#i haye when relationships change.

[narutomaki]

every relationship either lasts forever or fails so like. idk why I'm surprised and upset about another one not lasting forever.

[trulyhblue]

INAPPROPRIATE

leah williamson x arsenal! reader

warnings — tiny angst, annoyed! Leah, Emma Hayes, Chelsea, sorta fluff, coarse language, mention of injury scare.

A/N — in light of Lee’s birthday!!!! short one today, sorry! Thought I would add some spice to this. Emma Hayes needs to realize that pretty much all of woso have dated each other, including her own players lol. there is a mention of Bug, which is a character in one of my stories. Just for context, that is Caitlin Foord’s daughter.

___________________

After hearing Emma Hayes yap on about her opinion on footballers' relationships, you found yourself subjected to a pretty pissed-off Leah Williamson.

Today was the London derby, a long-awaited revenge for Chelsea, it seemed, as the Arsenal bus arrived outside the stadium. Seas of blue and red treaded the stands — you caught sight of a couple of jerseys with your number plastered on the back. Leah was holding your waist as you wandered through the mob of fans reaching for autographs and pictures, a cold facade planted across her face.

Leah was always solemn before games. She was a serious contender, North London bred, with a serious competitive nature that no one could break down.

When you moved to Arsenal from your childhood club, you instantly caught onto Leah’s prominent soberness. Every player knew that if they didn't show up for a game and give it their all, their position would falter. It wasn't like any player with a job as a professional ever thought to underperform, but Leah was an exemption from sincerity. You couldn't joke with her the same way you could during team bonding. You would be stupid to slack off during training or talk to an exaggerated extent when Leah was running beside you. The Lioness Captain copped none of it, and there was no exception for you, her girlfriend.

The woman had woken up with an eminent frown playing on her lips. This was arguably the most important game of the WSL season, and with Leah starting after a long time away, there was a newfound angst set in your shared apartment.

Not only that — the stress Leah had put on herself to perform exceptionally — but the media spotlight Chelsea’s Emma Hayes has put on herself after a certain interview regarding coach-player, and player-player relationships.

From your viewpoint, it didn't really affect you. Everyone had their own opinions based on who dated whom. There was no stopping someone for sharing what they thought, so you simply shook it off as soon as you watched the clip. You did feel bad for the select few of the Blue’s team that were dating players. To not have the personal backing of your coach wouldn't be the most relieving sensation. You knew that the fans were in upheaval regarding her comments, but to be honest, there was nothing anyone could do to stop her.

But, it seemed that Leah did not share the same insight as you.

“She can't just go ‘round saying that.” She barked, hiding the Emirates logo as she crossed her arms in disapproval. “It's barmy, that's what it is.”

You were side by side in the change rooms. Leah was already in her kit, the Chelsea socks sticking out like a sore thumb. You were tugging up your shorts, your shirt yet to cover your sports bra. You sighed, having been hearing Leah go on for the best part of the morning.

“You shouldn't let it worry you, Lee.” You muttered, sorting through your bag, ignoring your girlfriend’s huff. “I don't think she meant any harm—”

“Well she did, didn't she?” She retorted.

You pulled your jersey off the hanger, slipping it on. “Leah, c’mon.”

“Why does she feel the need to talk about us, huh? She should be more worried about the amount of injuries on her team, not about what they do in their free time.”

“Leah, that's enough.” You snapped, your hands planted firmly on your hips. The blonde in front of you looked subtly started by your sudden change of demeanour. ��Don't worry about it. It's not worth your time.”

You were currently faced with the nerves of the game, on top of other things like international duties, and the Olympics. To have Leah in this mood, in such a critical time like this, was not only overwhelming but downright anxiety-inducing.

Leah didn't answer you. Instead, she tied her laces and crossed the room, exiting into the tunnel for kick-off. This gave you a few minutes to breathe, to centre yourself. You weren't starting, but your nerves were rising by the time you took your seat next to Alessia.

As soon as the game started, it was clear that Chelsea had it covered. Alessia joked that it was the socks, but you could see by the look on Lee’s face that she was fuming from something other than the odd black that covered her shin pads. You warmed up along the sideline, carrying Caitlin’s bug by your side when you saw her growing restless near Frida.

Unlike the rest of your teammates, you bit their nails at the painful game in front of them, you tried to hone your focus on keeping Bug’s hood down, making her giggle instead of wince at the tackles Caitlin was receiving.

You had been benched for the past few games, your hamstring giving you grief over training. But you were anticipating Jonas to call you over. You waited for the flick of his hand, wanting to make things right on the pitch.

The second-half whistle couldn't have come slower. The starting eleven were frustrated, angry, and quiet when entering the changing rooms, an eerie aura lingering inside. You held onto Bug all the way until Caitlin took over, trudging over to Viv, who happily took the girl up to the stands to watch. Jonas had told you and Emily that you’d be put on, so you were preparing yourself for what was to come.

You tried not to interact with Leah. It was an unspoken rule that unless it was personal, it was not to be said directly, especially when you were losing. But the blonde was leaning nearer to you the closer you were meant to be out on the pitch once more. She made the effort to tug at the hem of your shorts, and hold both your shoulders as she stood behind you, listening to the plan for the rest of the game. You pushed your back into her chest, letting her hug you from behind. She squeezed affectionately, and you noticed the subtle unravelling of her tense shoulders. Her features smoothed when she found out you were replacing Victoria in the midfield, and she made sure to hold your hand as you walked back into the stadium.

“You're doing great, Lee.” You managed to say, hoping that your substitution would be before the sixtieth minute. “Just be careful near the wing. It's very congested and you should wait for the midfield to sort it, alright?”

Leah cared deeply about her career and strived for greatness in all that she did. There was nothing that she couldn't achieve without perfection in her eyes. Many people said that you would bring her down to Earth, and remind her that mistakes are human. But there was only so much you could do, and you found that simply telling the girl that she was making the right decisions, treating her softly, was a tactic no game plan could ever beat.

You were about to find your way down the sidelines, getting ready to finish your warm-up before you were subbed on. Both teams had started filing out of their respected halftime seminars, Chelsea looking as confident as ever. Arsenal were sauntering out with much determination, the spite and inherent desire for justice spewing from the gunner’s crowd. Leah and you were near the entrance of the tunnel, standing on the edge of the field in what seemed like your own personal bubble.

Jonas had taken a seat near the rest of the officials, but Chelsea’s Emma Hayes was standing not far from where the two of you stood, skimming her surroundings vaguely without giving too much away. You could feel the irritation radiating off Leah as soon as the woman was in your sight. You both knew the coach was trying to look at you, without it being bitterly obvious, but it seemed to make the tension rise all the more. Your girlfriend found solace in kissing your forehead, running her hands down your sides painstakingly slow. You felt your cheeks go red, the blush filming over your face when Hayes’ eyes darted away.

“Leah.” You warned her wandering hands, squirming in the taller girl’s potent grip around your hips.

You pulled taunt against her, sighing when she loosened. She ignored your scolding look. A smirk was aligned on her lips, threatening to spill the cocky remarks relieving her lips. You watched her run over to the rest of the team, a meek smile matching hers.

God, you couldn't wait to go home.

_________________

A/N — again, sorry it's really short but I wanted to put something out xxxxxx

[silverstar70]

Fandom: Criminal minds Character: Aaron Hotchner x fem!reader

Author's note: English isn't my first language, I apologize for any mistakes.

Summary: Y/N had a stressfull day at work and just wanna go back home to her husband.

Warnings: 🔞‼️estabilished relationship, smut, vaginal sex, consensual sex, praise kink, orgasm control, oral sex, cute moments, fluff

Words count: 6,999k Hope you like it and let me know what you think! Enjoy it!

Rough day

5:30pm. Her shift was coming to an end, and she couldn’t wait. The office buzzed with activity as Lieutenant Y/N Y/L/N navigated her way through the crowded halls. The stress of the day clung to her like a second skin. She had just finished a particularly heated argument with her commanding officer and felt on the brink of exhaustion.

As she rounded the corner, she ran into her colleague, Lieutenant Commander Sarah Hayes. Sarah took one look at Y/N's face and frowned.

"Y/N, you okay?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Y/N forced a weak smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Just one of those days, Sarah."

Sarah placed a comforting hand on Y/N's shoulder. "Do you want to grab a coffee and talk about it?"

Y/N shook her head, the weight of the day's events pressing down harder. "Thanks, but I just wanna go home to my husband."

Sarah nodded, understanding flashing in her eyes. "I get it. Go on, get out of here. You need a break."

Grateful for her friend's understanding, Y/N gave Sarah's hand a squeeze before heading towards the exit. The drive home was long, it took her more than an hour and her mind was solely focused on the thought of Aaron and coming back to him.

The sound of the engine purring beneath her was almost hypnotic, but the tension in her shoulders refused to dissipate. Y/N steered her car into the driveway, her heart heavy from a particularly grueling day. Her thoughts raced back to the string of meetings, the impossible deadlines, and the argument with her commanding officer that still left a bitter taste in her mouth.

As she turned off the ignition and rested her forehead against the steering wheel, a deep sigh escaped her lips. She felt the weight of the world on her shoulders, and the only solace she could think of was the man waiting inside.

Pushing open the door, she trudged up to the front door, her movements slow and deliberate. The moment she stepped inside, the familiar scent of home—fresh linen and a hint of Aaron's cologne—washed over her. She closed her eyes, taking it in.

"Y/N?" Aaron's voice called from the living room; a note of concern woven through it. He appeared in the hallway, his face softening the moment he saw her as he noticed the fatigue etched on her face. "Hey, honey."

She managed a weak smile. "Hi."

He crossed the distance between them in a few strides, pulling her into his arms. The warmth and strength of his embrace immediately began to melt her stress away. She buried her face in his chest, breathing in his comforting scent.

"Rough day?" he asked, his voice a soothing murmur.

"You have no idea," she mumbled against his shirt.

He kissed the top of her head. "You're home now. Let's get you out of that uniform and into something more comfortable."

With a nod, she let him guide her upstairs and Aaron's presence already working to dissolve the day's stress. In their bedroom, he helped her out of her stiff uniform, his hands gentle and caring. She changed into her favorite pair of sweats and one of Aaron's t-shirts, feeling a little lighter with each passing second.

When they went back downstairs, Aaron had already prepared a simple but delicious dinner. The table was set with candles, casting a warm glow over the room. Y/N's heart swelled with gratitude and love.

"Where's Jack?" she asked as they settled down at the table.

"He's at JJ's for a sleepover," Aaron said, pouring them both a glass of wine. "So, we have the whole night to ourselves."

She took a sip of her wine, the rich flavor spreading warmth through her chest. "Thank you, Aaron. This is exactly what I needed."

They ate slowly, savoring the meal and each other's company. Hotch listened intently as she recounted her day, offering understanding nods and comforting words. The tension continued to ebb away, replaced by the peace that only him could bring her.

After dinner, they settled into the couch, the warmth of his embrace began to soothe Y/N's frayed nerves. He picked a light-hearted romantic comedy, hoping to lift her spirits. As the movie started, Y/N found herself more interested in the feel of Hotch's heartbeat against her cheek than the dialogue on the screen.

"You want to talk about what happened today?" Hotch asked softly, running his fingers through her hair.

Y/N sighed, snuggling closer. "It was just one of those days where everything that could go wrong did. Meetings that went nowhere, deadlines pushed up, and a disagreement with my CO that left a bad taste in my mouth."

He kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry. Anything I can do to help?"

She closed her eyes, savoring his touch. "Not really. But being here with you makes it better."

His hand continued its gentle strokes through her hair. "That's what I'm here for, sweetheart."

A comfortable silence enveloped them as the movie played on. Y/N's eyes grew heavy, the events of the day catching up to her, but she felt a sense of peace she hadn’t felt all day. The rhythmic sound of Hotch's breathing was a lullaby, and soon she dozed off, safe in his arms.

She woke sometime later, the room dark except for the flickering light from the TV. He was still beside her, his arms protectively around her.

"Hey," she murmured, looking up at him.

"Hey," he replied, his voice soft and soothing. "You fell asleep."

"Sorry," she said, though she wasn’t really. She could feel the knots in her muscles unwinding. "I must have been more tired than I thought."

"It's okay," Aaron reassured her. "You needed the rest."

As the movie ended and the credits rolled, Hotch glanced down at Y/N, who was barely keeping her eyes open. He gently brushed a kiss against her temple. "How about we do something extra relaxing before bed?" he suggested.

Y/N looked up at him, curiosity and fatigue mingling in her eyes. "What do you have in mind?"

"How about a nice, relaxing bath?" He proposed, a soft smile playing on his lips.

Y/N's eyes brightened a little at the idea. "That sounds perfect."

Aaron helped her up from the couch, and they made their way to the bathroom. The large tub was one of her favorite features of their home, and tonight, it seemed especially inviting. He turned on the tap, adjusting the temperature until it was just right. He added a generous amount of lavender-scented bubble bath, and soon the room was filled with the calming aroma.

As the tub filled, Aaron lit a few candles around the bathroom, their soft glow creating a romantic atmosphere. Y/N watched him, her heart swelling with love and appreciation for the care he always showed her.

Once the bath was ready, Hotch helped Y/N undress, his touch was gentle and tender. He discarded his own clothes and then, hand in hand, they stepped into the warm, fragrant water. Y/N sighed deeply as she sank into the tub, the tension in her muscles slowly melting away.

Aaron settled in behind her, and she leaned back against his chest, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as the warm water enveloped them.

"This is exactly what I needed," Y/N murmured, closing her eyes and letting the warmth and the lavender scent envelop her senses.

Aaron kissed her shoulder, his lips lingering on her skin. "I'm glad. You deserve to relax."

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, the only sounds the gentle lapping of the water and their slow, synchronized breathing. Aaron's hands moved in slow, soothing circles over her shoulders and back, massaging away the last remnants of tension.

"Thank you for this," Y/N said softly, turning her head slightly to catch his gaze.

"Anything for you," Aaron replied, his eyes filled with love and tenderness.

They stayed in the bath until the water began to cool, the stress of the day long forgotten. Finally, Aaron helped her out of the tub, wrapping her in a soft, fluffy towel. He dried himself off quickly and then took her hand, leading her to the bedroom where they both slipped into their PJ’s.

Y/N reached into Aaron's drawer and pulled out one of his favorite t-shirts. It was soft and worn, the fabric infused with his comforting scent. She slipped it over her head, the hem falling to mid-thigh, and then put on some panties.

Aaron, meanwhile, pulled on a fresh t-shirt and a pair of boxers, glancing over at Y/N with a fond smile. "You look good in my shirt," he said, his eyes warm with affection.

Y/N grinned, walking over to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. "I like wearing your clothes. It makes me feel close to you."

Aaron hugged her back, his hands resting on her hips. "I like you wearing my clothes too."

They climbed into bed, the cool sheets a welcome contrast to the warmth of their bodies. Under the covers, they found each other again, tangling their limbs together as they settled in. Aaron wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. She rested her head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

The room was dark and quiet, the only sounds were their soft breathing. Aaron's hand found its way to her back, tracing soothing patterns that lulled her into a deeper state of relaxation. The troubles of her day seemed distant, replaced by the warmth and love that filled their home. As she drifted off to sleep, she felt completely at ease for the first time that day.

The next morning, Y/N awoke to the gentle rays of the early morning sun filtering through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room. She felt Aaron's warmth behind her, his arm draped over her waist, holding her close. As she slowly opened her eyes, she smiled at the feeling of his breathing against her neck.

Aaron stirred behind her, his eyes fluttering open. He smiled sleepily at her sight and left a soft kiss on her naked shoulder. "Good morning, beautiful." he murmured, his voice rough with sleep.

"Good morning," Y/N replied, her voice soft and tender as she turned to face him. She reached up to brush a lock of hair from his forehead before snuggling into him

He wrapped her in his arms, caressing her arm and kissed her forehead. "Did you sleep well?"

"Better than I have in a long time," Y/N said, snuggling closer. "Thanks to you."

“I’m glad.”

They lay there for a few moments, savoring the quiet intimacy of the early morning. The room was filled with a peaceful silence, the only sounds their breathing and the distant chirping of birds outside.

Y/N looked up to him as he leaned in to kiss her softly, his lips warm and gentle against hers. "I could stay like this forever," he whispered, his breath mingling with hers.

"Me too," Y/N replied, her fingers tracing lazy patterns on his chest.

They snuggled closer, their bodies fitting perfectly together. Aaron's hand moved in slow, soothing circles on her back, and Y/N closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of being so close to him.

"I love you," Aaron said quietly, his voice filled with emotion.

"I love you too," Y/N replied, her voice barely more than a breath. After a few more minutes of blissful silence, Aaron's stomach growled, breaking it and made Y/N laugh. "Guess it's time for breakfast," she said, still chuckling.

“How about pancakes?" Aaron suggested, his eyes lighting up. "With all the fixings—blueberries, whipped cream, and maybe even some chocolate chips."

Y/N laughed softly, her heart light. "That sounds perfect."

With a shared sense of contentment, they reluctantly untangled themselves from each other and Aaron got out of bed. "I'll take care of it. You stay here and relax."

"No, let me help," Y/N protested, but Aaron was already out of bed, pulling on a t-shirt.

"I've got it," he insisted, leaning down to kiss her softly. "You stay put.”

Y/N watched him leave the room, feeling a rush of affection and gratitude for the man who always seemed to know exactly what she needed. She enjoyed a few more minutes in their comfortable bed, already missing the presence of her husband before wrapping herself in a robe and making her way to the bathroom to freshen up.

By the time she joined Aaron in the kitchen, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and sizzling bacon filled the air, adding to the cozy atmosphere. Aaron was at the stove, flipping pancakes with a practiced ease. He looked up as she entered, his smile warm and welcoming.

"Take a seat," he said, nodding towards the table. "Breakfast will be ready in just a minute."

Y/N poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down, savoring the aroma. She took a sip, feeling the warmth spread through her, and watched Aaron work. He moved with a confidence and grace that never failed to impress her.

Soon, he was placing a plate in front of her, piled high with pancakes with whipped cream and chocolate chips, bacon, and fresh fruit. "Bon appétit," he said, sitting down across from her with his own plate.

"This looks amazing," Y/N said, her mouth watering. "Thank you, honey."

"Anything for you," he replied, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand.

They ate leisurely, talking and laughing about lighter topics, leaving the stress of yesterday behind. Y/N felt a profound sense of gratitude for these moments of normalcy and love, which Aaron always seemed to cultivate.

"I love mornings like this," Y/N said, smiling as she sprinkled chocolate chips into the batter Aaron was stirring. "Just us, at home, enjoying each other's company."

"Me too," Aaron agreed, his eyes warm as he looked at her.

After breakfast, they moved seamlessly into their routine of cleaning up. Hotch insisted on washing the dishes while Y/N dried them and put them away. It was a familiar and comforting rhythm, one that they had established early on in their relationship.

As he stood at the sink with his biceps perfectly hugged by the t-shirt and hands immersed in soapy water, Y/N watched him for a moment, feeling a surge of affection. She loved seeing him in these simple, everyday moments, where the stresses of their demanding jobs seemed far away.

Unable to resist, she walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her cheek against his back. Aaron paused, a smile spreading across his face as he felt her embrace.

"Hey there," he said softly, continuing to rinse a plate.

"Hey," Y/N replied, her voice muffled slightly by his shirt. "Just wanted to hug my husband."

Hotch chuckled softly, the sound vibrating through his body and into hers. "I never mind that," he said, setting the plate in the dish rack. He turned slightly, careful not to splash her with water. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better," Y/N murmured, tightening her hold on him. "Thanks to you."

Aaron turned off the faucet and dried his hands on a nearby towel before turning around to face her. He placed his hands on her hips, looking down at her with a tender expression. "I'm glad to hear that. You know I'm always here for you."

Y/N smiled up at him, her eyes shining with gratitude and love. "I know. And I appreciate it more than I can say."

He leaned down, capturing her lips in a soft, lingering kiss. When they broke apart, Aaron rested his forehead against hers, his hands gently caressing her sides. "How about we take a walk after this? Get some fresh air?"

"I'd love that," Y/N agreed, feeling a sense of peace wash over her. "A walk sounds perfect."

They finished the dishes together, the simple chore made enjoyable by their shared laughter and easy conversation. Once the kitchen was clean, they grabbed their jackets, put some pants on and headed outside.

The morning air was crisp and refreshing, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves on the trees. They walked hand in hand, enjoying the tranquility of the neighborhood. The sun was just beginning to rise higher in the sky, casting a golden light over everything.

As they strolled, they talked about their plans for the week, their steps perfectly in sync. Aaron occasionally pointed out small details along the way—a blooming flower, a bird singing in a tree—that made Y/N appreciate the beauty of the world around them.

After a while, they found a quiet bench in a nearby park and sat down, still holding hands. Y/N leaned her head on Aaron's shoulder, feeling completely content.

"I love here." she said softly, her eyes closed as she savored the peace and quiet.

"Me too." Aaron replied, kissing the top of her head.

They sat there for a while, enjoying each other's company and the serene surroundings. The worries of their demanding jobs seemed far away, replaced by the warmth of their love and the simplicity of just being together.

Eventually, they stood and made their way back home where they slipped out of their jackets and settled onto the couch, enjoying the peaceful Sunday morning. The sun was streaming through the windows, casting a warm glow over them. Y/N found herself feeling more relaxed and connected to Hotch than she had in weeks. The tension and stress of her work seemed like a distant memory in the presence of her loving husband.

"You know," Aaron said, his voice dropping to a low murmur as he looked into her eyes, "we still have the whole day to ourselves."

"We do, don't we?" she replied looking up at him with a smirk, her voice taking on a sultry edge.

A spark of something more than just comfort and relaxation flickered in Y/N's eyes. His eyes meeting hers with a knowing smile, when a surge of affection and desire for him rushed through her body and soon she straddler him, anticipating his intentions. His hands instinctively went to her hips, steadying her as she settled herself.

"I think we could make the most of it," he whispered, his breath warm against her skin.

Y/N's heart quickened as she felt the familiar rush of desire. She leaned in, her lips brushing softly against his, and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Their lips met in a deep, passionate kiss. Aaron's hands roamed over her back, pulling her against him as the kiss intensified and their tongues danced together, exploring and teasing.

They broke apart just long enough to catch their breath, their foreheads resting together. "Here?" Y/N suggested, her voice barely more than a breathless whisper.

Aaron nodded, his eyes dark with desire. "Definitely."

Y/N shifted slightly, pressing herself against him, feeling the hardness of his arousal through the thin fabric of his boxers. Aaron groaned softly, his hands moving under the hem of his t-shirt she wore, his fingers brushing against her bare skin, sending shivers down her spine.

His hands finding their way to her waist. "You’re so beautiful," he murmured, his voice husky.

Y/N smiled, her hands slipping under his shirt, feeling the hard muscles of his abdomen. "And you, my love, are perfect."

Aaron gently brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear, his eyes filled with adoration and desire. "I love you, Y/N."

"I love you too." she replied, capturing his lips again in a kiss that spoke of her deep love and desire for him, while her fingers threading through his hair, tugging gently.

As their kisses grew more intense, Aaron's hands roomed through her body, caressing her back, sliding over her hips, and then moving to cup her breasts through the fabric of his t-shirt. Y/N moaned softly, arching her back to press herself more firmly against his touch.

Their movements became more urgent, their need for each other overwhelming. In a swift move he got rid of the t-shirt, exposing her chest to the warm air of the room and to him. Aaron looked at her amazed by her beauty.

"Beautiful." he breathed, his hands tracing the curves of her body.

Y/N responded by tugging at his shirt, pulling it over his head and revealing his toned chest. She pressed herself against him and moved her hips on him, drawing another low groan from his lips as his hands gripping her hips.

Aaron's hands slid down to her thighs, his touch both gentle and possessive. He guided her movements, their bodies moving in perfect sync. The friction between them was electric, each touch and caress stoking the fire that burned between them.

Y/N's breath hitched as she felt the heat building between them, her hands gripping Aaron's shoulders for support. She reached down between them as her fingers deftly slipping under the waistband of his's boxers. Feeling his arousal, hard and ready, she smirked, and her touch elicited a deep groan from him. She wrapped her hand around him, stroking him slowly, feeling the heat and the pulse of his need.

"God, Y/N." he murmured, his eyes locked onto hers, his gaze filled with an intensity that took her breath away. "I need you."

"Then take me," she whispered back, her voice husky with desire.

With a swift, practiced motion, Hotch lifted her just enough to slide her panties to the side, his fingers brushing against her most sensitive areas, eliciting a gasp from her lips. His boxers were the only barrier between them but quickly freeing himself, she positioned him at her entrance, and with a shared look of intense desire, he slowly guided her down onto him.

His hands gripped her hips tightly, his fingers digging into her skin as he fought to control himself. The feeling of being filled by him, of their bodies joining so intimately, was almost overwhelming. Y/N's head fell back, a moan escaping her lips as she sank fully onto him, taking a moment to adjust.

"Aaron," she breathed, her voice filled with a mix of love and longing.

Y/N begun to move, slowly at first, savoring the sensation of their bodies joined so intimately. Each movement, each thrust, was a testament to their deep love and desire for each other. Hotch’s eyes were locked on hers, his expression a mix of love, lust, and awe.

"You feel so good," she whispered, her voice trembling with the intensity of her emotions.

"So do you," Aaron replied, his voice strained with need. "So perfect."

Their pace quickened, the intensity growing with each thrust. Aaron’s hands traveled along her body, caressing her back, her breasts and her thighs. Y/N’s nails dug into his shoulders as she rode him, her movements growing more desperate.

The room was filled with the sounds of their lovemaking—their gasps, their moans, the slick, rhythmic sound of their bodies coming together. Y/N felt the pressure building inside her, a tight coil of pleasure that threatened to snap at any moment.

"Aaron," she gasped, her voice breaking. "I’m so close."

He groaned, his hands gripping her hips even tighter, guiding her movements. "Come for me, Y/N. Let go."

She cried out his name as the orgasm ripped through her, her body trembling with the force of it. Y/N rested her forehead against Aaron’s, her breath still coming in ragged gasps.

Aaron gently stroked Y/N’s back, his fingers tracing soothing patterns. “That was incredible,” he murmured, his voice filled with admiration and love.

Y/N lifted her head slightly to look into his eyes, her lips curving into a satisfied smile. “It really was,” she agreed, her fingers brushing a lock of hair from his forehead. “I don’t want this moment to end.”

Aaron’s eyes darkened, as he growled with a rough voice in need. “Oh, I’m not done with you yet.”

A mischievous smile appeared on her lips. “How about we move this to the bedroom?” she suggested.

Aaron smiled. “That sounds like a good idea.”

With a low growl, he lifted her effortlessly, carrying her towards their bedroom. Y/N wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist to hold onto him tightly as he quickened his way to the bedroom. Once inside, Aaron gently laid Y/N in the middle of the bed and climbed over her. his lips crashing against hers in a hungry, desperate kiss. The urgency in their movements spoke volumes, each touch, each caress igniting the flames of desire even further.

Aaron's hands roamed her body, finding all the places he knew so well, drawing soft moans from her lips. He took his time, exploring every inch of her, savoring the way she responded to his touch. He kissed his way down her neck, across her collarbone, and down to her breasts, his mouth and hands working in tandem to drive her wild. Sucking and licking her nipples, making her squirm under him.

"Please, Aaron," she gasped, her hands gripping his shoulders.

He didn't need any further encouragement. He moved lower, his kisses leaving a trail of fire down her abdomen. When he reached the edge of her panties, he looked up at her, his eyes dark with desire. With a slow, deliberate motion, he removed her panties, leaving her completely bare beneath him. He took a moment to admire her, as his gazed roamed over her hungrily and his own desire was clear on him.

"You're so beautiful," he murmured, his voice husky with desire. "I can't get enough of you."

Then, with a growl of need, he covered her body with his, their skin touching everywhere. He leaned down and captured her lips in a deep kiss, his tongues tangling hers. Y/N moaned softly into the kiss, her hands tangling in his hair as she pulled him closer, desperate for more of him.

While kissing her like his life depended on it, his fingertips started tracing soft patterns along her right side. The sensation was electric, sending shivers down Y/N's spine. Y/N's breath hitched as his hands moved to her breasts, his touch sending bolts of pleasure shooting through her body. She arched into his touch, silently begging for more.

Getting the message, he leaned down, capturing one of her nipples in his mouth, his tongue flicking over it in slow, tantalizing circles. Y/N's back arched and a low moan escaping her lips as pleasure washed over her.

"God, Aaron," she gasped, her hands gripping the sheets beneath her. "That feels so good."

Aaron hummed against her skin, the vibrations sending shivers down her spine. He continued to lavish attention on her breasts. Hotch’s kisses moved lower, trailing down her neck, her chest, and her stomach, making her gasp with pleasure.

When he reached the apex of her thighs, he paused, looking up at her with a mischievous smile. “I want to taste you,” he said, his voice a husky whisper.

"Please." she whispered, her voice trembling with need.

With a hungry growl, he climbed out of the bed and slipped out of his boxers, making clear that he needed her as much as she needed him. Hotch positioning himself between her legs and Y/N spread herself open for him, her body aching with anticipation.

Without a word, he lowered himself between her legs, his mouth attached to her clit, making her gasped in surprise. Her fingers tangled in his hair as he was savoring her Y/N cried out as he teased her with his tongue, tracing slow circles around her throbbing clit.

“Oh God, Aaron!” she moaned loudly, as she rocked her hips against his mouth. "Don't stop, please don't stop."

Aaron grinned against her, the vibrations of his laughter sending waves of pleasure crashing over her. He continued to devour her with the only intent to drive her closer to the edge with his tongue.

Y/N felt the jolt of pleasure rush through her, her body on the brink of release. But just as she felt herself on the verge of exploding, Aaron pulled back, denying her the release she was desperately craving.

She whimpered in frustration, her hips bucking against his hand as she chased the elusive peak. "Please," she begged, her voice hoarse with need. "I need to cum, Aaron, please."

But Hotch only smiled, enjoying the view with a mischievous smile on his face. "Not yet, baby," he murmured, his breath hot against her skin. "I want to make you wait; make you beg for it."

Y/N moaned at his words, her body trembling with anticipation. She knew that Aaron was teasing her, edging her towards ecstasy with a torturous slowness that drove her wild with desire and made her beg for more. She loved how well he knew her body and how to make her feel good.

"Please, Hotch." she whimpered in a desperate plea. "I need to cum, please let me cum."

Hotch’s grin widened, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Not yet, baby," he said, his voice low and husky. "But soon. I promise."

With that, he returned to work on her, his tongue and fingers working in tandem to drive her to the brink of madness as her inner muscles clenched around him. Y/N writhed beneath him, her body aching with need as she teetered on the edge of release.

"Please," she begged, her voice raw with desperation. "I can't take it anymore, Aaron, please let me cum."

Aaron’s smile softened, his eyes filled with love and desire as he looked down at her. "Okay, baby," he said softly, his voice a tender caress. "Cum for me."

And with those words, Y/N finally let go, her body convulsing with pleasure as she shattered into a million pieces and left her breathless. Aaron held her through it, his hands gentle and soothing.

"That's it," Aaron said, his voice filled with satisfaction as he continued to taste her, drawing out every last bit of her release. "Good girl."

When she finally came down from her high, Aaron kissed his way back up her body, his eyes filled with love and satisfaction. He positioned himself over her, his arousal pressing against her entrance, ready and eager.

Y/N was still trembling when Aaron moved up her body, his mouth capturing hers in a deep, passionate kiss. She could taste herself on his lips, the intimate act only fueling her desire for him. With the little strength she had left, she grabbed his head between her hands and pushed him more down on her.

“Are you ready for me?” he asked softly, his eyes searching hers for any hesitation.

“Yes,” Y/N whispered against his lips, making him smile. "I need you inside me."

Hotch didn’t waste another moment and with a hand he positioned himself at her entrance, his eyes locked with hers and with a deep and slow push he was inside her. They moaned in unison at the sensation, lost in each other’s gaze, as jolts of pleasure rushed along their bodies. Pausing for a moment to enjoy the feeling of being joined so intimately.

“You feel so good,” Aaron murmured, his voice a mix of awe and need. He began to move slowly, each thrust deep and deliberate, his hands gripping her hips.

Y/N wrapped her legs around him, pulling him closer, her own movements meeting his. “Oh, Aaron,” she moaned, her head falling back against the pillows. “Yes, just like that.”

Their rhythm was slow and tender, each movement a testament to their love and connection. Aaron’s hands traveled down her body, caressing her breasts, tickling her sides as his touch was sending shivers of pleasure through her.

“I’m close,” Y/N gasped, her nails digging into his back, her body arching towards him. “Aaron, I’m so close.”

“Cum with me,” Aaron urged, his pace quickening as his own release was building. “Let go, Y/N. Cum with me.”

Their movements grew more frantic, their bodies desperate for release. With a final, deep thrust, they both found their climax, their cries of pleasure mingling in the air. Aaron held Y/N tightly as they rode out the waves of their shared orgasm, their bodies trembling with the force of it.

When they finally came down, spent and breathless, Hotch collapsed beside her, pulling her into his arms. They lay there, wrapped in each other’s embrace, their hearts pounding in sync and their bodies tangled together, basking in the afterglow. Aaron's fingers traced lazy patterns on her back, his touch gentle and loving.

"I needed that," Y/N said softly, her voice filled with contentment.

Aaron smiled, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "So did I."

After a much needed nap, Aaron and Y/N awoke in each other's arms, feeling blissfully content. As the afternoon sun dipped lower in the sky and the soft light of the evening filtered through the curtains, Aaron and Y/N remained ensconced in the warmth of their bed, savoring the intimacy they had shared.

Aaron smiled down at Y/N, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "You okay?" he asked softly.

Y/N nodded, stretching languidly. "Better than okay," she replied, her voice filled with warmth and satisfaction. "I'm perfect."

They shared a tender kiss. Aaron shifted slightly, propping himself up on one elbow to look down at Y/N. "You know, we still have the whole evening ahead of us," he said, a playful glint in his eyes.

Y/N laughed softly, tracing a finger along his jawline. "What do you have in mind?"

"How about a quiet dinner at home?" Aaron suggested. "We can cook together, something simple and comforting. And then maybe we can open a bottle of wine."

"That sounds perfect," Y/N agreed, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. They reluctantly pulled themselves out of bed, the cool air a stark contrast to the warmth they'd shared under the covers.

They made their way to the kitchen, still wrapped in the comfortable intimacy of the day. Aaron started rummaging through the fridge, pulling out ingredients for a simple pasta dish.

"I'll manage the pasta if you chop the vegetables," he suggested, handing her a knife and a cutting board.

"Deal," Y/N agreed, taking her place beside him at the counter. As they worked, the comfortable rhythm of their companionship returned, filled with light-hearted banter and laughter.

They continued cooking, the kitchen filled with the delicious aromas of garlic and fresh herbs. At one point, Y/N reached up to grab a can of tomatoes from a high shelf, only to have Aaron sneak up behind her, his hands resting on her hips. "Need a hand?" he asked, his breath warm against her ear.

She smiled, leaning back into him for a moment. "I've got it," she replied, but she didn't move away, enjoying the feeling of his body pressed against hers.

Hotch pressed a kiss to the side of her neck before stepping back. As the food simmered, he retrieved the bottle of wine from the pantry and poured them each a glass, handing one to Y/N with a smile.

"To us," he said, raising his glass.

"To us," Y/N echoed, clinking her glass against his.

They sipped the wine, savoring the rich, velvety flavor. The pasta was done within five minutes, and soon they were sitting at the table, enjoying the fruits of their labor. They ate in a comfortable silence, exchanging loving and proud gazes.

After dinner, they moved to the living room, bringing the remaining wine with them. They settled on the couch, Y/N nestled against his side. The candles they had lit earlier cast a soft, flickering light, creating a warm and intimate atmosphere.

Hotch wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. "This has been a perfect day," he said softly, kissing her temple.

"It really has," Y/N agreed, turning her head to capture his lips in a gentle kiss. "Thank you for making me feel so loved and cared for."

"You do the same for me, every day," Aaron replied, his eyes filled with love.

They sat sipping their wine and enjoying each other's presence. As the evening wore on, the wine and the warmth of their love began to lull them into a state of peaceful contentment.

Eventually, Aaron shifted, placing his empty glass on the coffee table. "Ready for bed?" he asked, his voice soft and inviting.

Y/N nodded, setting her glass down as well. "Yes, let's go to bed."

They made their way back upstairs, hand in hand. In their bedroom, they changed into their pajamas, the familiar routine grounding them in the love and intimacy they had shared throughout the day.

Under the covers, they found each other again, their bodies fitting together perfectly. Hotch wrapped his arms around Y/N, pulling her close, letting her rest the head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

"Goodnight, honey." she murmured, her voice filled with love and contentment.

"Goodnight, baby." he replied, kissing her softly. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said, her voice barely more than a breath.

As they drifted off to sleep, the events of the day played through Y/N's mind, filling her with a deep sense of peace and happiness. She knew that she could always count on Hotch, no matter what. And with that comforting thought, she slipped into a peaceful sleep, content and secure in the arms of the man she loved.

The following morning, Y/N awoke to the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains. She felt Aaron's warm presence beside her, his arm draped protectively over her waist. She turned slightly to face him, smiling at the peaceful expression on his face as he slept.

Feeling a surge of affection, she leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips. Aaron stirred, his eyes fluttering open and smiled sleepily at her. "Good morning, handsome." Y/N said, drawing soft patterns on his chest. "Did you sleep well?"

"G’morning, baby." he murmured, his voice husky with sleep, pulling her closer. "I slept very well."

They lay there for a few more moments, savoring the quiet intimacy of the early morning. Eventually, the responsibilities of the day began to creep in. Y/N sighed softly, knowing she had to get ready for work.

"I wish we could stay like this all day," she said, her voice tinged with longing.

"Me too," Aaron agreed. "But duty calls."

With a reluctant sigh, they got out of bed and began their morning routine. Once they made their way downstairs, they decided to make breakfast together. As they moved around the kitchen, their movements were a bit slower than usual, a lingering reminder of their previous night's activities.

Aaron couldn't help but tease Y/N. "You're walking a bit funny this morning, sweetheart." he said with a playful grin.

Y/N rolled her eyes, swatting him lightly with a dish towel. "And whose fault is that, Mr. Hotchner?" she retorted, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Aaron chuckled, his eyes dancing with amusement. "I plead guilty," he said, reaching out to pull her into a playful embrace. "But you can't deny it was worth it."

Y/N laughed, leaning into his embrace. "Last night was worth every sore muscle." she agreed, pressing a quick kiss to his lips.

As they continued to cook, the kitchen filled with the delicious aroma of eggs and bacon. Hotch turned to Y/N, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Should I be prepared for the Navy to come after me for incapacitating one of their best lieutenants?”

Y/N snorted with laughter, shaking her head. “I think they’ll understand.”

His’s smile widened. “Good to know.”  He said, glancing over at her with a mischievous grin, "And if anyone asks why we're both moving a bit slower today, we can always say it's because we had a very intense workout."

Y/N snorted, her laughter ringing through the kitchen. "Yeah, right. An intense workout indeed."

Once breakfast was ready, they sat down at the table, their plates filled with eggs, fruit, and toast. They ate together, savoring the simple pleasure of a shared meal and the silence of the house.

As they finished eating, they cleaned up together, washing dishes and wiping down counters with practiced efficiency and went preparing for the day. After taking a quick shower together, Y/N slipped into her navy uniform while Hotch dressed in his suit, ready to face another day at the BAU.

They walked to the door and right before going out, Hotch wrapped his arms around Y/N, pulling her into a tight hug. He pressed a soft kiss on top of her head as she leaned into his embrace, resting her head against his chest.

"Remember, if you need anything today, just call me," he said, his voice filled with concern.

"I will," Y/N promised, leaning up to kiss him. " And same goes for you.”

"I know." Aaron replied, kissing her back. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said, giving him one last smile before heading out the door.

[bad268]

All I Ever Wanted (Logan Sargeant X Reader)

Fandom: RPF/Formula 1

Requested: Nope, Happy Valentine's Day! (Question tho, would anyone be interested if I started writing for James Harvey Blair? I love him and I've been thinking about it...)

Warnings: Mentions cruise ships and Titanic (italics are story fillers)

Pronouns: Second POV (you/your)

W.C. 1759

Summary: Wanted by Hunter Hayes

As always, my requests are OPEN

MASTERLIST // HITLIST

~~(^Pinterest)

“Logs, I think you’re forgetting something,” You laughed, holding up his phone just before he left. You were sitting on the couch in your shared apartment, spending some time together before he needed to head out for testing, and the day finally came when he needed to leave. He was running around the apartment like a chicken with his head cut off all because he asked for five more minutes. Well, five minutes turned into ten and before you knew it, he had an hour before his flight time. “You’d fall apart without me.”

“You’re right,” he laughed as he came back over to grab the phone and leaned over the back of the couch to give you a kiss before whispering, “I don’t know what I’d do without you, and I don’t know how you remember everything.”

“All in the job, I guess,” You joked as you pulled him back down, quickly giving him one last kiss before pushing him away. “Now go before James has my head for you not making your flight!”

~

This was a normal occurrence, but you would not change it for the world. Being able to help with even the most mundane things made you feel wanted, and that’s all Logan ever wanted. Having met in his karting days and got together during his F3 campaign, you were by his side through everything, and he needed you to know how much you mean to him.

~

”Can I get your help with this?” Logan asked as he walked into the Prema garage with his tablet. It was early on in your relationship, having gotten together only a few months prior, so this was technically your first race weekend as his significant other. Not that it really mattered, the crew treated you the same as always, but they did give you two more alone time than you remembered them giving. This allowed for Logan to have a little more freedom when it came to retreating into the backrooms at random times throughout the day. That came in handy for times like this as he showed you what he was struggling with on the tablet. “I can’t figure it out.

“It’s the track layout? What exactly do you need my help with?” You were genuinely confused. It was simply the layout of the track, nothing more nothing less. “I’d love to help, I just don’t understand the question.”

“Is this a right or left turn?” He asked in the same tone as he pointed at turn 3. You looked at the tablet and up at him a few times with wide eyes before answering him.

“Are you joking?” You asked in disbelief. If he was faking, you would not have known because even his eyes showed confusion toward the layout. You sighed, “It’s a long right-hander, Logs.”

“I know, but thanks for confirming,” he laughed, pulling you into his side as he kissed the crown of your head.

~

It became something the fans looked forward to. Especially during practice sessions because he was not always in the car and the cameras would always pan over to the two of you.

~

One day, in particular, it was raining. Typical Spa weather, but for once, the FIA made the right decision to delay the qualifying session due to the amount of rain. There were ever-growing puddles around the track, and it was not safe for them to go out and drive.

It was also cold, something you knew about Spa but clearly did not think the temperature would drop as drastically as it did when the rain started falling. That’s what the camera spotted when it panned over to the Williams garage. You and Logan were cuddled together under a tyre blanket as you two looked over the data from the practice session. 

“And here we have the crowd-favorite couple of Logan Sargeant and Y/n L/n,” Alex said over the live feed that was being broadcasted to all of the viewers. “Is that a tyre blanket around their shoulders?”

“I think it is,” Pietro Fittipaldi, who was guest starring in the commentary box, laughed. You looked away from the data momentarily, and you see the broadcast zooming in on you and Logan. You nudged his side and pointed at the screen, making him laugh and pull you closer to his side.  He gave you a small kiss on your lips, giving the viewers a show. You turned your head toward the camera afterward and smirked as you waved at it. Then, you turned your attention back to the screen just as it played on the screen and Pietro shouted, “We’ve been caught!”

~

Logan made it his mission to make you feel wanted. And he was willing to fight from the trenches against assholes online for you. He would do anything for you.

~

“What’s with that face?” Logan asked as he walked into the kitchen to grab a snack. It was during one of the brief breaks he had, so he decided to go back to your shared apartment. You were sitting at the counter, looking at your phone. Specifically, it was a recent post from the Williams Instagram that had a picture of you and Logan, and the comments on the post were not-so-nice at best. He leaned over your shoulder to see exactly what it was and immediately took your phone out of view. “What did I say about reading hate?”

“It’s hard not to when it’s everywhere,” you sighed, leaning back into his embrace. He wrapped his arms around your shoulders as he leaned his head against your shoulder, looking at the side of your face.

“Well, you know who’s opinion matters? Not theirs. Who even are they?” Logan answered, trying to make you laugh. “Jealous, that’s what they are. You are pretty and get to travel the world. These guys are chronically online, so they have nothing on you.”

“You’re pretty too, y’know,” you chuckled halfheartedly, still trying to forget what was said in the comments. “But your pretty is deeper than the surface. Your personality is pretty.”

“Glad to know you find my personality pretty because yours is prettier,” Logan jokingly flirted as he placed a kiss on your exposed shoulder. “Those people have clearly never heard your collection of dad jokes.”

“Hey! They’re good and you know it!”

~

Eventually, he knew that he was ready for the next step. No-not adopting a dog. He was ready to propose. After long discussions with Oscar (because he is substantially more put together than Logan (jokes)), he knew the perfect ring and the perfect way to ask.

~

It was after the season, and you two were visiting his family in Miami. Despite living in a beach town with a lot of luxury ships, he and his family had never been on a cruise, so that was what you suggested when everyone was talking about plans for the holiday.

That’s where you found yourself during the break, on a huge cruise ship in the middle of the ocean with his family and a few of your closest friends. The itinerary included St. Kitts, St. Thomas, St. Martins, and, Logan’s favorite, the Bahamas. You both relaxed, you learned how to fish (and even got another infamous fish picture of Logan), and you all went snorkeling around a shipwreck together.

The entire trip, Logan tried his best to relax, but he always had the lingering thought of “hey, I have the ring in my pocket, and I need to propose at some point.” You could tell something was on his mind, but you chalked it up to him being nervous since it was his first cruise. It was not until the second to last night that he finally mustered up the courage.

You were standing at the back of the ship with Logan, watching the sunset. You were leaning against the railing as Logan stood behind you with his hands on your sides. 

“Wanna pretend we’re from the Titanic?” You joked, looking back at him as you put your arms out to the sides like Rose. 

“Can we not joke about being on a sinking ship while we are on a ship in the middle of the ocean?” He laughed nervously. 

“Ah, are you scared, Mr. I drive at over 200 kph for a living?” You teased, looking back out to the open ocean. Logan was about to make a comment, but someone moving to his side caught his attention. Kyle and Oscar were walking by them, ready to take pictures of the moment since Logan asked them to photograph the moment. “Woah, cat got your tongue for once? Usually, you have some sort of smartass remark.”

“Actually, I wanna tell you something,” He started off. You did not turn around, but you moved your arms from the railing to hold his hands as they wrapped around your torso. “All I ever wanted was to make you feel wanted.”

“You do an amazing job at that, Logs,” You chuckled, turning your head slightly to place a small kiss on his cheek. 

“You make me feel so loved, but I want to make you feel better. I want to be better than all of the fairy tales you grew up with and better than your best dreams. I want to call you mine, I want to hold your hand forever and never let you forget it. I want to spend the rest of my life proving to you how wanted you are because, to me, you’ll always be wanted,” He spilled, lovingly as he slowly turned you around throughout the speech. You were too busy gazing into his eyes (and keeping the tears from falling) to notice the other two secretly recording and taking pictures of the moment. Especially when Logan finished off the speech by getting down on one knee and holding out the ring for you. “All I ever wanted was to be married to you. Will you do me the honors?”

“I never imagined feeling so loved and wanted in a relationship, but you are better than any of my wildest dreams,” You cried before realizing you never answered him. You prompted him to put the ring on your finger before whispering, “I would love to marry you, Logs.”

“They said yes!” He jumped up, picking you up in the process and turning you toward the (now visible) men with their phones out.

“Put me down!” You scratched, “I know I made Titanic jokes earlier, but I’m not really planning on being thrown overboard tonight.”

~~~~~

© BAD268 2024. DO NOT REPOST WITHOUT PERMISSION.

[katewritesthings]

Love Me Like I Can - Prologue// Introductions

This is just prologue to test interest. Most of Diana's songs are by the artist JoJo. ( For the song Joanna, just pretend it's Diana)

pairing: Joe Burrow x Singer! Original Female Character

•summary: Inspired by Scandoval and Taylor/Travis. R&B singer Diana Hayes navigates falling in love after a cheating scandal captures the attention of America and a certain Bengal.

•warnings: Cursing. Cheating. Sexual Situations. Drinking. Drug use. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT.

Prologue // Introductions

October 18, 2023

Finding out was a complete accident. Diana was not the type of person that had the unquenchable curiosity for what is on their partner’s phone. In hindsight, maybe she should have paid even a bit of attention to Connor’s. Maybe the revelation wouldn’t have blindsided her, hitting her like a ton of bricks.

Every step that led to her finding out was motivated by trying to support Connor. His band, Bedford Scrolls, had just finished playing their final show of tour in their hometown of Boston and she was trying to get the best videos and pictures she could of him playing his bass. The entire tour was being documented on the reality show that the band starred in, but Connor always liked personal videos he could post on TikTok. She opened his camera roll to see if the pictures she took turned out the way she wanted when she scrolled one picture too far. The rage of betrayal washed over Diana as her stomach hit the ground. She was staring directly at her best friend’s bare chest. On the phone that belonged to her boyfriend of seven years. Unable to completely process the situation at hand with the screaming of the crowd surrounding her, Diana opened the camera roll to the grid revealing the pictures that Connor had taken in the past three months. There were numerous pictures of Hannah in various states of undress peppered in between the pictures of Diana  In a flash, she began selecting all of the photos that didn’t contain nudity and AirDropped them to herself while trying to navigate herself back to Connor’s dressing room.

After she felt the buzz of confirmation from her own phone in her pocket, Diana opened Connor’s phone app and dialed Hannah’s number. If the show had just ended that meant that the traitor was currently at the band’s hotel. With a huff, Diana mentally cursed herself for getting Hannah put on the band’s payroll. “Hey, baby! I thought you’d still be on stage!” The familiar voice of her best friend hit her ears as she navigated backstage to slam open the door to the green room. Connor and his three bandmates were freshening up while a few other friends lounged about.

“How long have the two of you been the absolute scum of the earth,” Diana heard her own voice sneer. The question captured the attention of the entire room she had just entered and silenced the woman on the other end of the phone.

Miles, the band’s lead singer, looked like he was about to open his mouth to ask for clarification for the whole room before Connor cut him off. 

“Let’s not do this here, Di. Let’s go somewhere to talk about this in private. You don’t want to embarrass yourself,” he said, voice even and calmer than he should be. Diana saw red, knowing what he was attempting to do. Connor had a habit of wanting to paint their relationship as picture-perfect, he wanted to do damage control and convince her to let this go. Unfortunately, this was not a random girl in Miami like at the beginning of their relationship. This was a new level of betrayal.

“Fuck that, Connor. What’s embarrassing is knowing that I thought you were good enough for me. Let everyone know how you’ve got more naked pictures of Hannah on your phone than I could count,”

Gasps and sounds of shock almost drowned out the sound of Hannah ending the call. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back to Diana. She felt like her throat was closing up as she began to process what this meant for her. Not only did this change everything when it came to her personal life, it was going to cause huge issues in her professional life.

Diana had been in the industry since she was 14 and nominated for her first Grammy. Even as a young teenager, there was a soulful warmth in her voice that combined with her range led to her first album winning Best Contemporary R&B album in 2012. Her career continued to steadily climb over the next few years as she dabbled in acting and released three more albums in 2014, 2016, and 2018, but she had never felt the security of someone on a bigger label. It had been almost six years since she had released music and that was supposed to be coming to an end. 

Diana had been planning on recording her third album after Bedford Scrolls’ tour and recording of Band Together had finished filming. Connor’s manager had promised her that if she went on tour with them and was featured in the season, it would drum up attention for the announcement of her return to music. He had talked her into signing a contract to appear in at least six episodes this season and the reunion. He even hinted at the possibility that she could use the networking to secure a documentary about making the album. 

All Diana could think about at the moment was how all of that was now a pipe dream. In her anger, she threw Connor’s phone across the room and let her phone carry her to the back exit of the venue. Emotions were swirling through her head and the thought of the material she had worked on about and with Connor now made her sick. She was going to have to start over, but couldn’t until the reunion was filmed in mid-November. 

—-

OCTOBER 20, 2023

DIANA AND CONNOR CALL IT QUITS! ALLEGATIONS HE CHEATED WITH.. HANNAH MALONEY!!

Musicians and stars of the reality show Band Together, CONNOR LEWIS and DIANA Hayes are officially no more, representatives for the pair have confirmed to TMZ.

After seven years, the couple has reportedly decided to go their separate ways. As surprising as this news is, it’s not nearly as shocking as news that Connor is rumored to have an affair with cast member, employee, and friend Hannah Maloney.

The Show Band Together follows the musical career of Connor’s band Bedford Scrolls as they navigate the messy life of music from writing to touring. Diana has been featured occasionally on the show in past seasons but was heavily featured in the trailer for Season 3 which premiered October 8. Hannah is a close friend of Diana’s who eventually became an assistant for Bedford Scrolls and is also featured on the show.

In the promo for Season 3, it was suggested that Connor and Diana were in an open relationship. This rumor was quickly shut down when Diana shared the promo to her Instagram stories with the caption “I’m not that cool. Bisexual =/= polyamory”

Show sources let TMZ know that the break up was recent as the couple has been seen together at tour dates for Bedford Scrolls as recently as Wednesday. Fans also report this as they say that Diana was Connor’s biggest fan at the final show of the tour, but left the venue alone in tears in a cab shortly after the set ended.

—--

October 29, 2023

DIANA SEEN OUT SWIFTLY AFTER SPLIT WITH EX, CONNOR

Edibles singer DIANA HAYES was spotted in NYC, leaving Electric Lady studios this morning. This is the first public sighting of Diana since news broke of her split with ex-CONNOR LEWIS. 

Last week TMZ reported that the couple split after Connor had an affair with Diana’s best friend, HANNAH MALONEY. Cast members of the reality show Band Together, and bandmates of Connor, have seemingly confirmed this by posting pictures of them with Diana in support. The hashtag #TeamDiana was trending for most of last week.

Sources close to Diana inform us that she has been staying at a rental in New York and has been offered support from big names such as Taylor Swift and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and even romantic offers from bachelors such as Drake.

Eagle-eyed fans are curious to see how this drama unfolds in this season of Band Together. Click here to catch up on this season of Band Together, airing now! 

—----

November 28, 2023

@DianaMusic: Wow. Where to start? 

First of all: Thank you all so much to for the outpouring of love and positivity you have sent my way over the past few weeks. Without the support I have gotten I would not have even been able to process the insanity that has happened, but with your care, I was able to throw myself into healing creatively. With this healing journey comes some good news and the bad news. 

First, this will be my last season of Band Together. 

More importantly, over the past few weeks, I have been processing through creating. This means I have recorded 4 new songs to put on an EP called, “Run” that will be released at midnight. It has been so long since I have released new music into the world that I began to question whether I had anything left to say, but now I do. This EP is just a taster of what is to come next year and I cannot wait to grow and heal with you all. 

What didn’t kill me better run. Liked by joeyb_9, conlew, and 1,423,798 others

VIew Comments.....

@taylorswift13: So proud of you! @IslaNg: They better fucking run! @hallebailey: This EP is about to be my personality

—---

RUN.

Diana 

Anxiety (Burlinda’s Theme)

Dissolve 

Man

—--

December 29, 2023

The past three months had been a whirlwind for Diana. After the revelation that Connor had cheated on her, she immediately threw herself into writing new songs. Before her flight from Boston to New York landed she had already written two of the four songs on her new EP. Diana and Anxiety were the outcomes of her mind working on overdrive about how the public was going to perceive the breakup.

Realistically, Diana knew that there would be people who blamed her, that’s just part of being a woman. Unrealistically, she was convinced that the public would take Connor’s side due to her unofficial hiatus from the public consciousness. Bedford Scrolls released their last album in September and had been touring and promoting constantly since. 

What the songwriter didn’t expect was for scandal to take the nation by storm in her favor. The nation tuned in every week to watch Band Together in hopes that they find clues of the affair in the season. As the episodes aired, it became clear that Diana was a devoted supporter of Conno meanwhile he took the chance to insult her every time she wasn’t in a scene. The footage broke Diana’s heart and ignited a vitriol for Connor like never seen before. Even Connor’s bandmates only spoke to him to berate him at the reunion for the reality show

The finale for the show had aired Sunday and it had been the only episode, bar the reunion that had been filmed after Diana had ended her relationship. She had never seen support like the outpouring of comments left when people watched as she asked Connor if he ever really loved her at all. Some fans had even correctly theorized that she had written Dissovle after filming had ended that day.

Diana had taken her new friend Taylor’s advice when she reached out and had booked as many performances as possible so she could turn the attention back to her career. She knew it was opportunistic, but after what Connor and Hannah did to her, Taylor reassured her that she deserved to secure her own future with the publicity. 

Diana had just finished singing acoustic versions of Dissolve and Man as the intro to a funk cover of “Any Man of Mine” by Shania Twain began to play. “I decided to do this song because I recently realized that it’s not selfish to want your partner to please you or be dedicated to only you… Here goes.”

—-------

DECEMBER 31, 2023

REUNION SECRETS REVEALED

Last night, the reunion of Band Together aired and exposed much more about the affair of CONNOR LEWIS and HANNAH MALONEY than we previously knew.

Isla, the drummer for Bedford Scrolls, posted on their instagram stories earlier this week defending their support of DIANA over their own bandmate Connor, saying: “You’ll see guys, some shit comes out at the reunion. Like, we found out shit we had no clue about and some stuff that was said that was absolutely heinous. As a human, it would be hard not to take Diana’s side after watching.”

After watching the reunion, it is clear what Isla was talking about. Diana, Connor, and Hannah were all in the same room for the interview where Hannah admitted the affair had been happening for almost a year.  

Things only got more heated from there as the host Andy Cohen asked Hannah why she loved and believed she could trust Connor. Hannah answered with a sexually explicit answer saying, “Connor and I are in love in such a deep way, it’s different than their relationship. He wouldn’t even go down on Diana and he’ll eat me any chance he got.”

If that weren’t enough fuel to the fire, Connor had to be removed from the stage for his safety after saying something under his breath that fans believe to have been, “Could you blame me, who wants to go down on a redhead?” because Miles and the guitarist, Zach, had gotten him into a headlock.

Fans are speculating that this might be the end of Bedford Scrolls as we know it.

—---

JANUARY 1, 2024

Diana was doing her best to try to avoid every bit of media she could for as long into the New Year as possible. It turned out, as long as possible ended up being 3 PM. Biz, Diana’s sister had burst through the AirBNB bedroom door tha Diana was currently holed up in, trying to smoke a bowl watch the newest episode of the new Percy Jackson.

“Did you see the Cheifs vs Bengals game yesterday,” the younger girl excitedly shrieked as she dramatically flopped herself on the bed next to her sister. “Uhm, is this an alternate universe? When have you ever seen me watch a sporting that I didn’t sing at” Diana shot her sister a look of confusion and taking a hit from her glass pipe.

“Because! Your name came up, watch this video!” Biz excitedly thrust her phone into her sister's hand.

The sound of her own voice was audible in the background of the video as a player with the number 1 on their jersey was being interviewed.

“I see you all are fans of Diana,” the interviewer joked as a player with a wrist splint in the background was seen in the background mouthing the words to “Man.”

“Yeah, we Team Diana in this locker room!” The player said laughing.

“Oh, yeah? Is her music on a lot in the locker room?” 

“Not like we have a choice though, with how obsessed Joe is,” the player let out another laugh pointing at the injured player in the background. Chuckles from nearby players were heard. “Shut up, Ja’Marr,” the injured man, presumably Joe shouted from the back.

 “All I’m saying is you kept saying this song was about you when you first heard it,” Ja’Marr called back over his shoulder. “Diana if you’re watching this: Hit up my boy Joey B! He ain’t afraid to e-” The video was cut off as Ja’Marr was put in a headlock by Joe.

Diana stared at her sister’s phone, uncertain who or what she just witnessed, waiting for an explanation. When none came, she looked up to find Biz’s expectant face looking hopefully back at her.

“So?” the brunette questioned, “Are you going to do it?!”

“Do what? I don’t even know what I just watched,” Diana stated, still confused. 

“You just watched Ja’Marr Chase ask you to hit up one of the most thirsted-after quarterbacks ever: Joe Burrow, and imply that said quarterback would like to get freaky with you,” Biz explained. “You have to respond.”

Diana’s cheeks filled with warmth as she mentally replayed the video in her head. She had no idea who this person was, but she had to admit he was attractive. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to have her agent try to reach out for his phone number. ===== Next Chapter.

[in1-nutshell]

Can u request a scenerio where in tfa there is a bot buddy that is like Dinobot, he is a former decepticon that joined the autobots, he is a bit of a love Haye relationship with Bumblebee but he does have compassion for life on earth and has a code of honor that will assure him that he will always do the right thing?

Bot Buddy with the personality of Dinobot and Bumblebee...

do you mean...

Dinobot and Rattrap?

Hope you enjoy!

Bot Buddy with the personality of Dinobot joining Team Prime

SFW, Platonic, Cybertronian reader

TFA

Buddy was a former Decepticon under witness protection after defecting during the war.

Want to ask him why he defected?

You’d have better luck asking Sentinel to share the spotlight.

The first chance the older bot had to go off world he signed up and was at the ship’s door.

Buddy understood too well the prejudice that most bots had for him and his frame.

It was larger than the average Autobot, built for war and he wouldn’t change it for all the energon on the Arc.

Despite his exterior screaming ‘I know how to offline you with a wrench and hide the frame while I’m at it.’ Buddy proved time and time again that he’d prefer the Autobots over the Decepticons.

Much of the crew isn’t at ease when they see this hulking beast enter the ship being their last member.

Bumblebee might as well be the bane of his existence.

The annoying kid was going to get himself terminated at this rate!

…not that he cared, it just meant more paperwork to do when they get back to Cybertron.

He is constantly having stare conversations with Ratchet on the trip when one of the younger bots does something dumb.

Just wait until he arrives on Earth…

Team that does not trust this bot at all

These Bots take one look at Buddy and immediately classify him as a threat. Even with all the proof that he is an Autobot, the fact that he used to work for Megatron is as clear as daylight. They do not drop their guard around this bot and refuse to do so. When some of the team starts to trust this bot, they try and convince them that Buddy is out to get them all. The longest to even begin to tolerate Buddy around the Plant. They do not care if Buddy has a code of honor or says that he cares for Earth, it could be a trick for all they know! Sari is in their constant vision when she is in the room with him.

Prowl

Bumblebee

Team that is willing to give Buddy the benefit of the doubt

These Bots understand that Buddy used to be a Decepticon, but they pay more attention to the fact they changed sides. Bonus being that he changed sides when the Cons looked like they were winning, not when they were losing. It takes a bit for them to get used to Buddy, but out of the team, they are the fastest. They find Buddy’s code of honor and willingness to protect the organic life on Earth to be admirable. They have no trouble being on patrol with him or simply hanging out with him. They may pester the older bot for a story or too and depending on the bots mood, they may get a story… or a sparring match. They don’t mind Sari being around Buddy knowing he is a softy under that war frame.

Bulkhead

Sari

Team that does not trust Buddy at first but slowly comes to terms

These bots are hesitant to trust Buddy when he enters the ship. There is a good chance that these bots may or may not have read his profile beforehand. They are cautious and looking for any signs of Buddy being a Decepticon. It changes when they see Buddy headbutting Megatron before they crashed on Earth. Their hesitation slowly turns into trust the longer they get to know Buddy. They are not surprised learning about Buddy’s code of honor and willing to protect the innocent lives on Earth. There may be times where they think he might leave, but it gets squashed almost immediately. Sari is allowed to be with him after a while.

Optimus

Ratchet

[elliespuns]

Can we talk about how talented the the last of us concept artists are? Not only does it paint a picture for us but it translates to their emotions & personality’s through there facial expressions.

The first bottom picture reads ‘Dina starts to doubt if the bloodshed & distress are worth the outcome as she dresses Ellie’s wounds’.

You can see the embarrassment & pain on Ellie’s face while being taken care of, while Dina concentrating on how to sew up her wounds is doubting if all this revenge is good for Ellie.

‘Ellie feels a deep love for her son, but her trauma threatens the safety of the tiny family. Below the concepts of Ellie carrying the baby while doing routine chores around the farm’

Those one shows the love Ellie truly has for JJ & Dina, but her PTSD & trauma is so bad that she physically nor is mentally stable enough as much as she tries (also LOOK AT JJS LITTLE SHOES!!! So cute!!)

‘The prologue to the game gives us our first & only look at Joel’s daughter, Sarah. Although Sarah is much more innocent, it was important to establish her as a down-to-earth girl who shares many qualities with Ellie. Sarah’s look needed to feel authentic & clearly show her relationship with Joel, while at the same time establishing her as a distinct character with her own sense of style. Her facial features are based on the actress who played & voiced her, Hanna Hayes’

I love that they really made Sarah her own concept art, yes she is important to show the relationship with Joel but then again putting her in a way that she IS her OWN character & not just a side character. & it really shows & connects to how Joel really finds & connects to Ellie seeing the light of Sarah he needed after all those years, something to fight for again, something to look forward to no matter how much Ellie hurt him, because deep down he saw her as a daughter when he denied his own feelings in chapter 1. Ellie knew she wasn’t his daughter, & made it clear in the second game. Showing how much her relationship changed with Joel going from. “I see you as my dad” to “ I am Not your daughter.”

Artists: Hyoung Taek Nam, John Sweeney (pic 1 & 2) , Alex Neonekis, John Sweeney (pic 3), & I can’t find the artist for Sarah’s concept art

Anyway, I’m gonna not go anonymous anymore! But I’ll add my emoji just in case - 🕸️

This is such a beautiful ask. What always got me about the concept art was how fitting it was to the final results of the game. When you think about it, the concept art was created long before the game even started developing. There were just some ideas and concepts (hence the art), but no scrip (at least not the whole thing, maybe like scraps), and yet when we look back at most of these arts, we can see how close they are to the characters we learned to love. This is what I call a precise job. You can see the game was done with love in the heart. 

The scene where Dina is taking care of Ellie is so well done. Be it on the concept art or on the screen, There's so much pain in Ellie in that scene; you wouldn't even have to see that she's all shaken, covered in blood, and crying. All you can do is close your eyes and listen to her voice when she speaks to Dina. Chills.

What I always found very interesting about Sarah, though, was why they chose to make her blond. This makes me even more curious about Joel's ex-wife because, this way, Sarah looks more like Tommy's daughter than Joel's (not suggesting that's true, lol). Looking at the concept art, there are versions of Sarah with darker hair. I wonder why they decided to make her blond all of a sudden. As if it had a reason and they were planning to show us a little of Joel's (blond) ex-wife in Part 3? Hm, who knows?

[thesamoanqueen]

Let me down

Raiting: 16+

Warnings: Soft SMUT; Fluff; Angst(maybe?!).

A/N: I had to give him another win on the WM night... because like he said "Sometimes bad guys win"

They really hated him now. He'd felt their eyes on his back like eighty thousand snipers as he walked up the ramp for the third time at the biggest event in the business with titles still on his shoulders. He had come out there knowing he was tearing their hope away, aware that he was the real sniper. When he had thought of that story, his story and had talked first with Paul and then with Michael, they had all agreed that it would be as close to reality as possible. Life isn't fair, that was reality and that was his story. Good guys don't always do well, no matter how much effort you put in or how hard you work, sometimes things don't go as you hoped. It had been like this for him for many years. For them and their hero that night, it was like this. You make sacrifices, you use shortcuts, and do everything you can to keep what you have when someone or something threatens it. He had watched them from the top of his mountain, all of them, a few seconds, before taking the exit to come to terms with something else.

- Good job. Well done. - Michael Hayes was the first to pull him into an hug, like always.

Within seconds, chaos erupted around him. Everyone had something to say, Hunter had already taken off his headphones to reach the room where the press conference would take place, they only had a few minutes. He had to settle down as best he could, tape a short promo and join them. He heard Paul behind him give a quick indication to Solo, but Roman already had his eyes elsewhere.

He wanted to see her, he needed to see her, if only for a second before going out there again, because for him it wasn't over yet and what awaited him was what really worried him. But Y/N anticipated him as soon as he set foot out the gorilla, placing a towel on his shoulders and Roman instinctively pulled her against him, feeling her give in to the tension to cling to him.

- God… - she breathed into the hollow of his neck and Roman tightened his grip, almost until it hurt, without even wondering why that muttering.

If only he could, he would have cut off the rest of the world in that instant, but Paul's voice calling back softly, with a little guilt, reminded him that he still couldn't. They had so much to talk about, him, so much to apologize for, but first he had to close the night.

- Wait me, kay? – he muttered against her hair and Y/N immediately broke away from him to adjust the shirt she had under her jacket, one of his merchandise.

At least he hadn't soiled her with all that sweat.

- A doctor!

- We shoot the video and then, to the conference.

- Three minutes, cmon everyone!

She looked at him once more as she backed away down the hallway amidst the chaos that still reigned behind scenes and he saw her nod slowly, before turning away, disappearing who knows where without saying anything.

He had joined her after changing into something more cozy, body struggling for the last effort and mind suddenly blank. He'd thought for weeks about what to say, how to do it, but right now, sitting next to her in his suite, all he could think about was how she'd left after the match. It would have been easy to make excuses, justify everything with his busy schedule, distract himself with lockeroom rumors, try to pick up where they left off last time, but it wouldn't be honest, it wouldn't be fair and Roman didn't want anymore to go down that road. They had to talk and they had to do it once and for all, because there was too much now between them, for too long and the situation had taken a wrong turn without him wanting it. Y/N had proved it to him without putting on a scene.

He wasn't sure how she felt about their relationship. There had been moments in almost a year, when he had sworn he had seen everything from her and others, when he had heard her throw the emptiness of a fuck in his face. They had always been comfortable together, with an almost surreal simplicity, the attraction and physical bond, extras that both of them have accepted without holding back. But you don't build something stable just out of that, and Roman had always been careful not to be fooled or to take things lightly. Y/N had never been a game for him and he hadn't spared himself once in treating her as she deserved, yet here they were.

- How's your back? - Y/N asked softly and for first, dragging him out of his thoughts and Roman only realized at that moment that he had a hand gripping the band around his back and that it had probably been there for too long.

- One week and I won't think about it anymore – he tried to reassure her, but her caramel colored leg dangled a bit in air, before she wrinkled her nose and he knew she wasn't sure at all.

- It was a bad blow. He could have done better, even on the ramp. Too fast, it wasn't necessary.

She had a good eye and both blows hadn't been the best for his back actually, he couldn't hide it, but it wasn't bad enough to put on that face of hers and he knew her well enough to anticipated that moment. And it was for that moment that he had blown everything maybe.

- You've been watching me all the match – he noted, with a small smile and Y/N rolled her shoulders.

- There wasn't much else I could do.

It was definitely that, the reason. And she was throwing it in his face after waiting more patiently than necessary, without scenes or accusations, after being there for him anyway. He deserved it, honestly he deserved more than this for treating her like that.

- I'm sorry I didn't tell you anything.

It wasn't a lie, he was really sorry. The habit of telling her everything and involving her, had been the fastest vice that Roman had acquired in his whole life, even going against his own reserved nature. By now she was the first and often the only person he thought of when something happened to him, at work or not, but on that occasion he had had to make a choice. One that he would have wanted to avoid with all his heart and that he had in any case imposed himself out of a sense of responsibility, towards the company and above all, towards her.

He looked at her as she leaned back on the sofa saying nothing, her eyes fixed on his hands, but not on him and he nodded slowly, while beyond the windows the lights of Los Angeles continued to put on a show.

- There's a lot to work on and after tonight a lot will probably change. We have agreements, my family and I and I will make sure they stick to them, I'm in a position to do that. The story takes priority, we've been working on it for a long time now and tonight was important. To show everyone that we are giving something out there. It was a delicate situation… – he remembered seriously, frowning at the thought of what he had found in his hands together with the most important main event of the year.

He was still the face of the company, his job was not just to play the role of the champion or pose for advertising campaigns. The management relied on him, so that the external impression was solid and successful since often, in the last period, they had sabotaged themselves. In that circumstance it had been something that no one had ever faced, the beginning of a new era and Roman had tried to do everything possible in his role to make things go better.

Beside him, Y/N nodded before he could even finish speaking, her expression as serious as his.

- I get it. – she knew the background and even if she didn't have to deal with that story firsthand, he was sure that she understood its importance, but it was not the only reason behind his behavior and it was what he had to make her understand.

- I know… but I also know that you have my back and I didn't want you to end up in the middle. – he admitted with a heavy breath and Y/N's gaze was immediately on him, on her face an expression that Roman never wanted to see - I don't mean it that way. - he tried to calm her down.

- Then explain to me in which sense you mean it, because it seems exactly the wrong one. - she retorted, her tone even too calm and detached and Roman took another breath, looking at her without hesitation.

Not only had he kept the outcome of the match a secret, he had been careful to keep her away from everything in recent months, recommending Paul and the twins the same. He had cut her off. It hadn't been a way to get rid of her or to push away the distractions that might have ruined his focus, but the opposite. Keeping her close was all he wanted now, Roman needed her like the air he breathed and the run to WM wasn't an exception just because there were more meetings to keep him busy. He never wanted to deprive himself of having her beside him, but he had made that choice for her more than for anyone else.

- I didn't want to cause you thoughts for months. It's the heaviest time of the year, you've had your meetings too, I wanted to see you continue on your path, reach your goals without feeling obligations for me and the boys, I wanted to keep you away from problems. You would have tried to be supportive, you would have gone out of your way, we both know that and I couldn't allow it. - he explained, his brow furrowed - and I'm not saying that because I don't think you're capable of doing it. I know you can, that you would not have seen it as an obligation. I know you can handle the tension, I never thought otherwise.

Y/N was the strongest woman he had ever known, in some ways even stronger than his mama. Life had not been kind to her and yet she was able to become the beautiful woman near him. Roman knew what she was capable of, but he had had to do it. He had felt the visceral need to shield her from what would only weigh her down, the responsibility to protect her from the worst that would spring out during those moments and give her priority over his needs. In his mind Y/N was on top of everything, she was his priority and he had acted upon it.

Her dark eyes surveyed him without hesitation, for a moment giving the impression of softening, but it was an instant and Y/N sent it away, hands folded together, shoulder lifting a lit.

- But you thought that not telling me anything would help? I had no idea what was going through your mind, Roman, it didn't make me feel better or keep me focused – she pointed out to him and Roman took her disappointment hands down.

Silently, he watched as she stared a hole in the darkened tv screen on the opposite wall, trying to calm her mood and swallowing whatever reached her lips, to take another moment.

- I was sure that something was happening to you… everyone was talking, they were freaking out out there and behind it was even worse during the shows… I know how heavy it is usually, I see you and that atmosphere was building up a bit too much, I didn't like it and yeah, maybe I wouldnt have the right approach and you did right, but i wanted to be there for you. I know it's not my place, it's not up to me, you don't have to talk to me about everything or drag me around, but I wanted to be there for you, it was important because I was sure it was important to you – she finally said, abruptly and without warning, looking straight back at him.

He knew that shadow in her eyes and the slant in her tone. For almost a year he had done nothing but fight to obtain them, for a few seconds or for whole nights, they had become his personal challenge, his obsession. It was one of those moments when Y/N seemed to want everything from him, good and bad, but it was the first time she'd admitted it and the fact that she almost seemed to regret it, that she wasn't even angry, because of his wrong choice, makes Roman snap.

- You were there, whenever I needed you and you're here now. - he said, voice hoarse and his face serious, trying to control himself to go through with it, to show her otherwise.

Roman had gone from listening to her stories about bad dates into some arenas to waiting for her to return to the hotel. From not bearing not knowing where she was to blocking her by any means with him somewhere. He had had the wrong attitudes, he had become possessive and had been on more than one occasion on the verge of exploding when he had had to deal with reality between them. And he had certainly made bad choices, remaining silent, taking advantage of moments and letting others go, but he wasn't going to do it tonight. Her place had always been beside him, for Roman it had been since before she had that meltdown at the gym and he wouldn't leave her in any doubt about it. Not even seeing that expression disappear from her face again and change into a nod that would put off that story.

- C'mere - he pulled at, searching and finding her hand to bring her closer to him.

He wouldn't let go without putting that point inside her head, not even if it was the last thing he did before seeing life give him a bad lesson too. He would or he wouldn't have gone down, there was no other plans. There was no plan B with Y/N, she was the only plan.

Y/N didn't resist, she never did it with him, but one heavy breath lifted her chest as Roman forced her to sit on his lap. A few months ago that would have been enough to put pieces back together and now Roman suspected she was not sure about what to do. She was holding back, he felt it even though she didn't move her hand away from his and he moved instinctively, running his other along her tight to comfort her and draw circles on her soft caramel skin.

-No – he stopped her and Y/N's eyes moved from his fingers running over her, to him.

- What?

- I know what's going on, stop it. – he said, even more serious than before and Y/N quickly went from being confused to sighing, a slightly bitter smile on her full lips.

- Im just- she tried, but Roman pulled her closer to him, hand this time digging a lit into her skin, head bobbing for a second.

- I fucked up, but your place is here. We told each other stories, we pretended nothing happened and we stayed on our own enough… - he complained hoarsely - but there’s no red flag and there won't be any, stop thinking about it. If you don't want to continue, because you really don't want to, say so. I’ll let you go. But if that's not the reason… we'll find a way. Us, this time, ya hear me?

He had never thought of getting to that point with her like this. He'd hoped to do it differently, to do it the way Y/N deserved to happen, regardless of how it might have ended up, but the damage was already done and they hadn't raised him to hide from the odds. Life had taught him otherwise.

-Roman – she called him back, almost in a warning and he wrinkled his nose, nodding.

- You said you wanted to be with me. You are with me and I want you to stay there, but you have to be sure because we not going to continue down that road – he repeated, looking at her from below his position, not wanting to give up on that condition.

Hiding and flirting was fun, exciting, but they weren't kids. They couldn't do it indefinitely and it had lasted long enough to push them in a bad mood anyway.

- Ya serious? – Y/N asked confused, seeing that he didn't give up, voice less firm for a moment, almost as if she hadn't expected it.

- Im positive.

Y/N didn't move, didn't even try to take her eyes off him, her body still tense and Roman hugged her a little tighter. She was trying to put the pieces together, he knows that…

- I can take your no. Say it if thats your choice now.- he said her, suspecting it was the problem behind her sudden silence and though that wasn't true at all, Roman again felt he had to cover her back, this time even giving her permission to give him the shot of the century.

- No.

And the shot came. Quick and unexpected even having called it, prompting Roman to nod his head, but his fingers refused to let go and unexpectedly found Y/N's.

That one was some bad, bad, heavy shit-

- No, it's not my choice.

He heard her clear up and brought his eyes back to her in time to see her duck. The contact with her lips caused him as always a discharge throughout his body and his arms snapped quickly, dragging her against his chest with no desire to hold back. Felt her breasts pressing against him, her endless legs keeping her on top of him and her nails slowly scratching his face, creeping into his beard. A growl, almost dangerous came out of his throat, vibrating through Y/N which had finally softened and Roman squeezed again, unable to control himself after being apart for so long and now having her all to himself. But Y/N taked back control, escaping his kisses that threatened to devour her, to place a hand on his chest, an expression suddenly threatening.

- If you try to put me against a wall again, I'll do worse than say no to you. - she warned him, still letting him swing her by her hips and even if those words would have required more, Roman still let out a grin.

Mood was now mounting out of control and his hands couldn't stay still, reclaiming everything that was now finally his.

- I thought you liked when I do it - he joked, making her raise an eyebrow.

- Ya know what? … no. - she pushed him, regaining the mood that she seemed to have lost before.

- Stop saying it. - It was strange to hear her say that, he wasn't used to it.

- No.

- Babygirl.

- Nope – she snapped with her lips and Roman grabbed her, determined to make up for lost time and maybe even wipe that smirk off her face, to replace it with another kind of expression.

But, even if he was used to much heavier weights than her, the fatigue of that night and the blows he had taken on the back unbalanced him and Y/N quickly put her feet on the floor, grabbing him by the shoulder despite him having managed to keep the position and hadn't thought to let her go.

- It's better if we give your back a break...

Y/N was right as always, he couldn't risk making the situation worse, especially when the following day had to show up for the first post WM show and give the impression of having a match. But he wouldn't be a good guy for anything in the world that night, the idea didn't even cross his mind.

- We will find a way – he proposed, pulling her against himself anyway to wrap his arms around her hips and Y/N turned spitefully, looking at him from her shoulder, while he planted a kiss on her neck and another one, sucking her soft spot.

- Only one? – she moaned, pulling him towards the bedroom with her and Roman cackled dangerously.

- You don't know what you accepted woman.

He had certainly done a lot wrong in a short time with Y/N and the lesson had come for him too that night. But sometimes the bad guys were given another chance to be right.

Tag squad: @sunnyfleur23 @racerchix21 @alyanarossi @wickedsunfire @romanreignsdefencesquad @romanstheory @thiccc-rider-mcintyre @keybladeofsteel @iovereigns @msbigredmachine @nayys-world @gobbersworld @utika151209 @cumxxslutt @civildawn @romanmydaddy @triscillal @papireigns-05 @helensanders92 @ichdrachenfrau @darqchilddaydreamz @meggylynnloves @unfriendly--blvck--hottie @nicolewoo @wrestlezaynia @reignsx @reigns-central-blog @kianaleani @daguenoire @extra-11 @thedonsfactory @snowpanda18 @brattyfics @wanna-be-dominated @kitanasposts @namjoonspinkytoenail @tribalchiefdaily @2baddies2furious @vebner37 @raeluvshammett @depressedneedingrevenge @cyberdejos2 @thewarlordsworld @jeonmahi1864 @jxtina-86 @harmshake

[chloecherrysip]

all the pain will change into a memory of when we were amazing (mario & luigi-centric post-movie fic, part 1!)

(My weekend got a little busier than I was expecting, but I was still DETERMINED to get this up today and hey, I succeeded!!! I will eventually post an AO3 version as well, so if you'd like to wait for that, you can (and I will of course link it here), but sharing on tumblr is just a little easier for me to start out with. :)

Remember that this is just the first part and there will be at least two or three more coming soon!! Like I've already said in other posts, this fic has become SO LONG that it needs to be split up a little just for ease of reading. The title comes from the song Casey by Darren Hayes, which for the record, is a song about siblings and really fits movie!verse Mario & Luigi's relationship, in my eyes. Also, just so you know, this part (and only this part) has some Mario/Peach moments as well! I hope you enjoy!)

+

It took roughly eleven hours to put Brooklyn back together. 

Not to how it was before, just to be clear. Not even close. Just enough that you could no longer tell right away that it had been subjected to a catastrophic tear between dimensions or alternate realities or whatever the two worlds were in relation to one another — who even knew? Instead, it looked more like it had suffered a few earthquakes in quick succession, or a hurricane closely followed by a tornado for good measure. Y’know, normal disasters.

It would no doubt require weeks of work to fix the cracked roads, replace all the crushed cars, reassemble the shopfronts enough to reopen and finally, finally get rid of all the black chunks of molten rock and huge mushroom stalks that were still being found in the strangest crevices and alleyways. But there was a lot to be extremely grateful for too. It was an outright miracle that Bowser’s airship had happened to crash down into the empty construction site mere minutes before the workers were scheduled to get started, somehow missing all occupied buildings. Everyone on the block was unhurt and accounted for, and they all still had a mostly-intact place to sleep that night. That, Mario reasoned, was more than good enough for now.

He’d jumped headfirst into helping with the emergency cleanup efforts as best he could, of course. It was the very least he could do after unintentionally causing the whole mess to begin with, and Luigi had jumped right in alongside him, ready to go. The star had worn off  — even if Mario was still seeing glimmering afterimages of rainbows in the corners of his eyes every time he blinked — but it seemed like there were some lingering aftereffects. They felt better than ever, every injury down to the slightest bruise or cut completely healed, an overflow of joyful energy humming pleasantly all through his core. Mario guessed it was some kinda mixture of leftover magic and his own adrenaline and relief, which probably could have kept him going strong for a long time all on its own. They’d actually made it home. They’d seen their parents and family again. His brother was back within arm's reach, smiling and solidly warm and safe. How could he not feel like he was on top of the world?

So they’d spent the rest of the day working with neighbors to clear debris and shattered glass, move cars safely out of the way that were too crushed to move on their own any longer, nail up boards to cover gaps where windows once were. There were various damaged water fixtures and pipes that desperately needed some TLC before they came entirely undone and caused more damage (thankfully, Mario knew two talented plumbers who were more than up to the task). And of course, there was the not-so-small matter of rounding up all of Bowser’s minions and stuffing them back through the pipe before they snuck further into the city and started causing mass chaos. Most of that went smoothly, thankfully (other than one notable incident of some Koopas messing around at a bowling alley and accidentally getting stuck in the ball return). The magician in the blue robe, the one with the wand, had vanished entirely, though. Luigi had been the first one to notice, nervously mentioning that he’d seemed important, like a second-in-command to Bowser. Mario didn’t like that one bit, but Peach reassured him that they would stay vigilant.

Speaking of Peach, she’d taken charge of the chaotic situation right away, her leadership skills shining bright in a way that left Mario quietly in awe. She’d personally overseen Bowser’s transfer and imprisonment back in the Mushroom Kingdom while also coordinating efforts on both sides of the warp pipe, DK and Toad providing support as they all passed back and forth between worlds several times throughout the day, transporting as much of Bowser’s broken-up airship back to where it came from as possible. Toad Town was still a mess from the invasion as well, and many of the Toads who’d evacuated needed to be helped back from the forests. Mario had only spent a little time there, but thinking about such a lively, cheerful place in abandoned disarray troubled him. He considered going back for a little while to help out there too, just to make sure everyone got home safe.

But the familiar warp pipe loomed before them, and Luigi’s smile strained. Mario, hand lightly pressed to his brother’s back, registered the sudden, new tenseness, the way his breathing became shallower, despite his best efforts to not let it show. And there was Mario’s answer. He wouldn’t put Luigi through that again, not so soon, and if Luigi wasn’t going, Mario wasn’t going — end of story. The thought of being an entire world away from him after everything they’d just struggled through, even briefly, was too much to handle. All day, that uneasiness had hung around him, the one wrinkle in his light-as-air happiness and boundless energy. He hadn’t even liked Luigi being out of his sight for too long as they worked on the cleanup, which he fully knew was silly and unreasonable. That was why he'd never breathed a word of the feeling outload, even when the discomfort settled in heavily like a bad stomachache.

It'll get better once a little more time goes by, Mario kept insisting to himself with a sure, stubborn forcefulness. What's there to be worried about? We made it, both of us. We're together. Everything's gonna be okay. It really is.

“Don’t worry! We’ve got it all under control,” Peach reassured him. “I promise. The Kongs are helping, and so are the penguins from the Ice Kingdom. We’re going to work with them to rebuild their castle as well. On the bright side, I think our alliances will be much, much stronger after this mess.” 

“Are ya sure?” Mario couldn’t help but press, interlacing his fingers tightly. “I dunno, I just feel like I need to do something. If it wasn’t for you, all of you, I wouldn’t have gotten to Luigi in time.”

“Oh, and like you didn’t do even more to help us?” She gave the brim of his cap a flick that was somehow both playful and graceful. “Mario, you and your brother stopped Bowser in his tracks. Both of our worlds are safe from him now because of you two. If anything, we owe you! Toad was already talking about organizing a parade, or giving you both a chest of gold coins!”

“What? No, no, who needs all that?” Mario insisted, his face flushing a little. “Besides, those coins won’t even fit in my wallet! There probably isn’t an exchange rate or anything here for ‘em. Just my luck.”

“I thought as much.” She placed a fingertip to her pursed lips, tapping lightly as she pondered. “What about a house?” 

“A whole house!?” Mario nearly choked on the air. “For free?”

Peach gave him an odd look and a shrug, as though it was perfectly reasonable in her world to offer someone she’d just met a few days ago real estate with absolutely no strings attached. “Why not? You and Luigi are always going to be known as heroes in the Mushroom Kingdom, you do realize. It's the least we could do. But…” She thought in silence for a moment longer and then smiled, the curve of it a little heavier, more subdued. “A house doesn’t do much if no one will be living in it, huh?”

Mario considered that. Across the sewer room, the black of the warp pipe’s insides spread out behind Peach, vast and unending. “That’s…yeah, that’s true,” he said, his shoulders sinking a bit. “For now, don’t worry about doing anything for us, all right?” He swallowed around a strange, new lump in his throat. “Before anything else happens, I just really need to make sure my family’s all right.”

Peach nodded. “And I need to make sure mine is too,” she said, voice warm with understanding.

She shot a meaningful glance over Mario’s head, and he followed her gaze to where Toad and Luigi were sitting off to the side. Toad was excitedly talking, making big, bombastic gestures with his pan as though he was reenacting something. Luigi, for his part, looked a little bewildered but interested, following along as best as he could manage with lots of nodding. The strain in Mario’s chest eased.

“But you’ll both visit before too long, right?” Peach brought his attention back to her, her tone pointed. “There’s still plenty of beautiful places to see in our world. We barely scratched the surface! But we can start with a nice cup of tea in the castle, of course.”

Mario couldn’t help but smile widely. “Definitely,” he said. “And besides, I already made a promise to DK before he headed back. Me and my “stupid overalls” have to give him a rematch at some point. C’mon, how can I pass up a chance to kick his furry butt all over again?”

“And I want to come back and visit this world again too!” She added excitedly. “I want to know more about the bowling we saw, and video games, and — what did you call that one thing? A calzone? — and well, everything!”

Mario laughed outright. “Sure, come back anytime! Luigi and me know allll the best spots in Brooklyn like the backs of our hands. With us, you’ll never have a bad time, guaranteed.”

Some bright, delighted mischief flashed in Peach’s eyes. “And besides,” she said, “your mom said she would show me some of your baby pictures next time. I have to see that because I can’t imagine you without a mustache, honestly. It just doesn’t seem possible.” 

Mario’s laughter got less boisterous and much more strained in a big hurry. “Right, right,” he said, voice cracking. “Gotta remember to, heh, burn some of those before then.”

“Don’t you dare!” 

With more than a little reluctance, she waved over at Toad, signaling that it was time for them to say goodbye. 

“I’ve got to get out of this wedding dress already,” she joked, holding up the skirt so Mario could clearly see all the tears and scorch-marks and dark staining, all intermingled with white and glittering pink. On the top, she was wearing a new, light pink “I LOVE NY” shirt from a cheap souvenir store; Luigi had actually been the one to get it for her, having noticed that she was spending a lot of time standing out in the sun with her shoulders uncovered. At some point along the way, she'd also tied up her blonde hair in a messy ponytail to keep it out of the way. “What a disaster, huh?”

Mario honestly thought that she looked beautiful. But there was no way he could say that, and he also didn’t want to agree because that sounded rude. Thankfully, he had only had a few more seconds of mounting internal panic left to go on that subject before Toad and Luigi came over.

“Your brother’s just as cool as you are, Mario!” Toad brightly announced out of the blue, which in turn made Luigi jolt and blush behind him. “But I should have guessed! You guys are the SUPER Mario Brothers, after all!” 

“Hey, I coulda told you that a lot sooner!” Mario grabbed Luigi around the middle with one arm and squeezed tight, enough to make his brother wriggle with a hoarse, surprised laugh. “He’s always got my back!”

“Hey, hey, I’m flattered, but there’s no way I’m as cool as Mario,” Luigi insisted, grabbing and squeezing Mario right back, playfully poking at his stomach. “Are ya kidding? This is the best guy in the world, c’mon! No contest!”

"You c'mon! Who came up with using a manhole cover as a shield out of the blue, huh?” 

Luigi blinked a few times and then ducked his head down with a big, bashful grin. “Okay, maybe that was me.”

“Exactly.” He smushed his brother’s cap, ruffling his hair underneath. “What were you guys talking about, anyway?”

“Ohohoho, wouldn’t you like to know,” Toad insisted right away with a thick air of secrecy. He mimed locking his mouth with a key and then tossing it away, winking in Luigi's direction. “No need to be jealous, Mario. I can have two best friends.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Mario replied dryly.

“It was no big deal, r-really!” Luigi backed Toad up, a little too loudly. His eyes looked somewhat glassy, as though he was teetering on the verge of tears, but when Mario met his gaze full-on, worried all of a sudden, his brother smiled back, big and sincere and seemingly very happy. “We’re all good! Better than good! We’re great!”

Peach stepped forward, then. “You really made a difference when it counted most, Luigi,” she said warmly, taking one of his hands in her own and patting it. “Thank you again for that. I know you didn’t see the best our world has to offer, but I hope you’ll give us another chance soon enough.” 

Luigi, having stiffened a little at her touch out of sheer surprise, relaxed again. “Of course, Peach — I mean, Princess Peach. Your highness? Ma’am!” He gave her a salute with the other hand, for some reason. “I, uh, definitely appreciate it.” 

She let go of him and reached for Mario’s hand in turn. Out of the blue, he thought about kissing the back of it — she was a princess, right? Wasn’t that what people did in all the fairytale books? — but that was a silly idea, stupid enough to make the back of his neck burn from embarrassment. Instead, he simply held onto her tight for a long moment, reflecting her sweet smile back at her, his heart pleasantly fluttering.

Further down, Toad grabbed one of Mario’s legs and one of Luigi’s legs in both arms and hugged them fiercely at the same time, sniffling a little. They gave his head a few soft pats in return (and winced when he loudly blew his nose into their overalls). 

“See you around, Mustache,” Peach said softly. She took a small step backwards towards the pipe but didn’t let go of him, their arms stretching out further. “And don’t forget what we talked about,” she added after a beat, delicate, maybe even the tiniest bit hopeful. “What I offered…it’s always on the table, if you ever do decide you want it.” 

“I won’t forget,” he said in return, softer too. “Stay safe.” 

She squeezed his hand one last time, and then she and Toad were gone. The warp pipe’s signature sound bounced off the impossibly high walls of the room they were in until it was just a tiny echo. Mario took a deep breath. He turned to find Luigi beaming at him, eyebrows raised high and wiggling a little at the ends.

"Shut up," he sighed.

“What!? I didn’t even say anything!” Luigi insisted, even as he continued to grin.

“Yes, you did. I can read your mind.” Even Mario’s sternest do NOT go there, I’m serious look could never do much when Luigi was ready to do some ruthless teasing, but he tried it anyway as they started to trudge towards the stairwell at a much slower pace then when they’d first come down it. When had he started to feel so tired? A big yawn fought its way up his throat before he could continue. “I just met her! We’re friends. That’s all there is to it, thank you and goodnight.”

“Look, you can't prove a thing, but if I was saying something, well, I'd start with the way she was looking at you.” Luigi whistled. Mario pulled down the brim of his cap, if only to hide the sudden warmth creeping into his face a little better.  “She certainly seems like a princess with good taste, y’know?”

“All right, all right. Ya done?”

“As a matter of fact, I’m not! She’s already got a dress too, which is really convenient. After all, weddings are expensive—”

“Stop, Lu. You better not breathe a word of this back home! Cause you’re gonna get Ma and Dad all riled up too and then I’ll never hear the end of it."

“Are ya serious!? Oh, my poor, sweet, naïve Mario. They already smelled the blood in the water at least five hours back. They were talking about little blonde grandkids when you were in the bathroom and everything.” 

At least the long trek ahead of them out of the sewers would give Mario time for his face to cool down to a normal temperature again. “Great, great, just what I need,” he grumbled. “Now I gotta find a princess for you to get the heat off me.”

“W-What!?” Luigi sputtered. “I mean, I wish. But a kingdom only has one princess, right? And you’re the lucky guy.” 

“There wasn’t just one kingdom,” Mario mused. He was climbing the stairs by then, metal clanging with each step. “I betcha all the money I have that if I went looking around long enough over there, I could find a real cute royal out there who has a thing for the color green.”

He reached behind him to give Luigi’s shoulder a playful shove, only for his hand to meet nothing but air. Turning fully, he saw that his brother was moving a lot slower than he’d expected. He was still at the bottom of the stairs, clinging to the railing and blinking furiously, his gaze focused on nothing in particular. 

“Luigi?” Mario asked hesitantly. “You good?”

Luigi perked up at that and gave a thumbs-up. “A-okay!” He chirped, starting to climb. “I just — whew. I’m a little, uh, dizzy. It feels like that crazy star hung around for a while, eh? Like, we weren’t super-powered anymore, but nothing hurt, and I still had tons of energy to do whatever I wanted. But now…”

“Yeah, I’m definitely feeling that too.” Mario realized it more clearly, his breathing already labored after only climbing one flight of stairs. The injuries weren’t back, thankfully, but he was aching all over, a new heaviness creeping into his bones more and more. Luigi was hurrying to catch up with him, moving unsteadily. 

“Just go slow,” Mario called. “We’re not in a hurry. Be careful.”

It didn’t seem like Luigi heard him, still trying to talk as he climbed, huffing and puffing. “I mean, wow! We were running all over the place! We were fixing things! We were saving Brooklyn! But…huh. Something’s kinda weird.” His voice had dropped down into a mumble, so quiet and fast that Mario almost couldn’t understand him. “I’m having that pins-and-needles feeling, like my legs are asleep, but I’m still walking just fine. Right? Do I look normal walking? Be honest. I…I can’t tell.” He looked sleepy, and then he suddenly looked frightened, unfocused, as though he wasn’t even sure where he was at all. “Wait. Am I upside down? Mario…”

It happened so fast. With one last shuddery breath, Luigi’s eyes rolled back into his head. He started to fall backwards, about to topple down a nearly full flight of stairs. 

Mario’s heart seized. “Luigi!”

He covered several steps in one desperate jump. Somehow, he managed to get one arm around his brother and pull him back with every last scrap of strength he had left, crushing their bodies together. The other arm, he wrenched over and around the railing blindly, worn metal scratching and squeaking against him painfully as he struggled to hold onto it. For a long, agonizing moment, the fight against gravity seemed like it was going to be too much to overcome, and Mario, teeth gritted, mentally prepared himself to turn them around in the air so he would take the brunt of the long fall. But miraculously, his shoes found enough purchase on the steps, and his aching grip lasted just long enough for Mario to pull their combined weight back in the other direction. The two collapsed in a heap against the ascending stairs instead. 

Mario’s gasping breaths seemed like the only sound in the world, the echoes bouncing wildly all around.

“Luigi,” he finally managed to wheeze — quiet at first, then again, much louder. As gently and carefully as he could manage, he scooted up into a sitting position and turned his brother over onto his back, cradling him. He was still out cold. Mario patted his face. “Hey, Luigi. Come on, Lu, wake up for me, all right? I’m here. I’ve gotcha.” He patted a little harder, steadfastly ignoring the way his hands were trembling at that point. Every second passing with no change stretched on, an eternity and then some. “You’re all right, everything’s all right. Come on, Luigi, snap out of it…” 

Up close, Luigi looked extremely pale, sweat beaded along the line of his cap. How had Mario not noticed that before? He’d been too caught up with all the cleanup efforts, too distracted by Peach and Toad and the thought of that hypothetical house. How could he not see that Luigi was starting to struggle? What kind of brother was he? 

The kind that does something really, REALLY stupid because of pride or "destiny" or whatever you wanna call it. The kind that not only drags his brother down with him to do the stupid thing, but almost gets him killed because of it. 

Mario's shoulders sagged. He gripped Luigi tighter, pressing his little brother's face close to the crook of his neck, if only to try and desperately ground himself in the knowledge that he could feel him breathing still, at least. Their injuries were gone, it was true, but for Mario, it was suddenly like the star had just shifted the pain around instead. He could feel it pressing up from under his skin, a deep well that was ready to split him open all the way through if he let it.

It no longer seemed like he'd just been in a magical world on a whirlwind adventure, or that he'd defeated a spiked turtle monster with anger issues and saved Brooklyn in a glorious, technicolor blur. Now, he was just a small, ordinary man in a dark sewer room underground, exhausted and terrified and unable to help the person he loved most.

All of a sudden, Luigi jolted under his hands. “Noooo more flambé for me, thankyouverymuch, I’m-a good!” He shouted, the words slurred together to the point of being nearly unintelligible. With a handful of slow, very confused blinks, he finally managed to focus on Mario’s extremely relieved face overhead. “Waaaaaaait. Whuh happen?”

Mario bundled up all those sharp, aching feelings behind a new wall and regathered himself. No matter what, he was going to stay strong, stay in control. He needed to do that for Luigi’s sake. There was no other choice. “You went down like a big sack of bricks, ya lug,” he tried to joke, even as his voice cracked badly on the last word. “Nearly gave me a heart attack! Are you okay?”

Luigi considered this information, eyes unclouding bit by bit. “I’m sorry,” he finally said, soft, a little embarrassed. “Y-Yeah, I think I’m good. I, uh, don’t really know what happened there! It was like…it all just hit me at once, I guess.” 

“Yeah, no kidding.” Mario worried his bottom lip between his teeth. “When’s the last time you slept, bro?”

Discomfort crept into Luigi’s expression at that. He looked away from Mario, not able to meet his gaze for more than a few seconds at a time. “Well, I dunno if I — I was wandering around for a while, and then I couldn’t really sleep in that cage, y’know? All that lava made the metal real hot, so I had to keep moving to not get burned, and you have no idea how hard it is to nod off when there’s a creepy star laughing its head — body? — head off in the next cage over, and, and...well, I’m sure I got an hour here and there,” he scoffed lightheartedly, waving off the thought with a wobbly sweep of his hand through the air. “Nothing worse than those all-nighters in high school!”

“You almost had a nervous breakdown because of those all-nighters,” Mario said. His grip on Luigi’s shoulder tightened, fingers winding snug in the green material. “And…what about food? Water? We’ve been go-go-go all day. I didn’t even think about…”

A brand-new sense of dawning horror came over Mario, sudden enough that he trailed off. He couldn't remember them ever taking a break, even sitting down in the shade for a few minutes. There'd just been so much to do, so many people in need of help, and the two of them had felt so good, laughing and joking and keeping up with no problems whatsoever. The time had flown by. But now...

“Pfft, who needs it?” Luigi said, extremely casually and extremely unconvincingly. He coughed, closing his eyes again for a long moment, resting his cheek sleepily against Mario’s chest. “Hmm. A guard gave me some sips a couple of times? And there was some weird bread. I think it was bread. Who even knows? It was stale like croutons. Not like the really good garlic ones Ma makes, though. These were like…like erasers or something. Blech.” 

A few sips of water and some "bread." A couple of hours of sleep, if that. Luigi was on his own, scared and struggling and eventually imprisoned in a maniac’s floating lava airship, for over two full days.

“Well, no wonder you passed out,” Mario sighed, rough and very quiet. He had to talk like that — any louder, and his voice was going to become too unwieldy. It already felt like someone had promptly stuffed his heart into a blender and cranked it up to the highest setting. “Speaking of Ma, she’s probably got a full spread out by now. I’m gonna get you home, you’re gonna eat until you pop, and,” he had to pause for a moment to swallow, his throat hurting, “and then you’re gonna sleep until you can’t anymore, okay? That’s what we’re doing.”

Luigi sighed too, his smile resurfacing. “Man, that sounds like heaven. What are we waiting for?” He started to sit up with newfound determination, only for the dizzying sight of the stairs descending down into the dark beneath them to make his motions distinctly more rubbery again in a hurry. He sunk back into Mario’s arms, breathing faster, eyes closed again.

“Just, uh, one more minute," he half-wheezed. "Nothing to worry about, I’m getting up right now, I swear, but…is it just me or is it really, really hot down here? Those burns I had, they’re all gone, which is great, but I can still kindaaaa feel them? Is that a medical thing? Or am I freaking out? Because, heh, it’s starting to feel like I might be freaking out, and not to toot my own horn but some might consider me an expert when it comes to the signs of freaking out—”

“Just breathe, Lu,” Mario interjected, gently but firmly, the way he always did when Luigi got lost in a thought process that wasn’t going to lead him anywhere good in a hurry. “We can wait as long as ya need. No rush at all.”

Mario pressed back the brim of Luigi’s cap so he could brush his hairline soothingly, wipe away the sweat. He leaned down, gathering Luigi close enough to bump their foreheads together so they could breathe in slow, deep unison. He’d done that little motion to Luigi their whole lives, an unspoken shorthand that only they understood. When his little brother was scared or anxious, touching foreheads was a way to make the world smaller, less overwhelming, if only for a few seconds. It was an easy way to say: who cares about any of that? Focus on me instead. It’s just the two of us. I’m here for you. I’ll always be here for you.

(And he’d tried, hadn’t he? He tried, and he hadn’t been good enough this time, when it mattered most. Luigi had suffered because he couldn’t hold on tightly enough. Because he hadn’t fought harder, been smarter, pushed to move faster throughout every part of the trip. And at the end when he’d finally found his brother? It had just been dumb luck, really. He’d squinted up at all the cages at the right time through the haze of the lava heat, breathless from the climb and still half-focused on trying to stay in the air without plummeting, and he’d seen his brother fall, and his body had just reacted without any thought, desperation and adrenaline screaming in his veins, the only word in his head echoing out as faster, faster, FASTER. And if one little thing had gone differently — if he hadn’t found that specific powerup, if he hadn’t figured out how to use it properly, if he'd been looking anywhere else, if he’d misjudged the speed or simply missed his grab entirely — then that would have been it, and it would have been all his fault. The sight felt seared into Mario’s head, something he could see whether his eyes were open or closed. He saw Luigi tumbling in the air, terrified and yelling and out of control, hurtling towards the lava at full speed. Only this time, he couldn’t reach him, he couldn’t move at all, he could only watch helplessly and in horror as he—)

“Mario?” Luigi asked quietly. “Are you okay?”

Mario jolted back into the moment. He was breathing too hard, too fast; a tremor ran through him, bone-deep. Luigi was holding one of his arms, his eyes big and shining with newfound worry.

Mario smiled reassuringly for him, as easy and unthinking as a reflex. He took Luigi’s hand and wedged his fingers through his with a tight squeeze, resolving not to let go again until they were safely at home. That awful drowning feeling was rippling all through him, but he could keep his head above it if he focused hard enough, if he refused to let it sneak up on him again. He could do that. He would do that, no matter what it took.

With a slew of careful, slow-going movements, the two brothers finally stood up together on the stairs. 

“Don’t worry about me,” Mario said, and turned to lead the way. “C’mon. Let’s get out of here."

[cervicrazed]

Redoing @the-goblin-cat 's Whole Hog Request bc I answered the wrong set of questions 🤦🏽

OC Lore for Dead Wood's resident "Goat" Boy Below:

^ This is Kennedy Leeds! ((& Devil Form))

✨- How did you come up with the OC’s name?

Kennedy was originally designed by @psygull and given to me as a gift!!

He was The Jersey Devil reimagined as a high School athlete so I named him Kennedy (jock name) Leeds (name of the family from Jersey Devil folklore)

🌼 - How old are they? (Or approximate age range)

He meets Bambi (aka enters the story) at 18

🌺- Do they have any love interest(s)?

He's got a small crush on Jak L., but is trying to find the right way to ask her out. He's seemingly oblivious to her flirtations with Bambi

🍕 - What is their favorite food?

Growing up with 12 other siblings kinda turned mealtime into a Battle Royale, so he'd visit the local food market in the evenings after school. His favorite dish comes from Ms. Hayes' stand; a bowl of fried rice topped with grilled catfish and garnished with Devil's Fruit (a sweet red fruit with two stems that look like little devil horns. Needs to be De-Hexed before eaten, otherwise it'll taste bitter & you could end up w/ a magical foodbourne illness)

💼 - What do they do for a living?

Was a student until very recently - helps Bambi on fetch quests for The Lich Doctor in exchange for magical items to resell on the side.

Also runs a pest contol hustle but strangely only books appointments for the 13th of every month.

🎹 - Do they have any hobbies?

Meditation! He got into it hoping it would better help him retain control when in his Devil Form; he's able to stay conscious and aware for a full 30 seconds now!

🎯 -What do they do best?

His first and only answer would be Hockey; he's ingrained it so deeply into his identity he's not sure who he'd be without it. In reality, he's a natural leader when thrust into stressful situations (which happens a lot!)

🥊 -What do they love to do? What do they hate to do?

Kennedy loves opportunities to show off his strength; be it knocking through walls or deadlifting a horse, he can't help but feel a sense of pride from the admiration. It's one of the few positives his curse affords him

He has a zero tolerance policy for anyone who threatens his family, Found or Biological! (Minus his dad though, he hates that guy)

❤️ - What is one of your OC’s best memories?

His first time ice skating! When he was about 13 or so, the lake froze over and he was dared by Siblings 10, 9, & 7 to go skating across the thinnest part. Not one to shy away from a challenge, Kennedy went for it - just narrowly avoiding falling into the freezing water. He did still trip and chip a tooth on the ice, but the thrill and joy of skating never left him.

✂️ - What is one of your OC’s worst memories?

Coming home from school one day to find his mother bed ridden with blisters blooming into flower shaped scabs all across her body; Hexed by unclean food. The potion that could cure her required 'The Blood of the Beloved', but when Kennedy volunteered she told him point blank; "I don't love you enough for that to work."

He quit school to hunt down his dad shortly after.

🧊 - Is their current design the first one?

Yes & No -> his current design is technically my take on Psygull's original one, but the major beats are still there; slightly shaved head, letterman jacket, cocky grin, etc

I keep changing his Devil Form but I think I'll end up just keeping it the way she originally had it (maybe w/ a few more goat features)

🍀 - What originally inspired the OC?

I don't know! He was a gift 😌🎁

🌂 - What genre do they belong in?

Whatever genre combines a Disney Channel Sports Movie with a Brother's Grimm fairy tale

💚 - What is your OC’s gender identity and sexuality?

Cis + Bisexual! 🩷💜💙

🙌 - How many sibling does your OC have?

12! (That poor woman)

🍎 - What is the OC’s relationship w/their parents like?

Tentative.

He tries to do right by his mother, but he can sense she kind of blames him for his dad skipping town. There's a certain bitterness she has for him that he can never seem to alleviate. He feels like nothing he does will ever make her proud.

He resents his father with his entire being. He passed down The Devil Curse onto him and instead of sticking around to help him learn how to deal with it, he left as soon as he was born. Kennedy doesn't understand what was so wrong with him that his dad couldn't be bothered to stay.

🧠 - What do you like most about the OC?

The family dynamics & his own Big Brother persona he adopts when w/ Bambi & co.

He pretends to be a bastard but he's got such an obvious soft spot for the people he cares about it never really sticks - it's a really fun trait to play with

✏️ - How often do you draw/write about the OC?

On and off, but a little more so recently bc I gotta update his ref sheet

💎 - Do you ever see yourself killing off the OC?

No!!!!!!! Inconceivable

💀 - Does your OC have any phobias?

Monophobia -> fear of being alone or abandoned 💔

🍩 -Who is your OC’s arch-nemesis or rival?

The OG Jersey Devil

🎓 - How long have you had the OC?

Since January 2019!

🍥 - What age were you when you created the OC?

I was 17 when Roz handed me this fun little guy

[wambsgansshoelaces]

Live A Little

Tabitha Hayes x fem!Reader

Oneshot

Summary: life is short. might as well live it.

inspired by this ask from lovely anon! there isn’t exactly a plot, I just made it fluffy. enjoy and let me know what you think x

Word Count: 2.549k

If anything, your life was boring. Nothing exciting ever happened to you, and if you were being honest, you were becoming borderline depressed from the lack of interaction in your day to day life. The lines between boredom and excruciating loneliness were staring to blur.

Today, you find yourself sitting in a café. You liked to do work in this shop in particular, the environment light and airy. When you felt yourself beginning to be unable to bear the now perennial suffocation of your worsening depression, you came here, and it all disappeared for an all-too-short while. You liked leaving small doodles and thank you notes on napkins for the overworked baristas. You knew what it was like to need a little relief. You were happy to provide it.

You’re absentmindedly stirring a spoon around in your cup when she sits down across from you. She’s gorgeous, you think. Her hair sits just above her shoulders in beautiful little curls, her eyes twinkling with something you can’t place.

“Hi,” she says, holding eye contact.

“Hi,” you say back carefully.

“I know this is weird,” she tells you, “but I’m trying to branch out more in life. I’m trying not to miss anything special. And you look like fun.” She extends her hand out to you. “I’m Tabitha.”

You quietly murmur your own name back. “Do you do this often? Whatever… this is?”

She shrugs. “Just trying to live a little.”

“What brought you here?” You push the pastry you got with your coffee towards her, and she gives you a small, dazzling smile. Your deadened insides come back to life, as if she was breathing your soul back into you.

She takes a small bite, thinking about her next words. “Needed a breather from my jackass boyfriend.”

As quickly as your spirits hit a record high, they come crashing back down. “Oh?”

“I dunno. He’s… he’s weird, but in a good way, but sometimes not?” She takes another bite. “Just, lately, he’s getting in my nerves. Leaving clothes around the apartment, not spending that much time with me. It’s whatever, though. Que sera sera, eh?”

You take a sip of your coffee. “You’re certainly handling it better than I would.”

She shrugs. “Life’s short. I shouldn’t be wasting my time on tiny things.”

“You don’t think loving someone is serious?” You don’t break her gaze.

She chews on her bottom lip. “I mean, I do. I kind of just… don’t think our relationship is like that.”

You purse your lips. “Sounds like you’re both just fucking around. Pardon my French,” you add lamely.

“Enough about me. What do you do for work?” she asks, changing the subject. You decide not to press her- you’d just met, after all.

You tell her, and she asks questions, genuinely interested. You’re happy to have someone to talk to after such a long time of radio silence.

“I think I do what I do just because I love it so much,” you tell her truthfully. “Even though everything else is shitty, I’m doing what I’m passionate about, so how can I really complain?”

“That’s… really respectable.” She’s finished the pastry, brushing the crumbs from her soft, pink tinged lips. “I could learn a thing or two from you.”

You finish your coffee, an awkward silence lingering.

“Could I get your number? I think we’d be good friends,” she murmurs, soft smile gracing her face. You slide her your phone, and she types in her number. “I’ll text you,” she says, grinning.

You look down at the new contact saved.

tabs <3 ੈ✩‧₊˚

Tabitha texts you the next morning, asking if you can hang out. It starts a chain reaction, the two of you becoming inseparable over the next few weeks.

You go out to eat, out for more coffee, and even to a museum. You’d walked around arm in arm, making fun of the modern ‘art’ on display, gaping at the Renaissance exhibit, giggling with each other at a family of ducks passing by outside.

You get closer as the months leak away from you, and that tingling you’d felt in your chest when you’d first met morphed into a raging tightening of anxiety and awe every time you saw her. Despite the color she brought to your grayscale world, deep down, you knew nothing would happen. For one, you didn’t know if she was even into girls, and two, she had an entire boyfriend to worry about.

As you both got closer, you learned more of her relationship with Roman. You’re both lying on her couch as she complains.

“I feel like he doesn’t take anything seriously,” she tells you. “Like… I’m just in a relationship with him for his own entertainment.”

“Being completely honest, Tabs?” You look over at her.

“Hmm?”

“I think you’re in the relationship for the same reason.”

You both just stare at each other for a moment. You know you’re right. She was only with him because he could entertain her- you can tell clearly from the way she talks about and acts around him.

“What, because I think he’s fun?”

“Tabitha,” you chide. “You shouldn’t be in a relationship just to ‘have fun’. Besides , you think *being with him is fun, not his actual personality. Don’t you think life’s be better when you’re loving someone?”

Her eyes never leave yours. “What do you mean?”

“Love is what makes the world go round, isn’t it?”

“Cheesy.”

“Whatever. But you get the point. Life’s better when you’re in love.”

“Have you been in love before?” she asks, shifting so that she’s leaning in towards you.

You take a moment to think. “Yes, but no. It only ever counts if it’s reciprocated, right?”

“But you’ve loved someone before?”

“Plenty of times.”

“And? Is it worth it? Does it make life worth living?”

You sigh. “I wish it’d gone well enough for me to tell you. But based off what I see, what I hope to feel,” you say quietly, “it’s worth everything.”

“How do you know? If you’re in love, I mean?”

“As cliche as it is, you just know.” You lean back into the couch. “And I’m sure you don’t have it with Roman.”

She snorts. “Oh, come on. We’re both perfectly happy together.”

You make a face at her. “But are you? Even if you are, that doesn’t mean you love each other. Whenever you talk about him, Your face is just… the same. He also never does anything for you. Where are the flowers, the romantic dates? Hell, you don’t even fuck, let alone ‘make love’.”

Tabitha’s face sours. “Why so critical? I’m happy, so what’s it matter?”

“I’m just saying you deserve more.”

“I didn’t ask for your opinion,” she says hotly.

“God, Tabitha. I was just saying.”

She gets up from the couch, leaving you all by yourself. ੈ✩‧₊˚

After your disagreement, she doesn’t speak to you for a while. You text, you call, nothing. You’re not sure why she’s upset with you. You don’t think you said anything out of line. Regardless, it stings more than it should when she stops speaking with you. It’s like a piece of your heart was ripped out of your chest, your feelings needlessly hurt.

You decide to leave her be. You don’t want to push her even farther away.

The next few days, you don’t hear a thing from her. You don’t bother reaching out anymore. You’ve already tried.

To your dismay, you can’t get her off your mind. Anything pretty reminds you of her. There’s a stray cardigan of hers strewn on your couch. She hasn’t bothered to come back and pick it up.

You’re lounging on the couch, watching TV when a banging sounds from your front door. Begrudgingly, you open it, finding Tabitha on the other side.

“I broke up with him,” is the first thing she says to you.

You pause. “I didn’t mean to ruin your relationship,” you say back, voice quiet. “I should’ve kept quiet, I-”

“No,” she insists. “I overreacted. I overreacted because you were right. He gave me nothing. The entire relationship was meaningless.”

You stay silent for another moment. “What brought this on?”

“Like I said,” she begins, “you were right. Life’s better when you love. I didn’t love him, I didn’t even want to love him.” You both just stand there, staring at each other. “It’s really horrible, but ever since I saw you sitting in that cafe, I’ve wanted to love you.”

You can’t bring yourself to say anything.

“The entire period I was with him, after you. I… couldn’t get you off of my mind. You’re so… you just make me feel things. Things I haven’t felt before. Things I definitely didn’t feel with Roman. Fuck, I don’t know what I’m saying. You’re just so pretty and so much fun and I want to learn to love you.”

You step forward and press a gentle kiss to her lips. After a moment, she takes your face in her hands, kissing you with a new fervor and pushing you back into your apartment. ੈ✩‧₊˚

You watch as Tabitha raises a flute of champagne to her reddened lips, her delicate throat constricting lightly when she swallows.

She’d brought you to a work gala as your date. You couldn’t stave off the electric feeling whenever her eyes rake over your body.

She raises the flute at you in a mock cheers. “Something in my teeth?” she asks cheekily.

“No. You look perfect,” you answer truthfully. She raises her eyebrows at you and takes another sip.

“Do I really?”

“You’re gorgeous, Tab. As always.”

She shifts so that her hip is touching yours as she peers out at the crowd, smirking. “You should say more nice things.”

“Tabitha, you’re the prettiest fucking woman I’ve ever seen.”

“You flatter me.” She kisses you gently, her lips lingering before she pulls away. “I should be flattering you.”

Your arm snakes around her waist, your hand settling on her bare hip. You pull her flush against you, and her hand comes to sit on the side of your neck, holding her to you. Her dress is skintight, the back completely cut out, leaving part of her hips exposed. The deep emerald of her dress brings out her eyes, makes her skin glow. She’s a fucking vision, and you make sure to tell her every time you can. But that doesn’t mean you don’t want the pretty words, too.

“Go ahead, then.” You smile at her. “Flatter me.”

You both walk, ignoring the invasive stares other guests give you. “Well,” she begins, trailing off to think. “Your ass is perfect. The way your hips fill out your dress is fucking perfect. Every single curve makes me want to drool… Shall I go on?” she asks dramatically.

“Please do.” Your hand leaves her hip, instead reaching for hers. She happily laces your fingers together.

“Your face is straight out of one of my dreams. You’re a dreamboat, baby, you hear?”

You laugh, in turn making her laugh.

The two of you spend the rest of the night giggling at the ridiculous attire of people who have way too much fucking money. ੈ✩‧₊˚

You’re back at the cafe where you first met, staring at each other with stupid grins pasted on your faces. You both know why Tabitha invited you back here. But neither of you felt like ruining the moment.

“So,” she starts, unable to suppress her grin. “I want us to be exclusive.”

“I’m being promoted from fuck buddy!”

She laughs, burying her face in her hands. “Stop! I’m serious!”

You don’t take your eyes off of her, affection evident in your gaze. “Say the actual words, Tabby.”

“I want to be your girlfriend. Will you be my girlfriend? Be my girlfriend.”

You lean across the table, giving her a kiss on the lips. “‘Course I will.”

“I got you something,” she tells you giddily, rooting around in her purse. She takes out a small paper packet and slides it across the table to you. You take it, sliding out a small brass house key.

You’re unable to contain your smile the next time you glance up at her.

The entire walk back to her apartment, you grip each other's hands, moving quickly. She throws her front door open, dragging you inside. The second you’re inside her bedroom, your hands are at her hips, hers cupping your jaw, and you’re pushing her down into her- now your -bed.

You kiss up her neck, savoring every sound that falls from her lips. Every whimper, every moan, you memorize.

The next morning, she’s curled up against you, her head buried in the crook of her neck. Her breath fans across your skin, warm and soft. Her hair is splayed out behind her, and when you wake up, you think that it looks just as good as it did when you fell asleep. You press a soft kiss to her hairline, trying not to wake her up.

Subconsciously, she tightens her grip on you. Your hand smoothes up her spine, your fingers going to stroke at the nape of her neck. She shivers at your touch, making a quiet, contented noise.

You have no idea how you got here. It feels like the two of you had just met, and she had just been complaining about her shitty boyfriend and her shitty relationship, and you were yearning for something you thought you never could have. And yet here she was, in the end, wrapped in your arms.

You feel her lips brush against your neck. “Good morning, baby.”

“Hi, Tabby.” You kiss her forehead, smiling softly to yourself.

“This is probably way too early,” she says groggily, “but I’ve known you for ages, and I fuckin’ love you.”

You are so excited for the rest of your life. ੈ✩‧₊˚

When the day finally comes, you’re doing your best not to cry your makeup off. Your veil runs down your back and onto the floor, and your dress could not have been more perfect.

You control your breathing, smoothing out the fabric of your dress. You smile at yourself in the mirror, tearing up. You made it. You finally fucking made it.

When you see Tabitha, it takes all your will to not break down into happy sobs. She’s tearing up, lips quivering, eyes watering. Her veil is fashionably short, her dress clinging to her hips and bust, cascading into a long train, the fabric pooling on the polished marble.

You reach out to her, and her hand is immediately clasped in yours. You both squeal at each other, feeling like you’ve died and gone to heaven.

“Look at you,” Tabitha coos, encouraging you to give her a little spin. “So fucking gorgeous.”

“Anything for you, Tabs,” you murmur quietly. Your hands slide down her corset, thumbs stroking her sides affectionately. “So pretty. So, so pretty. I love you so much.”

She grins at you, her lips perfectly painted, full and plump. She fixes a stray strand of your hair, her gaze saturated with nothing but pure adoration.

You’ve never felt more elated than the moment when she slips that perfect fucking ring onto your finger, both of you crying, both of you so madly in love.

[dinitride-art]

Does anyone else think that Mike knows about his feelings for Will but he’s already decided that it’s not possible for Will to feel the same? Like, there was Jennifer Hayes at Will’s funeral who was implied to have some sort of crush on him (Dustin’s comment and she was wearing a red shirt in that scene). Then there’s the girl who asks Will to dance at the snowball and Mike’s standing right next to Will and encourages him to go dance with her. Then he stares at them dancing and sits alone until El shows up. After El shows up he spends all his time with her and tries to be normal. Then the rain fight happens and Will challenges the idea that there’s no hope for Mike for the first time. Mike says, “what did you really think? That we were never gonna get girlfriends? That we were gonna stay in my basement all day and play games for the rest of our lives.” And Will tells Mike that he did think that. Mike immediately goes to apologize for what he said- and then everything happens with the mind flayer and El- and possibly Will- is in danger and he crumples under the pressure. The second time Will challenges the idea that Mike can’t be happy is at the end of season three when Will tells him that it’s “not possible” that he’ll join another party. He tells Mike that he isn’t going to leave him behind. Then El kisses Mike and Mike is stunned, eyes wide open, an odd reaction for someone who started the season making out with her. This is what I interpret as his realization that he isn’t going to be able to change/he doesn’t want her/it’s not a phase.

Season four starts off with the lab and Brenner and then El’s letter. In her letter, El tells Mike that she thinks that Will likes a girl in Lenora. This is the third time that Mike has been confronted with girls liking Will and Will getting a girlfriend and leaving him behind. Even though Will resisted that idea in season three, Mike and him haven’t spoken for about six months and Mike is now dealing with the possibility of Will liking a girl and what his own feelings- and inability to tell El he loves her- say about him. Mike gets to Lenora and immediately sees the painting that Will doesn’t show him. That’s a point for- Will likes a girl. Then Mike and Will fight while trying to find El, and Will confronts Mike about him not calling or writing to him. A point for- …maybe Mike’s not alone? All of their scenes together where they talk about Mike and Will’s relationship, and what’s happening with El- that aren’t led by Mike- teeter on a line between ‘Will is normal and telling Mike to be with his girlfriend’ and ‘Will is like Mike.’ Then the monologue happens, and Will pushes Mike towards El one final time.

Mike and Will are playing 4d chess with their feelings for each other. Unscrambling what the other is too scared to say directly isn’t easy for either of them. Will seems to have more hope about Mike than Mike does about Will. Mike seems to have already made the decision that he has to try to be normal, and that he’s alone. It’s somewhat similar to how Mike handled Will’s potential death. When Troy and his friend chased Dustin and Mike and told Mike to jump off a cliff, Mike would have been halfway between believing Will is alive and knowing that he saw a body. When Troy told Mike to jump, while he was also being threatened with Dustin being harmed- there were other things happening that would affect Mike’s decision. Lucas wasn’t there, El wasn’t there, Will might be dead. Mike is alone. So, he jumps. Mike decided not to fight Troy, or the idea that Will was alive, or that El would come back, or that Lucas and him could fix their friendship. He decided that the worse case scenario was reality. So, it seems likely that this aspect of his character hasn’t changed over the course of the story. Which is why Mike isn’t able to entertain the idea that Will might feel the same about him, and that he’ll ever have anything more than what he has with El.

[madwheelerz]

Okay so I think I finally have the energy to explain why I personally think Mike will be labeled as gay, like about 80% sure just bc margin of error-

1) The blatant disinterest in girls. His doesn't seem to be all that into Phoebe Cates, he's disinterested in princess Daphne, he's not interested in Max like he doesn't think she looks cool, and ext.

The Phoebe Cates one is the biggest one for me on this list bc while in real-life there isn't a requirement to liking a specific gender via an ideal, Stranger Things is a TV show that has often used Phoebe Cates to point towards an attraction to girls. Why show us Mike's unflattered face when it came to her? If they wanted ambiguity they wouldn't have shown us Mike's reaction at all kinda like they did with Will. The lack of ambiguity is one of the reasons I believe Mike will be labeled.

2) "Boys only," + the one way sign + women vs boy w/ Mike's reaction + "El, not interested".

Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern. All four of the things mentioned above seem to imply that Mike isn't interested in El or girls in general.

3) When would he have realized he did/didn't have feelings for El and why doesn't he recall it?

Mike's monologue destroys me because he literally could not pinpoint a moment that he began to like El romantic. He chose to go with first sight and if his romantic feelings for her, bc his platonic feelings definitely did, haven't changed regarding her...

My last thing is like what would you change about Mike and El's relationship to reach the same goal while keeping the GA blind to Mike being gay. There needs to be ambiguity in Mike and El's relationship, but also if not El than what girl?

What girl when Mike isn't interested in Jennifer Hayes? What girl when Mike isn't interested in Phoebe Cates? What girl when Mike shows disinterest in the fictional princess Daphne?

[sleepingjayy]

"Here we go again" Information Post

(Read the fic here)

《¤》

Calling all creepypasta fans!

Do you like Eyeless Jack? Do you like gore, violence, and thrilling horror? Do you like homey vibes too?

I have just the thing for you! This fic (somehow) has all of this! From tags like hurt/comfort, to found family.

This fic is about Jack, who has hit his one year mark of working for The Tall One. Provided with a cabin, electricity, and protection, he is tasked with fixing up anyone who comes along. It's not in the job description to become familiar with them, but Jack can't help but hear their stories.

With reoccurring characters such as:

Toby Rodgers, Helen (The Bloody Painter) Otis, Tim Wright ("Masky"), Brian Thomas ("Hoodie"), Kate Hayes-Milens ("Kate the Chaser"), Cody (X-Virus) Unknown, and many more iconic characters.

And with lesser known characters (/OCs) like:

Pippa Darling, Leo ("Cross-X") Fincher, Reed Carter, "Something", "Smokey", and more!

《¤》

(For those of you who have read it already, hi welcome to under the cut, the ad is over lol. I wanted to explain some stuff since Act 1 has ended.)

Act 1

Starting with Toby Rodgers, and ending with Kate Hayes-Milens, Act 1 is a calm, homey handful of chapters with intertwined hurt/comfort along with sting of horror.

Although Jack has only been in his cabin for a year now, he definitely has a handle on things.

Along with the end of Act 1, comes the start of a secondary fic called "I want to die with all my scars (and if they don't like the way we are then fuck them)" I know I do a lot of songs as titles, but they do actually have significance, I swear.

This fic, will have a lot of additional material from outside of Jacks cabin. At the end of Act 1 (spoiler for those who haven't made it there yet.) Kate visits and gives Jack a walkie talkie to communicate with the others outside of his small circle. This secondary fic is for things mentioned in the first one but not fully touched on.

For example, it's mentioned by Liu that Ben said the Hornets boys (Tim, Brian, and Toby) were on a road trip. That is one such things that will be talked about in this fic.

Silly little adventures with other characters that may change the dynamic between each other that wouldn't otherwise be I the central plot of the first fic.

This includes OCs! Pippa Darling, a character from a fic on ao3, will be popping up occasionally, and my own character Reed Carter.

You can even submit your own character to be in the two series. Just leave a comment with a link leading to their story, or a social media so I can contact you!

(If they're heavily leaning on or shipped with a popular ("canon" in heavy quotation) character, then I probably won't use it due to not wanting any shipping or big relationships in the story. Unless you happen to have a set of OCs.)

FAQ

1. "Can I make fanart/fanfiction of HWGA?"

Yes! I encourage it! Just tag me so I can see it!

2. "Will [insert character] be in it?"

Most likely. If there's any requests, then I'll probably write for them too!

3. "What does Jack look like?"

Jack in this fic is more of a metaphor than a person. I'll let you choose what that means to you, but this also means that Jack can look like whatever you wish him to. Any "official art" I make for the series won't even have a consistent design for Jack because that's not the point. See Jack however you'd like, because he's supposed to be a source of comfort in anyway you, and his patients, see fit. You'll notice that that's why I've never outright described what he looks like. Be creative. :)

4. "Where/when does this take place?"

That's sort of a spoiler as of now. It's connected to "The Path of Black Leaves" which was made/coined by the slenderblogs here on tumblr, which is a a mode of transportation. But for a simple answer, kind of in New England.

As for when, it's taming place sometime in the mid 2000's

《¤》

That's all for now! This post will update as things get posted and the plot moves along. If you have any questions, OC submissions, or just want to say hi, do so in the comments! :) I love to see it!!!

[bluejaysandblackbats]

It Takes A Village

Fandom: YJ98, Flashfam, DC Comics

Summary: After witnessing Bart murder someone, his friends scramble to cover Bart's tracks and stumble upon an international scandal as a result.

(Minor background: Bart took a gap year, and Conner did two years of community college. This starts shortly after Bart's 19th birthday. So, Conner and Jenni are 20, Bart and Cissie are 19, Tim and Cassie are 18, I made Greta 17 for the sake of the fic, and Judy is 15. I decided to make Owen 22 and Thad 16 for plot reasons. Clark and Conner are brothers in this fic, and Clark is 12 years older for the sake of this fic, so he's 32.)

Chapters: 8/?

Characters: Bart Allen, Conner Kent, Judy Garrick, Jay Garrick, Joan Garrick, Cissie King-Jones, Cassie Sandsmark, Tim Drake, Greta Hayes, Jenni Ognats, Thad Thawne, Owen Mercer, Meloni Thawne, Clark Kent, Wally West, Linda Park, Courtney Whitmore, President Thawne

Relationship(s): KonBart, CissieCassie, WallyLinda

Additional Tags: Serial Killer AU, No Powers AU, Angst, Dark Comedy, Bart Allen Kills in This Fic, Minor Thad Thawne, Separated in Childhood, Some Smut in This

Chapter Eight: Reach The Surface

Bart woke up early and turned on his side to check his phone. He had a few more text messages on top of his ten unanswered ones. He went through, reading each one. 

ROY: checkign in. how’s it goin

HELEN: Bart, I want you to call me when you get some time. I’m worried about you.

TIM: What do you mean you’ve seen the Alabama White Thang???

JOAN: Are you okay, sweetheart? 

PRESTON: who is the mystery guy??? 

CAROL: As your friend, ily but what the hell is a protein freakshake??? Bart, I’ll kill you

JAY: Bart, what is tfw? Judy keeps sending me tfw’s but none of the pictures go together

CONNER: are you ok? do you want me to order you a pizza?

LINDA: Hey, bug. Just wanted you to know I love and miss you so much! Give me a call and lmk when I can kick your ass on MK

GRANDPA: Goodnight, Bart. I love you so so much. I had the loveliest conversation with your brother, Owen. He seems like a nice kid. 

CONNER: super worried about you, omw rn

JUDY: Mom’s a little worried about you. Everything ok?

TIM: Hey, do you mind if I come over next Thursday? 

THAD: Is it okay to text you?

Bart called Thad first. Thad answered immediately. “Good morning,” Thad answered. 

“Good morning… Hey, are you okay? Everyone’s going kind of nuts, huh?” Bart asked. 

“Yeah… I’m okay, though. I didn’t know him. Is it strange to feel detached from it all?” Thad questioned in reply. Bart sat up and played with Conner’s hair, keeping him asleep.

“No… I get it. Do you know I love you?” Bart asked. 

“I—. I like to hear it. I love you, too… But um—. Why’d you call me this morning? Is something wrong?” Thad asked. Bart paused and tried to think of something to say. 

“In the observatory… Do you ever remember seeing cameras?” Bart asked in Interlac. 

“No… But I’m sure there were cameras. Did they make the lights pulse to change your mood?” Thad asked. Bart tried to think about it, but he didn’t remember anything like that. 

“No… I remember sometimes it used to be dark… They’d blindfold me and put these headphones over my ears and—. I think I—. I don’t remember how long they’d do that, but I remember they used to tell me how unsafe the other side of the door was… And they used to leave it cracked after. I used to beg them to shut the door,” Bart explained. Neither of them were emotional when discussing the observatory. Bart couldn’t even be moved to be angry at that moment. 

“Why are you thinking about the observatory? Did Grandpa Thawne—?” 

“No. He hasn’t sent anyone to bring us back. You don’t have to worry about that anymore. Okay? I—. I’m not gonna let anyone take you away ever again. Okay?” Bart reassured him. His heart pumped, almost frightening him. He felt so alive and so intensely passionate about everything. “And you can text me anytime you want. I want you to visit me as soon as you can. You can sleep in my room. I’ll give you a tour of the school. Okay?” 

“Okay,” Thad answered, “Aunt Helen wants to speak to you.” 

“Okay. Give Aunt Helen the phone,” Bart gently commanded. 

“Bart, are you alright? I called you twice last night—.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t feel well, so I went to sleep… And when I woke up, Conner was on his way over, so I didn’t have a lot of time to—.” Bart took a breath. “I’m okay now. You don’t have to worry about me, Helen.” 

“Don’t I, though? Bart, I always worry about you. I worry because I love you,” Helen replied. 

“I appreciate it… But I promise I’m fine. I’m not upset at all,” Bart answered honestly, “Actually, I’m doing really well.” Conner stirred beside him, smiling into Bart’s leg. 

“You’ll call me if things start getting bad… Won’t you?” Helen asked. 

Bart made a soft noise. “Sure, Helen,” Bart replied. A lie. “Hey, I’ve gotta go.” 

“Okay… Be good,” Helen half-joked. 

“I’ll try,” Bart answered before hanging up. “Good morning, sleepyhead.” Bart set his phone aside and rubbed Conner’s back. Conner hummed sweetly. 

“Good morning,” Conner smiled, “Do you wanna brush your teeth with me?” 

Bart chuckled and nodded. “Do you need a toothbrush?” Bart asked. Conner nodded. 

**

After they brushed their teeth, Bart and Conner crept back to Bart’s room. “You’re in a good mood,” Conner whispered as Bart shut the curtains. He gave Conner one of his wireless earbuds and he wore the other one. Bart climbed up the foot of the bed, kissing his way up Conner’s legs until he kissed the front of Conner’s shorts. Conner instinctively lifted his knee, and Bart patted his leg. “Come up here… I wanted to try something, but I’m not sure if you’d be—.”

Bart sat cross legged. “What is it?” Bart asked. 

“Well… I kind of—. It’s a weird mixture of kinks, but I—.” 

“Conner, I’m not gonna laugh at you. I promise,” Bart replied.

“You know how I kind of like you to get a little rough? Well, I wanted to see how that worked with a little praise,” Conner explained while he wrung his hands. Bart sat on Conner’s lap and kissed Conner, parting his lips as his fingers caught in Conner’s curls. Bart pulled back, half out of breath, grinning with an open mouth. 

“If you wanted me to tell you how good you were, all you had to do was ask. I could go on and on about you for hours,” Bart whispered.

“Oh, really? Name one thing you like about me,” Conner teased. 

Bart gave Conner’s hair a little tug, and he felt Conner’s hard-on twitch beneath him. Bart bored down, grinding into it. Then, he leaned in for a kiss only to yank his hair a little harder. Conner moaned and in a panic, he held a finger to Bart’s lips. “I like the way you can’t help but moan when I pull your hair. I think about that a lot. And I think about those pretty lips of yours so much I see them in my dreams,” Bart whispered as he thumbed Conner’s bottom lip. Conner advanced forward for a kiss, and Bart backed away, giggling as he teased him. He climbed off of Conner’s lap and dropped his shorts while he looked for a towel and a condom. Stroking his dick with one hand as he scratched his head with the other. 

“What are you looking for?” Conner asked. 

“A rubber,” Bart answered as he grabbed a towel. Conner looked in the bedside drawer and pulled out a box of condoms and a bottle of cooling lubricant. Bart smiled looking at Conner bent over as he dug through the drawer. He climbed on the bed, creeping closer and closer until he was close enough to slap him on the ass. Conner jumped, and Bart pulled him back on the bed. Bart fell into a fit of laughter. “Boing!” 

“You’re so stupid,” Conner laughed as he lay in Bart’s lap. 

“I want you so bad,” Bart replied. Conner leaned forward to get the lube and condoms before Bart wrapped an arm around his waist, gently humping him, rubbing his dick against the thin fabric of Conner’s boxers. 

“You’re gonna chafe,” Conner giggled. Bart kissed the back of Conner’s neck, almost growling in his ear. 

“You better take your pants down then,” Bart whispered. Conner’s face went flush, and he clutched the front of his shorts. He took a breath and gave Bart the lube and condom from his drawer. “Is this too much?” 

“No,” Conner answered as he pulled his boxers down in the back. Bart took a pillow and threw the towel over it. 

“Are you comfortable like this?” Bart asked. He softened in his demeanor for a moment as he felt along the line of Conner’s right thigh. 

“I’m good,” Conner answered. Bart gave him a comforting pat on the ass as he slipped the condom on and rubbed his dick up and down against Conner’s hole. He jumped when Bart squirted the cooling lube on his ass. “Oh, fuck.”

“Is it too cold?” Bart asked as he slipped the tip in. Conner shook his head, cocking it as he felt it cool his insides. 

“No, I think I like it,” Conner replied. Bart pushed in all the way and stayed in place for a moment, giving Conner a  moment to get accustomed to the feeling. “Oh.” One pump. Slow and gentle. Two… Three. A little faster. The faster the thrusts the more noise Conner made. 

Bart slowed down and pulled Conner’s hair before leaning down to whisper, “You’re gonna wake Cassie and Cissie.” Conner bit his lip as Bart pulled out. 

“Why’d you—?”

Bart patted his back. “I wanna look at you,” Bart whispered.

**

Conner lay on his stomach while Bart lay beside him, rubbing the raven-haired boy’s back. “Are you comfortable?” Bart asked. Conner threw an arm over Bart’s lap. 

“Mhm,” Conner hummed. Bart took a sip of water and nudged Conner to offer him a drink. “No, thanks. I’m good here.”

Bart had so much energy, but he didn’t know what to do with it once Conner settled in. He tossed and turned so much that Conner had to touch his arm. “Hey… Do you wanna kiss for a little bit?” Conner asked. Bart nodded. “You’re so cute. Come here.” 

Bart leaned close, and Conner turned on his side, offering a few lazy kisses. His lips never completely parted with Bart’s in between kisses, but it was enough to keep Bart in a perfectly serene state of mind. “I love you,” Bart whispered, “God, I love you so much.” Conner shushed him.

“I love you too, but we’ve gotta take a breather,” Conner explained. He parted Bart’s bangs with his finger. “Let’s just kiss… Okay?” Bart looked into Conner’s eyes and nodded. They leaned in for another kiss before they were interrupted. 

“Cissie wants to know if—. Jesus Christ!” Cassie screamed before turning her back. 

Conner pulled the blanket over both of them and laughed into Bart’s shoulder out of embarrassment. “Get out! Get the hell out of here!” Bart shouted in Interlac. Cassie stepped outside and shut the door. He nearly jumped out of bed Conner’s smile faded, and he patted Bart’s chest, bringing him back to the present. 

“Hey, she didn’t mean anything by it,” Conner whispered as he kissed Bart’s neck. “It’s alright.” Bart leaned forward and shut his eyes. “Bart?” 

His hands shook as he struggled to distinguish between the past and present. He couldn’t stop thinking about the pictures in the file. Everyone must’ve seen it. The reality of being constantly monitored for twelve years weighed on him. “I’m sorry… I should go apologize,” Bart whispered. Conner grabbed his arm. 

“Let’s talk first. That was scary… What happened?” Conner asked. 

Bart chewed his lip. “I don’t know if I can tell you right now… But I—.” 

“Bart, if it’s something you don’t want anyone to know—. I won’t tell. It’ll be between us two. I just—. Bart, I want to know what that was about… Because that seemed like it came from somewhere else. I think it’s worth talking about,” Conner whispered. Bart nodded. 

“Not now… But we’ll talk soon. I promise,” Bart replied as he climbed out of bed and dug through his closet. He grabbed a pair of overalls and tossed them on the foot of the bed before slipping a pair of boxers on. 

“Where are you going?” Conner asked. 

“I’m gonna apologize,” Bart replied, “And then I’ll take a shower… If you want to come.”

“Okay… I’ll be there in a minute,” Conner answered, “Bart… Are you okay?” 

“Yeah,” Bart lied with a smile on his face as he put his pajamas on and carried his clothes out of the room with him. 

“Hey, Cassie? I—. I shouldn’t have yelled,” Bart replied, “I was more embarrassed than anything. I’m sorry.” Cassie couldn’t look him in the eye. 

“I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have flipped out like—. How long has that been going on?” Cassie asked. 

“Not long… What were you asking?” Bart questioned, quickly changing the subject. 

“Oh, we’re going to the beach. Do you wanna come?” Cassie asked. Bart smiled and nodded. 

“Yeah… I’d love to. I’ll ask Conner in a—.” 

Conner came out of the room, holding his clothes. “I packed swim trunks. Are you gonna get in the water this time, Bart?” Conner asked, draping an arm over Bart’s shoulder. 

**

Conner took Bart’s hand and led him toward the water, and Bart’s mind drifted to the boat. So much sky. So much open space. Open water. Iris had to hold him down, wrapping her arms and legs around him to keep him safe and still. He would’ve done anything that night to return to the observatory. Bart dug his heels into the sand, and Conner stopped, nudging Bart’s face with his nose. “What’s the matter?” Conner asked. 

“Sorry, I got distracted,” Bart replied. 

“Do you not know how to swim?” Conner questioned. 

Last summer. Bart stepped into the lake by the Kent farm and—. He dragged himself out of the water, crawling most of the way to the Kents’ property and limping toward the house until he got to Conner’s window. Conner wasn’t dressed. It started coming back, slowly focusing like a camera lens, capturing the moment. Conner was naked when he pulled Bart into the window. Why was Conner naked? Bart mumbled something. He kept mumbling something, and Conner couldn’t hear him. He wanted Conner to hear him. What was it? Why couldn’t he remember? “Why were you naked last summer when I came to your house?” Bart asked. 

“What?” Conner questioned. He wasn’t angry or upset at the question, but it gave him pause. Conner turned to look at Cassie and Cissie, who were preoccupied, and he placed a gentle hand on Bart’s cheek. 

“I limped to the window… I knocked… And you were naked. Why were you naked?” Bart asked. His voice felt a million miles away while he held onto the fragment of a memory. 

“I was asleep… It was hot that night, and I didn’t expect you. You were visiting your grandparents and—. What’s wrong? Do you wanna walk and talk about it?” Conner asked. Bart nodded. “You were super upset, and you were mumbling nonsense. I helped you inside through my window, and you—. You said you wanted me to come with you, but you wouldn’t tell me where, and you didn’t move. I figured you were drunk.”

Conner kissed Bart’s forehead, but Bart was a million miles away. Bart was present mentally, but he couldn’t stop thinking about how good it felt to watch Jacob die. It did something to him. It gave Bart a feeling that he couldn’t attain with drugs or alcohol. Something about it excited Bart. It wasn’t everything, but it was a start. He checked back in, realizing Conner was still speaking, and he grabbed his face, cradling his cheeks in soft palms. “I want you,” Bart whispered. 

Conner touched foreheads with Bart, smiling at the lift in Bart’s mood. “Will you settle for a kiss right now?” Conner asked. Bart leaned in, parting his lips as Conner caught him, pulling him in close. He brushed Conner’s cheek with his thumb as he pulled back for air, his tongue reaching out to meet Conner’s open mouth. Conner stopped, pulling back when he heard Cassie and Cissie hooting and wolf whistling at them. He reached behind Bart’s head, giving him a sweet scratch. “You okay?” 

“I’m alright. Thanks for coming this weekend… And I know I’ve been weird, but I promise it’ll get better,” Bart reassured him. Conner smiled. 

“You can be as weird as you want… As long as you’re happy,” Conner replied, “Come on, let’s get ice cream.” 

“I thought you wanted to go swimming?” Bart teased. 

** 

Conner took a nap on the couch while Bart cooked dinner and called his grandparents. Iris answered first. “Hi, Bart. Are you alright?” Iris asked. “I’m sorry I called Conner, but I figured he’d be able to get you to talk.”

“Grandma, I’m okay. I called Thad this morning. Speaking of Thad… Have you talked to him lately? He wants to hear your voice… I know he does,” Bart whispered. 

“I know… I’m about to hop on a plane to see him right now. That’s what I wanted to tell you,” Iris replied. 

“You are?” Bart questioned. 

“Yes. And you won’t tell him, young man. I’m trying to surprise him. I know I missed his birthday, so I’m taking your grandpa to Manchester to surprise him. Your grandpa’s so excited. He didn’t get any sleep last night. We’ve been planning this for months—.”

“Iris, look! I got you a giant pretzel,” Barry exclaimed on the other line. 

“Honey, do you want to talk to Bart while I eat the giant pretzel?” Iris laughed. 

Bart sliced some fresh oranges while he waited for Barry to take the phone. “Hi, Bart! How are we doing today?” Barry asked. We. Bart always found it funny when Barry said we for one person. 

“I’m good… I’m making ribeye for dinner. Conner’s visiting,” Bart replied, “I heard you’re visiting Thad. Give him a hug for me. Okay?” 

“I will. Wish I was there for some ribeye, though. That sounds good right about now. What are you making on the side?” Barry asked. 

“Salad… And roasted potatoes. Potatoes are in the oven, but I’m about to put the ribeye in right now,” Bart replied. Something spoke over the loudspeaker on the other line. 

“Sorry, we couldn’t chat longer. We gotta go. We love you so much,” Barry replied. 

“Love you, Grandpa. Tell Grandma I lover her, too. Have a safe flight,” Bart smiled as he hung up. Cissie joined Bart in the kitchen and smiled at the spread. 

“Is there anything you can’t do?” Cissie asked. 

“Clean my room… Eat chives. Control how stupid I sound when I talk to Conner,” Bart listed off. Cissie smiled at him. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Conner and me… I just—. I wanted some time to enjoy it. It wasn’t a secret, I just—. I can’t explain it. I just know I’ve wanted this forever,” Bart whispered. Cissie looked up into his eyes. 

“You don’t owe me an explanation. Besides, I kind of thought something was going on,” Cissie replied, “I’m happy that you’re in love. You’re one of my favorite people in the whole world, and I think you guys are good for each other.” 

[cyn-if]

What are the ROs love languages?

As with much of the RO specifics, I won't know exactly until I write out the scenes, but I can give out what I've got in mind.

Everix prefers affirmations and words of love more then grand gestures or physical intimacy. Although they wouldn't mind subtle touches, such as hand holding or a shoulder touch.

Hayes is a, unsurprising, touch fiend. They show their love through touch, both sexual and not, finding it hard to showcase actual affection any other way. While they are a bit of a chronic flirt, most of what they say when flirting has the end goal of physical intimacy in mind. However, in a more serious relationship, Hayes would be a lot more open to softer, less sexual, ways of showing love. Gifts, fancy dinners and things like it would accompany their taste for the physical aspects of relationships.

Sam is someone who wants to show their love through acts of service. Things like making or getting food, helping with anything and being around the person they care about as long as possible. Grand romantic gestures aren't out of Sam's mind, but as long as Sam is near the person they care about they are happy.

Quinn sees physical intimacy as completely separate from love. Her actual love language would be opening up to someone, sharing personal details and planning with that person. Paired with that, Quinn also will try to do things, things that make it clear to the person she cares about that she does care. Those actions are larger than simple acts more attempting to make sure that the one(s) she loves achieve their goals.

Maverick has no clue how he would go about a relationship. Never being in one, and being isolated enough in the Cult not really knowing anybody who even did. A lot of his affection would be in the form that he received from his parents, words of affection and making sure the one he loves feels like he cares. He would be very much dependent on the person he ends up with on if his ways of showing he cares changes or doesn't.