#mia x reggie | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ellecdc · 6 months

Note

Soooo, I'm not the usual requester of the poly!moonwater x reader, but I fell I love with them and the way you write them!

With that being said, could I request Mia and Monty taking in Regulus and reader, saving them from their cruel families, and the holidays being absolutely hectic with everyone there.

Maybe some Mia and reader bonding?

If not that's fine! All my love,

🦕

*gasps* thank you lovely! I'm so glad you've loved moonwater enough to submit a request!!! sorry this took so long, I had this half finished and couldn't figure out for the life of me how to wrap it up happily, and then I was like "of course! Effie!" - not so much chaos but a lot of hurt/comfort and fluff

~please note: my requests are currently closed as I work through my older ones~

poly!moonwater x fem!reader

CW: toxic/abusive family dynamics, mentions and insinuations of abuse, your parents suck in this - I'm sorry, but just call me Euphemia Potter because you're all my children now

Remus had to admit that he was getting increasingly worried about you and Regulus the closer it got to the summer holidays. It seemed that no matter how much brighter the weather became outside, clouds were determined to follow the two of you around.

Remus only knew why Regulus would perhaps grow tense at the thought of returning to 12 Grimmauld Place on account of Remus’ years’ long friendship with Sirius. But the youngest Black, since reconciling with his older brother, has staunchly refused to discuss family life. Remus could accept that; he understood the gist.

But you, he was at a loss with. Though, he would admit that your occasional flinch at a raised hand or sudden quick movements by either Regulus or Remus spoke volumes on that end.

So here you all were (being Remus, you, Regulus, Sirius, James, Peter, and Lily) sitting by the Black Lake and enjoying the sun on one of the last few days of the school year, and you and Regulus were nearly comatose in your melancholy.

Lily and Peter were doing their best to pretend they didn’t notice any tension in the group as they busied themselves with a game of wizarding chess, but James and Sirius had no such qualms and were staring hard between Remus and Regulus.

“I told you that you could come with me, Reggie.” Sirius said surprisingly softly for the oldest Black. Regulus’ jaw twitched as he stole a fleeting glance at James.

“You told me that a year ago. I wasn’t smart enough to go then, I don’t see why I’d deserve that option now.” He muttered, sounding disturbingly more and more like the aristocratic Pureblood he was raised to be.

“It’s not about deserving, Reg.” Sirius said at the same time Remus said, “of course you do.”

“Honestly,” James interjected, “at this point, my mum would be pissed if you didn’t come live with us.”

Regulus’ face appeared to remain impassive, but Remus knew better; there were signs. His jaw tightened, there was a small movement in his left eyebrow and a subtle glossiness in his eyes.

Suddenly his gaze flit to Remus, his eyes almost begging him to understand something he hadn’t yet voiced. Remus held Regulus’ gaze until his eyes turned to something else; to you.

But it didn’t appear that you had heard any of the conversation going on around you; your eyes pointed to some unmarked point in the horizon, your mind far away.

“I can’t leave her.” Regulus whispered once he knew you wouldn’t hear.

“What’s the point of both of you suffering, Regulus? You can’t help her from Grimmauld Place.” Sirius argued.

Regulus finally groaned, and Remus’ heart clenched knowing how close he was to frustrated tears. Remus felt just as close, feeling completely helpless in this situation. But his parents struggled enough supporting him alone. He knew that if he asked, his mum would have the two of you in a heartbeat, but the Potter’s had the space and funds to do it far more easily.

“Y/N can come too.” James said plainly.

“Hm?” You hummed quietly, turning your attention back to the group at the sound of your name.

Regulus grimaced slightly but James, either ignorant to body language or choosing to ignore it carried on. “I was just thinking, we’re inviting Regulus to move in with us for the summer. Perhaps you could join us?”

You stared hard at James without breaking eye contact and Remus grew more and more tense the longer you stayed silent.

“It’s good that Regulus is staying with you.” You commented, sounding nearly robotic.

“You could-” Remus began, but you cut him off.

“Don’t, Remus.”

“Amour.” Regulus pleaded quietly.

“Leave it.” You ordered before standing and walking away.

Regulus sighed and buried his face in his hands. Remus couldn’t stand it anymore and moved to sit beside him, rubbing soothing swipes up and down his spine.

“Your brother is right, love. You’ll be more help to her if you’re safe at Potter Manor. You need to be brave for the both of you right now.”

“She’s never told me either, you know?” Regulus spoke from inside his hands. “I have no idea what happens when she leaves here.”

Remus fought back the tears that threatened to infiltrate his eyes. “You’ll be more help to her from Potter Manor.” He repeated.

You’d been avoiding the boys, that much was certain. And even if you weren’t avoiding them, it was like you weren’t even there when you were sitting right next to them. Remus hated to think that this was the note you were all leaving on, knowing you’d not see each other again until September first.

Regulus had agreed to stay with the Potters, though he refused to discuss with anyone what was said to his parents (or, perhaps more importantly, what his parents had said in return).

So, they stood there in Central Hall with their bags and school trunks; James and Sirius arguing over what they were going to do first when they got to the Manor (in an attempt to hopefully lighten the mood for Reggie's sake) while Remus stared at Regulus’ face without pretending that he wasn’t, as his boyfriend stood painfully rigid.

You appeared then, the strap of your duffle bag thrown over your shoulder and your school trunk trailing behind you. Remus didn’t think he’d ever seen you look so forlorn.

It was like a switch was flipped in Regulus, and he went from a soldier standing at attention to cooing over your shorter frame.

“Let me get this, amour. Did you get everything packed okay?” He asked you softly, pulling your duffle bag gently from your shoulder to throw over his own. You barely nodded in acknowledgment, eyes staring at the ground unseeingly. Remus felt sick to his stomach.

“Okay.” Regulus murmured at you quietly, giving Remus a quick shake of his head as he went to move to you. Remus had this overwhelming urge to pick you up and huddle you under his arm, not letting go until you were all the way to Wales – where your family couldn’t get to you.

But Regulus perhaps understood your mindset better than he did.

“Can Rem take your trunk for you?” Regulus asked, mostly as a means to invite Remus into the conversation and less trying to get him to be your pack mule.

“No.” You said as firmly as you could manage in this fragile state. “I’ve got it. Thank you, though.” You said, finally looking up to make eye contact with Remus and Regulus.

Regulus, for his part, managed to smile sadly at you. Remus was sure his discontent was written all over his face.

“Ready to get this show on the road? Look at me, sounding all muggle.” Sirius called. One would think he sounded indifferent to what was going on, but Remus (and Regulus) could see this for what it truly was: distraction.

“No.” You whispered.

“What is it, lovie?” Remus asked, turning his attention quickly back to you.

“I’m not, I-” you took a few quick breaths, face scrunching up painfully as your eyes filled with tears. “I’m not ready, I can’t. I can’t go. I’m not...”

“Okay.” Regulus said softly.

“I can’t go back, I can’t - I’m not ready.”

“That’s alright.” Sirius offered just as softly.

You were disturbingly close to hyperventilating – surveying your surroundings like you were looking for a place to run, looking for a way out. “I can’t do it anymore, I can’t.” You cried.

“Then don’t, love.” Remus pleaded. And you broke down into sobs.

Something inside Remus snapped and he made for you, enveloping you in a hug that was probably far too tight, but you nuzzled impossibly further into his chest anyway as if he could perhaps hold your pieces together as you fell apart.

He’d find a way to do it for you if that’s what you truly needed.

As your gasping sobs ceased and your breathing evened into only the occasional hiccup, James let out a theatrical “Phew.”

“What?” Regulus asked, voice somewhat taut from both protectiveness and frayed nerves.

“I sort of told my mum she was coming to live with us, anyway.”

Remus could have kissed the sod right on the mouth at that moment. He opted to kiss the top of your head instead.

“I don’t want-”

“-to be in the way. You won’t be, amour.” Regulus interrupted your train of thought, voice far softer than the one he’d used with James.

“Yeah, Regulus is far more inconveniencing than you are, dollface.” Sirius snarked with a wink, earning him a quick stinging jinx from Regulus.

If Remus had thought that the hard part was over in Central Hall, he was very wrong.

You had settled not too badly as you all rode the wagons to the train station holding onto Remus’ hand like a vice, and Regulus appeared to be far more comfortable now that he was less worried about you. Regulus undeniably had some abandonment issues, and the thought of going to the Potter’s without you left him with the sense that he would somehow be letting you down. Remus supposed that at least before, the two of you could commiserate together knowing that whatever you were going through, so was the other.

But as the group travelled on, some of your own tension returned the closer you got to Kings Cross Station.

“You don’t have to say anything to them, you can just leave with us.” Sirius said plainly as Remus reached to grab your bags from the overhead compartment.

“That’d be considered kidnapping.” You responded quietly.

You hooked your duffle over your shoulder and stood, looking through the compartment as if you could somehow see your family through the sheets of metal separating you and Platform 9 ¾.

“Would...would you like us to come with you? Stand by your side? How would you like to do this, love?” Remus asked, leaning back slightly so he could see your face directly.

You seemed to ponder that for a few moments before returning his gaze. “Maybe...maybe you guys could just, stay a little behind me? Not close enough to say anything or for them to say anything to you, just...”

“Close.” Regulus finished for you. You nodded in response.

“Consider it done, dove.” Remus said and pressed a kiss to your forehead.

James and Sirius spotted the Potter’s quickly after exiting the train and brought your bags and trunks to them so that the Potter’s elves could bring them to the Manor. You watched as your trunk disappeared with a pop; there was no going back now.

“Y/N.” An indifferent tone called, causing you to stand up straighter, though you didn’t seem ready to turn your gaze towards it yet.

“We’re right here, amour. We’re not leaving without you.” Regulus insisted. Remus wanted to touch you, grab your hand, kiss your cheek, but he knew he’d have to wait until you felt safe.

Safe.

Soon you’d be safe.

True to their words, Regulus and Remus followed you towards your parents who stood poised like models in a Victorian Era portrait, staring down at you over their noses, though the two boys paused a good distance away as you had asked them too.

“I hate this.” Regulus murmured as you said hello to your parents. Your mother turned to leave before you asked them to wait.

“We’ll be able to take her home after this.” Remus placated, but it did nothing to soothe his own nerves either.

“You’re doing what?” He heard your mother ask derisively.

You repeated yourself, albeit quieter and more meekly than you had before. Remus wanted to hex her for making you feel so small.

“Absolutely not. Get your things.” Your father barked.

You raised your hand carefully, pointing towards the Potter’s to explain that they’ve already brought your things to their house.

“You insolent little witch. How dare you undermine me like this.” Your father spat and took a menacing step towards you. You stepped back quickly with a full body flinch, and that was it for Remus.

“We’re done. Let’s go.” Remus said authoritatively. “Come on, dove.”

You needn’t be told twice, allowing Reg to steer you towards the Potter’s as Remus cast a quick muffliato around you to spare you from any trailing remarks your parents made.

Remus and Regulus exchanged a worried glance over your head as you kept your eyes glued to the floor, letting yourself be guided blindly through the platform.

“Ready to go, dearies?” Euphemia Potter asked kindly, softly, as she beamed at the five students in front of her with Fleamont at her side. Even Remus felt like he had whiplash at the difference of atmosphere on this end of the platform; he couldn’t imagine how you or Reg were managing.

“Hello, cariad!” Remus heard his mother call before any of you could answer Effie’s question. He turned his gaze to see his parents, Hope and Lyall Lupin, move through the crowds towards them.

“Gangs all here now!” Lyall called, and you tightened your hand currently enclosed safely in Remus’. He gave your three quick squeezes in return: a silent promise of safety.

“This must be Regulus and Y/N!” His mum cheered, looking awfully close to embracing both of you. However, Regulus’ aristocratic upbringing appeared to save the day as he quickly stepped in front of you and stuck his hand out, bowing politely to her.

“Mrs. Lupin, it’s very nice to finally meet you.” He said, posh accent on full display.

Remus gave a pleading look to his family, knowing his mother was the kind to say “oh, I’m really more of a hugger.”

But apparently, one thing motherly love was very good at was reading the room, and his mum accepted the handshake before his dad, Effie and Monty all got one of their own. You nodded politely and exchanged a quiet ‘hello’ but opted to stay glued to Remus’ side.

He couldn’t say he minded that option entirely.

Euphemia Potter was no stranger to troubled children showing up at her doorstep, but she couldn’t help but admit how different this time was.

Last year, Sirius showed up battered, beaten, bloodied, and bruised, not to mention completely scared out of his mind. And underneath all of that was this horrible fear for his younger brother’s safety, as well as an overwhelming sense of guilt for leaving him behind.

Sirius never really recovered from feeling like a burden, not last summer at least. He remained entirely too polite for Effie’s tastes, full of “thank you, Mrs. Potter”’s or “that really isn’t necessary”’s right up until the day she sent them off to Hogwarts.

“Now boys.” She said, giving the two troublemakers as stern a face as one Euphemia Potter could muster. “Though I would certainly prefer no trouble at all, can we at least promise not to get quite as many detentions this year? And for the love of Merlin – no more broken bones! I like that when people ask me how my sons are, I can at least say ‘well, at least they’ve got their health!’”

Effie was certain that the pressure behind Sirius’ eyes from fighting the tears must have been excruciating, but he held out for as long as he could before he launched himself into her chest.

“Thank you, Effie.” He finally whispered through tears.

“Please, Sirius.” She whispered as she stroked the boy’s hair. “Call me mum.”

If last year was full of guilt, grief, and fear, this summer seemed to be full of caution, hope, and love.

Where James spent last summer trying to keep Sirius in as high spirits as possible, this year he got to simply play the role of host. Where Sirius spent last summer trying to stay out of the way and convince himself and everyone around him that he was completely fine, this year he got to show his brother what real family looked like.

And though he saw a lot of Sirius in Regulus, there was so much that was so distinctly him.

Regulus’ trauma came out in impeccable table manners, speaking in a manner far more suited to a member of parliament than a teenaged boy at a casual meal, and assessing the atmosphere in the room with the efficacy of a social weather man.

But his personality was completely contradictory.

He made jokes and comments that he didn’t seem to realize were funny until people around him laughed, which caused him to blush but let out surprised laughter of his own. Where Sirius’ jokes were performative and always for the sake of amusing the people around him, Regulus’ humour came naturally and unbiddenly. Where Sirius showed his love and excitement as loudly as possible in order to make sure everyone around him got to share in it, Regulus dutifully handed out his love and excitement in carefully curated doses.

She loved them both beyond measure.

And you...well, Effie could certainly see how you managed to win over not one but two of her favourite young men. Your trauma seemed to come out in the form of fading into the background. Everything you did, you did quietly. You never asked for anything, whether it be for seconds at dinner, something to drink during the day, or to go into town to shop for supplies.

But even though you were clearly struggling, Effie could see how much you cared for those boys both actively and passively. Your body language seemed to change the second either of them entered a room, their presence’s easing any discomfort you may have been feeling nearly immediately; you smiled brighter, made more eye contact, and even contributed to conversations when one of them was around. Right now they were your confidence, your safe space. Effie hoped to get the chance to see it for herself one day, but she felt unbelievably lucky to get to see it in this way too.

You always showed up with bottles of water when the boys were outside playing quidditch, somehow knowing Regulus was the kind to completely miss any cues his body gave him of thirst and predicting his needs. And you always brought sunblock out unprompted when Remus would fall asleep with a book over his face, ensuring he wouldn’t burn in the sun.

She loved you so much.

It had been about two weeks since summer holidays started, and Hope and Lyall Lupin were going to be leaving their mini holiday at Potter Manor in a few days when Effie felt that you had made enough progress to broach the subject.

“Y/N, dearie. Do you have a moment?” She asked as you and the boys walked in the back door after spending some time down at the lake.

Effie noticed a flicker of concern cross your features, though you readily agreed nonetheless. Remus smiled while Regulus promptly stood at attention.

“Hope’s going to be leaving in a few days, and I was thinking perhaps we could get a shopping trip in before she does.”

At this Hope looked over with a beaming smile. “Oh! I’d so love to go shopping! The shops are not nearly as posh in Cardiff.”

You looked between the two women uncertainly but began nodding your head. “Erm, yes, sure. What...what are we shopping for?”

“Well, I thought we could go shopping for some clothes.”

You looked absolutely horrified at this. “I have clothes! I brought everything I had from school.”

Effie smiled encouragingly at you. “Yes, and what you had packed for school was appropriate for a Scottish autumn and winter, not for a summer in London.”

Sirius, never one to leave very well alone, piped up at this. “I want to go shopping! Can I come?”

Hope chuckled and ruffled the boy’s long hair. “I think it’d be better just us ladies, hm?”

Sirius pouted at that, but Regulus took pity on his brother. “You can come with me and Fleamont, Sirius.”

Sirius stood abruptly and planted a smacking kiss to the younger boy’s cheek. “You’re officially my favourite sibling.” He declared, earning him an indignant ‘oi!’ from James.

“Get off of me, you sod.” Regulus grumbled, leaning further into Remus’ side.

You looked at your two boys then; Remus was smiling at you with a look so full of love and pride it nearly rivaled Effie’s, and Regulus was smiling encouragingly and so sweetly, Effie was certain her blood sugar levels spiked just at the sight.

“That...that would be very nice. Thank you, ladies.” You agreed quietly. You nodded your head in decision, mostly to encourage yourself but Effie was thankful for the effort.

It was hard to imagine a time nearly eighteen years ago that Effie and Monty were heartbroken and struggling to finally have a child of their own. If only they’d know that seventeen years later, their lovely, lovely boy would bring home four more for them to love.

She was simultaneously sad for you, Regulus, and Sirius that you had to grow up in homes that didn’t love you the way you ought to have been, but she was so beyond grateful she got the honour to love you properly, now and for the rest of her life.

As long as Euphemia Potter lived, none of you would ever spend a moment being anything but loved.

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invisibleraven · 3 months

Note

roller skating! Kayla x Reggie

"You wanna come skating with me?" Kayla asked, making Reggie look up from his book.

"I don't think I can whip you like Rebel or Karnage can honeybee," Reggie replied with a sheepish smile.

Kayla giggled at the thought of Reggie attempting roller derby-he could barely watch her play, let alone ever think of stepping foot into the ring. "Very true. How about a simple skate down on the boardwalk?"

"Sure," Reggie said, standing up and stretching out his lanky form. "I don't have to wear spandex do I?'

"While I would enjoy that," Kayla mused, a teasing little grin on her face. "I also don't wanna share you with everyone in Venice. I think shorts and a shirt will suffice."

"Do I even own shorts?" Reggie wondered aloud as he went up to their bedroom, leaving Kayla giggling once more and unearthing Reggie's skates.

"How long has it been since you went skating?" Kayla asked as they laced up near the boardwalk.

"A couple of years," Reggie admitted. "We got hired to play at a roller rink for a week a few years back. It was not great gig, but we could skate as much as we wanted and got a killer discount on snacks."

"I thought they usually played disco at those places," she remarked as she helped Reggie up, holding onto him as he wobbled a little before finding his footing.

"Luke managed to convince them to let us punkify a few disco songs and then slipped a few originals in there."

"Oh I am so convincing him to play me your guys version of Mama Mia next time I watch practice."

"We didn't do Mama Mia," Reggie replied. "But we did do a killer version of SOS."

Kayla broke out into a peal of laughter at that, to the point that she was wiping tears from her eyes at the thought. "So making you guys play me that."

Reggie grinned, then linked their arms as they set off. It was a nice day, not too hot, with a cool breeze off the water and a mostly blue sky. Thankfully it wasn't too busy down there, maybe because it was the middle of the week. Usually if they came down to Venice on the weekend the boardwalk was packed.

"So what what you wanna go skating today?" Reggie asked.

Kayla shrugged. "Just got in the mood to be out and enjoy the wind in my hair." She shook her dark locks at that, giggling when a few strands blew into Reggie's face making him sputter.

They kept going, the conversation between them light and sparse-they had been together long enough that sometimes they didn't need to speak-they were comfortable in silence or chatting away. Maybe that made their friends call them old married more often than not, but between the other couples who were just as bad if not worse than them, Reggie didn't mind teasing them right back.

Plus he loved that Kayla made him feel calm enough to be quiet, to slow him down when he needed it, But also amp him up just the same as he did the same for her. They a good balance-a weird kind of sense that no one saw until they got together then everyone couldn't help but comment how good they were together.

"You wanna go get smoothies?" Kayla asked as they neared their favourite place.

"Will they let us in with skates?"

"Pumpkin it's Venice Beach, I'd say half their clientele is wearing them."

Soon they had a nice stop-complete with smoothies, just people watching, admiring the odd dog they saw and planning a beach day soon so that they could go surfing-a sport they both loved.

"Home?" Reggie proposed.

Kayla nodded, and then they were on their way, arriving at the tuck before too long, but instead of taking off immediately, they sat on the bonnet, watching the sun start to sink below the horizon and the first few stars begin to peek out.

"Beautiful,' Kayla sighed, leaning on his shoulder.

'Not as beautiful as you' Reggie thought, but kept it to himself because he didn't want to spoil the moment with a line he knew Kayla would consider cheesy. Instead he snuggled her close as they the soft hues of the sunset paint them both, neither moving until the sun was a mere sliver in the sky.

Reggie would never be a big skater, but he had to admit-for moments like this, he'd be happy doing it much more often.

#ficlet #filled prompts #kayla/reggie #julie and the phantoms

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froggywritesstuff · 2 years

Text

character list

the title is self explanatory. this is a list of the characters i'll write for. it'll probably change over time, and if you see a character you'd like but don't see them on the list, just ask cause i might've forgotten about them

Hamilton

Eliza Schuyler

Angelica Schuyler

Peggy Schuyler

Maria Reynolds

Alexander Hamilton

John Laurens

Philip Hamilton

Lafayette

Hercules Mulligan

James Madison

Thomas Jefferson

Aaron Burr

Umbrella Academy

Viktor Hargreeves

Diego Hargreeves

Klaus Hargreeves

Allison Hargreeves

Luther Hargreeves

Five Hargreeves

Ben Hargreeves (Umbrella or Sparrow)

Sloane Hargreeves

Jayme Hargreeves

Stranger Things

Will Byers (non female readers only)

Mike Wheeler

Lucas Sinclair

Dustin Henderson

Eleven Hopper

Max Mayfield

Robin Buckley (non male readers only)

Nancy Wheeler

Jonathan Byers

Steve Harrington

Eddie Munson

21 Chump Street

Justin Laboy

The Goldfinch

Boris Pavlikovsky

Theodore Decker

Marvel

Peter Parker (any actor)

Steve Rogers

Bucky Barnes

Sam Wilson

Makkari

Sersi

Sprite (platonic only)

Steven Grant

Marc Spector

Layla El-Faouly

America Chavez (non male readers only)

Kate Bishop

Yelena Belova (platonic only)

Shuri

Namor

Riri Williams

X-Men

Mystique

Kitty Pryde

Peter Maximoff

Rogue

Logan Howlette

Wade Wilson/Deadpool

Scott Summers

In The Heights (movie version)

Usnavi de la Vega

Vanessa

Nina Rosario

Benny

Sonny de la Vega

Heathers

Veronica Sawyer

JD (Jason Dean)

Heather Chandler

Heather McNamara

Heather Duke

John Doe

Ride The Cyclone

Noel Gruber (male or nb readers only)

Ocean O'Connel Rosenburg

Mischa Bachinski

Constance Blackwood

Ricky Potts

Hatchetfieldverse

Paul Matthews

Emma Perkins

Ted Spankoffski

Bill Woodard

Ruth Fleming

Pete Spankoffski

Richie Lipschitz

Max Jagerman

Grace Chasity

Lex Foster

Ethan Green

Hannah Foster (platonic only)

Heartstopper

Charlie Spring (non female readers only)

Nick Nelson

Tara Jones (non male readers only)

Darcy Olsson (non male readers readers only)

Elle Argent

Tao Xu (non male readers only(headcanoning him as bi or pan is disrespectful and transphobic))

Tori Spring

Imogen Heaney

Isaac Henderson (platonic only)

Do Revenge

Eleanor Levetan (non male readers only)

Drea Torres

Wednesday

Wednesday Addams

Enid Sinclair

Bianca Barclay

Xavier Thorpe

Ajax Petropolus

Eugene Otinger

(young) Morticia Addams

(young) Gomez Addams

Beetlejuice

Lydia Deetz

Tomorrow When The War Began

Ellie Linton

Lee Takkam

Fiona Maxwell

Homer Yannos

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse/Across the Spider-Verse

Miles Morales

Gwen Stacy

Pavitr Prabhakar

Hobie Brown

Margo Kess

Miles G Morales (earth 42)

Miguel O’Hara

Maze Runner

Thomas

Newt (non female readers only)

The Broken Hearts Gallery

Lucy Gulliver

Nadine (non male readers only)

Nick Danielson

Treasure Planet

Jim Hawkins

Enola Holmes

Lord Tewkesbury

Turning Red

Mei Mei

Miriam

Abby

Priya

Raising Dion

Nicole Warren

Tevin Wakefield

Dion Warren (platonic only)

Julie and the Phantoms

Julie Molina

Luke Patterson

Reggie Peters

Alex Mercer (non female readers only)

Flynn

Carrie

Abbott Elementary

Janine Teagues

Jacob Hill (non female readers only)

Gregory Eddie

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Jake Peralta

Amy Santiago

Rosa Diaz

Love Victor

Victor Salazar (non female readers only)

Benji (non female readers only)

Felix Weston

Pilar Salazar

Lake Meriwether

Lucy

Mia Brooks

Andrew

In Treatment

Eladio

Laila

Spree

Kurt Kunkle

Once Upon a Time

Emma Swan

Regina Mills

Killian Jones

Mary Margaret Blanchard

David Nolan

Henry Mills

Mulan (non male readers only)

Graham

Neal Cassidy

Peter Pan

Jefferson

Dash and Lily

Dash

Lily

Boomer

Juno

Juno MacGuff

Paulie Bleeker

Summer Days Summer Nights

Debbie Espinoza

Frankie Espinoza

Scream (1 through 6)

Sidney Prescott

Billy Loomis

Mickey Altieri

Roman Bridger

Jill Roberts

Charlie Walker

Sam Carpenter

Tara Carpenter

Amber Freeman

Chad Meeks-Martin

Mindy Meeks-Martin

Quinn Bailey

Venom

Eddie Brock

Honest Thief

Ramon Hall

Beth Hall

Wild Child

Poppy Moore

Kate

Drippy

Freddie Kingsley

Monsters and Men

Manny Ortega

Marisol Ortega

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Trevor Spengler

Phoebe Spengler (platonic only)

Error 143

Micah Yujin

Community

Abed Nadir

Troy Barnes

Annie Edison

Jeff Winger

Britta Perry

The Obession

Logan

Delilah

The New Girl

Lia Setiawan

Stacey Hoffman

Mythic Quest

Poppy Li

Brad Bakshi

Adventure Time

Finn

Princess Bubblegum

Marceline

Marshall Lee

Prince Bubblegum

Flame Princess

School Spirits

Madison

Simon

Charley (non female readers only)

Wally

Rhonda

Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Thieves

Simon Aumar

Disventure Camp

Aiden (non fem readers only)

James (non fem readers only)

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies

Jane Facciano

Olivia Valdovinos

Nancy Nakagawa

Cynthia Zdunowski

Richie Valdovinos

Ted Lasso

Roy Kent

Jamie Tartt

Keeley Jones

Sam Obisanya

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

Noah Diaz

Elena Wallace

Mirage

Helluva Boss

Blitzø

Stolas (non female readers only)

Loona

Millie

Moxxie

Octavia

Verosika Mayday

Fizzarolli

Asmodeus

Hazbin Hotel

Charlie Morningstar

Vaggie (non male readers only)

Angel Dust (non female readers only)

Husk

Alastor (platonic only)

Vox

Lucifer

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (rise + mutant mayhem + tmnt 2007 + tmnt 2012)

Donnie

Mikey

Raph

Leo

April

The After Party

Yasper Lennov

Space Force

Tony Scarapiducci

Renfield

Teddy Lobo

Robert Montague Renfield

Undercovers

Bill Hoyt

Amazing Digital Circus

Jax

Parks and Recreation

Leslie Knope

Ben Wyatt

April Ludgate

Andy Dwyer

Jean-Ralphio Saperstein

Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja

Randy Cunningham (18+ people DNI unless requesting platonic stories)

The Earliest Show

Josh Bath

House of Lies

Clyde Oberholt

Mean Girls (movie + musical + movie musical)

Cady Heron

Regina George

Gretchen Wieners

Karen Smith/Shetty

Janis Ian/Sarkisian/Imi'ike (non male readers only)

Damian Hubbard (non female readers only)

Warm Bodies

Peep World

Nathan Meyerwitz

Your Boyfriend

Peter Dunbar

Invincible

Mark Grayson

Shapesmith

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Sabrina Spellman

Harvey Kinkle

Nick Scratch

Rosalind Walker

Theo Putnam

Prudence Blackwood

Ambrose Spellman

High School Musical: the Musical the Series

Gina Porter

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flannels-and-fannypacks · 4 years

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Your daughter’s upcoming wedding brings back pieces of your past to the present, uncovering a mystery you wanted to hold to your grave

coming soon!

D I R E C T O R Y

Prologue: Uh Oh Here We Go

Chapter 1: When in Rome Paris

Chapter 2: Row Row Row Your Boat

Chapter 3: Sing to Me Instead

Chapter 4: Persephone

Chapter 5: Here We Go Again

Chapter 6: Three Musketeers

Chapter 7: The Heart Wants What It Wants

Chapter 8: Underneath the Orange Tree

Chapter 9: Winner Takes It All

Chapter 10: Till Death Do Us Part

T A G L I S T

@katrina765 @mystic-writings @peachyygn @90ssunsetcurve @narnian-potterhead7

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bananakarenina · 3 years

Text

Chapter 9, my darlings!

A million billion thanks to everyone who has read or kudos-ed or commented; you are all magical and I love you.

Special thanks to Jay @where-you-go and Alex @merihn for being fantastic sounding boards and letting me talk at you about writer's block hahaha 💕💕

Enjoy!!!

#for love's sake only #myfic #writing #rulie #reggie x julie #julie and the phantoms #now to catch up on responding to comments and tumblr things #sorry I've been mia!!!

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websterss · 2 years

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KISSING BOOTH — LUKE PATTERSON

SUMMARY: You’d think one little kiss would be a piece of cake, but turns out it’s a full fudge mess.

WARNING(S): Fluff

WORD COUNT: 2,323

PAIRING: Luke Patterson x fem!Reader

A/N: Hope you enjoy it! ♡ Feedback is always welcomed!

MASTERLIST

Los Felix, Los Angeles, California, 1994. Town Fundraiser.

“What a wonderful day to be alive. As I live and breathe at the same time as Luke Patterson.” Your friend Mia, exclaimed as you stood off to the side watching the long line of girls plant themselves in front of the kissing booth. The kissee being Luke himself.

“What a dreadful day to be able to see.” You crossed your arms.

“Who would have thought Luke’s idea for a kissing booth would become so popular.”

“Yeah…who knew.” You gave her a tight lipped smile.

“Oh come on, Y/n. It’s for a good cause.” She shook your arm in an attempt to cheer you up. “Plus, Alex said they’re raising a ton of money so far. I think by tonight we’ll have raised all the money we needed from all the booths, including the kissing booth.” Mia started making smooching noises at you, laughing at your reaction.

“Okay, okay enough of that. Can we go enjoy our time? I’d rather hurl due to the swirl of evil than at the sight of girls kissing Luke.”

“Maybe Luke’s lips can change your mood, ya know make you feel better.” She nudged you, quirking her brow at you.

“Gross.” You laughed at her assumption. “As if I’d ever let that stupid rockstar, smirk grinning two timing specimen anywhere near me and my lips.”

“Okay, whatever you say, Y/n.” Mia giggled, pushing you away from the group and the line of girls.

To say you spoke too soon would have been an understatement.

“You gonna stand there all day? There is a line ya know?” Luke smiled at you, amused. You were five feet from the actual booth. Clenching and unclenching your fist.

“M-Maybe.” You took a deep breath. You could not believe that you lost a stupid bet to Reggie of all people. You knew you were a bad shooter, yet you took the challenge anyway. Losing at the water balloon game. You didn’t even get the bear you wanted.

Luke licked his lips, looking away with a laugh.

“The fundraiser is gonna end at some point, Y/L/N.” Luke checked his watch.

“I know…just give me a minute.” You sassed at him.

He threw his hands up in surrender.

“It’s just a whole dollar for a quick kiss on the cheek, Y/L/N. Come on, it’s for a good cause.” Luke threw that charming smile of his, your way.

“Yeah…kissing you would be quite the act of charity, huh?” You smirked. You looked over your shoulder as a girl from school told you to hurry up for holding up the line. You groaned as you dug out some cash from your leather boot. “You said a dollar?” You asked, observing the 5 you had.

“You can get a special deal for those 5.” Luke leaned down, supporting his weight on his arms on the counter.

“I expect my change.” You quipped back, slamming the whole buck down for a dramatic effect.

“Alright then…” Luke mouthed, taking the 5 dollar bill and giving you back four. “Your change, madam.” He smiled gently then said. “Now my kiss.”

“Don’t get too excited, Patterson.” You rolled your eyes, mentally preparing yourself. You closed your eyes and leaned in to peck his cheek. Luke leaned in wanting to let the touch of your lips linger a bit longer on his skin.

“Now that wasn’t so bad.” He teased you.

“Guess not.” You averted your eyes, leaning back. You looked up and saw Luke already doing the same. “I got to go.” You nodded. You patted the counter with your hands.

“Yeah, see ya later?” Luke raised his eyebrows waiting for your answer.

“Sure.” You gave a gentle smile.

Your eyes grew wide as you walked away from the booth. You just gave Luke a kiss, on the cheek, just like you said you wouldn’t do. “Keep it together, Y/n. It didn’t mean anything.” Back at the booth Luke was in a nervous wreck state as well.

“Keep it together, Luke. It didn’t mean anything.” He then called the next person in line with a tight lipped smile. “Next!”

If you had to be honest the kiss on the cheek wasn’t as bad as you thought it was going to be. Save for the nerves running through your veins, you couldn’t help but feel like something was going on. You just couldn’t quite put a name to it yet.

“So I take it, the kiss went well?” You heard Mia’s sing-song voice come from behind you. You turned around and faced her. She frowned when your mouth opened and closed like a fish needing water. “Seriously? You got out of line didn’t you?” She placed her hands on her hips.

“No I uh, he kissed me- well on the cheek.” You stammered as you began explaining yourself.

“Wait, are you for real? Oh my god, Y/n!” Mia cheered for you. “How was it?”

You looked around and grabbed her hand, finding a photo booth nearby and getting in. “Woah what’s wrong?” She noticed you fiddle with your fingers.

“Mia, why do I feel like this?” You frowned trying to shake whatever it was out of you.

“Like what?”

“My head feels heavy, my heart is pumping fast. I don’t know what I’m feeling. I think I might explode!” You rambled on.

“Is this a panic attack you’re having?” She looked at you, questioning your sanity.

“Mia!” You hit her. She cupped her arm wincing from your punch.

“Okay jeez. I think I have an idea, but you probably won’t like it.” She grimaced already knowing your reaction.

“What, what is it?”

“I think you’re experiencing, wait for it ...butterflies!” She made a big hand gesture to emphasize.

“Mia, I’m serious.” You began getting upset.

“I am too. I think you like Luke.”

You preteneded to vomit, to which she replied with. “I did say you weren’t gonna like it.”

“I-I can’t like Luke. Luke’s is…he’s Luke! Mr. Big shot wannabe Rockstar. Me? Liking Luke? No. Okay, no way. Wanna hear it in Spanish? No!”

“Hey it’s your butterflies. Do what you want with them, but when love is real, it doesn’t lie chica.” She clicked her tongue, placing her thumb underneath your chin, and shooting you a wink. “Don’t push those feelings aside. You know you shouldn’t.” She got up and pushed past the curtain to get out.

“Mia!”

“See ya!” She laughed and walked off with Reggie who had been waiting for her with two cotton candies in her hand. And oh how you wished that he was alone, but he wasn’t. Alex and Luke just had to be there.

You huffed and got out as well.

“Hey.” Luke greeted you warmly. “No pictures?” He gestured to your empty hands.

“Um no, just girl talk.” You nervously laughed.

“Ooh what about?” Alex butted in, and that’s when you looked away from Luke. “Ahh I see then. Well I’m gonna go, Willie wants to get on a few rides before the fundraiser closes.” Alex motioned over his shoulder with his thumb. “So bye.”

“Bye Alex.” You laughed.

“See you at band practice tomorrow?” Luke patted his shoulder and bid his farewells with him.

“Yeah. Anyways I got to go, nice seeing you, Y/n.”

“Likewise, Alex.” You waved him off, then awkwardly turned to face Luke. “So.”

“So.” You smiled and found interest in your shoes.

“Care for a walk?” Luke gestured ahead of you two, and you slowly agreed.

“Sure why not.”

“After you, m’lady.” He tried his best at a British accent.

“Oh, thank you kind sir.” You curtsied with your skater skirt and giggled at his antics.

“So did you enjoy the fundraiser?” Luke stuffed his hands in his jeans.

“Which part? The one where I lost a bet to Reggie of all people, or the fact I almost threw up on the swirl of evil?” You smirked over at the brunette.

“Yeah I still can’t believe you bet 20 bucks against Reggie.” Luke shook his head.

“Would not recommend…I mean I didn’t even win that stupid bear. Take my word for it Patterson, not worth it.” You laughed it off. Yet, Luke was surprised to know that you didn’t win anything today. He turned around and stopped. His smile grew upon realizing that you both stopped at the exact game you lost at.

“Wait right here, okay.” Luke put his hands on your forearms to stop you in place.

“What?” You giggled, confused.

“Just wait right here and don’t move.”

“Okay…” You agreed nonetheless and stayed put.

You watched as he ran up to the man running the water gun game. Luke pulled out his wallet and handed the man a bill. He took a seat at the gun, and turned to face the little kid next to him. Then the game began, Luke put all his focus on the mouth of the clown and watched as his balloon filled up. He had filled it up and made it pop first. A bell rang out signally that he had won. The man asked him what reward he wanted, and Luke just so happened to remember the one you pointed to early in the night.

“If I win, I want that one.” You had pointed to a dark brown teddy bear the size of a bean bag.

“Why that one?” Luke asked you.

“Why not? I don’t know, it’s a great motivator, helps the win feel better, I guess.”

“You’ve never won these types of games before have you?”

“Nope.” You shrugged.

“No ones ever won you anything either?”

“Sadly no. Anyway...Reggie you’re going down!” You pointed at the black haired boy and put your game face on.

“Can I have that one please?” He pointed to the bean bag bear, and thanked the guy once he handed it over to him. The little boy he beat looked sad and defeated, to which Luke then proceeded to hand him all the other tickets he had left in his pockets.

“Knock yourself out kid.” He ruffled the boy’s hair, and the boy ran off excited to be able to play some more.

You let out a breathy laugh, feeling your heart pick up. A timid smile made its appearance on your lips as you stared at Luke, approaching you and hiding behind the bear.

“Hi there, my name’s Teddy, and I love kisses, muah.” Luke took the hand off the bear and pressed it to its mouth to throw you a kiss. A genuine laugh rang out of you, and he came out behind the bear, beaming. Yet he stopped once he noticed your shocked expression. “What?” He smiled.

“Butterflies…” You muttered, under your breath.

“What?” Luke heard you mumble but couldn’t quite hear you.

“You got me the bear I wanted.” You chuckled in utter disbelief.

“Yeah…I thought it’d be nice knowing how much you wanted it. Plus like you said earlier, no ones ever won anything for you, so I thought I could be the first.” He looked up at you nervously.

“You remembered.” You nodded. You couldn’t wipe the smile off your face. It was all too much, you felt like you were going to cry on the spot.

“Yeah.” He nodded.

“You know you’re not so bad, Luke.” You looked at your shoes then at him.

“Didn’t think you knew my first name.” He smirked.

“I know your middle name.” You shrugged.

“No you don’t!”

“No? Lukas Charl-” You laughed as he tried to place his hand over your mouth. “Charles Patterson.”

“Okay, so you do know my middle name. What else do you know?” Luke eyed you wearily.

“You slept with a blankie till you were 13.”

“Who told you?” Luke’s eyes grew big.

“Reggie has a bad habit of telling me things.” You laughed.

“I’m gonna kill him.” Luke looked over his shoulder for any sign of him, but it was just you two, and other people that were walking around. He shook his head before turning back to face you. You rocked on your heels letting the sound of music and rides take over the silence between you two. Luke liked how comfortable you were. You let your hard demeanor down and let yourself enjoy the night with your friends.

“So you want the bear or…” He teased backing away with it

“What? Yes I want the bear.” You snatched the stuffed animal out of his hold, then placed it back in his arms after realizing how heavy it was. “Actually how about you carry it the rest of the night.” You teased him.

“Oh so that’s how this is gonna go, huh?” He raised an eyebrow at you. Chasing after you as you began walking away backwards. “Oh, you’re so gonna get it, Y/L/N.” He exclaimed as he ran after you.

“No, no, no.” You laughed as he caught you.

“Caught you…” He spun you around to face him.

“You caught me…” You gasped realizing the close proximity between you two.

Your eyes fell on his lips then his eyes. Luke caught you and began leaning in but stopped. “That’ll be a dollar.”

You scoffed smacking him playfully.

“Jerk. No discount for me?” You batted your eyes playfully at him.

“How about free of charge?” He played along offering you a better deal.

“I like that deal…I like that deal a lot.” You giggled tugging him closer by the nape of his curls.

“Well, I like free kisses, especially if they’re by Y/n Y/L/N, I think Teddy can vouch for me too.”

“Well I am very grateful for you, and for Teddy of course.”

“Can’t forget Teddy.”

“No we can’t.” You shook your head. Luke pulled you in by the waist to kiss you. "You’re still carrying Teddy for me.”

“I figured as much.” Luke closed his eyes, sighing.

#luke patterson #luke patterson imagines #luke patterson imagine #luke patterson x reader #luke patterson x fem!reader #my gif #writings by juls

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intoanothermind · 4 years

Text

Flying Solo - Reggie

Word Count: 2.1k

- Reggie x reader

Synopsis: ever since you died, all you do is walk around the city and watch people going through their lives in restaurants, pubs and other establishments. That is until you meet another ghost in one of these places.

Masterlist

(This is based on a request I asked a few days ago. I’ve tried putting a gif instead of a picture, but tumblr doesn’t let me do it, but I’ll keep tryind. Don’t forget to check out my other Reggie fic and the one I wrote for Luke!)

Stand Tall - Reggie // Akai Ito - Reggie (soulmate au) // Bright - Luke

—

Since I died, I have enjoyed spending time watching the lifers. I walked the streets of Los Angeles and spent hours and hours sitting in restaurants, coffee shops, pubs and other establishments. Many people spent their time on their cell phones or typing on their laptops, but I liked to watch other people interact. I would like it even more if I could eat, but the smell of coffee and pie always calmed me down. And sometimes I would discover some other ghost in those places.

Especially if he moved a customer's food and the person looked around confusedly. I paid more attention when the woman took her eyes off her cell phone, picked up her plate and changed tables, without noticing the two boys sitting at the table. A third boy, who had previously been in front of the counter, sat in the empty seat. They talked for a while - unfortunately I couldn't hear from where I was several tables behind - before the blonde walked out the door and the third boy shortly after. I got up quickly before the cute boy who was making a prank on the client disappeared too.

"Hi." I said, taking the vacant seat for the blonde. "What's your name?"

His blue eyes widened and looked back before turning back to me and pointing at his chest.

"Me?" he asked, confused, and he just seemed even cuter.

"Yes, you." I laughed. "My name is Y/N, what’s yours?"

“Reggie. I'm Reggie.” he smiled and shifted in his chair, looking excited. "How can you see me?"

I shook my head, still smiling. He clearly didn't understand.

"I'm a ghost too." I replied, extending my hand to the side just as a girl passed and my arm went through her.

His smile widened even further, making his eyes narrow.

"Cool!" he opened his eyes wide. "I mean, it's not cool that you died, or anything..."

But my smile has not diminished.

"It’s okay, I had a year to get used to it."

"What did you die of?"

“Car accident last year. I was with my mom coming back from a performance. She crossed over to the other side, I didn't.” my smile became a little sad. "But what about you? How long have you been a ghost?”

"Well..." he made a funny face. "About 25 years ago we ate some bad hot dogs."

I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. "Really?"

"I know." he made a face of suffering. "It was not our best moment."

"Our?"

"Me and my bandmates."

"Those who were here with you."

"Yes! Luke and Alex. We died together.”

"So you must have seen a lot of things together in the past 25 years." I commented excitedly, leaning on the table.

"Not exactly." he made another funny face. "After we left the ambulance, we were in this dark room where Alex was crying and the next thing we remember is falling into a girl's garage a few days ago."

"So that means I have more ghost time than you do!"

“Oh, but we’ve already discovered some really cool things! We managed to play in front of people when we played with Julie!”

My heart sank when I heard that name and I opened my mouth to comment, but I felt a shiver go through my body when someone sat in the chair where I was. I got up quickly, because the worse thing than passing through people was staying in the exact spot where she was. I looked at Reggie and he too had stood up when another girl sat down where he was.

"Do you want to get out of here?"

"For sure." said Reggie, holding my hand and whooshing us to a beach where I have never been.

It was not as crowded as the most famous beaches in Los Angeles, but it had some movement.

"Where are we?" I asked when I noticed Reggie kicking some sand and sitting with his back to the sea and facing a bike shack.

"I used to live here." he replied while I sat next to him. “This bike shack used to be my home. Every now and then I come here and wonder what happened to my parents. ”

"I'm sorry." I murmured, lying my head on his shoulder and just watching the movement in the store.

"Okay. I'm sorry I spoiled the mood.”

"It's all right. I think about my family as well.”

"But you've only been a ghost for a year." he said, turning his head slightly towards me. "Didn't you ever see how they're doing?"

"Once, two weeks after we died." I whispered. “My family was destroyed. I couldn't see them like that without being able to do anything, so I only come back once every few months to see if they were okay.”

"I'm sorry." he murmured, resting his head on mine.

We stayed there for a few minutes in that position, not saying anything, just watching people coming and going in front of the store that used to be his home.

"Did they really kill Han Solo?" the question was asked so unexpectedly, I could only lift my head from his shoulder and look at him a little confused.

"What?"

"Do you know Star Wars?" he said quickly. "We went to a club the other day and Luke and I were trying to catch up on what we missed and a couple of the living told us that they made about eight more Star Wars movies and that they killed Han Solo!"

"Whoa, easy!" I laughed. "I do know the movies. And yes, they did. His son killed him.”

"What?!" he looked shocked at me. "I think I would rather never know about the continuation of the series."

"I’m sorry." I said, but I couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his face. “It certainly wasn't the best moments in the saga. This latest trilogy disappointed a little.”

"I was hoping you would tell me it was a lie." he grimaced before letting out a breath and getting up. “Y/N, I need to go. We have a band rehearsal. We are playing tonight at the pub we met, you should go.”

I stood up as well and smiled at him a little, but I denied it.

“Sorry, Reg. I had a really big connection to music and my family when I was alive. It still hurts to think about it, so I always avoid it. But I promise that one day I will see you playing. ”

"Okay." he gave a big smile. "See you around then."

And disappeared.

~*~

As the days went by, Reggie and I got closer and closer. We met several times and went to different places. Especially places where I could update him on the things he lost in the last 25 years. But then he stopped appearing beside me with that wide smile and dork way. For several days I didn’t see him, wondering if anything had happened. I heard stories about ghosts who were trapped by contracts, others who ceased to exist, and I was afraid that he had crossed over or was in trouble - and I couldn't do anything to help.

The next time he showed up I was on the beach again, in front of the bike shack, waiting for him to show up at some point. When he appeared, I barely gave him time to pull himself together before jumping into his arms and hugging him tight.

“Reggie! What happened? You went MIA, are you okay? I got worried!"

He didn't answer, just pulled away from the hug, held my face in his hands and kissed me. I reacted instantly, kissing him back in the same intensity.

"It hurt to think that maybe I didn't have the opportunity to do that." he murmured when we leaned away.

"What do you mean by that?"

He then set out to tell me about the Hollywood Ghost Club, the stamp, the shocks, the threats, the Orpheum show and how they managed to touch Julie afterwards.

"Julie?" I asked, feeling my throat tighten. “The girl who can see you and make you visible? Is her name Julie Molina? ”

"How did you know?" he asked, confused, and I had to take a deep breath to keep from crying.

"She is my little sister."

Reggie's eyes widened in surprise. "You are the Y/N who died with Julie's mother."

I just nodded.

“So did she play again? Is she fine?"

He gave me a knowing smile.

“Why don't we go back to the house and you can see for yourself? I think you've gone too long without seeing her. ”

I agreed, still a little stunned.

"Hey Hey." he caught my eye until I looked him straight in the eye. He stroked one of my cheeks and smiled when I blushed. "It's gonna be okay. I was really going to invite you to meet the band. ”

"So let's go." I smiled at his excitement.

He hugged me around the waist and we teleported directly to mom’s studio. It was different from how I remembered. The piano was uncovered, the lights were on, and instruments were scattered on the other side. I think they were the instruments that the boys used. But they were not there.

"Yeah, I think the boys haven't arrived yet." Reggie commented, scratching the back of his neck.

"It's all right." I mumbled, moving towards the piano and sitting on the stool.

Reggie sat next to me.

"Do you play?"

"I used to play with mom and Julie." I said, concentrating my energy on my fingers and starting to strum one of mom's favourite songs. I looked at Reggie and he was smiling at me. I continued to play, feeling the music flowing through me like when I was alive. It was great to know that I could play even now.

"Boys, I already said that you can't play while I'm not ... here."

I stopped playing abruptly when I looked at the garage door and Julie was there looking at me as if she had seen a ghost. Well, had had. I got up from the stool quickly and went towards my sister.

"Julie..." I sobbed, trying to reach her at the same time as she held her hand out to me. But my hand went through hers and I started to cry.

"Y/N." she was crying too. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, Jules." I laughed.

"I thought you crossed over, I never saw you here."

“I came here a few times, but you never saw me. I couldn't stand to stay long. I spent most of my time walking around the city. ”

"What about mom?" she asked hopefully.

I shook my head. “I never saw her. She crossed right away.”

Julie tried to dry the tears, but they just kept coming down.

"Please, don’t go." she pleaded in a voice so low it broke my heart. “You can stay here with the boys. Just please don't go.”

I looked at Reggie in exasperation, but he came over to me and rested a hand on my back and I managed to take a deep breath.

"Okay." I smiled at my younger sister. "I’ll stay here."

"Yes!" I heard Reggie murmuring and Julie and I laughed, slowly composing ourselves.

“Julie? Is everything alright here?" I heard a third voice and turned to see the two boys who were in the pub with Reggie when I met him.

"Alex, Luke, this is Y/N, my sister."

Luke, the one with the brown hair, raised his eyebrows in surprise. "The sister you said that died?"

Julie made a face, but I just laughed and confirmed it.

Alex, the blonde, observed my closeness to Reggie and smirked. "I imagine this is also the same Y/N that Reggie kept talking about."

"Eh... Well... It wasn't like that..." Reggie gasped trying to brush it off, but I just laughed as I grabbed his chin and pulled him in for a quick kiss.

I barely noticed the boys' laughter and Julie's comment on how weird it was to see her sister kissing someone. I was too busy drinking on Reggie's expression, who had his eyes closed and an ecstatic smile on his lips.

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starstruckkittensweets · 2 years

Text

Chapter LIX (“AWWW”)

A/N: I’m so sorry this chapter is a week late! I took a few days off from writing because my family got sick, so I had to help them out while they focused on getting better. But now I’m back - and with an extra long chapter! (This one was only supposed to be around 8-9k long, but it turned into...this. Eh, I have no regrets! But I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! :)

Fandom: Attack on Titan Pairing: Levi x Mia (OC) Words: 15.6k

Warnings: 18+ only (minors please DNI), NSFW content, oral sex (female receiving), face-sitting, vaginal sex, very light breeding kink, possessiveness, dirty talk, scratching, and a little bit of...headboard breaking

Taglist: @omg-lexiloveyou, @ataraxia101, @super-peace-fangirl, @mr-robot-x, @unusversuscanicula, @cyborgnate, @saltypancakes

If you want to be added to the taglist, just let me know and I’ll be happy to add you on!

|LIX|

As the weeks passed, the days grew longer. The air grew warmer, the leaves sprouted a healthy green color. And before I knew it, we were halfway through June—the fifteenth, to be exact. And Hanji let me know the second I saw her in the morning, dragging myself out of my office and towards the mess hall:

“Happy birthday, Mia!” She threw an arm around my shoulders, pulling me into her chest in one swift yank. “You feel any older yet?”

“No more than I did yesterday,” my voice was muffled through the yellow fabric of her shirt, “but even if I did…is it a good idea to throw me around like that?”

“Aw, don’t tell me your bones are starting to ache! I’m gonna have to start calling you an old lady if you keep this up, ya know!”

“Hey, you’re the one who’s older than me! You’ll be whining in September about how your knees ache when you get up, I’m sure of it!”

The two of us were shoving each other back and forth, all the while giggling uncontrollably. Almost as though we were cadets again, twelve years old and full of stupid ideas, as Ben and Leyna watched us fool around from the sidelines.

The thought of my siblings made me smile. I’d sent a letter to Leyna in the past few days, making sure that it would arrive in Mitras before today. It was her birthday too, after all, as well as Ben’s. The three of us used to send letters back and forth before meeting up at home back in Shiganshina, where Ma would be waiting for us with a homemade cake, and maybe even a few muffins and cookies to take back with us if we were lucky. She always made sure to send us on our way with stuffed bellies and some extra food, as though we were children going to a friend’s house for a sleepover again.

And in the years Dad had still been alive, even though he wasn’t always in the best state of health, he always made an effort to prepare a gift for us, whether it was little trinkets from the market or handmade gifts he’d carved out of wood. He’d taken up a light hobby of woodcarving after retiring from the Scouts, just to keep his hands busy as he stayed within the house. One particular year he had made all three of us little carvings of wolves, with each of our initials engraved on the bottom.

I miss you. On instinct, I slid my hand around the little wolf charm that dangled from the cord around my neck. All of you.

The base was practically empty by the time Hanji and I left the castle. The soldiers were either still in bed or holed up in the mess hall, still blinking the sleep from their eyes. I was the same, more or less (the night owl to Hanji’s early bird)—which is why I nearly shrieked out loud when something slammed into me from behind.

“Oh, I’m sorry, captain!” Gretel’s hair was unusually messy, her eyes wild and her cheeks flushed red. “I didn’t see you there! But actually, I’ve been meaning to ask you something, now that you’re here…”

I could already feel my eyebrow inching up. Why is she so hyper today? It’s not even fully sunrise, so why is she so damn excited?

“What is it, Mayer?”

“Evan and I were talking a couple days ago, and Reggie and Emily are okay with it if you are—but we want to have a little celebration for Murphy’s birthday tonight!”

My jaw dropped; my eyes went as wide as they could go. Hanji was snickering beside me, although I couldn’t tell if it was because of me or what Gretel had said.

It’s Murphy’s birthday today? So soon?

And sure enough, I recalled glancing at his form in just the last couple weeks, stating that his birthday was coming up soon. At the time I’d smiled and thought nothing of it (none of the kids on my squad did anything special to celebrate their birthdays anyway)… But now I was starting to feel particularly stupid.

“What a small world!” Hanji’s arm was back around my shoulders, as she clapped Gretel on the back so hard the poor girl almost stumbled over. “It’s Mia’s birthday, too!”

“Wait, it is?! I didn’t know, captain! How—I mean, happy birthday!”

“Thanks,” I mumbled, sending a glare in Hanji’s direction. “I don’t really like to advertise it, but this one makes a point of letting everyone and their mother know about it.”

“Of course.” Hanji made no effort in concealing her smirk, as she mussed up my hair with a rough hand. “Actually, now that you mention it… Mayer, can I have a quick word for you?”

“Um… Okay, Section Commander. But why…?” She glanced from Hanji to me, and then back to Hanji—and suddenly she was nodding eagerly, her lips laced into a smile. “Oh, of course! When would you like to talk?”

“Right now, actually. The sooner the better, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, I couldn’t agree more!”

It was hard to ignore the churning feeling in the pit of my stomach, as I watched my best friend and my cadet huddle close together, their expressions already saying much more than words ever could. And as Hanji started to lead her away, she glanced at me from over her shoulder and smirked, “Don’t wait up for me, this might take a while!”

Of course it will. But all I could do was hope that Hanji wouldn’t go overboard with whatever she and Gretel had planned.

|~|

Breakfast had gone by rather smoothly. None of the other Squad Leaders made a fuss over my birthday—at least, not like Hanji had. Mike and Nanaba had kept it simple, wishing me a nice day as they stood up to refill their plates. Erwin had smiled and encouraged me to make some time for myself at the end of the day, to which Levi scoffed at from over the rim of his teacup. The two of us snickered to each other, avoiding eye contact as we sipped our tea, as Erwin quirked his eyebrow at us. Poor oblivious Commander…

Levi was already well aware of my plans for today, and once we were alone the two of us headed out to the stables. A comfortable silence settled over us as we saddled up our horses, with Mischa giving my hand a friendly nuzzle as I passed her stall.

As I took Edel’s reins and began to lead him out of the barn, a familiar tuft of reddish-brown hair caught my eye. Huddled in Misty’s stall was Murphy, whispering sweet nothings into her ear as he brushed her down. I smiled when I saw how her coat shone in the early morning sunlight; obviously Murphy took great pride in taking care of his steed.

“Good morning, Enns.” The boy smiled at me before turning back to his horse. “Oh, and happy birthday!”

Poor Murphy—the tips of his ears burned scarlet as he stumbled over his words, nearly dropping the brush and startling Misty in the process. He gave a nervous laugh, threading his fingers through his hair as he struggled to look me in the eyes.

“Ah, t-thank you, captain—but how did you…?”

“Mayer let it slip this morning.” I was careful not to mention the celebration she was planning with the rest of the squad. It was their secret to share, not mine. “I take it you’re like me and don’t make a big deal out of it, huh?”

“I…I guess so.” He kept his eyes on Misty, as she lowered her head to nibble on a bit of hay. “It’s just…easier that way.”

Yeah, it is. I knew the feeling all too well.

“I get it. Still, you have to make the best of it, alright? It only comes once a year, so enjoy it while you can!”

“…Yeah, you’re probably right. I’ll try to enjoy it, captain.” He reached over to brush Misty’s forelock out of her eyes. “Maybe we’ll practice some jumping today. What do you say, girl?”

And he was lost in his horse again, just the way I’d found him. With a gentle tug on his reins, I started to lead Edel towards the exit once more. The clopping sound of his hooves bounced off the walls of the barn, followed by the sound of Mischa’s hooves right behind us.

“Oh, and happy birthday to you too, captain! I hope you enjoy your day, too!”

Edel’s ears pricked forward at my gasp; I nearly tripped over my own two feet while getting him out the door of the barn. I could hear Levi snickering from behind me, and even Mischa was grunting and bobbing her head as though she were laughing.

Damn it! I guess word travels fast among the kids, huh?

“Thanks, Enns…”

I could hear him laughing from the barn as I swung myself up into Edel’s saddle. And as I gripped the reins, I gave Levi the fiercest glare I could muster—I was not enjoying the smug look on his face.

“Not one fucking word, captain.”

He remained silent, even as the two of us began to ride away from the base, but the smirk on his face said much more than any words could.

|~|

The road to Trost was long but familiar. The trodden paths through the forests, the little streams that dotted the outskirts of the town, and even the occasional rabbit that leapt out from the bushes, seemingly unaware of the two large horses in their line of sight. Neither of us said anything on the way there—not even when we headed towards the old hill at the edge of the district, far away from the rest of civilization.

Edel’s hooves were heavy against the grass. The reins were slick in my hands, my fingers cramped and sweating. I could feel my heart in my throat as I halted Edel just for a moment, only to swipe a small bunch of white flowers from the little grassy patch beside the trail.

They’re not edelweiss flowers, but they’ll do the job. I think he’ll like them all the same.

The cemetery was just over the hill, in the northwest direction of Trost District. There were countless cemeteries within the Walls, plenty of resting sites for both fallen soldiers and civilians alike. They were usually buried in separate sections, depending on the districts that watched over them, but after Wall Maria had been lost to the Titans about four years ago, they were now buried alongside each other: civilians, Scouts, and Garrison soldiers. Such was the case with this particular cemetery, with the soldiers’ headstones bearing the emblem of their branch.

Levi and I left Edel and Mischa at the edge of the cemetery, where they could graze in the meadow nearby. I held the bunch of flowers to my chest, twirling my fingers around the stems. Now that I could see them up close, I realized they were myosotis flowers, with the faintest splash of blue on the petals.

Forget-me-nots.

Something warm brushed against my hand. Levi kept his eyes forward as he pressed his palm to mine, sliding his fingers through my own.

“You alright?”

I swallowed hard. “I’ll be okay.”

Together, the two of us began to walk through the cemetery, careful not to disturb any headstones or gifts that had been laid out. We had visited cemeteries before, especially after the winter expedition of 847, to pay our respects for the soldiers we’d lost. But neither of us had been to this one in years—and especially not together like this.

The eastern side of the hill was dedicated to the Garrison soldiers lost throughout the years. Some who had lost their lives in the fall of Wall Maria, and some who had passed away countless years before that. But they were all the same in the end, just like us Scouts. They had all worn those twin roses on their backs with pride, just as we did with the Wings of Freedom sewn into our cloaks.

A familiar silver headstone came into view. On instinct I tightened my hand around Levi’s, and he gave my fingers a gentle squeeze.

I’m here. It’s okay.

It was the last one in the twelfth row on the hill. Faded and sprinkled with moss, with the roses of the Garrison carved into the surface. I knelt down to the headstone, well aware of Levi’s eyes on me, as I grazed my hand along the words written against the stone.

Benjamin Wolf, Sergeant of 18th Squad, Shiganshina District

June 15th, 821 – June 22nd, 845

The little white flowers looked so out of place next to the headstone, an odd splash of color against the mossy ground. I could feel my throat closing up as I pressed my palm to the surface of the stone, and the memories of my brother’s face flooded before my eyes.

The way the wind would tousle his messy brown hair. The way the sun would turn it a faint shade of red. The mischievous sparkle he would get in his eyes, the one he’d always had since he was a little boy. The warm bear hugs he would crush me with, the rough palm mussing up my hair as he laughed. The way he said my name, either in happiness, disappointment, or sheer disbelief. Despite our close bond as kids, even he couldn’t always defend me and every little thing I did. There would be times where I would come home practically dripping in mud, to my mother’s horror and my father’s disappointment (and my sister’s smug delight), and even Ben couldn’t find it in himself to speak in my defense. He would just shake his head and tell me later on, once we were all cleaned up and tucked into bed, “I thought you knew better than this.” And as usual, I would only roll my eyes and shrug him off. “Next time it won’t happen, I swear.”

I miss you. Even after all these years, I still miss you so much.

“Mia.” A gentle hand on my shoulder, bringing me back to the world around me. I gazed up at Levi, whose mouth was set in a hard, tight line. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I gave him a smile, albeit a bit forced, and squeezed his fingers softly. “I just want to stay here for a bit.” Besides, if I didn’t want him to accompany me today, I wouldn’t have asked him in the first place.

He nodded once before taking a few steps back, allowing me a bit of privacy as he turned his gaze to the horses at the end of the hill. I cleared my throat and turned back to the headstone, touching my brother’s name once more.

“…I just wanted to say happy birthday, Ben.” The tips of my ears burned as I spoke; you would think after all my years of being a soldier, I would get used to talking to headstones in the cemetery. “I know I couldn’t visit you last year, and I’m sorry about that. I had some stuff going on in the capital—you know what that’s like, huh?”

It was just another thing the two of us could bond over: our personal distaste for the air of Mitras, and the interior of the Walls in general. Neither of us could see why or how Leyna loved it so much; to us, it was just a dingy, crowded place filled with nobles who would kiss up to you one minute and talk about you behind your back another.

“Anyway, I won’t stay for too long. The kids are supposedly planning something for Murphy’s birthday later tonight, so I have to be there for them. You’d like them all, I think. Evan has your brain, and Murphy looks just like you did when you were his age. And Reggie and Gretel are growing up to be such fine soldiers. And Emily—I haven’t told you about her yet, have I? She’s the newest member, I picked her out once she graduated earlier this year. She could be a fantastic medic with the right training, but I don’t know if she wants to be one. I’ll have to ask her about it later on…”

A soft breeze fluttered past the hill, knocking my hair off my shoulders. With a tight swallow, I kissed the tips of my fingers and pressed them to the surface of the stone, right above Ben’s engraved name.

“Happy birthday, Ben. I’ll come visit you soon, alright? I promise.”

I pushed myself off the ground, leaving the little white flowers beside the headstone. Levi was at my side at once, wrapping his hand around my own as he kissed my temple softly. He was silent as he began to lead me back down the hill, keeping his fingers laced through my own.

As we reached Edel and Mischa and began the trek home, a gust of wind flew by—and suddenly I heard it. Light and soft, but it was there. A familiar voice, carried by the wind, a promise of love and family. A gentle goodbye, a soft kiss on the cheek.

See you soon, Mia.

My brother’s voice echoed in my head the whole way home, filling me with a warmth I hadn’t known in years.

|~|

It was just past sunset when Gretel came knocking on my door. As per her meeting with Hanji earlier, she had refused to let me in on what she and the others were planning for Murphy’s birthday. So I was in the dark as much as he was, unfortunately.

“Meet us at the edge of the woods. And you’re not allowed to ask any questions! Section Commander Hanji’s orders, of course. Oh, and you don’t have to worry about bringing your horse. We’re not going too far, anyway.”

I could feel my eyebrows knitting together with every word she spoke. Hanji’s in on it now? That’s not a good sign… What in the world could those two be planning?

So I left my office as fast as I could, still in my uniform (minus the jacket) and the straps of my gear, with my cloak thrown over my shoulders. It was unusually breezy tonight, as the remnants of spring blew through the base. Tomorrow summer would officially begin, and the days would grow longer and hotter and borderline unbearable.

Might as well enjoy the cool air while it lasts, right?

Murphy was waiting at the edge of the forest, along with an impatient Evan and Gretel. The two of them smirked at each other before leading us towards the trees, with a tiny lantern swinging from Evan’s grasp.

“This way!”

The two of us followed them through the trees, dead twigs crunching beneath our boots. The path was one I knew all too well—the same one Edel and I rode whenever we wanted to get some extra practice in. Indeed, just ahead on the road was the fallen tree he had jumped over perfectly just a few weeks ago.

Gretel suddenly quickened her pace, with Evan right at her heels. Suddenly I knew why, and already I felt the urge to swaddle myself up into my cloak and disappear into the dirt below.

A small campfire had been built in the tiny clearing of the forest, the flames licking the bottom of a silver pot. Two brown horses were lingering beside a small wagon a few yards away, with a couple of crates resting in the back. (They must’ve wheeled it out here before someone let them loose to graze.) Hanji waved at me from her spot beside the fire, with Nanaba and Erwin sitting on either side of her. But they weren’t the only ones seated around the fire.

Oh no—there were so many more.

Reggie and Emily were talking to Nifa and Petra, as Oluo tried to listen in on their conversation in a not-so-subtle way from Petra’s side. Eld and Gunther turned and smiled over at Gretel and Evan, who practically raced to their spots between Reggie and Nanaba, with Evan dragging poor Murphy along by his wrist. Moblit gave me a somewhat apologetic smile, as Mike threw a smirk at me from over his shoulder. Even Levi was seated among them, in between Eld and Oluo as he sipped his tea. My face burned as he smirked at me from over the rim of his teacup.

“So glad you guys could make it!” Hanji was kneeling over the pot at the fire, swirling a spoon against the silver. “Why don’t you take a seat? The stew’s almost ready. I hope you’re hungry, because there’s a lot of it!”

As much as I wanted to sit by Levi, I knew it would only lead to more teasing from Hanji and Mike (and maybe even a few uncomfortable looks from our squads). So instead I slipped in between Nanaba and Murphy, who had not stopped blushing since we arrived at the little site.

“…What’s all this, anyway?”

“A little celebration,” Gretel was quick to answer, clearly sharing Hanji’s enthusiasm. “For both you and Murphy. Hanji decided we combine our little parties and celebrate them at the same time!”

“It’s nothing too fancy,” Nanaba said with a smile, “but at least it’ll give us some time to unwind. And you two deserve a break every now and then, right?”

Well, when you put it that way…

So that’s what Hanji and Gretel had been so excited about earlier. They were secretly plotting against our backs, fixing up this little get-together just to celebrate our birthdays. While neither of us cared for the extra attention, it was hard to stay mad at them for making such a sweet gesture.

Murphy was starting to loosen up as the night carried on, too involved in telling Evan and Reggie about what he’d accomplished in his extra training with Misty today. Gretel was huddling herself in her jacket in a desperate attempt to keep warm, as she listened to Nifa and Emily halfheartedly arguing about which one of them was going to ascend the ranks quicker. Petra was tugging on Oluo’s ear, chastising him for putting on a show just to try to impress the captain, as Gunther laughed and told her to ease up. Mike was starting to pass around a jug of water for everyone to fill their cups, while also subtly nudging a bottle of wine into Moblit’s side.

“Not with the kids around,” I growled, and Erwin chuckled behind his cup. I’ll be damned if any of them try to drink when the kids are here. No one needs to see Mike or Moblit when they’re drunk.

“Ever the responsible one,” Hanji sighed, as she began spooning the stew into the little bowls at her side. “You’re no fun, you know! You’ve always been like that, ever since we were kids.”

“And I’ll continue to be like that until we’re both old women.”

It wasn’t until I started passing the bowls down the line that I saw Evan’s eyes on me, a frown etched on his face.

“If you don’t mind me asking, captain… What was growing up as kids like Section Commander Hanji like?”

My fingers quivered around the next bowl. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop myself from smiling, from smirking as Hanji’s jaw clenched ever so slightly. This is my chance—payback’s a bitch, Zoë!

“You think she’s hyper now? Well, she was much worse back when we were kids! Couldn’t sit still for five minutes, even for a lecture. Remember how Duvalier was always yelling at us because we kept talking during training?”

“So what if I do? You never stopped me, you know!”

“Because every time I tried you would always drag me back into your silly antics!” By now Nanaba was trying so hard (and failing) to hide her laugh behind her palm as she sat between the two of us. “Should I tell them about the time you got your hair twisted in the ODM gear on the second day of training?”

“Don’t you dare!”

“Wait—Section Commander, you had long hair at one point?”

I nearly laughed out loud at the baffled expressions of Eld and Reggie, as they stared at Hanji with their jaws to the ground. Hanji was pouting with her cheeks puffed out, angrily swirling the spoon in the pot of stew in front of her.

“Yeah, she did. Ended up falling flat on her face with her hair caught in the wires!”

“You keep talking about that, and this stew’s gonna end up on your head!” Hanji threatened, waving the spoon back and forth in her fist. “Fine, then. Kids, wanna hear what your captain used to do when she was younger?”

My fingers clenched around the little bowl Nanaba had handed me. Oh, I can only imagine what she’s going to bring up!

“She used to sneak outside to sit on the roof of the barracks, so much so that Duvalier had to wait outside for you with a lantern, just to make sure you wouldn’t leave! And you think I was the only one to act up once in a while.”

“Once in a while? Do you wanna be the one wearing this stew, Hanji?”

“Alright, alright, not in front of the kids, you two.”

Nanaba was quick to hold out her arm in between us, although everyone around the campfire knew neither one of us would ever raise a hand to each other in malice. I couldn’t imagine ever going after my best friend like that, even if she annoyed me to no end sometimes.

Soon enough, and with Hanji sticking her tongue out at me in a final gesture of defiance, everyone began to fall silent as we dug into our dinner. The stew was surprisingly tasty, made of potatoes with some extra seasoning sprinkled in. Hanji didn’t really cook all that often, but the few meals she knew how to cook were always satisfying to both the eye and the stomach. Before I knew it, I was already halfway done with my bowl, and I could see Murphy and Gunther eyeing the pot for possible seconds. Even Levi seemed to be enjoying it, his shoulders sagging just a bit as he paused for yet another sip of his tea.

“There’s plenty more to go around, so have as much as you want!” To Hanji’s delight, both Gunther and Murphy (as well as Petra and Nifa) held out their bowls to her. When they were finished, I held out my own bowl to her, and she refilled it with a little prideful smirk.

“Thanks for putting this together, Han.” And for making such delicious stew. “You guys really didn’t have to do this, but thank you.”

“Yeah, thank you!” Murphy added, and his face went scarlet as he wiped his mouth of any leftover stew with his sleeve.

“Ah, it’s no big deal!” Hanji waved us off with a smile and a twinkle in her eye. “You guys deserve to be spoiled a little bit. It’s not every day we get to celebrate two birthdays on the same day, you know! Besides, it’s not much out here, but at least it’s better than being inside a stuffy restaurant in Mitras, huh?”

She winced as soon as the words left her mouth. My spoon clanked against the side of the bowl, the only sound in the air besides the crackling fire. Someone cleared their throat softly; by the sound of it, it was either Oluo or Evan.

She didn’t mean it. No, of course she didn’t. She would never try to hurt me intentionally, that just wasn’t like her. It was an honest mistake, something that didn’t even have to be forgiven.

Still, no one had openly mentioned my current ban from the capital city in almost a year. And while I wasn’t angry at Hanji for accidentally bringing it up, I was angry at myself for even letting it happen—for letting it get that far in the first place.

“…Honestly, good riddance.” That was Reggie’s voice, as he leaned back in his seat with a sigh. “It’s not really that fun over there, anyway.”

“Yeah, it kinda sucks,” Gretel added with a shudder. “Bunch of old people with too much money on their hands. I’d be glad to be banned from that place—that means I wouldn’t have to go to those stupid meetings and gatherings every few months.”

Evan and Emily were nodding in agreement, with Murphy shrugging his shoulders in approval. And sure enough, the other kids were following their lead, looking much more relaxed than they had been before.

“Mitras is…a bit boring, I’ll admit,” Petra said with a laugh. “For something that’s so admired by everyone, I was expecting it to be at least a bit beautiful… Honestly it was far from beautiful when I went for the first time!”

“And it probably won’t change all that much in the next few years,” Eld replied, “so it’s not worth worrying over.”

“You’re right,” Nifa chimed in, taking another bite of her stew. “Why bother worrying about stuff we can’t change? We might as well make the best of it, right?”

My fingers trembled around the hilt of the spoon. I could feel my eyes growing warm, my vision suddenly getting blurry—but one quick swipe of my sleeve across my face, and I was smiling into my bowl of stew like an idiot.

Thank you, you guys.

Suddenly it was much easier to breathe, to look my fellow soldiers in the eye as they conversed all around me. As the hours crawled by, and the pot was licked clean of any stew left, we ended up laughing and talking just as always, with the crackling fire in between us.

And for a moment, I didn’t see them as my fellow soldiers. I didn’t see Reggie and Emily and the others as my kids. I didn’t see Hanji and Nanaba as my best friends, Mike as my fellow Squad Leader or Erwin as my Commander, or even Levi as my lover. Right now, under the moon’s glowing rays, and the summer air blowing through our hair…we were just people. Human beings with dreams, passions, goals, fears, and everything in between. We didn’t have titles or power over each other. We were simply seventeen people who were swept into the same lifestyle as our comrades, who were enjoying a well-earned night of peace after so many months of turmoil. And for the first time in months, maybe even years, I saw them all, both young and old, cadets and veterans, enjoying themselves with beautiful smiles on their faces.

Somehow we got on the topic of sharing childhood stories with each other, ranging from our lives back in our home districts to our first expeditions beyond the Walls. And before I knew it, most of us were doubled over laughing as Eld spilled the beans on his friends: that both Oluo and Petra had soiled themselves the first time they went beyond the Walls.

“You swore you’d never speak of it again!” It was hard to not laugh at the shrill tone of Petra’s voice, her amber eyes flaring with fury as her fingers twitched at her sides. If it weren’t for Oluo and Levi sitting between them, I would’ve put money down that she was going to strangle poor Eld.

“It’s alright, it happens to all of us at some point.” As always, Moblit was the supportive one, as he offered her a sweet smile from across the fire. “Nothing to be ashamed of, really!”

“You’re one to talk,” Mike chuckled, and immediately Moblit’s face began burning a bright red color. “Didn’t you have a similar accident when you were sixteen? I remember, you were in my squad when it happened!”

“Aw, cut it out, Mike!” Hanji was quick to defend her friend, despite her uncontrollable laughter. “Like you never had that happen to you…”

“As a matter of fact,” Erwin’s voice was cool and calm as he smirked at Mike, “I seem to recall you hurrying off to the barracks after our first expedition together. It really does happen to everyone, doesn’t it, Mike?”

The look on his face was absolutely priceless, the final nail in the coffin for everyone around the campfire. We were gasping for breath, some of us wiping tears from our eyes, clutching our sides as we struggled to breathe once more. In all the years I’d known them, I didn’t think I’d ever seen Murphy and Gunther, and even Nanaba and Hanji, laugh as hard as they did that night. And the rest were no exception—hell, even Levi of all people managed to crack a smile at that.

It was pure, unbridled bliss. Surely a night to remember.

But the moon was starting to wane, its rays growing weaker against the shadows of the trees. It was getting late, far too late for a handful of kids whom I knew had training the next day. But before I could even say anything on the matter, a firm but warm hand came to rest on the top of my head. I glanced up at Levi as he mussed up my hair, as well as Murphy’s from his place beside me.

“Might as well start heading back.” He was speaking more to mine and his squads, rather than our little group as a whole. “I don’t want any of you whining about not getting enough sleep tomorrow.”

Upon seeing the deflated faces of Evan, Emily, Eld, and the rest of the kids, I half-expected them to put up a fight, just as I would’ve done when I was their age. But none of them did. Instead, Reggie was the first to stand up, followed by Nifa and Emily, and then Gunther and Oluo.

“You’re right, captain. Do you want any help cleaning this up?” Reggie motioned to the pot in the center of the group, as well as the collection of dirty dishes stacked on top of it.

“We’ll take care of it. Just get yourselves to sleep, don’t wait up for us.”

One by one, the cadets began to disburse. Emily and Nifa were side by side, hands brushing one another’s as they trailed behind Eld and Gunther. Reggie took up the rear with Oluo and Petra, as Evan and Gretel went on ahead yawning loudly. Murphy was the last to leave, but before he turned away, he gave our group a thankful smile, his cheeks a beautiful rosy shade.

“Thank you for this. It was a lot of fun. …Oh, and Section Commander, you’re a really good cook!”

Hanji puffed out her chest and gave the kid a smirk. “Why, thank you! I’d be happy to make you some more home-cooked meals once in a while, if you’d like!”

Murphy nodded eagerly, his amber eyes shining beneath the moon’s rays—and then he was off, scurrying after his friends and squadmates.

A few moments of silence passed. Eventually their footsteps faded into the forest, leaving the rest of us completely alone. And wordlessly, the seven of us moved closer to the campfire, with Levi settling himself beside me in the grass.

“…Now can we start drinking?”

I rolled my eyes and held out my cup to Mike. “Fine, but pour me some while you’re at it!” No way am I letting you and Moblit keep it all to yourselves.

Mike slid the wine bottle from earlier out from under his jacket (he had made sure to keep it out of the kids’ line of sight after I’d scolded him for it) and began filling our cups one by one. I only wanted a little bit—alcohol still wasn’t my favorite, but this was a special occasion—and Levi refused it altogether, opting to stick with his tea instead.

“They’re good kids,” Mike suddenly said, catching me off guard. His face was unusually soft, his brown eyes warm behind his shaggy blond bangs. “You’re lucky to have ’em, you know.”

I thought of Emily’s calm and collected nature; of Reggie’s natural talent as a leader; of Evan’s incredible mind in the field; of Gretel’s snippy nature, as sharp as her blades; and finally of Murphy’s love for his comrades, and the beautiful glimmer of his eyes in the sunlight.

Would Rosalie and Emmett approve of them? No doubt about it, they would probably get along the moment they saw each other. Gretel would be too busy challenging Emmett to arm-wrestling matches and silly training games in the forest, just to see which one of them was stronger. Rosalie would be poring over books and battle strategies with Evan, but I could also see her training Emily with her horse, just as Murphy usually did. And Reggie would be the balance between them, keeping a watchful eye on all of them just to make sure there weren’t any accidents (or injuries), but being proud of his little family all the same.

No, our little family.

“…Thanks,” my voice was no more than a mumble as I sipped my drink, the taste of wine burning my throat. “I guess I am.”

The seven of us settled back in our seats, sipping our wine and gazing up at the moon between the clouds. Levi’s hand draped across my own on the grass, his warmth sending shivers down my spine. It was tempting to lean over and kiss him right on the mouth, or maybe even his cheek, but I was not going to deal with endless teasing from Hanji and Mike.

“So,” Moblit sighed and lowered his cup, “another year down. You feel any different?”

“Not yet. What am I, twenty-eight already? It’s kinda hard to keep track nowadays…”

Huh, twenty-eight years? Am I really that old right now?

It was nowhere near the age of some of the citizens within the Walls, especially those in the interior and Mitras. But it was an impressive feat for a member of the Survey Corps; most soldiers didn’t live to reach twenty-five. The numbers had been a little better in the last couple of years, but it was still a far cry from the rest of the population within the Walls.

That means Leyna’s twenty-eight, too. I wonder if she feels the same way? …Probably not. It’s so different over there in Wall Sina. She’s probably already planning the next ten years of her life over there.

“Ah, never mind all that stuff!” Hanji had that mischievous twinkle in her eye again, that smug smile that made my stomach flip over on itself. “Time for your presents!”

Wait, presents?! “Hanji, I don’t—”

“Hey, no arguing!” She was already rummaging around in the wagon with Moblit at her side, before giving the two horses nearby a quick pat on their necks. And I was horrified to see Mike and Nanaba, and even Erwin doing the same beside her. “It’s tradition, so you have to grin and bear it! So suck it up and deal with it, alright?”

I knew better than to argue with her on this. Hanji always came out on top in these spats, insisting on the importance of gift giving on one’s special day. I had no problem giving gifts to my fellow soldiers, but it was something entirely different when it came to myself. Especially when it happened to be my birthday.

At least Levi stayed nestled against my side, lacing his fingers through my own against the grass. At least he’s not working against me here. He merely shrugged his shoulders and took another sip of his tea, but not before clanking his cup against my own in a silent toast.

Nanaba was the first to hand me a gift, as she and Mike settled in the grass beside Levi. It was small enough, wrapped up in brown parchment and tied with a thin white string around the top. “From both of us,” she said with a smile, motioning to the smirking man at her side. “Hopefully you’ll be able to get some use out of it.”

I tore at the paper, eager to see what was inside. And when I finally did, I couldn’t help but smile at the two of them. Inside were a pair of gloves, made of rich leather that felt smooth to the touch. And when I slipped them on, I was surprised to see they were a perfect fit; most of the gloves they sold within the inner districts only came in sizes suitable for taller and bulkier soldiers like Mike and Erwin, not for petite ones like myself.

“You could wear them during training, so your hands don’t bleed from the blades.” I glanced up at Mike as he spoke, as he took another swig of his drink. “I have a pair myself and they seem to be working quite well so far.”

“Well, I’ll definitely try them out tomorrow during training. Thank you!”

It was sweet of them to not only get me a gift, but get me something I was sure to use in my everyday routine. Besides, after the lengthy breaks from training I’d taken, what with my injury and the whole mess at Mitras, my hands were no longer used to rigorous training with the ODM gear and the blades. I could use all the help I could get in order to get myself back to where I had been.

Moblit was the next to give me a gift, the tips of his ears burning a bit in the light of the fire. The paper crumpled at my feet as I ripped it apart, and I could feel my chest tighten as I held up the gift. It was a box set of three books from an author I knew all too well. A trilogy that I often caught my mother reading at the kitchen table, back in our little home in Shiganshina; she always told me I would be able to read them when she passed the books down to me and Leyna, and I was convinced they were lost back in the rubble of Wall Maria until we could find a way to reclaim it. But now I was holding it in my hands, all three books (in perfect condition), tracing my fingers across the title: Where Mom Lives.

“Thanks, Moblit. I’ll have to make time to read these later this week; they were some of my mother’s favorite books!” I hugged them to my chest, smiling as I watched his cheeks flush a dark pink color.

“No problem, Mia.”

I didn’t have much time before Erwin passed me his own gift: a brand new leather bridle with silver stitching embroidered in the reins, proudly spelling Edelweiss. My mouth fell open at the gentle leather, the gorgeous stitching, the sight of my horse’s name printed into the surface…

“And there’s a matching saddle in the barn, as well. I hope it’s the right size for him—not too tight or anything.”

“It’s perfect, Commander. Thank you so much!”

Erwin and I were always giving each other little horse-related gifts, for both our birthdays and Christmastime. While his own white horse was the largest one within the Survey Corps, Edel was a close second, which led to us both passing tack and equipment back and forth with each other. From curry brushes to blankets to even special shampoo to wash their manes and tails with—if it had to do with our horses, Erwin and I would be the first in line to know about it.

And I know Edel will absolutely love it. The bridle he’s wearing is already so worn out. Besides, he likes looking handsome whenever he goes out for a run!

Hanji was nearly bursting at the seams as she shoved her own gift into my arms, her eyes glimmering in the firelight. “Come on, open it already! Don’t keep me waiting!”

So I did. And just like with her gift for Levi’s birthday a couple years ago, she managed to catch me off guard, but in the best possible way.

She had gotten me a dress—not a heavy one, like the women in Mitras and Wall Sina wore on a daily basis, but not quite as long as the ones the girls in Trost and Shiganshina used to wear, either. It was small and light, reaching down to my knees with little ruffles around the edges. The collar crossed at a V-shape, with one flab of fabric folded over the other, and the sleeves cut off just above the elbow. And to top it off, the dress was a gorgeous light green color, with little bits of lace sewn into the sleeves.

I didn’t make a habit of wearing dresses all that often, especially as of late with all the training I had to make up, but looking at this little outfit made me want to save it for one of my rare days off, to let my hair down and feel the summer breeze blowing through the little ruffled skirt.

“It’s so pretty, Hanji! How did you know green was my favorite color?” I added with a little smirk.

She reached over to flick the collar of my shirt, just above the straps of my ODM gear. “Just a lucky guess. I’m glad you like it! Now you’re gonna have to wear it one of these days, I’m sure you’d look so cute in it!”

I hope so. And by the looks of it, Levi was thinking the same thing, as he unhooked the chest strap of his ODM gear.

Speaking of Levi…

“Alright Shorty, it’s your turn! Where’s your gift to your girlfriend, huh? What’re you planning on giving her?”

He scoffed and sipped his tea once more. “None of your business. That’s between me and her.”

Wait, don’t tell me he got something for me too!

“Aw, come on! Not even a little kiss? For the birthday girl?”

“Hanji, I swear to—”

Something light and warm twisted into my hair, bringing my head to the side. Before I knew it Levi’s lips were pressed against mine, his fingers keeping my head in place, the unbuckled ends of his chest strap brushing against my shoulder.

My cheeks were flushed, the light of the flames bouncing off my eyelids. I could feel everyone’s eyes on me, on Levi, watching us kiss, oh my God Hanji will never let me live this down—

Levi’s fingers were firm against my hair. A silent message: Don’t worry about them. It’s just you and me right now.

I raised my hand, fingers trembling against his cheek, as I eased myself against his body, savoring every bit of his sweet kiss.

He pulled away far too soon, his cheeks glowing in the firelight, his fingers still swirling in my hair. While he looked a bit bashful under the watchful eyes of our friends, he didn’t seem ashamed of what he’d done. Instead he inched closer to me in the grass, draping his arm across my shoulders as I snuggled into his side.

“Fuck off,” he snapped, before Hanji could even open her mouth. But she only leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest, a shit-eating grin plastered on her face.

Great, she’s going to hold this over my head forever…

The rest of the night carried on, with the seven of us making small talk and sipping our drinks. The air was getting cooler as the moon rose to its peak in the sky. I curled my cloak around myself, mindful of Levi’s arm stretched along my shoulders. With the others too busy talking amongst themselves, the two of us snuggled closer to each other and clanked our cups together, before Levi’s lips came to rest on the top of my head.

But the alcohol was starting to wear off, and we were starting to get a little sleepy. Nanaba barely managed to cover her yawn with her palm before she leaned into Mike’s side with a smile. Moblit’s eyelids were beginning to droop as he took another swig, and even Erwin was looking a little tired around the eyes. And before I could even say anything, I was yawning into the crook of Levi’s neck.

Time to go to bed.

Despite our offer to help, Hanji waved us off and assured us that she and the others could take care of the dirty dishes back at the base, as well as the horses that Moblit was starting to hitch up to the wagon.

“We’ll be fine, you guys go get some rest.” But one quick wink from my friend told me that she suspected the two of us were going to do anything but resting once we got back to our room.

But we weren’t about to argue with her. So I tucked the three books Moblit had given me under my arm and slung Edel’s new bridle across my shoulder, and began the short trek back to the castle. Levi followed close behind as he carried the summer dress and leather gloves as well, holding them at bay as I snuck into the barn to hang the bridle on the edge of Edel’s stall. I’ll have to have him try it out tomorrow.

A soft light from the window of the mess hall caught my eye; when I peeked inside, I couldn’t help the warm glow that pooled in the pit of my chest. The kids hadn’t gone to bed at all—instead they were sprawled out across the floor and benches of the mess hall, fast asleep, still in their training uniforms. Reggie and Petra were the only ones sleeping semi-normally, with their heads in their arms as they sat at one of the tables. Eld was leaning against one of the benches with his head slung back, with Evan’s head resting in his lap, and Gretel’s arm stretched across his chest. Murphy was curled up in the center of the floor, his leg sprawled out across Emily’s waist, as she slept peacefully with her arm brushing against Nifa’s. And Gunther and Oluo were lying flat against the floor, with a thin line of drool slipping from Oluo’s open mouth.

I pointed to them, and Levi scoffed. “Dumb brats.”

Silly kids.

On the way to Levi’s room, I made a quick detour into my office, to drop off the gifts in my arms. I placed the trilogy of books from Moblit in the empty space on the top row of the bookshelf, and the leather gloves from Mike and Nanaba next to my father’s journal on the desk. I took one more longing look at the dress Hanji had given me, at the gorgeous floral pattern and soft colors, before dipping it into the laundry basket in the corner of the room. I’d have to wash it later, before I wore it—

Wait, what’s that?

There was another small box resting on the chair of my desk, wrapped up in brown parchment with a note stuck to the top. Two names were written below, and I grimaced as I took off the top to peek inside.

Just a little something for your special night. Hope you like it!

Love, Hanji and Nanaba

I made sure to hide it from Levi’s sight, keeping the box close to my chest. Inside was a lacy set of lingerie—of fucking course Hanji and Nanaba would get me something like that. A pair of panties and a matching bra, both a beautiful shade of light red with bits of lace sewn into the sides. I shivered at the thought of wearing them—it must be so fucking cold…

Oh well, might as well get some use out of it, right?

Levi was already at the door, his hand twisted around the knob. “Ready?”

With a smile, I hid the red set into my cloak and pulled it against my chest. “Whenever you are, captain.”

His fingers were warm against my own, as he led me down the shadowy hall towards his office. The moonlight was soft in the windows, spilling against the floor and bouncing off his midnight hair. The urge to kiss him was bubbling in my throat, flooding from the top of my head all the way down to the tips of my toes. My stomach flipped, my hand squeezed around his own.

Fuck, why does he always have to look so handsome?!

The two of us stepped inside, with Levi locking the door shut behind us. As I slid my cloak off my shoulders (with the red lingerie set wrapped up inside), I began to head for his bedroom—but he was standing there in front of me, his arms outstretched, a leather folder placed delicately in his hands.

“For you,” his voice was no more than a mumble, and I could already see the flush of pink across his cheeks. “For your special day, birthday girl.”

I snickered and took the folder from him, but not before pressing a kiss to his heated cheek. “Thank you, Levi. You didn’t have to do this…but I’m glad you did.” He only shrugged, hands clenching together at his sides, his eyes dropping to the floor below.

I thought back to the last present he’d given me for a special date like this: the sketch of myself and Edel in the snowy lands beyond Utopia District. He’d given it to me as a Christmas present, and from the looks of the folder, I could only assume this was a similar drawing. Maybe that’s why he looks so nervous.

I opened the folder—and all of a sudden, the world froze around me.

Instead of looking at a sketch of myself and my horse, or even myself and Levi…I was looking at my family. All five of them (including myself): my father, my mother, my sister, and my brother.

Dad was sitting in his special chair, the one with the wheels on the bottom, with a brown blanket thrown over his lap. He was looking up with a smile, his hands resting across my mother’s hands over his shoulders. Ma was standing behind him, a sweet smile on her face, with her hair pulled up in her usual messy ponytail. Both of them looked just as how I remembered them: Dad’s little freckles across his face, the little scrunch in Ma’s nose, the wear of my father’s hands, and the softness in my mother’s eyes. For a moment, I thought I was actually looking at them in real life, as though Levi had somehow taken a memory of mine and plastered it on paper.

And my siblings were no different. Leyna was standing beside my parents, her arms crossed over her chest, her long blond braid falling over her left shoulder. She was glancing off to the side, smirking at me and my brother, who was mussing up my hair with a smile. I was startled at how much the drawing looked like Ben; everything about him was on point, from his reddish-brown hair, the quirk of his lips, to the stray piece of hair that always stuck up on the left side of his head. For someone who always liked to tease me about my messy hair, he sure wasn’t that big on keeping up on his own.

But the thing that struck me, besides the beautiful illustrations and vibrant colors, was the fact that Leyna, Ben and I were all the same age. We weren’t kids, we weren’t teenagers. We were adults, happy and smiling with our parents. Our parents, our father, who had never seen us fully grown up like this. Our mother, who had probably never smiled like that since Dad passed away in our little home in Shiganshina. And our brother, my Ben, who had barely scraped twenty-four years of age when he died. Here we were, all happy and content with our lives, and finally together again.

Something small and warm splashed onto the corner of the page. I shrieked and held it away from me, just in time to avoid more droplets from getting onto the parchment.

“Levi,” I was sobbing right now, struggling to smile through the veil of tears in my eyes, “Levi—fuck, how in the… I mean, how did you…?”

I could feel him slip the parchment through my fingers, placing it gently on the desk before taking me into his arms. His lips were gentle against my forehead; even through the sobs, I could feel him smirking against my skin.

“Why do you always burst into tears whenever I give you a drawing?” But there was no malice in his voice, only softness. “It’s starting to mess with my confidence, brat.”

“B-but—” I was blubbering like a child, staining the collar of his shirt with my tears. “…How? I mean—it’s gorgeous!”

How could he create something so beautiful? I knew of his talents as an artist, of the beautiful things he could bring to life with a stroke of his pen. He proved it time and time again with his drawings of myself and Hanji, and even Furlan and Isabel, if he was in the right mindset to draw them. But how could he draw my family so accurately—when he had never met any of them other than my sister?

I peeked over his shoulder at the drawing on the desk. His fingers were tangled in my hair, his lips still lingering on my forehead.

“Your sister helped me out. Told me what they looked like, and all that shit. Kept sending sketches back and forth to make sure they looked how she remembered them. So did Hanji and Erwin; Moblit helped me out with it, too.”

Oh, of course.

Erwin had been a cadet when my father was still active in the Survey Corps, so he knew what his face looked like. Hanji had visited my parents countless times over the years, snickering behind Leyna’s back when she scrutinized us for being a little strange during our time together, and laughing along with Ben as they both teased me about my height and messy hair. And of course Moblit, being the best artist within the Survey Corps, would chip in to help Levi. No doubt he wanted this gift to be absolutely perfect, so he probably wanted all the help he could get.

And to think, he did it all for you, Wolf.

Another tear slid down my cheek. “Did Leyna get to see…did she get to see that before you gave it to me?”

“Not this one—I sent her another one a couple weeks ago, when I finally finished it.”

Knowing my sister, she would be absolutely enamored by the drawing, even if it did come from Levi. While she wasn’t as vocal about it, it was clear she had a deep love for me and the rest of our family. At least she had a similar drawing back in Mitras to look back on whenever she wanted. And Levi was sweet enough to make one for her… Just thinking about it made me want to cry again.

“So,” he cleared his throat, pulling away and tilting my chin up with his fingers, “you like it?”

“I… I absolutely love it.” I leaned up to kiss him, smiling through the salt of my tears on his lips. “Thank you so much, Levi. I’m going to keep it right here—right in that drawer, with Dad’s journal. I just…I can’t thank you enough for making it—”

“Don’t worry about it,” he mumbled against my mouth. “I can spoil you a bit for your special day, sweetheart. I’m just glad you like it.”

The way he said it, with a slight sigh and tired smile, had me wondering if he had been truly scared I wouldn’t love whatever he’d drawn me. As though I would have a problem with him and his artwork, or any of the beautiful sketches he’d created just for me.

“Of course I do. And I’ll always love whatever you draw, no matter what.”

I kissed him again, pressing my palms to his flushed cheeks, sighing as he wrapped his arms around me. His body was warm and firm, so familiar and comforting and suddenly I knew—I knew I was completely safe. I always would be, as long as I had him at my side.

I wiped my sleeves across my face, catching the tears that fell before leaning in for another kiss. This time his hands lingered at my forehead, brushing stray pieces of hair from my face, curling them together at the nape of my neck. A burst of heat exploded in my chest; suddenly I could feel my stomach churning, the tips of my fingers flooding with energy, the rush of adrenaline in my veins.

I wanted him. And I wanted him now.

So I shoved myself into his chest, nearly knocking him into the door of his bedroom. But he caught himself quickly and opened the door, before slamming it behind him with his foot.

There was nothing outside these four walls. No Titans, no humans, not even a world beyond the Walls. It was just me and Levi, lost in our own little world. Our home, the one we had made together, safe and sound from everybody else. Nothing could ever hurt us again, as long as we were in each other’s arms.

“Mia,” my name was a lullaby on his tongue, as he took a seat on the edge of the bed, still pawing at my hips as I propped a knee on the mattress beside him, “are you sure you want this?”

“Of course I do.” I leaned up to kiss his cheek, before pressing my mouth to his ear. “Do you want this?”

He groaned, tugging me into his lap—and already I could feel the outline of his cock pressing against my thigh.

“Shit, sweetheart—fuck, you know I want this.” Another kiss to my lips, his fingers carding through my hair. “Wanna take the lead tonight?”

“For a little bit. Let’s see how it goes first, okay?”

“Fine by me.”

The two of us were relentless, moaning and kissing and ripping at each other’s clothes. I thought back to the lacy red lingerie waiting for me on the chair back in his office, and how much better I would look with it instead of my plain white bra and panties. But I was too desperate to stop and go change. I finally had him in the palm of my hand, a surge of confidence flooding my body, and I wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip through my fingers.

The straps of the harness were always the toughest to get off; my fingers trembled around the buckles, leather slipping through metal with a groan, before the heavy backplate finally clattered against the floor. As Levi kicked off his boots and shoved his harness to the floor, I slid my hand around the back of his head and pulled him in for one more kiss. My face was burning, my thighs quivering as I took a seat on his lap, slowly moving my hips back and forth. He cursed under his breath, panting against my mouth as I felt his cock harden against my thigh.

“Fuck, sweetheart, come here—” Suddenly I was on top of him, cradling his head in my arms as he flopped against the mattress. “I want you to sit on my face. Let me taste that pretty pussy. Think you can do that for me?”

The two of us moaned as I brought my hips down on his again; already I could feel my panties starting to stick to my skin. With one hand propped on the mattress to hold myself up, I slid my other down my pants and into my panties—and I gasped when I felt the slick dribbling from my folds, my clit burning with need.

Fuck, I haven’t been this wet in months.

It was a good sign, at least. I wasn’t shying away from him or inching away from every touch. Instead I relished in the warmth of his body, his skin and sweat and beautiful burning eyes. That had to count for something, right?

“I want you to.” I was panting hard as I slid my hand from my panties, my fingertips coated with slick. And when Levi opened his mouth to taste them, I could feel my head start to spin. “I want to ride your face, captain. I want to cum on your tongue—please, make me cum on your tongue…”

He palmed at my ass through my pants, dragging my hips against his, sweat dotting along his brow. Fingertips ghosted over the hem of my shirt, and without missing a beat I straightened myself up and pulled my shirt up and over my head. His hands were everywhere at once—my stomach, my breasts, and finally the back of my neck, as he pulled me down to nibble on the shell of my ear. I whimpered against the crook of his neck, head spinning and face burning and chest heaving and—fuck, I was loving this.

“Get rid of these pants, sweetheart,” he murmured, tugging the waistband of my pants down ever so slightly, “and you can ride my face as long as you want. As hard as you want.”

So I did. Within moments my pants and panties were strewn across the floor, and Levi was bringing me down to sit on his face. My fingers quivered against the wooden bars of the headboard; my clit was practically throbbing, begging to be touched and toyed with. But Levi was a tease—he only brushed his nose over it, before sliding his tongue through my soaked folds.

A mewl danced off my tongue at the first lick. Soft and light, I thought I’d imagined it at first. I rocked my hips back and forth on his face, searching for any bit of friction I could find, just to ease the burning ache in my clit.

But then he was pushing me back down, keeping my thighs locked around his head, lapping at my sex like a starved man.

I was gasping for breath, leaning over the headboard, clawing at the wood with all my might. Eyes squeezed shut, heart pounding hard, I moaned out his name into the darkness, completely helpless to the way he was rocking me on his face.

“Levi!” My fingers fisted into his hair, and he groaned against my clit. When he wrapped his lips around it I could’ve sworn I saw stars. “Levi! Please, I can’t—ah!”

That familiar coil I knew all too well was starting to spiral in my stomach. With every lick, every suck, every light nibble on my clit, he was driving me closer and closer to my peak. And all I could do was sit there and take it.

Suddenly he was lifting me off his face, his lips stained with my juices, his eyes as dark as the night sky above. I fought to catch my breath as I smoothed out his hair on the pillow below.

“Tastes so good, sweetheart.” He pressed a kiss to my clit and smirked when I let out a whine. “Fucking beautiful. You like that, huh? You like when I play with your pussy?”

He reached up, dipping the pads of his fingers into the slick, moaning at the way I clenched above his face.

“What would you say if I did this?”

Suddenly his middle finger was inside of me—I could feel myself clenching around it, throbbing lightly at the stretch. At first I winced—I forgot how long and thick his fingers actually are—but it only took me a few seconds to ease up. And once I did, I was rocking myself back and forth on his finger, whimpering and whining and begging for more.

“Again,” my voice was borderline raspy as I clutched at his hair, “again. Another one, please—”

“Tch, so fucking greedy, aren’t you?”

But he obliged, sliding a second finger inside me, followed closely by a third. My hips were frantic at this point, nails digging into his scalp as he sucked at my clit, letting me ride his fingers and face until I was screaming his name so loud I was sure everyone in the Walls could hear me.

“Fuck! Captain, I wanna—please, I wanna cum! Make me cum!” Tears were leaking out of my eyes as the coil wound itself tighter and tighter. “Levi! I want you to make me cum!”

He flicked his wrist hard and fast, curling his fingers into me as he kept his lips around my clit. Once or twice he would pull away, tongue darting out to lick at my clit.

“Good girl, cum for me.” His other hand grasped my ass, keeping me balanced while also bringing me down hard on his fingers and face. “Such a good girl. Ride me all you want, sweetheart—I’m all yours.”

I tore at his hair, clenched my eyes shut, and suddenly I was screaming his name into the darkness, gushing all around his fingers and down his face. He was quick to lap up the remains, his tongue catching every last drop I could offer. It was only when I whimpered from his nose against my oversensitive clit that he began to lift me off his face, settling me down against the mattress below.

I’m all yours. All yours.

The words kept spiraling around in my head as I laid there on the bed, with Levi panting beside me. It was a simple phrase, commonly uttered in the heat of the moment. Plenty of women had heard it from men in their lives, especially those they had dedicated their hearts and souls to.

But this was Levi, who wouldn’t say anything unless he was absolutely sure he meant it, even during sex.

He’s mine. And I’m his, forever and ever.

“Until the day we die.”

“What?” He cocked his head in my direction, the back of his hand splayed out along his forehead. “What’re you talking about, kid?”

I glanced up at him—and suddenly, I knew. Even with the scent of sex in the air between us, the messy bedsheets beneath us and the crumpled clothes strewn along the floor, it all became so clear to me.

He was the one I wanted to die with. He was the one I wanted to grow old with, to settle down with and have children with. He was the one I wanted to slide a pretty ring on my finger when this war was over. He was the one I pledged my heart to, my body and soul, my entire life to. And in return, I knew he would do the same to me.

Not anyone else. Not Mike or Moblit, or Erwin or Blaise, or any of the other men I knew in my life. The only one I wanted was him, and for better or worse, the two of us were stuck together for the rest of our lives.

His eyes went wide as I climbed back over him, straddling his lap and fiddling with the buckle of his belt. My thighs were already aching, but I didn’t care. My attention was focused on Levi, who was still fully dressed, save for the cravat that was currently resting on the nightstand beside the bed. I can fix that in no time.

“Mia.”

His voice held a warning in it, although he didn’t stop me as I dragged his pants and boxers down to his ankles. Not even when I wrapped my fingers around his aching cock, thumbing over the flushed tip.

“Are you sure you want this?”

It was like I was a virgin all over again.

I smiled and gave him a kiss on his forehead. “Absolutely. What about you?”

His hands came to rest on either side of my face, nose brushing against mine, lips dancing over my own.

“Absolutely.”

He made quick work of his shirt, practically tearing the buttons apart before throwing it off to the side of the room. Now the two of us were completely bare, holding each other in our arms. I dragged my fingers along the planes of his chest, just as he began to massage the skin of my hips.

His hands were there, ready to catch me if I fell too far, to keep me safe and bring me back to him. I reached over to kiss his lips again, taking his cock in my hand. Little droplets of precum were already sliding down the tip; he groaned when I smeared it along the head and gave it a few slow strokes.

Fuck, I’ve missed his cock. I’ve missed holding it in my hands like this.

Another kiss, a silent nod, and his fingers were laced through mine, as I sank myself down on his cock.

I shuddered at the stretch, at the burn between my thighs as I clenched around his cock, struggling to adjust to his size. But before I could reach down to play with my clit, Levi was already reaching for it, stroking his thumb across the little bundle of nerves. I gave him a lazy smile, already too far gone for words.

He didn’t make a sound as I stayed there, his cock buried to the hilt inside of me, as I tried to ease up around him. No teasing, no begs to go faster—he was just staring up at me, his silver eyes tinted with lust. Lust and love.

I love you. Fuck, I love you so much, captain… You’re mine, as much as I’m yours. And I’ll love you until I take my last breath in this hellish world.

I took his hands in mine, pressing them to the mattress beside his head, as I lifted myself off his cock. As steadily as I could, I began to ride him, savoring every inch he had to offer—every bit of warmth his body gave me. My mouth fell open, my fingers tightened around his, and suddenly that coil returned to the pit of my stomach, begging me to go faster, to ride him and make him feel good, to make up for lost time.

“I missed having you inside of me.” My voice was no more than a whine, strained and desperate in my throat. I could see his jaw clenching, his chest heaving as I began to pick up the pace. “Levi—captain, oh fuck… I missed this so fucking much…”

How many nights had I gone to bed unsatisfied, too afraid to take that next step with him? How many nights had I belittled myself for acting like such a whiny little virgin, even though I told myself to just get over it already? How many nights had I laid beside Levi as he slept, fisting my shirt into my mouth, driving my fingers into myself, hoping that the scent of his clothes and shampoo would somehow be enough to get me off? How many nights had he offered to guide me through a round of sex, only for me to brush him off with a nervous laugh?

The last few months had been torturous, for both myself and for Levi. Too many tears, too many nights screaming ourselves awake at memories that grew foggier with every passing day. Too many scars that held terrifying stories, both on our bodies and in our minds.

But we’d picked up the pieces and carried on. We took care of each other, just as we always had. We held each other and kissed each other, let one another cry on our shoulders or into our chests, nestled into each other’s sides as we tried to sleep the nights away. We were slowly getting better. Slowly, but surely.

And now I could hold myself over him like this, fully aware that I was with someone I loved with all my heart. I could trust him with my body and my heart and never regret giving them to him in the first place. I could trust him to keep me safe, even in the darkest of times—and in return, he could trust me to keep him safe, as well.

I gasped when his cock brushed against that special spot deep inside of me—the one that made my vision blacken with stars and my fingertips tingle with pleasure. My jaw dropped, my head fell back as I scooped my hips into his again, and I moaned a little louder when I felt him hit that spot again.

“Mia,” Levi’s voice was husky, his fingers dancing along the underside of my breast, “I want you to ride me. Give me everything you’ve got.”

My eyes shot open. “E-everything?”

“Yes. Now ride me.”

I didn’t waste a single moment. My captain had given me an order, and I did my damned hardest to follow it.

I was gasping for breath, moaning his name over and over as I slid myself up and down on his cock. Every thrust of my hips sent another bolt of bliss coursing through my veins. Every moan from his lips, every hiss between his teeth gave me another reason to pick up the pace. And suddenly I was bouncing myself on his cock as hard as I could, moaning and whining and drunk on him—his scent, his touch, his kiss, and everything in between.

Levi, my precious captain, the one who holds my heart—

“C-captain!” My nails sank into the planes of his chest, keeping me grounded as I rocked myself back and forth on his cock as hard as I could. “Levi! Levi, Levi—”

You are my one and only, the one I want to live with. The one I want to marry. The one I want to have kids with. The one I want to die with.

“Mine!” The word was out of my mouth before I could stop it—but I was too lightheaded and drunk on pleasure to correct myself. “You’re mine! My Levi, mine…”

My hips stuttered against his; I was getting tired, still worn out from coming on his face earlier, from riding his tongue and fingers as though my life depended on it. But just as I started to slow down, Levi’s hands were grasping at my hips, lifting me up and down on his cock at his own pace, and suddenly I was screaming out his name again.

“Yours, huh? Fucking right,” he growled deep in his throat, and a shiver trickled down my spine. “I’m yours—and you’re mine. My Mia. You’re my good girl, aren’t you?”

I called out his name as he punctuated each of his words with a thrust, hard and deep inside of me.

“Yeah, you are. My good—fucking—girl.”

I couldn’t get enough air, my chest felt as though it were about to burst. I leaned down to Levi, brushing his sweaty bangs out of his eyes, smiling lazily at him as he pounded into me with everything he had.

“Tired…take over, please?”

He flipped us over on the mattress in the blink of an eye, sliding his hand against my thigh, wrapping my leg around his waist. I could only lean back and watch as he began to thrust into me, and the coil in my stomach only wound tighter and tighter.

I arched my back off the mattress, fists curling into the sheets below, as Levi peppered my breasts with sloppy kisses. He was relentless with his thrusts, set on making me scream his name over and over until everyone in the castle knew that Captain Levi was the one fucking me, the only one who could ever hope to make me feel this fucking good.

His name danced along my tongue, between moans and breathless whines, against the salt of his skin and the warmth of his tongue. He moaned into my mouth, whispering the word “Mia” over and over again, his cock brushing against that special spot deep inside of me.

My hands curled around his shoulders, nails digging into the muscles of his back. At the same time he stretched his arms toward the headboard, nipping at my bottom lip as he gave a particularly harsh thrust.

I gasped his name—“Levi!”—and suddenly my whole body was on fire.

Snap!

My nails dug into Levi’s shoulders, raking down the soft planes of skin below, just as the headboard fell apart in his hands. Some of the wood fell onto the pillow beside me, but Levi was quick to sweep it off with a wave of his hand. A part of me wanted to stop and check his palms for any splinters, but his weight kept me pinned to the mattress, his hips slamming into mine at a ruthless pace.

I was babbling at this point, kissing every inch of his face I could reach, pulling him closer as he drove me to my peak. And from the looks of his face—his sweaty brow, slack jaw and glazed eyes—his own release was close behind.

“Levi—oh fuck, Levi! Levi!”

I screamed his name into his mouth as I tumbled over the edge, clenching my thighs around his hips, locking my ankles around his lower back. Fuck finishing on my stomach—I want him inside of me.

Levi groaned, gritting his teeth, throwing his head back as he continued to thrust into me. Soft moans were slipping through his lips; he was breathing hard through his nose, cursing under his breath with every thrust. He was getting sloppy with his pace, desperate and needy as he leaned over me and cradled my head in his arms.

“Mia—I want you—fuck, so bad—” Another moan, and I could feel his cock twitching inside of me. My nails scraped against his shoulders once more, and suddenly his hips still against my own. “S-shit, oh fuck—Mia!”

He growled into the crook of my neck as he spilled himself inside of me. I held his trembling body against mine, carding my fingers through his sweaty hair, tasting every bit of salt on his skin. I winced as he started thrusting into me again, at a much slower pace this time, and he was quick to give me a soft kiss on my mouth.

“Mia,” he moaned against my lips, as his cum trickled out of me, “I fucking missed this.”

I smiled at him, wrapping my hands around the back of his neck. “I missed this, too.”

The two of us held each other, skin slick with sweat and grime, as he lazily thrusted into me. I kept my ankles around his lower back, keeping him in place as he moved against my body. And although I knew I was up to date with all my pills—Lina had made sure I had been kept on my regular schedule over the past year or so—a part of me wished I wasn’t.

A part of me wished for a different life, where the two of us could be safe and happy and blissfully in love, as my stomach grew swollen with our child.

“Levi, I want—” The words were already pouring out of my mouth. “I want a baby…”

I winced as soon as I realized what I’d said. What a way to ruin the mood. And while he’s still fucking you, no less. Nice going, Wolf—you fucking idiot.

But he only smirked at me, chest rumbling with a soft chuckle, as he brushed my hair away from my face. Perhaps it was the post-sex hormones, or the lingering bliss of being together, but he didn’t seem worried about what I’d said in the slightest.

“Not now, but someday.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead just as he scooped his hips, and suddenly I was clawing at his back again. “Fuck—I’ll get you pregnant someday, I promise. Would you like that, sweetheart?”

The thought of carrying his child within me, our child, and feeling his arms around my swollen stomach as he leaned down to kiss it and whisper sweet nothings to our unborn baby—it was enough to drive me wild. I was nodding frantically, panting his name over and over again as he brought me to the edge one more time.

“Yes! I want your baby, Levi—I want our baby—”

And suddenly I was whining again, throwing my head against the pillow as I reached my peak once more. My clit was throbbing at this point, painful but oh so pleasurable all the same.

Levi kissed me again, and one, two, three more thrusts and he was filling me up again. His hands were warm beneath my thighs, his cum hot and sticky as it dribbled onto the sheets below.

The heavy weight of exhaustion was starting to settle in my bones; even as Levi began to untangle us from each other, I found myself fighting to keep my eyes open. Something warm and pleasant pressed against my forehead, and the soft scent of mint brushed along my nose.

“Shower first,” he reminded me in a raspy voice. “Then sleep.”

So I forced my eyes open and sat up on the bed. I glanced over my shoulder at the ruined headboard and—holy fucking shit. He had fucking obliterated that poor headboard, tearing a chunk of wood right from the bars. A few splinters were gathered at the top of the pillow, and even more were starting to spill onto the floorboards.

“W-what did you do?” I glanced at his palms, searching for any open wounds in the skin. Luckily I found none—just a few bruises from the wood.

“You should talk, brat. My back hurts like a fucking bitch.”

He turned his body halfway, and my mouth fell open at the sight of bright red marks embedded in his skin. Thin trails of blood were starting to well, stretching from his shoulders all the way down to his back. Immediately I grabbed a corner of the sheets and began dabbing at the scratches as gently as I could.

“I’ll wash them off when we get in the shower. Fuck, Levi, I’m so sorry—I didn’t realize—”

“It’s fine,” he mumbled, a smug smile on his face. “It’s just that strange power you told me about back then, right?”

Suddenly I remembered: the warm spring night before the first expedition I’d ever attended with my brand new squad. Levi and I had spent the night training with our ODM gear, as he instructed me on how to effectively use my speed and newfound strength to my advantage to bring down a slew of wooden Titans in the forest.

I’d mentioned my weird adrenaline rush to him after some prompting, when he pointed out the similarities between our fighting styles in the fields. The raw and choppy movements, the wild look in our eyes, the sudden understanding of everything around us, and knowing exactly what had to be done and how to do it. The two of us had experienced similar rushes, despite coming from completely different parts of the Walls.

That had been the last time we’d mentioned it out loud. I can’t believe he still remembers that…

“Then that means yours must’ve kicked in, too.” I nodded over to the ruined headboard with a laugh. “So I guess I’m not the only one with a strange power, huh?”

“…No, I guess not.”

Whatever it was, it was beyond our comprehension. At least, for now. But we could worry about that all in the morning; right now, the two of us were in dire need of a shower, a fresh set of sheets, and some well-earned sleep.

With shaky legs, I followed Levi to the bathroom and settled into the tub with him. I slid myself behind him and began to wash out the cuts on his back. I couldn’t help but wince at the angry red marks on his skin, a clear sign of the rough, almost primal sex the two of us had just experienced.

“Quit staring at them, sweetheart.” He gave me a tiny smile from over his shoulder as I rinsed them out with water. “If I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t have let you do it in the first place.”

Yeah, maybe you’re right…

Once the wounds had been cleaned out, the two of us began to wash each other. His fingers were light and soft against my hair, down my breasts and finally between my thighs. In return I smoothed some soap over the marks on his neck, against the planes of his chest, before leaning in to kiss him on the lips.

It wasn’t until we were out of the tub, all rinsed off and drying ourselves with a pair of towels, that I finally found the courage to speak again:

“…Did you mean it, out there? About…having a baby with me?”

Perhaps it was just something spewed out in the moment. Perhaps it was what men promised their lovers in the spur of sex, hot and blissful and almost mind-numbing. Perhaps Levi was regretting it now, as he glanced down at the floor rather than my eyes.

The two of us had never discussed the subject of children with each other, especially concerning this little relationship of ours. The topic had always been forbidden, what with our lives as soldiers and the promise of death lingering over our heads. This was no place to raise a child, not with the Titans currently scratching at the stone of Wall Rose. Not with the weight of our soldiers’ lives on our shoulders, both past and present.

For the last few years, I’d told myself that bearing children of my own wasn’t an option. At least, not until the Titans could be eradicated from this world altogether. But they were always hiding in the deepest, darkest corners of my mind, waiting for me to think about them once again. My own children, a son or a daughter, looking like myself or maybe Ben and Leyna, or even my future husband.

I still wanted them so fucking badly—and I wanted them to look like myself and Levi.

He cleared his throat, swiping the towel through his messy wet hair. Finally his eyes were on my own, as he wrapped the towel around his shoulders and began to make his way towards me.

“Someday. If you want a baby, we’ll have a baby. But…not right now.”

His hands came to rest against my cheeks, his lips ghosting over my forehead as he spoke. I quivered beneath his touch, swallowing hard before wrapping my arms around his waist in a tight hug.

“Someday,” I agreed, burying my face in his chest. “It doesn’t have to be now. But someday.”

“Right, brat. Someday.”

That was enough to tie me over for the time being. Besides, the two of us weren’t ready for such a heavy conversation like that. Not with everything else going on in our lives.

I could wait until he was ready. Until we were both ready to talk about it.

As I brushed out my hair, I watched Levi change the sheets on the bed, and I giggled as he grimaced at the broken headboard above. The wood splinters had been scooped up and tossed away, with the huge chunk of wood thrown on top of the pile in the wastebasket. But just to be safe, Levi propped an extra pillow against the headboard, to prevent any stray splinters from falling on us in the middle of the night.

“I’ll mention a replacement to Erwin in the morning.”

“You think he’ll be wondering how you managed to break it in the first place?”

He glared at me, and I only shrugged my shoulders with a smile. “As if I give a fuck. Bed was fucking old, anyway.”

Uh-huh, sure it was. “Maybe we should invest in a metal headboard, just to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

He huffed in agreement as the two of us climbed beneath the covers. I tucked my head under his chin at once, sighing in relief as I felt his arms coil around my waist.

“Although I have to admit…it was kinda hot seeing you break it like that.”

He scoffed as I snuggled deeper into his chest, drumming my fingers along his shoulders. “Don’t get used to it; it was a one-time thing. I’ll get us a new one as soon as I can. Now go to sleep.”

“…Next time, we should try breaking the whole bed.”

“Tch, be careful what you wish for, brat.”

He leaned down and pressed a kiss to my lips, soft and sweet and warm. And finally, with my limbs heavy from exhaustion and my face pressed against Levi’s chest, I closed my eyes and allowed myself to relax against his body.

But before I dozed off, I could hear his voice against the shell of my ear: “Sleep well, birthday girl.”

Thank you, Levi. But I was out like a light before I could even respond.

#attack on titan #shingeki no kyojin #slow burn #levi x oc #levi ackerman #mia wolf #oc x canon #romance #a wolf with wings #wolves of the walls saga #oc story #oc insert #levi x mia #volume i #levi x mia smut #smut #sweets and treats #aot fics

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nikkiruncks · 1 year

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Reggie & Mia are basically J/H except if they had known each other as kids

#poorni speaks t9s #mia x reggie #oc: mia forman #oc: reggie hyde

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jatphatones · 4 years

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3 Times You Have Reggie’s Back and the 1 Time He Has Yours | Reggie x Plus size!Reader

A/N: hey y’all, sorry I’ve been a little MIA. Work has been crazy and I’m a bit more stressed than usual. Regardless, here is a request for a little Reggie lovin. Enjoy!

Word count: 1.6k

Warnings: slight mentions of bullying, swearing

Masterlist

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“Why do we have five fingers instead of four?”

You snap out of your daydream, picking your head up from your propped elbow. Your textbook lays on top of your desk unread, just like everyone else’s in the classroom. Your bio teacher dedicated the last 20 minutes of class to homework which meant 20 minutes to fuck around until the bell rings. In your best friend Reggie’s case, it’s the perfect time to ponder on random thoughts.

“Hmm?”

“Why do we have five fingers instead of four?”

You don’t miss how the two boys in front of the two of you snicker into their hands. They look back at Reggie and you just know that they’re making fun of his question. Sure, it’s not the most philosophical inquiry, but they didn’t have to blatantly laugh at your whimsical friend’s curiosity.

“What do you mean Reg?” You ask, turning your whole body towards him. Your eyes, however, snap to the guys, and you muster your best death glare. They take the hint and turn towards the front of the classroom.

“We should still have a thumb, but why not have three other fingers instead of four?”

“Well, which finger would you get rid of? The pinky?” You’re baffled by his gasp.

“No! Are you crazy! Definitely not the pinky! I don’t know which finger would go but it was just a thought.”

Reggie sends you a small smile and returns to his homework like the diligent student he is. You throw one last glance to the boys to make sure they’re still minding their own business and follow in Reggie’s footsteps.

You know that cold weather in LA isn’t the same as cold weather elsewhere, but to your native nature, it’s fucking cold.

And yet, you’re at an ice cream store as per Reggie’s cravings.

You can’t even pretend that you can resist his puppy dog expression.

“I told the boys that we’re getting ice cream,” Reggie checks his flip phone when it vibrates, “Bobby want a scoop of chocolate, Luke wants rocky road and Alex says why the heck are you getting ice cream.”

“Can’t say I disagree with Alex,” you mutter, falling into the line of a few people. The two of you and three families are the only ones in the ice cream parlor. There was a random radio station playing in the background, offering some noise behind all the chatter.

“Why do they call it rocky road? That actually does not sound edible.”

You look up to see a mom give Reggie a weird look but then you close your eyes from chuckling at your friend’s observation.

“You honestly make a great point. Like rocky road doesn’t sound appetizing at all,” you turn towards the critical mom and address her two little girls, “does rocky road sound like a yummy name?”

They both giggle a loud no, one of them shouting a softer no because of her missing front teeth. You playfully scrunch your nose at them before their mom places a firm arm on their shoulders and guides them out of the parlour. When you turn back to Reggie, he’s got a smile you rarely see pointed at others besides yourself. It’s the one where his right side quirks up just a little higher than the left, and his eyes smile more than his mouth does.

“What?” You ask, scratching the side of your nose.

“Nothing.”

Watching them perform is literally breathtaking. The boys are killing it on stage. Their songs, their music, their stage presence - everything about them commands the crowd. The whole venue is shaking from all the jumping around and boisterous live music. It was intoxicating and you hate when it ends every time.

You wait for the crowd to start dying out so that you can easily make your way backstage. You hope the boys won’t be fucking around by the time you get there or else you’ll be at the venue forever. While waiting, you see a few of your classmates in the passing crowd. You’re about to say hi when you overhear their conversation.

“God those boys are so hot. I would literally sleep with any of them. I bet they’re so good.” You grimace at their crude comments and the unwanted images that appear in your mind.

“I think they’re going to the party at Logan’s place. You thinkin what I’m thinkin?”

“Fuck yeah. Alex is gay right? So either Luke or Reggie...I feel like it would be so easy to get Reggie for a night.”

“Why d’you say that?”

“Have you heard him in class? He’s not the smartest but the whole hot musician look makes up for it.”

Your hands clenched into fists, blood boiling at their offhand comments. If only they knew who heard them because you were about to give them a piece of your mind. Taking one step, you stop at the sound of your best friends’ rowdy hollers.

“Y/N! There you are! We were waiting for you!” Luke says, freshly showered and clad in another sleeveless shirt. You throw your hands around his neck and he hugs you back.

“I didn’t know it was taking that long for the crowd to leave. You guys were amazing!”

Immediately, the four boys crowd around you and start talking over each other. They start telling you all the exciting things that happened during the show as if you didn’t witness them, but you know they need to talk all the adrenaline out before they explode. Out of the corner of your vision, you see those two girls waiting off by the side, watching the boys with hungry eyes. In a quick burst of anger and slight jealousy, you wrap a protective arm around Reggie and he mindlessly copies your movement while listening to Bobby rave about the show. When you lean your head against his shoulder, you’re able to send a raised eyebrow to the girls and they just roll their eyes and walk away.

Better walk away.

Today was not your day. You woke up late and therefore barely ate breakfast in hopes that you would make it to class on time...which you didn’t. At least your teacher gave you a pass, but that didn’t help your mood. By the time you had your class with Reggie, your hunger was begging to be satiated and didn’t want to be patient for the 45 minutes it had before lunch.

Reggie notices you trudging into class instead of walking with your usual pep. He also notices how you lay your head against your desk instead of telling him a joke or something juicy that happened in your morning classes. Knowing you like the back of his hand, he keeps you occupied with mindless jokes or little prods. When he hears your stomach grumble, he coughs over the sound. You give him an appreciative nod and continue to doodle over your notes. It seemed like a millennia before the clock showed one more minute before lunch. Your stomach notices too and lets out a loud protest in response to the damn slow clock.

The guy in front of you turns around, curious of where that loud noise came from. When he sees the source which was you, he smirks and snottily says, “better take of that.”

You could guess that the snide comment would be the thing to make you explode, but it was that smirk that lit your fuse. You know that look because it’s been one you’ve been seeing all your life. You used to shrivel up at that look - the look of mocking amusement. With one glance, it’s like they’re saying ‘I’m better than you because of the way I treat my body’ or ‘I’m not a slave to my body like I assume you are’. With one poisonous smirk, they would rip open a poorly patched up wound. It used to be a fatal weapon, but it was now just a nuisance.

When you would normally brush it off because you know it means nothing, today was a different story. Before you could rip into him, the bell finally rings and the class breaks into chatter. As soon as the bell stops, you open your mouth to yell at the jerk, but someone beats you too it.

“Why don’t you mind your own business?” Reggie snaps, glaring at the asshole. He only rolls his eyes and leaves the classroom.

“If he hadn’t left, I would’ve given it to him,” Reggie growls, angrily stuffing his books into his bag. You place a hand on his arm to stop his movements.

“You didn’t have to do that. I could’ve handled it.”

“I know, but I know you aren’t feeling too good and don’t want to deal with that kind of shit right now. Besides, you don’t have to handle that by yourself because I always got your back like you always got mine, Y/N.” Reggie pulls you into a hug.

And just like that, your sour mood is gone. Reggie’s strong arms and steady build grounds you the way they always do. Your grumpy attitude is replaced by contentment with every rise and fall of his chest against your own. With the surge of love and happiness, you lean up and place a quick kiss on his cheek.

“Thank you,” you whisper into his flannel. He squeezes you and leaves a loving kiss on your forehead before letting you go. Your tummy growls again the moment and you both giggle.

“Alright, let’s get some food,” he picks up his bag and holds out his hand, “you comin?”

With an empty stomach but full heart, you take his hand.

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A/N: idk how I feel about this one, but I’m honestly too caught up with everything else in my life, that I don’t have time to rewrite. I hope I’m able to go back to it soon, but in the meantime I hope y’all like it. If you’d like to join my taglist or just hang, hit me up! - Titi xx

Taglist: @aunicornmademedoit @pixiethefirecat7 @badwolf00593 @kinda-really-lost @phantoms-julie @lolychu @n0wornever @s-h-a-d-o-w-s @celestialmolina @calamitykaty @thecharlietomygillespie @everything-is-alright @merceret @teti-menchon0604 @jemimah-b99 @notsosmexy

#reggie peters #reggie peters fanfiction #reggie peters fanfic #reggie peters fic #reggie Peters imagines #reggie Peters imagine #reggie Peters x reader #reggie peters x oc #reggie peters x y/n

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ussgallifrey · 3 years

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Mountain of the Sun [1]

✦ Summary: Sam has the shield at long last, Bucky has been seeing a new therapist, and you… you have a van and a desire to just get away from it all.

✦ Pairing: SamBucky x Non-Binary (AFAB) Reader

✦ Warnings: Anxiety, brief implications of body dysphoria, brief mentions of chest binders, language, minor spoilers for TFATWS, post-TFATWS.

✦ Word Count: 7.5k

✦ Playlist: Here

There's something to be said about the ethereal feeling that comes with driving at night. How the blurring headlights mix with the stars. The way it stirs your soul and makes you feel something deeply sated in your bones.

What that exact thing is, however, you're not entirely sure. As you're currently downing the remnants of your second energy drink so you can move on to your gas station coffee and complimentary, slightly stale, chocolate frosted sprinkle doughnut.

It's nearing seven in the morning now and the tops of the trees are bathed in the golden rays of an earthy June sunrise. The windshield is appropriately covered in deceased mosquitoes that the wipers just can't quite reach to properly swipe away, so you know you're heading in the right direction at least.

The road has been relatively clear of other travelers thanks to the time of day and you managed to find a radio station that was actually in range to play a few miles back. The morning hosts are talking up some local story about a water skiing cat named Prince Reggie.

With the weather turning out to be pleasantly warm and the gentle thrum of the tires on the pavement, it was shaping up to be a good day. The coffee, however, is seriously lacking in all things taste.

You had made it all the way down to Charlotte, North Carolina after a late start, a deflated tire, and a series of last-minute snack runs. This was followed by an even later start yesterday afternoon when you decided there was nothing wrong with driving straight through the night to Louisiana.

Eleven hours now, a racing heart, and a body running mostly off of sugar and caffeine. You were doing great.

There's an ongoing list in your head as you travel further south, you see, of the many reasons why this is an act of insanity. It's followed by an accompanying list of why this is pure genius. They're both neck and neck at the moment, so the trophy is still up for grabs.

Hell, you know that reasonably this all seems like the final piece of the mental breakdown train. Spur of the moment body piercing, followed by the gender crisis, an almost tattoo, a drunken Tinder hook-up with someone who couldn't even remember your name while sober, and a cross-country road trip in a van you bought off a sketchy bidding website; check, check, and check.

Okay, so maybe things weren't going great. Maybe this was a cry for help. But who was judging at this point? Right?

Any higher being who gave a damn was probably just watching you and going we fucked it up, didn't we? We went around and fucked up a perfectly good human again.

Shoving the rest of the doughnut into the back of your mouth, you head onto the empty off-ramp.

Now, next to your should I just go to therapy or nah mental list, there was the actually kind of important - but still untitled as of yet - list. This one was composed on a physical piece of paper, written in metallic blue glitter ink, and it was slowly getting crossed off in red pen.

You were three Avengers down: Tony and Natasha were gone and Steve was full MIA after returning the stones.

Thor and the Guardians were somewhere in Europe or space, maybe, you think? And of course, the Royal family was back in Wakanda. Scott and Clint had families waiting for them. Parker was a literal child living with his aunt and returning to school, so he was good there.

Danvers was a beautiful woman of mystery and therefore stood no chance of being understood by the likes of you, so her name was also crossed off.

Bruce was a strange tall green thing now and you weren't touching that whole Hulk/human hybrid concept with a ten-foot pole. He was nice enough, sure. But like Tony had said to him, the band had split. Thanos destroyed the Beatles and that was that.

Strange was still, well, strange. And kind of a dick, actually. But he was safe and alive back in New York. Not exactly friend material though.

Wanda. Oh gosh, Wanda.

The two of you had stood for a long while after Tony's body was carried away from the torched earth - watching the smoldering remains of the compound you had both called home at one point. Nothing survived the destruction.

She didn't say much of anything then, or even after the funeral. But that vacant look in her eyes said enough. She went MIA after a week and you exhausted your search after three months. If she didn't want to be found, then there was nothing more to it. She knew where to find you if she really wanted.

With her name crossed out, however, that only left you with two people: Barnes and Wilson.

That last time you saw the super-soldier, prior to the battle upstate, was when he had his hands around your neck in federal custody in an attempt to X you out from existence.

And Sam, hell, you saw him from time to time when he was on the run with Steve and Nat. They told you Barnes was doing fine in Wakanda and no Tony hadn't reached out yet. Then they would loot your fridge for real food and maybe take a shower before jumping on the quinjet and going off-grid again.

It was because of Sam, however, that you even had a reason to be driving like this in the first place. Because after Tony's funeral, when it seemed like everyone gave their condolences to the grieving Starks and faded back into their own realities at an alarming rate, he found you by the waterfront.

Wanda had just walked away after a shared moment of quietly existing when he had come over to check on things. Had slipped a scrap of paper into your hands with an address and phone number after a quiet conversation that veered along the lines of purposefully careful small talk. Apparently, he offered this out to a few others in the group too.

But you had folded that paper up and shoved it into your pocket for a rainy day. And you had gone through the moments of trying to carve out a new life for yourself for a few months. It stayed in your wallet until a little less than a week ago when the crazy ideas started setting in.

The van, a converted church bus (according to the listing), putters at the four-way stop, just outside of the village limits. You lick the leftover frosting from your index finger.

The seller had been a slightly distraught man with a giant red beard named Preston. He had just bought it and fixed it up after living in a daze of am I really staying at his corporate job when life has been turned upside down for the last four years. Finally decided to go live his true self after the Blip by quitting his job on the spot. And then, surprise, everyone was brought back and his wife was alive and now he didn't want to travel across the western hemisphere in a Ford E350 that he called Merle.

But that turned out alright for you. Now you had the chance to live out your existential crisis in peace.

A faded metal sign greets you as you manage to roll the beast - you were calling her Hildegard, currently - forward. You decide to stop singing along to the classic rock station on your radio as you drive down the main street after catching the attention of a few locals.

The sailors say, "Brandy, you're a fine girl" (you're a fine girl) // "What a good wife you would be" (such a fine girl) // "But my life, my lover, my lady is the sea."

According to Google Maps, the address was the last drive at the end of a gravel road with a No Outlet sign peeking out from behind a wall of tall weedy grass. And the white-painted mailbox's house number confirms you're in the right place.

The turning radius is actually shit, but you try not to fault her - she's a big girl, after all. Just like you try not to fault the anxious uptick in your racing heart - not directly caused by coffee and energy drinks, thanks.

Towering trees line the dirt path, and with the driver's side window rolled down (hand crank, of course), you can hear the insistent buzzing of more mosquitoes. And the air that whips through the opening seems far more humid than what you would like for this early in the day.

Those thoughts are quickly disrupted by a sharp clang and bang in the distance. You turn the stereo's volume dial down low to see better.

The driveway finally gives way to an open clearing that must constitute as a front yard.

Switching into park, you pull the cluttered keychain into your center console. A cursory glance at your reflection in the rearview mirror and a reluctant good as we're gonna get after that drive before you get the nerve to hop out. The door slamming behind you draws the attention of the two men a few yards away.

Everyone takes a moment to stare at each other before Bucky calls out your last name with obvious confusion. Sam grabs the flying boomerang of a shield and tucks it against his side before smiling wide.

"The hell are you doing here?" his voice booms.

You laugh, striding forward and away from the safety of the van. The unknown was always nerve-wracking. But so was getting removed from existence and being replanted into it, so all things considered talking to two ex-teammates wasn't that awful on the scale of things that made you go ick.

"You gave me your address, remember?"

Bucky wipes his sweaty brow with the bottom of his gray tank. When you take another look at him, you realize the man is actually barefoot.

Blinking at the shocking paleness of his feet against the rich green grass, you barely even hear him playfully say, "Hey, no autographs, all right?"

Sam brushes past him with a good-natured chuckle, "Pay the living fossil no attention."

He pulls you into a tight, one-armed hug. A little too tight and too sweaty for your comfort - particularly around the chest area, but who could deny him when he was smiling like that?

"So," he holds the shield just right - he's really stepped into the role, hasn't he?

"What're you doing my way?"

You give a little scoff, plucking at a loose thread on the hem of your shirt, "I'm on an adventure. But I should be asking Barnes the same thing, right? Aren't you supposed to be under full-time surveillance in Brooklyn, Sergeant?"

Bucky finally walks over, sweat still beading up on his new, shorter, haircut. You can't decide if it's the right look for him or not.

"It's good to see you too, kid."

They both seem to be taking a moment to appraise your appearance. It's stellar after a full twenty-plus hour drive and a mix of chaotic sleep and quick caffeine fixes. The humidity's really doing wonders for your hair and underarm sweat too.

"You hungry?" Sam asks after a beat.

Ignoring the three new mosquito bites on your right arm, you nod eagerly.

"Good, we were just finishing," Bucky makes to grab for the water bottle at the trunk of a nearby tree when Sam clicks his tongue disapprovingly.

"Like hell we are. Got another three sets, Buck," he has his arms crossed and everything. But you're more caught up on the fact that he just called him Buck.

Bucky shrugs his head towards you, "Yeah, and you got a guest. Be hostly and feed 'em."

The other man shoots him a look before tilting his head in your direction with a warm smile.

Sam's got a beige hand towel tossed over his left shoulder as he scrubs at the plates in the sink. The house is just full of life, that's the best way to put it.

A line of shoes by the door and pictures and knick-knacks galore. Kids' drawings and a record cabinet in the living room. Nautical-themed decor everywhere you look. It's a little jarring, to be honest. Considering where you were living up until three days ago in a threadbare studio in Hell's Kitchen.

It's good though. Between the baseball game playing on the slightly staticky radio and the quiet chatter of two younger boys just down the hall, it's nice.

Bucky points at the piercing on your nose, mouth full of a raspberry scone.

"That's new."

You nod, scooping up the last bite of syrup-drenched pancakes with your fork, "It is."

"It hurt?" he's got a smudge of the red fruit filling on the corner of his lip that he's completely oblivious to.

A shrug, "Not too bad."

He hums in reply and shoves the rest of the pastry into his mouth. Licking his fingers absentmindedly as he peruses the local newspaper. He makes it all the way to page three before he rests his arms on the table and looks back at you.

"What exactly is that thing out there?"

You can see the aquamarine paint of your van just through the kitchen window.

"My van."

His eyebrows kind of scrunch and raise up at the same time, as if trying to entertain the idea, "That's new too?"

With a smirk, you reply, "Her name's Hildegard and she's a beautiful woman."

Sam snorts over at the sink.

Bucky cranes his neck to look out the kitchen window, tilting back on his chair legs, "That thing's a tank."

"A majestic tank," you add, stealing the newspaper from under his hands. The Ask Alice section is of particular interest.

Dear Alice, my husband claims he is of Asgardian descent and has been trying to do "feats of strength like his brother Thor." He keeps throwing his back out and insisting it's fine. Help. What should I do? It's just embarrassing at this point.

"Has a bed, a kitchen, and everything," you continue as you glance up from the advice column.

Bucky drops his chair back down on all four legs and squints real hard, "Are you living in that thing?"

You bristle at his annoying stupidity and coolly counter, "Are you really couch surfing with Captain America?"

Sam bends over in a silent laugh, managing to turn off the sink, but still needing the counter to support him while he gathers his composure. After a long moment, he walks over and plops down into the high-back chair next to yours - tossing the damp dish towel onto the other man's head.

Bucky, unfazed, tilts his head back enough to where the towel is covering everything but his mouth, "You need money? Need Mr. America to make things better? A freedom fund or something?"

Sam kicks him under the table and Bucky just laughs in defeat, snatching the towel off his head and stalking over to the counter for a banana.

You eye Sam with a heavy breath of frustration. He, in return, drops his large hand on top of yours. It's warm and comforting and all-encompassing of a distant memory where things were far more normal.

"Come on. Tell Cap how much you need," his sudden shit-eating grin makes you groan and want to clobber him at the same time.

Pulling your hand away, you futilely kick the leg of his chair - it doesn't even budge for your annoyance, "I hate you both. I don't even know why I came here."

"Admit it, you missed this," Sam says with a teasing smile.

You shake your head, dropping your face into your hands, "I must be a masochist."

Bucky chokes on his banana.

The couch is surprisingly comfortable. Bucky was even kind enough to fluff his favorite yellow throw pillow for you to nap on. The crash was inevitable after eleven hours on the road, you knew that much.

But even then, you don't stir until well into the heated amber afternoon. You try to act surprised by that fact.

The house is too loud. With all the things still in it, but now without the familiar sounds from the morning. There's a puttering fan, rotating in the corner of the room. A pink crocheted blanket had been draped on you at some point. And it's not lost upon you that the curtains in the room have been drawn shut as well.

But the perpetrators are nowhere to be found. Sam's nephews must be out too because there's not even a sound coming from upstairs. It's just your unsteady breathing and the rotating fan puttering away.

Your skin crawls with the heat of a closed room on a summer day. The tassels of the blanket tickle your exposed knee as you sit up, enjoying the crack and roll of your shoulders as you stretch.

But the silence just drags on.

When things are this quiet and you're left alone with your own thoughts, you really just want to claw your own skin or run far away. See: leaving New York in a camper van because the feels were hitting too hard in your lonely apartment.

That's why you find yourself gasping for air on the front porch only a minute later. At least you can breathe deeper without your binder on.

The summer air has cooled off from the humidity of the morning and there's enough of a breeze to rustle the trees and cool your heated skin. You're thankful you had the foresight to shuck off your button-up shirt before you passed out as the wind rolling off the lake feels amazing on your bare arms.

It doesn't take you long to spot them from your position on the porch steps.

They're holding back some obvious gibs when you walk down to the dock where they're fishing. Probably some choice words about oversleeping and caffeine addiction just waiting on the tips of their tongues.

You take a seat on the blue cooler behind them.

You're not entirely sure when this happened. This being their obvious friendship.

Probably somewhere between the government taking the shield and Sam taking it back for himself. You caught some glimpses on the news and a few candid shots on Twitter to get a basic picture of the situation. The Walker/Wilson discourse was still burning hot online. You tried your best to scour for the facts and not the obvious propaganda/blatant racism.

They're quietly bickering about something to do with Bucky's cast line. Sam keeps telling him to hush up cause he's gonna scare away the fish. And Bucky just keeps retorting the fact that he knows what he's doing, thanks.

It's funny to see it though. Even as they argue, Sam keeps his ribbing tighter than he used to, a little gentler and softer style of teasing. And Bucky keeps glancing Sam's way as if he's waiting for things to fall apart again.

You feel like an intruder.

Drawing your arms across your chest, now feeling the difference in the way your shirt sits against your torso, "I'll be out of your hair by tonight, Sam."

He laughs, gives a nonchalant alright. Then whips his head back towards you after the words hit him. Rod dropped down at his side and eyes wide.

"Yeah? Where you gonna go?"

Bucky's turned around now too. You squeeze yourself tighter. Even outside you can feel things getting too close and you're not actually referring to the blood-sucking insects for once.

"Not sure yet. But if you wanna tell me where the nearest gas station is, I'll get going."

Sam blindly shoves his rod into Bucky's vibranium hand and crosses over to you, crouching down to your level.

"Yeah, that's not what's gonna be happening. You're staying for dinner and breakfast in the mornin'. And like hell I'm gonna let you drive out of here before I look over that beast in my drive."

Bucky mimics behind him, "Her name is Hildegard and she's a beautiful woman."

Sam catches the glimpse of mischief in your eyes and knowingly ducks to the side as you send a wave of white energy at Bucky, knocking him backwards into the water with a shocked holler. He bobs up after a moment, hair plastered to his forehead, sputtering out lake water, and swearing like a true soldier.

Sam claps you on the shoulder with a barking laugh, barely dodging the arm that flies onto the dock as Bucky attempts to drag him down into the water with him.

Sarah just rolled her eyes when the two of them appeared on the back porch, soaking wet. Throwing them towels through the door before locking it back up.

She refused to allow them in until she had her food safely tucked away in the oven for dinner - because Sam doesn't know how to do it right she had said. Apparently, their momma's mac and cheese recipe was sacred and Sam always had the habit of fucking it up.

The kitchen was lively again - once they air-dried on the back porch and were allowed back in, but Bucky found the head chef annoying as hell and had relocated himself to the Mario Kart game in the living room with Sam's nephews. From the sounds of it, he was either winning by a large margin or losing very badly to the preteens.

Sarah had made a brief reappearance as she grabbed a drink from the kitchen - said something gruff to her brother about the way he was minding the food and his lack of seasoning. To which Sam told her to do her casserole and leave the damn chicken to him.

She gave him a good punch in the arm for that before heading to the back office to go over the day's work reports.

The prep time is speeding by as the lake reflects the brilliant pinks and purples of sunset. The anxiety that had been building up in your body since the crash nap has started to dissipate as Sam's soft humming soothes your mind.

Despite your assigned task, you can still feel him lingering over your shoulder with a watchful eye.

"If this isn't to your standards, I'll just get out of here like Bucky," you suggest with a slight bite to your tone.

Sam takes a warning step closer, breath warm against your bare neck, "Shut it. You got it going just fine."

He returns to the oiled skillet on the stove, giving his tongs a few test clicks, as you dredge another chicken thigh through the seasoned flour mixture.

"Yeah, well your invasion of my personal bubble was making me think otherwise."

He makes a strained chuckle, "If I didn't want you here, you'd know."

You turn your head in time to catch the warm look in his eyes that he's directing your way.

"Long as you need," he adds after a beat of time.

You let that settle in your mind for a while. The open gesture you didn't know you were so desperately craving after eight months of near isolation.

The rest of the prepping goes well enough, except for Bucky sneaking out to stick his finger in the cornbread batter while Sam had his back turned. But the two hours of working in a hot kitchen is made worth it when you all sit down and tuck into pure heaven.

You have to bite back a moan as you help yourself to another serving of macaroni, "This is amazing, Sarah."

Sam's brows raise quickly. Grabbing a breaded drumstick from the serving plate he points it at you before adding it to your plate, "Yeah, well you should be eating this because it's delicious."

Bucky's dutifully eating his collards when he conspiratorially leans over towards you and mock whispers, "Someone's jealous."

"Someone's gonna get their fancy arm messed with is what's up."

The boys laugh and Sarah doesn't do much to dissuade them from it. Somehow, you end up with another thigh on your plate, but all of your cornbread has mysteriously migrated over to a certain super soldier's plate in the meantime.

Afterwards, you're on leftover duty - stuffing the last bits of food into old Country Crock butter dishes. Bucky was forced into dish duty but has been taking great joy in splashing Cass - who is on drying duty - while his older brother is trying to put everything back in the cupboards as fast as possible.

"So," he calls over the chaos of the younger boys. "Was this on your adventure itinerary?"

You give a quiet laugh as you seal the lid on the leftover casserole.

"Sure was," doing the careful balancing act as you walk to the fridge with five containers stacked in your hands. It takes some finagling, but you get your pinky around the handle and manage to get the door open without dropping anything.

"I always wanted to see superheroes perform great acts of domesticity," you say with your head in the fridge.

He's got a plate held just out of reach from Cass, who's not interested in playing his stupid you want it? come on and jump for it game, "Huh, if you stick around you might catch Sam doing laundry later."

"Oh," you close the fridge and rest against the door. "A dream come true!"

Bucky smiles, wide and true and - most importantly - genuine. There's a flicker of something in his eyes, but it's gone just as fast as it appeared. It leaves you wondering, later in the shower, just when James Barnes got his personality back online.

You're still musing the change from the soldier on the battlefield eight months prior when you walk out onto the back porch - drying your hair with an old cotton T-shirt. The lanterns emit a golden hue on the patio seating, while the lights from the dock across the lake and the stars in the purple midnight sky dance and flicker off the water.

"Finally got that driving grime off, huh?" Sam's nursing a beer in one of the seats.

You can just make out the outline of Bucky down by the dock, near a grove of lightning bugs.

Draping the damp shirt over your shoulders, you take a seat in the chair next to him, "Feel like a new person - thanks, by the way."

He waves his hand in a no big deal motion before taking another drink.

With a flick of your wrist, the misty white energy you're able to conjure floats through the air, down the opposite side of the table where the cooler rests. You nab the returning beer from the air, taking a refreshing sip after you pry the cap off on the table edge.

Sam watches with an amused expression. With a humming question from you, he just shakes his head.

" 'm literally right here. You could've just asked for one."

With a smirk now playing on your lips, you set the bottle down. Condensation already beading up along the sides in the summer night air.

"What's the point of having powers if I only ever use them to beat up baddies? I mean, you never think about taking the wings out when you need to go to the store?"

He knocks his head back in a laugh, "No, I don't think about using my suit to transport my ass to the Walmart."

"Pssh," you chastise. "Gotta start thinking outside the box, Sammy."

"Don't call me Sammy," he points an annoyed finger at you that only has a tiny ounce of real anger behind it.

Your hands go up in a show of defeat and he has the audacity to smile at it.

A pleasant moment stretches languidly between you as he finishes his drink and you ultimately find yourself watching Bucky skip rocks along the shoreline. It's a moment you want to sink your teeth into and really savor the feeling of.

To just sit and be with friends again, it's proving to be calming and upsetting all at once.

The table used to be larger and far more crowded. There was pizza and bickering over who ordered what. Steve would try to delegate and Thor would have snuck off with a whole box of Meat Lovers Supreme for himself. Tony would be trying to ridicule whoever got the pineapple and anchovy atrocity. It seems like a lifetime ago when things were that kind of stable.

"You gonna talk about it?"

Sam, with his knowing brown eyes, watches and observes and reads you like a book.

So, you do the only thing you can do. You steady yourself with a breath and lean forward on the plastic tabletop.

"Not sure how you were handling all this… post-Blip stuff. But, I don't know. I just got this urge to go do something a few weeks ago. You get removed from existence and you get a new appreciation for life, I guess."

He hums softly, "I was just a stop along the way?"

Squinting at his interpretation, you shake your head, "More like a starting point. You know, you two are the last ones on my list that I could get a hold of? Everyone else just… ping, ping," you mimic tiny explosions with your hands.

"They have their own lives to go back to living and the original crew is basically no more. Compound's under new management - " Sam snorts at that, " - and I was just feeling…" don't say lonely, don't say lonely, "... nostalgic."

By now, Bucky's started to wander back up to the house, though his face is still shadowed by the limited natural light from the stars.

"I don't know, Sam. New York just felt - " you rub your forehead with the palm of your hand as a headache decides to start forming for your troubles.

" - it felt too big and too small. Everyone was gone and I think I was just existing up until a week ago. And I just wanted to get back to living."

Bucky approaches, hesitating at the edge of the patio for a moment before Sam beckons him over with the jerk of his head.

"I want to see the world and do normal touristy things. Get lost and end up at a weird-ass landmark. Eat the greasy diner food. Camp out under the stars. Just more than sitting around waiting for the next big thing to come knocking. Cause if I stayed up there any longer, I was gonna lose it."

The super soldier drums his fingers on the table for a moment, having only caught the tail end of your confessional.

"Where you heading after this?"

You give a hapless shrug, "West."

He nods, though his face looks entirely uncertain.

"And is this a finding yourself solo personal journey trip or…?"

His lips curl up into a smile when you tilt your head back to laugh.

Finally removing the T-shirt from where it had been resting on your shoulders, you shuck it over into the empty chair between you and Bucky. The air feels cool along your skin now and you almost wish you had grabbed an overshirt from your bag.

"I mean, I'm not planning to grab any hitchhikers, but I'm open to some travel buddies.

Sam smirks, "Someone's gotta keep you from blowing that thing up."

The shocked gasp you make only furthers to spur them on.

"What?" he admonishes, "I heard that engine run. You either got old oil, the wrong oil, or no oil in it. Not to mention," he's now leaning forward and pointing at you with each listing.

"Your back tires aren't the same as the front ones. Your exhaust pipe is hanging on by a thread. And I bet you anything that the AC ain't working either."

Bucky gives a low whistle.

Leaning back in your chair, you cross your arms, "Well damn, Samuel. Give me the number for a mechanic already."

"Like hell, I will."

He stands abruptly, his chair screeches as it's pushed back along the woodgrain of the porch. And then he's walking, in the dark, to where your van is parked.

"C'mon," he calls.

Bucky shrugs, offering you a lopsided smile, before following after him.

You keep the swear on the tip of your tongue to yourself as you shoot a beam of white light their way, illuminating the path for them.

It's almost one in the morning and Sam's got his arms covered in grease. Bucky's taken great joy in exploring the interior of the van. Poking and prodding at every little thing: the bobblehead on the dashboard and the beads hanging from the rearview mirror, a collection of crystals on a tiny shelf, the three potted succulents over the counter.

He digs through your pile of snacks on the passenger seat and grabs the unopened bag of gummy worms for himself to snack on as Sam tells you to start the engine again.

By the time your personal mechanic has moved under the van to explore a possible hole in the lines and pipes, Bucky has plopped himself down on your bed. He's finished browsing through your small collection of books now, having exhausted himself with perusing your belongings.

You had dropped down the mosquito nets at the open doors - held on by magnets so the little bloodsuckers weren't getting in - and turned on the fairy lights along the top of the cab for some ambiance.

"This is nice," he murmurs, head resting on the single decorative throw pillow.

Perched on the small kitchenette counter next to him, you give a genuine, "Thanks."

After all the teasing they had given you about the van, it was nice to finally hear a bit of praise on something you were actually proud of. He lifts his head enough to catch your expression, his blue eyes soften.

"She's a beautiful woman."

That makes you snort with laughter, slightly drunk on beer and exhaustion. You can hear Sam tapping on something beneath you, followed by a sharp swear, and the general buzz of bugs congregating by the glowing white orbs in the lawn.

Bucky, after tossing the empty bag of candy up into the tiny sink, scooches over on the bed, messing up the blue and gold striped blanket you had bought at a flea market in Virginia.

He extends his right arm out to you, "C'mere."

And after a moment, "I mean, it's… it's your bed and all. You look tired, kid."

Your mouth quirks up into a little smirk as you catch the faint blush on his cheeks.

"Damn right it is," you affirm before plopping down next to him, face down.

You can still smell the detergent you had used on the bedding. But it's mixed with something musky and masculine. Shampoo or deodorant or sweat, you're not sure.

When you manage to pick your head up, you're met with the dark treeline through the open back doors, though the gentle golden twinkle of your battery-powered interior lights makes it swirl and shift. Your head feels heavy as you rub your face against the blanket, head nudging something solid and warm off to your side.

"Should come with me," you find yourself saying. "Both of you. I like you guys. It'd be fun."

You feel more than hear Bucky's laugh as it reverberates through the mattress, "That so?"

Humming in agreement as your eyes fail to open, "Be like that family. The singing one on tv, with that one song."

Bucky rolls to face you, probably catching on to the fact that you're seconds from sleep. But he keeps going, "We're gonna be singing?"

You're lazily humming the theme song or maybe it's that one hit about thinking about loving someone.

"The Partridge Family, right?" Sam's voice is like honey as it drips down your body. He's close but somehow so far away.

"The what?" Bucky asks softly, a smile clear in his voice.

You can hear Sam's feet on the floorboards because that one spot by the sink always creaks.

"Doesn't matter, c'mon and shut it. Sleeping Beauty's almost out."

You shake your head against the blanket, welcoming the warmth that's there radiating on your right side.

" 'm not, jus' sleepy."

Someone teases you with a gentle sure you are.

Things get really hazy after that point. You can hear them talk in low tones about air filters and new carburetors and how bad the oil in the engine was. Something even softer yet about bags and a break and it wouldn't be a bad idea if we just…

But you're still wrapped up in something comfortable and warm and it doesn't take much at all to finally push you over the edge into a deep dreamless sleep.

When you wake to the gentle rays of the morning sunrise streaming in through the windshield, you find that there's a body radiating pure warmth curled up along your back. You can smell the motor oil and faint tinge of Irish Spring soap. Sam sleeps facing away from you, his arms curled around one of your pillows, breathing slow and easy.

After lifting your head up and shaking out the tired brain fog from your mind as you stretch, you also catch the sleeping super soldier sitting in the rotated driver's seat with his feet kicked up onto the fold-away table, snoring softly. His boots are haphazardly thrown on the floor next to Sam's, joined by an open tool bag and a pile of grease-covered rags.

You shuffle to the edge of the bed, sparring Sam a final longing look before shuffling across the floorboards and hopping out onto the cool dew-covered grass without waking either of them up.

The house is quietly buzzing to life with a wafting aroma of fresh coffee and something sweet lingering in the air.

"Morning," Sarah greets gently. Her back is turned as she loads up a cooler with food.

"Good morning," you offer back with a stifled yawn.

She turns her head to give you a once over before pulling a clean mug from the cupboard - moving her things over on the counter to give you access to the coffee pot, which you are seriously grateful for.

That's how the guys find you, not even twenty minutes later. Nursing the purple mug with a baby photo of Sam printed on it, and getting along way too well with his sister for his liking.

After Bucky stopped snickering and Sarah grabbed the boys and headed into work, Sam rolled his eyes and snatched away the mug and tossed it in the sink. It took you a solid minute to stop laughing as he tried his best to act unfazed.

Later that morning, after Sam directed you to the local auto shop where he picked out new tires and talked to the mechanic for nearly an hour about the guy's family, and only after he gave the van his official seal of approval, did you return to the house.

The doughnuts you had grabbed on the way weren't anything in comparison to the breakfast Sam had whipped up the day before. But his easy smiles and gentle quips were just as nice.

He pointed out different stores and houses and a grove of trees that him and his sister used to play in. Having to circle the lake to get back, he convinced you to stop by the dock where the family business is up and running.

Sarah and the boys are hard at work as he glides over and easily picks up some crates to load the boat. You find yourself helping AJ with the buckets of ice, having to haul them across the dock from the interior storage building for the cold tables.

"... might be good for you, after all this," Sarah says to her brother, walking back to the boat.

Sam's got his hands in his pockets, face nearly unreadable in the morning light, "That's what he kept saying last night too."

"Well, if you got Barnes tellin' you to do something…" their conversation trails off when they enter the cabin.

About an hour later, Sam's striding over to you - wiping his hands off on a rag. You've been helping with the cash box in their absence.

"Didn't mean to get you stuck working."

Lulling your head to the side, you offer him an easy smile, "I don't mind. It's a good change of pace."

"Yeah," he leans back against the plastic table. The sleeves on his white button-down are rolled up to his elbows.

"Slower pace is good sometimes."

You find yourself nodding in agreement, "Can't spend every day chasing bad guys."

He's quiet for a moment, gaze focused on the bright blue water of the lake. And then he slaps your shoulder with the back of his hand, a smile back in place.

"C'mon, before Buck tries to steal my wings again."

You blink.

"Wait, what'd you mean again?"

Chasing after him, back to the van, he grabs the driver's seat for himself. You don't mind too much as you hop into the passenger's side and toss him your giant keychain.

Holding it up by the Kirby squeeze ball, he gives you a long hard look.

"The hell is this?"

You offer him the look he deserves for such a dumb question.

"My keys," you spell it out for him.

He has to shuffle through them before he finds one with the Ford logo, "For what? Every room of the compound?"

"Hmm," you shake your head with a small laugh, "something like that."

Sam has the wisdom to say nothing further, kicking the old girl into drive and heading back to the house.

Bucky's lounged out on the front porch steps, working through something in a journal, when you pull up to the house. He tucks it into the duffle bag behind him and walks over just as you both get out.

"Sounds better," he offers.

Sam grins, "We got a hell of a deal with it."

"Superhero discount," you tease as you join them by the driver's side door.

"New tires, good oil, and a new air filter. We're in business."

You catch the slip of the tongue there with the we're instead of the you're and you try not to get too hung up on the idea of it.

"So," Bucky rocks back on the heels of his boots, "you heading out?"

They both look to you, faces pinched and torn between indifference and distraught.

"Well, if I'm bugging you too much then yeah, I'll get going," the teasing tone falls flat.

Bucky rolls his eyes with an easy laugh, " 's not what I meant and you know it."

"In that case," you shuffle your sneakers on the grass as you work yourself up to say goodbye. "Then yes. I wanna get on the road before nightfall."

Sam gives Bucky a look before stuffing his hands into his jean pockets, "Still looking for some company?"

Blinking, you stare at him - trying to find the joke in his features, "You serious?"

"Could use a break," Bucky smoothes.

You look between the two of them, unsure, and not wanting to get your hopes up, "You're for real?"

They nod, humming in affirmation. Sam has his arms full of you in a hot second of bubbling joy as you fawn over the two of them for agreeing to something that was actually crazy.

"Yeah, well, someone's gotta keep an eye on you two," Bucky teases as he grabs the two duffle bags from the porch steps.

He had packed. He had packed bags for the two of them because they wanted to hop in that van and go somewhere with you. It almost made you want to cry. You missed this.

Sam returns with a solid lock box and a circular leather bag that you have a pretty good idea of what it's containing.

"You never know," he shrugs as he passes them along to Bucky in the cab.

He's got the bags stored in the empty space under the bed, but seems hesitant to put the shield too far out of reach.

You can't believe your luck here. Hopping up into the driver's seat, you start the engine and your baby purrs.

"This is going to be amazing," you announce, nearly shaking with excitement.

Bucky clicks into the third seat, just behind yours, after shoving the shield into the space between his seat and the small shelving unit, "Or the worst idea ever."

Sam laughs, having claimed the passenger seat for himself.

"Maybe a break ain't such a bad idea, Buck."

"Yeah, Buck," you tease as you kick her into drive and turn in the small circle of the drive.

"Live a little!" you say to him over your shoulder, cranking the radio up as you head down the driveway at a speed that's much faster than necessary.

Your backseat driver gruffly swears in another language as Sam starts belly laughing next to you. The sun is shining and the breeze is perfect as you pull out onto the main road.

Sooner or later, love is gonna get ya // Sooner or later, girl, you got to give in // Sooner or later, love is gonna let ya // Sooner or later, love is gonna win.

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