#if you notice any games missing here I picked the ones with the most loud and annoying fans

[theballmighty]

It is November of 2017. Honkai Impact 3rd fans insist their new gacha game isn’t like other gacha games.

It is May of 2019. Arknights fans insist their new gacha game isn’t like other gacha games.

It is September of 2020. Genshin fans insist their new gacha game isn’t like other gacha games.

It is July of 2021. Punishing: Gray Raven fans insist their new gacha game isn’t like other gacha games.

It is February of 2023. Limbus Company fans insist their new gacha game isn’t like other gacha games.

It is April of 2023. Honkai Star Rail fans insist their new gacha game isn’t like other gacha games.

It is now November of 2023. Zenless Zone Zero fans are insisting-

[neopuppy]

Arcade (M)

pairing. Jeno x female reader

genre. hmm what’s all this then? anyway…… smut, M/F, pwp

warnings. vaginal/backdoor unprotected rough sex, rimming, non-consented camera use, you don’t have to read Switch+Chain to understand but it might help. minors DNI.

wc. 6k+

now playing. Arcade//NCT Dream

It’s hard.

It’s been hard actually, attempting to commit to some type of relationship while living in the same household as your.. whatever he was.

First love, the man who took your virginity, your boyfriend's father.

It doesn’t help that things have been really tense between you and Jeno ever since your mom refused to move out, claiming Johnny needs to compensate her for uprooting her life with false hope of a future together.

He acquires the guest room most nights, or…doesn’t come home, and you notice— you notice it every time. When he shows up the next day, neck garnished with bitten bruises poorly hidden under his collar, lips swollen red from whatever he got up to. The avoidance he graces you with— never once meeting your gaze as he passes by on the way to his office. It’s been about a month of this; and on top of it all your mother refuses to let you enjoy any alone time with Jeno.

‘I don’t approve of this.’ She repeats daily, shoving between the two of you sitting together in the living room. ‘You are not allowed to date this horrid insolent boy.’

Jeno can’t stand it either, not helping his case with his rude and disrespectful responses, arguing back and forth with her about how this is technically his house and she can leave.

“I can’t deal with your mom anymore.” He whispers. It’s 1am, also the time your mother typically passes out after raiding Johnny’s wine cabinet. Keeping you up later every night as you have to wait to sneak to each other’s bedrooms. “It’s been two weeks.”

Two weeks since you fucked.. in the upstairs bathroom at Mark’s house, some Saturday night kick back. Even then the two of you hadn’t mentioned your.. situationship to anyone. Jeno’s friends finding it peculiar how often he’s canceled on them to hang out with his… whatever you are.

“We can try a quiet activity..” you tease, tickling under his shirt.

“I can’t even fuck you in my room anymore without her breathing down my neck.” Jeno scowls, pushing his nose against your forehead. “Besides, we both know how loud you get, baby.”

“I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

“I have an idea,” Jeno had already brought up getting a hotel before, foregoing the thought as his bank account stared back at him looking bleak; failing to mention that his father had cut off the weekly allowance he’d become accustomed to after their blow up(you know, the one about you). “Haechan just became a keyholder at that arcade place he works at.”

“You want to play video games, right now?”

“No no, I’m gonna ask him for a favor.” Jeno smiles, pulling you close to his chest. “For us.”

“Where are you going?”

Your foot tracks come to a halt just as you reach the front door, more dressed up than usual. Nothing much, a short velvet dress with lace trimming, something Jeno picked out from your closet without knowing who gifted it to you in the first place.

Placing your hand on your chest in mock-shock, you gasp turning to face Johnny. “Oh my God, I haven’t heard your voice in so long— I’d forgotten you even live here.”

“I remember this dress.” Johnny’s gaze traces down, stopping at your chest for a second too long as his mouth tweaks to one side. “You were supposed to wear it—“

“Yeah.” You interrupt, reaching for the hem floating just under the jut of your buttcheek to play with. “For our next weekend together, you said I looked pretty when I tried it on.”

“You do,” Johnny’s eyebrows come together, trailing down lower to your strappy heels and manicured toes. “You look beautiful, sexy. Gorgeous as always.”

“..do you miss me?” The question comes out unexpectedly, biting down on the sides of your tongue after asking, nervously pinching your thighs together as he nods; hand running through his loose hair and tugging at the ends.

“Of course I do.” Johnny nearly smiles, the corners of his lips pointing up, none of it reaching his dark eyes continuing to stay low and avoid your face. “But you’re going to meet my son right now, aren’t you?”

“No!” You snap to answer too fast, clearing your throat and swiping your hair back. “I’m meeting my friends.”

“You don’t have friends.” Johnny scoffs a laugh jokingly, shrugging half-apologetically. “Your mom asked me to make sure you stay away from Jeno, you know.”

“He’s my boy—friend..” you say hesitantly. “I think..”

“Yes, you do seem to be a pair.” Johnny hums, leaning against the hallway wall. “It’s almost as if your mother won’t leave my son's side and Jeno won’t leave yours. I don’t believe I’ve seen you once without him around ever since..”

“Ever since we broke up?”

“We didn’t break up.” Johnny’s fast to correct. “We were never together, not you and I anyway.” He waves off, more sluggish in appearance now as you step closer and take in his tired expression. “I should have left you alone.”

“What do you me—“

“You should get going, Jeno’s been waiting outside for a while now.” Johnny cuts you off, motioning to the front door. “Probably getting annoyed knowing him.”

“Did you ever love me?” You know you shouldn’t, but Johnny’s right; if Jeno’s not plastered to your back then your mom’s hovering around with her nose deep in your business. Over the last few weeks cuddled up next to Jeno wide awake as he softly snores you can’t stop your mind from spinning, asking questions you never received answers to.

“You still have to ask?” His shoulders fall, slumping further against the wall, hooded eyes falling to his feet. “Of course I did.. I still do. I always will.”

“Then why did yo—“

“What’s taking so long!” Jeno busts through the front door, pausing with his knuckles turning white where he grips the handle hard enough to break off. “What the fuck is going on here?”

“Nothing.” Johnny says casually, shoving off the wall to stand up straight. “As we agreed to, nothing at all.” He nods in Jeno’s direction, returning to his usual stature of living without acknowledging your existence, not even a ‘goodbye’ wave before exiting the room.

Jeno grabs the crook of your elbow tugging you back into his chest hard enough to have you stumbling, gasping out of shock. “Was he talking to you?!”

“Huh? Ow! You’re hurting me!” Tugging your arm away at the same time Jeno releases as if you’ve burned off the skin off his palm sends you tumbling forward, saved by his arm swiftly coming to wrap around your waist; eyes bouncing around full of concern and confusion.

“Sorry! I mean..” Jeno’s teeth grind together, softly squeezing you in his hold. “I’m sorry, didn’t mean to..”

“Okay.. is everything alright?”

He frowns, ducking in to press his chin against your shoulder, eyelashes dragging down to the side as his eyes fall and lose their usual sparkle. “Yeah, I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay Jeno.. let’s get going, yeah?”

“Yeah yeah.” He nods, pecking your skin before moving back to get the door for you. “I didn’t think he was home, swore I heard him leave earlier. Thought he’d be gone for the night fucking some whore.”

Jeno leads you to his car, missing the way you flinch at the mention of Johnny’s reoccurring activities, still sensitive as you try to process the answer you’ve been looking for.

I always will. That’s what Johnny said.. but there was something else.

Jeno’s driving, drumming on the steering wheel to calm his anxiety, the image of your back facing him with his fathers lazy eyes on you as you stood much too close together won’t leave his mind. He’s sick of it really, fighting his own father for the same girl; brainstorming new ways to threaten him. Even breaking into the old man’s home office to look through his patients files for some dirt, completely illegal but what about this predicament isn’t at this point.

“Back there..” you break his thoughts, clearing your throat.

“Huh?” Jeno glances, shifting his tense shoulders to relax and lean back in his seat. “Back there?”

“Your dad.. he said something, about ‘as we agreed to’ I think..” you say cautiously, picking at your cuticle. “Did you guys ever talk? About.. us?”

Jeno steps down on the brake abruptly, hurling your chest forward restrained by the seat belt that tightens up around you. “What?”

At least the lights red, you think, rubbing at your sore chest. “...Ow..”

Jeno sighs, more annoyed now, tapping the steering wheel with more aggression. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Things have been weird, awkward I guess.. ever since..”

“Since he dumped you?” He sneers, pushing down on the gas pedal too hard and revving off down the street, luckily empty at this late hour.

“We weren’t together, not like.. not like how you and I are. I mean—“

“He took advantage of you..” Jeno shakes his head, zipping through intersections without bothering to slow down or stop. “He took advantage of you, and you let him.”

“That’s not—“

“It’s okay.” Hitting the brakes he stops, pulling into a parking spot with ease, using one hand to steer the wheel into place. “It’s okay.” Jeno repeats again, as if to reassure himself more than anything. “My dad, that fucking asshole..”

Pulling the shift into park, he leans back again, the back of his head slamming against the seat frustrated. “It’s not your fault. When I was a kid he used to psychoanalyze me too, used that shit to manipulate me.”

Johnny didn’t manipulate me, your lip twitches to say, folding your hands together as you purse your lips tight.

“He blamed me, you know— for my mom leaving..” Jeno’s tongue drags inside of his cheek, wandering eyes gleaming more beneath the night sky breaking through the windshield. “I never stood a chance against him honestly, even now I can’t trust he’ll leave you alone.”

“He does leave me alone, Jeno.”

“Yeah.” He pauses, turning halfway in his seat to face you, head tilted as he takes in your confusion. “I told him to leave you alone, is that a problem?”

“..and he agreed? Is that what he meant?” You ask wearily, picking up over time that Jeno can’t keep eye contact when he lies, becoming shifty and distracted as he mumbles.

He blinks slowly, tongue poking between his lips in thought without tearing away from your gaze. “I told him that I really like you, and for once in my life I want to have a chance at something genuine.”

Jeno’s playful demeanor you’ve become acquainted with(although still perplexing at times) seems to disappear the more he speaks, concerning you enough to take a hold of his hand. “Hey..”

He mumbles something hard to make out, sinking against his seat. “I hate seeing him around you, I know you don’t see it the way I do but.. he used you.”

Ouch.

How could Jeno so easily ruin your delusional high of believing his father had actual feelings for you with just a few words. It’s not worth discussing, not with him, he’d never see it the way you do.

Understandably so, to him Johnny may as well be the scum of the earth while he consumed your entire world, day to night; continuing to daydream of the future you could have with your boyfriend's dad. The idea alone fucked up enough to make you nauseous now, having to swallow the bitter taste of bile down. As sick as it is, Johnny had made a home for himself in your heart.. at least the parts Jeno hadn’t managed to infiltrate.

Half of you really contemplated choosing stupidity, ruin your chances of getting dicked down tonight. Perhaps spice it up, Jeno had become.. soft as of late, but the distress across his pretty face quelled your hunger for drama, for now.

“So, what you’re saying is..” you bend in closer, jerking his chin up to look at you, hand squeezing around his. “You really like me?”

Jeno’s smile returns, huffing out a laugh, hiding half of his face in the seat. “Fighting my dad for you wasn’t enough? I have to say it too?”

Shrugging, you lean in closer, biting at his earlobe. “Wouldn’t hurt to hear once in a while after years of thinking you hated me.”

“Well..” the sound of keys jingling turns your attention to Jeno’s hand coming up between you, eyebrow lifted suggestively. “I think you like it, actually— I know you love it when I fuck you like I hate you.”

“You’re gonna fuck me in the arcade?” You glance outside, ‘High Scores’ lights up the hood of his car, the rest of the street dim and empty compared to the bright neon light flickering above you. “Does Haechan know you’re risking his job to have sex uninterrupted?”

Jeno laughs, opening his door to get out and grab yours, the nice gestures still taking awhile to get used to.(This is the same guy that made you get out of his car and walk to school just to not be seen with you afterall.)

“Most he said is to not leave a mess behind and make sure I lock up when we’re done here.” Helping you out he pushes your back to the passenger door, gaze back to the excited playful one you prefer. “I can always fuck you here instead.”

Even now the thrill of secrecy reminds you of him... the times he’d pull you into the backseat of his SUV to steal a kiss; softly pecking your lips while mumbling that he needed a little taste of you everyday, thumbing at his bottom lip while he sat across from you during dinner and stole glances at you. The craving for more always lingering.

“Right here? Where anyone can see?” You ask, pretending to be shocked with wide eyes and clutching your chest. “You think I’m some whore you can just fuck on the street?”

Jeno bites down on his tongue, smirking and grabbing your hips. “I knew this dress would look good on you.” He hikes up the sides around your hips, lifting you up onto the hood to sit and make space between your thighs. “I like it when you listen to me.”

It’s little things like this that heat up your chest, stinging from within between guilt and a yearning need. The twisted part of your mind consumed by the thought that Jeno’s so similar to his dad, just younger, a little naive, but he’s definitely not as dumb as you had assumed.

“Do you think I look pretty?” You ask coyly, pulling his hips in closer with a tight squeeze of your thighs. Jeno wraps around your waist, face only an inch away from yours now, his tone lowering to a deep rasp.

“You’re always pretty. You know when I brought you around my friends I had to stop myself from putting Jaemin in a headlock with the shit he was saying.” His hands roam lower as he goes on, smoothing up the sides of your thighs to play with the straps of your underwear. “Had to remind myself that they don’t know about us.. yet.”

“Yet?”

Jeno hums, gathering your underwear to one side to swipe his thumb between your folds; his cheeks rising upon making contact with your wet entrance. “Once your mom gets off my ass it’ll be easier for us. I guess I’m still worried.”

He mumbles with lowered eyelids, grabbing onto your inner thigh to spread you open further. Not quite lying, not quite telling you the truth. “You still don’t trust me, right?

The skin between his eyebrows wrinkles slightly, long eyelashes fanning across the tops of his cheeks. “Seeing you with him today, I feel..”

“You can be honest with me baby.”

Jeno nods, the wrinkles on his forehead deepening, smearing two fingers over the outside of your entrance haphazardly. “I’m annoyed, I’m mad. I hate that he still gets to see you— to see you look pretty for me.”

“We didn’t talk.” You lie, cupping his face to smooth away the stress tightening his jaw. “He was just passing by.”

“You’re not lying, are you?” Jeno asks slowly, also familiar with the way you bite your lip when you lie. Even the smallest movement of biting one corner is enough to give you away.

“I’m not lying.” You say, tugging your lip in under your teeth with a smile, quickly moving to kiss his nose before he can continue interrogating you. Jeno’s eyes drop shut swallowing back his disappointed sigh, hand sliding away to grip your thighs and pull your core closer to his crotch.

“I know we don’t talk about this,” his face dips into the crook of your neck to hide, breath fanning down your throat mixing in with the chilled night air. “..and I know I can’t ask you to ignore him, we all live together..”

“Jeno” you say, pulling back to grab a hold of his face again. “We live together, you realize that? It’s always you, me.. and my mom unfortunately.”

He smiles at that, playfully biting at your thumb poking against the corner of his mouth. “I’m not used to my dad actually doing something nice for me.” Other than funding him with money, which hasn’t been the case as of late. Jeno considers that maybe you were the exchange, no more allowance but hey- I’ll let you have the girl.

Fixing his wind swept bangs to uncover his forehead, you wonder what exactly was said in this agreement; had Johnny really given up on you so easily? How could he say he still loves you and watch another man, let alone his own son, prance around in his face holding and kissing you? It didn’t make any sense..

Jeno shivers, smoothing your dress back down and nodding toward the Arcade. “It’s getting cold, wanna head inside and play?”

He helps you off the hood, taking a hold of your hand and using his other to unlock the front door. “Oh? You know, I can kick your ass at Pac-man.”

Jeno pulls you in, locking the door back up, the inside mostly dark aside from a few strips of neon lights bordering the ceiling. “Is that all you know how to play?” He laughs, drawing you further in with both hands taking a hold of yours. “We both know I can eat you up easily.”

Coming to a stop he flicks on a switch, the room coming to life with lights and mixtures of video game music from different machines. Most of them classic vintage games, a few pinball machines and air hockey table. Nothing much, but a gamers safe haven nonetheless.

“There’s Street Fighter, Ninja Turtles, Super Mario Brothers, Frogger..” Jeno walks around keeping you by his side, chuckling at your lost expression as you look at him like he’s speaking a foreign language. “Pac-man it is, winner takes it all yeah?”

“What are we playing for?” You grumble, feigning annoyance because this is not what you had in mind when Jeno texted you about sneaking out together.

“If I win, I get to do whatever I want with you.” He beams, eyebrows raising up and down before inserting coins into the game.

“What if I win?”

“If you win..” pouting his lips, Jeno sways in thought, snapping his fingers. “I get to do whatever I want with you.” He says proudly, displaying all of his pearly white perfect teeth.

“Don’t you already?” You say in an annoyed tone, nudging against his side and grabbing onto a joystick.

“There is one thing, actually.” Jeno lowers his gaze scanning down your figure, eyes ending on your backside. “I believe you know what I want.”

“Right now?” You have to splutter a bit, nervously squeezing your thighs together. “Won’t it hurt though?”

He laughs, barely, more of an act to stop himself from replying with ‘That’s the point.’

“No baby, it’ll feel good.” Jeno sticks out his pinky, jutting his pink bottom lip out covered with a sheen of spit. “I prom.”

“Prom?” You question, distracted by how enticing his mouth looks pouting at you paired with a wide glossy gaze.

“Half a promise,” he winks, locking your pinkies together. “It might hurt actually.”

“Jeno!”

“Winner takes it all!” He laughs, returning to focus on starting your game of Pac-man.

“Jeno, what the fuck! This isn’t fair!” You panic, immediately falling behind as his hand seems to blur and you crash into another ghost.

“What can I say? I’m a pro.” He says nonchalantly, the smirk painting his lips growing. “You know what else I’m a pro at eating?”

“Jeno!” You splutter, distracted by the wink he shoots at you as another sound of disappointment blasts from the game's speakers, on your last leg of life attempting to catch up to your opponent nearing the end.

“Winners win.” Jeno’s arms lift up proudly, boasting his victory with flexed biceps. “Losers lose.”

He keeps cheering, arms pumping and pretending to wave at a crowd as the game congratulates his victory. “You didn’t tell me you were good at this game!”

“Well, you said you could kick my ass.” He shrugs, grabbing your wrists and dragging you toward him. “It seems I will be the one beating your ass up instead.”

Jeno taps the pout that’s formed on your lips, disguising how irritated he feels in actuality. Tapping your bottom lip, he hums and leans back against a wall. “You wouldn’t lie to me, right?”

“Why do you keep asking?” You lilt, tilting your head suspiciously as you reach for his neck. Jeno snaps away too fast, quickly averting his gaze aside before you can catch his disappointment; his palms finding purchase around your waist and manhandling you against the wall.

“No reason,” he whispers, trapping your earlobe between his teeth and knocking his hips along your backside. “Don’t forget who won.”

The sound of his belt unlatching scratches at the back of your skull drowning out the arcade noises around you; with a bicep locking your arms together he wraps it around your elbows. The restraint tightens immediately, locking your arms in place behind your back. “Does it hurt, baby?”

‘Does it hurt badly?’

Pressing your cheek to the wall you shake, quietly muttering ‘no’, the churn in your stomach confusing you with arousal and guilt.

“That’s too bad..” pulling up your dress to bunch at your waist, Jeno slaps your ass softly, stroking his fingers over the roundness of your hips, dipping beneath the juncture between meaty flesh meeting thigh. “I know how much you love when it hurts.”

“Je—“

“Shhh.” Biting down on your earlobe, he tugs until you squeal, knees knocking together from the pain shooting through your ear. “See how you’re so fucking loud?”

Jeno sinks down into a squat gripping the sides of your ass and squeezing. His palms feel hot, heavy, digging his thin hard fingers into your cheeks. He pulls you open watching the thin string of your underwear fail to cover your holes completely, breath suctioning loudly between spit when he hisses and presses forward digging his nose against your barely concealed hole.

“Fuck!” You bite down, struggling to stay still on your toes digging deeper into the sole of your heels, his nose dragging up and down between releasing groans and deep breaths. The moans vibrating between the back of your thighs playing as a soundtrack for his disgusting euphoric high, leaving his mouth popped open, teeth catching onto bits of flesh hidden inside of you.

“So good.” Jeno laps at your rim, soaking up the thin piece of underwear there, teeth biting down and pulling away enough to watch your hole flutter. Slapping at your ass with a firmer hand he tugs the string off to one side, leaning forward to press his pouty lips against your hole. Mouth hot and breathy as he stays there tracing his words against your opening. “Want me to fill your little tight virgin asshole up so fucking bad, just look at the way you’re opening up for me already.”

As if on command slick drips down your inner thigh, rim convulsing around nothing. He snickers, tapping the tip of his finger against it. “So nasty, who taught you to be this fucking nasty huh?”

Oh.

Your eyes wrinkle together, hips jumping back in search of something wet, something to quell your need.

A succession of hard slaps stills your movement, ass stinging under his palm smoothing down, jiggling your cheek against his face. “Can’t even stop yourself, can you?”

“Please…do something.. please.”

Begging, you’re always such a beggar. Jeno can’t stand it, how your writhe and whimper, so desperate to get fucked. Can’t stand how pretty you sound when you beg, when you shout his name with your eyes facing the back of your skull. He can’t stand the way his cock jumps in his pants, twitching against his phone like a reminder.

“Ask for it.” His face rubs side to side, engulfed in your aroma, nose burying in and out of your hole teasingly. “Be a good girl, ask.”

“Jeno.. please,” sniffling, you have to shut your eyes to keep your mind blank. The similarities between two different men sit on your chest, sinking into the hollow, breaking down the bones and muscle protecting your heart. “Please baby.”

“Please what?” Pulling out his phone, Jeno double checks the silent button, hitting record and focusing on your ass sticking out; lower back making the shot from the way you dip in and arch out.

“Please, please fuck me…”

“Where?” He questions, tone falling deep, raspy, scratching up his vocal chords. “Tell me where.”

“My..” breath gets caught in your throat, hole clenching up as embarrassment flows down your face. Breaking out into a whimper at the first sign of moisture reaching the rims of your eyes. “My ass.. please fuck my ass.”

“That’s right,” Jeno groans, smoothing the pad of his finger around your wrinkled hole. “No one will ever fuck you the way I fuck you.”

Spit lands on your rim, the last shot he captures before sending the video off to a text message with ‘Asshole’.

‘Only for me.’

Pocketing his phone again, he focuses on collecting your wetness, swirling it together with his spit. The sounds of your needy whines only egg him on to work fast, lapping at the skin around his fingers until your knees bend and you shove back against his face.

Jeno contemplates for a second, mindlessly prodding the tips of two fingers in and out of your pulsating rim, your wanton cries driving him mad the longer he teases.

It shouldn’t hurt, but you deserve for it to hurt, because you’re a fucking liar, because you’d rather lie to him and allow his mind to wander.

Before he can shake away the worry, his phone buzzes, distracting him for a moment before pressing into your hole to keep you occupied.

‘Ask your little girlfriend about our conversation you rudely interrupted. I wouldn’t be so sure if I was you.’

Jeno can’t believe how fast this fucking asshole replies, nearly crushing his phone and jabbing his fingers into you roughly at the same time.

“Ahh!”

“Shut up.” He growls, shoving his phone away, proceeding to jackhammer two fingers inside your ass. A wad of spit lands around them adding a small amount of lubricant, his roughness forcing your ass to shake around the pressure.

“Baby please, ah!” Struggling to stay still, your toes pinch together, pushing your forehead against the wall with another cry. Tears stain down your cheeks the more he ignores you, muscles rippling up his forearm beneath pulsing large veins. “Please, slow..slow down!”

Another growl is all you hear in response, dipping in to lavv at the tough skin constricting around his fingers, his free hand reaching between your thighs to pinch at your clit and distract your mind from the pain.

Jeno’s ears fill up from the heat surrounding him, forcing another digit inside your hole and groaning at the visual of how obscenely stretched you are around him. Still managing to push in past your resistance, his stare burns, stuck on the little flex and pinch your ass gives with each push inside.

“Fuck, you feel so good.”

A startled broken moan slips out of you, caught off guard by how deep, near demonic his vibrato’s fallen to. The surprise has your hips canting back full of fear, excitement, Jeno’s fingers digging deep into your ass pushing against your walls.

“Relax, you’ll make this hurt more than it has to.”

The glide of his nose pressing to your neglected hole has you jolting up, legs pin straight the second his tongue flicks at your clit. His hand reaches around grasping your thigh, strong hold pushing you to sit down on his face. He tongues at your bundle of nerves viciously, nose suffocated by the ridiculous amount of slick pouring out of you, the majority of it dripping down past the consistent small dip in and out of you, trickling a pathway down his thick neck, bobbing and struggling to breathe with his airway full of arousal.

“Ah fuck! I’m close!” Full of urgency you scream, hands twitching like crazy to grab onto something, anything to help you stay attached to reality. He only speeds up, the fat of his tongue dragging along your swollen clit roughly, powerfully working you into a faster frenzy until your thighs quake.

Jeno’s relentless, tongue blurring against your clit with speed, nose stuffed as deep as possible, the three digits curling up and pulling. Pain and pleasure hit a new high, bending your neck back into a deep arch as your climax hits and erupts hard enough to choke him between the wet squirt and weight of your lower half coming down.

Slapping down on your upper thigh, Jeno gags, coughing from the fluid filling his nostrils, fingers crooking up before sliding out and smearing the mess of spit down your leg.

“Come here.” He drags your lifeless body down to his lap, switching to hold his weight against the wall, lips landing against yours in a mess of heat. The drool pouring from your mouth blends with his spit coated lips vocalizing the hunger of your mouths fighting for dominance. “Wanna..”

Jeno pants, licking at every crevice of skin and tongue like a thirsty puppy, eyes glazed over as he gazes at your already wrecked face. “..see you, wanna see you.”

“Uh huh,” nodding you wrap around his neck, forehead landing against his cheek lazily as he positions you over his length. The whole act feels dirty, a memory you’ll recall someday; how silly it is to be a teenager having to sneak around just to get laid(all because you fucked your boyfriend’s dad). “See you.” You repeat breathless, cock dragging between your folds drenched by wet arousal that won’t stop leaking.

“Pussy dripping wet for me, know why?” Jeno’s arm squeezes around your middle, hot mouth dragging up your jaw to whisper in your ear. “Cause you’re a fucking slut, and all sluts know how to do is take cock.”

The cry you let out shaking your head with denial gets lost, Jeno capturing your bottom lip in a rough kiss and thrusting up to fill you halfway. He grunts, pushing your body lower to bury the rest of his length inside and swallow down your cries. “Slutty fuck hole.”

Eyelashes flutter along your cheek, hot tightness wrapped around his size drawing deep guttural moans out. Hips jerk upward, lodging the entirety of his length inside of you. He’s overbearing, sucking the moans out of your mouth, slapping down on your ass to move and ride his length despite your cries.

“Feel good?” Jeno’s bicep flexes, snaked around your waist tighter than a boa constrictor, making it harder to breathe with the incessant ramming of his hips fucking you up and down his size.

“S-so so so good,” you sigh between tears, scratching your nails through the back of his scalp and sweaty nape. “So good inside.”

He wants to be mean, wants to pull you off him, throw you down on the ground and fuck you like nothing but a useless whore; but he can’t. Mentally cursing himself out, he shifts to lay you down, throwing your thigh around his hip for leverage to grind into you, eyes burning over your dazed expression.

Pretty.

Kissing the backs of his teeth he fucks into you faster, chasing his own need to get off without much concern for yours. This isn’t about you, this isn’t about your glazed gaze, parted swollen lips, the tear tracks rolling down past your jaw following the dips of collarbone rising and falling at a rapid pace, breasts bouncing near out of your dress with each beating thrust.

Jeno feels crazed, hot, throat burning from the inside out from the endless groans tearing through his chest. Bending forward, his weight throttles into you, jostling you to slide up. Palms attaching you to the ground with a vicious chokehold. Teeth grit and grind, wrinkling the skin on his cheeks and forehead, cock fucking in and out, in and out, the loud squelch of wet somehow louder than your pleasured sounds combined.

“M’gonna..” Jeno gulps, swallowing the wads of spit and drool collecting at the sides of his tongue. “Fuck you, fuck you all night. Fuck your ass open, break you.”

Unsure he can even last with how tight you grip around him, Jeno pulls out, shushing the loud whine you let out, pouting and crying harder about how close you were. “Shh..” slapping down between your thighs, he licks at his lips hungrily, entertained by the way you twitch and cry, still lifting your hips for another slap on your pussy. “Turn around.”

Knowing you can’t do much with your arms constrained, he manhandles you onto your front, noting how your flesh folds over the leather belt, sure enough to leave marks behind the more you struggle. He pulls at the leather, shoving your dress to the top of your back completely bunched up, wrinkling the nice material that someone else would have stripped off of you gently..

“Mine.” Jeno swipes his fingers around your exposed rim, lightly laughing at how you jerk forward and arch out more. Cock slapping down between your ass with a hiss. “So pretty like this..”

He’s done bothering to prep you, on the brink of insanity listening to your shattered whimpers, the exhausted, depraved little way you repeat his name. “So mine.” Resting his length on your rim, he reaches lower, scooping a wad of wetness globbed at your entrance, the only extra he’ll spare you, smearing the mess of it up and down his size.

He presses to your rim, biting down on his lip hard enough to break skin and compress the growl trying to escape. “God, fuck.”

Jeno thinks he can’t breathe for a moment, sinking in through the insane tightness, his stomach sucked empty, raggedly inhaling the more inch by inch disappears inside of you.

He thrust shallowly, experimenting with short and fast grinds until every bit of his size can no longer be seen, eyebrows crushed together as he struggles to breathe and crashes a harsh slap down on your ass. The growl escapes similar to a feral animal on the run, animalistic much like each barreling thrust colliding with your ass.

Jeno loses it from there, a string of curses running off his tongue between groans, hammering his hips forward, his free hand reaching for one of your shoulders to press your chest down. The extra hold only enforcing more power behind each slam, burying his cock deeper than you can even begin to fathom. “Gonna fuck your ass all the time now.”

“Hurts! Hurts so much!” You moan, stuttering between each syllable, arching deeper for him to fuck faster.

“You love it.” He bends forward, chest pressed down on your back knocking out your air flow. His other hand trailing from your hip to slap against your cunt, fingers pressing down on your clit and rubbing in fluid motions of figure eights.

“Ah fuck! Baby!”

Jeno knows you’re close, tightening up around his cock making it harder for him to shove in past your resistance. Pussy quivering the more he plays with your clit. “Yeah, just like that.” He pants, thirsty like a dog, tongue wagging out drooling. “Fucking tight, so fucking tight.”

He starts fucking at an unreal speed, rapidly ripping past each clench. The growls behind you akin to a beast, sucking bits of your soul with each thrust bottoming out inside of your ass.

“Jeno!” It’s barely a whimper, too empty headed to process anything beyond the heat coiling down your stomach, toes curling against your heels, the cool wet smeared down your thighs.

A pinch at your clit has you leaking, squirting around nothing and clamping down on the cock filling your ass, Jeno’s hand drenched by your climax pouring to the floor around his fingers.

He can’t believe it, you really came from this, asshole stuffed to the brim with cock for the first time. The thought alone tightens up his balls, jackhammering against your limp frame, falling into sloppy mismatched thrusts until the heat in his chest snaps. Cock crammed down to the hilt jerking and pulsing inside your warm heat. Sticky and obscene, the thick milky cream collecting at the base of his length with each last pitiful thrust.

Jeno finishes up, throat visibly bobbing as he takes in your backside covered in the excess cum, dragging his wet cock on your heated flesh. The white liquid gliding down your soft skin, ass gaped and ruined, his arm reaches around patting for his pants in search of one thing.

Jeno types with one thumb, quickly filming a clip of his hand sweeping up the back of your thigh, rubbing his release into your skin, the last shot ending on your holes.

The text finishes sending, a pleased grin lazily fitting his face before leaning down to kiss the middle of your back.

He mumbles mindlessly against your damp skin, imagining his recipient's face opening the message, pleased by the thought of his father’s enraged face.

‘Only mine.’

[nikosama13]

Captain's Orders! (New! Law x Reader)

Description: After attacking and cleaning out a marine ship you and the Heart Pirates stumbled across some good old fashion booze. But when Law by accidentally swapped his cup for yours things got a little out of hand..

Side Notes: Hello loves! This was lowkey rushed but I did my greatest! (My requests should be open + probably spelling mistakes) (づ￣ ³￣)づ

-Shanks Version Here-

Enjoy the read! <3

Consider following..?

~~~

It was a lively night on the Polar Tang, the Heart Pirates were celebrating after attacking and clearing out a whole marine ship. You guys came across all kinds of supplies which you all of course took back with you to the ship. But one of the most important things you found was barrels and barrels of booze. Now, nor you or the rest of the crew drank to a great extent, however it was nice to let loose once in a while and today seemed like a great day to do just that. Law sat in the corner of the dining room reading away, struggling to focus on his new book. (Which he also probably stole from the marine’s ship) You and Heart pirates ignored his scrunched up and scowling face, continuing your loud dancing and games. Eventually, Law stood up to go get a glass of water and grabbed your cup instead. After he had inhaled the whole glass it hit him.. He basically just swallowed a load of booze. He wasn’t really bothered about what had just happened, however he knew that his booze tolerance wasn’t really that strong at all… So he sat back down and continued reading his book.. Forgetting the whole situation. You on the other hand.. didn’t notice that your drink was missing. The booze had already hit you hard and you thought that you just never refilled the cup. By the end of the night you were all worn out and plopped on your bed, wasted. But soon after, somebody interrupted your peace of mind.. Law just walked straight into your room, bold and without a care in the world. “Oi, y/n-ya you made a mess in the dining room, go clean it up, now.” He said, his voice had a hint of drunkness to it.

Not like your voice was any better.. “Ugh.. no, not right now.. leave.” you suggled further into your pillow, ignoring the captain's orders. Well that was.. until you felt two hands creep up on your waist. The next thing you knew was you were being picked up, swung over Law’s shoulder. You smacked his back with your hands and kicked your feet up and down. “Lawww!” you groaned, dizzy and unhappy. “Fine, I'll take you somewhere better..” his pace picked up and walked quicker to this ‘Better place’, all while carrying you. You were confused by the random change of heart. He was usually more strict about things, especially cleaning up.. But you weren’t complaining if he was going to get you out of it. The next thing you saw was the door frame of some room and the door shutting behind you two. After he gently placed you down on something soft like a bed.. When your vision unblurred you realized where you were. Law’s Room.. You gasped and sat straight up. “L-law what the hell are we doing here!?” you felt your cheeks burning up. “Well you didn’t wanna clean..” he walked closer to you.. “I-..” you were speechless and frozen. “Why so stiff darling..?” he mischievously smiled at you. Eventually your lips crashed together before you could do anything and in that moment you decided that maybe this situation wasn’t so bad after all.. Maybe this was a blessing to have Law act like this.. But out of all the people.. Law? You were just so shocked why he acted like this.. 

His lips slowly and gently pressed on your own. He wasn't rushing it, and took his time in trying not to hurt you in any way.

Law continued the kiss softly and slowly, gently moving his lips across your own before slowly picking up the pace. His arms slowly wrapped themselves around your back and pulled you even closer to him.

Let’s just say you two would have a long talk in the morning..

~~~

The End~

Thank you for reading! &lt;3

Consider following..?

[jaemified]

TAKING ME HIGH (ANGEL)

“fuck. you really couldnt wait an hour?”

☆ pairing ; dior employee minghao x flight attendant fem reader

☆ genre ; smut (minors dni!!), porn w plot, est relationship

☆ warnings ; swearing, smoking, oral (m receiving)((giving head under the table)), handjob, haos mean, readers bratty, praise kink if ya squint, degrading, pet names (baby, pretty girl, angel, sweet girl, pretty baby, brat, slut), hair pulling

☆ wordcount ; 2.0k

☆ synopsis ; after being away from your boyfriend for almost a literal week thanks to your job, you want nothing more than him in every possible way. but when he finds himself picking his games over you, you come to a compromise; sneaking under the table while hes distracted.

READ BELOW THE CUT

it wasnt like your boyfriend didnt spoil you.

i mean, you were pretty fucking spoiled considering he was one of diors top employees. he always made sure to bring you home a ‘small’ gift coming out of his bonus after a successful sale at work.

and by small, he means one of the most expensive perfumes or shoes he knows youd love.

of course you were grateful for the gifts and all, it wasnt like it was one sided seeing as you always brought him back some luxury brand when you took part in flights across the world BUT, all you really wanted was his attention.

youre his perfect angel, you both knew that. but no amount of gifts can satisfy how much you craved him and his touch after a long 7 days without him.

finally, you were coming home. not that you were really gone that long. but when you’re a flight attendant for 10 different 12 hour long flights, its without a doubt you’ll be tired beyond belief.

you were so excited to see minghao, wanting nothing more than to cuddle with him in your warm bed.

that was, until you called him at least.

you realized you wanted way more.

you facetimed minghao as you stepped into your taxi on the way to your apartment complex, plugging your earbuds into your phone.

“hi baby. im so excited to see you! im about a half hour away.”

“me too, i bet you did so good at work. i got a surprise waiting for you. where are you? driving?” he mumbled, seeming distracted.

“im in a taxi, ill put it on my card though. what are you up to? you sound distracted. could you turn on your cam for me?”

“huh? oh yeah no problem, sorry. i just- damn it! wonwoo, get mingyu! hes right behind you!” minghao shouted, startling you as his loud voice rang through your ears.

you sighed, of course hes playing games.

“is this better?” he asked with a sweet but slightly confused tone.

there he was, your boyfriend. you couldnt even believe he was yours. he wasnt even doing anything, just sitting there with his phone propped up as he yelled at his computer.

“y/n?”

“huh? oh sorry.. you look..”

“great? i know.” he chuckled.

great was an understatement. hes heavenly. with his black fitted tank top, his sunglasses resting on top of his black cap.

you pressed your thighs together at the way his muscles flexed whenever he gripped his mouse.

minghao glanced over at you, smirking lazily as he lit up a cigarette he pulled from his desk drawer.

“smoking again?”

“coulda smoked with you if you were already here.”

“im not a stoner like you. its occasional.”

“isnt today an occasion?”

“...”

you both kept it short, with you being the one to hang up seeing as you were in semi public and totally not because you were growing more and more horny seeing minghao in that stupid tank top.

you made sure to tip the driver before you had rushed to the entrance of the building, barely able to wait any longer to see minghao (amongst other things).

you opened your door to your shared bedroom, and there he was.

“hey baby, how was work?” he asked half minded as he barely turned to notice you.

“it was so damn tiring. missed you.” you mumbled, walking over to your boyfriend, wrapping your arms around his neck and leaving a peck on his cheek.

“yeah missed you too sweet girl. fuck- chan! oh my god, revive me or i swear i wont buy you food for the rest of the month.”

“i thought itd be us today?” you pouted.

“it is, angel. whatever you want pretty baby. just give me a few minutes yeah?”

and so you waited,

and waited.

and waited some more

it felt like an eternity had passed (it was barely over an hour) yet you were growing needier by the second watching the way his muscles flexed, and the way his voice sounded, or especially the way he’d groan and throw his head back whenever he lost.

‘id kill to see him like that while i was doing something else..’ you mumbled

until,

a lightbulb went off in your head

slowly, you made your way to minghaos desk, pecking his soft lips before crawling under the table to kneel in front of him.

“what are you doing angel?” he asked with a warning tone.

“nothing. dont mind me.” you hummed as you reached out to untie the drawstrings on his sweatpants.

“y/n- god. just keep it down wont you?” he whispered looking down at you, then back at his computer screen as he saw a new game was starting.

you smiled to yourself knowing you were getting what you wanted, for the most part.

you pulled down his sweatpants, pressing a kiss on minghaos inner thigh, mumbling a ‘thank you’ as he lifted up his hips to make it easier for you remove the grey piece of clothing.

you kissed up from his knee, all the way up to his bulge before rubbing your thumb over his clothed tip, where a wet patch began to grow.

minghao brought one hand down to your head, gripping your hair. “stop teasing and just take it out already.” he muttered as he brought your face closer to him.

“i thought it was anything i wanted?” you mocked.

he only rolled his eyes and released his grip on your hair to return back to his keyboard.

you pull down his boxers, sighing in contentment as a drop of precum hits your cheek.

slowly, you wrap your lips around his tip, swirling your tongue around and swallowing what leaked out his slit.

you focused most of your attention on his tip knowing how sensitive he was before going down and taking as much as you could, feeling him deep in your throat.

minghao bit back a choked moan, you were able to feel how his body stiffened up.

“what? yeah im good. i just slammed my hand on my desk.” he brushed it off to his friends.

then, you noticed how hard he was trying to not get caught when you were hardly doing anything. so you wanted to try something — see how far you could go before he snaps.

you bob your head up and down his length, running your hand wherever your mouth couldnt reach.

seeing how he wasnt reacting as much anymore, you slowly pull off his dick. that was, up until you felt your boyfriends tight grip on your hair, moving you the way he wants you.

he held your head still as he fucked up into your mouth, letting out occasional low whimpers.

“hao- seriously, you seem so distracted like we might as well just kick you out the party.” mingyu joked.

“shut up gyu you arent even on our team.”

noticing the conversation between him and his friends, you thought youd stop for a few seconds just to take a breather, before he grips your hair harshly to keep you still, chuckling at how tears formed in the corners of your eyes when he started to thrust his hips up harder against the back of your throat.

“hes kinda right though, you keep dying twice every other round and spend most of your time just standing in the corner.” wonwoo spoke up before everyone else in the team muttered in agreement.

“whatever. im muting, hold on.”

he typed something into his keyboard before removing his headset, and looking down at you.

he stops his movements and releases your hair when you look up at him, his hard dick still resting in your warm mouth.

“what are we gonna do with you, huh sweet angel?”

you whined, rubbing your thighs together before pulling off him and replacing your movements with your hand, stroking him softly, giving him a squeeze.

“god- youre such a fucking brat.” he groaned as you sped up your pace. “fuck- you really couldnt wait an hour?”

“cant. missed you too much. need you so, so badly..” you moaned as you watched the amount of precum leaking from his tip, lowering your head to lick it up.

“yeah? youre an impatient slut huh? couldnt wait for my cock? is that it?” he scoffed.

minghao takes one more puff of the joint he lit earlier before putting it out and throwing away the bud, blowing the smoke up towards the ceiling.

he puts his hand over yours, stopping your wrist before whispering in your ear,

“if you dont make me cum in 5 minutes, youre not cumming at all.”

[demxters]

—LOVING YOU IS TREACHEROUS

frat!jake seresin x f!reader

dagger squad college!au

summary: jake realizes there's more to his feelings for you than just pure attraction or the moment jake realizes he's falling in love

wc: 1.7k

warning(s): 18+, fem!reader, no y/n (reader goes by nickname ace), a little angst, swearing, bad parental relationships, mentions of vomiting, and drinking

part of the loving you universe || find it on ao3 here

FEEDBACK, COMMENTS, AND REBLOGS ARE ENCOURAGED AND APPRECIATED!

Things are different now. You are different now. Not in a bad way, you suppose. Just different. You’re more social, more outgoing, you feel more at peace with yourself. To think that it’s all because of a group project. 

Never would you have thought that a randomized group project would lead you to your newfound friends. Never would you have thought they would be Frat boys. Bradley Bradshaw and Jake Seresin somehow wormed their way into your little friend group, bringing Javy Machado and Reuben Fitch with them. Suddenly, your little group of five became nine. You used to think you’d hate it, but now you wouldn’t have things any other way. 

Even Jake Seresin, who you found absolutely infuriating, added something to the dynamic of the group. Despite your clear distaste for him, it just wouldn’t be the same without him. 

You couldn’t explain it, but you felt complete. Had you told yourself five months ago that you’d become friends with Delta Chi’s most notorious you would have laughed in your own face. Never, in a million years, did you think that would ever happen. Yet here you were, spending your Saturday night in your apartment playing board games and drinking (they were drinking, you were supervising) with your expanded group.

“I call bullshit! That’s a hit!” Javy drunkenly slurs at Bob who holds his hands up with clear offense. 

Bob pushes his glasses up the slope of his nose. His flushed skin and pink tipped ears are a tell tale sign that he is intoxicated. “Is not!” 

Javy shakes his head vigorously. “Is to! Let me see that,” he clumsily reaches over towards Bob’s Battleship board. Javy’s lack of coordination sends the board flying, along with the rain of tiny red and white playing pieces that scatter across the living room. 

The room erupts in a chorus of shouts and groans upon the inevitable clean up of the game and you sigh from your place on the couch. “I think that’s enough of that for tonight.” You wipe your palms on the fabric of your pants before bringing yourself to a stand.

Carefully maneuvering around your friends who are now scattered all across the room picking up little red and white bullets, you gather the last of stray cups of alcohol that was left on the coffee table. 

“Hey!” Bradley catches sight of you whisking away their stash for the night. 

“Nope, no more drinks for tonight.” Bradley opens his mouth in protest as you continue, “Unless you want to spend the rest of the night cleaning the apartment of the mess you guys made.” 

The pointed look you give him makes his mouth snap shut and he sends you a mock salute before clumsily going back to picking up stray playing pieces. 

“Thank you,” you chide, sauntering over to the kitchen. You laugh at the sound of your friends’ overlapping chatter and Natasha’s mothering as she commands the boys to quit stalling and clean. 

There was no denying that your apartment was loud. Louder than it should be for ten o’clock at night. But you couldn’t bring yourself to care about quieting your friends down. You’ve spent so long living in silence that you embrace the sounds of joy and laughter that surround you. 

Silence isn’t unfamiliar to you. You grew up as an only child in a big house with emotionally absent parents. Silence was the only thing you ever knew. Then it wasn’t. 

You found a new home, a new family. One you wouldn’t give up for anything. 

You were too deep in your own musings to notice the faint footsteps creeping up behind you. 

“You missed a few,” a deep voice from behind you makes your heart jump. 

You almost drop the cups in your hand as you spin on your heel to see Jake Seresin standing in front of you with a few more glasses in hand. 

Your shoulders drop from your ears once you get a hold of your surroundings. “Geez, Seresin! You almost scared me half to death.” 

He winces at your wide eyes, biting his bottom lip to stifle the smile that threatens to cross his face. “Sorry,” he shrugs, stepping in front of you to place the cups on the counter behind you. 

You’re unsure whether or not he decided to step into your space intentionally. Either way, he was close enough for your chests to touch. The thought set your cheeks on fire, causing you to shove his arm away with a scoff. “Ever heard of personal space, Hangman?” 

Rather than the witty retort you were expecting out of him, Jake mumbles a soft apology before stepping back to keep an arm's length between you two. 

The silence that follows is unsettling. You realize that you have never been alone with Jake for longer than a few minutes at a time. When you were working on the group project together, Bradley was always around. The one time you tried to help him study for his American History final, you fell asleep halfway into your study session, cutting it short. For some reason you didn’t know how to act around him in any way other than hostile. 

You were glad he fought you back with just as much fire. It kept the strange feelings in your stomach at bay. 

The way he was looking at you now, however, this was different from the Jake you were so used to seeing. There was no puff to his chest or arrogance in his gaze. Only softness and dare you say, ease in his posture. 

“They’re showing the Twilight movies at the theaters this weekend if you were interested in going,” Jake breaks the silence. 

It takes you a moment to comprehend what he’s saying or to even realize that he’s talking to you. You thought Natasha must have stumbled her way into the kitchen but you glanced around to see no one but you two still there. You could no longer hear the noise being made by your friends in the living room. It was like all your senses had suddenly attuned to the man in front of you. The only thing you were aware of was him. You stutter embarrassingly over your words as you respond. “Oh, you mean wi–with you?” 

Jake’s eyes grow wide before he shakes his head. “No, well, yeah if you want to. I wasn’t trying to imply that you should go with me or anything. You could go with anyone you want. Doesn’t have to be me, I just thought that you’d like to know since you’re such a huge fan of the series.” 

Jake wants the ground to open up and swallow him whole right now. Smooth, Seresin, he scolds himself. Just when he thought he might have been reaching some middle ground with you, he had to go and make it weird by making you think he was asking you out. Not that he was opposed to the idea, rather that he wanted to ask you out the right way. Not while he was slightly tipsy in your kitchen. 

Your lips twitch unexpectedly, pulling upwards at the corners. There was something about seeing this side of Jake Seresin–the nervous, rambly side of him– that you found endearing. You preferred him more than the cocky, self centered frat boy he usually was. “How did you know I like the Twilight series?” 

He shrugs nonchalantly, a proud smile over taking his worried features. “You aren’t the only one who pays attention to things, Ace.” 

You put your hands up in surrender with light laughter, shaking your head softly. “Sorry, I’m just surprised that Jake Seresin pays attention to things other than sorority girls and himself.” 

“I pay attention to you,” the words just almost fall from his lips. Instead what comes out is, “And football. I pay attention to football too.” 

You snort, crossing your arms across your chest with a smirk. “Right, sorority girls, yourself, and the Dallas Cowboys.” 

“You got it, sweetheart,” he winks. 

The corner of his mouth lifts slightly when he winks and you find it absolutely amusing. A small fit of giggles erupt from you causing him to tilt his head with confusion. 

“What’s so funny, Ace?” he questions with his hands on his hips. 

His own lips quirk up as he tries not to laugh, finding your own incredibly contagious. That and he couldn’t help but think of just how much he loved seeing you this way. So open and carefree. 

Love. That isn’t the first time the word has popped into Jake’s head when he thought of you. It was, however, the first time he truly welcomed the thought. 

It wasn’t like in the movies, where the main character has this big revelation that they're in love. Rather, it slowly crept up on him. Always being in the back of his mind, but never clear enough for him to make out what it was exactly he was feeling. 

But things have changed lately, he has changed. You made him want to be better. 

You two weren’t close, far from it actually. But he wants to get close to you. He wants to be someone worth your time. He wants to be able to have more moments like this  with you. 

He was willing to prove that he was no longer the immature playboy you think he is. 

The question is on the tip of his tongue. Maybe he should just take this as an opportunity to ask you out. He opens his mouth, ready to take the leap when—

“Bradley!” Natasha shouts from the living room. “Ace, can you grab the Clorox? Bradley just threw up on the floor!” 

Mickey moans, “I think I might be next!”

You curse under your breath sending Jake a look he reciprocated with a tired sigh. 

“Well, looks like we’re on babysitting duty,” you weakly smile. 

He nods halfheartedly, watching you grab the wipes before hurrying out to the living room. His chest physically hurt as he watched you walk away. He was so close. However, he knew his feelings would have to wait. 

The old Jake didn’t do commitment or girlfriends. The old Jake didn’t fall in love. 

The new Jake was falling hard, and he was falling fast. He had a feeling things were only going to get more complicated from here. He doesn’t mind it, though. In fact, he kind of likes it. 

a/n: i genuinely feel like not many people read my work on here anymore but i've missed these two so much i had to post. as usual, if you made it this far, my inbox is always open and thank you for reading! :D

tgm taglist: @joaquinwhorres @harrycherrylove @smoothdogsgirl @t-nd-rfoot @dempy @ollyoxenfrees @averyhotchner @2guysonascooter @loveforaugust @blue-aconite @fandom-life-12 @stiles-banshees @iamdannyday @hotch-meeeeeuppppp @breezemood @eli2447 @angelbabyange @finelytaylored @pono-pura-vida @hecate-steps-on-me @blueoorchid @aviatorobsessed @blackwidownat2814 @hallecarey1 @averagereader35 @laneylovesglen @atarmychick007 @kajjaka @urfavelocagirl @clancycumber230 @memeorydotcom @kmc1989 @percysaidnever @thestarspangledcaptain @wkndwlff @shanimallina87 @dracosluvbot

[lcandothisallday]

Request: Jeremy promised he’d be home in time to go grocery shopping with you but he completely forgets about it and when he gets home you give him the silent treatment. 🫢

Silent Treatment - Jeremy (WMCJ) x f!reader

gif by the wonderful @harlowgifs

“Jeremy,” you call out to your boyfriend who was fidgeting around the living room, throwing items into his gym bag. “Jeremy did you hear what I said?”

He lifted his head up and looked at you confused. “Sorry what?”

You groan. “I asked if you’re joining me for grocery shopping later today.”

“Uhh yeahhh,” he dragged out while still looking around. He was too distracted for his own good. “We can go at like 7?” he suggested.

“Yeah sounds good,” you confirm with him. “Are you okay, Jer?” you pout, your arms wrapping around his neck to get him to focus back on you. “Seem distracted.”

Jeremy nodded. “I’m fine, baby,” he smiled, his hands falling to your hips. “Do you have a hundred though?” he asked with a mumble.

You furrow your brows and pull away. “What do you need a hundred dollars for?”

“I just need it—”

“Jeremy we can’t afford non-essential expenses,” you sigh.

Jeremy ran a hand through his hair in stress. “The guy who owns the gym won’t let me use the court to train my client if I don’t pay for a month’s membership—and the rest is for gas,” he lied.

Truth be told he was using the money in pick up games here and there to help Kamal come up with money to play in a competition together. While most of the time they end up winning said pick ups, there have been the occasional ones where they lose and have to give up their bets— and he wanted to avoid any incidents if possible.

The only issue was, he was lying to you. You didn’t know he was playing basketball again. The both of you had agreed he’d stop for fear of his health and to focus on building a life together.

Of course you didn’t know any better and his excuse was one that made complete sense so with a sigh, you walked over to your purse and pulled out a one hundred dollar bill from your wallet. “Try not to use all of it up…maybe then we can buy ourselves some wine as a treat,” you giggled, insinuating that it was a luxury, as you handed him the bill.

Jeremy grinned and leaned his head down to press a kiss to your lips. “Thanks, baby. I’ll see you tonight.”

__

You sat on the couch with your arms crossed and an annoyed expression on your face. It was now nearing 9 o’clock and Jeremy still wasn’t home. You had called him maybe 4 times to remind him of your plans and to see where he was but he never answered, forcing you to go alone.

Something felt off the entire day but you weren’t in the mood to find out tonight.

9:40 is when Jeremy finally unlocked and walked through the front door. He dropped his bag onto the ground and plopped down next to you, his hand moving to rest on your thigh. “Missed you, baby,” he hummed, moving in to press a kiss to your cheek but you swiftly moved away, ignoring his entire presence.

Jeremy looked at you offendedly before he scanned the room and noticed the grocery bags still laid on the kitchen counters. You hadn’t put them away in pettiness. You wanted it to be loud and clear that he messed up.

His eyes finally widened in realization. He had blown off your grocery shopping plans. “Shit y/n I’m sorry—I totally forgot.”

You continued to stare ahead ignoring him. He deserved the silent treatment. “Baby come on—talk to me,” he groaned.

Instead of replying and speaking your mind, you get up to finally put away the groceries with him following behind you hopelessly. “Y/N,” he called out sternly. When you didn’t show any response, he stopped in front of you and snatched the bag of bread out of your hand to stop you in your place. Now he was getting annoyed. “We don’t give each other the silent treatment,” he reminded you as he stared you down.

You couldn’t help your scoff, your arms crossing over your chest in defence. You looked away and Jeremy clenched his jaw before his hand came up to redirect your gaze back onto him.

“Y/n.”

“Where were you?” you finally speak up, gazing up at him.

“At work—you know that.”

“Jeremy I’m not stupid!” you exclaim, throwing your hands up in exasperation. “You blew me off completely! If you were busy then you could’ve just said that—I asked you for a reason,” you pointed out.

Jeremy shrugged. “I didn’t think training would run this late,” he mumbled, but you only shook your head. You weren’t having it anymore.

“You’re lying to me,” you say accusing him. “You come home later than usual every day—you’re always tired—always looking for extra money—you stopped caring about your drinks all together—not to mention I’m like pretty sure you’re back on the pills--so what’s going on?!”

Jeremy shook his head in denial. “Nothing is happening, baby. I just genuinely forgot. The training session like I said went on a bit longer cos the kid needed work— then I hung out with Kamal. It’s just groceries,” he muttered under his breath. “No need to get all worked up.”

You’re in disbelief. “I know it’s just groceries! It’s the thought, Jer. You’re keeping something from me! Are you cheating or something?” you ask softly, looking down in fear of the answer.

“Woah woah woah! How did you get that I’m cheating from all of this?!” he yelled, clearly offended at this particular accusation because he would never hurt you like that.

“Well what other conclusions should I draw?! Jeremy—you’re acting different,” you whisper, your eyes gathering with tears. “I just want you to be honest.”

“I’m not cheating,” he reiterated sternly. “I really was with Kamal—we…I started playing ball again with him…been doing pick ups to make enough to enter a competition,” he sighed, finally spilling his big secret.

His honestly was a relief. “Jeremy—baby your knees,” you say softly, your hands moving to hold his. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“But baby if we win we’ll be set,” he says hopefully, his eyes lit up with a passion. “I’d be able to take you on that Hawaii trip you’ve always wanted to go on—we could finally buy a new mattress—I’d…I’d buy you a nice fucking ring,” he whispered.

“I don’t need any of that, Jer. I just want you,” you whisper back, your arms wrapping around his waist. “I want you to be safe and healthy…and happy. So if playing basketball will make you happy—”

“You make me happy,” Jeremy interrupted but you laughed and shook your head.

“So does basketball and I don’t wanna be the reason you have to lie and sneak around to partake in your passion,” you sigh. “I love you too damn much,” you mumble against his lips before kissing him softly.

Jeremy kissed you back, his hands moving up to cup your cheeks to deepen it. When the two of you had to pull away for a breather, he rested his forehead against yours and smiled. "How are you so perfect?" he mused.

Your cheeks flush and you shook your head. "I'm not--"

"Nah you are," Jeremy said again. "Any other girl wouldn't have been so understanding."

"I think you underestimate just how down bad I am for you," you giggle, your fingers now playing with his beard. "I only see my life with you in it and I don't want it to be filled with lies...I wanna be able to support you, wherever or whatever it is you choose to do. It really is that simple," you shrug.

Jeremy felt like his heart could burst at your words. "Exactly why you're perfect," he smirked, giving you another soft kiss. "I really am sorry for forgetting about our grocery run."

"Kinda worked out...I didn't have to get your weird vegan substitutes," you teased, causing him to laugh. "But you definitely need to make it up to me..."

"How so?" he mused, a playful smile dancing on his lips as his hands moved down to massage your hips.

You shrugged, your own smirk growing on your face. "Hmm...I'm thinking maybe something that involves a bed...and your mouth..."

"Bet. Let's go."

[sasolpen]

How they hug

game: Genshin Impact

characters included: Beidou, Venti, Zhongli

character x gn!reader | sfw | fluff

Beidou

Strong thight hugs

Will lift you up with one arm if too happy on the moment

The smell of the sea will fill your nosestrills

The weather has been horrid, the thunder so dangerous and terryfing that you would think you were stuck in the corrupt Inazumian nation. You were impatiently waiting at the harbor praying to the already gone geo archon hoping that he could still hear your prayers. Usually Beidou would always send you letters to keep you up to date with her travels but this time, you recieved nothing from her. Not a letter, not a word, nothing. Your attention comes back to your suroundings upon the sound of loud crewmates, Beidou’s crew mates. They were all over the place, reuniting with their family and friends, chucking down bottles of water and wine and even crying relived that they survied. Your eyes only scanned the area for a moment before spotting the tall standing captain of the crux. Beidou doesn’t fail to notice you run towards her with a wide smile and teary eyes. Putting down a few boxes she barely manages to open her arms before you jump into her embrace. Arms wrap around you picking you up from the ground and spinning you aroud, the smell of the sea and the salty texture that feels annoying on your face make you even more happier. She was here, alive and well, and yet again she had brought the whole sea for you.

Zhongli

Gives the lightest hugs

You are what is the most prized to him he will be careful as if you were made out of porcelain

Carresses your head no matter if you are taller or shorter

You can always smell his cologne, sometimes you do smell the burnt aroma from the cremations in the parlor

Night had fallen upon the wide lands of the geo archon. Most of the working people were on their way home and that was no diffrent for Zhongli. In his hands he was holding a bouquet of glaze lilies and a box of some fine made desserts, a gift for you. It was quite an expensive gift but that didn’t matter as it was you he was spending the mora for. His walk to your shared house was short almost unoticable as he had taken that road so often that it has become a reflex something he does without thinking. He opens the door slowly walking in trying to suprise you which is a success, he walks behinds you bringing the bouquet in front of you. It was a suprise to you, despite the amount of gifts he brings you almost daily and the amount of times he sneaks up despite his mature behavior it still stays a pleasant suprise, though you would apreciate it if he could use less mora on those gifts.You wrap your arms around him causing him to almost drop the gifts. The smell of his cologne fill in your senses, something you always look forward too. It is such a familiar smell to you, such a sweet one that makes you feel at home. Having setteled the gifts down Zhongli carefully wraps his arms around you, holding you as if you could break any moment as if you were the most valuable thing in the whole of Teyvat. “Thank you and welcome home Zhongli” “Everything for you my dear.”

Venti

mostly throws his arm around you when he’s drunk

tries to pick you off the ground

he mostly just loosly wraps his arms around you but when he has missed you a lot will squueze you tightly

His hugs feel fresh like being hugged by the wind

The smell of alcohol was not lingering like it used too. Usually the tone deaf bard would reek of that bitter sweet smell that would come from the place you two first met but today he smelled like cecilia flowers and like something else, like something familiar , you couldn’t figure out what exactly though. His embrace tightened around you not enough to hurt you but enough to know he won’t let go soon, enough to know you were gone for too long. You lay your head on his shoulder/head taking in the smell. He smells familiar. “I missed you” he smells like home.

[justices-blade]

ooc; TOA Anniversary Munday!

Celebrating TOA and the people who contribute to make our group what it is.

Repost, don't reblog. Only fill in what you feel comfortable sharing!

Happy anniversary, TOA! Here's to many more years spent together.

tagging: you :)

Name: leo

Pronouns: he/him

Birthday (no year): :)

Where are you from? What is your time zone?: yes. cest (gmt+2)

Roleplay experience: 12 years total, 10 years on and off on tumblr

Got any pets? i had a bunch of fish at various times in my life but the last hag of a molly murdered all her tankmates it was a whole thing

Favorite time of year: autumn

Some interests and things you like: dnd, drawing, gaming, a bit of cosplay. i like frogs :) and rock.

Some funfacts & trivia about you: - i once kneed myself in the eye on accident - ive made 47+ ocs just for ffxiv - funny character voices are my passion - i either go completely silent or get really loud while gaming. i also make actually physically wounded noises when my character gets hit

What non-Fire Emblem games do you play? ffxiv, apex legends, flight rising, honkai star rail, enstars, soulsborne, splatoon. its a list of all time for sure

Favorite Pokemon type & Pokemon: ghost/bug, spiritomb/armarouge

How did you get into Fire Emblem? was really into smash bros for a while and got interested in fire emblem. my friend had a copy of awakening and i watched her play, and when i asked my dad to get me path of radiance when he was in the us he got radiant dawn instead

What Fire Emblem games have you played? the gba ones, tellius, the 3ds ones and engage

First Fire Emblem game: radiant dawn

Favorite Fire Emblem game: also radiant dawn

Any Fire Emblem crushes? i dont do crushes but pandreo? ephraim also makes me feel profoundly unwell. also call me brendan reed because limstella,

If you’ve played the following games, who was your first S support? - Awakening: stahl - Fates: niles - Three Houses: idk tbh - Engage: pandreo

Favorite Fire Emblem class: thief, mage

If you were a Fire Emblem character, what would be your class? thief (high skl/spd/res/mag, dogshit con def and hp, normal str)

If you were a Three Houses character, what would be your affiliation? golden deer

If you were an Engage character, which Emblem would you Engage with? micaiah or byleth

How did you find TOA? saw it here and there while scrolling fe tags on tumblr... was scrolling the tellius one and saw an active leonardo??? and i was missing tumblr rp at the time and i was like okay sure why the hell not (i would write edward regardless though)

Current TOA muses: edward, chad, denning

Who was your first TOA muse? If you don’t have them anymore, could you see yourself picking them up again? edward has taken up permanent residence in my brain since i was 14 he is NOT leaving

Have you had any other TOA muses? im at three and im staying with these three until further notice ✌️

Do you think you have a type of character you gravitate towards? little guys and pensive freaks. theres closer descriptions of my archetypes but this is good enough

What do you believe you enjoy writing the most? hmhmhm. i like themes of belonging and not-belonging i think? places and people with which you feel at home, places you feel adrift and lost and that disconnect where it falls apart. i also really like unreliable narration, horror and that unsettling slightly delusional tonal dissonance when i have occasion to whip it out to maximum effect :)

Favorite TOA-related memory: keras kai elephas was so damn fun to me i need to stress this. first lore event really hit and solidified that i definitely want to stay!!

Got any delusions that didn’t see the light of day in TOA that you’d like to share? wil boey kliff and jean. are At My Door. theyre not getting in anytime soon but Hey.

[chaotic-nick]

You're still pretty

Plot: Seven years after graduation you see him on the screen playing as himself, what you didn't expect was seeing him outside of the screen on the same day.

Note: The alternate title for this fic is 'Still the same'. Yaya! I finally posted something after doing a lot of uni-related stuff [there's still lots to do, but I'll honestly go mad if I don't sit down and allot time to write.] + the text for the actual fic was gone (?) in dark mode, so this is my second time posting this, hopefully it works 🥲

WC: 750 - no warnings, unedited

The Itadori twins were always loud. It was their identifier throughout high school. One was disqualified in games for swearing at his own teammates too much— Sukuna. And there was one who blurted out the most unrelated topic in class, pulling a laugh out of everyone and earning him the title of ‘class clown’— that was Yuuji.

It was either word for another word, “(Y/n), what’s that thing when you jump?” “A trampoline?” “Nah.” “AH! Diving board. That one.” or the weirdest compliments no one’s ever thought of, “Sensei you can bury rice seedlings with your footsteps.” almost coming off as a sugar-coated insults.

Now that she was watching him do the same thing on TV, (Y/n) wished that she should’ve bought a cheap notebook for all his words to have a place. “Suits him,” she laughed, briefly joining her brother and his friends in the living room.

She followed with, “He was like that in high school, too.” when they turned to her to ask if she knew what they were watching.

“So, he’s old?” Of course, her youngest brother would ask that just as she sat down at the doorway to slip her shoes on.

Sighing, she slipped her shoes on and leaned back enough for them to hear, “Twenty-four is a baby in corporate years. It’s impressive.” No. It’s not impressive to a group of ten-year-olds who already turned to the TV in time for Yuuji’s Nanami-sensei to help him attack the curse.

“Did you watch it, (Y/n)-san?” the morning started with her brother watching Yuuji and since that, she’s noticed his face plastered everywhere. Trains. Billboards with airing dates and bookstores with his twin smirking at the camera.

And now her coworkers reading the show’s chapters in the weekly magazine.

“No, not yet. Re-watching Barakamon.” She stood on her toes to see what the hype was about. “Is it any good?”

“Heck yeah! You should come to our watch party,” the signboard of a new restaurant stopped them in their search for a new place to eat during a work break.

She pointed at the door, “This one? Let’s go in here?” happy that no one has discovered it yet.

“You go ahead,” walking backwards they explained, “Pumpkin spice is back so we’ll go there

first.”

“Right . . .”

“You should take pictures of the menu, (Y/n)!”

“If you say so.” She didn’t think about anything else, only happy about finding a place she can enjoy the silence during a long workday.

Even across the street, they managed a yell loud enough to make her flinch, “Want any? Pumpkin spice, I mean. Not my future children.”

“No, thank you.”

Entering the cross between a restaurant and a cafe she was made aware of a person standing in the corner, reading the menu and their head bent too low. “Welcome to Glaiza’s resto-cafe!”

“Menu, ma’am?” Her eyes remained on him, “Ma’am?” Wondering why she was staring at a stranger.

“Miss would you like a menu?”

“Sorry—” picking up on the slight tension, her stranger looked up.

He’s everywhere.

. . .

And he’s still the same.

Shoving spoonfuls of his meal too quickly, closing his eyes when the perfect spoonful just ‘happened’. Though it didn’t happen yet when she put the complimentary pork slice on the edge of his plate. Followed by the egg. “I don’t see you in seven years and I’m still the trash can. Cool-cool-cool.”

“Hey, think of it as me giving it to your for free.”

Whipping his head up, Yuuji announced after a swallow,“I can order the whole stock!” Slowly his shoulders slumped in embarrassment when his voice echoed.“I-if I wanted to, that’s all.”

Fork digging in the thick slice she put, he smiled,“It’s yummier when you give them to me though, so—”

“Really?”

“Yeah, just like always in high school you gave me all your siu bao’s insides. This is the same thing!”

[siu bao: Barbecue pork-filled bun]

“Dude, no. How do you still remember that?!” She laughed back into the chair’s cross rail. “And you’re still the same, pink hair. But yeah, just in your twenties.”

“The same goes for you, (Y/n)!” This time he chewed slower, watching her with a fond look in his eyes. “And you’re still pretty.”

In high school, it quickly became known that Yuuji’s mouth was faster than his brain was thinking. His mouth always exposing something that shouldn’t be said, and her ears always caught it.

Word by word.

“I’m . . . I am? What?” Today, even seven years after graduation, his words were clear.

[theflowerofthecommonwealth]

Power Armor Punch Part Fifty One

Masterlist

Lucille: *doesn’t follow but keeps an ear out for trouble. Instead she decides to help with the soup and the chickens*

Dogmeat: *plays along happily, doesn’t mind getting tackled/tackling the other dog in their little game of keep away*

Gardio: Anyway, lovely talking up you Miss…

Aster: Hm? *realizes he’s asking her name* Oh- Aster, like the flower. *smiles* I picked it out myself.

Gardio: *eyes widen* You’re-

Aster: A synth? Yes. Everyone here is. Well, except you two. *tilts her head* Though I imagine there’s a reason DiMA let you two in.

Teshteal: His brother’s getting repairs done. He’s suuuuper dirty!

Aster: *nods understandingly*

Donovan: (Leads her up two flights of stairs and up to the attic where the once dingy and dirty space has indeed been converted into a nice sitting room with a few beds. He sets up two chairs close to one another, turning to the girl) “Before we start, I have to ask you something. Rosie, are you okay? Are you safe, I’m any sort of danger at all?” (Still a little suspicious of Lucille, Jasmine hasn’t even confirmed any of what she had said. In fact she seemed rather distant with the older woman)

Jasmine: (Firmly as she waves a hand at him) “No. Do not try and delay it, Donovan. It will not work on me.” (Sits down on a chair, waiting with her face in a neutral expression. Outside the storm rages on, the sound of the rain hitting the roofs shingles is loud enough to cover most noises in the room)

Donovan: “Right….” (Heavy sigh as he sits in a chair next to her, tapping his fingers on the chair while he thinks of what he’s going to say as there’s no arguing with that voice. He doesn’t want to overload the already exhausted and beat down girl with details, he wants to just skip through most of it) “So, you remember that your aunt was making plans to go down to Texas for awhile with you and your siblings? Just to get away from all the chaos and take a breather after…?”

Jasmine: (Nods her head, heart thumping faster when she thinks of her poor sweet mother)

Donovan: (Really doesn’t want to deliver the news right now, but he knows this girl is stubborn as hell) “Well, obviously you being snatched like that would change up those plans, she pushed back everything while everyone we knew tried to find you. I mean everyone Rosie, right down to the kids from school.”

Jasmine: (Thinks of the the kids from school that she would hang around with, all the misfits who didn’t have anywhere else to play without the fear of getting picked on)

Ma: (Goes back into the kitchen where a few more fishermen have joined the first man who walked in. She stirs a big pot that’s filled with chicken noodle soup, all it’s contents homemade)

Fisherman: (Notices that she’s just doing mindless tasks, something she only does when worried) “You doing alright, Ma?”

Ma: “I’ll be fine dear, it’s just that this world can be so cruel to people, especially the innocent…” (Bends down to pick up a dog bowl off the ground then opens a cabinet, reaching in) “Pirate?”

Dog: (Perks up when she hears her name, tongue hanging out of her mouth as she halts the game of keep away)

Ma: (Walks back to the living room with two dog bowls in hand that are filled with canned dog food) “Come eat darling.” (To Lucille) “Would it be a problem if I fed your pup as well? He looks like he could use a bite or two after that trek you took.”

Joyce: (Opening the cage containing the little chicks, setting them inside a baby pool as there isn’t much room in the makeshift pen with the adults)

Dogmeat: *pauses with one leg quizzically raised, toy still in his mouth*

Lucille: No, not at all. I’m sure Dogmeat could use a meal. *has taken the broom and sweeping the living room to try and help in some way*

Dogmeat: *puts the toy away and joins Pirate for dinner. Patiently waits next to the other dog*

Ma: (Smiles down at the two pooches, setting down a bowl before each of them. She looks up and sees that Lucille is sweeping the floor, her eyes brightening) “Why aren’t you a polite sweetheart! Someone’s parents taught them manners!” (Gestures to the kitchen where the aroma of soup and bread drifts from the stove) “Would you care for a bowl yourself? Of soup, I mean.”

Pirate: (Immediately starts chowing down her food with noises of happiness)

Donovan: (Continues) “It was so bizarre, no one knew anything about what happened to you, or at least they pretended to. We checked in with the police stations to try and find the officers that were there that day. I swear Ro-Ro, I saw one of them standing there, you know I have a good memory. But when we confronted her she said that she was off duty that day and was visiting her parents in Quincy. It was the same story with everyone else we found and cornered.”

Jasmine: (Nods without saying anything, remembering Nicks speculations on the vault people and the program they initiated)

Donovan: “We thought we were making progress when Mr Wills got into contact with some old pals from his military work, but then we ran into some hiccups, followed by a wave of a strain of the New Plague started going around in our town. Specifically in our family of friends…” (Pauses to take in a deep breath, remembering all that he went through during those times) “It started with your aunt, and from her it passed on to your siblings, then me and Jie, then our parents, then so on. We had to halt almost everything as everyone was quarantined and bedridden, some of us ended up getting hospitalized…. Including Lilac and Cosmos.”

Jasmine: (Eyes widen when she hears this, her mouth going dry. Her siblings had very weak immune systems even when compared to the average kid, she was always cautious with them during flu season for that reason. If they had caught a variant the dreaded New Plague while already battling with grief…)

Donovan: (Gives her a somber and empathetic look, reaching over to take her hand) “I’m so sorry Rosie, but they passed not long after catching it.”

Jasmine: (Lowers her head, imagining her precious siblings wasting away on medical beds, and her not being there to comfort them…)

Donovan: “You can imagine we were all devastated and heartbroken after losing the three of you, but we all still hope we could still get you back home safe and sound.”

Jasmine: (Raises her head, a little hope in her voice despite the pain that’s weighing down on her) “And my aunt, what happened to her…?”

Donovan: (Opens his mouth, then quickly shuts it while looking away. After a moment he turns back to the girl, still holding her hand) “Rosalinda, I can see that you’re worn down to the bone. Please, why don’t you rest a little then we can finish our chat?” (Gives Jas a pleading look. He shouldn’t have even started this conversation beforehand, should’ve insisted on her getting some rest first) “Just trust me on this one Ro-Ro…”

Dogmeat: *scarfs his down too. He’s a hungry little pup*

Lucille: Oh- yes. Thank you… *finishes sweeping up then adds another log to the fire once it seems it’s getting low* Once the storm is past, I can fix up the chicken coops, if you like.

Ma: “That would be wonderful, a Yao guai tried to break in a few days ago to get an easy meal out of our flock. Luckily it didn’t manage to kill anything, just bash in the roof of the big coop and now we have a new rug for decor!” (Turns to gather up dishes from the cabinets so she can feed her guests)

Fishermen: (All helping with giving the place a wipe down, trying to earn their keep for staying the past two nights plus this one)

Jasmine: (Sits up straight, tilting her head while her face hardens and she draws back her hand. She ain’t waiting a second longer, this delay he’s trying to give only makes her more anxious) “We went to the house, I saw what was in the safe. What happened to her?” (Or rather, what did her aunt do when her adopted niece was kidnapped and her brothers other two kids had passed away)

Donovan: (Closes his good eye) “Rosie… I’m sorry, after all that she took a step back to examine the situation….” (Trails off, not having the heart to tell her the full truth but knows deep down that she is already putting it together)

Jasmine: (Looks to her feet, not breaking face despite wanting to throw up. Or just scream bloody murder and break everything in sight, or claw out her skin until all she sees is red. She’s trying so hard to remain in control, been trying since she had parted with Nick. But now it’s pounding in her chest, hard enough to actually hurt and send shocks through her body)

Donovan: (His eyes click to her hands, then her feet, noting how they subtly move in the direction she anticipates running in) “Rosalinda-…”

Jasmine: (Catches on and springs to her feet, snarling at him with a burst of fury as she feels herself finally rip apart from the inside out) “MY NAME IS JASMINE!” (Bolts across the attic to kick open the small window that lets in a whoosh of wind and rain. She leaps out into the raging storm, free falling three stories. Why does everybody keep calling her Rosalinda? Rosie wouldn’t do any of this shit! Rosie was an innocent little girl…)

Donovan: (Had reached out to grab the teen by the jacket, but was an inch too late. She’s a lot faster than he anticipated, he’d assume she’d be slower with how frail she looked) “Rosalinda-! Dammit girl!” (Wastes no time and makes a beeline to the stairs and clamors down them) “Of course ya do this…”

Jasmine: (Lands in the muddy earth below with a loud cry of anguish at the fucked up world, her sobs getting drowned out by the roaring wind. She stumbles on her own two feet as she starts making a blind run into the thick Fog and radiation storm)

Donovan: (Pounds down the final set of stairs) “Ma! She’s making a break for it again!” (Starts putting on his gear by the door)

Ma: “Oh dear….” (Instantly drops what she’s doing and rushes to slip on a heavy raincoat over her house dress, frantically grabbing a shotgun from the closet) “Dios mío…”

Fisherman: (Turns around with the rest of his crew, sensing the urgency) “Do you need some assistance out there Ma?”

Joyce: (Also rises from watching over the baby pool of chicks. She’s not much of a fighter, but she can still lend a hand in seeking this runaway)

Ma: (As she goes to the door) “Yes please, we don’t know what’s lurking out there…” (Fearful that some big creature of the Island will try to hunt the small girl while she’s fleeing)

Donavan: (Bursts out the main door, slinging his rifle over his shoulder) “Rosalinda!” (Mumbling) “Whatcha think you’re doing now? We ain’t at home anymore, the Island will swallow a little girl whole….”

Jasmine: (Already had disappeared into the forest without much of a trace, running far off with her arms frantically waving in front of her so she doesn’t crash into anything. She can barely see shit in the Fog with all the rain and tears on her face. Her bare feet pound into the muddy ground, getting cut on sharp rocks and twigs)

Lucille: *sighs* Here we go again.

Dogmeat: *already up and alert*

Lucille: *pulls out the Silver Shroud coat- she forgot she had it still but given how much Nick and Jas hold onto each other, her scent might still be on it… or Nick’s scent on her given how much he smokes* Dogmeat, Pirate? Track her down for me. *let’s the two dogs sniff the coat*

Dogmeat: *sniffs it closely for a moment and bolts out of the house*

Lucille: *pulls out her tesla gun and walks out the door* Alright, time to hunt her down. Again. *to Joyce* How good are you with a gun?

Gardio: *ran into Cog and they’re talking about life on the island. Honestly, he doesn’t care much that everyone there’s a synth. They’re still people.*

Teshteal: *chimes in every once in a while about something*

Pirate: (Also picks up the scent, bounding after Dogmeat and the girl. Jas has seemed to have gone out the main gate and is fleeing down the road from there)

Joyce: (Takes out a hunting rifle from the closet, shrugging on a rain coat) (Jokingly) “Not as good as I am with men that is for sure honey, but I can manage.” (Takes a few dosages of Rad-X to help keep her radiation levels down while in the storm)

Lucille: Good. *also takes a few doses of rad-x before heading out into the storm. She switches on the flashlight and keeps track of the dogs through the vats overlay in her power armor helmet*

Donovan: (Curses himself for not explaining things fully to her and for withholding information. She’s Rosie, of course she’ll eventually put it together one way or another. The poor kid is probably assuming the very worst right now. He takes off after the dogs, fully planning on catching this girl for once)

Ma: (Follows close behind with Joyce and the fisherman, giving them instructions on not to get close to the girl and to keep an eye out by making a perimeter if they manage to catch up to her)

Jasmine: (Running like a madwoman, vaguely aware of the destination she’s heading to as she makes a sharp turn in the foggy woods. She’s absolutely soaking wet and freezing right now, but her body is numb to it all. She slows down to a trot, clutching her chest as it gets harder to breathe and questions flood her mind. Did she sleep peacefully at night? Did she go through each day with a calm face? Did she stop to think who she was leaving behind? The pieces start to fall in place, and she gets closer to a horrid answer. The pieces start to fall in place, and she gets closer to a horrid answer, finding herself scratching her sides again to draw blood)

Nick: *still being worked on. Completely unaware of the situation with Jas. Probably won’t know until he gets there*

Gardio: *still talking with Cog, brings up some ideas to make Arcadia feel a little more lively.*

Jasmine: (Hears barking in the distance, bolting into a nearby building to hide. She runs through the front door of what looks like a house and clamors up the stairs, hosting herself up to hide in the small attic above the second floor)

Pirate: (Stops when she comes to a small cluster of buildings and homes, barking like crazy at nothing)

Donovan: (Shields his eyes as he glances around in the fog, cursing again under his breath when the pups lose the scent) “Undefeated Hide and Seek champion…” (Rubs his forehead, remembering those tournaments that could last hours) “Please let me win a round just this once, Ro-Ro. It’s for your own good.” (To the group) “Pan out! Search every nook and cranny, no matter how bizarre it may seem. She’ll somehow find a way if she wants to.”

Joyce: (Sticking close to Ma as they search for the teen together in what seems to be an old bank)

Fishermen: (Checking under under piles of rubble and in shrubs, keeping any eye on the nearby ocean for anything that might deem them a snack)

Pirate: (Sniffing the ground, whining loudly when all she can smell is salt and the rotten fish and sea creatures scattered about. Far off in the distance she hears the howls of wolves, making her growl)

Lucille: *cycling through vats occasionally as she checks everywhere in the houses. Taking the opportunity to gather scrap for repairing the coop and a few other things as she does on most outings to find a missing person or retrieve an important lost item for someone. She clears the places out completely, still not finding her* Where are you Jasmine…? You think running from your problems are going to fix anything? How’s that working for you, now? *as she keeps searching* Nick can’t help you now. This is exactly what he was talking about before he shut down.

Dogmeat: *whines cause the salt is messing with his nose too. He’s still picking up traces, though. There’s a reason Nick calls on him for the tough ones. He goes around the houses, sniffing for the one with the strongest lead*

Jasmine: (Curls into a ball and shivering in its furthest and darkest corner. She wants her Dad to hold her right now, to assure her she’s safe and loved in that fatherly manner he does so well. But she has no idea how to even get to him, let alone if her self doubt will let her accept him. She kicks the air while she swears, making several cuts in her sides and arms to help quell her spinning head with her knife. Darkly enough, it brings her back a little with its forbidden pain that she’s addicted to. Yes, there’s an alarm in her head that’s saying Nick will be terribly disappointed in her, and it is getting louder and louder…)

Ma: (Power lifting anything that the girl could be hiding under, getting more frantic as the howling of the wolves get closer. She’s starting to worry that Jas isn’t here, that she may be still running. Or worse, something got to her)

Donovan: (Comes up to one of the houses, noticing the sign that reads, “Waves Crest Orphanage”, a sudden memory from his childhood hitting him. He quickly goes through the door, glancing around at the abandoned nursery and playroom) “Rosalinda! Are you here?” (Starts searching the bottom floor, combing through the classroom and living room. He even lifts up the sofa to check under it, knowing that Jas once hid under one) “C’mon, c’mon…”

Jasmine: (Flinches from her hiding place when she hears Donny downstairs, stashing away the knife she was using while making herself as small as possible in the attic)

Donovan: (Goes up the stairway, catching sight of muddy footprints on the hardwood floor that’s covered by a small part of the roof. He looks to the attic, finding that there’s no stairway or ladder up) “Rosie?”

Jasmine: (Stays quiet as she trembled in her little corner, hoping that he just goes away)

Dogmeat: *finds the orphanage, too. It’s the strongest lead so far and heads inside. Yep. Definitely the right place. His nose doesn’t lie. He runs to where the attic entrance is and barks affirmatively*

Lucille: *hears the bark and comes running* Dogmeat? What have you found, boy? *when she enters the building* Is it Jas?

Dogmeat: *another affirming bark then does the little tippy toe dance he does when he’s found something*

Lucille: *when she hears the bark then the light tapping of his claws* Good boy! This is why you’re the best in the business! *walks over to where Donny is and makes a note to give him extra treats while petting him* Now how do we get up there?

Pirate: (Comes trotting on over, sitting down besides Donovan while whining sadly as she can smell blood from down here)

Jasmine: (Winces again when she hears everyone gathering inside, heart starting to pound more adrenaline throughout her body. She’d start running again if there wasn’t the risk of getting caught when she tries to go downstairs)

Donovan: “Hm…” (Drags over a worn out bed from the corner, positioning it under the gap in the attic that Jas had climbed through) “This should work.”

Ma: (Heard the barking and comes in with Joyce close on her heels) “You found her?”

Donovan: (Tests the bed to make sure it can hold their weight by pressing on it) “Yeah, we did.” (Lowers his voice) “Wait outside in case she tries to make another break for it, please.” (Knows that it is a very likely possibility that she will try to run when confronted)

Ma: (Silently nods her head, motioning for Joyce to follow her back down the stairs to guard the exterior of the orphanage)

Donovan: (Steps into the bed, gaining his balance) “Rosalinda?” (Starts positioning his arms so he can pull himself up)

Lucille: *decides to also wait outside. She’s not going to be much help here. Better to have someone help guard than make it a 1000 times worse* I’ll join the others just in case.

Dogmeat: *sad whine with a tilt of his head*

Donovan: (Nods down at Lucille, jumping up onto the attic. He clicks on his flashlight that’s strapped to his chest, looking around the damp and dingy space. Rain is still able to trickle in through holes in the roof)

Pirate: (Whines from the second floor, waiting for her beloved owner to come back down)

Donovan: (Spots the small shivering frame of the girl in the corner) “Rosie…?”

Jasmine: (Very briefly raises her head to glance at him with tear filled eyes)

Donovan: (His one good eye widens when he sees the blood seeping through her sleeves and sides, immediately knowing what she did because of how the blood stains her shirt in several long thin lines) “Ro-Ro…” (Bends down in front of her, cornering the girl without getting too close. He doesn’t want to frighten her and risk her scampering off again) “I know you’re upset, I-… I am sorry that this all happened to you. I really am, you of all people don’t deserve this.” (Holds out his hand to her, offering to help her up with a gentle smile) “It’s kinda cold out here, don’t you think? And wet too. Wouldn’t it be better if we went inside where it’s safe and warm?”

Jasmine: (Stares at the offered hand, shrinking back while shaking her head with a hiss)

Donovan: (Frowns at her, sensing her stubbornness on her decision to run and stay away from people) “Well why don’t you? If you want to be alone you can use our guest room to hide in or have the whole attic to yourself if you wanted. If it’s running you want to do you can do laps around our farm.” (Scoots in a little) “The bottom line is that you can’t be out here alone, it’s not safe or healthy.”

Joyce: (Leans on the wall of the orphanage from the outside, holding her rifle by her side) “Mama, who’s this girl we have been looking for?”

Ma: “Oh, she’s…” (Pauses when she gets a flashback of Jasmines mother walking into her cafe with a baby girl lovingly strapped to her chest in a sling. Her memory isn’t as clear as Donny’s, she has fuzzy patches and missing details, but she can still clearly see the beaming smile of pride Angélica had on her face while she brought Rosie around to meet everyone) “The daughter of a good friend of mine. She’s a good kid, just a little frightened right now….”

Lucille: *staying right at the door of the building, her armor taking up most of the door-frame. She stays silent on the matter. She made a promise to Nick and there’s a lot of things she could say right now that would violate that promise*

Jasmine: (Hisses and growls again in response to Donny’s last line)

Donovan: “Talk to me Ro-Ro, use your words. Tell me what’s wrong so we can work it out, together.” (She kinda reminds him of when they first found her two cats Nibbles and Munchkins hiding in an alleyway behind a garbage cans. The two little kitties were puffy tailed and hissing like crazy, it taking lots of blankets and slow movements to trap them and bring back home)

Jasmine: (Shuffles back into her corner, scratching at her arms while the pressure builds up in her chest and clouds her mind. She wants her Dad, but he’s not here)

Donovan: (Sighs) “I want to help you Rosalinda, but you have to work with me otherwise I’m just talking to brick wall.” (Reaches out to stop her from drawing more blood. He has no idea that he’s sounding so much like her father right now)

Jasmine: (Lashes out when he comes close with a snarl, trying to strike at his face)

Donovan: (Like he’s scolding a toddler) “No hitting.” (Simply knocks her hand away to keep Jas from hitting him) “And if you want something use your words, you’re not a wild monkey.” (Has gone through this before while befriending orphaned kids, he has all the patience in the world)

Lucille: *standing stalwart in the rain at the door. Just staring into the darkness of the building. Wonders if she should have stayed back at 88. At least there she knows she’s wanted. Needed, even. At least there and all the other settlements she isn’t some looming threat and she can speak her mind without it being taken in the absolute worst faith imaginable. She can actually help without it being taken as some hostile act. Here, in this moment, she’s just some big brute no one trusts*

Jasmine: (Crouched in a defensive position, blood seeping through her clothes)

Donovan: (Wonders how long she has been cutting herself for, and how many times she’s fled from her current group. Although he still reserves his suspicions on that part. He decides to test her a little on that) “Do you want me to get…” (Realizes that he doesn’t even know Lucille’s name, or what she looks like, or what’s even her relationship with Jas. All he knows is that Jasmine apparently has an adoptive father somewhere, but why isn’t he here? She’s obviously in a terrible and distressed mental state, if he’s a good father like the lady downstairs says, then he should be here with her) “Uh, the powered armored lady. You want me to bring her up here so you can talk with her too?”

Jasmine: (Still very salty about the whole needle and slapping thing) “No!!” (Curls up into a ball even tighter, trying to drown out the words in her head)

Donovan: (Frown deepens at her reaction at the mention of Lucille) “Why not?”

Jasmine: (Forcefully) “Go away! Leave me alone!” (She’s really trying not to get full on feral on her childhood friend, if he were someone else she might’ve. Luckily for him, when she looks at him all she sees is that goofball of a boy who was always clumsily falling over)

Ma: (Wondering what’s taking Donny and Jas so long. Although, she can suppose that he’d have trouble convincing her to come willingly, the girl was stubborn whenever she fled from home at night)

Pirate: (Bolts out of the orphanage, barking aggressively)

Wolves: (Come charging out of the Fog, jaws snarling and snapping)

Lucille: *can hear their conversation. She frowns and wonders why she’s even doing all this. She puts up her tesla rifle and pulls out Sutcliffe, turning to face the woods in case the wolves suddenly attack her. Why keep trying to help someone who obviously doesn’t want your help at this point? Who hates you? Who’s made it clear they’d rather you be far away from them? Maybe after they get back to the lighthouse, she should just head back to Far Harbor and wait for the others. At least Jasmine won’t have to see her for a while. She’ll be with people who can properly take care of her- actually be able to address her needs and get her better without the risk of them instantly breaking down or needing repairs. Nick needs a fxcking break from this*

Fishermen: (Taking care of the wolves while Pirate helps)

Ma: (Is ready just in case they come over to the orphanage)

Donovan: “Alright then, she stays down there I guess…” (Squints at the shivering girl) “She said that you got adopted by a man. Nick, right? Is this true?”

Jasmine: (Holds her breath when she thinks of her Dad who’s being patched up at the moment, far away somewhere that she doesn’t know. She looks down to her bloodied self, whimpering when she remembers that she made him a promise, although there was no one to tell when she cut herself other than the wolves in the woods. Tears start to stream faster down her face)

Donovan: (Takes the opportunity to inch closer, watching her hands to make sure she doesn’t run) “Where is he? Why isn’t he here with you while you’re like this? In fact, why did they bring you all the way out here while you are so broken like this?” (Even by Wasteland standards this girl is a fragile mess. She should be somewhere safe while she heals, somewhere where she doesn’t have to be constantly dealing with hostiles that want to rip her apart. Preferably this would be wherever she calls home now, but instead she’s out here with someone she doesn’t seem to be that fond of)

Jasmine: (Thinking to herself) “Because I am too fucked up for him to handle, he is too nice to toss me aside like he should have…” (Remembers their conversation outside of Diamond City, how he said that she was one of his own. Ah, she does not deserve him…)

Donovan: (Gets close enough that he can rest his hand on her shoulder) “Hey sweetheart…”

Lucille: *actually speaks up this time* That’s not the case! He was badly injured and we had to separate to bring her to you! That’s why he’s not here!

Donovan: (Although he can’t see Lucille from the attic he still snarls a little in her direction) “Then explain why IS the little girl is here?!? You brought her in barely alive and hanging by a thread, and you came from across the Island?!? What’s the logic in that?!? Why is Rosie wandering the wastes while having a mental crisis and obviously ill?!? How is that going to help her in anyway?!? What the hell is going on?!?”

Ma: (Turns around to look at the orphanage, having been wondering the same thing since she first saw the girl. Rosalinda was always a very healthy child, even when the odds had been against her due to the lack of food and proper healthcare. But now she’s so sickly looking for even a wastelander that it’s deeply concerning)

Jasmine: (Lowers her head and starts to sob loudly into her hands when Donny starts to shout. She’s too tired for this shit right now, she just wants her Dad to come for her even if he’s disappointed in her cuts. She just wants to be assured that she’s not being abandoned again for the third time. God, she feels like she’s been hit by a semi truck right now)

Lucille: *finally snaps. She’s DONE being the villain in this situation* ASK ROSALINDA!! IF you can even get a WORD out of her let alone get her to actually EAT!!! She wasn’t dragged here against her will!!! SHE CAME WILLINGLY!!!! WE could have turned around at any point on our way here!! ANY!!! And Nick?!? *shakes her head irritably* Nick wouldn’t have had me take her to you if he didn’t think she’d be safe! Guess even the great Detective Nick Valentine can be so fxcking wrong!! *gestures around them then emphatically, almost madly mostly because she’s so tired of this bullshxt* On top of that, she’s not as frail as she looks- she jumped out of the highest window of a LIGHTHOUSE for Atom’s sake!! Do you honestly think?! For one SECOND?! That she’d be okay if she were as WEAK as you say she is?! *scoffs* Do YOU?! *stops and takes a breath to regain composure then bitterly* Now that I’ve yelled and probably made everything exponentially worse by losing my cool, I think I’m going to leave. *takes a few steps towards the woods then stops* Nick should be along soon to explain things in a… more rational light. I know Rosalinda will be safer and happier if I’m not around at the moment so please… *tired but sad sigh* Do everything you can to help her get better. *walks off into the woods to Far Harbor*

Joyce: (Looks at Ma with wide eyes at Lucille’s outburst, mouth dropping open)

Ma: (Frowns and shakes her head) “Leave her be for now.” (To the fishermen who got defensive) “Don’t shoot, there’s obviously something more to this than we can see.” (Scratches her head) “All we can do now is wait and see if what she said is true.” (If not then they are keeping Rosalinda with them until Lucille comes back or they get her to talk)

Donovan: (Stays quiet while Lucille speaks, frowning to himself. She keeps talking about this Nick guy yet he still hasn’t seen him or heard about him from Jazzy, so there’s still a doubt in his mind. Although she is right on the fact that Jas jumped from the third story without getting hurt, although that would be expected from her as she fell from the second story from her home and survived when she was only two years old)

Jasmine: (Whimpers out something inaudible, hugging herself tightly)

Donovan: (Turns his attention back to her, forgetting his thoughts) “Rosie?”

Jasmine: (Faces him with pained filled kitten eyes that are red with tears, finally pouring out what she had been keeping since she visited her home) “MY AUNT LEFT ME THERE TO DIE!!” (Brokenly) “She abandoned me just like my birth mother!” (Bursts into wild sobs)

Donovan: “Rosie, shhh sweetie…” (Pulls the crying girl close to him and starts stroking her hair that’s weighing down with the water from the rain)

Jasmine: (Doesn’t hold onto him but she rests her head on his shoulder) “She erased me from my home then abandoned me! She did not try to come for me!!” (Starts thinking about all the tender and sweet moments she and her aunt shared, was it a fabrication? Did she put on a fake smile? Was all the things she overheard from her aunt about her? Was she actually a mistake to adopt? Did she doom that poor family and everyone knew she would from day one?) “Did she ever care at all!?! Was it a ploy to keep Mamá happy?!? Did anyone care at all?!?”

Donovan: (Rubs the back of her neck, quietly shushing her) “I already told you Ro-Ro and I wasn’t lying. Yes, of course we cared. We missed you so much, we tried so hard to find you and bring you home….” (Kisses the top of her head) “Nothing was ever the same with the three of you gone, it pained me to think that we couldn’t find an away to bring you back, even after the bombs had dropped….”

Jasmine: (Partly melts in his hug, so overwhelmed by everything that has happened)

Lucille: *decides to make a beeline for the nucleus instead. She’s not a practicing child of Atom but at least there’s no Allen Lee. No one gives a shxt who she is there as a member. She’s not even really revered. Just another person who worships a God thought up in the wake of nuclear annihilation. A person that did a few nice things around their home. That’s all she wants now. Neutrality. Ironic since she’s walking right to a hub of a cult in a way*

Donovan: (Pulls Jasmine in even closer, patting her back with one hand while the other continues to rub the back of her neck) “You’re not a mistake Rosalinda, never were and never will be….”

Jasmine: (Trying to get ahold of her sobbing and emotions, but it’s so damn hard to get a grip on herself. She’s spiraling again, and trying to not let her programming get the better of her. That wouldn’t be a pretty sight for anyone…)

Donovan: (His main priority is to get her back to the house ASAP so she can be treated and get nice and clean and dried off by the fireplace. That’s what he wants for her right now, and for her to stop hysterically sobbing)

Ma: (Can hear the girl crying from outside, and it shatters her heart with each loud sob she gives)

Lucille: *actually starts to cry herself. She’s so sick of this shxt. So sick of the accusatory stares. The ever growing devide between her and one of her best friends, and helping in every way just to be looked down on. Maybe she should just take off her armor and lay in the irradiated water in the dry dock until the radiation kills her. Maybe it’d atone for blowing up the Prydwen. For not being able to save Glory. For any innocent live she’s inadvertently taken. For fxcking up all the time… maybe Kellogg should have just… killed her in Vault 111*

Jasmine: (Weakly as she grabs her head) “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! You cannot control me anymore…”

Donovan: (Pulls back) “Rosie? What is it? No one has said anything but me…”

Jasmine: “Stupid! Stupid! Stupid…!” (Rocks herself as she tries to fight the programming that’s digging it’s claws into her mind)

Lucille: *stops dead suddenly and gets out of her power armor. She takes off her helmet and stares at it for a moment. She sets it down and pulls out Kellogg’s gun, smirking sadly at the grafitied words “Stinky Bastard Man” on the barrel she added. She starts aimlessly walking toward Atom’s Spring, leaving her weapons behind for someone to find* No one cares out here in the fog. I’m just another lost soul… *looks at the gun again* You were right back there- at the Memory den. You should have just put me down while I was on ice. *checks to see if it’s loaded- it is. Of course it is. She always keeps her guns loaded for a fight*

Jasmine: (Sobs bitterly for awhile, then suddenly goes still and quiet, her face going hard while her life drains from her eyes. She starts struggling again, squirming as hard as she can)

Donovan: (Notices this and grabs her by the shoulders to keep her still, looking straight into her eyes) “Rosalinda!”

Jasmine: (Blankly) “That is not my name.”

Donovan: “What do you-…” (Is suddenly flipped through the air) “Whah!! (Closes his eyes, opening them when he hits the soggy mattress that he dragged to get into the attic)

Jasmine: (Jumps out of the window, rolling on the ground as she lands. She straightens herself out and makes another run for it)

Pirate: (Starts barking like mad again, bolting after the teen)

Ma: (Looks up when Pirate runs off) “Pirate!”

Donovan: (Comes stumbling out of the orphanage) “Rosalinda! Goddammit!” (Makes a groan of frustration and annoyance. Hasn’t the kid learned her lesson yet? He thought he was getting somewhere with her, now she’s running again) “Cmon!” (Starts going after her again)

Dogmeat: *barks and bolts after her*

Lucille: *walking to the spring. She wades into the water, taking care not to get the gun wet* I guess you get your revenge after all… *primes the gun and presses the barrel it against the side of her skull* See you in hell, Kellogg… *finger rests steadily on the trigger. Tries to think of it like taking a shot at a raider or a Death Claw*

Jasmine: (Runs like hell to get as far away from civilization as she can, wanting to be left alone)

Pirate: (Catches up with the teen when she nears the docks for the Vim soda company. She jumps up and bites the girls shirt, giving her a tug back)

Jasmine: (Halts and starts swatting at the pup to get her to stop) “Get off!!”

Pirate: (Low growl as she tries to tug the feral kitten back to her big brother)

Jasmine: (Frees her shirt from the dogs mouth by using her hands, taking two steps back)

Trapper: (Slinks out from behind a house, aiming his pipe pistol at the girl)

Pirate: (Growls warningly, getting into a fighting stance)

Trapper: (Pulls the trigger)

Jasmine: (Yelps and jumps to the side last second for it to narrowly miss her head, diving head first behind a barrier just as two more shots whiz by her. She draws out her knife with a snarl and launches herself onto the trapper, grabbing him by the collar and gives him several wildly placed stabs until his body is nothing more than a pile of mutilated mush on the cracked pavement)

Dogmeat: *jumps in and grabs the girl by the back of her damn shirt and pulls her back as hard as he can*

???: Sister Lucille…? What are you doing?

Lucille: Committing myself to Atom. It’s the least I deserve…

???: You’ve read his teachings, you know this isn’t the way to honor Him. Please… you can confide in me. Tell me what’s going on…?

Lucille: It’s none of your concern, Zealot Ware.

Ware: It is when it concerns a fellow child of Atom that’s lost her way.

Lucille: I’ve read the teachings, yes. I can’t exactly be atomized without a mini-nuke. Now leave me to die in peace…

Ware: *sighs* I knew there was a reason to visit the spring today. It seems it’s Atom’s will that I help you. Please don’t do something shameful and taint the spring with your actions… and talk to me?

Lucille: *lowers the gun* Perhaps you’re right. I should have chosen a different location…

Ware: Not exactly but it’s a step in the right direction. Now please, sister Lucille. Talk to me.

Lucille: *musters up the energy to drag herself up to the shore then breaks down, landing solidly on her knees* I’M TIRED!! I’M SO GOD DAMN TIRED!! I just wanted my SON BACK- *chokes on a sob* I just wanted to live a comfortable life with NATE AND SHAWN AND CODSWORTH!! I just wanted to HELP PEOPLE!! I’m so SICK of getting stepped on!! I’m so tired of HELPING EVERYONE!! I’M SO FXCKING TIRED!!! *bawling uncontrollably after that*

Ware: *startled but kneels and takes her in his arms* Ssh… You can rest peacefully at the Nucleus, sister. Ssh…

Jasmine: “Dogmeat! Stop it!” (Pushes the pup away with all her might, trying to keep him out of the line of fire)

Donovan: (Appears from the Fog and spots Jas getting surrounded, aiming his rifle with his good eye and making a few shots to scare them off the girl)

Jasmine: (Already got in a fight with a trapper who came at her with a meat hook, both of them falling into the ground)

Donovan: “Rosie-!” (Tries to run to her, but gets cut off when a harpoon misses him by a hair) “Shit!” (Dives behind a tree and aims to take the trapper with the harpoon gun out)

Jasmine: (Feels a sharp pain in her side, but that just riles her up even more. With all her might she swings her dagger at the trappers face, ripping off a huge chunk of his flesh before she stabs him in the chest multiple times)

Trapper 2: (Slowly backs away in fear at the fact that the small girl overcame the other guy and shows no signs of stopping)

Dogmeat: *goes right back to trying to drag the girl back by the back of her shirt*

Lucille: *takes a bit to finish sobbing but soon she quiets down*

Ware: Do you think you can make it to the Nucleus?

Lucille: *shaky nod as she gets to her feet*

Ware: *helps her and they start walking back*

Jasmine: (He’s not safe either. Within milliseconds she’s pushing Dogmeat away again and lunging at him to serve the same treatment, but with more rage in her swings. She charges into the house, ready to give into her bloodthirsty rage that her programming is screaming at her to do)

Donovan: (Eyes widen when he sees her blind rage, slinging his rifle behind his back as he runs into the house after her)

Lucille: *when he leads her to a place to sleep in the Nucleus* Please don’t pity me, Ware-

Ware: This isn’t about pity. It’s about saving your life. You look exhausted, sister. *hands her some canned cram* here. But much but I’m sure you need it.

Lucille: *tears up remembering she was just moments away from eating a hot meal before Jasmine ran off again. Why did she even try to help her this time? She knew how it would end. She takes the cram and starts eating it while sat on the mattress. Tears start to stream down her cheeks again but not as heavily as before* Th- thank you, Ware. I don’t deserve this, but thank you-

Ware: *softly* Ssh… focus on sleep. Put it from your mind, Sister Lucille. *nods* Put it from your mind.

Jasmine: (Turns the place into a bloodbath within seconds, shredding apart anything that comes to attack her. Once nothing is moving, a bright Orange Chem box catches her eye. Her addiction takes ahold and she scrambles over it it, viscously ripping it open and taking whatever is in there like a deranged animal)

Donovan: (Clammers up the staircase and stops misstep, horrified by this) “The hell you are doing?!?” (Rushes up to the girl to knock out a container of Jet out of her hands, finding that it’s already empty. He looks to the empty cartridges from the chems the girl already absorbed within seconds, fear flashing on his face)

Jasmine: (Shoves past him and makes a dive for the window, leaping out onto the ground. This time the impact from fall actually hurts her, her leg and side specifically. Still, she stands and tries to run off again)

Lucille: *lays down after eating her can of 200 year old processed meat. Still considering death as she starts to pass out*

Donovan: (Jumps out of the window right after her) “Rosalinda Marie Brooke Romeo!!!” (Jogs up to her with relative ease and firmly grabs her by the shoulders. He spins her around to face him, his face serious with a bit of anger) “Just- STOP! Stop running for once in your life for the love of God, child!! Don’t you understand that you’re putting yourself in danger?!? That your actions can and will have severe consequences?!? That people care deeply about you and get worried sick when you decide to run off to God only knows where?!? Does that not mean anything to you?!? That you’re putting us all in danger by doing this?!?”

Jasmine: (Tries to shrug him off while she screams and thrashes in Donny’s hold) “Shut up! You are not my dad!!”

Ma: (Arrives with the rest of her group, eyes widening with shock when she sees all the bodies and blood, also at how Donovan is scolding the girl)

Teshteal: *slinks up near the scene but far enough away to not be seen by Jas. He gave the paper to Gardio so he could give it to Nick once Faraday finishes putting him back together- he did that thorough of a clean. He gages the situation- they must be the people they were looking for. If this starts getting out of hand he might use a code word to see if it’ll work*

Lucille: *so stressed out she keeps waking up then falling asleep again*

Donovan: (Huffs angrily, holding the squirming girl tightly) “You’re right, I am not you’re father. But I did grow up with you, and I watched as you pulled this up over and over again, not giving a shit when you continually almost got severely injured and when you got hospitalized. When everyone begged you to stop and come home with tears in their eyes, including Cosmos.”

Jasmine: (Hears her little brothers name and goes even more wildly feral with rage)

Donovan: (Releases her but only so he can cup her face and force her to look at him) “I watched the adults all shake their heads and shrug their shoulders tiredly because what could they do with you?! You were wild, stubborn, and living on your own terms. But you can’t do that trick anymore, you hear me?! Somebody has to teach you “No” one way or another. I don’t know what your living situation is right now, but as someone who considers himself as your older brother, I will start because this can’t keep happening!”

Teshteal: *nods. He agrees- if Nick had to specifically instruct her not to run off, it’s a common enough problem that needs to be adressed*

Lucille: *wakes up and one point and stares at the ceiling. Blankly*

Jasmine: (Twists and turns, using her hands to try and take Donny’s hands off her face)

Donovan: (Takes them off only to hold her hands) “Don’t you dare think about running away again, missy! You’re staying right here and that’s final!”

Jasmine: (Pulls on her hands, stamping her feet and crying like a toddler having a temper tantrum. The chems she took are adding to her temperament, clouding her mind even further)

Donovan: (Firmly, leaning in close) “I said no.” (Grips her hands tighter in his, waiting for it to seep into her head that she can’t have it her way. He has taken notice of the wound in her shoulder, looks like a bullet hit her and it’s still lodge inside. Her entire outfit is stained with blood so he can’t see if she’s injured anywhere else yet)

Ma: (Has taken the group to guard the perimeter to give Jazzy a chance to settle down without having a bunch of eyes on her. She stays within their sight though, keeping a close watch on her adopted son and the daughter of her friend)

Pirate: (Whines sadly, too distracted by this display to notice or smell Teshteal)

Teshteal: *watches on. He won’t use it unless she’s completely lost it. He’s learned his lesson from last time.  He can retrieve her later using his tail to keep himself safe doing what he did in the Glowing Sea* 

Jasmine: (Stares up at Donovan with wide eyes as she kicks and struggles, trying to throw herself back to make him fall off balanced)

Donovan: (Heavy sigh as he looks back down at her, being hit with the realization why she was never properly disciplined. Damn those puppy eyes, pitiful situation, hard to fight reasoning that she has for her own actions, and the over arching fact that she’s a good kid who never did things with evil intentions. Still makes them wrong in the end and he has to say and do something)

Jasmine: (Bottom lip trembles while she tries to give him a sharp kick in the shins, but she can’t make herself do that due to the fear of hurting him)

Donovan: (Maybe not right here though while she’s bleeding out and they are exposed, they should go back home now and get this stubborn as a mule kid patched up. He’ll pick her up kicking and screaming if he has to)

Lucille: *keeps trying to get some rest but it’s hard for her right now* Why the fxck can’t I stay asleep…?!

Teshteal: *watching, still. He fidgets with his shirt and ragged tie excessively to help him focus on the situation in front of him. He doesn’t dare make a noise*

Jasmine: (Teshteal might have to, she’s getting her energy back and is starting to get more wild again in her struggle)

Donovan: (Perks up at the sudden feeling of rumbling on the ground and sound of heavy thudding)

Ma: (Warning tone as she approaches, knowing what it is) “Donny…” (Readies her shotgun)

Donovan: “Shhh! Quiet down, Rosie.” (Pulls the struggling girl close to him and starts slowly backing away)

Jasmine: (Pounds at Donovan’s chest, squirming to get away while remaining obvious to the danger they are sensing) “LET ME GO!!”

Donovan: (Pushes them both into a ditch, narrowly missing the chance of being spotted by a hoard of super mutants who came stomping over from the nearby bottling plant at the scent of fresh corpses)

Ma: (Pulls Joyce who came running over behind her, backing away to take cover before them and the fishermen start shooting) “Brace yourself kids! Them muties can take a punch.” (Takes aim and starts trying to take down the mutants coming over the bridge)

Teshteal: *leaps into action. Doesn’t think they stand a chance against those brutes. He snatches the harpoon from the dirt then jumps into the frey- stabbing what looks to be the leader straight through the eye, completely obliterating the skull then stealing his super sledge to pick off the rest, even using the ones with bombs to destroy the rest of the group by leading them inward and tricking them into setting them off as he leaps out of range. As he watches the most of the hoard get blown to bits he grins. Just another few well placed hits and swings of one Mutant into another and the hoard’s outright demolished* 

Joyce: (Sees Tesheal suddenly take down the mutants) “What the hell?! Who’s that-?!”

Ma: (Bumps her on the shoulder as a mutant hound howls from deep within the bottling plant) “It don’t matter, keep sharp that was only the scouting party!”

Fishermen: (Have their guns trained on both Teshteal and the bridge to the bottling plant)

Jasmine: (Tumbles down a slope and lands face first into a knee deep stream, coughing out gobs of water and mush as she lifts herself up and shivers)

Donovan: (Scrambles to where Jas landed in the muddy water and covers her mouth with a hand, motioning for her to stay quiet while bullets fly overhead)

Jasmine: (Shrieks and swats at his sudden hands over her mouth, tears going down her face as she struggles. She manages to pull away from his grasp and crawl back a few feet, rising to her knees while gasping at a sharp pain in her leg that keeps her from fleeing)

Donovan: (Football tackles his childhood friend and pins her down, making sure not to actually hurt her or drown her while she swats and kicks at him. He drags them both into a bush on the shore, restraining Jasmine with a tight bear hug) “Hush now. It’s okay, we’re okay… You’re okay, take a deep breath….”

Teshteal: *laughs madly then grins, baring his shark like teeth* Bring it!! *darts in the direction of the bullets blindingly fast, taking care not to actually get it somehow. It becomes a bloodbath at the bottling plant- he at least distracts the the outer guard long enough for them to take care of Jas*

Super Mutant: (Looms in from above, sledge hammer grasped in its oversized green hands while a breathy huff snorts from his mouth)

Donovan: (Muffles the teens screams by holding her face close to his coat, slinging a leg over hers to keep her from kicking) (Whispering) “Shh, Rosie. I know you’re upset and scared, but you need to calm down for me, okay? Just for one moment…” (Rubs the back of her neck under her wet hair, bracing himself for whatever’s to come next)

Jasmine: (Quiets down in his embrace, the urgency of their situation hitting her cloudy head just enough that she has the sense to settle down and shut the hell up)

Super Mutant: (Scans the ditch while grumbling, eye glazing right past the two) “Hmpth. No meat...” (Lumbers off to attack everyone else)

Faraday: *wipes his brow* Finally. *shuts the casing* Begin startup protocol.

Nick: *his eyes flicker to life and after a few more clicks of his internal hard drive, he blinks and sits up, immediately testing his arms and hands* I don’t know how you did it but everything’s working a lot smoother than before. I can’t thank you enough, Faraday.

Faraday: Yes, yes. If you really want to thank me, don’t let it get this bad again, alright? *motions to the bin of soiled rags, some of them completely black with dirt and tar from his smoking habit*

Nick: *notices and frowns, nodding* I will certainly try not to. *sits on the edge of the table and moves his legs back and forth just to make sure they work right. He stands and looks down for a moment* Seriously, though. You’re a miracle worker. DiMA’s lucky to have you. *walks over to his pants and shoes and starts slipping them on*

Faraday: More than he knows. Seeing you like that, though? It makes me worry I’ll have to start keeping a closer eye on you. It would devastate him if you suddenly died. You ought to be more careful out there.

Nick: Oh don’t worry about me- I’m notoriously hard to kill.

Faraday: The bucket full of dirty rags says otherwise.

Nick: *shrugs* So, it does. *turns to him after buckling his pants* Just one question. You got any clothes I can wear?

Faraday: Ask Dejen up at the store. He should have something for a couple of caps.

Nick: Bad news, I left my caps in my coat and Lucille still has that.

Faraday: *hums in thought* I’ll spot you a few. *hands some to the old synth*

Nick: Thanks. Take care, Faraday. *leaves and heads upstairs to talk to the shopkeep*

Donovan: (Breathes a sigh of relief, although they ain’t in the clear yet. He relaxes his hold on Jas, hoping she’s calmed down some)

Jasmine: (Starts round two hundred of “making everything more difficult and a whole lot worse for everyone” by trying to pry Donovan’s arms off her shoulders)

Donovan: (Sighs again at her desperate struggling and scans the area for somewhere safer to take cover, spotting a worn down crumbling bridge nearby that they can hide under until the fighting dies down)

Jasmine: (Literally hissing and yowling like an angry feral kitten that’s been picked up from the side of the road)

Donovan: (Goes to lift the teen up by the waist, halting when he feels something warm pooling at her side. He pulls his hand away, horrified to find that it’s soaked in new blood) “Shit! You’re bleeding!”

@lucilleandherrobots

[nyxs-sins]

For obey me, maybe child mc asking a specific brother to go to a daddy/child dance in the human world? U pick the characters, love your writing!

Child!MC going to a Father/Child Dance with…

Lucifer

He’s the worst person to ask.

You really think this demon has the time and energy to go to a kiddy dance?

No. No he does not.

But in the off chance that you manages to convince him to go.. he doesn’t do much dancing.

He kind of just stands in the perimeter, watching.

That is until someone says he won’t dance because he’s lousy.

Now his pride is at stake, and he has to show off.

Be prepared to do the most intricate dance moves of your life.

You will not be able to move tomorrow.

But hey, at least he danced with you.

Mammon

Literally the best person to ask.

Am I being biased?

Yes. Yes I am.

But man is here to have FUN!

He will be on the dance for of every second.

Showing off, mingling in, having fun.

He’s great with your friends too, and next thing you know, you’re all doing the cha cha train.

Though, he might cut it a little short, when the teachers and security start to notice valuable items and wallets are going missing-

But all in all, it was a fun night.

Leviathan

Another horrible choice.

Really, you looked at the most introverted of all brothers and said “that one”.

What did you think was going to happen?

Man will probably hide in the bathroom most of the time, until someone else comes in.

Then he’s hiding in a corner playing video games.

But that attracts all of the little kids.

After a lot of pleading from them, Levi now has an army of well trained gamers and weebs, ready for battle.

He’s going to take over the world with kids.

Satan

The safest choice.

For the most part.

He will be the most polite.

All of the teachers and kids will love him.

The security might feel a little uneasy, but just ignore that (like they ignore their duties).

Just don’t make him mad.

And don’t let the others pull of his clothes or tug his books.

He doesn’t like that. 😤

Asmodeus

Are you sure?

Are you absolutely, positively, sure?

Okay then.

Just don’t blame me if he brings one of the teachers or security home.

But he will make the dance more enjoyable.

In fact, he’s beyond thrilled to go.

To the point he completely forgets about trying to seduce any of the other adults and just has fun.

But if someone calls him ugly he’ll curse their bloodline.

Beelzebub

He’ll go for the food.

And he’ll likely be willing to dance wi the you too.

Mostly though, he’ll probably be eating.

Or acting as a jungle gym for all the kids.

The other adults are at least happy everyone is entertained.

All in all, not a bad choice.

Belphegor

A bad choice.

Man hates humans, remember?

But also, what’s he going to do at a dance?

That’s way too much physical activity.

He will complain about not being able to sleep because of the bright lights and loud music.

But you’ll still find him curled up and asleep someone in a corner.

[itsnoosetome]

Voicemail is full, glass is half empty

Title: Voicemail is full, glass is half empty Rating: T Pairing: Kenny Omega/Hangman Page (past); Kenny Omega/Ibushi Kota (past, mentioned) Word Count: 2,022 words Summary: Hangman Adam Page isn't any stranger to drink, everyone knows that. Everyone also knows that drunk Adam isn't the best at making good choices. Leaving his ex a drunk voicemail might be his worst choice yet. Notes: Here I am again, back at it with the Kenny and Adam angst. To be fair to Kenny though, he's only here in spirit. There's a mild mention of drunk Hangman in the river at the beginning so tread with caution kiddos if that's something you're sensitive about. Tags: @himbos-hotline

There are a number of things that Hangman Adam Page has done while drunk. For instance he'd once jumped into a river because he'd gotten overheated during a hangout with friends and then had to be fished out by his frantic companions when his drunken limbs had made it hard to swim. They'd scolded him all the way back home and later, when he'd sobered up, he felt guilty and shameful for putting his friends through such stress. He'd once fallen asleep in the alley behind a bar and once he woke up the next day had to walk several miles back home hungover because someone had stolen his wallet. He'd felt really stupid after that one, and thanked his lucky stars that the worst thing that had happened was a lost wallet and sore feet.

In any case, Hangman has woken up too many time on the wrong side of his drunken antics and felt any combination of shame, guilt and embarrassment. Somehow his latest escapade will probably top that list and he's the safest he's ever been while drunk.

He'd been watching the game on TV and as it had gotten more and more dire for his team, he'd begun to drink more and more. Eventually he'd ended up fucking around on his phone rather than watch the dreadful end to an awful game. Scrolling Instagram and reading funny articles had somehow morphed into flicking back through his camera roll.

He really should have deleted those old pictures.

His thumb hovers over the delete button but somehow ends up just softly stroking the screen instead. It's still hard to get rid of the only evidence that Kenny was ever happy with him. Somehow slowly petting at the screen turns into scrolling contacts and before he knows it his phone is pressed to his ear and he's listening to it ring.

It keeps ringing and then there's the beep of the voicemail activating, a robotic female voice apologising for Kenny's absence. It's nice that someone else is apologising for Kenny now.

"Do people even check their voicemails anymore ?" Adam wonders out loud, drunken mind somewhat forgetting that it's being recorded.

"I know I don't. Mind you, only person that calls me up on the regular is my Ma so I don't hafta. Most people just text I guess nowadays but I ain't opened our text thread in a long while. Too many arguments and I love yous that I don't wanna relive. Shoulda deleted it like I shoulda deleted the old pictures but I can't. Dunno why."

Adam picks at a fraying hole in his jeans, aware he knows why but saying out loud makes it seem sadder somehow. Even though there's no one to hear him in his empty apartment.

"Dunno why I even called ya. Jus' drunk again  I guess and missin' ya. I know you probably ain't surprised by that. I was lookin' at those old pictures and missed you all of sudden. Well no it wasn't so much sudden. I've been missin' you a long time, missed you when we were still together even. That probably shoulda been a sign I took more notice of huh ?"

Adam missed a lot of signs. The distance, the one word answers, the maybe next times, the unhappy faces that were unconvincingly explained away. The trips to Japan all alone for work that got extended to see old friends. Stupid, stupid Adam missed them all.

"Do you remember the zoo ? Ya know, the real good one where they let you hold that little koala fella ? You were so happy that day. You were real tender with all the animals small 'nd tall, then when we got to the end you looked at me with these real soft eyes and said 'Thanks for this Adam'. Boy that made me feel about ten feet tall."

He still dreams about that trip sometimes, not that he'd admit it outside of late nights staring up at the ceiling. It was one of those rare days where everything had felt just perfect. Kenny had laughed at all his jokes, had showed him as much affection as either of them were comfortable with in public and they'd eaten cotton candy like they were kids again.

"Felt about 20 feet tall when you gave me that damned stuffed horse. Musta cost you an arm and a leg, those places are always so darn expensive, but you said he'd be real lonely if I didn't take him. You always did know how to twist me around to your way of thinking. I still have him ya know, Hunter Horse Helmsley the 4th. He's in the closet now, not like we were but because I put him there. Used to live on the bed with me but after everything I moved him to a new pasture. Another thing I can't let go of huh ?"

Life sure would be simpler if Adam could let go of things as easy as others. There's a long silence where Adam picks a new hole in his jeans and curses himself for not being better, or stronger.

"D'ya ever wonder where it all went wrong Ken ?" He asks quietly, like he daren't ask the question out loud for fear of something terrible happening.

Adam sure as hell does. He's spent months in fact dissecting their relationship like a medical examiner with a complicated corpse. He hasn't found a cause of death yet or maybe it's that he's found too many to conclude which one was the final blow.

"D'ya ever look back on our relationship and see the moment where it got all fucked up ? I try but I can't see it. Maybe I was too drunk to see it going wrong. That's what you woulda said at the end there. 'You're too drunk to notice anything Page' and you mighta been mean but I guess you weren't wrong." Adam's unflattering impression of Kenny quickly peters out into a watery thin voice that has him clearing his throat.

"I reckon if you thought about it you'd probably know where it all went wrong. You were always smarter than me at that kinda stuff. Give me an equation and I'll solve it but give me a person 'nd i'm fumblin' in the dark. Maybe if I knew a thing or two more about people you'd have stayed. Then again maybe not right ?"

Adam breaks his train of thought to awkwardly laugh, he tries to sheepishly rub the back of his neck but forgets he's got the phone in his hand. 

"That probably ain't the only thing that's wrong with me that you decided you couldn't deal with no more. Can't say I blame you either, some days I look in that bathroom mirror and I ain't sure I can deal with myself."

Most days if he's honest. That very morning he'd stumbled into the bathroom and almost recoiled in horror from his own reflection. He'd looked pale and drawn, the dark circles under his eyes looking worse in comparison. His hair had been stringy, curls limp and without any bounce to them. He'd smelled so strongly of alcohol and sweat that he'd even grossed himself out, not that he'd been in a rush to fix it when there was no one else to complain. You couldn't blame Kenny for leaving that guy.

"What was I sayin' ? Oh yeah all the stuff I got wrong. Was I not romantic enough ? Boy I sure tried even with all the travellin' and us not bein' public and all."

There's a lengthy pause before Adam blurts out, "Was Kota romantic ? I can't imagine it but we never did spend a lot of time together me and him. Aw damn, shouldn't have brought him up at all should I ? You didn't like that either, always knew he was a sore subject."

Boy could Hangman relate to complicated feelings about ex-boyfriends.

"I'm sorry for askin' about him when we were together. Guess I just wanted to know what I was up against. He's older than me and more handsome, more cultured I bet, I just wanted to know I was doin' something better than him. Ya know what's funny ? I used to say to myself sometimes that I had you and he didn't so I musta been doing something good. Ain't even got that hill to stand on now do I ?"

Adam has the sudden urge for another drink but the fact that he's out of booze stops him from attempting to walk. He'd probably just fall down the front steps again anyway.

"Maybe it's some other failin' of mine. Was it that I was dead weight in the ring as well as in your life ? I could see how that'd test a fella's patience. Kenny the Cleaner, the Belt Collector, he can't be seen with some dumb Virginia farm boy that don't know how to hit a 450 Splash without near killin' himself. You deserve someone with real," Adam flails his hand for a second as he thinks of an appropriate word, forgetting that Kenny and the voicemail can't see him, "pizzazz, someone like Kota... Ah shit I brought him up again."

Maybe he does need that drink. He heaves himself up from the couch and wobbles precariously for a moment before landing back on the seat with a thump. Or then again may not.

"Ya gotta believe me Kenny, I trained real hard to be better. Maybe not as flashy but to be something you could be proud of. I changed up my diet, my workouts, studied so many matches it darn near made my brain spin. S'why I'm injured right now and I'm drunk on the couch instead of in the ring out in Florida. Still tryna prove myself to you even thought you told me to hit the road and you won't look me in the eyes no more. Ain't that sad ?"

It is sad. Adam feels sad doing it a lot of the time but he just can't stop himself. It's second nature now to try and get Kenny to look at him, to notice him, so he can bask in that light for even just a second.

"D'ya know Ken, I reckon that might just be the real problem at the heart of all of this. I want your approval so darn much, I want you to be as proud of me as you are the Bucks. Prouder even. Ain't real fair on you is it ? This starry eyed pretend cowboy looking up at you on high, asking you to carry all his hopes and dreams. Always asking for validation and unwavering love. People always say you shouldn't meet your idols, and I darn sure know you shouldn't date them. You can't worship who you wanna love."

Adam swallows the lump in his throat and makes another attempt at leaving the couch. Maybe it's not time for another drink but it does seem like time for bed. He's more successful this time at staying upright and begins the slow shuffle towards his bedroom.

"Funny how you call yourself a wrestling god now ain't it ? When I was your number one devotee you couldn't have been more human. Gettin' all grandiose again, putting you up on a pedestal when I shouldn't be."

He falls face first onto the bed when he stumbles into his room. His voice muffled by the covers his mouth is pressed into but Adam can't be bothered to turn his head. Instead he grabs a pillow to hold to make himself more comfortable.

"I didn't even call to talk about all that really. I just wanted to talk about the good times, so there's another thing I've gone and messed up. If ya keepin' a list Kenny you'd better add that one too." Adam laughs, a sound more acid in his throat than anything else.

He falls asleep like that, jeans still on, phone beeping against his ear and a pillow clutched in his arms so he can pretend that there's someone beside him. No one in particular, just someone that won't leave him this time.

[ducknotinarow]

[Rasey 2k7 - this one might hurt :'D] “Do I make you happy?”

| Send Do I make you happy for my muses reaction

Raph shouldn't be doing this, he broke it off after all he should leave them be. Let them live their life. He should follow through with why he did it in the first place. He didn't want to drag anyone down with him anymore. He didn't want to keep hurting those who he loved and cared for and damn did he love and care for Casey most of all. Even now sat up on the roof tops of Casey's block watching them making their way home pausing to greet the kids. He shut Casey out, he kept fighting with them, he even kept the whole Nightwatcher thing from them Casey being nice enough to cover for him never asking why. And what did Raph do? he kept snapping kept being a fucking dick.

As he watched his. His ex. Talking to a few of the kids he'd been a puesdo father towards. Tugged at those lingering strings on Raphael's heart. Why was he here? He noticed a certain hockey mask wearing vigilante presence went missing. Claimed he was just... here to pick up the slack. Nah he was checking on Casey and tormenting himself in the process. Slinking back as they finally broke away from the group of kids and made his way up into the apartment building his place was at. He crouched down low and stuck to the roof. That was stupid. Raph was covered head to toe in this armor even if Casey manged to see him? There was no way for them to know it was Raphael. Hell not even his brothers seemed to noticed he was the Nightwatcher, and they had seen the reports about them.

Dumb risk but he did move to the building of Casey's apartment, making sure he kept a good few fire escapes up away. So why hide from Casey? Guilt mostly.

Raphael sighed and sat down peering over the edge of the railing watching the light of Casey's apartment flick on suddenly. He missed that sight when he would make his way out to meet up at Casey's place. Late at night everything inside of their home looked so warm and yellow, where everything outside was cold and blue. For a time that little piece of yellow was for them. He didn't live with Casey of course but well he might as well had been with how often he would crash. Worried that if he stuck around to many days in a roll Casey would get the wrong idea. Not that it would be wrong. Raphael just needed them, wanted them all the time. Sometimes he wondered which was worst for Casey to find out about, but it was like a warm home together with Casey.

He closed his eyes, it was so routine after awhile. Raph would climb down the fire escape window often open for him to crawl in from. Casey standing near by to greet him and pull him right inside. They would turn on the game and relax on the couch. They might stand together in Casey's kitchen and talk back and forth. Casey would tease him for sleeping on the couch or the floor over in their bed. It was all so mundane to think back one now but, those were Raphael's favorite nights. Sometimes Raph would linger around their place unsure if he should go inside. He could just about hear the sounds of Casey's still apartment with the city noise faded in the background like white noise, head allowing it's self to rest in against their chest that faint stead heart beat of theirs loud in his ear.

“Do I make you happy?”

Raph let his eyes open a little as he thought back to those words. Attention shifted towards Casey in his place. You could see the wear on their face.

"more than you could ever know Case." Raphael's answered to no one taking everything in him to not just move to their window now and patch everything up again, beg to be taken back. He couldn't do that not because he didn't want to be with Casey. But, it was punishment. He hurt Casey. He cut them deep claimed he didn't want to be with them anymore. Raphael was so far gone these days and he knew it but this self destructive path didn't seem to have any end in sight.

"aye don' think ya'll ever know just how happy ya made me Casey. Any moment together was the best for me. Bustin' skulls, to sitting out here and looking at this smog filled night sky well we just talked and talked." He lets the faintest smile tug on his beak recalling those very nights. All the conversations, from Raph venting to Casey ranting on. How many of those late conversation were just spent shoulder to shoulder. "ya were always there for me, ya had so much else on that plate of yas but always made time for me. Even before we were together." He moved away from the railing "Ya were always...my safe space. I could tell ya anything no matter how worked up I got even. Ya give me that soft clear stare 'ike ya were saying you understood. No one else ever got me 'ike Casey Jones. Even just seein' the light on at ya place was enough to cheer me up..sort of still dose now too"

He sat in quite a moment. Pulling off the metal helmet a moment as he just rested up against the brick wall. Wondering what Casey was doing right now. Was he looking around his fridge for something to eat. Was there even a game on tonight? Raphael had fallen out of the loop on tracking the current league right now. "I'm a sinking ship Casey. An' I know ya would jump in to the water uncaring for the fire and the risk of another ship near by going up in the flames. Ya come right for me to help keep me from sinking." Much like when he snapped at Donnie he had that damn accident on his mind. "But, Casey I'm broken. Somethin' inside of me is broken. An' I dunno if it can ever be fixed." He admits. He could see Casey's expression or what he assumes it would have been right now. "I can't drag ya down wit' me anymore. No matter how badly I miss..everything. So yeah you made me happy so fuckin' damn happy I could forget about that broken piece in me even..just for a time. It just got worse though." He sighs "ya amazin' Case I know you would..do anythin' for me. I had ta cut ya free though. I can't let you come after me I can't be what ruins you too. "ilke I am myself."

Moving to stand up as he grabbed the helmet and suited it back over his head. Just coming here was enough to give him some what content at least. He patted the railing before he started to make his way back up to the roof. "Night Case, I'll watch out for any trouble for you."

[cosmicbrowniefan]

hii i wanna play the ship game thingy ^_^

my name is eria if you need it

pronouns: they/them (occasional she/her)

height: 5’5”

hair: brown

eyes: blue

sexuality: im lesbian BUT i’m comfortable being shipped with any male characters since they’re fictional!

extroverted

my personality: im rlly outgoing, i miss social cues often, i dont talk alot unless my friends are around then im very very loud

my hobbies include singing, acting and performing all that jazz

i do enjoy MUSIC!!! acting, musical theatre, video games, ballet, kpop, anything colouful!!

i dont enjoy SPIDERS!!! sports i cant understand (anything but american soccer and rugby), school 💀

other info: im neurodivergent!! umm yeah

body type and skin tone: i have an hourglass figure and im white with a light tan 👍

i ship you with...

max mayfield!

how you met: will definitely is part of drama club, and so are you. max came to pick up will from a rehearsal one day, and you were coming out at the same time. the second will got in the car, max began grilling him about who you were and if you were single.

her first impression of you: max isn’t ashamed to admit that the first thing she noticed about you was how GORGEOUS you were. everything about your body, hair, and face has her SWOONING. after your looks, however, she noticed how whimsical and excitable and eccentric you were. your energy was such a breath of fresh air and she loves that about you.

how you got together: max was nervous around you, sure, but she sure as hell isn’t someone to sit around and do nothing when she has a crush. max became insistent on picking will up from rehearsals and even came into the auditorium to watch the last few minutes so she got a chance to say a few words to you here and there. she found out very quickly how outgoing and sweet you were, and the two of you got each other’s snapchats and started talking more often. one day, max snaps you out of the blue a picture of her face with the caption “so are we gonna cut the bullshit and date already?” you, of course, said yes.

what she likes most about you: max loves your dedication to everything you do. she thinks it’s fascinating how artsy you are and cannot BELIEVE what a talented performer you are. she loves coming to see you in all your shows and recitals, but especially your ballet recitals! max was never into dance before she met you, but she sees how hard you train and thinks it’s incredible. physically, max loves all your curves.

what you guys enjoy doing together: one of your favorite things to do together is unwind after one of your performances. you guys will come home after one of your shows or recitals, you’ll shower and get into comfy clothes, and when you get out, max will have made you something to eat and set up one of your favorite video games to play. you two love these moments when you can unwind together and just hang out and play video games together, and max loves that it’s something you guys can do that she’s good at too. also, you love when you’re playing and max will just make a casual comment about something additional she loved about your performance that she forgot to tell you earlier. it’s so sweet and domestic <3

bonus headcanon: max knows how much you hate spiders. she’s always been kind of neutral on them, but after learning that you don’t like them? she will get rid of any spider within a fifty mile radius for you.

[marmie-noir]

Chapter 2: Confusing Emotions

Walking into the base I was instantly grateful for the familiar sounds of my little tribe coming from the main room. I walked in, watching a moment as Erend and Varl spoke in hushed tones to one another, Zo peeking over now and again and smiling while working on some sort of weaving. Setting my bo staff down against the wall I let the pack slide off my back and fall to the ground with a small thump. It had Zo turning to me and she smiled, walking over. 

“Anara, you’ve returned.” She picked up the pack while looking me over. I’d been gone about a week on a mission for Aloy and looked a little rough but nothing that a nice bath and a good rest wouldn’t fix. 

“About time!” Erend’s loud voice had me smiling even wider as he came over to throw an arm over my shoulder and squeeze me against him. “I’ve been waiting days for you to return Anara, Zo gave me this new game and I’ve been trying to master it. I could use an opponent.” 

“I’m not very good.” Varl said with a small shrug, taking my bo staff and moving to put it with the other weapons. 

I leaned into Erend for a moment, smiling at everyone around me. It was nice to come back and feel missed, to have something to come back to. Erend steered me to sit at the counter, Zo placed a warm meal before me, and Varl worked to update me on any changes at the base. I chatted with them all until my eyes started to droop. 

“The parts Aloy asked for are in that pack. I’ve got to bathe and rest, I rode hard to get here before night fell. I did not want to spend another night around a fire if I could help it.” Standing up I thanked them all and went to go to the washroom. Walking past Erend and Kotallo’s sleeping quarters I slowed down when I noticed the Marshal sitting on his bed working away at the focus. 

I leaned against the door frame and watched him a moment. “Hey.” 

He glanced up, swiping the focus’ display away with an easy movement of his hand, standing. “Anara. How was your mission? Are you well?” He walked over, glancing me up and down a few times as if to check for injury. 

“I am well, everything went to plan. Well… not really, but I’m uninjured for the most part and Aloy now has the parts she wanted. I wanted to come talk to you because I ran into some rebels and found some things a Marshal may want to see.” Using my own focus I went through a few clips before pushing one towards him. His lit green a moment to signal my data transfer went through. “They are working on some sort of weapon which I believe could be a problem for your chief in the future. I destroyed it after taking them out but figured… it would be better for you to know.” 

He nodded once, eyes still moving over my face a few moments. “I see. Thank you for the information.” 

I nodded back, sending him a little smile before patting my hips and the dust of the road puffed up. “Well, I just wanted to let you know. I’m going to bathe and sleep for the next day. Riding a machine is amazing for time but my body is a bit sore.” 

“I see.” He glanced away then. “I am pleased you’ve returned unharmed. Rest well.” We parted, him back to his bed and me to the washroom. I pressed a hand to my stomach to try to squash the butterflies. Of course Kotallo was pleased I came back uninjured. We were allies, maybe even friends, that was a perfectly normal response. While I had been alone on those long rides beyond a few audio clips I’d managed to find with my focus I had a lot of time to think and was still confused as to my response to the Tenakth. Shrugging it off I followed through on my shower before falling into the bed. 

Letting out a slow breath I pushed with my arms to complete the hand stand. Loose strands of hair hung in my face but I closed my eyes, engaging my core to keep myself in position before moving to the next step. After a few moments I lifted my left hand and held it out to the side, balancing on my right hand palm. The dirt was well packed, cleared beforehand, and I slowly spread my legs to help distribute some of my weight and engage different muscles in my core and back. Putting my left hand down I went now to raise my right, gauging how my weaker arm handled the stress. I shook slightly but was able to maintain it for a few more moments before putting my other hand back down. The black slave bands glowed against my skin, a constant reminder. Pushing me. I let out a breath through my teeth before bending back into a bridge and standing up. Brushing off my hands on the pants I had put on to work out in I noticed Kotallo waiting patiently, dark eyes taking in my routine. 

“You could have said something.” I said, reaching for my waterskin. Taking a few sips I put it down and pushed the strands that had escaped from my long braid back from my face. “Everything okay?”

“I will not interrupt training.” Was all he said, moving to get closer now that I clearly had spotted him. “I was looking over those video clips.”

“Oh, did they come through okay?” He nodded, glancing over to the beautiful view highlighted by the setting sun. I took the opportunity to take him in, really look at him again. His strong jaw was as appealing as his wicked looking lips, the scar on the right side doing little to take away from the urge I felt to test them against mine. If anything, the different texture the scar provided would be fun to trace with my tongue when my hands were busy with other things. Shaking my head with a smile I stretched my arms up, leaning back slightly to try to shake a kink out in my shoulder. A knot had been forming for a few days and I’d been ignoring it foolishly. “What did you think of the weapon?”

He glanced back, eyes momentarily lingering where my top was slit and showed some cleavage, especially with my stretch. Raising a brown he glanced up before narrowing his eyes a moment. “It’s valuable information. I was more surprised by your fighting.”

“Oh?”

“Did you take on the entire camp alone?”

“Yes, of course. I couldn’t really wait for back up.” Thinking back at the clips I had sent to him they had been brief, mostly just of the machine after everyone was downed so I can get details before destroying it. There had been a bit of a scuffle when I went to destroy it but I’d dealt with the two newly arrived rebels easily enough. “Kotallo did you… not believe me a warrior?” 

“I suppose not. I heard from Erend and Varl about your life in Meridian.” Ah, a dancer. Surely the two men had left out the brawls and the body guarding. I didn’t exactly dress like a fighter either most of the time so I couldn’t really blame the man. 

“That would explain it.” I said with a little shrug. “I doubt either of them said much beyond the pretty parts of my job. But yes, I am a fighter. I fight the way of the Vari, at least as much as I can. Whatever else I learned is from drifters who came to my mistress. I was always such a nosey child, wanting to learn.” Smiling at the memory fondly I put a hand on my hip and looked up at the Tenakth Marshal. “But what does that matter?”

“I wish to spar with you.” 

“Oh.” Now that did surprise me. I knew Zo and Erend often fought, hiding it behind a spar, but Kotallo hadn’t done any training beyond fighting machines. Which was impressive honestly, the machines out in the West seemed more violent than the others. “Can I ask why?”

“You seem to fly across distances, your speed is unlike what I’ve seen among others.” Gesturing with his hand he seemed to be taking me in. “It was as if you never touched the ground until it was over. It’s impressive. I wish to see it, to fight it.”  

Glancing at the setting sun I squinted a moment before glancing back up at Kotallo. “Tomorrow work? I’m hungry and the sun is going down. I can grab some food and you can run me through what you found in the footage?”

He nodded, stepping back to give me a bit more space as I went to pick up a shirt and my staff, both of us walking into the base as I chatted away at him. 

Turned out that the next day ended up being delayed by a few more due to Aloy needing items or the people of Plainsong falling into another dramatic issue. Zo seemed frustrated with the Chorus, the group of leaders for her people, and after hearing them rant about how they will ‘return to the earth’ from starving versus fighting to fix the issue I didn’t blame her. I’d never met a people who was just so willing to die, to roll over and give up. It was so against everything I was about, the Vari stood for, and I ended up leaving a Chorus meeting with a shake of my head to go back to the base. Kotallo followed behind and we headed towards the practice area. 

“So Kotallo, “ I started, teasing him lightly as we slowly circled around one another in the packed earth that had become designated as the training ground by the others. “Surprised I’m not just a pretty face?”

“Yes.” He answered deadpan, moving away from me to the other side of the training circle. With a focus I found thrilling he narrowed his dark eyes at me, watching as I slowly moved across the ring from him. He tried so hard to be stoic, to be unfeeling for me. An outsider wasn’t exactly his type I could tell. I didn't know much about the Tenakth beyond Erend’s hilarious rumors or the odd whisper, but if they were anything like the rest of the tribes they probably stuck to themselves. The only thing that continued to drive my flirting was the heat in his eyes. It was impossible to miss as we slowly circled one another in the sparring pit, Kotallo a confident grace against my own cunning speed. Using the situation as an excuse I took in his graceful form. It was odd to describe a man so large as graceful but Kotallo was all hard earned muscle and learned skill. He trained for hours, even now from what I gathered with his daily schedule living together, not wanting his senses to dull. 

I had wondered for a time if potentially he was interested in men instead, his people seemed so casual about sexuality and it was refreshing. He didn't seem attracted to anyone we had encountered though, Aloy confirmed that a few weeks ago on her way through the base when I had managed to steal her away for a private moment. After the fight though I had seen something in his face that I hadn’t seen before. A heat, an interest, and I caught little looks he constantly threw my way ever since. Had he looked into the entire battle versus the small clips I’d sent his way? I was willing to bet he had, but hadn’t asked Gaia yet. 

I’d even noticed that if I didn’t make an effort to be near him he seemed to come up with excuses to try to be closer to me instead. Like now, asking me to spar. I had clearly turned down both Erend and Varl for training, finding the focus and personal training more valuable. But I found I couldn't say no to this man. It was a mix of also wanting to be near him regardless of excuse as well as a genuine curiosity of his prowess in battle. And now here we were, standing across from one another, him looking relaxed in the deep forests of the West, that same intensity in his eyes. I felt each glance, each lingering up and down drag across my skin like a caress. If anything the simple training outfit I chose was covering more than my basic outfits I wore around the base. Even if he wouldn’t voice it, I knew that look. I had seen it many times on the face of others, but in the Tenakth Marshal? It made my heart pound in my chest and fire rise in my blood. Kotallo found me attractive. 

“You fight primarily with your legs and that staff.” Not really a question, he must have watched the clips. 

I nodded, spinning the staff at my side slowly, kicking up dirt and some leaves from the forest floor we had made into a sparring ring. “I’m from a tribe far away and this is how we were taught to fight. My father taught me when I was young before-  well before everything happened.” Not wanting to get into my past too deeply I planted the end of the staff in the ground and tipped my chin up. “Should we toss out the weapons?”

He took the machete style weapon from his own belt and tossed it a bit from the ring. I followed the action, my staff joining with it a moment later. It was probably for the best that we didn't carve one another up, Aloy would be pissed as hell if we both stumbled in bloody and useless until we healed. 

“You going to attack me or do you intend to keep on charming me with that lovely personality?” I sent him a wink. 

He lunged then, a wall of muscle and tenacity rushing towards me with a speed most would be surprised by. I wasn’t, I’d seen him fight and knew of the Tenakth penchant to rush into battle. They idolized warriors of the ancients, fierce battles inspiring a power that was Tenakth alone. I dodged back, easily out of his reach within moments, and spun to put more distance between us. If he got his hands on me it would be game over. I wasn’t physically strong enough to get away so my plan was to keep as much distance as possible, striking at any tiny openings with as much space as I could get. Tossing my staff away was a minor setback, I had long legs and was fast. I could do this, or at least put up a decent enough fight. I just couldn’t stumble or let him catch me. 

Kotallo was a warrior. He had the scars and tattoos to show it, each one hard earned from my understanding. I had learned from Gaia’s ever growing files on the Tenakth thanks to Aloy’s exploring that every mark had a meaning, devouring any spec of data that had the potential to help me understand the man rushing at me now. With how covered he was he must have seen many battles; survived a number of insane attacks. He followed me around the ring like a predator biding his time, eyes focused, expression controlled as he swung at me. I bent backwards, hands planting on the warm earth and flipping in a tight arch while the tops of my feet caught him under his chin. The sound of teeth clicking and the grunt as his head snapped back was satisfying regardless of the fact that I was attracted to him. Fighting was another rush, not exactly unlike sex, and my feelings wouldn’t stop me from winning this if I thought I could. 

He regained composure faster than I thought possible and I barely missed a swing from him, rolling backwards instead of on my feet after my flip. The packed earth and debris was sharp but I ignored the familiar pain, getting back on my feet as quickly as possible. The moment I lost my speed this was over. 

We kept going like that for a while, him rushing and me falling back, barely avoiding him. He got a few hits in, fresh bruising visible on my skin already, but he hadn’t managed to grab onto me beyond a few tugs on my clothing. Remnants of my top shirt was tossed in the dirt of the ring, he had ripped a sleeve off in a bid to grab my wrist. The Marshal didn’t hold back, probably because of that kick under his chin. I could tell he was getting more frustrated with me, anger flashing in his eyes as I once more avoided his swings and hands by nothing more than a breath. It only seemed to fuel him though, he stayed calm under the anger of battle, harnessing it and keeping a cool mind as he watched every move. Normally I could play with a person until they made a mistake, could get them when their guard was down or emotion took over, but while those dark eyes lit with a fire he didn't lash out. Kotallo displayed complete control, such hard earned discipline. So this was the power of a Tenakth Marshal. 

My drifting thoughts caught up with me. Letting out a small gasp a large hand caught my hip as my own feet stumbled, pushing me down until the hard packed earth. The grit of it greeted my back, my breath knocked out of me as my eyes grew wide and lips parted as I watched Kotallo loom over me. His hand left my hip, the burning of his palm scorched into my skin, and he pressed his powerful thighs against my middle effectively caging me in and holding me down so he could pull back to punch. I raised my hands, completely defenseless in this position. There was no way to dodge, no way to squirm out with him pressing me into the earth, I was completely at his mercy. I stared at him, watching his expression shift from one of anger, to surprise at catching me, and then a warm satisfaction pooled there at finally having pinned me. He brought his arm down, catching that I was breathless and thoroughly pinned. I couldn’t so much as squirm beyond a random flailing of my legs which I found too undignifying with my immediate defeat. 

“You are much quicker than I expected.”

“I get that a lot.” I said, struggling to get my breath back for more than one reason. He looked amazing all worked up, flushed, a fine sheen of sweat on his skin. We both panted a few moments, taking the other in, the warm afternoon sun beating down on the two of us. The tattoos he wore across his entire body stood out even more so with how his muscles flowed under his skin like silk, the paint he wore as a Mashal doing nothing to hide the detailed designs. He was well trained, well worked, and just the feeling of this large man looming over me had me flustered. The soft brush of his thumb across the skin of my hip had my lips parting, barely a whisper of a caress, and I felt the blood rush to my face in a blush. I reached up, pushing at his shoulders until the too hot hand on my hip let me go and he rose and stepped back. 

I sat up, unsure what to do with the emotions roaring in my head as my heart beat loudly against my chest. Kotallo held his hand out and I accepted it, trying to not stare as his bicep flexed while pulling me up to stand. Why were his hands so hot? I quickly let him go, the feeling of his skin brushing mine having my face flare up. There was a chance that the well trained soldier could hear my overactive heart pounding a mile a minute in my chest. Sending him a little smile I moved to where our weapons were in an attempt to appear casual. 

“That’s enough for me today, thanks Kotallo. Um, good win.” I was not going to do a best out of three with him. Not only was I a complete mess, my hair and remaining clothing covered in dust, dirt, and sweat, but emotionally I felt like I’d swallowed a bunch of bugs and they were not fighting in my stomach. 

Picking up my staff I brought him his weapon as well in an effort to be casual. Obviously I was totally unbothered. A blush? Nah, sunburn. My heart pounding out of my chest? I did just spar with an elite Tenakth Marshal. He accepted the stupidly heavy weapon, confusion and concern clear on his face, but I chose to pretend not to pick up on it and jerked my head towards the base. “Are you going to head back too? I need to shower this dirt out of my hair.” 

“Ah, no. I need to check a few things.” He stepped closer then, hand moving as if to touch me once more. I could not handle that now without spouting off some complete nonsense. “Are you… well?” 

“Hm? Oh, yeah, absolutely. Just trying to get my air back. I hit the ground harder than I thought.” I made the excuse easily, waving off his concern while taking a step back myself. “I’ll see you later then, safe hunting.” 

“I- yes.” It was all he said although he clearly had something else to say, instead watching me practically jog out of his sight with his lips pressed into a thin line. 

The walk back to the base was uneventful which was a real shame because all I could do was think about what the fuck just happened. Kotallo over me, face intense as he pulled back. The flex of his body, the warmth of his skin against mine, the strength? The realization was like being tossed into a frozen lake. I had it so bad and he had been very clear that he was not interested in the least. His eyes gave away the heat but he was a stubborn Tenakth, he would never give in. Their tribes were notorious about hating outsiders, about staying with their own people. Guess my emotions didn't get the memo.

[spacesquidlings]

Immeasurably

Christmastime means baking and cookies and most importantly of all, gingerbread. But sometimes baking doesn't always go to plan when you have 4 little girls trying to help

Pairing: Gavin Bai x OC (Rowan)

Warnings: None

Notes: Hello!!! Another Gavin piece featuring his 4 little daughters. They’re not canon to the game, but my own original characters and I simply love them so much so I have to write about them as much as I can. Have a wonderful day and I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmastime!!!!!

******************************************************************

“Mommy, can I help?”

Rowan looked over her shoulder to see Aurora clutching her pink step stool, making her way over to the counter.

“You want to help me bake?”

Aurora nodded furiously, setting the stool down and climbing onto it, her head barely above the counter as she peered at the cookie dough Rowan was rolling out.

“I wanna make cookies with you!”

Rowan couldn’t help smiling at the eagerness in her daughter’s face as she tried reaching for the cookie cutters at the corner of the counter.

“Be careful with those, little princess,” Rowan said, reaching out to grasp Aurora’s hand gently. “They’re sharp, I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I won’t get hurt, mommy,” she sang, gently picking up a heart-shaped cutter. “I’ve got you here to keep me safe!”

Warmth spilled from her heart, and she felt as though she would melt into a puddle at the sweetness of Aurora’s words. “I’ll do my best.”

“Your best is always good enough,” Gavin said, surprising Rowan as he leaned over her shoulder to press a kiss to her cheek.

She gasped, her heart stammering for a moment. She hadn’t even heard him come in, hadn’t noticed he was in the kitchen until he was right behind her, pressing kisses to her cheeks.

“I missed you,” he murmured, kissing her again, nuzzling his face against her neck.

Rowan bit the inside of her cheek as she grinned, trying to focus on making sure Aurora cut the cookie shapes properly and didn’t accidentally cut herself.

“You weren’t gone for that long.”

“But I missed you,” he whined, his words tickling her skin. “Any moments away from you always feels far too long.”

She sighed, turning her head to the side to kiss the top of his head, unable to stop herself from smiling. “I missed you, too.”

“You know who else missed you?”

She arched a brow as Gavin pulled away, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he looked at the chubby little toddlers in his arms. “Who?”

“Two little tater tots,” he murmured, brushing kisses to their downy hair.

Gardenia whimpered, holding her arms out to Rowan, her bottom lip quivering. Meanwhile Cordelia, her twin, was still struggling to wake  up, her eyes falling closed as she slumped against Gavin’s shoulder.

“Hold on, love,” Rowan cooed, wiping the flour from her hands before taking Gardenia into her arms.

Gardenia whined, burying her face against Rowan’s neck as she bounced her gently.

“What’s wrong?” Rowan murmured, rubbing Gardenia’s back.

“Missed you, mommy,” she whined, her little hands clutching Rowan’s shirt tighter. “I was cold.”

“You were cold?” She asked, trying to keep her voice low and soft, not wanting to upset Gardenia anymore than she already was. Her littlest daughter didn’t like loud noises or voices, and she was prone to crawling into Rowan’s arms when anything was too loud.

Gardenia nodded. “Blankie fell.”

“Oh no, not blankie,” she said, kissing the top of Gardenia’s head. “When did blankie fall?”

“I don’t know,” she whimpered, sniffling as she spoke.

“Did daddy help you get it?”

She nodded, trying to wiggle closer to Rowan.

“I’m sorry blankie fell,” she murmured. “But I’ll hold you now if you want.”

“Gardenia,” Aurora said, keeping her voice softer, too. “Do you want to make cookies with me and mommy?”

Gardenia sniffled again, before peeking out from Rowan’s shirt. “Cookies?”

Aurora nodded, holding up one of the cookie cutters. “Wanna help me pick out the shapes?”

Cordelia opened her eyes instantly at the mention of cookies, her amber eyes bleary as she struggled to peer around the kitchen. “Cookies?”

But of course it was right then that Wisteria walked into the room, planting herself in the doorway of the kitchen and shouting at the top of her lungs.

“Mommy!”

Rowan winced, Gardenia going back to huddling against Rowan’s chest, a tiny sob bubbling from her mouth.

“Wisteria,” Aurora scolded. “Gardenia doesn’t like loud noises.”

Wisteria ignored her, crossing her arms as she tipped her chin up. “I have a annoucement.”

“What kind of announcement?” Gavin asked, chuckling as Cordelia started trying to climb onto his shoulder.

“I made a mess.”

Rowan winced again, her mind racing as she tried to figure out what kind of mess Wisteria could have made.

She had just sat her down in the kitchen with a bowl of fruit for a snack, and then Wisteria had wandered off, saying she had something important to do. Rowan had assumed she was going to the bathroom, since she’d started announcing every time she went.

Oh god.

Did she have an accident in the bathroom? Had she fallen into the toilet? Had she missed?

“Hey,” Gavin murmured, rubbing Rowan’s back, gently drawing her from her spiralling thoughts. “Come back to me, pumpkin.”

Rowan nodded, her lungs constricting as she tried to draw air into them. She had cookies already in the oven, she still had a few more batches to make, she had to clean the kitchen up still, and clean the dishes, and wash the girls’ laundry. She did not want to have to clean up a bathroom accident.

Gavin brushed her hair back from her face. “Rowan, come back.”

She nodded, leaning into his touch. “Sorry.”

Gavin shook his head, pressing a kiss to her brow. “It’s okay, pumpkin. Whatever it is, we’ll take care of it together.”

“Okay,” she murmured.

Wisteria remained in the doorway, bouncing from foot to foot. “Will you come see?!”

Sighing, Rowan readjusted Gardenia in her arms before walking over to Wisteria. “Show me the mess you made, love.”

Beaming, Wisteria turned on her heel and began marching down the hall. Apprehension was coiled in Rowan’s stomach, radiating oily anxiety through her veins as she struggled not to let her mind wander, trying desperately not to let her panic grow.

At least Wisteria hadn’t been hurt. She hadn’t heard any loud thumps, there were no tears beading in the corners of her eyes, no bruises forming on her little arms.

As long as Wisteria was safe she could handle whatever mess her daughter wanted to show them.

Standing in the threshold of the playroom, though, Rowan couldn’t quite wrap her head around what kind of mess Wisteria had been referring to. There were toys scattered across the floor, and pillows thrown haphazardly around where a pillow fort had once stood before Cordelia had accidentally knocked it down. And there was the bowl of fruit Rowan had given Wisteria not more than ten minutes ago, the leafy tops of strawberries tumbling onto the blue carpet.

Rowan tipped her head to the side curiously, trying to figure out what Wisteria wanted to show her. Gardenia peeked out from her hiding place again, her amber eyes scanning the room cautiously.

“What did you want to show us, baked potato?” Gavin asked, prying Cordelia from handing from his neck and repositioning her in his arms.

Wisteria huffed, showing as much indignation as an almost-five-year-old could. “My mess!”

Rowan arched a brow, still not understanding what Wisteria wanted to show her. “Could you point to it, love?”

Wisteria threw her head back, wiggling her arms as she groaned. “In da kitchen!”

Rowan blinked, looking back up to focus on the play kitchen they had gotten for the girls. It usually sat entirely unused unless they were trying to make “soup” for Stella or pretending to make snacks for their tea parties.

The plastic bowls and pots and pans were scattered all over the little counter and fake stove. The colourful cabinets were opened and the plastic food had fallen to the floor. There were plastic slices of cheese tossed haphazardly in a bowl leaning on its side, and the fake sink was filled with more dishes.

It was, without a doubt, a huge mess.

Wisteria beamed up at them. “I made a mess!”

Gavin nodded, looking just as confused as Rowan felt. “It looks like a big mess.”

“Now I’m just like daddy!”

Gavin’s brows shot up, his mouth hanging open.

Gardenia twisted around in Rowan’s arms, pointing to the mess Wisteria had made. “Like daddy!”

Gavin’s eyes widened and he flicked his gaze to Rowan. “They’ve been spending too much time with Shaw.”

Rowan pressed her face against Gardenia’s back, trying to stifle her laughter. But all it did was make Gardenia squeal and wiggle.

“What’s so funny?” Gavin asked, his eyes bright with mischief.

Rowan snorted, squeezing her eyes shut as she clutched Gardenia close. “N-nothing!”

Gavin set Cordelia down before grabbing Rowan, tickling her sides.

“What’s so funny?!”

“Nothing!” She squealed, Gardenia laughing now too. “Nothing is funny!”

“Then why are you laughing?!”

Gavin was laughing now too, the sound like music as it reverberated through the room. She could feel his laughter against her neck, could feel his smile as he squished his cheek next to hers while he held her fast so she couldn’t escape.

She heard the ringing laughter of Wisteria and Aurora as they chased each other around, their cheeks rosy and their smiles wide as they ran up to Rowan and tried tickling her legs and behind her knees.

Her own gasping laughter bubbled out of her as she tried in vain to wiggle from his grip, but Gavin held her too tight. After another few moments he stopped, curling his arm around her waist as she slumped back against him, heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

“That wasn’t very nice,” she pouted, her eyes falling closed as she breathed deeply.

Gavin chuckled, planting a kiss to her cheek. “You were making fun of me.”

“I did not.”

He poked her side and she gasped, elbowing his stomach. “I did not make fun of you.”

Gavin sighed, kissing her cheek again, one hand reaching up to brush the hair from her face. “Then why were you laughing?”

She shrugged, managing to pry herself free from his arms. But she was momentarily cut off from air as Gardenia wrapped her arms around Rowan’s neck, squeezing so tight she couldn’t breath.

“Princess,” she muttered, patting her back. “Mommy can’t breath.”

Gardenia loosened her grip, nestling comfortably back into Rowan’s arms, her eyes full of concern as she watched Rowan quietly.

“I’m alright, love,” she murmured, brushing her hair back. “Mommy is alright. She was just being attacked by daddy.” She cut Gavin a glare, wrinkling her nose. “He’s just upset Wisteria told him the truth.”

Aurora nodded, patting Gavin’s leg. “It’s true, daddy. You sometimes make a very big mess.”

He furrowed his brow. “Is that bad?”

“No!” Wisteria sang, making an even bigger mess in her plastic kitchen. “It’s more fun! You can make magic potions in the mess!”

Gavin narrowed his eyes. “Is that… a good thing?”

“Yes!” Aurora and Wisteria sang in unison.

“That’s how you make magic, daddy!” Aurora said, hugging his leg. “It’s how you make unicorns and fairies!”

Wisteria’s eyes widened. “Maybe daddy is a wizard.”

Gavin snorted. “I don’t know about that.”

Rowan watched Cordelia climb to her feet before toddling over to Wisteria, trying to take one of the bowls and plastic fruits. She looked back over at Gavin, a line between his brows.

“Hey,” she breathed, coming back over to stand next to him. “I’m sorry for teasing.”

He shook his head. “It’s alright, I know I’m a little messy.”

She reached up, gently pressing her thumb to the spot between his brows, wiping away that little line. “I love you. I love you messy or clean.”

He arched a brow, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to her palm. “What about after I come back from a run?”

“When you’re stinky and sweaty?”

He snorted, nodding.

“Of course I’ll still love you,” she said. “I always love you.” She poked his side. “I might ask you to shower, though.”

“I might ask you to come with me,” he murmured, his voice too low for the girl’s to hear.

She felt her face grow warm, and she pressed her face against his shoulder, breathing him in. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” he said, wrapping his arms around her, rubbing her back as she leaned into his warmth. “With all of me.”

She would have stayed like that forever had Aurora not tugged on her skirt, drawing her attention to her distress.

“Mommy, what about the cookies?” Aurora asked, playing with the hem of her pink puffy skirt. “Are we still gonna make them?”

“Cookies?” Gardenia asked, once more roused from her hiding place to peer at Rowan with hope.

“We can still make cookies,” she said. “We’ve got lots of cookies to make.”

In fact there were some in the oven and they were probably just about done.

“Why don’t we go back to the kitchen and take a look,” she said. “There might be some all done and waiting to be eaten.”

Wisteria’s eyes widened. “Cookies?”

“Do you want one?” Rowan asked as Wisteria took Cordelia’s hand and dragged her over.

“I do, mommy! I wants one!”

Gavin watched her quietly, his lips sticking out in the smallest of pouts.

“You can have one too, babey,” she said, patting his cheek.

He smiled, taking her hand. “Okay, let’s go take a look at the cookies.”

Thankfully, despite their slight distraction, nothing had burnt in the oven. Which meant that when Rowan removed the cookie sheet from the oven they were the perfect golden brown, the sweet smell of the sugary cookies suffusing the air until it was warm, like something out of a dream.

Wisteria gasped, waving her hands in the air. “Mommy, can I have one?!”

“Not yet,” she said, scraping them from the sheet and placing them on the little wire cookie rack. “They need to cool for a little bit.” Wisteria pouted, crossing her arms. “I want a cookie.”

“Soon, little love,” she said, brushing a hand over Wisteria’s messy brown hair. “While you wait, do you want to help me and Aurora cut more cookie shapes?”

Wisteria hummed, her brow furrowing at the cookie cutters.

“Or,” she continued, settling Gardenia into her highchair. “Do you want to make icing with daddy? You can pick whatever colour you want.”

Wisteria gasped, jumping up and down. “Yes! Yes!” She spun around to Gavin. “Can we make icing?!”

His answering smile was soft as he nodded. “Of course. What colours do you want?”

She tapped her cheek, humming. “How about pink?!”

“That’s a good colour.”

“And purple, and red, and blue! And yellow! And green!”

Gavin laughed, scooping her into his arms and walking over to the cabinet where all the mixing bowls were.

They didn’t last very long before the twins started whining, and Gavin and Rowan each took turns playing with them while they tried making the cookies. 

Gavin ended up sitting on the floor while he mixed the different icings, Cordelia propped on his lap while he held her hands and helped her to stir the mixture. Beside him, Wisteria furiously mixed her own icing, tossing edible glitter and sprinkles and food colouring into her bowl.

For her part, Rowan ended up moving the cookie dough she was rolling out to the table, so it was easier for Aurora to cut out the cookie shapes, and Gardenia could watch what they were doing. She would reach over the table to take one of the cookie cutters sometimes, and Rowan would very gently guide her hands so she didn’t cut herself on the cutter. She would squeal in delight with every shape she made, staring in awe at it before moving on to something else.

Once all the dough had been cut into shapes and lined up on the cookie sheets, they were slid into the oven and the table was cleared so they could decorate the first batch of cookies.

“What can we decorate?” Aurora asked, tapping her hands on the table as she watched Rowan and Gavin set the cookies and icing on the table.

“Whatever you want,” Rowan said, putting paper towels down on the table, certain they were about to make a huge mess.

“I’m gonna decorate a magic snowman,” Wisteria said, with such confidence she rivalled her uncle’s belief that he was cool.

“How is the snowman magic?” Aurora asked, pulling a little bowl of pink icing towards her.

“Because it has sparkles and magic and it’s made of wishes,” Wisteria said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Aurora seemed to agree because she didn’t ask anymore questions, instead taking a butter knife and scraping out some icing for her cookie.

Cordelia and Gardenia were a little less delicate than Aurora, who decorated her cookie with as meticulous;y as an almost-seven-year-old could. They tried scooping out the icing with their hands, splattering it all over the cookies set in front of them.

Rowan tried wiping icing from their cheeks, but it was no use as the toddlers wiped their faces with their sticky hands, or splashed more icing onto each other.

“Once we’re done here I think we’re going to need a bathtime,” Gavin said, smiling as Gardenia tried creating a flower on her cookie.

“I think you’re right,” Rowan said, peering down only to find a massive green icing stain on the hem of her skirt. “How did that get there?”

Rowan was too busy trying to figure out when she got icing on herself to notice Gavin scooping a spoonful of pink icing from one of the bowls and creeping up beside her.

“Pumpkin?”

She turned, only to be met with icing being smeared across her face.

She gaped at Gavin in disbelief as the girls giggled.

“There’s a little icing on your face,” he teased, looking far too proud of himself.

Rowan didn’t think as she sunk her fingers into the closest bowl of icing before wiping her hand across Gavin’s face, smearing light blue icing over his cheek and forehead.

“It looks like there’s a little on your face, too,” she said, grinning.

The girls snorted with laughter, falling over the table giggling.

“Careful,” Gavin said. “You all might be next.”

Aurora and Wisteria shrieked, collapsing against each other in a fit of giggles. Cordelia and Gardenia snorted, slowly pulling the green icing bowl closer to themselves.

“Just what do you two think you’re doing?”

Gardenia giggled as she wiped icing over Cordelia’s cheek. “Decorating!”

“Decorating, are you?!”

Cordelia snorted, wiping her face and smearing the icing back over Gardenia’s forehead. “Decorating!”

It was, without question, a mess that rivalled the fake one Wisteria had created. But everyone’s smiles were so bright she couldn’t help smiling, couldn’t stop the warmth that spilled into her heart.

They were so happy, all her girls, her Gavin, they were all so happy. Her heart ached, her chest tight as golden sunshine spilled through her veins. She wanted to kiss all their pink, rosy cheeks. She wanted to wrap her arms around Gavin and never let go. Wanted to gather her daughters into her arms and hug them until they squealed with laughter. Wanted to tell Gavin how much she loved him over and over again.

It was after Rowan had set the second batch of cookies before the girls and let them loose to decorate them however they wanted that Gavin peeked over his shoulder from where he was washing the dishes.

“You know what would be fun?” He asked, setting the mixing bowl into the dish rack.

Rowan tipped her head to the side, gently nudging Stella away from the table so she couldn’t eat the icing and crumbs that were spilling to the floor. “What?”

“If we tried making a gingerbread house.”

The girls’ heads snapped up instantly, Aurora’s eyes wide. “A gingerbread house?! With a gingerbread me and Wisteria and mommy and daddy?!”

“And a gingerbread Stella?!” Wisteria chimed in, covering her mouth with her icing covered hands as she gasped.

Rowan hadn’t even considered it. She’d made a gingerbread house or two when it was still just her and Gavin for Christmas, but they hadn’t made one with the girls yet.

“If we make a gingerbread house we won’t have time to make dinner,” Rowan said, worry twisting her stomach. She wasn’t even sure what to make tonight. Macaroni maybe, since it would be easy.

Gavin shrugged, wiping his hands on the dish towel. “We can order takeout.”

Again Wisteria gasped. “Can we get McDonalds?!”

“A burger! Ooo, and a milkshake! And a toy!” Aurora sang, standing up on her chair. “And fries!”

“Fries!” Cordelia chimed in.

Gardenia, for her part, didn’t look up at all, too focused on her cookies.

“Is that okay?” Rowan asked, even though the thought of a burger and fries was far too enticing right now. She would love a burger and a large size of fries, and maybe a chocolate shake.

“Of course it’s okay,” Gavin said, kissing her brow. “I think we’re allowed a treat.” He closed his eyes, bumping his nose against hers. “You deserve a treat.”

“It would be really nice,” she admitted. “And I do kind of want a burger really badly right now.”

“Burgers it is, then,” he said, pressing a quick kiss to her lips.

“And,” he continued, softer now as the girls cheered. “Once we’re done with the cookies I can clean it all up and finish the laundry, okay?”

“You don’t have to do that,” she said, even as exhaustion at the idea of doing all that cleaning and laundry weighed on her. “You work so hard, and you don’t have that much time off for the holidays.”

Gavin shrugged. “I don’t mind. And I’d much rather spend my time off helping to give you more of a break. You deserve to rest.” He brushed a kiss against each of her cheeks. “And watch some Christmas movies with the girls.”

She smiled, curling against his chest. “So do you.”

“I will,” he murmured, rubbing her back. “I want to spend as much time with my girls as I can.”

“Mommy?”

Rowan turned around at the sound of Gardenia’s voice, the first time she’d spoken in a while.

“What is it, tater tot?”

Gardenia held up a pink cookie with a messy icing flower. “For you.”

Rowan’s eyes burned as she plucked it from her daughter’s hands. “You made this for me?”

She nodded furiously. “Yes.”

“Thank you, love,” she said, kissing the top of her head. “I love it.”

Gardenia beamed, turning back to the next cookie she wanted to decorate.

“And I think the girls would rather spend time with you right now.”

“What about you?”

He hummed, squeezing her hand. “I’m happy if you are. And I know relaxing with the girls makes you happy.”

It did. Spending time with their girls, cuddling with them and helping them with their tea parties and braiding their hair and listening to their elaborate play adventures for their dolls and stuffies made her so happy. Falling asleep halfway through a movie with the girls all snuggled with her made her so happy.

But spending time with Gavin made her happy, too.

“Hush,” he said, seeming to read what she was thinking before she said a word. “I want you to be happy. Let me help.”

“Okay,” she murmured, letting him draw her back into another hug.

“Good,” he breathed. “Why don’t you get started on the gingerbread dough and I’ll order dinner.”

She nodded, holding him tight for another moment before he pulled away.

“I’ll be right back, pumpkin,” he said, brushing her hair back from her face before heading from the kitchen.

Gavin returned after about ten minutes, waving his phone in the air while Rowan mixed the cookie dough. “Everything is ordered! It’s going to take a bit to get here, though.”

“How long?!” Wisteria asked, her eyes wide and pleading.

“An hour,” Gavin said, tucking his phone back into his pocket.

Wisteria groaned, falling against her sister dramatically. “I’ll die!”

He chuckled, ruffling her hair as he walked past. “You won’t die.”

“Did you order milkshakes, daddy?” Aurora asked, clasping her hands together.

“Of course I did, sweet potato,” he said. “And fries.”

Cordelia and Gardenia frowned at him, wrinkling their noses.

He chuckled, patting the tops of their heads. “And chicken nuggets for you two.”

Gavin came over to kiss Rowan’s cheek. “How’s it going?”

“Pretty good,” she said, showing him the dough. “It just needs to be kneaded and then it needs to chill for about two hours.”

“Perfect,” he said. “That means we’ll have time to finish up icing the other cookies and have dinner while it chills.”

He kissed her again, nudging her out of the way. “Why don’t you go sit down? I can do this.”

“But I’m almost done!” She whined, elbowing his side.

Gavin pouted, pressing his face against her shoulder. Rowan reached up to run her fingers through his hair, giggling.

“Why don’t we finish it up together?”

He whined, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“I’ll give you a little kiss.”

That seemed to cheer him up, and he moved to stand beside her, holding his hands out for the dough.

She separated the dough into two portions, and together they both kneaded it until it grew stiff, then wrapped it up and tossed it in the fridge.

“Now we wait,” she sighed, leaning against him. She felt a wave of exhaustion roll over her then, as though she had been barely keeping it at bay until she had finished the dough. And now that she was done, the dam had burst, fatigue leaching through her veins until her body was heavy as lead.

She blinked, and she struggled to open her eyes again. Gavin was warm too, and it didn’t help her sudden drowsiness. He had wrapped his arm around her waist, had tugged her closer, and she could feel his heartbeat against her back, felt the warmth of his body seeping into her.

She yawned, turning her head to press her face against his cheek. “I’m sleepy, babey.”

“Why don’t you go take a nap,” he murmured. “I can handle things here. Go lay down.”

“Are you sure?”

Gavin took her hand, drawing her from the kitchen and into the living room. He scooped her into his arms, and she found she didn’t have the energy to fight against him, to whine and argue that she wasn’t that tired. Gavin took another few steps, gently laying her down on the couch.

“Rest,” he murmured. “You look like you can barely keep your eyes open.”

She pouted, hating the fact that he was kind of right. Her eyes felt heavy and she could hardly keep them open anymore. But still she didn’t want to waste any time, didn’t want to lose any time with her Gavin and her daughters.

“For me?” He pleaded, kissing the back of her hand. “So I know you’re rested?”

She groaned, rolling her eyes as she fought off a yawn. “Alright. You’re lucky you’re cute.”

He chuckled, taking one of the blankets from the back of the couch and draping it over her. “I’m lucky that I have you.”

She didn’t think she would actually sleep. She assumed one of the girls would come over and talk in her ear until she got up. Or the delivery would arrive and the driver would ring the doorbell incessantly like the kid that delivered pizza a week before, who leaned his entire hand on the doorbell until Gavin had swung the door open, his expression so hard the kid had sprinted away before they could tip him.

But the one thing she hadn’t expected was that she would actually fall asleep. Or that she would fall asleep so quickly. There was nothing she hated more than falling asleep when the day wasn’t over, wasting daylight hours that could be better spent working on her own projects, or spending time with her daughters, or sharing precious moments with Gavin.

But she did fall asleep, drifting into a misty, dawn-coloured dream moments after Gavin had tucked the blanket around her. She didn’t even wake up when Aurora crawled onto the couch with her, curling against her side. And she didn’t wake up when Gardenia crawled onto her chest and promptly fell asleep, too.

It wasn’t until Gavin knelt beside her, gently kissing her face that she awoke. The living room had grown darker, the Christmas lights glowing in the gloom. But she felt so much warmer too, like more blankets had been wrapped around her.

It took her a moment to realize two of her daughters were snuggled up against her, Gardenia snoozing peacefully on her chest while Aurora cuddled against her side, sighing in her sleep.

Her eyes were so heavy she struggled to open them, and she felt like it would be far too easy to fall back asleep. To let sleep drag her back under with its irresistible siren song. Her daughters were cuddling with her, Gavin’s fingers were tangled in her hair, she was warm and comfy.

But Gavin wasn’t having any of it, chuckling softly as he kissed her eyelids as they fluttered closed. “Wake up, sleeping beauty. The food’s here.”

She groaned, squeezing her eyes shut tighter. “Sleeby.”

He snorted, nuzzling his nose against her cheek. “Sleepy? Too sleepy to eat.”

She cracked her eyes open, groaning louder, her voice still thick with sleep. “Carry me?”

“Of course, whatever you want,” he murmured. “Although we’ll have to move these little potatoes, first.”

Aurora whined, wiggling closer against Rowan’s side. “Mommy’s warm!”

“Mommy has to eat,” Gavin chided, gently prying Aurora from her side. “And so do you.”

Wisteria popped up from nowhere, squeezing herself against Rowan’s side now that Aurora had vacated.

“Mommy,” she said, in the loudest whisper Rowan had ever heard. “Our food’s here!”

“So I heard,” she murmured, trying and failing to keep her eyes open.

“You gotta get up!” She sang, loud enough to make Rowan’s ears ring. “Gotta eat! Daddy says you gotta eat!”

Rowan wrapped her arms around Wisteria, drawing her against her chest and squeezing her tight. “First I need some cuddles, or else I won’t wake up.”

Aurora squealed in protest, and soon Rowan felt another little pair of arms trying to hug her. “No hugs without me!”

Gardenia, for her part, was miraculously still asleep while Wisteria giggled, chattering about the food and that Rowan simply had to get up! Get up so she can eat! Daddy said so.

Eventually Gavin pried the two little potatoes from Rowan’s arms, shooing them to the kitchen.

“Come on,” he murmured, sliding his arms beneath Rowan’s legs and against her back. “I ordered all your favourites.”

She nodded, cradling Gardenia against her chest as Gavin lifted her up. She let her head fall back against his shoulder, sighing as she felt the ghost of a kiss against her brow.

“I’m glad you got a little rest,” he murmured. “I think you needed it.”

She tried pouting, but he pressed his lips to hers, the pout dissolving before it had even formed.

“Don’t do that,” he breathed, cradling her closer. “Don’t pout.”

“Why not,” she whined, struggling to keep her eyes open and not let them fall closed and fall back into her dreams.

“Well first because you did need some rest,” he said, and she wrinkled her nose, glaring at him at the sound of laughter in his voice. “And I know you’re about to argue that you weren’t actually tired, but you fell asleep in less than a minute.”

“It wasn’t that fast,” she grumbled, cuddling Gardenia closer.

“Pumpkin, all four of the girls tried cuddling you and you didn’t wake up once.”

“I didn’t wake up to hug them?!” She whined, her eyes widening as she realized she’d completely ignored her poor, sweet little daughters.

“It’s okay mommy, you needed sleep!” Aurora sang, patting the table as Gavin gently lowered Rowan into a chair.

“Now you can make cookies!” Wisteria added, clapping her hands together.

Rowan couldn’t help smiling, leaning over to rustle Wisteria’s hair. “You’re right, now we can make lots of cookies.”

“Second,” Gavin breathed as Wisteria’s giggles quieted, brushing a kiss to the top of Rowan’s head. “I love your smile more than your pout.”

She was halfway to sticking her bottom lip out again when he kissed her gently, and the pout melted away into nothing.

“Nice try,” he muttered, pulling away.

She shrugged, smiling up at him. “But you think both are cute, right?”

“You’re always cute,” he said, chuckling as he sank into his seat. “You’re always the most beautiful.”

Wisteria gagged, wiggling her fingers as she reached for one of the burgers. “Daddy! We all know mommy is pretty. You don’t have to be yucky.”

“It’s not yucky!” Aurora protested, her eyes dreamy as she peered up at the ceiling. “He’s like a prince in a fairytale.”

“Does that make mommy the princess?” Wisteria asked, successfully grabbing one of the burgers and dragging it towards her.

“Gardenia’s a pwincess,” Cordelia sang, pointing to her sister.

“You’re right, she is,” Rowan said, booping Cordelia’s nose. “And so are you! And Aurora and Wisteria.”

“Well then mommy would be a queen,” Aurora said, sounding pensive.

“And daddy is a king,” Wisteria said, taking a massive bite out of her burger.

“Chew your food carefully, baked potato,” Rowan chided, wiping Wisteria’s cheek as lettuce spilled out of her mouth.

Gavin chuckled, setting fries on Aurora’s plate and handing her a milkshake. “Your mommy is a queen. She’s the most important person in my world.”

Rowan felt her cheeks flame and she stared down at her plate for a long moment, feeling silly and lightheaded, like the first time he’d ever held her hand, the first time he’d told her she was pretty, the first time he’d held her in his arms like she was the most precious thing in the world.

“Well that would make daddy a king,” Rowan said, her voice soft as she looked up, meeting his amber gaze, as warm and brilliant as the summer sun. “Because he’s my most important person, too.”

Gavin’s ears turned red as a sunset sky, but his gaze remained warm and soft as an embrace, as the arms that always held her so close.

Wisteria cleared her throat, drawing everyone’s attention to her. She leaned forward, giving a gap-toothed grin at her family. “Do you know who else is a queen?”

Aurora groaned, rolling her eyes as she slumped back in her chair. “Is it Sailor M-”

“IT’S SAILOR MOON!” Wisteria screamed, waving her hands wildly as she jumped up on her seat. “SHE’S A QUEEN.”

Covering her mouth to stifle her laughter, Rowan leaned over to take Wisteria’s hand. Her shoulders were shaking as she struggled not to laugh as she squeezed her daughter’s hand and drew her back down.

“Inside voice please,” Gavin said, but his face was red, and he turned around quickly, disguising his own laughter with a handful of coughs while Wisteria wiggled back into her seat.

“Sailor Moon is a queen!” She said again, looking perfectly unperturbed while Aurora made a face. “She’s queen of the moon!”

“Technically,” Aurora said, dunking a chicken nugget into a puddle of sweet and sour sauce on her plate. “Neo Queen Serenity is a queen.”

“But Sailor Moon becomes her,” Wisteria whined, taking a pickle from her burger and tossing it onto Aurora’s plate. “They’re the same person!”

“I guess,” Aurora grumbled.

“I thought you liked Sailor Moon too,” Rowan said, confusion twisting in her mind. Hadn’t Aurora been just as excited as Wisteria when they’d bought the boxed set of the show?

“I do,” Aurora said, sighing dramatically. “But all Wisteria talks about is Neo Queen Serenity.”

“Cause she’s COOL!” Wisteria shouted, earning a chorus of giggles from the twins who parroted her shouts.

“Well what do you like about it?”

Aurora hummed, tapping her cheek. “I like the talking cats. And the pretty transformations. And that they’re all princesses!”

“Like us!” Wisteria sang, jumping up to stand on her chair again. “Crime fighting princesses! With sparkly crowns!”

“And handsome princes that help,” Aurora added, staring dreamily to the side.

“Yuck,” Wisteria said, wrinkling her nose. “No princes for me.”

“Wisteria Faye,” Rowan chided. “You don’t stand on your chair. You have to sit.”

“Sorry mommy,” Wisteria said, pouting as she sat back down. “I’m just excited about Sailor Moon.”

“I know you are, love,” she said, smoothing her hair back. “But you can’t stand on your chairs like that. You could get hurt.”

“Okay,” she said, nodding.

“We don’t want you hurt,” Rowan said, kissing the top of her head. “You’re far too precious.”

Wisteria nodded again, leaning into Rowan’s embrace. “Will you watch it with me?”

“Watch what?” She asked.

“Sailor Moon?”

“Of course I will,” Rowan said, pulling back. “But you have to eat all your dinner first so we can make the gingerbread, okay?”

Aurora peaked up from over her burger, looking a little shy as she asked “can I watch it too?”

“And me!” Gardenia cried, waving her hands much the same way as Wisteria had moments ago.

Snorting, Rowan nodded her head. “Of course we can. But everyone has to eat their dinner first, okay? Daddy ordered it special for us.”

“Thank you, daddy,” Aurora said, her voice soft as she took a fry directly from his plate.

Gavin chuckled, ruffling her hair. “Anything for my potatoes.”

Cordelia’s brow furrowed, her hand reaching past her highchair table, towards a bag of fries on the table. “Potatoes? Please?”

Rowan handed her a fry, watching as her expression shifted into pure delight. Cordelia lifted the fry up, showing it to Rowan as though she hadn’t just handed it to her.

“‘S a potato, mommy!”

“You’re right,” she said, bobbing her head. “It’s a potato!”

Cordelia nibbled at her fry, seeming perfectly content holding it between both her hands for a few moments.

“Rowan,” Gavin said, drawing her attention to where he sat, flanked by little girls trying to steal his food from his plate.

“Is everything okay?”

His eyes were soft as he reached across the table, taking her hand and squeezing it. “I just wanted to see your face for a moment.”

Her cheeks grew warm again, but she couldn’t look away, not as he held her gaze, his smile as soft as morning sunshine.

“Also,” he continued, speaking a bit slower, the corner of his lip twitching up. “You should eat before your food gets cold, or the girls steal it.”

Rowan looked down to see Wisteria fully leaned over her plate, her eyes wide as she stared up at Rowan, her little hand bunched around the fries on Rowan’s plate.

“And just what do you think you’re doing?” Rowan asked, arching a brow as Wisteria froze.

“Wanted some fries?” She asked, giving Rowan a tentative smile.

After a very long moment of silence Rowan waved at Wisteria, letting her rob her of her fries. “Go on and take them, but be careful if you fill up before the cookies are done.”

“You don’t have to worry about that mommy!” She sang, stuffing the fries into her mouth. “I’m never full!”

Gavin started to chuckle, but his eyes widened as Rowan reached across the table to steal his fries.

“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?”

Rowan pouted, drawing the fries onto her plate while Gavin watched with feigned shock. “I’m hungry.”

“I am too!”

“There’s more fries in the bag.”

Gavin closed his eyes, sighing. But there was still a smile on his lips, and she was sure he would get revenge for this later.

“Whatever you wish, pumpkin,” he said at last, his eyes glittering like stars as he opened them.

She narrowed her eyes, glaring at him as he pulled another packet of fries from one of the takeout bags. But Gavin didn’t respond, merely giving her a knowing look that told her he would get his vengeance soon.

Fries fell to the floor, cups almost tipped over, Wisteria and Aurora traded tomatoes for pickles while Gardenia kept trying to take a sip from Rowan’s milkshake. It was a loud, messy dinnertime, and Rowan spent more time catching food before it fell into Stella’s waiting mouth and wiping cheeks and asking Wisteria to pretty please sit down on her butt she’s going to fall off her chair.

But she didn’t mind. She didn’t mind the little voices trying to drown each other out. She didn’t mind the way Stella whined as she tried to find scraps. Or how she had to wipe little mouths and remind the girls to chew their food before they started talking.

They were all smiling, all happy and loud, all made of sunshine and light and the sweetest joy. Even though her ears were ringing a little when Cordelia mentioned a rock she had found in the backyard and Gardenia started sobbing.

She looked up at Gavin as she finished her food, catching the warmth of his gaze as it swept across the table.

“What are you thinking?” She asked, her voice soft, barely heard above the cacophony around them.

But Gavin still smiled, tipping his head to the side as he considered her question. He hummed, the sound soft and warm, reverberating beneath the noise like the bass line of a song.

“I was just thinking about how happy I am,” he said, his words carried on the evening wind as it rustled her hair and her clothes. “To be here with all my favourite people.”

She chuckled. “What about your friends? Or your brother?”

Gavin snorted, gently shoving Stella back to the floor as her front paws landed on the table next to him. “They would probably make a bigger mess than the girls.”

Rowan bit back a laugh, remembering the last time the girls had been left in the care of their uncle, or the day Minor had insisted on helping out to give Gavin and Rowan some time alone.

Both occasions had ended up with paint drenched across the back of the house, and all the girls racing around on a sugar high while they’d struggled to chase them down to bathe.

If she’d had a nickel for every time that had happened, she’d only have two nickels. But it was still weird that it had happened twice.

“And anyways, you’re my favourite people,” he continued, drawing her from her paint-splattered memories. “And so are our girls.”

His voice was so soft, so earnest, and it made her feel like she was melting a little. Like he was the golden morning sun, or perhaps like he was made of starlight and stardust and she had stepped close enough to feel the warmth of all that light.

“I don’t want to spend my time with anyone else.”

She wanted to get up and wrap her arms around him. She wanted to curl up in his lap and rain kisses over his face until his cheeks were pink and he was laughing. She wanted to be closer, to hold him, to be held in his arms.

But she couldn’t do any of that as Wisteria toppled over from her chair and into Rowan’s lap, peering up at her with the widest, fakest look of innocence she had ever seen.

“Mommy,” she said slowly, fluttering her lashes as if that might get her out of trouble for truly tumbling from her chair. “Can we make the gingerbread now?”

“Yes yes!” Aurora squealed, jumping down from her seat to dance in excitement. “Can we please? We finished our whole dinner!”

Wisteria twisted in Rowan’s lap to snuggle against her, a trick Rowan sometimes used on Gavin when she wanted to watch a specific movie, or visit a store, or order something for dinner instead of have the leftovers in the freezer.

“Please mommy?”

She sighed, wrapping her arms around Wisteria and drawing her closer. “Of course we can. But no more standing on chairs.”

“Okay mommy,” Wisteria said, having the good sense to look away in remorse even as Aurora whooped.

“Will you two help me pick up the plates?” She asked, even as she cradled Wisteria in her arms, pressing a small kiss to her soft, messy hair.

But before either girl could respond Gavin was already standing and clearing the table, crumpling the empty takeout containers and bags and piling the plates and utensils up and carrying them to the dishwasher.

“Let me handle the cleanup,” he said, kissing Rowan’s head as he passed. “Why don’t you start taking out the cookie dough? And the girls can cut up some cookies.”

“Are you sure?” She asked, trying to stand, Wisteria clutching at her shirt as she moved.

“Of course I am, sweetheart,” Gavin said, turning the sink on to rinse the plates. “I’ll help with the cookies in a minute.”

She nodded, shifting Wisteria in her arms as she made her way to the fridge.

“Do you want to make some cookies now?” She asked, booping Wisteria’s nose with hers. “Make some gingerbread Wisteria’s and Stella’s and Aurora’s?”

“And Cordelia’s and Gardenia’s!” Aurora sang, carrying the cookie cutters over to the counter.

“Oh of course,” Rowan said, nodding.

Wisteria nodded, covering her mouth so she didn’t scream. “I am, mommy.”

“Good! Will you help me roll the dough?”

Rowan carted Wisteria and the cookie dough over to the counter before setting her down on one of the stools Aurora had dragged over. She started by rolling the dough out, blowing on her hands every few moments to warm them up from the chilly dough.

Wisteria made grabby hands at her, wanting to try her hand at the rolling pin. And she had only just handed Wisteria the rolling pin, telling her to be careful because it was heavy, when she felt fingertips ghosting against her neck, brushing her hair back. She gasped as Gavin grazed his lips against her skin, sending warmth spilling through her, reaching deep into the marrow of her bones.

“I’m finished with the dishes,” he said, his arms wrapping around her waist. “And I’ve cleaned up the table. Do you want to move the dough to the table? It’ll be easier for the tater tots to make cookies there.”

She nodded, smiling as he trailed kisses along the line of her jaw. “Will you help me carry it over? Wisteria’s already done such a good job of rolling out the dough.”

Wisteria beamed up at the two of them as Gavin murmured a quiet “as you wish.”

He lifted the dough up and carried it over to the table, where both the twins and Aurora were already waiting. Cordelia and Gardenia had been released from their high chairs, and now stood on their chubby toddler legs, bouncing as Gavin settled the dough in front of them.

“Do you want me to show you how to cut a cookie?” He asked, grinning as they both bobbed their heads furiously.

Rowan couldn’t help smiling as she helped Wisteria up onto a chair, listening as Aurora babbled about how she was going to make fairy princess cookies for the gingerbread house and family. Wisteria asked if they could make Sailor Moon, and Aurora groaned, rolling her eyes so hard Rowan thought they would pop out of her head.

But then Aurora scooted closer to her sister, tearing pieces of dough and rolling them between her hands until they looked like Sailor Moon’s pigtails.

“Do you want a cat too?” Aurora asked, her nose wrinkling as Wisteria whooped loudly.

“Sorry,” Wisteria said, clapping a hand over her mouth as she realized how she’d shouted in her sister’s ear. “Yes please, ‘rora.”

Rowan smiled, watching as the little gingerbread people piled up on their cookie sheets. Gardenia stretched out her hands towards a star shaped cookie cutter and Rowan handed it to her.

“Mommy, help?” She asked, her eyes wide.

“Of course, love,” she breathed, guiding Gardenia’s hands over the last of the dough and pressing the cutter against it.

“Now pull back like this,” she said, her heart aching as Gardenia squealed with delight when the cookie came out perfect.

“Look at that! Look at how well you did!”

“Another please?” She asked as Rowan set the star down onto a cookie sheet.

“Of course!”

While the four of them worked on the cookies themselves, Gavin and Cordelia had started on making the walls and roof of the gingerbread house. Gavin had already split the dough so there was already enough, and his brow was furrowed as he checked his phone for the reference he had pulled up.

Cordelia, for her part, kept patting at the dough and pulling at the corners. She would squeal everytime Gavin took her hands, kissing them gently before guiding them through cutting the pieces into the perfect shapes.

Once they were done, Rowan and Gavin slid the cookie sheets into the oven. Heat blasted their faces, washing away the evening chill that had started to creep into the house.

“Do we need to make any icing?” Gavin asked, arching a brow as Rowan shut the oven and set a timer.

“I think we’ll just need some to stick the pieces of the house together.”

He nodded, grabbing the mixing bowl from the dishrack and toting it towards the blender. “I can do that if you’d like.”

“That’s okay,” she said, grabbing icing sugar from the pantry and carting it to where he stood. “You’ve already helped so much.”

He kissed her brow, taking the icing sugar from her hands before she could object. “Let me do this, pumpkin. Why don’t you sit down?”

She pouted, crossing her arms as Gavin started measuring out the icing sugar and pouring it into the mixing bowl. “I’m not a delicate porcelain doll, babey. I can make a little icing.”

“I know,” he said, turning back towards her. “But I want to help, too. And I want you to relax with the girls.”

He cupped her face with one hand, stroking her cheek with his thumb. His smile was bright, almost teasing as he leaned close, his lips practically brushing against hers. “Or maybe do you just not trust me to make the icing?”

She opened her mouth to respond, but she never got the chance before Gavin was pressing his lips to hers, catching her in a slow, gentle kiss.

She felt her breath rush from her lungs, felt her eyes fall closed as she melted against his chest. She felt his chuckle rumbling through him, reverberating through her bones. Her hands fell to his chest, gripping his shirt between her hands as his other arm encircled her waist. Her thoughts turned to mist, and she tipped her head back, sighing as Gavin kissed her deeper.

Her legs felt like jelly, her entire body like it was made of spun sugar and sunshine and fluffy clouds. She felt so insubstantial she thought she might dissolve into nothing the moment he let her go.

She was so consumed by the embrace that she didn’t even notice as Gavin gently led her back to the table. Didn’t notice even as the back of her legs hit a chair. And even as he broke away, pressing his lips to her brow, she was far too dizzy to realize he was gently pressing her into the chair.

It wasn’t until Gavin’s warmth was gone and the mixer was screaming did she realize he had duped her.

“Hey!” She cried, irked by his trickery.

Gavin turned to look at her over his shoulder, his grin filled with impish delight. “I love you, sweetheart.”

“You tricked me!”

He shrugged. “I did want to kiss you, though.”

She narrowed her eyes, glaring at him.

“And you always look adorable when your face turns red like that.”

Rowan wrinkled her nose, turning away so he couldn’t see her face at all.

“You tricked me into sitting down!”

He snorted. “Well now you can relax with the girls. I’ll be done in a minute, anyways.”

Rowan would have played with the girls, except they had all dispersed by then, leaving the mess of flour and used cookie cutters scattered across the table. She could hear Wisteria and Aurora giggling together, and Stella was chatting while Cordelia rambled on about what sounded like rocks.

Gardenia poked her head around the doorway, smiling when she saw Rowan at the table.

“Mommy,” she whined, toddling towards her. “Up?”

“You want up?” Rowan asked, scooping her into her arms. “Are you okay?”

Gardenia didn’t answer, instead burrowing against Rowan’s chest.

She snorted, rubbing her daughter’s back as she huffed a very big sigh for such a tiny person. “Let me guess. Cordelia is carrying her rock around again.”

Gardenia huffed again, confirming Rowan’s suspicions.

“It’s okay,” she said, rubbing Gardenia’s back. “You’re still Cordelia’s best friend.”

She could practically hear Gardenia’s pout as she tried pressing herself closer to Rowan, her little hands balling in her shirt.

“Do you want to watch a movie while we wait for the cookies?” Rowan asked.

Gardenia nodded her head, and Rowan stood, carrying her into the living room.

“What movie should we watch? A Christmas one?”

A tiny gasp burst from down the hall and suddenly Aurora was standing in front of them, her eyes wide. “Can we - Can we watch Barbie Nutcracker?!”

A dull thud sounded from somewhere in the house and then Wisteria barrelled into the room, her cheek bright red as she clasped her hands together. “Mommy, no! I wanna watch the Miraculous Ladybug Christmas!”

Aurora wrinkled her nose. “That ones yucky.”

“But we watched Barbie yesterday!”

“That was Rapunzel.”

Wisteria furrowed her brow, thinking hard for a moment. “Oh, okay!” She shrugged her shoulders, her expression clearing. “We can watch Nutcracker then.”

Gardenia wiggled in Rowan’s arms, glowering at her sisters.

Rowan arched a brow, plopping down on the couch and reaching for the remote. “Well, if we all can’t agree, why don’t we watch Rudolph? That’s a good one.”

Wisteria gasped. “Yes, a very good one!”

Gardenia nodded, snuggling against the crook of Rowan’s arm as she scrolled through their movies before finally finding Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Aurora and Wisteria both snuggled up next to Rowan, pulling blankets around them so they were all extra cozy. She sighed, doing her best to wrap her arms around her girls, contentment wrapping around her like the fluffy pink blanket Aurora had dragged out from her room.

Not long after the movie had started Gavin strolled into the room, carrying a wiggling Cordelia over his shoulder like a tiny sack of potatoes.

“Look at the troublemaker I found,” he said, tickling her side as she giggled. “She was having a tea party with her new rock friend.”

Gardenia glowered, looking away from her sister.

“But I told her that her friend had to go to sleep early,” he said, grunting as he dumped her onto a pile of pillows, Cordelia shrieking with laughter. “Since the rock is so little.”

Gardenia still wouldn’t look at Cordelia, glaring at the floor.

“And anyways, it’s not a very good tea party if none of her sisters are there,” he said, nestling against Rowan’s other side. “Right girls?”

Aurora bobbed her head furiously, but Wisteria didn’t make note of Gavin at all, her eyes already drooping with sleep.

He kissed Rowan’s cheek, ruffling Gardenia’s hair as she continued to pout. “I took the cookies out of the oven. They’re just cooling now.”

She nodded, resting her head against his shoulder. “Thank you, babey.”

“And,” he continued. “I finished the icing and cleaned up the table and put all the icings and some spare candies I found on the table.”

She tipped her head back, planting a kiss against his jaw. “You’re amazing, babey. Thank you.”

His ears burned red and he smiled. “Anything for you.”

They made it over halfway through the movie before the girls started to grow antsy. Wisteria, for her part, had fallen asleep not long after the movie had started, the warmth from the cuddles and the blanket that had been draped over her making her drowsy almost instantly. But Aurora was bright eyed and wiggling in place, flicking her eyes from the movie to Rowan and Gavin then back.

Cordelia had already gotten up and was wandering around on her chubby toddler legs. She would fall over on the carpet and squeal with laughter before looking up at her twin, trying to get Gardenia to play with her.

Gardenia however, was not paying attention to her sister, still upset by being ignored in favour of Cordelia’s new best rock friend. Instead, she was still nestled in Rowan’s lap, but she kept pulling at her shirt, asking about what colour the icing would be, how big the gingerbread house would be, how much longer until they could decorate the cookies.

Rowan leaned over, her head falling against Gavin’s shoulder as she peeked up at him. “Maybe it’s time to decorate the cookies?”

He hummed, peering down at their girls, either sprawled out on the couch or stacking a handful of dolls on top of each other on the floor.

“What do you think, sweet potato?” He asked Aurora, drawing her attention. “Should we make our gingerbread house?”

“And our gingerbread family?!” She asked, bouncing in place.

“And Stewwa?!” Gardenia asked, pointing to Stella, who had curled up near where Cordelia was stacking her dolls and toppling them over.

“I think there’s a Stella-shaped cookie in there,” Gavin said, leaning over to press a kiss to Gardenia’s head. “Should we go and see?”

There was a cacophony of noise as three of the girls leapt up at the same time, amber eyes wide and sparkling as they raced off towards the kitchen.

“I’ll take that as a yes?” He asked, chuckling as he pressed a kiss to Rowan’s brow.

She snorted, cuddling closer to him for one stolen moment. “It’s almost like they’re excited to make a gingerbread house or something.”

“I can’t promise it’ll be as nice as our house, but I’ll try my best,” he said, kissing her again, wrapping his arms around her as he closed his eyes.

“I’m sure it’s going to be fantastic,” she said, sighing as his warmth enveloped her, as the simple smell of his soap and the smell of the wind and pine filled her senses. “And no matter what, it’ll be tasty.”

Gavin opened his mouth to say more, but it was then that shouts rose up from the kitchen.

“Mommy! Daddy! Come on!”

Gavin snorted, rolling his eyes as he gently untangled himself. “Why don’t I go get started with them while you wake up this little baked potato.”

Wisteria snored softly in response, the blanket twisted around her mouth as she slept.

He pressed one last kiss to her cheek before heading towards the kitchen, calling out to the girls that they’d better get ready.

Rowan gently drew Wisteria into her lap, rubbing her back slowly to rouse her.

“Wake up, my love,” she murmured, smiling as Wisteria cracked two sleepy eyes open. “You fell asleep.”

She yawned, rubbing at her eyes. “Is it cookie time, mommy?”

Rowan kissed the top of Wisteria’s head, nuzzling her messy, fluffy hair. “It is, love. Do you want to decorate the cookies with us?”

She yawned again, squeezing her eyes shut. “Yes please.”

“Do you want me to carry you?”

She whined in response, holding her arms out to Rowan.

Gathering Wisteria up, Rowan made her way back to the kitchen, telling Wisteria all about how they were going to make the gingerbread house and decorate the cookies, and that there would be a special Wisteria cookie and cookies of all her sisters.

When they got into the kitchen the scene before Rowan was nothing short of an absolute mess. In the few moments since Gavin had gone into the kitchen and Rowan had woken up Wisteria, the girls had managed to get icing all over their faces and in their hair. There sprinkles and candies littered haphazardly across the table, spilling from bowls and containers that she was sure Gavin had worked hard to set up while the cookies had been cooling.

Cordelia and Gardenia were giggling as they decorated a dog-shaped cookie together, all rock-related grievances forgiven for the moment. Aurora was leaning over Gavin’s shoulder, watching as he painstakingly lined icing over the ends of the gingerbread house walls and stuck them together.

“Looks like we’re having a fun time,” Rowan sang, depositing Wisteria into a chair before settling next to Gavin. “How’s it going so far?”

“Well,” Aurora said. “Cordelia and Gardenia are trying to decorate a Stella, and I started decorating a mommy and daddy!” She pointed to two half-finished cookies with pink smiles and icing for clothes. “And daddy is building the house!”

Wisteria wiggled in her seat, reaching for a star shaped cookie. “I’ll make stars! I love stars!”

Gavin paused his work, looking up to watch Wisteria start messily scoop icing onto a cookie, his expression soft. “I love stars too.”

Wisteria giggled. “I know! That’s why we watch Star Wars together!”

“And why we go to that cabin and look at the stars in the summer,” Aurora added, her attention back on the two cookies in front of her.

“‘Rora, can I help with the cookies too?” Wisteria asked, reaching over to the cookies in front of her sister. “I wanna decorate mommy and daddy too.”

“You said you were making the stars though,” Aurora whined, pulling the cookies close to her. “I wanna make mommy and daddy.”

“I wanna help!” Wisteria cried, sniffling as crocodile tears sprung into the corners of her eyes.

Rowan leaned forward, ready to intervene, but Gavin wrapped an arm around her, crushing her against his chest and tucking her beneath his chin.

“Wait,” he breathed, so quiet only she could hear. “Maybe they’ll figure it out.”

Aurora pouted for a while, twisting her head back and forth as she looked at the cookies and then Wisteria.

After what felt like ages, Wisteria’s eyes turning blurry from her false tears, Aurora finally sighed, her shoulders slumping.

“Okay, Wisteria,” she said at last, conceding as she wiggled closer to her sister. “We can share the mommy and daddy. But!” She pointed to the star cookies scattered in front of Wisteria. “I get to decorate stars, too.”

“Okay, ‘Rora!” Wisteria sang, wiggling in her seat. “We can share!”

Rowan felt her chest grow tight, her heart aching as she watched them lean over the cookies they were sharing, chattering amongst themselves as they decided on the colours of icing they would use on the cookies. They looked so happy, so content as they worked together.

Gavin hummed, pressing a kiss to the top of Rowan’s head. “Look at them.”

Rowan’s eyes burned, and she swallowed a lump that was forming in her throat. She loved them so much. Couldn’t believe how lucky she was, waking up every morning to her girls trying to crawl between her and Gavin for cuddles. Spending every day with them, listening to them and playing with them and cuddling them as they fell asleep before she’d even set them down for their naps. How lucky she was to share them with Gavin. To see their smiles every day. To listen to their laughs and share these little moments.

“They’re so sweet,” she breathed, wanting to reach out and wrap all four of them in her arms. “I love them so much.”

He kissed her again, his voice low, reverberating through her and sending warmth spilling through her, reaching to her toes. “They’re sweet just like you.”

She snorted, ready to counter with a ‘no they’re sweet like you.’ But Gavin pulled away before she could open her mouth, tipping her head back with one hand before pressing his lips to hers, cutting off her rebuttal.

She felt breathless when he broke the kiss, the world spinning and whirling around her as he smiled at her gently, one hand tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

“No argument,” he said, leaning forward until his nose bumped against hers, his breath ghosting across her lips. “You’re the sweetest person I know.”

She felt her face grow warm, and she closed her eyes, sighing. “If you insist.”

“I do insist,” he breathed, stroking her cheek. “And you have to believe me, okay? I would never lie to you.”

“Okay.”

She could hear the smile in his voice as he brushed his lips against hers one more time. “Okay, good.”

He pulled away, and the evening air felt cold as it washed against her flushed face. She had the urge to bury her face against his chest, to let herself be wrapped in his warmth, to breathe in the smell of him, to feel his heartbeat against her skin.

Gavin’s smile grew wider as he took in her face. “Don’t worry. There will be more of that later.”

Her cheeks burned hotter and she turned away, focusing her attention on the remaining cookies on the table. Wisteria made a gagging sound next to Aurora, muttering about how kisses were yucky, followed by a shriek as Aurora smudged icing on her cheek.

“It’s not yucky!” Aurora sang, wrinkling her nose. “It’s how mommys and daddys say they love each other.”

“Well I think it’s gross,” Wisteria said, sounding utterly perturbed.

“Mommy gives us kisses all the time.”

“It’s different!” Wisteria whined.

Gardenia and Cordelia looked up from their shared cookies, icing smeared over their faces and all over their little hands.

“Mommy?” Gardenia asked, her brows rising.

“What is it, love?” She asked, leaning towards the twins.

Gardenia grinned broadly, standing up on her chair and clapping her hands over Rowan’s face before giving her a big, slobbery kiss on her cheek.

“Kisses!” She exclaimed, looking very proud of herself. “Kisses for mommy!”

Snorting, Rowan scooped Gardenia up, covering her cheeks with kisses. “Now kisses for Gardenia!”

“Mommy,” Cordelia whined, holding her arms up. “Me too!”

Depositing Gardenia into Gavin’s lap, Rowan scooped Cordelia up to rain kisses all over her face too, until her cheeks were pink as a sunset sky and she was squealing with laughter.

She spun around then, plunking Cordelia into Gavin’s lap too, grinning as the girls started climbing over his shoulders.

She sat down, leaning over to whisper to them conspiratorially. “Don’t you think daddy needs some kisses too?”

Gavin’s eyes widened, but he didn’t have time to shake the twins off before they were trying to give him their biggest kisses. He snorted with laughter, his shoulders shaking as he tried to hold the girls steady so neither of them fell, even as they both tried crawling onto his shoulders. 

He laughed, his face red as one of them kissed his ear, the other squealing as she tried hoisting herself over his shoulder to climb onto his head.

Cordelia got one big kiss on his forehead before Gavin was finally able to pry them off, clutching them both against his chest as they wiggled, shrieking with laughter as he tickled them.

Wisteria and Aurora’s eyes widened, and they both giggled as the twins laughed, slowly inching away from Gavin before he could grab them, too.

Which did not work, not as he set the twins into Rowan’s lap and reached out to scoop the other two into his arms.

“And where do you two think you’re going?”

Rowan pressed her face against the top of Cordelia’s head, stifling her own laughter as Wisteria and Aurora shrieked. The twins breathed deeply, gasping for air before whining to get back to their cookies.

Aurora snorted so loud that Gavin laughed, and he hoisted her up and over his shoulder as she squirmed.

“What do you think, potatoes?!” He asked, snorting as Wisteria squealed in his ear as he tossed her over his other shoulder. “Should I tickle mommy next?”

Rowan jumped to her feet, backing away as quickly as she could while the twins giggled in her arms.

“Yes!” Wisteria squealed, kicking out her legs, barely missing Gavin’s face with her feet.

Aurora at the very least, looked concerned as she shook her head, her loose waves bouncing against Gavin’s shoulder. “But you love mommy.”

“I love her smile,” Gavin said, tickling their sides until they both shrieked. “I could see her smile then!”

“I have done nothing to earn this threat,” Rowan cried, biting the inside of her cheek to hold back her nervous laughter.

“It’s not a threat!” Gavin chuckled, but he did stand, taking an awfully threatening step towards her. “I love your laugh and your smile.”

“You can see them without attacking me!” She whined, clutching the twins tighter, as if they would do a thing to help her when they snorted with laughter whenever anyone fell into one of Gavin’s little tickling traps.

He bounced Aurora and Wisteria, earning a string of raucous laughter. “I wouldn’t be attacking you, pumpkin!”

Rowan arched a brow in disbelief, shocked he could even say that with a straight face.

Especially since it was very akin to an attack, with how fast he moved and how easily he grabbed her and held her until she was wheezing, utterly out of breath, her own legs unable to support her weight.

“What if we tickled you, daddy?!” Aurora shrieked, trying to twist in his arms. “Then you won’t attack mommy!”

Wisteria gasped, but quickly followed Aurora’s lead, trying to wiggle in Gavin’s grip and tickle his neck.

“Protect mommy!”

The twins squealed, clapping their hands together, delighted by this change in events. Gavin snorted, clearly not overpowered by the 4 and 6 year old tossed over his shoulders, but letting them climb all over him anyways. Wisteria slumped against his head, wiggling her fingers against his forehead as she giggled and snorted. Aurora tried reaching for his arms and the spots there and on his sides that were ticklish, but every time she got close Gavin just hoisted her up higher, earning a shriek of laughter as she was thwarted again.

Wisteria poked Gavin’s cheek, furrowing her brow as she licked her finger and stuck it in his ear.

“What did you just do, Wisteria Faye?!” Rowan asked, a little astonished by what she just saw.

Gavin’s mouth was open in a small O, his eyes wide as they slowly slid to the side, where Wisteria was snickering as she removed her finger and wiped it on his shirt.

“What did she do, mommy?” Aurora asked, leaning back, having momentarily forgotten about their attack on Gavin.

“She licked her finger and stuck it in his ear,” Rowan said, pressing her lips together to stop herself from smiling as Wisteria looked between them proudly.

“And I can do it again!” She announced, wiggling her finger in the air like it was the scariest, most dangerous weapon in the world.

Gavin continued to blink, looking utterly astounded as he slowly turned his wide-eyed stare fully on his daughter.

Wisteria giggled, patting Gavin’s cheek. “I win, daddy!”

A line formed between his brows as he turned back to look at Rowan. He looked lost, confused, like he’d just been woken up from a very vivid dream and didn’t recognize where he was.

“I think she won, Gavin,” Rowan said, her voice soft. “Why don’t you go and sit down again, babey?”

He nodded, gently setting the girls down before heading back to the table, his lips pressed into a thin line.

“I think you broke daddy,” Aurora whispered to Wisteria.

Wisteria only shrugged, skipping back to the table. “He’ll be okay! Won’t you, daddy?!” Rowan settled the twins back into their seats before walking back over to Gavin and wrapping her arms around his neck. “I think he’ll be okay. Right, babey?”

Gavin’s brow furrowed further, but his expression cleared when Rowan pressed a kiss to his brow. And he sighed when she kissed his nose and his cheeks.

“I’ll be okay,” he murmured, twisting around to wrap his arms around her waist and draw her into his lap. “Although I might need my favourite person for a while.”

Wisteria made a gagging sound while Aurora cooed softly.

“That’s yucky.”

“That’s sweet.”

The girls went back to chattering amongst each other, flicking coloured icing all over the table while Gavin returned to pouring over constructing the gingerbread house itself.

“What would you like me to do?” She asked, leaning her head against his.

Gavin hummed, pressing a kiss to her throat before returning to his work. “Hold me for a little longer?”

She tugged at his ear, earning a small grin. “I meant with the gingerbread. Is there any part of the house you need help with?”

He shook his head. “I think I’m alright. I just like when you’re close.”

“Well maybe I can help the girls decorate the cookies th-”

Wisteria and Aurora both looked up, shaking their heads furiously.

“No! We wanna decorate them!” Aurora cried. “We wanna decorate the cookies for you mommy.”

“We’re making a surprise!” Wisteria sang, wiggling in her seat.

“Don’t tell her!” Aurora hissed, covering the cookies in front of them with her hands. “No helping, mommy!”

Rowan pouted, but turned to the twins, figuring at the very least the littlest ones would want her help.

But they were already ahead of her, trying to hide their cookies too as they shook their heads in tandem.

“No help!” Cordelia cried, matching Rowan’s pout.

“Surprise!” Gardenia announced. “For a surprise!”

Rowan heaved a sigh. “What am I supposed to do then? Nothing?”

Gavin hummed again, pressing a kiss beneath her ear. “Once I put the house together can you help me decorate? As long as the girls didn’t eat all the candy there should be some to decorate with.”

“I can do that,” she murmured, slumping against him. She felt crestfallen, no one really needing or wanting her help. Not even the twins wanted her to help them, even as they dipped their fingers into the bowls of icing closest to them and smeared it over the cookies in hearts and star shapes.

Maybe it was from the dredges of sleep that still clung to her, but she felt a little useless, a little unwanted. She wasn’t as fun as Gavin, wasn’t as strong or silly or exciting. He would heave the girls over his shoulders and toss them around and play with them. He would take them out and race around and tickle them and let them pile over him. He let them sit on his motorcycle, he raced with their little wagon down the street while they all shrieked in joy.

What did she do? Tell them to eat vegetables and help them bathe and tell them to go to bed? Clean up their toys and put their favourite movies on and tuck them into bed. Brush their hair and pick out their outfits. But nothing fun, nothing that would make them really happy.

No wonder they didn’t want her to help.

Rowan squeezed her eyes shut, certain it was just the remnants of her earlier nap making her grouchy. Making her feel unwanted. But still she did, she still felt unwanted and unfun.

She sighed, pressing her face against Gavin’s hair, breathing in the smell of him, trying to distract herself with her favourite person.

“What’s wrong, pumpkin?” He asked, one hand reaching up to cover hers, his fingers twining with hers. “What’s going on?”

She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut tighter. “Nothing is wrong. I’m just a little tired.”

Gavin clicked his tongue, clearly not believing her. “You’re lying.”

“No I’m not,” she whined, trying to wiggle closer, trying to press herself closer against him.

“Yes you are,” he said, his voice dropping to a low whisper.

“Am not.”

He chuckled, prying himself away from her to meet her gaze. “Princess, I can tell.”

She pouted, glaring up at the ceiling as she wrinkled her nose.

His voice was gentle as he spoke again, his hand reaching up to cup her cheek. “Tell me what’s bothering you, sweetheart. Are you hungry? Do you want to lie down again?”

She sighed, letting him draw her attention back to him. His eyes were soft, the kitchen lights making their deep amber a few shades lighter, reminding her of buttery morning sunshine.

“I just feel a little useless,” she murmured, her fingers twisting into the fabric of his shirt. “There’s not much for me to do.”

He arched his brow, but his gaze remained steady as he listened quietly.

“No one really wants my help,” she said, fidgeting beneath his stare. “And I feel like, well, why would they? I’m not very fun so it makes sense no one wants my help.”

Gavin tsked softly, drawing her close again, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “That’s not true.”

“But I do all the boring, unfun things. Telling them to go to bed and eat their vegetables and pick up their toys. Get them dressed and put them to bed. I’m no fun, they don’t want me to help with the fun things.”

Gavin hummed, seeming to think for a moment. “Pumpkin, that doesn’t mean the girls don’t want your help. Or that you’re not fun.”

She pouted, looking away from him.

“Hey,” he breathed, turning her face back towards him. “It means that you take care of them. You make sure they eat, and that they have toys to play with, and that they’re clean and warm, and that they get plenty of sleep. That doesn’t mean you’re not fun. It doesn’t mean they don’t want you, or that they don’t love you.”

She sighed, slumping against him. “But I feel like I am.”

He abandoned the gingerbread house for a moment, rubbing gentle circles against her back. “You’re not, pumpkin. I promise.”

She pressed her face back against his hair, wishing her eyes didn’t burn. Wishing her body didn’t feel so heavy. Wishing her chest didn’t feel hollow and cold.

“What do you want for breakfast tomorrow?” Gavin murmured, pressing his thumbs on either side of her spine and sliding them down slowly, relieving some of the pressure she had been carrying there. “I’ll order your favourites. And you can snuggle with the girls for as long as you want. And we’ll watch all your favourite movies tomorrow.”

“What about things that you want to do?” She asked, her voice cracking.

He hushed her gently, brushing a gentle kiss to her cheek. “I want to make you happy. I want to do whatever will make you happiest.”

She sighed, nuzzling her face into his hair, breathing in the warm, clean smell of her most precious person.

“And,” he added. “I want to sleep in a little later with you tomorrow.”

Rowan pulled away, peering at him with bemusement. “You want to sleep in?”

He smiled up at her, nodding. “I do.”

“Babey, you wake up at 5 every morning to go for a run.”

He shrugged, pulling her close again. “Well I’m tired, and I think you are too. And I think the extra sleep will both do us good.”

He nipped at her throat, and Rowan giggled, butterflies flitting through her. “And it means a little extra time I get to spend with you.”

Aurora wailed, drawing their attention, distracting Rowan from the misery that had been slowly bearing down on her.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, standing from Gavin’s lap and kneeling next to Aurora’s chair. “What happened, little sweet potato?”

Aurora sniffled. “If daddy stays in bed to cuddle you, there won’t be any room for me!”

Rowan blinked, momentarily taken aback. She brushed Aurora’s tears from her cheeks, cooing softly. “What do you mean, love?”

She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. “Daddy is so big, there won’t be any room for me.”

Rowan bit back a snort as the image of Gavin’s appalled face flashed in her mind. “That’s not true. There’s plenty of room for you.”

“Not with all of us,” she cried, fat tears rolling down her cheeks. “Not with Wisteria and Cordelia and Gardenia and Stella and daddy.”

She curled her legs up against her chest, glaring at the floor. “Besides, daddy always takes all your cuddles when he’s home.”

“Your mommy is my favourite person,” Gavin said, coming to kneel next to Rowan as they both tried to console Aurora. “Of course I want to cuddle her.”

“Wait!” Wisteria squealed, standing up on her chair. “Daddy you can’t cuddle her in the mornings. Aurora and Gardenia get one side, and me and Cordelia get the other! There’s no room for you!”

Gavin pouted. “You’re all so small, there’s plenty of room for me.”

“No!” Cordelia screamed, tears already streaming down her cheeks.

Aurora sniffled, looking up to glare at her sister. “No shouting! You’ll make Gardenia sad.”

Gardenia, in response, had curled into a ball on her chair, pressing her hands over her ears.

“Oh, little tater tot,” Rowan murmured, standing to scoop Gardenia into her arms.

Gardenia whimpered, nestling against her chest.

“You’re okay, love,” she breathed, bouncing her. “You’re safe.”

“Look what you did, daddy,” Wisteria whined. “You made Gardenia upset!”

Gavin scoffed, swivelling his head between his exasperated daughters and Rowan as she helped Gardenia to settle. “How is it my fault?”

“For trying to take all mommy’s attention!”

“Yeah!” Wisteria chimed in. “You get lots of it already when we’re at school!”

Gavin sat back on the floor, crossing his legs as he stuck out his bottom lip more. “Why don’t I get to cuddle her?”

“You can cuddle Stella!” Wisteria sang.

“No!” Aurora cried. “I need to cuddle Stella too!”

“Well what am I supposed to do?” Gavin asked, slumping his shoulders.

Aurora tapped her cheek for a moment, humming. She slid from her chair, padding out of the kitchen, the tuneless melody she was humming trailing after her as she vanished. She returned a few moments later with a stuffed unicorn, delicately placing it in Gavin’s lap before crawling back onto her chair.

“There you go, daddy. You can cuddle Princess Sparkles.”

Rowan bit back a laugh as she knelt next to Gavin, poking his bottom lip.

He raised his brows, looking at her hopefully.

“Tell you what,” she said in a conspiratorial whisper. “I’ll cuddle you extra when they go to bed.”

Gavin’s pout melted away, replaced by a warm look of contentment as his eyes fell closed. “I would like that.”

“Mommy,” Aurora whined, throwing her hands out towards Rowan. “I want cuddles.”

Her heart felt warm, like she was made of sunshine and starlight and all the wishes she had breathed in furtive moments when she had been alone. She balanced Gardenia in one arm, scooping Aurora up in the other before taking a seat on the floor next to Gavin to cuddle them both in her lap.

“How’s that?” She asked, pressing a kiss to the top of Aurora’s head. “Do you feel better?”

Aurora nodded, pressing her face against Rowan’s shoulder.

“Mommy?”

“What is it, little princess?” Rowan asked, brushing Aurora’s hair back from her brow.

“Do I have to go to school tomorrow?”

“Of course not,” Rowan cooed, rubbing her back, biting the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing as Gavin glared down at Princess Sparkles.

Aurora sniffled, clutching Rowan tighter. “You’re sure?”

“Of course. We’re all on vacation now, love. You don’t have to go to school.”

“I wanna stay home with you,” Aurora whined, snuggling closer.

Rowan’s eyes burned again, although for an entirely different reason this time. Her heart ached even as warmth bloomed in her chest.

“You want to stay home with me?” She asked, skeptical even as Aurora nestled closer.

“Yeah,” Aurora pouted, peeking up from her hiding place against Rowan’s shoulder. “I wanna stay home with you, mommy.”

Rowan opened her mouth, closed it again, her words stolen on a winter’s wind.

“I miss you,” Aurora continued. “It’s cold at school, and they don’t let me make crafts, or draw, or anything. And no one gives me hugs.”

Wisteria crawled down from her chair, flopping onto Rowan’s lap between Gardenia and Aurora. “Yeah, and everyone is stinky at school.”

Rowan snorted. “I’m sure not everyone is stinky.”

“No, everyone.”

Cordelia looked up from her cookies, her bottom lip trembling. “Mommy?”

Rowan’s eyes widened, realizing she was very much stuck on the floor with three little girls piled on top of her, and no way to get to Cordelia to comfort her for whatever had upset her.

But before she could say anything Gavin was already up, setting aside Princess Sparkles to scoop Cordelia up and set her down in Rowan’s lap, too.

“What’s the matter, little tater tot?” She asked, struggling to wrap her arms around one of her littlest girls.

“Was lonely,” Cordelia whined, even as her distressed expression melted away.

She leaned down to press a kiss to Cordelia’s downy hair. “You’re not alone anymore, my love.”

She couldn’t help smiling against her daughter’s hair, feeling very warm and loved. Did they really want her? Did they really love her so much, even if she wasn’t very fun or cool?

Aurora gasped, jerking away, her amber eyes wide as they flitted across the room. “Mommy! You didn’t see our cookies did you?”

Rowan furrowed her brow. “No. Why? Is something wrong with them?”

Aurora shook her head furiously, crawling from Rowan’s lap. “You can’t look at them, mommy. No looking!” She pointed to Gavin, who was watching this little scene with great amusement. “Stay with daddy!”

Gavin grinned. “I wouldn’t mind that.”

Aurora frowned. “Daddy, don’t let mommy see the cookies!”

Gavin nodded, dragging Rowan into his lap as the other girls vacated, quickly returning to their seats.

“Why can’t I see the cookies?” Rowan asked, pouting.

“‘S a Surprise!” Wisteria sang, letting Aurora drag her back to the table.

“Why are you pouting, pumpkin?” Gavin asked, pressing a kiss to her throat.

She crossed her arms, frowning. “Why won’t they share?”

Gavin tapped her lips with his index finger, grinning wider. “It’s a secret.”

She stuck her bottom lip out more, hunching over. “A secret from their mama?”

Chuckling, Gavin pulled her close, until her cheek bumped against his head. “It’s probably for a very good reason.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but he tapped her lips again, before running his thumb over her bottom lip.

“And if a distraction is what you need right now,” he murmured, his ears flushing a rosy pink. “I’m happy to offer one.”

Rowan tugged at his ear, smiling as his rosy blush deepened into a burning crimson. “I might take you up on that.”

Gavin reached up to cup her face, stroking her cheek. “That would make me very happy.”

“Mommy, you’re not looking, right?!” Aurora called.

“I’m not looking, love, I have no idea what you’re doing!” She answered, wrinkling her nose as she muttered quietly to Gavin. “But I wish I did.”

He chuckled, drawing her face close, his nose bumping against hers. “It’s a surprise. When they’re ready they’ll tell you.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but Gavin cut her off before she could.

“Just pay attention to me right now, princess.”

She felt her face growing warm, her stomach dipping as his quiet words brushed against her lips. Her arguments dried up on her tongue, and she was left nodding silently as a grin spread across Gavin’s lips.

He pressed a kiss to her cheek, to the corner of her mouth, to the tip of her nose.

“I love you so much,” he breathed, his hand trailed down her side, twisting into the fabric of her skirt. “I’m glad I get to spend this time with you.”

“I do too,” she murmured, sighing when his lips brushed against her jaw.

He hummed, sounding like he was on the verge of laughter. “Did you like that?”

He pressed his lips to the same spot, a little harder this time. Rowan’s eyes fluttered closed, letting herself sink into his embrace. But then his teeth were scraping against her skin, and she could feel a wicked smile curling at the corners of his lips.

“Gavin!” She gasped, her eyes snapping open.

But Gavin didn’t move away, his tongue swiping over the bite before he moved a little lower, his other hand flattening against her back. He hummed a melody she couldn’t quite place, and she could feel his smile growing wider as her back arched against her will.

She bit down on the inside of her cheek, trying to stop her little gasps from spilling from her lips. Her hands pressed against Gavin’s chest, her fingers twisting into the fabric of his shirt as she balled them into fists.

“You know you’re being awfully mean, teasing me like this,” she managed to grind out, starting to feel a little light-headed.

Gavin didn’t respond, instead sinking his teeth just a little harder than before into the skin above where her pulse was thrumming in a haphazard rhythm.

Her stomach dipped and twisted, like she had been shoved from a cliff, and her toes curled unconsciously. Her vision blurred for a moment, her mind clearing of everything she had been worried about earlier.

Perhaps the only thing she needed to think about was how warm Gavin was, how nice his lips felt against her skin, how the sharp pain that radiated from his bites sent shivers down her spine.

She hadn’t realized she’d made any noise at all until Gavin was pulling away, bumping his nose against hers again.

“That’s a really pretty sound you made,” he teased, his words ghosting against her lips. “I think I want to hear it again.”

She furrowed her brow, confusion swarming her mind as she tried to remember what she had done.

He brushed his lips against hers in a delicate, chaste kiss, her thoughts washing away like sand beneath foaming ocean waves once more. He sighed, smiling against her lips.

“There will be more where that came from,” he murmured, his hands falling to her waist.

Rowan stuck out her bottom lip, hoping she looked at least a little cute, as messy and tired as she was.

Chuckling, Gavin pulled away, running his thumb over her bottom lip. “You know I think you’re adorable, pumpkin,” he said. “But I love your smile more.”

Undeterred, Rowan merely pushed her bottom lip out more, whining softly. But Gavin only smiled wider, shaking his head.

“Later, princess,” he murmured, tucking a loose hair behind her ear. “Once the potatoes are asleep.”

“I’m not going to sleep!” Aurora shouted, sounding incredibly indignant. “I have too much to do!”

Gavin snorted, peering over Rowan’s shoulder. “Oh? And what kind of things do you have to do?”

“I have to make my cookies! And plan a tea party! And plan out the movies I’m watching with mommy tomorrow!” Aurora sang, the sound of her feet stomping chasing after her words.

“Hey! I wanna watch movies tomorrow,” Wisteria cried.

Rowan laughed, turning around to see how the girls were doing.

Or trying to turn around, anyways. Because before she could even  turn fully the girls were shrieking about their surprise and Gavin was grabbing her by the shoulders and yanking her against his chest.

Blinking, Rowan tried to wrap her head around what had just happened. But the girls were still shouting, demanding to know whether she had seen their surprise, crying about not wanting it to be ruined.

She couldn’t even defend herself, or tell the girls that she had not in fact seen their surprise, that she had hardly seen more than the messy kitchen counter that would have to be cleaned later. She could hardly speak at all, squished as she was against Gavin’s chest. She couldn’t even see past the fabric of his sweater, the dark material blocking out everything except a few stray wisps of light.

“Did she see anything?” Aurora cried, sounding incredibly distraught.

Gavin only chuckled, the warm sound reverberating from his chest and reaching deep into Rowan’s bones. “Not at all, sweet potato. I don’t think she saw anything at all.”

“Mommy, did you see anything?!”

She tried to say that she did not, but the words came out muffled, caught as they were in Gavin’s sweater.

Snorting, Gavin loosened his tight grip on her, letting her peel away enough to shake her head. “I promise I didn’t see anything, my love.”

“Promise?”

She nodded, keeping her eyes fixed on Gavin’s shoulder and not on her daughters behind her. “I promise.”

After a few tense moments where she wondered if she would be grilled by her tiny interrogators, Aurora made a satisfied huff before returning to her earlier chattering.

She felt Gavin’s arms tightening around her again, drawing her back against his chest, and she frowned, quirking a brow as she struggled to tilt her head up.

“I think you’re having more fun than they are,” she said, her suspicion lacing her tone.

Gavin shrugged his shoulders, tucking his head over hers. “I just don’t want to ruin the girls’ surprise.”

“Mhmm,” she hummed, pursing her lips. “And you’re definitely not having a good time distracting me.”

“Definitely not.”

She tried wiggling from his grasp, tried meeting his gaze so he would see how little she believed him.

“Okay,” he admitted, his ears turning red. “Maybe I am.”

She reached up to smooth out his bangs, her fingers twisting in his messy hair. “You act like I never give you enough attention.”

He gave her a rueful smile, reaching up to cover her hand with his. “It’s because I’m never satisfied,” he murmured, drawing her hand to his lips, gently kissing her palm. “I will always want more of your attention. I want all of it.”

Her heart fluttered like gossamer butterfly wings, her stomach dipping like she was in a freefall, her body feeling weightless. He kissed her palm again, the amber of his eyes turning gold, glowing brighter than the stars. His lips curved up into a smile as her breath caught, his eyes falling closed for a long moment.

“And,” he added, his voice so low she almost didn’t hear it as his eyes slowly opened, fixing on hers with their brilliant, golden light. “It’s not like you act any different.”

Rowan blanked, her mind reeling as the spell cast around her was broken. Gavin’s smile turned mischievous, the light in his eyes sharper, and her face flamed as she realized he was teasing her.

“Well what do you expect,” she muttered, scowling as she tried yanking her hand from his grasp. “You’re my favourite person.”

He held fast to her hand, pressing his lips to her palm once more before pressing it against his chest. His expression was impish, his words lilting with mischief as he leaned closer. “I’m your favourite?”

She turned her face away, realizing too late she had fallen into his trap. “Maybe.”

“Don’t be like that,” he whined, brushing his lips against her cheek. “I want you to look at me.”

She rolled her eyes, trying not to give in.

Although Gavin didn’t give her much of a choice, not as he gently took her chin and drew her face back to his, his eyes glittering with amusement.

“I said I wanted you to look at me,” he said, leaning close again. “I missed your face.”

“You saw it two seconds ago,” she countered, fighting against her smile as he held her gaze.

“And I wanted to keep looking at it,” he breathed, his words tickling her lips.

“You see it every day,” she protested.

“I could never get tired of it.”

She flicked her gaze towards the floor, where Stella had curled up under their chair, heat crawling across her body.

“Hey.”

She lifted her gaze to meet Gavin’s again, his eyes alight with mischief, a smile tugging at his lips. “You’re my favourite person, too.”

She bit down on the inside of her cheek to stop the giggles bubbling in her throat. Gavin looked far too pleased with himself, and far too delighted as he bumped his nose against hers.

“It’s okay to want attention,” he murmured, squeezing her hand tight. “I’ll always give it to you.”

She flicked her eyes away again, her brow twitching. “I don’t-”

He snorted, his chest shaking with silent laughter. “Then what do you call whining in the morning when I go for my run?”

She pouted. “It gets lonely in bed.”

“And what about when you ask me to shower with you?”

She thought her cheeks might catch fire as she glared at the floor next to Stella’s tail. “I get cold.”

He hummed, playing with a lock of her hair. “And when you ask me to go to the bookstore with you? When we get someone to watch the girls?”

She puffed out her cheeks, pouting more.

“And when you ask to hold my hand when I’m working from home?”

She heaved a sigh, admitting defeat as she slumped against his chest. “Fine, you win.”

He chuckled, kissing the top of her head. “I’m still always happy to give you all the attention you need, princess.”

She squeezed her eyes shut, wrapping her free arm around his waist. “You better. I deserve it.”

“Mommy?”

Rowan hummed, the sound muffled by Gavin’s shirt. Aurora sounded sleepy, her voice whiny and soft. “Yes?”

“Mommy, the surprise is ready now!”

“I can turn around?”

A tiny hand patted Rowan’s side furiously, as though annoyed that they weren’t being given much attention, as if the girls hadn’t shrieked at Rowan furiously for daring to turn around.

“Look, mommy!” Aurora cried, grabbing at Rowan’s hand and trying to peel it from Gavin’s side.

“Daddy, let her go!” Wisteria whined, sounding petulant as she stomped her feet. The sound of nails clicking against the tiled kitchen floors rang out as Stella stood, stretching before ambling over to investigate why the girls were on the verge of a fit.

“Okay, okay,” Rowan said, hoping to pacify them as she disentangled herself from Gavin’s arms. “I’m turning around, see? Now what did you want to show me?”

Aurora pouted as she yanked on Rowan’s hand, and Wisteria continued to stomp her feet even as Stella tried licking some of the frosting from her cheeks.

“You have to look at the table, mommy,” Aurora said, sounding more than a little exasperated. “Come and look at the table!”

“Okay! I’m looking, I’m looking!”

The twins were both curled up on the same chair, surveying their work as proudly as a toddlers could. Cordelia’s eyes fell shut for a long moment, and Rowan could tell she was beginning to doze off, even as the other girls chattered.

“It might be time for bed soon,” she said, wrinkling her brow as she moved to scoop Cordelia into her arms before she tumbled from the chair.

“No sleep, mommy!” Wisteria cried. “No sleep yet!”

“Okay, okay,” she assented. “No sleep yet. But soon.”

“Look at our surprise first, mommy!”

Nodding, Rowan let herself be dragged and pushed towards the table until she could easily survey the “surprise” the girls were talking about.

She couldn’t help smiling, reaching down to ruffle Aurora’s hair as she swept her gaze across the table.

The girls had taken the remaining cookies and iced them themselves, creating an absolute cacophony of colours for Rowan to take in as she tried understanding what they had done. There were snowflakes and flowers and snowmen with fat frosting chunks smeared across them. Bright pink smiles and golden eyes dotted the snowmen, swirls of green melted into blue on the snowflakes, bright red and pink hearts were painted on the stars, and what looked like purple flowers had been sketched onto the candy canes.

And right in the very centre were six little gingerbread people surrounded by cookies dripping in pink and red icing. They each had matching icing smiles and the girl-shaped cookies wore identical red sweaters and green skirts. The lone boy-shaped cookie, which Rowan assumed was meant to be Gavin, was decked in a white shirt with a messy black stripe down the centre and red pants. There was even a gingerbread dog she was certain was meant to be Stella.

“Oh these are beautiful,” Rowan cooed, looking down to find Aurora beaming up at her. “You all made cookies of our family?”

Aurora bobbed her head, bouncing on her toes, her excitement bubbly and effervescent. “And did you see the cookies around them?”

Completely at odds with Aurora’s energy, Cordelia yawned in Rowan’s arms, rubbing at her eyes with two tiny fists. Rowan pressed a kiss to her forehead, nuzzling her downy hair as she took another look at the cookies, this time trying to focus on the ones surrounding the gingerbread family.

They were all the different shapes they had cut and baked, each one smothered in pink icing and pink sprinkles.

“They’re all pink!” Rowan sang, smiling back at Aurora. “They’re all very pretty.”

“They’re for you, mommy!” She announced, wiggling her shoulders as she beamed up at Rowan. “We made them special with your favourite colour!”

Rowan blinked, her eyes burning a little as Aurora continued to grin, as Wisteria came over and clung to her leg.

Wisteria sighed dramatically, waving a hand at Gardenia, who sat wide awake licking yellow icing from a spoon. “It was hard to get Gardenia to do it. She wanted to use yellow.”

Gardenia looked up from her spoon, her amber eyes wide as she looked up at Rowan.

“Mama?”

“Yes, love?” Rowan asked, perching on the chair next to Gardenia as she waved her hands in the air.

Gardenia crawled into Rowan’s lap, levelling the most severe glare a toddler could manage.

“What is it?” Rowan asked, struggling to hold back the laughter bubbling in her chest.

“Yellow,” Gardenia murmured, clutching Rowan’s shirt. “Yellow next.”

“You wanna make something with yellow?” Rowan asked, wiping a splotch of icing from Gardenia’s cheek.

Gardenia nodded furiously. “Yes. Can we paint?”

Rowan leaned down to press a kiss to the top of Gardenia’s head, smiling against her downy hair. “It’s a little late now, tater tot. How about tomorrow?”

Gardenia whined, squirming in place. “Wanna paint.”

“Tomorrow,” Rowan promised. “We can tomorrow.”

“Pwomise?” Gardenia muttered, pressing her face against Rowan’s arm.

“I promise,” she said, kissing the top of her head again.

“Mommy,” Aurora whined, patting Rowan’s leg. “Do you like the cookies? The cookies we made you?”

“I love them,” Rowan sang, smiling at Aurora. “They’re so pretty, I don’t even want to eat them.”

“But you have to!”

“I can eat them,” Wisteria offered, reaching up to grab one of the cookies. Although she didn’t make it very far before Aurora was smacking her arm and dragging her away from the table.

“Those are for mommy!” Aurora scolded, handing Wisteria a snowman shaped cookie. “You can have one of these.”

Wisteria pouted, crocodile tears pooling in the corners of her eyes as she turned to Rowan, her bottom lip trembling.

“Aurora Rose, we don’t hit,” Rowan scolded, struggling to stand as she balanced the twins in her arms.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, gently pressing her back into the chair. “I’ve got this,” Gavin murmured, squeezing Rowan’s shoulder once before crouching in front of Wisteria and Aurora, both glowering at each other now.

“We don’t hit,” Gavin said, taking Aurora’s hand gently. His brow was furrowed, but his voice was even. Firm, but not unkind. “You use your hands for making things, right?”

Aurora nodded, looking like she was also on the verge of crocodile tears, her usually rosy cheeks bright crimson.

“Like decorating those cookies, and painting with your sisters, right?”

She nodded again, sniffling.

“And you use them to hold your favourite toys and to hold mommy’s hands, right?”

She pulled at the hem of her skirt, her bottom lip sticking out. Beside her, Wisteria whimpered, sniffling louder despite no tears falling down her cheeks.

“Then your hands are for good things. Not for hurting your sister. You need to ask her, gently, not to touch something you don’t want her to.”

Aurora nodded again, ducking her head. “I’m sorry, daddy.”

He tipped his head to the side. “You need to apologize to your sister, not me.”

Aurora furrowed her brow, peeking up from her lashes at Wisteria. “I’m sorry, Wisteria. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Wisteria sniffled again before wiping her eyes, her previous pout replaced by a brilliant smile. “S’okay, ‘Rora! I’m sorry for trying to grab the cookies we worked on!”

Gavin let go of Aurora’s hand and stood, the corners of his lips twitching as he turned back to Rowan.

Wisteria and Aurora went back to chatting amongst themselves, splitting the star cookie in Wisteria’s hand between them as they curled up on the floor. Stella tried wiggling between them, but they managed to shoo her away. Although this did mean they sent her straight for Rowan, headbutting her legs in a desperate attempt to earn herself some ear scritches.

“And what do we have here?” Gavin mused, crouching again to scratch between Stella’s ears. “A puppy in need of some pets, and two very sleepy girls.” He tipped his head up, his smile pure bliss as he caught Rowan’s gaze. “And my beautiful wife.”

Rowan smiled, her cheeks growing warm as Gavin reached up to squeeze her arm.

“Not sleepy,” Gardenia protested, drawing Gavin’s attention towards her as she twisted in Rowan’s arms. “Not bedtime.”

Gavin chuckled as he scooped her into his arms. “It’s actually way past your bedtime, tater tot.”

“No!”

He snorted, bobbing his head. “Yes. And you need a bath to get all this icing off of you.”

Gardenia wailed, wriggling in Gavin’s arms until he threw her over his shoulder. “No bath!”

“You’ll be stinky and sticky if you don’t!” He said, seeming far too high-spirited as he stood, turning towards the older girls, still chattering together. “You’ll all be stinky if you don’t take a bath.”

Wisteria gasped, scrambling to her feet and trying to dash towards the living room. “You’ll never catch me!”

Rowan narrowed her eyes, listening to the sound of a wooden lid opening and shutting dully.

“She’s hiding in the toy box,” Rowan said, giggling as Aurora gaped at her, realizing their “secret” hiding spot had been found.

Gavin hummed, scooping Cordelia up into his arms next, cradling her against his chest as she yawned. “Do you want me to bathe them and you can handle the other two?”

Rowan nodded, smoothing out her skirt right before Stella put her front paws on Rowan’s legs, staring at her intently, waiting for pets.

“They’ll need clean pajamas,” Rowan said, scratching Stella’s head. “They spilled all over them this morning.”

Gavin nodded, bouncing the twins gently. “Hear that? I get to pick out your pajamas tonight.”

“They have to be the flower ones,” Gardenia grumbled.

Chuckling, Gavin nodded. “As you wish, tater tot.”

Rowan had to suppress her grin as Gardenia stared at her with the biggest pout and the fakest tears rolling down her cheeks as Gavin carted her away. She’d stopped whining, but Rowan was sure it would start up again the moment he tried putting either twin in the bath.

“Do I have to take a bath too, mommy?” Aurora asked, curling her legs under her.

Rowan nodded, gently shoving Stella to the side when she tried jumping up into her lap. “You’ve got icing in your hair, love. You’ll need to wash that out.”

“Can we use the pretty bubble bath you bought?”

“Of course we can,” she said. “The one that smells like cotton candy?”

“Yes,” Aurora sang, clapping her hands together. “And can I wear my sleeping beauty nightgown?”

“Of course you can,” Rowan said. “But first why don’t we find your sister, and then we can pick out both your pajamas and soaps.”

Aurora turned her gaze towards the floor, her nose wrinkled. “I don’t know where she’s hiding.”

“Oh? You don’t?”

She shook her head furiously, her hair flying around her face. “No, I definitely don’t.”

“So you don’t think she’s in the stuffed animal toy box?”

“No! She can’t be!”

Rowan hummed as she stood. “Sure, okay. Then where do you think she’s hiding?”

Aurora tapped her cheek. “Maybe behind the couch?”

Nodding, Rowan ruffled Aurora’s hair. “Okay, well while I check behind the couch why don’t you run upstairs and get out your pajamas.”

Bobbing her head, Aurora took off, Stella at her heels, their footsteps ringing out as they raced up the stairs.

Rowan did not find Wisteria behind the couch as Aurora had suggested. She’d known Wisteria wouldn’t be hiding there, but figured she would give both girls the benefit of the doubt.

Wrinkling her nose, Rowan headed towards the playroom, muttering to herself as she narrowly avoided stepping on a doll. “Never trust a 6 year old.”

Wisteria was exactly where Rowan thought she would be, curled up in a nest of stuffed animals inside the toy box. And she sobbed as Rowan dug her out, going limp as Rowan tried lifting her up.

“No bath!”

“You need a bath, love. You didn’t take one last night!”

“Daddy doesn’t take baths!” She cried, clutching the edge of the toy box.

“Daddy showers in the morning after his run!”

Wisteria glared at the ground, squealing as Rowan finally managed to drag her from the toy box. “I don’t wanna go to bed!”

“But the sooner you go to bed, the sooner we can paint and watch movies tomorrow, my love,” Rowan promised, sighing as she struggled to keep her squirming daughter in her arms. “And we’ll use the nice new bubble bath you picked out, okay? Aurora is using her cotton candy one, and you can use the sunshine one. And I’ll make sure you have your duckie.”

Wisteria continued to pout, but at the very least she had stopped trying to wriggle out of Rowan’s arms. And her little scowl practically melted away when Rowan tossed her onto the little pillow-covered bean-bag in the room she shared with Aurora. All her favourite blankets had been piled onto it, and it was practically submerged the frilly pillows and oversized plushies dumped onto it.

Wisteria quickly burrowed beneath the blankets and plushies and pillows, curling up into a little ball until only the top of her head was visible from where Rowan stood.

Wisteria sighed, long and loud, squeaking as she nestled deeper into her nest.

“You know you can’t stay in there for long,” Rowan said, snorting as Wisteria whined, yanking a blanket over her head so she was entirely hidden from view.

“We’ve lost her, mommy,” Aurora said, her voice soft as a feather as she padded over to the castle-shaped bookshelf next to her bed. It had been painted when Aurora had been barely a year old, one half a warm ocean blue, complete with white trim that was reminiscent of the frothing ocean waves. The other half had been painted a bright bubblegum pink, with simple white flowers trailing up the sides.

They’d stocked it full of all the books they’d read Aurora before she’d been born, and with all the books she had gotten her little hands on afterwards.

She pulled out a picture book, the cover illustration nearly drowning in pink glitter and different shades of pink. She fell back on her bed, sighing wistfully as she held the book above her head.

Wrinkling her nose to stop herself from giggling, Rowan quickly turned around to search for the girls’ pajamas in their dresser. “What are you reading there?”

Aurora sighed again. “My favourite book.”

Rowan peeked over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of the book clutched in Aurora’s hands. It looked completely different from the book she had said was her favourite the week before.

“I thought your favourite was the space princess one.”

“Mommy, that was last week,” she whined. “Now it’s this week.”

“I see, I see,” Rowan said, humming as she draped two nightgowns over her arm. “And is that the story you want to read before bed?”

“Yes please!”

“Wait!”

Stuffed animals and pillows went flying as Wisteria sat up, roused from her nest by the mention of a bedtime story. “I wanna pick the story!”

“I wanna read my book!” Aurora cried, clutching her book to her chest and wiggling her legs.

“‘Rora you always pick princess stories!”

Aurora sighed. “I love princesses.”

“Well I wanna read the moon book.”

Rowan furrowed her brow, trying to figure out which book Wisteria was talking about. “You mean the one with the moon princess? That one?”

Wisteria puffed out her cheeks, looking away. “Maybe.”

Rowan was setting out the girls’ pajamas and gathering the books they wanted to read before bed when the sound of squealing laughter echoed from down the hall as the bathroom door swung open. Twin voices bounced through the air, hiccuping with laughter at whatever Gavin was doing.

Rowan poked her head into the hall, catching sight of Gavin bouncing the twins in his arms as they squealed. His shirt was glued to his chest, his hair dripping water onto the hardwood floors. He’d clearly tried wrapping them in the little matching towels with the hoods for their hair and the snaps on the towel corners to keep it wrapped around them until they got to their room. But Cordelia had managed to yank the towel off and now Gavin was struggling to keep her wrapped up while she was busy trying to crawl onto his head.

Gardenia hadn’t managed to get her towel off yet, but Rowan could see the focus in her tiny furrowed brow as she picked at the snap. Gavin would yank her hood over her head and she would laugh before trying to pull it back off.

“Cordelia you’re going to get cold,” he wrapped his arm around her middle, tugging her from his shoulder while she shrieked with laughter, trying and failing to keep her from trying to crawl back up to her earlier perch.

Rowan couldn’t manage to stifle her own laughter as Gavin sighed loudly as Cordelia yanked on his ear. His amber eyes flicked to her, noticing her for the first time since she’d peeked out from Aurora and Wisteria’s room. The lines in his brow smoothed, his smile turning soft as he met her gaze.

“You look like you’re going to need a towel too, babey,” Rowan said, grinning as water snaked in shining rivulets down his throat.

“He does!” Cordelia cried, again trying to yank her towel away. “Daddy, take my towel!”

“I don’t need your towel, tater tot,” he said, wincing as she slipped in his arm. “I need you to stay still for a minute.”

Both girls laughed louder in response, squirming more furiously than before.

Gavin shook his head, pausing long enough to press a kiss to Rowan’s cheek right before Gardenia’s foot smacked against Rowan’s stomach in her effort to wiggle as much as possible.

“Your turn now,” he said, sucking in a deep breath as he bounced both twins again, their laughter peeling through the hallway like bells.

A long, drawn out groan came from behind Rowan and she turned to find Wisteria flopping back against her pillow and plushie nest. “Don’t wanna!”

“Come on, baked potato,” Rowan said, scooping Wisteria up into her arms before she could burrow back beneath the plushies. “Let’s go! I’ve got your pajamas ready to go, and we can use your new bubble bath!”

Wisteria flopped back in Rowan’s arms, going limp, as if that would somehow change her immediate future.

“Mommy, can’t I go first?” Aurora whined, clasping her hands together. “Wisteria takes so long.”

“Yes! ‘Rora should go first!”

Rowan narrowed her eyes at Wisteria, who peered up at her with wide, innocent eyes. As if Rowan didn’t know this little scam, as if Wisteria wouldn’t run away while Aurora was in the bath and hide somewhere new and convoluted she’d have to be dug out of.

“I’ll make sure we’re quick, okay?” Rowan said, hauling Wisteria over her shoulder. “It’s already late and you girls need to go to bed.”

Wisteria continued to whine while Rowan grabbed her bath towel and the bottle of bubble bath perched on the girls’ shared dresser before carting her into the bathroom.

“You won’t melt, love, I promise,” Rowan said, shutting the door before she set Wisteria down.

Wisteria continued to pout, looking skeptical as she stared at the bathtub.

Rowan went to get the water running, to warm it up before she set the stopper into the drain, but paused when she stepped in the largest puddle she was sure she had ever seen.

She furrowed her brow, peeking down into the tub to see the remnants of bubblegum pink bubble bath and messy, squiggly lines from the bath-safe crayons the twins loved to use.

It looked a little like a warzone.

Rowan snorted, splashing water around the tub to finish rinsing it properly of all the earlier suds. “It looks like your sisters had quite a good time in here.”

Wisteria huffed, and Rowan heard as she collapsed onto the floor in a little ball.

“Why don’t I get duckie for you,” Rowan offered, heading towards the cabinet where they kept their bath toys. “She’s probably very excited to see you.”

Wisteria sat up, the lines in her brow smoothing out. “Duckie missed me?”

“Of course duckie missed you,” Rowan said, plucking Wisteria’s purple rubber duck from the cabinet. She squeezed it a few times in quick succession, the duck letting out a string of short little quacks.

“See? Duckie is saying how much she missed you!”

Wisteria held her hands out for her duckie, and Rowan placed it into her little hands, relief flooding through her as Wisteria relaxed. She talked in a soft, hushed voice to duckie, updating her on all the gossip a four year old could be involved in.

Once Wisteria was placated it was relatively easy to get her through her bath. Rowan filled the tub with bubbles before dunking both Wisteria and duckie into the foamy water. She was able to wash her hair and rinse it with relative ease, and even managed to get the washcloth between Wisteria’s toes without getting kicked in the face.

Her relief only grew when Wisteria didn’t put up a fight as she drained the bath, gently settling duckie onto a soft, dry cloth and wrapping Wisteria in her fluffiest towel before carrying her back to her room. She got Wisteria changed and snuggled back into her little nest with her favourite books, draping an extra blanket over her, knowing the warmth would make Wisteria extra drowsy.

Aurora was much easier to bathe, and she chattered at Rowan as she prepped the bath and the bubbles and the few bath toys Aurora loved the most. Aurora loved her baths, and used to dance every time Gavin or Rowan got her ready for one when she was smaller. Now she just wiggled aimlessly until the tub was filled, squealing when she was dunked into the rosy pink bubbles.

She did whine a little when the bath was over, but she didn’t put up a fight as Rowan helped her from the tub after and wrapped her in her towel. She only clutched at the plastic doll with the bright pink bathing suit painted on, asking about the crafts she wanted to do over the week, and what presents did Rowan think she would get, and did she think there would be snow for Christmas?

Rowan answered Aurora’s questions as best she could as she scooped her up and carried her back to her room. She couldn’t give much away about the presents, but she did know they would be heading up to a little cottage Gavin had found years and years ago, and there was almost always snow for Christmas there.

The tricky part was how they were going to sneak all the presents there without the girls noticing.

Aurora started singing a medley of her favourite songs, all from different princess movies, as she got ready for bed. Wisteria shot her a withering glare from beneath her nest, but Aurora only ignored her, purposefully singing louder.

“Hey,” Rowan murmured, tucking the blankets up around Aurora’s chin. “Time to stop singing now, love. Your littlest sisters are probably already asleep.”

In fact, now that the room had grown silent, she could just make out the warm cadence of Gavin’s voice as he sang softly to the twins. She could hear the creak of the floor, could hear Cordelia’s little snores, and knew he was probably creeping across the room now, settling them into the cribs.

Aurora pouted, but Rowan quickly picked up one of her favourite plushies and wiggled it in her face. “Hey! You can’t pout, you’ll make Lady Sparkles sad.”

“No,” Aurora squealed, clutching the plushie to her chest. “She needs to be happy!”

Rowan pressed a kiss to Aurora’s brow. “Then you can’t pout, love. You’ll make her sad. She’ll think going to sleep is bad.”

“But I don’t get to play with you and daddy,” Aurora muttered, flicking her eyes to the top of her canopy bed. “It’s lonely.”

Rowan tilted her head to the side, to where Wisteria was still glaring out from her nest. “How can it be lonely when you have your sister?”

Aurora arched a brow, her expression reminiscent of some of Gavin’s incredulous looks. “But she’s in her nest mommy, she’s not here with me.”

“I’m right here!” Wisteria announced, standing up very suddenly and immediately squeezing her eyes shut as she readjusted to the light. “I’m right here ‘Rora!”

Aurora’s expression melted into a soft smile and she sighed, turning her face back towards Rowan. “Okay, mommy. I have my Wisteria back.”

Smoothing back Aurora’s hair, Rowan pressed a kiss to her brow. “I’ll be right back. Let me tuck your sister in.”

Wisteria squealed as Rowan gathered her up before tucking her blankets tight around her.

“Do I have to sleep?” Wisteria whined, wrestling her arms out from beneath the blankets as Rowan piled plushies around her, hoping they would give Wisteria a good enough reason to stay put.

“You do,” Rowan said, settling the weighted turtle plushie Wisteria loved most on her chest. “So you can have lots of energy for tomorrow.”

“What’s tomorrow?” Wisteria asked, yawning as she wrapped her arms around her turtle.

“We’re going to watch lots of movies tomorrow,” Rowan murmured, kissing Wisteria’s little cheek. “And do some crafts. And maybe it’ll snow and we can go and make snow angels.”

Wisteria gasped. “You think it’ll snow?”

“It might,” she said, pulling the blankets up around Wisteria’s chin. “It’s almost Christmas after all, love.”

“Stella loves the snow!” Wisteria sang, seeming to forget about her earlier resistance as her eyes began to droop closed.

“She does! She loves to eat snowflakes!” Aurora added, squealing as the sound of tails clicked on the floors. “Stella!”

Rowan turned just in time to see Stella hopping up into Aurora’s bed, curling up at her feet. Aurora sat up, scratching between Stella’s ears, smiling wide.

“Stella wants to hear a story too, mommy.”

“Well I would never want to disappoint Stella.”

Stella wagged her tail in response, giving one soft woof as she nestled her head against the side of Aurora’s legs.

“The question is though, what story should I read first?”

Wisteria whimpered, her eyes falling closed, her brow wrinkling as she tried and failed to open them again. “Mine… Please, mommy.”

And how could Rowan say no to that?

Perching on the edge of Wisteria’s bed, she read Wisteria’s latest favourite book. About a moon princess who had to save her friends. The pictures were drowning in glitter and vibrant gemstone shades. When she was more awake Wisteria enjoyed running her fingers over the illustrations, gasping at the way the different textures felt beneath her hands.

“They feel like stars,” she would say, speaking in an awed whisper, utterly enchanted by her book.

By the time the story had reached its conclusion, promising a happily ever after for all its characters, Wisteria had fallen soundly asleep, her cheek smushed against her pillow and her turtle clutched safely in her arms.

Rowan brushed Wisteria’s hair back, whispering a quiet I love you, before moving to Aurora’s bed, who’s amber eyes were still bright as the stars hanging in the velvet darkness of the sky. Stella snored soundly on the bed at Aurora’s feet, but Aurora herself remained wide awake, her mouth pulled up into a crescent moon smile as Rowan plucked her book up from the nightstand next to her bed.

“You have to go to sleep too,” Rowan said, arching a brow when Aurora sat up again to run her hands through Stella’s fur.

“I just wanna hear my story,” she whined, keeping her voice low as she flicked her gaze towards Wisteria.

Although there wasn’t really much of a need. Once Wisteria was surrounded by her blankets and plushies, nestled comfortably in a makeshift nest, it was usually only a matter of time until she fell into oblivion. Only the darkest of nightmares or someone scooping her out of her den would wake her.

Rowan kissed the top of Aurora’s head. “You’ll hear your story. But you have to lay back down.”

Sighing, Aurora curled up on her side, tugging her blanket up over her nose. She fluttered her lashes as she peeked up at Rowan, her brows raised expectantly.

Snorting, Rowan took that as her cue to begin reading. Aurora’s chosen book was a bit longer, the illustrations painted in powder pink and baby blue and soft ivory. The colours melted into each other, the edges of each character softened so they seemed to glow. It was a simple princess story, quite similar to Sleeping Beauty, although there was no dragon and the princess and the prince went on an adventure together instead of getting married.

Aurora sighed again, sounding almost dreamy as Rowan reached the last page, her chubby cheeks rosy as she smiled up at Rowan. “That’s a good story.”

“It is, my love,” she said, letting Aurora take the book and tuck it under her pillow. “Are you ready for sleep now?”

Aurora nodded. “I hope I dream of nice fairies tonight.”

“I’m sure you will,” she murmured, kissing Aurora’s brow once more. “Sleep well, my love.”

The girls’ night-lights glowed softly in the shadows of the room as Rowan flicked the lights off and crept quietly from the room. She left the door slightly ajar, for when Stella inevitably got up to go to the bathroom before Rowan and Gavin went to bed, too.

But Rowan had only just turned the hall lights off, not wanting the warm golden light to bother the girls when she felt arms wrapping around her, sweeping her from her feet.

She gasped, wanting to cry out at the surprise, but catching herself at the last minute. She could feel the rumble of laughter in Gavin’s chest, felt his breath tangling in her hair as he pressed his face against the top of her head, trying and failing to keep his laughter quiet.

“Gavin Bai,” she hissed, narrowing her eyes as she tried to wiggle in his arms to glare up at him. Although it was of no use, as he was holding her so tightly against him and his face was completely buried in her hair. All she managed to do was jab her nose into his neck as he walked towards the stairs, shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

He carried her all the way to the kitchen before setting her down on top of the counter, loosening his grip on her enough for her to pry herself free and smack his arm.

“What was that?!” She asked, struggling to keep the smile from her face. “You scared me!”

His brow creased for a moment, concern flashing in his starry eyes, but it soon vanished as he caught the smile spreading across her lips. “I don’t think you were scared.”

“Well I was surprised at the very least,” she said, tipping her chin up as she crossed her arms. “I could have woken the girls.”

He arched a brow. “As if Wisteria would ever wake up after being tucked into bed. And the twins wouldn’t be able to hear you from down the hall and over their white noise machine.”

“I mean they could have,” she retorted, pouting.

His brow rose higher. “And was Aurora still awake?”

She flicked her eyes to the floor, where a splotch of icing was congealing on the tiles. “Yes.”

“Then I don’t think you would have disturbed anyone.”

Rowan wrinkled her nose, glaring harder at the icing. But Gavin didn’t rise to her bait, instead pressing a kiss to her cheek. “I just couldn’t wait to hold you now that they’re asleep.”

She felt her pout slipping away as she slowly slid her gaze back to his, finding his golden eyes alight with joy. “Now we can have time just the two of us.”

Rowan started to smile, right as a yawn caught in her throat, forcing her eyes to squeeze shut as a wave of fatigue washed over her.

Gavin hummed softly, tugging her back against his chest, her head falling against his shoulder. “Although maybe you’re tired, too.”

“I’m not tired,” she whined, even as she melted against him, her eyes falling closed as he rubbed her back.

“Now where have I heard that before?”

She rolled her eyes, her gaze bouncing around the kitchen. “We still have to clean up in here. It’s a mess.”

“I can handle that if you want,” he offered, his words brushing against her ear. “And you can go and shower and get into bed if you’d like. I can bring you something to eat and we can watch anything you’d like.”

She whined again, squeezing her eyes shut. “You want me to shower alone?”

Gavin grew still, his breath catching. His voice was lower when he spoke again, sending gauzy-winged butterflies scattering in her belly. “I can go with you, if you’d like.”

She pulled away, just enough to catch sight of the rosy blush crawling over his cheeks and blooming on the tips of his ears. But her eyes shifted to a splatter of green icing peeking out from beneath his still-wet bangs. She brushed his hair back, delight bubbling in her chest as she swiped her thumb over the stain, smearing it across his brow.

Any headiness that may have suffused the air for a moment dissipated as she giggled, showing him the icing clinging to her thumb. “I think you might need the shower more than me.”

He blinked, bemusement flashing in his eyes. But it was quickly replaced with an impish light as he reached behind her for something, the sound of plastic bowls clattering together. Before she could think, he had swiped his own thumb across her cheek, grinning.

Now it was Rowan’s turn to blink in confusion until he unveiled his thumb and the red icing still staining his skin.

“Now we match,” he teased, swiping it again over her brow. “Although I think you’ll be the one needing that shower most.”

She giggled, trying to turn around to find the bowls of icing he must have moved to the counter when she’d been putting Aurora and Wisteria to bed. But Gavin caught her wrists, stopping her from searching for any more ammunition. He drew her back towards him, his face and ears flushed crimson now.

Which was a shame. Because she had already imagined what he would look like with canary yellow icing over his face.

“Why don’t we head upstairs,” he murmured, still smiling as his eyes flicked to the icing on her face. “And get cleaned up.”

“What about the kitchen?” She asked, shooting another worried look around the room.

It really did need to be cleaned up. And the sooner they did it the better.

“I’ll handle that later,” he said, taking her chin and drawing her attention back to him. “But right now I just want to spend some time with my wife.”

She opened her mouth to argue, the messiness of the kitchen making her stomach churn with anxiousness, but Gavin cut her off before she could.

“Let me help. Let me take care of you.”

She wilted, not having much energy left to argue as she let her head fall against his shoulder once again. “Okay, you win.”

She could hear the smile in his voice as he lifted her up again. “Good. And I believe I remember saying I would take care of the cleanup anyways. And the laundry.”

She sighed, closing her eyes. “Are you sure?”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything.” He paused, kissing the top of her head. “Except when I knew I wanted to marry you. And when I did marry you.”

She giggled, pressing her face against his neck as happiness danced through her veins like warm summer sunshine.

“And when we decided to have each of our girls.”

She tried pressing closer, smiling against his skin. “You’re sounding awfully romantic right now.”

He coughed, and she felt his heartbeat tripping over itself in his chest. “I’m just telling you the truth.”

She peeled away to peek up at him, catching his warm, bright eyes. “That you really want to clean up the kitchen and finish the laundry?”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “No. That I love you. And when it comes to you, to making you happy, I’m always sure.”

She nestled back against him, feeling a little like she was made of sunshine and spun sugar and glitter stars. Like she was all the vibrant colours and sparkles in Wisteria’s book, and all the soft colours melting together in Aurora’s.

“You do make me happy,” she murmured, holding his gaze. “You always make me happy. Whenever you’re close.”

“Then I’ll stay right by your side,” he breathed. “I’ll stay at your side forever.”

“And that includes in the shower?”

He laughed, the sound bright and cheerful, the seed from which all her happiness could bloom. It reminded her of the wind in the trees, of the melody of her favourite songs, of the light of the first stars filling the midnight sky.

“Especially in the shower,” he said at last, still grinning.

“Just in case I trip,” she said, feigning seriousness. “Showers are dangerous, you know.”

“I’ll keep you safe, then,” he said, voice soft as feather down.

“I’ll keep you safe, too,” she whispered, her body starting to grow heavy as the last of her energy began to drain away. “I’ll stay by your side forever, too.”

“That’s all I want,” he said, shouldering their bedroom door open before setting her on the bed for a moment. He paused, leaning down to peer at her. “Although there is one more thing I want.”

She furrowed her brow. “What is it?”

He cupped her face in both hands, his bangs tickling the skin of her brow, his breath tangling with hers as he leaned close.

“I want this.”

And when he pressed his lips to hers, she felt nothing but the warmth of his love, of his happiness, of the embrace he wrapped her in. She was swathed in his unwavering love, and her heart felt as though it were overflowing with her own. The world melted into pinks and reds and blues and brightest golds.

And as he embraced her, as one of his hands slipped into her hair, as her lips parted for him, as her hands twisted into the material of his shirt, she knew that this was everything she could ever want. She was not a moon princess like in Wisteria’s book, or a magical princess like in Aurora’s. She wasn’t a hero or a powerful fairy like in the girl’s cartoons, or a noble lady or sorceress like in her own shows.

But she doubted very much that she needed anything particularly special, because surely none of that could create the happiness that she felt with Gavin. None of that could compare to him and to the life they had made together.

She didn’t need to dream of fairies when she fell asleep at night to feel content. She just needed to know she would wake up and he would be there beside her. And she didn’t need to live in a storybook to know that, even when she was tired or grumpy or sad, today was her happily ever after. And tomorrow would be too, and the next day and the next, and every day after.

She was tired, and her face felt itchy from the icing as it dried, and the messy kitchen still worried her. But she had her beautiful daughters. And Gavin was here beside her. And that made every moment utterly, immeasurably special.