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lovelookspretty · 2 days

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lover of mine

drew starkey x actress!reader au

— in which drew and y/n, secretly exes, must fake date in order to keep the peace at a mutual friend’s wedding, but the forced proximity makes them question whether they ever truly moved on.

warnings: y/n lowkey being difficult because she doesnt want to lie to her best friend, DREW TRYING HIS BEST

one | two | three | four

authors note: okay she was a little UGHcore but i just needed a rocky start before things got cute n theyll be communicating soon. guys i promise theyll get better n y/n also wont feel so guilty as time goes on !!!!!

you gaze up at the home through the window of the car. drew is driving beside you, insisting you begin the plan by arriving together to the address leila forwarded to everyone.

“it’s . . . i didn’t think it would look like this,” you say aloud, and drew turns down the volume of the radio after he parks the car out front.

the house is big, surrounded by a few others down the road that look similar to it. the first floor seems like a basement area because the stairs at the front of the house lead all the way up to the second floor and continue two more, standing at four in total.

it’s just a few miles away from town that you and drew were able to drive by and take a look at on the way there. the area is beautiful. no wonder why leila’s mom and her boyfriend stay there.

the front door is open and you spot leila’s head peeking out of the doorway just on time. she disappears for a moment before she’s leaving the house to hurry down the stairs, probably to greet you both. you’re already unbuckling your seatbelt and getting out of the car to meet her halfway.

“isn’t it amazing? was it a safe drive from los angeles?” leila asks as you quickly greet her with a hug, before you walk her over to drew’s car. he’s opened the trunk and back doors to retrieve your things. “two weeks here will be nice, huh?”

“oh absolutely,” you agree with her, and you grab your purse from the backseat and drew’s backpack, then shut the door. “is everyone else here?”

“yeah, they just got here an hour ago—gia brought her boyfriend, roman. he’s a little shady but they’re kinda cute. libby’s here too, ooh, and oscar, theo’s childhood friend,” leila says and you can just hear the excitement in her voice that makes you smile.

you hold one of the straps of drew’s backpack and hold it up for him to take it while leila keeps talking. you watch as he eyes it for a moment before looking at you, as if he’s wondering why you don’t want to take it.

the thought doesn’t even cross your mind but it’s fine. he takes his backpack and slings it over his shoulder, then continues to grab the handle of his suitcase and carry it out of the trunk, then yours.

you stand there and wait for him to hand you something to carry but he just keeps his backpack on both shoulders, shuts the trunk, locks the car, and then grasps both suitcase’s handles with either of his hands, ready to head up. there’s a faint smile on his face when he faces you and leila.

“you’re taking them?” you ask, referring to both of your things so you can just bring your purse to the house.

he nods like it’s nothing, “yeah, i got it.”

leila can’t help but awe at you two. “you guys are so adorable. theo and i missed having you both around,” she says as she turns around and heads to the home.

at her words, you peer over your shoulder and send drew a knowing look, but there’s a slight twinge of guilt in both of your expressions that you have to shrug off.

you and drew stand side-by-side as you confront the home, watching as leila walks up the steps and is immediately approached by theo, who hands her a drink.

they share a kiss, and right past them you can just barely spot a few figures that must be the rest of the group. they’re shouting and laughing with one another, leaving you to look at drew again.

he gives you a nudge. “professionals, remember?” he’s referring back to your initial conversation about the plan just two weeks ago.

something about all of this just makes your stomach turn, but you nod. “professionals,” you repeat, and then look at the house again, then you take your step.

you’re carefully settling down on the bed leila’s given you and drew. it’s in a separate room right next to where she and theo will be sleeping. and of course, there’s just one bed.

“i can take the couch tonight if you want,” drew offers as he sets both of your belongings on the side, but he’s talking about sleeping on the small couch on the opposite side of the room to the bed, just against the window.

“it’s just sleeping in a bed, star, it’s nothing we haven’t done before,” you tell him with a shake of your head, and drew’s shoulders drop ever so slightly at the sound of his old nickname, the one that once rolled off your tongue so effortlessly. now, it feels like a small peace offering, a reminder of when things were simpler.

he gives it a few moments to make sure you’re okay with it, before he nods. “okay,” he says.

you check the time on your phone. it’s already eleven in the morning and leila said she wanted to go swimming in the afternoon. you have a whole beach ahead of the house but she insists on using the pool in the back. theo even suggested earlier that he and oscar can grill some lunch.

“i should get ready,” you say as you stand and toss your phone on the bed, then approach your suitcase. there’s a knock at the door and you know it’s leila. “i’ll be out soon, sorry!” you tell her, hoping you’re loud enough for her to hear you from all the music they’re playing out there.

you glance up at drew when you see he’s just standing there. “what are you gonna be doing?” you ask him, then rifle around your clothes for a bikini.

he scratches the back of his head as he settles on the couch, and he shrugs, “might join theo and oscar since they’ve been down there already.”

you only nod as you find a matching set that you’ll decide to wear today. drew is looking around the room, even outside where the views are like paintings on a canvas.

“this place is so nice,” he says, a little too casually, like he’s trying to ease the awkwardness. “lei’s mom really knows how to live it up.”

you don’t respond right away, focusing on your makeup bag that you need to retrieve something in. it’s not that you don’t hear him, you just . . . don’t feel like talking. when you finally do, your voice comes out flatter than intended. “yeah. it’s a nice place.”

tension lingers heavy in the air. you hear drew shift on the couch, probably sensing your mood, but he continues. “kinda reminds me of that trip we took up the coast. remember that little inn with the—”

“i don’t really want to talk about that right now,” you cut him off, your tone sharper than you mean it to be. you don’t look at him, you just reapply your perfume as if it’s the most important task in the world.

there’s a pause, and you can feel drew’s gaze on you. “right,” he says quietly, “sorry.”

you exhale, trying to shake off the tension building in your chest. you know it’s not his fault—not entirely. this whole thing was a bad idea from the start, but you agreed. you’re here. and now, you’re stuck with him, in this room, pretending like everything’s fine when it’s the furthest thing from it.

“i . . . didn’t mean to snap,” you say, softer this time. “it’s just, i’m still not completely okay with all of this.”

drew leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “i get that. but we’ve already talked about it. we agreed to do this, and now we’re here. you know that it’s too late to back out.”

you close your suitcase with more force than necessary, finally looking up at him. “yeah, but it wasn’t my idea to lie to my best friend, drew.”

his jaw clenches for a second, and you can see the faint flicker of hurt in his eyes, but he doesn’t lash out. he just nods, “i know it wasn’t. but you’re here. you agreed.”

you purse your lips, frustration building. “yeah. because you asked me to. not because i wanted to.”

he runs a hand through his hair, letting out a slow breath. “i didn’t want to drag you into this if you were gonna be miserable the whole time.”

“i’m not miserable,” you snap, but the lie feels heavy as it leaves your lips. you avoid his gaze, the weight of everything sitting on your shoulders. “i just don’t want to pretend everything’s okay when it’s not.”

he’s quiet for a moment, the silence thick between you two. “i’m trying, y/n,” drew says finally, his voice low, almost pleading. “i’m trying to make this less . . . awkward, but it feels like no matter what i say, it’s wrong.”

you just fold your arms, staring at the floor. “maybe that’s because it’s not just about this trip. it’s about everything that happened before.”

drew’s expression hardens, but he doesn’t argue. “i know. i just thought that maybe this could be a chance for us to be around each other again. figure things out.”

you raise your eyebrows. “figure what out? there’s nothing left to figure out. we’re not together. and pretending like we are just feels wrong.”

he’s silent for a long moment, staring at you like he’s trying to find the right words but can’t. eventually, he just stands, moving over to the window. “if you want out, y/n, you can tell them the truth. i’m not gonna stop you.”

you swallow hard, not knowing what to say to that. of course, he’s not wrong—you could end this charade whenever you want. but something keeps you from doing it. maybe it’s the fear of letting everyone down. maybe it’s the guilt of seeing leila so happy, thinking everything’s fine between you and drew.

or maybe it’s something deeper—something you’re not ready to admit to yourself yet.

“i’m not gonna ruin leila and theo’s plan,” you mutter, more to yourself than to him. “i’m sticking to ours.”

you’ve collected your swim suit and a pair of shorts and head for the bathroom. before you close the door behind you, you hear drew’s quiet voice, more resigned than angry now.

“i’m trying, y/n. i wish you’d let me.”

you’ve joined leila downstairs, as she’s planned on preparing other food for todays lunch in the kitchen, so libby, gia, and roman are already there enjoying themselves. they’re mainly just talking, not doing much other than that. leila’s already set everything up for you and her to work on for the next half hour or so.

you greet libby and gia with a small wave, having already said hello to them when you first got there. libby is a publicist in hollywood who met leila while she was filming some indie movie earlier in her career. she was brought in to manage leila’s pr during a press tour and boom—immediate friends.

gia and roman came sometime after. all you know is that leila met gia at a party like you and leila. gia’s incredible in fashion and helped leila with some of her carpet looks. roman’s just this alternative musician who she started dating this year. cute, but a little weird, like leila said.

“so, you and drew starkey?” roman asks as he pops a grape in his mouth, eyeing you. “i thought outerbanks didn’t have a girlfriend.”

“you thought that, and a lot of people still do,” you tell him. leila’s showing you her plan on what to cook while you watch. “he and i like to keep it private.”

“more like a complete secret,” he says, in which gia has to smack his arm to tell him to stop talking. “what? nobody knows.”

“some relationships work better that way,” you say.

“yeah, maybe take a page out of their book and do the same,” libby tells roman, and you see leila smiling at her friends as she works on dicing the vegetables. “there’s a few photos of you two out on the internet. i mean gia, baby, if i were you, i’d keep it a secret. roman’s so blah.”

he shakes his head at her and it makes you smile this time. libby catches it and grins, giving you a nod as she peels her orange.

after eating lunch and playing around in the water for hours, you all finally settle at the firepit, minus gia and roman who insisted they needed to sleep earlier because of their flight in today.

you’re leaning back against the seat, sitting next to leila who’s wrapped up in her blanket. the boys and libby are talking on their own about whatever. you don’t know. you just see drew smiling and constantly leaning forward and laughing, in which you tell him every time to be careful in case he gets too close to the fire.

your focus wavers when you feel his hand casually rest on your thigh. it’s not possessive, but there’s a weight to it. you immediately stiffen, your body instinctively tensing at the sudden contact.

your gaze flicks to his hand, then up to his face. he’s not even looking at you, continuing his conversation, acting as though the gesture is completely natural. it’s all part of the act, you remind yourself. he’s only doing it to make sure no one suspects anything. you know you can’t react—any sign of discomfort would raise questions you don’t want to answer—but it pulls you out of the moment with leila.

you force a small, tight smile and try to refocus, nodding along to whatever leila is saying.

“how have you and drew been?” she asks you, and you suddenly feel that guilt creeping up on you at that moment. that’s a terrible question.

you blink twice, considering your words before speaking, “we’re good, really good. it’s gonna be a little hard when drew leaves to film soon, but you know how it goes.”

she hums. “that’s how theo said he felt like when i was away for white lotus,” she says gently, understanding where you’re coming from.

you smile, but the weight of your lie settles deep in your chest. it’s a weird feeling, pretending to be something you're not, especially when leila’s eyes are so kind, so trusting. you know she means well, but there’s just so much guilt.

leila tilts her head and leans it on the back of the couch, watching you. “it’s tough, isn’t it? balancing everything—work, life, love. theo and i had such a hard time with it at first.”

you nod, keeping your hands busy by fiddling to avoid looking at her. “yeah, it is. i mean, it’s always been a challenge with our schedules.”

leila’s brows furrows slightly. “you two have always seemed like you handle it so well, though. what’s your secret?”

your heart races a little, and you force a chuckle. “i guess we’ve just gotten used to it.”

the words feel hollow, and you wonder if she can sense it. it’s not a complete lie—you and drew had gotten used to it all, but that was before everything fell apart. before the distance between you became more than just physical.

leila catches your eye again, her voice softer. “you two have always been so private. it’s kinda nice, though. you don’t have to deal with all the drama the rest of us go through with the media and stuff.”

you force a laugh, and you can just feel the warmth radiating off your body. “yeah, it has its perks.”

you can’t even look at her. your gaze keeps getting drawn to the fire that leila can just sense the awkwardness, tilting her head a little, and you can see the faintest trace of concern in her expression.

“you okay, y/n? you seem . . . i don’t know. tired?”

“i’m fine,” you say, a little too quickly. you clear your throat, trying to keep your voice steady as you continue. “it’s just . . .” you pause, checking that the others aren’t listening before leaning in to speak quietly, “drew and i, we’ve been under a lot of pressure lately. work and everything. i think it’s just catching up with us.”

leila nods, sympathy in her eyes. “i get it. it’s hard when you don’t get enough time together.” she pauses, looking like she’s considering her next words. “but hey, at least you’re here now. a couple of weeks without any distractions, right? this could be good for you two.”

leila’s gaze shifts to the others where drew is still laughing with theo, libby, and oscar. her voice softens again, and she leans closer to you this time. “it’s just nice to see you both here. i don’t think i’ve even seen him since that last time we all hung out a year ago. it’s been a while.”

your heart drops because she’s right—the last time she saw drew was when you were still together, a year ago.

leila just smiles, “well i’m glad you’re both here. theo and i were saying how we miss having you two around more often. it’s gonna be so fun, just like old times.”

you nod, the guilt wrapping itself tighter around your chest, making it hard to breathe to your own best friend. you manage to force another smile, but it feels brittle, like it could shatter at any second.

just then, drew catches your eye as you and leila continue your conversation. his grin falters for just a second when he sees you, like he knows what’s on your mind. and for a brief moment, you wonder if this whole charade is even worth it.

“yeah . . . just like old times.”

@rubixgsworld @itgirlbrina @thepopcultureaddict @samsmelodrama @kissfinalgirl @itsamegazaddysworld

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astr0n0va1 · 2 days

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𝐌𝐢 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚 - 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨 𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐬 - 𝟒

Previous parts: Teaser , 1, 2, 3

Sorry about the long wait but heres pt.4, and I loved writing this part please share your thoughts. Thank you for your patience 💗.

2,148 words

Monday arrived quickly and as you all made your way into AMMO headquarters everyone seemed to be in a good mood.

“So how was it?” Rita asked.

“Eventful.” You replied while making your way to your desk.

“Damm no details, you don’t even want to elaborate?” Rita said.

“No or at least not right now, maybe during lunch.” You commented.

“Fine but you better keep your word.” She said before picking up some files.

As the day went by, you luckily hadn’t encountered Armando. You saw him walk by a few times and then get called upstairs for something. Everyone watched as he got up and left. Kelly looked towards you, raising her eyebrows, you simply shrugged your shoulders and went back to your station.

“Okay, guys, Y/N and I are going out for lunch. We will see you all shortly,” Rita said, grabbing her keys.

You grabbed your bag and headed towards the door.

“Rita, Y/n where y’all going?” Asked Mike.

“To run some errands,” Rita responded.

“Okay, whatever. Y/N, we start training today at 6, don't forget.” He reminded you before walking off.

Skip to lunch

"Wait, so you guys kissed on the same night he disappeared from the house?” Rita asked, trying to understand.

“Yes, that's exactly what happened and now I’m not sure what to do. I can either ask him what’s wrong which I feel will make me look obsessive, or I can just pretend it never happened.” You say before taking a sip of your lemonade.

“It’s weird but if you like him ask him if you don’t then treat this as a small one-time hookup.” She added while staring out into the street.

“Rita, are you ok you keep staring off?” You state while trying to get her attention.

“I don’t know, do you ever get the feeling you’re being watched, I feel like that right now and my intuition usually doesn’t lie?” Rita explained.

“We can go if you want, just give me a second while I get Kelly’s order. I’ll meet you at the car.” You said before getting up.

You walked towards the register and waited in line while they finished the order. Some girl walked past you and dropped her card holder.

You tried to get her attention but she didn’t turn around, you ended up losing her in a crowd so you looked through the cards trying to find some sort of identification.

Her name was Rosanne Cabral, you admired her picture for a second and then looked for any useful information. You then found her address on her driver's license, and decided that you would go drop it off at her mailbox.

You picked up Kelly’s order and made your way to the car.

“What took so long?” Rita asked.

“They were understaffed.” You replied lying.

You didn’t want to lie to Rita but she was on edge and you didn’t want her to worry more. It was an act of kindness nothing bad could come from it. ——————————————————————

You arrived at the gym a little bit earlier than Mike and started stretching before warming up. Once Mike got there you both got started.

“Okay today we are going to train a little easy for the test so let’s start with push-ups until failure, then we’ll move into the 1.5-mile run practice and we’ll finish up with some pull-ups,” Mike said with an enthusiastic clap.

“Mike, I thought you were preparing me for the test, not war.” You said dramatically.

“Your test is in like 3 weeks. By the end of next week, I’ll have you ready but you need to follow my plan and stick to the routine.” He replies.

“Plus everything you do I’ll be doing along with you.” He said trying to motivate you.

You started up well but by your 30th push, you gave up. Mike just kept going, then during the 1.5 mile run Mike stayed behind you pushing you to go faster which made you hit your time for your mile.

For the pull-ups, you only got to 15 as you were exhausted by then. Mike looked at you as you laid on the floor.

“Girl that was nothing, you being dramatic.” He said while taking a sip from his water.

“Mike, I'm more of a yoga girl, I'm not a gym rat.” You explain while taking a sip from your water.

“Y/n I’m just messing with you, but your mile timing is good, and we will work on the rest. That’s what I’m here for.” He noted trying to encourage you.

“Thank you Mike but I’m debating about taking that test, we have enough people I don’t need to be out there.” You explained.

“What if one day the whole team is in danger, you’re going to have to go out there eventually.” He remarked trying to talk some sense into you.

“You’re right but that’s a what-if thing, I don’t think you all will ever let that happen.” You said.

You both started walking out towards the parking lot. You noticed Armando’s motorcycle still parked at the other end of the parking lot.

“Christine is making dinner tonight. Do you want to come over for dinner?” Mike asked while placing his bag in his trunk.

“Mike you know I never turn down dinner but…” He cut you off before you could finish.

“Great, we will see you there shortly,” he said before getting in his car and driving off.

You decided to just go in your gym outfit since you didn’t plan to stay for long. And you still had to go drop off the wallet too.You made it there 10 minutes after Mike got there, and by then they had set the table and were waiting on you.

“Hi Christine I’m sorry for dropping in your plans at the last minute, but Mike insisted I come for dinner.” You said before hugging her.

“Y/n you’re such a sweetheart, of course I don’t mind you coming for dinner.” She replied while leading you to a seat.

“Did you want to wait until Armando gets here?” Christine asked Mike before setting him up a plate on the table.

“He’s coming late, we can start without him.” He replied.

You felt relieved to hear that, your goal right was to leave before Armando got there.

Dinner flowed well and you all conversed about day-to-day life, your family, and other things. As you all finished Christine started clearing all the plates from the table, and before you went over to help Mike asked you something.

“So Y/n… still no boyfriend?” Mike asked in a curious tone.

You wiped your mouth and responded, “Sometimes our job makes it hard to settle down.”

“Come on Y/n be real with me. You and I know some people in the AMMO squad have had their eye on you, and not only just there.” Mike said.

“The only thing I know you might be referring to is the Louis thing, and honestly that was embarrassing.” You replied denying most things he implied.

“As far as I can see you have some good options. You have Rafe who’d do anything for you, Louis who just happens to be the mayor’s son, and a little somebody I know.” He said with a smile.

“Rafe and I are more platonic than anything, Louis has his head too far up his ass because his dad is mayor, and I don’t know who else you might be referring to. Now if you’ll excuse i’ll go help clean up.” You said before getting up to help Christine clear the dishes.

You helped her clear the dishes and wipe down the table. After that, you started getting ready to leave, and as you said goodbye to Christine and made your way over to Mike he offered to walk you out.

“My bad if I was being too nosy, and overstepped some boundaries Y/n.” He said apologetically.

“Mike it’s ok you have been like a father figure to me ever since I started this job, so I understand where you are coming from.” You clarified.

“Father figure..me? I’m honored. But just remember you’re always welcome to come by.” He said.

You hugged him and made your way to your car. As you walked closer to your car you noticed that Armando had just arrived. He took his helmet off and got off the bike, still not noticing you there.

You gathered your courage and went up to him.

“Hey, Armando.” You said trying to get his attention.

“Y/n” He replied, still not looking at you.

“How have you been?” You asked, trying to ease up into what you wanted to ask.

“Busy.” He replied now, finally turning to face you.

“Umm yeah definitely, I was wondering why did you leave Saturday night?” You asked.

“Had something I needed to take care of.” He replied dryly.

“Oh ok I was just wondering, but I do have something else to ask. I don't know how to say this but I’ll just try to spit it out. “ You explained while trying to put your words together.

He simply stared at you implying for you to talk.

“I just wanted to know where we stood after last weekend.” You asked trying to keep yourself together, and not let your nerves show.

“It was a kiss and we will both get over it. You should just go on and forget that anything ever happened, " he replied, seeming annoyed by the question.

Your throat felt dry and your eyes started to string with the feeling of tears you were holding back. You managed to keep yourself together and respond,” Oh ok Yeah maybe it is for the best.”

After that, you both stared at each other for a few seconds. But then just you made your way into your car, and he walked up the driveway and into Mike’s house.

Once he was out of sight, you started to lightly cry and started driving away. After a few minutes of driving, you pulled over on the side of the road and wiped your face. You sat and thought about it all, but what bothered you the most was how it just changed all of a sudden

How one day you were both trying to open up to each other and he’s just saying it’s best if you both forget everything.You took a deep breath out and tried to calm yourself down, but then you remembered that you still had the cardholder.You decided to drop it off before going home. The drive would help you clear your head and would also keep you from going home and sulking in your bed.

The drive took around 20 minutes from the side of town you were on. By the time you arrived, it was a little over 9:30 and the street was a empty.

It was a nice apartment building, but because the mailbox access was private you had to go to the apartment itself.

You walked up the stairs and knocked on the door. After a few seconds, a girl opened the door.

“Hi, can I help you?” She asked.

“Hi you dropped this earlier today and I saw it on the floor but when I tried to get your attention I don‘t think you heard me. I did have to look at your license to get here so I hope you don’t mind.” You explained.

“Oh my god thank you so much you’re a lifesaver, but it’s all good at least you got it back to me.” She said, expressing her thanks to you.

“No problem.” You responded before almost turning around to leave.

“How can I repay you?” She asked before you could leave the front of her door.

“No, there's no need.” You said trying to kindly deny her generous offer.

“No, I insist I’m new here in Miami and it’s been a rough start. Please let me at least invite you to brunch or something.” She said insistently .

“I’ll accept your invitation but only because I know how hard it can be to make new friends here in Miami. But this is not you repaying me because it is not necessary.” You said finally accepting.

You then gave her your number, and before you left you realized you hadn’t gotten her name.

“I’m sorry but I never got your name?” You asked before leaving.

“It’s Rosanne but I go by Rose.” She replied.

“Ok then just let me know for brunch and I’ll get back to you.” You said.

“Ok, I will thank you so much.” She said before going back in.

You walked back to your car and got in. It was only monday but the week had just started off strong.

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Taglist: @cardi-bre91, @believeinthefireflies95, @blackgirlmagicforever , @bootlegroach , @mentalidrainedfangirl , @lotusunique, @thesizzler , @marissa53115 , @yeahnohoneybye @housewifewithnohusband22

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#armando aretas #jacob scipio #armando aretas x reader #bad boys ride or die #bad boys for life #armando x reader

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mama2bears · 3 days

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The Storm Of Life Chapter 3

Pairing: Tyler/F.Reader

Warnings: None.

Chapter 1 Chapter 2

Chapter 3

A loud clash of thunder startled you awake, lighting lit up the room. “MOMMY!” the kids starting screaming for you from the other room. “I am coming.” you sighed, standing up. You had a headache and your stomach felt like it was doing somersaults. You felt like you were burning up, yet a chill ran down your spin. Great, you thought. Now I am sick on top of everything else.

“Hey guys, it's okay.” you open the door to the children's room, turning your head as you coughed. “Mommy is here.”

“I am scared.” Harley was crying and hugging her teddy bear.

“Is a tornado coming to destroy this house too?” Billy asked, tears streaming down his face.

Thunder boomed outside again and lighting struck something nearby, shaking the house with a boom. The nightlight in the room went out and the kids screamed. You started to tremble with fear. Was there a tornado out there?

“Hey, everything okay?” Tyler came up behind you, placing a hand on your shoulder as he shone a flashlight around the room.

“We're scared.” Billy cried, “Is a tornado coming?”

“No, this is just a thunderstorm, buddy.” Tyler reassured the child. “No tornadoes tonight. If there was one, we would go into a place called a storm cellar that's connected to the house and we'd be safe in there. This is nothing more then thunder and lighting.”

“Excuse me.” you take off running for the bathroom, feeling your stomach getting sick. You stumbled in the hallway before finally making it to the bathroom fumbled around to the toilet. It was so dark you could hardly see anything.

“You guys stay right here. I am only going across the hall to help your mama, okay?” Tyler said.

The kids nodded and huddled under their blankets.

“You okay?” Tyler asked, shinning the light into the bathroom.

You were sitting on the floor, head hung over the toilet as your stomach emptied it's self of everything you ate or drank in the last several hours.

Tyler got a wash cloth from the closet and ran it under cool water. “Here. This might help.” he said bringing it over to you and brushing a strand of hair away from your face.

“Thanks.” your voice was barely a whisper as you took deep breaths and held the cool clothe to your face, trying to get your stomach to settle down.

“Not a problem.” he responded, resting a hand on your shoulder for a moment.

Finally, you decide your stomach was over with being sick and you stood with the help of Tyler supporting your arm and dropped the wash clothe in the hamper.

“Come on, I'll make sure you get back to your room okay.” Tyler said softly, shinning the flashlight in front of you to light up the hall.

“No, I gotta go back with the kids. They're terrified of storms.” you turn to head towards the kids room.

“Let me sit up with them, as long as they are okay with it. You should be in bed resting.”

You shake your head, “I couldn't ask you to do that. I am not even sure they will be okay with a stranger.” you glance at him, “Well a new friend at least. They just met you today. It takes a lot for me to calm them down in storms.”

“It's okay. You aren't asking me, I am offering. I don't have any big plans for tomorrow, and you're sick.” he said, “Go back to bed. I'll sit with them for a bit if they want me to.”

You nod and Tyler leads you back into your room, making sure you made it to the bed. As you crawled under the covers once more he turned and left, closing the door halfway behind him.

“Hey guys...how are we doing?” Tyler asked. The storm had seemed to be calming down now and the kids didn't seem so afraid.

“Is it gone?” Harley asked.

“For now. I think there are more coming.” he answered.

“Is mommy okay?” Billy asked.

“Mommy is okay, but she's sick. She went back to bed to lay down so she can feel better.” Tyler explained. “You know how it is to be sick, right?”

Both kids nodded, “I don't like to be sick. I feel yucky.” Harley made a face, sticking out her tongue.

“I just want to lay down when I am sick. I don't feel good when I am sick.” Billy added.

“That's right.” Tyler shook his head, “And that's how your mama is feeling right now. How about you guys come down stairs with me and we'll get your mommy some medicine and water to help her feel better, then I'll sit in here with you until all the storms are gone. Will that be okay?”

“You chase storms, right?” Billy asked.

Tyler nodded, “That's right. Sometimes I do.”

“Do you know when there is a tornado?” he asked.

Tyler nodded, “Normally, yes. We have a very good idea when and where the tornadoes are going to hit. That's why we chase the storms. We try to warn people of the danger before the tornadoes come and we help them after the storm.”

“Are there tornadoes coming this way tonight?” Billy asked.

“No, buddy. No tornadoes tonight. I promise. Only thunder and lighting and lots of rain.”

“It's still scary.” Harley added.

“I know.” Tyler went over and gave the little girl a hug, “That's why I am going to stay in here with you after we get your mommy some medicine. I'll stay up and watch the storms to make sure there's no tornadoes or anything bad in them. I used to be scared of storms too, you know that?”

“Really?” Billy asked, “What did you do?”

“Well, come on downstairs with me and I'll tell you while I get some stuff for your mommy.” Tyler picked up Harley and extended a hand for Billy to hold. “Billy, you can be in charge of the flashlight if you want.”

“Cool!” Billy was happy to hold the flashlight and light the way down the stairs as Tyler continued talking. “Now, when I was little like you and scared of storms, my mama would build a little bed out of blankets and pillows and we'd snuggle down and play games, or tell stories, or even sing songs. Sometimes, we'd have milk and cookies for a snack.”

“I want milk and cookies.” Harley whined, laying her head on Tyler's shoulder as he carried her into the kitchen. He sat her down in a chair and Billy climbed up in a chair next to her.

“Alright guys. I am going to fix you some milk and cookies, but you can't tell your mommy about this, okay?”

They nodded as Tyler took down three glasses, filling two of them with milk and setting them down in front of the kids. He got two cookies from the cookie jar and placed them down.

“Can we sing songs and tell stories tonight?” Billy asked in between bites of his cookie.

“Sure buddy.” Tyler agreed, fixing a glass of water for you and getting some medicine for fever and upset stomach. “We'll make a little area of blankets and pillows and we will sing songs and tell stories until you guys are ready to go back to sleep.”

“Yay!” the kids cheered.

Thunder rolled again and instantly, their smiles faded and they got a look of fear.

“It's okay, just another storm rolling in.” Tyler assured them as they finished their cookies and milk. He put their glasses in the dishwasher and then picked up your medicine and water. “Billy, do you want to lead the way again?”

Billy nodded, holding the flashlight and leading the way up the stairs and to your mom.

You hear the door open and turn to look, “Hey, I got you some medicine for your stomach and fever.” Tyler said softly, setting the water on the nightstand and handing you two pills.

“Thanks, you didn't have to.” You sat up and gave him a smile, then looked at the kids, “What are you two doing out of bed?”

“Helping Mr. Tyler.” Billy grinned.

“And we had cookies and milk!” Harley added.

“Hey! That was suppose to be a secret! You gonna get me in trouble!” Tyler grinned then turned to you, “I kept them with me so they didn't get scared. I am going to sit with them until the storms are gone. Sounds like another one is rolling in.”

“We are going to sing songs and tell stories!” Billy added.

“Thank you.” You give a soft smile to Tyler and look over at your two kids, “You two be good for Mr. Tyler, understood?”

“Yes mommy.” they both say in union.

“Okay, guys. Ready to go make a cozy area out of your blankets and pillows?” he asked.

“YAY!” The kids cheer and each grab one of his hands and pull him out of the room.

“If you need anything, let me know.” Tyler called to you as the kids pull him down the hallway and you smile.

The kids eagerly grabbed the blankets and pillows from their bed, and Harley grabbed her favorite bear, Lulu. Tyler helped them set up a seating area in the corner far away from the window and then sat down and both kids climbed up in his lap.

“Alright, do we want a song or a story first?” he asked.

“I like the Mowana song!” Harley said.

Thinking for a moment, Tyler remembered a song from the movie. He enjoyed the Disney movies, but he didn't tell anyone else that. In a way, he was still just a kid himself. As his mama kept telling him...he never grew up.

Tyler leaned back against the wall and wrapped each kid in their blanket, then began to sing.

Every turn I take

Every trail I track

Every path I make

Every road leads back to the place I know

Where I cannot go

Where I long to be

As Tyler sang, his mind wandered. This is what he had always wanted, but could never find. This was where he could not go, but longed to be. Being with you today and being with the kids made him realize what he had been missing all these years. Horseback riding with kids in tow, watching them pick wildflowers for their mama, shopping for the kids, and now...being the protector during a storm. This was what he wanted, but could never seem to have. He dated a lot, but nothing ever really got serious. A family of his own was what he really was searching for all this time, but just could never find. 'Maybe someday.' he thought to himself with a sad smile. For now, this was enough. This felt like home. This felt like exactly where his heart wanted to be.

#twisters fanfic #tyler owens fic #tyler owens x reader #tyler owens x you #twisters x reader #twisters fic #twisters fanfiction

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stormyelliotwritez · 2 days

Note

walk with me…

ftm reader who has been in love with logan for years but he thinks logan is straight and also logan like wont stop being in love with jean and is absolutely OBLIVIOUS that r likes him.. (literally all the other x men know) and honestly this can be like super angsty or just silly idc whatever the vibe u best think works

im gonna somehow go with mostly angst coz thats my fav so here goes

tw for gender dysphoria related to wanting to fit logan’s so called type

BUT HE’S STRAIGHT?

Logan was staring at Jean again. This was like the fifth time just this staff meeting. You weren’t sure how much longer you could take this. Maybe Charles would let you go lay down if you faked a fever but maybe he’d do the whole psychic thing and realize you were fine.

You sat through the rest of the meeting and then left quickly, feeling like a loser. It’s been years and he still hasn’t noticed you. He’s always staring at Jean who’s literally been in love with Scott since they met. Why won’t he stare at you? How the fuck is he straight? But alas, he is.

You walked to your room, tugging at your shirt and wishing it would fit better. Maybe he’d have noticed you if you weren’t a boy, if you’d stayed what you’d been born as. Maybe if you were still her, he’d think you were cute. Maybe he’d look at you how he looked at Jean.

You slammed your door shut and clambered onto your bed, curling up into a ball. You stayed there, just thinking, until eventually you fell asleep.

In the morning, you got up and after showering and getting dressed, you threw on the jacket you’d stolen from Logan a few months ago, the one with the school’s logo. Maybe he wouldn’t notice. It’s not like he ever noticed you.

You went about your day, bumping into Scott who made a faux growl sound like Logan’s to tease you and then bumping into Hank who sniffed your jacket and then applauded you on managing to steal from Logan. Later in the day, you ran head first into Storm, when you were trying to avoid Logan, and she glanced at him and then meowed at you teasingly. You’d swear on someone’s grave that the only person who didn’t know about your years old crush was the man himself, Logan.

You managed to avoid Logan all day until… dinner. He was sitting opposite the spot you always sat in. He was sitting there. Why was he sitting there was a question you couldn’t answer. You tugged at your jumper while holding your plate with one hand and you walked over to him.

“Logan,” you said with a nod.

“Bub,” he said back before looking you over.

He didn’t say anything about the jacket. He just sat there and ate his dinner and then stood up. He walked around to your side and leaned down to whisper in your ear. “Nice jacket, bub.”

He then walked off, just like that.

What the fuck? What the actual fuck? He didn’t know though. He would know about your ridiculous crush if he was listening to your heartbeat right now. Oh my god, so he knew you’d stolen it but he couldn’t put the damn pieces together?

You finished your dinner and walked off. You were halfway to your room when someone grabbed your hand and pulled you into an empty classroom. The door was slammed and you were disoriented in the dark.

“You like me, bub?”

That was Logan’s voice. Wait, he knew? How? But…

“Come on, I ain’t got all day,” he said abruptly.

You nodded. You were quite sure he could see in the dark and the scoff he made seemed to say so. How could you have been so stupid? He was probably going to hate you now. He was straight. He’d always been straight and in love with Jean. He was oblivious. He’d always been oblivious. He could never like you. You weren’t a girl, no matter how hard you wanted to still be one so he’d like you. Your heart was racing and soon enough, you were hyperventilating.

His hands were on your shoulders and you were being pulled into a hug, a hug that smelt of wood and fuel. He was hugging you?

“It’s okay, I got you, bub,” he placed a light kiss on your forehead, “I swing both ways, you know.”

You’d always hated that he was still taller than you, one of the downsides of not getting on T until your 20’s and- wait, what? He swings both ways?

“You-you do?” You said once your breathing had slowed.

He nodded. You couldn’t see it but you could feel it. He could like you… as you, as a man? You didn’t have to be someone else? You could just be you.

“Yep, now let’s go. I think there’s two beers calling our names in the teacher’s lounge,” he said before opening the door and pulling you out of the classroom. “Jean mentioned your little crush and now I gotta hear all about how you’ve been pining for me for years.”

Curse you, Jean, but thanks, was all you could think as you just nodded and walked with him to the teachers lounge.

#requested #its short but i think it works #x reader #stormy writes things #x m!reader #x male reader #logan howlett x male reader #logan howlett x ftm!reader #wolverine x ftm!reader #wolverine x male reader #🦕 anon

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gibbysoup · 2 days

Text

🌙 𝓗𝓸𝓬𝓾𝓼 𝓹𝓸𝓬𝓾𝓼 🐈‍⬛

Chris x reader

“Oh come on, it’s just a bunch of hocus pocus”

Chapter 2

The cold October wind blew in y/n’s face as she followed the boys to the Sanderson Cottage. Nick and Chris seemed to be arguing as they didn’t agree on which way to go.

“I told you, you idiot we have to go this way, it’s quicker and not totally in the woods..” Nick argued at Chris.

Chris shook his head as he listened to Nick yap about not going the right way. “Whatever man..besides we’re gonna end up on the Forrest anyway…” he told him.

Nick eyes practically rolled to the back of his head with Chris’s response. “Whatever, hope you get a fucking tick well you’re walking through all that tall grass.” Nick shot back.

This caused you to snicker, and Dani to look up at you. “So, which one do you think is cute again?” She asked y/n. “It’s Chris right?”

Y/n’s eyes widened as she looked down at her sister, hoping that the boys were too caught up in arguing to notice the two girls behind them talking. But non the less y/n shushed Dani. “Would you keep it down a bit?” She asked, but then answered her question. “And yeah..it’s Chris.” She said.

Dani shrugged a bit. “I think nick is my favorite..he said he liked my costume..and he likes purple.”

—————

Y/n, the triplets, and Dani walked up to the outside of the Sanderson cottage. Dani grabbing her older sister’s hand tightly as they approached it.

“Legend has it that the bones of a hundred children are buried within these walls.” Matt said, taking the keys from his pocket and going to unlock the door.

That definitely didn’t help Dani’s worries at all. “Oh, great.” She said. Before they entered, Chris went up to y/n and Dani.

“Don’t worry, we’re not gonna let anything happen to guys okay?” He said, glancing down at Dani to assure her that she was gonna be okay. He then caught a glimpse of y/n. “I’ll protect ya..”

“Well, I don’t think anything is gonna happen in there, but thank you for offering your services..” she told him, a slight smirk on her face as she still held her disbelief for the supernatural. She knew she had to play it cool.

Matt was finally able to get the door open by jamming his shoulder into it. “Alright, it’s open..” he said, signaling the others to come in.

As the four teens and on child enter the collage, it’s pitch black. “I can’t see a thing.” Dani stated, her eyes trying to adjust to the darkness.

“Well there’s a light switch around here somewhere.” Matt said, carefully trying to find his way around the place.

Y/n found a display of lighters and picked one up, flicking the light on, giving them a small glow so they could see a little. “I found a lighter.” She said, going over to Matt to help him find the light switch. Once it was found, Matt turned it on.

Y/n blinked a couple times and let her eyes adjust to the bright lights of the cottage. “That’s better.” She said, flicking the lighter off then pocketing it.

As the group looked around at the Sanderson sister’s old things, unbeknownst to them, Something watches them from outside the house, watching every move they made. Almost as if it was guarding the house.

“Here’s the original cauldron, and upstairs is where they slept.” Nick said, playing tour guide as he pointed to each thing. They move over to where the ‘book’ is in a display case.

“This is the spell book of Winifred Sanderson. It was given to her by the devil himself. The book is bound in human skin and contains the recipes for her most powerful and evil spells.” Nick explained. It was obvious he was the most knowledgeable about this stuff, so Chris and Matt let him play the lead. He just got so excited about this stuff.

Dani on the other hand, seemed to be a bit freaked out by all the which artifacts. “I get the picture.” She said. As Nick continued to explain the stories to her, a certain candle caught the attention of y/n.

“What’s that?” She asked, looking at Chris.

“Oh.” He said, the leaned into y/n and whispered. “that’s the black flame candle.” He said, trying to freak her out a bit.

She went over and read the sign by the candle “Black Flame Candle. Made from the fat of a hangman. Legend says that on a full moon it will raise the spirits of the dead when lit by a virgin on Halloween light.” She then pulled the lighter out of her pocket. “So let’s light the sucker and meet the old bats..” she turned to Chris. “Wanna do the honors?” She asked him.

“No thanks.” Chris said, immediately shaking his head. Nick turned his head and looked over at y/n, who was standing by the candle and messing with the lighter.

“Hey don’t go messing with that are you crazy?” He walked over to her as she was still holding the flame a little too close to the wick of the candle.

“Oh so you’re saying I shouldn’t put it any closer?” She egged on, moving to light the candle, but then her arm was immediately attacked by a black cat. She shrieked in shock and pain as the cat’s claws scratched her.

Chris immediately grabbed the cat and was able to get it off her, then putting them down, making them scurry away. “Where the hell did that come from? Jesus are you okay?” He asked, walking over to y/n to see if she was alright. He took her arm into his hands gently, seeing the claw marks on the sleeve of her jacket.

She couldn’t help but feel her cheeks heat up when he touched her, but it wasn’t just that he was touching her, it was the genuine concern that he had for her that was making her fall for him more than she already was.

She snapped out of her thoughts and nodded. “Yeah..I don’t think they drew blood so we’re good.” She said, catching her breath a little. He nodded, taking his hand away from her arm.

Dani, on the other hand, was now slightly panicked. “Okay, y/n, you’ve had your fun. It’s time to go. Come on, guys..” she said to the group.

The boys looked at one another and seemed to agree.

“Y/n, she’s right, let’s go.” Nick said.

“Yeah and we’re technically not even supposed to be here..” Matt interjected.

Y/n scoffed, flicking on the lighter once more. “Oh, come on, it’s just a bunch of hocus pocus.”she lights the candle and the flame turns black. Her face immediately dropped. “Uh oh.”

Suddenly the flames of the chandelier pop. The floor boards under their feet begin to move as a green light shines from below. Suddenly it stops. Once it was quiet, everyone looked at each other, unsure of what to say next.

“What happened?” Y/n asked, wondering if this was all just some sick prank, that the boys had set up.

“A virgin lit the candle….”

Taglist: @keerahsturn @fratbrochrisgf @izzykinzz678 @st7rnioioss @jamiesturniolo @v33angel @kaisturni @valkatriee @sturnschrissy @moonk1ss3d @bsham14

#imagines #chris sturniolo #nick sturniolo #sturniolo triplets #matt sturniolo #sturniolo fanfic #chris sturniolo imagine #sturniolo #christopher sturniolo #sturniolo x reader

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thatsmzbitchtoyou · 3 days

Text

Sweet Pumpkin FINAL Chapter 6

Summary: Bucky is struggling with the dating world and knows that if he ever hopes to have a serious relationship, that he needs to get through his touch deprivation issues. It’s not that he doesn’t want to touch people, or them to touch him, but after decades of pain he doesn’t know how to accept physical intimacy from others, or how to give it himself. He hires Y/N, an intimacy coach and professional cuddler, who comes highly recommended. Will his heart be able to distinguish between a service given versus real love?

Warnings: mentions of past violence and past sexual assault, language, physical intimacy, eventual smut

**curvy reader

Previous chapter

On what would normally be Zemo’s appointment time Bucky and Y/N were finishing a late dinner when there was a rough knock on the door. Bucky stayed seated at the table as Y/N stood and walked to the door. Another loud knock came and she glanced at Bucky annoyedly before opening the door.

“Hello–Zemo?” she asked in shock.

“Hey beautiful,” Zemo said, pushing into the apartment. He hadn’t seen Bucky behind him at the table yet. Y/N gave Bucky a scared glance and Bucky gave her a gesture of a finger to his lips as he quietly stood and started to walk up behind Zemo silently. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, canceling my appointments over some meaningless touching,” he said angrily as he continued walking and making Y/N back up further into the apartment.

Y/N then stood her ground as her anger twisted her face into a scowl. “You broke the rules. You only have yourself to blame. Now please leave, before I call the police.”

“I don’t care about the police,” he sneered, his voice getting dangerously quiet. “Couldn’t get to me in Sokovia, they can’t get me here.”

Bucky came up behind Zemo and roughly pulled him away from Y/N, making Zemo yelp as he twisted them both away from her and pinned Zemo to the wall next to the front door with his metal hand around his neck. Zemo’s eyes widened when he seemed to recognize who Bucky was, his gaze flicking between Bucky’s face and the metal arm. “Я скажу это только один раз (I’m only going to say this once),” Bucky said, speaking in Russian. Zemo’s eyes widened even more. Bucky reveled in the fear he was instilling in him and leaned forward until they were only a few inches apart. “держись от нее подальше или я прикончу тебя (Stay away from her or I will end you),” he snarled.

Zemo frantically nodded, his hands clawing at Bucky’s hand around his neck. “I will, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” he cried. “Please don’t–”

“Get out,” Bucky grunted, then opened the door and threw Zemo out. Zemo crumpled to the floor then scrambled to run back down the hallway and out the building as fast as he could. Bucky slammed the door once he was sure Zemo left and locked it, then turned to Y/N. She was staring wide-eyed and slack-jawed at him. “I’m sorry, pumpkin,” he said, lifting his hands up in surrender, afraid she would run from him. “Are you okay?”

Y/N blinked and quickly shook her head, meeting him halfway. “No, no no no no, Bucky,” she said, grabbing his hands. “I’m not scared of you,” she said reassuringly. Bucky sighed in relief. “I’m fine, I’m okay, because of you,” she said, her hands running up his arms and shoulders to his neck, her fingers scratching the back of his neck and into his hair. “I was just surprised to see the big bad super soldier in person, for once.” Bucky chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist and rolling his eyes at her. “What did you say to him?” she asked.

“I told him to stay away or I’d end him,” he said simply, shrugging one of his shoulders.

Y/N’s eyes slightly widened. “You would kill for me?”

“Gladly,” Bucky said, leaning down and nuzzling her nose.

She smirked. “Not gonna lie, that was pretty hot,” she said.

“Oh really?” he teased, his grip tightening around her. Y/N nodded, her smirk growing wider. “You like it when I’m big and bad?” he asked, arching an eyebrow at her. Y/N nodded, a blush painting her cheeks. “When I’m rough?” he asked more quietly, his head tilting as he leaned down further, his nose moving along her face, making his lips skim across her skin. Y/N nodded, her eyelids fluttering at his actions. He suddenly picked her up and backed her up into the same wall he held Zemo against. His hips started grinding into her, making her gasp. They had never done this before. Every time they’d been together it had been soft, slow, intentional, gentle, but this was primal, rough, and hurried.

“Honey,” Y/N whined, one of her hands gripping the hair at the back of his head and the other reaching down to his metal hand. “Can I feel it, please?” she asked, pulling his metal hand up and resting it against her throat.

Bucky was already panting, but her trust in him, even with the most deadly part of himself, took his breath away. He nearly choked at her request, a deep groan in his chest coming out inadvertently. “Fuck, Y/N…you want me to choke you?” he asked, wanting to make sure she knew what she was asking. Y/N nodded, her hand squeezing his metal hand. Bucky swallowed harshly, then carefully wrapped his metal fingers around her throat. He paused, his eyes flickering from her throat to her eyes. She minutely nodded again, her hand in his hair moving to caress his cheek. He slowly started to squeeze, and Y/N gasped lightly. He continued to squeeze, a little harder, then a little harder, watching her face for any sign of discomfort.

Y/N’s eyes rolled and she whimpered, and Bucky felt something in his mind switch. He kissed her hard, releasing his hold on her throat for a moment before squeezing again as his tongue tasted her heavily. She responded the same, her hands gripping his shirt tightly and her hips slightly grinding down into him. He released her throat again and used his hands to hold her close as he pulled her from the wall and walked back to their bedroom. He never broke away from her as he dumped them both onto the bed. He started to dry hump her, desperately seeking friction to relieve how hard his cock was. Y/N whimpered again at his roughness, her legs hooking behind his hips and pulling him in.

“Holy shit, honey,” Y/N moaned as his lips left her mouth to lick and suck at her jaw and her neck. “This is…fuck…making me dizzy…”

Bucky slowed down, pulling up to look at her. “I’m sorry,” he huffed. “I got carried away.”

“No,” Y/N sighed, her arms staying wrapped behind him, keeping him close. “I like it, love it, I just haven’t had rough in a long time,” she said. She was still panting as she looked up at him. “You’re so overwhelming…in the best way.”

Bucky snorted. “Quite a compliment coming from the woman who makes me go crazy,” he said, leaning down and kissing the tip of her nose. “Walking around like this,” his hands slipped down to grab her ass firmly, giving her left cheek a quick slap that had her gasping, “with all this ass, these thighs, these tits,” he leaned down and buried his face into her sweater in between her breasts, thrashing his head back and forth, making her laugh. He looked up at her again, kissing her chin. “With this pretty face. I’m overwhelmed by you, pumpkin.”

Y/N smiled. “I’m okay, Buck. I wanna try with you.”

Bucky nodded. “Okay, but if it feels like too much, just tell me,” he said seriously. She nodded. “Even if I get carried away,” he said, raising his eyebrows at her. “Just tell me to stop and I’ll stop. Don’t be afraid to hurt my feelings.”

“Okay, okay,” Y/N nodded again. “I will.”

Bucky gave her a stern look and she laughed, nodding her head more emphatically. He smirked at her then dipped his head down back to her neck and continued what he was doing before. After kissing her for a while his hips started to move again, thrusting into her while still fully clothed. She shuddered under him, her hands slipping down to the bottom of his shirt and starting to pull it up. He quickly shrugged it off, then pulled all her clothes off as fast as possible before stripping the rest off of himself. He moved himself down the bed until his face was aligned with her pussy, and without warning dove into her with heavy, insistent licks and sucks that had her arching her back. Bucky hooked her legs over his shoulders, his hands holding her thighs still and close as he fucked her with his tongue, teasing her lower lips by making out with them then flicking her clit fast with the tip of his tongue. She was making incoherent noises, her head thrashing against the pillows and her hands shaking as she gripped the bed sheets, then her breasts, then his hair, over and over again. Within a few minutes she was cumming, a scream of his name on her lips and her hips bucking against his face.

“Good girl, pumpkin,” Bucky murmured as he licked up her cum. He suddenly gripped her tighter, pulling up so he was sitting on his knees and pulling her pussy up to his face, making her shriek as he hung her almost completely upside down. He continued eating her out while she moaned louder and louder, her hands gripping his arms that held her up. “One more, Y/N, you can give me one more,” he mumbled against her lower lips, then flicked her clit hard with his tongue. She stiffened and screamed again as her entire body trembled, her nails scratching his flesh forearm. When he was done he gently laid her back out straight on the bed. He laid down next to her, fisting his cock and pumping himself as he watched her come down from her high.

“Fuck,” Y/N breathed. She slowly pulled herself up and then shifted over his leg closest to her so that she was settled between his legs. She replaced his hand and started stroking his cock. “Let me make you feel good, honey,” she murmured, then leaned down and took the tip of his cock in her mouth.

Bucky gasped. Her mouth was so warm, wet, and the glide of her tongue along his shaft was a delicious drag that he never could get sick of. “Pumpkin…god…baby I–” he nearly choked as she took him as far down her throat as she could. Y/N hummed around his cock, the vibration making his hips tremble and his hands moved to pull her hair back and guide her by her jaw up and down on him. “You’re so good, you know that? Fucking hell…”

Y/N hummed again as he moved up and licked him heavily, her spit lubricating him as she kissed the tip. “You’re so yummy, honey,” she said, smiling up at him.

Bucky whimpered and pulled her up to straddle his lap. He sat up and kissed her deeply as she grinded on his cock. He kneaded her breasts, her sides, her stomach, her hips, her thighs, everywhere he could touch. His metal hand slipped between them and grasped his cock, running it along her slit. “Fuck me, pumpkin,” he said as he aimed himself up for her.

Y/N swiveled her hips until she was in a good position and sunk down onto his cock, both of them moaning at the feeling of him filling her up. She started rolling her hips over him, his hands on her hips guiding her and assisting in making the roll harder. He watched how her pussy enveloped him so perfectly, his brow furrowing in concentration so he didn’t cum too early. Y/N cupped his face and pulled him up to look at her. “Relax, honey,” she giggled, her finger running along the crease between his eyebrows. “I’ve got you, and you’ve got me.”

“I know, baby. I know, I’m just trying not to lose it too quickly,” Bucky smirked. “Wanna make it good for you.”

“You already are,” Y/N breathed, then moaned as he thrust up into her. “Oooh, but you can keep doing that!”

Bucky huffed a laugh, his feet planting on the bed and using the leverage at his core to thrust up into her. Y/N’s hands held onto his shoulders as her head fell back, her mouth agape as she kept rolling over him. Their panting breaths and the muted wet noise between their bodies filled the room as they tried to outdo each other, seeing who could make the other cum first. Y/N’s hand slid up to Bucky’s throat, squeezing just enough to make him gasp as her hips started to bob up and down on him fast.

“HOLY FUCK, okay,” Bucky cried out, his metal hand joining the hand on his throat and his flesh hand holding onto her ass. “Baby, pumpkin, I’m gonna…I can’t…shit!”

“I’m almost there, Buck. Cum for me, honey,” Y/N said, her voice hoarse with how much she had been moaning and gasping. “Cum Bucky, baby, cum!”

Bucky thrust up into her again then shouted as he came, his head wrenching back against the comforter, eyes shut tight and his fingers digging into her ass as she pounded down on him. Y/N shrieked as his hips snapped up, her nails making crescent dips in his chest and squeezing harder on his throat as he hit the perfect spot and she started cumming, her body convulsing above him. She nearly lost control as she kept cumming, longer than she normally did, her body falling to the side. Bucky quickly caught her and held her close as she shook, her hands cradling her pussy as she kept moaning and gasping. “Shit, pumpkin, it’s okay,” Bucky said worriedly, pushing her hair back as she started to calm down. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to literally fuck you crazy.”

Y/N was still shaking, but laughed at his words. “Magic dick I guess,” she joked.

Bucky laughed. “Big bad super soldier dick?”

Y/N snorted. “That must be it.”

They smiled and held each other. Bucky didn’t know what he did in this life to deserve it, but he was grateful that through all the pain and anguish, he could find love and happiness with his human embodiment of cozy, comfy acceptance. “I love you, Buck,” she whispered, tracing his facial features with her finger.

“I love you,” he whispered back, kissing her fingertip when it was close to his mouth, “my sweet pumpkin.”

THE END

@mishkatelwarriorgoddess @cjand10 @railmesebstan @danzer8705

*I'm glad you all liked this one! I'll be posting some of the requests for a bit then some of the longer stories again in the order of the poll I took before. Thank you all for the likes, comments, reblogs and follows! You're wonderful, and I love you. :)

#marvel #smut #bucky barnes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x curvy!reader #curvy reader #bucky barnes fanfic #series fanfic #chapter 6 #final chapter #touch starved

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batchilla · 10 hours

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The most married divorced couple - Chapter 4 - Coffee and Custody

Years of well honed instincts through gruelling training had Jason as a perpetually light sleeper. A perpetually light sleeper who knew, even in his sleep, that he was being watched.

He opens one eye, slowly sitting up as he takes in his surroundings - his wife’s… his ex wife's penthouse apartment. Well, that told him who was watching him at least. Sure enough, peering at him from behind the furthest arm of the couch he’d spent the night on is a tell-tale mess of curls so like his own - and Mary comes scrambling, not around the couch, but up to sit on the arm. “DAD!”

Every time. Every time, that single word reminds him that there is in fact good in the world, and that his baby girl might just be the epitome of that. She all but tackles him into a cuddle. “You're here!”

He tries not to wince. He doesn’t ever want her to hug him less enthusiastically - but last night hadn’t gone well, and becoming climbing equipment for his daughter did not exactly help his recovery.

Jason hugs her tight “Hi baby.” he says, his head resting on hers.

“Mm not a baby.” she grumbles “are you stayin’ for breakfast?”

“If mum says yes.” He says, part of him feeling dirty over the manipulative tactic - but the truth of the matter always was that Mary had a higher success rate in campaigning for him to stay then he did. Something about those adorable little eyes, he suspects. Mary hms, tucking her head against her shoulder.

“M’ glad you came Dad. I don’t want Mr Brett to be my new dad.” Fucking what? Part of him wanted to resort to old methods on this ‘Mr Brett’ with extreme prejudice. For sniffing around his wife and daughter, and for trying to take what should have still been his.

“What's that now baby?” he says, trying to keep the growing emotions that were making him feel like he was on fire. She didn’t need to know about any of that.

“Mr Brett, he walks me to school sometimes cus I’m best friends with Jaxon and Riley and Kyle, and sometimes Mum walks me with them. They say its like a ‘carpool’ but cars don’t go to the pool, and the other day he and mummy went for a playdate while I was at grandpa Bruce’s and then Mum was asking how I felt about Mr Brett and I said he was so nice but that I don’t want a new dad and then she turned on baby shark and I got distracted.” He takes a deep breath. He can’t get mad in front of Mary. Another deep breath. He realistically can’t get mad at all. He knows that. He had been divorced from his wife for four years. She was allowed to seek out … companionship. Had he? No. Did it feel akin to a betrayal? He knew it shouldn’t - but it did. She didn’t need to be lonely - and he didn’t want her to be. But he did hope that he’d somehow end up being the solution, not this fucking ‘Mr Brett’ asshole. Even then - companionship was one thing, but a relationship serious enough she’d mention it to Mary?

“Well, I’m sure he’s… nice, if your Mum likes him.”

“Mhm. Maybe you can say hi when he comes to get me for school.” “Speaking of school!” His wife's voice sounds from her doorway, loud enough to tell him she’d heard enough of that to panic slightly. “Mary, get dressed, you’ll be late.”

Mary reluctantly separates from the hug, dragging her feet dramatically “Okay mum. Even though Dad’s here and he NEVER is, school happens every day and is super boring.”

“Nice try bubba.” she says, folding her arms and shaking her head. The second their child shuts the door - still loudly complaining about how unfair it all was, which in Jason’s opinion was psychological warfare, which his ex wife seemed somehow immune to, Jason turns to her. “We need to talk.”

She sighs “I guess we do. But not in front of Mary.” She runs a hand through her hair. “She’ll have eggs and toast soldiers - you want some?”

“Sure,” he says, trying to sound less bitter than he feels as he watches her head to the kitchen.

“So, Brett…” He says, following her to the kitchen and grabbing the bread and putting it in the toaster.

“Charles Brett.” you clarified.

Jason had to physically restrain himself from laughing. “Charles Brett? Those are both first names. You’ve replaced me with a man with a first name for a last name.”

“I haven’t REPLACED you, you LEFT!” She says, indignant furry in her eyes as she whips around to face him, stove at her back. Jason felt his blood boil. Yes, he’d left, but he hadn’t wanted to!

“And then you wouldn’t let me come BACK!” he counters, trying to keep his voice level, but not managing it.

“BECAUSE YOU WERE RIGHT TO LEAVE!” She yells, tears in her eyes.

“you fighting?” Mary asks, opening her bedroom door, tugging at the tie of her Gotham academy uniform as if it had personally offended her.

“No sweetie.” they say in unison, as they shoot her reassuring smiles.

It doesn’t work.

She regards you both suspiciously, and takes her toast and eggs “please don’t fight. Dad’s never here and mum always cries when you leave so please don’t fight now.” “What?”

“Please don’t fight. Dad’s never here and mum always gets sad when you leave so please don’t fight now.”

“What?” Jason asks, glancing from Mary to you. You were proud that you’d raised an honest, headstrong young lady who had no hesitation speaking her mind. You did sometimes, such as right now, wish she did it a little less often around Jason. Jason who was now looking at you with a face you hated for how little you could read. He used to be an open book to her. Mary pulls herself onto the chair at the kitchen bench and dips her toast into her egg. “We got two names.” she points out to Jason. “Todd’s a boy's name.”

You sigh, and sip your coffee. She’d heard all of it. How lovely.

Your baby girl looks at you, her hair in an attempt of a ponytail, her uniform slightly overlarge still, being early in the school year, both making her look so, so tiny. “What did dad mean? That you wouldn’t let him come back?”

You feel like you're falling. Luckily, there’s no amount of hurt, upset, or angry that Jason could be that would mean he wouldn’t come to your aid. “See cherub… Daddy didn’t mean that.” He says, grabbing her shoulder gently.

“I did… Well, I’m sure someone at school might’ve said, or the news… Marriage is supposed to be a promise to love each other forever … and I broke that promise.” Jason takes a deep breath.

“What I did hurt your mum. She hasn’t forgiven me. Maybe she won’t ever. She doesn’t have to.” He shakes his head. “I said what I said because I was upset, but… It’s not her fault. It’s mine.”

You offer him an awkward, tight smile. “It doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you baby girl. Just that … being married wasn’t the best option for us anymore.”

“...” Mary leans into her Dads side, her face solemn and thoughtful. You have to avert your gaze from the pair, lest you start crying - or worse - forgive him.

“Do you still love mum?” she asks quietly, and Jason opens his mouth, hesitating for a second - which saves him from needing to answer the question. Only to make the situation a million times worse for you. Jason looks to the door. “Brett?” he asks, addressing you, but his gaze not leaving the door, with a look in his eyes that reminds you of darker days. “Brett.” You confirm, taking a deep breath as you move towards the door. “You packed M?”

“Yeah Mum,” she says, grabbing her backpack and shrugging it on, wrapping her arms around Jason’s waist in a goodbye hug.

“See ya soon Dad?”

“...Yeah, baby. Really soon. Promise.” He says, ruffling her hair.

You open the door, hoping to do this quickly, before things get even more uncomfortable. Charles Brett is a shorter man, with brown hair, brown eyes, forever slightly unkempt and a had perpetually tired look in his eyes from being a single father of three. But he has a kind smile, and you like him. He’s … a good man. He’s not Jason, but then again no one is.

“Charles, Hi.” You say, leaning against the door to bar entrance. Normally you’d invite him in, have coffee or let the kids watch a episode of bluey while you chatted if the morning was running on schedule.

He says your name, but catches your discomfort before he says anything more, and his gaze moves past you, looking for its source - and he finds it.

“Oh, Hello - Jason, yes? The ex husband?” He asks, pretending not to know who he was, as if he hadn’t seen the many magazines and heard the gossip surrounding his incredibly public, if staged, infidelity. As if Jason, in his need to convince Roman you meant nothing, hadn’t publicly called you a bitch. Jason doesn’t seem to remember that at this moment, and you watch as he puffs up his chest in rage.

“Yeah. You have an issue with that?” he asks, moving to stand behind you.

“And if I do—-”

“Not. In. Front. Of. The. Kids.” You interject, before it can go too far.

“Have a good day at school sweetie.” You say, kissing the crown of Mary’s head, giving Charles an apologetic smile, and all but slamming the door and turning to Jason.

“He’s a good man.” You growl. Because he is. And because Mary needs a positive male influence, and Jason hasn’t been able to be that. And because you are a little worried that Jason is going to use his alter ego to run him off.

“He’s sniffing around where he doesn’t belong.” Jason counters, stepping forward. You step back, and feel the door knob press against your spine.

“He belongs here if I want him here.” You reply, refusing to be intimidated. “Yeah, well he doesn’t get to be my kids fucking dad! I’m her dad!” You cut your own angry response short “what? We’ve been on two dates. No one is becoming a dad to our daughter?!” “That’s not what she said” Jason says, folding his arms. “Mary got ‘married’ twice last week at recess and last I checked had two boyfriends and a girlfriend.” You roll your eyes. “She is not the leading expert in how adult relationships work.” Jason takes a deep breath. “So it’s not… serious?” You shrug. “It’s not … Look. We’re adults. We both have kids. We don’t have a lot of time for casual flings, and the kids get along so need to be protected. We are taking it seriously, but it’s early days.” He nods slightly, “I’m having bab’s look into him.” You close your eyes and exhale. “Jay…” “I won’t do anything unless I find something substantial.” he reluctantly promises. “But I don’t take chances when it comes to you.” You feel his presence loom closer despite your eyes being closed. You open them to see your ex husband’s hand lingering in the air a few centimetres from your shoulder, his eyes sad and longing as he stands before you. “Is he good to you?” He asks, the anger gone from his voice. “Can you… see a future with him?” “Why does it matter to you?” You ask. It’s mostly rhetorical. You know why, and really what you mean to ask without saying it in as many words… is if Jason feels he has any right to intervene if his search finds anything more serious than a questionable browser history.

“Why does it matter to you?” The words feel wrong against his very ears. His tenuous grasp on the cool facade he’d put up, which had almost begun to take a true effect, with those six words is utterly shattered. He feels his heart pounding, too fast, too hard, too angry. The pit changed him, in many ways. The anger had always been there. The pit had made it worse. He’d never once take it out on you. He’d sooner die. But it exists in him, clawing like a beast against the inside of his ribs. Why does it matter? Why does it FUCKING MATTER? It screams, it throws itself against his skin, it burns his eyes and boils in his blood. How can you not understand how deeply he loves you? How can you not understand that he’d destroy anything that wished you or Mary harm and delight in it? That if you hadn’t been in his life back then, he’d surely be on a very different path? How do you not understand? He turns away, tugging a hand through his hair, he cannot look at her in this moment, cannot meet those beautiful eyes, can’t bear to see the face he adores above all others contorted by anger. “It matters to me because I still fucking love you.” He says through gritted teeth, through the shame, the rage, and the hurt. “And because I know you know that,” He continues, stepping further back to pace the apartment - the home - that he had once shared with you. He hears her move across the hardwood towards him. Feels a hand on his arm. “Jason…” She says quietly, as if to soothe a wounded beast - and he wishes it didn’t work as well as it did. He wishes he didn’t feel like a frightened, pained, hissing beast. He pushes her away. Not aggressively - but a firm, nonverbal denial. “Roman fucked with our kid. I don’t regret what we did as a result. But love, he’s been in the ground for years. I know that it could happen again… But I don’t want to keep missing my kids' childhood because of that fear. If her safety costs us… then so be it. But I don’t accept that it will. I refuse. The only fucking reason I kept these-”

He holds up the rings on the cord around his neck “Is to put yours back on your fucking finger one day.” He sits at the bench, his hands in his pockets so you can’t see his knuckles go white. So you can’t see his pain, or how bad what he is about to do scares him. “I don’t ever want to fight you. You know that, right?” He looks at you, and he hopes that whoever or whatever is out there he doesn’t sound as sad as he feels. He looks at her, his friend, his daughter's mother, his ex wife who he’d never truly seen as an ex anything, and he sees a woman who’s hurting as he is, but while he sees the solution to their pain as recovery of what was, she sees the solution as acceptance. She cannot help him. He cannot help her. But, together, perhaps, they can help their daughter. “I want you to know this isn’t just because of Brett. Though hearing Mary talk about a new dad did light a fire under my ass. I want custody. Shared, I mean.” He puts his head in his hands, elbows on the kitchen counter. “I’ll be asking for 50/50. Please.” He looks at her through his fingers. “We make a good team. Don’t make this be ugly.” She sighs, sad and tired and hurting. “I think we’re both a little too charged to talk about that right now. Can we have coffee in a few days?” He nods. “Yeah. Yeah that works for me. I uh… I’ll call Alfred to send a car round for me… and you can text me the details?”

A week later, you find yourself sitting in the back of a coffee shop, waiting for Jason to return with your drinks. You try not to dwell on the fact that despite not having asked, you knew he didn’t need to to know your order even after all this time. You shuffle the papers of notes you’d had your lawyer look over. True, you trusted him. You thought he’d be a good father. You’d still stayed divorced for a reason. “I have concerns.” You say ternsly as he takes the seat across from you. He’s cleaned up. You can’t focus on that. You have a little girl who needs to come first right now - and you take a breath to remind yourself that she’s just as important to Jason. “Figures.” He says, but his tone is lighthearted. “Part of me just hates the idea of seeing her less.” You admit. He just nods, without judgement, without making the point that he knows what that’s like, simply letting you speak for the moment. “And it’s not because I like having her more than you, but because… I cried when she went on her first sleepover and she’s my baby.” You continue, picking at the napkin dispenser absentmindedly. “But beyond that there are logistical concerns as well. I know your … various residences…” safehouses.

“Are safe. But moving as often as you do…” At least twice a week as a safety precaution.

“isn’t ideal for obvious reasons. Not to mention… She’s smart. She’s smart and she’s nosey.” Jason sips his coffee “her father’s daughter” “Nosey maybe. Smart? Debatable.” He chuckles and rolls his eyes. “I see your point though. We don’t want her to find out about the families… extracurricular activities.” You sip your drink. Sure enough, he’d remembered your order. Damn him and his perfect memory and his perfect face. “I’ve put some thought into it.” He reassures, and you nearly snort. Some thought? Knowing Jason, knowing his family? Several hours of thought had gone into any decision they deemed remotely important. You’d attended meetings, essentially war councils, while you were still married about the most minor aspects of their cover. “With my … schedule, 50/50 won’t be possible without her knowing everything, and she isn’t ready yet. But I want weekends, which I… we? Would spend at the manor. For stability.” “We?” you echo, raising an eyebrow. Jason gives you the same grin that had made you fall in love with him. Your stomach turns to a lepidopterarium. Damn him. “Well, last I checked Bruce said you were welcome at the manor whenever you wished… and if she was coming with you, it wouldn’t need to be a legal arrangement. Less of a paper trail is safer for Mary.” Jason says it matter of fact. Detached. Like he’s explaining a mission, not talking about his life, or his child’s. You know better than to fall for it. He runs a hand through his hair and winks at you. “Though if there needs to be a paper trail I’d prefer it be one leading to us again. I said some shit I shouldn’t have the other day. I apologise for that. You can keep seeing that Charles idiot - I was a prick about him, and his background check came back clean. But… I meant it. I fully intend to fight to get you back.” He stands to leave before you can process or argue. “So… See you Saturday morning?” he says not at all a genuine question, kissing your forehead and heading to the door, much like he might disappear after a one liner as Red Hood. You suspect it’s a strategy that works on cops or criminals - but is less impressive to his ex wife. All you can think to call after him is “SAYING THAT AND WALKING OFF ISN’T AS SLICK AS YOU THINK”

taglist @jasontoddproblems

@fic-over-cannon

@stormz369

#jason todd x reader #jason todd x y/n #jason todd x you #dc x reader #batchilla speaks #red hood x reader #batchilla squeaks #the most married divorce couple

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bangtanhoneys · 1 day

Text

BTS & Grace: BTS Songs

SEOKJIN - EPIPHANY

The piano stared at him.

Well, he stared at the piano in the most accusing stare he could produce. It had been awhile since he played anything, and the last time had been a bit of fun before he had to go and do his military duty. Now that he was out and now in production for his first solo album, his skills seemed to have vanished.

“What’s the piano done?” Grace asked, putting the iced coffee on the table of the practice studio and kicking off her shoes.

“Hmm? Oh, I feel like I’ve forgotten how to play,” Seokjin admitted as his long fingers hit the keys in what he thought was the correct pattern, but it didn’t sound right.

Grace said nothing as she sat on the piano bench and glanced at the music score set out, realising he had been trying to play Epiphany. A special song to both of them if the tattoo on her ribs was any indication.

“So you’ve forgotten how to play, or are you not confident?” She asked, glancing up at her partner for many, many, years.

“I’m confident! I’m World Wide Handsome! I’m always confident!”

The stare he got in return had Seokjin deflating as he sat on the chair that was next to the piano. “Okay, I’m nervous. That’s probably the right word.”

Grace knew a little of what Seokjin was feeling. He was the last one to bring out an album, and there were very high expectations from everyone: from himself, from the fans, from the boys, from the company. He hadn’t exactly had time to hone his skills again after coming out of the military, as he had jumped face-first into other projects, but as Grace knew, trying to do an album that fully displayed all your skills was a hard thing to do.

She didn’t fully know how to play the piano; her skills were more in her voice and dancing rather than an instrument. But, for Seokjin, she could try.

“Let’s sing it first,” she said as she got comfortable.

The first notes of Epiphany started, and Grace didn’t look at Seokjin, keeping her eyes fully focused on the keys and the notes. And it was if by instinct that the lyrics flowed from Seokjin without any trouble. She knew the more he sang it, the more he would feel comfortable, the more he would be inclined to touch the piano, the more other lyrics would come to him for his future album.

He just had to have his little epiphany first.

YOONGI - DAECHWITA

Grace still didn’t know how she managed to find herself on the set of Yoongi’s new music video but here she was, sitting in the director’s tent as she watched the camera be set up for the cameo of Jungkook and Jin who would ‘perform’ behind Yoongi.

The energy on set was unmatched and she could see props being carried around, costumes being adjusted and Yoongi being run through what was the next couple of scenes. For Grace, she was here as moral support. She didn’t have to do anything other than watch, drink tea, offer a suggestion every now and then and laugh at the beard they had managed to stick to Jin’s chin.

It did look good to be fair, if he could grow one properly.

Next to Grace was one of her favourite directors and long time BTS collaborator, Lumpens. His eye for detail and hidden meanings was well known amongst the fandom and Grace wondered what hidden details he would manage to slip into this movie video.

A historic battle between Suga and AgustD, his two personas - modern and old.

Daechwita was becoming one of Grace’s favourite songs to hit the gym with.

“Are you sure you don’t want a cameo?”

Grace glanced over and shook her head as Yoongi stood next to the monitors, watching as the crowd was being set up along the lane. “I’m good, thanks. Jungkook and Jin are pretty much going to steal the show at this point and you’ve done most of the work. Plus, it’s not like I can slip in un-noticed.”

“You could be the concubine,” Lumpens teased.

The snort of laughter was almost missed as Grace gasped in mocked outrage. “Concubine? Here I thought I would have the higher role of queen, thank you very much.”

Yoongi’s shoulders shook with laughter as he left the area, hurrying over to tell his hyung and maknae what had just happened.

“Concubine,” Grace muttered to herself as she huffed and crossed her arms. Little did she know, less than a year later, she would be performing said song on stage and modernly dressed as a concubine but hidden by a fan until revealed later on in her verse.

But for now, as she watched the scene revealing Jin and Jungkook, she couldn’t help but mutter again, “Concubine,” with a pout.

J-HOPE - BOY MEETS EVIL

The video was never meant to see the light of day, after it was deemed by the company to be too sexy, but with Grace’s solo career about to start and Hobi now about to be discharged, Big Hit Entertainment finally released the full version of Boy Meets Evil with Grace in it.

It caused a storm on social media after many watched the video, now fully understanding why they had seen the behind the scenes video but not the actual thing.

“Here’s my dance partner,” Hobi told the camera with a big grin on his face, as if he didn’t know what exactly was about to happen.

“We’ve gone full sexy for this one,” Grace sighed as her lips were touched up with bright red and her hair that had been newly dyed red with black highlights was fluffed up. She was dressed similar to Hobi, but in black leather pants and a loose white blouse, bright red heels on her feet.

While her vocals were in Boy Meets Evil, but in the background and somewhat disguised, Grace’s character was heavily influenced in the WINGS album and story. Her video for her solo song, Dangerous Woman, would be the introduction to Hobi’s video which is why the team thought it would be a good idea to film a version of Boy Meets Evil with Grace in it.

The choreography had been confirmed only two days ago with Grace’s moves to match Hobi’s and there was one move which Grace knew would cause a ruckus, when Hobi would bend his knees to the floor, she would be laid on his back with her chest to the ceiling and her hand reaching up.

It was daring, perfect for the themes but maybe it was too daring.

“Sexy is fun though. It’s been awhile since we’ve seen dark red Grace. Danger has come back,” Hobi teased which brought a small laugh out of Grace. It wasn’t that was unused to being sexy, she had to do it for Skool Luv Affair and Dark & Wild but this was sexy to the extreme. The dance routine for Blood, Sweat and Tears was proof of that.

NAMJOON - PERSONA

The final selection of different recordings of Namjoon’s solo and the introduction to the new album played over the speakers in the recording studio with PDogg and Hiss Noise at the deck as they twiddled with a couple of buttons and sliders. So far, it was sounding good with the samples of Intro: Skool Luv Affair but it was clear they were missing something as Namjoon had dragged Grace into the studio with him for the last recording day.

“I think it sounds great, what’s missing?” Grace asked when the song was finished playing.

“There’s just something missing,” PDogg shrugged as he played the song again and got to the part of the song that was clearly troubling him. It was the third verse after the chorus and Grace frowned, not sure what could be missing that was needed to give the extra jump.

“Maybe you need a bit of a high pitched ‘woh’,” she suggested. “Every after line of Joon’s, just add that in so it adds that emphasis on what he’s saying.”

Clearly, from the look on the three men’s faces, that had been the perfect suggestion as Grace then found herself in the booth with headphones on and a sheet of lyrics in front of her. She’d be in there for another three hours as they played around with different tones, different sounds, going high, going low but it was always over the same part.

“My name is R,” played in Grace’s ears as she waited for the parts where she thought she could add that bit of extra something to the third verse and after doing it for the final time, the producers plus Namjoon were satisfied.

“Ah thank you Gigi,” Namjoon beamed as he all but slumped into the chair.

“I’ve never done so many woh in my life,” she sighed but at least the song was done and marked for completion. She just had to go and finish her own now.

JIMIN - LIE

WINGS was a major project, and it had Grace being pulled each way. She was in discussions over costumes, doing research with Namjoon to figure out the major points of what was the 'story’ behind the album, and while all that was going on, she was in discussions over her ‘character’ and her own solo song for the album.

Which is why Jimin felt bad when he came to the small office that had been her old office from her secretary days and now turned into a small studio. One wall was covered in images that helped with inspiration, and the computer on the desk was currently playing the instrumental version of Blood, Sweat and Tears while printing out various pages of something in English.

“Noona?” Jimin asked, poking his head around the doorway after gently knocking on the frame.

Grace glanced up from where she was highlighting something and arched an eyebrow, knowing full well Jimin should be in recording right now. “Everything okay?” she asked, putting down the highlighter and swinging her chair around.

“PDogg has a special request,” the young man sighed.

She snorted and grinned, shaking her head. “I bet he does. What do you need?”

“There are these parts in the song where we need ‘a haunting female vocal,’ his words not mine and he’s tried to replicate what he wants and I’ve tried but we can’t quite make it work,” Jimin pulled out his phone and pressed play on what had been recorded in the session.

The vocals were the opener to what would then be LIE, Jimin’s solo song, and the vocals would haunt the rest of the song. PDogg had tried to pull off an almost operatic ‘yeah’ in some parts, but with the way Jimin winced, it clearly didn’t work.

“Okay, let me see what he wants me to do, and let’s see if it works. I’ve got an hour spare before I’m dragged to another meeting with Namjoon,” she sighed as she grabbed her WINGS notebook and her cardigan, swinging it on just before Jimin flung his arms around her.

“Ah noona, you’re the best. I’m going to owe you one if this works.”

What Grace managed to produce in an hour was kept on the final edition of the track. Many would compliment the way it made perfect sense to have her do those parts to accompany what her ‘character’ represented throughout the whole album and BTS universe.

TAEHYUNG - INNER CHILD

“You want me to sing the whole song with you?”

Grace was a bit astonished when she had been pulled into another meeting with the producers and the team behind Map of the Soul 7.

“Well, sort of. We’re going to mix your vocals in with Taehyung’s and this is at his request because he feels like he can’t do the song justice without your vocals alongside him,” PDogg shrugged.

“But his version is amazing and he’s a talented singer without me and anyone else backing his vocals up,” Grace tried to argue but she knew better than to argue with Taehyung over what he wanted. It was his solo song on the album and while she had provided vocals for nearly everyone else, Taehyung was one of the few who asked. But if wanted Grace on this song, doing what she used to do best, then that’s exactly what she would do.

The next day, in the recording studio, Taehyung was already in the booth and waiting.

“You’re here early,” Grace chuckled as she shrugged off her coat and set her tea down on a table off to the side.

“It’s not often I get to sing fully with my noona,” he grinned.

With headphones on and a sheet of paper handed over to her where Taehyung had underlined the lyrics where he wanted to hear her voice as well as notes on where her backing vocals were needed, Grace settled herself on the chair in the booth next to Taehyung.

And in the final edit of the track, you could tell it was a female’s voice but they had mixed it in a way that you couldn’t quite tell it was Grace’s. Hidden but there and for those who knew Grace’s vocals well, they could easily hear her by the time verse three rolled around as she clearly sang with Taehyung.

JUNGKOOK - SHOT GLASS OF TEARS

They were known for being able to sing a rough guide of a song and make it something magical. Any song Namjoon, Yoongi, J-Hope, PDogg, PDBang or anyone sent to them - let them just sing it and the song made itself. With Jungkook’s perfect pitch and Grace’s adaptability from English to Korean, they made a good team.

When it came to Golden and the final song of the album, there was only one person Jungkook wanted to do his background vocals for him. It wasn’t like any of the other producers argued with him either, he was all the way in Korea and they were in America and so Jungkook sent out the special request to his noona.

The answer, as expected, was a resounding yes.

Grace, personally, thought that she didn’t need to do much as she sat there with the headphones on and listened to what was being called the last rough cut. She could hear Jungkook’s own background vocals blending in and she glanced at the sheet where there had been notes on what she needed to do.

“I’m proud of you,” she said suddenly as Jungkook joined her in the booth to act as a vocal director for her. He blinked and turned bashful, knowing this album was completely unexpected of him with its suggestive lyrics and cursing but he was an adult now and Grace was starting to see that.

She reached over and gently pinched his cheek, causing him to frown at her. “Come on,” she laughed and pulled the microphone closer. “Tell me where you want noona to do what she needs to do.”

#bts 8th member #bts eighth member #bts additional member #bts female member #bts fic #bts fanfiction #bts scenarios

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hanjisungslag · 2 days

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attack on titan headcanons #13

synopsis: they love you but, you love their best friend.

characters involved: eren, mikasa, armin, sasha, connie, jean, reiner, bertolt, annie, levi, erwin & hange

notes: i made my first ever lengthy fanfic! first 3 episodes are out so, go check it out!!

☆ eren jaeger - armin arlert

his heart is crushed to smithereens but, he’ll never ever show it because as long as your happy, that’s all he can ask for in this dreadful world plus, i’m sure armin would be happy for you so… it’s a bonus. i guess. he’ll be fine watching you two get together (no he won’t) (he’ll cry and punch a lot of things).

☆ armin arlert - mikasa ackerman

he gets it, mikasa is way better than him in several different ways but also, stronger than him. she has the resilience for what it takes to survive in this world, she’s not called a 100 man army for no reason! she can protect you and probably love you better than he could. finding out this news takes a huge toll on his self esteem to be honest 🙁.

☆ mikasa ackerman - eren jaeger

oh, TRUST ME! she’s been there and done that, she gets it, if not more than anyone. she feels very conflicted because she got over eren… developed feelings for you… now, you like eren? it genuinely just feels like someone’s playing a sick joke on her.

☆ jean kirsten - connie springer

okay this actually kind of shocked jean because he thought was IN, he was complimenting you, you seemed to be liking it and taking them well plus, you spent a lot of time together! but then, he found out from reiner that you were gossiping with the girls, giggling about connie… maybe he’s funnier? kinder to you? more… handsome?!

☆ connie springer - sasha braus

wow. he loves sasha but cmon, SHES SO STUPID😭. he starts being really mean about her, not to her face, but he’ll make a sly comment here and there in front of people. oh, she messed up on the training? god, she’s so incapable! she tripped and fell? god, she’s so unaware of her surroundings! how stupid, amirite? don’t fret, jean is always there to wack him over the head and tell him to shape up. he only does it because it genuinely really upset him. he liked you a lot.

☆ sasha braus - jean kirsten

oh! i mean i guess that makes sense, sasha is just kind of a kind of silly food lover but jean… jean is ambitious, strong and motivated. maybe that’s what you want in a partner. she definitely changes her habits just out of feeling sad, like not eating as much, being more quiet, becoming less playful etc. everyone’s super worried but she barely realises she’s doing it.

☆ reiner braun - annie leonhart

well i be damned 💀. reiner never thought he’d see the day but here we are, you like annie and he likes you. he likes annie, don’t get me wrong, and he totally sees her good traits but like… really? you have a CRUSH on annie leonhart? he’s more confused than anything. honestly he’s grateful after a while (not really) because you’re a devil (you’re not to him, you look like you’ve fallen from the heavens) and he has to kill you (he would never).

☆ bertolt hoover - reiner braun

deep sigh. deepest of sighs. QUICK EVERYONE ACT SURPRISED! bertolt has always been in reiners shadow, just because he’s more reserved doesn’t mean he’s any lesser than reiner, cmon! but, he realised that maybe you just want someone like reiner, someone’s who is extroverted and manly.

☆ annie leonhart - bertolt hoover

well then, this is quite the turn of event. annie and bertolt were so close, she can totally see why you’d like him and it’s a TOTAL weight off her shoulders. she would’ve never confessed, girls got too much going on so, thank god your eyes wandered somewhere else. but, it doesn’t make it any less harder watching you and bertolt…

☆ levi ackerman - hange zoë

yeah no, like he totally gets it 😂😂😂. you totally didn’t break his heart FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME IN THIS MANS LIFETIME. bro cannot catch a break… it’s chill though. he’s chill, your chill, everyone’s chill (i’m so upset i have to write this) although, he will act more irritated with hange, even more than usual, he’ll act like they’re a pain in the arse. but, it’s understandable hange is, after all, more fun, talkative, intelligent and an all round better person to be with.

☆ erwin smith - levi ackerman

SECOND PERSON THATS BEEN SNATCHED FROM ERWIN but, at least it’s not nile dok again. he totalllyyy gets it like, it’s the levi ackerman. the worlds strongest soldier? hello?? he may be short but he’s strong, fearless, can protect you and goodness gracious he is handsome!! it’s hard for erwin to watch however, he makes sure to bottle it all up and focus on the task at hand.

☆ hange zoë - erwin smith

erwin smith… wow. maybe hange was just too… annoying for you? that’s the only solution they can come to. you still come to visit them and ask about titans and what not, it’s so hard to hear you talk about all the time you’ve been spending with erwin when you used to spend that time with hange. they’ll divulge fully into their work and become more recluse for a while.

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acute-scary · 1 day

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Between the Ropes… a Jey Uso x Rhea Ripley fanfic.

Chapter 16: … or Don’t Wait A Damn Hour?

After Jon, Trinity, and Damian left for the bar, the house settled into a comfortable quiet. The sound of the front door clicking shut signaled that they were alone now, and Jey stretched out on the couch, glancing over at Rhea with a teasing grin. “How about a horror movie?” he suggested, his tone playful but with an undertone of genuine interest.

Rhea raised an eyebrow, her lips quirking up in amusement. “You always want horror,” she teased. “Fine, but I need to change first. These clothes have got to go.”

Jey smirked, his eyes briefly following her as she stood up from the couch. “Go ahead, I’ll let the dogs and cat out for a bit. Meet you downstairs?”

She gave him a nod, already heading toward the stairs. Jey lingered for a moment before heading to the back door, opening it for their pets to get some fresh air and evening exercise. The cool breeze that swept into the house carried a bit of peace with it, but his thoughts stayed on Rhea. Everything they’d been through—the highs and the devastating lows—lingered in the back of his mind. The future they were trying to build now seemed more fragile, and yet, moments like this felt like a step in the right direction.

After a few minutes, Jey headed upstairs to check on Rhea. He pushed open the bedroom door quietly, not expecting to find her still undressed. But there she was, rifling through her bag in nothing but her bra and panties, her expression focused as she searched for something. The sight of her was enough to make his breath catch for a moment, but his eyes soon fell to the stitches on her stomach—she no longer covered them with a bandage. His heart clenched seeing them, a harsh reminder of the trauma she had endured.

Rhea sensed him watching and looked up, her brows furrowing slightly at his pained expression. “What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice gentle but laced with concern.

Jey swallowed, forcing the ache in his chest to loosen. He gave her a small smile, stepping closer. “Nothing... You’re just beautiful. Very beautiful Rhea…”

Rhea blinked in surprise, then a soft, genuine smile spread across her face, easing the tension in the air. The compliment touched her, especially coming from him in a moment like this. Finally finding the oversized t-shirt she’d been searching for, she quickly threw it over her head, letting the long fabric drape over her body. It was big enough that she didn’t even bother putting on shorts. “Okay,” she said, giving a playful spin. “Is this better?”

Jey’s eyes twinkled with affection. “Perfect.”

Together, they headed back downstairs, the warmth between them lingering in the silence. When they reached the living room, Jey grabbed the remote and handed it to Rhea. “Your turn to pick,” he said.

Rhea took the remote, scrolling through options while Jey headed to the kitchen. He opened the fridge, rummaging for something to drink. His hand landed on a bottle of cranberry juice, and then his gaze shifted to the Sprite next to it. With a smirk, he pulled both out, grabbed two glasses from the cabinet, and started mixing the drinks. The sound of the fizzy Sprite bubbling into the cranberry juice echoed softly as he stirred the concoction.

Returning to the living room, Jey handed Rhea a glass with a proud grin on his face. “Here you go,” he said.

Rhea eyed the drink with a suspicious look. “Jey... you know I’m not having alcohol right now.”

He laughed, shaking his head. “Relax, it’s just cranberry juice and Sprite. No alcohol.”

Rhea’s face softened, a smile tugging at her lips as she took the glass from him. “You’re good,” she admitted, taking a sip. “I don’t know how you put up with me sometimes.”

Jey sat down next to her, his arm casually draping over the back of the couch as he settled in. “I put up with you because I love you,” he said simply, as if that answered everything.

Rhea leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder, feeling the weight of those words. She didn’t always know how to respond to his unshakable loyalty and love. After everything, he was still here, beside her, ready to take on whatever came next. “I love you too,” she whispered, her voice soft.

The movie Ghost Ship began playing on the screen, its eerie opening sequence casting shadows around the room. But for a while, neither of them paid much attention to it. The warmth of their quiet moment together was enough. Jey took a sip of his drink, his fingers lightly brushing against Rhea’s leg as they sat there. The soft glow from the TV flickered across their faces, but all Jey could focus on was how natural it felt being with her like this.

Rhea, still resting her head on his shoulder, felt the calm in his presence. The earlier chaos and tension had faded away, leaving only this—two people sharing a quiet moment, wrapped in each other’s comfort.

After the first movie, Jey had adjusted himself on the couch, shifting Rhea comfortably between his legs, as they watched their second movie, I Know What You Did Last Summer. The tension in the movie kept them hooked, leaning into each other as the suspense built. They were just thirty minutes in when the door swung open with a loud bang, startling them both.

Jon burst through the door, a wide grin plastered across his face. “IT’S MAIN EVENT JEY USO IN THE HOUSEEEEEE!” he shouted, stumbling a little. It didn’t take much to realize—Jon was hammered.

Jey groaned, tightening his arms around Rhea protectively as if that could ward off the chaos. “Bro, for real?” he muttered.

Jon swayed his way into the room, still grinning like a fool. “What, Uce? I came home early just ‘cause I wanted to see my brother!” he explained, with a wave of his hand. “Left Trinity and Damian at the bar—don’t worry about them.”

Rhea raised an eyebrow, whispering up to Jey, “You believe that?”

“Not a chance,” Jey muttered, shaking his head.

And right on cue, the door swung open again, and Damian stumbled in after Jon, equally hammered. He threw his arms wide, his entrance as dramatic as ever. “ALL RISE FOR THE BISEXUAL UNDERTAKER!” Damian declared, nearly tripping over his own feet as he stumbled into the living room, laughing like a madman.

Jon blinked, looking genuinely confused as Damian entered. “Yo, when did they get here?” he asked, glancing between Damian and Trinity, who followed them inside with an exasperated look on her face.

“I had to babysit these two all night,” Trinity sighed, throwing her hands up in frustration. “It’s like wrangling toddlers at this point.”

Jey smirked, pulling Rhea even closer, as if he could shield her from the drunken antics about to unfold. “Sounds like you had a fun night.”

Trinity rolled her eyes. “Fun isn’t the word I’d use.”

Meanwhile, Damian was fumbling with his wallet, slurring his words as he staggered over to Jey and Rhea. “Yo… Jey, listen… I bet you,” he started, struggling to get his wallet out of his pocket, “I can lift you and Rhea at the same time. Bet!”

Rhea snickered, burying her face in Jey’s chest. Jey just sighed, amused but shaking his head. “Damian, no one needs you lifting anyone right now.”

Before Damian could argue, Trinity stepped in, teasing him in her best sing-song voice. “Come on, Damian… I’ve got a honeybun in the pantry with your name on it…”

Instantly, Damian’s attention shifted. “A honeybun?” he asked, eyes lighting up like a kid on Christmas morning. He staggered in the direction of the kitchen, but Jon wasn’t about to let that slide.

“Hey, that’s MY honeybun!” Jon declared, suddenly full of energy as he raced toward the kitchen after Damian.

In a wild scramble, both Jon and Damian rushed toward the pantry, tripping over each other in their drunken state. Trinity watched the whole spectacle unfold with her arms crossed, a deep sigh escaping her lips. “I swear, I’m living in a frat house.”

Jey and Rhea could barely contain their laughter as they watched the two of them fumble and fight for the prized honeybun. “Your brother’s a mess,” Rhea whispered, still giggling.

“Yeah,” Jey said with a grin. “But at least it’s never boring.”

---

After helping Trinity put Jon and Damian into bed, Jey made his way back to the guest room he shared with Rhea. The air was warm and inviting, but a sense of intimacy enveloped the space as he stepped inside. Rhea sat on the edge of the bed, fiddling with her phone, a soft glow illuminating her face.

“Hey,” Jey said, undressing quickly and sliding under the covers. Rhea turned to him, her eyes brightening as she nestled close.

“Hey yourself,” she replied, wrapping her arms around him, seeking warmth.

Jey smiled, feeling the comfort of her presence. “So, can you touch up my eyebrows tomorrow?” he asked, half-joking, half-serious.

“Of course,” Rhea replied, a teasing smile playing on her lips. She studied him for a moment before adding, “You really love me, don’t you?”

With a dramatic sigh, Jey feigned exasperation. “What do you want now?”

Rhea couldn’t suppress her laughter. “Trinity stashed a chocolate bar in the fridge. Can you bring it to me?”

“Fine!” Jey said, rolling his eyes playfully as he threw back the covers and climbed out of bed, putting on an exaggerated display of reluctance. “I’ll retrieve the precious chocolate!”

With a theatrical exit, Jey left the room, grinning at Rhea's amused expression. She loved these moments of lightheartedness, a brief escape from their reality. As he rummaged through the fridge, he couldn’t help but feel grateful for the warmth they shared, even amidst the chaos.

Returning with the chocolate bar, he presented it to Rhea like a trophy. “Your royal chocolate, my lady,” he declared, bowing slightly.

Rhea took it with a smile, her eyes sparkling. “You really know how to treat a girl right.”

“Just another day in the life of Jey Uso,” he replied, climbing back into bed beside her. They settled in together, the weight of the world momentarily forgotten as they enjoyed the simple joy of each other’s company.

Rhea took a bite of the chocolate bar, savoring the rich flavor, and offered Jey a piece. He accepted, grinning as he chewed. As she looked down at her feet, a frown creased her brow. She hated to admit it, but she really needed a pedicure.

Turning to Jey, she tilted her head with a curious look. “Do you ever get pedicures?”

To her surprise, Jey nodded confidently. “Yeah, I usually get one a month. Keeps my feet looking good for myself.”

Rhea felt a wave of happiness wash over her. “Really? That’s awesome! Matt always thought they were too feminine and stupid. I could never get him to go.”

Jey raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Well, he clearly doesn’t know what he’s missing.”

“Could we maybe get a pedicure tomorrow?” Rhea asked, her eyes brightening at the thought of sharing the experience with him.

“Absolutely,” Jey replied, nodding enthusiastically. “I’ll even let you pick the colors.”

“Deal!” Rhea exclaimed, feeling a lightness in her heart. It was the little things like this that made her feel more at ease. As they settled back into their cozy spot, Rhea realized just how much she appreciated Jey’s company. It was right…

—

**Flashback: February 19, 2024**

Jey Uso stood in the locker room, tightening his laces as the clock approached 4:22 PM. He was on a mission: snagging one of the last freshly baked brownies from catering. The cook had let him in on a little secret—catering started at 2:00 PM and wrapped up by 6:00 PM, but the last batch of brownies was always served right at 4:30 PM.

With determination, he grabbed his phone and made his way out of the locker room, eager to beat the rush. As he entered the catering area, a wave of disappointment hit him. The table was lined with an array of treats, but there, in the center, was suppose to be the plate piled high with brownies—but only one lonely brownie was sitting in the corner.

“What the fuck?” Jey exclaimed, frustration bubbling up as he approached a figure dressed all in black, their hoodie pulled low over their face. “Hey, man! What the fuck? Save some for everyone!”

The figure turned, and Jey’s irritation faded instantly. It was Rhea Ripley, the formidable powerhouse of the women's division. He hadn’t expected to see her in the midst of dessert negotiations. She had practically the whole plate of brownies.

She met his gaze with an amused expression. “What? You think just because I can lift weights, I don’t have a sweet tooth?”

Jey chuckled, shaking his head. “I guess I underestimated you. But seriously, there’s only one left!”

“How about you share the plate with me?” Rhea suggested.

Jey shrugged, intrigued. “Why not? I never thought I’d be sharing brownies with Rhea Ripley.”

They settled at a table, Rhea placing her plate in front of them. As they dug into the brownies, the atmosphere shifted from casual to something warmer. Jey took a bite, savoring the rich chocolate. “These are amazing. I can see why you wanted to stock up.”

“Right? Nothing beats a good brownie,” Rhea replied, her eyes twinkling. “So, I’ve been watching your work with the whole ‘Main Event’ gimmick. You’re really killing it out there.”

“Thanks! That means a lot coming from you,” Jey said, genuinely impressed. “You’ve been a force in the ring.”

Rhea leaned back against the table, her demeanor relaxed. “I’ve seen you a few times in Florida Championship Wrestling. Always thought you were a badass.”

“Appreciate it! But what made you want to wrestle?” Jey asked, genuinely curious. “It’s a tough business.”

Rhea’s expression turned serious as she considered his question. “Honestly? I grew up watching wrestling, and I wanted to break barriers. I wanted to show that women can be just as tough as the guys. I love being in control of my own story and helping others find their voice, too.”

“That's inspiring,” Jey replied, nodding. “It takes guts to step into this world and demand respect.”

Their conversation flowed naturally, delving into their dreams, challenges, and the sacrifices they’d both made to get where they were. Jey felt an unexpected connection forming, one that felt deeper than mere camaraderie.

“Hey,” Jey said, hesitating for a moment before continuing. “I’m actually staying in Anaheim for another two days for PR stuff. Maybe you could come by my room tomorrow night? We can talk more, eat more brownies.”

Rhea’s face lit up with a genuine smile. “I’d like that. I’m doing PR too, so it works out perfectly.”

As they shared the brownies, laughter and stories filled the air, their initial banter giving way to something more meaningful. Jey never imagined he’d find such a unique connection with Rhea, but as they exchanged thoughts and dreams, he felt like this was just the beginning of a beautiful friendship—and possibly more.

—

February 20th, 2024

The next night, Rhea stood in front of her bed, staring at the array of clothes, feeling a flutter of nerves in her stomach. She couldn’t quite understand why she was freaking out; it was just a hangout with Jey. After several minutes of deliberation, she finally settled on a simple outfit: one of her best friend Damian Priest’s oversized shirts, paired with shorts and black Vans. Comfortable yet stylish.

Taking a deep breath, Rhea ordered an Uber to Jey’s hotel, her heart racing as she made the short trip. What if it was awkward? What if it was perfect? She felt a mix of excitement and anxiety as she arrived, stepping into the lobby and making her way to the elevator.

When she reached his floor, she hesitated outside the door, her pulse quickening. She gulped and knocked, trying to steady her breathing. Moments later, the door swung open, and Jey stood there with a warm smile, his hair slightly tousled and a hint of mischief in his eyes.

“Hey, look who decided to show up!” he said, glancing around the messy room. “Sorry about the state of things. I didn’t have time to tidy up.”

Rhea stepped inside and surveyed the room, which was littered with clothes and snacks. She laughed, shaking her head. “You’re telling me.. Dominik’s a horrible roommate. That place looks like a tornado hit it!”

Jey chuckled, a twinkle in his eye. “Right? I swear, he leaves his stuff everywhere. You’d think he’d have a little more pride.”

“Guess it runs in the family,” Rhea teased, plopping down onto the edge of the bed, her initial nerves beginning to fade. Jey closed the door behind her and leaned against it, crossing his arms with a playful grin.

“Make yourself at home,” he said, motioning to the mess. “I promise it’s usually worse.”

“Yeah, right,” Rhea replied, rolling her eyes but smiling. “I can only imagine. So, what’s on the agenda for tonight?”

“Well, I thought we could order some food and maybe watch a movie. Got a couple of horror flicks I think you’ll like,” Jey suggested, moving over to the mini-fridge.

“Perfect,” Rhea said, feeling more at ease. “As long as you’re not planning to scare me too much.”

“Me? Never,” Jey replied, feigning innocence as he pulled out a couple of sodas. “Just a few jump scares here and there.”

With the tension easing, Rhea felt a sense of comfort wash over her. Maybe this would be more than just a casual hangout. Maybe it was the start of something special.

The night had gone from lighthearted to something more intimate as the conversation flowed. As Jey poured them each a glass of Whiskey, the two soon found each other buzzed after the fourth drink, laughing uncontrollably at the conversation they were having.

“Wait, so it was your idea to be flirty with me at Fastlane?” Rhea asked, raising an eyebrow as she sipped from her glass.

Jey grinned, leaning back against the headboard. “Yeah, I thought it’d be good for business. You know, stir up a little intrigue, get the fans talking.”

Rhea shook her head, chuckling in disbelief. “You know people make edits on TikTok about us all the time because of those moments you suggested?”

“Oh yeah! I repost them sometimes,” Jey said, his grin widening. “They’re hilarious. Plus, the fans love the tension.”

Rhea burst into laughter, nearly spilling her drink. “You’re too much.”

Their laughter echoed through the room, the whiskey adding warmth and ease to their conversation. They were in sync, the barriers between them slowly breaking down. Jey, still chuckling, watched Rhea closely as she talked, her guard down, her smile genuine. There was something about the way she looked tonight—comfortable, raw, and real—that made Jey’s heart race a little faster.

As the laughter died down, a silence settled between them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Jey's gaze lingered on Rhea longer than it should have. He couldn’t shake this feeling—the magnetic pull that had been growing stronger all night. His mind raced for a second, considering the weight of what he was about to do, but before he could overthink it, he leaned in and kissed her.

It was soft at first, almost tentative, testing the waters.

Rhea froze, her eyes wide with surprise. She hadn’t expected this. Her heart thudded in her chest, and for a moment, she pulled back, looking at Jey with a mixture of shock and confusion. “Jey…” she whispered, unsure of what to say.

His face immediately flushed with guilt, and he began to stammer. “I—I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

But before he could finish, Rhea leaned in and kissed him back. This time, it wasn’t tentative or soft. It was firm, filled with all the unspoken tension and curiosity that had been simmering between them. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt as the kiss deepened, both of them forgetting, if only for a moment, about everything else.

Jey was taken aback but didn’t pull away. He kissed her back just as fiercely, his hand gently cupping the back of her neck as they lost themselves in the moment. Time seemed to stop, the buzz from the whiskey mixing with the electric energy that now crackled between them.

When they finally pulled apart, breathless, neither of them spoke right away. Rhea’s lips tingled from the kiss, and she stared at Jey, her mind racing.

“I didn’t…” Jey began again, his voice softer now, searching her face for any sign of regret. “I didn’t mean for that to happen. I just…”

Rhea shook her head, cutting him off. “Don’t apologize,” she whispered, still catching her breath. “I didn’t hate it.”

The tension in the room hung thick in the air. Jey didn't hesitate this time. He leaned in and kissed her again, more confidently, with a spark that had been waiting to ignite for far too long.

Rhea responded instantly, wrapping her arms around his neck as the kiss deepened.

What started as a slow, exploring kiss quickly became something more. The two of them got lost in the heat of the moment, their movements becoming feistier and more intense. Jey's hands roamed down her back, pulling her closer as their breathing grew heavier. Rhea's fingers tangled in his hair, tugging gently as she shifted, pushing herself closer to him.

Jey kissed her with a passion he hadn't realized he was holding back, and Rhea matched it, pushing him back against the headboard as she climbed onto his lap. The room felt electric, their connection undeniable.

Between heated kisses, Jey murmured, "Do you want to stop?"

Rhea smirked against his lips, biting his bottom one playfully before kissing him again. "Good," he whispered, his voice low and teasing.

Their lips crashed together again, the intensity building as their hands explored each other, tugging at clothes, gripping tighter, needing more. Every touch seemed to spark a new wave of desire, each kiss more heated than the last.

They were lost in the moment, the rest of the world fading away as their connection deepened with every second. Neither of them cared what this meant, or where it would go-they were living in the now, giving into the pull that had been drawing them together for so long.

Jey pulled back for a moment, his chest heaving as he looked at her. "You're incredible," he whispered, his voice filled with awe and something deeper. Rhea only smiled before pulling him back into another fiery kiss, not ready to let go of the moment just yet.

—

Present Time.

Jey glanced down at his phone, confirming the flight details as the nail technician continued to work on his feet. He grimaced slightly when the technician scrubbed a bit too hard but quickly refocused on the task at hand. The two had managed to get a private session due to Trinity and Jon being the owner’s favorite wrestling couple duo. Rhea, seated next to him, was deep in conversation with her own technician about what shade of polish to choose.

"I’m thinking a deep red," Rhea said, turning to Jey for a moment. "What do you think?"

Jey barely looked up from his phone. "Yeah, sure, deep red sounds good," he replied absently, focused on securing their seats for the early flight.

Rhea rolled her eyes, clearly not satisfied with his half-hearted response. “You didn’t even look.”

Before Jey could defend himself, he received a confirmation email. "Got it," he announced, putting his phone down for the first time in the session. “Our flight’s at four a.m.”

Rhea's eyes widened in disbelief. “Four in the morning? You can’t be serious, Jey.”

He sighed, knowing her reaction was inevitable. “It’s the only time that works. The other flights are so late, we’d miss roll call.”

“That’s brutal,” she groaned, leaning back in her chair. “You know I hate mornings.”

Jey smirked, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah, but you’ll hate missing roll call even more.”

Rhea huffed but knew he was right. She looked back at her nail technician. “Guess I’ll need a coffee as dark as this polish.”

The technician laughed lightly, while Jey leaned over to glance at the color she’d chosen. “Deep red, huh? Good choice.”

Rhea shot him a playful glare. “Now you notice.”

As the nail technician finished with Jey, he stood up, flexing his toes slightly to shake off the stiffness. He pulled out some cash, handing it over with a polite smile. “Thanks, appreciate it,” he said, before turning to Rhea. “Do you want your lashes done too babe?” Rhea flashed a grin and nodded.

“Here,” Jey said, handing her more money. “For your lashes, for my toes and yours—and a tip for your tech.”

Rhea grinned, accepting the cash. “Always taking care of me,” she teased.

He leaned down and kissed her cheek, his hand briefly resting on her shoulder. “I’ll be back soon. I saw a Footlocker, but first, I’m grabbing a smoothie.”

Rhea nodded, settling back into her chair as Jey made his way out of the salon. The afternoon sun greeted him as he stepped outside, the warm breeze feeling good against his skin. He scanned the plaza, spotting the Footlocker Rhea had mentioned, but his eyes were drawn to a nearby smoothie shop first.

“I could use something to drink,” he muttered to himself, walking toward the shop. The door chimed as he entered, the cool air and fresh scent of fruit instantly hitting him.

The place wasn’t too busy, just a few customers scattered around. Jey stepped up to the counter, browsing the menu for a second before deciding on a strawberry banana smoothie.

As he waited for his drink, he checked his phone, glancing at the time. Rhea still had a while to go with her lashes. Smirking to himself, he thought about how easy it was for her to get him to agree to these long beauty sessions. Then again, she always knew how to work him, especially with those pleading eyes.

When his smoothie arrived, he took a sip, savoring the refreshing taste. Now it was time to hit Footlocker.

Jey was halfway to Footlocker, sipping his smoothie, when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, frowning at the unfamiliar Orlando number. His first thought was that it might be one of his cousins—maybe Jon or someone else checking in. But as he swiped to answer, he quickly realized he was wrong.

The automated voice rang in his ear: “This is a collect call from the Orange County Jail. The inmate attempting to reach you is Matthew Adams.”

Jey’s grip on the phone tightened, his jaw clenching. Matt. His blood boiled at the sound of the name. Without hesitation, he accepted the call, his voice dripping with venom as he answered, “What the hell do you want?”

There was a brief silence on the other end before Matt’s voice came through, low and bitter. “I want to talk to Rhea.”

Jey’s anger flared. “You think after everything you did, you got the right to talk to her? You’re outta your damn mind.”

Matt’s voice raised in frustration. “She’s my wife, Jey!”

“She was,” Jey corrected, his voice steady but seething. “You don’t get to call her after you laid hands on her. You lost that right the moment you put her in that hospital bed.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Matt spat, his tone desperate. “You got her twisted in some shit thinking she yours when in reality she will never be yours for as long as I live.”

Jey’s nostrils flared. “Oh, I know more than enough. You’re lucky you’re behind bars, because if I ever saw you on the outside, you wouldn’t be standing long enough to explain anything.”

The tension crackled between them, but Jey wasn’t about to let Matt have any more control. He took a deep breath, calming his voice just enough. “You’re done. Stay out of her life, or I’ll make sure you regret it.”

He didn’t wait for a reply. Jey ended the call, shoving the phone back into his pocket, his entire body humming with rage. He took a deep breath, trying to shake it off before heading into Footlocker, but the call lingered in his mind like a dark cloud.

Jey wandered through Footlocker, his eyes scanning the rows of shoes, but his mind was far from focused. The call with Matt had left him simmering. He pulled out his phone, quickly typing up a message to Jon.

Yo, I just got a call from Matt. Dude's trying to get in touch with Rhea.

He hesitated for a second before adding the next part.

Think I should talk to her about getting the divorce process started?

Jey sent the message and continued to browse, waiting for Jon’s reply. He wasn’t sure how to approach Rhea about it—especially with everything she’d been through. Bringing up Matt, especially after that call, could push her over the edge. But he also knew that Matt lurking in the background wasn’t helping anyone.

A few minutes later, his phone buzzed with Jon’s response.

Damn, for real? That dude just doesn’t quit. You should definitely talk to her. But tread lightly, man. She’s been through hell. Maybe wait until she’s in a good headspace before bringing it up.

Jey nodded to himself, texting back.

Yeah, I hear you. I don’t want to push her, but she needs to get that chapter closed.

Jon replied quickly.

Exactly. Just remind her you’ve got her back, whatever she decides. But yeah, don’t rush it. Last thing she needs is more pressure.

Jey sighed, his thumb hovering over the keyboard. He hated that Rhea had to deal with this, but Jon was right. The timing had to be perfect, and Jey would make sure he approached it carefully.

Alright, I’ll wait for the right moment. Thx.

With the conversation with Jon wrapped up, Jey shoved his phone back into his pocket. He tried to focus on picking out some shoes, but his thoughts were already on how and when he’d bring it up to Rhea. He’d protect her, no matter what it took—he just needed to make sure she was ready.

After sending the text to Jon, Jey continued to browse through Footlocker, his mind still on the conversation. He picked out a pair of sleek black sneakers that caught his eye and decided they’d be a perfect addition to his wardrobe.

Once he had what he wanted, he made his way to the checkout, feeling satisfied. After paying, he stepped outside and headed to explore a few more stores. As he strolled through the shopping center, he stopped at Zumiez, Nike, and Tilly’s and a couple of more shops, finally arriving at Polo Ralph Lauren.

Just as he was about to head inside, he spotted a store called Linked. A big ad in the window read, Jewelry. You. Personalized. Forever!, Intrigued, Jey leaned in to look, but the lights were off, and a "Closed" sign hung on the door.

Just as he turned to leave, a bubbly woman approached with a warm smile. “Hey there! Were you interested in something from Linked?”

Jey turned back, curious. “Yeah, I was just checking it out.”

The woman’s smile widened. “We do permanent jewelry—bracelets that you can personalize. Interested?”

“Definitely,” he replied, feeling a spark of excitement.

“Come on in!” she said, unlocking the door. “I’ll keep the sign on ‘Closed’ to respect your privacy. I know who you are, but I promise I won’t bother you with that.”

Inside, the store had a cozy, inviting atmosphere. She guided him to a display showcasing an array of bracelets. “So, what’s the special occasion?”

Jey glanced at the elegant designs, thinking about Rhea. “I’m looking for matching couples' bracelets.”

“That’s so sweet!” she exclaimed. “We have some great options that can be personalized with initials or special dates.”

“How long does the process take?” he asked, intrigued.

“It’s all done in-store,” she explained. “We’ll size the bracelets and make any custom adjustments right here. It usually takes about 20 minutes.”

Jey nodded, impressed. “Sounds easy. I’d love to get something special for my girlfriend.”

As the store clerk explained that Rhea would need to be there for the sizing, Jey felt a flutter of excitement mixed with a touch of nervousness. “She’ll need to be here so we can get the right fit and laser the clasp,” the clerk said with a smile, clearly accustomed to couples wanting something special.

Jey nodded, realizing that this was more than just picking out a piece of jewelry. It was about creating something meaningful together—a symbol of their bond amid the chaos they had faced.

“Got it. Excuse me for a second, my girlfriend should be finishing up her lashes.” Jey said, stepping aside to pull out his phone. It felt like time had dragged on since he last saw Rhea. Just as he was about to call her, his phone buzzed with an incoming call from her.

“Where are you?” Rhea asked, her voice a mix of curiosity and concern.

Jey glanced outside and spotted her walking out of the salon across the shopping center. “I’m right here! Just outside,” he replied, waving her down.

When she saw him, her face lit up, and she walked over, radiating warmth and excitement. Jey took her hand, feeling an electric connection as he led her into the store.

“We’re getting matching permanent bracelets,” he announced, his heart racing at the thought.

Her eyes widened with joy. “I’m so down!”

Jey smiled, feeling the weight of the moment. This wasn��t just about the bracelets; it was a way to celebrate their journey together. Rhea leaned in and kissed him, her happiness palpable.

The clerk chuckled, watching their interaction. “This is why I love my job,” she said with a grin. “Seeing couples so happy together is the best part.”

As they browsed the display of elegant bracelets, Jey felt a surge of emotion. He knew how important this was for Rhea, especially after everything she had endured. This small act represented more than a fashion choice; it was a promise, a commitment to stand by each other through thick and thin.

When Rhea reached for a bracelet adorned with simplicity, her fingers lingered, and Jey couldn’t help but admire her. “This one feels right,” she said, her voice filled with certainty.

“Yeah, it really does,” he replied, envisioning their names engraved side by side. This moment felt monumental—a healing experience, a way to reclaim joy after so much pain.

As the clerk prepared to size the bracelets, Jey took Rhea’s hand, their fingers intertwining naturally. “This is just the beginning,” he said, his voice steady. “No matter what happens, we’re in this together.”

Rhea smiled up at him, her heart full. “I know. This means so much to me.”

With each passing moment, as they discussed designs and personalization, the emotional weight of their journey hung in the air, but so did the promise of new beginnings. This simple act of getting matching bracelets was not just about jewelry; it was a tangible reminder of their love—a bond that would help them navigate whatever challenges lay ahead.

Jey and Rhea had settled on a thin 14k rope-style chain with a gold name bar, feeling it perfectly encapsulated their bond. When the store clerk asked what they wanted engraved, Jey confidently said, “Demi Fatu,” while Rhea added, “Joshua Samuel Fatu,” her voice filled with warmth.

The clerk smiled, clearly pleased with their choices, and began the engraving process on Rhea’s bracelet first. Rhea watched intently, her excitement contagious. When the clerk held up the finished piece before lasering the clasp, Rhea’s eyes lit up. “I love it!” she exclaimed, tracing the letters with her fingers, as Jey leaned in to kiss her cheek, feeling grateful for this moment.

Jey looked at his while it was being done on his wrist and as he felt the weight of the future represented in that small piece of jewelry, he couldn’t help but smile at Rhea.

“Are you both satisfied?” the clerk asked after finishing Jey’s bracelet.

“Absolutely,” they both replied in unison, smiles plastered on their faces.

Jey paid for the bracelets and the clerk informed them about coming back, “If you have any issues or need cleaning, just call or head back over here, okay?”

With the bracelets securely on their wrists, Jey and Rhea climbed into Jon’s car. “I’m exhausted,” Jey admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Me too. I just want to go home,” Rhea replied, her fatigue evident. Jey checked in, “Do you need anything last minute?”

“No, I’m good,” Rhea said, leaning back in her seat, feeling content but ready for a quiet evening.

Once they arrived at Jon and Trinity’s house, Jey led Rhea inside. The sight that greeted them was cozy; Damian was sleeping on the couch, while Jon and Trinity were cuddled up on the other side, both peacefully slumbering. Jey glanced at the clock—it read 3:53.

“Looks like we’re the last ones up,” he whispered to Rhea with a smile. They quietly made their way upstairs to the guest bedroom, closing the door slightly behind them.

Jey set his bags down on the bed, feeling a mix of relief and satisfaction. The day had been long, but it had also been filled with love and new beginnings. He turned to Rhea, who was looking at him, a soft smile on her face. “I’m glad we did this,” he said, feeling the weight of the bracelets on his wrist.

“Me too,” Rhea replied, her lips giving him a quick kiss. In that moment, everything felt right.

Jey laid back on the bed, letting out a relaxed sigh as Rhea rummaged through the bags of clothes Trinity had managed to retrieve from the police station. She pulled out some of her gear, taking comfort in familiar items. “Hey, are we coming back to Jon and Trinity’s after RAW on Monday, or do you think we’ll go somewhere else?” she asked, glancing over at him.

Jey propped himself up on his elbows, considering the week ahead. “I want us to go to Pensacola to meet with the realtor about the rental on Friday,” he explained. “But I’d like to see my kids first after RAW.”

Rhea nodded, and Jey continued, “What if we drive to San Francisco right after RAW? We can get a room there for the night, then spend time with the kids on Tuesday and Wednesday. After that, we could head to Pensacola together on Thursday and stay at Jon and Trinity’s for the weekend.”

Rhea frowned slightly, contemplating his plan. “That’s a lot of traveling, Jey. Are you sure we can manage all of that?”

Seeing her hesitation, Jey quickly added, “It’s okay if you’re not mentally prepared for the kids yet. If it feels overwhelming, you could stay with Damian and Kayden while I spend time with them. I’ll come back for you on Thursday for our flight to Florida.”

Rhea shook her head. “But Damian and Kayden are heading to Indiana right after RAW. I don’t want to be alone.”

Jey furrowed his brow, trying to come up with alternatives. “Okay, what if we push the meeting about the rental off until next week? You could come back here after the show, and I’ll meet you on Friday.”

Rhea considered this, the idea sounding more manageable. “That could work,” she replied, her expression softening.

“See? We can make this work,” Jey said with a smile, relieved to find a solution that felt right for both of them. “Let’s just take it one step at a time.”

With a renewed sense of hope, Rhea nodded, grateful for his understanding. They both knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together.

—

Trinity woke up from her nap, a sleepy smile on her face until she felt Jon's hand firmly squeezing her butt. "Really?" she muttered, still groggy, and lightly swatted his hand away before stretching. Jon let out a lazy chuckle but didn't bother to open his eyes.

"Pasta for dinner, maybe?" Jon mumbled, barely awake, his voice heavy with sleep.

Trinity rubbed her eyes and yawned, already thinking about her favorite creamy pasta recipe. "Yeah, I'll get on it after my shower."

She headed to the bathroom, hoping a quick shower would wake her up. As the warm water cascaded down, she felt herself shake off the sleep. Dinner was on her mind-something hearty and comforting. Jon loved her pasta dishes, and she was more than happy to make something simple and delicious.

Fresh out of the shower and feeling a bit more energized, Trinity threw on some comfortable lounge clothes and made her way into the kitchen. She pulled out all the ingredients for the creamy pasta sauce, but when she unscrewed the cap from the heavy cream and took a quick sniff, she gagged. "Ugh, this is sour," she muttered, holding the carton at arm's length.

"Jon!" she called, stepping out of the kitchen. "I need you to go grab some heavy cream from the store. This one's gone bad."

From the couch, Jon groaned loudly, stretching out as if the idea of leaving the couch was the worst thing in the world. "Babe, I really don't wanna go. Ask Jey and Rhea. They're right upstairs."

Trinity rolled her eyes, throwing a dish towel over her shoulder. "Typical," she muttered under her breath. She wasn't really in the mood to argue with him, so she sighed and made her way up the stairs.

As she approached the guest room where Jey and Rhea were staying, Trinity noticed the door was slightly ajar. Not hearing a any sounds that would reflect otherwise, she leaned closer and pushed open the door. "Hey, Jey, could you maybe run to the store for me?" she called out while nudging the door open a bit more.

The words caught in her throat as the door swung open wider. Her eyes widened in complete shock. There, on the bed, was Rhea on top of Jey, her bra flung to the side, and Jey's face practically buried in her chest. The sight hit her like a freight train, and before she could even process what she was looking at, a scream tore out of her throat. The couple had embarrassment over their faces as Rhea tried to get off Jey to go for the comforter while covering her chest.

"Oh my God! I'm so sorry!" she shrieked, the door swinging wildly as she scrambled to close it. She slammed it shut so hard it echoed through the hallway.

Her heart was pounding in her chest as she stumbled backward, her face burning bright red. "Oh my God. Oh my God. What did I just see?!"

She stood there frozen for a moment, her mind reeling with embarrassment. "Did I just... walk in on that?" she muttered to herself in disbelief, her hands covering her burning face. Her heart raced, and her stomach twisted in knots, trying to block out the image that was now seared into her brain.

Jon, hearing her scream from downstairs, immediately sat up, confused. "Trin? What happened?"

Trinity hurried down the stairs, her face flushed with horror. "Don't ask! You really don't wanna know!"

Jon frowned, his curiosity piqued. "What did you see?"

"I'm not even gonna explain it," Trinity said, still breathless, waving her hands in front of her as if she could somehow erase the memory. "Just know I'm never going up there again!"

Jon's brow furrowed as he glanced at the stairs, then back at his wife. "Wait... what did YOU-"

Trinity threw her hands in the air, exasperated.

"I walked in on them! And let's just say, Jey's face was not where it's supposed to be!"

Jon blinked, then snorted as the realization hit him. He tried to stifle his laughter, but it burst out uncontrollably. "Wait, you walked in on Jey and Rhea-"

"Don't laugh!" Trinity cut him off, mortified. "I'll never unsee that, Jon! I'll never unsee it!"

But Jon couldn't help himself. Damian even joined in, laughing his ass. He was practically doubled over, his laughter echoing through the house. "I told you to ask them!"

Trinity glared at him, flustered beyond words.

“At least you didn’t see them doing the deed..” Damian snickered.

"Yeah, well, I didn't expect to walk into... that!" She shuddered, throwing the dish towel at Jon as he continued laughing. "You're going to the store! I'm not asking anyone for anything ever again!"

Upstairs, Rhea frantically tried to put her bra back on, her face burning with embarrassment. Her hands fumbled with the straps as she muttered, “Oh my God, that was so humiliating.” She finally managed to snap the bra into place, turning to Jey, who was stifling a laugh but failing miserably.

"Don’t you dare laugh!" she warned, swatting him on the shoulder. "This is your fault too, you know!"

Jey couldn’t help it anymore; a chuckle escaped him as he rubbed his shoulder where Rhea had hit him. "C’mon, babe, you know Trinity’s probably laughing about it right now." He leaned back, still grinning. "I mean, how many people can say they’ve been walked in on like that?"

Rhea groaned, covering her face. "I blame you.”

Jey stood up, adjusting his shirt with a smirk. "I better go check on the situation. She probably sent Jon to the store already." He winked at Rhea, who just shook her head, still mortified.

As Jey made his way downstairs, he could hear the sounds of muffled laughter. He rounded the corner and caught sight of Trinity animatedly telling Jon what had just happened, her face still red but her lips twitching as if she were fighting off laughter. Jon, on the other hand, wasn’t even trying to hold it in—he was practically doubled over in laughter.

Damian was sitting on the arm of the couch, his arms crossed, but the amused grin on his face was unmistakable. The second Jey entered the room, all eyes turned to him.

Damian was the first to crack, letting out a loud laugh as he pointed at Jey. "Bro, you seriously can’t keep your hands to yourself for five minutes, can you?"

Jon caught his breath long enough to chime in, his voice thick with laughter. "You owe Trinity big time, man! She’s traumatized!"

Jey’s smirk only grew as he looked around at his friends, though his eyes landed on Trinity, who was still looking away, clearly trying her best not to meet his gaze.

"You alright, Trin?" Jey teased, raising an eyebrow. "Didn’t mean to scar you for life."

Trinity’s face turned redder, and she muttered under her breath, "I’m never looking you in the eye again." She folded her arms, still refusing to face him, her lips tightly pressed together to suppress the smile threatening to break through.

Jey leaned against the doorframe, shaking his head. "Hey, you didn’t even knock..."

Jon looked at Trinity and laughed even more, “Remember our failed quickie in the bus…. Now you know how it feels..” Jon said trying to breathe.

Damian slapped Jey on the back, still laughing. "Clearly Trinity you need some etiquette… clearly!" He then raised a hand, mimicking the moment. "I can’t believe she caught you guys like that. Should’ve locked the door, man!"

“We didn’t think anyone would just walk in!” Jey defended himself.

Jon chimed in, grinning, "Yeah, dude, at least give the rest of us a warning next time. Not everyone needs to see that side of you!"

Jey shrugged, unbothered, but shot a playful glance at Trinity. "I think you’ll survive, Trin. No lasting trauma, right?"

Trinity finally let out a small giggle despite herself but quickly cleared her throat, pretending to be serious. "You owe me for that one, Jey. Big time. And next time, lock the door!"

Jey winked, still grinning. "Noted."

—

Trinity finished serving the pasta, taking her seat next to Jon at the head of the table. Everyone gathered around—Jey, Rhea, Damian, and of course, Jon—reaching out to join hands. As they did, the mood in the room shifted slightly from playful to heartfelt, the warmth of family and friendship filling the air.

"Alright, Jon, lead us in prayer," Trinity said softly, squeezing his hand.

Jon nodded and closed his eyes, his deep voice resonating through the room. "Heavenly Father, we come to you with grateful hearts tonight. Thank you for giving me the strength to face my fears, especially when it came to donating blood for Rhea. You helped me realize what family really means, and I’m thankful for the path you’ve led me on. Thank you for bringing Rhea into our lives and showing me that family isn’t just blood but the people we choose to stand by."

Rhea’s eyes softened at Jon’s words, feeling a surge of emotion wash over her. The acceptance from Jon meant more than she could express, especially after everything.

"And Lord," Jon continued, with a small smirk on his face, "I also want to thank you for reminding my wife to knock on doors from now on—just to avoid any more awkward situations."

Everyone at the table, except Rhea, burst out into quiet giggles. Jey chuckled beside her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, while Damian struggled to keep his composure.

Rhea, however, turned beet red, looking down at her plate, trying her best to hide her embarrassment. Jon glanced at her with a wink, clearly enjoying the light-hearted teasing. "In your name, we pray, Amen."

"Amen," everyone echoed in unison, and with that, the sound of forks and plates filled the room as everyone dug into the meal.

Rhea, still blushing slightly, glanced over at Jey, who gave her a reassuring smile. "You alright?" he whispered, nudging her.

She nodded, grateful for the moment of normalcy after everything they’d been through. "Yeah," she whispered back, smiling softly. "I’m good."

As the conversation picked up around the table, it felt as though the tension from the day had melted away, replaced by laughter, jokes, and the feeling of family. Even with the teasing, Rhea knew she was surrounded by people who cared deeply for her—and that was all that mattered.

After they finished their meal, with the warmth of family conversations lingering in the air, Trinity stood up to refill everyone’s glasses with wine, except for Rhea who opted for a sparkling apple juice. The sound of laughter still echoed around the room, the gentle clinking of glasses adding to the comforting atmosphere. Jey sat back, his arm draped around Rhea, feeling the weight of the past week begin to lift. He glanced at her, then at the table, deciding it was the right moment.

“So, I’ve been thinkin’ about new beginnings,” Jey started, lifting his wrist and showing off his bracelet. Rhea smiled shyly, doing the same, their matching gold bracelets glimmering in the soft light. “Me and Rhea decided to make things a little more official.” His voice was filled with pride and certainty, the weight of his words sinking in as the room fell silent.

Trinity and Jon shared a knowing smile, and Damian clapped Jey on the back, a playful grin on his face. “About time,” Damian teased, though there was a real warmth in his voice.

Jey chuckled, “Yeah, yeah. And I wanna let y’all know I’ve been looking at places for us in Pensacola. Found a rental that’ll put us close to Jon and the family.”

Jon nodded, clearly pleased, while Trinity beamed at the idea of having Rhea and Jey nearby. Damian, never missing an opportunity to lighten the mood, leaned back and grinned. “Looks like I’m gonna have to find a place out there too. Kayden’s been talkin’ about it for a minute, so I’ll just blame y’all when I start moving boxes.”

The room burst into laughter, but the humor couldn’t mask the deeper emotion behind the moment. It wasn’t just about moving to Pensacola or finding a place to live—it was about something much more meaningful. Jey was making it clear that he was committed, not just to Rhea, but to building a future together. And more than that, he wanted his family to be a part of it.

Jey’s tone grew more serious as he looked around the table, his expression softening. “I wanna thank you all for being so understanding,” he said, his voice steady but filled with emotion. “For accepting me and Rhea, for supporting us. I know things have been crazy, and this isn’t how I expected my week to end, but... I’m glad it did.”

Rhea’s heart swelled as she listened to Jey speak. His words meant everything to her. Despite the turmoil, the ups and downs, the unexpected twists—there was something solid between them now. Something unbreakable. For the first time in a long while, she felt like she could breathe, like she wasn’t carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders alone.

For Jey, this was more than just a declaration of love—it was an affirmation. He had spent so much time feeling torn between duty, love, and guilt. But now, surrounded by the people he loved, he felt free. Free to love Rhea openly. Free to plan a future without secrets. Free to embrace this new chapter of his life without fear or hesitation. And knowing that his family not only supported but accepted them both made it all the more real.

Jon, sensing the depth of Jey’s words, raised his glass. “Uce’,” he said with a gentle smile, “you don’t have to thank us for accepting Rhea. She’s family. Always.” He turned to Rhea and nodded, his voice filled with warmth. “You’re one of us now. You don’t need anyone else’s approval. You got ours.”

Rhea blinked back tears, deeply moved by Jon’s words. This was the first time in months that she truly felt like she belonged somewhere, like she wasn’t an outsider looking in. And hearing that from Jon—the man who had stood by his brother through everything—meant the world to her.

Trinity, ever the emotional one, squeezed Rhea’s hand. “We love you, Rhea. You’ve been through hell, and you’re still here, still standing strong. That says everything we need to know.”

Rhea’s heart thudded in her chest as she looked around the table at the faces of those who had become her family. It wasn’t just about her and Jey anymore. It was about something bigger. She had found a place where she was loved and accepted—not for what she had been through, but for who she was.

Taking a deep breath, Rhea knew it was time to share her news. She glanced at Jey, her fingers tightening around his, and then she spoke, her voice steady but filled with emotion. “While I was getting my lashes done today,” she began, her gaze locked with Jey’s, “I made a call.”

The room went silent as everyone waited, sensing that something important was about to be said.

“I called the lawyer WWE put on retainer for me... and I started the divorce proceedings with Matt.”

Jey’s eyes widened, the shock quickly giving way to overwhelming joy. His entire face lit up as the reality of her words sunk in. “You serious?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, as if he needed to hear her say it again just to believe it.

Rhea nodded, a small, relieved smile playing on her lips. “Yeah, Jey. It’s done. I’m starting fresh—with you.”

The emotion that flashed across Jey’s face was raw and unguarded. He felt like his heart was about to burst. In one swift movement, he pulled Rhea into his arms, hugging her tightly as if he never wanted to let go. “I can’t believe it,” he whispered against her ear, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m so happy. You don’t know what this means to me.”

Everyone around the table began to cheer, raising their glasses in celebration. Damian grinned, lifting his glass. “To fresh starts and new beginnings,” he toasted, his voice filled with genuine happiness for the couple.

Jon clinked his glass against Jey’s. “This is it, bruh. This is your moment. I’m proud of you.”

Trinity, tearing up, reached across the table to grab Rhea’s hand again. “We’re so happy for you, Rhea. This is your time.”

As the laughter and joy filled the room, Rhea couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with emotion. The weight of the past few months was finally lifting, and in its place was something she had longed for—hope. She had made the call, ended her marriage, and now she was free to build a future with Jey. And more importantly, they were doing it together, with the love and support of a family who truly cared.

For Jey, it was more than just a fresh start. It was the beginning of the life he had always wanted. One filled with love, with the woman he adored, and the unwavering support of his family. In that moment, surrounded by the people who mattered most, Jey knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, they would face them together. Stronger than ever.

There was a knock at the door, and Damian, eager to stretch his legs, volunteered to answer it as Trinity and Jon leaned closer, wanting to admire their new bracelets. When Damian swung the door open, his face fell in surprise. Standing there was Takecia, flanked by Jey's two sons: the younger, Jeyce, and the older, Jaciyah.

“Jey!” Damian shouted, urgency creeping into his voice.

Jey's heart sank as he stood up, he didn’t like the way Damian sounded, Jey walked to the living room and stopped in his tracks, dread settling in his stomach at the sight of Takecia with their children. Jeyce rushed forward, throwing his arms around Jey’s waist, a warm embrace that momentarily softened the sting of the unexpected visit. But Jaciyah lingered back, his face twisted in an expression of disappointment and anger.

As Jon, Trinity and Rhea emerged from the dining room, surprised by the sudden appearance, Takecia wasted no time. “I needed some time alone,” she said flatly, her eyes darting between Jey and Rhea. “And since you’re playing house, the kids can stay with their dad and his new much younger girlfriend.”

The comment pierced Rhea, a reminder of the age gap that loomed between her and Jey. He was 39, while she had barely crossed into her late twenties. It stung, and she felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her.

“Please, don’t be harsh,” Jey implored, but Takecia raised her hand to silence him.

Looking past Jey, she addressed Trinity directly, “I’ll be back on Saturday to pick up both of them, Naomi.” Using Trinity’s stage name felt like a calculated move, a sign that she was distancing herself from the Fatu family entirely.

Jey tried to reason with her. “Is there any way we can make this easier?”

Takecia shook her head. “Just sign your name after the six-month waiting period,” she replied, her tone clipped and final. Without another word, she kiss her boys goodbye, her demeanor resolute as she turned to leave.

Jey felt the weight of her words settle in his chest as she walked away. The atmosphere in the house shifted, leaving a palpable silence. Rhea stood frozen, emotions swirling inside her and finally tears welling up in her eyes. She turned on her heel and went upstairs, seeking refuge from this moment.

“Rhea, wait!” Trinity called after her, but Rhea didn’t look back. “I’ll go check on her..” Trinity said and Damian followed her upstairs as well.

Once she was gone, Jey faced his children, uncertainty etched on his features. Jon, ever the fun uncle, stepped in, trying to lighten the mood. “Hey, how about we play some WWE 2K24?” he suggested with a grin.

Jaciyah glared at his father, the resentment simmering just below the surface. “No,” he said curtly, avoiding Jey's gaze as he stormed toward Jon’s son’s room and slammed the door behind him.

The sound echoed in the hallway, leaving Jey standing there, feeling more isolated than ever. Jeyce looked up at Jon, a mixture of confusion and longing in his eyes. “Can we play?” he asked softly, breaking the heavy silence.

“Yeah, buddy,” Jon replied, forcing a smile. He knelt down to meet his nephew’s gaze. “Let’s have some fun, just us two for now.”

As they moved toward the gaming console, Jey couldn’t shake the feeling that this moment was just the beginning of a complicated new chapter, one filled with challenges he never expected to face. And as the sounds of the game filled the room, he could only hope that they would find their way through it together.

—

Rhea sat on the edge of the bed, tears streaming down her face as Trinity and Damian hovered nearby, their expressions filled with concern. The weight of the situation pressed heavily on her chest, and she felt as if everything she had been dreading was finally crashing down.

“I just… I don’t think I’ll ever be good enough for his kids,” Rhea sobbed, burying her face in her hands. “What if they don’t accept me? What if they see me as just the ‘new girlfriend’?”

Trinity moved closer, gently rubbing Rhea’s back. “You have to understand, it takes time. I’m a stepmom too, and it’s not easy, but you’re not just some outsider. You’re someone who loves their dad.”

“But the age difference,” Rhea whispered, shaking her head. “Jey’s nearly 40, and I’m barely going to be 28. What if they think I’m too young to be taken seriously?”

“Rhea,” Damian interjected softly, “Jey isn’t with you because of your age. He loves you for who you are, not just as his partner but as a person. You bring something special to his life.”

Trinity nodded vigorously. “Exactly. Love doesn’t have an age limit. You two share a connection that goes beyond that. And believe me, kids can see when someone genuinely cares for their parent.”

Rhea wiped her eyes, taking a shaky breath. “But what if I mess it up? What if I can’t be the person they need?”

“You won’t know unless you try,” Damian replied, his voice steady. “Kids are resilient. They’ll adjust, especially if they see how much Jey loves you. That’s what matters most.”

Trinity chimed in, “And you’re not alone in this. Jey will be there to guide you. It’s a journey for both of you, and as long as you communicate and support each other, you’ll find your way.”

Rhea looked between them, the warmth of their encouragement slowly calming her racing thoughts. “Do you really think he loves me?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Without a doubt,” Trinity assured her. “He lights up when he talks about you. You’ve made a profound impact on his life.”

As Rhea pondered their words, a flicker of hope ignited within her. “I want to be there for him and the kids. I just need to believe I can do this.”

“You can,” Damian said firmly. “It won’t be easy, but love is worth fighting for. Just remember, Jey chose you, and that’s a huge testament to how he feels.”

Rhea nodded slowly, her heart beginning to mend. “Thank you both. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Anytime,” Trinity said, offering a reassuring smile. “We’re here for you, every step of the way.” Trinity hugged her newly found friend and Rhea hugged her back.

As Jey tucked his youngest son, Jeyce, into bed, he felt a familiar warmth wash over him, the kind that only comes from being a father. He leaned down, planting a gentle kiss on Jeyce's forehead, whispering a soft "goodnight." But when he turned to Jaciyah, his heart sank a little.

"Goodnight, Jaciyah," he said, but his son didn’t respond. Instead, Jaciyah simply put on his AirPods and turned his back to Jey, engrossed in his own world.

Jey sighed as he closed the door behind him, a mixture of frustration and sadness lingering in the air. He walked down the hallway to the guest bedroom, hoping to find some solace. As he entered, he saw Rhea lying on the bed, the soft glow of her phone illuminating her face as The Great Gatsby played quietly in the background.

She paused the movie, looking up at him. Jey's breath caught in his throat; she looked so peaceful yet so distant. "Hey," he said awkwardly, "I’m going to shower."

Rhea nodded without a word, her gaze drifting back to the screen. Jey felt the weight of unspoken words hang between them. He grabbed his clothes, the fabric feeling heavy in his hands as he made his way to the bathroom.

The shower felt like both a blessing and a curse. The warm water cascaded over him, washing away the stress of the day, but his mind remained restless. Thoughts of Jaciyah’s coldness swirled with the earlier tension of the night—the confrontation with his soon to be ex wife, the unacceptable weight creeping in, and the undeniable connection he felt with Rhea.

As he lathered shampoo into his hair, Jey couldn’t shake the feeling that his family was teetering on a precipice. He thought about how Jaciyah was shutting him out and how much he wished he could bridge that gap. Then there was Rhea—her strength, her vulnerability, the way she made him feel seen in a world where he often felt lost.

After a few moments of contemplation, he rinsed off and stepped out of the shower, the steam fogging up the mirror. He wiped it clear and looked at his reflection, trying to gather the courage to face Rhea again. He wrapped a towel around his waist, took a deep breath, and made his way back into the bedroom.

Rhea had resumed the movie, but the atmosphere was charged with unspoken tension. He sat on the edge of the bed, feeling the weight of the silence. “You okay?” he asked, breaking the stillness.

Rhea paused the movie again and turned to him, her expression unreadable. “Just tired,” she replied softly, but Jey could sense there was more beneath the surface.

“Want to talk about it?” he offered, hoping to peel back the layers.

She hesitated, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. “What’s there to say? Things are complicated.”

“Complicated how?” Jey pressed gently, wanting to understand but afraid of what he might hear.

Rhea sighed, looking away. “You know how it is, Jey. We have our pasts, our families… it’s not just us.”

Jey felt his chest tighten. “I get that. But I want to figure this out. I want to be here for you and for Jaciyah and Jeyce.”

Rhea turned to him, her gaze intense. She couldn’t say anything.

“I’m trying,” he said, his voice low and earnest. “But I can’t do it alone.”

For a moment, they were caught in each other's eyes, the weight of their unspoken fears hanging heavily in the air. Jey reached out, brushing his fingers against hers. “Let’s not give up on each other, okay?”

Rhea looked down at their hands, her expression softening slightly. “Okay,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Jey felt a flicker of hope as they sat together in the dim light, the movie forgotten. Maybe they could find their way back, piece by piece, despite the complications that surrounded them.

—

As Jey and Rhea settled into bed, Jey found himself wide awake, thoughts swirling around his head like leaves caught in a gust of wind. He envisioned the perfect wedding, with his sons standing beside him, a picture of unity and love. He held onto the hope that Jaciyah would eventually come around, bridging the gap that had formed between them.

Before he knew it, the shrill sound of his alarm shattered the quiet, signaling 2:25 AM. Rhea groaned softly, and Jey closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to steady himself. He knew he would have to catch up on sleep during the flight. Leaning over, he planted a gentle kiss on Rhea's forehead, coaxing her awake.

She yawned, stretching slightly before sitting up. Jey smiled, his heart lifting at the sight of her. They shuffled to the bathroom together, brushing their teeth in companionable silence. Jey quickly splashed some water in his hair, while Rhea combed through her short locks, both preparing for the long day ahead.

Once they finished, they grabbed their last toiletries and headed back to the bedroom to pack them in their bags. Rhea threw on some sweatpants and a hoodie, and Jey did the same, feeling comforted by the cozy attire.

“I’m going to wake up Jon to drive us to the airport,” Jey said, glancing at Rhea.

She nodded, still half-asleep, and slipped on her black crocs. Jey left the guest bedroom to check on Damian.

As he descended the stairs, he found Damian already awake, scrolling through his phone, packed and ready. “You’re all set?” Jey asked.

“Yeah, just waiting on you guys,” Damian replied, looking up with a grin.

“Good. I’m going to get Jon,” Jey said before heading back upstairs. He approached Jon and Trinity’s door, knocking softly. After a moment, he knocked again, then nudged the door open. Jon was sprawled across the bed, deeply asleep.

“Jon, wake up,” Jey said, nudging him again.

Jon turned over, groaning. “What time is it?”

“Time to take us to the airport,” Jey replied, his tone light but firm.

Jon sighed but managed to sit up, rubbing his eyes. “Fine, give me a minute.”

He quickly threw on a jacket and some slide sandals, looking like he was still in a daze. Jey chuckled to himself, feeling the camaraderie of their morning routine.

Once Jon was ready, Jey opened the guest bedroom door again, calling to Rhea. “Come on, let’s go!”

Rhea soon joined them, and together they made their way downstairs. Jon climbed into Trinity’s Escalade, and soon Rhea, Damian, and Jon were all settled in the car, heading towards the airport.

As the city lights faded behind them, Jey felt a sense of determination settle in his chest. No matter what challenges lay ahead, he was ready to face them, one step at a time. With Rhea by his side and the hope of a future together, he knew they would find their way.

Jon pulled up to the airport drop-off lane, Jey noticed the early morning quietness—only a few other travelers milling about. The low hum of the airport echoed around them, creating a peaceful ambiance. Damian hopped out of the car, grabbing their bags from the trunk, while Jey turned to Jon.

“Hey, just a heads up, Rhea and I will be back tomorrow around 4 AM. Can you pick us up?” Jey asked, knowing it would be an early morning for Jon.

“Sure thing, man. Safe travels!” Jon replied, offering a reassuring smile.

Jey glanced at the time on his phone: 3:16 AM. The urgency of their schedule set in, and he quickly ushered Rhea and Damian toward their gate. They moved through the terminal, the adrenaline from their early start pushing them forward.

Once they reached the gate, Jey felt a wave of relief. They boarded the plane, and he was thrilled to see they had first-class tickets again. The luxury of being able to recline and relax felt like a gift after the whirlwind of the past few days.

As the plane began its descent and the safety announcements played, Jey turned to Rhea, who had already settled into her seat, her eyes heavy with sleep. He leaned in and kissed her goodnight, feeling a sense of warmth and connection that eased his mind.

“Sweet dreams,” he whispered, watching her drift off.

He then reclined his own seat, feeling the tension of the day slip away as he closed his eyes. The gentle hum of the engines and the soft vibrations of the plane lulled him into a comfortable sleep. For the first time in a while, Jey felt hopeful about what lay ahead. The day would bring new challenges, but for now, he surrendered to the soothing embrace of slumber, knowing that together, they would face whatever came their way.

#fanfic #fanfiction #jey uso #rhea and jey #rhea ripley #wwe #wwe smackdown #wwe raw #yeet #the judgement day #wwe damian priest #damian priest #jimmy and naomi #jimmy uso #wwe the bloodline #wwe the usos #the judgment day wwe #wwe rhea ripley #wwe fanfiction

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3amfanfiction · 1 day

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It's Just Dinner pt 3

John needs another date and Kyle is very convincing. MDNI cw: gazlighting, manipulation, forced prostitution 2.8k First || Previous

Thankfully the next few weeks pass quietly. There's no surprise dates, no uncomfortable conversations. Just you and Kyle, like it used to be.

You're tentatively relaxing into the rhythm when the next bombshell goes off.

Kyle's running around, getting ready to head to base early in the morning, talking to you over his shoulder when you hear, "Price has an opera he needs to see with one of the brass this weekend and he needs a date. I told him you were free," finishing with his shoes he grabs a jacket, coming over to give you a dirty kiss complete with a healthy grasp of your ass. "We'll go shopping when I get back," —assured, nonchalant, just another day.

No. No! You're not doing this again!

"Kyle! You can't just volunteer me—"

"Bye, babe!" echos through the entryway as the door slams shut.

Conversation over.

///

You fumed for hours. How dare he? How DARE he? Did he think you were a child he could make decisions for? Absolutely not.

You were ready for him now.

You'd spent all day preparing and when Kyle got home tonight you were going to sit him down and you were going to be firm. You weren't going to let him talk over you, you were going to stand your ground tell him you wouldn't be going on any more dinner dates with John Price.

Simple.

But as with any battle plan, it only lasted through the first encounter.

"Why are you acting like this?" Kyle frowned, not understanding. You crossed your arms defensively where you were standing in the bedroom, having followed him in when he got home. Why did you feel defensive?

You watched him pause, holding his t shirt in one hand as he looked over to you, head tilted in confusion. "You said you'd go, I already told him you agreed." He stepped towards you, dropping his shirt back in the drawer before stopping a short distance away, "you can't back out now babe, he's already booked the reservations."

Stop. Take a breath. You're not going to lose your temper.

"I never said I'd go, Kyle."

"Yes you did!" he insisted, eyes wide in disbelief, rolling right over your moment of breathing, "I was standing next to the kitchen table this morning—putting on my shoes—and you said yes."

He took a small step, bridging the distance between the two of you.

"Are you feeling okay, love?" his concerned voice made annoyed pinpricks creep up your spine. "You've been awful stressed lately. Is something going on at work? Anything you want to talk about?"

For one moment you imagined dumping it all on his shoulders, hysterically yelling, I'm pretty sure your boss tried to kiss me! to see what he would do with the information.

Kyle lifted his hands to cup your face, rubbing your noses together gently before you could do anything hasty. "We're partners . . . you know I've always got you, right?"

And just like that, the annoyance dissipated.

"I know, Kyle. That isn't what this is about," you reassured, leaning into his warm calloused palms, taking strength from his presence. "I just don't want to go to an opera this weekend."

You never brought up the half-kiss John had pressed to the corner of your mouth. After your bathroom pep talk you had met back up with him and he behaved himself for the rest of the night—there was no reason to worry Kyle about it.

But it still festered in the back of your mind.

His brow furrowed while he looked disappointingly at you, "Love, it would look really bad if I had to go back to my superior officer and say, 'sorry sir, she changed her mind, we can't help you.' It puts me in a bad spot when he's counting on us, on you, for the night."

His expression turned sad, "I wish you wouldn't have agreed if you had reservations about this."

Did you agree? He seems so certain, remembers it so clearly, maybe you did indicate acceptance somehow this morning, unwittingly.

"No—no I didn't agree, or at least, that's not what I meant," you capitulate, giving ground, shoulders rounding ever so slightly.

You have been stressed lately.

Maybe he's right.

He pulled away to frown down at you, "why are you so against going to dinner this time? Last time you were excited to go."

"I wasn't excited Kyle," you stammered, "I told you I wasn't sure about all this."

"No babe, you told me you were nervous," he pauses to smile at you as if you were in on a secret together, "after all Price is a handsome man and anyone would be nervous to have his full attention on them," you firmly don't think about the swoop in your stomach when he had cupped the back of your neck, the static shock that skated up your spine when his lips brushed yours, ever so slightly.

"—but then you had a great time." you focus back on what Kyle is saying, pulling your wandering mind under control, "I don't understand why you're being so skittish about this now."

He wrapped his arms around you, pulling you into his chest before shuffling the both of you over to the bed. Sitting, he moved you into his lap, chest to chest so he could look into your eyes.

"Are you sure no one said or did anything?" His voice dripped with sincerity, looking for something to fix, some way to help, "You know you're my best girl, right? I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

Fuck. How do you keep messing this up? Now you're sitting here crying as Kyle promises to protect you. Should you just tell him? Get it over with, off your chest. Would that unlock the chain that was dragging you down? You wanted it to go back to how it was before.

No. You weren't a child and you didn't need to be babied. Nothing truly happened so there was nothing to tell Kyle.

But without telling him, you didn't have a valid reason for not going this time.

So you sat there in silence, unable to give ground any further. After a few moments of this, Kyle continued, tone lowered —assured, "Who's always looking out for you? Making sure that you're safe and you're happy, hmm?" he used his thumb to wipe away the tear tracks on your face.

"You," you assure quickly. This at least came easier, "but Kyle, this is—"

"Pet," stern, direct, "you're getting all twisted up in this when you don't need to be. You trust me right? You know I'm always doing whats best for us?" he holds your gaze, forehead pressed against yours, watching every flick of your eyes. "I love you more than I ever thought possible, but if you don't trust me . . . that's a hard thing to come back from, you know?"

"I do! I do trust you Kyle, I'm sorry. I don't know why I feel this way," rushed, pleading.

"I told you, even though you're my best girl, your head still gets in the way. We need to turn that pretty brain off, don't we?" He kisses you sweetly, as if you're everything he could ever want. "I've got us, baby. I wouldn't steer wrong."

Breathe.

"Okay," you give in after one more moment of resistance, tired of the pushing and pulling, the cyclical conversations, "okay, I'll go. But this is the last time, do you hear me Kyle Garrick?" You pulled back to show him your no nonsense face, "I'm not doing this again."

Kyle laughs as if you'd stomped your foot in assertion, something too cute to ever be taken seriously, "I hear you, babe. Thank you for coming around to see my side of things," he squeezes you to his chest, your face tucked into the warmth of his neck, "you're going to have a great time, you'll see."

He leans away to take you in, "How are you so wonderful? I feel like I must've saved an orphanage from a fire or something to have gotten you in my life."

Smiling at you as if he could see the universe in your eyes, "it's you and me, right sweetheart?" he questions, a child looking for benediction.

"You and me," you assure, disquiet bubbling softly in the back of your mind.

///

You saw John before he saw you.

He was standing in the foyer, looking at his phone, dressed to the nines.

His snug black suit emphasized the breadth of his shoulders, biceps bulging at the seams. His button down shirt tucked into his pants emphasized his thick waist, the muscles of his core covered by a healthy layer of fat.

His thick gold rings caught the light from above as he swiped through his phone—

Was that your living room on his screen?

The thought was derailed almost as soon as it formed due to John noticing you. He turned with a beaming smile as he locked his phone and slid it into a pocket. Holding his arms open he ushered you into a hug.

The smell of his cologne was earthy, loamy—it curled up in your nose and sunk its tendrils into your brain. How did he always smell so good?

Tensing slightly as his arms closed around you, he did no more than press a firm kiss high on your cheekbone. "You are a vision, my dear," John said in awe, pulling back slightly to take you in from head to toe. "Every time I see you, you end up more stunning. How is that possible?"

You laugh, charmed despite yourself. It's hard to keep up walls when John Price is looking at you like that, "You're too sweet, John," you demure, intending to have a good time tonight, "shall we find our seats?"

///

Several hours later, when the night was all but over while waiting for your car, you don't notice at first that John has taken a step closer. You're too distracted by the chill breeze that has sprung up, attempting to keep your skirt where it belongs.

You realize how close he had gotten when his hand comes up to brush against the skin of your jaw, fingers trailing softly as if dragging against spun gold.

Something precious. Something treasured.

You inhale shakily, unsure of where this was leading but wanting to stop. To take a step back onto stable ground.

"John—" is as far as he lets you get before his mouth covers yours, his other hand coming up to cradle your face in his palms while he devoured your mouth.

Because there was nothing timid or hesitant about this kiss. He claimed with it. His tongue pressing into your mouth at the first sign of weakness—the smallest gasp you couldn't control.

His fingers tightened against the side of your head as he groaned, angled down from above, making sure he was all you could see, all you could hear.

After what felt like years he pulled away, panting like he'd just ran a race, "Fuck me, sweetheart, but you taste even better than I'd hoped."

You stand there, eyes wide as you hold onto his wrists, one hand covering the smooth face of his watch. "You—you kissed me," you murmured, only just loud enough to be heard, "you can't kiss me, John."

He smiled as if you said something cute before pulling you back in. His lips had just brushed yours when you wrenched your head back, desperate to put space between the two of you.

"No, John," shaky but as determined as you could make it. You watch as something rises from the depths behind his eyes. A leviathan observing you, deciding where to bite first, where to grab as he pulls you into his depths, his maw closing around you . . .

Only for it to sink back below the surface, John's blue eyes clearing once more.

"Of course, of course, you're right doll, we shouldn't be doing that here." He continues talking over your spluttered here? as if you never said anything.

"There's your car anyways," the brakes squeak ever so lightly behind you, the thrum of the engine filling the night air, "you be good, sweetheart." A smile as John steps back, holding your door open for you. You climb in quickly, not wanting to spend any longer in his presence than needed.

John looms over the open doorway, forearms braced against the roof, "until next time." He winks at you before shutting the door, a soft double tap on the roof his notice to the driver.

As the car pulled away from the curb your thoughts began to spiral and you started to hyperventilate.

You had to tell Kyle now, you should've told him before but you can't go changing the past.

As soon as you get home you'll sit him down and talk to him. You'll tell him everything.

You ignore your slick thighs and the pressure of your underwear on your throbbing clit.

///

You made the car drive around the block—twice—before you worked up the courage to go inside.

Time to face the music.

"He kissed me, Kyle," you say, bracing for the explosion. You were still reeling from the evening, light tremors shaking your limbs, making your knees feel like they were knocking together.

You know you have to tell him everything, you can't keep something like this quiet. You have to lay it all out and hope he doesn't lose his mind.

Kyle froze. You watch him swallow, noticing his pupils expanding to eclipse the brown of his eyes. You hoped it wasn't in rage.

He quickly gathered himself as youlet out a broken sob and launched yourself at him, tears already streaming down your face.

You cried into his chest, latched onto him in search of strength. He pressed soft shh shh's against the top of your head, cradling you close to him, trying to coax you to breathe.

Eventually you were able to draw in a semi-steady breath without it immediately devolving into a sob and found yourself apologizing to Kyle, "I'm so sorry, I don't know why he kissed me—" breaking off into another wet hiccup.

"None of that now, you're making it a bigger deal than it needs to be," Kyle promised sternly, squeezing you tightly to him, "I know it's not your fault, you did nothing wrong." He soothes you when that causes another round of sobbing to begin.

"I'll talk to him tomorrow," he announces quietly, with a somber air, once the tears began to peter off. "It might cause some . . . friction on the task force but if it's made you this upset then I'll handle it."

Why? Why does John have to be Kyle's boss?

It made everything so complicated.

If it were anyone else, you'd be able to trust Kyle to set them straight, no concerns about consequences. But with John . . . he had control over Kyle's life. Is a kiss worth it? Is anything worth risking Kyle's life?

No.

You'd decided before that you wouldn't risk bad blood between them. You held onto that decision even now, even as things have gotten heavier, more complicated.

You bury deeper into Kyle's chest, arms wrapped as tightly as possible around him, "No, I don't want to cause trouble for you at work."

"Doll, it's no-"

"No, you were right, I'm making it a bigger deal than needed. I was just worried, that's all."

He hunched down to rest his chin on top of your head, "worried about what?" he presses.

"Just that . . . that you're saying it's okay when it's really not. I don't want you to be upset with me." Your eyes started to well up again but you blinked furiously, trying to keep the tears from falling down your cheeks.

He slips an arm free to tilt your chin up, angling your face towards his, eyes locked so you have no way of hiding from him and what he's about to say.

"I'm not upset with you and you did absolutely nothing wrong," holding your gaze, chin firmly grasped. "Do you think I care about the captain kissing you?" —amused, placating almost— "I care because you care, love," he looked down to your lips, pursed slightly from the pressure of his grip.

"Here," quiet, sensual, "I'll show you."

When he pulled you into the kiss it was warm coffee on a cold morning, it was waking up to realize you have an hour left on your alarm, it was the house lights being on when you get home at night.

It was comfort.

You chase after him slightly when he pulls away, wanting to continue. He smiled and gives you another peck. "You taste," he murmurs, lips brushing yours with every word, "utterly delicious."

You pant softly, waiting for him to press into you again. He smiles and gives another soft kiss, "chapstick and cigar smoke taste perfect from your lips."

Story Repository || Main Repository

#kyle garrick x reader #captain john price x reader #cw gaslighting #cw manipulation #only one more chapter folks!#and the last one has smut #proper smut #i’m nervous

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clowningaroundmars · 3 days

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thanks to the amazing @starcut-sand for the inspo, i now present to you all... a new multi-chapter adventure! this time featuring our beloved gwen stacy and miles42 :)

no, it's not a ship fic lol but i hope to keep you all entertained nonetheless

this one will update much faster since i've plotted it all out and have drafts written already. so stay tuned for new updates coming soon!

general content warnings: canon-typical violence, mentions of blood, kidnapping, drugs, poisoning, death, bullets and explosions, teenagers being teenagers

without further ado, let's get into it!

part 1 of 4 >>

Gwen woke up in a small, dark room not knowing how much time had passed since she was knocked out cold.

And she knew she was knocked out cold, of course, because even she knew never to take a cat-nap in the middle of a mission.

That she was on currently… if memory served her correctly.

Slowly, painstakingly-- with knives in her ribs and her left shoulder still sore from her earlier encounter-- she sat up. Flicked through her watch to make double-sure that the migraine throbbing in her brain wasn’t tricking her into a vivid hallucination of some kind.

Earth-42 stared right back at her, bright green digital letters dancing and blurring in and out right before her very eyes. When she reached up to touch her forehead in a spot that itched, her glove came away with a bit of dried blood on the white fabric.

Shit.

Gwen could not let Jessica down under any circumstances, especially since this was her first mission since… well, since Miles Morales from earth-1610 came in and single-handedly caused the collapse of the Spider Society as everyone knew it.

Which wasn’t really a bad thing in the end, but it did mean that poor Jess had to step up as the leader shortly after Miguel was forcibly dethroned.

“I’m the interim leader right now,” she would say to anyone who called her “boss” or “CEO” or any variation of the word. The poor woman already had enough on her plate as it was with a newborn and a new family life to tend to, so Gwen understood 100%.

It was also why the pressure was on her shoulders to complete this one tiny, manageable task that was given to her.

Gwen wasn’t stupid. She knew she was on a sort of probationary period after her first blunder on earth-1610. And the fact that she turned her back on the Society to break a couple of rules, help Miles, save the multiverse... well, all of that didn't help matters much.

She ignored the looks cast her way every now and then by other Spiders when visiting HQ, but she knew. She tallied up those glances whether anyone knew of it or not.

But then there was also the stupid feeling of… sentimentality hanging in the air, keeping her chained to the Society when most of her other Spider friends had already abandoned the group.

Yeah, her relationship with her father was… repaired, for the most part. But damn it if she didn’t take a liking to Jessica Drew, too! Sue her.

So here she was, on a mission to visit earth-42 and investigate an anomaly that seemed to threaten the very fabric of space and time. Again.

Gwen was already starting to regret her very dumb, not-very-well-thought out decision to volunteer for this one, though.

No time to complain right now though. We’ve got a problem to solve, Gwen mused, forcing her annoyance, frustration, and panic deep down for the moment.

Her aching brain switched over to Work Mode once again, and she immediately slid into compartmentalizing and sorting every bit of detail that she could manage to remember in the present moment.

Her head was bleeding and throbbing, which meant she sustained a brain injury of some kind. She wobbled unsteadily to her feet, wiggling them and checking on her balance. Her head complained louder, but she seemed to be able to walk just fine.

Okay. Good. It wasn’t a bad injury-- and if it was, it seemed her enhanced healing factor already took care of the majority of it in her sleep.

Alright, time to examine her surroundings now.

While she did so, she found it pretty irritating that while her injury didn’t put her out of commission, it seemed to wipe her entire short-term memory instead.

She eventually sat down on a crate in the corner of the room that she was imprisoned in and with her head in her hands, started sorting even harder through her mental files.

… Nothing.

Well, nothing past the memory of flying through the designated portal she opened back in Jess’s office shortly after receiving her mission assignment. And then landing on top of a familiar-but-not-so-familiar building on earth-42's Brooklyn.

She vaguely remembered the late evening sunset, almost choked out by the various plumes of smoke reaching up to the heavens from the fires that still raged on in parts of the city.

... And then? Nothing else.

Gwen remembered how it was like when earth-1610’s Miles-- her Miles-- ended up in this strange world for the first time, a time that seemed like it was eons ago to Gwen, but couldn’t have been more than a few months ago. The fires were much more numerous, news helicopters everywhere and crime seemingly never-ending.

She couldn’t speak on the crime rates per se, but the place looked a little bit less like the mess she and her Spider Band stumbled into at first.

She distinctly remembered thinking to herself-- before swinging down and heading towards the reports of the anomalies-- that she was glad that the Prowlers seemed to get some things under control. If it was them battling the crime in the first place, that is.

But now there was no time for such thoughts. Wherever the Prowlers happened to be now, they were most likely nowhere near her location. Calling Miles-42 up on her watch would be… distasteful, especially this early in the game.

Especially when she had no idea if he was even available or not. Hm. Maybe she should’ve let Jess ping him and let him know of her arrival as per the usual protocol, but. Oh well.

Too late for that now.

So she stood up again, massaged her shoulder and rolled her neck, and blinked the stars out of her eyes. Time to get to work, for real this time.

She eventually happened upon a door that seemed to lead to the outside, which was really well-hidden against the four walls that enclosed her inside.

The room she was held in wasn’t very big, but it was dark. There was only one tiny little window high up near the ceiling that offered a glimpse up into the night sky beyond.

So it was well past sunset… better than not knowing anything at all, right?

The exit was seemingly hard to get out of, unfortunately. Try as she might, Gwen’s strength alone couldn’t get the giant metal door open. She pushed and pulled on the edges, tried sliding it left and right, tried kicking at it. It didn’t budge.

Whoever trapped her in this… storage closet seemed to know exactly what they were doing, who they were dealing with… whoever they happened to be.

Sinister laughing echoed in the back of her mind as she recalled her run-in with the bad guy but… couldn’t for the life of her remember who he was! So frustrating!

Still, this was earth-42. The baddie could’ve been anyone at all, anyone from the Sinister Six Cartel that she knew still held power on the streets here.

Even with their power slowly slipping from their collective grasps, it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility that one of those assholes still owned a high-security compound out in the middle of nowhere. It also wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for one of them to have enough tranquilizers to knock out ten elephants, and use that drug on her to drag her out here.

For all Gwen knew, she was probably miles and miles away from Brooklyn, too. Just great.

No time to despair. Time to concentrate.

Okay, so she couldn’t really get past this gigantic metal door that seemed to be made of some titanium alloy or whatever. That left the small space up high on the wall that probably served as ventilation for the room, only sporting thick metal bars to prevent things from getting in… or out.

Gwen quickly scaled the wall and eyed the dimensions of the space before deciding that if she got the metal grating off of the concrete wall, she might be able to squeeze her shoulders through and possibly achieve freedom.

Assuming as well, of course, that the security in this building was easy to get past.

But she would rather take her chances with evil police-drones and bumbling goons than sit another minute in this prison waiting to see who exactly captured her.

Gwen got to work, using her super-strength to painstakingly detach the grates corner by corner, trying to stay as quiet as possible. She bent a few bars in the process, but what was a little property damage to a Spiderperson? No big deal.

If the bad guy who kidnapped me wanted his compound to be spotless and damage-free, he shouldn’t have kidnapped me in the first place, Gwen reasoned.

After what felt like hours, the grating was off. She was free! Now all she had to do was--

Gwen’s heart almost leaped out of her throat and into her mask when glowing purple and white eyes suddenly came into view. They narrowed into slits.

“Jesus Chr--!!! What the…” her brain fully booted up this time, taking a second to stare right back into the glowing eyes of...

“Miles?” She gasped, once it hit her.

The glowing eyes blinked once before finally nodding at her. He raised a metal claw to his mask’s mouth in a universally-recognizable gesture.

Shhhhh.

Gwen’s own giant white eyes blinked back at him before shifting out of the way to allow Miles to extend a begauntleted arm into the room through the window and shoot out… something.

A spark of purple lit the room up, and shortly after, a clattering of glass and plastic resonated through the room before the place fell deathly quiet once more.

“There was a camera in there with you, most likely recording audio, too,” Miles offered as an explanation.

“… Oh. Well, thanks.” Gwen said awkwardly.

So she was wrong. Somehow, in the middle of the night in this odd prison she woke up in, Miles Morales happened to find her anyhow.

She wasn’t used to… this other Miles, and they hadn’t spoken much after their first meeting months ago.

He would join the Spider Band on their own missions sparingly. As far as she knew, only 1610’s Miles hung out with him with any sort of regularity. The kid was a complete mystery to everyone else otherwise, and whenever he was brought up around 1610, the topic was usually brushed off as casually as possible.

Gwen had no clue why 42’s Miles didn’t seem to take a liking to any of the members of their little motley crew. She figured he probably had a hard time keeping up with super-powered heroes and just left it at that, even though from what she could see of their encounters-- however far and few between they were-- the kid seemed to have talent. He was able to keep up with them on most days without barely breaking a sweat.

So all in all, a total mystery to her. Even if this guy shared the same face as her best friend and ally Miles Morales, he... moved differently. Acted differently. Like Miles Morales, but in a different font.

He started to shimmy his shoulders into the room to get past the tight constraints of the window. Gwen stared at him with a cocked head the entire time.

He used his sneakers to cling onto the wall for a little bit, reaching right back out of the window once inside. He pulled in a backpack through the opening and promptly dropped down onto the cold hard floor of the room.

“Uh, hi? Wait. Weren’t we supposed to both escape through that window instead of you, y’know, coming inside?”

Miles-- well, 42--shook his head as he threw his pack back on in one swift motion. “I checked the perimeters, and we’re a long, long ways away from the city. Even if we managed to get past the millions of goons and cameras everywhere, they got dogs doing night shifts out in the woods.”

Gwen’s heart sank. Shit. Her earlier thoughts were coming true. They were far away from Brooklyn, which complicated their escape plans even more.

“I mean… ugh, I-- we can climb the trees! Right? If we just--”

“The guards, Gwen. They got guns loaded up with bullets. But you know what I got? A plan.”

Gwen blinked back at 42 yet again. “You do?”

42 took confident steps back as he put some distance between them and then triple-tapped the side of his mechanical mask. Gwen watched with awe as the front of the mask sectioned itself up and off of his head, revealing a laser-focused expression on Miles’ handsome face-- er, his regular, normal, totally-not-good-looking face!

From somewhere on his mask, a bright purple hologram was projected between them, suspended in mid-air. The lights cast the entire room in a hazy purple glow.

The hologram projected a 3D blueprint-like map of the entire building-- all 5 stories of it. Each floor was meticulously detailed, down to the various entrances and exits and relative dimensions of the many, many rooms the building held.

42 tapped his mask again, this time on the chin, and a maze-like structure materialized, all of it hovering on top of each other and weaving themselves in between the floors… a maze-like structure that seemed very, very familiar.

“Vents!” Gwen snapped her fingers once she recognized them. “You have the blueprints of all the ventilation shafts in the building!”

42 nodded, the projection bobbing along with his movements. “Yeah, I do. I’m a Prowler, right? We always stay prepared.”

Gwen squinted at him. “I guess...? How’d you get stuck in this place if you’re always prepared, then? Did you get kidnapped too?”

“Nah,” 42 answered easily, a corner of his mouth quirking up for a split second, “I followed you here.”

Gwen blinked at him for what seemed to be the umpteenth time. "What."

42 sighed. “You got knocked out by this dimension’s Doctor Octopus. He threw you into the back of a van and ordered his goon squad to bring you back up here, to a secret location he’s got surrounded by energy dampeners and signal blockers. Most likely? He knows you’re not from this dimension and wants to experiment on you. But me? I’m here ‘cause me and my uncle have been lookin’ for this place for months. It’s… top-secret, this compound. Classified.”

“Oh. How did… how did you know he’d bring me to the place you and your uncle have been looking for this whole time? What if he brought me to another building?”

42 smirked, the purple lights of the holograms twinkling in his eyes. “Doc’s assets are being… uh, slowly compromised by us with the underground resistance. Not many places for him to throw his unwilling science experiments into nowadays.”

So it wasn’t just Gwen’s imagination. This dimension really has been steadily cleaned up by the Prowlers and their freedom-fighting allies. Well, that was good to hear. Still didn’t provide much relief for their current situation considering this was Doctor Octopus they were talking about here, but it was still nice to know.

“Well. That’s great to hear, then. What’s the rest of your plan, after ducking out of here through the vents?”

42’s mask re-formed back onto his face and the glowing purple and white eyes came back online. “We’re not ducking through the vents. Well, yet. I came here on my own mission and I gotta complete it before leaving.”

Gwen sighed softly. “Which would be...?”

Getting the whole story out of this version of Miles was like pulling teeth! Was it always going to be like this? Because if so, this wasn’t going to be a very easy mission to pull off after all.

“I can get you out of here first, if you want,” 42 glowered at her, voice distorting behind his mask’s voice-changing technology. His tone seemed impatient, too. “I can stay behind ‘til I’m done.”

Gwen shifted her weight onto one leg. “No, not a chance. I have to stay here and make sure Doc Ock doesn’t turn you into minced meat. Plus, you’re the one who has all the blueprints and cool glowing tech thingies. I’m sticking with you until we can both get out of here!”

This seemed to satisfy 42, because he gave her one unreadable nod in her direction. “… If you’re sure, then let’s go.”

He moved swiftly, much more gracefully than Gwen was used to seeing a Miles move. He walked almost silently, crouching down near one side of the wide metal sliding door thing that Gwen was trying to unsuccessfully pry open earlier.

He reached back into his gear that was saddled on his back and pulled out what seemed to be a small metal object with tiny purple lights on the outer edge. It attached itself onto the door and then 42 was sliding a hidden panel that Gwen had completely missed.

Gwen eventually sidled up to him and clasped her hands behind her back. “I see we’re sticking real well to the branding here. Purple lights, purple holograms… very cool,” was her lame attempt at lightening the mood.

“Yeah, it’s a family thing,” 42 muttered as he worked on… what seemed like some electrical circuitry built into the door. It glowed a soft green. “Been passed down for a couple of generations.”

Gwen hummed. “Oh, I see.”

A beat of silence as 42 continued his work.

Gwen checked her watch once more as she leaned on a wall. “Soooo… should I be doing something while you… y’know…?”

“Yeah, you should be quiet.” 42 answered.

“Ouch.” Gwen replied back as flatly as she could. “Look. I don’t wanna step all on your toes or anything while you do this whole… Prowling thing, but we’re a two-man team here! I’m at the very least trying to make conversation,”

“Okay, sure,” 42 replied easily, never taking his eyes off of his task. “Why are you in my dimension in the first place? Since you like to talk so much, maybe you can tell me that.”

Gwen sighed loudly. Great. Here she was trapped in a bad guy’s compound in the middle of who-knows-where, with the meanest Miles in the entirety of the multiverse. Just her luck.

“I was sent here on a mission. By Jessica. You know, the other other Spiderwoman? Who’s now in charge of the Spider Society, by the way? Yeah, we detected anomalies here in this dimension and she sent me to check it out. But… well, I kinda already screwed that up so I guess I can go and kiss my Society membership goodbye for good this time. Happy?”

42 glanced up at her then, his mask as unreadable as ever, the darkness enshrouding much of his body language. He slowly stood up and backed up, silently gazing at Gwen all the while.

She stood there glaring at him with her arms crossed.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m happy.” 42 finally replied coolly. “Now keep quiet, we don’t know if there are guards out here on patrol. My mask is still calibrating its infrared heat sensors so I can’t see ‘em yet.”

Infrared heat sensors? God, is this kid packed to the teeth with high-tech spy gadgetry or what?

Gwen begrudgingly did as she was told, taking a couple of steps back as 42 lowered the brightness of his mask’s glow.

The door rumbled open with a mechanic hum, and that’s when it hit her; Gwen couldn’t have possibly gotten the door open by herself, because it wasn’t just locked… it was hooked up to a main power source and sealed that way.

Damn. Looks like she really did need to rely on this guy to escape this place, after all.

Well then.

They poked their heads out of the dark room and quietly surveyed the expansive maze-like hallways of the compound. Pipes running the entire length of the ceiling as far as they could see told them both everything they needed to know.

42 took a quick step back to update his mask’s digital blueprint and map out exactly where they were.

Gwen glanced back at him. “What’re you doing now?”

“I'm marking where we are...” He then drops his voice to a near whisper, eyes still methodically scanning the area around them. "This compound's built into the side of a steep hill, which is how I climbed in. We must be on the north side, then."

He tapped his mechanical claws on the tip of his chin and started thinking aloud. “Which means… what I’m lookin’ for has to be underneath the ground, towards the south. I’m lookin’ for a room not on the blueprints. And... and I think I know exactly where to start.”

“You think you know? I thought you had a plan!”

“I do,” 42 threw back. “An escape plan. But you’re stickin’ with me, so now we’re gonna do some Prowlering. Unless you changed your mind?”

Oh, right. This game. Well, this kid wasn’t getting rid of her that easily, that was for sure.

“Oh no, no. Just making sure you’re capable of getting out of here, is all,” she offered innocently.

42 might’ve rolled his eyes behind his mask, but it was hard to tell.

Together, they moved through the halls as silently as possible, straining their ears for any sign of human life-- or robot life, really-- as they quickly made their way down several wide corridors.

All of the halls started blurring together since they all looked completely identical to Gwen, save for the numbers on the various doors they passed by changing and getting smaller as they advanced.

After several minutes had passed, Gwen wanted to open her mouth and ask 42 where exactly they were heading to since it didn’t seem like their trip was even coming anywhere close to an end, when he suddenly grabbed her and pulled her around a corner they had just walked past seconds earlier.

Gwen made a slight noise of confusion and then sucked in a breath when the sound of metal clanging and machines whirring echoed all around them. 42 was closest to the corner, head turned over to where she suspected the intruders were coming from.

Sure enough, a pair of heavy work boots stamped gracelessly down the halls and the casual back-and-forth between the men that suddenly came into view could be heard more clearly.

“… Can’t believe he’s got us down here working doubles now, man! Sucks,” one of the men grumbled as they made their way past the two vigilantes and opened yet another giant metal door with a keycard.

Gwen’s vision zeroed in on it as the man reached behind him to tuck it back into his pocket, and her split-second reflexes allowed her to time her web just right.

She snagged the card and held a breath as the door whirred shut right behind the men, both of them none the wiser.

“Whew,” she said after a second of tense waiting, and smirked at 42 who held a metal claw out for the keycard. “Look who’s got a plan now! Aren't you glad I stuck around?”

42 chuckled, the sound warbling slightly under his voice modulator. “Yeah, that was pretty cool. I can admit that. Now that we got this, we might be able to use it to get into the room I wanna get into once we find it.”

“Right,” Gwen pipes up once they continue their descent deeper into the bowels of the compound, “about that. You never told me what it is that you came here to find. In fact, you’ve been pretty cagey this entire time. Like, about everything.”

42 made an undecipherable sound. “Uh, yeah. This is my recon mission, not yours. You’re not even from this dimension, this doesn’t really concern you.”

Gwen grunted. “Gee thanks. If that’s how you feel, then I’ll be having my keycard back!”

42 shook his head and laughed. “I didn’t mean it like that, man. I meant… just don’t worry about it. It’s info we’re looking for to eventually take down Doc Ock. If I said it out loud here, it might jeopardize this whole thing me and Aaron have planned. I'm in work mode right now, I'm sure you get it,”

Gwen relaxed a bit more. In a way, she did get it. She even understood 42’s hesitance to have her aboard to work with him, since working on group projects wasn't exactly on her own list of top ten favorite things… especially when the project itself concerned the very fabric of the space-time continuum.

Gwen was a solo hero, and maybe since 42 was here on his own, he finally graduated into being a solo hero, too.

Actually, on that topic…

“Does your… does your uncle know you’re here, then? If he does, maybe he can help us get out of here?”

42 helped himself to a healthy pause. “Yes, and no. Aaron’s not… here, near the compound. But he does know I’m out on a mission.”

Gwen stared at him. “Sooo… call him? I’m sure he can get past security, right?”

42 laughed yet again, shaking his head. “Guess you didn’t hear me back in the other room when I told you there are blockers all over this compound, huh.”

Gwen cocked an eyebrow at him and their lenses met.

“What I mean is,” 42 continues, “tech down here doesn’t work very well due to all the interference the Doc’s put up to conceal this place. Again, top secret. Super classified. My own mask took a little while to come back online, and some stuff is still… coming back online. Kinda."

“And your communicators wouldn’t happen to also be on the fritz, would they?” Gwen asked, fully knowing the answer she was going to get.

“Mmnnyep, communicator’s offline. I dunno what the hell Doc’s got this place running on, but it’s not electricity. I’m not too concerned about the details, though,”

Here, they came up to a wide metal door marked in bright caution-tape stripes with several warnings plastered on its surface.

“... ’Cause I got my eyes on the prize,” 42 finished, swaggering up to the door’s keycard panel and successfully getting the thing to slide open.

They both fell into fighting stances in case anything behind the door leapt out at them and attacked, but… there was no one and nothing in the spacious cave-like room beyond it.

Nothing except… a humongous collider!

Gwen gasped as she lowered her fists and advanced forward, making her way over thick wires and past computers to get closer to the giant dimension-ripping machine in the center of the room.

It looked… not quite as high-tech as the one in her dimension, or Miles’-- er, 1610’s collider, that is-- but it was completely unmistakable. The form never changes, neither through space nor through time. It was indeed a collider built by none other than the infamous Doctor Octopus, even if it didn’t quite look as close to being complete.

There were still various wires draped on ladders near the edge of the lab, scissor-lifts located below the platforms parked for the night, and several components were missing that seemed to lay underneath odd-looking bulgy sheets on top of several tables nearby. Gwen made her way over to a computer and woke it up, balking at the password-locked screen in front of her eyes.

Damnit. Damnit! It wasn’t just an anomaly that the Society managed to detect… it was the energy signals from this collider, most likely having gone through some initial tests before advancing to this final stage of construction.

If this was it, then Gwen needed to get back to Jess with this information ASAP!

She fiddled with her watch a bit, but it still looked to be on the fritz somehow, not letting her switch to any other dimension or access the other features Hobie had installed into it. Weird.

She straightened up and glanced behind her, hoping that 42 had some kind of tech or knowledge that would help crack this computer open so she could take a look through the files to gauge just how far along this little pet project was… only to find that she was alone.

... Alone?

"Miles?"

Silence. Her heart jumpstarted a bit and started hammering away in her chest as she hurriedly made her way past rows of tables, science equipment, and computer screens of all sizes, only to find a pair of legs sticking out from underneath a weird car-shaped machine set aside in the corner of the gigantic lab.

She stood there for a bit with her hands on her hips, quieting her thoughts and watching as 42 tinkered away at whatever the hell he was tinkering away at.

She eventually kicked a purple Jordan gently and smiled bemusedly at 42 shuffling his way out from under the machine.

“Having fun down there?” She said as casually as she could manage.

42’s mask was off slightly, still framing his face, but now Gwen could see his slightly exasperated expression in full view.

“Yeah, actually, I was.” He gave her a full view of his snarky attitude too, while he was at it.

He laid back down and pushed his way underneath once more.

“Is this gigantic collider in the middle of this room not a huge concern to you at all?”

“Not really.” 42 answered from under the machine.

“Can I ask why? You do know that if the Octopus gets this thing done and booted up, that your entire dimension is at risk of collapsing just like every other dimension that’s had a collider in it before?”

“Really? Ya don't say,” 42 replied sarcastically, clinking and clanking away. The machine rattled a bit. “That’s nowhere near done right now and I gotta prioritize my priorities. I’m getting to root cause of the problem rather than just climbing in here and smashing stuff up.”

“… Are you now?” Gwen deadpanned.

A mighty metallic scraping sound jolted its way through her eardrums suddenly, making Gwen jump slightly. After a second or two, 42 slides out once again with a big sunny grin plastered onto his face, holding up what looks like a small motherboard with a bunch of metal wires still attached to the metal casing it was screwed into. He only wore one gauntlet, she noted.

He quickly took his pack off and got to work inlaying the computer part into a panel in his pack that she had never noticed before.

A total tech marvel that thing was, really. Even Gwen had to make a noise of approval when with a few purposeful jabs and swipes, the whole pack disengaged and unfolded itself open, much like his mask. No tools required.

He made quick work of the task at hand, using one metal gauntlet as a makeshift toolset, his other gloved hand working to set the entire component into the rest of the pack’s inner workings.

Once that seemed to be done, all of the circuitry glowed purple for a beat before going dark once more. 42 tapped at his gauntlet, bringing up more info on the inside of his wrist, which he seemed to approve of.

“All set?” Gwen probed, still standing a little ways away from him, watching as he seemed completely engrossed in his little side-mission.

He reached back under the machine and pulled out his other gauntlet, springing back up once it was in his hands.

“Yeah. Better than all set, ‘cause now my pack’s online! I can use my climbing gear again.” At this, 42 unlatches a reel of rope from behind him, his grappling hook dangling on one end as he swings it in circular motions through the air. “Hell yeah,”

Gwen stared at him once again. “Your climbing gear wasn’t working? How did you climb into my window, then?”

42 gave her a bit of side-eye. "I got other gear besides my rope, you know that, right?"

Gwen huffed, clearly annoyed. "No, actually I don't. I've been following you this whole time and you haven't really been saying much at all,"

42’s mask slid back into place as he rolled his shoulders and readjusted his pack. “You ask too many questions,”

“You don’t provide too many answers,” Gwen bit out dryly. “Seriously, dude, we are in the middle of giant evil lair of some kind with no way to communicate with the outside world and you’re swaggering through this whole ordeal like it’s a walk in the park,” she huffs. “Why can’t you just tell me like, anything?”

They’re both face-to-face now, mask-to-mask, very obviously frustrated with each other if the electricity in the air was as thick as it felt.

Two teenagers butting heads in the middle of a giant lab, trapped in the lair of their greatest enemy… it would embarrassing if it wasn’t so absurd, but here they were, glaring each other down anyways.

“I am telling you things, you just don’t listen! Probably ‘cause you think your powers make you all-powerful and omniscient or something, that you think you don't need to listen to a word I'm saying,” 42’s words dripped with venom. “Seriously, staying with me to make sure I don’t get myself killed? Gimme a damn break. If sticking with me is soooo boring and you know more than I do, you can get yourself up out of here, then.”

Gwen bristled. “Listen here, jerk. I never said that I was better than you. Kinda telling on yourself there, don'tcha think?” She jabbed a finger in his direction. “I was perfectly capable of letting myself out before you fell in here and got us all turned around! I had it on my own, I could've gotten myself out of here ages ago!"

“And who’s stopping you?” 42 threw his hands up in the air. “Use your little spider powers to bust up out of here, and just leave!"

Gwen stepped back, seething. With fists clenched by her sides, she shoots 42 more daggers his way, hoping her mask’s lenses would convey the message.

Wordlessly, she turns around and shoots a web up to one of the ventilation grates high up in the cavernous room, sticking to the wall.

She works the grating off while 42’s Jordans pace right out of the room and into another side room, leaving the lab completely silent.

Fine. If that was how things were going to be, then fine. This was hardly the worst situation Gwen’s ever found herself in, and it most likely wasn't going to be over anytime soon. But she’s gotten herself out of stickier conundrums on her own, so this was just going to be yet another one of life’s little tests. Just a bump in the road.

A small, insignificant little bump.

As Gwen quietly seethed and crawled her way through the ventilation shafts (completely blindly, since she didn’t really bother to memorize the absolute maze that was whatever 42 showed her earlier) she came upon a vent opening that overlooked a room filled with monitors and… guards.

It looked to be a security room not too far from the collider room, and the men inside were armored to the teeth, only slipping off their helmets and masks to chat some shit over takeout containers and coffee cups.

The rest of the room was covered in tv monitors that showed various different CCTV camera feeds, all of them stationary. Most of them were pointing to the outside, though, hardly any of the screens showed views from the basement level’s numerous corridors, curiously enough.

Gwen doubted 42’s earlier claim that this building ran on some other form of power, since she didn’t think it would be very economic on the Octopus’ wallet to buy so many cameras and monitors and computers that ran on alternate power sources.

Maybe… if he was wrong… then maybe she could even use her watch to open up a portal in an empty room somewhere and just peace out!

Tell Jess what she found, because by now she’d pretty much done her job. Leave the rest to a more capable task force put together by the Society and just go back to her normal, boring, definitely not eventful life.

But then… as tempting as the thought was… she’d be leaving 42 behind. 42, sure, but a Miles nonetheless… a friend.

From what she could gather, the poor guy had very few friends, if any at all. If he wasn’t communicating to her properly, maybe isolation from his vigilante work was to blame, rather than a fault of his character.

Gwen propped up her chin in one hand and ruminated on all of these thoughts, arguing with herself over whether she should stay or go. She glanced at her cobbled-up watch, a permanent reminder of her best friend Hobie Brown, and laid on her back to mess with it one more time.

Her thoughts sunk down into the bottom of her stomach as she fiddled with it, continuing to get error messages as she tried to scroll through the various dimensions she knows she’s saved to her little watch, coming up with nothing even when she dared to try and open a portal in the middle of the vent shaft.

Nothing, nada. No dice. No portal whatsoever happened to materialize. It gave small sad beeps instead, really hammering home that… she really was on her own this time.

Damn.

Gwen didn’t know why, but this thought kind of depressed her.

At least on previous missions and patrols in her dimension, she was always acutely aware of how much rested on her own shoulders. She always went in with confidence and some sort of game plan, content enough to just let her quick thinking and powers get her out of any fight, any problem.

But ever since landing here on earth-42, she seemed… discombobulated, not entirely in her element. Everything in this dimension seemed to work against her at every single turn.

She’d have to bring that up to the other Spiders, ask if they’ve ever felt anything like she was feeling before.

If she could get out of this building in the first place, that is…

A loud, jarring alarm jolted her violently out of her wandering thoughts, and she almost hit her head on the ceiling of the vent, rolling over quickly to peer down into the room below her.

The guards were pulling helmets and masks on, scrambling up from their previous positions and pouring out of the security room door as quickly as they could.

In the midst of the sudden chaos, Gwen’s wide eyes honed in on one particular screen, which was pointed directly at the collider room’s interior…

... And directly at earth-42’s Miles Morales himself.

#mine #spiderverse #gwen stacy #miles g morales #earth 42 #welp. here we gooooo #new adventure! yippee!#don't worry. hobie1610 will continue to be updated. but for now? a nice lil gwen and miles g story to cleanse the palate :)#again big ups to starcut sand for the inspo!!! go read their miles g and gwen dynamic posts. i promise they're absolute bangers #and almost direct inspo to everything you read here and beyond :)#that being said #i did try to make their dynamic here my own thing too like... i'm not trying to bite off starcut too hard or anything LOL #lemme know if i'm doing a good enough job or anything #and before yall ask: yep. each chapter will end with a cliffhanger. LMFAO #i like torturing readers a lil sometimes :)#anyways as per usual thx for reading and hope you enjoyed!

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