#i went to sit somewhere different for dinner and my new friends plus a couple others followed <3 big yippee to my brain

[quevadilla]

had a kinda weird-turned-good dream and when I woke up like two minutes ago they were saying such insane shit on the game grumps marathon I had playing while I slept that I legit considered whether I was still dreaming

[metalbuckaroo]

Hey, lovely! For your sleepover. How about...

“I desperately want to take you out for dinner and slow dance with you until the sun comes up, but I also want to grip your hair as I watch you writhing underneath me.”

Please feel free to ignore if you received this. 💖

Checking In

Summary// A hotel getaway with Bucky's favorite receptionist

Warnings// Lil angsty, some fluff, some smut, cursing, tiny mention of drinking, 18 plus only, minors dni

Note// I kinda love this request. I didn't use the quote, but its based off of the quote, this also got LONG and took sooo long.

My new masterlist and taglist will hopefully be done tomorrow night.

Im really hoping it doesn't flop bc I'm lowkey proud of it and also spent a lot of time on it

MASTERLIST

Moodboard by @commonintrest

This was the slowest Bucky had went with someone in a very long time. Three dates in and he hadn't even had the chance to see you naked. It was driving him crazy to say the least.

Anyone else wouldn't have gotten a call back, but for you; it made him want it even more. So, he came up with an idea to take that extra step.

Walking into the hotel you worked at, he gave a nod to the security guard and flashed you a charming smile; his hair much shorter than when you saw him last. "Like the haircut." You said, turning in the chair to look at him. "Feels more... professional."

"Checking in again?" You asked, leaning your chin on the base of your palm, reaching your other hand to card your fingers through the short hair.

Bucky shook his head and leaned his forearms on the desktop. "No. We are checking in somewhere else. Tonight, when you're off."

His eyes trailed down to the top of your blouse, looking at the few buttons that where open. "Buck, I'm not staying in a hotel with you." You smiled, shaking your head. "Come on, I'll sleep on the couch if you're too uncomfortable." He smirked.

You thought it over for a moment before sighing and nodding your head. "Yeah, ok." You agreed, letting him pull you in for a brief kiss by the back of your neck. "Fantastic. I'll be here at five to get you."

"I'll have to go get cl-" Bucky shook his head at you. "Won't need 'em." He said, turning to walk out. "Bucky, don't you dare."

"See ya tonight, pretty girl."

As promised, five o'clock hit and Bucky was pulling in front of the doors in his sleek black car; quickly getting out.

His usual suit was traded in for a more casual button up tee and dark jeans, the prosthetic that matched the shape of his right arm perfectly on display.

He rounded the desk and picked up your bag. "You can't be back here." You teased, making him roll his eyes. "Come along, babydoll. We have plans." He said, hand between your shoulder blades to guide you with him.

Bucky's plan would surely get that extra step at least jumpstarted. The heated make out sessions in his car when he dropped you off were starting to get to him.

He refused to call anyone else to handle the tightening of his jeans, the wait made him yearn for you even more.

So, he patiently waited as you changed into the lavender sundress he'd sent for, listened and talked over dinner on the patio of the motel, and just basked in your enjoyable presence.

"Dance with me." You said, hand laying on his bicep. He chuckled lightly and shook his head. "I don't dance, sugar."

You raised your eyebrows and cocked your head to the side, fingers tracing down the vein that ran the length of his arm and to his hand. "Well, you're going to, or you'll be sleeping in that room alone." You laced your fingers in his and he looked at you with an amused expression. "Oh, really now?"

"Mhm, c'mon. It's a slow one, so you won't embarass yourself." You teased, feeling his hands on your hips as soon as you turned your back to him. "I never said I couldn't dance. Just that I don't, babydoll." His gruff voice said in your ear, moving to stand in front of you once in the midst of the other couples enjoying their night.

"Couldn't say no to you if I tried anyways." He said softly as your hands rested on the back of his neck, his on the dip of your waist.

The Bucky who took you on dates was different than the Bucky who strolled in your lobby at least once every two weeks. He wasn't glowering when he looked at you; instead he had a smile that made the corner of his eyes crinkle and your heart flutter.

He hadn't smiled so hard and so much in years. He was addicted. To your voice, fiery attitude, and gleaming smile; and he couldn't even imagine how much more he'd crave once he finally got a taste of you.

"Gonna let me sleep in the bed, pretty girl?" He cooed, hands roaming over the swell of your ass. "Of course, Mr Barnes." You grinned, pecking a kiss to his dimpled chin. "Could dance with you all night if you wanted me to." He said, squeezing gently. "I wouldn't complain."

His lips slotted over yours, your eyes fluttering shut at the softness of them.

He suddenly lifted his head, bottom lip brushing the tip of your nose as you opened your eyes again.

Bucky's cold demeanor he usually had while walking through the lobby of the hotel returned, smile fading into a deep scowl as he looked at something behind you.

"Is something wrong?" You asked, worry lacing your voice as you cupped his stubbled jaw in your hands, feeling the muscle of it flex. "Just stay close." He murmured, pulling you closer to his front.

You furrowed your eyebrows at him, lips parting to say something, but the stern look in his eyes stopping you as they stayed glued on whatever was behind you.

"Barnes, didn't expect to see you here- like this." A voice that was slightly higher in pitch than Bucky's sounded from behind you.

Bucky tucked you into his side, hand on the small of your back as he stared at the shorter man. "Just enjoying my night. That a problem?"

You swallowed thickly and gripped onto the back of Bucky's shirt, crumbling the perfectly ironed fabric in your fist as your heart pounded. "Needa talk." The man said.

Bucky's eyes flicked to a group of men sitting at the corner of the patio before looking back to the man in from of him. "Go sit down. Order us some more drinks." Bucky said sternly. "Bucky-"

He finally looked down at you with an icy stare, making you shrink back slightly. "Now isn't the time to argue with me. Go sit down." The tone of his voice was one you hadn't heard before.

You nodded and turned to walk back to the table, picking at your nails as you took your seat again.

Looking to where Bucky was sat at the table with the group, you chewed your bottom lip. You knew what you were getting into when accepting that first date, you just didn't think it'd follow you everywhere.

He tried to stay patient, he was in rival territory and knew it was a terrible idea; but this was one of the nice hotels and he wanted the weekend spent right. Keeping his cool was the only way he was going to be able to do that.

He was barely even listening to half of what the men were saying, glancing over at your nervous posture as you picked the nails he had just paid to get manicured; even though you protested against taking his money.

Until one statement had his head snapping back towards one of them. "The girl seems... sweet. Make you happy?" It wasn't meant in a way a friend would ask when checking up on another friend. Bucky felt it burn through him like a threat.

"Yeah, well, she's got a mouth on her and I'm losing my patience. So, you men have a good night, you owe my girl an apology for ruining her night." He stood, teeth gritting together.

You noticed Bucky's tense stance and straightened in your seat as he got closer. "Rude bastards." Bucky grumbled, taking your hand in his and tugging for you to stand. "What did they want?"

Bucky thought about lying, but he promised you he wouldn't. "Talk business. Can't believe they'd interrupt me over stupid bullshit." He sneered, pulling you along with him back into the hotel. "Where are we going? They're going to bill you for those drinks." You huffed, picking up your pace to walk next to him. "Don't care."

By the time the two of you reached the door to your room, Bucky had you pressed against it; fumbling to swipe the key card as his lips attacked yours.

Your hands fisted into the front of his shirt to keep your balance as shoes were kicked off, Bucky backing you towards the bed with his large hands holding the sides of your face.

You fell back onto the bed when the backs of your knees met the edge of the mattress, taking him with you; Bucky's body parting your legs.

The kiss was hungry and desperate, sharing breaths as his hands gripped at your outer thighs and pawed their way under the skirt of your dress.

You pulled away from the kiss, breathless as he dipped his head to latch his lips on the underside of your jaw. "Bucky, wait-" You panted, pressing his shoulders lightly. "What?" He breathed, stopping all movements as he looked at you; eyes dark and lips kiss swollen. "I-"

"You're a virgin. We can wait, if so." He cut you off, face dropping slightly. "No, no. It's not that. I just haven't had sex in awhile." You said, gnawing at your tongue. "Want me to go slower?"

"I just don't want to take things too fast." You whispered, tracing the collar of his shirt with your fingertips.

Bucky took a deep inhale, warm hand moving to hold your chin. "Babygirl, listen. I'm not going to kick you out of my bed when we're done. You got me attached with this damn chase you gave me. Wanna take care of you. Okay?"

You nodded and pulled him back down to you, his tongue slipping between your lips as his fingers worked at the buttons of his shirt.

Gently pushing them away, you replaced his hands with yours to pop the buttons open as his tongue glided across every inch of your mouth he could reach.

You lifted your back off of the mattress for his hand to feel for the zipper of your dress, grazing your fingers down the tensing muscles of his chest and abdomen; stopping at the button of his jeans.

"Don't get shy now, take 'em off." Bucky mumbled against your lips, sliding the straps of your dress off of your shoulders.

The wetness between your legs grew as your tugged at his belt, whimpering into his mouth when he pressed his hips against you to show how hard he was.

Pulling away, Bucky sat up to tug your dress down your torso and legs; eyes drinking in the beautiful sight in front of him as he shoved his jeans off and palmed himself through his boxers.

"Take the shirt off." You panted, backing up the bed. A smirk grew on his face, metal thumb sliding back and forth in the waistband of his boxers as he looked at your glistening folds. "Ask nicely and I just might." He taunted. "Please."

You watched the way his muscles flexed with each movement, the shirt sliding off of his arms and to the floor; revealing the mess of scars Bucky hoped you'd ignore and a large tattoo on his ribcage.

Next were his boxer briefs, pooling at his feet as his cock twitched in the air; swollen tip red and leaking precum. "You're staring, babydoll." He said, voice low as he moved his body back over yours.

"Can't help it." You swallowed, the weight of his cock against your thigh as you felt the firmness of his back. His hand slipped between your bodies to guide himself to your heat, spreading your slick with his tip.

"So wet, barely even touched you yet." You whined at his words and gripped his shoulders. "Buck, please. Stop the teasing."

The smirk on his face grew before he brushed his lips against yours. "Hm, I don't know. Kept me waitin' so long, might just tease you a little more." He hummed. You bucked your hips against him, his tip barely pressing into you. "Fuck..." Bucky said in a low groan, a shudder passing through his body.

He made sure you felt every ridge and vein, pulling breathy sounds from you when he pushed deeper. Your walls so tight and warm around him, he already had to hold off his release.

"Look at me, sweet girl." He breathed, nipping at your bottom lip and rolling his hips into yours.

When you opened your eyes, the adoring look in Bucky's made your breath hitch. Hands wedging under your back as he sat up, holding you to him so you were sitting on his thick thighs.

"So beautiful." He groaned as his hands glided over the curve of your back to your ass, metal and flesh fingers digging into the skin.

Guiding your hips in a faster pace, he could feel you clenching around him, swallowing the blissed out sounds you made with a breath taking kiss as his grip on you tightened.

The soft ow that passed your lips made Bucky loosen his grip and move you in a slower pace. "Need me to slow down?" He panted, pulling away from you slightly.

You frantically shook your head, hands clinging to his shoulders; needing to feel his skin against yours. "No-no. Don't stop, please, keep going." You whined, bucking your hips along with him.

In a swift movement, your back was pressed back into the mattress. Your fingers laced with Bucky's as he pinned your hands at the sides of your head, his hips meeting yours in a faster, rougher pace that knocked the breath from your lungs and made your head spin; his cock sliding against every sweet spot, some that you didn't even know existed.

Salacious sounds from both of you echoed around the room, your eyes fluttering shut again and body arching into him so your front was flush to his as the coil snapped.

"There you go, baby. Feel so good, so worth the wait." Bucky moaned out, chasing his own release with shorter thrusts.

A whimper of his name falling from your sweet lips sent him over the edge, his hips flush to yours as he spilled into you with a guttural moan.

He slowly rocked his hips into yours, riding the blissful feeling for all that it was as he looked over your blissed out face.

It was the moment your eyes peaked out, staring back into his lust darkened ones that Bucky knew. You were the one thing he needed to protect. To hold close and never let go.

A tender kiss was placed on your lips, a satisfied hum leaving Bucky as he slipped from between your legs to lay beside you.

You slowly moved off of the bed to grab a shirt and go to clean up, legs feeling wobbly with each step to and from the bathroom.

Bucky sat on the edge of the bed when you walked back into the adjoined room, legs still a little jelly feeling as you made you way back to him.

He laughed, an actual belly laugh that made your heart swell as he pulled you between his parted thighs. "I have some... unexpected business to take care of in the morning."

You nodded lightly and sat your hands on his shoulders. "I want you to stay in this room and keep the door locked. When I come back, we'll do something." He promised, gently massaging your sides. "Something, huh?"

A squeak escaped your throat when you were pinned back underneath Bucky, his hips pressing into you. "Oh, don't you get me started. I'll keep you up all night."

[justkending]

The Number One Rule. Chapter 26.

Summary: Y/N has always been seen as “Steve’s rambunctious sister.” However, she grew up, graduated, and moved to London to study abroad for 4 years and get her bachelor's degree. The girl that returns looks nothing like the teenager that left, but don’t worry the attitude is still there and stronger than ever. What’s to come of the two grown adults that used to push each other's buttons, but now have a lot more in common than they’ve ever realized.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Y/N Rogers (Steve’s little sister)

Word Count: 3800+

A/N: Ladies and Gentlemen. This is the last chapter. I know I say it almost every time, but I truly think this is one of my personal favorite top stories. At LEAST in the top 3. Now it is time for me to go through and read it all the way through and revise where I can. I’m so glad you all loved it as much as me and I am happy to say, I am already working on a new series!! And yes, it is a Bucky x Reader. I just can’t seem to stray from them lately. His character is stuck on my brain and I’m not mad. Anyway, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you once again for all your love and support with this one! I loved each and every single comment and thought thrown my way:) Also, BONUS, I will probably write a one-shot explaining the Bumble Bee nickname, since I was never able to work it into this... If not that, maybe a prologue... I don’t know we shall see;) With that being said, enjoy this ending and let me know how your heart feels after!!

Chapter Twenty-Six:

A whole year had passed. Today marked the 1 year of Y/N and Bucky finally coming together after all this time of being friends and making it official as two people who loved each other deeply.

To give you a quick update in the time passed…

Steve and Peggy went on a first date after she came back for a second time and made her move to New York permanent. He had been sweating buckets while getting ready and Y/N and Bucky coached him from the couch as he came in and out of his room trying on multiple outfits for the night. 

Y/N had suggested taking her to some different places around Manhattan, kind of like the scavengers hunt Bucky did for their first date. But instead of knowing the different places, Peggy really hadn’t known the city at all, so it was more so a tour guide kind of date. 

It was a simple and solid plan. However, Steve wasn’t used to the confidence that Peggy tended to give off. Did he admire it and love it? Yes, no doubt. Did it scare him at times, or more so intimidate him? Yes, again. 

So after some light teasing from his little sister, she gave him some tips to impress her best friend, as well as, reassured him she was a sweet girl on the inside. Just someone who has lived in a man's world a little too long and has to put up a front of intimidation. Once you get past that, you have a loyal and kind person to bond with. 

Needless to say, the date went off without a hitch and the two were now celebrating two strong months of dating. 

Becca had finished up college and was already secured in a job as a child psychologist at a new hospital in upstate New York. She was a little further away now, but that didn’t stop her from coming and visiting. It just so happened that her new boyfriend lived down the hall from Y/N. If you know, you know. 

His name was Thor and after some light flirting every other time she came to visit Y/N, she asked him on a date which he accepted. They were on the route of 3 months of dating now. He had joined the friend group to an extent and got along great with the whole crew. 

Wanda and Vis’s boys were growing up faster than light itself and would be about 6 months soon. After Bucky and Y/N’s last time babysitting, they were recruited a few more times since they did so great with them. They may have been thrown for a whirlwind the first time around, but they were a lot easier the next few date nights. 

Nat and Clint had gotten married last month. They were coming back from their belated honeymoon now in Budapest. The wedding was beautiful and everyone being together all at once again, was a joy and it showed just how much the group of friends was growing. Each of them hitting a new and different stage in life. 

Back to the present...

Bucky had planned a one year anniversary date for him and Y/N. One that was bound to be unforgettable. 

Y/N asked if they could keep it simple with just a picnic in the park since it was going to be cold soon in New York, and she wanted to soak up the last bit of summer that was left. 

“Ok, you have everything set for the night?” Steve asked as Bucky buttoned the cuff to his button up. 

“I hope so. I go to pick up Y/N in 10 minutes,” Bucky sighed in nervousness. 

“Hey, don’t worry about it man. You know it’ll all work out how it’s supposed to,” Steve chuckled, coming over and patting his friends shoulder in reassurance. “Plus, you had Peggy and I help you plan this out. No way it could go wrong with our expertise.”

“You say that, but watch me slip up somewhere,” Bucky mumbled, straightening his clothes. 

“You’re putting nerves where they aren’t needed. Stop thinking worst case scenario,” Steve groaned, walking out the bedroom door with Bucky behind. “What would Y/N say about that?”

“That it’s premature and won’t do me any good to think negatively,” he muttered, knowing the exact words to come from the optimist. 

“Exactly. So stop stressing and go with the flow of things. Nothing good is going to come out of you waiting for the worst thing to happen tonight,” Steve shook his head. 

“It’s supposed to be a night to remember. Not a night to dread,” Peggy interrupted as she came to Steve’s side with a little note in hand she saw on the counter in a spot it may have been easily lost. “Here, you may want this though if you do want it to go well.”

“Right, thanks,” Bucky nodded quickly, taking the item. 

“You guys will meet us there right? Everyone else ready too?” Bucky asked.

“Everyone else is ready. You’ll be fine Buck,” Steve laughed again. “You sound like me the night I took this gal out.”

“Is that so?” Peggy smirked, leaning more into Steve’s side as he wrapped an arm around her.

“Yeah, he’s a little worse than I was, but he’s doing something a little bigger than a simple date,” Steve winked to Bucky. The brunette sent him an eyeroll.

Peggy looked down at her watch and gasped. “You need to get going, Bucky. She’ll be expecting you any minute,” Peggy moved to push him out the door with a bouquet of flowers in her hand to give him. 

_______________

Bucky had made it to Y/N’s apartment in perfect timing, but found himself faltering at the door. His whole body was made up of nerves at that moment. He couldn’t seem to shake them no matter what he told himself. 

Lucky for him, all it took was Y/N opening the door and sending him that sweet smile accented with one of her simple little dresses, that made those nerves dissipate. 

“You look great,” he said with a lovestruck school boy and sappy smile. 

“Thanks B,” she blushed, scrunching her shoulders in a bashful way. “Here, come in for a second before we leave,” she motioned him in as he followed. “I need to put on a pair of earrings and I’ll be set.” She stood on her toes giving him a gentle kiss to the lips. 

Before she could walk off, he put the flowers between them and smiled. 

“For you as always,” he winked. 

“And everytime, it makes me happier and happier,” she winked back, giving him a bonus kiss. “I actually bought a new vase since I’m lucky enough to get gifted with them everytime we go on a date. Want to put those in it?” she asked as she started walking to her bathroom.

“Hard not to give a pretty girl flowers every chance you get,” he noted, going into the kitchen where the new vase sat. “That plus, I know you like the greenery.”

“It makes me very happy,” she smiled, coming back in with her hands working to put the last pair of earrings on. “Ok, I’m all ready handsome. Shall we?”

“I would love nothing more,” he smiled back offering his arm. 

“I like this little routine we have,” she giggled as they walked to the door. 

“I can agree,” he nodded, pressing his lips to her temple before they left the building. 

__________________

They started off with a quick stop to Winnie’s shop, as Bucky said he had a gift there for them to pick up. 

Winnie was all dressed up and Bucky’s dad and Becca were also there. 

“Well, you guys look all spiffy,” Y/N noted, walking in the doors where the group was patiently waiting for the couple. Becca and Winnie in dresses and Bucky’s dad, George, in a nice button up like his son. “You're not by chance celebrating an anniversary like us, are you?” Y/N teased still locked into Bucky’s arm. 

“We can celebrate yours a little with you too, can’t we?” Winnie asked, going in for a hug. 

“The more the merrier,” Y/N replied cheerfully.

“No, no. We wouldn’t intrude on your anniversary date,” Becca nodded off. “However, we did want to give you guys a gift before we go off to dinner. We’re meeting Thor to eat soon.”

“Oh, I see. Boyfriend’s meeting the parents?” 

“We’ve already met him and we enjoy him,” Winnie waved off. “Plus, we have Bucky and yours sign of approval, so that goes a long way too.”

“These are the facts,” Bucky agreed. “Uh, Mom, we do have to go to the next stop I have planned though, so…” Bucky said with a raise of his eyebrow in a hinting manner. 

“Right, right! I won’t keep you long I promise!” Winnie rushed to the counter where a book and a picnic basket was sitting. “Ok, here you go, but don’t open that book until after dinner,” she warned Y/N as she handed it off to Bucky for safe keeping. “It has another little gift in it I don’t want to spoil.”

“In that case, I’ll let Bucky hold onto it then. You know I can’t help opening a book if it’s sitting right in front of me,” Y/N chuckled. The rest of the crew laughed with her. 

“Ok, Ma, Dad, Sis,” Bucky waved off redirecting the two to the door. “We’ll see you guys later.”

“Yeah, later!” Becca said with an odd tone. One that showed she knew something, but Y/N didn’t know what. 

______________

They made it to the park where Bucky had the whole nine-yards of a pinterest perfect picnic planned. His mom had packed a light meal, while the rest of the basket held a blanket, wine glasses, and other little decorations to make the set up special. 

“Look at you being oh so the romantic,” Y/N noted once they had set everything out. “This is impressive.”

“I would say I did it all, but Becca helped with the decorations aspect of it,” Bucky chuckled as he set up some of the food. 

The two sat and ate for a little, watching the motions of the park play in front of them as they talked about their day and any other thoughts that came to mind. They were facing straight west, so the sun would be setting right in front of them when the time came. And it was coming soon as they finished up their meal. 

“Ok, present time,” Y/N noted, turning to her purse and pulling out something from it. The gift was wrapped in a little brown wrapping paper with a twine string around it. “Open mine first because I can’t wait to see your reaction.”

Bucky chuckled at her childlike excitement and took the present as he sat up from where he was laying on his side. Carefully not to disrupt her precise wrapping, he undid the bow and peeled away the brown wrap around the box. Taking off the lid, inside sat two little slips of paper that looked like tickets. 

He quirked an eyebrow confused at what they could be, and when he turned them over and looked closer, he saw they were plane tickets. 

“Two tickets to… Rome?” Bucky gasped. “Y/N-”

“I wanted to show you everything I got to experience. Italy, Verona, Venice, and all,” she smiled softly, leaning closer to him. Her eyes never broke away from his face.

“Y/N, this is…” He smiled down at the paper before bringing his eyes up slowly to meet hers. “I would love nothing more than to experience that all through your eyes.”

Y/N blushed hard and the two leaned forward in sync to kiss. 

“I’m glad you like it. But I want you to see it in your own way, I’m just happy to be your tour guide,” she smiled harder. Their noses were practically still touching. 

“Either way, it’ll be an experience I’ll be counting down for,” he said, leaning in for one more kiss. 

When he pulled back he noticed the sun was settling down with the perfect glow. It was now or never…

“Ok, I guess it’s my turn for the gifts,” he said, taking in a deep breath. “It’s actually in the book.” He turned around grabbing the book his mother had handed off to him earlier, and carefully opened the cover. “This one’s long overdue, but it’s one that I’m starting to realize may have been meant for this specific time in our lives anyway.”

Handing over an old letter, she noticed it had changed colors from small stains and wear of when it was originally written. She was confused some by the details of the packaging, but when she saw it was addressed to her on the front, she picked up on what it was. 

The address and her name was that of her childhood home, but what gave away it’s age, was the return address of where Bucky was stationed all those years back when he was in the army. 

“Buck,” she said softly. 

“I wrote it way back when. Shortly after I realized that you were someone I…” He paused trying to find his wording. “Well, when I realized you were the kind of person I would want to spend the rest of my life with.”

Y/N looked up from the letter she was holding ever so delicately in her hand. Scared she would damage the antique writing. 

“You don’t have to read it now, but to sum it up, I never sent it because I knew, at least I thought I knew,” he chuckled under his breath looking down at it. “I could never deserve someone like you. You were always so kind and wise when I was going through my mess of life overseas. You had things of your own that you were working through, and yet you put it aside for me when I felt like I was alone and drowning in a foreign home.” 

He closed his eyes, picturing all the times he wanted to give up. When he wanted to call it quits after the things he saw, the things he did. It killed him on the inside. Mentally, emotionally, he didn’t hold strong like he thought he would be able to. 

“The only thing that kept me sane over there and gave me hope, was receiving letters from you. I know I teased you to begin with, but as time went on, your words, your advice, and your love that you somehow were able to ship overseas to me with just ink on a paper, kept me alive. Kept me from giving up.”

He looked up finally and saw tears in Y/N’s eyes. The look on her face was heartbreaking yet so loving all at once. It showed how she hated hearing just how lost Bucky was, but also showed just how grateful he was there. He was there now and it was partially because of their letters to each other. More than she could ever imagine though. 

She believed she may have played a role, but it was Bucky himself that held strong. He was the one who pushed through in those hardships and made the effort to keep going on. Not her. But to him, she was the angel on his shoulder keeping him from sinking in times where the waves were just too strong to push back on. 

“I wrote out all my feeling and thoughts in that letter. I think it’s like five pages,” he said in a single laugh. “But I never sent it.”

“Why?” was all she breathed out and he moved his hand to wipe the stray tear off her cheek. His hand staying there and running over the bone it had landed on. She leaned into the touch like it would be her last time feeling it. 

“I didn’t deserve you. Hell, I’m still not sure I do, but I’m going to make damn sure that I spend every waking hour of my life, every minute, doing my best to get there.”

There was a pause as she took his hand and moved closer to him, their foreheads pressed to the other. 

“Bucky you deserve everything and more in this world,” she said softly. “Don’t ever think you should have anything less than that.”

“I know, doll. And it’s because of you I realize I can strive for it all,” he sighed, breathing in her presence. 

They stayed like that for a while. Taking in the moment. Taking in the air. Taking in the wholesome and doting atmosphere. 

It wasn’t until the lights started to get low, Bucky realized he would run out of time for his next gift soon. 

“Y/N, I have one more thing to give you,” Bucky sighed, nervously pulling back and grabbing the book again. “Now, I know this is a cheesy way to do this, but I couldn’t think of a better way,” he chuckled lightly. 

He grabbed her hand and helped her stand. The sun now on the horizon giving the perfect golden shine to everything around them. 

When she stood with him, he brought the book in between them. 

“Ok, open it carefully to page 214,” he nodded, handing her the book. 

She sent him a confused look, but followed the directions anyway. Like asked, she gently flipped the books from the beginning before she reached said number. Just as she pulled back page 213, right in the middle of the book, the pages stopped lifting and inside was a little cut out square that held a small ring. One with a beautiful white shining stone in the middle, encrusted by a gold intricate design. 

“Oh, my-” she didn’t even finish the sentence as she looked down a the ring. Her grip on the book tightening as her other hand came up to cover her mouth. 

Bucky let out a small nervous chuckle at the reaction before slowly taking out the ring and bending to one knee. The book still in her hand, she gasped again watching Bucky move down. 

“Y/N Josephine Rogers,” he started with the brightest smile on his face. “I would be nothing but forever grateful if you allowed a guy like me, to have you as my wife.”

She didn’t answer right away as she was clearly in awe and still processing the last 20 seconds of what just happened. The only thing breaking her out of her shock, was the sound of Bucky laughing again.

“Is that a yes, or am I indeed just making a fool of myself?” he said with a scrunch of his nose.

“No! Oh, my God, yes! Yes, yes, yes! A thousand times yes Bucky!” she jumped up and down before wrapping her arms around his neck and tackling him to the ground. 

He let out an, ‘oof’ sound as he caught them from the fall and held tightly to the ring not to lose it. He was now on his back and she was laying on top of him giggling and squeezing him in excitement. 

“Ok, good. I was worried I might have read the signals you were giving me wrong,” he joked. 

“You’re a dork,” she laughed, pulling and looking at him lovingly before going in for the kiss of all kisses. 

They were quickly pulled away from it when cheers and whistles started going off around them. 

Y/N looked up from where they were laying on top of the other and noticed herds of people they knew coming out from random parts of the park smiling and whooping in elation. 

“Is that-?” she started, once again taken aback. 

“Everyone? Yeah. They were kinda in on it,” Bucky chuckled. “Hey, did you get that last part?” he shouted toward Nat who was coming around a tree with Clint and a professional camera in hand.

“Oh, it was the best picture of them all I’m pretty sure,” she smirked. 

“You little stinker,” Y/N scoffed, pushing off of him to sit up more. “How in the world did you pull this all together?”

Wanda, Vis, and the twins were there. Steve had his arm around Peggy with Sam next to them and Sarah next to Steve. Winnie, George, Becca, and Thor were all there too smiling and laughing. Everyone was there. The whole crew was apart of the moment. 

“It was easy. I told them I was asking the girl of my dreams to marry me, and they asked when and where. Not much convincing on my part,” he answered, offering her his hand as they stood back up. 

“You guys,” Y/N gushed, wrapping her arms around Bucky’s waist, which he gladly wrapped his arm around her. “This is too sweet.”

“Nothing sweeter than you giving Bucky a run for his money with that delayed answer,” Sam teased. 

“Back off, punk,” Bucky rolled his eyes, pulling her closer to him as if any second she’d change her mind. 

“I will say, he did catch me off guard,” Y/N laughed in response. 

“Oh, my sweet girl is getting married! And to the sweetest boy a mom can hope for,” Sarah interrupted, instantly running to her daughter and almost tackling her like she had Bucky. 

“Mom!” Y/N laughed, catching her balance. 

The next 15 minutes went on like that as the sun set behind them, giving off the final glows of the evening. 

Sarah and Winnie blubbering on about how their little boy and little girl were going to be husband and wife. Then of course going on and on in excitement for the wedding details of it all. At that point they pushed them off for George and Becca to handle as they talked with everyone else. 

Wanda and Vis saying how Billy and Tommy would be glad to be a part of the wedding if they needed them to. Nat gave Y/N little details and advice with planning the party and also offering to lend a hand where it was needed since she just got done with her own.

Then Steve and Peggy also congratulate them and express their excitement for all that was to come for the couple, and all the fun double dates they would/ already had been taking apart in. 

Once it got dark, Steve announced to the crew the little celebration they had set up at Roger's home for an after party of the engagement. Everyone agreed they would meet there. 

So as Y/N and Bucky grabbed their things and started walking to the car, Y/N stopped him as he was about to close the car door for her. 

“Hey,” she turned where she was standing on the sidewalk. Bucky just inches from her. 

“Hey,” he responded with a goofy grin. 

“I love you so so much. You know that right?”

“I know Y/N. And I love you so so much too, doll.”

Thank you so much for reading!! Keep an eye out for a possible one-shot/ prologue of this story;)

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[wizkiddx]

was thinking for toms most recent ig story it sounds like hes working out early everyday, what if u did a blurb where the reader does it with his and its like best friend --> something else ? sounded like a you type of story, id love if you gave it a go ❤️💕

oohkay so sorry this lit just came through this evening and I suddenly got v stupidly into it (if u put in a req before that I promise I am working on it I just got way to invested cos this is stupidly cute) xxxx

summary: what starts off as tom taking you under his wing and some sunrise workouts together might just develop into something more

“It shouldn’t be legal…. to be doing anything… this fucking early!” Spoken, well yelled, in between the fake strokes of the exercise bike and your pants. All you got in response was the two men laughing at you, no sign of sympathy at all, as your gritted your teeth - fighting against every body instinct to stop the movements. Your heart was pumping like the clappers; breathing shallow and rushed and your arms… your arms felt like they were about to fall off. Combine that with the lack of sleep from waking up before the sun did at 5 am - meant you felt like your were in literal hell.  

Why ever you’d agreed to do these workouts with Tom and Duffy escaped you. Being the new and rising actress, with a new supporting role in the next Spiderman, meant you’d spent a lot of time with Tom over the past few weeks. Not to inflate his ego either, but Tom had been a real life hero to you. See, you were the complete opposite of his experienced and seasoned professionalism - this was your first acting gig. And what a gig it was, the second biggest part in a Marvel movie. You never really believed you’d get the part and even when you did, were pretty sure it was some elaborate joke, where Ant and Dec were going to jump out from some corner and go ‘ha its a prank!’ or something. 

Yet somehow it was all still happening, you had been flown halfway across the world to spend three months alone on a film set. Well obviously not alone, but you knew no one - you were a complete outsider. That, really, was the reason you’d agreed to do these sessions with Tom. He’d offered half heartedly while between takes as you were moaning about how out of breath you got in that scene. At that point, you’d only known each other for a matter of weeks, he really hadn’t expected you to commit to 5 am each and every morning. What he wasn’t aware of though, was how ocmplerly stranded and lonely you felt here, hence why you jumped at his offer. 

And yes you loved to moan and complain when you were there, however you were also so incredibly thankful he ever offered. Duffy, Tom’s PT, was a right laugh too and he took great joy in torturing you - and was also entertained by the new and inventive ways you’d insult him after he ordered you about. 

“Come on Y/n, 200m more and then we are done, even your little arms can survive that.”

“Really … not the encouragement… I was looking for.” Still panting, face bright red and blotchy as you pressed your legs straight again.

“Tom? You wanna help Y/n out?” 

“Nah you know… kind of enjoying seeing her in pain.” The British voice laughed from somewhere behind you, making you roll your eyes.

“Why the hell… are you not… torturing him?” He sounded way to comfortable and relaxed to be working hard. 

“He’s got a stunt heavy day today so wanted to go easy this morning.”

Now that was a bloody joke. You were BOTH filming the SAME scene today, doing the SAME stunts. 

“Did I forget to mention Y/n is on set too?” The joy in Tom’s voice made you want to do horrible things to him. Even though you felt like you wanted to collapse on the floor, you’d happily do a set or two on a punch bag right now - if that punch bag was Tom’s face. 

Before you could hurl some fresh abuse at your costar, Duffy called time on the rowing machine, turning the display off and passing your water bottle over as you slouched on the slidey seat. 

“Done good Y/n/n, I am actually super impressed with your progress” The stocky man patted you on the back genuinely, bringing a bit of smile to your otherwise grimacing face. He went over the chat to Tom about some boy shit that you couldn’t care less about, allowing you a couple minutes to get your breath back. As soon as you did and tried to dismount the machine of death, your ruined legs seemed to have other plans, shakily buckling so you ended up starfished on the floor, groaning at the dull ache that came with the sudden movement. 

And what show of concern did Duffy show you? A belly laugh that echoed round Toms indoor gym making you groan again, throwing your forearm over your eyes. It was in fact the curly haired brunette, who came and knelt by your side, wordlessly balling up the towel and placing it under your head as you shot your eyes open in shock. 

“You okay? Sorry… I might’ve taken our friendly competition a bit too far.”

“I just… just might have to gain the power of flight this afternoon cos my legs aren’t gonna bloody work.” Tom chuckled and shook his head at your dry humour. 

“Oh I’m sure we can talk to Jon and get that arranged… not like Marvel don’t spend years crafting the script and storyline for a newbie actor to change it all.”

“Might I remind you… they wouldn’t have to if your weren’t such a dickhead!” You exclaimed, sitting up and staring at him with an exasperated look than only made him burst out laughing again. 

“I’m sorry I’m sorry… I just cant take you seriously when you look like such a tomato!” His voice went an octave higher as he laughed at himself, the situation getting even worse for you when you heard Duffy join in too. 

The boy was bloody lucky you couldn’t lift your arms right now, otherwise they’s almost certainly be attempting to ruin his pretty boy face. 

/////////////////////////////

After a long day of shooting you and Tom were in one of the set buggies, being taken back to your trailers to change for the evening. There was a peaceful silence until Tom ruined it yet again.

“ Got any fancy plans for this evening then?”

“Well you know me, back to my lonely little old place and  frozen pizza - so living the movie star life.” 

“It’s a Friday! You not going out with your team or anything?” He sounded so bemused at your quiet plans, and mention of a ‘team’ had you cocking your head to the side. 

“‘My team?’ Tom until I get my movie star pay check I can barely afford my pizzas, never mind a whole persons wage.” You were still only three weeks into filming and although you spent an hour every other morning sweating your ass off with Tom - apart from that you’d tried not to impose yourself on him too much. You didnt want to look clingy and naturally Tom always had a mountain of people vying for his attention - you would go to the back of a long line. So honestly, you were still a bit of a mystery to him, right now you’d both only scratched the surface on each other. 

“Really? I know this is your first big job but I thought you’d have someone here?” 

“Nah… I mean I’ve kinda clung to the Marty on the camera crew but he’s going to see family tonight sooo.”

“Come back to mine. I’ve swapped Harry for his twin Sam, which is a bit of an upgrade cos Sam’s a chef. He just arrived last night. I bet he can one up any pizza you were planning on.”

“Honestly I don’t want to impose, sorry I didnt mean for this to be a pity party or-“ The buggy slowed to a stop and Tom instantly vaulted out of it, standing right infront of you and blocking you exist off the back sofa. Both of you were still in costume, Tom in latex and you in your corset-esque two piece, but then both wrapped in matching long line black jackets supplied by set. 

“No come on I’m serious… Sam’s dying to meet you and it’d be good to spend more time together. You know, cos of chemistry and all.” The last bit was a switch from his cool and smooth, normally easy going tone - into something a bit more… anxious? Just like that, before your brain even knew what it was doing, you agreed, smiling broadly and nodding. 

So barely an hour later, you were knocking on the doors to Tom’s mansion-ish rented Atlanta home which was much much more grand than what the studio had arranged for you. Even though you were here most mornings, this time it felt different. Yeh it was stupid, but you can’t help the way you feel and you were stressed. For no real reason… just, just because. 

Thankfully, it wasn’t awkward at all  and you especially instantly hit it off with his younger brother Sam. Everything just felt easy and simple which meant so much more considering you’d felt so isolated an alone halfway across the world for your home comforts. Being British too, simply chatting to the two young men about your hometown and growing up was just so familiar, it really helped you feel less homesick.  Naturally too,  you’d fallen into a casual and friendly ribbing of Tom with Sam, making the three of you spend to majority of the evening cracking up (or in Tom’s case pouting at the abuse). It was a nice change from the two on one attack you got from Tom and Duffy that morning. You’d all cooked dinner together… well no, you and Tom had stood idly watching Sam cook an amazing chicken curry dish - which he promised to give you the recipe too. Honestly Sam felt like your long lost best friend, especially when it came to your shared ability to berate Tom for anything and everything. 

About an hour ago Tom had stuck on the film, effectively shutting up you and Sam - thankfully for him since Sam was just about to get to some rather embarrassing stories of Tom as a kid. You and Tom were on the longer grey sofa; with Sam sat  the other side of the coffee table in an impressively soft armchair - looking as though it was swallowing the lanky boy. The calm, the silence and the comfort was only going to go one way for you though. After your workout this morning, plus all the running and jumping during the shoot,  after what had already been a pretty intense week, it was hardly surprising that you didn’t even notice yourself drifting off the sleep. 

Who did notice though? Perhaps your brown haired costar who’d been stealing glances across to you ever since the movie had been put on? Because as much as he hated to admit it to himself, this didnt seem to be panning out as a normal job. A normal job is something you put your all into, for a couple weeks, and then leave with good memories and a good pay check. Yes, he had only known your for a matter of weeks or so but it already seemed to be unfathomable to cut ties with you. How would he go without your kind mannered abuse everyday? You were just refreshing, new and mysterious. And Tom was more than intrigued, his interest was peaked. 

And it was stupid to feel like that…. Of course it was. You can’t fancy a colleague because things get complicated and awkward. Tom knew that. 

Then why was he now delicately draping a blanket over your frame and smiling smally when you hummed in your sleep, in what seemed to be a show of appreciation for the layer of warmth? 

Because you were his excited puppy of a costar who is giving everything she has for the job? Because he is worried and wants to look after you? Because he cares? 

No matter why, in that moment you were contented and as was Tom. Oh and Sam? 

Sam saw the tell tale signs in his brother. He saw the way Tom had been touching your arm or the small of your back just a little more than what would be considered normal while he’d been cooking. He’d seen the way Tom had been laughing purely because you had. His eldest brother never did anything rash, it was always a painfully slow process for everyone involved. But Sam thought this just might be the start of something. The start of a slow burn.

[narrans]

Everyone needs a little Hero | Rings and Memories

The apartment complex wasn’t the newest and had few features that could be identified as the “latest and greatest.” Sometimes there were problems with the water and sometimes the lights flickered at odd times of the day and night. Every so often, things would go missing or just get misplaced.

One thing this apartment complex did have, however, were stories. Each of its dozen floors held people from different places and backgrounds. Some people were thriving, others trying to make their way. Some were going through hardships and a few just need a friend – someone to talk to.

One other thing this place had among its labyrinth of walls and wires was a whole other world – a smaller world consisting of dozens of families. Some of them big, some of them small, but all of them little – these were the Borrowers.

The four-inch folk live in quiet solitude, surviving by taking what they need in pieces, parts, fragments, and segments. Rarely did something of significance go missing and, even then, it was the humans’ fault for being so clumsy.

There were rules for keeping themselves undiscovered by the humans and, for the most part, these rules were upheld. There were times where humans spread rumors or asked if there were mice and such in the building. Thankfully, the Borrowers had managed to steer clear of the exterminators and their traps.

It was one of their biggest fears – to be seen and caught by a human.

Hero grew up with two older brothers, an older sister, and a younger sister. He also had his parents, grandparents, and even a great-grandfather. His family had never immigrated, a rarity among their kind, and had always been careful. Subtly, the young Borrower with sandy brown hair and bright green eyes had always feared the humans, but also found them fascinating.

Humans were dangerous, yes, but were also ingenuitive and forward thinking. They had creativity and passion as well as the means to do so. Hero knew they had the ability to do horrendous things, but they also had the power to do good.

Every once in a while, he would venture through the walls and listen to the humans watching that big flat thing called a T.V. or a screen. They watched scary things, but the thing Hero was fascinated with was the show about villains and, like his name, heroes.

These heroes had powers and would fight against injustice, whatever that was, and the bad people hurting other people. Some could shoot lasers while others could fly. Some were strong. Some could use their hair. One thing that hero noticed about all of these people was that it didn’t matter who they were or what they looked like – they were all heroes.

Some of them, he noticed, didn’t even have powers. There was one boy who was drawn with green hair and cried a lot that talked about what it meant to be a hero – and somehow the young Borrower found this inspiring. He knew from that moment on he had to live up to his name.

Now, how he was going to go about this he wasn’t sure. He had only just had his thirteenth birthday and was three or so inches on a good day. Needless to say, height was going to be a slight issue, but it wouldn’t stop him. According to some people on a thing called the “inner-net,” you didn’t need to save lives or stop buildings from falling down to make a difference in someone’s life.

This is the notion that Hero clung to one night as he debated for the hundredth time with himself. He didn’t need to be big to make a difference. In fact, some guy by the name of “Gamdalf” said that it was the ordinary actions of small folk that made a difference.

It was settled – and Hero knew who he wanted to help first.

On the third floor, there was an elderly couple who loved each other very much. Hero liked going down and listening to them talk. They were hilarious, mostly because they were forgetful from time to time and would move things without telling the other.

“Where are my glasses?” asked the woman. “Well, I don’t know dear. They were on your head. Did you check there?” the man would respond, all the while wearing them on his head because he thought those were his glasses.

Hero could watch them for hours and be amused. There were a few times, accidentally, where he was laughing so hard that they stopped and looked up at the trim near the ceiling. “Those neighbor kids must think something’s pretty funny.” A handful of those comments made Hero well aware he needed to be careful even when they had a hard time remembering.

The final straw in his debate on helping them first in fact came from the saddest of events. The elderly man, on night, had fallen and went to some place for him to get better called a “hospital,” but that didn’t happen.

The woman came back so very sad and Hero wanted nothing more than to cheer her up. He had to come up with something, and he had to do it quickly as he began to hear rumors that she was immigrating and could see boxes being loaded up.

It was just after dinner and his siblings were out borrowing except for his younger sister Winnie, who was far too young to go borrowing being only six. Hero stood in his room with all of his necessary supplies laid on his bed.

He had a fishing hook, a safety pin, one band-aid, a pin, battery lamp with a new borrowed bulb, a piece of razor, and a strong line which he had checked a dozen times. There were a few moments where he paused to breathe, staring at his muddled reflection in a piece of tin foil he kept in his room.

“Heroes usually have some kind of outfit or a cape. Do I need a cape? I don’t know. Capes get in the way. What about a mask? Naw, that won’t work. It might get in my eyes. This is fine for now.” Hero puffed out his chest, grabbed his backpack of supplies, and headed out through the halls.

He made sure to wave to his grandparents as he ran past their hallway. His little legs carried him at a steady pace past the pipes to the wires he had to lay on to cross from one wall joist to the next. The drop was at least a floor and would certainly be a problem if he were to slip, but the wires were coated with rubber and were nice and thick. Hero had also learned the pro-tip from his oldest brother, Atlas, of hooking the safety pin from his backpack onto the line. Since it was strapped to him, it added an extra safety measure.

Hero slowed his jog to a brisk walk as everything began setting in for him. Was he ready for something like this? He was only 13 after all. He had been borrowing on his own, but this would be different in that now he was going to purposefully move something for the human to notice and become curious about.

Hero cupped his palms and smacked his face lightly to snap himself out of it. It wasn’t like he was going to be seen or anything. Plus, the elderly woman was forgetful. Even if he were seen, she would most likely forget. Right?

The labyrinth of walls passed by quicker than expected. Before the young Borrower knew it, he was standing above one of the ceiling fan tiles that they used to observe. He could already hear the daughter and the older lady talking.

“Mom, what are you looking for?” asked the daughter.

“I… well… I’m sure I saw it in here somewhere,” the older woman replied.

“Dad’s ring?” prompted the daughter. “Mom, you looked in there already. It’s been lost for years.”

“Pish posh I remember seeing it just the other day,” the mother responded as she continued to rummage through the next box. She started taring the tape off of another when the daughter intervened.

“Here, mom, why don’t you check this box,” she suggested, but the mother shook her head.

“No, I distinctly remember seeing it by the couch. These boxes must be on top of it.”

Hero listened for a few more minutes, saddened by the encounter, now knew what he had to do – he was going to find that ring. He pulled himself from the ceiling tile, ensuring it was secure, before heading for the nearest wall that could take him to the ground, which was not a far walk. The path to and from this apartment was well used and so had a permanent line anchored to it.

The sheer drop down was enough to makes his knees weaken and his head spin with vertigo. Heights weren’t always an issue, but that little bit of nervousness was something Hero took as a good sign. If he weren’t nervous, he might miss checking something before climbing the line. There was darkness below where there was usually light. Must be a bad bulb. He wrapped his hands around the line, checked his footing, and descended the line knot after knot.

It took some time, but he finally reached the ground by the floorboards. The walls absorbed the light on his hip lamp. Small dust particles drifted around in the air, lingering as the footsteps above knocked them loose. The Christmas lights which usually illuminated most of the main hallways they traversed were still hanging on the walls on top of the thumbtacks.

Something about the air didn’t set right with Hero. There was an eerie stillness under the floorboards of the older woman’s apartment. Hero felt himself freezing. There was a nervousness in his chest. His heart was beating so incredibly fast now. When did that happen?

The determined boy couldn’t let these things bother him now. He puffed out his chest with a deep inhale and stepped further into the darkness. The joists towered above him at a whole seven inches and effectively had him surrounded on his left and right. Hero began walking up and down the floor joists, starting where he was at the entrance and working his way to the sitting area.

Hero knew where the old woman’s couch was in the apartment; and he also knew there were several wide floorboards and some holes the other Borrowers had left in case they needed to make a hasty exit. Maybe it was unlikely, but Hero suspected that if something had been knocked into the floor, it could have fallen through one of their hiding holes.

He passed by a few more unilluminated lights and noticed a few of the wires were exposed – chewed through. Suddenly, his keen ears picked up something. If he hadn’t been on edge, he might’ve missed it. The light on the hip lamp only illuminated a foot or so in every direction, but sound didn’t need the light to be heard.

A skittering sound of clawed feet scraped just on the other side of one of the joists. It stopped. Then it started again. Immediately, his heart leapt into his throat and the Borrower boy stopped dead in his tracks. Hero instinctively pulled his pin from his side and held his hip light in his right hand.

He peered around the corner and could see with his bright green eyes the small tail of a mouse skittering away from the little bit of light from Hero’s lamp. He exhaled shakily. Maybe he wouldn’t need to fight it today. He glanced down the passage and decided to follow behind carefully.

Cautious step after cautious step, Hero eventually heard the mouse head back down through the walls as he turned down the next corridor. Sadly, there were only three left for him to check.

As he walked down the next hall feeling discouraged, he realized that there was a slight glint up ahead. Still brandishing the pin, Hero stepped forward with the light extended until he recognized the shape of a circle – a ring. He had found it!

The tarnishing silver ring was thick and heavy with writing Hero didn’t recognize. Reading was something his parents insisted that he learn, but even that didn’t help him with these words. There was also some kind of glittery rock in the middle. Now all that needed to be done was get it to the humans without getting caught. This was going to be interesting.

First and foremost – move it. It took some time, but the ring was eventually wrestled into the borrowing bag. The weight was significant and made normal borrowings feel light as a feather. Still, this would not stop the mission.

Hero now had to determine where to put it. Both of the humans were still at home and, from the sound of it, things were being moved around. Hero was usually very dexterous and quick, but he was incumbered by the weight. So, going up right then and there was out of the question.

While he walked back through the halls, he made his decision. He would wait until nighttime and put it in the woman’s bedroom where he knew she could find it – her bedside table. The thought of being so terribly close to a human made his insides flip anxiously. Still, he knew he had to persevere.

The trek to the elderly woman’s room was a long one and one that was taken with caution. That mouse was still roaming around and the last thing that Hero needed was a confrontation when he was debating how to get on top of the table with the ring in tow.

While he walked, he thought of scenario after scenario. I could climb it, obviously, but the weight on my back may make me tired before I reach the top. I could try to pull it up once I climbed to the top, but that leaves me on top of the table for a bit longer than I would want. I could try and tie one end to the ring and one end to me, jump, and have it slingshot up to the top.

Before he knew it, he was under the floor of the bedroom. Hero let his pack slump off of his shoulders and onto the ground, rubbing the aching muscles and tendons in his shoulders. Up above, he could hear the sounds of feet shuffling against the ground. She must be getting ready for bed. Earlier than normal.

The teen waited until the shuffling stopped to make his move, which he finally figured out. He was going to pull the ring up onto the desk. Climbing would be too tiresome and he weighed more than the ring, even if his shoulders argued otherwise, and couldn’t control the descent.

The pack was back on his shoulders again and he was on his way. Up through the opening in the baseboard under the bed, Hero tread lightly up to the immense bedside table, extinguishing his light before arriving. His keen ears picked up on the light sound of breathing just above him. Perfect. Completely quiet.

He tied the line onto his bag tightly before removing his hook. Pause for a breath. Aim. Swing. Swing. Hero let the hook fly from his hands and heard the hook sink in with a firm knock. Perfect. He shimmied up the rope in no time, glancing over to see the sleeping woman barely two feet from him. A shiver ran down his spine. It was completely involuntary and it was only then that Hero realized this was the closest he had ever been to a human before.

Everything about them was so much bigger than him. Their faces. Those eyes. It made his head and insides flip and swirl at the very notion of their hands. Don’t think about that now. You need to get the ring back on the table. He began pulling his bag up with the line. It tapped the table a few times on its ascent, which made him freeze and watch. Not a single stir.

It wasn’t until Hero had pulled up the bag and began pulling out the ring that he heard the older woman stir, shifting under the sheets that could easily smother him. His heartrate spiked, forcing him to swallow dryly as he finished pulling the ring free from the satchel.

The ring was right there in view next to the clock and the lamp. It wouldn’t be hard to find. Hero had almost reached his line when he heard something.

“What the… what is…” the voice of the elderly woman, still saturated with a groggy tiredness. Hero’s breath hitched in his throat. Every impulse shrieked. He almost threw himself off of the table when he saw a hand beginning to emerge from beneath the quilts and covers. Instead, he threw his bag over one shoulder and grabbed the line.

The rope burned his fingers and palms and he landed on the ground with a definite thud just as the light came on. There was no time. He back peddled as fast as he could from the line, regretting using his best hook. He was halfway to the hidden entrance when he heard her speak again.

“Oh… my… Stuart’s ring…” Hero stopped in his tracks. Stuart? Was that his name? The older man? “Oh… thank you little sprite.” Hero’s breath stopped completely. Was she able to see anything? Would she look?

All he knew was he heard the clattering of his hook on the ground, a sniffly sob, and then the lights turned out again. It was a risk, but Hero needed his hook. He quickly darted back and retrieved the hook; however, just before he left, he uttered the smallest “you’re welcome” before darting back into the cover of the walls.

Mission – success! Maybe he was seen. Maybe the old woman believed in such things. He didn’t know. What was certain was he had made someone’s day a little better; and that’s all that really mattered to him.

~Thanks for reading. Have any humans Hero needs to help? Suggestions and prompts welcome down below. Stay awesome!

Continue

Previous

Beginning

[bbugyu]

hi can i request a wonwoo friends to lovers!!

abso-fuckin-tutely! since you were a lil vague, i asked my friendly neighborhood wonwoorideul for a prompt and she shouted out the song nothing by bruno major (aka one of the sweetest songs on wonwoo's spotify playlist)!

nothing + jeon wonwoo

moving in with your best friend was the best idea you ever had, even if he claimed it was his.

wc.3707 | fluff, angst, roommates/friends to lovers au, gn reader, like one swear and it barely counts bc it was hoshi, slowburn pining, wonwoo sees you and his mind is full of poetry, happy ending! (jp ver.)

thank you so much for my very first request! i tried to post this quickly, so i’m sorry if it’s not as polished as my other pieces. i was so impatient to get this out hahah. i love me some domestic wonwoo

*

wonwoo wasn't just your roommate, to be perfectly frank. the lanky guy had wormed his way into your close circle when you had worked part time together at a grocery store fresh out of high school, and when you both decided you needed to be closer to the big city, it just made sense to go together. you had never lived alone before, and your mother had said she would feel better if you had someone she knew around, someone to take care of you for her, even though you insisted you would be fine. she tried to get you to move in with your auntie, and while eating her food would be a definite plus, you absolutely despised the idea of living under the same roof as your chaotic cousin. so, when wonwoo mentioned wanting to get out of your podunk village, you excitedly told him you wanted to move to seoul.

"okay," he had said, looking at you over his comic book as he lounged on your family's couch. "let's go, then."

two months later, his dad was helping the two of you move into a tiny two bedroom apartment in a neighborhood of seoul that housed mostly old married couples, but you liked that it was a little more quiet than downtown. it felt more like home, but busy enough to give you your fill of the city. you could walk down the street to a cafe every morning on your way to the station, headed to your shitty temp desk job that you had just to pay bills. wonwoo was able to transfer to the main seoul office of his existing job as a software engineer, and was even able to work from home most days. you were forever jealous that he could hop onto remote meetings wearing a tie and button up over a pair of sweats. on days that he had to go into the office, though, he would walk with you and point out shops that you had yet to visit in your few months of living in the city.

"since when are you a flowers kinda guy?" you asked, gaze following his finger to the florist shop he pointed out.

he shrugged, adjusting his backpack straps over the blazer he wore. "might be nice for the apartment."

you eyed him. despite knowing him for years, sometimes he still surprised you.

on days that he didn't ride the subway with you, you would come home to find him sitting on the couch, swinging around a digital new york city from a web on the tv. you noticed the potted plant on the kitchen counter when you dropped your keys off in their designated tray. they were red, with tight round petals. you thought they almost looked like roses, but you knew that wasn't right. peonies? begonias? you didn't know enough about flowers to recognize them, but you figured he went to the florist in your neighborhood while you were at work.

he paused his game after landing on a roof somewhere. "how was your day?"

"good," you said, pulling off your light jacket and standing by the couch. "what's with the flowers?"

wonwoo looked around you to the yellow ceramic and red blooms, both colors that suited the other few colorful items in your minimalistic (mostly from having only lived there a few short months) white kitchen. "camellias. i thought they looked nice."

you nodded, thinking that he had more to say, but decided not to press. "have you eaten?"

he stretched on the couch, hands falling to the back of his beanie clad head as he let out a strangled noise. "do i ever eat without you?"

that made you smile. "any thoughts on dinner?"

wonwoo shook his head, settling back into the couch. "what do you feel like?"

"i'm craving pizza."

wonwoo pushed his glasses up his nose and adjusted to fish his phone out of the pocket of his favorite track pants. "go take a shower, i'll order."

you grinned. "you are such a good roommate."

"correction, i'm the best roommate. oh, also," he pointed towards the fridge in the kitchen. "soonyoung came by with side dishes from your aunt."

"oh, thank god," you said, walking over to wash your hands quickly and check the haul. "i was worried we were gonna have to buy kimchi this week. he wasn't annoying, was he?"

wonwoo shook his head, chuckling at the way you talked about your cousin as he tapped through menus on his phone. "he was fine. complained that you weren't here."

"doesn't he have a job?" you opened a plastic container and popped a sweet braised potato into your mouth. your voice was muffled as you chewed. "he knows i get off at five. if he wants to see me he should come when he knows i'll be home."

the small smile on wonwoo's face never left as you rambled about soonyoung, then your fantastic chef of an aunt, and then the new guy that sat at the desk next to you that microwaved fish for lunch. seriously, who microwaves fish? in an office?

wonwoo commiserated with you, then told you to hurry and go wash up, because he had just submitted the pizza order, to which you responded "okay, okay, i'm going. i'll be back in a minute."

after a steam filled shower, you left the bathroom while toweling your damp hair, sporting a plain black v-neck with your, similar to wonwoo's, favorite track pants.

wonwoo looked up and laughed, tugging on the hem of his shirt. "we match."

you eyed one of the several black muscle tanks wonwoo sports regularly and giggled, pulling at the stripes down your pants. "we do. you want wine?"

"hell yeah. friday night, baby."

you laughed, returning to the bathroom to hang your towel before making your way to the kitchen, pulling a couple of stemless wine glasses out of your cabinet. they were the only glasses in the apartment because, as wonwoo had said, your priorities are notoriously bad. but, you reminded him, they worked just fine with water too, so you convinced him that buying real glasses could wait until you were both slightly less busy. you grabbed the bottle of red wine off the counter and looked at the seal. "wonwoo."

"yeah?" he paused his game and looked at you over the small kitchen cart that acted as an island. you held up the wine.

"new bottle."

he sighed dramatically. "what would you do without me?"

you grinned happily as you got the wine opener out of a drawer, holding it out for him. he snatched the bottle and opener from your hands and made a face, but began twisting the corkscrew into the cork nonetheless. you planted your elbow on the wood topped cart and watched him as he tugged out the cork, decidedly ignoring the fact that he was wearing a sleeveless shirt and he definitely looked like he had taken a trip to the gym today. 

"you pour, i always miss."

you laughed, pulling at the shrapnel of the seal that wonwoo always refused to cut away before removing the cork. "maybe if you didn't make the neck such a mess it wouldn't go everywhere when we pour it."

"unnecessary step," he retorted, watching you as you poured the wine into the two glasses. he took the one closest to him as you finished. "cheers."

"cheers," you repeated, clinking your glass against his and taking a gulp. you let out a noise of approval. "happy friday."

wonwoo was smiling as he took a sip. "happy friday."

"where's the pizza?"

"uh," he patted his empty pockets, then put down his wine glass to retrieve his phone from the couch. "down the street."

wonwoo had to shove his feet into a pair of slides to meet the delivery person at the entrance of your building, and when he returned, you were giggling into your glass at your sns feed. the wine hit maybe a little too hard, but you hadn't eaten in too long for you to have almost polished off a glass already.

wonwoo gestured for you to join him on the couch, so you grabbed the bottle of wine and tucked it under your arm, carrying the two glasses over to where he was shutting off his game.

you ate merrily, and then you talked. about nothing and everything all at the same time. this happened more often than you ever thought it would, but a week into living in the city, wonwoo had come home from hanging out with some old friends to you crying on the couch with a show on that was far too comical to be the source of your tears. that night, he stayed up with you until the sun was peeking up over the buildings, listening to your worries and struggles. he shared his own fears. you were a blubbering mess. he kept sniffling his nose, acting like the tears welling up in his eyes weren't there when you laughed, despite yourself. wonwoo and you had always been close, or as close as past coworkers that had the same friend circle could be, but this was different. you couldn't remember the last time you had cried like that in front of anyone, much less someone who wasn't your mother.

when you woke up on the couch past noon, your sunday to a late start, your arms were wrapped around wonwoo's torso as he slept, one hand tucked behind his head and the other on your back. his face was inches from yours. your cheeks were pink and you suddenly felt hot, trying as gently as you could to escape without waking him. he stirred, but only to readjust as you snuck away.

he said nothing about the cuddling when he woke to the sound of you closing the front door, and you smiled as you held out the iced americano you got him at the cafe down the street. he squinted at you and scratched his head, taking the drink and sipping it before even testing his voice.

"thanks."

he looked at you, eyebrows furrowed. "what? you bought coffee. thank you."

you sat next to him and swirling the straw in your own drink. "no, i mean for staying up with me. sorry i was a mess."

there was a pause, and your heart almost stopped when he put an arm over your shoulder. "you weren't. and i'll stay up with you whenever you want."

wonwoo sipped at his drink again, giving you a light squeeze when a tear fell down your cheek.

living together meant you saw a side of him you had never seen before. the little things he did throughout his day, when he wasn't even particularly conscious that you were in the same room as him. he always bit at his thumb when he was working, and he had a habit of leaving the milk carton open in the fridge. he always made you smile when he emerged from his room with his headphones loud enough for you to hear them from across the room, and he cluelessly bobbed his head to whatever he was listening to while he refilled a water bottle, waving and smiling before he returned to his room. when your mom asked you how living with wonwoo was, you told her he was great. clean, respectful, and quiet. that you had never been closer. that he made you feel safer so far from home. you didn't, however, tell her that you discovered that he liked running home from the gym at 2 pm on the weekends, laying out on the floor with his shirt over his head before he convinced himself to take a shower.

you had always thought wonwoo was cute. how could you not? he was a handsome guy, but you had accepted your place as a friend to him and happily let it progress no further. but, now that you spent your afternoons off arguing with him on whether or not showering was even worth the trouble, you couldn't help but stare at him. watching his toned chest rise and fall as you thought about how he had admitted his crippling fear of failure to you at three in the morning when your face was puffier than a padded jacket.

you never noticed, but wonwoo watched you closer than he did anything in his life. that night, when he found you crying, he felt his heart clench as you told him all your insecurities. when he had pulled you into his chest and held you tight as you questioned whether moving so far from home was a mistake, he patted your hair and told you that it was going to be fine. you had him, afterall. he had you. the two of you could make it out here. and if you still wanted to go home when the lease was up in six months, he would be there to help you move back.

he didn't stop holding you until your breathing settled, your shoulders stopped shaking. he leaned back into the couch, bringing you with him, and you didn't protest when he ran his hand up and down your back, coaxing you to sleep.

since then, every time you spoke to him, he couldn't help but stare at you intently. he watched your eyes light up while you talked about something you loved. he watched you scrunch your nose as you talked about your new desk neighbor. he watched your lips push into a pout when he said he should go get some work done. he wondered if anyone else noticed the way you sucked on your teeth while you thought up a witty comeback, or the way you carded your fingers through your still wet hair. or the way your eyes creased into a laugh, your hand coming up to block your open mouth. or the way you chewed on your red wine stained lip while he tried to form a sentence in response, when all he wanted to do was put those lips on his.

wonwoo had been stewing with these feelings far longer than he thought bearable, but stuffed it down in fear that he might lose you altogether. he didn't want to lose you altogether. he had gone on a walk halfway through his workday at home, feeling antsy for no particular reason, though if he thought about it long enough he would have realised it was because you had said something about feeling lonely lately that morning. he saw the florist he had pointed out the week before, and his feet brought him through the door.

"hi!" he looked up from the colorful display by the door to the person behind the counter and smiled politely. "did you need help finding something?"

"um," wonwoo blinked and looked around for a moment, then moved towards the counter. "i need a gift, i think."

the florist's eyebrows quirked curiously. "you think?"

he nodded, eyes flicking down to the nametag on his chest. he wondered if he was a foreigner with his three character name, but didn't mention it. "yeah. housewarming. for my, uh-" wonwoo paused, catching himself not knowing how to describe his relationship to you. roommate? wannabe lover? he bit his cheek. "my friend."

joshua nodded slowly, watching wonwoo's eyes as he worked his way through the sentence. "just friend?"

wonwoo stared at a flower arrangement to his right. "something like that."

"got it." joshua walked around the counter and gestured for wonwoo to follow him deeper into the store. "since it's a housewarming, how about a potted plant? something to brighten up the space for a long time. they'll think about you every time they see it."

wonwoo nodded, not saying anything about how funny he thought it was that he said he was getting his own roommate a housewarming gift. "that sounds nice."

"now, i'm not gonna claim to know you," the florist started, putting up his hands to exaggerate his words, they kept moving as he pushed and pulled pots, looking for one in particular. "you've said, like, maybe a full sentence to me, but those were some complex emotions when you called them a friend, so i'm gonna assume i know the situation. i think you should get camellias. specifically red ones."

wonwoo looked at the sunshine yellow pot in the soft featured man's hands. the petals of the flower were round and delicate, and he thought about how you said the color yellow made you happy. "why's that?"

"i think you should look up the meaning when you give them this," joshua said, and for some reason, wonwoo trusted him.

he came back to the apartment thinking about how he might have just gotten scammed into buying the potted flowers in his hands, only to find soonyoung about to hit the buzzer to call your unit, a far too large cooler bag sitting on the bench by the entrance of your building.

"is y/n around?" soonyoung asked, trailing behind wonwoo as they walked up the stairs, struggling slightly with the overpacked bag. "they didn't respond to my kakao."

"they're at work," he replied, flipping his keys over in his hands to find the one for your front door. "they'll be home around six."

"ah, shit," soonyoung laughed. "i always forget you guys have adult jobs. i would kill for a monday through friday."

wonwoo almost laughed, but left the smile on his face. "weekends are kind of overrated, anyways."

the shorter hoisted the bag of dishes onto the kitchen cart while wonwoo closed the door. "who're the flowers for?"

wonwoo stared at the pot in his arm as if it was the first time he had seen it. "oh, uh. just the place."

"for y/n?"

he looked at soonyoung, who had his chin in his palms, elbows planted on the counter as he smiled. he knew he was right when wonwoo didn't respond.

"i think they'll like them," he said, unzipping the top of the bag and starting to unload his mother's packaged dishes for his cousin. "they like the color yellow."

wonwoo just said "i know," before he opened the fridge and started rearranging things to fit the new food.

according to soonyoung, wonwoo was painfully obvious. when he had come by a couple weeks prior, you were arguing with him about some ridiculous childhood memory at your grandparents' home, and while soonyoung laughed, he noticed the smile on wonwoo's face when he watched you. he also noticed the way he instinctively put a hand on your back when you sighed about your newest temp gig, and soonyoung pulled on his ear as he looked at the ceiling, leaning against the kitchen cart much like he was today as he told wonwoo about how oblivious his cousin must be.

you pulled your knees to your chest as you sipped at your wine, the pizza box almost completely polished off by the two of you sitting on the floor in front of your couch. you stare at the pot of flowers.

"they're pretty," you said finally.

you too, wonwoo thought.

"camellias, right?" you turned back to him. "i like them."

i like you, wonwoo thought. "i went to that place down the street. the guy working was nice."

you nodded, sipping again. "any reason in particular?"

"i-" wonwoo paused, staring at his glass. he finished the last gulp in it and put it on the floor next to the pizza box. "you said something about being down recently," he said, folding his fingers together as he leaned back against the couch. "i wanted to get you something, i guess."

you watched his fingers as they pushed his glasses up his nose again, and your heart fluttered at the idea of wonwoo thinking about you when you weren't around. "really? that's so nice," you pouted, shoving his knee.

he laughed, pulling his knee onto the couch to face you. "the guy there - the florist, i guess? his name was joshua. he seemed to really know flowers." he knitted his brows together when he realized he was procrastinating on saying what he was nervous to. he put his arm on the back of the couch, rubbing his eye with the heel of his palm before continuing. "he said i should look up what they mean when i give them to you. red ones, specifically."

you perked up, heart racing. "what they mean? they have meaning?"

"y-yeah, i guess so," wonwoo said, then cleared his throat. 

"hey google!" you looked over to where the device sat by your tv. "what to red camellias mean?"

wonwoo stared at your profile as you watched the device think before its automated voice piped up.

"camellia flowers are available in white, pink, and red, with each color having its own unique symbolism."

you looked over to him, excitedly putting your glass to your lips as the voice continued.

"pink camellias symbolize a longing for someone, and is given to people who are missed."

wonwoo swallowed hard, fingers fidgeting against his temple.

"red camellias symbolize love, passion, and a deep desire."

your eyes widened slightly as the device shut off, glass still to your lips and eyes still on wonwoo's. he stared back at you, and you wondered if he meant it. but he never claimed that he didn't feel those things for you.

before you could think, you clumsily put your glass on the floor and moved. you didn't stop moving until your lips were on wonwoo's, pushing him back into the arm of the couch as you practically crawled into his lap.

his hands found your hips and he helped you settle into him, your fingers tracing his jawline as it worked against yours. you sighed into his lips as his hand slid up under your shirt, placed gently on the small of your back. pulling you into him. when you paused for a moment, you thought about waking up to this exact same view, that day after you had cried all night. but this time, his other hand pulled your jaw back to kiss him again, and you happily complied.

[meldy-writes]

Conclusions

This is super-de-duper late and kinda short but here it is.

(y/n) plopped her plate down at the table with a goofy grin as she poked Glen in the side and told him to ‘scooch’ so she could sit between him and Daryl.

“someone’s in a good mood,” Maggie commented before bringing her fork up to her mouth.

“That’s ‘cause it’s Peach Night, Bitches!” came a gleeful response as her friend began digging into her own meal; a hearty squirrel stew with string beans and a generous portion of—you guessed it– peaches on the side.

The four didn’t always eat together, but it happened often enough for entertaining conversation to be easy amongst the group, and it was happening more and more often these days seeing as Glen and Maggie were rarely ever apart and a similar phenomenon was beginning to occur between (y/n) and Daryl. The Prison group noticed this about a week after it started and ever since a select few had taken it upon themselves to try and get Daryl and (y/n) together.  So far, they’d been unsuccessful, but that night was different. Maggie wasn’t sure how, but she could just tell.

For the most part, dinner conversation went on like it did every other night, but Maggie couldn’t help but notice the archer across the table from her kept shifting his gaze between his plate and the woman beside him. After a few minutes more, he sucked the stew off his spoon and began using it to ferry his own peaches onto (y/n)’s plate.

The woman paused mid-sentence to look at him.

“…and you know, Mags, we really should start—What are you doin’?”

Daryl shrugged, having finished shoveling the canned fruit onto her plate, “well you like ‘em, don’t cha?”

“I thought you said you liked ‘em, too.”

He scoffed, “I only said that ‘cause those peaches were the only thing you wanted to talk about all freakin’ day. You damn near burst into song when we found ‘em on that run last week; you like ‘em, now you got more. Quit yer bellyachin’.”

(y/n) let a small, fond smile slip onto her face as she bumped his shoulder with her own.

“Thanks,” she said.

She got a disinterested grunt in return, but anyone could see how red the tips of his ears were.

Maggie squinted at the two, looking back and forth between them before she finally slammed her hand on the table with a triumphant grin and loudly announced, “you two are havin’ sex!”

(y/n) paused, fork-full of fruit halfway to her lips while her companion beside her began to choke on his own food.

From her left she heard Glen mutter “A little louder, Maggie, I don’t think the walkers outside the fence heard you,” as he looked around at the other tables of people around the room who stopped to stare at their table after the outburst.

He was promptly ignored as his wife was pointedly daring the accused party to deny her statement with a fixed stare.

After a beat (y/n) lowered her fork, and with the straightest face she could manage, she turned to Daryl and said, “we are? Daryl, Sweetie, why didn’t you say somethin’? I would have put my fork down.“

The man snickered between coughs but kept his gaze fixed to his plate.

“I’m serious,” Maggie insisted, “you’re a thing, you’re sleepin’ together.”

“Have been for about a month, thanks for sharin’ with the class, Mags.”

Maggie blinked, eyes turning owlish as she opened and closed her mouth a few times, simply flabbergasted that they just admitted to it. She thought that if they were trying to keep it secret, they would at least try and deny it a little bit.

“We’ve been tryin’ to get you two together for forever now, why didn’t you ever say somethin’?”

Daryl spoke up then, pink-cheeked and surly as ever, “It wasn’t any of yer business. Just ‘cause you an’ Glen like makin’ yer relationship front-page-news doesn’t mean everyone’s gotta.”

(y/n) rubbed his back in soothing circles as she added, “an’ it was easy to find time to be alone when you just kept, ya know, givin’ it to us. Plus, I thought it was funny how you guys were tryin’ so hard.”

Maggie pouted at that, but Glen began to chuckle, “fair enough,” he said through bites of stew as he elbowed his friend in the stomach, “so how’d it start?”

“Ya don’t gotta answer that, (y/n),” the archer informed as he put his head in his hands.

(y/n) ignored this as a shit-eating grin began to form on her lips, “He’s been takin’ me out on his hunts tryin’ to teach me how to shoot the crossbow. Remember that day we brought back a buck? I bet him if I could shoot it ‘tween the eyes he had to give me a kiss.”

The table erupted into laughter, and after a few more jokes the conversation drifted back towards more familiar topics, but still, Daryl was more quiet than normal, and (y/n) could feel it. After Glen and Maggie had said their goodbyes and turned in for the night, she turned to him, leaning her chin on her hand and leaning far against the table to try and catch his eye.

“You upset with me for tellin’ them about us? We agreed we’d do our own thing at our own pace and let the others come to a conclusion on their own. Not my fault they came to the right one.”

“It ain’t that.”

“Good,” she joked, “for a second I thought you might be ashamed of me or somethin’.”

He rolled his eyes at that and began to elaborate knowing full well at this point she wasn’t going to drop the subject until she knew what was bugging him.

“It’s just everyone’s gonna know now, they’re gonna look at us different. They’re gonna watch us. I hate havin’ eyes on me, it makes me itch,”  he began chewing on his thumb; a nervous habit of his that (y/n) found absolutely adorable.

“I dunno, I think if anything, we’ll have fewer eyes on us,” she assured, reaching to take his hands in hers.

“You think?”

“Yeah. A will-they-won’t-they situation is much more entertainin’ to watch than a couple that’s already established. Once word spreads around and the new-gossip shine’s rubbed off it people will look somewhere else, I promise you.”

Daryl’s eyebrows furrowed as he processed her words, turning them over in his head while he admired how small and delicate her hands seemed in his bigger, callused ones, “Yeah, guess yer right. Come on, we got the first watch, right?”

(y/n) grinned and nodded as their gazes met. She was just about to get up when Daryl suddenly took his hands from her grip and took a quick look around. Just before she could respond his hands were on her cheeks and he was pressing a quick kiss to her forehead, and then he was up and halfway out to the blacktop like nothing happened.

She gasped, faux scandalized as she scurried up to follow him, “Daryl Dixon, was that a public display of affection? Is that going to be an everyday thing now?” She gripped the back of his vest in one of her fists to try and get him to face her again, but all it did was serve as a sort of tether to drag her along behind him.

“Not if you keep makin’ a deal of it,” he threatened weakly as the couple walked out of the building and into the quiet Georgia night.

[springday-aus]

Enemies to Lovers!AU with Xiaojun

—

Group: NCT [+ WayV]

Member: Xiaojun / Xiao Dejun

Genre: fluff, comedy, romance 

Type: Bulletpoint AU 

Word Count: approx. 2.4k

so, you’re Xiaojun’s enemy (he thinks of it more of his number one attacker tho)

it wasn’t hard considering he’s always on fight or flight mode and considering his friend group….

fight mode is always activated

(ง’̀-‘́)ง

so it started when you became friends with Ten

the guy is so sociable, so you were bound to meet him and his other friends someday

but jesus christ, there were soooo many of them

it was a party; he threw a literal party of just him and his friends

and then there were others who turned it into a rave (i.e. Hendery, Yangyang, Chenle and Donghyuk)

anyways, you got to mingle and make so many new friends

it was going really well

until Xiaojun entered the picture

things went well with him too, until you made a joke that didn’t exactly land with him

but it landed well with the others

Lucas: “who in their right mind would like mint chocolate”

Xiaojun: “but I like mint chocolate”

You: “then you’re not in your right mind lmao”

YangYang: “I mean, is Xiaojun ever in his right mind tho”

everyone laughs

except for one person

Xiaojun stood up, staring you down for a hot second, before trying to argue back

in which YangYang was the main responder

you didn’t really think much of it, laughing away with the others

but, to him, you just declared war that day

it shouldn’t have bothered him as much as it did

but it did

so, from then on, things just got rockier

bc he started picking fights with you over the littlest things or he would argue with your points no matter what

you didn’t really think much of it bc he was also being picked on everyone else and you were like

every man for themselves huh

it wasn’t until he personally attacked you

it happened on Halloween

and he made an underhanded comment about how he’d look better in anything compared to you

so you made a “friendly” bet

but then you lost

bc Xiaojun looked better in the Jasmine costume than you and he def knew it too

and when he smirked at you

the grudge had been built

that’s probably when the mutual enemy status circulated around your friends

although, if they’re being honest, it’s so entertaining

especially since most of them like to gang up on Xiaojun too

and because of that unity, it’s only made things worse

from what the others can tell

you two don’t hate each other, but you def don’t get along

it ranges to food (e.g. mint chocolate chip incident that NO ONE lets go)

Lucas: “mint choco ain’t shit”

You: “retweet”

Xiaojun: “the attacks”

YangYang: “we cannot trust a man who eats bread with fucking lao gan ma”

You: “you eat what with bread?”

Xiaojun: “shut up. all of you.”

to activities

cue you two fighting about what movie to watch

Xiaojun: “Titanic is a classic!!!”

You: “it’s a joke, there was rOOM ON THE FUCKING DOOR”

Xiaojun: “IT’S ROMANTIC. HE SACRIFICED HIMSELF SO SHE CAN LIVE.”

You: “THAT’S NOT ROMANTIC. THAT’S SUICIDAL, DUMBASS.”

this feud is def bc you’re both petty as fuck

the bickering is nonstop

but, if the nct boys are being honest

they’re lowkey confused bc Xiaojun is supposed to have a really high emotional tolerance

he doesn’t even yell this much at YangYang or Ten

(excluding that one time he hit YangYang with that pillow very hard)

but he does blow off his top when it comes to you

which is sus to a lot of the boys

whenever someone does ask him tho

he just kind of……………

mumbles underneath his breath and then moves onto something else

meanwhile, Yuta: “isn’t he always like that?”

Kun: “who wants to tell him”

lmao, I’m kidding

kind of

anyways, you two are really just going at it

what changes?

you have to go to the dentist and get your molars removed

which means someone has to take you and go pick you up

obviously, Ten was going to do that, considering you two were the closest

so he dropped you off and you had your surgery

so what happened?

welp, your buddy Ten forgot he had a prior engagement and, hence, was unable to pick you up

cue him spamming the groupchat

and Lucas exposing Xiaojun

Lucas: Xiaojun isn’t doing anything Xiaojun: you don’t know that Lucas: I do tho, go pick up (Y/N) Ten: I’ll buy you anything from that green tea cafe you like for a week Xiaojun: deal.

so he came to pick you up, both willingly and unwillingly

and you……. you were more than a hot mess 

you were just a mess 

you basically were just blacked out that entire time after they gave you the laughing gas and completed the surgery

so you remembered absolutely nothing.

your roommate: “this is what you get for doing drugs”

You: “IT WAS PURELY FOR MEDICINAL USE”

You: “IT’S NOT LIKE I DID CRACK”

either way, your roommate let you know of the situation, taking note of how your enemy had to take you home

which

again

no recollection

your roommate: “he’s fucking hot tho”

You: “ugh, I know”

but that’s also when you decided

Ten is a dead man :)

Ten: “I’M SORRY”

You: “YOU BETTER FUCKING BE”

Ten: “I KNOW”

Ten: “............................................but………………………………….”

Ten: “maybeyoushouldalsothankhimfortakingcareofyou”

You: “sorry not sorry, I’m contemplating murder rn”

Hendery: “what do you call a murder against a friend?”

Kun: “don’t”

Ten:

You:

Hendery: “it’s a homie-cide”

You and Ten: “NOT NOW”

anyways

you knew he was right

so after you calmed down, you went to Xiaojun’s place (thanks to Ten), with some sweets to thank him

Lucas opened the door, let you in, and left to go to the gym with Sicheng

Xiaojun came out of his room, a couple of minutes after, disheveled from his nap

and when he saw you in his living room couch, his eyes widened, darting around to avoid looking at you

You: “hi”

Xiaojun: “hello”

You: “why do you look so scared? I’m not gonna jump you”

he stays quiet, the blush becoming more apparent on his cheeks

You: “Ten told me you took me home after my surgery, so…………………… thanks”

Xiaojun: “he bribed me with pastries”

You: yeah, sounds about right

You: “still”

You: “um, I didn’t know what you would like, so I brought some sweets you can just go through”

Xiaojun: “thanks”

it’s silent for another moment and you consider bolting out from the apartment, Wizards of Waverly Place, Harper-style: “see ya in p.e.!” kind of a thing

but he speaks up once more

Xiaojun: “are you feeling okay now?”

You: “uh, yeah, my jaw still kind of hurts”

You: “but I have meds they prescribed to me for the next month or so”

he decides to stop beating the bush: 

Xiaojun: “so do you remember what happened yesterday?”

You: “to be completely honest, no”

Xiaojun: “you… did a lot of things”

You: “what do you mean I did a lot of things”

Xiaojun: “you also said a lot of things too”

You: “..... are these things recorded?”

Xiaojun: “maybe”

Xiaojun: “some”

You: “dELETET HEM”

you actually considered tackling him, but deemed as too Yang-Yang-like

You: “what did I say”

Xiaojun: “I didn’t realize you thought I was handsome”

You: “wait what?”

Xiaojun: “you said, you had a crush on my ‘fine ass’”

You: “you know what? I think I’m gonna pull a Jack and commit suicide, goodbye”

Xiaojun: “ah, ah, ah, you said like, which is… present tense”

You: “semantics”

Xiaojun: “but did you like me at some point?”

You: “does it matter?”

Xiaojun: “yeah, it kind of does”

Xiaojun: “bc even tho we bicker, it’s, like, our thing”

Xiaojun: “plus, you’re kind of cute when you’re threatening to rip off my eyebrows”

You: “I did what?”

Xiaojun: “it’s no different from how you treat me now”

You: “I thought it’s because you don’t like me”

he just kind of shrugs, rubbing his neck rather sheepishly

Xiaojun: “you’ve seen my friends; arguing is our way of showing our affections”

You: “so, you’re saying this is your way of telling me you like me?”

Xiaojun: “I mean………“

Xiaojun: “are you saying you like me?”

You: “are you saying you like me?” 

*cue another argument about who likes who*

eventually, he found a way to shut you up

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

cut to Lucas and Sicheng coming back from the gym to you and Xiaojun making out on the couch

Lucas: “NASTY”

Sicheng: “what did we…. miss?”

Ten somewhere: I fucking called it.

anyways

you both decided to date that day

and you two still bicker an insane amount, which includes you nitpicking Xiaojun’s tastes to Xiaojun refusing to delete those videos of you under the laughing gas despite your threats

but, the only difference is, your arguments can end with a kiss

and it always freaks out the guys whenever you do

Donghyuk: “I’m too young to be seeing this monstrosity”

Mark: “ngl, this is nice for them—they’ve stopped arguing”

YangYang: “I weirdly prefer them arguing over them with those sappy eyes tho”

You: “we can hear you”

Chenle: “but when have we ever cared?”

You: “I’m gonna beat your ‘01 liner ass istg—”

Xiaojun: “calm”

oh, you know what’s fun about your relationship?

you two can’t agree on some stuff right?

so whenever you have to decide something, say a movie or dinner, you two just heads-or-tails it

(there’s also this cute app where you put your options on a wheel and let that decide—the amount of times you’ve used that on your dates…… anyways)

most of the time, on these dates, you seem more like an old married couple and it’s super cute

it’s bc you’re already used to your worse sides coming out—the really petty ones, the screaming ones, the ugly ones

ofc these aren’t from serious arguments that occur

(remember folks, it isn’t healthy for you and your partner to always be fighting)

but when serious arguments do occur, you both take time to sit down and talk face-to-face

it’s hard to get into actual arguments with him, especially since he really is understanding and tries to pay attention to the smaller details

Xiaojun: “I like learning more about you”

You: “you can’t just say that kind of shit to me”

like, yeah, he’ll debate with you all night about why he needs to read the words of his book out loud but, by the end of the day, you’ll lay your head in his lap and listen to his voice as you fall asleep

speaking of which, you love listening to him sing to you

he gets a bit embarrassed sometimes about it, but seeing you smile so brightly at him makes him forget about it

because even tho you two bicker about little things, in the end, it just makes you two laugh at one another and how ridiculous you’re being

I almost forgot, so Ten thinks of him pairing you two off right?

so, whenever he does something annoying to either of you, he’ll constantly bring it up

Ten: “I guess this is how you two treat me, your personal cupid—”

Xiaojun: “yes, yes, we are grateful for you”

You: “but it would be nice if you would stop making those annoying sounds”

Ten: “what annoying sounds?”

YangYang: “that’s just you talking”

okay, no, but yeah—the nct boys are glad this rivalry is over because it was really just…. stupid to the core

but also bc you two look super sweet together and seeing you two making each other happy rather than annoyed is adorable

but just bc you two got together doesn’t mean the pettiness isn’t still there

You: “what type of freak sleeps with their eyes opened?”

Xiaojun: “I’m sleeping next to you, of course I need to keep both eyes open”

You: “RUDE”

Xiaojun: “and yet here we are”

You: “son of a bitch”

Xiaojun: “YOUR son of a bitch”

You: “eh, I’ll take it” 

[gravelyhumerus]

Criminal Minds College AU - Chapter 3

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Title: “I may just take your breath away”

Relationship: Jemily

Summary:

It's midterm season and Emily runs into JJ at the library, they decide to study together.

Slow-burn Jemily college AU where they live across the hall and despite all odds, the universe pushes them together. AKA they’re silly gay babies who pine after each other for months.

Read it on AO3

Tumblr:  One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, (bonus scene), Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty, Epilogue

There were no seats left in this entire goddamned library. Not a single one. Emily was on her second lap on the third floor, desperate for somewhere to sit down and have some peace and quiet to study for her test. She should have assumed this would happen. It was midterm season and the libraries were packed with students around this time each year.

She quietly made her way through the stacks and came upon a long, rectangular table near the back window. It overlooked a dark parking lot. The books were gigantic tombs of old academic journals that no one had probably even opened in decades.

There were eight seats and seven people, with one selfish asshole storing their backpack on the empty seat. Well, could be saving it for their friend, but with it being midterm season, those rules really shouldn’t apply anymore.

Emily braced herself and, with a smile, tapped the boy on the shoulder.

He had a large pair of headphones on. He lifted one side off his ear in a gesture of: ‘what do you want.’

“Is anyone sitting there?” She whispered, as quietly as she could, pointing to the seat next to him.

“Oh sorry,” he said, somewhat reluctantly, moving the coat and bag, inviting her to join him. She smiled in thanks and sat down.

Carefully unpacking her laptop and books, Emily tried to avoid disturbing the other folks at her table, the silence making each noise she made boom through the library. She settled down and pulled out her thermos, taking a sip of her coffee and bracing herself for a long night.

Her core classes for psychology were brutal, filled with endless memorization of terminology, stacks of mandatory books to read and countless essays.

At 8:30 the next morning it was her Introduction to Clinical Psychology midterm, worth a whopping thirty percent of her grade. She spent the entire day, between classes, at the Starbucks on campus, drinking her way through her student funds in coffee form and making endless flashcards.

She already had a stack of almost one hundred cards and she still had a couple hours of work left.

Just returning from dinner at the cafeteria, Emily had decided that she needed the relative quiet of the massive campus library to focus on the memorization period of her evening.

She flipped to the right page of her textbook: page 315, with a large header reading “SEXUAL DISORDERS” in large caps. Emily sighed, it was a strange thing to spend her time learning but at least it never failed to be interesting.

At least she wasn’t in Statistics this semester.

Emily took another sip of coffee, then rummaged through her bag for her wireless headphones, connecting them to her phone in order to play her studying playlist, which was mostly movie soundtracks, interspersed with Emily’s favourite classical music and of course, some lo-fi hip hop beats. She could not listen to music with words when studying, she would get too distracted and get nothing done.

Emily began gnawing at her thumbnail, focusing on writing down the definitions.

After around two hours of writing, Emily finally finished her flashcards. She stretched her back, closed her textbook, and went on her phone for a short break.

A Snapchat notification popped up on her screen.

Cheetobreath98 added you as a friend.

Emily frowned. Who on earth was that? Emily clicked on the profile, revealing the familiar face of Jennifer Jareau.

JJ had added her as a friend! On snapchat no less! That was at least three steps more intimate than Instagram.

Woah. Slow down there Em. She told herself. Don’t make it something it’s not.

They kept running into each other. JJ was probably just being friendly. She probably just wanted to say thank you for the cookies or send her funny snaps of the other students on their floor.

She has a boyfriend, a boyfriend she is having trouble with, but a boyfriend nonetheless. You can’t go around thinking about intimacy and Jennifer Jareau in the same sentence.

Emily accepted the friend request. Did that make them friends now? Emily hoped so. They could be friends.

As Emily stared at their chat, a new snap from JJ came in. Emily couldn’t help herself, she opened it immediately and she was met with a photo… of herself.

Emily’s head shot up looking around. She looked back down and it was clearly a photo of Emily, hunched over the desk with her head resting on her chin, staring down at her phone, taken from somewhere to her left.

JJ waved at her from between some books. Emily shot her a surprised smile in response.

She closed her laptop, stood, and walked over to her.

“Creeper,” Emily whispered with a giggle.

JJ had a large textbook and some notebooks in her arms, and a backpack hanging off one shoulder, and leaned in towards Emily to speak quietly, which let Emily catch the light, fruity smell of her perfume, blending nicely with the earthy smell of the old books around them.

“Guilty as charged,” JJ smiled.

“What are you working on?” Emily asked, gesturing at her heavy load, she leaned and took a peek at the title of the textbook.

“French,” JJ said, “It’s hard to bullshit that when you don’t know it. I’ve got a midterm tomorrow.”

“Bien sûr,” Emily replied confidently in French.

JJ blinked.

“Tu parles Français?” JJ’s French was shaky and uncertain, with less of an accent than Emily would expect.

Emily coughed quietly and tried to clear her throat.

“I do,” she replied in French, “I’ve been told that when I was a toddler, I was speaking it more fluently than English.”

JJ glanced down, seeming to be translating her words for a brief moment before replying, slowly, clearly excited to use Emily for practise.

“Are you French?”

“No,” Emily said, “My mom wasn’t around much when we were living in France and the nanny didn’t speak English.”

“Ton nurse?” JJ asked, not knowing the definition of ‘nanny’ in French.

“Oh uh,” Emily replied in English, “My nanny, the lady who watched me when my mom was working. She’s an ambassador.”

JJ nodded, then switched to English. She didn’t ask about Emily’s dad, which Emily was grateful for.

“My family is French, originally I guess,” JJ said, “Hence Jareau , the French name. I remember my grandparents speaking it when I was growing up. I only learned a few words from them so I thought I’d take a course here. I need language courses for my communications degree anyways.”

“Your French is good!” Emily assured her. “Honestly mine is getting rusty, I have no one to practise on.”

“Well,” JJ said between coughs, “you could tutor me?”

Emily smiled. An opportunity to spend more time with her? She would take it. She nodded.

“Mais oui!” Emily replied in her most dramatic accent that she could manage, sending both girls into a fit of giggles.

“Shhhhh!” Someone at Emily’s table hissed.

The two girls made eye contact, then burst into another fit of giggles.

“I have a study room booked for nine,” JJ said, “If you want to join me.”

“Absolutely,” Emily replied, “I have a midterm tomorrow as well, so I’ll be here for awhile.”

“Allons-y!” JJ whisper-yelled.

Emily collected her things and followed JJ into a room down the hall, tucked behind the stacks. Inside, was a desk, a couple of white boards and a small window facing into the quad. It was small, with only two chairs. It was shocking that JJ even managed to snag that, the booking system filled up days in advance during midterm season.

“I hate whispering,” Emily said at normal volume once the door was shut.

“Libraries are supposed to be quiet,” JJ said.

“I’ve never been good at quiet.”

JJ laughed.

Emily sat down next to her, stealing a glance at JJ while she was distracted: she had a pair of track pants, with a loose fitted t-shirt on top, a pastel blue which complemented her skin tone well. On top, she had her varsity hoodie unzipped, with their school’s crest on display. She looked good, as always, despite being in basically athletic sweats looking ready to go to the gym at any moment.

Emily placed her books down next to JJ at the table, stacking her flash cards neatly next to it. JJ’s eyes widened at the sight of the pile.

“You don’t have to help if you don’t have time,” JJ said, “Honestly I would just appreciate the company.”

“Nonsense,” Emily replied, “I’d be happy to help. I’ve been working on these flash cards all day, I need a break anyways. How ‘bout we work through your practise sheets, then you quiz me after? What’s your test on?”

“Conjugation,” JJ replied, flipping her notes open to a page full of irregular verbs and their conjugations.

“Oh sweet,” Emily scanned the notes, “Present tense, I can do this.”

Emily leaned back in her chair, pulling her feet up to sit crossed-legged.

“I was worried you were going to ask me the difference between plus-que-parfait and subjonctif or something.”

“I don’t even know what that is.”

“Lucky,” Emily said.

JJ then reached into her bag, pulling out a small case and revealing a pair of glasses—reading glasses—and put them onto her face. They were gold rimmed, round framed, and made her eyes slightly larger with the magnification.

“You-” Emily stuttered, her brain feeling like it was short circuiting at the sight of JJ, “Have glasses?”

“Yeah,” JJ muttered flipping through her notebook, “I don’t really need them but I’ve been staring at screens all day and my eyes are tired.”

“Nerd,” Emily fake-coughs. JJ’s draw drops and she hits Emily playfully with her notebook, whacking her on the arm lightly.

“You promised to help me, not mock me for my bad eyes,” JJ huffs.

“Ok fine let’s conjugate… hmmm… ‘voir’ to start,” Emily jokes, spinning her pen between her fingers.

“I know you’re kidding but I actually don’t know that one.”

Emily grins and begins explaining to her how to conjugate ‘to see’ in French.

“Now,” Emily says, “If you want to talk about how I can see, and you can’t—because you’re blind—you would write: Emily voit. Emily sees.”

“Elle voit? V-o-i-t?”

“Oui, et, Jennifer ne voit pas!” Emily giggles, “Jennifer does not see!”

“Ha-ha,” JJ says, not laughing.

“Sorry, I’ll stop now,” Emily says, picking up the worksheet and reading it over.

“Basically,” JJ says, “I need to just memorize this list of common irregular verbs by tomorrow. I already have the regular er, ir and re verbs down.”

“Cocky girl,” Emily said. “I like it.”

“Ok what verb should we start with?”

“Vouloir,” Emily said, “to want.”

The deeper meaning of this was not lost on her, even as she said it. Emily was far past the point of denying it to herself, or Morgan when he teased her, Emily wanted JJ.

“Start with je,” Emily continued, unfazed by her own internal monologue. “What do you want?”

“Je veux… un biscuit,” JJ said, sticking her pen in her mouth. She was so cute when she focused, chewing distractedly on the cap, with her glasses falling down her nose.

“Now what would I want?” Emily prompted, trying to focus back on the worksheet and not JJ in profile, gazing at the gentle slope of her nose, her pink lips that would probably taste like chapstick.

“Tu veux du thé?” JJ grinned, evoking their previous late-night hang out.  

“Oui,” Emily smiled, “I could definitely use some of your tea right now. Stuck with coffee for now though. I need the caffeine.”

They continued through that verb, moving down her list and covering aller, mettre, venir, before cycling back to the most important ones to make sure JJ had them memorized. Covering lots of ground, the two girls spent almost two hours straight working through her midterm prep booklet.

“Thanks so much for helping,” JJ said. “Maybe you could tutor me again sometime.”

Emily grinned. Maybe it was just tutoring but that meant hours alone with her and her pretty face and her laugh and the way she smelled like warm vanilla.

“Whenever you need me!”

“Je suis excité!” JJ said, in French, which was definitely not what she aimed to say.

Emily began to laugh. Hard. It started as a giggle but the sheer ridiculousness of her situation made it so much funnier. Her crush just looked her in the eyes and told her she was horny.  

“What?!” JJ demanded, nervously laughing at Emily’s reaction.

“Oh gosh I’m sorry,” Emily tried to calm down, to hold in her laughs. “In French we never say excité. It does not mean excited.”

“What does it mean?”

“JJ you just said that you were horny,” Emily made out between laughs. It must be the lack of sleep that made the simple mistake so much funnier.

“Emily!” JJ laughed, “don’t laugh at me I didn’t know!”

Emily’s laughter was infectious and before long the two girls were lost in a fit of giggles.

“You should say: ‘J’ai hâte!’” Emily said eventually, “it means I can’t wait. Like: J’ai hâte d'étudier avec toi. Or Je suis ravi. Or impatiente. Just don’t go around telling people how horny you are.”

“Fine,” JJ said, with a slight pout, “ J’ai hâte. ”

Emily nodded.

“I guess I can say I learned something today,” JJ murmured, “I guess it really is the language of love.”

Emily didn’t say anything, taking a sip of her cold coffee to muffle the squeak threatening to come out of her throat

“So,” JJ changed the subject, “gimme your flash cards. What are you learning?”

Before Emily could earn her, JJ flipped over the first card which read: ‘SEXUAL DISORDERS!’ in Emily’s messy script.

“On the same theme,” JJ murmured.

And so for the next hour, JJ and Emily made their way through her psychology flash cards, slowly making sure that Emily had the endless serious mental health disorders, personality disorders and other terms memorized before her midterm.

Luckily, In the process of writing them down, and due to her religious commitment to attending lectures, Emily had already retained most of them. Studying with JJ did help, because it forced her to explain some of the concepts in plain language, which, she found, furthered her understanding.

Moreover, JJ had brought snacks. Which made studying every more doable when she  could award herself with an m&m for each correct answer.

The thing was, half way through Emily’s stack of cards, and as the night crept on, JJ’s energy crashed as the girl’s body decided that it was way past her bedtime and that she should be asleep.

Unlike Emily, JJ was clearly not a night owl.

Eventually, Emily finished up her studying alone, discovering that the blonde was just about useless, as she read out gibberish and expected Emily to understand her. JJ finally fell asleep sitting up at about one-thirty in the morning. Emily decided to leave her be as she still needed to jot a few things down.

“JJ?” Emily murmured after a few minutes, poking the other girl with her pen. “JJ? Wake up.”

“Mm?” JJ murmured, her eyes still closed shut, her head heavy resting on her hand. She was adorable.

“I’m calling it,” Emily said, closing her textbook. “It’s almost two. We’ve studied enough.”

“Mmm… yeah I don’t know if I can fit any more French in my brain,” JJ rubbed her eyes.

“I think you’ll do just fine!”

They packed up their things, bundling up against the cold fall air. JJ went through the motions with her eyes half shut, allowing Emily to guide her out of their study room, down the spiral staircase and into the lobby.  

Unfortunately, as they stood just inside the library door, the clouds broke, sending rain pouring down onto campus. Sighing at their poor timing, they pulled their hoods over their hair in an attempt to stay relatively dry.

They walked home, laughing as it rained down onto them.

JJ seemed to wake up and her prior drowsiness seemed to fade into the night sky. She giggled as she splashed in a puddle, and her yellow jacket lit up under a street lamp.

Emily grinned, feeling elated in her exhaustion. How lucky she was! Splashing in the rain with JJ, which was a strange yet pleasant ending to what had promised to be a dredge of an evening. JJ waited for a moment, letting Emily catch out before grasping onto Emily’s hand and holding on, pulling her through the rain.

They tore through the torrential downpour, their hands clasped together, unbothered by the cold as the fiery feeling of JJ’s hand in her own had her full attention. A warm feeling filled her chest as she thought about how it was JJ who wanted to hold Emily’s hand.

Not caring whether it was just a friendly hand hold, or if it meant more, Emily’s heart soared.

JJ’s hand was smaller than hers, and their fingers fell together perfectly, comfortably linked like they were built to do so.

They only let go once they reached the door to their building, as Emily fumbled with the wet metal key ring in her pocket, unlocking the front door and offering the two relief from the rain.

They lingered in the hall, both damp, looking at each other as the tiredness returned and settled into their bones. Emily could see the bags under JJ’s eyes, the exhaustion clear on her face. Her cheeks were flushed from running through the rain and her blonde hair wet and tangled from the wind.

A voice in Emily’s head demanded that she reach out her hands, firmly grab the sides of JJ’s perfect face and kiss her then and there. It would be so perfect, their lips would meet and JJ would rest her hands on Emily’s hips. She would pull her in close and their bodies would crash into each other, fitting together perfectly. Emily’s tongue would graze against JJ’s lips, and their kiss would deepen until finally they would pull apart and-

“Goodnight, Emily,” JJ said, smiling at her sweetly, “Get some sleep before your midterm.”

Emily was brought crashing back into reality.

“Oh,” Emily said, “Yeah you too, you need it.”

“Thank you for helping me out,” JJ continued, “I was having a really bad day and you really made me feel a lot better.”

JJ looked down.  

“Yeah, uh, this morning I broke up with Will. Or maybe he broke up with me. I don’t know,” she admitted, “and with the midterm… then the home game tomorrow afternoon...“

She sighed.

“It was a long day and I’m grateful for your company.”

Kiss her, the voice in her head screamed, do it!

“I’m sorry about your break up, either way,” Emily said sincerely. “I feel the same way. I mean, I enjoyed your company. I think I’m going to do well on my midterm too.”

She smiled at JJ who returned it sleepily. Emily kicked herself for the awkward phrasing but blamed the fact that it was late at night and she was processing the fact that her crush was single. Single and had held her hand.

“Bonne chance demain,” Emily said with a wave, wishing JJ luck.

They looked at each other for another moment, before turning and unlocking their individual rooms. That night, Emily dreamt of Paris, cookies and the girl across the hall.

[lesbianlotties]

Prompt: Andy and Quynh being impossibly sweet and disgustingly in love around everyone.

listen, thank you SO much for this prompt. i love angst as much as everyone else but “impossibly sweet and disgustingly in love” that’s my new favorite sentence ever. i hope you like it! 

Andy x Quynh +  impossibly sweet and disgustingly in love

--

The first victim was Booker. Ever since he had joined the team, considering Joe and Nicky were always together, he was used to partnering up with Andy during their missions. When Nile joined in and shortly later they were reunited with Quynh, he stayed with the two older women while Nile joined the other couple. Now, seeing Andy and Quynh fight side by side was an incredible thing. But, then there was the downside, whenever they had to sit around and wait for a signal or the right moment to attack, and he was left there while Andy and Quynh…

“Andromache, focus!” Quynh squirmed on her place on Andy’s lap. They were sitting on top of a building somewhere, Booker was intensely focused on his binoculars pointing at somewhere in the distance, and Andy was thoroughly entertained holding Quynh in her arms and kissing her neck.

“I am focused!” Andy tried to defend herself, but after another kiss she added, “but only on you.”

“Lucky me,” Quynh whispered, turning around to meet Andy’s eyes. Unmeasurable love and adoration in her eyes.

“No, I’m the lucky one here,” Andy held her close, softly brushed her nose against Quynh’s and then finally indulged herself on kissing her favorite pair of lips.

In the background, they could faintly hear Booker cursing in French under his breath.

--

Soon enough, Nile encountered a similar fate. Andy and Quynh had volunteered to cook dinner, but after it was obvious they weren’t getting very far on it, Nile forced herself to go in and help. Though she stopped in her tracks when she entered the kitchen and found Quynh sitting on the counter and Andy standing between her legs, exchanging kisses and completely ignoring Nile’s presence.

“We could forget about dinner, you know?” Andy kissed her, then added, “I have something different in mind.”

“Oh, do you, my heart?” It was Quynh’s turn to kiss her, “I think I might have the same thing in mind.”

They kissed again while they ignored the whispered “Gross,” coming from Nile still standing by the doorway trying to get their attention.

“Something sweet?” Andy whispered against her lover’s lips.

Quynh lightly bit Andy’s bottom lip and then slowly released it and pulled away enough to say, “Stop pretending you’re flirting, I know you hate cooking and would seriously prefer to jump to the dessert.”

Andy laughed wholeheartedly at that, and let her head fall on Quynh’s shoulder, “I love you so much,” she said, with her lips brushing the woman’s neck.

“Guys!” Nile turned around and yelled in the direction of the living room, “We are ordering pizza!”

--

Even Joe and Nicky, previously unparalleled couple in being extravagantly in love with each other, found some… light aversion to the two women’s newly rekindled flame. The two men perfectly understood how passionate love could be between two immortal beings, and they had even seen Andy and Quynh before torture and grief had tainted their souls. However, now they were seeing what it meant to have five hundred years of love to make up for. Plus, it looked like the women had suddenly remembered their old on-going joke of annoyingly, but completely playfully, constantly reminding the men that they had been together for much, much longer

They were driving away after a mission. Joe was driving, Nicky was on the passenger seat and Quynh was sitting in the back seat, with Andy laying down with her head on Quynh’s lap.

“So, it’s almost three thousand years now then?” Quynh wondered, while her fingers played with Andy’s hair, “Three millennia of devoted and ardent love?”

“Yes,” Andy, who was holding Quynh’s other hand, brought it to her lips and started tenderly kissing her knuckles one by one. “I have treasured you since the first dream of you I had, and I have adored you more and more every day.” Andy’s eyes were soft in a way that only Quynh had ever seen them, but Quynh also love the way that in the blink of an eye she could read the sudden change for playfulness in her lover’s eyes. “We should celebrate like during our second millenium. So long ago, and still it feels like yesterday.”

“I agree, my heart” Quynh smiled with matching mischief, “and do you remember our first thousand of years together? It went by in the blink of an eye!”

“Oh, I could never forget!” Andy replied, “Even if we have loved each other for two more thousands of years.”

“Every thousand of years is impossibly better when I’m with you,” Quynh added. Her voice had turned soft and sincere and it was obvious she wasn’t just thinking about teasing their friends.

Still, on the front seat, Nicky’s face was settled in a deep frown. Joe was tightly gripping the steering wheel, and he mumbled, “You two should get a taxi.” But they continued to be ignored by Andy and Quynh, still lost in each other’s eyes, in their memories, in all the love they had ahead of themselves.

[taeken-my-heart]

Moirai Chapter 15

Summary: On your 18th birthday a name appears on your wrist. The name of your soulmate. It’s a momentous day that everyone looks forward to, but you’ve always brushed aside; refusing to believe in a fickle mistress called destiny. But what happens when on the morning of your 18th birthday you wake to find the name of your mortal enemy? Jeon Jungkook.

Pairing: Jungkook x Reader Genre: Soulmates au/ Enemies to lovers au. Angst, fluff, bickering, romance, eventual smut.

Word Count: 4580

NOTES: Next chapter is THE chapter...if you catch my drift ;) It will be coming out VERY soon, so keep an eye out for that. This chapter is slightly shorter than others, but next chapter will be longer than normal, so I hope that will make up for it!

**

You weren’t sure you would ever get used to the feeling of Jimin’s absence. It had been just over a month since you’d broken up and it was like a cavern in your chest. You hadn’t had much distraction at first, at least until Lizzy found out.

It had been overwhelming when she found out. She was the type of friend that liked to coddle and you just wanted to forget everything and be alone. Eventually, she found a distraction that worked for you, spending multiple nights a week bringing you dinner and conversation.

Your schedules didn’t always match up but somehow, she always made it work. She’d find you at work and sit with you in the breakroom sharing her hummus and chips. She’d find you outside of the hospital sitting on one of the benches, waiting to be entertained with jokes and lively stories. Or, like tonight, she’d find you at home.

A rare night off for the both of you, Lizzy had come over with takeout and a cheesy romcom from the 90’s you’d already seen one too many times. One more time couldn’t hurt, though.

You’d recently moved to a new apartment and most of your stuff was still in boxes, but you had a beanbag chair and a love seat to enjoy. The sofa had been Jimin’s purchase so you were lacking in a better seating arrangement until you could find time to search for your own couch.

Lizzy stretched lethargically across the arms of the loveseat, takeout pasta dish in her lap as she slurped noisily and you wiggled around in the beanbag chair, trying to find a more comfortable position. “I told you I can take the beanbag!” Lizzy said, turning to look at you and you shook your head, holding your own bowl of pasta to your chest as you readjusted once more.

“No way, you’re my guest, Liz.”

“I’m your best friend; that hardly counts.” She said, standing from the loveseat and hovering in front of you, “get up.”

“Seriously, I got this.” You insisted and Lizzy frowned, hand going to rest on her jutted hip.

“You look like a beached whale right now. Up, up.”

You huffed, putting your food on the floor beside you and rolling onto your knees with a groan. “Wow, things really are not the same when you’re in your 30’s.” You complained, standing and bending over to grab your food. Lizzy settled into the beanbag with a contented sigh and you resigned yourself to the (far more comfortable) loveseat.

“We need a vacation.” Lizzy announced loudly and you looked over at her while reaching over for your glass of wine on the TV dinner table between the two of you. It was rickety, precarious with age; as old as your high school diploma. Back before you’d ever even met Jimin or learned how to be delicate with your things.  A quick trip to the thrift store on your way to your first semester of college had deemed you its new owner. Who knows how many had owned it before?

“What made you think that so suddenly?” You questioned.

“To be fair,” she slurped a noodle loudly and you waited, “I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but I’m just now saying it. We’re tired and overworked and I want to sit somewhere on a beach in a bikini that shows off a little bit too much of my cellulite and drink an appletini that makes me feel a little too dizzy and just live my life. You know?”

You smiled, sipping over the rim of your glass and humming. “Maybe your soulmate is on that beach.” You teased and Lizzy’s eyes lit up, leaning forward in the beanbag.

“You’re so right. So where should we go? I’m thinking Mallorca. My sister went there last year and said it was unbelievably gorgeous.”

“Sure, we can go to Mallorca. I can’t do it for a couple months, though. I’ve already taken a few days off for my sister’s wedding so I doubt I could take more time off so soon after.”

Lizzy hummed, taking a sip of her own wine. “That’s right, when’s her wedding again?”

“The 20th of next month.” You sighed, leaning your head back against the headrest of your chair and spacing out on the television.

“You gonna be OK?”

You paused, watching the colors dance across your vision before lifting your head to look at your friend. “What do you mean?”

“You gonna be ok at your sister’s wedding? I know you, Y/N. You act like things are OK when they’re not. Do you want me to go as your plus one?” She’d finished her pasta by now, empty bowl discarded beside her on the floor.

You sighed again, looking back at the television. “What do you want me to say? Jimin absolutely broke me. I’m absolutely not OK, everything hurts and every morning I wake up thinking maybe it’ll be better and it’s just not. I know someday it will be ok, but it was 8 years, you know? Now I get to go sit at my sister’s wedding and watch her marry her soulmate while my own is,” you paused, realizing you had yet to tell your friend about Jungkook. Now was not the time. “Well, anyway. I’m not OK…but I will be.”

“I’m sorry,” Lizzy frowned, twisting her fingers around her glass. “I shouldn’t have asked. For what it’s worth, though, I know you’ll get through it. You’re pretty amazing, you always bounce back and this time will be no different, it just might take a little longer.”

You nodded, heart clenching at the thought of more time. More time to sit and think about Jimin and hurt. Sometimes you wish you could just turn your heart off.

Later, after Lizzy had left home and you’d finished cleaning up your living room, you made your way towards your bedroom, flicking on the lights. There were only a couple boxes left unpacked in here. You’d wanted a sense of normalcy in at least one room so you’d chosen to focus on your bedroom.

Lizzy had come over and helped you hang up the fairy lights across your ceiling. They cast a much softer glow than the actual light in the center of the room and you liked that warm feeling, like a security blanket over your heart.

This apartment was smaller than the last, you couldn’t afford to spend your one paycheck on two extra bedrooms you didn’t need. Instead, you’d stuffed your office supplies inside the smaller second bedroom. Eventually this place would feel like home and it wouldn’t haunt you with memories in every corner. It was blissfully blank.

Ella was coming out for her final dress fitting tomorrow and you’d be joining her for your own. You’d been eating one too many pieces of chocolate recently so you were a little concerned it wouldn’t fit quite right, but maybe if you sucked in enough it would work out.

You sat on the side of your tub, brushing your teeth languidly as you thought. Apartments were eerily quiet when you lived in them alone. Granted, you lived on the top floor all the way at the end so you really only had to worry about one wall, and that neighbor was apparently some kind of producer, so he was never there.

You missed the noise of another person, though. The thought overwhelmed you suddenly, the vast emptiness of it all and your eyes stung as they filled with tears. Crying with toothpaste slathered all over your mouth was not the look you were going for so you quickly rinsed out your mouth before sitting back on the edge of the tub.

You knew you were still young, still had time, but it honestly felt like a ticking time bomb. You weren’t getting any younger, already close to turning 31 and you felt like your dreams of the future you had were slipping from between your fingertips.

Your dreams with Jimin were gone, like ash in the wind. That you would have to let go of…but to be in love, to be a mother…those were difficult pills to swallow. Tonight, like many other nights before, you wondered what would have happened if Jungkook hadn’t turned you down. Would you be in love? Would you be married and have children?

You supposed it was silly to wonder if you’d be in love, you’d never seen the universe pair people up incorrectly, even if it seemed like maybe it had at first. Jimin said he’d had a couple of soulmates in his office before, but you’d never seen it yourself and you just wondered if that was just that those individuals were unwilling to work with anyone.

If you and Jungkook had given each other a chance…well, maybe you could have been magical. It was futile to still think about it, even though he was back in your life. There was no way of really knowing if that was something he even wanted. Sure, he’d seemed apologetic and like he wanted to make amends…but perhaps that was just to satiate his guilt, or maybe he felt sorry about losing your friendship or perhaps you were only a backup plan, in case he couldn’t find anyone else better.

You scoffed, standing from the edge of the tub and rinsing off your toothbrush before flipping off the bathroom lights and heading back into your bedroom. You wiped at your cheeks, willing yourself to stop crying. It didn’t help anything to mope and it certainly didn’t help to imagine things you couldn’t possibly know.

You slipped under the covers, pulling them up to your chin and staring out into the dark across your mattress, feeling far emptier than it had in a long time. It may have been foolish to imagine all those things, but no one ever communicated that to your heart and she loved to mourn what she’d never even had.

 **

It was the perfect day to wear a sundress. You’d shaved your legs, scrubbed your face from any puffiness from crying and were now sat outside a nearby café waiting for Ella and your mom to arrive. Late summer was beautiful and you let the sun warm your legs as you sought shelter under your table’s umbrella, running your fingers across the metal of the chair.

You were tired this morning. Negative thoughts had kept you awake for most of the night, but with a dress appointment and work later tonight, you wouldn’t have much of an opportunity to make up for it.

Across the street you saw your mom’s car pull into a parking spot and you waved as she and your sister both stepped from the car, scanning the sidewalk for you. They smiled, waving back, before making their way to the crosswalk and you waited patiently.

“Sweetheart!” Your mom called and you stood, reaching out to hug her as they got closer.

She held you close, a little too tight and warm for the weather, but you sunk into the embrace. She only lived an hour away, but you hadn’t seen her much recently and with everything going on, you were exhausted and just needed to hug your mom.

“How are you?” She asked, standing back and rubbing her thumb across your cheek. “You look tired.”

You smiled, soft, shaking your head at her. “I’m ok. Didn’t sleep well last night. Morning, Ella!”

Ella squealed, flinging her arms out for a hug and you chuckled as she embraced you. “I’m so excited! It’s almost here!”

“I know,” you agreed, “I can hardly believe it. Feels like just yesterday we were little kids and you were stealing all my clothes.”

Ella chuckled, grabbing your hand and leading you back towards the table. She took her seat across from you with your mother in the middle and set her purse delicately in her lap before replying. “Well, now you’re always dressed in scrubs. I think it’s safe to say my fashion sense is better than yours.”

You smiled, shrugging, “I don’t know, this dress is pretty cute.”

“True.” Ella admitted, “You live too far to steal from now, though.”

“Remind me when you’re coming back home again?” Your mother asked, perusing the menu and you picked up your own to start looking.

“The day before the wedding. It’s pretty hard to get more time off right now.”

“I can’t believe you’re going to miss my bachelorette party.” Ella pouted, sipping at the water the waiter dropped off.

“I know,” you sighed, closing your menu. You’d been to this place a few times and always got the same thing; you weren’t sure why you kept checking the menu as if something would have changed. “I really wanted to go, but they’ll already be down an anesthesiologist that week so they really can’t afford to let me go for too long.”

“Are you ladies ready to order?” Your server asked, pen and paper ready and after you’d ordered and handed over your menu’s, conversation resumed.

“So, what’s dad doing right now? Laying around in his boxers?” You asked and your mother laughed.

“Most likely.”

“Gross.” Ella scoffed and your mother poked her in the side.

“Hey now, I happen to really enjoy that view.”

“Double gross!” Ella complained and you sipped at your lemonade. It was nice being with your family again, even though your father was currently not here. It had been months since you’d seen them all together, months since you’d had enough time saved up to take off and drive home for a few days. You were trying to get as much guided experience as you could while you still had someone supervising your every move. Taking extra time off just wasn’t reasonable right now.

“Is Michael at work today?” You asked, watching as your sister thanked the waiter and sipped at the martini he’d just brandished.

“Yeah, I didn’t want him here anyway. It’s bad luck to see the bride in her dress before the wedding. I don’t need any bad juju on my special day.”

“You don’t really believe in that stuff, do you?” Your mother teased and Ella nodded earnestly.

“Totally! I’ve got my apartment all set up to invite positive feng shui in and I do yoga every morning and night. It’s really brought a lot of clarity to my mind.”

“I should probably do some yoga.” You mused, staring off across the street at nothing in particular. “Could use some relaxation.”

“Maybe a massage would be better,” your mom grinned, “last time I tried yoga, I pulled a hamstring.”

“Well, you obviously weren’t doing it right.” Ella huffed, “It’s meant to center your mind, not hurt you.”

“Tell that to the high lunge.” She giggled. 

**

The dress shop was beautifully air conditioned. You could feel a bead of sweat sink into your bra and you grimaced. Ella looked like she’d walked straight into heaven, the lady at the door greeting the three of you with water bottles and a smile.

You took the proffered bottle from its tray, gulping half of it down before following after the woman in charge of your sisters dress alterations. She rambled on excitedly about the recent finishing touches to your dresses and you nodded as though you were listening, walking into the backroom where small changing rooms were draped in white curtains for privacy.

“Your dress is just over here.” She directed, showing Ella to the large bridal room and Ella followed after with a squeal of delight. Her dress was draped elegantly over the bodice of a mannequin that honestly did the lace no justice and you watched your sister flit like a bird around every side to inspect the work.

“Your beading is so exquisite, Darcy.” She cried warmly and the seamstress hummed happily.

“Let’s try it on, shall we?”

Ella nodded enthusiastically, dropping her (most likely expensive) purse unceremoniously on the floor and beginning to strip from her clothing. Darcy chuckled, closing the draping quickly so your sister could get ready in privacy.

Both your mother and yourself sat on a bench against the wall opposite and chatted softly while you waited; listening to the little gasps and squeaks of your sister as she was fastened into her gown.

“Oh, it’s beautiful!” She called over the top of the curtain and your mother shouted out her enthusiasm to see it.

Darcy pulled back the curtain and your mother gasped, running to meet your sister where she stood on a pedestal looking like a princess. “You look so beautiful!” She said, already teary eyed and you walked to meet them with a smile, rubbing the soft lace of your sister’s dress gently between the tips of your fingers.

“You look like a princess.” You agreed and Ella beamed.

“It’s perfect.” She sighed, twirling the skirt and eyeing herself in the mirror. “I feel like I’m living in a fairytale.”

“Let’s get you ladies in your dresses as well and see if we need to do anymore tune ups.” Darcy said and both you and your mother walked to your own dressing rooms to be helped into your dresses. Your dress was a lavender floor length with off the shoulder sleeves and it made you feel unreasonably beautiful.

“You look gorgeous.” Ella whispered and you turned to find her behind you, surveying the fabric of your dress. “If I didn’t know that Michael was so obsessed with me I’d be concerned.”

You chuckled, shaking your head at her. “Don’t be ridiculous. No one will even know I’m in the room if you’re there. You look gorgeous; Michael is gonna die.”

“Do you think it fits me well?” She murmured and you smiled, nodding.

“Like a glove.”

“Look at my girls.” Your mother crowed, walking towards you in a dress like your own. “You both look so beautiful.”

“We get it from our mom.” Ella teased and your mother laughed.

“And don’t you forget it!”

“How do your dresses feel?” Darcy asked, approaching your circle. “Any modifications?” She pinched at the fabric of your dress as she surveyed the fit and you allowed her to manhandle you.

“Actually, my dress feels like it fits perfectly, as long as I don’t gain any weight.” You smoothed your fingers down the silk idly.

Darcy moved on to the other two dresses, pinching and surveying as she went and you twisted in the mirror to see the back of the dress.

“You said you work later tonight, right?” Ella asked as she was led back to her own dressing room and you followed.

“Yeah, I work at 5pm. I’ll have to leave as soon as we’re done with this fitting.”

Darcy waved one of the other attendings over, “Can you assess her dress? She’s running on a time limit.”

The woman nodded, ushering you back to your own dressing room and you stood up on the little stool in the center so that she could go over the details of your dress one final time before the wedding.

“So you’ve got somewhere to be soon?” She asked casually, sitting down beside the end of your dress with a pin between her teeth.

“Ah, yeah, I’ve got work later. I’m an anesthesiologist at the hospital.”

“You must be very busy,” She hummed and you nodded, watching her work.

“Yeah, I mean, it can definitely get crazy sometimes. I guess we’ll see how everything goes tonight.” You mused.

“I’m rooting for you.” She smiled up at you.

**

It wasn’t very often that the hospital was still. It was eerie in its solitude. Empty hallways, the nurse’s station busy with conversation. You were back in the maternity ward this evening. Not many rooms were occupied tonight; no babies ready to be born. You had one caesarean scheduled in two hours and a whole lot of free time.

You could hear the cry of a baby in a room as you passed; disquietude with its currently mortal journey. “Bored?” One of the nurses called and you smiled with a nod, “Come chat.” She waved you over and you complied with ease.

“How are you, Jane?” You inquired softly. Jane was young, mid-twenties, and fresh with enthusiasm. Her hair was wild in its bun, like she’d thrown it up in a hurry, but she smiled bright and that comforted you.

“I’m great,” she beamed, twisting the engagement ring around her finger idly. “Josh and I just put an offer in on a house!”

“That’s amazing!” You smiled, leaning across the desk. “I wish I could afford a house, but my apartment will have to do for now.”

“Honestly, the only reason we could afford to do it is because Josh sold that app he was developing. Got 3 million for it. Crazy, right?”

“3 million?” You spluttered, “Oh my gosh, I wish I could develop an app.”

Jane laughed, “Me too, but I have no talent for that sort of thing.”

“Me neither.” You mused.

“So how have you been, Y/N? I heard about you and Jimin. I’m so sorry.”

Your heart seized at the mention of his name, but you mustered a smile; you knew she meant well. Jane didn’t have an unkind bone in her body.

“I’m OK,” you answered honestly, “work keeps me pretty distracted. It’s just gonna take some time to learn my new normal.”

“I’m sorry I brought it up,” Jane frowned, “That was thoughtless of me.”

“It’s OK,” you reassured, “I know you, Jane, you didn’t mean any harm.”

“Just because I meant well doesn’t mean it was right. I’m sorry. I wish I could ease the pain.”

“I wish you could too,” you chuckled, “You sure Josh is the one? Not me?”

Jane giggled, “That’s what my wrist says, anyway.” She tapped at her tattoo and you grinned.

“Dang. He’s a lucky guy.” You sighed deep. “Well, I’m gonna go sit in the break room for a bit and rest my feet.”

“Get yourself a snack, too!” She called and you waved a goodbye.

The breakroom was quiet when you entered, one resident sprawled prostrate across the couch as its only occupant. You made your way to the vending machine, peering into the spirals, chaining snacks in place. Nothing of real substance; but there were pretzels.

After retiring to the couch with your snack, you allowed the silence to wash over you. It still didn’t feel real that Jimin was no longer around. Even in a new apartment, his absence was like a nail in your heart. You wondered if you’d ever feel better. Ever feel normal again.

Maybe if Jungkook- no, there was no point in thinking that way. He’d made his decision, you just needed to let that go. You couldn’t hold on to someone you weren’t even sure wanted you back. It was just another kind of heartache you didn’t need right now.

Back in high school you could have never imagined this future. A future in which your enemy was your soulmate and you were the one that was sad that he didn’t want to try for…more. It was frustrating just how devastated that made you feel.

The crunch of your pretzels filled your head like a drum and you stared absentmindedly at the ceiling. You could hear the soft snores of the sleeping resident and you wished that you could be like him. So many people said eventually you’d be able to just tune it all out and fall asleep, but you preferred the comfort of a bed and a couch that gave you a crick in the neck would never do.

The door to the breakroom opened and Jungkook walked sluggishly inside. He hadn’t noticed you, fiddling with something in the pocket of his scrubs. He walked up to survey the vending machine and you took the opportunity to watch him.

He looked tired; the kind of worn you could only get from working 18 straight hours without rest. His shoulders sagged with his fatigue and his eyelids drooped. He settled on a bag of chips before turning and spotting you.

“Oh. I didn’t see you there,” he walked towards you, motioning to the spot beside you. “Do you mind if I-?”

You shook your head, motioning for him to sit down and he slumped into the seat with a puff of exhaustion. “Long day?”

“The longest.” He nodded, slowly opening his bag of chips and munching on the end of one as his vision blurred on the floor.

“How long have you been here?” You asked softly, hoping your voice wasn’t loud enough to wake the sleeping resident on the opposite couch.

Jungkook shrugged, eyes still trained on the tile floor. “Probably 16 hours, maybe longer. I’m honestly not sure what time it is.”

You glanced down at your watch, humming. “It’s 9pm.”

He was slouched, docile like a doll in the lumpy cushions of the couch beneath you and you smiled down at him. You remembered how exhausted you were when you very first started. You were still exhausted most of the time, but now it was like a film over a window pane that you’d become accustomed to.

“How long does the exhaustion last for?” He asked, looking over at you and you shrugged.

“Probably forever.” You mumbled and he frowned.

“Encouraging.”

You chuckled, staring right back. “Sorry. To be fair, the load does lessen and it’s easier to function like a human, but it takes time. We’ve all got to put in our grunt work; it makes you appreciate things more.”

“Life’s never easy.” He nodded, tracing the edges of his chip bag. “I definitely agree that timing is everything and sometimes if you have to wait for something for a long time and work really hard for it…it’s more worthwhile because you’ve earned it. You know?”

He turned to look at you and suddenly you felt like his question was more than just surface level. “What if you work for something and you never end up getting it?” You asked softly.  “You work so hard for so long and have these big dreams and it just…never materializes?”

“Then I suppose it wasn’t meant to be.”

“It seems like even destiny has become a liar at times.” You sighed, but you couldn’t look away from him.

Jungkook shook his head, “I think sometimes it just takes a little longer for fate to work its magic.”

“Maybe,” you mumble, watching as his eyes traced along the shape of your face, “Jungkook, I-”

Suddenly, someone is yawning loudly and you jumped, turning to see the resident you’d completely forgotten about sitting up, scrubbing at his face tiredly. Dr. Amari smiled over at you, grin lopsided and drooping with fatigue.

“Evening Dr. Y/N, Dr. Jeon. That power nap was exactly what I needed.” He groaned, adjusting himself on the coach so that he was no longer on his front before pulling the table beside him forward and rifling through pages he’d apparently left there before falling asleep.

Jungkook chuckled to himself softly before standing and adjusting his scrubs. “I should go. I only had a few minutes to rest anyway. I’ll see you around, Y/N.”

You nodded, mute, and watched as he left back out the door he’d come in. The room returned to its previous solitude and you sighed. It was going to be such a long night.

**

Next chapter is THE chapter so look forward to that!

Let me know what you think, my loves <3

Chapter 14

Chapter 16

Copyright © 2018 by Taeken-My-Heart. All rights reserved.

[blankdblank]

Hobbit Soulmate Pt 44

“Ooh,” You said lifting a large package of bars of soap that were strawberry scented that with a smirk you added to your cart. To go with the strawberry shaped soap trays that were on clearance for the upcoming seasonal shift you’d grabbed all of allowing the worker to then grab the leaf shaped ones to go with the rest of the new home decor they were getting in. Ignoring your body’s ache at your lack of sleep on your first night in the new place until you’d curled up on the loveseat from your former sitting room now in your own living room watching tv until you dozed off a couple hours before dawn.

Bath mats and a fuzzy carpet soon to be shifted for new ones you had laid in your cart that would make for a fun walk home managing all this. Somehow some oversized towels were on the clearance aisle as well you added to the cart that would go well somewhere in your numerous bathrooms. In reaching for an odd mirror coated decoration you couldn’t make out its use your body flinched at Adrien’s voice saying. “You really went fire engine?” His eyes looking you over after you managed to catch the thing you’d hands had let go of then caught his eye finding a hint of surprise he’d frightened you. “You’re supposed to be going blonde soon. That’s going to make you pink now. Good job.”

“It washes out. Only lasts a couple weeks. Been sleeping on a towel to save my pillow. Keeps rubbing off.” You said looking down to the mirrored thing you put back in its spot then moved on luring him behind you.

“How many roles have you had on film?”

“Um, fifteen? Maybe, why?”

“And you really went and dropped four million on a house in New York. Must have gave you one hell of a payday on those films to make you think you were safe to drop that kind of coin.”

“Wasn’t four. And it’s not just my home. My dad’s here and my friend rents the basement apartment and my fiancé when he’s not working in England will be living with me as well. Not to mention future babies that wouldn’t have made it easy to keep by bed and a half apartment I just left. Plus I baby sit for my cousins.”

His brows furrowed in confusion moving to look you over as you eyed a wall of hangers for the best deal, “How can you have a half bedroom?”

“Well it might have been a closet, it did have shelves and bars in it, but it was big enough to fit just a bed inside, so that was my guest bed to go with my pull out in the sitting room if I had a guest while my dad was there.” A pack of single and combination hangers were added to your basket and he moved with you to the supply of hampers you grabbed four of.

“Why do you need four hampers?”

“Laundry chutes. Dad added them. Stairs to the basement aren’t the best for carrying hampers.” You caught his eye saying with a twirl of your finger, “Spiral steps.”

“And who would put spiral steps in a brownstone?”

You shrugged, “Someone obviously with more imagination than you, those steps are beautiful.” Looping back around again some bath salts were grabbed next to go with some exfoliating cream while he grabbed a new pair of nail clippers and shaving supplies coming back to your side when you chose a face wash with his eyes scanning over your cart glad he missed your choosing the period supplies you’d chosen. “Excited for New Zealand?” You asked luring his eyes back to your face.

“I’m always excited to travel to new places. Been a bit hard to reach Naomi though and hear about how she feels on all this.”

“She’s filming in Venice.” That parted his lips, “We are friends, you know, me her and her Mate Liev. She told me she had a dream role she’d been dying to audition for that’s why she dropped from Kong, to have her dream role. If you want I’ll email her to call you if you like. To confirm.”

“So you’re saying she’s fine with you taking over her role?”

“Everyone seems to be but you.” You answered, “Don’t worry, a lot of people have doubts on me at first. If not my size then my inexperience or silence.”

“Be more worried about that trip to the hospital if I was footing the bill.”

That had you giggle and shake your head, “Called Peter the day it happened. They’re all fine, glad I got through my show which was the real test for them.”

“What even happened? Stomach bug? You were carried to the hospital.”

“I had a cyst that burst. Mainly soreness some nausea and fever, swelling, if any, passes in a couple days.”

“Cyst,” he said and inched closer, “That like cancer? Tumors and all that?”

Shaking your head you smirked up at him, “No, I mean broadly they are growths that feed mainly off of organs but no, I don’t have cancer and it was my only cyst. Just decided to explode one day.”

“You have been checked for cancer? I had a grandma went out like that, it’s not good.”

“So did I, I get yearly checks. Dad makes sure we all do. Mom died when I was little, doctors couldn’t find out what from, just got sick and was gone the next day. Doctors said I was fine and could have stayed home but my Dad doesn’t risk it, even if it may worry some weak kneed Producers.”

“Seriously, just, one night?”

You nodded, “Something that went after her brain. Been a few new viruses that sound a bit like what I’ve been told about it. Maybe there’ll be an answer in the next decade, if it’s anything viral or genetic then we can check that route too.”

His eyes were fixed on you in his try to soak in just how terrifying that must have been in the moment and how hard it must have been to get past that to perform and deal with the press on it too. “That’s fucking terrifying.”

“Yup,” you replied with a nod, “Not as terrifying as some people have it. Sometimes you don’t get answers.”

“Sounds like something you hear at a sermon.”

“Obviously we’ve been sitting through different sermons.” You joked back moving on towards the registers ignoring the odd supply of only pink and brown towels left on the shelves you would look into finding more for the bathrooms later.

On the next register over he rang up his few items and made his way outside to see you with bags in the hampers propped on your hip and rug pressed to your side on the walk out of the building. Shaking his head he said, “Hey, where are you going?”

Turning your head you saw him behind his sports car he settled his bag into the open trunk, “Home,” you answered.

Flatly he huffed and said, “Put your stuff in the car before you get hit by one.”

“You know this is going to throw a wrench in your plan to loathe me for all eternity,” you teased and his brows dropped challengingly.

“Just get your stuff in here before I put you in the trunk.” He replied.

“I’m wearing you down,” you said walking to the trunk settling the hampers inside while he took the rug and eased it inside until it hit the backseat barrier he went inside the car to unlatch the seat to ease the rug in the rest of the way closing the trunk in your path to the passenger side.

Once inside he asked, “Where am I going?”

“Take the exit by that fake tree thing.” He looked you over and you said, “I don’t live on 4th and Broadway, it’s five blocks over.”

“Where did you live before?”

“Subway stop over. Not far, Dad liked me in lower Manhattan close to his friend.”

After backing out once the engine turned over he followed the direction and all the way to the stoop he drove, pulling up to park and get out helping to pop the trunk after the quiet drive where he focused on the chatter playing over the radio. “Thanks, for the ride.”

Carefully he eased the rug out that you took hold of hoisting the hampers back to your hip and he said, “You should buy a car.”

“I got a metro card.” You said earning a huff on your turn for your stoop.

Onto the curb you hopped and you turned hearing, “Hey Jaqi,” a smile eased across your lips in seeing Keanu on his path out of his place, the large rug in your arms had him hurry over shifting his gym bag to take hold of it, “I got that.”

“Thank you,” you giggled out to his spreading smile in his glad to help moment.

His head turned to Adrien who said in his move to plop into the car again, “Make her buy a car.”

Keanu glanced from the actor closing himself inside his car to you as you said, “One minute he’s giving me grief I bought this place now he’s ordering me to buy a car and pretending he doesn’t want to be my friend.”

Softly he chuckled walking with you up your stoop saying, “Hard not to be worried about your safety even just meeting you.”

You unlocked the door, “Cuz I’m short isn’t it?”

Again he chuckled walking through with you to the stairs where set the hampers down taking hold of the rug, “Perhaps. I’m gonna let you get to decorating again, supposed to meet some special trainer at the gym.”

“Ooh, sounds like fun.” You said settling the rug on the stairs to walk him out. “Thank you again.”

“No problem,” he said on the stoop, “Place looks nice so far. Glad to see it’s not rubble anymore, old guy didn’t know what he had.”

“Shouldn’t take long, just coats of paint for major changes we can think of still. If you’re still in town in the fall we might have it ready for a dinner party or something when I’m back in town from work.”

“I’ll be there,” he said with a smile.

“How long,” you said halting him on the first step, “did it take you to decorate your place?”

“Never really decorated,” he replied, “I think a home is meant to evolve as we do. Had swarms of decorators and magazines calling on my place when I got on the screen a little bit. Not my thing, if it’s not yours either just be you. Hard to find families so down to earth in this business.”

You nodded saying, “Hard to be an introvert when people know you have space out here. Everyone wants an invite.”

“They’ll learn. Should see the tabloids I get house hunting in the West Coast. Just wait it out and enjoy the fortress of solitude Superman.” That had you grin in his trot down the steps waving on his way to the gym and you turned back to seal yourself inside.

First the bags were left on the steps to lift the hampers you took down to the basement laying out each in place under the chutes to trot back up to grab the soap dishes and soap to spread through the spare bathrooms on each floor. Right up to the top floor where after you hung up your new hangers you used on some more of your clothes the tags were taken off the new towels you dropped down your laundry chute that you listened to smirking at each echoing plop of their landing in the new hamper. While Lee was off at the rehearsals for his new off-Broadway play and your dad was with your landlord and their friends on his floor for a card game to the nursery you went readying the paint cans for the quilt patches once the windows were opened.

Already you’d coated the walls with the silvery blue background and with finer brushes straddling the top of a folding ladder you sat painting your way down on each patch and quote. Richard was working and while back in Russia your grandparents had left you a message that the dress designers were already on the wedding dress your grandmother had taken fresh measurements to double check that they would have the proper ones confirming that your body hadn’t changed since they had made the last gowns for your premiers.

All more than eager to handle this special gown that by appearance alone could pass as another special premier gown to be a bigger surprise for the world when the photographs would be revealed, if you would let them. They knew your family and you since over the years and wouldn’t take it personally if you didn’t blast the wedding day, knowing that even if word did leak that you were married secretly you would share their name even without sharing the pictures. Something they had a great respect for your young self garnering more stout in the business while keeping your head on straight and respecting those who help you along the way no matter how big or small.

.

Towel shopping with Liv came next in a day trip through the final half of the build and installation of the new beds followed the next day by a trip with Jen L to one of her video shoots before she was set to leave town. Each day getting further painted throughout while settling the freshly washed towels and sheets for the guest beds you didn’t have company for yet. Once your platform bed frame with cushioned headboard was put together again in the now aired out bedroom and settled on top of a second rug matching the one you picked for your not yet bought seating section. Nightstands were situated with your aquarium lamp in place that for a moment you sighed taking a seat on your bed again hoping for a sign to somehow make this room feel more like Richard could have snuck in and left you something of his. All of this being what you had mainly picked with hopes it wouldn’t be despised later on when he did come to see all you’d done.

A few more second hand shop trips with your dad and some more pieces were added throughout the living and common rooms, including some cool footstools you would decide where to put later. Among that a cushioned chair to go with your desk you put in your living room on the top floor and a standing mirror you got a tapestry of a horse to coat it when you weren’t using it in your closet to keep from scaring yourself in the middle of the night. All making for fun trips in the van taxi’s for the bulkier items that one driver in particular took a bit of enjoyment seeing you and him chauffeuring each piece home as you got it seamlessly between the two of you. Actually making the spare beds was another task to help you wear yourself to sleep along with vacuuming the carpets putting the sound proof floors to good test. Always bringing your dad on his own sleepless tidying tasks into your path.

Another couple sets of dishes and glasses were added to the mix to be washed and put away to accommodate any guests outnumbering the dishes you did have. Relaxing days to the scattered bits of sleep you had in this restless transition came between the magazine spread and a shoot for pictures including the rest of the cast for the Little Mermaid show in a special book of art to build more money for the charity. Along with a third for Julliard rounding up former students of yours, Lee and Tracy’s year like prior years to give a sort of progress report also for books to build up money for the school. Funds from which partly would go towards students like yourself that was on scholarships to attend, which would be noted in your bio.

.

Pop up baby beds and some toys had the cameramen outside doubling to record your so called ‘Baby Fever’ that a purchase of some diapers and wipes the day prior had set off. Two simple trips and now the press had a new explanation for the home purchase that had stunned them on size alone for your tiny self. Living with your dad and Lee, two notoriously tall men in their own rights, had hinted maybe the space was spent on ceiling height rather than the jaw dropping room count real estate moguls had estimated on by the lot size. But now, through the cameras you trotted across the curb on a couple trips moving your purchases from taxi to your stoop and back again until the same smiling driver had ensured you had it all before heading off with cash in hand with a chuckle to your third thank you for his patience.

One question through a sea of shouted questions had you glance at the asking bolero and Hawaiian shirt clad man, “Jaqi, what about King Kong?”

“What about King Kong?” You asked hoisting up the bags you’d move up to the door after having taken two of the pop up beds leaving the second set on the bottom steps still.

“If you’re planning for a baby won’t that ruin the filming? Or are you dropping out to be a mom?”

In a stunning giggle from you the crowd fell silent watching your trot up and down again to lift the second set of baby beds and say, “I’m not pregnant, I am however baby sitting a few days. Tons of big beds upstairs, but toddlers do tend to roll time to time.” The chatter picked up again to your second giggle, “Careful ride home guys, smells like rain.” That had them looking up to the clear sky confusing them while you shuffled the boxes and bags into the mudroom blocking view farther in soon gone behind the locked door. The weather comment had proven to be right as within an hour the sky darkened and the storm from Brooklyn had moved in to your part of town making good use of your shutters you latched fully to just have your lamplight and the sleep welcoming sound of the rain.

Through the nursery you settled the pop up beds and stashed the diapers and wipes in the empty cubies alongside the blankets and few other supplies you might need. The music box from Canada had been added as well out of reach for any baby. The final play area downstairs in the living room was last and enough to make your dad smile on his way down from watching the game in his living room. “When is Lily dropping her Hector off?” He asked seeing you back from adding some diapers and changing supplies to the bathroom near the kitchen to not have to climb three floors to get to them if needed.

“Should be soon. She’s got that flight at two. But that’s figuring in her time to apologize and insist she didn’t mean to burden me with her child and puppy on a two week ahead notice.”

Lowly he chuckled, “Her husband’s a pilot and she’s finishing her degree and interning at a great law firm, what’s to apologize for we’re family.”

“Apparently she’s spoiling my youth and stealing my free time with her toddler and dog. What she’s told me so far.”

“How many beds did you get?”

“Four, but they’re pretty big, like a crib tent mixture, pop right up and have a cushioned mattress inside so they’re not on a cot. It’s not the tallest one but it’ll save the painful teeter over the side wall for me. Be nice and comfy for them. You are okay with this?”

Smiling at you he settled beside you on the couch, “We are baby and dog testing the house, Hector will have his three cousins drop by tomorrow and we will see if the roof holds. It’s four toddlers, I could manage that in my sleep, so could you. Even the dogs should be good, got the latch fixed on the doggy door so they can come in and out as they please.”

“They were out of changing tables.”

“Old towels will do fine.” In a glance over your face he asked, “How did you get into touch with Kim again?”

That had you let out a breath, “Well, first month in Julliard I had a firefighter in the market shopping stop and called out Kim. When he came closer he said he was sorry thought I was someone’s wife he knew from a fundraiser that summer, said it was crazy how much we looked alike. Few months later there was a woman who stopped me on the street asking if I was Kim again. Every few months I’d hear the name again till I told another fireman to tell Kim Jaqi said hi.” That made him smirk and chuckle to himself. “And it sort of went back and forth, Kim says hi, George says hi.” You wet your lips feeling the sting of the loss of that kind man you barely had time to know as part of your family. “She had some work that brought her from Jersey, hair styling convention I think, something like that. I was out with one of the Queens who saw my doppelganger across the diner. Walked over asking if she was Kim, we sat and had lunch, helped her up after, she was pretty tip-able carrying her triplets still.”

“And she’s getting the restraining order tomorrow?”

“Yes, first thing. Said she could come stay tonight, her train is coming in pretty late, cheaper rates and less crowded for the stroller and for her dog.”

“I can imagine,” he rumbled looping his arm around your back guiding you into his chest, “And her in-laws haven’t bothered you?”

“Only saw them the once when they came to town hearing about the convention thing. Let her crash at mine when the line was down for repair delaying her ticket back. Called my lawyer to see if there was a good custody lawyer for her and George. Seemed to have it handled till he passed and now they’ve been pitching a fit since the triplets were born and hearing she’s got more on the way. Apparently they think their money will win them the babies cuz she’s on her own.”

“We’ll move her in here if we have to. Keep her from those goons.”

“Well, lawyers all say it’s very good for her, she has steady work on that morning Jersey show and they give great leave apparently and will welcome her back and the babies for their daycare center there after the birth. Been supportive. Just needed some good representation to startle their country club asshole.”

Again he chuckled in your settle more into his side, “Well I can only imagine who your lawyer picked and for how hard he slams for you I’m glad Kim has that on her side. Been nice to hear my cousin’s family was still safe when you found her. Now I get to meet his youngest grandbabies he would have loved.”

“I still can’t get over his parents, I mean, he gets lung cancer from the firehouse and helping with the Towers and they just try to swoop in like this. You know I think she was less stunned than I was on the whole suit until we heard the lawyer was going Pro Bono because of George. Told him I’d foot the bill but it just had him so enraged by what my lawyer told me. Even more so after having spoken to her just over the phone hearing how on edge this has put her.”

“I can’t imagine you wouldn’t find people with personal ties to the people lost in every corner of this city. Even further through the volunteer responders. For now though, we have Hector, Clover, Cleo,”

“And Oliver.”

“Wow,”

“Yes,” you giggled out, “the only boy name to match the girls’ exactly was Clem, which would have been Clementine, but he kept his legs crossed little jokester. But I love Oliver as a name, so cute, and Clover too.”

“Yes, Cleo is more regal hint to it.”

Brakes squeaked outside and you both got up and hurried to the door at the taxi there. Under the large umbrella hung by the door on the coat hook there you went down through the open front doors to meet her under the dry cover for you to accept the napping toddler out of her arms and the diaper bag she brought next followed by a larger bag your dad took. “Jaqi I can’t thank you and apologize enough.” From the floor in front of her feet the beagle there hopped out eager to be out of the car following the leash that your dad had accepted along with another bag the dog knew to have his food inside it.

“Now now, you go and kill at that business trip and leave me Moon Pie and the boy. Honestly you’d think I was the Goblin King or something to keep my nephew away so long.” Easing out her smile watching him nestle more against your chest glad he’d be safe for this last minute trip.

Your dad settled the second bag she offered in his grip saying, “Go and have a break we’ll watch the little guy for you, see you Tuesday.”

She nodded saying, “Packed tons of clothes and diapers and,” she said handing over a lunch box, “This should have enough milk for the two days.”

You shouldered that bag saying, “Have a safe flight.”

She nodded and gave you both one last reluctant goodbye glance. “Thank you.” Then shut the door eyeing her son as the taxi drove off and your waving turn. The curious puppy turned beside your dad’s foot to head inside. Up the steps you went ensuring the puppy wasn’t being rushed, and once locked inside he was let off the leash to sniff around the main floor. Keeping hold of the napping boy you walked deeper inside and settled with him still in your grip for a hushed film as your dad handled putting the milk in the fridge and arranging the spare bottles and jars of food she was introducing to his diet after setting the bags on the floor of the living room. The dog food was added to the pantry and bowls were set down, one filled with water as the beagle was out on the patio having passed through the doggy door your dad showed him he had use of.

.

Back against the pillows on the couch you slept with Hector still in your arms until a waking whine ended your rain triggered nap. Before you could blink yourself awake your dad had claimed hold of the boy he said, “Let’s check your diaper and get you a bottle little man.”

Uncurling your legs he had covered you saw Lee on his way into view from his staircase post shower returned from his rehearsal eyeing the baby and dog now stretching mid yawn on the carpet at your feet. “Ah, so the invasion begins.”

Softly you chuckled at his puzzled watch of your dad re-securing the diaper he undid confirming it was still clean then on his belly and butt portion of the diaper used a marker to write an H. Again the diaper was covered by the comfy pants he eased up again to hoist the grumbling boy up to his chest saying, “All clean, now, bottle time. Just warmed it for you.”

He left the room and Lee pointed to his back making you say, “You write the initial on the diaper so you can tell the difference. Or like my aunt you get temporary tattoos for their ankles or backs.”

“It’s just four babies, can’t you color code them to be easier?”

Again you giggled standing up to stretch, “Clearly you don’t have streakers in your family. Some of my cousins used to be naked to the diaper if you turned your back too long on them.”

“Huh,” he muttered and came closer eyeing the toys you had picked, “You went all out. What’s in the bags?”

“Lily packed us tons for Hector. How was your rehearsal?”

“Really good. Getting there. You didn’t go shopping in this did you?”

“Nope, beat the rain.”

It didn’t take long for your dad to be back feeding Hector from a bottle. Starting the distracting conversation that bled back to the kitchen for you to help him whip up a dinner that once across the table Lee watched the toddler in his high chair patting the table with his hands amusedly to your trot to the taxi that honked to let you know Kim needed help getting out. With a grin ignoring the rain down the stoop you went once boots were slipped on heading for the back door you opened seeing Kim, your taller twin, beside the child carrier holding Cleo with Oliver and Clover on her lap. “Let me get these munchkins for you.” The black Belgian Sheepdog behind the stroller popped his head up at your voice and squirmed his way around the stroller to hop out beside you. “Hey Big Papa.”

Into your chest you accepted the two six month olds that grumbled on your turning trot back to the stoop to hurry inside as your dad extended a hand to help the exhausted four month pregnant mother out to her feet. “Head on in.” He said with one hand taking hold of the folded triple seat stroller, bag of dog supplies and the child carrier with Cleo in it. Once turned however he saw her there with hold of the bags for her and the triplets and smiled guiding her to the stoop as the already paid driver shut the door to your dad’s thanks and readied to drive off again. “Come on in Dear.” He said and with him she walked in front of him in a slow pace to ensure her footing in the slick steps. Her tension in seeing the wet stairs relaxing at his arm with Cleo’s carrier resting against her back for some spare support until she was in the mud room and he set down the stroller and the carrier to help her out of her shoes. With Cleo’s carrier inside he kept his hand on her back guiding her in, “Let’s get some food in you.”

She nodded walking with him through the again locked up house she admired along the way to where she found you smiling settling her eldest duo into their high chairs with pecks on their cheeks. Both soon joined by their sister. In a glance between you both Lee’s brain registered the height as the only real difference between you, much like with Lily he’d meet in a couple days, other than the bruised mark on her finger for the loss of her Mate seen in her fixing the clip in her hair, except for the pregnant belly of course. “Lee,”

“Kim,” she replied shaking his offered hand and thanked him for the seat he eased out for her she lowered into. Her eyes shifted to her dog and Lily’s that both settled down against the wall to keep watch over their babies while your dad added Big Papa’s bowls and food beside Moon Pie’s.

With a grin you moved to bring the food over saying, “Now, a few helpings of this and I’ll pour you a nice bath.” Though you paused asking, “You don’t have trouble getting out of a bath do you?”

“No,” she chuckled out, “Not yet. These two aren’t nearly as troublesome as the triplets.”

“Well I got some nice bath salts and bubbles for you with mangoes and peach scents,” you said to your dad taking her overnight and diaper bag he took upstairs. “And a nice plushy robe and slippers too if you want to lounge and pretend you’re in a spa.”

That had her chuckle again, “No trouble with that. Don’t really lounge too much, but the bath will be nice might help to be calming, before tomorrow. Thank you for agreeing to watch them I don’t know how long it will take.”

“No need for thanks,” you said taking the container of milk bottles for her triplets you both added to the fridge and brought over to the stove to warm up with a bottle for Hector who was turned around watching you. Lee finished by bringing out the drinks and once the bottle was warmed helped to keep Hector from dropping his bottle and watched you feed two of the purple eyed raven curl sporting triplets while your dad fed the last upon his return asking her about her week and the trip from New Jersey on the train. All the way until you had managed to eat a bit then head up to start her bath and then help her up to the bathroom connected to the one with the bunk beds on the babies’ floor.

“So this is the baby floor, or will be when you guys aren’t visiting. The nursery is across the hall. You have a nice choice of four queens in there and let’s get you something to change into.” Softly she gasped eyeing the beds she was choosing from with her bag on one of them she opened to gather her clothes she brought into the warm bathroom settling them on the counter watching you add the salts and bubbles to the nearly full bath.

“Jaqi, this is too much.”

“Oh it is not. I do the same for my Mate all the time. He loves to soak too.” You shut off the water and turned to face her saying, “Robe is on the back of the door, slippers are in the pocket, take your time, we got the babies you get some rest alright?” She nodded with tears bubbling in her eyes and folded into your offered hug, “You take care of five babies and Big Papa all day. Let us take care of you a bit for once. So soak up and then cuddle up for bed. If you need anything just give us a shout.”

She nodded and you left her there closing the door to let her soak up her pampering relaxation session before a much needed early night in. Once fed and changed the four didn’t take long to start nodding off and up they were carried to the nursery snuggled into their own cribs covered with soft blankets. Each nestling deeper into sleep at your move to turn on the music box in your glimpse of Kim sneaking in for a glance of the nursery now with actual babies inside of it after an empty inspection of it earlier at her body’s refusal to sleep until they were in bed. Another hug was traded and then she went to test the beds that once spread out helped her to drop off to sleep herself until her alarm clock on the steps would wake her.

Pt 45

[robo-writes-haikyuu]

Meeting Oikawa in Rio

Summary: Reader is a travelling photographer who encounters Tooru Oikawa in Brazil. 

Words: 2.6k ( i went a little overboard I’m so sorry) 

Warnings: none; strangers to friends to lovers kind of idea, slow burn, beach vibes, idk that’s mostly it 

a/n: This is a request for the lovely @trash-revel​!! 💖 I’m so sorry this took forever it’s probably filled with typos and grammatical errors! That said, I loved writing this 💗 Also, sorry if it’s a little too long, I felt a little too inspired! I tried to sprinkle a little bit of Portugese in it with the help of google translate (if anyone here speaks portugese I hope I didn’t butcher it and hopefully did it some justice).

As a travelling photographer, you were living like a nomad, always on the move without a home base to call your own. Instead of renting a house or an apartment, you usually stayed in hotels or airbnbs. Your goal was to travel the world and capture all of the beauty you could find in it… and little did you know that the most beautiful thing you were going to find was on your travels in Brazil.

You woke up early that day, unsure if you were actually on a healthy sleeping schedule or if it was the jet lag talking. You were enjoying your morning coffee out on the balcony of your airbnb in Rio as you watched the sunrise over the beach. The water of the ocean gently tumbled into waves onto the shore as it reflected the vibrant gradients of the morning sky. If you squinted hard enough, you could faintly see Christ the Redeemer in the distance on the mountain. After a yawn and a deep stretch, you decided that it was time for you to get ready for your daily adventure. 

You prepared yourself for the unforgiving heat by slathering sunscreen all over your body and wearing loose-fitting clothes. As you got dressed, you could immediately feel the fabric cling to you from the humidity. You made a note to bring deodorant with you because you knew way too well that chafing was only inevitable on hot, humid days. You packed your bag with your camera lenses, a couple of water bottles, some snacks, an ice pack, sunscreen, and other things that will help you navigate your new temporary home. You finished off your look with a hat and your camera slung around your neck so you could have easy access if you see anything interesting to shoot.  

After reading up on some of the attractions in Rio, you decided to visit Tijuca national park. You’ve been wanting to get out on your feet after an incredibly taxing, twenty-one-hour flight from Australia, plus there was no way you could pass up getting shots of all of the diverse flora and wildlife. Your plan was to hike as deeply into the forest as you could and then stop at the botanical garden to relax and do some sightseeing. 

You sat at the bus stop, just minding your own business and intermittently reference the bus schedule on your phone, when a voice pulled you from your thoughts. 

“Erm… perdão,” said a voice that was very much not from around here. 

You peeked over to see a Japanese man, probably in his mid-twenties, trying to talk to an elderly man sitting on the bench at the bus stop. 

“Este carro... uh... é para o lugar da árvore?” the Japanese man said tentatively, clearly struggling with the language barrier. 

The elderly man blinked a few times, and responded with “Que?”

You were equally as confused. Based on the little bit of Portuguese that you knew, you were pretty sure he was asking for a car to drive him to a tree. 

The Japanese man grew a bit frustrated and scratched the back of his neck. You could tell the poor guy was embarrassed, so you tried to see if you could help him out. 

“Do you speak English?” You ask the Japanese man. 

He locks eyes with you, and it hits you how handsome he is. His smile is disarming and his eyes are gentle. His physique is well-built like a professional athlete, and he was dressed like one too. 

"I do," he responds. "Maybe you can help me. I'm looking for the bus that goes to Tijuca national park." 

"You're in luck," you say, gesturing to the map on your phone. "That's where I'm headed."

You both boarded the bus, which was packed like sardines, and made some small talk along the way. 

“Tooru Oikawa,” he says with an outstretched hand. “I’m a volleyball player.”

“(Y/n) (l/n),” you reply with your hand in his and give it a shake. “I’ve never met a professional athlete before.” 

“It’s been a dream of mine since I was a kid,” he smiles and proudly runs his fingers through his tousled hair. “Are you a photographer? I just noticed your fancy camera.” 

“Yeah,” you cradled your camera in your hand and fiddled around with the lens. “I wanted to check out the wildlife here and maybe try out some new techniques. I figured the national park would be a good place to start.” 

“You know, shutterbug,” he says, striking a pose. “ I have some experience in front of cameras. Not to brag or anything, but I’ve been in a few local magazines back at home.” 

You roll your eyes and chuckle; this man really is something else. He’s definitely charismatic and charming -- not to mention very handsome -- although there’s something else to him that you can’t put your finger on. There was something about his smile that just didn’t sit right with you. It reminds of you of how you were at family dinners; despite how much was on your mind, you just kept smiling to avoid rocking the boat. But, maybe it was just your imagination.

You arrive at your destination, depart the bus and find an uphill path that leads deeper into the forest. The two of you decide to walk together and continue to get to know each other. You tell him about how you were a travelling photographer and you had a lot of your works published in different magazines. You also tell him about your travels and all of the places you’ve visited. 

“What’s one place you haven’t gone to yet?” He asks as he kicks a stray pebble. “Where do you plan on going once you’re done here?”

“Definitely Japan,” you say. “That’s up there on my list, especially the countryside. I just think the scenery there would be amazing to see in person.”

“I’m from the country, you know” he said with a wink. “Maybe we’ll have another fateful encounter there and I’ll show you around sometime~” 

You can’t help but hide a blush from hinting at your cheeks. 

Despite how flirtatious he is, he seems genuinely interested in you. And you’re equally impressed by him; the way he talks about his history with volleyball demonstrates his deep passion for the sport. He talks about volleyball as if he was knight preparing for battle; he goes into detail about strategies, formations, techniques, everything that makes a good volleyball player. He also goes into detail about his past rivals, although there was an edge to his voice when he talked about them. You decide to not pry too much on the subject. 

“So what you’re saying is that you’re kind of a big deal,” you say. 

“I mean,” he responds with a wink. “If you think so, then I won’t argue.”

That’s when a toucan flutters out from the bushes and nests into his hair. Oikawa panics and flails his arms, trying to shoo away the bird, but it seemed to have no intention of leaving his locks. 

“Wait,” you say, steadying your camera in front of your eye. “Don’t move.” 

The look on Oikawa’s face jumps from surprised, to angry, to embarrassed. He crosses his arms and pouts with red cheeks; it seems he was trying to make a good impression on you and the toucan sabotaged his plan. His pout slowly relaxes when he sees the look on your face; you were so mindful about the angle, the lens, and the lighting; it reminded him about how he is with volleyball. He also had to admit, you had a really cute smile; he simply smiles and accepts his defeat. 

“Sorry,” you say, snapping a few more. “I’m almost done.”

“No no,” he says. “Take your time.”

That’s when you notice something different about him; this smile seemed totally different from how he was smiling when the two of you were on the bus. The way he smiled then seemed routine or rehearsed. This smile, however, was enough to make your chest flutter. You swear if more people saw a smile like this from him, the world would be a much better place. 

“You better send me a copy of those,” he teases, sticking his tongue out at you. “Someday, people might pay good money for them.

“You know it,” you say with a giggle. Although, you couldn’t tell if he was complimenting your work or if he was just that full of himself. 

You walk up to him and gently lift the toucan off his head and toss it into the air for it to fly away. 

“Well, I hate to leave you like this,” he said, pulling out his earbuds from his pocket. “But I need to get my afternoon run in. I look forward to bumping into you again soon, shutterbug~” 

With that, he jogged away, leaving you in a small cloud of dust. The nickname sticks with you and endears you more to him. You stand there with a smile on your face, as you hoped that this wouldn’t be your last encounter with him. 

And it wasn’t. As a matter of fact, bumping into Oikawa became a near-daily occurrence for the two of you. You always took the same bus to the national park where he went for jogs and you went for photo ops. Although, the two of you eventually exchanged numbers and made plans to hang out somewhere else. 

Every time you talk to Oikawa you always learn something new about him; you learn that his favourite food is milk bread, that his best friend, Iwaizumi, is taking sports science in college, and that he was captain of the volleyball team in his third year of high school. You tell him about your home country and what it was like growing up there, and how you’ve been pursuing photography since you got your first DSLR camera. You tell him about your favourite foods, your favourite music, and your favourite movies. 

One evening, after Oikawa was done practice, the two of you decided to make plans to grab dinner and go for a walk on the beach. At dinner, the sun was still high enough in the sky that it wasn’t quite sunset, but it was low enough in the sky that the temperature started to cool off.

The more you think about it, the more it starts to feel more like a date. 

“What kind of photos do you take?” he asks. “Now that I think about it, I don’t think you’ve shown me any of your work.”

You take out your phone to open up your digital portfolio and you hand it over to him. He scrolled through your gallery and saw various shots from nature, urban settings, and studios.  He came across a folder in your gallery labelled ‘100 Strangers.’

“What’s this all about?” he asked, flipping through the images. 

“Oh, that’s just a long-term project I’m working on,” you said. “My goal is to take portraits of 100 strangers that I meet in my travels and post little blurbs about them.”

“I’d offer to pose for a picture for you,” he says, leaning in as he rests his elbows on the table. “But it seems like we’re not really strangers to each other anymore.”

You can tell he’s flirting, but you don’t let him get away with it that easily. “I still have those shots of you and the toucan, you know.”  

He flinches and hunches over in embarrassment. “You’re a meanie, shutterbug~”

“What?” you say as you take one last bite of your food. “I love that picture. It’s cute.”

He suppresses a grin as he digs his fork into his food. He tries to act nonchalant, but the blush on his cheeks betray him. 

“So,” he says, bringing his food to his mouth. “You think I’m cute?”

A blush sneaks onto your cheeks and you avert your eyes from him. From the corner of your eye, you see him grin to himself in satisfaction. You avoid answering him entirely and just ask the waiter for the bill. 

It’s now sunset and the two of you were walking on the beach. You decide to take off your sandals and just enjoy the feeling of the warm sand in between your toes. The breeze was perfect, and it was enough to take the edge off the humidity. You then take out your camera and start adjusting the settings on it. It was golden hour, after all. 

You glance over at Oikawa, who ‘s just at the edge of the water and dipping his toes in. He looks out onto the horizon, where you could barely make out the silhouettes of the mountains, and takes in the balmy breeze. The wind swished through his hair elegantly, sweeping it just the right way that made it look effortlessly styled. You steadied your camera and snuck in a couple of shots. 

He looks over his shoulder at you upon hearing the shutters and grinned. “Couldn’t resist a photoshoot of me, shutterbug?” He held up a peace sign and placed a hand on his hip, awaiting more shots from you. 

After getting a few more shots in, you join him at the shore and dip your toes in, jumping at how surprisingly cold the water was. 

“You didn’t answer my question, you know,” Oikawa says, turning to face you. 

“Huh?” you chuckle nervously and tuck a few strands of hair behind your ear. “What question?”

“Do you think I’m cute?”

You hesitated and wiped your clammy palms on your shorts. You definitely developed feelings for Oikawa, and you were sure he felt the same way about you. The problem, though, is that you were hesitant to jump into a serious relationship, given all of the travelling that you do. 

“I...” you murmur, nervously wiggling your toes into the sand. “Listen, I don’t want to get your hopes up. I travel a lot  and I get so busy with work that I--”

“Hey,” he chuckles while scratching the back of his neck, trying to mask his disappointment. “It’s totally alright if you don’t think so, I just thought--”

“N-no it’s not that,” you blurt out. “I don’t want to jump into anything serious only to have it ruined when I eventually start travelling again. I really do like you, Tooru, but I don’t think that would be very fair to you.”

Suddenly, you found yourself merely inches away from him. He softly chuckles and places his hand underneath your chin to tilt your face up to meet his. You look up at him, your face hot from both nervousness and excitement. 

“You put a lot of pressure on yourself, don’t you?” he says, as if he wasn’t one to talk. “Don’t worry about all of that stuff. How do you feel right now?”

You feel his fingers gently combing through the ends of your hair, sending tingling sensations all through your body. Your pulse quickens as he places a hand on the small of your back; he doesn’t go any further though. 

“I…” you murmur, leaning in and placing your hands on his chest. “I think you’re really cute.” 

He lets out a hearty chuckle and wraps both of his arms around you to pull you in closer to him. 

“Well, that’s a relief,” he says, inching closer to you. “Because I think you’re very cute, shutterbug.”

You close your eyes and meet your lips with his. From that day forward, the two of you spent everyday together until you left for your next destination. You always kept in touch with one another through text, video chats, and voice calls. Even through the challenging times, the two of you wouldn’t have wanted to be with anyone else.

[justthehiddleswrites]

Destiny Has Other Plans | Loki x OFC (Alexis Randall) | Chapter 4

Pairing: Loki x OFC

MASTERLIST IS HERE

Summary: When Loki goes to ask his father for permission to marry, he is shocked to discover his destiny has already been made for him.  He is already betrothed to Sjofn, the daughter of the King of Vanaheim.  An arranged marriage to bring the two kingdoms closer together and strengthen the bond.  Never mind that Sjofn and Loki can’t stand each other.  

After The Battle of New York, Loki is sent to live at Avengers Tower as punishment for his misdeeds.  But it doesn’t mean he has to like it.   A year later, he has adjusted to life on Midgard but has avoided any romantic or emotional entanglements, still bitter over his lost love.  Dr. Alexis Randall is skilled at helping others fix their relationships as a couple therapist, but can’t help her own love life.  A chance encounter with Loki in a dive bar has life altering consequences for both of them.  Now, Alexis and Loki must figure out a way to co-habit without killing each other in the process, plus navigating impending parenthood and other roadblocks along the way.

This Chapter:   Tony’s attempt at matchmaking goes awry. Alexis meets the man that goes bump in the vents and makes some poor decisions.

Warnings: Arranged Marriage, Forced Marriage, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy, Smut, Angst,  Semi-Public Sex, Mentions of law enforcement, Oral Sex, Cursing, Vaginal Sex

Taglists are Open, please let me know if you wish to be added.

-

Alexis tugged at her dress. Even though she was still early in the pregnancy, her clothes were already fitting differently. She could see the beginnings of a bump in the mirror. Loki’s clothes fit him like a glove. Like a perfectly tailored, bespoke “look at me I am so fucking handsome” glove, Alexis groused to herself, tugging again at the neckline.

“Do you always fidget so much?” Loki questioned as they walked towards the entrance of the restaurant Tony made reservations at for them.

“No. None of my clothes aren’t fitting right. My bump is starting to show.”

“Have JARVIS order you some new ones.” Loki commented back. He held the door open for her. He didn’t think the dress was fitting Alexis poorly. Quite the contrary, as the low neckline highlighted her breasts in a manner Loki found rather stimulating. He particularly enjoyed the tiny stomach bump developing on her.

“Two, under the name Stark.” Loki wrapped his arm around Alexis’s waist as the bartender smiled at them from across the entrance. His grip tightened as a spark of jealousy hit him.

The maitre’d nodded and led them to a cozy table off to the side, and thankfully for Loki, out of the eyeline of the bar.

The server came by and asked for drink orders.

“Scotch neat.”

Alexis’s face dropped. “Just water, please.” A glass of wine sounded tempting right now.

The server nodded and moved away, but Loki grabbed his arm. “On second thought, water and Diet Coke for me.”

The server changed the order and stepped away. Alexis squirmed in her seat. “You didn’t need to do that on my account. I’m an adult and so are you. You can drink if you want.”

The server returned with the drinks and left to give them more time with the menus. Loki pushed the Diet Coke in front of Alexis. “A peace offering. If you can try, so can I.”

Alexis took a long draw of the soda and hummed. “Thank you, Loki.”

“My pleasure.” The server returned, ready to take their order.

“What would you recommend?” she asked.

“The tuna tartare is popular.” The server gestured to the menu. Loki coughed and raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t like anything raw.” Alexis lied. Sushi was one of her favorites. “Anything else?”

She settled on a seasonal risotto while Loki ordered a steak, medium rare. Once the server left, the two of them carried on a polite conversation until their bread service and entrees arrived. Alexis noticed as she ate, a blonde woman sneaking glances at their table.

“Loki, do you know her?”

He turned around to glance and shrugged his shoulders. “She looks vaguely familiar, but I can’t recall. I’ve met many people in my last year here.”

“LOKI!” The woman was now at their table. Alexis wasn’t entirely sure what was preventing the woman’s boobs from slipping out of her dress.

Loki narrowed his eyes. “Hello, um…”

“Ashlyn! You silly.” She slapped Loki’s shoulder. “You would think a god would have a better memory?”

“You would, wouldn’t you?” Alexis leaned forward on her hands, mocking Ashlyn.

Ashlyn turned to Loki, oblivious to Alexis, although Loki glared at her across the table. “I am so sorry, Ashlyn. I shall endeavor to do better.” He flashed her a smile.

“I can’t believe you never called me after our last date, and now I find you here out with another woman!”

“Oh, we aren’t dating!” Loki and Alexis responded simultaneously.

“She’s a friend.” Loki added.

“From work.” Alexis chimed in.

“Well then,” Ashlyn reached across and grabbed a spare cocktail napkin, she scribbled on it, leaning over the table to ensure Loki receive an eyeful of her ample cleavage. “Call me sometime.” Ashlyn tucked the napkin into Loki’s shirt pocket before walking off.

Alexis’s gaze followed Ashlyn until the blonde sat back down at her table.

“I’m surprised you didn’t drag her into the bathroom right in front of me.” Alexis sniped.

Loki scowled at her. “I am not that crass. And if I recall, you pulled me into that bathroom.”

Alexis sneered as she pushed her half eaten risotto away, no longer hungry. Loki frowned. “You need to eat.”

“My stomach doesn’t feel so good. I’m not feeling well.” Sure as shit, she wasn’t feeling well. She realized they weren’t beholden’d to each other and hell she even gave him permission to date. But Alexis never imagined it would sting this much.

“Then we should return home at once.” Loki signaled for the check, oblivious to the true reasons for Alexis’s upset stomach.

Tony was waiting for them in the common room, clearly wanting all the juicy gossip. Loki wrapped his arm around Alexis as they walked through.

“Look at the two of you!” Tony called out, scaring the shit out of Alexis.

“Does everyone around here just lurk in corners?” She clasped her hand on her chest.

“Not now, Stark. Alexis isn’t feeling well.” Loki snapped, not stopping.

Tony shuffled to follow them, cutting them off at the hallway entrance. “Just answer one question, was there a love connection?”

“Oh, there definitely was.” Alexis grumbled. Tony did a little fist pump. “Loki snagged a date with Ashlyn, the real life blow-up doll.”

“I beg your pardon?” Loki’s head at her and he removed his arm.

“Come on! She practically shoved her tits in your face, Loki. With me sitting there.”

“I’m going to bed.” Tony muttered and hightailed it out of the line of fire.

“You said you didn’t care.” Loki countered.

“And I don’t!” Alexis moaned, lying to herself and to Loki. She was getting a headache. “I don’t.” She took a deep breath. “I just don’t need it happening right in front of me, okay?”

Loki shoved his hands in his pants pockets. “Apologies. I hadn’t considered…”

“Spare the apologies, Loki.” She moved away from him. “I’m going to bed.” She walked away at a brisk pace.

When Loki got there, he peeked into her room, but she was already under the covers, eyes closed.

-

Loki avoided Alexis for the next week. They exchanged little more than pleasantries in the morning and evening. Alexis spent more of her evenings in her office on the 5th floor rather in the apartment with Loki. She didn’t go anywhere. Loki insisted it wasn’t safe, now that she was showing. The walls were closing in and Alexis was going stir crazy.

One evening, Alexis was lying on the couch watching TV when Loki came out of his room dressed in a black suit.

“Going on your date?” Her tone sharp and words pointed. “Give Blow Up Barbie my best.”

“You said you didn’t want to know. But yes, I am meeting Ashlynn tonight.” He tightened his tie. He didn’t really want to go, but Ashlynn didn’t stop calling until he gave a firm date.

“I don’t. Just curious whether to make an entire pot of coffee in the morning or not? Should I expect you home tonight?”

“I wouldn’t bother.” Loki adjusted his cufflinks. “Enjoy your show.”

“Use protection!” She yelled after him.

Loki smiled as he shut the door behind him. Alexis tried to focus on her show, but couldn’t. She couldn’t pinpoint why this date bothered her so much. Alexis harbored no romantic feelings for Loki. She barely got through a conversation without insulting him.

“Fuck it.” She grabbed her phone. “And fuck him.”

“Hannah? Yeah. Can you come pick me up at Avengers Tower?”

“Warden letting you out on good behavior?” Hannah giggled. She enjoyed joking about Alexis being held captive.

“More like a prison break.”

“Did you want to grab dinner or something?”

“How about dancing? Somewhere loud and slightly crazy.” Alexis stood and went to her closet, selecting a skintight electric blue dress. It would highlight her newfound curves.

“Are you sure? What about Loki?” Hannah questioned.

“When the cat’s away… He is out. On a date. Get me back here before morning and he will never know.”

“Devious. I’m in.”

“Twenty minutes, Hannah. I’ll meet you downstairs.”

She dressed and fixed her hair before slipping on a pair of high heels. A quick glance down the hallway and Alexis slinked towards the elevator.

“Loki takes the service elevator when he skulks out at night.” Clint stepped out of the shadows. “I see he didn’t share his trade secrets with you.”

Alexis jumped a bit but regained her composure. “Jesus Christ. Between you and Tony… I’m not skulking. Just meeting a friend.”

“Fancy dress for a friend.”

“Nosy question for a man who crawls through the vents.” Alexis narrowed her eyes at Clint.

“Just an observation. Have a good evening.” Clint nodded and disappeared into the shadows of the night.

Hannah was waiting outside when she made her way outside.

“I worried you got caught.”

“Just a bird in the vents distracting me. Have faith in me. Now… let’s party.”

Hannah hooked her arm with Alexis and they took off down the sidewalk.

-

Loki’s mind wandered as Ashlynn droned on about her number of Instagram followers. Social media did not interest Loki. Not even a bit. He remembered why he “forgot” to call Ashlyn back the first time. While she may be nice to look at, it was all style and no substance. Blow Up Barbie was an apt name, Loki mused. He chuckled at Alexis’s joke as he replayed it in his mind.

“What so funny, Loki?” Ashlyn questioned as they walked out of the restaurant.

“What?” He turned to her in shock. “Oh, just something someone told me earlier.” He brushed it off.

“A joke?” Ashlyn perked up. She hopped and her boobs bounced in a way boobs shouldn’t. Loki had said little that night. “Tell me.”

“You won’t enjoy it.” Loki deflected. “It is rather offensive.” He smiled again, thinking about many of Alexis’s off-color jokes. He often found it hard to not laugh.

“Fine.” Ashlyn pouted. “Let’s go back to my place.” She tugged him in the opposite direction of the Tower.

Loki sighed. “I think I should head home.” He feigned a yawn. “I am tired and I have an early meeting tomorrow.”

Ashlyn frowned at him. “On a Sunday?”

Loki coughed. “An Avenger never has a day off.” He was failing at ending this date. Loki wondered if Alexis would still be up.

“Really, because you always said—” Ashlyn’s comment interrupted by Loki’s cell phone.

He frowned when he saw Alexis’s number on the screen. He answered the call.

“I told you not to wait—” He snapped into the phone, even though moments ago he was ready to call it a night.

“It’s Alexis’s friend, Hannah. You don’t know me, but—”

“What happened? Where are you? Where’s Alexis?” Loki snapped. Ashlyn leaned in to listen to the conversation. Loki turned his back to her.

“We’re at the police station. Can you come bail her out?”

Loki paled. “Give me the address.”

[innately-pretentious]

Hello love!! Could I get a male HP ( any era ) stranger things and sherlock ship? I’m 19 years old and a hufflepuff. I’m 5’1” with short reddish dirty blonde hair. I’m curvy and very pale, I have been doing musical theatre for nearly nine years and dance for eleven years. I’m quite a nerd, i keep to myself but once you get to know me I’m really bubbly and weird and sometimes wild. I enjoy making others laugh. I have pretty bad anxiety so I tend to be nervous and paranoid. I put others needs before mine. Thank you so much my dear! Lots of love! Oh! Also I’d I already sent you one of these I’m so sorry I honestly can’t remember

I ship you with Remus Lupin!

The two of you would make such an adorable couple! One of the first things he noticed about you is your kind nature. Remus is not someone who cares majorly about physical appearances, preferring to get to know a person before he likes them. Being from Hufflepuff, kindness and loyalty is almost second nature for you, and he noticed. Looking out for the younger years and fellow peers around Hogwarts and helping classmates during classes was something the definitely gained his attention. It was only when the two of you were paired up in class together when you started really talking. Getting to know each other, he thought it was now or never. He shyly asked if you wanted to join him on his next trip to Hogsmeade, just the two of you. You of course accepted. 

As your relationship progresses, he starts to see your more bubbly side. You are initially shyer when it comes to meeting new people, which he can definitely relate to. The first few dates consisted of the two of you blushing and him fiddling with the sleeves of his sweater. However, as time went on, he started to see the real you. Hanging out more and more you realise you share the same sense of humour, letting your weird side out. He remembers the first time you made him really laugh. The two of you, sitting by the lake, talking complete nonsense as the sun began to set. Both of you giggling with tears in your eyes after something you just said, and when he regained his composure he couldn’t help but look at you in awe. Only the marauders have done that to him, he smiles at the memory. 

Speaking of the rest of the marauders, they love the effect you have on Remus. Whenever he comes back to the Gryffindor common room he is beaming, excitedly spilling to them what the two of you had gotten up to. James and Sirius teasing him as he rambles on. He was at first hesitant to introduce you to the rest of his friends, knowing how you do have a few walls put up before you get to know someone, he didn’t want you to be uncomfortable. He honestly didn’t have anything to worry about though! After inviting you to the Gryffindor table to eat, you all get along like a house on fire. James, Peter and Sirius telling you embarrassing stories about Remus whilst he buries his head in his hands, the three of you laughing. He is surprised at how quickly they welcomed you into the group, making you feel as welcome as possible within the first few hours of you all meeting. You better believe the boys want to sneak into your common room and get up to some kind of mischief, much to Remus’ dismay. He often has to remind them all that you are his girlfriend, they can’t always tag along and that sometimes you need time alone!

Nights in the Gryffindor common room can go both ways. When it is just the two of you the night is more calm. You draped over him with your head on his chest as he absentmindedly combs his hands through your short hair. Both discussing various things that happened during the day, him listening intently and not interrupting, offering input or funny remarks when they are warranted. But when the rest of the boys are there? You bet you’re in for a night of not stop banter. Talking over one another, trying to get a word in edgeways, plus the boys trying to quiz you on your relationship. You don’t mind for the most part, but if it gets too personal, Remus is always there to tell them to back off. 

The song I associate with the two of you would be ‘Young Love’ by Mystery Jets and Laura Marling.

I ship you with Jonathan Byers!

Both of you would be so good together! 

He loves nothing more than driving absentmindedly with you, his hand resting on your thigh, soft music playing through his stereo. You often catch him glancing over at you, loving the way your short hair falls around your face as the wind from the open window blows it. You glance back at him with a small smile, telling him to focus on the road instead of you. He is usually very particular about what music he plays in his car, usually sticking to rock anthems of the 70s and 80s, but he has a soft spot for you. He allows you to put a few soundtracks to your favourite musicals on, smiling when you get excited about a particular favourite of yours. He definitely made a joint mixtape for the two of you to go on long car journey with. The perfect mix of classic rock and musical theatre to accompany you on your journey. 

The two of you are both slightly introverted, you prefer to enjoy each others company rather than going to a huge house party or bar. He loves nothing more than spending quiet nights in, just the two of you. Discussing what movie you are going to watch and curling up on the sofa together is his idea of heaven. Feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest with his arm wrapped around you, feeling safe and secure in the others presence. This is often how Joyce finds you when she comes home from work, turning the TV off as the credits are rolling down the screen, grinning as she knows her son has found someone who compliments him so well. After these events, the Byers quite literally welcomed you to the family. Inviting you to various holidays such as Christmas and New Years Eve, insisting that it is no trouble at all. She loves the way you interact with her son. Even if Jonathan is slightly embarrassed by him mum’s hands on approach, he is grateful that you feel so at ease in him home and around his family. 

If you have a spare day together, you often find yourselves in the local record shop. Loving the way his face lights up as he finds the latest album from his favourite band, excitedly turning it over and reading the track list. His family doesn’t have a bunch of money, therefore he often has to wait a few weeks before he can afford to splurge on a record he really likes. But if you have the spare cash, your kind nature often wins over, quietly buying it without him noticing. When you get back to the house you leave it somewhere in his room with a note for him to discover later. He always says that you should save your money for yourself, he can wait a few weeks until he has the right amount of money to buy it for himself. You always remind him that it is no problem, it’s your money and you wanted to do this. Whenever he puts the record on he is reminded of you, cheeks blushing as he smiles at the thought of you. 

He often finds you dancing in the kitchen in the morning, before he has woken up. You have taken dance for a considerable amount of time, therefore you are a natural. Softly dancing around the kitchen, making breakfast and coffee for the two of you. He leans on the door frame, completely enthralled by your simple moves, coming up behind you and snaking his arms around your waist. Resting his head in the crook of your neck and muttering a good morning. You can feel he is still slightly groggy from recently waking up, you can’t help but chuckle and lean into his sleepy embrace.

The song I associate with the two of you would be ‘Ivy & Gold’ by Bombay Bicycle Club.

I ship you with Sherlock Holmes!

This match would honestly be so good! You meet him whilst working on a case, after a brief meeting you find yourself running into him more and more. He is honestly surprised that you are more observant than most of the other people around him. You find yourself being dragged along on various cases, you find him looking at you expectantly, valuing your input on the confusing aspects. You were nervous at first, I mean, it was Sherlock Holmes you were working with. Your responses would only sound juvenile to him, you thought. But as you begin to work closer with him, he is glad to see you start speaking up more, offering your more down to earth explanations. He doesn’t mention it at the time, but he keeps your inputs in the back of his mind, deciding you are more useful around than not. 

There is definitely a height different between the two of you, Sherlock finds this especially amusing. When he is a rare goofy mood he will tower over you. Smirking to himself as you have to crane your neck to see him, chuckling at his antics. He can’t help but smile at you, its at one of these moments that he begins to fall for you. 

As time progresses you both begin to open up to one another. he will often call you late at night, rambling about his recent findings on a case, obviously restless. You honestly don’t mind and find it rather amusing, grateful that you are someone he thinks of getting in touch with. He only realises that it might be slightly inappropriate when he mentions it in a passing conversation to John. And, after being promptly scolded by him, telling him it is generally impolite to call someone at 3am, he offers you a rarely heard apology. Sometimes you still miss those phone calls. 

He always knows when you are feeling too overwhelmed or paranoid in certain situations, in fact he sometimes recognises the symptoms faster than you. Even if he is in the middle of cracking it, he often calls you a cab to take you home if you are stressed. Opening the door for you and putting you inside, giving you a quick kiss on the cheek, telling you to wait for him until he gets home, promising he will be back before dinner. 

You two rarely argue, but when you do, it’s generally about your safety. At first he never minded you coming on the more mundane cases, but as soon as he started getting more national attention, the cases become more challenging and even dangerous. Your will to put others first is both a blessing and a curse, he admires you for it greatly, but not when it comes to him. He can easily see you putting yourself in harms way in order protect him or even John, the thought itself scares him. He often gets very heated in the moment, demanding you to go home, leave him. It’s only because he is scared for you. When you are alone he will allow you to comfort him, telling him that you’re ok, you will always be safe and here for him. 

The song I associate with the two of you would be ‘1901′ by Phoenix!

[be-ready-when-i-say-go]

Best Friend Pact- Part 2: To Lovers

Calum attempts to drink the sadness away one night at a party, but his friend, Neveah, doesn’t let him completely. And in their stalled journey off sobriety, they make a secret pact. Black!OC

CW: Over the course of this series there are mentions of pregnancy, birth, death, and death related trauma. Please proceed with caution. 

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_____________________________________

"You're going to want to see this," Calum calls out. Neveah's leaning against the wall just outside the bathroom, terrified to step inside. If it's another negative pregnancy test, she's going to cry. She can already feel the pressure building in her chest.

"I can't," she croaks. "I can't do this."

The toilet flushes before Calum steps out of the bathroom, arms behind his back. He wouldn't be holding negative tests, would he? What an awful trick to play on her. "You're a giant asshole," she hisses, "if those aren't positive tests, you're a giant asshole."

His lips quirk down for a second. He'd never do such a thing. She dreads this every couple of months they do this. Just to make sure though her periods are indication enough. Her eyes always fall when the plastic screen comes back with the same result. She always gives the heaviest sighs and her shoulders sit heavier on her shoulders. He would never lie to her. Not at a time like this. "So am I a little asshole if they're positive?"

"Just give me the bad news."

"Bad news, you're gonna have to officially move into my bedroom. Good news, the baby already has a room established." As the words are falling from his lips, he can feel his lips lifting in joy. He watches her groan, throwing her head back into the wall, before snapping up.

"What? Are you serious?" Her voice carries down the hallway, making Duke lift his head to the sound from the living room. "I'm pregnant?" she questions in a whisper.

Calum nods, grin widening. He holds out the capped tests. Her hands tremble. Neveah remembers this feeling, knows the nerves all too well. On their second try, she noticed a faint positive line. She was excited and rushed to Calum in the backyard. His heart nearly burst out his chest, but they had to be smart and had to be triple sure. A couple of days later, they took another test. That one was negative, much more clear that time. Tears are blurring her vision.

"Please tell me it's not another false positive," she croaks, sagging into the wall. "Please, God, I can't."

Calum shakes his head. "No, no, babe, it's not. It's not I promise." Her tears fall, shoulders shaking visibly now. Calum places the test back onto the sink counter before pulling her into a hug, whispering into her hair. "Ssh, it's okay. We'll take another one just to show you. It's a real positive, I promise."

"I'm really gonna be a mom?" Calum nods, sighing a soft yes into her ear. That phrase, yes, she is going to be a mom. The mother to his child. "And you're going to be a dad."

His breath catches in his throat. He's going to be a dad. Holy fuck, it's becoming real. This is not just a plan. It's no longer just a fantasy. It's real. His eyes start to sting. The tears are coming. His throat tightens, but god he can't stop smiling. "Thank you," he breathes. "Thank you so much. You're amazing. I can never repay you for doing this for me."

"This baby is repayment enough."

The panic sets in after going to the doctors. They are really going to have a baby. Staring down at the sonogram after the eight-week mark. They make it into the lobby of the building, the OBGYN is in a bigger center of other offices before the trembles finally overtake her. "Fuck," she whispers.

Calum squeezes her hand, pulling her to some chairs. "Deep breathe. It's gonna be okay."

As she settles down, gripping tight at the wooden armrests. "It's real. Like, I'm growing a tiny human, tiny fingers."

Calum squats in front of her legs, hands gently resting on her knees. He can see the slight tremble to her upper lip too. Soothing gently strokes up and down her cotton covered thigh, the warmth of Calum's palm are the only things that keep her semi-grounded. "Hey, it's okay. We've talked about this."

"I know. I just- fuck." Her hands gravitate towards her stomach. The tiny beep and thump from the ultrasound still ringing in her ears. They had come a long way from praying on bathroom tiles that they test would be positive. Now, they're holding onto sonograms, listening to a heartbeat. It feels way too heavy, but not really at the same time. Calum hums, rubbing still at her thigh. It's silent between them. What can he say that will ground her? Words fail him repeatedly unless he's writing them down. He stays there, deep in a squat, knees and thighs screaming at him to stand, and rubs her thigh.

"If it's a boy can we paint the room red?" Neveah asks after a couple of minutes silence. This is her baby, his baby–their baby. It's okay to be scared, she figures. If she weren't scared, that would be worse. "Nerves are good, right?"

Calum nods. "Nerves are okay. Thoughts on yellow if it's a girl?"

A smile lifts her cheeks. "I like the sound of that."

"Besides, you've waned yourself off coffee which is a miracle in and of itself. You haven't had deli meat in months. You never ate raw fish or meat, so that won't be hard. The cheese thing might be hard."

"I just love cheese. It's not a crime."

Calum chuckles, brushing his fingers over her cheek. "Never said it was. Things are going to be okay. They're going to be better than okay. I believe in you. In us."

Us. He's yet to use that term. What are they? Friends? Co-parents? Crazy? He's not sure. And either is she. There's more to worry about though, bigger issues to jump over. What they are, if anything, always slips to the back of her mind. Until now. Until us. 

It's not just her having a baby. It's not just her having Calum's baby. Things are different now. He pulls her in closer now. She finally managed to leave her apartment, the lease ending two months ago and officially moved in with him. She had been staying at his place so much, her apartment was beginning to just feel like a storage unit. Both of them agreed that it would be easier if she just moved in now.

"Us," she whispers, testing the word on her tongue, tasting it as she hisses on the 's'. It's not off-putting. She tries it out one last time, "Us. That's reassuring."

Calum stands, swallowing the groan building in his chest. He's not built for that much squatting. "Let's go get something to eat. We have to figure out who's parents to tell first."

"Yours are halfway across the world, unfortunately."

He nods, threading his fingers through hers. He's started doing this more often. Calum's not too concerned about his parents being far. Ideally, he would've had kids back in Sydney, away from the stiff and plastic Valley. But when crazy opportunities present themselves, you take them. He's worried thought about her mother. She hasn't told him about the doctor's appointment again, but he hears her in the backyard sometimes a sob breaking past her lips. "We'll tell your family first," he offers. "It'll be good news, yeah?"

He keeps his gaze straight ahead, double checking that no cars are coming as they cross to the other side of the parking lot to his car. She watches him, the way he blinks rapidly. He does this when he's covering something up. "You know she's sick again."

"I didn't want to bring it up until you were ready." They stop outside the passenger door. Calum reaching to open the door, but she stops him. "I was going to take Duke out and I heard you on the phone, crying. I didn't–I didn't know what to do. I thought if I went out to comfort you, you'd think I was eavesdropping. Which I wasn't. But now it sounds stupid that I didn't. I'm sorry."

"There's no reason to be sorry, Calum. You care. I get it."

"I should've done something though."

"We don't keep crying over spilled milk. The first cry is okay. You've apologized. You don't have to keep apologizing. We can tell my parents first. They need some good news." She turns to open the door and Calum holds onto her hip gently. She turns back around.

"I'm not crying over spilled milk. But I need you to know I do care. I'm terrible at expressing that at times. But I need you to know that."

"I know, Cal. Twelve years plus years I've known you, I haven't forgotten."

The apology presses against his teeth. He wants to say I'm sorry again. He needs to say it again, but the way she looks at him, resigned but somehow understanding makes him swallow it back down. She knows her fate, rocky and hard, but that's a sad beauty in life: everyone dies. Calum opens the door for her, closing the door once she's properly inside. He climbs into the driver seat, starting the car before turning to her. "Where do you want to go?"

She furrows her brows, facing him. "What do you mean? I thought you had a meeting and I have to get back to finish that proposal."

"But before the responsibilities, do you want to go somewhere?"

"You don't have to do all that as some sort of apology. I'd just like to grab something to eat, and relax at home."

"What about the dinner on 27th?"

It's her favorite little breakfast spot. She already took the day and because of Calum's meeting, they took the first appointment of the day. Double breakfast never hurt anyone. She looks to see Calum, brown eyes a little glassy. Not from tears, not from a drink, but from sadness and guilt. "I'd like that," she smiles. "Double french toast is calling my name."

"Double french toast coming right up." 

Their drive is quiet, even the radio turned down low. While at a red light, Neveah reaches over, taking Calum's hand and presses a quick kiss to the back of it and up to his knuckles. He exhales at the action, glancing between her and the light. She whispers something against his skin. He hears the faint wisping of her breath and feels her lips moving against his skin. He can't make out what she says. Is it a prayer? He thinks he catches an amen at the end, but he dares not ask. Instead, he presses down on the gas, letting her pray into his skin. He hopes they're answered.

They get seated immediately and while Calum's looking over the menu, though it's not necessary, she finally speaks. "They aren't sure if she's gonna pull this last bout. She told me she wanted to make it until the baby was born."

A lump rises in Calum's throat. The question lingers on his tongue but he can't bring himself to ask. How long? "When did you first get this news?"

"Couple months back."

All the air expels out of his lungs and passes over his lips. He only overheard last week. Weeks she's been carrying this by herself. "You know I'm always here for you." 

She nods, blinking rapidly. She's not necessarily a crier, but Calum watches the way her lower lip wobbles, the way she exhales. He stands and slides into the booth next to her, sliding an arm around her shoulder and pulling her into his chest. "As much as I know I'll miss her, I don't want her to suffer anymore," she cries into his chest. "But I want her to be able to see the baby. I feel awful, do I wish for her suffering or do I pray for her relief?"

Calum can't answer that. He can't even begin to understand what it would be like to know your parent is dying much sooner than anticipated. He can't say it's okay. Because it's not. It's not okay that she has to watch her mother die. It's not okay that she can't do anything about it. It's not okay. "It's gotta be tough," he soothes, hand never ceasing as he brushes it up and down. "Things will work out. It's okay to be sad."

It's so much more than okay to be sad. She has every right to be. But hearing Calum say that validates her, makes her feel human for her confliction. The waitress comes by wordlessly with two glasses of water and a stack of french toast. Calum nods over to her. "Thank you," he says quietly.

"I know her usual. What can I get you?"

His appetite left him without him even realizing. "I'm good. Thank you though." Calum does his best to soothe her, and to get her to at least have a sip or two of her water. The tears keep falling into his shirt and after a minute or two, he just lets her cry it out. Her shoulder shake against his body. Calum hums. He's had this riff in his head for a long time but hasn't actually played it on the bass yet. His chest rumbles in her ear and against her palms clenched tightly around his shirt. Her shaking stop as she listens to the husky rumble.

Calum doesn't cease his humming, afraid now. Not for her, for him. Neveah's hurting and he's just standing in the background. Slowly, she pulls away from him, sniffling just a little. Her face feels tight. She knows her eyes are puffy. Calum blinks rapidly, trying to keep the tears from rolling down his cheeks. She grabs more napkin, gently patting at his cheeks. "We're just a mess, aren't we?" she chuckles, a little surprised that Calum hasn't pulled her hand away.

"No, we're human. Very human as unfortunate as it is sometimes."

"It is an unfortunate condition at times. But if it helps, I'd rather be human with you."

Calum pushes the plate of probably cold french toast closer to her. "Same," he returns softly. "One of the few people I can actually be human with at this point."

"It's an honor," she states quietly, splitting the stack of bread. She knows when to give him his space. She knew when to pry him open. She was there for all the rants about all the people that broke his heart. They eat in silence; Calum resting his hand on her knee, thumb rubbing through the material. It is an honor to be here with her.

__

"You never come by here anymore," her dad teases as they enter the house. Calum gives him a hug.

"There's no excuse," Neveah returns, sliding out of her shoes.

"But in all seriousness, is everything alright?" He knows his daughter. Something is up. As the light flickers on her face, a smile curling her lips, he knows. "Upstairs, she's upstairs," he grins. 

She leads the way, Calum following directly behind her up the stairs, her dad behind Calum. The stairs creak under their weight, a soft warning that people are on the way. The bedroom door is open, her mother lying in bed with the sheets wrapped around her legs.

She knocks on the open door. "Hi, Momma." Her voice is soft as she speaks. Calum hovers near the entry. He's only seen her mother healthy. He feels like he's intruding on a much too private moment.

"Sweetheart, what are you doing here?" The two women embrace, her mother, holding her close, kissing the top of her head.  If Neveah jokes that Calum and his mother look like twins, then Neveah and her mother are on the same page. Both women have wide nostrils and a soft cupid's bow. The reddish hue of their undertones match to a 't' as well. Neveah has her father's eyes, but her mother's chin and jaw structure. The curls wrap around just the same too, though her mother's hair is cropped shorter than Neveah's. 

As they pull apart, her mother waves Calum over. He hesitates, concerned for her health, but reaches down and hugs her. They talk for a little bit, Calum watching more than adding to the conversation. She reaches out after a minute, taking her mother's hand. "Good news, Momma."

They need not say much more before tears are welling in her mother's eyes, hands immediately resting on her stomach. "You're pregnant." The laugh and smile are confirmation enough. "Oh! Thank the high heavens," she cries. Calum is pulled into cuddle and mixture of tears. Her mother whispers to the both of them, "I'm not giving up. I'm going to meet this grandbaby."

A lump forms in Calum's throat. The amount of conviction in her tone makes his heart hurt a little. He knows she's going to fight hell and high water for this baby. He wants to give her any and every moment that he can.

Telling his parents is easier a few days later. As the resolution settles itself, his parents beam at him from the other side of the screen. "Good news I hope?" Joy asks.

"Well," Calum starts, glancing away to the sonogram sitting next to the laptop. "It's very good news." Neveah squeezes his hand, smiling. "We-she's pregnant."

The smile that overtakes his parents is palpable even through a screen. The laughter and cheers filter in through the speakers are loud and clear. His chest swells. He's going to be a dad, just like he wanted. "That's great!" Joy smiles. "I'm so happy for you two."

Their conversation ends about an hour later. They insist on coming to visit/stay a bit later in the pregnancy to help with the first few weeks after the baby is born.  Neveah rests her head onto his shoulder. "Where do we even begin?"

He gently rests his head on top hers. "One day at a time."

__

Calum eyes his pack, fingers twirling around each other. He's been trying to quit. He knows it's not good for her or the baby because of secondhand smoke. But the unfortunate truth is that he's gotta leave. Neveah's only 22 weeks along. The promotional run won't be too long. He'll be back in two and a half months. She says she'll be fine. But he's worried. 

What if she needs him? What if something happens? Who's going to be there for her, if he isn't? What if something serious happens with her mother in his time away? Her health is holding fairly steady- she's not getting worse, but there's been no improvement either. God, this is the worst time for him to leave. He should see if they can get it pushed back, or should've done all this earlier. Fuck, time really knows how to shit all over things.

"You've got your worried face on," she notes.

He shakes his head, pushing up from the couch and walking to the backyard. He just needs fresh air. That will help. Put him as far away from the pack as possible. He half expects her to follow immediately behind him. But it's silent besides the patter of Duke's paws. He settles into one of the seats and exhales, staring up into the blue sky. They both knew this was coming up, that the music couldn't be put on pause for too long. Hands press into his shoulders a minute or two later. Calum reaches up, guiding her around the seat into his lap.

"I'm worried about leaving you for so long," he whispers into the exposed skin of her short-sleeved shirt.

"I'm going to be okay. I promise. I have friends I can call. My dad said don't hesitate to call them." She pauses, the rest of her thought not daring to cross her lips.

"But you probably wouldn't because of your mother," Calum counters. He knows about a few of her coworkers. They're sweet. He knows they would help her out in her absence. He just doesn't want to be absent at all. Winding his arms around her stomach, he rests his palms flat against the bump. She can't fly, they have some international flights and the cutoff time is already passed for her. The urge to smoke rises again with his stress. He buries his face into her side, inhaling her scent. It's a mixture of the new detergent she's convinced him to use and her body wash.

"I don't want to leave you guys," Calum says softly.

"We're going to be alright. Me and baby girl Hood are tough."

Calum grins into her skin. He loves the sound of that. His baby, his daughter. "What if she were into football?"

"Wouldn't it just be karma if she liked art more?"

Calum rolls his eyes. "Yeah, and I wonder where she gets it from. I'm truly lost. Reckon it might be her dad as well."

With a laugh, Neveah swats at his knee. "Her momma, of course!" She looks down at Calum, a smile on her lips, eyebrow quirked. "Try that again, Hood and see what happens."

Calum laughs, hands still stroking the bump. He lives for these moments now. Them, away from all the noise. Just them. She shifts a little and Calum watches her as she watches out over the backyard. There's not much happening. It's just quiet, a soft breeze blowing over them. He wonders if this is love. Watching her when she's not even aware, smiling at her soft snores late at night when he can't sleep. 

Is love worrying even when he knows he shouldn't? Is love knowing after a long day at work she will still cook for the both of them? Is love knowing that once her heart is set on something the only thing he can do is step aside because even he'll be damned if he gets in her way? Is love quiet like this moment? Did it creep up on people, building piece by piece? Is love built day in and day out, after watching her tape off wall molding, after watching her curl up with Duke for an afternoon nap, after watching her bring life to his little girl?

She said it was work and he didn't believe in it. He never had any reason to believe. What if love was quiet all along and didn't need to be believed in, and didn't need to be worked on because it was already doing all the work? Now wouldn't that be a sight, like her curling up a little in his lap? "Tired?" he asks, feeling something in his gut flip as her hair brushes over his neck. Not an urge anymore, not anticipation for relief due to nicotine. No, this is something warmer, something lighter.

She shakes her head. "Content."

"Content is good," he murmurs pressing his cheek to her curls and forehead. 

They are silent for a few moments. Calum returns to his pondering. Is he falling for his best friend? Has he already fallen? Wouldn't that be just his life? To have snuck the very thing he had sworn out of his life right in under his nose, covered in the smell of shea butter, coconut, and hibiscus. Life would surely sneak it in in the sound of her laughter, her snorts too, and the coo of her voice when he's had a long day. Life would surely make sure to wrap up love in the warmth of her embrace, the bit of groveling in her voice, the ghosts of her breath tickling his chest. Life would absolutely do this to him.

"What if we're both wrong?" Calum asks.

"Wrong about what?"

"Wrong about love. Would you call me insane if I said I maybe believe in love again?"

"Being a parent does that, so no, I wouldn't call you insane."

It's not just the baby. That is a part of it for sure. For all the trouble it appears she goes through, the morning sickness that turned into all day nausea for the first few weeks, the swelling of her feet, the slow zap to her energy, the backaches, and her biggest foe, the constant bathroom trips, she doesn't complain too much. Too much being the operative words here, every now and then she'll pull the pregnancy card on Calum, usually with a teasing tone though he can see the seriousness in her eyes. More than all that, she's always been one of few people that he felt so open with immediately. It's not easy for him to be vulnerable, but with her, it's too goddamn easy.

"Have you ever wondered how you were so blind sometimes?" he whispers, suddenly terrified of the words about to leave his chest.

"The universe works silently sometimes. We don't always see it coming," she responds.

Calum exhales hard, pressing every ounce of oxygen out of lungs before inhaling deeply again. He's going to admit it. She might push away from him. She might cause a scene. But he can't keep the secret pressed in his gut anymore. "Yeah, like you don't always see how you're falling for your best friend."

She doesn't buck. She doesn't run. She keeps her head tucked under his chin. "You sure it's not because of the baby?"

He can't fault the question. "I'm very sure."

"This is going to sound strange. But don't hate me."

Here it is. She's going to shut him down like he should've done to himself long ago. "I'm pretty sure it's a two-way street. But," she pushes up. "But I've gotta know for sure. Not pretty sure, not with ninety percent conviction. I think about you at work, wonder how your day's going. But I always know you're going to come home. I know I'll be able to give you a hug when you walk through the doors. I almost always remember to grab your coffee in the morning with my tea. The other like 5 percent of the time I forget is because of pregnancy brain. We are comfortable. What happens when you go?"

"You sayin' you never missed me before?"

"No, I did. I missed my friend of course. But this is different. What will missing you this time around feels like?"

It makes sense to him. "It's easy to love someone when they are right there. When all you have to do is kick them in their sleep." A soft grin crosses his lips.

She rolls her eyes. "It was once!"

"Twice."

"Okay, twice by some measures. I said I was sorry. In my defense I was unconscious. It's not like I have perfect control over my limbs."

Calum brings his hand up, tracing the line of her jaw, up to the side of her face and down over her cheekbone. Her eyes flutter closed at the contact before she reaches up and curls her fingers around his. Both of their knuckles pressed gently against her skin. "Tell me how you miss me when I'm gone, yeah?"

Neveah nods, opening her eyes. A brilliant and rich dark brown. "I will."

__

Her phone rings while she's in the bathroom, the third trip in the last couple of hours. Her mother shouts from her bedroom. "It's Calum, sweetheart. I'll answer it!" 

Neveah decided to visit. She needed to get out of the house. It's much too big and empty without Calum. There's no humming, no soft singing. Even though she plays music as loud as she can withstand it, just like Calum does, it's still not the same. Nothing in the same without him. It took a couple of weeks to finally reach the point. The first week, she had the doctor's appointment, meetings almost all day. She had plenty to keep her busy.

The second week was spent recovering from the week prior. She found herself reaching for that second mug, only to remember as she reached for the mini Keurig serving that there's no one to drink the coffee. She doesn't miss him with her entire being. She doesn't miss him with acute pain. She misses him with a dull ache. She's able to push it to the side. Even able to forget about it amongst the craze of her day. At night sometimes, when Duke's warmth isn't enough, she remembers it again. That doesn't happen every night.

She doesn't even miss him with worry in her gut. She just misses him, as plainly and as simple as that. Never like she did before, where she was like, he's out, enjoying the world and messaging occasionally to make sure he's head still square on his shoulders, sending memes of him to him just to be annoying. She still does this, but it's always with hesitation, always with her fingers hovering over the keys to type so much more.

As she exits the restroom, she hears her mother laughing. "Oh, she's on her way back. I'm glad you're enjoying the pictures."

Neveah takes the phone from her mother's hand, settling back into the bed next to her. They were cuddled up watching the game. Her parents watch it in separate rooms because her dad shouts, and paces in front of the TV. It drove her mother and her insane. They started migrating to another room. It's a tradition for them to be shouting to each other about the game, just from different rooms. "Hi, Calum."

"Hey. How are you?"

"Good, a little tired."

He hums. It's her usual response. "I'm excited for the picture next week." She sends an update of her bump to him, usually on Wednesday for her when she goes to the doctors, with the size of the baby. Her doctor is always happy to take those pictures.

"How was your day?" She knows he's about six, or seven hours ahead of him.

"Long." The tone is clipped. Something has happened.

"Do you want to talk about it?" His sigh crackles through the phone. That's a no. She pushes up from the bed, walking into the hallway. She can feel her mother's eyes on the back of her head. Since he doesn't want to talk, she'll take advantage of the silence. "I miss you," she breathes. "And not like before."

"That's the best thing I've heard all day," he breathes into the phone. "The best goddamn thing."

"It's not like a worry miss, it's more like I forgot you've left when I'm making my morning tea and almost make your cup of coffee in the morning. Or late at night when the bed's too big. Or when I miss playing in your hair."

The sigh he releases is so heavy. "You have no clue how much I needed to hear that."

"Were you worried?"

"No, call me crazy but I knew you felt the same. You just needed to come to that conclusion yourself."

"You're crazy," she chuckles. "But also right."

"It's not often I hear you say that."

"I can admit when I'm wrong, mister."

Calum chuckles. "You can, you can." Another bout of silence filters in around them before he speaks again. This time in a quiet tone. "Today was a little rough. In an interview, they asked about our love lives. I didn't want to talk about it. It doesn't really involve anyone else. But I guess pictures surfaced of us. I didn't know about them. I just kind of shut down when they asked what was going on. I wanted to say something. But I couldn't, everything that came to mind was rude to them or a sob story."

Her fingertips ache to hold his face. They ache to squeeze his cheeks a little to get him to huff in laughter. But she can't do that over the phone. "Maybe you don't have to say anything. I mean the truth would come out sooner or later."

"It's just we've kept quiet for so long. I'm not sure I'm ready to share it with the world."

"Then don't. Keep us to yourself."

"Is that fair to you? You can't even tell people whose child it is because of me. It's all anyone cares to know about you. You get asked so often about me and you can't say a fucking word because I'm too fucking scared."

"It's okay to be scared sometimes."

"Don't use my quote against me," he laughs. It's not a laugh saturated in amusement, but it's something. She'll take it. 

"We all need the reminder." Calum knows that's the truth. They talk for a few more minutes, steering the conversation away from the stresses of the day. He's grateful to have her distraction, small stories about her day, the cute dog she saw. Calum reclines into the pillows, tears nearly falling down his face. He wants her next to him. He's grateful just to hear her voice though. 

A few days later, she sends him the baby bump update picture. He calls via FaceTime later that night. Neveah reclined into pillows, Duke settled into her side. A pout rests on her face suddenly. They've gone through the exchange of their day. "What's the matter, sweetheart?"

"I just realized I wanted to paint my toes, but I can't reach them."

"Our little ladybug is getting in the way now?" he asks.

"Ladybug?"

Calum shrugs. "I like the sound of it. I think it's cute."

Neveah nods. Their little ladybug indeed. "But to answer your question, just a wee bit." She looks up from where her feet should be seen to the screen again. Calum's grinning. "What have you done?"

"Check your phone."

When she unlocks the phone and taps on the message thread with Calum, Neveah can see a picture of her pouting. Her laughter falls over her lips. "I look so sad. It's not even that serious. You ought to post that, clear up all the rumors." 

They've been growing as the days past. Calum keeps going back and forth on whether to say anything. He'll have to very soon. He knows it. There's no way he could hide his child. He'd try to keep them from the public eye so much. But it's much harder to hide the undeniable physical proof.

"I should." He throws a glance up to her, asking if she's okay with it. It's amazing she can pick up on that even through a screen. She nods. "It's gonna be sappy. I'm warning you."

"That's fine by me."

He's silent for a moment, fingers tapping over the keys. Her phone buzzes with an alert. @calumhood has tagged you in a photo, reads the alert. Our little ladybug prevented her from painting her toenails. I'll be home soon. The end of the caption has the ladybug emoji as long as a bee one.

"Why the bee?"

"Because you're the queen."

"The Beehive is going to annihilate me."

"Honeybee, that's what I'll call you."

She opens up google. "Technically, wasp have queens too."

Calum chuckles. "I'm not calling you a wasp."

"Ants have a queen."

"I'm not callin' you an ant either. But that is an interesting fun fact."

She re-reads the post, eyes watering just a little. It's not easy for him to do that. She knows it's partially timing as well. He could've waited until the very end. He could've kept it secret for a little longer. "It's so sweet. Thank you."

Calum feels the heat rising in his face. "It's because I love you guys. The situation's unique for sure. But I love you, and my little girl. There's nothing to be scared of, not in something like love." 

He's a believer. Love is kind, patient, understanding. Love is real, wrapped up in her just for him.