa!” you heard Javi’s voice greet you, your back still turned to him as you closed the door behind you.

“Hi, birthday boy! I was looking for-”

Oh.

Oh, dear lord.

The sight you had stumbled upon was nothing that you could have mentally prepared yourself for. It hadn’t helped that for some reason, Javi seemed to be a kid magnet- every child at the party wanting to come up and talk to him or wish him happy birthday. That in itself would have been fine. But what really sent you over the edge was the fact that he was so goddam sweet with every single one of them. Like when you had watched as he crouched down to talk with one of his youngest cousins, listening intently as he told Javi all about his soccer team, or hug one of Estelle’s granddaughters who had made him a birthday card, Javi thanking her in that same sweet voice you had heard him use with animals. It practically melted to the ground as you watched him wrap his arms around her, telling her “Que hermosa! Muchos gracias! (So pretty! Thank you so much!) As she handed him the card. That alone was enough to turn you into a puddle. But now, here you were, looking at Javier Peña, making the sweetest silly faces to the baby he had sitting on his lap. You were ready to run home and toss your birth control out the fucking window.

“You okay, Osita?” Javi asked, waiting for you to finish the rest of your sentence.

“Yup. I am great. I am doing perfectly fine. I am feeling SUUUUPER normal about what’s happening right now.” You gestured to Javi, now propping Madison against his shoulder as he stood up.

Oh my GOD, is he broad. That man could easily fit 3 more babies in his arms. I’m about to get him to put 3 more babies in- NO. STOP. STOP THIS RIGHT NOW. You aren’t even close to being engaged yet, let alone married, you idiot. You cannot have this man’s babies right now. Well, I meannnnn, I guess I- NO. Self control. Pull it together, you hormonal monster. Jesus Christ.

Javi shook his head as he laughed to himself, almost as if he could hear the internal monologue going on in your head as you watched him carry Madison over to you. “What?” He smirked at you, bouncing the baby girl in his arms.

“Don’t you what me, Javier Jesús Peña. You expect me to walk in on you holding a baby and just be normal about it? Here, let me hold her before I look at you any longer and my ovaries burst.” You reached up as Javi passed Madison over to you, holding her only for a brief moment before Steve came rushing back in, snatching her out of your arms.

“If Connie asks, I had her the whole time and the girls didn’t have two extra pieces of cake to stop the mermaid argument.”

Before either of you could say another word, Steve was back out of the kitchen, rushing through the patio door. His swift entrance and exit left you and Javi alone, standing dangerously close to one another, the sexual tension between the two of you so thick, a chainsaw wouldn’t have been able to cut through it. You were using any and all self control you had to not pounce on Javi after watching him hold that baby, but he clearly seemed to have even less restraint than you.

“C’mere.” Javi rasped, his mouth moving faster than his brain as he grabbed your wrist to pull you down the hallway into his room, frantically closing and locking the door behind him. In seconds, your lips crashed into each other, moans escaping from your mouths in between each breath, as your hands grasped at tight fistfuls of the other’s clothing. Javi’s tongue swept into your mouth, kissing you like his life depended on it, the both of you becoming so needy and desperate in each other's arms. Javi’s hands hiked up the hem of your dress, sliding against your thighs before wrapping his arms under your legs, hoisting you up and carrying you into the ensuite attached to his room, using his back to push open the door. He set you down on the counter, quickly pressing the lock to the bathroom before he was back to nipping at your neck, the palms of his hands pressing against every inch of your body as he slid the straps of your dress off your shoulders.

“Javiiii…” You whined in between his frantic kisses. “Javi, we can’t do this here, all your friends and family are outside, this is a bad idea.” Your words were less convincing than ever as you ran your hands through Javi’s hair, tugging at the ends of his thick, brown locks, wrapping your legs around the small of his back to pull him closer to you.

“I don’t care. Fuck, I need you right now.” He planted hot, wet kisses along your neck and chest, pushing down the top of your dress, leaving your breasts exposed, your nipples pebbling against the cool air and Javi’s touch. He swiped his tongue against each, flicking and swirling them in his mouth as he dug his fingers into your hips, making it harder and harder to keep your moans quiet.

“Javi, we can’t. What if someone finds us? I want your family to like me, and I’m pretty sure one of them walking in on us isn’t gonna help my case very much.” You couldn’t even bother trying to convince yourself at this point. You could already feel how wet the fabric of your underwear was, slick pooling along your thighs as you and Javi practically clawed at each other, feverishly desperate and worked up.

Javi smirked, shaking his head as hooked his fingers around the waistband of your panties, letting them fall to the floor as they slid down your legs. “You don’t have to worry about that, baby. They fucking love you. You know what everyone keeps asking me, huh?” He took his hand, placing it under your chin, forcing your gaze to meet with the dark, lustful pools of his eyes, the other sliding up your bare thigh, his fingers sliding through your wet folds, collecting the arousal already dripping from them. “They keep asking me when I’m gonna marry you.”

He pushed his thick fingers into your heat, making you shutter as your hands white knuckled the edge of the marbled countertop. “Couldn’t stop thinking about it all fucking day. How fucking perfect you are, what good wife you’d be.” The calloused pad of his thumb pressed against your clit, the motion of him rubbing back and forth and his fingers pulsing in and out of you making you scrunch your face, your jaw hinged open, trying everything you could to keep quiet.

Javi would have loved to do nothing more than spend the rest of the night making you cum over and over again, but the both of you knew now wasn’t the time or place to keep things drawn out. He pulled his fingers out of you, making you bite down on your tongue to keep from whimpering as Javi worked at his belt, hearing the buckle clink as he pushed his pants and boxers down his thighs. His cock sprang free as it flung out from under the waistband of his underwear, already throbbing and leaking precum from its tip. Javi spitting on his hand to stroke himself before collecting the slick around your entrance and pushing deep inside your heat. Javi held his hand up over your mouth, trying to keep from screaming into his palm as the sweet stretch of his length felt like it was splitting you open. “Shhhhh, I know baby.” He mewled, reaching his free hand down to once again rub against your throbbing bundle of nerves. “Gotta be a good girl and keep quiet for me, okay?” You nodded frantically as he took his hand off your mouth, biting down on your lip as his thrusts became quicker, pounding into you with a desperate intensity. “Jesus you’re so fucking wet. Does it turn you on, Osita? Thinking about me being your husband?” The way Javi punched against your walls had you writhing, squeezing your legs tighter around his waist and burying your face in the crook of his neck, toes curling with each satisfying thrust. You were practically incoherent- the way his hips snapped ferociously against you, fingers circling against your clit, talking about being his fucking wife? You let your words babble from your brain straight to your mouth, unfiltered, as they fell from your lips.

“Fuck- oh my god - Yes, fuck, it turns me on so much. I think about it all the time. Fuck, I wanna marry you so bad, have your kids, I want all of it Javi. I want- Oh shit- I want all of it.” You could feel the tingle creeping from the base of your spine into your belly, digging your fingertips into the shirt stretched across the muscles of Javi’s broad back, crying out silently into his shoulder. The sounds that filled the air between you were wanton, hearing how wet you were as Javi slid in and out of you, his grunts strained against his gritted teeth, thrusting deeper and harder as he felt your pussy begin to flutter around him.

“Jesus- fuck me - Makes me so fucking hard thinking about it. Making you my fucking wife, putting a ring on your finger, fucking a baby into you. I’ll give it all to you, Osita.” You balled your fists around the fabric of his shirt, nearly ripping it off his back as you sobbed into his neck feeling how close you were. His free hand reached back up against your face, cupping over your mouth to muffle your moans, feeling you clench tighter and tighter around his cock. “That’s it baby. Let go. Soak my dick before I fuck you full of me.” The coil in your belly snapped as you whimpered into his palm, your orgasm overtaking you, body erupting with pleasure.

Hi Javi’s thrusts became sloppy and sporadic, frantically chasing his own high, desperate to fuck every last drop of himself into you. “Fuck, Hermosa, you’re so good to me, giving me the best fucking birthday- mierda - you’re fucking perfect. All fucking mine. Oh shit, fuck, baby, I’m- ahhhhhh.” With one last pulse, his seed spilled against the heat of your walls, his cock throbbing inside you, pushing every last drop of himself into your cunt. He slumped his forehead against your shoulder, feeling the sweaty curls of his hair stick to your skin as your chests rose and fell in sync. Javi hissed as he pulled out, feeling the mixture of the two of you drip down your legs. Running his two fingers along the inside of your still trembling thighs, he collected your spend, bringing it back to your entrance before pushing his thick digits back into your heat, making you gasp. “Gonna keep you full of me all fucking night, pretty girl.” He leaned down to kiss along the trail he had swiped up before traveling his lips up your body, stopping at your mouth. He reached down to grab your panties, pulling them back over your legs as he helped you down off of the counter, shuffling them over your ass as he gave it a quick smack before pulling your dress back down to its rightful position. You leaned against the counter as Javi brought his pants and boxers back around his waist, fastening his belt buckle, looking up to see you grinning at him.

“Did you mean what you said? About- about all that stuff?” You asked, biting down on your lip, heat building in your face as your heart pounded in your chest.

“Every fucking word, baby.” He cradled your cheek, running his thumb along your jaw, his face radiating with joy and content. “Osita, this has been the best fucking birthday I’ve ever had. Never in a million fucking years did I think someone would even care enough to remember my birthday, let alone do all this shit for me. I never wanna have another goddamn birthday without you. Today has been perfect. I’m ready to go and take you home to our apartment. Tú y yo, Osita. Para el restoro de mi vida (Me and you, Osita. For the rest of my life.) I love you so much.”

Before Javi could lean down to kiss you again, your bodies both froze in fear as you heard the doorknob to the bedroom rattling. “Fuck…” Javi muttered to himself. “Wait right here, okay? I promise I’ll make sure no one finds out you’re in here. Fuck, I’m so sorry.” He gave you a quick kiss on the head before carefully closing the ensuite door, trying his best to fix his hair and shirt as he heard knocking on the other end.

“Jav! It’s Steve. I know you’re in there, you sneaky son of a bitch.”

Javi groaned as he opened the door, stepping out of his room to find Steve smirking as he crossed his arms against his chest. “Whatchya doin’ in there, buddy?”

“Fuck off, Murphy, I just- I had to go get something really quick.” Javi’s eyes darted up and down the hallway to make sure no one else was around.

“Whatever ya say man. Hey listen, all the girls are cashed out in the car so we’re gonna hit the road. I just wanted to say it was so good to see you, Peña. The two of you need to come by sometime now that we’re close. I know I’ve given you a lot of shit over the years, but I mean it when I say I’m really fucking happy for you. Happy birthday, ya grumpy old bastard.” Steve pulled in Javi for a hug, giving him one last pat on the back before pulling away. “And Jav?”

“Yeah, Murph?”

“Your fly’s undone.”

“Oh, fuck…” Javi muttered, quickly reaching down to zip up his pants while Steve was trying to keep himself from cackling.

You snuck out of the bathroom to press against the doorway, trying to figure out who had almost caught you and Javi. Not realizing that Javi hadn’t closed the door all the way, you leaned just a little too hard, forcing it open as you sheepishly peeked your head out behind Javi.

“Bye, sweetheart.” Steve winked at you before heading down the hallway and disappearing around the corner, your face beet red knowing you had completely blown your cover.

“Bye Steve.” You muffled through the hand now completely covering your face in embarrassment before looking back up at Javi. “Better him than your dad, I guess? Or God forbid, Maria?” You both grimaced, the idea of either of those two finding you in the state Steve had making you shutter.

“Jesus, I can’t even think about that.” You both laughed as Javi snaked his hand around your waist, pulling you flush with his chest. “Whaddya say we head home, roomie?” The name making you grin as you hugged your arms around his hips, laying his head against the soft fabric of his shirt.

“Sounds good to me, birthday boy.”

The two of you made your way back out to the party, the number of guests dwindling from the late hours of the night the party had extended to. You said your goodbyes to the friends and family still lingering, making sure to give an extra long hug to Chucho, thanking him again for everything he had done to help make sure the party had gone perfectly.

“I can come over tomorrow if you need help cleaning up okay? Don’t need you complaining about your knees anymore than you already are.” You smiled, Chucho pulling you in for one last squeeze.

“Cabrón. Mis viejas rodillas están bien. (Asshole. My old knees are just fine). But if you wanted to come over tomorrow morning to help, I wouldn’t complain. I’m sure this one wants to come get the rest of his things and get out his old man’s hair once and for all.” He chuckled as he grinned at Javi, shaking his head at the two of you.

“Sounds good, we’ll see you tomorrow, Chucho. Thank you again. You’re the best. You ready, Jav?” You squeezed his hand, giving him a little nudge.

“Yeah, I just gotta ask Pops something real quick, I’ll meet you out by the car, okay?” He replied, giving you a kiss on the head as you gave Chucho one last wave before making your way back to the driveway.

“Qué necesitas, hijo?” (What do you need, son?). Chucho raised an eyebrow at Javi, watching his son fidget with his fingers, leg bouncing anxiously. Making sure you had disappeared from his sight, Javi looked around the crowd one more time before taking a shaky breath.

“I uh- I don’t need it now, but, I mean I’m still gonna give it some time- I um, I just wanted to know if, fuck, if um, I could- I could have mom’s ring?”

Chucho’s eye’s glistened, beaming at Javi as he wrapped his arm around his son. “Javier. That ring has been sitting on my nightstand since I got home from Maria’s party all those months ago. I’m just glad you finally asked and I didn’t have to put it in your pocket for you.”

Taglist: @cool-iguana @rhoorl @whyjuliaaa @bbiophiliaa @pertinentpostmortem @angelofsmalldeath-codeine @pedrobaby @fatima-marisa @beboldbebravethings @poodlebae @kittenlittle24 @3sriracha @jungchloee @perennialdoll247 @prettyinpunk85 @partyofone3413 @harriedandharassed

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chatterbox-73 · 2 years

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Twelve days of Smutcember 2022.

Day 12 - Like it was.

Izuku Midoriya (Katsuki Bakugo) x fem!Reader

This story is a smut story for Smutcember, I’ll be writing more characters x reader one shots for Smutcember and if you want to see a character please let me know...

finally I think it’s important to note, I might be a person who celebrates Christmas, however I know not everyone does so I won’t/try not to mention or reference any particular festive holiday in these one shots, out of respect for everyone.

You must be 18 years or older to read this...

🔞⚠️NO MINORS ALLOWED⚠️🔞

A/N: Parts one: When he’s away (Katsuki Bakugo)

Also I have started working on a part three☺️

Kitten’s name is Fuku, 福 in Japanese kanji which means ‘good fortune’ or ‘good luck’.

Do not mistaken with ふく which means ‘clothes’.

Summary: your husband has changed since finding out about you and his friend, nothing is like it was… but maybe that’s for the best.

Word count: 2.3k

CW: slight role play, rough sex, open relationship (slight cheating), mention of oral, size difference, slight bondage, swearing.

You sat on the couch holding the small kitten you and Katsuki had rescued two weeks ago, you had decided to name the kitten Fuku, “he’ll be home soon, it’s been nice having him around more…” you spoke to the cat as he purred and snuggled into you, “…his first reaction to me sleeping with Katsuki-Kun was scary, but he’s been so thoughtful and loving…” you sighed and as looked up at the ceiling, “…would it be so bad to start a family with him, I mean, I love my job and I don’t really wanna give that up yet…” Fuku licked your fingers as you tickled his chin, “…and I now he’s not seeing her anymore, but despite that we still haven’t been intimate at all, and well… me and Katsuki-kun have seen each other, every other day…” you hummed thinking back to only a few hours ago were Katsuki had you bent over his work desk as he ate you like you were the last meal on earth, “…you know me and Katsuki-kun have fun, but that’s all it is… I care about him but I also really care about Izuku…” you sighed and sat up, looking down at Fuku, “I really do care for Izuku, he’s all I’ve ever known, all I really have, and despite that one incident I think I might want to start being with him again” you explained and Fuku meowed, you smiled before placing him down, he then ran off. Your eyes followed were he ran to find you husband standing in the hallway with a bright blush taking over his face, “I didn’t mean to listen… I’m sorry, I-“ he cut himself off from a long winded rant, he placed the groceries bags on the kitchen counter and began to unpack them, you walked over to help, “it’s fine, I don’t mind” you explained as you place the vegetables from the bag you were emptying into the fridge, “I think we should be more open with each” you smiled and watched as your husband placed the last of the groceries in the cupboard, he turned to look at you and nodded, “I think your right…” he stepped closer to you and reached out a hand, “…I miss being close to you, and I hate the idea of you seeing Kacchan but if he makes you happy I’ll over look it…” he said softly as his large hands incased your smaller ones, you opened your mouth to speak but was cut off, “…but I do wish you’d let me be the only man in your heart, even if I’m not the only man in your body” Izuku leaned down to your eye level and smiled, you blushed uncontrollably, you both knew this was an unreasonable request as you didn’t think you ever could love someone, but it was sweet and made your stomach flutter, “Izuku, you know I-“ you were cut off once again as your husband placed a finger over your lips, “I know, but call it wishful thinking… I’m a master at waiting until the impossible becomes possible” he chuckled and kissed your hands before turning to leave the kitchen, you grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it slightly, “did you want me to make you dinner?” You asked Izuku turned back to look down at you and he shook his head, “there’s no need, I stopped off for some takeout on my way home… but if you’re hungry I can make you something” he smiled and you shook your head, “no it’s okay, me and Fuku ate before you got home… we were going to wait but you know how he gets with food” you chuckle slightly and say goodnight, before grabbing the collar of your husband’s shirt and pulling him down as you lean up on your tip toes to kiss his cheek.

You lay in bed looking up at the ceiling, you really did hate your bed, especially when Izuku wasn’t in it, as his large body would usually take up most, if not all of the space, even when the both of you were trying to sleep on opposite sides of the bed his body would still manage to touch and graze yours, but ever since that day he found out about you and Katsuki he hasn’t slept in the bed with you. You rolled onto your side and looked at the spot your husband would usually be sleeping, you sat up and sighed before throwing the blanket off you, getting out of the bed and walking down the hallway towards the living room to find the mountain of a man you married fast asleep on the couch, you walked over to him and pulled back the blanket covering him, Izuku was in nothing but some baggy All Might boxers, you chuckled and climbed on top on him settling on his chest. You closed your eyes and hummed in delight as your felt Izuku huge arms wrap around you, “why aren’t you in bed?” He asked in a scratchy tired voice as his eyes remained closed, you looked up at him “it’s really lonely in that bed” you whispered and he hummed, the vibration rumbling through your entire body and leaving a tingling between your legs, “if you don’t want me here say so…” you huffed and your husband’s eyes finally opened, before focusing on you, “I want you here… but you know how I get with I wake up” he whispered as he squeezed you a little tighter in his arms “I won’t be able to stop myself, you’re just so irresistible” he breathed in your scent and hummed deeply as his huffed out, “I wouldn’t mind it… I wouldn’t mind you” you leaning in close to his face and kissed the tip of his nose, before closing your eyes and beginning to drift off to sleep with Izuku following suit.

You felt huffing on your neck and your hips being held tightly, pecking your eyes open you notice it was now morning, you where no longer in the living room but now in the bedroom and your husband was leaning over top of you, “good morning…” he whispered into your skin and you shivered, his voice was still deep and scratchy like last night, Izuku leaned up and looked you in the eye, “good morning… looks like we slept in” you smiled and wrapped your arms around his neck, “it certainly is a ‘good morning’, especially waking up next to a beautiful woman like yourself” he chuckled and you blushed, your pulled Izuku down closer to you and rested your legs on his hips. “Shall we fuck?” Izuku questioned before pressing his face into your chest, you ground you hips against him “yes, let’s do it” you giggled and tugged the hair on the base of his neck. Izuku slowly undressed you, he groaned at the sight of your naked chest, “so soft… so squishy” he groaned even louder as he grabbed your breasts and squeezed them while he began to grind his hips into you, “that feels good…” you pant and grab his shoulders as he kept grinding into you, “put it in…” you moaned and tugged on Izuku’s shoulders.

You laid back flat on the bed as Izuku slowly stripped himself of his boxers, flexing his muscles with every move he made. Izuku was finally stripped, he knelt between your legs and began pumping his girthy length, you whined loudly as you grew more impatient by the minute, you grabbed one of the pillows you had pushed to the side earlier and throw it at him, “put it in… please” you cried and lifted your butt off the bed, you watched as Izuku leant down to your bare cunt and spat on it, before he roughly grabbed your hip and held them up off the bed. Izuku rubbed his tip against your clit before tracing your entrance, you reached for one of his scared hands on your hip and dug your nails into his skin, “please… please Izuku… I need it in” you begged gripping onto his hand tightly, he chuckled at your pathetic desperation but it did really exist him listening to you like that, “beg louder, I wanna see some really pleading… maybe even some tears, now beg” Izuku chuckled before dropping his voice towards the end, you felt goosebumps form on your body as your opening clenched around nothing. You managed to wriggle from Izuku grasp before crawling up to him and placing you hands on he muscular stomach, “please… please… I need it” you begged with big eyes as one of your hands traveled down his stomach past his bush and wrapping around his shaft, the mountain of a man roared with laughter before he grabbed your wrist and moved your hand away from his dick, “still not good enough… why not put on a show for me” he smirked. You quickly crawled away from him and got on your hands and knees with your ass up in the air facing him, you shook your ass slightly and looked back with big eyes, reaching a hand to your wet cunt before pushing two fingers in, you moaned and watched Izuku as he watched your dripping sex. You gave all kinds of dirty descriptions on what you wanted from your husband through desperate moans and whines, Izuku was slightly taken back because not in all the time you’ve been married have you ever been so sexually or kinky, only a year ago you would have been hiding under the sheets if he had tried any ‘dirty talk’ like he had so far, you certainly wouldn’t have ever shaken your bare ass him. “Mmmm, what a yummy view” Izuku smiled as he began pumping throbbing shaft, “oh are you going to punish me for playing with your meal” you breathlessly giggled as you slowly pulled your fingers out and began rubbing your clit, “maybe a little, I hope you can take all this” he hummed as he held his length upright for you to get a full view of it.

You smirked as an idea suddenly came into your head, you remembered Izuku telling you about a fantasy he once had, though he believed he ‘grew out of it’, which you knew was a load. You gave the man your best pouty face, “please don’t punish me too bad Mr hero” you fake cried, Izuku gasped and blushed heavily for a moment before, his eyes narrowed into glowing green slits and his muscles flexed, “you dumb little cock tease” he growled and he reached down to where he had discarded your shirt before he leaned back up and ripped the material, Izuku then roughly yanked your arm behind your back and tied them together tightly, he made sure there was no way you’d be getting out of this. Izuku grabbed your hips before flipping you on to your back, “you naughty little girl, taking up a big strong hero’s time…” he huffed as he gripped your hips and lifted them off the bed, “help me be a good girl Mr hero… please teach me to be a good girl” you were almost surprised at your words, you didn’t think you’d find something like this so hot, but you did and so did your husband. Izuku began to push into your tight entrance, you whined as his tip popped inside, “it’s tight, relax baby… please” he groaned before he leaned into you and cupped your face in his hand, “breathe baby… breathe” he hummed while he pushed further and further into you.

You moaned and whimpered as Izuku thrust roughly into you, your body moved and the bed shook with the force of his thrust, Izuku eyes were glued to his member sliding in and out of you while your cunt wrapped tightly around him, “Izuku, it’s too much” you gasped, you honestly thought your hips would give out under all the pressure of his thrusts, you couldn’t think of a time were Izuku ever fucked you like this, it was so raw and rough, yet so attentive and caring. You struggle to get your hands free but the shirt was tied too tight, “I wanna hold you” you whined and Izuku clicked his tongue, “not gonna happen, you naughty girl” he chuckled before flipping you onto your stomach, your husband then grabbed your tired arms and held the up, your body shook as he continued his brutal pace, he groaned and squeezed your arms, you began to babble nonsense as you felt yourself slipping into ecstasy, you tightened around his and he looked control of himself. You screamed out as Izuku hooked his arms under your legs and hoisted you up, he movements were so strong and unmanageable, yet so effortless and before you noticed it the bed snapped and broke under his forceful movements and weight, however you were both too lost in the moment you didn’t realise it, “fucking god damnit” he clenched his teeth as he released, he huffed in and out as his fell back and held you tight.

You both stayed like that, basking in your post orgasm glow, “that was fucking amazing” Izuku groaned as you felt his member twitch inside you, you hummed in agreement before sitting up, “Izuku, my arms” you said and felt him untie them before discarding the fabric, you turned and sat on his hips “cuddle with me?” You question before he pulled you into his arms.

You stood in the kitchen phone pressed to your ear as you watched Izuku carry broken pieces of the bed frame outside, “I’m sorry Katsuki-kun but I can’t see you tonight” you spoke before you felt an arm wrap around your back, “it’s alright, meet him tonight… but be sure to ask how my dick tastes or stay and maybe we’ll break more furniture” your husband whispered and you felt a shiver down your spine and your thighs pressed together.

Day 11: The Union - Tenya Iida.

Smutcember Masterlist.

#bnha #mha #bnha bakugo katsuki #bnha midoriya #mha midoriya #mha bakugo katsuki #bakugou x reader smut #midoriya x reader smut #izuku midoriya #mha deku #izuku x reader smut #mha smut

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swampstew · 5 months

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KillerCook Chapter 13

Welcome to Raven’s Reading Nook - a small corner of this blog dedicated to cozy story times. Join us in the family room as we sit around and celerate Straw Hat Luffy's birthday. Rated Mature for language. Minors DNI

Going Live in 3…2…1…

“Good evening everyone, thanks for tuning in. I’m Killer and this is my neighbor, Sanji.”

The two blond men sat at a slim table as they faced they audience, both waving their hands in greetings and casual small talk as viewers started joining the stream.

“Have you ever been on a live stream? Wait, are you even on social media?” Killer asked.

“Killer, we follow each other on Instagram,” the curly browed man scoffed.

“Oh the one I hardly use?” Killer asked in surprise, quick to pull out a cell phone. After scrolling for a few seconds, “Oh yeah, here you are: Sanji {censored}. Wait, THAT’s your last name? Are-are you serious?”

“Yeah, I’m adopted. What about it?”

“Why would you use your full government name on the Internet, you [redacted] idiot?” Kid griped as he came into the camera’s focus, taking the third seat at the table.

“It was never a concern until you blabbed it out loud in front of 3,000 and growing listeners,” Sanji snapped at them, whipping out his cell phone from his suit. “Great, now I gotta go on private…huh…hmm…maybe, maybe I’ll just change my user name,” he quieted down suddenly.

“Ooooo-kay. Moving on - we’re switching things up a bit. Today is a friend of a friend’s birthday and, surprisingly, a few people came to us seeking advice on making cake. Did no one ever teach them to bake? So Sanji and I thought we would make it a challenge. For ours and your entertainment.”

The camera was shifted offside to the second half of the kitchen, on the massive kitchen island that was set and stationed with ingredients, counter-top ovens, and three contenders.

Franky, Usopp, and Bubblegum.

They waved at the camera before the spotlight was once again on Killer.

“Now I’m no stranger to making cake but I’m brave enough to acknowledge that when it comes to plating and food decorating, Sanji is the true expert. Heat, please bring out the birthday cakes.”

Heat walked to the camera and showed off the treat before depositing the three-tier cake, with classic yet tastefully festive decorations, on the table for the hosts. Clean calligraphy on the top declared it to be Sanji’s roommate’s name, the birthday boy. Straw Hat Luffy. Repeating the process, Heat dropped off another cake, this time the cake was designed and shaped to look like a hunk of meat. A small straw hat sat atop of the bone leg.

“Thank you, Heat. Our challenge is to have our contenders make cakes that rival Chef Sanji’s. The rules are: it has to taste well, look good, the cake must be made using the ingredients on the table - no getting creative…looking at you, Bubblegum…” Killer warned.

“Both stacked cakes are layered with buttercream frosting, and decorated with more frosting, modeling chocolate, and fondant for the details. On average it takes about 90 minutes to bake and decorate a cake with enough time for cooling and correcting for any errors. But Killer is a bit sadistic.”

“That I am. And because it’s my show, I’m only giving these guys one hour.”

Kid slammed his hands on the table, standing up to shout, “SO GET BAKING!”

A separate camera was stationed and angled to record the contenders, catching Usopp as he jumped and knocked his bowl of eggs on the ground. Shattering.

“Ooooh and we’ve suffered our first casualty already. Of course Kid caused it and OF COURSE Usopp reacted,” Killer commented.

“Yeah this is going to set him back a little but not by much, Killer. The rule of thumb is to have your eggs and butter be at room temperature so they incorporate with the ingredients better. Having to use colder eggs means his batter could come out denser than he intends,” Sanji lit a cigarette. “Oh I meant to ask, can I smoke in here?”

“It’s fine, we smoke in the house all the time,” Kid left the table and the suspicious sound of bubbling water could be heard, followed by a billow of smoke.

While Usopp rushed around Bubblegum to retrieve new eggs, Franky was fast at work setting his ingredients in order to start baking. Bubblegum was lightly dancing on his feet as he read over the written recipe they had been provided.

“We gave them base cake mix recipes so they have to decide a flavor combination on their own, which can really make or break a cake’s standing with the crowd,” Sanji piped up after taking a few drags.

“If I was given a bad cake, I’d take it personally,” Kid said menacingly, drumming his metal prosthetic fingers on the table.

“Yeah yeah the threatening and torturing, we’ve all heard it,” Killer waved him off. “Sanji, how did you make your cakes? Explain so our viewers can learn the proper way.”

While Sanji explained the intricacies of the art of baking, Bubblegum, Usopp, and Franky were hurriedly working on their creations.

Franky was whistling as he quickly mixed his ingredients, pouring the thin batter into the pans and popping them into the oven. He looked confident, with the box of butter left unopened and parchment paper forgotten. Things one would normally use to grease a baking pan and protect batter from sticking.

Bubblegum was pouring his cake batter in the pans before he froze, a worried look on his face. Looking between the oven and his station, he quickly opened a can of dulce de leche and drizzled it directly into the batter, using a fork to mix it evenly.

Usopp, in an effort to save time, was throwing all his ingredients into the bowl and mixing them together. The batter was looking a little liquidly as he stepped in place to channel his nervousness.

“While the cake is baking, you should work on your buttercream frosting, a key point in the process to keep the cake moist while you decorate. It also serves as a binding agent for folding fondant over it. We gave the contenders pre-made fondant and modeling chocolate because I have some compassion. Drape the fondant over the cake, smooth it out, and trim at the edges. For a regular cake you can mainly use buttercream, but I would recommend it for shapes like the meat cake because it can help it maintain some structure, if it’s balanced just right. Too much weight can cause it to fall off or make a dent in your cake.”

“Modeling chocolate is great for decorations and requires a less refined hand compared to buttercream calligraphy. I would knead and mold the chocolate to be a straw hat, the bone leg coming from the meat of the cake, or maybe something cute like little balloons and party hats as cake toppers,” Sanji chuckled.

“I’m going to make some predictions,” Killer folded his hands, “Franky’s cake will get stuck to the pan, Bubblegum’s cake might come out crumbled based on how hard he was forking his pan, and I’m a leeeettle concerned about salmonella from Usopp’s cake.”

“If it looks and smells fine, I’ll eat it,” Kid chipped in.

With two minutes left on the timer, Killer reminded the bakers to put their cakes under the frosted cake covers when the timer hit zero seconds.

The three judges rose to their feet as they counted down the last 10 seconds.

“3…2…1…present your cakes!”

The three contenders lifted their respective covers for both camera’s that were now hovering between all 6 men as they stood at the kitchen island.

It was…hard…to stifle the giggles and laughter coming from Killer and Sanji, while Kid looked more or less baffled with the results.

Franky’s cake was well structured like the tier cake Sanji had made, if only a little flatter and less attractive. Franky was good at making things, but not so much with decorating - at least not when it comes to cakes. His cake was layered with fondant that slightly ruffled at the edges, and his buttercream handwriting wasn’t the best. His chocolate balloons were perfectly spherical but missing their strings, so they were actually more like colorful balls.

Usopp’s cake was much, much smaller than all five cakes. His station was a mess of puddles and crumbled cake, suggesting his cakes had cooked too thin and fell apart easily. To compensate for the small stature, Usopp made an effort to recreate the meat shaped cake. It certainly looked like a meat. The cake was the same color as Sanji’s, the straw hat looked fairly decent, unfortunately it - along with the molded chocolate bone - weighed too much and fell off the side.

Bubblegum’s cake was a combination of both. He had made the tier cake, and added the straw hat and a mini-meat sized cake as the toppers for his cake. Instead of buttercream lettering, a single candle stood between the toppers.

“I don’t actually know how old he is,” the tattooed man said sheepishly.

Kid was about to say something when Killer stopped him, “Its taste testing time. Cut off a slice from each cake and we’ll let you know if it’s acceptable to give to the birthday boy…man… Is he still a teenager or in his twenties?” he whipped his head to Sanji.

Sanji lit another cigarette, “He’s a kid at heart.”

“Good enough! Let’s take a bite.”

Starting with Franky’s cake, Kid and Sanji’s faces immediately crinkled as Killer went off camera to eat his piece.

“The…the flavor,” the redhead choked out.

“It’s…certainly a unique choice but I’m not sure I can place it,” Sanji looked at Franky.

“It’s cola flavored,” the mechanic gave the camera a thumbs up.

“It certainly is,” Killer responded as he grabbed bottled water for himself, Kid and Sanji. “Your cake had us in the first half. It looked like it could be trusted, and while the cola in itself isn’t a baaaad flavor, just…when it’s in my mouth, I feel like my taste buds are screaming, ‘that shouldn’t be cake!!’”

The judges nodded in agreement before moving on to Usopp’s cake. Only this time, Killer didn’t step away to taste it.

“Usopp, your cake is somehow cooked in some layers but not in others and I’m struggling to understand how that’s possible,” Killer nudged the cake around the plate.

Sanji agreed, “You know my policy on not wasting food but I don’t think I can defend this one. Your creative skills shine wherever you take them, the cake definitely looked edible.”

Kid was the only one who ate his portion, “Can barely taste the flavor,” he shrugged, biting into the chocolate straw hat.

Moving on to the final cake, the judges tasted the generous slice presented to them.

Sanji started, “Bubblegum, I don’t know you that well but I can tell, you can make a cake on the fly. I liked your last ditch effort to flavor this cake with the caramel drizzle and it gives your cake a nice texture, especially where the cake is a little dry. Your decorations are pleasant to look at, you even went the extra mile by combining both my examples into one!”

Killer came back to the kitchen island, “He’s an overachiever, that’s our Bubbs. I even like how he made the straw hat out of rice krispie treat covered with thin layers of buttercream.

“Suck up,” Kid rolled his eyes as he finished the plate, “But its a good cake BG. You make me proud. I don’t really love fondant so I appreciate you topping the cake with frosting and leaving the fake crap to the meat topper.”

“The meat is also made of rice krispie treat,” Bubblegum chirped.

“Work smarter not harder, that’s m’boy.”

“It time to declare which cakes are acceptable to bring over for Luffy’s party,” Killer announced. The three judges took a few minutes to themselves to discuss the cakes.

Lining up in front of their contenders, Killer addressed them and the live audience at the same time, “We saw some struggles, we saw some personal challenges, and most importantly, we saw growth. Whether or not that helps you make better cake in the future is not really my problem but I hope you at least take away something meaningful from this.”

Usopp nervously giggled.

“The cakes that are acceptable—“

Killer didn’t finish his sentence, cut off as someone shouting throughout the house could be heard.

“SAAAAAANJJIIIIII? WHERE AAARRE YOOOUUUUU?” the person with a tune in his voice was coming closer to the kitchen, “C’mooonn!!! We can’t start the party without you!! Are you hiding my cake here? I promise I won’t take a bite out if it and cover it up like last time.”

The kitchen occupants were silently moving towards the backyard sliding glass door, hoping to make a clean escape. Their hopes quickly blown away as the kitchen door handle turned.

Monkey D. Luffy walked through the door, multiple cone hats sat over his trademark straw hat.

The last words the audience heard: “HOLY CRAP FIVE CAKES?!?!?!”

Before the live stream suddenly cut to black, a rabid Luffy sprinted towards the judges and contenders as they screamed in fear.

Read on Wattpad | Read on AO3

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hannahssimblr · 10 months

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Chapter Seven (Part 3)

The sun has already begun its descent behind the horizon when we all sit down to eat at three o’clock. These later December days are so short that sometimes I wonder why the sun bothers to show up at all, and why not just give up its teasing and go away altogether until it’s ready to stay and commit to a decent amount of daylight.

The candles in the centre of the table flicker and dance in the fading light and the lights on the christmas tree twinkle, and the sight is so cosy and festive that I suppose I don’t really mind all that much about the dusk. Uncle Sean sails out of the kitchen carrying the huge roasted turkey fit for ten, and everyone applauds with delight as he smiles as though he’s the one who slaved over it all morning. He places it right in the middle of the table surrounded by the roasted carrot batons and the crispy roast potatoes, parsnips, mash, brussels sprouts, homemade yorkshire puddings, ham studded with cloves, gallons of gravy and bread sauce, so much food that one might think it’ll last for days, but it will be gone in an hour.

Granny makes us say a prayer in thanks for the food, and the minute we’ve finished Conor and Decky start lunging for it, taking heaping spoonfuls of mashed potatoes, great big hacks of meat and drowning it all in gravy while Aunty Catriona stares at them like they’re wild animals at the zoo.

“Leave some for the rest of us, please.” she says to them and Uncle Sean laughs. “Sure they’re growing boys, Cat, leave them at it.”

“They’re gone past growing, sure they’re twenty six and twenty three.”

“G’way, Catriona.” Says Conor with a mouthful of honey roasted ham. “There’s plenty for us all.”

Sean turns to Fabiana next to him as the food makes the rounds of the table. “Bread sauce, love?” He says, holding up the jug, and she pulls a disgusted face and shakes her head, and as he passes it over her to granny, Fabiana looks over at me with a little, secretive smile. I grin back, pleased that she’s chosen me as an ally among the chaos of this family dinner.

Somebody opens a bottle of red wine and she reaches for it and then bends over the table and starts pouring it into my crystal glass, the ones that only come out of the cabinet on Christmas day. I feel my mam’s eyes on me as I have a drink from it.

It’s a while before anyone tries to speak, our mouths all full of food as we ravage what’s on the table. I’m so hungry now that I can’t think of anything else, the food tasting a thousand times more delicious because of how long I’ve waited for it.

“So Michael, how’s the new job going?” Catriona says to my dad eventually, once her plate is about three quarters of the way finished. “I know you were let go from your previous one recently.”

“Going grand.” He says, patting the corners of his mouth with a cloth napkin, his movement a little bit slow and sloppy. “I work nights now in the factory, worse conditions, I suppose, but better money. No big change from the last place to be honest… we make catheters now.”

“Ah, I suppose you’ll take what you can get. That’s how the economy is these days.”

A pause. “And how’s the love life, Cat?”

“Well actually I amn’t seeing anyone at the moment.”

“Oh right. What happened to yer man?”

“Who?” Says Sean, and my dad waves his fork around at aunty Catriona, searching for the right name.

“The fella from accounting at her work.” He settles on eventually, and she rolls her eyes and goes back to her food.

“Not seeing anyone.” She repeats. I take a large glug of the red wine.

“That’s a pity, sure we were all hoping for some news about more grandkids.” My mam elbows him in the arm, and he looks at her in surprise. “What?”

“Dad and Fabiana are already having another baby, did you not know that?” Says Decky. “She’s seven months pregnant, like.”

“Ah yeah but sure like…” He trails off, and I feel hot with embarrassment of him already, as clearly he’s already had a few drinks too many. His eyes are watery and heavy. I drain the end of my wine glass and Fabiana immediately fills it again.

“Anyone tried the brussels sprouts?” Says granny. “They’re especially delicious this year.”

“No, brussels sprouts are sick.” Says Conor.

“They’re very healthy for you.” Attempts Fabiana and he immediately rolls his eyes at her.

“Yeah, alright. Can we talk about something else?” I stiffen and look from Conor to Decky, Fabiola to Sean. Clearly something is not right in their family this Christmas, and I wonder how the boys really feel about their father dating a woman young enough to be their sister. I watch her face fall and the way that she goes back to picking at her food with a bent head.

“Tell your granny about school.” Sean says to his youngest son then, and Conor regards him with total incredulity.

“I’m graduated, dad.”

“Are you? Weren’t we at that yoke in your university only last month?”

“Yeah. My graduation ceremony.”

“Oh right, yeah.”

“I’m working with the county council now.”

“Forgot about that.”

The only sounds at the table are the scraping of silverware against the plates. I take another long drink from my glass and instantly Fabiana is wielding the bottle again. I have a feeling she’s going to have me drink the whole thing, wishing it could be her instead.

“Fabiana.” I say softly. “You’ve got to slow down. I have a hard time saying no to people.”

“Just a bit.” She says, and then to my horror, all eyes are on me as my mam starts a fresh tirade.

“Since when do you drink?” She says accusingly into the silence.

“Um. I don’t know.” I say feebly, feeling like a child caught rotten doing something against the rules.

“She’s drank for years.” Decky pipes up unhelpfully. “Remember I saw you drinking cans of cider outside Kennedy’s pub in town after you and your friends weren’t allowed in. What age were you then? Must have been fifteen.” He’s laughing because he thinks he’s told a funny anecdote, but he has no idea how tone deaf it is. I stare at him in disbelief. What is going on at this dinner table? How did he think that was an okay thing to say? My mother’s eyes narrow at me.

“I’m eighteen.” I squeak. “I can drink if I want to.”

“Is this what you’re doing up there in Dublin?” She demands. “Up in those pubs drinking away all of your money?”

“No, mam. I’m not like that.”

“I’m disappointed.” She says, and then looks from me to my father with a resigned look on her face, and I know what she’s thinking. That I’m going to end up just like him, stuck to the bar in some pub all weekend until I get carried out by the bouncers and tossed into a taxi only to crash into the house at two in the morning and fall asleep on the couch until noon. Going from work to the drink and then back again in this endless, drunken spiral.

“There’s something about women who drink.” She announces to the table. “I think there’s nothing worse, nothing less attractive than that. You know, when you see a man, messy drunk, stumbling on the streets, it’s bad enough, but when it’s a woman it’s a hundred times worse.”

“That’s sexist.” I say to her.

“It isn’t.”

“Why?”

“Because it isn’t the same, and I don’t appreciate this new bolshy attitude you have. Where are you picking up all these notions?”

“You can’t just say ‘it isn’t’ and then not have any reason why. That’s the definition of a double standard.”

“Well it’s my opinion. What do you lads think when you see drunk women out on the street on a Saturday night?” She closes in on my cousins who look at each other and shrug, mumbling incoherencies.

“You wouldn’t go out with someone who did that, would you?”

“Uh I dunno.” Decky says. “Depends.”

I feel a horrible lump in my throat and my chest hurts. I hurt. I take a steadying breath before I speak in case I cry. “Are you saying that’s the reason you think that I…” I trail off, too humiliated to finish my sentence.

She looks into my face then, wavering slightly but not backing down. “Boys don’t like girls who drink.”

I look at my father, drunk at three in the afternoon, lazily eating his dinner without bothering to close his mouth all the way. “So they like girls who enable their drinking instead, right?” I say and when her face falls I realise it’s too late to take the words back. They’re out there, filling the room with this dreadful, grim weight, but I continue anyway, throwing my hand up in the direction of my dad. “Is this what you want for me?” I ask her. There isn’t a sound from anyone at the table, not even a clink of glass against the delft, and my mother just opens her mouth and closes it again. I get up from the table in a hurry, the chair scraping against the floor. I throw my napkin onto my plate and rush out of the room and up the stairs towards the bedroom that granny has made up for me.

“Does anyone want the Christmas pudding?” I hear her murmur to the table, before I shut the door behind me.

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#sims #sims 4 #ts4 #simlit #sims 4 story #sims story #writing #fiction #romance #sims 4 storytelling #sims4 storytelling #sims storytelling #lucky girl part 2

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storiesofsvu · 2 years

Text

Start of Something New

Derek Morgan x reader (kinda…it’ll make sense i promise) Warnings: language, mentions of loss of a parent, comfort all the way through otherwise. Covers the "holiday movies" for my bingo and the "neighbors" square of @resanoona 3k bingo!

You were slumped on your couch, doom scrolling through your phone in a feeble attempt to distract yourself when you heard a festive playlist burst to life on the other side of the wall. It wasn’t that the walls were paper thin but your living room shared a wall with Derek’s living room and you could often hear anything over certain volume going either way. It was one of the way the two of you had become friends. You’d exchanged phone numbers pretty early on after moving in, just to make sure if there ever were problems you could shoot off a text instead of having to climb off the sofa and wander down the hall to knock on the door. Then there was one night of TV binging where the same theme song could be heard through the wall at the same time, after hour three your phone buzzed with a text, Derek teasing you about your obsession and you shot back that he was doing the exact same. The next text that came through was him inviting you over for a few episodes and a beer and your friendship was born.

You couldn’t help but roll your eyes at the sound of the Christmas music flowing through the air, you used to love the holiday, but it was really all a sham that you could finally see through. You figured Derek was setting up for some stupid Christmas date night, which made you grumble, pulling the blanket tighter around your body as you turned up the volume on your phone. About twenty minutes later you heard the tell tale knock on the wall separating your apartments and you let out an audible groan.

“What?!” You called from your spot on the couch and the knock just repeated itself, louder this time.

Letting out a huff you got off the couch, leaving the blanket wrapped around you, phone clutched in hand you scooped up your keys and wandered out of your apartment, locking the door behind you. Derek’s door was unlocked, but you still knocked before letting yourself in.

“Jesus, someone’s feeling festive.” You greeted as your eyes swept through the space. His tree was up the last time you were over but it had still been bare. Today it was covered in glittering lights, sparkling garland and a ton of ornaments, there were Christmas lights illuminating over the balcony doors.

“Figured it might help brighten up the place, make the mood a little better, ya know?”

“Hmm.” You replied, tugging the blanket tighter around your shoulders.

“What’s going on with you?” He asked with a small laugh and you huffed.

“I’m sad and I demand cuddles.” You pouted and he chuckled.

“Okay sweetheart, you’ll get them. I figured we could watch a couple of movies anyways?” He crossed through the space to the open kitchen, “you want some eggnog? Spiked hot chocolate?”

“The second please.” You moved to the couch, dropping down onto it and tucking your blanket in, knowing that Derek would say no to help if you asked. A few moments later he returned with two large mugs of boozy hot chocolate and a plate of pastries, sinking down onto the couch beside you, his free arm naturally coming to lay across the back of the couch.

“So, what’s first? What’s your favourite?”

“Grinch.” You replied with a sigh, sinking into his side, “but I don’t wanna watch it.” Derek could feel the melancholy wafting off you and his head tilted down to look at you instead of the TV.

“Hey…” he nudged at you gently, “what’s eating you? You were all about Christmas last year. You were the one who insisted I needed a tree.”

“I used to watch it with my mom…. It’s my first Christmas without her.”

“Oh fuck…” he muttered, “sweetheart I should’ve realized. I’m so sorry.”

“No, it’s fine.” You muttered, taking a hefty swig of your drink, “just no Grinch.”

“We could start with one of those ridiculously cheesy Hallmark movies? Take a drink every time something cringey or very stereotypical happens?”

“I’d like that.” You cast him a small smile before snuggling back into his shoulder.

Derek picked up the remote and scrolled through a couple of options until you found one that you agreed had to be absolutely terrible and clicked play. His idea to brighten your mood and help you relax into the idea of celebrating the holiday worked even better than both of you had thought, you rolled right into a second ridiculous movie and halfway through it were all laughter and smiles. You pointed out all the stupid things, the over the top tropes and couldn’t help but laugh at the cheesy, terrible writing and how real life was never anything like these.

After the second movie you protested, saying you couldn’t handle anymore of it and Derek suggested swapping to the Home Alone trilogy and you were more than okay with that. He made sure to refill your drinks, and definitely made sure to give you all the cuddles you desired. The credits were rolling on movie number two and he glanced down at you, chuckling at the sight of your eyes fluttering, fully relaxed into him.

“You asleep there princess?” He teased and you scoffed.

“No.” You let out a sigh, pushing up to sitting properly and stretched out your body. Unlike when you’d first arrived, you were full of warmth, a happy smile on your face that Derek couldn’t help but smile at. “I should get going though, your couch is comfortable, but not comfortable enough to sleep on.”

“Alright.” He squeezed at your shoulder, guiding you back through the apartment to the door. He expected just a quick goodnight, surprised at the way you suddenly turned back to him, wrapping your arms around him in a tight hug as you let out a small sigh.

“Thank you.” You murmured after a moment, “for all this. Even if it’s not what you intended in the first place.”

“Hey… anytime.” He pressed a light kiss to the top of your head and you let out a happy hum before pulling away, “and I don’t want you to be alone on Christmas. You’re coming over here, okay?”

“Don’t you already have that whole found family thing to be with?”

“So?” He shrugged, “what’s one more member of that?”

“You sure?”

“Absolutely.” He flashed you a wicked grin and you couldn’t help but smile back at him.

“Alright. But only if you promise those butterscotch marshmallow squares.”

“Oh that’s a guarantee baby.” He pulled you to him for another tight hug, “now go get some beauty rest.”

“Night Derek.” You smiled once more before turning and wandering back to your apartment.

True to his word, Derek encouraged you to join in on as many festivities as you wanted, making sure not to push too hard and joining you on the couch for movie nights instead of dealing with so many people on the days you didn’t want to. You got to meet a bunch of his friends, and he got to meet a couple of yours, a Christmas that you thought was going to be miserable and lonely ended up being filled with so much joy and love you never would have noticed what was bothering you.

It was on New Year’s Eve that it finally happened, years of friendship morphing into something more when the clock struck twelve and Derek pulled you to him for a gentle kiss, his hand cupping your cheek. You relaxed instantly into it, smiling when he pulled back to murmur a quiet ‘Happy New Year’ you returned the sentiment, but rather than step away you stepped closer, kissing him once more and truly was the start of something new.

________________

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#storiesofsvuholidaybingo2022 #resa.3kfiestabingo #criminal minds #derek morgan #derek morgan x reader #derek morgan one shot #derek morgan fluff #criminal minds fanfiction #criminal minds fanfic #derek morgan fanfic #derek morgan fanfiction #derek morgan fic #writing bingo

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the-hinky-panda · 11 months

Text

The Gin Blossom: Part I

Title: The Gin Blossom

Rating: Explicit

Pairing: Gilly Lopez x Reader

Summary: You thought you had your life all planned out until everything changed. Finding yourself a young widow, you turn an Airstream trailer into a food truck and tour the southwest. You met Riz and Songbird (from @bullet-prooflove's stories) and when they invite you to visit the revitalized town of Santo Padre, you find that maybe home isn't out of reach for you.

Big things were happening in Santo Padre.

You had heard about the revitalization of the quiet bordertown through the music and cultural festivals that you traveled to throughout the southwest. So it didn’t surprise you when Songbird contacted you about bringing your food and gin truck to her hometown. She was going to be doing a small concert with a couple of local bands and wanted to throw you some business.

Honestly, you were just happy to see her and Riz again. You had friends on the road but there was something different about them. They were real, warm, and good people. You could see the love they held for each other. Some people that are in love tend to close others out of their world, but they never did with you. Often after musicians would do a set, you would offer them a free meal and gin blossom special cocktail and Songbird was given the same treatment. Riz of course joined her and you got tired of leaning out of the open window to carry on the easy flowing conversation. You did something you never did and invited them into the trailer with you. The three of you spent hours sitting in the galley kitchen of the rehabbed Airstream trailer, eating, drinking, and laughing into the morning hours.

The third time you ran into them, it had been the anniversary of Dylan’s, your husband’s, death. You were in a bad way mentally, emotionally. Riz hung out with you until Songbird’s set started. He must have said something to her after the concert because as you were packing up the food and cleaning up the small kitchen in the airstream, she came to you, took your hand.

Come with us tonight.

So you did. They took you back to the plush hotel room that the concert sponsors paid for their performers. The room was twice the size of your airstream with a full size kitchen, living room, and large bedroom. You brought your favorite gin, a pale purple lavender infused bottle, and the three of you sat around in the living room area drinking and sharing the things that had broken your hearts. Songbird talked about her ex, Riz about growing up in an orphanage. You spoke about Dylan, your handsome, brave, kindhearted Dylan who had lost his battle with depression and PTSD.

They take you to bed with them that evening. You had never done anything like that before but the shared pain, the hope of finding something that helps glue the pieces back together, created a spiritual bond between the three of you that night. You wake up the next morning between the two of them, a tangle of legs and arms, the scent of cigarette smoke, Songbird’s perfume and Riz’s aftershave surrounding you.

It was the first time in two years that you hadn’t felt lonely.

You ran into them a few more times after that night until you heard that Songbird had canceled her tour and returned back to her hometown. It didn’t surprise you. One of things that you two frequently talked about was the concept of home and what it meant. She had found hers with Riz, in Santo Padre. You, you were still looking. So you pull up to the bar on the outskirts of town, park the truck and Airstream trailer in the back like you had been instructed and let out a long sigh. The moment of peace quickly evaporates as Songbird and Riz appear in front of the truck. Songbird is making her smiling way to the driver’s side while Riz hits the hood of the truck a couple times.

“I’m hungry. When’s the food going to be ready?”

You get out of the truck, give Songbird a hug and Riz the middle finger.

“We are so happy you’re here.” Songbird gives Riz a mirthful glare. “Contrary to other’s greetings.”

And you wonder if this is what it feels like to come home.

***

The local concert is a hit.

Hundreds of people come out to Joanna and EZ’s bar and they truly have something for everyone. The bands range from folk and acoustic to heavy metal. Although most of the heavy metal musicians are teenagers who have relieved parents in the audience, thankful that the screaming is not happening in their garage anymore. They’ve given you space in the family friendly area so you can get a wide range of foot traffic. The desert days are hot but the nights are still chilly so you choose for the menu this evening a gourmet toasted cheese sandwich that you cut into cubes and put on skewers to go with plastic cups of creamy tomato soup. For those looking for a drink other than on tap beer, you have a special orange blossom honey gin that pairs nicely with the cheese.

Riz brings members of the MC over to meet you as you pass food and gin out of the open bar window of the food truck. You tell them that the first drink is on you, something you frequently do when you want to be asked back at a venue. You meet Bishop, Taza, and Hank first. All three are polite and gracious in their welcoming. As the three leaders of the MC, they’re consistently moving through the crowd, making an appearance and their presence known. You have a feeling this is keeping the crowd polite and manageable.

Riz takes to leaning against the side of the airstream and waving at certain people he knows, introducing you to more club members as they wander past. You briefly meet Felipe Reyes, EZ’s father, when he brings you a plate of ribs from the smoker he was manning. You trade him some soup, sandwich, and gin in return. A few minutes later, you hear Riz whistle off towards the left to an area where you can’t see. He knocks on the side of the trailer to get your attention.

“This is a cool group of people,” he says before stepping out to greet the newcomers. It’s a trio of people that are ushered over to you, a thin man with his hair in braids, and two young women, a petite blonde and a dark haired girl with the same eyes as the man. Riz slaps the shoulder of the man. “This is Coco and his daughter Letty, and this,” he gives the blonde a one-armed hug, “is Stitches our medic. And rumor has it-“

“Don’t,” Stitches shakes her head.

“She and Coco eloped a couple weeks ago.”

The man chuckles as he blows out a steady stream of cigarette smoke. “How do you find this shit out, man?”

“I have eyes everywhere.”

You roll your eyes but pass two glasses of gin down to Coco and Stitches. “Congratulations!”

Letty also reaches for a glass but Coco slaps her hand away. “Uh huh. Not in public.”

Letty perks up. “So at home?”

“Nope,” Stitches answers. “Not there either. And if you think about sneaking something here, I will spend the rest of the evening with my arms around your neck yelling ‘This is my daughter and I looooooove her.’”

Coco laughs. “And I record it and put it up on TikTok.”

Letty crosses her arms. “I hate you both right now.”

Stitches gratefully accepts the grilled cheese and soup. “How’s that different from any other time?”

You and Riz laugh. “I told you they were fun.”

“They could have their own sitcom,” you comment.

There’s a lull after Coco, Stitches, and Letty move off into the crowd. Songbird is getting ready to do her set so Riz steps away to watch it. You can see the stage from your truck and notice she’s wearing that black silk dress that always seems to make Riz and her disappear for twenty minute intervals at venues like this. It makes you chuckle but also wonder if you’re ever going to find the love of your life, someone that looks at you the way Riz stares at his Songbird when she’s on stage. It’s pure adoration and affection and it makes your heart long for someone to feel that deeply about you.

You thought you had it once upon a time, and you did for a few months. You and Dylan had met when you were both stationed in Fallujah. You were a Marine tank mechanic and he was a gunnery sergeant. It was a match made in heaven. Or so you had thought. It had been great the first few weeks back stateside. You eloped two months of being back home. Your sister, the only living relative you had left, was happy but unsure of the quickness. You had explained to her that meeting someone in a combat situation tells you everything you need to know about someone.

You wish you had been right.

The nightmares started soon after you married. Dylan would scream and thrash around, fighting ghosts that had followed him home. In the first week, you had bruises all over your ribcage and down your legs. Dylan slept in the guest room after that but his screams still woke you up. You would cry yourself to sleep in an empty bed, helpless to soothe him. He went to therapy for a short time but found alcohol soothed the demons better than anything else. Once he fell into the bottle, there was no saving him after that. There was almost no saving you either.

A boisterous laugh pulls you from your memories and you see another MC member approaching the trailer. He’s a large man with an even larger smile. Tattoos decorate his arms, even across his knuckles. There’s the edges of a rose peeking out of the collar of his t-shirt. But it’s his smile and his eyes that you notice the most. His grin reaches all the way to his warm dark eyes.

“I see the greeter is otherwise engaged,” he says, hands shoved in his kutte pockets.

“Yeah, once Songbird starts singing, he kind of loses focus on everything else.”

He extends his hand towards you, a wide, strong grip. “I’m Gilly.”

And you’re a goner.

#gilly lopez x reader #gilly lopex x you #gilberto gilly lopez #gilly lopez fic #gilberto gilly lopez fic

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sluttyshima · 2 years

Text

Hot cocoa kisses

Warnings: suggestive content (making out, light petting) but nothing explicit

Characters: Tamaki Amajiki x reader

Words: ~1.8k

AN: A repost of a request from my old account.

“It’s a good thing we booked a place for the night,” you comment. Large, wet flakes of snow hit your passenger side window as you watch. “It’s really starting to come down now. The roads are probably going to start getting bad soon.”

Glancing over at your husband, you gauge his reaction. A lot of things make Tamaki nervous, and you wonder if driving in bad weather is one of them. But he seems calm enough, one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting on your thigh, which he squeezes gently when he feels your gaze on him.

“Hopefully it’ll clear up by the time we have to head out in the morning,” he speaks softly. “We still have several hours of driving ahead of us.”

Humming softly in response, you lean your head against the window and let your eyes drift closed. Something about the long car ride has left you feeling exhausted. Hours of sitting with only a couple of short pit stops leave your body feeling cramped and uncomfortable. At least you can ignore the discomfort for a little while by sleeping.

You are awakened by the sound of your car door opening and a blast of icy cold air. Tamaki leans over your body, unbuckling you before lifting you up into his arms bridal style. Ignoring your protests and claims that you aren’t too tired to walk on your own, he carries you up the snow-covered path leading to the small cabin with a large number 18 painted in gold on the door. Snowflakes swirl all around the two of you, limiting your visibility.

The indigo-haired male carries you straight to the bedroom. Barely awake, you simply blink your tired eyes as he leaves and then returns a few minutes later with your overnight bag. He helps you change into the warm pajamas you had packed, and does the bare minimum of your normal nightly routine before pulling the quilts over you and tucking you in. You try to stay awake, wanting to wait for him to finish getting ready for bed. But your body betrays you, and within minutes you are asleep again.

“-roads clear up.” Tamaki’s voice wakes you in the morning. You crack one eye open, noticing him sitting on the edge of the bed with his cell phone pressed to his ear. Not wanting to interrupt him, you simply lay back and listen. “Um, I’m not sure. Hopefully by tomorrow. Yeah. No, we’re okay. Yeah. Okay, we’ll see you guys when we get there. Bye.”

As soon as he ends the call, he turns towards you. When he notices that you are awake, he gives you a small smile. “Good morning, love,” he leans over your body to press a chaste kiss to your lips. “Did you sleep well?”

“Mhm,” you mumble tiredly. Pushing yourself into a sitting position, you narrow your eyes at him. “So what was the call about? Is something wrong?”

Your husband sighs. “Well, it looks like there’s a small hitch in our plans. The roads are too dangerous for travel. I called the office and extended our reservation for another night, so we’re fine to stay here for now. But that means we’re going to be a bit late for the holiday festivities.”

For a moment you remain silent, thoughtful. Then, a wide grin spreads over your face. “So what you’re saying is, we get a snow day today?”

At your expression, Tamaki chuckles. “Only you could be this excited about being snowed in,” he teased. Wrapping an arm around your shoulders, he pulls you closer so that you’re curled into his side. “I picked up a few things from the little convenience store in the main building. You go get comfortable in front of the fireplace, and I’ll make breakfast.”

Still dressed in your pajamas, you follow him out of the bedroom. Sitting on the Victorian style loveseat, you hold your palms out towards the crackling fire. The smell of food cooking wafts out from the kitchen, making your mouth water.

“Here you go, love,” your husband returns with a tray full of food and two steaming mugs. He places them on the coffee table in front of you before taking a seat next to you.

The two of you begin eating in silence. Lifting one of the mugs to your lips, you take a tentative sip. The taste is rich and chocolatey, the liquid creamy and warm as it slides across your tongue and down your throat. You let out a little hum of appreciation, “Mm, hot cocoa!”

“I thought you would like it,” Tamaki grins. His eyes zero in on a spot at the corner of your mouth. Cupping your face in his hands, he leans forward and kisses you deeply. His tongue slides against your lips, gathering a few stray drops of your drink before pulling back just enough to look in your eyes. “You taste sweet,” he murmurs.

Meal forgotten, you wrap your arms around his neck and tug at his hair as his lips crash against yours again. This time his tongue slides past your lips, the wet muscle exploring every inch of your mouth and rubbing tantalizingly against your own to taste the chocolate flavor that lingers there. His hands grip your hips, fingers digging in slightly as he pulls you into his lap, one leg on either side of him so that you’re straddling him.

You let out a soft sigh as his lips stray from yours, kissing a trail down your jaw to suckle at your neck. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispers against your skin. “So perfect. I love you so much.”

“Tama,” you gasp as his teeth nip at the junction of your neck and shoulder. It’s so easy to get lost in his sweet words and even sweeter touches. His fingers trail along the curves of your body that he knows so well.

When he eventually pulls back, both of you are breathing heavily. “Sorry,” he says breathlessly. “I didn’t mean for things to get so heated.”

A grin slowly made its way onto your face. “I know of a way that we can cool down.”

Soon, the two of you were bundled up and plodding through the heavy drifts of snow. Tamaki had one of your gloved hands clasped tightly in his own, wanting to help you keep your balance in case you were to slip. The air was frigid, but the multiple layers you wore plus the scarf wrapped around the lower half of your face was keeping you warm enough… for now.

“Hm, should we build a snowman? Or make some snow angels?” you asked.

Your partner used his free hand to rub his chin thoughtfully. “Making snow angels would probably cause the snow to soak through our clothes and we’d have to go inside. So let’s save that for last, and make a snowman first.”

“Sensible as always,” you giggle. “C’mon, baby, let loose a little! This is supposed to be a fun snow day, remember?”

“I know,” he shot back, playfully glaring at you. “And I’m trying to make sure that the day stays fun. Neither of us are going to enjoy ourselves if we end up getting frostbite.”

The two of you continue the teasing banter back and forth even as you begin working together to build the snowman. But when Tamaki’s back is turned towards you, you suddenly have another activity in mind. The ball of snow you form is far too small to be useful for your snowman, but it’s the perfect size to throw.

“Hey babe,” you call out, trying to get his attention. As soon as he turns towards you, you let the snowball fly. It pelts him in the shoulder, catching him off guard. Before he can react, you’re running away, trying to hide behind a nearby tree.

Eyes wide, it takes him a moment to process what has just happened. But then he begins to grin, and his eyes narrow at you. “Oh love, you have no idea what you’ve just started.”

You feel like a child again as you and your husband chase each other and throw snowballs. The sound of laughter and playful squeals echo in the otherwise silent forest around you. The once crisp white blanket of snow is now covered in footprints.

As you let another snowball fly, aiming for the back of Tamaki’s head, he turns. You shout in an attempt to warn him, but it’s too late. The projectile smashes into his face, crumbling away into a light powder.

Hands coming to cover your gaping mouth, you stare in shock as you wait for his reaction. Is he going to be angry at you? You didn’t hurt him, did you?

“Oh, you little minx.” The grin that he sends your way is almost predatory, sending shivers down your spine. “I suggest you run, sweetheart. I’ll even give you a three second head start.”

You spin around, immediately sprinting in the opposite direction. Your heart is racing as you hear him loudly count down from three. And then the sound of snow crunching underfoot warns you that he has given chase, and is quickly gaining on you.

“I’m sorry!” you scream, just as his arms wrap tightly around your waist. You squeal as he lets himself fall sideways, pulling you with him into the snow. He rolls over so that his body is on top of yours, causing you to sink into the cold white drift below you. Freezing cold hands settle on either side of your face, squishing your cheeks together as he kisses every exposed inch of skin.

In between peals of laughter, you barely manage to gasp out the words, “Tama, baby, stop! I give, okay? You win, you win!”

His nose nuzzles against yours, and he presses one last kiss to your lips. Then he reaches for your hand, helping you up and cradling you against his chest. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?” he asks, indigo eyes roaming up and down your form as he scans you for any signs of injury.

“No,” you assure him, wrapping your arms around his neck in a tight hug. “But I am starting to get pretty cold now. Should we head inside?”

Instead of answering, he lifts you up into his arms and begins carrying you back towards the cabin. Once he crosses the threshold, he sets you down gently. “I’ll make us some more hot cocoa,” he says. “While you change into some dry clothes.”

The rest of the day is spent cuddling in front of the fire with your husband - sharing warmth, stories, and several hot cocoa flavored kisses.

#tamaki amajiki #tamaki x reader #mha #bnha #tamaki fluff

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uwingdispatch · 1 year

Text

Devotion

Notes: Brasso/Reader, established relationship, gender neutral reader, post-rebellion/post-war, hurt/comfort, chronically ill/disabled reader

CW: depression/mental health struggles, active shooter

Ao3 Link

★★★★★★★★

“What’s going on?”

You’re in your pajamas, standing at the end of the hallway that leads to your bedroom. It’s 3:00 in the morning and you’ve woken to find Brasso sitting at the kitchen table, fiddling with something in his hands.

Startled, he looks up. “How long have you been standing there?” He asks, running a hand through his dark hair, his grays hidden in the shadows of the dimly-lit room. In this moment there’s a sadness in his eyes that he doesn’t often allow you to see.

“Not long,” you say.. “I woke up and you weren’t there. I had a feeling…”

“I made you anxious,” Brasso says, pushing away from the table. “I’m so sorry, love.”

You insist that you’re fine, but he’s already wrapping his big arms around you and you can’t help but sleepily lean into his embrace.

“I got a message from Wilmon today. Did you know it was the anniversary of Rix Road?”

“I should have remembered.”

“No, darling,” he says, kissing the top of your head. “No, I’d rather not remember that day. Most of it, anyway.”

“Are you all right?” You ask.

“I will be,” he says. “Last time I was on Ferrix, Xanwan’s niece was cleaning up his old store front, getting it ready to sell. She gave me this keyfob of his that she found in a drawer. It’s just a festival trinket from an old holiday but…there are pictures from that day. The old gang, you know? Before I met you, even.”

“You’re thinking about Xan?”

“And everyone who didn’t make it out that day. How things could have gone differently if I’d just—”

“If you’d just what? Let fascists steamroll your entire community? Brasso, people did get out because of you. And I’m sure I’m not the only one you warned away from town that day.”

“You’re not.”

“And you got Wilmon out.”

“I did.”

“Bee. Bix. Jezzi.”

He answers with a sigh.

You step back so you can see your partner’s face, tucking a few strands of hair behind his ear so you can look into his eyes. “You’re one man, Brasso. A very good man, but still just one. How were you going to stop anything that Maarva Andor started?

He laughs a little, remembering the woman who had been so much to so many people. You’d never been a Daughter of Ferrix, but it was Maarva who invited you to join in on some of the community projects anyway. It was people you met through Maarva who had encouraged you to start selling your handmade goods, who had told you how much they’d enjoyed the things you’d made for fundraisers over the years. And it was the Daughters, so many now spread throughout the galaxy, who’d helped you leave Ferrix and find a place on Gatalenta. Who’d told you that Brasso would find you when the war was over, because surely someone knew where he was, even if it wasn’t safe for you to know yet.

In the hallway, Brasso hands you the keyfob. There’s a year etched on the back and it is indeed before you’d met Brasso, but you’d been in town then. Back after finishing your degree, trying to feel out what was next. You’d made jogun fruit jam that year for the festival these pictures were taken at. And you’d only been at the stall for a few hours each day, but in the background of one of the pictures, there you were.

“Brasso,” you say. “That’s me.”

“No kidding,” he says, zooming in. “Beautiful as ever.”

“You can barely see me.”

“I can see enough.” Brasso kisses your forehead, his lips soft and warm on your skin. “Let me get you back to bed, darling. Enough of my troubles for the night. I never should have woken you in the first place.”

“You didn’t wake me,” you remind him.

But he has your hand in his and is leading you back down the hallway to the bedroom, the keyfob left behind.

There were a lot of things you loved about Ferrix, but the time grappler had never been one of them. He was a nice enough man, and you didn’t have any quarrel with him personally. But you’d never been a morning person. And nothing about Ferrix was going to change that. You’d occasionally pick up a morning shift at the café where you worked if someone called out and they needed help. But other than that? You needed the rest. So you jammed a pillow over your head while the time grappler struck the beskar steel in the tower at the start of each day until you could go back to sleep.

You’d known Brasso for a few years when he showed up with a basket of fruit a few hours after dawn, banging on your door like the galaxy was collapsing. You crawled out of bed and put on a robe, sure that there was some kind of maintenance emergency in the building.. But when you opened the door, it was Brasso, all two meters of him with a desperate look on his face. And…the fruit.

“What’s wrong?” you asked, the annoyed tone in your voice unmistakable.

“Thank the stars,” he said, pulling you into his arms. “You’re all right.”

“Shouldn’t I be?”

“Someone opened fire at the market this morning. Not even from here…at least nobody I can think of matches his description. Someone called Morlana-1. Corpos showed up and all they managed to do is chase him to the café.”

You knew without asking that he meant your café, and at the word of corpos, you stepped back to let Brasso in. His cheeks were rosy from the early morning cold, his eyes bright, and his work clothes were crisp and tidy before a long day at the salvage yard.

“Is anyone hurt?” you asked.

“There were some injuries at the market,” Brasso said, running a hand through his hair. “But the café…we don’t know yet. They won’t let anyone near the building. I came to see you as soon as I heard.”

You didn’t live far from your work—just a few blocks. And as all of the information you were receiving began to solidify in your brain you felt your nervous system kick into high gear. You tried to steady your breathing as you asked, “What’s with the fruit?”

“The Daughters dropped this off for my mum the other night. But you know how she’s allergic to meilooruns—won’t eat anything that’s touched them out of precaution. I thought I’d leave it for you on my way to work…and then someone commed me about all this…I’m just so glad you’re safe, love.”

This was the first time he’d ever used that term of endearment with you, and you weren’t sure what to make of it, but it warmed something inside of you that you knew you’d never shake, even as you felt yourself giving way to panic.

Brasso pulled you close again. “Hey,” he said. “I’ve got you.”.

It’s all you needed to hear.

“I know you don’t do mornings. I’m so sorry to wake you…I just…they don’t have the guy in custody yet. Do you mind if I stick around for a bit? You don’t carry a blaster and…”

“I’ll make us some caf,” you say, turning toward your little kitchen.

“No,” he said, his hands steady on your shoulders. “You sit down. I’ve thrown off your day, the least I can do is make you breakfast.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Unless you want to go back to sleep. I can leave if—”

“No,” you said, your breath shaky. And, when he took your hand in his, it felt so right that for a moment you forgot that everything about this morning was unusual. “Stay,” you said. “Please.”

“All right,” he said, his eyes searching yours for something neither of you seemed to quite grasp.

You snapped out of your haze and went to get yourself cleaned up and dressed, allowing yourself in your sleepiness to think thoughts about this man, your closest friend, that normally you pushed away. He was right there, after all. In your kitchen. If you let yourself feel what you felt, if it came burbling out of you in a groggy delirium…you couldn’t bear the thought of anything changing between you. Of losing this closeness. Because somehow it hadn’t occurred to you that he felt those feelings about you, too.

You wake to the sound of clattering in the kitchen, a string of curses on Brasso’s tongue. There’s not a lot that can get you out of bed quickly but, after last night, you’re a little worried that he’s not just upset about a broken dish.

You slip into a robe and hurry into the kitchen where you find your husband sweeping up broken glass.

“It’s early, love,” he says when he sees you. “You can go back to sleep.”

“No, I can’t,” you say. “Some anniversaries you just feel in your bones. This is one of those for you.”

Brasso is washing his hands. You can’t tell if he’s ignoring you or if he just doesn’t know what to say.

“Brass?”

“I don’t know why it’s hitting me like this,” he says. “It’s been so long.”

“You told me last night you heard from Wilmon. Is he all right?”

“He is.”

Brasso drops a towel on the counter and you take his hand. You’ve both had more than your fair share of grief. Grief for loved ones lost. For futures that could never be. For safe places that would never feel safe again. And with the Imperial occupation of Ferrix you lost your home as you knew it. But you’d moved there as a teenager. You didn’t have generations of history there like Brasso did. His roots there were different. And when he chose to stay on Gatalenta, it was partly because could never go back to the place he left—not for more than a visit. Because too much had changed for it to feel like home for him.

“Let me make us some caf,” you say.

“Nonsense,” he says. “I’ve spoiled your sleep again, I’ll just—

“Brasso.”

“Okay,” he says, taking a seat at the kitchen table. “I hear you.”

He’s always been the kind of man who takes care of everyone else and struggles to let others take care of him. It’s not that he doesn’t know how to ask for help, it’s that he doesn’t want to burden anyone. Even after all this time, he hesitates to tell you when something is wrong that he thinks he can handle on his own. You usually figure it out anyway, and he usually gives in to your care. But it hasn’t always been easy.

As you grind the caf beans—a blend he’d picked up at the market last week—you think of all those afternoons after you’d first met, when he’d turn up at the cafe on his break. It had been the best part of your day. You’d later learn that he’d been pretty loyal to a caf bar closer to his place until the day he stopped in on his lunch one afternoon and recognized you, the person he’d helped with the spilled groceries just a week or so before. Soon, he was a staple, falling into an easy routine with you. The two of you started taking your breaks together, soon becoming so close that it seemed like you’d always known each other. The first time he walked you home, on a night when the end of your shifts coincided, you had a feeling that maybe—just maybe—when you got to your apartment he was going to kiss you. But the moment passed. And you let yourself push the thought of a romance with Brasso to the back of your mind for the first time.

When you put a cup of caf in front of Brasso today, he takes your hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss.

“Tell me what you need,” you say.

“Just sit with me, love,” he says. “All I need is you.”

Brasso was the kind of man who didn’t know how not to be busy. He’d been in your apartment for all of ten minutes before he’d sliced up some of the fruit to go with eggs and toast for breakfast. You’d known him long enough to know that this was just what he did. When he was upset, he took care of other people. So you should have known that when you’d sleepily mentioned that your refresher sink had been leaking that he was going to have to try and fix it. Now, a few hours later, he was in there with the tools he’d meant to take to work before the trajectory of his day had changed, leading him to you instead.

“You don’t have to do this,” you told him. “I can call the building manager and have him come take care of it.”

“It’s a simple fix,” he said. “I’m almost done.”

It was noon. Word was out that the scene had been cleared at the cafe, luckily with only some minor injuries. But nobody wanted to go out while the corpos were still around. And Brasso hadn’t said anything but you could tell he didn’t want to leave you by yourself either. Ferrix had always watched out for their own, and there was no telling what these off-planet police might do while they were here. Who they might bother. They didn’t know Ferrix and they didn’t like it any more than it liked them. So the streets had emptied. Places of business were closed. And Brasso was still with you.

“Finished,” Brasso called out from the refresher. “Good as…well as good as it was when you moved in here at least,” he said.

Not a lot on Ferrix was brand new. You liked this about your home. When you first came to Ferrix, you hadn’t known what to make of it. But now—now you felt there was something cozy about it. It was comforting to think about all the lives that had touched everything here.

You smiled as you heard Brasso taking off his tool belt and putting it with his boots by the door. When he came to sit with you, he’d unzipped the top of his coveralls and tied the arms around his waist, the black tanktop underneath accentuating the muscle of his chest, his broad, freckled shoulders. His hair was a bit mussed, and you fought the urge to reach out and touch it, to smooth it back in place.

He noticed.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” you said. “I zoned out for a moment. Probably just tired.”

“Things are changing around here,” he said. “It’s setting people on edge. I can’t remember the last time I had a day where I just felt at peace. Where things felt normal.”

“I wish there was something more I could do.”

“You’re here. That’s peace enough for me today.”

You yawned then, and he put his arm around you.

“Come here,” he said, grabbing the knit blanket you kept thrown over the back of your couch. “Close your eyes. Just rest.”

So you did. You let yourself relish in that closeness, in his clean, familiar scent, the secure warmth of his strong arms, the steady rhythm of his heart. It wasn’t the first time you’d fallen asleep in his arms. And you did still wonder, sometimes, if there was something there that neither of you dared to speak about. But you had seen Brasso’s affection with other friends as well. And, at the end of the day, you were grateful for what you had with him, even if it wasn’t quite what you wanted. He made you feel safe, even on days like this, and given the state of the galaxy, that was a considerable feat.

“Would you want to go out today?” Brasso asks.

He’s just woken up from a nap, and he’s wandered out of the bedroom looking delightfully mussed in his favorite pair of sweatpants. You’ll never get used to the fact, even after all this time, that this beautiful man has chosen to spend the rest of his life with you. You’d been answering holomail, but you put down your datapad, ready to do what you can to ease your partner’s stress.

“Are you up for it?” you ask. “There’s that food festival downtown, you know. In the park by the spires. I wasn’t sure if you’d want to go.”

“That sounds nice.” He sits on the sofa next to you, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “I think I need some fresh air.”

“I think you do, too.”

You smooth his hair away from his face. Even as you say this, a part of you wants to just sit here like this all afternoon, resting your head on his chest, tracing the lines of the tattoos he collected in his travels, before he came home to you. A part of you wants to just stay here, like this, for the rest of the day. Still, you tell him to go get dressed, that you’ll be ready to go when he is.

Soon you’re in the park, a soft blanket laid out over the grass beneath you, paper containers of hot treats waiting to be opened—things from a few different food carts, because neither of you could choose.

“Now this,” Brasso says to you, “this is something I want to remember.”

“Hm?” You’re trying to open a bottle of a fizzy drink you hadn’t seen here before.

“Love,” Brasso says, one finger under your chin as he eases your face toward his. “Today is the day I first met you. Did you know that?”

You have to admit you didn’t remember the date. But he isn’t the kind of person to be upset over that. He knows his memory is better than most, and that you have a tendency to forget anything you don’t write down.

Still, you say, “I’m sorry,”

He smiles, leans in to touch his nose to yours. “No need,” he says.

There was a time when you never could have imagined Brasso would be the type to kiss you this way, out in the open for everyone to see. But whatever part of him that maybe had been too bashful for that kind of intimacy was gone with the war. With all the years he couldn’t hold you or kiss you at all. And under the bright sun he pulls you toward him, bringing your legs over his lap as he leans in to kiss your forehead, and then your nose, and then your lips, a kiss rich with devotion as he cradles your cheek in one of his big, rough hands.

You reach for his face, caressing the scruff of his short beard before threading your fingers through his hair, now collar-length, the silver strands catching the light. He still doesn’t believe you when you tell him you’ve never seen anyone more beautiful than him. But you’ll never get tired of telling him this, of telling him that from that day you met him there was nobody else in the galaxy who stood a chance to win your affections.

Today, you tell him: “I love you, you know. So much.”

“I know,” he says, a sparkle in his hazel eyes. “I can remember these things for the both of us.”

He kisses you again, a bit deeper, lingering, and you whisper, your lips brushing the shell of his ear, “People are staring.”

He laughs, running his fingers softly over your jaw before his hand comes to rest at the nape of your neck. “Let them,” he says.

And so you do, letting yourself enjoy this closeness as a warm breeze comes through the park, the sky in this moment seemingly full of possibilities, his kiss an infinite canvas for you to complete. You make a note of the date, and think to yourself that you won’t forget this time. You couldn’t possibly forget an afternoon like this.

★★★★★★★★

Hopefully it won't be so long between fics next time, but I hope you enjoyed this! Thank you for reading! I hope this fic made you feel seen and loved.

I have a taglist now! Sign up here if you want to be tagged in future fics. (And choose if you only want to be tagged for certain characters.) In the meantime, I’m tagging my taglist as well as some folks who have been reblogging my fics. Love y’all!

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fckinwild-kiwi · 10 months

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Dec. 3rd: Not a 'Best Friends' Kind of Love

Day 3: Cuddling/Stuck waiting in line together

Here is day THREE of @comp-lady’s December writing challenge! I’m writing the kind of love that I want to see and I hope everyone else enjoys it too. All of the Eddie fics will take place in the same universe and the Steve fics will take place on their own. It goes without saying (hopefully) that the universes are separate but the fics will be a continuation of each other.

Warnings: Swearing Word Counts: 1.7k+ Words Pairings: Steve Harrington x Reader Author’s Note: Instead of writing in the third person, this fit is written in the second person...I don’t typically like writing in this kind of POV and if everyone finds it cringe, please tell me so I can make sure to never do it again

Every Friday, you and the rest of the gang met up at Steve’s house for a movie night. It was the only night that was off-limits for anyone to make outside plans. It was family time, if you will. You would prepare the snacks, Eddie would bring the drinks (beer for the older kids and two-liter sodas for the younger kids), Nancy and Jonathan would bring the pizza, Steve and Robin would bring the movies, and the kids would bring the entertainment.

“Steve,” you called, walking into Steve’s house.

“Hey, honey,” Steve said, stepping from around the corner of the kitchen.

“I have an idea for tonight’s movie night, it’s kind of crazy but I think everyone will love it!”

“Okay, what is it?” Steve questioned as he walked forward you to wrap his arms around your frame.

“Okay so listen to this, I brought my parents' fire pit from our backyard and I also picked up some firewood. I thought it would be cool to have an outside, drive-in theater-esque, set-up tonight! So I also brought a king-sized top sheet and I borrowed a projector from the theater department at school,” You continued, rambling about the plan for the night. “I figured we could bring lots of blankets outside, air up your pool floats, and then watch the movies outside so we begin the holiday festivities! It’s still warm for December so I thought-“

“Honey, slow down,” Steve said, stopping you mid-rant. “I think that sounds incredible. The party is going to love that. What do you need me to do to help set up?”

You spent the next few minutes explaining to Steve your vision and what you would need his help to accomplish. Two hours before the group was set to be at Steve’s, you sent him to air up the pool floats while setting up the projector and sheet yourself. Before long, everything was starting to look ready. The floats were set up in a semi-circle and a blanket was placed on each one.

“Stevie, can you come with me to grab the firewood and fire pit?”

“Of course,” Steve responded following you around the side of his house to your car. Together, you grabbed the firewood and the pit and placed them at the center of the pool floats.

“Where is everyone,” Yelled a voice from inside the house.

“Out here,” Steve called back.

“Woah, this is fucking sick,” Dustin said, walking out to the backyard. “I brought the pizza, Nancy and Jonathan will be late and I didn’t want everyone to wait for them!”

“Dusty! I’ll put your pizza in the oven to keep it warm!” You said, walking up to the younger boy and squeezing his shoulder in greeting. After you walked into the house to put the pizza in the oven, there was a knock on the door.

“Hey, Eds,” You said, opening the front door and giving a side hug to your friend. “Steve and Dustin are outside. We are switching up the scenery for movie night tonight!”

“Oh hell yeah,” Eddie said, following you to the kitchen to put the drinks in the refrigerator. “Is this your way of finally telling Steve how you feel?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” You mumbled, rolling your eyes at Eddie.

“Oh come on, Y/l/n,” Eddie sighed. “He feels the same way, you guys just keep running in circles. What do you have to lose?”

“Oh I don’t know, Munson,” You said. “Maybe my best friend?”

“I promise you won’t, if you don’t say anything you’re always going to wonder what would have been,” Eddie responded as the doorbell rang.

“Excuse me,” You said, pushing past Eddie and dismissing the conversation. “I have to get that.”

After Robin arrived, Nancy and the rest of the party soon followed. The group got situated outside with drinks, snacks, and slices of pizza while Steve pressed play on the movie. As you sat wrapped up in a king-sized blanket on top of a two-person float, Steve came over to sit next to you.

“What are you doing?” You asked, looking up at Steve, wide-eyed.

“Um, sitting next to my best friend,” Steve said, chuckling. As he sat down next to you, pulling the blanket back across your bodies, he noticed your unusually stiff posture. “What is going on, honey?”

“What? Nothing,” You said, looking back up at the movie. Robin brought over Black Christmas because she was not over Halloween but also wanted to get into the Christmas spirit.

“Bullshit, you’ve been avoiding me since we got everything set up,” Steve said, turning his body so he could look at you in the eye. “I can’t fix whatever I did if you don’t tell me what’s bothering you."

“You didn’t do anything, Steve,” You said, bringing your hands up to rub your eyes. “Eddie said something earlier and I’m struggling to wrap my head around it.”

“Do I need to beat him up? I will, if he upset you,” Steve said, turning to eye his friend sitting three floats down.

“Absolutely not, you’ve never won a fight in your life, I’d hate to spend movie night attending to your wounds,” You said, grabbing Steve’s shoulders to turn him back towards you. “I’m sorry, I’m acting weird. Give me two minutes to shake it off and then I’ll be fine.”

“I’m hurt that you don’t think I could win a fight for your honor, you’re probably the only reason I could find the strength to win. But I’m right here if you need me, you know that right?” Steve said, when you nodded in agreeance he turned his attention back to the movie but not before squeezing your shoulders in comfort.

You had been in love with Steve for years. Been best friends for two and maybe Eddie had a point. Steve stopped talking to you about girls and his nights have been free for the last few months as he’s been spending his free time with you. Okay, you could begin to wonder if Eddie was right...You would always wonder what could have been.

“Actually, Stevie,” You said, causing the brown eyes you’ve fallen for to look down at you. “There is something that’s been bothering me and I’m scared to talk about it and I’m scared about what you might say.”

“Oh honey,” Steve said, pulling you into his chest as he pressed a kiss to your head. “Please talk to me, there’s nothing that you could say that would make me think of you differently, absolutely nothing.”

“Okay,” You said, releasing a breath and closing your eyes to gain the courage. “I love you and not in a ‘we are best friends and I love you bestie kind of way.’ I love you in a way that makes my heart explode when you smile. I love you in a way that causes me to physically feel ill when you’re having a rough day or something says something to hurt you. I love you in a way that I will be okay with watching you fall in love with someone else if simply being your friend is what you want from me.”

You opened your eyes as soon as you finished speaking to silence around you. Midway through your speech, Robin had gotten up to stop the movie and everyone stopped talking to watch what they had been waiting for to unfold. Before you could feel embarrassed, Eddie stood up and started clapping.

“Y/l/n, I’m so proud of you, I wasn’t sure you had it in you,” Eddie said laughing, his clapping picking up as everyone else started to join in too. Whooping and hollering.

“Oh honey,” Steve repeated. “I thought I was being so obvious in how I felt about you!”

“No dingus,” Robin shouted across the yard. “We all told you that you two are too dense to just see the signs.”

“Shut up, Robs,” Steve grumbled, turning his body back to face you. “I love you in not a ‘we are best friends and I love you bestie’ way too. God, I’ve loved you for a long time, honey.”

“You do?” You questioned as you leaned up to look at the boy talking to you.

“Yeah, I do,” Steve said as he started laughing. “I tried so hard to make you notice me by talking to those girls in Family Video and when that didn’t work, I tried to show you by spending all my time with you.”

“Steven Harrington, trying to get my attention by talking to other beautiful women is not going to work. In fact, it’s going to piss me off.

“Noted, baby,” Steve said, pulling you back into him. “Can you guys start the movie again? The show’s over.”

“Yeah, yeah, please don’t be gross now guys,” Dustin said as he got up to restart the movie.

“No promises,” Steve said, looking at you as he leaned down to kiss you. As your lips met, you could not help but groan, pulling Steve closer. The moment that you have been craving and dreaming about for years was finally happening. Steve, also feeling the pent-up tension, moved his hands to your face, angling you up to deepen the kiss. As he broke the kiss to take a breath, Steve grumbled, “Please stay over tonight.”

“Okay,” You said, looking up into his eyes before molding your body into his. For the first time, you felt comfortable cuddling him the way you always wanted. As you curled you curled into him, Steve pulled you even closer.

“I think this is my new favorite spot,” Steve grumbled into your neck.

“I think it’s mine too.”

#Steve Harrington #Steve HarringtonxReader #Steve Harrington Fluff #stranger things fic #Stranger Things AU #comp lady domestic december #domestic december #fckinwild kiwi writing #fckinwild kiwi #steve harrington x fem reader #Best Friends to Lovers #mutual pining #fluff #friends to lovers

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bad-at-names-and-faces · 6 months

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News

ao3

ffn

chapter index

Inga lay on her bed, staring out the open window at the moonlight, contemplating her curtains which were blowing in the breeze. The curtains were different in each room, even though many of the rooms here looked similar otherwise. She dozed in and out, not quite dreaming.

“Are you sure?” he asked, pulling away from the kiss.

“I’ll tell you when I change my mind,” she replied.

She woke up from the wind gusting in through the window, and tried to convince herself that she was remembering a dream, nothing more. That was all. She knew it wasn’t true, but she still tried to convince herself of that.

There was another gust of wind, and a letter landed in her lap. She opened it quickly.

October 18th, 1865

Dear Inga,

Good news! The ship I'm on is making excellent time, and I should be in Arendelle in less than two days. I'm quite looking forward to seeing everything you've been planning, but most of all, seeing you. I hope you're feeling better now, but please don't feel like you need to pretend you're feeling well just for my sake.

Love,

Henry

Inga smiled at the letter, but started crying as she looked outside. She still wasn't feeling any better, and at this point she wasn’t sure if Henry would be disappointed coming to visit, no matter what he said to the contrary.

Perhaps the doctor could give her something to settle her stomach. The doctor would stop by in the morning, so she needed to sleep as much as she could before then.

***

Anna sat with Kristoff at breakfast, looking out at the town preparations for the Harvest Festival.

"Is Inga still not feeling well?" Kristoff asked with concern.

"She was working herself too hard the past few weeks, so I've been making her rest for the last few days. Hopefully she'll be feeling better before Henry gets here, since he's the whole reason she's been putting quite this much effort into the preparations."

"Well, I just hope it's nothing serious," he sighed. The last thing they needed was the worry of their children getting seriously ill. Luck and isolation had been on their side avoiding a lot of outbreaks, but he never quite felt secure about that.

"Nobody else in the family has gotten sick, and nobody in town seems to have anything, so I think she just needs to take better care of herself. I wish she'd eat more, though. Gerda says that Oline tells her that Inga has refused everything except for toast and butter."

"I'm sure she'll be hungry enough in a few days," Kristoff smirked.

"Oh, when Henry gets here," Anna glared at him.

"Well, I should go find Frederick and Anton and Peder now. They're going to take the wagon out and bring down some pumpkins from the farm a few miles out of town."

“Send them with something nice from the kitchen to bring to the pumpkin farm. There should be some good pastries ready." Anna stood up and kissed him before starting to get herself ready for the day.

***

“I’ll tell you when I change my mind,” Inga told Henry, kissing him again.

Henry pulled away from the kiss once more, looked at the door, and back to her. “It’s getting late, maybe-”

“Nobody will be looking for me,” Inga interrupted him quickly, not thinking about her words, “not until lunchtime, probably, and Gerda selected this dress because she knows I can get out of it on my own.”

“Can you?” he said, his voice cracking suddenly.

Inga realized what she had just said, setting the painting down on the nightstand safely. “Oh, I mean… Not that I… Well, I can, of course.”

He stood in front of her, completely still, his eyes wide. “I- you-”

She kissed him. “I don’t want to leave, not right now. I know I’m not supposed to, but… but nobody knows we’re here, and nobody suspects anything. And-”

Inga stared at the ceiling, half awake. She slowly forced herself to sit up, and watched as the sun rose. There were a few ships arriving, but the light hadn't yet hit the fjord at this hour so she couldn’t see any details. She had hoped she would be feeling well enough this morning to cancel the doctor's visit, but she had no such luck today.

She cleaned herself up and made herself decent enough for the doctor, but she supposed there was no point in dressing up all that much. She hadn’t really eaten the day before aside from some toast, so her stomach wasn’t bothering her very much, but she was still so tired, and something just seemed… off.

She looked out the window into the courtyard, and could see her brothers taking the wagon across the bridge. It was already time to get the pumpkins. She wanted to be with them helping, but now she wasn’t even sure if she would be able to show Henry around. She looked at herself. She didn’t look like the girl Henry painted, but she wasn’t always sure if she really looked like that girl.

The doctor knocked at exactly the time she had asked him to arrive. Inga opened the door. He was a kind old man, and had been the royal family’s physician for quite some time now, well before she was born, when her mother was a little girl.

“Good morning, Your Highness,” the doctor greeted her.

“Doctor,” Inga acknowledged him.

“I got your note yesterday. Are you not feeling well?”

“I haven’t been feeling very well, no,” Inga told him as she sat on the edge of her bed. “My mother thinks I was just working too hard the past few weeks, but it’s not just that I’m tired. If I eat anything besides toast, I get sick.”

The doctor raised an eyebrow. “How long have you been feeling this way?”

“On and off for a few weeks,” she told him, “pretty much since I took on the extra work for the planning last month.”

“I see,” he nodded. “And how was your summer? You don’t get many scrapes or bruises any more, so I almost never see you these days.”

“It was a nice summer,” she smiled, “I suppose it was good that I didn’t have to do any of the planning for my birthday party, it might have worn me down entirely too much.”

“I suppose that’s a possibility,” the doctor muttered, beginning to look in her eyes and ears. “May I see your throat?”

Inga obliged.

“This all looks fine, though of course you haven’t complained of any kind of cough,” he said when he was done looking into her mouth. “May I ask if you’re wearing a corset? I need to feel your stomach.”

“No, I’m not,” Inga replied. “I haven’t really eaten since yesterday, so it’s not feeling too bad today.”

“I see,” he hummed, poking and prodding a bit.

“I hope I’ll be feeling well enough this week,” she continued, not really sure if he was expecting small talk.

“Of course, you’ve been helping organize that,” he replied. “And, I hope it’s not forward of me to ask, but I believe you have plans of getting married?”

“The engagement should be official soon,” Inga said, trying to ignore the continued poking and prodding. “Henry's going to be arriving soon with a letter from his grandfather.”

“This is the young prince from Corona, I assume?” the doctor said, finished with his prodding.

Inga nodded.

“If I might ask a delicate question, have your menses been regular?”

Inga realized she hadn’t put much thought into that lately. “I suppose not, but again, I have been rather busy.”

“Indeed?” The doctor stepped back a moment and turned to his bag, looking for something as he continued speaking. “You mentioned your engagement. Has your mother, or… someone… discussed marital relations with you?”

“Sort of, and I've read some books about it. Why?” she asked.

The doctor turned around. “If you will permit me, I would like to examine more thoroughly now. If you could remove any underthings and lie back.”

“Oh, I suppose, if you need,” Inga hemmed, but complied with the doctor’s request. He said nothing as he examined her.

“Thank you, you can sit up again,” he told her.

He was looking at his bag but didn’t seem to have any particular thing he was looking for while she got her undergarments back on.

“So, what do you think it is?” she asked absentmindedly. He turned around and was frowning, looking very seriously at her.

“Inga, have you… spent much time alone with the young man you are promised to?”

***

The sound of a polka came through the windows from the courtyard down below.

“There,” Inga said as she pulled off her shift, “now you have a proper model. What should I do first?”

Henry sat on the bed with his notebook and stared, wide-eyed. “I’ve never done this before.”

“I know, you told me,” Inga giggled. “You didn’t get to work from live models in Paris.”

“I mean… I’ve never really…” Henry took a deep breath. “I’ve never even kissed anyone else.”

Inga realized what he meant. “Oh, um, well I haven’t, either. I mean, I suppose I’m not supposed to, not really, of course… Are you going to draw me or not?”

“I don’t know if I could draw anything right now,” he confessed. She noticed the tip of his pencil shaking a little.

Inga walked over. “Should I get dressed, then?”

“No. I mean- no- yes… no…” He covered his face.

Inga pulled at his hands, pulling him back. “Here,” she said, undoing his collar, “this looks tight.”

“What?” he asked.

Inga kissed him before he could ask more. His hands began to trace down her back as she began to unbutton his shirt.

***

Inga paused before answering the doctor’s question.

“We’ve been alone, yes,” she admitted. “Why are you asking me this?”

“I’m asking you this because everything you’ve told me as well as what I’ve seen would seem to indicate pregnancy. If this is not a possibility, I need to know. If it is, in fact, a possibility, you need to know.”

Inga stood stunned, catching her balance on the edge of the bed.

“I’ve known your family for a long time, and I do not share secrets,” he said, hinting at a deeper meaning, “but I believe this is one that you will need to tell someone.”

The doctor closed up his bag and looked at her with his eyes full of pity. “I can send someone up here right now,” he said, “or not, that is up to you, Your Highness.”

“I think I’d like to be alone,” she told him.

“Very well. I will be in the castle kitchen for the next hour, if you need to find me,” he told her gently. “Your Highness.”

Inga sank to the floor as he left, not noticing the sound of the door closing.

This should have been obvious. It's what can happen, she knew this. How did she think she would be any different? She grabbed a pillow from the bed to muffle her sobs. What would her parents think? She wasn’t supposed to be careless like this. That wasn’t who she was.

What would Henry think?

She did her best to rise from the floor.

***

The royal physician sighed as he went into the kitchen of the castle. It was a familiar place for him, having been one of the few outside people allowed inside the castle for many years, he knew the family and many of their secrets. Something would work out for the princess; somehow something would work out.

“Excuse me, sir, I mean, doctor…”

It was the maid who had brought him the note from the princess.

“Yes?” he replied.

“Are you here to see Her Highness?” she asked.

“I’ve already seen her, in fact. You are her maid, are you not?”

“I am. How is she doing? I was hoping to bring her breakfast, though she hasn’t had much of an appetite lately.”

“Perhaps you should go see her,” he suggested.

***

Henry breathed in the crisp fall air as the ship sailed into the fjord from the open sea. They were early, and he was bound and determined to surprise Inga. He was almost giddy with nervous excitement, pacing back and forth along the deck.

James would take care of seeing that most of his things were ready, but he had his sketchbook with him. He made a few quick sketches of the fjord, trying to spot the places he had been on previous visits. He flipped back through the pages, finding some of the sketches of Inga he had made during the summer, and before that, the many sketches he had based on the photograph from the year before. Usually, he would sketch only her, but sometimes he would sketch her more as she appeared in the photo, surrounded by the large family, holding the baby.

After what felt to him like an eternity, the ship docked at the harbor, and he almost ran down the gangway to the quay. He tried to act calm as he hurried to the castle, pausing to look around the market square, which was nearly empty except for a few people preparing for the Harvest Festival. It was early, perhaps he could surprise Inga.

The halls of the castle were nearly empty, though Henry saw one older man, not obviously a servant, entering a door to go to the kitchen, but Henry was fairly certain nobody saw him. He got to Inga's door and immediately knocked, too excited to think through any sort of elaborate plan beyond rushing in to surprise her. Maybe it was early enough that he could wake her, though he wouldn’t hope for more on this day, at least, with so many people coming and going.

The door wasn't latched, and swung open with his knocking. Inga was sitting on her bed, staring out the window.

She turned around and smiled.

“Henry? Are you really here?”

He ran over and sat next to her, kissing her briefly.

“The ship got in early,” he told her. “I didn’t want to get your hopes up if we didn’t get here today.”

“I’m hardly even dressed,” she told him.

Henry realized she was in a dressing gown.

“I don’t care, I mean… you know…” he gave a bit of a smile.

She started crying, burying her face in a pillow.

“Inga… what’s wrong?”

She was still sobbing, so he laid down next to her. She kept sobbing as he put his arms around her, and she buried her face in his coat. James would probably have a word over the coat getting dirty, but never mind that. Henry wondered if something had happened to someone in her family. Perhaps it had been too quiet this morning. Inga continued crying as she grasped him, heaving and trembling in his arms.

“Inga, please, you’re starting to scare me,” he pleaded. “Are you sick? Is someone in your family ill?”

She looked up again. “Henry… about last summer…”

“I’ve got the letter from my grandfather. They can’t change their word on that. You haven’t changed your mind, have you?”

“No, I haven’t changed my mind. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t now…”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m pregnant,” she whispered. As quiet as the words were, he felt like he’d been punched in the gut. He held her tighter, not sure what he could actually say.

“Wh-” he stopped himself. He had been about to ask how it happened, which he knew very well was a stupid question.

Through his mind his family’s words echoed, reminding him that he was only nineteen, and just how young that was. It was exactly what he eventually wanted, eventually, but not like this.

“I’m sorry…” she muttered.

He realized he hadn’t told her anything coherent.

“Look, I said I’ve got the letter from my grandfather, so we can get married now,” was all he could think to say. It was true. He wasn’t sure how it would work, or whether people would gossip, or what a mess their lives would be now, but that much was true.

She gripped him more tightly. “You’re not mad?”

Henry was confused. “Why would I be mad?”

“It’s… it’s not how this is supposed to happen,” she insisted. Henry wiped a tear from her cheek as she spoke. “I’m so scared.”

“Well, no,” he admitted. “I’m scared, too. Everyone in Corona was telling me how young I am.”

“We don’t even have a wedding date scheduled. What if the council wants to delay more? And my parents… My mother will know…”

“Why would they object or delay? I have the official letter,” Henry insisted, “but if I have to take you on the boat back to Corona with me to get married there, that’s what we’ll do.”

He held her close to his chest, stroking her back, trying not to let on just how terrified he felt at the moment. Of course they needed to get married right away.

Inga sniffled. “I don’t want to elope if I don’t have to. That’s too much of a mess for everyone… but… but I’m glad you still want to marry me, Henry. Thank you.”

Henry stopped what he was doing and kissed Inga’s forehead. “Why wouldn’t I want to marry you? Besides, it’s not like I wasn’t involved.”

“No, of course,” she said, almost laughing. “That’s… I hope that’s obvious.”

“It’s not the best time, that’s true, but… it’s just… earlier than we intended. That’s all.”

Inga gave a smile.

***

Kristoff had gotten Frederick and the twins on their way with little difficulty, and now had joined Anna for breakfast.

“Do you see that?” he asked Anna as they finished their breakfast, “I thought you said the Corona ship wasn’t expected for another day or two.”

Anna looked out the window, watching the ship being unloaded. “We should let Inga know. I think that will cheer her up.”

Kristoff nodded in agreement.

They walked down the hallway to Inga’s bedroom.

“So I suppose you’re going to start planning their wedding now?” Kristoff asked.

“Unless they’ve changed their minds, but I doubt Henry would have come all this way.”

“I assume she would have told you if something happened with that,” Kristoff replied.

As they neared Inga’s door, they could hear her talking, sounding like she was crying.

“I still don’t know what to say,” they could hear from the room. Anna and Kristoff stopped and looked at each other. Anna grabbed Kristoff’s hand, knowing that his instinct was to barge straight into the room unannounced.

“Maybe Oline is in there?” Anna whispered.

Anna knocked at the door as she opened it. "Inga!" she called out with forced cheerfulness.

"Mother? What…" Inga trailed off. She was sitting on her bed in her dressing gown, looking like she had been crying, with Henry right next to her, holding her.

Kristoff shut the door securely behind them.

"Um," he mumbled, "we came to tell you that the ship from Corona arrived early, but I guess you already know that…"

"I… we… yes," Inga stammered. "I forgot the door was still open."

“We can leave if you would like a little time,” Anna said. “Though for propriety Henry should probably come with us.”

“What?” Henry asked.

“You know how this could look,” Kristoff said, frowning.

“But we would like to know why you were upset, Inga,” Anna added.

“It’s fine now,” Inga said. “At least, I think it will be. Henry has the letter from his grandfather, so we can get married now, right?”

“Yes, as soon as the council has the letter, we can start planning,” Anna said. “I would still rather not rush things. I think Henry would want his family to attend.”

“How soon could they get here?” Inga asked him.

“The steamer takes a week,” Henry said. “I could write to my mother this afternoon.”

“Wait,” Kristoff said. “What’s all this? I know you’re excited, but are you really talking about getting married next week?”

“I suppose we could wait two or three weeks if we really have to,” Inga said. “I don’t really want to elope.”

"It would only be as a last resort," Henry blurted out.

"You don’t have to elope, we never said no,” Kristoff sighed, rubbing his forehead. “We’re just saying that you really shouldn't be in such a rush to get married.”

Henry leaned over to Inga. "We need to tell them," he whispered.

Kristoff suddenly felt his stomach twisting, but tried to convince himself he was jumping to conclusions. This was Inga, she wasn’t the sort to do something foolish.

“I had the doctor in here this morning,” Inga began, her voice shaking noticeably. "He told me-"

Kristoff looked over at Anna. She was shaking her head. Inga was looking away.

“Please, Inga, finish what you were saying,” Anna pleaded.

Kristoff was fairly certain he and Anna were both thinking the same thing now, but desperately hoping it was something else. But what could possibly be good news if she was having so much trouble telling them?

Inga looked at Henry again, then straight at them. "I'm pregnant. I don't want to elope if I don't have to, but I will."

Kristoff remembered the rumors the morning after Inga’s party, and the confused explanations for who was seen going into Henry’s room. And the forgotten gift.

"I… I suppose I don't need to ask you when this happened…." Anna said flatly.

They had trusted Inga, and given her so much freedom.

"You're mad at me," Inga stated, "I understand."

"Not mad. Disappointed. Very disappointed," Anna sighed.

Everyone stood silently for what felt like hours.

“Obviously, we’ll need to get married as soon as possible,” Inga repeated

“I don’t think that’s obvious,” Kristoff interjected.

“Why wouldn’t we get married right away?” Inga demanded.

“This isn’t the sort of thing you want to rush into,” Kristoff replied. “I just don’t want you making a mistake.”

“What else would you suggest? Sending me away? Like-”

“No,” Kristoff cut her off. He wasn’t sure what Henry knew, but this wasn’t the time to let it slip. “I don’t think you should be sent away.”

Anna was staring silently, and she had clearly understood their daughter’s meaning.

“Then what?” Inga prodded, starting to cry again.

“And what about me?” Henry asked. “I’m standing right here!”

“Yes,” Kristoff sighed. “But can she trust you?”

“Trust me?”

“After you seduced her?”

“What do you mean?” Henry asked.

Kristoff rubbed his forehead. “I’m talking about how you got into this… situation…”

“He didn’t seduce me,” Inga interrupted.

“Inga,” Henry whispered, “you don’t have to-”

“No, Henry, I do,” she insisted. She looked at them, wiping the tears from her face. “I’m not defending my judgment this summer, but I wasn’t seduced.”

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

Everyone stopped and looked at each other. Finally, Inga walked over and opened the door.

Her maid stood there, surprised at the number of people in the room.

“Um, Your Majesty…” Oline curtseyed. “Your… Highnesses…”

“Yes, Oline?” Anna prompted.

“I was in the kitchen and the doctor suggested I come check on the princess, but I can come back later,” she said.

“Thank you, Oline, I think that would be good,” Inga said, oddly calm.

The maid curtseyed once again and left.

After the door closed, Anna sighed. “I’ll speak to the council today.”

#frozen fanfic #tangled fanfiction #prince of two realms #1865 #OC Inga #kristanna

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killiansprincss · 3 months

Text

TIMELESS - a new Captain Swan AU Chapter 4/19

SUMMARY : Season 3 divergence - When Zelenas time portal works, Henry wakes up alone in Storybrooke and must travel to the Enchanted Forest to get his family back. Only once he gets there he quickly realises its not like the one in his book, theres no Evil Queen and his mother Emma wasn't put through a wardrobe, theres even a poster inviting the entire kingdom to her engagement ball, to Hook. What will happen once Henry gets them to break this new curse and they get their memories back?

In which every chapter is inspired by a different Taylor Swift song.

Link to AO3

—

Your eyes whispered "have we met?"

Across the room your silhouette starts to make it's way to me

The playful conversation starts

Counter all your quick remarks, like passing notes in secrecy

And it was enchanting to meet you

All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you

Misthaven Kingdom, Enchanted Forest-5 years ago

Emma loved her life, she had two parents that loved her and a little brother that she adored. But as Crown Princess of Misthaven, it came with a few struggles, privacy for one was a luxury she didn’t have often with maids and servants at her every call. And being unmarried also meant her mother insisted on her meeting new suitors at every ball, and with many allies in other kingdoms, it meant a lot of royal balls.

“Are you ready yet Emma?” Emma hears her mother's voice from outside her door.

“Almost ready!” She calls back, it’s a complete lie, she’s not even started getting ready, she was watching the world go by outside her window, seeing everyone dressed up and excited to come to the ball. She wished she were one of those people, seeing the palace in all its glory for a special occasion, and not every day of her life.

“Ahem.” Emma turns from the window to see her mother standing with her arms crossed.

Emma gives her mother a coy smile, “I said almost ready.”

Snow rolls her eyes and pulls out the chair by the vanity for Emma to sit on. “What’s up with you lately? You’ve been distant.”

If she were being honest, Emma didn’t know. She felt lost, like there was something missing, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. “I’m just nervous, balls make me nervous meeting all these new people.”

Grabbing the brush by her left, Snow begins brushing Emma’s hair, “well maybe tonight will be the night you meet somebody. It’ll be okay, your father and I are always around. Just don’t take Leo and sneak off into the kitchens.”

Emma sniggers at the memory, that ball in particular was incredibly boring, so she and her younger brother Leo snuck into the kitchens. It was great for them, they were both bored of dancing and the kitchens had amazing cake and cookies only baked for the balls. Their parents caught them though after a couple hours and they were in serious trouble, but it was worth it.

“I promise I’ll try and enjoy myself tonight mother.” Emma means it, as much as she hates these balls, she loves her parents and it’s their Anniversary ball.

____

Captain Hook was not a fan of Royal Balls. But the ball of Queen Snow and King David was a necessary evil to attend. The jewels and gold in their palace were worth more than he could loot in 5 months. He’d been back from Neverland around a year and had since learnt 3 centuries had passed, his reputation lives on with new kingdoms to pillage and plunder.

This wasn’t his first time at a Royal Ball either, he knew the etiquette from his days with Liam in the Royal Navy. Whilst it was a long time ago, but the royal etiquette remained the same. You arrive and dance for a while before the royal family are introduced, then the young prince and princess dance first with a chosen suitor before everyone joins in the dancing and festivities. It was the perfect chance to sneak off and find the jewels.

The music stops, and Hook looks over to the guards at the top of the stairs. This was the part where the Royal Family were announced, it had to be after everybody else had arrived,

“Presenting their Majesties, Queen Snow and King Consort David.” The squire announces as two people walk out onto the podium, they smile and wave at the crowd. Hook manoeuvres his way around the edges to get a closer vantage point of sneaking into the main hallway.

“And now presenting their Royal Highnesses; Prince Leopold, and Crown Princess Emma.”

A young lad, no older than 15 walks out first, no denying he’s the prince, as he is the spitting image of his father. And then the Princess walks out, she is much older than her brother, early 20s maybe, but again the image of their father, long blonde hair with white flowers to match her white dress. She was beautiful.

He had met Princess’ before, both in his days in the Navy, and during his pirate days,but none were as beautiful as the one standing in front of him. Something inside of him was pushing him towards her, telling him not to rush for the Jewels straight away.

He took another sip of whatever was in his goblet, nothing close to the Rum he has on the high seas, but he had to stay focused on the job at hand, getting side tracked by the pretty Princess was not part of the plan.

He can’t help but keep his eyes on the Princes as she dances with her chosen suitor, she’s beautiful, a true vision of beauty.

“I kindly ask you to stop Prince Lorcan.” He overhears her saying to her dance partner. He notices her struggling in his grip as if she’s trying to escape.

“May I have this dance, Princess?” He taps on the shoulder of her partner who reluctantly steps away.

“Thank you for saving me.” She whispers as she takes his arm in the dance.

“I can sense when a lady is in danger, some men need to learn the meaning of the word ‘no’.”

“I warn you, I’m no good at dancing.” She admits.

He just smirks and tells her, “Well that's rule one, pick a partner who knows what he’s doing.”

At this moment he is just a handsome stranger who glides her around the ballroom floor. He was not lying, he knew how to dance, dancing was also something that hadn’t changed in 300 years.

“I truly despise these balls.” The Princess sighs as she lets him lead the waltz, a dance she favoured.

“What isn’t there to like, Princess? Free food, free drink, music and a whole crowd that worships you and your family.” He asks with a smirk, this was not part of his plan but dancing with the princess felt strangely right.

She laughs, “You just described exactly what I hate about them!” She turns to him, a blush creeping up on her cheecks as she looks into his eyes, “See that prince over there in the red?” He looks over to see a bumbling man stuffing his face with what appears to be olives. “He’s the prince of Ashbourne, our closest ally. My parents think I should marry him, they invite him to every ball thinking I’ll change my mind.”

She was a stubborn Princess, he liked that. “I take it royal suitors are not your thing?”

Emma smiles. “If I am going to marry, it’ll be for love. I can’t imagine it would be with someone my parents picked out for me.”

“I take it that’s rare for a Princess.” He doesn’t know why he engages in conversation with her, every logical part of his brain was telling him to find the treasure. But what if there was a different treasure to be found tonight?

“You know who I am. And yet I am clueless as to who you are.” She comments, he wanted to keep the conversation flowing, he liked talking to her, yet he needed to be wary in case he slipped up

“I know that you are a Princess and your name is Emma. I wouldn’t say I know who you are.” He replies as he spins her around.

“So mysterious. But I would like to know your name at least, and I can’t quite pinpoint your accent.” She was not going to drop this that much was clear.

Hook hesitates for a moment, debating whether to stay mysterious or to come up with an elaborate lie, he couldn’t exactly tell her the truth. “Charles, I come from the land of Arendelle.”

“Oh my father knows the Princess of Arendelle! How is the weather this time of year?”

“This time of year is lovely and warm. You should come visit sometime.”

He was thankful the conversation ended at that moment as one of Emma’s likely suitors tapped him on the back, asking politely to cut in. “It was lovely conversing with you Princess.”

___

Emma knew Charles, or whoever he was, was lying. She had a special skill to know when someone was lying to her, it worked with her brother, and it worked with this man. He hesitated when she asked for his name, and Arendelle was known for its cold weather this time of year.

She wished she could trip him up, call his bluff, but then of course Prince Rowan steps in asking for a dance.

He dances nothing like her mysterious stranger, he trips over his own feet and steps on Emma's toes a lot. She looks over at her family, seeing her parents dancing together, and her little brother dancing with a red headed girl his age.

“Prince Rowan, I am parched, would you go get some wine for us both?” Emma asks, knowing that the servants with the drinks are on the other side of the ballroom, and Emma’s secret corridor leading back to her room is behind her. This was her only chance to slip away unnoticed.

“Of course! Of course! Give me a few moments and I shall be back!” The poor prince was far too eager, and went running off to grab another two glasses.

Emma backed away, slowly finding herself in the midst of the crowds before disappearing into the secret corridor behind the portrait of one of her ancestors. It was a passageway she and Leo found a few years ago, and it has been their way of escaping the balls, or any royal duties for that matter. Leo enjoyed the balls, but when talking to other kingdoms about finances, that was when it got boring. Unfortunately as the heir, Emma had to stay for those meetings. Luckily tonight there was no need to discuss politics, it was her parents anniversary. Nobody would notice if she slipped away for a few hours. These balls went on for far too long, she would come back and dance with one of her suitors, pleasing her mother incase she suspscted anything.

She was on her way to her chamber when she heard rustling and footsteps up ahead. Worried it may be one of the guards who will inevitably escort her back into the ball, she hides behind the nearest corner to see what was going on. The noise she realised was coming from the throne room, which nobody, even the guards shouldn’t be in during the ball.

Oh no. No. The mystery man was filling his pockets with their jewels. He was a thief

“Charles, was it?” Emma says as she approaches the doorway.

The mystery man turns around slowly to face her, “I can explain.”

Emma scoffs. “Can you explain how you disguise yourself as a prince, snuck into my castle, to my parents' ball without a legitimate invitation, distracted me long enough so you can sneak in and steal from us?”

The stranger is lost for words.

“You're a pirate.” It’s not a question, she can tell by his accent now, he was from all over, the way he danced, it wasn’t due to practise, only a thief could move so swiftly.

“That I am Princess. Now if you don’t mind, I’ll be heading off.” He’s quick on his feet as he prepares to climb the ledge leading to the open window. But Emma was faster.

Emma grabs the sword to her right, her father’s sword, and launches it above his head, perfect aim, perfect execution. He’s startled, and confused, which gives Emma the perfect amount of time to grab the dagger hidden inside her dress and shove the Pirate against the wall with the dagger at his throat. She had started carrying one on her person since one of the suitors attempted to take advantage of her once, thankfully her fist was stronger and knocked him out, but has carried a small dagger in case of emergency ever since,

The Pirate was in disbelief, clearly bewildered by the way a Princess was able to move as stealthily as he and had the courage and guts to go up against him.

“Return my jewels and be gone. Pirate.” She sneers still holding the dagger at his throat.

The Pirate just chuckles, “You are a feisty one, Princess.”

Suddenly the Pirate counteracts Emma’s movements, sweeping his leg unde hers causing her to stumble, losing her footing as well as her grip on the dagger and within a second he has her suddenly on her back, arms pinned down by her side. “You know there are much more enjoyable things I prefer to do with a woman on her back.”

He was really flirting with death right now. There was a gold box next to her head from his plundering, she pretends to struggle under his grip and manages to grab a ring box just within her grap, slowly bringing it up and hitting him over the head with it. “I win.”

The Pirate falls to the ground and Emma gets off the floor and composes herself before calling the guards to take him away.

______

“Ems please say you’re not sneaking out again. Mother and Father almost caught me in my lies last time!” Leo walks by Emma’s chamber seeing her getting changed into “commoner” clothes. Emma had been sneaking out of the castle at night for years, going to the tavern, pretending she isn’t a princess for a few short hours.

“I know I’m sorry but I’ll bring you back a beer!” She knew exactly how to tempt her brother, he was only 13 so it was easy to bribe him with alcohol as nobody at the balls would serve him.

Leo rolls his eyes, “Ugh fine. I’m going to bed though, I don’t want to be caught lying, mother will stop my archery lessons.”

“I love you little brother!” Emma kisses his cheek and opens up the doors to the balcony and begins her descent down the vines.

“Younger. Brother.” Leo sighs as he sees her wave when she’s safely on the ground.

And so Emma puts the hood of her cloak over her head and makes her way to the to the local tavern, she climbs on her trusted steed, the one Leo had managed to acquire earlier and tie to the tree nearest her room. It’s about a 20 minute ride, it takes longer to walk if she cannot acquire a horse for the night but Emma knows the schedules of the stable staff, she knows which ones will be on and off which night and the ones who are sloppier and wouldn’t notice a horse missing the next morning.

“Ems. The usual?” August, the barman who knows her secret asks.

Emma nods. August knew her before she was a princess, they were friends growing up, and he was once a puppet. They’ve kept each other’s secrets, and August let Emma hideout in his tavern when she needed to.

She sits in a corner and just watches the world go by in front of her. She longs for normality like the people she sees, but knows she can’t have it. One day she will be Queen, and if her parents have their way, married to one of her suitors. But she longed for the life where she wasn’t under a watchful eye, always making sure her hair and clothes were perfect before appearing in public spaces. Being careful what she says and to not get into any arguments or debates. She didn’t even have the freedom to eat and drink what she liked, only being served one glass of wine at every ball to make sure she would be in the right headspace.

She started sneaking out 2 years ago. The first time she snuck out, it was to see if she could do it, to see if she could pretend to be normal for a few hours. It felt great, nobody recognised her, nobody looked in her direction unless serving her a drink. She could flirt with a handsome man and not be reprimanded. She was free. For the first time since becoming a Princess, she felt free.

“A woman as beautiful as you shouldn’t be drinking alone.” She hears a man's voice say. She smiles and looks up, but her smile quickly fades.

“You!” It was the damn pirate from the ball.

“Princess?” The pirate replies also recognising her.

“Say a word and I’ll end you,” she pulls a dagger out from under her cloak reminding him of what she can do with said weapon. “How did you get out of the dungeon anyway?”

The pirate sits down across from her. “Pirate, remember? I’ve gotten out of worse traps before.

Emma rolls her eyes at him, she doesn’t remember inviting him to sit down.

“You are a feisty one Princess.” He smirks, and Emma suddenly sees his right hand, or lack of it rather. In place of a hand, he has a hook.

“Hook?” She whispers, almost to herself but he overhears.

“Ah so you’ve heard of me.”

Indeed she has. Horrible stories, the most ruthless pirate in all the lands. She should be afraid, in fear of her life. But there’s something about him, something inside of her telling her not to be afraid.

“You seem to know my name and my story lass, and yet I know nothing of you. Unless you want me to call you ‘Princess’ all evening, but then someone may recognise Princess Emma.” He says the last part in a low whisper, checking to see if they had company listening in.

Emma had found herself in situations like this before, needing an alias in case the unthinkable happened, so she gives him the name she’d become accustomed to the past few years “call me Swan.”

“Well then Swan, don’t make a man drink alone.” He grabs the bottle of whiskey, or rum whatever it was and pours out two glasses.

“Fine. I’ll have one drink with you. But that is it. I don’t trust you”

Hook smirks as he pours them a drink. “Ah but you don’t even know me. So tell me, what is a princess like yourself doing in a tavern amongst us peasants?” Hook asks as he takes a swing from his flask.

“I wasn't always a Princess.” she decides to take a leap out of his book and not reveal everything about herself right away, he could easily betray her tomorrow morning.

“Well now I’m just more intrigued by you. Just who are you, Swan?” He looks at Emma as if trying to understand her story by the way she carries herself.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Emma teases. Emma had flirted with many random strangers in the tavern, it was nice to flirt with an attractive man of her choosing, someone her parents wanted her to marry. Whilst she had never flirted with a Pirate before, she didn’t see the harm, he was attractive, she danced with him at the ball for a reason.

“Perhaps I would.” Hook says in a now husky voice as he pours the two of them more rum from the bottle he stole from a table nearby.

One drink slowly turns into two, then two into three. And so on. He’s easy to talk to, and a good listening ear. It was crazy to hear that he had been on so many adventures, gone months at sea not knowing where he was going until they blindly found land.

“I’ve never left Misthaven.” She admits. All she wants is to explore the world, especially when she can barely leave her castle without sneaking out.

“Come aboard my ship lass and you can have all the adventures you want.” Hook had just just met this woman and yet there was something about her, it was like when he met Milah all those years ago, but this was different. So very different.

Emma did not expect to enjoy her night of freedom in the company of a pirate and a thief. He was very handsome, there was a reason she danced with him at the ball. Talking to him came naturally, the most natural thing in the world and she wasn’t afraid of telling him her fears of being an unfit ruler. “As much as I would love to sail the world with you, I must return home before morning light or my parents will send a search party for me.”

“When can I see you again?” Hook felt strange asking this. Milah was the last woman he saw more than once, normally he would bed a woman and then move on to the next. Emma was different though, he felt the need to spend as much time as he could with her and the thought of not seeing her again didn’t feel right.

Emma smiles and all Hook wants to do is see her smile more. “I can come back to the tavern in three days time. But in two weeks my parents are travelling up to the northern kingdoms and I’ll be able to stay a while longer. You can show me your ship.”

This was not what Emma had expected when she climbed out her window just a few hours ago. And neither realised how much would change after this night.

This is me praying that this was the very first page

Not where the story line ends

My thoughts will echo your name, until I see you again

These are the words I held back, as I was leaving too soon

I was enchanted to meet you

#captain swan #captain swan fanfic #cs ff #my wriitng #emma swan #killian jones #ouat fanfic #taylor swift

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