#it’s a long post I know 🙈

[theroguedragons]

Drabble for @dragynfire

Daemon felt how it had become harder and harder for his queen to keep on living this lie. Of course they had managed over the years to deal with it somehow. They found ways to meet up secretly. The prince was somehow even able to raise their children from the back by training with them and teaching them high valyrian to control their dragons but all of it never changed that the eyes of his brother were always burning on their skin. While Daemon could deal with the fact of sharing her sometimes to keep their lie intact, Alicent was crumbling under her hard facade and there was nothing else he wanted more than finally releasing her from all this weight on her shoulders and protecting her from having her body used like other men wanted. His jealousy he could control, but he couldn’t bear to see her suffer. Since the beginning it was her who had to make so many sacrifices and having him every now and then was somehow the only thing she really owned and decided by herself. It wasn't enough though and therefore the prince had promised her to take care of it as he always did. “I'll find a way. I'll ask him to release you so I can take you as my wife.” It was a whisper he left in her ear during their last embrace and even if he noticed that Alicent wanted to believe him, she couldn't stop the scoff from her lips since she probably thought he was just trying to calm her like he always did. But Daemon wasn't a man of shallow promises. He was either all in or would let go of something when it wasn't worth his time, but his queen, the mother of his children was everything that truly mattered and he knew he had to at least try to make her as happy as he felt when he had her.

After asking for a hearing with the king, something that would be formal and official, Alicent and their kids joined them in the throne room where Rhaenyra and everyone from the kings council was already waiting. As Daemon had asked his brother for this Viserys just chuckled, saying “You do not need an audience to talk to your brother. What could be that important to bring it up in front of everyones noisy eyes and seek such an absolution for it?” but his brother convinced him to do it nevertheless even if he appreciated his support he knew would be tested on this day.

“What is it you came here to ask for, prince Daemon?” his brother asked, sitting on the throne with Alicent and their three kids standing close by on the stairs, watching him with constant fear glowing in her eyes. No matter how many times Daemon tried to convince her to trust him, he knew that sometimes love wasn't enough to trust someone that could act so reckless. Still he was calm himself and after a reassuring glare to his secret lover, his eyes wandered over to the princess before he kneeled down with a smirk. “I ask for the hand of princess Rhaenyra.”

A murmur went through the room and Daemon noticed the confusion and shock on Alicents face without even daring to look at her while Rhaenyras surprise turned into a pleased smile immediately. Viserys needed a moment until he suddenly scoffed, a reaction Daemon had hoped for secretly cause he knew what would follow. “You really think I would allow you to marry my daughter? The heir of the throne?” Daemon was aware that there was a secret fear in his brothers mind. That Daemon only ever wanted the throne no matter the cost and that's why his request would just play into that fear what got obvious in the way Viserys looked at him in full despise and anger. “My dear brother, we all mourn the loss of your beloved wife Rhea...” Words that only made Daemon silently scoff himself. “...and we all wish you happiness and a wife by your side, but I cannot give you my daughter. You must have known that and still you came here to ask?”

It was Rhaenyra who stepped forward, trying to adress her father while Daemons eyes were now focused on Alicent to assure her that everything went like he planned it. While his queen was still confused, he was glad that her grip around their daughter tightened to prevent any further reaction from their kids who probably didn't know what to think of this either. Viserys stopped his daughters words that tried to perceive him and looked back at his brother who now slowly raised to his feet again. “My answer is no, prince Daemon. But considering your bravery to step forward to ask for this, I will allow you something else. Someone else.” Now it was getting interesting and Daemon folded his hands in front of his hips to seem as innocent and surprised about his offer as he could. “Name someone else. And I will gladly accept any name you will come forward with.” Any. Exactly the word he had hoped for.

The smirk on Daemons face increased and now he knew that Alicent must've understood what he was really aiming for here: a compromise. When the king denies him something first, his kindness will make him offer something better. Something else. The prince created an impossible situation the king had to decline just to offer him something he couldn't say no to again. “I want Alicent.” The roaming that went through the room now was louder than before but then stopped as the king suddenly raised from his chair with fury written on his face he tried to suppress as good as he could, but Daemon knew anger when he saw it in his brother.

“How dare you?”

Daemon just shrugged and looked at his kids whose eyes were focused on him. “You said I can have anyone else. I want Alicent. I want to be with her and my kids.” Alicent shielded Helaena in her arms in that moment, but Aegon II just gasped and looked back to his mother in confusion. They had never told them the truth to protect them from the consequences, but they both knew that their smart girl would probably knew it through her dreams while Aemond had always looked at Daemon like a father figure already, that's why his expression probably didn't even shift at all.

“Everyone leaves the room.” the king declared with coldness in his voice and waited for everyone heading to the door besides Rhaenyra and Alicent with their kids. “You too.”

Neither the princess nor the queen wanted to leave, but they had no chance to disobey the kings command and slowly moved down the stairs to head to the door as well. “It’ll be fine.” Daemon whispered as Alicent passed him close enough to hear his words and lightly touched his fingers with her tips under strict glares of the king whose stare probably wanted to kill the prince right here. Just as the door closed Viserys approached his brother who lowered his head in respect, but the firm “look at me” forced him to raise his eyes again in the moment as Viserys fist hit him right to his face and brought him to his knees since he simply wanted him to have that moment of control when he was so close to losing it forever. “Your kids? How can you even dare of disrespecting your king like that, Daemon?”

Daemon needed a moment to recollect his thoughts but instead of getting up again he just spit out the blood in his mouth and looked up at his brother with full determination. “It is the truth. Or do you really think you’d be able to produce heirs at this point?” Another angry kick hit him right into his stomach, but this time it wasn’t something he didn’t expect to happen and could just laugh about. Pain was always a known thing for the prince, it pleased him in a way even cause it reminded him of how alive he truly was.

“This is my wife you’re talking about. My children.”

“A wife you never loved? A wife you only chose for her youth, for her beauty and name when it should have been me taking her.” Daemon wasn’t completely wrong in saying that even if he knew that Viserys probably had no other choice back then. The king had to remarry, but why did it have to be her? The only woman he truly ever wanted?

“And you love her?” Viserys spatted and reached down to Daemons collar to pull him back on his feet to face him. “Say it. Tell it to my face.”

The prince had many devious expressions, but in this moment the former evil smirk shifted into something soft just like his eyes that started to sparkle from the tears of awe he felt for the queen. “I love her. She’s beautiful and fierce and much smarter than both of us will ever be. She has gone through so much always with her head held high and you know what’s the only moment for her where she can be weak and let it all go to be herself? When she lays in my arms at night after I fucked her. I bet you’ve never seen her look at you the way she looks at me at night because she loves me, brother. She loves me and I love her and there’s nothing you can do about it. I love her like you only ever loved Aemma.”

It was too painful for the king to listen and Daemon respected that he saw at least some form of emotional reaction now that it was about the woman he adored so much and who never got anything from him as honest as the love Viserys had for Aemma. But the prince also knew in the moment that his brother let go of him in despise, that he would never give in to his request. Not even now. Instead he walked passed him and stopped with his back turned on the prince, eyes closing from the heaviness the realization brought that these kids indeed were never his. “Marry Rhaenyra then. But do it where I can’t see it. And never come back here or to my wife.”

Daemon couldn’t believe this, that even in this moment he would rather have him marry his daughter than to give up a woman he didn’t even love out of duty. “Even now you belittle your only daughter because of spite? Do you think she’ll ever forgive you that you favor a woman you don’t love to her? Give Alicent free, brother. End this madness for her, can’t you see your wife is suffering?” It didn’t seem that Viserys cared or maybe he was just too weak to settle this in another way that could make him lose his pride, but without another word he left the throne room to speak to Rhaenyra who waited outside.

Daemon shook his head in disbelief, angry about himself and his failed plan that he only could come outside with a lowered head, heavy from shame. It didn’t matter anymore. If he really had to leave kings landing for good, he didn’t care about any other consequences anymore and he should at least have the right to say goodbye to the love of his life, didn’t he? While the king was distracted by the argument with his daughter, Daemon approached Alicent with a defeated smile but before he could say something it was Helaena who released herself from her mothers embrace to wrap her tiny arms around the prince. “I always knew.” she murmured and left him no other choice than holding her, his hand caressing her long white locks which made all of this even more bittersweet.

“Why did you do that?” Alicent asked and knew that she probably was right, but still he could just shrug and murmured “I had to try. I promised you.” It was Aegon who was the only one still standing there with suspicions towards his real father, while Aemond just looked at him with respect and nodded. Even if he was the youngest and still too small to leave him behind, he often behaved like the most grown up and filled Daemons chest always with pride. Helaenas arms released from his waist and in the moment he approached Alicent to rest his hand on her cheek, Viserys head finally turned to sent them a last threatening look, but Daemon couldn’t care less anymore.

He was too busy with wiping away the tear that rolled down her cheek and leaned in to have their foreheads rested against each other. “Do not cry, my love. It’ll be worth it, time is on our side you have to believe in it.”

“Let me come with you.” Aemond suddenly said, his eyes firmly on his father who just shook his head.

“No, you have to stay with your mother. She needs you. All of you.”

“But Dragonstone might offer me a dragon. I might finally be able to…”

“I said no.” Daemon interrupted him with a commanding voice, his eyes now focusing on the small boy he kneeled down to now. “You can visit me. Visit me with your mother. For now I need you here. Help her to calm his mind. It is my fault that his blood is raging now, but it won’t be me who will be able to calm it. You will.”

The princess steps in their backs were the reason he got up again, a deep breath later allowing him to turn back to his queen so he could cup her face and lean in for a kiss to her cheek, her ear close enough to whisper in it. “Visit me. I’ll always wait for you.” Alicent nodded and what first just was meant as his goodbye, shifted now into an urge he couldn’t suppress and led him against her lips for a kiss of bittersweet devotion and a promise that even a marriage with the princess couldn’t break. “Find me.” he said to the family he had to leave behind before the king would behead him and even if Rhaenyra had witnessed the kiss with her former best friend it didn’t even seem to unsettle her. Maybe it shouldn’t have surprised him since her confidence was always her biggest strength.

“Let us leave, uncle. I have no interest in staying at a place where I’m constantly reminded that I’m worth less than anyone else to my father.” It was a reaction that was understandable and somehow Daemon felt regret for ruining her relationship to her father even more, but at least all truths were spoken now and hopefully everyone would know where they truly stood. Time would tell how it would solve itself, but for now Daemon couldn’t wait to mount his dragon and escape the mess he had created, even when the outcome wasn’t the one he hoped for and the woman by his side wasn’t the one he wanted to marry truly.

At least he tried. At least he made his promise come true that he would try and ask for her hand to prove her that she would always get anything from him no one else would ever offer her. That at least one person in her life would risk it all for her and that what they had was true. Not her father, not her husband. But him. There would never be anything he wouldn’t do for her, even if it caused a war or the final loss of the man he called his brother.

[asukachii]

"Why don't YOU drive for once?! Ya idiot!"

"BECAAAAUUSE! I... can't.. drive these things!"

[bonus]

(I don’t like putting watermarks so, PLEASE, if you want to post these gifs somewhere GIVE CREDITS! Also, don’t use them in edits/videos. Thanks~)

[tiyoin]

Twisted anxiety reader in a singing contest show (MHAHAMHAHAH) It would be a reason why she was singing in the woods.

✨ imagine✨

MC is feeling useless and unhelpful and just wants to pull their weight in supporting the dorm and stuff. Just overall trying to be more useful to Yuu.

So she overhears smth about a anonymous singing contest and the winner will get $5000 which for mc, Yuu and Grimm that's a lot of money. And 2nd and 3rd also has cash prizes. I think she goes for 2nd place ,so she has the money of 1st without the popularity of 1st. So she puts her fears to the side (🤨no she doesn't) to help her friend and cat.

I see this contest being an online voting type thing. Also celebs 😉 do go on the show to help promote it, to judge them and what ever else they do.

In the show they give the contestants a "wish"/ charm that can help them with their performance (enter ✨shimmers✨ & instruments magic that was talked about). It what makes the show popular

Now we give MC song/writing abilities. She honestly has a diary of kind. She needs it.( Torture her bout it later😈)

Now I'm sure we wondering how does this come into play

THEY THINK THE SONGS ARE ABOUT THEM

They'll all find a way to connect the songs to themselves. If songs says an eye color or hair color the characters with said color goes crazy about it.

Enchanted by Taylor Swift is one that comes to mind as a song that everyone relates to.

Rook/ jade would send clips of MC singing on the show and "THIS IS THE VOICE I HEARD"

I have so many sub-plots for twisted singer reader.

Also I'm really glad to like hearing things like this. I was really nervous to send the asks.

More to come along at one point or another ☺️☺️

i immediately thought of “ivory skin and eyes of emerald green” from jolene and rook just going:

shout out to @/a-twistedheartslonging because i WILL NOT stop using this cute little rook meme they made fldkaldkakwkdkxkakdkfhx

OH MY GOD READER IS SO NERVY AND SCARED AND THINKING SOOO MUCH ABOUT THIS SINGING COMPETITION AHHHHH

they’re physically reacting to thinking about it. they’re nervous tics come out (that happens to me, whenever i’m suppppper nervous i start chanting and get anxiety induced tics) and yuu and grim are getting worried because nothing has happened, so why are you so anxious?

OH MY GOD HAHSHSHAH IMAGINE THE WHOLE CONTEST IS FILLED WITH INTROVERTS HAHDHAHAHAH they all get to suffer at our expense

MUWHAHAHAHSHZHHAH AHHHAHAHA AHAHAHAHAH😈😈😈

*clears throat* anyways 🙂

reader : *sings enchanted*

ALL of the guys she made eye contact with that week: …so you’re proposing?

OH MY GOD MAYBE ROOK AND JADE (for totally separate reasons) SEND IN A CLIP THEY TOOK OF Y/N SINGING AND SENDING IT TO THE SHOW BAHAHSHAHA

idk maybe there’s some super duper advanced magical technology (marvel’s equivalent of ‘quantum’) and y/n gets an invitation and they’re like????

I DIDNT EVEN DO ANYTHING YET

THE CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT IS SOOO REAL-

ROOK BRINGING VIL TO THE FOREST WHOSE GRUMBLING ABOUT HOW HE HAS HOMEWORK AND HOW THIS’LL THROW HIS SCHEDULE OFF-

“non non! roi du poison you must come with me avec hâte!” (with haste)

and they’re crouched behind a rock for a few minutes and vil is annoyed because rook is doing rook things again and he does not have time for this. especially not today because he has to find someone to endorse for the music show he volunteered to judge.

only problem: EVERYONE SUCKS OR HAS AN UGLY PERSONALITY!! vil is disgusted by the cockiness and the greediness of these… influencers who paid their way to be on the show.

it puts a horrible taste in his mouth, especially with how shameless they are to try and win his favor. he’s not some cheap executive they can bribe to put their foot through the door, especially with their lack luster… abilities.

vil almost called it talent, but you had to be good to have that.

just as he’s about to voice his complaints and leave, rook’s grip on his shoulder stopped him from moving and the finger to his lips stopped him from breathing. vil was visibly shocked because rook never put hands on him, especially like this.

there was a snap of a twig up ahead. rook’s forest green eyes flicked to the horizon a few times, head too, urging him to look.

and he’s more than pleasantly surprised to see… you- well as much of yourself that you would allow the watchful eyes of the trees see. your ceremonial robe covering your short stature.

rook looked at vil expectingly, but vil was still confused, so what if a student was in the woods? unless it was his own this was a problem rook should bring up to the other house wardens. and it wasn’t illegal, nor against the school rules so-

then, you started singing.

he couldn’t recognize the song. but he could recognize the passion. yes you were untrained and flat in a few sections but that didn’t matter. you were good, pitchy but good.

song after song, sometimes repeating a few as you danced and bowed your heart away.

he wasn’t sure how much time passed but it was a considerable amount since the sun that once well over the trees now peeked through the canopy and was gazing longingly at the moon.

cursing, you looked around, bent down to collect the things you brought with you, and scurried away towards another entrance towards the forest.

vil was quick to react, to follow but rook stopped him. looking down at his vice house warden with an incredulous look, rook only shook his head softly. there was a reason you were alone in the woods and not in the various music clubs.

this was your little secret.

vil who WAITS for your submission so he can back you but you never submit… hm,

with a snap of his manicured fingers, rook is on it! maybe rook knows who you are, maybe he doesn’t, vil could really care less since the whole show is based off of anonymity.

(vil side eyes the influencers and other contestants who practically spell it out for the audience who they are so they can vote for them)

maybe to… put you on the right track vil has rook go to your little forest spot and place a flyer there, practically ENCOURAGING YOU TO SIGN. UP.

you think someone would get a hint right?

“huh, that’s weird… maybe i should change locations since someone else was here”

that’s it. rook’s sending in your video and you’re getting a flyer stapled to the tree saying you’re accepted. yes yes this is because of your fairy god mother’s NOW SING

vil also giving y/n some song recommendations he thinks that are good, up until he sees you gently pull out a FUCKING LOADED BOOK from your backpack filled with songs.

yes darling those are great but lol at all the nice songs he gave you! they’re in your range too!!

vil slowly finding out who you are because he heard you hum a song in the hallways that only the mysterious ‘forest nymph’ (what a ludicrous myth the students came up with) sang.

and yes he’s shocked that the ramshackle neet (ouch vil 😿) has golden pipes.

THE CHAT ROOM IS NOW INVITE ONLY TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HEARD THE ELUSIVE FOREST NYMPHS SONG!!! (i’ll cook smthn better i promise)

VIL THINKING WHAT TO SEND THEM TO HELP THEM IN A CUT THORAT BATTLE ROUND AND ROOK OFF HANDEDLY COMMENTING ‘if only there were an orchestra here to play along with their beautiful singing’

ERUKIA!!

*cue golden instruments*

but in hindsight sight:

we’re gonna give her so much anxiety she’s not gonna know what to do😈 sorry pookie!! there’s no safe space at night raven college☺️🫶

[starleska]

i see this opinion echoed across the Doctor Who fandom: that we really enjoyed Maestro, and love the idea of The Devil's Chord, but feel like the episode was lacking a little something in the writing department. so here's my suggestion: they shouldn't have killed off Timothy Drake 👀🎶 hear me out:

from the start, we're introduced to Timothy Drake as a deeply talented individual, and one disgruntled with his position in life. his passion and genius have been squandered, and he's been relegated to teaching his craft to disinterested schoolboys. but we learn he has a darker interest...Timothy is a scholar as well as a composer, and he decides to spice up his day by telling his pupil about the lost Devil's Chord. and then, Maestro erupts onto the scene...and they are everything that Timothy has never been able to be. Maestro is loud, and flamboyant, and unreservedly powerful: every glittering gem on their body screams you will look at me, and you will listen. and while Timothy's polite-society conditioning and time-typical bigotry are his initial response, we can tell that Maestro intrigues him. in return, Maestro doesn't just talk to Timothy, oh no. Maestro all but seduces the man, by speaking aloud all of Timothy's most private thoughts: that he's a misunderstood genius, and that it isn't his fault he never got that break. in this way Maestro manifests as a Devil figure, luring Timothy into an unspeakable Faustian bargain. here he is, wasting his life and talent and songs away in some stuffy school...when he could have so, so much more. like Maestro, he could be powerful. he could be who he wants to be. and most importantly: he could make people listen to him. i would've loved a version of The Devil's Chord where Maestro manipulates Timothy Drake into drawing out the music of others, thereby killing them, and feeding Maestro in the process. perhaps there could have been a caveat to Maestro's power: as the Essence of Music, it could be that Maestro has to operate through a living being, much like a demonic muse. not only could Timothy get all of the attention he ever wanted, finally being recognised for his musical brilliance...but he could exact revenge on those who said he'd never make it. wouldn't this have been a fascinating parallel with The Beatles? what if we'd seen an increasingly power-mad Timothy Drake, rising to stardom in an alternate timeline where everyone is devoid of musical inspiration, leaving him as the sole musical genius in the world? what if the Doctor and Ruby's horror at a devastated world included the theme of creation for creation's sake, as opposed to the manic pursuit of adoration which Timothy so clearly desires? perhaps i have lost my mind. perhaps i am reading far too much into the way Timothy looks at Maestro in the latter half of the clip above. but i think the terror of Maestro would have come through even more if they'd kept Timothy Drake around, and trapped him in a Phantom of the Paradise-esque doomed narrative with Maestro whispering in his ear and helping him take control of his destiny 🎶🔥

[writing-whump]

Ear infection

Isaiah reunites with his younger brother Arnie. Separation angst, ear infection, vomiting.

The university was busy before Christmas. The holidays carried many excuses for events and special offers that attracted potential students. As an assisting student at the psychology faculty, Isaiah was tasked with doing these little tours around the main university building. At regular hours, whether there was a whole high school trip of soon-to-be graduates or just a handful of interested mothers dragging their kids along. Or curious gap year takers thinking about their future plans. Since starting in the summer semester was possible at most faculties, these tours were relevant at the end of the year just as much as at its start.

Isaiah liked it. He felt a sense of beautiful responsibility that his tour and comments of the building's history and insight into student life could inspire someone to choose the main university or even his faculty. It was like watching the new generation pick its way.

"But why do not all classes occur here?" asked someone from the little crowd he gathered.

"The main university building is usually reserved for big lectures. We are talking about 300-500 people. The new university building has smaller classrooms that are more fitting for seminar settings of 20-30 people," he explained dutifully.

"So the university has more than one building?"

Yes, that was a favorite confusion question. "The university has many building complexes all over the city. The main building we are at is the largest and oldest one, but the newer ones are down both these streets. The new institute building or NIG is right next to it, where most of the faculties have their own floors and their respective teaching stuff have their offices."

"So it's like each faculty has a building or floor reserved for them? Like their own base?"

"Yes, that's a good comparison," Isaiah agreed. Base was a very wolf-related word, since each pack had their own base or layer in the city. It was correct, he just never used it in this context.

"What are you studying, sir, if I may ask?"

Isaiah was starting to be curious about the young male voice that kept asking as well, letting the group continue down the hall as he stood, trying to pick out his face.

"Psychology. Almost done with my master," he replied, turning his head.

"And you are already an assistant? That's nice for a mere student. And they don't mind you are a wolf?"

Isaiah's head jerked upright. Some people from the group hesitated mid-step to give him a confused look.

Isaiah was a wolf, a known one at that, and officially admitted at the faculty. But he prided himself in appearing completely human, in not letting his shadow act out of place. Ordinarily, he could do it with such finesse and skill, that a crowd of strangers wasn't able to recognize he was a wolf.

"Wolves can study at the university at any faculty they want," Isaiah recited automatically. "As long as they have their graduation and the wolf adult exam behind them."

"Are you saying there is no danger whatsover, when humans study with wolves?"

Isaiah could pick out a blonde head, but the boy asking was covered by a group of higher boys in front of him as they trailed after the group.

"There is danger whenever humans do anything together," Isaiah replied with a raised eyebrow. The group was almost at the end of the line,...finally the person asking came into view.

A mop of thick blond hair, carefully styled into locks. His face was long and elegant, though his cheeks still had that youthful fluffiness of teenage years. He looked a lot like Hector, just thinner and smaller, with way less muscle, but all the more cheekiness. His eyes weren't ember brown like Hector's either, but clear, bright emerald green. A colour Isaiah knew very well. It greeted him every day in the mirror.

Surprisingly enough, Arnold "Arnie" Wolfson hadn't change that much since he was 12, except his height. Lanky, cheeky and with eyes sparkling with mischief.

"I can say from experience wolves don't like humans in their packs very much, even their own family. It's funny that the tables turn at university," Arnie said with a grin, hands on his hips in challenge.

Isaiah was too stunned for words.

"What is it, mister psychology assistant? Wolf got your tongue? Or should I say shadow?" the blond teased.

"Arnie..."

"In the flesh," the blond boy said with a smile, though his eyes narrowed at him. "I'm glad you remember me."

"What are you doing here?" Was all Isaiah managed through his astonishment. It was like seeing a ghost, except the ghost grew up.

"Looking through my options, of course. I'm graduating this year and this is a famous university. Pretty high on the 100 best universities of the world list. Several lists, really. Good thing it's not that far from my base."

"Thats....ehmm...that's wonderful."

Arnie gave him a look. "So what now? Is the tour over?"

Isaiah shook himself awake, suspecting Arnie was enjoying this very much and turned back, putting his professional persona back on. He continued the tour more distracted than ever, his eyes always going back to look for Arnie in the crowd.

The next 30 minutes were torture. Isaiah couldn't focus, kept mixing up names of the auditoriums, led the group to a dead end twice until he simply let them out in the park, pointing at the Christmas market held in front of the university. That was fortunately enough of a distraction, the crowd dissolving in excitement.

When Arnie looked like he would turn and go too, Isaiah quickly hurried after him. It was like a bolt of lightning hit him in the head, but he was not about to let that bolt go now that it was there.

"Wait. Arnie, you-" he cringed at his own clumsiness. "Do you ehhh want to get lunch together? I know a good place."

Arnie gave him a toothy smile. "I thought you would never ask."

***

What do you talk about with a brother you haven't seen in last 6 years? After he left without explanation or contact information, getting exiled from the pack? Everyone called Isaiah a traitor. Their current leader, Uncle Grayson, gave an order to leave him alone, that he was no longer of interest.

Well, Arnie wasn't just a pack member. He was his brother and not a wolf to have to listen to orders. Shadows, dominance, power plays - those were wolf concerns he didn't have to worry about.

It turned out to be surprisingly easy to track Isaiah on social media. Facebook page, twitter, liking university announcements and public lectures, sharing events and new publications at the faculty...

That he was an assistant already was clear as a day. A point of pride. Arnie didn't quite know how to meet him, but he figured if he hung around all those events mentioned on his profile, he was bound to meet him somewhere.

Arnie's head was still spinning from the speed at which everything was going.

After the initial shock, Isaiah settled into a polite and serious mask - all professional smiles, suit and all. He brought him to a pretty good sushi place, bombarding him with enthusiastic questions about his favourite subjects, grades, hobbies, how he was, what faculties he was considering, if he needed help with finding somewhere to live or would be staying in the Wolfson pack base.

They didn't touch the topics Arnie actually wanted to ask about. Why did you leave? What happened to you? Didn't you miss us? Didn't you miss me?

Isaiah wasn't secretive about his own passions either. He told him all about his love for psychology, his favourite professors, research he was doing about city life and mental health and atmospheres of third places or whatever that was about. He mentioned he was known for mediating conflicts between packs and that he had many contacts, offering Arnie to arrange meetings with any friend or colleague whose studies Arnie could be interested in.

It was like a very polite and eager relative. You meet once a ten years when you need something from their city, they give you recommendations, pretend to catch up and then whoosh. See you in ten years. Isaiah was talking and asking for information to last him for at least that long.

Neither of them mentioned the Wolfson pack. Isaiah didn't ask about how Uncle Grayson was doing as a leader. Nor did he ask about Father. He mentioned meeting Hector in an off-hand way, like sure, we see each other at that wolf meet or in that park sometime.

When Hector talked about Isaiah, he never sounded so nonchalant about it. He always looked on the verge of breaking something or having an angry fit.

Was this all it was going to be? Catch up, pretend interest and goodbye?

Isaiah paid for his meal without asking and then took him to the Christmas market himself. It was pretty late at that point, temperature heading towards zero. Arnie was getting cold, but he wouldn't ruin his hair with a beanie and he wouldn't give Isaiah the excuse to go home by saying he was cold.

Isaiah was all flushed with energy, not minding the cold in typical wolf fashion.

It was impossible to keep up with wolves. Arnie was used to it.

As a human in a pack of wolves, Arnie was used to being the one defined by what he lacked. Humans in wolf families were common disappointments, things to be barely tolerated by the rest. Their position, just like Arnie's, depended on the rank of the wolf members in his family and their willingness to defend him.

For a very long time, he was spared of that knowledge though.

He had his brothers to thank for that. Isaiah was a prodigy since childhood and Hector was always chasing after him with enthusiasm and energy. They were well-respected and high ranking in their pack, no problems with their shadows since he could remember.

And they have never treated him any differently for being a human. Maybe they had been more careful and gentle with their shadows, but he had actually not realized there was anything wrong with him until he went outside of the protective den of their family apartment.

When other wolf pups his age or older made fun of him for being a useless human for the first time, Hector beat them with his bare hands, no shadow needed. Isaiah had held him in a hug the whole afternoon after like he couldn't bear to let go.

Arnie slowly realized that as a human, he was never getting anyone's respect in the pack. He would always be the defective one.

But he also quickly realized that he would never be touched again. Living with wolves meant always being surrounded by violence, being on the edge of it, always ready and eager. But Arnie was never afraid, never touched, never threatened.

Other wolves did not think any more of him for it. If anything, they hated him for that position and opted to ignore him completely.

But he always had his brothers. Even and maybe more so after his mother died when he was 4 and he forgot her voice and her face. Even when father was busy or ignoring him just like everyone else was.

At home, he was a person. He was valued and wanted and listened to and Isaiah and Hector never treated him like anything less, and hardly different than they did each other. Maybe a little better.

Things changed when Isaiah's training with their father intensified and he became the executioner for the pack. That was the first time Arnie had called for his brother, expecting to be given priority over anything else Isaiah could be doing - and he got no answer. Isaiah would shut the door and not answer for days to come, leaving a hole in their lives from one day to the next.

Now Hector reacted to that in a way a wolf would - he chased after him. With anger, rivalry and jealousy, with aggression and resentment. But Arnie knew at the core of that volatile anger was hurt and yearning to be taken seriously, to be acknowledged.

Hector was reaching out to Isaiah, but he was doing it in a way Arnie couldn't follow. Of that dynamic and effort between his brothers, he was excluded for the first time.

The pack became an incredibly lonely place after that. There was no skill or talent or interest Arnie as a human could prove himself with. There were days he didn't talk with anybody, when he didn't get a single hello. When he didn't know if he even existed, if no one saw him.

What was left to him was watching. He watched and stared and noticed things in his silence and learned to read people. Understand them. Wolves had their mannerisms and tells just like witches and humans did.

And he realized knowing things like this was power. He started to see people's weaknesses and poked at them. Teased. He could look at someone and tell what would hurt them. At night he made a list in his head, going through words and facts he found out, gathering things he knew would sting. Having words that could break someone in his arsenal was a weapon, a power and something they couldn't fight against.

So Arnie talked and he got reactions out of wolves. Helpless kind of hurt and frustration because they couldn't retaliate with a fight, but their shadows made it easy to tell he hit the target on point.

He got even better at this when Isaiah left. Their father was gone from leadership and their brother left them without explanation.

Uncle Grayson took over the pack, and regularly invited him to chess to show his favour.

Hector was inconsolable, his shadow angry and out of control in a way it never had been before. But when Arnie sat down at the gym or in his room beside him, his shadow subsided. Even at his lowest, Hector could not bear to raise his shadow around him. Arnie felt a little less useless, then. Like he brought him a little comfort, even if Hector wouldn't talk and wasn't ready to listen.

Shortly after he settled down, Hector found a new goal. He filled the hole Isaiah left behind with rank, training and hunger for power and success. Again, chasing after Isaiah in a way Arnie couldn't follow. Arnie couldn't resent it, because he understood. Wolves needed a goal or they would lose control. 

Hector came into the city because of Isaiah. He spent years convincing their Uncle he could handle opening a new pack branch there, selecting people to take with him, and making a plan for every step and possibility to prove himself.

Arnie wasn't on the list.

But he was 18 now and graduating. It was the year of his entering adulthood that he could choose if he would stay with the pack - which would make them responsible for his finances, give him a cushion for whatever he studied or decided to do - or live by himself. Not like he was a poor orphan. He had lots of money after his mother and father as the youngest Wolfson heir on paper and by law.

The first thing he wanted to do since he turned 18 was to find Isaiah. Hector chased after him, but he resented him. He took Isaiah leaving as a personal betrayal and betrayal of the pack. And their father, who drew back from the pack as well, living alone.

Arnie couldn't care less about the pack politics and power he had no access or influence on anyway. He couldn't care less about a father that had barely spoken three words to him all his life. What he wanted was to find some kind of closure. Confront his brother and find out. What if there was a good reason why Isaiah left? What if there were circumstances out of his control and all he needed was someone to give him a chance to explain himself?

It was just as likely that Isaiah simply wasn't interested in either of them. And that Arnie was just going to humiliate himself by asking for the attention of someone who didn't want him around. Why else not contact any of them for 6 years?

He didn't expect Isaiah to be so friendly or that distant. That they could just talk and act like nothing was amiss with those years of secrets and absence between them.

But here they were.

As the hours went, Arnie was starting to feel anxious about the day coming to an end. Would it even be real, if they never saw each other again? How would Arnie now this truly happened to him in the morning?

Arnie followed after Isaiah a little forelonely to the end of the Christmas market, sneezing discreetly into his elbow.

Isaiah turned to him in thought. "Are you cold? We could...oh." He looked at his wrist watch. It was almost 11 pm. "Everything will be closing up around now. Do you...would you like to come to my place? You can spend the night too if you'd like."

Arnie's eyes went wide in surprise.

"My pack will probably be sleeping already, but you could meet them in the morning. Besides, you don't even know my address, right?"

Arnie couldn't hide how excited and breathless that offer made him. That looked like this wasn't the end!

"Give me your phone," Isaiah bossed, taking it from him and dialing up his own number. He waited until it rang before he returned the phone to Arnie. "There. Now you also have my number. You can call me and we can...we can go get lunch again. Or coffee. Or anything you want. How does that sound?"

Arnie nodded eagerly, feeling like he could cry from happiness. "Thank you! I would like that."

Isaiah smiled, a real wide smile that lit up his whole face. "Alright. Let's go then. It's like 20 minutes from my place by foot. Or would you prefer to take a tram?"

"It's fine, we can walk," Arnie said, waving the cold away. He couldn't feel cold or uncomfortable with how fast his heart was beating or how happy he was. He all but jumped around Isaiah like a goatling as they made their way to the apartment, playing a hundred-question game.

"Your favorite season of the year?" Isaiah asked.

"Summer. Because you can go swimming anytime, anywhere. Is yours still winter?"

"Yep, winter, alright. Everything is so clean and fresh and the snow...:

Arnie laughed. That didn't change much then.

Arnie's mouth was actually hurting from smiling and his teeth were chattering as they went inside.

The apartment was dark, no one was up, as Isaiah promised. Which worked great for Arnie, since he wanted Isaiah entirely for himself.

Isaiah watched him from the side as Arnie rubbed his hands together, getting feeling back into them and went to boil in some tea.

Arnie followed him, sitting down at the round table, watching, trying to soak up every moment, every detail, anything the place could tell him about his brother.

"Are you still a neat freak?" Arnie snickered as he looked around.

Isaiah smirked. "Am not. Everyone else is just untidy."

"Where is your room?"

"At the end of the hall. I share it with Matthew."

"Who is upstairs? The witch?"

"Yes. Seline." Isaiah said her name sweetly, like taking a spoon of honey.

"Ohhh," Arnie's eyes sparkled. "Is she your girlfriend?"

Isaiah took a sharp breath, looking at him. "How did you know?"

"I'm good at reading people," Arnie bragged with a smile, propping his chin on his entwined hands. His head felt kind of heavy and his left ear burned as it warmed up.

"Which tea do you want? I got earl gray, mint, fruit, herbal-"

"Whatever you are having. And exactly like it," Arnie said.

Isaiah gave him a surprised glace and a lifted an eyebrow but complied, smiling slightly to himself.

He brought two cups with mint tea with a bit of milk inside to the table. "I will get you blankets for the sofa. It can be extended and is quite comfortable, if you don't mind it?"

Arnie pouted. "Are we going to sleep already?"

Isaiah chuckled. "You don't want to yet? What would you like to do?"

"I could spend the night talking with you," Arnie said, flushing a little at how honest that was.

Isaiah shook his head as if he couldn't believe it, brushing Arnie's arm as he went by him.

He brought the blankets and Arnie got both of their mugs and they sat on the sofa together, letting a movie play in the background. Arnie had a lot more questions about Isaiah's current favourite movies, TV stations, if studying psychology made him like psychological thrillers more...if he could bridge over the lost 6 years in one night, he would do it.

Arnie didn't notice at what point he dozed off. His eyes were heavy though and he only woke up enough to feel Isaiah taking the mug from his hands and sliding him down on a pillow.

***

Arnie woke up to piercing pain in his ear. He shot up, blinking rapidly.

It hurt in his sleep too, tender to the touch, but now it actually disturbed him enough he didn't think he could sleep.

He wasn't even lying on it, but it still hurt. It felt all stuffed up too, as if he had liquid stuck in it. Oww.

Getting up from the sofa was a slow process, since he needed a little time to orient himself in the dark, unfamiliar place. Small chance he could sleep with the way his ear hurt though.

He went to the kitchen, opening the cupboards half-heartedly to look for medication, but he couldn't find anything useful aside from mugs and plates. Maybe he should wake Isaiah up for a painkiller.

Returning to the living room, he stumbled against a chair and almost fell. The rattle would have woken a man, not just a wolf.

"Arnie? What's going on?" Isaiah's sleepy voice came from the living room. He must have fallen asleep beside him.

"Hey, Zaya? I know this is a bit stupid and I'm sorry to bother you...." He felt dizzy standing there. What was wrong with him? As if his sense of balance was shot. Arnie gripped the edge of the round table, swaying slightly.

Isaiah got up from the sofa immediately, all signs of sleep leaving his face in the few steps he took to get to Arnie. "What's wrong?"

"Do you have any painkillers here? M-my ear really hurts." Arnie tried to smile, hand hovering over the offending organ. It hurt the whole time, as if someone lit it on fire.

Isaiah's eyebrows furrowed. "Your ear? Did you get a cold?" His hand went to Arnie's forehead as if it was the normal thing to do. Arnie froze a little under the touch, but Isaiah's hand was nice and warm and he leaned into it a little, closing his eyes. He still felt weirdly dizzy and untethered, his stomach flipping inside him.

"No, don't think so. It's nothing, Zaya. Promise."

"Uh-uhm." Isaiah didn't look convinced. "You are burning up. Go back under the blankets, I'll find you something."

Arnie nodded gratefully, pushing himself away from the table only to stumble again and lose his balance. The floor came up suddenly and he prepared himself for the impact, when strong hands caught him by the waist. "What's going on with you? It's like you are drunk."

"I don't know..." Arnie blinked dizzily as Isaiah helped him straighten up, then wrapped a hand around his back and led him back to the sofa.

Everything was twirling. Arnie sat down heavily, bowing his head between his knees, taking deep breaths. Trying to calm down. This was nothing serious. He wasn't a child. Despite that, the pain in his ear felt like it was vibrating and he felt heavy and hot.

His throat closed up. He was going to ruin their happy reunion with this. Isaiah would send him home and they would never see each other again.

Isaiah came back shortly, arms stuffed with things he spread out on the table. "Hey. Arnie, lift your arm for me. I'm going to take your temperature. For now, take the ibuprofen. Should help with the pain."

Arnie didn't dare to nod with how out of focus and tilted everything was, accepting the thermometer under his arm and taking the pills with a glass of water.

His stomach wasn't very happy about that gulp, though. It flipped inside him again and he groaned, wrapping his arms around his middle.

"Arnie? Kiddo, hey..."

"Think," he gulped loudly as the nausea spiked and the water sloshed against the back of his throat, "m gonna be sick."

Arnie didn't even have time to think about how entirely embarrassing and disgusting that was and how he was going to chase Isaiah away now for sure.

Isaiah jumped to his feet and Arnie felt the swish of air as he hurried away. He trembled, his mouth flooding with saliva.

His stomach gave a twist and he felt the water shooting up his throat, but suddenly there was a trashcan in his lap. Just in time for him to gag harshly over it as the gulp of water and the painkiller came rushing up, grazing against his throat.

Arnie did not expect the gag to make the pain in his ear explode. Stupid tubes, being all connected. He whimpered as the pressure escalated and he gagged again. Another splash of water and pieces of undigested chestnuts from the market came along with it, hitting the bottom of the trash bag.

He felt tears spring up his eyes as he convulsed over it, fighting off the next gag. Anything to stop the pain in his ear from burning like that. There was drool hanging from his lips and chin and he sobbed.

Isaiah's hand was on his back that instant. He held the trashcan under his chin, murmuring something Arnie didn't understand through the buzzing in his own ears, but it was the gentlest, most soothing tone he ever heard from him. It reminded him of his childhood, how he would curl up on top of Isaiah whenever he was sick and his brother would hold him diligently, wrapping him in his warmth and reassurances.

Arnie pressed his palm against his mouth, trying to stop the next wave. The nausea was still there, made worse by the pain and now his head was pounding as well.

"Shhhh. You are okay. You are okay. Take deep breaths now."

"Hurtssss," Arnie sobbed, his other hand going to his ear as he bowed his head. The trashcan disappeared and Isaiah sat down next to him, rubbing gentle circles against his back.

"Ssshhh. I know. It will be okay. Just calm down. You probably got an ear infection. That's nothing. I'll get you some warm compress for it and it will go away in no time."

Isaiah made a move to stand. Arnie felt a wave of panic and dread rush through him, looking up and blinking rapidly against the bluriness. "No, no, no. Don't go."

"Arnie, I'll be right b-"

"Don't leave me again. Please."

"Just to get the warm compress, kiddo. It will be a second, I promise."

Isaiah left.

Arnie wanted to follow him, but his legs wouldn't hold him. He was shaking from exhaustion, his ear was hurting, and he had to fight against nausea flooding him instantly with the panic. He curled up on the sofa, hands wrapped around his stomach as he sobbed against the leather fabric.

After what felt like million years, something warm pressed against his left ear. Arnie winced, nose all clogged up from snot as he cried, each watery breath making the fire in his ear worse.

Isaiah stood above him for a bit, before he sat down, hands around Arnie. He dragged him over to his lap, letting Arnie curl up on his knees and sob against his chest. He held the warm cloth against Arnie's ear, rubbing his arm in a soothing manner.

Arnie fisted his fingers in Isaiah's shirt. He would not let him go this time around.

***

The rest of the night and early morning went like that. Isaiah held Arnie in his lap, holding the compress to his ear and talking about everything and nothing he could think of. Arnie seemed to react well to his voice.

Sometimes Arnie would sleep fitfully, only to wiggle and trash as he wanted to turn and Isaiah wouldn't let him, tightening his hold so Arnie wouldn't turn on his left ear. Sometimes it would wake him up and make him cry again.

Sometimes he would shudder and swallow heavily, which Isaiah learned by the third time that Arnie drooled all over his front that that was his cue for vomiting.

He held the kid as he vomited into the trashcan in his arms and then sagged back again. The fever was radiating off him and the little whimpers and tears that came with his ear reacting to puking were breaking Isaiah's heart. As if it wasn't broken enough.

Isaiah thought today was a gift. A unique, rare little gift. He didn't dare to contact his brothers on his own. The play pretend that he was the traitor, was important for the pack and he needed his brothers to believe it, so everyone else could believe it. At the time. Now, after years, he resented that duty.

He was also way too scared they hated him by right. Just like Hector did, blaming Isaiah for abandoning them, for putting the pack's future at risk, for choosing a different life instead of theirs...not even if Isaiah explained that every day back at the Wolfson pack was torture for him, that his heart pains were caused by it, that he hated every single second...would they want to listen?

And then Arnie came. All open and eager and giving him a chance instead of bombarding him with questions and accusations.

He needed that. Isaiah needed someone to believe in the good of him for once. It broke him a little every time Hector snarled at him, that neither of his brothers probably believed he didn't leave them willingly, that he missed them like you miss a part of yourself, how he flinched and hurt every time a wolf with a temper or a kid with blond hair passed him by...

Isaiah really let himself hope maybe this wasn't over. That's why he offered Arnie all the contact information. If the boy wanted to stay in touch, maybe Isaiah wouldn't break any promise in seeing him from time to time, even if he never told him the truth. It was too painful and messy and complicated. But if Arnie could accept him as he was, maybe they could rebuild something from there.

Arnie didn't ask why Isaiah left. Not once. Isaiah didn't know what to make of it. Did it mean he was forgiven? Or that Arnie knew something, guessed something and so he wouldn't make Isaiah talk about it?

Did it mean Arnie didn't care anymore and just wanted to check how he was doing and cut contact again? It wasn't like either Arnie or Hector looked or reached out to him, when he was away. He figured they were too hurt and disgusted with him to do so...

But Arnie got downright inconsolable, whenever Isaiah tried to get up. To change his vomit-covered shirt, to get tissues, to get water...Arnie would cry and weil and sob himself into panic Isaiah was leaving again. No matter how Isaiah explained, no matter how quickly he got back.

Matthew found him in the morning as he prepared for his regular run.

"What the fuck happened here?"

Isaiah had to admit it was a mess. There were tissues all over the place, the towels he kept soaking in warm water and held against Arnie's ear and sometimes had to sacrifice when Arnie got sick while still pressed against Isaiah's chest, the thermometer, the packages of pills Arnie couldn't hold down,...

"Hey, Matt. You met my little brother?"

Matthew's eyebrows furrowed. "I met the mean one. Which one is this?"

The kid lay completely limp against him, out of his sweaty shirt, breathing raggedly. But Isaiah thought his fever wasn't so high anymore and he actually kept a few sips of water down for the last hour. He would probably take him to a doctor today anyway, to get that ear checked out.

Isaiah caressed the center of Arnie's creased forehead. "I think this one wants to give me a chance."

---

@bellysoupset

[froghwon]

hi 👋

[singsweetmelodies]

watching the alpines qualify dead last... my immediate thought was "oh it's going to be sympathy kisses+ for Pierre all season long in the your lips, my lips (apocalypse) universe" 💀

oh my gosh, HI 🤭😍 well this ask made me grin far too fondly down at my phone screen... it just means SO much that people are still thinking of this fic universe even though it hasn't been updated in forever. 🥺 i am really SO touched!

and i also agree COMPLETELY! sympathy kisses all night long, for sure... perhaps even a sympathy blowjob or two... or even (since charles has once again reminded us that he's not sensitive to bottoming) a sympathy fuck 😏 but whatever the case might be, you can bet your ass that they'll definitely be in each other's beds in the 2023 kisses fic 'verse <3333 😘

[themoonunderstoodmydadjokes]

..

[raksh-writes]

I got my results today, so Im back to uni starting tomorrow (yay!), but at the same time it has not assuaged my stress levels whatsoever sooo yeah, that's fun 🙈

Damn you, anxiety!

[2024skin]

I cant stop thinking about that post about some girl trying to tell her coworkers that she thinks kurt cobain was trans and the response she got being "why? Because he killed himself?"

[pizzaqueen]

My intended for tumblr ficlets are getting longer and longer 😅 I want to get back to writing like <500 word ficlets or maybe even some actual drabbles (so only 100 words) but all my ideas seem to be too long lately

Maybe I need to find a prompt list or just challenge myself to write some ideas as shorter fics idk

[starleska]

I've never gone this insane over a tumblr sexyman in the making. Where am I what is going on /lh

so, this is your first time on the Tumblr Sexyman hyperfixation rodeo, eh? sitting in the back of class, smoking a cigarette i was there. ground zero. it was 2012. Tumblr was a different place at the time: SuperWhoLock. shipping gifs on every post. and then, i laid eyes on...

HIM.

welcome - deep breaths, you're going to be fine 😂💖

as a professional insane-about-fictional-characters-person, i find a Nordic Bunny comes round once in a blue moon. there have been some truly spectacular examples over the years...Sans. Alastor. Wally Darling. names which strike fear in the hearts and ovaries of many. and it's always an absolute blast 😂💖 this is a little different, as it seems Nordic has popped off over on Twitter first - quite a twist on the classic formula!! :3c like, there is truly nothing more special than the unique derangement of a fandom who have found a character who makes them all scream, and then they're just...piling on top of each other to CONTINUE screaming. and making art and vids and fic and all kinds of other fanworks. and that's happening with Nordic Bunny right now and ohhh it's so cute. i'm so happy this silly little guitar guy is making people smile so much!!! 🥺💖 so i say, join in on the fun, whatever that looks like for you!! or just sit back, relax, and let the excitement wash over you in a lovely wave. i honestly wish we had more Category 5 Autism events like this nowadays, but it's special that they only happen every now and again...and i think Nordic Bunny is a very worthy contender, given that's he waited 12 years for the adoration 😉

[uglypastels]

Logan x reader where the reader is scott's younger sister and they're in a secret relationship because she's younger/obviously doesn't want her brother to know. Maybe Scott tries to set her up with someone else or she gets hurt on a mission or something because she got too cocky and everything comes to the surfaces. Sorry I know that's now very descriptive🙈

no don't be sorry this was perfect, if not giving me too much to word with lol. this is so great I wasn't really sure how to incorporate all the elements, but I hope what I managed to do was still good. I certainly had a lot of fun writing it lol. also, apologies if there are some dumb mistakes/errors. i am so sleep deprived but just really wanted to post this before going to bed.

warning: Smut 18+ only. MDNI. no condom [wrap it before you tap it pls]. p in v. fingering. swearing. degradation ["slut" is used]. accidentally almost public stuff. quickie. sub/dom dynamic. un/intentional cockblocking.

~ X-Men Requests Open ~ Masterlist ~

‘Oh my god,’ you moaned out as Logan pressed you against the wall of the small janitor’s closet. It was too cliché to even think about it. And who would have ever expected the Academy to have a janitor’s closet? If you thought about it, it was almost as if the universe wanted you to take this opportunity and hook up with him in the little cubby.

The second you saw him that morning in his loose-fitted long-sleeve and those boot-cut jeans, the only thing you could think about for the rest of the day was how much you needed him. You had managed to survive past noon, and then you had to go and stumble into the garage and catch him working on his motorbike.

His long-sleeve was discarded to reveal the white, now slightly dirty, tank top. His arms were toned and tanned. You watched him just long enough for him to notice your presence, then to grab the towel hanging from his back pocket and wipe his hands clean. 

‘C’mere, Princess,’ he called you over with two fingers, and you almost felt like you had gained the ability to float so quickly had you made your way over to him. Next thing you know, he had picked you up, his hands firmly on your ass, yours in his hair, and your lips colliding in a passionate crash of a kiss. 

‘Fuck, I missed this,’ you moaned out in a desperate moment to catch a breath with your chest already heaving. ‘Missed you.’ You kissed the corner of his mouth, getting the most satisfaction at how a smile formed in the spot where your lips touched him. Neither of you could help yourselves. The urges you felt were nearly animalistic, but when you were around him, you also felt like you were up in the clouds, feeling light as a feather and giddy like an idiot. The need for him was coursing through your veins. 

‘Mmm, I know, sugar,’ his voice came deep from his throat in a growl full of yearning. ‘Gonna let me have my way with you, yeah?’

All you could respond with was a desperate moan. So caught up in the delicious feeling of his body against yours, that you nearly missed the beeping announcement of the garage doors opening. You would have gone on unaware of anything going on around you if it wasn’t for Logan pulling away and setting you back on the ground. It was like a switch flipped on inside your brain, and just in time, as the doors opened and a car drove up as you took your precautionary steps away from Logan, who had gone back to working on his bike. 

The car halted in its designated parking spot, and you weren’t surprised to find your older brother, Scott, stepping out of it. Only he would have such perfectly unfortunate timing.

‘Hi Scott,’ you tried to sound chipper about bumping into him, and absolutely not like he had just interrupted a much-needed make-out session with your boyfriend that he knew nothing about. How you had managed to keep it a secret for all these months, you had no idea. 

‘Hey,’ he smiled politely you way, as he had already made his way to the exit. As always, you couldn’t see his eyes through the red glasses he wore, and yet you could tell exactly where he was looking at with that judgemental look of his. But Logan didn’t pay him any attention, which might have even been the bigger insult than if he had quipped something your brother’s way. You knew he wanted to, though, but you also knew that he didn’t want to insult your brother right in front of you. 

You waited for Scott to walk out of the room, but to your surprise, your brother turned around to you. ‘Are you coming?’

‘She was about to.’ You heard Logan mumble under his breath as he… You weren’t sure what exactly he was doing with that bike with the screwdriver. You never understood much of mechanics.

‘Uhm, yeah,’ you responded, ‘I uhh– I just wanted to ask Logan something. I’ll just be a moment.’

‘No, I’ll see you later, bub,’ Logan caught you off guard. ‘This might still take a while and I don’t want to keep you waiting.’

‘Oh, ok.’ You pushed the disappointment off your face before you started walking to the exit where Scott stood, still none the wiser. As soon as you walked into the corridor, you made up an excuse to go the other way and walked as fast as you could without making it necessarily suspicious if he had glanced your way.

The hours that followed went by painfully slow. You kept your eye out for Logan, but he was nowhere to be seen all afternoon. Dinner had come and gone, and you were returning to your room, already having made your peace with the fact that today was simply one of those days where fate kept you apart.

And exactly at that moment, Logan turned the corner.

‘Where the hell were you all day?’ you questioned, annoyed, but no matter how angry you pretended to be, the grin on your face at the sight of your boyfriend was quite clear in meaning.

‘I did have stuff to finish on my bike.’ He took a few large strides your way, ‘and then some kids needed help with something.’

‘Aww, that’s sweet.’ You leaned into him, your chin on his chest, as you looked up into his eyes.

‘Don’t act too surprised, Princess.’ His arms immediately wove themselves around your waist, and you slowly leaned for a kiss. It was risky to do this in an open hallway where anyone could walk in, but in the moment, you couldn’t care less. You just wanted to feel him, all over you. The desperation for it grew with each second and was ready to explode. 

That was all in theory, of course, since as soon as you heard any threat, the risk-taking daredevil part of you immediately hid, and you were looking for an escape route. It was two pairs of footsteps this time that echoed through the hallways. You cursed under your breath. 

Just your luck to be standing next to a door. Trying its limits again, you pulled down at the door handle and sighed with relief as it opened. You quickly slipped inside, pulling Logan in behind you by the hand. He closed the door back behind him just in time as the footsteps, which you now recognised to be Scott and Jean’s, along with their voices, moved across the spot where you had just been standing.

‘Are they—’ but your question never was finished, as your lips were caught in a haste kiss. It was pitch black in the tiny room, but you heard Logan pull the lightbulb cord. The next thing you know, the faint yellow light illuminated what you now recognised to be the janitor’s cubby. A closet large enough to fit a large shelfcase filled with cleaning products, buckets, and towels. But Logan needed no time to orientate himself. He was already all over you. One hand pinning your leg up against his upper thigh, leading you against the wall. 

‘Oh my god,’ you moaned out as you felt the pressure and structure of the room against your shoulders, Logan’s chest against yours. His hand stroke up and down your leg, squeezing at the soft flesh of your ass.

‘Wanna be my good little girl?’ Logan growled into your ear.

‘Yes,’ you whined, desperate for more than just his kiss. ‘Fuck, yes.’

‘Want me to fuck your tight little pussy, sugar? Just like you’ve been begging me for? What you say, you little slut?’ At the sound of his words, all of yours simply escaped you and so you could only respond in a series of moans and whines. All sounds that brought Logan immense joy and arousal. ‘Yeah, thought so.’ It had been a very conscious choice you had made that morning by wearing a skirt. Not that you had expected to end the day in this closet, but you were sure it would end somewhere in Logan’s grip. And so you were fully prepared. 

His fingers smoothed over your panties, pressing over your slit, feeling the material get soaked through just that one simple touch. But it wasn’t enough. For either you or him. He kept toying with you for a few more minutes, never crossing the material barrier of your underwear, long strokes up and down, pushing in closer, almost as if nothing was there to separate you. 

‘Please,’ you cried out, ‘baby, please. I need–’

‘What do you need, sweetheart? C’mon, use your words?’ God, you hated when he got so cocky. You could never take much of his teasing. Then again, you weren’t in here to exactly last long. 

‘Need your fingers. Please.’ 

‘Good girl,’ he kissed your forehead, snapped the band of your underwear to make you whine so prettily as he loved, and pulled the panties down your legs. 

Another filthy moan left you as his fingers slowly filled you up. The expletives rolled off your tongue in the rhythm of his thrusts. He kept a steady pace, and one that left you shaking against him. So much so that soon enough, he had to hold you up by the arm, pinning you down even harder. One leg propped up high for even easier access to his favourite part of you. 

‘Such a good slut, taking anything I give you, anywhere I want you.’ His voice could practically get you over the edge alone, and he knew that well enough on his own, and so he kept talking. ‘Can’t wait to get my hard cock in you, Princess. Gonna fill you up so good. Fuck. Just you wait—’

‘No, please,’ you cried out.

‘What’s that? My girl can’t wait a few more minutes for her cock?’ He kissed your neck so ferociously it was more like his teeth grazing over the sensitive skin, and the sensation left shivers down your whole body. He raised his mouth up to directly speak against your ear.

‘So fucking desperate. Wish you could see yourself now. Just know you’d do anything for me, wouldn’t you?’ He punctuated the question with one final deep thrust of his large fingers. ‘You gonna cum? No, no, no. Not yet. You’re gonna let me have my fun first, isn’t that right?’

‘Yes.’ was all you managed to say. Then his lips clashed with yours in another of your sloppy kisses. Your hands found themselves in his hair for the second time that day, and you already felt yourself falling into bliss, and that was all without even the feeling of his length finally pushing deep in you. If only you could scream the pleasure you felt. But for now, in the closet, you would make due by digging your nails into his shoulder. That, in turn, only got Logan more riled up as his thrust grew in pace. He hit all your right spots evenly, hard and deep. If he kept going like that, and you were sure he would, you didn’t know just how much longer you would last.

‘Fuck, I’m gonna–’ your voice was breathy and out of focus, as all that was on your mind was him inside you. 

‘Yeah, c’mon, sweetheart, come for me. Come all over my cock.’ he growled the words with the same intensity and desperation for release you felt.

You were so close. Just ready to burst. Moment away when—

When suddenly, a knock on the other side of the door halted the both of you. In a sudden moment, everything washed away with the power of a tsunami. Leaving nothing behind but emptiness.

Someone cleared their throat. Someone who you could already recognise from that simple gesture. 

‘Alright, it’s past curfew, lovebirds, knock it out.’ You could hear in your brother’s voice just how uncomfortable he was by catching two, what he assumed to be students, clearly hooking up. Your guess was that the room had not been as soundproof as you imagined a cubby to be. Or you were that much louder. 

You looked up at Logan, who had already started zipping up his jeans. There was another firm knock on the door.

Well, if Scott had already felt embarrassed, you were about to make it ten times worse.

the end.

thank you for reading 💗

if you enjoyed the fic, please consider reblogging and leaving a comment. or send a message via my inbox. requests are also more than welcome. 💗

[pbuck3ts]

somebody to love ⋆˚✿˖°

pairings! : paige x reader ₊˚⊹⋆

warnings! : none :)

summary : after a long time from hiding your relationship from the media, you decided to post some cute photos dumps to reveal your relationship! 💝

not proof read so i’m absolutely so sorry if there is mistakes !! 😭

a/n: hey hi!! delilah hereee:) okay this is my first time making a social media post like this so please give me some feedback on anything to fix 😞💝 loveee uuu °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:

your.username :

liked by paigebueckers, ice.bradyy, kamoreaarnold, and 867,603 more

your.username_ life lately with my favourite baller !? 💐

view all 89,476 comments

august 2, 2024

paigebueckers yoooo who’s that pretty lookin lady at the end..??🙈🙈

→ your.username_ girl bye get outta my comments before i delete this post 😑

→ paigebueckers RUDE MUCH??? that’s it your sleeping on the couch 😑

→ your.username_ paige madison bueckers.

→ kamoreaarnold pulling out the full name is crazy work y/n 😭😭

→ iluvpaigebu3ckers_ LMFAOO FULL NAME CRAZYY

nika.muhl i miss you guys 🥹 (specifically y/n)

→ your.username_ i miss you even more love 😞💝

→ paigebueckers okay wow.. i see how it is bruh😑

→ nika.muhl LOVE YOU! 🤗🤗

kamoreaarnold HI GIRLY POP I MISS YOU GUYS COME BACK 😢😢😢💝

→ your.username_ you’re with us in spirit whatchu mean girl 🤨🤨

→ y/n.loverrrr i love this girl sm 😭😭

unicornglittersparkles is this a soft launch perchance?

→ your.username_ you can’t just say perchance!! (maybe....🙈🙈🙈)

→ y/n.loverrrr OMGGG????

paigebueckers

liked by your.username_, nika.muhl, morgancheli, and 680,476 more

paigebueckers matching lego & roses for a pretty girl 😉 @ your.username_ !!

view all 78,375 comments

august 17, 2024

your.username_ whoever those roses are for must be SOOO pretty 🤫🤫

→ paigebueckers hi pretty girl

→ nika.muhl my babies 😢🥹🥹

→ paige.luvrrr I FUCKINGG KNEWW IT OH MY GOD MY LIFE IS COMPLETE

kamoreaarnold cute… now pack it up😑😑

→ paigebueckers stop being a hater.. damn 🙄

→ user596838 real kk 😞😞😞

janaelalfy8 i had to help you with half of these.. where’s the credit smh 🤦🏻‍♀️

→ paigebueckers so like which one did you exactly help me with??

→ your.username_ i’m giggling

→ janaelalfy8 leave me alone i wanted to be included 🥱

your.username_

liked by azzi35, ines_pbettencourt, dorkajuhhasz_14, and 984,396 more

view all 28,395 comments

august 27, 2024

your.username_ hi baby 🤗💐 had so much fun with you today 🤍

azzi35 my parents 🫡🫡

→ your.username_ hi i love you child!! 🤗💝

→ user3752 i’m getting my adoption papers

→ your.username_ waiting!!!

paigebueckers you already KNOW we won that game of fortnite 😈

→ your.username_ i carried 🥱😮‍💨

→ morgancheli i doubt that but okay y/n!! 🤗🤍

→ paigebueckers see morgan gets it 😞

morgancheli cuties 💝

→ your.username_ even though you doubted me about carrying on fortnite i still love you freshie 💝

→ morgancheli love you! 🥰

→ your.username_ love you even more 💝

→ paigebueckers LOVE HER EVEN MORE THAN ME??

→ your.username_ LEAVE.

your.username_

liked by aubrey.griffin44, azzi35, paigebueckers, and 947,385 more

your.username_ scroll at the end for a surprise 🥱🙈

view all 100,596 comments

august 30, 2024

azzi35 i thought it was going to be something cute.. the hell is that y/n 😭

→ your.username_ IT IS STOP BEING A HATER AZZI.

→ azzi35 i’m speaking my truth 🙄🙄

→ user47582 LMFAOO

aubrey.griffin44 what the hell are those MUGS.

→ your.username_ aren’t they cute!!

→ aubrey.griffin44 mhmm…

paigebueckers baby don’t listen to the haters they just mad and jealous they’re all single and lonely 🙄🙄🥱🥱😮‍💨😮‍💨

→ kamoreaarnold im throwing up..

→ janaelalfy8 get your ass to the court.

→ nika.muhl i can’t defend you on this one paige…

→ azzi35 at your big age..🤨🤨

→ morgancheli girl what

→ your.username_ GODAMNN GOT THE WHOLE SQUAD AND GETTING HATED ON 😭😭

→ paigebueckers just say yall hate me and want me dead holy shit…

`✦ ˑ ִֶ 𓂃⊹ | hey!! hopefully you guys enjoyed this just as much as i did making thiss! it’s super time consuming but so worth it 🫡 please tell me if you want me to make more or even put a request in! anything is fine with me 💐 love you allll!!!

[astroismypassion]

Any chance ucould do Eros in the signs and houses series pls???

Hi! I will try to answer in shortly, because there is not enough time for the whole post, but I’ll just go quickly through it, so that I give you an answer. 😊

Eros in signs

Aries Eros: Well, they just really like people that take charge, but they still end up controlling it? The Aries Eros native will still like to be in charge in some manner. Either by teasing you long enough, edging you or not allow you to touch them on certain body parts. They low key love delegating? 😂 Like “you do this here and I’ll do that there to you”? haha. They love “dividing” tasks in the bedroom. They might have this one unrealised dream of someone coming onto them passionately, kissing them and it turns out in a whole wild night that lets you wonder what the hell just happened last night. They have this one fantasy scenario of just being unhinged.

Taurus Eros: They are seduced by moans and someone talking, breathing onto their ears. Don’t underestimate the ears with this sign. You might not think that it’s Taurus, but it actually is. They love is someone nibbles, playfully licks their ear. I would say lots of kissing on the lips, but then again if it’s maybe aspected by Uranus, Saturn or at times even Neptune, they might not even be that keen. Not all Taurus placements love long, long make out sessions. Some don’t even like french kisses or kissing on the mouth that much. But they are often down for neck kissing. Even light biting or hickeys, but again it really depends on how cautious or reserved they feel.

Gemini Eros: They are seduced by people who keep them mentally stimulated or provide good ideas, but talk less then them. 😂 They often go for people who ask a lot of questions instead haha. They like to be the one providing answers and solutions to fixing partner’s inquiries and questions. But they are often aroused by the partner that occasionally talks back or behaves bratty.

Cancer Eros: Now this one is again, might be controversial. But they have this thing with left eye? They love if you plant a little baby kiss above or under or somewhere close to their eye. It’s like a protective gesture. They are usually heavy breathers when aroused. You might feel like their breathing becomes deeper, almost like they are in a deeper state of relaxation.

Leo Eros: These are overall very confident people. Not just in sex, but their general disposition, personality, how they carry themselves. Even if they have quiet confidence and not loud, they come across even more self assured than an Aries. They just know what they want, how and when. They have a sultry look to them that they don’t even have to try hard at flirting or seducing someone, because they already are so charming. These people actually compliment YOU a lot when they want to sleep with you and they do not need so many compliments for themselves actually.

Virgo Eros: They are just as complex as a Scorpio Eros. 🙈 These people might like everything, but nothing at the same time. They throw order out when having sex, they become chaotic. They are like “just throw it somewhere, we’ll clean afterwards”, they really don’t care when in the moment. Also, they get very easily overstimulated. They could be turned off by an unexpected or unpleasant smell. But having someone’s hands all over their body, touching them is actually the only time they do NOT feel anxious. These people are too often touch starved.

Libra Eros: Oh these people are just very proper and diplomatic, neutral, at times reserved and cautious. However, I noticed that they exhibit traits of the opposite sign, Aries, when in a partnership. So when in a romantic partnership, they become much more controlling in the bedroom. Wanting to really be pleased by the partner and vice versa, because what’s the point of being in a partnership then? They become very idealistic and demanding. They love if you try to seduce them and flirt with them, give them a lot of compliments. They need to feel desired in order to get aroused. They are also surprisingly cerebral, meaning they love smooth talkers, people who seduce them with words.

Scorpio Eros: You can imagine it’s no easy task to seduce them or arouse them. They are complex. They might have had some unpleasant experiences before which really affected them, so always proceed with care when dealing with them. They might have also stayed celibate, single for years. They are really self-sufficient, usually they know what they like, even when inexperienced. And that could secretly even prefer being pleasured by themselves rather than teaching and showing their partner what they like. Also, surprisingly, they like what it is tried and tested. They might not like too much variety and change, they could stick with that they like.

Sagittarius Eros: They love touching up on thighs, but is still a butt person. They get more aroused by people that are not around them daily and live at a distance. So they get weirdly flirty via messages. They might act more seductive online, via messages than when you are actually face to face with them.

Capricorn Eros: I would described these people as complex, yet simplistic. They might have a lower sexual stamina when younger. Then they might be more into monk mode😂 , not prioritising sex all that much, but more so they career, establishing themselves, building up finances and money. But after first Saturn Return, they usually become a beast. Like the type to love to have very consistent sex going on in the week. This is how you might expect Virgo to behave. Capricorn Eros enjoys daily sex or every 2-3 days if other duties and responsibilities prevent that. They become like bunnies in a partnership. Touching up on their partner often throughout the day. But generally, they are prone to more low sexual libido. Sometimes they really just prefer cuddling.

Aquarius Eros: They are either all in or all out. You can really know by how much they are into you by how much they are touching you. If they are detached when touching you and not looking you in the eyes or almost avoid your look a bit, they might not be into you that much, might only like you a little bit. But if they are not touching you in a “detached” manner they probably feel consumed by you. They actually give a lot of attention when fixated on someone. They also really like familiarity in sex, when seducing someone. It helps them feel relaxed and seduced if you share the same dreams, interests, hopes and ideals for the future or have the same level of education. They really would only sleep with an all “equal” partner to them.

Pisces Eros: They love to feel needed or be the protector, it makes them aroused. They love if they could help you. The type to want to hug you, kiss you and hold you, if you just cried. They like to be “in charge” of your pleasure or knowing they were the one who gave you pleasure or made you feel okay.

Eros in houses

1st house: They really like if their partner checks in with them. Like “is this comfortable enough for you, are you okay?”. Hates inconsiderate partners.

2nd house: They dislike actual massages, like if someone massages their shoulders or back. But they do like sexual massages🙈. Big on oral, but like reciprocated, they dislike selfish partners. They might consider leaving you if they deem you too selfish or not generous enough.

3rd house: Loves a sexy teacher scenario. They love people who are able to improve them, teach, guide them, that are more reserved, stern, but that are also hot as hell. It’s interesting, because these people really are not that clean themselves, but really demand a lot from their partner in terms of cleanliness.

4th house: They love doing it in their own home or own bedroom, bed. Because they often do not feel uncomfortable in another person’s bed. They get more relaxed in their own. Surprisingly, they get really turned off if their person has untidy bedroom or bed. They really like fresh sheets, clean bed, nightstand, otherwise they tend to not feel the vibe.

5th house: These people move too quickly, when try to seduce someone, flirt with them. They need to slow down with introducing intimacy too early on or without knowing the person that well. Their interest goes when the most attention is. If you give them a lot of attention, they will give it to you back enough as well. They are actually much more strict with reciprocal energy than Libra to be honest. If you are not doing enough for them, they are out.

6th house: Ahh, their day at work affects their sex life. If they are stressed, burned out, had a bad day at work, feel not good enough. They won’t like being even touched. They get really low sexual desire when from bad day at work.

7th house: If they are seducing you, they are likely thinking about partnering up with you. They don’t flirt outside of partnership. They like to give special attention only to their partner.

8th house: Has harder time with boundaries. They demand complete loyalty before interacting with you. They really go for enigmatic odd people, but fit people. They like partners who take care of themselves. If you have lousy self-care routine, better to stay away from them.

9th house: They will test you a lot with sliding in subtle jokes, so that they see how you’ll react if they are trying to seduce you, sleep with you. You will not know whether they are being serious or joking. But that’s the whole point! They are doing it only to gather your reaction, so that they know if they can proceed or not. This person will likely get with people out of their league or not want to get involved with someone all together, just because they are intimidated by them.

10th house: These people have high self-respect and they actually like more messy not so orderly people. They like even an occasional wild card. Someone who is unafraid to be themselves. They have high standards and often hang with friends and not get attached before they achieved and secured everything they wanted.

11th house: These people will always surprise with people they choose to seduce or get intimate with. Because the person they end up choosing is often the complete opposite of 11th house Eros native. If they are organised, the go for a chaotic partner that is more messy. But the thing with this placement is often yes, their partner is completely different then them, but shares the same dreams. Or the Eros in the 11th house sees their partner as someone who they try to become.

12th house: Loves getting on at night or late in the evening or right before bed or falling asleep. They get seduced by good night messages😂. They get more vulnerable at night. Also, maybe be more keen on idea of doing it if you watch a romantic movie or just watching something, relaxing and chilling. Also, they dislike if their partner falls asleep on them haha. “Oh you fell asleep, I thought we’re gonna have sexy time??”

[nerdy-novelist017]

Omg hi!!!🧚🏻‍♀️

I just wanted to pop by and tell you how much I LOVE your writing and content, makes me kick my feet reading about Benny and Bunny😫🙂‍↔️I was just wondering if mayhaps you’d write something in which Bunny gets mad at Benny for something and gives him the cold shoulder hehe. You mentioned in your most recent installment of them how she’s done that when pissed at him and I just thought it’d be so interesting to see an upset Bunny and groveling Benny😏perhaps involving the topic of jealousy or miscommunication. Have a good day/evening and feel free to ignore my yapping!!!🙈🐇

Thank you so much for your kind words! 🥹You're so sweet!!! I could never ignore your yapping, friend! Sorry this took so long to post but I wanted to get it right since this request is so stinking cute! I was going to break this up into two parts because I got a little carried away but I figured you guys probably don't mind the longer posts ;) Please let me know your thoughts on this as I love reading your comments! Hope you enjoy! 🫶

Benny x Bunny Masterlist 🐰

Word Count- 3.4k+

Love, Lids, and Lessons (Benny Cross X Shy!Reader)

Listen, Benny fucked up on a near daily basis. He’s by no means perfect and there was a lot that you overlook because you loved him and he’s still the best man you’d ever met. However, there were times where Benny pissed you off so bad that you simply couldn't excuse him. This happened to be one of those times.

You were standing beside him at the pool table during what happened to be a pretty intense moment of a game that Benny happened to be losing pretty badly. It was the third time you’d approached him, asking to leave. It wasn’t even that late but you had wanted to go because you planned to get up early the next morning to meet your girlfriends for a breakfast date. He’d told you that the two of you could leave soon, after he finished his beer. And then he told you after he finished his game. Then that game became the next game. And the current game which he happened to be losing and maybe it was that his temper with the razzing he was receiving from the members who watched the game but he just didn’t want to have to tell you one more time that you would both be leaving soon. You tugged on his sleeve again and he just said it, without a filter, without thinking. 

“Bunny, you’re being naggy.” 

That was it. Just four words that would cause him more trouble than he even realized. He didn’t mean it in a rude way; He was just trying to tell you what you were doing was annoying to him. He said way worse than that to the boys and they never reacted the way you did. 

Your mouth dropped open in shock, driven speechless by his words. He made a shrugging motion to you that said What? But the low whistled that emitted from Cal on the other side of the pool table did nothing to deescalate the embarrassment he could see bubbling in your face. You snapped your mouth shut, brows pinching together as you glanced at the others who heard. Not many, just Cal, Johnny, Betty and a few others. It was enough. When your gaze found him again there was an undeniable dark cloud in your eyes and he wanted to apologize. But you turned and walked away before he could say anything else. 

“Oh, Benny. . .” Johnny muttered with a grimace but Benny was too caught up in the taunting of the other members around the table to hear him. So he let you storm off, figuring you’d have cooled down by the time his game was over. And shortly after, his game ended (He lost, though he didn’t really find himself caring about that, not with the image of your hurt expression looping in his mind) and he said goodbye to the boys and went to find you. Only . . . you were gone. 

He found Gail who told him you had left with Kathy. He clenched his jaw and nodded. You rarely ever left with someone else, you liked to ride home with Benny. He thought maybe you were just tired and Kathy was probably leaving at the same time but a little voice in the back of his head told him it was more to it than that. He tried to ignore the way the ride home was quiet without you on the back. And when he walked through the door, you were not in the entryway where you normally stood waiting for him. No, you weren’t even in the kitchen where he’d sometimes find you during a midnight craving. Something uncomfortable gripped at his heart and he stood in the kitchen for a long time, trying to come to terms with the fact that you probably left. 

Trudging up the stairs to your bedroom, his heart skipped a beat when he saw your form laying in the bed, back facing him. He resisted the urge to go to you, sensing the way your shoulders stiffened that you were still awake. He undressed slowly, taking the time to decide what he wanted to say to you. But even as he pulled back the covers and crawled in next to you, no words ever formed in his mouth. Instead, he tried a different tactic. He pressed himself up against your body, sliding his hand over your waist, traveling it up to your breast as he leaned in to kiss your cheek.

You brushed his hand away. “I’m not in the mood, Benny.”

His hand moved down to your hips instead to take it in another direction but you gripped his wrist and moved it back to his side. “I’m serious. I’m tired”

Okay, you were upset about what he’d said. He sighed and rolled onto his back, moving back to his side of the bed. He waited a few more seconds to see if you’d follow him like you normally did, but you remained steadfast in your spot so he reached over to the bedside lamp and switched it off, the room filling with darkness. He laid in that darkness for a long time, contemplating what to say, what to do. 

When Benny woke the next morning and his hand drifted over to you, he found your side of the bed empty. He frowned, glancing at the clock. It was still early and you almost never woke up before he did. And if you did, you just wanted to snuggle with him in bed. With an odd feeling in the pit of his gut, he got up and dressed, seeking you out. He found you in the kitchen, wearing an apron with little flowers embroidered on the fabric. You stood at the island, frosting cupcakes that he didn’t know you planned on taking with you. 

“Mornin’,” he said as he approached, making his way over to make a cup of coffee. You only hummed in response. He turned back around to face you, leaning against the opposite countertop, feeling as though the space between you was as wide as an ocean. He watched you for a moment as you set down the cupcake you were working on, the delicate desert now freshly adorned with baby pink frosting. You reached forward to start on the next one and that’s when he spoke again. “You need help with that?” 

“No,” you replied, avoiding eye-contact. A heavy silence filled the kitchen as he sipped meekly at his coffee and you finished frosting the cupcakes. It’d be better to just rip off the band-aid, he decided. He wasn’t going to go his whole day pretending he didn’t know that you were giving him your traditional cold-shoulder response. So he said, “You still mad about last night?”

Your eyes flashed up to his for just a moment. “What do you think, Benny?” 

“About what I said? C’mon . . .” He didn’t even mean it in a rude way! Sometimes you were so sensitive and he truly didn’t understand you. Johnny had told him once that women were a completely different creature than them. And as Benny watched you furiously frost your cupcakes, he really felt the impact of that statement.  “I didn’t mean it. You know that. I was a little drunk and–”

“Oh you were drunk?” Your voice dripped with sarcasm. “Well, in that case, I’ll just let you get away with whatever you want when you’re drunk. Won’t let anything affect me at all!”

Hmm. He didn’t think that’s what you were gonna say to that. Benny hated it when you verbally put him in a corner like this, didn’t let him get away with his half-assed apologies that never actually use the phrase ‘I’m sorry.’ It always made him get defensive, made his temper flare and he’d end up doing more damage than good nearly every time.

“You were naggin’ and you know it. I don’t know if it was because you wanted to go home or if you were jealous that someone else had my attention for a moment and you didn’t–”

“Jealous?” The word echoed off the cupboards. “Are you kidding me?”

“Bunny–” he groaned but you cut him off. 

“Don’t Bunny me right now,” you griped, eyes narrowing as you began placing the cupcakes in the portable carrier he had surprised you with for your birthday a few months ago. “Jealous? You honestly think I was jealous? Or are you just sayin’ that because you want to get a rise out of me?”

“Well, I’m just tryin to say–” he stopped short as he caught your sharp gaze. “I just. . . Don’t you think you’re overreacting about this?”

Your mouth formed a thin line, jaw clenching. You stared at him for a few agonizingly long moments before you shook your head, muttering, “You–” 

Benny was dying to know what you were about to say but only observed as you removed your apron, folded it neatly and placed it back in the drawer before you grabbed your portable tray and left the kitchen. Like a moth to flame, he followed you as you went to the door, pausing only to slide your feet into the kitten heels you had lined up at the baseboard. Without saying another word, you opened the door and left. But he trailed after you, standing on the porch, he wordlessly watched as you descended the stairs and walked down the stone pathway to the white picket fencing you had always talked about and opened the little gate. 

“Damn thing,” you grumbled under your breath as you fought with the broken hinge of the gate to close it properly behind you, the sound squeaking obnoxiously. 

“When are you comin’ back?” he hollered after you, trying not to sound as desperate as he felt.

“Later.” Was your vague answer before you got into your car and left Benny still standing on the porch, front door ajar and eyes narrowed. 

******

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Benny stood to his full height and took a step back to take in the shiny new hinge on the gate he just installed. He tried opening and closing it a few times, admiring the way it worked soundlessly. Good as new, he thought. Fixing physical things like door hinges and motorcycle parts, those were easy. Benny was good with his hands, he could tinker around and fix just about anything he set his mind to. But fixing emotional things. . . those were not so easy for Benny. Apologies were rare and he’s never one to throw them out like confetti as you so often did. You apologized too much and he’s told you that you shouldn’t apologize for half the things you do. 

He’d had a lot of time to think about what happened and his mood certainly shifted more than once during his front gate project. At first, mild annoyance because what he said to you was hardly an insult. Then, it might have been due to the sun beating down on him while he worked, but genuine anger replaced the annoyance because you were so damn sensitive and there were times he felt he had to walk on eggshells around you. But the anger quickly fizzled out when he thought about how your sensitivity was what made you special. It was what helped you be so empathetic, so caring toward everyone you came across. And by the time he’d finished fixing the gate, the only feeling that smothered him was a painfully present regret. Regret for what he had said, but also for what he hadn’t. An apology was something you deserved, but he didn’t give it to you, not in an appropriate way. 

So when you came home, hours later, he watched from the living room window as your car pulled in front of the house. You exited the car, and he almost held his breath as you opened the gate, taking a moment to open and close it a few times. You definitely noticed he’d fixed it. Good, but that didn’t mean he was in the clear yet.

You came inside and it was clear that you were still upset by the way you moved. He could see your shoulder stiffen when you noticed him there, could see the pouty lip of yours pull into a slight frown. You hardly spoke to each other the rest of the day. You didn’t mention the gate and he didn’t bring it up. 

******

The next morning Benny was up before you, as usual. At least that was back to normal. He went downstairs and started a pot of coffee as he got ready for work. He grabbed his lunchbox, preparing to make himself a lunch for work when he stopped short, noticing that there was already a lunch packed in there, complete with one of your pink-frosted cupcakes. His heart squeezed at the realization that you still packed him a lunch, something you did every workday for him, even though you were upset with him. You . . . the sweet creature that he still didn’t completely understand. And he needed to do something.

Fortunately Benny had another trick up his sleeve, and playing dirty didn’t matter to him when it came to getting your attention again. 

******

You didn’t sleep well last night, laying awake all night with a heartsick frown, wishing nothing more than for the man who lay just within an arm's reach from you to actually comfort you – in a way that you wanted to be comforted. And tears threatened to spill when you realized, even just for a moment, you wished he could be someone who was a bit more empathetic, a bit more compatible to you. This wasn’t the worst thing he’s said and you’ve had your fights over much worse, but in all your time together, this was the first time you’d ever had that thought. Maybe it was because this was the first time you had both ignored it, both choosing to go to bed angry and upset rather than to work through it. The storm in your heart still surged on, albeit a bit more due to sadness rather than anger, as you slipped on your babydoll pink robe over your nightgown. You tried not to think about Benny at all as you put your hair up in rollers and applied your makeup for the day. You couldn’t hide in the bedroom all day unfortunately, so you traipsed downstairs, bare feet padding softly against each step until you entered the kitchen where you found Benny sitting at one of the island chairs, the daily paper spread out on the countertop before him. 

He looked up when he heard you. “Mornin’.”

“Morning,” you parroted as you went to the pantry to grab out your ingredients to start breakfast. You started your tea, grabbing the jar of honey off the shelf and a flower mug. You turned your back to Benny and started to twist the lid off the honey jar . . . only it was really stuck on there. Readjusting your hands, you gave it another go, but still it didn’t budge. Setting your jaw in place, you glanced over your shoulder at your husband who was still looking down at his newspaper. Normally, you would immediately hand something over to Benny to open for you, but you were still mad at him which meant you’ll have to go without honey in your tea. 

So instead you started making your bagel for breakfast, a go-to breakfast meal for workday mornings. Popping the bagel in the toaster, you took the homemade strawberry jam out of the fridge and frowned when you realized that lid was also screwed on extra tight too. You turned to face your partner, reluctantly asking, “Can you open this?”

He looked up at you, eyes glancing down at the jam jar and he held out his hand. “I’ll open it for you if you talk to me.”

In no mood to play his games, you rolled your eyes. “Forget it. I can do it myself.”

You turned back around, feeling his gaze burning into you as you grabbed a dish rag and placed it over the lid to get a better grip. You twisted hard, tongue darting out between your teeth as you concentrated on opening it. It seemed as though a mutant with superhuman strength had sealed this lid last – which was strange considering you were the only person in the house who ever used it. You peaked back at Benny who watched you blatantly so you stuck your chin out defiantly as you put the jar back down on the countertop. Fine, you’d just put peanut butter on your bagel instead. You scooped up the peanut butter jar, this time facing him as you twisted the lid and you nearly screamed in frustration when you felt how tightly this lid was as well. 

Wordlessly, he held out his hand across the countertop, waiting patiently as you crossed your arms, mentally debating if you could go without any of these items on your bagel.

Ding! You both glanced over as your perfectly-browned bagel popped up from the toaster. You sighed through your nose, biting your bottom lip as defeat settled in. You grabbed the jam, honey and peanut butter jars and slid them on the countertop before him. 

“Okay, fine,” you admittedly softly and watched as he made it look so effortless as he opened the lid with a satisfying pop. You muttered a quick thanks and reached for the jar but he leaned backwards, holding the jar just out of your reach. 

“I shouldn’t have said that,” he spoke, eyes earnestly searching your face. “What I said at the bar – about you askin’ to go home. You weren’t being naggy, I should have listened to you the first time. That was my own fault. I was just getting so caught up in that stupid game and it wasn’t even important. Not like you are. And what I said embarrassed you and that was wrong.” He rose from his seat, moving around the counter to stand before you as he said, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I hurt you.”

Your eyes widened slightly at his apology. Only a handful of times have you heard those words leave his mouth and you knew he never said them if he wasn’t completely meaningful. You nodded but then remembered his use of vocabulary last night. “And what you said about me bein’ jealous?”

His shoulders slumped ever so slightly. “I’m not apologizin’ for that because you really do confuse me sometimes, Bunny. I thought maybe you were jealous and when you stop communication’ with me, I feel even more lost than usual.”

“Okay, that’s fair,” you accepted as you crossed your arms. “But I don’t want to talk to you when I’m upset. Maybe I want you to do the talking for once.”

He furrowed his brow in thought as he looked over at the toaster. “Well, why don’t we make a promise to each other that we can go to bed angry if we want, but come morning, we talk about it over breakfast. No more putting it off for multiple days. We have to deal with it so that we can move past it.”

You considered that for a moment. “Yeah, that sounds alright.”

He took your hands in his own and dipped forward to place a soft kiss to your cheek. When he began to pull back, your hand flew up to gently encase the side of his face, holding him there as you met him halfway and kissed his lips in a physical show to prove you had accepted his apology. And if that wasn’t good enough, you whispered against his lips, “I forgive you.”

His arms circled around your waist pulling you into his lean frame in a tight hug that seemed to melt away all the stress that built between you two. 

“How did you know that I would use the honey today?” you asked with a tilt of your head, figuring he must be the reason for the right lids. 

“I didn’t. I tightened all the jars.”

“Benny!” you laughed, playfully slapping his bicep. 

He lowered his hands behind your hips, lifting you quickly onto the kitchen countertop, grinning at the squeal you let out at the sudden shift. 

“Let me make it up to you, Bunny? Please?” he begged, voice teasing but you could see the sincerity, the desperation in his ocean blue eyes.

“I’m gonna be late for work,” you giggled as he buried his face into the spot between your jaw and collarbone, that sweet spot he knew got you weak in the knees every time he placed his mouth there. “I need to leave in a few minutes.”

“You might wanna call in sick then,” he murmured against your skin as he kissed up your neck, “‘Cuz I got plans for you that’s gonna last longer than a few minutes.”

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