#marcus moreno x ofc

[sirowsky-stories]

The Regulars

Summary: Marcus and Missy befriend a waitress at their favorite diner.

Requested by @yourstrulylightstar283

Rating: General/Everyone Warnings: Marcus Moreno x OFC named Evey, father/daughter banter, mention of stressful working environment, otherwise just fluff and cuteness. Word Count: 1175

   ”Again, dad?” Missy asks when he puts the menu down, already knowing what he’s picked, even though he hasn’t said anything.

   “What?” he lovingly gripes in return, smiling as he knows where this is going.

   “There’s so much delicious food in this diner, and yet, every time we come here you order the same thing: the cheeseburger with fries. Are you scared of stepping out of your food comfort zone, or something?”

   “I’m not scared,” he huffs, “this is just the best burger in town.”

   “Alright, I didn’t wanna do this, but you’ve left me no choice,” she counters, and her tone clearly suggests she’s about to change his mind, whether he likes it or not.

   He loves when she gets all smart like this, so he leans back and feels a smile grow behind his cheeks as he watches her close her menu deliberately slowly before clasping her hands together and leaning her forearms on the table.

   “Dad, you’re a public figure,” she begins, very seriously, “which means that people pay attention to you. And what they’re seeing every time we come here, is that not only does Marcus Moreno support the meat-industry, which we all know is fubar, but that he’s also entirely unconcerned with his own health.”

   Suddenly, he doesn’t feel the smile in his cheeks anymore. Instead, he feels mildly nauseous, especially after he hears the next part of her reasoning.

   “Now, if you were a member of the public, which the Heroics are tasked with protecting, would you feel safe knowing that your supposed guardian doesn’t even take good care of himself?”

   He knows that she’s being deliberately manipulating, testing herself in how good she is at persuading others, but she’s also not wrong about anything she’s saying, and it’s surprisingly jarring to hear.    Before he’s had a chance to recover, however, the waitress comes to take their orders, and he feels a creeping panic at the back of his neck, realizing he doesn’t know what to do.

   “Hello, my name is Evey, I’ll be taking your orders today,” she says with a prize-winning smile which isn’t fake or overdone or disingenuous at all, and he’s momentarily distracted by the fact that he hasn’t seen this woman before.

   “Hi, I’m Missy, and this is my dad, Marcus,” his daughter responds, saving him from having to speak through the befuddled mess that is his brain right now.

   “Nice to meet you both,” Evey nods politely at them in turn, “what will it be today?”

   His daughter confidently asks for an omelet with a side of salad instead of potato fries, and then immediately turns the attention back to him, fully aware he hasn’t made up his mind yet.

   “Uh…” is all he says, before ripping the folded two-page menu open once again and scanning the options way too fast to actually make out what they are.

   He glances at Missy over the top of the pages, hoping she’ll start talking and give him a moment to think, but she just smiles knowingly at him while she calmly waits for him to make a fool of himself.

   “I can give you some options, if you prefer, sir,” the waitress suddenly offers him a lifeline, and he dives at it like he’s drowning.

   “Please, do. I’m sorry, I’m a bit distracted today,” he tries to explain, hoping not to look like a complete moron, although that ship has probably already sailed.

   “No problem, that’s why I’m here,” she smiles again, and then proceeds to list the entire dinner menu from memory, highlighting the nutritional benefits of each dish, as well as giving him a general idea of the flavor sensation associated with the various options.

   Marcus has been at five-star restaurants with lesser service than this, leaving him staring dumbly at Evey once she’s finished, trying to comprehend what such a talented server is doing in such a simple establishment.

   “You’re new here, aren’t you?” Missy pipes up after a moment of stunned silence.

   “Yes, it’s my first week,” the waitress confirms, and the Moreno’s exchange a look of impressed bewilderment before both turn back to stare at her.

   “I’m guessing you’ve been somewhere a bit more… demanding than this place before,” Marcus suggests, finally freed of the confusion his daughter had inflicted on him.

   “Demanding is the right word for it, indeed, sir,” she replies, and while the smile is still warm and genuine, there’s a hint of something heavy in her eyes for a moment as she says it.

   He knows that many prestigious restaurants can be hell to work at, no matter how skilled or experienced a person might be, so if she’s been at a place like that, he could understand if she needed to seek out a less stressful environment.    A small corner diner might not seem like a desired workplace for someone used to the glamour of the top tier in her field, but there are benefits to be found in the simplicity and quaintness of smaller businesses.

   “Well, I hope you’ll like it here,” he smiles back at her. “It’s not too crowded most of the time, and the regulars are pretty decent.”

   Missy rolls her eyes at him in embarrassment over the last part, which Evey notices, and an adorable giggle crosses her lips.

   “I take it you’re the regulars in question, then?”

   “Oh, he’s a regular alright. A regular cheeseburger abuser,” his daughter shoots, paying him back for her embarrassment by making him look like an idiot in front of this lovely woman.

   “Am not!” he desperately fires back, succeeding only in sounding childish on top of stupid.

   “Am too! And apparently also dishonest, since you won’t even own up to it,” she counters, and he doesn’t have a good comeback for that, so he ends up just sitting there scowling for a beat, before finally closing the menu and setting it down on the table.

   “Fine. I’ll have the damned burger.”

   He expects the waitress to politely excuse herself then, as this little tiff has probably left her feeling uncomfortable.    But when she’s still by the table after a few seconds, he looks up to find out what she’s doing, only to discover her grinning at him with her head cocked to the side, looking as sweet as a labrador waiting for ear-scritches.

   “Good choice,” she says with a wink. “It’s the best burger in town.”

   Missy’s head hits the tabletop with an audible bonk, followed by her exacerbated groan of disapproval, now directed at both the adults, as her masterful plan to manipulate her father has been ruined.    Marcus, on the other hand, can’t help but laugh, and when Evey joins in even though she has both their orders and doesn’t need to stay there any longer, he feels like a friendship has just begun, and it sends a nice warmth through his abdomen.

   “I’ll be right back with your dinners,” she giggles, and then right before she turns away, she adds: “I think I’m gonna like the regulars here.”

THE END

[radiowallet]

Eyes Open

COMPLETE

Pairing: Marcus Moreno x Amy Oliver (OFC)

Summary: As leader of the Heroics, Marcus Moreno always seems to get stuck with the worst of the legislative duties, including dealing with the local police stations. He used to think the red tape the Heroics had him jump through were ridiculous, but nothing compares to the likes of the 98th precinct's Chief of Police. Derek Baldwin can't stand vigilantes, and he makes it clear any time Marcus requests anything from case files to suspect lists to surveillance footage.

But Baldwin's secretary, Amy Oliver, quickly steps in, finding subtle and not so subtle ways to get Marcus the information he needs. The two quickly fall into a working friendship, one that they hold dear despite the fact that they're both desperate for more. But can these two single parents find a way to keep their secrets and have more? Or are they doomed to get lost in the red tape?

Warnings: Eventually explicit, low burn, yearning, idiots friends to lovers, financial stressors, police work, kids, more warnings on each individual chapter.

II Main Story II

Chapter 1 - Sneak Peek

Chapter 2 - Sneak Peak

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Epilogue

II Extras II

Inspo Tag

Playlist

[tessa-quayle]

spotlight on the OFC

(fanfiction recommendations) :)

the reader insert, the second person, the y/l/n convention (which, for me, can disrupt the text and i haven’t gotten used to it - not criticizing those who do it - i'm the problem, it’s me 🤪) are all the rage in fanfiction.  i get the immersive appeal, and many of the fics i love and enjoy employ the second person.  

richly drawn original characters draw me in and capture my attention. I appreciate how creative folks get with their OFCs, the headcanons, and how they have fun showing off these OFC’s quirks and strengths and interior lives and histories.  it’s a joy to read.

here are a few great OFCs in the Pedro Pascal Character universe.  the stories are engaging and this is a fairly diverse list of OFCs (by that I mean race/ethnicity, life experience, nationality, disability).  as always, each author issues their own warnings.

listed in alphabetical order by writer:

@iamskyereads - Ezra (Prospect) x OFC Beatrice 

ongoing series (Compulsion).  love the sci-fi world-building in the first chapter. Beatrice is a sharp and compelling protagonist who’s suffered a traumatic brain injury and has PTSD.  

@intheorangebedroom - Frankie (Triple Frontier) x OFC Gabrielle 

complete series (Pleased to Meet You).  angsty intercontinental love story between everyone’s favorite pilot and a cool French woman.  the descriptions of different cities are vivid.

@jazzelsaur - Frankie (Triple Frontier) x OFC Ellie

complete series (Between the Raindrops).  the slow burn here is a smolder in the best sense.  Elliot (Ellie) is a widow who lives next door to Frankie.  the weight of grief and angst in this series is remarkable. 

@jomiddlemarch - Joel (The Last of Us) x OFC Grace

loose-fit series (On Call for the Apocalypse).  crossover with Ted Lasso.  set in Jackson WY between seasons 1 and 2, Grace is a snarky doctor (scratch a cynic, find a romantic) hanging out with Joel and Ellie  (format better on AO3)

@julesonrecord and @lunapascal ( @stardustandskycrystals) - Dieter (the Bubble) x OFC Andie 

ongoing series (Curls).  we’re rooting for Dieter and Andie amid all the drama and shenanigans surrounding a pregnancy and a wedding.  this reads like a novel you finish in one sitting.  

@ladamedusoif - Mr Ben (SNL) x OFC Lydia 

ongoing series (Visiting).  Lydia is a European art historian who goes to teach at an East Coast liberal arts college and meets the dashing Mr Ben.  delightful and smart (and I'm not just describing Mr Ben).

@radiowallet - Marcus (We Can Be Heroes) x OFC Amy

ongoing series (Eyes Open).  Single parents Marcus and Amy find love in the workplace, HR be damned.  Amy contains multitudes and the portrait of her as a mother is especially real and sweet.

@whatsnewalycat - Din (Mandalorian) x OFC Charlie

ongoing series (Passenger).  Gritty, dark, cool AU where Din Djarin is a trucker/bounty hunter and Charlie is making her way west.  this fic has a lot of postmodern energy.

@yespolkadotkitty - Pero (Great Wall) x OFC Jade

complete series (Fighting Blind).  Fun, winsome adventure between a museum curator and our favorite Spanish warrior.  Love the time-travel element, the nod to the Asian diaspora, and the rich world-building.  This series is stay-up-past-your-bedtime reading.

feel free to share your fic recs and favorite OCs/OFCs (your own and/or others)!  ❤️

[pedropascalsx]

Unexpected {Marcus Moreno x F! Reader}

Summary: Marcus accidentally attaches the wrong the file to an email he’s sending you for work, but will he get to you before you open it? (no, the answer is no.)

Warnings: The has like no plot? It was hastily written and I’ve never ever written Marcus Moreno before so I probably didn’t do him justice!!!! Oral (F) receiving, Male Masturbation, Video of Sex act, P in V sex, Handjob, Dirty Talk, Come eating and just general filth.

no physical descriptions of reader but she blushes a few times throughout the story!

Word Count: 2.4k

A/N: Fuck. I don’t even know. I am sorry??? It’s just porn really. Badly written porn. Thanks to @djarinispunkk for beta’ing

And thank you to @whataperfectwasteoftime @honestly-shite @absurdthirst and @radiowallet for being so supportive of this story i really struggled with!!! i love you guys.

The whoosh that signalled the email he had spent hours compiling had been sent made Marcus breathe a sigh of relief. The upcoming mission that the two of you would be spending weeks on was finally coming together, and he couldn’t wait to get stuck in.

*

(1) New Email from Marcus Moreno.

“Ah, finally,” you said with a slight giggle, “What have you sent me this time, Mr Moreno?”

You started skimming through the message, each day meticulously planned and detailed. You made a mental note to re-read it more carefully when you were home, away from the general hubbub of the office.

“Seven attachments? Really Marcus?” you murmured as you clicked through the first few, the first being an itinerary and the second being a map that marked each place you would be staking out or investigating. Your phone lit up with a text from your best friend as you idly clicked on the third attachment, paying no attention to the image that flicked up on your screen. You started to punch out a reply to the message confirming your plans with her this weekend and that’s when you heard it.

A throaty groan.

Your eyes flashed back up to the screen, and you watched open-mouthed as a video of Marcus stroking his cock played out in front of you, his sinful groans providing the soundtrack to the filthy movie you were utterly consumed by.

The second it stopped, you had to stop yourself from replaying it, the fact it was clearly sent by error making you feel overcome by guilt as your fingers hovered over the play button.

The image of the cock that you’d imagined railing into you more times than you cared to admit burned in your head as you felt arousal dripping into your panties.

“Fuck,” you murmured, as the urge to press play grew stronger. ‘Once more and then i’ll delete it,’ you whispered to yourself as you plugged your earphones into the speaker jack.

The sight of Marcus swiping his thumb against the weeping tip of his rock hard cock and spreading the bead of pre-cum down his length rips a moan from your throat, and before you know it, your hand is travelling down the length of your body and pulling up your skirt.

The short video replays on a loop as you circle your clit with vigor, teeth digging into your bottom lip as your orgasm grows closer and closer.

*

Marcus glances up at the screen as he decides to give the already sent email one last look over; he knows he’s been thorough and that everything is ready to go but always the perfectionist, he just can’t help himself.

“Hands.vid?” he says out loud as he scrolls through the attachments, “Why did it save as a video?”

Shit. He glances across at the external harddrive plugged into his computer and the realisation hits him like a tonne of bricks. With tentative hands he clicks the attachment and the sight of his hands laced around his hard cock flashes up and he slams his laptop shut and immediately runs down to your office, telling himself over and over that you probably hadn’t had a chance to open the email yet and that he could delete it before you could.

He doesn’t knock, he doesn’t think to knock, instead he pushes open the door of your office and lets himself in. He’s greeted by the sight of you leaning back on your office chair, eyes shut tight with a blissed out look etched across your face and your hand cupping your pussy.

“Fuck,” he groans, and your eyes immediately fly open, “Is this… is this because of the video?” he asks as his eyes continue burning into your core. The sight of your fingers glistening with your arousal makes his cock twitch in his pants.

You can feel the burning flush of embarrassment spreading across your cheeks; you’re not sure what to do, but you can’t ignore the way he’s staring at you, clearly enjoying the view. The sight of your bare pussy spread and your fingers dripping with your own arousal, the sound of his groans still playing through your earphones as the video continues to play on a loop on your laptop.

“Answer me,” he says quietly, “Is this because of the video?”

“Yes,” you blurt out, “I’m so sorr-..”

“Sssh,” he soothes as he takes three long strides towards you, reaching over your desk, grabbing your hand and bringing it up to his face, “You’re soaked.” He says with an amused grin before pulling your fingers into his mouth and sucking them clean of your arousal.

“Marcus,” you moan as releases them with a pop, “Fuck.”

“I was going to come in here and delete the email. I was going to pretend that I sent you an email meant for someone else… but fuck. I’m glad I didn’t make it in time,” he says as he lets go of your hand, walking around your desk and stopping in front of you, “So many times, I’ve thought about what this pretty little pussy would look like, feel like… taste like” he says as he silently drops down to his knees, “Fucked my fist thinking about you coming onto my tongue so many times. Can I, sweetheart?” he says as his palms rest on your thighs, “Can I make this pretty little pussy come on my tongue?”

Is this real? Is this really really really real? you think to yourself as you look down at your boss. Marcus Moreno. The leader of the Heroics. One of your closest friends and the man you’ve been harbouring a massive crush on since you first entered through those doors a year ago. Is he really kneeling in front of you, staring up at you with those big brown eyes asking if he can lick your pussy?

“Yes” you croak out as he slowly circles the soft flesh of your thighs, “Oh, yes please, Marcus,” you beg.

A groan of pleasure rips from Marcus into your core, as he starts to lap up your arousal, flattening his tongue and swiping it through your folds and then pushing it inside your pussy. It’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced; you’ve had guys go down on you before, but it’s usually just quickly to get you ready. This… this is extraordinary.

He fucks his tongue in and out of you, his nose swiping against your clit as he does so and you can’t help but entangle your fingers in his hair.

“Fuck, Marcus,” you moan, “You’re fucking in-incredible. And fuck. Your cock… Fuck Marcus, it’s so fucking thick. That video is.. holy shit,” your words are cut off by your own moaning, the feeling of Marcus sucking your clit into his mouth and teasing it with his tongue building you closer and closer. It’s only when he pushes two of his thick fingers inside of you that you cum, biting down on your lip so hard that the tang of blood coats your tastebuds.

“Good girl,” he praises after letting go of your clit, his fingers still buried inside of you, “You taste divine.”

He slowly removes his fingers from your cunt and moves them up to your lips, “I want you to taste how fucking delicious you are,” he says, before pushing them between your lips. The weight of his fingers on your tongue makes you yearn for something more, the thought of him standing up and claiming your mouth makes you clench and suck harder around his fingers. You note the way his eyebrow slightly raises as you do so.

“Tell me what you’re thinking, pretty girl,” he commands as he pumps his fingers in and out of your mouth slightly, before pulling them out completely.

“I want you to fuck my throat,” you say, voice barely above a whisper, “I want you to take whatever you want from me.”

“Mhmm,” he hums, “Later. I have the house to myself tonight and the thought of those pretty lips wrapped around my cock is fucking heavenly. But, right now, I want to bury myself in that gorgeous pussy.”

He stands up and slowly starts to unbuckle his belt, growing impatient after a few seconds and ripping it out of the belt loops. He places it down on your desk, his fingers lingering over his button before his hands drop down to his sides.

“Take out my cock,” he orders, “Show me how much you like it.”

You don’t hesitate. You immediately work on freeing him, popping the button and pulling his zipper down before shoving his pants down his legs. Your breath hitches at the sight of his rock hard cock throbbing in his boxers, and your fingertips dip into the waistband of them. You gulp as his cock bounces free, thick and leaking as it hangs between his legs. You move forward on your seat and grip the base of it with both hands, looking up at him as you bring the tip of him to your mouth and spit on him. You bring one of your hands up and begin smear his length with your spit before you start to pump him, and your cunt clenches around nothing when he gifts you with a groan, the sound travelling straight to your still pulsating clit.

“Fuck,” he grunts, “You like this? You like stroking my cock in your office?” His breath hitches as you squeeze tighter, “Look at those pretty little hands, they barely can fit around it.”

He grunts one more time before clasping his hands around yours. “If I bend you over this desk and fuck you with it, are you going to be able to keep that pretty little mouth quiet enough so no one catches us?”

You nod ferociously at the thought of him splitting you open on your desk, and without another word you stand up and position yourself over your desk. You look over your shoulder and watch as Marcus strokes his cock languidly whilst clearly enjoying the view of your glistening cunt, still dripping and waiting desperately to be filled.

“This is going to be hard and fast,” he murmurs as he lines himself up with you, gently pushing in the tip and smirking at the gasp you let out at the stretch of him. “Going to make you sit here dripping with my cum and lick it out of you when I get you back to mine later,” he teases as he starts to inch himself into you, loving the way your pussy is already fluttering and clamping down around him.

Fuck. He’s thick. Like really thick, you think to yourself as he completely sheaths himself into you, leaning down to pepper your neck with kisses as you get used to the fullness of him.

“Move,” you stutter after a few seconds, the need to feel him thrusting in and out of you growing stronger as his fingertips find your bundle of nerves, “Fuck me, Marcus.”

The pace he sets is indescribable, each thrust dragging against something devastatingly delicious inside of you, one of his hands pressed firmly against your mouth as you unconsciously spew a never-ending stream of moans. Two of your fingers replace his on your clit as he demands you continue rubbing it as he uses his free hand to grip your hip, pounding in and out of your heat with as much intensity as he can muster. The feeling of his cock nestled in your tight warm cunt makes him shudder in delight, and he knows he won't be lasting much longer. You rub your clit faster as your orgasm builds, and you hear Marcus hiss as you clamp down tight on around his cock before white hot pleasure explodes behind your eyes. Everything goes black and you start convulse with pleasure; you feel him continuing to pound in and out as you ride out your orgasm.

The room is filled with the sound of your pussy squelching as he thrusts in and out, his own groans growing louder as he begins to paint your walls with thick ropes of his cum.

His orgasm lasts a while, and with each thrust he fills you up more and more. When he finally finishes, he kisses your neck before pulling himself out of you.

His hands massage the full globes of your ass as he admires the image of your cunt dripping with your combined release; with two of his thick fingers he gathers up his spend that had leaked out of you and pushes it back inside.

“Keep it inside of you, and I'll keep my promise to lick it out later.” he says as he helps you back into your panties.

You pull them up and readjust your skirt and he tucks himself back inside his own pants.

You both stare at each other for a few moments as the significance of what just happened hits you both and you begin to blush a rosy pink as he scratches the back of his neck.

“That was…. unexpected,” he says after a while, “It was fucking fantastic but… unexpected.”

You agree with a nod and an awkward giggle.

“Look, I didn’t mean to attach that video,” he says as he rubs his chin, “My harddrive was attached to my computer and I was supposed to attach the handover sheet and I clicked that file that said hand clearly not paying enough attention. I am sorry.”

“Are you?” you reply a little quicker than you’re expecting to, “Are you sorry for what just happened?”

Marcus looks at you with those gorgeous puppy dog eyes and fights off a cheeky grin, “Not at all, but I don’t want you thinking this was planned or anything.”

“I don’t,” you say with a smile, “And for what it’s worth, I don’t regret it either. Been wanting you since the first day I saw you.”

“Really?”

“Yes, Marcus. Fuck. You’re gorgeous, you’re sweet and you’re so funny. I would be crazy not to want you,” you admit with a sheepish grin.

He blushes, he actually blushes, and you feel your heart just about melt in your chest. “Dinner after work? I think I also made a few promises I’d quite like to keep, if you want me to?”

“Dinner sounds perfect. And so does whatever you have planned for afterwards.”

“Excellent. I’ll meet you in the lobby?” He says as he walks towards the door and opens it, “Take you somewhere that’ll replenish your energy. You’re going to need it.”

[sirowsky]

An Unexpected Valentine

Summary: While on a mission to check out some anomalous energy readings, Marcus somehow ends up passing through a rift in spacetime, accidentally shifting himself into an alternate reality, where all of nature is bioluminescent and humans are not the dominant species, leaving their dwindling numbers fighting for the survival of their race.

Rating: Mature/Explicit 18+ONLY Warnings: Marcus Moreno x OFC, entirely Marcus POV, smut, not exactly dubious consent but Marcus gets mildly coerced. Light angst, Missy makes a guest appearance. Word count: 2838

There was no prelude or strange sound, no intuitive feeling warning him that he was about to leave everything known and familiar. He just took a step, and the world was gone. Replaced by a very different, and yet, breathtakingly beautiful one.

Everything glowed, from the smallest little flower to the giant trees and even the mountain tops. But these plants were all different as well. All the trees ten times the size of any normal one back home, every flower seemingly able to move at will, and no insects buzzed around them.

He had just taken all this in when there was a started gasp behind him, and he whirled around to find a woman there. Small and much too thin, as if she'd never had a good meal in her life. But still breathtakingly beautiful. Her skin glowing just like the rest of this world, and her pale grey eyes seeming to sparkle like silver glitter.

"Hello," he tried, but she didn't seem to understand it.

She did seem to grow less fearful of him at the sound, though. Carefully approaching before cautiously taking a turn around him, as if assessing him. When she got back to his front, she stopped and just stood there for a moment, staring into his eyes as if looking for unspoken secrets at the bottom of a well.

Then she suddenly grabbed his hand and started dragging him along a trampled path through the woods, holding on to him so firmly that his fingers threatened to go numb.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm following along willingly, no need to break my hand."

Again, she offered no response, and after another minute, a little house appeared at the edge of a small lake.

"Is this your place?" he asked, starting to feel dumb for expecting her to answer, but feeling equally uncomfortable in total silence.

She walked through the door, pulling him in behind her, not letting go of him until he was safely behind her as she closed and bolted the door. A quick study of the building revealed it to be old. Probably hundreds of years, yet in good condition. It was all wood and despite the age of it, it looked healthy and strong.

She kept peering through the little window in the top half of the door for a minute before seeming to decide they were safe, making him wonder what exactly she might be worried was making them unsafe...

"Is there something dangerous out there?"

Still no reply, but she turned around and met his eyes again, and this time, she looked considerably more fearful of him.

"I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm Marcus," he said, pointing to himself and repeating just the name.

"Marcos..." she repeated, getting the pronunciation slightly wrong but he didn't attempt to correct her. "Halo," she continued then, pointing to herself.

She pronounced it differently than the English word halo, though. The A sounding less like cake and more like bard. He repeated it back to her, and it made her smile. But then she heard something outside and rushed to one of the windows in the back of the house.

"What is it?" he wondered while he followed her, and she seemed to understand the gist of his question at least, because she said something and then pointed to a large tree about a hundred feet away.

It took him a few beats to see what the problem was, but once he did, her fearful demeanor outside started to make a lot more sense. The tree was moving. Slowly pulling up its roots and dragging itself closer to the house. As he continued to watch, a small animal then passed in front of it, at which point, the tree used its branches to snatch it off the ground so quickly he couldn't even see it.

It was brought to the center of the crown where the largest branches then began to squeeze the little critter into a cavity, where it would presumably be trapped alive while the tree extracted its nutrients.

"Trees here eat people?" Marcus wondered aloud, mostly just because he needed to hear that sentence out loud, and then a shiver went through him. "That's absolutely terrifying."

No wonder the damned things were so much bigger here than in his own world. And it could also explain why humans here were apparently smaller than normal, since they probably couldn't find much meat to eat anymore. He wondered if perhaps even edible plants were scarce, given how starved this woman was despite living in the middle of the most thriving woodland he'd ever seen.

Halo gave him a look which clearly seemed to say that life here was always terrifying for one reason or another. Then she nodded towards a different part of the house, what he would call the living room, before starting to head there, so he followed. Once there, she opened up what resembled a whiteboard cabinet, like what teachers might have in classrooms, except there was no whiteboard inside the narrow cabinet.

Instead, there was a very large and complex map over the area, presumably one drawn by Halo herself, given that her house was at the center of it. Going by that logic, the map seemed to depict the diameter she'd been able to explore around her dwelling, and while it was extensive, there was no other human living within that area, as far as he could tell.

"You're completely alone?" he asked, pointing to himself and then to her, before gesturing to the scope of the map.

She answered by repeating the movements and then shaking her head, before motioning for him to follow, taking him to a window at the side of the house where he could see a grave outside.

"Your mother? Or father, maybe."

Somehow, he got the feeling that this woman hadn't been around many men, so he guessed that she had been raised by her mother. Tapping lightly at his arm to get his attention, she then shocked him by pointing at his groin, while saying something which sounded like a question.

What could she possibly mean by that? Was she asking if he was a man? Or if she could see his... man-parts?

"Uh... I'm sorry, I don't understand."

That seemed to make her a bit shy, but it wasn't until she started undressing that he worked out why.

"No, no, no! There's no need for that," he said while trying to stop her from untying the bra-like top she was wearing.

But his reaction made her very sad. Confused, he watched as she once again returned to the map and started trying to explain something, gesturing to the entirety of it and then to herself. She finished by putting up one index finger. One. Alone. And suddenly he got it.

For all of her exploration, he was the only man she'd ever met. Her only chance to procreate, possibly ever.

"Halo..." he started, but didn't know how to say it. "I can't begin to imagine how lonely you are, but... this isn't how we do things in my world. If I can figure out how to get back you could come with me, and have your pick of men. Find the one who would make you happy. But I can't just do the deed and then leave you here."

However much she understood, his meaning clearly came across, because she was crying by the time he fell silent. Somehow feeling rotten about having rejected her, even though he wanted to believe he was doing the right thing, he slumped down on a chair and dropped his head in his hands.

It seemed he'd underestimated her resolve, though, because a moment later, he was being shoved back in the chair while she climbed into his lap, working frantically to undo his belt before he could stop her. His initial reaction was to snag her hands and push her back, but she was a lot stronger than he'd anticipated, getting past both his belt and the buttons of his jeans before he could get a grip on her.

But he only managed one of her hands, while the other one slipped inside his underwear and started exploring, drawing a strong reaction from his manhood. There was something mildly intoxicating about the idea of letting her do whatever she wanted. The only thing holding him back being the notion that she wasn't really acting on desire so much as desperation.

His internal debate aside, her ministrations were quickly sending his resolve south, and before he'd managed to reach a decision, she'd freed him from his briefs and started trying to lower herself onto him. But this was presumably her first time and he wasn't exactly small, especially against her petite form, so her attempts were halted by the pain it caused her to try and simply shove him in before she was ready.

Finally making his choice, Marcus stopped her by standing up, moving over to a thick rug on the middle of the floor, and lowering himself down so that he was on top of her. Then he licked his fingertips, moved his hand down underneath her small, skirt-like bottom piece, finding her naked behind it, and started working her, so she'd know that he wasn't trying to stop her.

She responded so beautifully to his touch, losing herself in the pleasure in just a few seconds. And the more aroused she got, the brighter her skin shined, even seeming to shed a light shimmer into the air, which smelled heavenly to him. Wanting to taste it, he kissed her, feeling her bewildered response before she relaxed into it, letting her tongue dance with his and seeking more whenever he tried to pull back.

She tasted even better than she smelled, driving his own arousal to its peak, so he dipped a couple of fingers into her, finding her gushing wet and eagerly pliant. Frustrated with the restraint to his movements, he then kicked off his pants before settling in over her, and starting to push into her innermost stronghold.

The sensation seemed to overwhelm her at first, making her squirm beneath him, not knowing how to respond or behave, but she soon found her own answers. Maneuvering him until he was in the perfect position to reach her best spots, clawing at his lower back to urge him on, sinking her heels into the backs of his thighs to beg for more. The language of sex, it seemed, was universal.

She came before he did, hard and intense, lasting long enough that the powerful pulsing motions of her cramping walls milked him all the way to his own completion. Spilling into her in long spurts, so strong they were borderline painful, leaving him desperately clawing at the carpet to keep from bruising her while his body spasmed.

He collapsed on top of her eventually, but it felt like it took a very long time before the climax ended. And then he stayed there, buried deep inside her, since the deed was already done and he might as well try and give her the best chance.

At some point he must've fallen asleep, because it was dark when he woke up, and he was on his side with Halo in his arms and a blanket draped over them. He couldn't remember having moved, but he had a feeling she was easily strong enough to move him around however she wanted. Not that it mattered. He pulled her a little closer and fell right back to sleep.

The next time he woke, it was still dark but she was no longer beside him. She was sitting by one of the windows looking out over the front of her house and the lake.

"Halo?"

She answered by beckoning for him to come closer, so he reached for his pants and pulled them on, closing the buttons and the belt while he walked over to her. But once at the window, when he could see what she was looking at, he froze.

Because on the other side of the lake... was a portal. A rift, just like the one he'd been sent to investigate. It looked like little more than a strange beam of vertical rainbow colored light, just sitting midair about three feet from the ground, but it was definitely the same phenomenon.

"Come on!" he shouted excitedly, grabbing Halo's hand and pulling her along as he unbolted the door and started running towards it.

But when he reached it, she yanked free and stopped behind him.

"It's okay, it won't hurt you," he tried to explain, before he realized that she didn't look fearful.

Just sad.

"You can come with me. There are millions of people in my world, you'll never be alone," he said while pointing to them both and then counting out several times on his fingers, to help her understand.

She stepped forward, meeting his eyes while passing him, and then reaching out towards the rift. But when her hand passed through it, nothing happened. Even when she walked right through it, nothing happened.

"You're trapped here..." he realized, feeling his chest tighten at the thought that he might never see her again.

Perhaps not so much because of any stronger feelings he'd managed to develop for her in his brief visit, but just because he hated having to leave knowing she'd be all alone.

"I can't stay. I have people waiting for me at home."

She stepped away from the rift with tears in her eyes, and he couldn't blame her. As amazingly beautiful as this world was, it was clearly very hostile, and living in it by herself would never get any easier. Suddenly, Marcus found himself wishing that his seed would take, so she'd at least have someone to love.

He walked up to her and hugged her close, feeling her tremble as she fought the sorrow. Then he kissed her one more time before letting her go, and she gifted him a soft smile as he backed away.

Just as before, there was nothing to indicate the shift between worlds. It just happened. In less than a blink of an eye, the luminescent world was gone and he was back in his own, which abruptly felt too bright and too barren. So flat and tasteless against his senses.

There was no one there. No team of scientists from the Heroics organisation, so no one else had opened the rift for him from this end. A quick glance at his watch showed that to him, thirteen hours had passed, which should've been enough time for someone to miss him.

"HQ, can you hear me?" he called over the comms, and got an immediate response.

"Loud and clear, Moreno. Did you find the anomaly?"

"Yeah... Just one question. What time is it now?"

"Time? It's 11:43. Why do you ask? You hungry for lunch?"

He'd stepped into the rift at 11:29. Only minutes had passed in this world while he was in the other.

"No. I'm not hungry," he answered the technician, feeling guilty even thinking about food when Halo was probably still starving in there.

----------------------------------

"So, dad, did you have any romantic adventures for Valentine's Day?" Missy surprised him by asking after he'd gotten home later that day and they were preparing dinner together.

"Today is Valentine's Day?" he questioned, wondering when exactly he'd stopped celebrating his late wife on this day.

His daughter just nodded in that superior way she did whenever she got to outsmart him about anything.

"Oh. Well, then I guess I did," he cryptically replied, and her eyebrows predictably hit the roof.

She was bringing vegetables to the kitchen counter where he was chopping them up, and she stopped in the middle of the floor and gaped at him, while he just smiled and winked at her.

"You went on a date and you didn't tell me?!" she dramatically argued, but he just kept smiling.

"Not a date, no. But you might have a sibling in an alternate reality now."

"What alternate reality? When did you go to an alt-..."

Marcus just waited patiently for her to work out the details, and when she did, her expression was priceless.

"Wait... I have a... That means you... Oh, GROSS, dad!!"

"Of course, that's the part you get hung up on. Not the half-sister or brother you might have."

"Why would I get hung up on that?" she calmly pondered, and then her father was the one standing with his mouth hanging open in shock.

"You-... You wouldn't mind having a bigger family?"

"Duh. More people to love is never a bad thing, isn't that what you always say?" she countered, and he didn't have any response to that beyond just grinning happily at her.

Because for the first time since losing her mother, he suddenly realized he wouldn't mind a bigger family either.

"Happy Valentine's Day, sweetheart."

THE END

Author's Note: I just wanted to write something for Valentine's Day, and this is what came to me when I looked through my image folders. Unfortunately, I'm a day late, but I forgive myself.

Hope you enjoyed it! And thank you for reading :)

[grogusmum]

THRO-BACK THURSDAY FIC RECS! (8/3/23)

Here we are my first week of Thro-back fics!

This is not all the ric recs I got, so if I didn't get to yours, know that I will!!

Remember y'all, the point of this is to spread some love with comments and reblogs!! So feel free to bookmark this collection in your likes, but when you read a fic from it- please show that fic some love!!! REBLOG!

So many gorgeous fic to read-

Not Alone Enough @pebblesmustard gorgeous hurt/comfort type piece featuring Jack Daniel's x omc!Mateo. As I said in my comment on my reblog of the fic- I want to gather up Mateo and help mend his heart, but he has a much more capable cowboy already on the job. I hope I get to read more of these to some day!

Eyes Open by @radiowallet

We've got another Marcus Moreno x ofc fic in the house!!

I'm so glad this was recced, because it's something I've been meaning to start. I've only just read the first chapter because I want to get to everyone's rec if I can, so I've only gotten the table set, but Cat has me hooked right away! I love the dynamic between the pair. Our ofc, Amy, is a fun pair of shoes to step in. I can't wait to read more!

Okay next we've got one I've read, actually, and I'm so glad to see it again!

Not a Monster, Not Alone by @beecastle , it's a fix it fic with Ellie and Sam, and I'm guessing you know what's being fixed here!

This is what they derserved!

Here is another that I've read and love to death- happy to give it a fic rec bump from my one of my favorite persons and my favorite writer @oonajaeadira

This Will Be The Day That I Spy with Jack Daniels x chemist!f!reader

As always Adirela brings her secret sauce and slathers it all over this over the top cowboy and just makes my heart yearn!!

As I said, when I read it the first time, I love this cowboy smooth and sweet as pulled taffy!

Oh!! THE BANTER! It can not go unsung! This is top-notch banter.

Last but certainly not least is a pair of fics by @yourcoolauntie featuring my space husband Din Djarin x f!Reader

The descriptions I this fic are beautiful, but y'all let me just say-

Kitchen shave and haircut... Kitchen. Shave. And. Haircut.

For a heartbroken Din in need of comfort and care.

Please, my gumdrop heart! (Plus, some grade A smut!)

An Act of Grace

Something Divine

[bluestar22x]

Second Chances Masterlist

Series Summary: Marcus Moreno finds love again when he’s not looking for it

Pairing: Marcus Moreno x OFC!Elena (Latina)

Rating: 18+ (mainly for Part 4)

Warnings: Family & romantic fluff, grief talk, later smut and pregnancy, POV changes (2nd person for Elena, 3rd person for Marcus)

Author’s Note: I’ve said before that if I’m being honest Marcus M would probably be the Pedro character I’d be most likely to marry out of them all (personality stuff), so of course I’ve been itching to write for this sweetie for a while now and to include all my favorite romantic/family tropes. I’ve been missing writing fanfic, so why not now?

xxx

Part 1: Second Chance Life

Part 2: Second Chance Meeting

Part 3: Second Chance Date

Part 4: Second Chance Love

Part 5: Second Chance Proposal

Part 6: Second Chance Family

Part 7: Second Chance News

Part 8: Second Chance Changes

Part 9: Second Chance Spirit

Part 10: Second Chance Addition

xxx

Post Series

Never Forgotten

xxx

Main Masterlist

xxx

[words-are-fireproof]

With the Kids in the Gym (Ribbons Part IV)

(gif by @nicolethered)

Summary: Marcus helps Missy with Guppy and goes out on a limb.

Rating: T

Content: kids being kids, uncertain Marcus Moreno should come with a warning, anxiety, disabled canon and original character, Marcus being soft and fluffy.

A/N: As always, this story is unbetaed. Sorry, not sorry. ;P

Word Count: 3.9k (this chapter is chonky)

[Masterlist] || [Series Masterlist] || Part Three || Part Five

-----

The sounds of the gym met Marcus’ ears as he stood outside the big glass windows. Big brown eyes watched as Missy and Guppy trained in front of a large mirror and punching bag. Guppy pummeled the punching bag with her shark strength, and he couldn’t help but laugh when Missy had to jump away from the bag because it kept swinging precariously on its carabiner. He couldn’t exactly tell what his daughter was saying to the little pint sized hero, but whatever she was saying wasn’t exactly sinking into the little one’s head.

Despite whatever Missy was–or wasn’t–accomplishing, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride for his daughter. He never doubted her for a second. Not when the entire fate of the world rested on her small shoulders. Not when the subsequent training seemed to push her down. She kept getting back up. Every single time. He knew exactly where she got her strength from. Others would say that she got it from him, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. She got her resilience from him, maybe, but her strength she got from Laura.

A sharp pain stabbed furiously in his chest.

He took a deep breath to try to steady it, to make it go away, but it lodged there and didn’t want to move. This happened every single year, sometimes more than once a day. Around this time of year, it seemed to linger from sun up to sun down and sometimes it even seeped into his dreams and nightmares at night. Of course, Aaron’s words and the reason why he currently stood at the gym doors didn’t help matters either. He knew that. He also knew it wouldn’t go away until he did something about it.

He took a deep breath, carding a hand through his shaggy dark hair. He needed a trim. He’d set up the appointment later. For now, he let the breath steady him as he pushed into the gym, letting the door shut behind him. His eyes surveyed the thinning crowd. All the kids were there with various equipment. Training. Rewind and Fast Forward seemed to be working together much smoother than they had in the beginning. After the takeover, they still had their issues, and sometimes they didn’t work together well, but any progress was better than nothing.

Slo-Mo was the real MVP of the post-takeover team up. The slow moving hero finally moved at almost regular speed now. With Missy’s and his dad’s help, he finally learned how to control his speed. There were still moments when he moved too slowly–he noticed it when the kid seemed tired at the end of day or after a particularly long training session–but for the most part, the kid moved normally. He chalked it up to Missy’s strength as a leader–among other things.

A sense of pride welled in his chest, replacing the sharp pain for a little while.

The only person he couldn’t see in his survey of the crowd was the one person he wanted to see the most. Keilah. A frown tugged at his lips, and he tried not to entertain the disappointment he felt rising within him. Maybe she left early that day. Maybe Aaron just wanted to tease him. Maybe pursuing her would end up being a fool’s errand. Marcus didn’t know, but he didn’t like the feeling currently settling inside of him. It felt needy and desperate and oh, so terribly stupid. Why did he think he could do this, whatever in the hell this was? He was a widower. No matter what Aaron said about getting a life, it already didn’t feel worth it.

Another sigh and he walked through the gym to Guppy and Missy, just barely missing a whack from the punching bag.

“Guppy,” Missy began, exasperation tinged the edges of her voice, “try it again. Focus on the power you feel when you’re in a rage but don’t actually go into a rage.”

Guppy whipped around on Missy and bared her teeth, snapping at the older girl fiercely. Marcus chuckled softly as Guppy began waylaying the bag again.

“How’s it going nina?”

“Well, I’ve already had to break up Fast-Forward and Rewind today. Wheels is skipping arm day because he thinks he doesn’t need it, and Wild Card’s just been messing around and setting mats on fire because he can.” She huffed, her hands settling on her hips.

“Sounds like a normal day for me.”

She snorted softly. “I don’t know how you do it.”

“Well, if you remember, I didn’t do a good job of it. Not at the end, after all.”

She made a face, her lips and nose scrunching a bit. “You have a point.”

“Don’t I always?” He asked as he playfully reached to pull her in a one armed hug.

“Dad,” Missy whined playfully.

“Missy,” Marcus whined back teasingly. But he let her go.

She never failed to make him feel better. He felt a surge of gratitude for her. Gratitude and pride. It threatened to boil over making him insufferable, but he held it back. She didn’t need an overly prideful father who couldn’t see her shortcomings or help her overcome them. She needed someone to help her whenever he could. He admitted, he didn’t always have the answers, but he was more than happy to try.

This felt like one of those times.

“Do you want me to get onto Wild Card?”

She shook her head. “You know it wouldn’t work.”

“You have a point.”

Then, his gaze landed on Guppy. “What’s up with her today?”

“Shark Boy and Lava Girl are off on assignment.”

“Ah. She’s having a hard time adjusting,” he said knowingly.

“You know her well,” she admitted easily.

He wasn’t sure how true that was. He felt like he knew Guppy well. Truthfully, he had a soft spot for the little girl. In a lot of ways, she reminded him of Missy when she was her age. Missy had been a wild child. He and Laura had a hard time reigning her in. When she had just learned how to walk, she toddled everywhere, getting into everything, tearing books off shelves and pulling pans out of cabinets to bang on them and make noise. She had a wicked temper sometimes. Only Laura could calm her in those days. After she’d died, Missy seemed to calm down a lot, perhaps somehow knowing that he’d need a much more mellow child. He loved both sides of Missy. Just as he adored both sides of Guppy.

“I do,” he concured. “Tell you what. Take ten or go help someone else. I’ll handle her for a little bit.”

Relief immediately spread over Missy’s face. “Thanks, Dad.”

She left to go help put out one of Wild Card’s fires. He watched her walk away with a smile before he turned his attention back on Guppy. The little girl’s wild punching of the bag ceased. Wide blue eyes trained on him and her stance immediately softened. He grinned, crouching down to get on her level.

“Hey, Guppy.”

“Marcus!” She wrapped her arms around him in a hug. “What are you doing here?”

He hugged her back briefly. “Well, I’m here to see if Missy needs any help.”

She pulled back a little to peer at him curiously. “You’ve never came and helped before,” she said, her little lisp making him smile wider.

“No, I know.”

She frowned. “Did we do something wrong?”

He settled her gently back on her tiny feet. “What? No.”

“Because when the grown ups come to check in on us, it’s because we did something wrong.”

Marcus shook his head, his kind eyes trained reassuringly on her. “No, Gup. You’re fine. Though,” his gaze flicked over to Missy and Wild Card, “I might have to get onto Wild Card.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “He’s not being very nice to Missy.”

“Yeah, I know. But he’s just a kid. You’re all kids. You’re allowed to have bad days sometimes.”

Her little face scrunched up as she stood there and thought what must have been a mighty large thought. His expression softened and he had to resist a laugh as it began to bubble up in his chest.

“Marcus?”

“Yes, little miss?” The nickname fell from his lips easily without him even realizing it.

Her lips curved into a wide smile that almost devoured her face. She liked that nickname. He’d have to remember that.

“Are adults allowed to have bad days, too?”

The blood in his veins buzzed a little bit. For a moment, he allowed his attention to drift. The sound of a fire extinguisher hissed to his left. He tilted his head. He didn’t need to look behind him to know that Missy was dutifully putting out literal fires. Then, to his right, he heard the door to the gym squeak open and squeak shut, latching with a soft click that he felt more than heard. A rather unfortunate training mishap had seen the then head of HQ swap out all metal from the gym equipment, but the door hinges and door knob hadn’t ever been changed. They always pulled at his powers when he wasn’t paying attention, his fingers tingling with the life in them.

When he looked toward the door, he saw Keilah with her head down, stalking across the gym with her head down, hair swept up in a ponytail. Her ever present headphones sat dutifully in her ears. His heart pounded in his chest. Aaron was right. She came to train at the end of the day. In the back of his mind, it made sense. With the kids here, there were less adults present. Less adults meant less people intent on bothering her. He’d have to remember that.

Keilah sat her stuff down at the leg press just across from them. Marcus watched her for a long moment before he remembered that Guppy asked him a question and he hadn’t responded yet.

He cleared his throat and returned his attention to the little girl in front of him.

“They have more bad days than you think they do.”

Her eyebrows furrowed. “Do you have a lot of bad days?”

Marcus nodded. “I do.” He took a breath, considered, then continued, “You know this morning I destroyed a sofa bed because I had a bad night.”

The look on her face broke his heart. He briefly wondered if it was a bad idea to let her in on his bad days, but if they helped her, maybe it wouldn’t be a total loss.

“Missy says I need to control my shark frenzies because it’s bad for the team.”

“You don’t think they’re bad, do you?” He asked curiously, figuring he knew what the little girl would say.

“I’m stronger when I’m in them,” she stated with a shrug.

“Maybe you are, little miss, but think of how much stronger you’d be if you channeled your strength and were fully conscious of what you were doing.”

Guppy lifted an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you should stop relying on your frenzies and train your natural strength.”

She stared at him for a long moment before shaking her head. “I don’t understand.”

Marcus blew out a breath, palming the back of his neck as he tried to think of an easier way to explain what he meant. All the while, his eyes drifted over to watch Keilah as she began her work out. He longed to talk to her, but he knew that helping Guppy was the right thing to do. That and he could hear Missy and Wild Card arguing behind him.

“Okay, so. Your frenzies put others at danger because you let anger…push you along. Right?”

“Yes…” she answered slowly, uncertainly.

“So what you need to do is find inner peace. There you find your greatest strength.”

She frowned. “How do I do that while fighting?”

“I’m not sure.” He rested his hands on hips, fingers tapping his belt in thought. “You meditate, right?” Guppy nodded eagerly. “What do you do to meditate?”

She shrugged elaborately. “I just sit down and not listen to people.”

A strangled laugh died rather unceremoniously in his throat. He shouldn’t laugh, but he couldn’t help it. It was such a simple answer for such a complex little girl.

“It doesn’t help, does it?” She shook her head. “I didn’t think so.” He tapped his belt some more as he continued to think. “Okay, we’re going to try something. It’ll be a work in progress, so you’ll have to trust me.”

“I trust you.”

You’re the only one, he thought bitterly, and he wasn’t even sure why he thought it.

“So…can I ask you something? Before we start?” She shrugged. “How do you feel right now?”

Her face scrunched in thought. “Sad. I miss my mom and dad.”

“I know how that feels. Being sad. You know how I use my sadness to fight? I channel it through me and let it fuel me, but I also use it to calm me.”

“Sadness calms you?”

“Yeah, in a way. Because I miss my wife, and when I think about her, it makes me sad but I also remember the good times we had together. So, think of your mom and dad and think of all the good times you have when they’re here.”

“You think that will help me?”

“I think it could, yeah. So, try it. Punch the punching bag and let the sadness and happiness move through you, but try to keep the anger at bay. Try not to be angry at them. They will be back soon and think of how great that will be.”

Her brows furrowed thoughtfully as she slowly turned to face the punching bag. She considered it for a long moment then started punching the bag, slowly at first, then quicker as time went on. He wondered if what he said was working for her. He wished he had powers of telepathy, but then he was glad he didn’t. Telepathy would be too much to bear for him. He knew this far too well. He’d seen good heroes come and go who had telepathy and they couldn’t be saved. He didn’t want to be one of those people.

His thoughts were pulled from that line of thinking and he turned to watch Keilah as she sparred silently with a holographic sentinel. Marcus envied her solitude. He wished he could have just a fraction of it. He wondered if it would make him feel better. Maybe it could help him feel more centered and less out of control, especially now as he dealt with the memories that continued to pummel him, even as he stood there. He listened to the faint squeaks of the punching bag, not paying attention to Guppy until he heard the loud thump of the bag breaking free from its hook on the wall and falling to the ground a few feet ahead of them.

“Oops,” Guppy quickly covered her mouth in horror. “I’m sorry, Marcus.”

“Hey, it’s okay. There’s no need to apologize.” He glanced between the downed bag and the little girl beside him. “Are you angry?” She shook her head. “How do you feel?”

“Strong,” she beamed in pride behind her hands.

“I’d say it worked, then, don’t you?”

“Well…”

“Guppy.”

“I might have gotten a little angry.”

He crouched down in front of her. “Can I ask why?”

It looked like Guppy was about to answer when her blue eyed gaze rose to just past his left shoulder. He turned to be met with Keilah, all beautiful and wonderful and standing there with her hair pulled up in a ponytail, barely breaking a sweat despite her fight with the sentinel. She smiled down at him and his heart skipped a beat. He tried to ignore the fact that Guppy stood there, watching him and his reaction to the woman. He could see out of the corner of his eye that the little girl was smiling from ear to ear. Dios mio.

“Uh, hi,” Marcus said as he stood up to face her.

Hi, she hastily scrawled on the notebook she held in her hand. I wondered if I could help you?

“Help…help with…” He trailed off and motioned at Guppy who just giggled.

“My name is Guppy!”

Hi, Guppy. If you have it handled, then I can just go.

“Oh, no. It's fine. You can help. Of course you can help.”

She laughed and looked at the bag on the floor before scribbling quickly, Can’t help with the punching bag, though.

Marcus chuckled as well, trying to keep from snorting unceremoniously. He turned to look at Guppy. “Want to move to the sentinels?” The little girl nodded eagerly. “Perfect. Let’s move over there.” Then he frowns. “I won’t be kicking you out, will I?”

Keilah shrugged. It’s okay. I’m not feeling like training today anyway.

He laughed again. “Noted.”

The three of them went off to the little corner of the gym that Keilah once occupied and the three of them began to train. Marcus tried to keep himself from staring at Keilah too much, but he didn’t feel very successful with that endeavor. She looked beautiful. Even with the headphones in her ears. Even in her gym clothes. Especially in her gym clothes. He tried not to be lewd, but as she crouched down to help Guppy, he couldn’t help but sneak a look. He immediately felt dirty and straightened up, averting his gaze from her to focus on Guppy.

Soon, Guppy was off fighting sentinels on her own and the two of them watched her closely. He stood near enough to Keilah that he could feel the heat radiating off the skin of her arm. In fact, he could feel the blood singing in her body, the iron calling to him faintly under layers of skin, muscle, and sinew. It felt so strange yet not unwelcomed. Not at all. Marcus liked feeling it. For the most part, he’d learned to ignore it. But with her, it was hard to ignore. It felt like a siren’s call, his fingers tingling with the feeling. He wanted to reach out and touch her, but he couldn’t imagine that would go over very well. He knew it wouldn’t. So, he shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to ignore it.

He also tried to ignore it when he felt a very soft hand lay briefly on his forearm. He turned to face her and was immediately met with her notebook full of her delicate writing.

My name’s Keilah. I’m sorry. I realize now we’ve never properly met.

He shook his head. “It’s alright. I’m Marcus.”

Her cheeks turned a light pink as she wrote quickly. I know who you are. I used to have your poster hanging up in my room. She looked mortified as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ears, showing him what she wrote.

He chuckled, palming the back of his neck awkwardly. “Oh, um, thanks, I guess?”

She scribbled quickly on her notebook again. Sorry. This is awkward. I…don’t usually talk to people.

“Is it okay if I asked why?”

I’m deaf.

His eyes briefly widened. “Oh, oh. I’m sorry. I don’t know why I didn’t realize that. It makes sense now.” Then his brows furrowed in thought. “Do I need to be writing on the notebook too? Would that be easier?”

Her shoulders relaxed a bit and even the blood in her body seemed to stop moving so quickly. Her heart slowed down. He felt it and immediately knew the answer to that question.

It would be, actually. Reading lips exhausts me. I try to make do, but it doesn’t always work.

Marcus smiled, holding out his hands expectantly for the notebook. He tried to ignore the way her eyes seemed to shine at the realization that he was serious. He was going to do this for her. He wondered how many people overlooked her because of her disability, how many people didn’t make concessions for her. He imagined that more often than not, people didn’t care or take the time to learn what she needed to thrive.

When he took the notebook, he immediately started writing. What else would make you more comfortable? If you don’t mind telling me.

She stood there, considering that for a long moment before she took the notebook again to write, I can’t think of anything right now. If I think of something, I’ll let you know.

He nodded. Awkward silence settled over the pair. Guppy continued to fight, but Marcus noticed that she was beginning to slow down. The girl must be getting tired. He shut off the simulation after she downed one of them with some difficulty. Confusion shone all over her face as she looked over to the both of them.

“That’s all for the day, Guppy. You did good, little miss.”

She beamed. “Thank you, Marcus.”

“You’re welcome. Now get cleaned up, okay?”

She nodded eagerly, disappearing into the newly designated kids’ locker rooms to get cleaned up and changed into her regular clothing. One by one, the other kids began to do the same, all of them in various degrees of exhaustion until the only people left in the gym were him, Keilah, and the trainer who had the rather unfortunate job of trying to find a new place to hang the punching bag. It made him chuckle quietly to himself.

Suddenly, he felt the edge of the notebook poke into his chest. He looked down, eyes scanning the writing.

You’re good with her.

Guppy? Oh, yeah. She’s one of Missy’s best friends. She’s fun.

It seems like it.

Yeah. He took a deep breath, about to hand the notebook back to her when he took a leap, deciding to add something to it that made his heart pound in his chest. Do you want to go get lunch with me?

Her eyes widened briefly as she considered, writing back hastily, Sure.

He couldn’t believe it. She said yes. He thought maybe she would let him down easily and say no, but no. She said yes. He could hear the hollow rush of his blood pounding in his ears. His fingers prickled with his barely contained powers. At the front of the gym, he could hear the hinges and the door knob of the door squeaking under the pull of his metal manipulation. He swallowed thickly and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

“Sorry. Um, great. That’s great. Is tomorrow too soon?” Keilah shook her head. “Good. Good. That’s…that’s great, actually.”

She beamed right as Missy came out of the locker room, her bag slung over her shoulder. “Dad, are you ready to go?’

He turned his attention to his daughter. “Si, I’m ready. Let’s go.” Then he turns back to Keilah. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?” She nodded. “Perfect.”

He smiled, in fact, he couldn’t stop smiling. His powers still tugged at the metal in the doorframe despite them being shoved in his pockets. He could still feel the slight tingle of the iron in her blood. He tried to ignore it but couldn’t. For the first time in a long time, he felt alive. Now if only he could stop himself from going power crazy before he got home. This should be interesting.

[criticallyacclaimedstranger]

Fic: The Instructor chapter 9, Shopping Spree

Chapter 1: Lesson One | Chapter 2: A Rash Decision | Chapter 3: Good Intentions | Chapter 4: Chicken Soup | Chapter 5: Knotted Strings | Chapter 6: Crossed Blades | Chapter 7: Christmas Party | Chapter 8: Lesson Two | Chapter 9: Shopping Spree

Read on Ao3

Rating: Explicit

Fandom: We Can Be Heroes

Relationship: Marcus Moreno/Original Female Character (Kate)

Chapter summary: Marcus continues to educate Kate about the joys of sex.

Chapter tags: Dom!Marcus is a goddamn tease, (her) masturbation.

“Marcus.”

“Kate.”

There is something a little awkward to meet at the entrance to the cafeteria only a few days after that Saturday. It doesn’t help that Marcus has a little mini-me with him.

His daughter. Kate immediately feels like the pretty little girl knows exactly what this strange woman has been doing with her father. The kid is eyeing her with interest, and Marcus realizes he needs to make introductions.

“It’s Bring Your Kids To Work Day. This is my daughter, Missy.” He puts his hand on Missy’s shoulder. “Querida, this is Kate Shannon, our trainer.”

“You’re the one who knows, like, martial arts, right?” the girl asks, clearly excited yet a little shy. Kate nods.

“I am.”

“Can you teach me?”

“It’s only for employees,” Marcus interjects. “And adults.”

The kid pouts, and Kate struggles to find something to say, having no idea what’s okay for a child this age.

“I know a great kung-fu school if you’re interested. Tell them Kate sent you, and you’ll get to try out for free, okay?” The way the girl’s eyes start to sparkle, Kate knows at least did right by the child, if not by the father. But Marcus doesn’t seem aghast at the suggestion that his daughter take up martial arts.

“Can I, dad?” Missy looks up at Marcus, who smiles at her.

“Sure, we’ll check it out.”

He then directs his warm smile at Kate. “Thanks, that’s really nice of you. Missy?”

“Thank you!” The gratitude, albeit prompted, is sincere and delivered with a huge smile.

“You’re welcome,” Kate nods, then gestures down the hall, ill at ease. “I gotta go. Nice to meet you, Missy. Marcus.”

Bring Your Kids To Work Day. Figures. If any of Kate’s clients bring their kids with them to practice, she’s going on strike.

Thankfully none of them do, and she goes through the rest of her workday without having to deal with anyone younger than 30. Marcus’ smile is stuck on her retina for hours after the encounter, and when she gets on her bike at the end of the day to pedal home, she sees him walking towards his car, his daughter skipping next to him. His laughter carries across the parking lot to Kate.

To her surprise, the idea of Marcus as a father doesn’t turn her off. She still doesn’t want to be involved in his family life, have Sunday dinners with him, meet his kid and parents, but she's excited for their next rendezvous, which will be on the upcoming Saturday. Missy is going to a birthday party and Marcus has planned for him and Kate to go online shopping.

When she woke up the morning after, Marcus was still there. He was already up, coming out of the shower when she blinked her eyes open, a towel slung around his narrow hips. The sight had been so titillating she found herself asking him, almost shyly, if he wanted to have sex, just sex, no power plays. He did. He took charge without being bossy, guided her through the experience with a firm yet caring hand, praised her when she finally let the orgasm wash through her. She asked him to stay for breakfast, insisted that she cooked, and while they were enjoying scrambled eggs and smoothies, he wanted to know if she would see him again.

"Yes!" she had exclaimed, comically eager, and he had smiled across the table at her.

"Then we need to get some stuff. Can I take you sex toy shopping next Saturday?"

She sees an opening here, a chance to explore her sexuality, find out about pleasures she never knew she would be into. She likes Marcus, trusts him, is comfortable with him. Shopping for sex toys is going to be a brand new experience; her shitty vibrator was bought on a whim from Amazon and is constantly in need of new batteries.

Work occupies her mind well enough for the rest of the week and Saturday afternoon finally arrives with Marcus coming by her apartment in the afternoon.

"Hi," he smiles when she opens the door. He's once again irresistibly handsome in ludicrously casual yet stylish clothes. The leather jacket comes off when he steps in, and he pushes his glasses up with his pointer finger before asking if he can kiss her.

"Sure," she allows and Marcus immediately leans in, giving her a soft and brief kiss that leaves behind a tingle on her lips.

"I've thought about kissing you all week," Marcus confesses, looking a little bashful. She can't figure him out. He's dominant in bed but shy yet cheeky outside of it. She has a feeling most of the friends would call him perfect boyfriend material.

"Me too," she admits. It's true: since last Saturday, she's masturbated every morning before getting up, and every night before falling asleep. Their date night was more than a vitamin injection to her sex life: it was an enormous syringe filled with every steroid and upper known to man. Suddenly she couldn't help but think of his kisses, his hands, the way he handled her, took care of her, and she had to lie down and touch herself until her cheeks were flushed and her panties drenched.

It's madness.

She now directs him to the kitchen, where her laptop waits on the table, and offers him a glass of wine.

"Just the one." He sounds rueful. "I've got to pick Missy up in two hours."

Kate nods and opens the bottle and takes out two glasses, gesturing for him to sit down. Marcus, however, remains standing.

"Let's do it on the couch," he tells her in a low voice. The way he says do it makes Kate think of something else entirely, and the tingle spreads from her lips to the rest of her body. She hands him his glass, takes her own, and picks up the laptop.

"Okay, then."

Kate sits down, cross-legged, and sips the wine as Marcus takes control of the laptop and types in the address of an online store. A tasteful website that makes Kate think of soft velvet, exquisite lace, and the scent of vintage leather comes up. Marcus looks at her.

"What do you use when you pleasure yourself, Kate?"

She almost chokes on the wine but manages to swallow somewhat gracefully.

"I... have a vibrator but it's not that good. I mostly just use my hands."

"Have you ever used a dildo?"

Kate shakes her head. She never needed one and now she feels she has to explain herself.

"Look, I'm not a nun," she points out, a sharp edge to her voice. "I've had sex. I like sex. I just don't always find the time to date, and men don't always accept that I have a physically active lifestyle. Back when I still competed, it was impossible to maintain a relationship."

She shrugs. "I use martial arts to work out my frustrations. I've never thought about getting toys, I don't have the time."

"I'm sorry if I offended you," Marcus says softly. "I didn't mean to imply anything. I just want to know what you like to use on yourself."

"Not much," she concludes and raises the glass to her lips, taking three greedy gulps.

"What do you want to use?"

She has no idea. "What do you suggest?"

There it is again, that dark intensity in his eyes. His fingers land on the laptop's touchpad and he moves the cursor around, clicks, and shows Kate the screen. She looks at it sceptically.

"Handcuffs?"

"Or ropes. I'd like to tie your hands together above your head and then..." He clicks around a little more. A stick with a feather at the end of it shows up. Marcus studies her reaction closely. "I'd tease your beautiful tits and your pretty little pussy with this until you're squirming."

A shiver runs down Kate's spine and her gaze goes from the laptop screen to Marcus's face, and back again.

"Yeah?" she breathes. Marcus smiles, displaying a predatory glint of teeth as he takes a sip of wine.

"Yeah."

He reaches for her, hand ghosting around the soft swell of her breast, almost touching but still not. The nipple puckers against the cup of her bra, and Kate finds herself wanting to thrust out her chest so that Marcus can grab her, fondle her, fucking touch her already.

"Like this," he murmurs, finishing up with a light brush over the nipple before sitting back with the laptop. "I think we'll add that to cart."

"Definitely," Kate agrees, a little weakly. Marcus shoots her a smile that's all boyishness and flirt, not seductive and teasing like only a moment earlier.

"What about the restraints?" he asks casually. Kate tilts her head, catching on to his little game.

"I don't have bedposts. How would you go about it?"

He reaches for her glass and puts it down on the side table, then takes her hands, raising both to his mouth. He kisses the inside of one wrist, then the other. The brief touch of his lips on her skin feels like a punch to the gut and Kate realizes that she's holding her breath. Her quick inhale becomes a small gasp when Marcus suddenly takes a hard grip of both her wrists and twists her arms behind her back. Her eyes fall shut when he leans in to nuzzle her neck.

"Your heart is beating so fast," he whispers before tracing his tongue down her jugular. "Is that because of me?"

"It is," she confirms in a breathless moan. "Marcus..."

"Hush." He nibbles on her earlobe, his breath warm in her ear when he continues: "You may not have bedposts but I can still tie your hands together behind your back, like this, or above your head, or I can cuff your hands and feet to bars and spread you open, and then tease you until you're weeping for me to fuck your warm, wet pussy..."

Kate’s head is swimming and she forces herself to take a deep breath in order to steady herself. It’s almost embarrassing how easily affected she is by his deep, seductive voice. When she opens her eyes, Marcus’s face is right in front of hers, watching her intently.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” he breathes, and Kate nods.

“I’d like that.”

He smiles then, almost cheerfully, as he releases her wrists.

“Good, we’ll got restraints as well!”

Marcus redirects his attention to the laptop and sips the wine. Heat is throbbing hard and fast through Kate’s body as she shifts uncomfortably, her longing gaze resting heavily on Marcus’s sharp profile. A small smile is playing in the corner of his mouth, letting her know that he’s aware of her hunger. He is, however, making himself busy clicking around the site, the cursor repeatedly going over the Add to cart button.

“We’re also buying a Magic wand,” he rules, turning the laptop so that she can see. The vibator on the screen looks like a microphone and seems huge. A Magic wand is, however, something Kate has heard of, and she's not hard-pressed to try one. She wants to hear what plans he has for it, though.

“What’s it for?”

Marcus tilts his head, eyes darkening again as he changes from sweet and practical to smouldering.

“I’d use it on your clit until you’ve cum so many times that you can’t take it anymore, Kate. How does that sound?”

“That… sounds rough.”

“I think you can take it. Can’t you? For me?”

His hand is now playing along the waistline of her pants. Kate feels a strong surge of want deep in her belly, a heavy damp in her panties. Her mouth is dry as she tries to find her voice.

“Show me, Marcus. Please.”

“Such a sweet, desperate thing, asking so nicely…”

Marcus puts the laptop to the side and pulls Kate into him, his large hand cupping her between the legs, finger digging into the hard denim.

"Please," Kate begs again, chasing his lips for a kiss but Marcus denies her the pleasure with a sharp slap to the side of her ass.

"You know what else we need? A paddle."

Kate blinks in disbelief as Marcus turns back to the laptop. "A paddle?"

"I think you can take a lot more than my hand, Kate."

He shows her the screen and with a little frown between her eyebrows, she inspects the leather paddle on display. The memory of the exhilaration she felt after the spanking Marcus gave her a week ago makes her shiver in anticipation. The raised hairs on her arms don't pass by unnoticed.

"You're blushing, Kate." His voice is warm and a little teasing. Kate tears her gaze from the screen and meets his.

"It's the wine."

"You want me to paddle you, don't you? Want me to match your ass to your face before I slide my fingers inside you."

She swallows hard before beating her eyelashes coquettishly. "Get the paddle."

His grin is broad as he dips his head to reward her with a kiss that makes her toes curl.

They add a mask and a dildo - Kate picks an elegantly curved glass one - before Marcus declares that they're done. He clicks on to the shopping cart and pulls his phone from his pocket for his bank details. A little shocked at the total, Kate shakes her head.

"You're not paying for all of that."

"Of course I am, it was my idea," Marcus assures her, but Kate quickly grabs the laptop from him and holds it out of reach.

"No," she insists, "it doesn't feel right. I don't want... gifts from you. It would feel weird."

Marcus nods immediately, seeing her point. "You're right. I'm sorry, I should've thought of that."

"I want us to split, fifty-fifty." She sees that there's a part of him that wants to protest, some old-fashioned gentlemanly notion of not letting her pay, but he agrees. Only when she has made sure he has Venmo does she relinquish the laptop to him so that she can pick up her own phone and send him the money.

"Can I have it all shipped straight to you?" he asks. "It's easier if I don't have to explain mystery boxes to Missy, or try to keep my secretary from opening it."

"Sure."

He smells so good, why does he smell so good? Now that their shopping spree is in the bag, so to speak, Kate begins to feel jittery. She's soaking wet, flushed, and there is still time to do something about it before Marcus has to leave. When he closes the lid of her laptop and puts it to the side, she all but scrambles onto his lap.

"What a state you're in," he tuts at her as she tries to capture his lips in a desperate kiss. "No, sweetheart, that's not how this works."

Lower lip caught between her teeth and heart in her throat, Kate sits back and waits for him to give her an order. Marcus softly caresses a red lock of hair from her forehead and cups her cheek.

"I want you to take your pants off, lie down on the couch, and touch yourself. Can you do that for me?"

The split second of hesitation must show on Kate's face because Marcus immediately lifts his left hand to her other cheek and makes her look him in the eye.

"Does that make you uncomfortable?"

His eyes are chocolatey, warm, deep. Kate tries to swim in their sugary thickness but finds that she'd rather drown.

"I'll try," she whispers, and Marcus rewards her wih a possessive kiss that takes her breath away. When he releases her, it's only to make room for her on the couch. Kate rises, her legs like jelly, and manages to take off her jeans. Only when she kicks off her panties does she realize that she could have put on a little show, slowed it down, maybe danced a little for Marcus, made him squirm. Maybe next time.

A little awkward about being so exposed, she lies down on the couch, both knees bent and pointing towards the ceiling. Marcus places his big palm over one knee and pushes it gently to the side, making her open her legs.

"This leg down," he instructs her, nodding when she slides her foot off the couch and down to the floor, separating the thigh from the other. "Yes, just like that. Now go ahead, touch yourself. Don't mind me. Just think about what you usually think about when you masturbate."

That's easy: all she's thought about lately is him. She closes her eyes, needing nothing but the smell of his cologne is in her nostrils and the warmth of his body so close to her when she reaches between her legs. Already sopping wet and horny, she goes straight for her clit, circling it eagerly with two fingers. The relief of her own touch makes her moan and the heat inside her starts to thicken and rise from the very core of her. It's embarrassing how quickly she reaches a desperate height, her hand working frantically to throw her over the edge, there, right there, just a little further...

"That's enough, baby."

Kate doesn't register the meaning of the words, only the sweet tone of his voice that makes her grab onto the couch with her free hand, her spine starting to arch as she nears her peak - only to be rudely interrupted by Marcus, who grabs her hand and pulls it away from between her legs.

"I said enough." He sounds a little more determined now, yet still patient and warm, like he was telling a child it's time to go home from the park. Kate opens her eyes just as he brings her hand up to his face and starts to suck the slick off her fingers.

"Marcus," she whimpers, "what are you doing?"

He kisses the tip of her pointer finger with a smile. "I have to go."

"What?"

"I gotta pick Missy up." He leans over her and brushes his lips over hers. She can smell and taste herself on him, but her brain is still frantically scrambling to understand what's happening.

"Marcus, I... I have to... I need to..."

"I know you want to cum, baby," he soothes her with a smile that's all concern and care. "I know. I see it. But you're not allowed to. You're not going to touch yourself for the rest of the day, okay?"

Kate blinks, still desperate with need to be fucked by either herself or him, her clit throbbing amid the slick that she can feel all the way her thighs, heart beating like after a particularly hard training session.

"Do you understand me?" Marcus stares down at her, suddenly bossy. Kate finds herself and nods.

"Yes, I understand." Her voice is small, pitiful. "But Marcus..."

"I'll call you tonight. No touching until then."

He rises from the couch and she sees from the front of his jeans that he's not unaffected. It gives her some comfort.

"I'll show myself out. Have a good afternoon, Kate."

Cheeks burning, Kate watches him leave her apartment before she slowly sits up. For a moment she considers going against his command but decides not to: he must have some kind of reward waiting. Isn't that how this works?

She gets up and goes to the bathroom to wash herself before changing into clothes for running. Putting on her killer playlist and earbuds, she leaves her apartment in the hopes of running it off.

When Marcus calls her later that night, she's almost managed to forget about the incident but her skin starts to crawl with anticipation when he asks her to put the phone on speaker, take her clothes off, and finish what she started earlier.

"And I want to hear you, baby," he tells her. "Make sure I hear you."

Kate lets him hear it all.

[dancingtotuyo]

Dancing to Tuyo Master List

Javier Peña Masterlist | Scathed | Crossed Wires | "come here often?" | Better man | All Farms…

Joel Miller Masterlist | Woman | Landslide | High Infidelity | Build You the World | Ivy | Overtime

Marcus Pike Masterlist | Sage

Marcus Moreno | 12:32 PM

Dave York Masterlist | Kryptonite

Frankie "Catfish" Morales Masterlist | Home

[sirowsky-stories]

Recovery

Sirowsky's 600 & 700 Followers Celebration

Submitted by @yourstrulylightstar283 No prompts for this one, it's based on This Ask. Character: Marcus Moreno

Rating: Mature 18+ONLY Warnings: Marcus Moreno x Original Female Character Sarah, plus daughters Missy and Bianca. AU. Allusions to severe injuries. Flashbacks. Comfort and fluff. Word Count: 680 Masterlist of the Celebration Sirowsky's Main Masterlist

   It’s been over a month when he’s finally discharged from the hospital, and it feels so good to be back home.    Of course, his last mission with the Heroics had to have gone bad, sending him into retirement with a bang. He’s not sure why he ever expected that it would just go smoothly, because that’s almost never been the case in the past.

   Thankfully though, he is alive and well on his way back to normal, surrounded by family and friends, all of whom have been there for him every step of the way.    He still has a long way to go with months of physical therapy to get through before he’ll be considered fully recovered, but there’s no rush. He’s got everything he needs right here at home, because that’s where his girls are.

   They’re in the kitchen today, preparing a small feast to celebrate his survival and homecoming, and he happily sits in a reclining armchair in the living room, watching the three of them bustle about, helping each other with the various dishes while joking around and having fun.    God, he loves the sounds of their happiness.

   Once all the dishes are finished, they help him get to the table since he still gets winded if he exerts himself too much. The long-term effects of a busted lung.    Then Missy calls for everyone’s attention.

   “So, I know that it’s Halloween this weekend, but I thought that maybe we could look at this like a mini Thanksgiving dinner. Because I feel like we all have so much to be thankful for right now and I, for one, don’t feel like focusing on anything scary for a good long while.”

   “I think that’s a great idea, sweetheart,” Sarah agrees, and Missy smiles at her adoptive mother before turning to her adoptive sister.

   “Is that alright with you, Bianca?”

   “Of course,” her little sister agrees. “You know I don’t like spooky stuff anyway.”

   Marcus hears them agree and start to chatter happily about all the things they’re grateful for right now, but his mind is drifting.    A light sting of pain from his damaged side has brought him back to that night. To the fight and the loss. The terrible pain that he suffered as his body was broken long before he lost consciousness.    How he’d tried to keep fighting to protect his teammates.

   He remembers every punch and every cut, followed by the unyielding pavement that had broken his fall, after he’d been hurled ten feet into the air, finally leaving him unable to rise back up anymore.    And he remembers waking up but being unable to ask about his team. Not knowing if he’d failed to protect them had scared him more than his own condition had.

   “Dad?” Missy’s voice reaches him, breaking through the haze of pain and fear, and he refocuses to find all three of them staring at him with concerned expressions now.

   Clearly, they’ve been trying to get his attention more than once.

   “I’m okay,” he assures them. “I just… needed to remember.”

   They know what he means by that. How he sometimes can’t stop the images, but has to let them live and be real, because if he tries to bury or ignore them, they come back in the form of crippling nightmares or unbearable headaches.

   “Did it pass?” Bianca asks quietly, and he smiles softly at her.

   “It always does when I’m around my girls.”

   That makes them all smile, relieving all tension from the room as they dig into the delicious food that they’ve spent all afternoon making.    And Marcus thinks to himself that it doesn’t matter what he’s been through, because the network of support that surrounds him will forever protect him from any real harm. Their love shields his heart and keeps the deepest and most precious parts of his mind safe.

   Through the care that they give to his soul, he has in some ways already fully recovered. And that’s what he’s gonna tell them that he’s thankful for, every Thanksgiving for as long as he lives.

THE END

I'm sorry for the delay @yourstrulylightstar283 but all the little stories I've been writing for this celebration really helped to inspire me to write this, so I hope you like it.

@pedrostories @harriedandharassed

[radiowallet]

Eyes Open - Chapter One

Pairing: Marcus Moreno x Amy Oliver (ofc) Summary: As the leader of the Heroics, Marcus Moreno always seems to get stuck with the worst of the legislative duties, including dealing with the local police stations. The station secretary, Amy Oliver, quickly steps in, finding subtle and not-so-subtle ways to get Marcus the information he needs. WC: 2.5K Warnings: 18+ MDNI Canon-typical violence, talk of police work, slow burn, yearning, idiots friends to lovers, financial stressors, second chance romance, workplace romance (sort of), older love interest, eventually explicit.

Series Masterlist II Main Masterlist II Marcus Moreno Masterlist

Cross-Posted to AO3

>>> Chapter Two

A/N: Hello friends! It's been a very very very long time since I've posted a fic and needless to say, your girl is nervous. I've been hard at work on book prep and promotion, and in between all of that I have been plucking away at this story. I really wanted to write something fun and easy and self-indulgent. Thank you to everyone for reading!

For any new writing follow @radiowallet-writes and turn on notifications.

----

Marcus is tired. The kind of tired that builds slowly, the feeling cresting higher and higher until it’s pulsing behind his eyes. The kind of tired that leaves him irritable and anxious, and ready to take it out on anyone or anything. His head is pounding, his body aching from the physical exertion of standing his ground for far too long. It had been what felt like hours of runaround from the chief of police; a semi-regular occurrence that he had grown far too accustomed to. The room was stuffy, the blinds pulled closed and the door shut tight, locking them in with the stale air and cigarette smoke. He fights the urge to tug at his tie, refusing to give the bullheaded ass sitting across from him the satisfaction.

Being leader of the Heroics came with quite a few headaches but the bureaucratic anxieties that came along with dealing with the local law enforcement was one of the biggest thorns in his side. 

“Sir, the Heroics have always done our best to keep the lines of communication with your precinct open. But in order to achieve that, you’ll have to meet us in the middle.”

Chief Baldwin chuckles, the sound demeaning in more ways than one. He leans back in his chair, his heels making a heavy thud as they hit his desk. “As in break protocol? Skirt the rules? Allow vigilantes free reign in my precinct and my city?” 

“I don’t see how my asking for a few unredacted case files is–”

“Forget it, Moreno!” He grins, making a show of picking up the very file Marcus had asked for. “You can go through the proper legal channels and you’ll take what I give you. Now get the hell out of my sight.” 

Marcus turns where he stands and storms out, making sure to slam the door as hard as he can, the bland, generic art hanging on the wall rattling on impact. For a moment he doesn’t move, chest heaving and fists clenching, wishing he had something (or someone) to take this simmering rage out on. Just as he’s about to start walking again, intent on completing his righteous tantrum with a moniker of dignity, a soothing voice hits his ear with the smallest of peace offerings. 

“Coffee?”

He turns to see Baldwin’s secretary staring at him from her desk, a stack of paper sitting in front of her, her pen poised above a signature line. His frown shifts, the tension melting from his shoulders as his head jerks out a nod and he falls into the seat beside her desk, the chair squeaking beneath the weight of him. 

She doesn’t say anything else, instead gripping his shoulder once before standing and stepping away. He watches her from the corner of his eye, her movements precise as she pours him a cup of dark liquid. She tears open two sugars, adding them along with a splash of cream before finally setting the navy blue mug down in front of him. She pours her own, a chipped white mug with a worn-away police badge on the front, and returns to her seat, turning her quiet gaze in Marcus’s direction. 

“You can say it,” she prompts, brown eyes watching him over the rim of her mug, the slightest hint of a smile curling along the corner of her lips.

“Your boss is a jerk.”

She doesn’t respond, but her smile shifts just a smidge wider. She takes a generous sip, humming as if she actually enjoys the taste of it. She sets her coffee to the side, and pushes up the sleeves of her cream-colored blouse, turning back to her stack of papers with renewed intent, jotting something down across the top of the page.

“The two of you have been doing this dance for years now. I’d think you’d be used to it.”

Marcus grumbles into his own coffee, refusing to respond, knowing full well how good of a point she’s making. Amy Oliver has, after all, had a front row seat to every argument between the Heroic and the chief of police from day one. She knew the pattern just as well as Marcus did, and after every instance of door slamming and name calling she was always there to help in her own way. She was one of the few people in the building who brought a smile to his face and he found that even when he knew there would be trouble, Marcus always looked forward to sitting at her desk and sipping her terrible coffee. 

“Might be time to just end these little visits. Not like they get me anywhere.”

“Don’t joke,” she gasps, her over the top pout more than comical. “What would I do for entertainment around here without the two of you having your little pissing matches? My job?”

He rolls his eyes, but her smile is contagious, and before he can stop himself, he’s hiding his own behind his mug. 

“Perish the thought.”

“The audacity,” she murmurs mostly to herself, checking another box with a bit too much flourish, her ponytail swinging from the effort. “How was your weekend? Did Missy end up going out with what’s his name? The one who’s death you’ve been daydreaming about?”

Marcus feels his smile slip at the change in topic, but Amy doesn’t miss a single beat. “She did! I love this! How did Marcus Moreno, leader of the Heroics, handle his baby girl going out on a date?” 

“I’ll have you know I handled it great.”

The admission seems to finally have her full attention. She drops her pen and leans forward on her elbows, the tips of her fingers just grazing the tops of his thighs. 

“Define ‘great’?” 

Marcus swallows hard, ignoring the heat swirling deep in his belly, even as he feels himself lean, just barely, into her phantom touch. Amy, for her part, takes his silence in stride, reading between the lines of everything he doesn’t say.

“Let me guess? Sharpening those silly swords at the kitchen table when he came to pick her up? A stern reminder of curfew while also demonstrating superhuman strength? A text or two under the guise of ‘checking in’?”

He barks out a laugh at how keen her eye really is. “Alright, you got me! I may have leaned a little hard into the protective dad thing.”

“And I bet Missy was still home by curfew.”

“A few minutes early, actually. Not sure why I worry so much.”

Her hand is on his knee before he even has a chance to register the feeling, another comforting squeeze, there and gone faster than he can pull air into his lungs. “Because you’re a dad.”

He coughs and takes another sip of coffee, an action meant only to help slow his racing heart, and leans further back in his chair.

“How was your weekend?”

“Oh, big Saturday night. My mom sent Harris Candy Land. So, naturally we had to play it 5,000 times in a row.”

Marcus feels his chest fill with a different kind of warmth, picturing Amy and her 7 year old daughter going toe to toe over the same board game he and Missy would play night after night. She could downplay it all she wanted, but he knows that when given the chance to spend quality time with her daughter, Amy would play as many repetitive games as there were stars in the sky. 

“You wouldn’t believe how many times she beat me, Marcus! I swear! This weekend I’m pulling out Monolopy and letting her taste my wrath.”

“Big words,” he teases, admiring the way her cheeks heat up beneath his own gentle ribbing.

When their snickers finally start to subside Marcus moves to refill both their mugs while Amy continues to work. She thanks him, easily splitting her focus in a way he’s always been jealous of. She checks a few more boxes and signs one paper after another, all the while never letting her bright eyes and impish grin stray from his attention. She doesn’t falter, even in the throes of her gentle teasing, and Marcus wishes he could spend the rest of his day sitting across from her.

And then, as if she can read his mind, “Can you stay for lunch today?”

“No,” he sighs, hating the taste of the word more than the shit Amy calls coffee. “I have to get back. The rest of the team will be waiting for me.” He takes one final sip of coffee before standing, knocking his fist against her desk in lieu of goodbye. 

“Okay, well, can you toss these files in the shredder for me on the way out the door? I have to get a presentation set up for a briefing, and I’m already behind.”

“Of course,” Marcus agrees, accepting the stack of papers that she had been carefully chipping away at since he walked in this morning.  

“Thanks, handsome,” Amy quips, turning back to the computer screen, the click of her mouse following him as he goes. When he gets to the shredder he stops and tosses one single piece of paper away, taking care to fold the rest in half before sliding them into the breast pocket of his jacket. Once outside, he walks quickly to his car, only stopping briefly to send a quick text.

M: Thank you 

A: For what?

She always was a pro at playing dumb.

It would have been easy to mistake Amy as a wallflower, her eyes always pointed down, her lips seemingly sealed tight, fetching coffee and filing paperwork with zero complaints. She knew the precinct better than anyone, and though every cop in the building would rather die than admit it, she was the reason that place made any difference.

It certainly wouldn’t be the first time a secretary was underestimated. 

But it wasn’t long before she proved that very notion wrong, finding Marcus after his very first argument with Baldwin, pushing a crumpled piece of paper into his hand along with a crappy cup of station coffee. When he smoothed it open later that day, it was to find a list of suspects, hastily scribbled in Amy’s beautifully looped cursive. 

Neither of them mentioned it again, but the tips kept coming, subtle and not so subtle alike. Case files meant for the shredder that never made it, heavy boxes carried to the evidence locker under the guise of a favor, and one hilarious time when a phone number had been penciled into five down on a Monday morning crossword puzzle. Each one had helped him avoid the legislative tape wrapped securely around police work, and Marcus was eternally grateful for all she did to help him and the other Heroics. 

Even if he couldn’t tell a single soul.

M: Next time I’m around, lunch is on me.

Marcus tries not to think about how it’ll probably be a few weeks before he shows his face around the precinct again, especially considering the confidential information he had just been handed. It always felt prudent to keep a low profile after these run-ins with Baldwin. He picks up his pace, anxious to get back to Heroics headquarters and begin parsing through the case report tucked out of sight, his detective skills already thrumming to life with the potential of new puzzle pieces.

It’s another helpful distraction from the lingering memory of her comforting grip around his shoulder, the hint of her smile over the rim of a chipped coffee mug, the teasing lilt of sweet adorations that he knows don’t mean a thing.

-------------

Amy takes care to keep her eyes forward, watching Marcus over the top of her computer monitor, only catching a glimpse of his hands as he tosses away some of the pieces of paper she had handed him, and pocketing the rest. The transition is seamless, and she can’t help but swell with pride as the Heroic disappears completely from view, the front door of the precinct swinging shut behind him.

Her concentration is broken by another stack of papers hitting the corner of her desk. From the sound of the dull thud it gives, she already knows the rest of her afternoon is now spoken for. But, she reasons, at least it should help the hours tick by just a little bit faster. 

“I swear. That Moreno. He just doesn’t know when to call it quits.”

She casts an eye over her shoulder at her boss, refusing to feel any sort of shame for being caught staring. It was hardly the first time she had let her eyes linger on the width of his shoulders or the cut of his jaw, unable to deny how handsome the man is. She was only human after all.

Today had been just like any other, Marcus’s righteous fury boiling away to reveal his tender heart, joking along with her as he slowly relaxed back into himself. Amy could feel the heat making a home in her cheeks, unable to look away from his plush lips as they formed around a laugh or the stretch of his skin as he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. But for all her stolen glances and coy flirting, she knew she could never bear to ask for more, not willing to risk the precious friendship they’d built together over the years. 

“You could try playing ball with the Heroics every once and a while.”

“He’s a bleeding heart, Oliver. Walking around with superpowers and worrying about petty police business. Best not to get too hung up on him.”

A bleeding heart is one way to put it. 

A good man is another. 

A rare find in a world full of men and women alike who were anything but. Amy had had her fair share of experience with those, Harris’s dad the best example she could conjure up. But it hardly mattered. He was gone and she and Harris were better off for it. 

And if given the choice she’d gladly take Marcus’s bleeding heart over the man who walked out when there were two lines on the stick instead of one. 

Derek stares down at her, dark eyes nearly piercing where they pin her in place. For the briefest of moments, white hot panic slices through her heart and she worries he’d seen the case report Marcus had slipped out of sight. But then he’s turning away, reaching for the coffee pot that lives behind her desk, pouring the last dregs of dark liquid into his cup. 

“But we’re all on the same side. Right? Derek?”

Amy watches the older man for a minute longer, doing her best to listen to the steady beat of his silence for any lingering secrets. But Derek Baldwin has always been best at keeping things close to the vest, and his true feelings towards the Heroics were no exception. He taps two fingers on the stack of papers, his movement firm, his orders concise. 

“Finish these up and then you can head out for the night.”

“Sir?”

“Take the afternoon. See your kid. You’ve earned it.”

Amy can’t help but smirk, ducking her head and pulling the papers close, anxious to finish up and head home. 

If only he knew the whole truth. 

Earned it doesn’t even begin to cover it. 

------------

>>> Chapter Two

A/N: All my love and thanks go out to @jazzelsaur who has listened to me talk about these two (and silly book stuff) basically non-stop. Really, truly, I can't believe I get to call you my friend. How is that possible????

[burntheedges]

Summer Stuff-My-Inbox Fic Rec List (Part 2)

I can't believe it's already September? What the hell, honestly. Thank you all for sending me your fics again!

Remember to check out Part 1, too.

The list has 57 more Pedro-character fics posted since June 1, organized by character and then alphabetically by author. Mind all tags and warnings! I've noted word count (we've got a range!), whether it's part of a series, and pairings. Let's get reading and reblogging!

Characters in this rec list: Dave York, Dieter Bravo, Din Djarin, Ezra (Prospect), Frankie Morales, Javier Gutierrez, Javier Peña, Joel Miller, Marcus Acacius, Marcus Moreno, Marcus Pike, Pero Tovar, Tim Rockford

...

Dave York

melt by @sizzlingcloudmentality | 960 words | Dave x f!reader summary: wine drunk and with fresh croissants from the bakery you're having French breakfast and sex with Dave. | Daphne mentioned being proud of this one particulary because of the smut!! 😏

Dieter Bravo

Eros & Psyche by @schnarfer | ~16k, complete | Dieter x f!reader summary: Dieter is a modern day Greek God Eros. We’re going full existential dread rom-com, actually. | I can't wait to read this!

Golden Girl by @whocaresstillthelouvre | 2.9k | Dieter x f!reader summary: What happens when you discover your husband has been cheating on you? You call his best friend to help comfort you.

Starlet by whocaresstillthelouvre | 3.7k | Dieter x f!reader summary: Your husband has a big movie premiere, sure he looks great, but his co-star looks even better.

Din Djarin

Fifteen Weeks by whocaresstillthelouvre | 5k | Din x f!reader summary: It's been fifteen weeks since Din Djarin first entered your life, now you can't imagine it without him. You take a leap of faith in your relationship and visit him at his farm. | this is part 2! Don't miss part 1!

Oath Broken and Soul Bound by @whxtedreams | 1.8k, wip | Din x OFC Witch hunter!Din x OFC!Witch, from Flora: It's a Witch AU, fantasy and forbidden love. It's very new, only one chapter out but I have very big plans. I have pretty much the entire fic mapped out. It also has Ezra, Frankie and Joel as characters. You can learn more about their characters here in the character study i did for them. This is my passion project, I have so much love for them and I can’t wait to share my story in more detail!

Tales from the Dark Garden by @hapan-in-exile | 9k | Din x f!reader summary: The reader is a courtesan at the Dark Garden, Coruscant’s most prestigious pleasure house, where you encounter the Mandalorian.

Touchstone by @sawymredfox | 2.6k | Din x f!reader summary: Things are not always what they seem. They have a meaning. They have a reason behind them, private and cherished.

Ezra (Prospect)

There are Other Fish in the Sea by @beefrobeefcal | 4 parts | Frankie x f!reader, Ezra x f!reader summary: an alternate ending (and continuation) of another of Beefro's fics, where Frankie messes up and Ezra comes along.

Joel x Ezra

who knows where the time goes by @sixhours | 11k | Joel x Ezra (Prospect) summary: It's New Year's 2027 and the dads are going through it. An i know you by heart one-shot.

Frankie Morales

Like the Rain by @jennaispunk | 2.9k | Frankie x f!reader summary: Frankie has something to say….will you listen? | Jenna said this one is her first Frankie fic!! and a challenge because it has more spice, which is fun!

There are Other Fish in the Sea by @beefrobeefcal | 4 parts | Frankie x f!reader, Ezra x f!reader summary: an alternate ending (and continuation) of another of Beefro's fics, where Frankie messes up and Ezra comes along.

Tide by whocaresstillthelouvre | 1.2k | Frankie x f!reader summary: Frankie Morales is capable of almost anything… except not cumming in his jeans when he thinks about you, the pretty clerk at the grocery store he always buys his giant jugs of laundry detergent at.

Javier Gutierrez

KEPT by @beefrobeefcal | 5.3k | Javi x f!reader summary: You might just have bitten off more than you can chew by possibly becoming Javi G's sugar baby.

Rhapsody in Blue by @maggiemayhemnj | 5.5k | Javi x f!reader summary: Javi G takes you to the Oscars. Takes you to the Vanity Fair party. Takes you back to the Chateau Marmont. Then just takes you. | Maggie said this one took her out of her comfort zone, and she ahd fun delving into more spice!

Javier Peña

An End to Drought by @almostfoxglove | 5.4k | Javi x f!reader summary: The future of your family's homestead hangs in the balance as Javier Peña comes home in the middle of a drought.

Dispose of Me by whocaresstillthelouvre | 1.8k | Javi x f!reader summary: Javier Peña needs you… and you're moving away in two weeks.

Dusk by @the-orange-tabby-cat | 8.7k | Javi x f!reader summary: Javier sees you again years after the end of your love affair. Torn between the memories of what happened then and what is now, you both face the weight of your actions from Bogotá to Madrid.

Hold my hand by @milla-frenchy | 4.1k | Javi x f!reader summary: a stranger saves your life. Or your and Javi’s love story.

I'll Carry You by almostfoxglove | 2 of 3 parts, 13.6k | Javi x f!reader summary: You reunite with your childhood best friend when he arrives home from Colombia. Javier's sudden return to your life exhumes buried heartbreak, but he longs to set things right.

Scathed by @dancingtotuyo | 41k, wip | Javi x OFC summary: Javier and Emily experienced the drug war on different fronts in very different ways. Maybe, they’re what the other needs to heal.

Joel Miller

Joel & Ellie, no pairing

happy birthday, baby girl by sixhours | wip | Joel and Ellie summary: Ellie has never had a birthday. Joel can fix that.

Joel x Ezra

who knows where the time goes by sixhours | 11k | Joel x Ezra (Prospect) summary: It's New Year's 2027 and the dads are going through it. An i know you by heart one-shot.

x reader or x OFC

A summer with the Millers by @milla-frenchy | 4.2k, wip | Joel x f!reader x Tommy summary: you come back to your father's house for summer vacation and want to get closer to your crush and dad's best friend, Tommy Miller. His brother Joel is gonna help you to reach your goal.

Always in my Heart by @mermaidgirl30 | 1.2k | Joel x f!reader

summary: Losing a pet is never easy, but you’re not alone because Joel is right there with you, keeping you afloat.

BDSMaid by @mountainsandmayhem | wip | Joel x f!reader summary: After recently graduating from university, your best friend offers you a job cleaning luxury homes for clients you’ll never know. It’s only temporary and a good way to save money for when you go back to get your law degree. That’s what you’re promised at least. Easy. Simple. Mundane. That is, until one of your clients is home and everything that you felt was missing in your life starts to fall into place. This goes against the NDA you signed and you could get fired. Or worse, you could fall in love.

Cover Me Up by almostfoxglove | 97.7k, finished | Joel x f!reader summary: After you spare the lives of two kids who break into your isolated cabin in the woods, they lead you back to their settlement. You intend to get in, trade for valuable supplies, and get out, but end up staying. Four years later, you're a solitary but respected pillar of Jackson's close-knit community when Joel Miller shows up, kid in tow. You think nothing of him or the kid. You like your quiet life. Too bad it won't stay quiet for long. Or: Joel and Ellie make you human again. | Freya's first series!

Dark Shades of Innocence Lost by mermaidgirl30 | finished | Joel x f!reader summary: After your friends drag you out to Club Inferno on a Friday night, you meet an unexpected man with dark brown eyes. That man is Joel Miller, who turns out to be the owner of the club. The menace that will turn your life upside down. After not dating for a couple of years, Joel finds out and strikes up a proposition for you. Keep coming back and he’ll make sure you experience pleasure like you’ve never felt before.

Fragile State by @galway-girlatwork | 2.5k | Joel x OFC Tara summary: The aftermath of a traumatic car accident leaves a family struggling with fear and uncertainty. The emotional toll weighing them all down as they try to find some normalcy which they all know is impossible until he wakes up. Vulnerability and desperate needs for the man who is the center of their lives to remember who they are and the life he had with them. | the author mentioned this way of writing a story was new, which is very fun!

Halcyon by @justagalwhowrites | ch 16, 110k so far | Joel x f!reader summary: When your life falls apart, you find yourself back in your hometown of Austin, Texas for the first time in more than a decade. Eager to make your own way after a rough divorce, you reconnect with your high school best friend Joel Miller - a man you never thought would be in your life again. Things have changed since your falling out just before you left for college but friendship with Joel comes easy. His life isn't in any better shape than your own and the two of you make a vow to get your acts together - personal, professional and romantic - in the span of a year. But will your burgeoning connection make it so you can figure everything out or will your history together get in the way?

Her by milla-frenchy | 3.2k | Joel x f!reader summary: after Joel confides one of his fantasies to you one day, you make it come true. | her first kinda sub!Joel with Joel realizing a fantasy. 😏

In Need of a Top Up by @tateypots | 1.5k | Joel x f!reader summary: Joel likes calling you his wife and you like hearing it.

In pain and heartache. In comfort and love. by whxtedreams | 2.5k | Joel x f!reader summary: They were so desperate to hold each other after tasting life without one another.

It Tastes of Magic by sawymredfox | 12k | Joel x f!reader summary: Your grandmother always told you the same thing. Have always salt in handy to spill over your left shoulder. Knock on wood to keep away the bad luck. Don't forget that mint likes to have her space to grow. Actions always speak louder than words. And love as much as you can, because even when it hurts, it makes you stronger. Will she still be right?

Lock the Gate by almostfoxglove | 23k+, wip | Joel x f!reader summary: You're less than enthusiastic when your uncle's partner Frank invites two strangers from the Boston QZ to your compound to trade. Joel Miller proves just as callous as you and brutishly stubborn—but after a cutting first impression, a bloody inconvenience, and a long walk through infested woods, you're not sure if the fire you carry for him is actually hate.

Push it by milla-frenchy | 3.4k | Joel x f!reader summary: you have a secret “relationship” with Joel, your dad's best friend. You know you can't have more, but you can’t resist the idea to provoke him a little.

See How She Rides by @arcanefox207 | 4.4k | Joel x f!reader summary: BoatMechanic!Joel Miller is just doing his job when you show up unannounced to soak up some summer sun. | Ally said she had a lot of fun writing this one and I think we're going to have a lot of fun reading it!!

spin me around by @ace-turned-confused | 2.4k | Joel x f!reader summary: you find a vintage record store full of rare finds, the man behind the counter the rarest of them all. | for the Secret Springs challenge!

Stranger in a Bar by justagalwhowrites | 17.3k | part 2, finished | Joel x f!reader summary: You meet a stranger in a bar, one who is fun and sexy and makes you wonder if the single life is all it's cracked up to be. But there's one big problem: you probably shouldn't be fucking your dad's best friend.

Teach Me How to Play Coach Miller by whocaresstillthelouvre | 3.2k | Joel x f!reader summary: You're home alone, relishing a lazy day when your hot neighbor knocks on your door. Seems his TV is out and he really wants to watch the Rangers game. You know nothing about baseball… maybe he can teach you a thing or two?

Tear You Apart by mermaidgirl30 | wip | Joel x f!reader summary: Joel comes for you late at night. He always does. Always stalks, chases, and prowls after you like a starving wolf. And when he catches you, he devours you, feeds on you like the animal he is. Will you run and hide or will you give into the temptation that calls you into the forest?

Tenacity by whocaresstillthelouvre | 2.3k | Joel x f!reader summary: Joel Miller will never allow himself to take what he wants and you know that. How can a broken shower make him realize it's too late and he's already fallen for you? (Or Joel fucks you on his beat up couch in the QZ.)

The Fallen Warrior by @bluestar22x | 6.7k, wip | Joel x f!reader summary: Joel Miller, once the great archangel named Jaoel, fell from grace many centuries ago. After his brethren take everything from him, he immerses himself in human culture. Careful not to get too close to anyone new, everything changes when Joel finds a nephal (nephilim plural) living on the streets in Austin - the first since his fall. A trusted co-worker (reader) ends up adopting her. But just as the street kid, Ellie Williams, is settling into her new home Heaven’s angels come to town searching for her. They have a plan to use her blood in their battle against Hell, then dispose of her after. Joel can’t allow that. He won’t.

The green flannel shirt by milla-frenchy | 817 words | Joel x f!reader summary: Joel comes back home from work and finds you asleep wearing his shirt.

The Savage and the Sanctuary by justagalwhowrites | 8.3k, wip | Joel x f!reader summary: After the death of his daughter, Joel Miller fell apart. But when searching for answers at the bottom of a bottle and within his own rage doesn't fix it, he resigns himself to working for his brother in private security. It's a job that starts him down the path to stability and a semblance of a life, even if it's not one he particularly wants. At least it does until you show up. The biggest movie star in the world with your newly adopted niece in tow, you throw everything about Joel's life into flux. Is he capable of letting himself feel something again while protecting the only things left in the world that matter?

untitled by @idioticcatss | ~1.5k | Joel x reader sophie mentioned being proud of getting out of a writing slump with this fluffy, smutty fic! some tags: love marks, age gap, pet names, smut

Wings of the Dawn by the-orange-tabby-cat | 49k, wip | Joel x f!reader summary: You are Jackson’s librarian, a doll with good heart, that has your life changed when a handsome man and his kid decides to start again in your small town. Having a hard time ignoring Joel’s dark brown eyes, you found yourself wishing to have him closer as you both navigate through love triangles, teenage drama, city gossip and ghosts from both your pasts.

Woman by dancingtotuyo | 74.6k, finished! | Joel x f!reader summary: Joel Miller returns to Jackson bringing back memories and feelings from 20 years ago, but you refuse fall into the universe’s trap again. Your table is at capacity. Adding another chair will only kill you when they get taken away. | also Em just starting posting a no-outbreak AU of this fic!!

Yearling by justagalwhowrites | 306k, finished! | Joel x f!reader summary: After years of surviving in the wilds of Wyoming after the cordyceps outbreak, you find yourself in Jackson. It's a town filled with friendly faces and the kind of world you hardly remember, let alone can connect with or understand. But one man - Joel Miller, another loner, like you - makes you think that trying to find your place in society again might be worth it.

Yearling No-Outbreak AU by justagalwhowrites | 4.1k, wip | Joel x f!reader summary: When Ellie sees you riding at a rodeo, she knows you have to teach her. A no-outbreak AU of Yearling, where you and Joel find each other in every timeline. Can be read independently as a no-outbreak AU fic.

Marcus Acacius

Legionary by whocaresstillthelouvre | 3.4k | Marcus x Lucius x f!reader summary: Marcus returns to his hometown while traveling with his young soldier who's eager to learn from him. Good thing he knows your domus is always open to him.

mould me for ruin by ace-turned-confused | 4.6k | Marcus x f!reader summary: after years of watching general acacius, you long to wield a sword of your own — an opportunity arises for your dreams to come true, in more ways than one.

proud to be yours by ace-turned-confused | 2.7k | Marcus x f!reader summary: it's the first time you've seen acacius since he took your virginity, and he has plans for a different kind of training.

Marcus Moreno

(Some) Bodies by galway-girlatwork | 3.1k | Marcus x OFC Priestly summary: In the shadows of the ancient city, a dark romance blossoms between a healer and a sinner. It is a connection of light and dark, life and death. Can he accept her past? Can she believe there is redemption for what she’s done? Can carefully guarded secrets stay that way?

Marcus Pike

Code name: Hephaestus by @604to647 | 3.2k | Marcus x f!reader summary: Marcus requests a change to his FBI Agent code name. | Emily wrote this for Kel's Pedro Pantheon challenge and really challenged herself!! I'm excited to read. 🧡

next year by me! | 18.3k | Marcus x gn!reader summary: You expected your vacation to go like it always did -- a week of reading, relaxing, and so much alone time you'd be almost happy to see your coworkers when you got back. You'd spend time on the beach and walk around town and generally do whatever you wanted, whenever you wanted, just like you did every year. But when you locked eyes from across the sand with the handsome man renting the house next door, something told you this year would be different.

Pero Tovar

Maple by @sawymredfox | 2k | Pero x f!reader summary: A fox, a rifle, and two strangers in a forest. What could go wrong?

Tim Rockford

The detective by @milla-frenchy | 2.6k | Tim x f!reader summary: being a suspect in a theft case, you get interrogated by a handsome and dominant personal investigator.

...

happy reading and reblogging! 🧡

[baronessvonglitter]

Summer's almost over, and since I've been officially posting on tumblr since June, I'm going to start compiling fic recs on a seasonal basis, so naturally we're starting with summer.

I realize some of these fics are older, and some are even out of season ("Boo" takes place on Halloween) but this is my blog and I'm not gonna hold myself to too many standards 😜

Honestly, everything I reblog is an automatic "fic rec". The ones below are my particular favorites of this past summer 🌅

Abducted ~ Joel Miller x f!reader ~ by @propheticbride

Boo ~ Joel Miller x f!reader ~ by @pascalsbby

Brat! ~ Joel Miller x brat!female!reader ~ by @shellshocklove

Caught in the Act ~ pre-outbreak Joel Miller x roommate!fem!reader ~ by @mermaidgirl30

Cuts Like Glass ~ Dave York x f!reader ~ by @morallyinept

Dinner and a Show ~ Joel Miller x Roman Roy x f!reader ~ by @strang3lov3

Doctor's Pet ~ doctor!Dave York x nurse!reader ~ by @evolnoomym

Heavenly Bound ~ Jackson!Joel Miller x afab!virgin!reader ~ by @ozarkthedog

I Can Bring You in Hot ~ Din Djarin x Maxwell Lord ~ by @ghostofaboy

In the shadows of others, we grow (series) ~ Tim Rockford x Dave York ~ by @sin-djarin

Just Like That (series) ~ dark!perv!stepdad!Joel Miller x fem!reader ~ by @sweetpascal

My kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder ~ Javier Pena x reader ~ by @miss-oranje-disco-dancer

The Nebble Files (series) ~ Tim Rockford x OFC Jane Nebble ~ by @inept-the-magnificent

Please, Sir ~ Marcus Pike x female!reader ~ by @mountainsandmayhem

The Police Officer ~ uniformed!Joel Miller x f!reader ~ by @myownwholewildworld

Privates ~ AU!Joel Miller x Javier Pena x afab!reader ~ by @eff4freddie

Push It ~ Joel Miller x fem!reader ~ by @milla-frenchy

Put it in, Coach ~ Joel Miller x f!reader ~ by @magpiepills

The Rift (series) ~ Marcus Moreno x Marcus Acacius x Marcus Pike x f!reader ~ by @whataperfectwasteoftime

Savior ~ dark!Joel x captive!reader ~ by @lokischocolatefountain

Strawberry Sugar ~ modern!Oberyn Martell x f!reader ~ by @guiltyasdave

Sweet Tooth ~ mom's bf!Javier Pena x f!reader ~ by @magpiepills

Table for Three ~ Joel Miller x f x Dave York ~ by @aurorawritestoescape

Untitled Joel Miller x f!reader ~ by @joelslastofus

Untitled Marcus Acacius x f!reader ~ by @joelslastofus

Volatile ~ Dave York x f!reader ~ by @javier-pena

The Wedding Night ~ Marcus Acacius x female!reader ~ by @ienjoywritingfilth

Wildest Dreams (series) ~ Dave York x f!reader ~ by @guiltyasdave

[sirowsky]

--Judgement--

Description: Marcus finds a friend in dire need and struggles with himself over what he feels and how to say it, while he tries to help her recover. Marcus Moreno x Original Female Character named Lucy.

Rating: Mature Warnings: Mentions of violent attack, severe injuries, blood, angst, longing, Marcus POV, Lucy has issues with her scars. Word Count: 2212 Author's Masterlist

Link to Part 2

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   He doesn’t stop as he reaches her door, he runs straight through it, because even though the call he’d received just minutes earlier had been quiet on her end, he just knows that something terrible has happened.    The door breaks into large chunks, some of whom are thrown inside the hallway, which is dark and empty.

   “Lucy?!” he calls out as soon as the noise dies down, but she doesn’t answer.

   He knows her house almost as well as his own and quickly searches through the bottom floor, finding nothing.    Unbiddenly, he sees all the little things along the way. The details that remind him of how kind she’s always been to him. How she babysat Missy almost every day when he was dealing with the loss of his wife, and always had a firm hug and a compassionate ear ready for him if he needed them.

   He sees his daughter’s drawings, framed and hanging on the wall following the stairs up to the second floor. Bright and colorful, they remind him of how happy she’s always made his little girl, even when she was struggling.    And as he reaches the top, there’s a small flower bench where a photo of the three of them, laughing at a silly game together, stands among the white and yellow summer blossoms, and his stomach pinches at the memory.

   He repeats her name several times while he hurries from room to room, checking her home office first, just because that’s the first door he reaches, followed by the guest bedroom before he comes to her bedroom.    The door is closed, and he rips it open, hoping with his entire being that she’ll just be in bed, fast asleep, and that everything will just be a big misunderstanding.

   But of course… it isn’t.

   For a moment, he’s frozen on the threshold, brought to a halt because his mind can’t absorb the sight at first.    The pool of blood underneath her, the way her body looks wrong because of how it’s been broken. The damage to her hands, which speaks volumes of how desperately she’s fought.    The cellphone laying by her left hand, smeared with blood from how she probably had to try several times to make a call, only reaching him eventually because of the preprogrammed sequence that all Heroics employees have in their mobile devices.

   There’s a thick red trail leading from the foot of the bed where she was left to die, to the nightstand on the left of it, where her phone would’ve been sitting in its charger, so she’d had to find the strength to crawl there.    His thoughts turn desperate and hateful as he considers how much pain she must’ve had to endure, over however long it would’ve taken her to cross even just those few feet of distance. How she would’ve cried and pleaded for someone to help her. Anyone.

   Finally, his body unlocks, and he hurries to her, but his hands betray the depths of his fear with how gingerly he touches her, terrified both of causing her more pain, but even more scared of finding her cold.    She’s not as warm as she should be, so he checks her pulse, involuntarily holding his breath while he waits to feel it. But it’s there.    And suddenly, he can’t move fast enough.

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   Missy stays with him at the medical center of Heroics HQ at first. She loves her every bit as much as he does, but her recovery is going to take time, so eventually, she’s forced to return to school.    And it isn’t until she’s no longer there that he allows himself to fall apart. To let all the hurt that he’s been harboring, come out into the darkness of the night.

   It makes him scream and cry at first, and then it just sits there, in the deepest parts of him, aching so painfully that he wishes he could rip his own heart out.    Because he’s been here before.    He’d sat right here, at this ward, slowly watching his wife die while he was helpless to do anything for her, just like he’s unable to help this wonderful woman now.

   Like the true fool that he is, he hasn’t told Lucy anything of what she means to him. Not even how much he appreciates her, let alone that he loves her. Even though he’s secretly known it for years by now.    He’s told himself that it was for his daughter’s sake. That he couldn’t bring another mother figure into her life until she was ready, but that’s a bullshit excuse, because she’s been ready for a long time.

   It’s Marcus himself that isn’t. That doesn’t allow himself to go there, because it hurt too much the last time and he can’t risk that again.    But here he is. Suffering with the same exact pain that he always feared.

   He leaves the room whenever his sorrow overtakes him, so that she won’t hear how he hurts, just in case she can still hear. The doctors can’t tell him whether she can.    They tell him that she’s fighting, that the blood transfusions are helping, that her heart is strong. But they can’t say how her brain is doing.    They don’t know if she is actually there anymore.

   They’ve had to operate on her spine, because it was broken. Most likely by a boot. A thought that angers him beyond all reason every time that it pops into his head.    Her ribs and arms were broken too, but for whatever reason, that doesn’t incur his wrath in the same way as the spine.    Perhaps because it indicates that she was kicked when she was already down.

   The only thing that he can derive some manner of comfort from, is the knowledge that she wasn’t violated sexually. Because other injuries she can overcome with time, training and help, whereas that kind of violation would likely never have healed in her mind.    It gives him hope, however fragile, that he might have a chance to correct his mistake. To tell her how he feels and perhaps get to have her closer.

   But for now, he just hopes that she’ll live. If he can have that, it’ll be enough.

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   It had been so easy to imagine it while he’d been sitting by her bedside. He’d come up with a dozen different scenarios and ways to go about telling her, if she would just wake up.    But then, when she eventually did, the fear returned, and he suddenly couldn’t say it.

   I love you.

   Three little words, as simple as they are infinitely complicated. As small as they are enormously powerful.    He wants her to know that he feels that way about her, but he feels greedy every time that he tries to tell her.    It’s been a year now. She’s fully recovered, so there are no excuses for him anymore.

   He passes her all the time in the halls of HQ, smiles and greets her like the friend that she is, never letting her see how dearly he wishes for more.    She looks sad, though, whenever she thinks that no one can see her. It breaks his heart every time that he catches a glimpse of that sadness, and he is overcome with the urge to purge such terrible feelings from her soul.

   And still, he doesn’t dare to try. He doesn’t know if it’s because of fear of rejection, or something more complicated, but it damn near cripples him every time that he sees her and tells himself that this is the moment when he’ll say it.    His legs turn wobbly and he very nearly panics, every damned time. Coming up with some crappy excuse that lets him run and hide, instead of just doing what he should do.

   Then one day, he has to go see her about a file that she’s put together for an upcoming mission, and when he gets to her office, the door is open, so he stops on the threshold and prepares to knock on the frame.    But his hand stills when he sees her standing in front of a mirror. She has her shirt lifted to reveal the scars along her side where they had to cut her open to fix her broken ribs.

   The scars are uncomfortable to see, because of the terrible fear that he associates with them, and the images of her broken body on the floor unbiddenly fill the insides of his eyes, but he isn’t in any way repulsed by the imperfections.    Lucy, however, is looking at them with what appears to be bitter resentment, and he can’t stand to see that.

   “Hey, don’t do that to yourself,” he says as he steps into the room, completely forgetting to knock, which startles her.

   “Fuck, Marcus… Don’t sneak up on me like that,” she growls, and he instantly feels terrible.

   Because the people that hurt her had done just that. Sneaking in and jumping her, three to one, before she could even attempt to defend herself.

   “I’m sorry. I meant to knock but I forgot about it when I saw you looking at yourself like that.”

   “Like what?” she questions, and he can hear how she closes all the walls down around her, feebly trying to protect herself against any criticism, even though that isn’t what he’s doing.

   “Like you think that your scars have made you ugly,” he clarifies, and sees her recoil, as if he’d just slapped her.

   She won’t meet his eyes then, pretending to suddenly need to sort through the papers on her desk, despite them already being in perfect order.    She does it because she disagrees with him. Because she’s somehow come to believe that what’s been done to her is a stain, not just on her skin but on her soul as well, and he needs to make her see that she’s wrong.    But to do that, he needs to know where those thoughts are coming from.

   “Why would you ever think that?” he asks softly, and she stops uselessly shuffling papers around, but she still won’t look at him.

   “Because that’s what people tell me now,” she says, barely over a whisper, and he’s stunned into silence for a few seconds.

   “Who the hell told you that?” he finally demands, but not harshly.

   She’s had enough harshness in her life already, he refuses to add to it.

   “Guys…” she starts, and then hesitates before continuing. “I’ve been trying to get back to dating, but both the guys I’ve thus far gone out with… they basically said that I look like Frankenstein.”

   Marcus has to restrain himself from stepping forwards and ordering her to give him their names so that he can go and beat the shit out of those guys.    Who the fuck would say something like that to a survivor of violent trauma? Even if she hadn’t shared the causes behind the scars, there is no reason for anyone to make fun of her for them, and certainly not also tell her that they make her ugly.

   “They couldn’t be more wrong, Luce… You have to know that,” he tries, but his voice is trembling with the heat of his anger, and she can hear it, which is probably why she still won’t meet his eyes.

   Knowing that this moment is potentially the most important that he might ever share with her, he forces the fury to die down and then steps around her desk.    He does it slowly, so that she’ll have time to see him coming and back away if his presence is unwanted.    But to his intense relief, she doesn’t seem bothered by his closeness.

   “Maybe I’m biased, because I knew you before all this and have always liked you, but to me… you only look more beautiful every day,” he says, and there’s a warmth in his voice that he hasn’t heard himself use for anyone other than Missy in a very long time.

   She turns her head then, and finally looks at him, and he wants to cry at the sorrow that he sees within her, even after hearing something like that.

   “I love you.”

   The words spill seemingly of their own. No panic accompanies them, and no wobble bothers his legs.    Because he finally understands now. That his fears were never about whether she would accept his affection, but simply about allowing it to be known. Allowing the truth of his being to exist in full view of the world, where it can be judged and trampled on.    Where other people can decide that it’s ugly, just like they have her.

   She doesn’t seem to believe him, so he steps closer still, and puts his palm against her cheek, his entire body being only inches from hers now.

   “I love you,” he says, more confidently this time, so that she’ll know that it wasn’t a mere slip of the tongue. “And if you let me, I’ll show you how beautiful you are to me.    I promise, you will never doubt it, ever again.”

   He waits, watching her face anxiously, because her expression doesn’t change at all.

   He waits as the seconds tick by, for her judgement.

   Because hers is the only one that matters.

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Link to Part 2

Thank you for reading and helping me celebrate! I wish you a wonderful day <3

Tagging a few people who I think might wanna read these stories: @startrekkingaroundasgard @deadhumourist @tintinn16 @suttonspuds @tanzthompson @shsoba05 @f0rever15elf @justnat15 @lowlights @dornish-queen @radiowallet @spishsstuff @harriedandharassed @i-love-movies @tiffanypooh @chaoticfestninja @insomniamamma @pedrostories

[bluestar22x]

Second Chance Love

Second Chances (Part 4): Second Chance Love

Summary: Confessions are made and Elena and Marcus live out a dreamy Valentine’s Day night - Elena POV

Pairing: Marcus Moreno x OFC!Elena

Rating: 18+ series, 18+ rated chapter

Warnings: Smut (nothing too explicit but it is steamy if I do say so myself); Marcus is an affection king

Word Count: 2,255

Author’s Note: I think outdid myself with this one. I think I found the perfect balance. I don’t know. I hope this reads like Marcus.

xxx

Series Masterlist

xxx

You’d never felt much one way or the other about Valentine’s Day. It was just never one of those holidays you’d paid much attention to beyond indulging in purchasing some of those heart shaped candies that were offered at every chain store for the occasion (they were one of your favorites if you were to be honest). You’d dated plenty of men in the past (to you, at least) but your relationships had never managed to overlap the holiday until you dated Marcus.

You’d been going slow and steady for three and a half months, neither of you wanting to rush your relationship. You especially didn’t want to rush Marcus. In January he’d finally entrusted you with memories of his wife Reina the week of the anniversary of her death, to explain why he wasn’t available for your usual Saturday date night (he was visiting Reina’s grave with Missy and they were going to go watch a movie at the nearest theater after). He had made it up to you the next day with an early Sunday brunch at his place and an afternoon of board games with him and Missy.

While you’d spent Thanksgiving and Christmas apart, choosing to only celebrate with your families, you’d become closer since then, Marcus inviting you to his house at least once a week outside of the usual date night. More often than not Missy was there too and you loved it. The girl was sharp and funny and reminded you of why you chose to be a librarian at a middle school instead of at a quieter institution visited only by adults.

Valentine’s Day was the first holiday you celebrated with Marcus. It was also one of the few times Missy wasn’t at the house on a Sunday night, her grandmother insisting she sleep over and promising to take her to school in the morning. You were pretty sure Anita was just doing it to give you and Marcus time alone at the house and the thought made you blush, but neither of you had fought her. You’d even charged a more than willing neighbor with the responsibility of watching Ginger that night – just in case. You wanted to see how the night went. Still afraid to push Marcus without meaning to.

Supper had gone well. You had helped Marcus make a lasagna using a Moreno family recipe (the secret ingredient remained a secret per Anita’s insistence) and you’d thoroughly enjoyed the meal at his kitchen table, bonding over the delicious food and frustrating bosses who refused to fund projects that needed funds badly.

After you’d both cleaned the table and washed the dishes, you’d found yourselves on the couch together, and as if it was the most natural next step you’d leaned in and kissed him. Fear spiked in you when he didn’t immediately respond to your lips, afraid he’d push you away, but it was unwarranted. His hands soon found your face and he was deepening the kiss, tongue slipping into your mouth and finding yours.

It wasn’t like you and Marcus hadn’t made out before, but it was the first time you’d made out at his house, and it somehow felt different. At first you couldn’t put your finger on the right word for it, but when you parted to take a deep breath and he quickly ducked his head back down for another thorough kiss the word lit up in your head like a neon sign. Hunger.

Marcus Moreno was kissing you hungrily. Like he couldn’t get enough of you. The thought made your stomach flip flop and as a flame sparked in you, three little words sprung from the back of your head.

They’d been sitting there for about a month, and you’d almost said it a few times before, but had always chickened out. Afraid of rejection, especially from this man. You’d wanted him to say it first, but you thought maybe he wasn’t capable of it. Maybe it was time you did.

“I love you Marcus,” you mumbled against his lips.

He sucked in a deep breath and jerked away from you, surprise written on his face. “What?”

You weren’t sure if he thought he’d misheard you or if he was just in shock, but you repeated yourself away, heart pounding in your chest as you did so. “I love you.”

His chocolate eyes widened and his jaw dropped. You glanced away, certain he was going to reject you, push you away. It was too soon, as you’d feared.

Except that wasn’t what happened. He reached out to cup a palm against your cheek instead and gently guided your face back towards his so your eyes could meet again.

“I love you too,” he said fiercely, though you could see a hint of fear in his eyes. Knowing that loving you made him afraid broke your heart a little. Of course it would, but still. You wished you could promise him that he didn’t need to be, but you knew you couldn’t. Instead you kissed him again, hugging him against you as you did so.

Once again he was the one who deepened the kiss and his hands roamed the back of your patterned button down shirt. You weren’t quite sure how far he was willing to go, but when he shifted and started pressing his mouth up against your neck, licking over your pulse point, you suddenly understood very well how far you wanted to go. You lolled your head back to give him better access and moaned softly. “Marcus.”

He hummed. “What is it?”

“I want more,” you admitted. “I want you.”

He stiffened in your arms and pulled away just enough so he could study your facial expression. “Are you sure?” he asked hesitantly.

“I’m sure,” you replied. “If you’re ready, I’m ready. If you’re not, that’s okay, but I just…I just needed you to know.”

The way Marcus’ eyes darkened with desire after your declaration was sinful. He pressed his forehead to your shoulder and sucked in a deep breath.

“I want you too,” he confessed, his voice raspier than it was seconds ago. There was so much need in those words you felt the flame catch something on fire in the pit of your stomach.

You threaded the fingers of your right hand through his messy hair and smiled softly. “Then show me to your room.”

He did not hesitant, leading you upstairs by your wrist, kissing you at the top of the steps. You were a tangle of limbs by the time you both stumbled into his room and he crowded you up against the wall by the door, arms encompassing yours, his lips back at your throat. You relaxed into his embrace, tugging at the short tuffs of hair at the back of his head and hooking a leg around his hip. He grinded against your still fully clothed body in response and you both groaned at the added friction. You let your head fall back against the wall and squeezed your eyes shut to focus on the sensation.

“Let me know if you change your mind at any point,” he murmured into your ear.

“Ditto,” you said breathlessly, desperately hoping he wouldn’t.

He pulled you away from the wall and the next thing you knew he was laying you out on top of his bed’s comforter and you were bringing him down with you, nails digging into the fabric of the back of his plaid shirt. You couldn’t wait for that shirt to disappear.

Marcus wasn’t as impatient as you were, despite having gone much longer without physical intimacy than you had. He removed his glasses and settled between your thighs, proceeding to kiss your lips until they were puffy and your neck until your heart was racing at a near terrifying speed. It took you everything not to beg him for more. Eventually, finally, his hands traveled further down than your shoulders, slipping under your shirt, and you helped him remove it before doing the same with his. He planted a kiss over your heart and caressed your belly as you reached for the button of his jeans. More. More. More.

Your eyes feasted on every inch of new skin you exposed on Marcus and it did nothing to sooth you. It only made you more eager.

You would’ve gladly just gone for it, quick and dirty, but Marcus wasn’t the type. Instead, he continued taking his time even when you both were completely bare, his rough hands tracing every single one of your curves and dips until you felt near boneless underneath him, brimming with the pleasantness of it.

You didn’t know how long it had been since you’d first laid on the bed, but you noticed while in a haze that Marcus had taken his hands and mouth off of you and was leaning to the right, stretching out to open the top drawer of his nightstand and pluck a wrapper covered condom out of it. As he tore the package open and applied it to himself heat bloomed between your hips in anticipation and over your acknowledgment of him having purchased condoms. He’d bought them for you. The idea that he’d planned on this happening eventually made you burn like someone had poured kerosine on the flame already flickering inside you.  

When he slipped inside you it was with a gentle roll of his hips and the motion sent a jolt of pleasure up your spine. This was a dream, you had decided then. It shouldn’t have felt that good, that fast. But it did.  

You hummed happily into his mouth as he scooped you up slightly off the bed to cradle you in his strong arms and when he began to move, you immediately joined in.

Together you found a steady, gentle rhythm, one that was neither too slow nor too fast. His hands stayed splayed against your back as yours danced over his wide shoulders, down the narrowing plane of his back, and over his waist, eventually pulling back up to only repeat taking the same path.

“Hermosa,” he panted into your ear. “I love you so much.”

You grinned though he couldn’t see it, knowing enough Spanish to understand that first word. “Love you too, handsome.”

The last word was almost knocked out of you when he picked up the pace, enough to really start building you both up. You kept in time with him, whispering in his ear how good he felt inside you until you were too overwhelmed with it to speak, until all you could do was close your eyes and concentrate on the coil tightening inside you.

Marcus never stopped kissing you. His lips roamed your mouth, jawline, neck, and chest even as he moaned and heaved breaths.

You felt tears prick your eyes at the sheer tenderness of it, and you fought it away successfully, only to lose control of the rest of your body, reaching a sweet release that sent Marcus off the edge not long after you.  

You’d remember the blissed out expression on his face in that moment for a long time after, eyes shut tight, eyebrows knitted as he shuddered and slumped down into your arms to nuzzle his nose into the crook of your neck. It made your adoration for him only grow stronger.

He playfully peppered kisses to your face after, making you giggle, especially since his beard tickled you in some of the more sensitive spots, but you let him do it anyway, soaking up all the attention like a wilted flower in sunlight. You couldn’t remember anyone before being this affectionate with you.

With your conception of time having been completely wrecked, and the lack of a working alarm clock on Marcus’ nightstand (it needed new batteries), you couldn’t guess when, but Marcus eventually separated from you to stand, looking regretful about it, and disappeared into the master bathroom. He returned with a warm wet washcloth in hand and you watched as he gently cleaned you up, surprised by his doting. You knew you shouldn’t have been because it was Marcus, but you just were not used to it.

After he’d tossed the cloth away into a hamper you opened your arms to him and he sunk back down on the bed to curl up in your embrace, his bare hips hugging against one of yours, and he tugged his throw blanket over you both before you could start shivering. You’d forgotten it was winter. (It rarely snowed in the city, but it was chilly that night.)

“You are…amazing,” Marcus told you, and you got the sense that he felt the descriptive word fell short.

You smiled and pressed your forehead against his cheek. “You too.”

You both stayed like that for a long time, stroking each other’s arms, before you had to get up to use the bathroom and when you returned, you found that he had unmade the bed and was already fast asleep. You leaned on the doorway between the bedroom and bath for a brief time, a smile plastered on your face as you watched the quiet rise and fall of his chest, then studied the peaceful look on his face fondly. You continued your way back to the bed, carefully climbing in so not to wake him, and turned your back to him, more than ready to sleep yourself.  

You could feel him shift in the sheets as you started to drift off and the last thing you were aware of was his arm wrapping comfortingly around your waist.