#michael b. jordan fluff

[reputationbarbie]

❝ ...ready for it?❞

A/N: sorry this took so long. i really have no excuse, my job doesn't allow me to have a set schedule. unedited so ignore any mistakes. i hope yall enjoy. ★ ˙ᵕ˙ liv

─⋆♡ chapter summary: the president’s daughter spends her first day with her new security detail.

─⋆♡ main tropes: Michael B. Jordan x Fem!OC, Rome Flynn x Fem!OC, Damson Idris x Fem!OC. Bodyguard x Princess, Secret Service x First Kid, forced proximity, forbidden love, tolerated enemies to lovers, college romance.

─⋆♡ chapter warnings: angst, 18+ black!writer, language, fighting, threatening, choking, physical descriptors (brief), characters affected by symptoms of anxiety or depression.

series masterlist ✰ faceclaims ✰ libby's cabinet ✰ spotify playlist

The door opens to the media room and in an instant, the social butterfly that helped my mother win the presidency is flipped on. “Secretary Randall!” I greet the short woman in front of me.

“Liberty! It’s been too long,” Secretary Randall returns the familiarity with an outstretched hand.

The smile doesn’t leave my face as I reach out to meet Secretary Randall halfway before Agent Jordan attacks her. “It’s so nice to see you,” I say through clenched teeth. Fuck, my jaw is going to hurt after all this fake smiling.

“It’s nice to see you too. Thanks for making time for this in your schedule,” she chirps a little too loud for my liking this early in the day.

“Of course. I wish I had more time, maybe we can figure something out in the future,” I lie. I hope this is the last time I see this woman until I’m begging for a good student teaching placement.

The photographer directs us to stand in between the windows with the most sunlight. “Yes, that’s right. You’re in class at…” she trails off, hoping I’ll finish her sentence.

The photographer snaps a couple of pictures of us smiling, standing side by side. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel Agent Jordan’s eyes on me, waiting for the secretary to step out of line so he could pounce. “Howard,” I finally blurt out.

Once the photographer gives a thumbs up, I step back giving us each some personal space again. “Yes, Howard. Amazing education program,” Secretary Randall compliments.

“Speaking of, I have class in,” I pause to look down at my wristwatch. “Half an hour so, I’m sorry but I have to go,” I apologize and hope it looks sincere.

She nods, stepping out of the path for the door. “I understand. Have a good day, Libby,” she waves goodbye.

I return the smile, moving to exit the room as soon as possible. “You too, Secretary Randall,” I try to call towards her over my shoulder, but Agent Jordan is blocking my way.

Once the doors shut behind the three of us, Jo clears her throat. “You know you don’t have class in thirty minutes, right?” she asks.

I nod, turning towards the staircase to the residence levels. “Of course, I know. But I just need 15 minutes of alone time before this interview,” I explain.

Jo stops just before we ascend the staircase together, leaving Agent Jordan and me alone. “Got it,” she says, walking back in the direction we came.

My feet rush up the stairs, making a right towards the blue room. 

Please let it be empty, please let it be empty, please let it be empty. I chant the mantra in my head over and over again until my hand is on the handle, pushing the door open. A sigh of relief rasps through my body. Thank god, it’s empty. 

I step into the room, taking in the relaxing feeling of the calming color. The door shuts behind me and I assume Agent Jordan has closed it and is now standing outside the door. I take advantage of the opportunity, closing my eyes and flopping down on the couch.

My breathing calms and I mentally note to plan a regular massage appointment if things are going to continue this way. When my eyes flutter open, I almost jump out of my skin seeing Agent Jordan towering over my face. “That was good,” he compliments with his signature menacing smirk on his face.

“I know,” I scoff, hyper-aware of his every move now. My eyes watch Agent Jordan come around to the front of the couch. “What are you doing?” I question him.

Agent Jordan pulls at the bottom of his pants a bit before sitting down. “What does it look like?” he chides.

I roll my eyes, feeling them get stuck from the sleepy feeling I’ve yet to shake. “Sitting, yes. But next to me,” I point out Agent Jordan’s perfectly sculpted body.

Agent Jordan shrugs, tilting his head to look at me. “It’s the best way to protect you,” he mutters.

“You’re supposed to protect me from stuff outside the room. There’s nothing to protect me from in here but you,” I counter.

Agent Jordan’s head falls back and he lets out something I thought I’d never hear. A fucking boisterous laugh. “My lady has jokes,” he chuckles.

I roll my eyes, scooting further away from Agent Jordan on the couch. “No. Your lady has questions,” I warn.

“No,” Agent Jordan deadpans.

“Yes,” I argue.

Agent Jordan’s eyes narrow at me sending a chill down my spine. “No, Liberty,” he bellows with finality. “Prep for your fucking interview or something,” he crosses his arms, staring directly up at the ceiling. He doesn’t dare to move and his face is cold as stone.

A few moments pass and I realize, Agent Jordan’s not going to break. I might as well press forward. “What’s your first name?” I ask.

Agent Jordan's lips part and he lets out an exacerbated sigh. “Michael,” he states.

I lick my lips, sitting up to prepare another question. “What’s your zodiac sign?” I buzz.

“Why do you care?” Michael asks, still no movement.

“Because I do. Now tell me,” I spew.

Michael blinks rapidly as if he’s trying to reach up and grab the zodiac sign from his mind. I should’ve just asked him his birth date. “I don’t know. My birthday is on February 9th,” he responds.

My eyes roll again. Gotta love the air signs. “Great, you’re an Aquarius,” I criticize.

Michael’s face scrunches with blithe disregard. “I won’t even pretend to know or give a shit about what that means to you,” he mouths off towards the ceiling.

“What are you doing here?” I ask with my head propped up in my hand.

“Working,” Michael grumbles.

“You know that doesn’t answer my question. Why. Are. You. Here?” I intonate. 

Michael’s tongue darts out over his perfectly plump bottom lip and the simple act has me gulping. “Have to be. It’s in my contract,” he reminds me.

“Well, the only reason why an ex-navy seal would be doing this job would be because you did something bad,” I speculate, pausing to search Michael’s face for any discomfort.

Michael’s poker face is award-winning, and he doesn’t crack, so I continue to press. “Were you a bad boy, Mikey?” I coo seductively.

“Don’t,” Michael snaps.

My jaw drops and I cover my mouth with my hands. ”Oh my gosh. Did you kill someone?” I gasp facetiously. 

Michael clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth making an unsavory popping sound, causing me to flinch slightly. “I’ve killed so many people, I’ve lost count, my Lady,” he patronizes.

“No, I mean like someone you’re not supposed to,” I elaborate.

Michael finally moves, suddenly snapping his head over to look me dead in the eye. “Stop,” he demands.

A small grin creeps onto my lips. Got ya. I shift on the couch so that I’m on my hands and knees, crawling to Michael. I wish it were under better circumstances but, here we are. 

“Oh you killed a bunch of people and now you’re stuck with me. Poor Mikey,” I taunt, inching my way closer to him.

Michael’s mouth twitches as if I’ve offended him but he doesn’t stop me from practically crawling in his lap. “That’s not what happened,” he corrects me.

Michael’s breath smells like cinnamon and I catch him glancing at my ass so perfectly poked up in the air. The feeling of being this close to him is intoxicating. “So what happened?” I dig.

All the blood in my body rushes to my ears, hungry for a taste of the man just inches away from me. “What happened, Lady Li–” I cut Michael off with a finger pressed to his lip. 

“Stop calling me that,” I mewl just above a whisper. I drag the tip of my finger down so Michael’s plump bottom lip snaps up.

What happens next, I could’ve never predicted. Michael’s rough hands wrap around my neck, squeezing the sides. “Don’t interrupt me again,” he spits in my face before pushing me back.

The force is great enough that it gets me out of Michael’s personal space, but not so bad it hurts. It only makes me want more and I try to ignore the searing heat pooling in my panties. “The problem isn’t with me killing people. We did that in the Seals all the time. I took money for it after. That’s the issue,” he explains to me like I’m a 6th grader now that I’m kneeling patiently next to him.

“So like a mercenary?” I cut to the point.

With a petulant shake of his head, Michael corrects me, “Not like, I was a mercenary.”

My eyebrows raise in surprise. “Jesus Christ. Obviously, the government caught you,” I speak in utter shock. He doesn’t seem like the type of person who’d ever get caught up in a job like this.

Michael nods, confirming my suspicion. “Mmm. Caught our leader and he was weak. Snitched on the entire group before killing himself,” he explains.

I gnaw on my lip, processing all the information. Although I don’t know them from a can of paint, Michael’s coworkers don’t look like they could do what he’s talking about. Agent Flynn is too bubbly and Agent Idris is so outspoken. “So Agent Flynn and Agent Idris, they’re…”

“The person you hire when you want someone dead,” Michael deadpans.

“That’s, well…” I pause, not wanting to alienate the man. If he has to be with me for 4 years, I want him to get acclimated slowly. If I push too fast, he may run for the hills.

Not that I care what he thinks about me because I 100% do. not. care. “What?” Michael’s voice brings me back to reality.

I’m assuming you can’t have a girlfriend or kids. Too risky in the business meaning a majority of your time is spent with coworkers or alone. No forming real long-lasting relationships. “Sad. Must be lonely with a life like that,” I finish the thought.

Michael shrugs and I watch the statement bounce off of him like water off a duck's back. “Trust me, you get used to it.”

 I try to keep my face as composed as possible not to show him pity. “I’m sorry,” I apologize. That’s not a life I’d want to live. Barely any connection and no one to talk to.

“Don’t apologize,” Michael murmurs and for a moment, I see a flash of human in his eyes. The once robotic side of him is slowly starting to melt away and it’s only been a few hours.

Good, he couldn’t keep up this act for much longer. I offer Michael a soft smile before he returns the question, “What are you doing here?”

“Meaning?” I clarify.

“You’re 20, in college already. Why are you living in The White House?” Michael gestures outside the windows to the spectacular white pillars. 

Because I’m being used as leverage. It's the same as any young royal, or so I’m told. “They’re trying to set me up with someone. Probably a young prince from another country,” I huff.

Michael’s nose scrunches, almost as if he’s displeased with my statement. Is he jealous? “You don’t seem like the relationship person,” he points out.

I shrug because Michael’s right. Ellis is underage and Hudson can’t be trusted as far as you can throw him; I’m the only child up for the task. “I’m not, but Lady Liberty sure is. If I date the Mexican president’s son, drug trade talk will be easier,” I explain feeling despondent about the situation.

“But you hate it,” Michael says and I feel like he’s staring through my soul. Of course, I hate it. This country has limited abortion access yet I’m being paraded around like a piece of meat to stop a war.

My eyes stay fixed on Michael’s and my breathing slows. Something about him makes me feel safe, although he could work on the scowling. “And I love my mom. What’s 4 years?”

“If their little plan for you goes well, it’ll be 8,” Michael asserts.

A knock rasps on the door before Jo sticks her head in. “Times up. Teen Vogue time!” she cheers.

The loud ticking of the grandfather clock in the fitting room has me wanting to push it right over the balcony railing. The noise is like nails on a chalkboard, reminding me that time is fleeting. 

The doors fly open and Ellis bursts in, being closely trailed by Agent Idris. “Guess what I found out?” she asks melodically.

My head shakes at Ellis’s antics. “Do you ever knock?” I ask. I could’ve been fucking naked.

Ellis huffs, sitting down on the armchair closest to me. “No. You’re not doing anything anyway,” she says, gesturing to me sitting idly on the loveseat.

My eyes roll and I hear Agent Idris chuckle lowly. Annoyed with Ellis taking so long to get to the point, I try to speed her up, “What did you find out, bestie?”

A creepy all-knowing smile plasters onto Ellis’ face. “King Charles III is coming tomorrow,” she informs me maniacally.

“Yeah, Ellis, I assumed. It’s a state dinner. The head of the honoring country has to be on the list,” I explain. She’s in high school, she should know this already.

“Yeah, but you don’t get it. The last two state dinners with the prime minister and the previous queen. This is his first state dinner as King,” Ellis explains excitedly with her hands, showing us a visual representation of the King’s importance.

The Brits haven’t been very fond of us since an official July 4th many moons ago. “That probably means way less to him than it does to us,” I inform Ellisr. 

The back doors to the room open 4 clothes racks are pushed in with accompanying stylists. “Time to play dress up,” Ellis sighs, standing from her chair. 

She can go first, I don’t care for this shit anyway. 

Ellis starts sliding the hangers across the rack, looking at each piece with a detailed eye. My hands find the book I was reading earlier in the afternoon and I pick it up, trying to busy my brain with something. A couple minutes pass of ambient noise before I hear Ellis ask, “Where’s Jo?”

I don’t bother to look up at Ellis, knowing her back is probably facing me. “I told her to go home for the day. Like you said, it’s not like I’m doing anything,” I quote her words a few moments ago.

“We’ll be outside,” I hear Michael say from behind me. When I turn around, he’s pulling a reluctant Agent Idris towards the door.

“You guys can sit right there. We’ll be behind the dressing screen anyways,” I stop them in their tracks. Agent Idris turns around with a smirk on his face before straightening his now-ruffled suit.

Michael’s forehead puckered and his eyes blazed with anger. My eyes squint at him, unsure about his sudden behavior change. What the fuck is his problem? “Sweet,” Agent Idris boasts before smoothly crossing over to me.

I pat the loveseat next to me and Agent Idris smoothly slides onto the cushion, leaning close to me. Once he’s content, I turn my attention to Michael, who looks like he could strangle Agent Idris. The veins are popping out of his skull so I stand, motioning for my spot on the couch. “Here, take my spot. I’ll take the chair,” I motion towards my seat. 

Michael obliges my request, stalking towards me and sitting in the inevitably warmed seat. Agent Idris, uncomfortable with the proximity of closeness, scoots back drastically. A snort leaves my nose and I lower myself into the velvet armchair. 

I turn the page and before I can begin reading, Ellis comes out dressed in the first dress. The grey tulle adorned with black butterflies is perfectly age-appropriate for her. “Oh Ellis, you look so pretty,” I compliment.

Ellis steps in front of the mirror, spinning a bit. Her nose scrunches and she fluffs the skirt out. “I don’t really like it,” she murmurs.

“Why?” I ask.

Ellis turns around, kicking the skirt out a bit so she can walk. “Too much tulle,” she calls over her shoulder on her way towards the dressing room.

“So pick one without tulle, Ellis. I know you have one back there,” I chastise her.

Ellis grumbles something inaudible back and I hear the sound of the crinoline moving against the floor. Two zipper sounds fill the air and minutes later, I hear her sigh, “Okay.”

I abandon my book, figuring my turn is upcoming. “Yeah?” I shout slightly at the screen.

Ellis comes from behind the screen in a Tiffany blue dress with minimal crystals adorning the pockets. “Yeah,” she smiles bashefully.

It’s perfect for Ellis, but without accessories, she looks naked. “You need some gloves and maybe some earrings,” I list, walking over to the vanity with crystal pieces laid on the silk trays.

“I mean duh but what do you think? Hair up or down,” Ellis asks and I look up at her reflection in the mirror. She switches between holding her hair up and letting it flow, posing as she does.

Why would Ellis ask me? I’m the most indecisive person on the fucking planet. “Down,” I suggest.

Ellis nods, picking up the bottom of the dress. “Okay, let me get changed,” she scurries behind the screen.

I silently disappear between the racks, hoping that if I stay silent, no one will notice my short stature in between the clothing. “Your turn,” Ellis unfortunately chirps.

My eyes roll and I touch the fabrics. I don’t want anything too extravagant, but sexy enough to command presence. And I’ll be damned if my little sister looks better than me, no offense. I pick a few dresses, putting them on a rack that an assistant swiftly pulls away for me. 

Once I’m ready, I step behind the screen. The stylist unzips the first dress, stepping out of the room so I can slip into it. I shed the clothing, folding up my outfit. I step into the first dress, calling for help to lace up the back. “Okay,” I say, finally looking up in the mirror. “I can already tell you I don’t like this one,” I grunt, turning to get a good look at myself.

The dress has a cinched waist, and the blue is bright–it reminds me of a highlighter. It’s a beautiful dress. It’s just not the dress for me. 

“So I don’t need to see it. Next!” Ellis shouts. I nod, allowing the stylist to slowly untie the ribbon. I put my hands back on my chest to avoid spilling out of the top of the dress before the stylist puts another dress up on the rack.

Once she leaves, I exhale, allowing the dress to fall to the floor. I pick it up, put it back on the rack, and turn to pick up the next one. This one is a hot red color with a crystalized top. Similarly to the first dress, the red satin flows out from the waist, with velvet roses on the straps. I call the stylist in again to lace me up, and she does so with practiced ease. 

When she’s finished, I step out but only in view of Ellis. “This one’s okay,” I say. It’s too sweet and would be a better fit for Ellis.

Ellis shifts with her hands on her hips. “Mmm, we can do better,” she says before turning back to the racks. She maneuvers through the racks, pulling a blue tulle dress and holding it up towards me. “This one?” she asks.

I shake my head, “Too extra.”

Ellis hands the dress off to the assistant, diving back into the rows determined to find something appropriate. “This one?” she asks, holding a long silk dress. “Oh my gosh, please try it for me,” she pleads.

I scoff, taking the dress from Ellis’s hands, “Fine.”

The Tiffany blue silk with the bow on the back makes it a beautiful, yet promising dress. Giddy about the outcome of this dress, I step into it and call the stylist in for hopefully the last time. After she’s done securing the back, she lets me know, and I let my arms fall to my waist. A smile grows on my face when I look myself up and down in the mirror. “You know what, Ellis? You might’ve been right,” I praise her selection.

It fits my body perfectly and it’s a beautiful dress. “Really?” I hear Ellis ask just before I step out from behind the shield. Her eyes drink me in and her face lights up like a kid on Christmas morning. “Hell yeah,” she boasts.

Ellis steps to the side and when I look behind her, I see Agent Idris’ jaw is on the floor. My eyes find Michael’s and his face is still stone cold. But I see a flash of desire in his irises the longer we have the staring contest.

Ellis clears her throat and I blink rapidly, returning my gaze towards Agent Idris. Michael notices and backhands the man in the chest. Agent Idris quickly snaps his mouth shut, swallowing before his lips part again. “Hot,” Agent Idris groans, shifting his pants.

When I look down, his prominently hard member is practically waving at me. “Show some fucking respect,” Michael barks, tossing one of my throw pillows in Idris’ lap.

A faint giggle slips Ellis's lips and when I turn my head toward her, she’s covering her mouth discreetly. “Oh come on, I’m being objective,” Agent Idris defends himself before turning his attention to me. “Libby you look beautiful,” my sister’s agent compliments with his arm outstretched.

A small smile creeps onto my lips. “Thank you, Agent Idris,” I say before turning around to face the jewelry case.

My eyes scan the contents of the box, allowing my fingers to pick up a gold ring and slide it onto my finger. “Pretty. You wearing that one?” I hear Ellis ask.

“I don’t know,” I say, similarly abandoning the jewelry to her. “Hair up or down?” I ask, striking my poses.

Ellis squints, gnawing on her lip for a second like it’s the hardest decision she’s ever had to make. Me and you both, Lil Bit. “Down,” she finally utters.

I turn towards the couch behind Ellis. The guys will give me a better opinion anyway. After all, it’s their desire I’m trying to obtain. “Agent Idris?” I ask the man.

“Up,” my sister’s guard answers with such quickness that I wonder if he read my mind before I asked that question.

Michael’s body tenses and his buttons dare to pop off his shirt. “Say another word and I’ll be watching you bleed out on the rug,” he threatens his colleague.

Curious about Michael’s opinion, I pose him the same question, “Agent Jordan?”

Michael’s body stays stoically still but his jaw clenches unnaturally. After a couple of moments, I get fed up with the fact that he won't give me attention. “Fine, what about the jewelry? I don’t know which one,” I return to the jewelry boxes.

Ellis looks over my shoulder before pointing at a box. “Gold,” she states before leaving my side.

I pick up the tray with at least 15 pieces on it. “Way to narrow it down for me, Ellis. Now get out,” I playfully bid her goodbye. “and take him with you,” I joke, pointing at Agent Idris.

“Bye, Libby. See you whenever,” Ellis waves over her shoulder. 

“Bye, Lis. Bye, Idris,” I call after the lanky brown man who throws me a wink over my shoulder. These men are going to be the death of me.

I peer out of the window at the tip of the National Monument. Hudson’s obsessive rants about whatever topic he chose are starting to drive me nuts, and we still have 30 minutes of traffic to sit through. “I need you to shut the fuck up for the remainder of our time together in this car,” I whip my head towards my kid brother and snap.

His nose scrunches and he leans forward defensively. “We’re only in traffic because of your stupid education degree. Ceramics has night classes,” he taunts.

“Yeah, cause your ceramics degree is going to come into good use,” I slander his degree choice. I have nothing against art majors, it’s just my brother is a dick who needs to be put in his place right now. 

Agent Flynn snickers and Hudson smacks my pants leg. I reach out, grabbing his wrist before he can scurry back to his side of the car. “Touch me again,” I start twisting, eliciting a spew of cries from his throat. 

“Ow, ow. Let go,” he pleads.

“And I’ll fucking kill you,” I finish the threat, releasing my grip. He snatches his arm back, rubbing the skin around his wrist.

He mumbles something under his breath before looking across the car at his guard. “Aren’t you supposed to kill her if she touches me?”

Agent Flynn shrugs, seemingly unbothered by the sibling bickering. “I would but Agent Jordan would kill me on the spot. So is there a true winner?” he clarifies.

A giggle leaves my lips. He’s got to be joking, right? “Hahaha, my guard is better than yours,” I tease Huddy.

“Not better just, quicker and more serious,” Agent Flynn needlessly defends himself.

The cars pull up just inside the gates, pulling over to the side of the road. “They’re stopping,” Michael alerts Agent Flynn.

His hand creeps down to hover over his gun when I realize what’s going on. They didn’t tell him about Code Grey. Code Grey is the scheduled mindfulness break, brought to you by the white house. They just want to ensure the first children don’t get off track, especially their prized pony.

“No, put those away. The plan says to the door but we haven’t had a mindfulness break today,” I quickly explain, before the door slides open. 

An agent with black sunglasses extends his hand for me to grab. “Come on, Agent Jordan,” I request, although he doesn’t have a choice.

When I step out and the January air hits my face, I grimace. How is walking in freezing temperatures supposed to be good for my mental health? 

A hand is placed on my back, pushing me slightly forward. When I look next to me, I notice it’s Agent Jordan. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel butterflies fluttering around in my stomach. But he’s not an option, none of them are.

My brother steps out behind him, following a chipper Agent Flynn. I bid my sibling goodbye, allowing him and Agent Flynn to cross campus together discreetly. They take off leaving Agent Jordan and I to stand in their dust. “Since you’re here, carry this,” I demand, shoving the bag into Michael’s arms.

He accepts it, swinging the pastel pink strap over his back. “Whatever you say, my lady,” he flirts and I roll my eyes.

My hand slides up to hold his arm. The boots I have on are too high for me to walk stably on the salt-covered ground, so I hope he doesn’t mind. Abruptly, I hear the familiar camera shuttering noises not too far from us. Michael shakes his arm so I let go and he secures it firmly around my shoulder, pulling me into his body. 

He shields me from the paparazzi on the other side of the gate and for the first time, I understand the reason for him. I wouldn’t be able to do this with a 40-year-old man. The topic of conversation surely wouldn’t be how hot my bodyguard is.

We quickly cross the lawn to the education building. When I scan my card for entry, he looks up at the tall structure. “Shit looks depressing,” he comments, holding the door open for me to enter.

I step into the warm building, feeling an instant pain in my ears and nose from the temperature change. I stomp any possible salt off my boots. “I don’t think higher education is supposed to be fun,” I theorize and he chuckles.

The halls are mostly empty, aside from a few scattered students. I look down and check my phone in my hands, seeing that it’s a couple of minutes past four. My heart starts beating rapidly, and I slightly pick up my pace. I like this professor, and I want to leave a good impression on her. She and Jo are the only people who treat me like I’ll have a normal life after this.

The click of my heeled boots echoes off the walls until I’m standing at the door, looking back at Agent Jordan. “I’m sure she knows about you, but just in case. You’re a transfer student, and we’re friends,” I explain our cover story.

He raises an eyebrow, before taking a step back. “Do I look like a fucking teacher, my lady?” he asks, rhetorically. 

“No, you look like a munch,” I respond, quickly pulling open the door before he has a chance to respond. Maybe he’ll charm the pants off my professors and I’ll get an A.

Taglist: @cherrellek, next part

[noirsfantasy]

On the first day of Christmas...

𝔄 𝔇𝔢𝔠𝔢𝔪𝔟𝔢𝔯 𝔗𝔬 ℜ𝔢𝔪𝔢𝔪𝔟𝔢𝔯

𝔭𝔞𝔦𝔯𝔦𝔫𝔤 ➛ Actor!Michael B Jordan x OC!Naomi Samuels

𝔯𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔤 ➛ Fluff

𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔡 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔱 ➛ 4.2K

𝔰𝔶𝔫𝔬𝔭𝔰𝔦𝔰 ➛ Returning home for the holidays, 29-year-old successful artist Naomi Samuels from New York finds her trip taking an unexpected turn. Things take an exciting twist when her brother Daniel arrives, accompanied by none other than the renowned actor Michael B. Jordan. As the next few days unfold with this unexpected guest, Naomi's holiday promises to be anything but ordinary. What adventures await in this unexpected reunion?

𝔞/𝔫 ➛ I'm gonna be honest, this story has me really excited. When I tell you I love Christmas, it's real. I want y'all to know that I fully intended this story to sound a bit hallmarky, so please bare with me. It gets good ;)

12 Days of Christmas Masterlist

Part 2 Here

The Samuels family's Christmas is always a hit. Family comes from all over down to the small town of Leavenworth, Washington just to gather together for this holiday. This is where my grandmother and mother lives, keeping the roots strong. Although, we haven't really had a big family Christmas since before COVID hit, so this one is bound to be special.

Just a week ago, I completed a project for a high-paying client, affording me the luxury of having the entire week before Christmas off. Usually, I am booked up to my ears at this time, so I am grateful for the vacation. I got to the house late last night, and so far, only a handful of aunts, uncles, and a few younger cousins had arrived. As the sole young adult present, I find myself shouldering the full force of our family's 'charm'.

I wake up early this morning in my old bedroom, starting my day with a warm shower. Once I'm dressed and freshened up, I head downstairs, hearing some chatter. I greet my grandmother, who is on the couch, watching her shows. She is always excited to see me.

"Good morning, Grandmother." I say with joy as I give her a warm hug.

"Oh, my beautiful Mimi." She calls my childhood nickname, her hand reaching out to cup my cheek with a gentle tremor. "You are turning into such a beautiful and remarkable woman. I can't tell you how proud of you I am." Her eyes reflect pure love, and I can't help but return her smile. The connection between my grandmother and me is unique, given that I am her first granddaughter.

"Thank you, Grandmother. I'm so happy that I could get to come see you. I know I haven't been around as much since I moved to New York for work," I admit, a twinge of guilt behind my words.

"Don't you worry about that, dear. You're here now, and every moment with my grandbaby is a blessing," she reassures me warmly. "I think your mom and aunts are in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Why don't you go in and see how you can help?" She suggests.

With a nod, I rise from the couch, placing a tender kiss on her cheek before making my way into the kitchen. As I enter, the lively banter of my mom and aunts fills the air, mid-gossip in the midst of breakfast preparations. I'm embraced by the scent of bacon and brewing of coffee. The women pause their gossip for a moment, shifting their attention to me.

"Well, look who decided to get up bright and early!" My mom exclaims, giving me a quick embrace. "Here, you take over the bacon for me. I need to get started on the pancakes," she adds, directing me to her spot at the stove. My aunts greet me with a cheerful "good morning" before seamlessly resuming their conversation with my mother.

The kitchen was bustling with activity, filled with the savory aroma of the many dishes being cooked. The Auntie's hands are kept busy as they catch up on the latest gossip and I snicker to myself as I focus on my task. The house starts to wake up as I hear my little cousins stomping down the stairs, their childish giggles over the chatter of the rest of the family.

I'm lost in my thoughts when my attention is abruptly diverted by an unexpected question from Aunt Pat, who's currently cooking the eggs.

"So, Naomi, you got a man yet?" The other ladies in the kitchen fix their gaze on me, awaiting my response. I stammer for a moment but then decide to keep it light.

“Well, no. I’m not really focused on that right now,” I reply with a shrug, hoping they’ll drop The subject. They don’t, of course.

“Come on now. You not getting any younger.” Adds my aunt Tina. My mom gives them a disapproving look as she closes the fridge.

“Y’all, leave my baby alone. It is too early for this.” Mom defends, but they roll their eyes.

“We’re just chatting, Angie. Besides, don’t you want some grandbabies?” Tina asks, Aunt Pat nodding in agreement.

"Naomi can wait for the right man as long as she needs. Better that than popping out babies without a ring," my mom subtly throws shade, her lips pursed. Aunt Pat raises an eyebrow.

“You tryna say sumn, Ang? Cus' whoever I think you're talking about has definitely gotten married since.” She says matter of factly. My mom ignores her.

"And Tina, don't start on Mimi, what about Ashanti? She still don't got a man either. And she 'bout the same age as Naomi." My mom adds.

"My Ashanti is a famous and successful model. She is busy building her life right now and taking care of her business. Besides, she's seeing someone," Aunt Tina states, turning her nose up. Sensing that my mom is about to say something else, I decide to intervene.

"Let's all calm down. I don't have a man, so what? It's not the end of the world. And, for the record, I have a successful career as well," I declare, raising my hands in defense. Aunt Tina's comment lingers in the air like a passing storm, briefly unsettling the familial calm.

"Just saying, you're almost thirty. Time to settle down. And I'd hardly call those cute little drawings you do a successful career," she persists, earning a disapproving look from my mother. I clench my jaw, determined not to let the remark sting.

"But we'll drop it," Aunt Tina announces, attempting to change the subject. The kitchen regains its lively atmosphere as they return to their culinary duties. My mother shoots me an apologetic glance, understanding the delicate nature of the topic, but I reassure her with a soft smile. I've grown accustomed to my family's concerns about my love life, even if their ideas of success differ from mine.

"Where is Teresa, anyways? And James? I saw the kids last night, but I haven't seen them." I ask, looking at my Aunt Pat.

"Oh, they're upstairs sleep. They really got a handful with them kids." She explains, shaking her head. I laugh a bit.

"Well, it seems like I'm not the only one who needed this vacation. Hopefully we will all get to relax." I let out a sigh.

"Well, don't you worry, none. Ashanti will be here any moment! I know y'all always have a good time together." Aunt Tina says. I look at her out of the side of my eyes and give a fake smile.

"Oh, I'm sure we'll have lots of fun." I respond, trying to hide the sarcasm in my voice. As they chop, stir, and laugh, I find myself wondering what's to come of this trip. My thoughts go back to what my aunts said about my love life.

Even though I'm almost thirty, I've never been one to go searching for a man, much less settle for less than I deserve. My art, my "cute little drawings," as Aunt Tina put it, is not just a hobby—it's my passion. And while it may not fit the conventional definition of success in their eyes, it brings me fulfillment and joy. And I want that when it comes to love as well.

As I plate the last pieces of bacon and turn away from the stove, my phone rings. It’s my brother Daniel.

“Hey Danny.” I greet as I walk out the kitchen.

“Naomi! You already at mamas?” He asks me.

"Yeah, flew in last night. We're about to have breakfast," I reply.

"Bet, well, I'm on my way there, about nine hours out. Been on the road for a while. Just calling to let you know I'm bringing a guest." My interest piques, and I raise my eyebrows.

“Oh? Is it a girl?” I tease. I can almost feel him rolling his eyes at me.

“No, it’s not. It’s one of my colleagues who needs a place to be for Christmas, so I offered to let him come.” Daniel explains.

“Oh, okay. Just a heads up, the aunties are already in my business so make sure you got your shit together.” I share a laugh with him and, over the sounds of the road in the background, I can barely make out a second laugh. I choose to ignore it.

“Who knows, maybe my guest can help you get your shit together if you, uh, catch my drift.” He teases. I roll my eyes in return and give a sarcastic laugh.

“This is not about to be you tryna hook me up with one of your friends again. We both know how that ended up last time.”

“I know, I know. Don’t worry, it’ll be none of that, I promise. But don’t tell anyone I’m bringing someone. I want it to be a surprise.” He tells me.

"Sure, secret's safe with me," I respond, curious as to who he could be bringing.

"Alright, I'll catch you when I get home. Hopefully, everyone will still be up." He chuckles and I laugh along as well.

"Yeah, we'll see. Drive safe. See you when you get here." I say, before ending the call. As I hang up with Daniel, I can't help but wonder about the mysterious guest he's bringing. Returning to the kitchen, I start setting up the table as the delightful aroma of breakfast fills the air. Yet, my thoughts persistently drift back to the impending surprise.

A rhythmic knock echoes through the house coming from the front door, which promptly swings open.

"I'm hereeeee!" All of us in the kitchen pause to glance toward the entrance as my cousin, Ashanti, strides in. Draped in a fur coat and chic heeled boots, she's come with numerous bags.

Smiles light up the room, and everyone rushes to welcome her with hearty hugs. I hug her as well, but it's a bit stiff. Shanti and I grew up together and we used to be very close. But somewhere along the line, she started competing with me and it put a rift between us.

Amidst the flurry of greetings, I catch a glimpse of Ashanti's perfectly styled hair and the air of confidence she exudes. Despite the awkwardness between us, I manage a genuine smile, hoping that the holiday spirit will bridge the gap that has quietly settled over the years.

As the family gathers around, Ashanti unveils a cascade of presents from her bags. "Gifts for everyone!" she announces, and the room erupts with excitement. The children eagerly approach, but she urges them to wait their turn. The tension between us momentarily fades as the joy of the holiday season takes center stage. The gifts she gives are lavish and luxurious. As everyone gets their gifts, she saves the last one for me.

"And last, but certainly not least, this is for you, Naomi." Ashanti hands me a neatly wrapped gift. I smile and open it, eager to see what is inside. While I had no specific expectations, what I got is far from what I had expected. As I tear away the paper, I find myself holding what appears to be a Dollar Tree sketchbook, lacking the quality I might have hoped for.

"Oh, a sketchbook..." I attempt to conceal my disappointment, realizing she intentionally chose a less-than-impressive gift.

"No need for thanks! I just knew you'd love it. You know, with your little artsy thing you got going on. I figured it would be a perfect gift," she says, offering a feigned smile and a hug. Despite having plenty of similar sketchbooks, I decide not to grant her any satisfaction, accepting the gift graciously.

The room is still buzzing with the cheer of the holiday festivities, and as I hold the seemingly ordinary sketchbook, I take a deep breath, reminding myself that the value lies in the gesture rather than the material itself.

I manage a polite smile, masking any traces of disappointment, and reply, "Thank you, Ashanti. It's thoughtful." She beams, seemingly content with her choice of gift, and the tension between us lingers beneath the surface.

The following hours whirl by in a flurry of activity. I spend most of the day hanging out with my younger cousins, keeping them occupied while everyone else relaxes. It's a great feeling to be home and around my family once again, no matter how old I get.

There are a couple gifts beneath the tree and the fireplace blazes brightly. Grandmother, nestled in her recliner by the fireplace, skillfully crochets a blanket and my uncles huddle around the TV to watch a football game. Mom has just set out hot chocolate for the kids, while the aunties are talking with each other in the study. Ashanti is upstairs, probably on her phone or something. Meanwhile, I find myself on the couch, sketch pad in hand, allowing my creativity to flow.

The sun has dipped below the horizon and a flurry of snow blankets the world outside. I glance toward the window, crossing my fingers that the roads won't freeze over and that Daniel and his mystery guest will arrive soon. The children steal the TV, watching some cartoons while a few of my uncles head onto the porch for a smoke. This calm is one I've longed for over the years—it gives me a sense of nostalgia, sending me back to the carefree days of my childhood.

My cousin, Teresa, who was asleep all day, comes downstairs and sits beside me. I smile as I look up from my sketches at her.

"Hey, cuz!" She says, giving me a hug.

"Hey, you slept good?" I ask, giggling a bit.

"Girl, yes, it was MUCH needed. You really don't understand how much you miss naps until you have children." She sighs heavily and I nod sympathetically.

"Yeah, I figured when I saw James come down here and not you, you were still getting your rest." I say teasingly. Teresa rolls her eyes.

"Hey, those beds are comfortable." She retorts, defending herself.

"Well, at least now you get a break, right? You got some help." Teresa sits back and nods.

"I'm so glad to just be here. It's been a while since we were able to take a trip like this."

"Something tells me that this trip is gonna be one to remember." I say, mostly to myself.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see." Teresa says, before standing up and heading to the kitchen.

As time goes by, I hear the doorbell ring again. I remain seated, engrossed in my drawing. Mom answers and her sudden loud exclamation echoes through the house as she lets the visitors in. Intrigued, I look up from my sketches, wondering who it could be. I get up and walk over to the door, first seeing my big brother standing there. He's smiling widely as he sees the shocked look on Mom's face. However, as I approach, I see who she's really screaming about.

There, standing beside Daniel on the doorstep is none other than famous actor Michael B. Jordan. My jaw drops in astonishment as I can't believe my eyes.

"Danny, what is this? You didn't tell me you were bringing a guest!" She exclaims, the unspoken emphasis being, 'You didn't tell me that you were bringing Michael B. Jordan!'

"Just thought I'd surprise you, Ma. And Michael, here, didn't have anywhere to stay for Christmas. So I invited him to stay with us for the week. Is that alright?" He asks, sporting a sheepish grin. My mother stammers for a moment, caught off guard by this surprise. She glances at Michael, who presents her a giftwrapped bottle of expensive-looking wine, flashing that gorgeous smile of his. Still in shock, she stammers as he hands her the gift.

"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Samuels. I hope I'm not intruding too much." He gives her a hug, giving her a squeeze. My mother, still processing the surprise, hugs him back, her eyes gleaming with disbelief.

"Oh, you're not intruding at all! Well, welcome to our home, Michael!" She starts as he lets go of her and stands in the doorway. "We're honored to have you join us for Christmas."

"The honor is all mine." He responds. By now, news of Michael's arrival has spread through the house. Danny brings him in, brushing snow off of himself, and I catch his eye. He winks at me knowingly as our family rushes to greet Michael and take pictures. I smile and shake my head at Daniel. It seems his "colleague" was quite the understatement. My little cousins jump excitedly at meeting the man who played Killmonger and my aunties and uncles are chatting to him loudly, talking over one another.

I watch all the commotion with a smile, when I lock eyes with Michael. He looks as if he is gonna approach me, but he's stopped by Ashanti.

"Hi, my name is Ashanti! You look like you need a drink." She says, before grabbing his arm and leading him away from the lively group. I suppress a sigh of awkward disappointment as she shoots me a mischievous glance over her shoulder. Just then, Daniel drapes an arm around my shoulder, steering me toward the study for a chat.

"Daniel!" I exclaim in a hushed tone as a cheeky grin plays on his face. He simply shrugs, not making a response. "Daniel!" I repeat, this time playfully socking him in the arm with an excited smile on my face.

"Surprise?" He offers, having anticipated my reaction.

"How the hell did you manage to get Michael Bakari Jordan to come to the Samuels household?!" I try to contain my excitement, but my words come out with an unintentional squeal. He laughs, feigning pain as he clutches his arm.

"It's like I said. He didn't have anywhere to be for Christmas. I didn't tell y'all, but this last project I was working on was with Michael and it was set to go into the Christmas holiday. Luckily, we ended up finishing early. Michael had tried to plan ahead and sent is parents and siblings on a Christmas cruise so they'd still have a good time. Well, during the project, Michael and I talked frequently and he mentioned not having anywhere to go, so I invited him to come here." He explains. I'm still in disbelief.

"This is insane. I never expected you to actually bring him. And he's staying until Christmas?"

"Yep, so he gets the full Samuels family experience for the holidays. But, you should go out and meet him yourself, Mimi. Knowing Ashanti, she's probably talking his ear off by now." He pats my shoulder, and I take a deep breath before stepping out of the study.

My heart is racing in my chest as I walk towards the kitchen. I've been a fan of his for the longest and now he's in my house. I'm trying to think of what I'd say to him. I find myself, instead of going to meet Michael, pacing around the dining room away from everyone else. I'm not usually this nervous or shy. But something about this man just makes me go crazy.

"Come on, Naomi," I say to myself, rubbing my palms on my jeans. I pace a bit more before I shake my head at my ridiculousness. With another deep breath, I head out of the dining room and towards the kitchen once more. There Michael and Ashanti are sitting at the bar, engaged in a conversation. It looks as if Ashanti is just talking about herself and her many accomplishments while showing him her photos. As I get closer, Michael glances over and notices me, giving me that famous smile again.

"Hey, Michael..." I start, and he watches me, waiting to hear what I'm gonna say. I decide to just go for it. "Mind if I steal you away for a bit?" I bite my lip, avoiding Ashanti's eyes as she glares at me. The corners of Michael's mouth turn up as the sound of my voice reaches him.

"Well, actually, Nao-"

"Yeah, I don't mind." He interrupts Ashanti as he stands, grabbing his glass . "Thanks for the drink, Ashanti." He says, but she rolls her eyes as she watches us leave. We make our way to the upstairs common area and sit on the couch. Michael sits a bit close to me, draping his arm along the back of the couch as he gets comfortable.

"You know, I was just looking for an excuse to take a break from her," He says, leaning into me. "Thanks for rescuing me." I laugh a bit at his words.

"Well, I'm happy to help. I'm always willing to answer the call of a damsel in distress." I joke, trying to break the ice. He chuckles a bit.

"It looked that bad, huh?" He replies and I nod, overexaggerating it a bit. "Well, then I guess that makes you my knight in shining armor." He grins charmingly and I have to stop myself from melting.

"Ah, where are my manners. I'm Naomi, Daniel's sister. I would've introduced myself sooner, but you seemed a bit busy." I laugh nervously, struggling to sit still under his gaze.

"So you're this troublesome Mimi I've heard so much about?" Michael questions and I freeze, blushing in embarrassment. There's no way Daniel really told him about my nickname. I regain my composure and clear my throat.

"First of all, I don't know where this troublesome idea of me came from, cuz it's definitely not true." I retort, playfully turning my nose up.

Michael grins, his eyes filled with amusement. "Hmm, I don't know, Daniel talks about you quite a bit and based on his stories, you seem pretty troublesome to me." He leans back, a playful glint in his eyes as he observes my reaction. "But don't worry, I'm all for a bit of trouble."

I chuckle, feeling a bit more at ease with his easygoing demeanor. "Well, if that's the case, I hope you're ready for the full Samuels family experience. We're a handful, but it's all in good fun."

"So, Naomi," Michael begins, his eyes gleaming with curiosity, "Aside from being a troublemaker, Daniel tells me you're an artist."

I playfully roll my eyes at the "troublemaker" label. "Oh, yes, it's my favorite thing to do. I love to draw, paint, you name it."

"What would you say inspires you?" He asks, his expression showing genuine curiosity.

"I just feel like art is my way of keeping some semblance of sanity in this chaotic world, you know what I mean?" I explain.

"Yes, I know exactly what you mean." He says, nodding his head. "It must be a nice escape from the chaos of the world to be able to express yourself through art. I love listening to music; it helps me find clarity when my thoughts get too messy."

"I completely get that. And it's just a plus that I get to do it for a living." I say with a content smile.

"So being an artist is your full-time job?" he questions, his tone laced with intrigue.

"Yeah, at first it was a hobby, but it got so successful that I was able to quit my other job and do it full-time."

"An artist, huh? Anything I might've seen?" he asks, genuinely interested. I shrug casually.

"Possibly. I do commissions for all types of people, I've got a few pieces in the Brooklyn Museum, I also run an art page on Instagram, so maybe you've seen some of my art." I pull out my phone and show him my page. He takes the phone from my hands, scrolling and raising his eyebrows in surprise.

"These are amazing," he says quietly, clearly impressed. "Do you draw from real life often? It's so realistic and…detailed" He continues, running his fingers along my phone screen lightly.

"I'm experimenting with some other media forms, but yeah, all of these I painted from real life. Some of them even went for really high prices. My most recent piece went for $3,000. But I've been working on that one for months. It was a commission for the governor of New York."

"Wow! It's amazing. You got some serious talent girl!" He praises, giving me a high five. I laugh, blushing a bit as he compliments me. He hands me my phone back and pulls his out, going to my account on his Instagram and following it. It takes everything within me not to scream.

"Thank you. Art is just a huge passion for me. I love to make other people happy with it as well." I admit. Michael notices me blushing when it sinks in he just followed my account.

"Well, you've got a new fan." He says with a sly grin, leaning against my shoulder. "I might have to use your services sometime." He says, his gaze lingering on mine.

"Yeah, I mean, I'm down to make anything you'd like." I blurt out, before realizing what I'd just said. "I... didn't mean it like that." I let out a sheepish laugh and clasp my hands together. Michael laughs as well, but he really is just enjoying himself.

"How about you make a portrait of me?" He suggests, a hint of playfulness in his tone.

"When? Right now?"

"I'll leave it up to you. We got the next couple days." He reminds me with a wink.

"Okay, but you'll have to be on your A-game this whole week. Are you up for the challenge?" I question, matching his tone.

Michael leans in, his voice low and teasing. "I'm always up for a challenge, especially if it involves spending more time with someone as captivating as you."

I feel a flush of warmth, and I playfully roll my eyes. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Mr. Jordan."

He grins, unfazed. "Is that a promise, Ms. Samuels?"

"Absolutely," I reply, laughing a bit and enjoying our banter. Even though we've just met, it feels like we've been friends for a while. Michael takes note of the easy chemistry that we have, and that chemistry sets the tone for a vacation filled with shared moments and the promise of a memorable Christmas.

"Any other hidden talents I should know about, Naomi?" He questions me. Somewhere in our conversation, we've gravitated so close on the couch that there's no space between us. Yet, the proximity feels comfortable now, and any initial nervousness has dissipated.

"Well, you'll have to find that out, won't you?" I respond with a sly smirk.

"Oh, she wants to be mysterious now?" Michael chuckles, his dimples showing as he smiles at me.

"She does indeed. As you said, we've got these next few days. You'll just have to see for yourself," I reply, glancing at the clock to realize how late it has gotten. Most of the children have already fallen asleep, and the aunts and uncles have retired to their rooms. It appears that the family is settling down for the night. Michael and I exchange glances, acknowledging the quieting atmosphere around us.

"I guess it's time for us to call it a night," Michael suggests, a yawn coming from him. I nod in agreement, feeling a sense of contentment in the air.

"Yeah, it's getting late. Goodnight, Michael." I say, rising from the couch. Michael follows my actions and stands up.

"Goodnight, Naomi." He pulls me into a brief hug, and I reciprocate, my arms instinctively wrapping around his waist. After a moment, we separate, and I turn to make my way to my room.

"Uh..." Michael utters softly. "Which way is the guest room?" He asks. I smile and chuckle.

"It's down the hall, second door on the left," I reply, pointing him in the direction.

"Ah, okay, goodnight again." He says, before walking towards his room.

"Goodnight," I say softly, heading into my bedroom and getting ready for bed. I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and stare for a moment. Out of nowhere, I break out into a victory dance and squeal silently. I still cannot believe that Michael B Jordan is at my house, or that he's going to be staying here for a week, or that he might even like me! I take a deep breath and compose myself once more, worried I might wake someone.

As I settle into bed, the tranquility of the night wraps around me like a warm blanket. Reflecting on the unexpected turns of this day, I realize exactly how crazy this whole day has been. I can only hope that this isn't a dream. With a contented sigh, I drift off to sleep, eagerly anticipating the things to come these next few days.

To Be Continued...

[herbrattypsht]

Erik coming back from Wakanda to tell reader he’s a prince

a/n; I love this idea sm, did a little self indulgent while writing this but i hope you enjoy

Erik “Killmonger” Stevens x black!fem!reader

TW: mentioning of injuries, slight angst, over all just fluff

* ༶•┈┈⛧┈♛ ♛┈⛧┈┈•༶

Seven months. It had been seven months since Erik had left with a word. You were aware of his plans to take over Wakanda as the rightful heir to the throne, but for him to leave, pack all his things without a goodbye? It hurt you.

You and Erik had known each other ever since you were kids. He was placed in the same foster home after his father passed, and y’all just clicked. Erik was always a hotheaded kid who couldn’t express his feelings correctly while you were sweet and understanding, taking the time to listen to him. You understood why he was angry and you were there for him as he was there for you. When you guys got to your sophomore year of high school you decided to try dating, and it was the best decision ever.

Or so you thought.

You were always the first person he said hi to at the beginning of the day and the first person he said goodnight to at night. He told you that you were his world and that he couldn’t wait to live a long life with you. But now, you couldn’t believe a word he said. You were beyond heartbroken and depressed.

* ༶•┈┈⛧┈♛ ♛┈⛧┈┈•༶

“Your majesty, we have arrived “ Ayo said from the front of the all black Rolls Royce.

“ Thank you Ayo” Erik said, quickly unbuckling his seatbelt and hopping out the car. Erik already knew and had came to terms with the fact that he royally fucked up. He knew how you must have been angry and sad. Erik thought it was best to not tell you when he was leaving in fear you would try to stop him.

With two Dora Milaje at his side, he fixed his chain around his neck, adjusting his shades and walked into your apartment building.

Erik was beyond anxious. Had you had moved? Did you find someone new? Were you going to not going to want to talk to him? So many thoughts went through his head as he had made it up to your floor and stood in front of your door.

Reluctantly, he knocked on your door, hoping you would answer and hear him out.

You had just been laying on your couch, hardly paying attention to whatever show was on your TV. You hear the knock and got up, confused as you were not expecting any company.

Without looking through your peephole, you opened the door, and was welcomed with the sight of Erik, with Ayo and Aneka by his side. To say you were shocked was an understatement.

“ I know I fucked up princess, you have every right to be angry with me. You can scream and hit me all you want but please hear me out.” that was the first thing he said while he stood before you. His beard was trimmed, his dreads were a little longer, freshly retwisted and braided back.

“ You have ten minutes to explain” you said with a stern tone, letting him and the Dora inside your apartment.

* ༶•┈┈⛧┈♛ ♛┈⛧┈┈•༶

You guys had sat down on your king sized bed in your bedroom, while Aneka and Ayo waited outside the door, spears in hand.

“ Baby, I know you’re upset, and I don’t blame you, but I did this to protect you” he said, slowly grabbing your hand and interlocking it with his. You stayed quiet, looking at him with glossy eyes. You were so close to bursting into tears but you just couldn’t.

“ When i went to Wakanda to claim my place as king, a lot went down. I was stabbed, hospitalized for a while. And after some time of proving myself, my Auntie made me prince” he didn’t want to go into detail about how he almost killed T’Challa and almost started a war with American.

Finally, giving his hand a light squeeze, you let the tears flow. You hugged him close, sobbing silently into his neck. His held you close, rubbing slow circles on your back.

“ I thought that if you didn’t know when I would be leaving you wouldn’t be able to try and stop me. So many people died because of my actions, and the last thing I ever want is for one of those lost lives to have been yours.” He finally calmed you down, cradling your face in his hand.

“ Erik, please don’t leave again, I can’t do it without you. Ever since you left everything has been awful. Even getting out of bed had been a challenge for me. I needed you. And you weren’t there “ you said, your voice cracking a little from crying.

“ I’m not leaving you ever princess, that’s actually another reason why I’m here, I want you to come back to Wakanda with me, to be my real princess and live the long life I promised you “ he said, holding both your hands in his.

“ You want me to come with you?” You said, only questioning it cause it’s so hard to believe. You were still mad, rightfully so, but whats the worst thing that could happen if you gave him a second chance.

Before he could answer the question, you pulled him into a kiss, a passionate yet soft kiss. He finally broke the kiss, pressing his forehead against yours.

“ You gon’ be my princess, no one is ever taking me from you” he mumbles, looking into your eyes as you finally smile, and oh how he missed at smile. He was so ready for Romanda to finally meet the woman who kept her nephew safe all this time.

A/Not : should i make a P2? Lmk if yall liked this?

[jordancallowayswife]

Khalil X Reader

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Summary: Based on the black lightning series. In short, you and khalil are bestfriends and attend high school together. One day, Khail makes a risky decision by asking you out. (Contains kiss scenes but nothing too explicit😭)

Requested: no

Imagine type: A y/n Story, oneshot

Characters: Y/n( insert your name), Keisha, Khalil a.ka Jordan Calloway, Jennifer,

Y/n pov:

As I checked my phone, I noticed the time was 7:30am and school starts at 8:00am. I got up and did my morning routine and quickly got dressed. I texted khalil and asked him to pick me up because I'd have no time to drive myself to school. I grabbed a granola bar along with my backpack and headed out of the door.

Text between y/n and khalil:

Khalil: y/n im here, come outside

Y/n: ok, on my way out now

I quickly responded to the message and walked to the car. "Yo wassup y/n" khail spoke. "Hey khalil how are you?" Y/n asked. "I'm doing good now that you're here" khalil responded flashing his beautiful smile at me. Trying to hide my smile, I turned away facing the window. I had been crushing on Khalil for some time now but I could never bring myself to tell him. After about 15 minutes, the car came to a complete stop. "We're here y/n" khalil said calmly. I grabbed my backpack from the backseat and prepared to get out of the car. "Thanks khalil" I told him. "No problem" he responded. We both got out of the car and gave each other a side hug and parted ways to go to our classes. As I was walking, I met up with my friends Keisha and Jennifer who snickered and gave me looks.

Jen pov: Me and Keisha watched as y/n got out of the car with khalil. "You think they like each other?" I asked Keisha smirking. "Most likely, y/n always blushes and acts shy around khalil" she responded. "I wouldn't be suprised if he was giving her that-" I cut Keisha off. "Heyyy now i think we've heard enough". Y/n came over to us and we greeted her with hugs. "Girl we seen you getting out of the car with khalil" Keisha said smiling. "You like him don't you?" I asked. "No... well maybe." Y/n said looking off to the side smiling. Just as I was about to speak, the bell rang for us to go to class. "Ooh come on before we be late" Keisha said pulling us both with her.

*time skip to after school*

Time: 3:30pm

Khalil pov: As i made my way to the gym, all I could think of was y/n. Her smile and beautiful eyes were the only thing on my mind. We became bestfriends as kids and are both 16 years old. I've had a crush on her for the longest but I never told her. Today will be the day I finally confess my love to her. I was the only one in the gym at the moment so, I took off my shirt and changed into my gym shorts and began to work on the treadmill.

Y/n pov: 30 minutes passed by as I walked to the gym to try and find khalil. I mean after all he was my ride home. As I walked through the gym doors I spotted khalil shirtless with sweat glistening on his body. "Hey y/n my bad I got a little caught up in my workout" khalil said. "You're fine khalil" i respondes. "Wait you think I'm fine?" Khalil said smirking. "I didn't mean like that" I said smiling. Who am I kidding I do think he's fine and sexy but he doesn't have to know that. "Can I talk to you about something?" Khalil asked nervously. "Yeah sure" I told him. We stood across from each other as I listened to him talk. "We've been bestfriends since we were six and over time I started having different feelings for you. Honestly I like everything about you and I'd love to have the opportunity to call you mine. So, with that being said will you be my girlfriend?" Khalil asked. "Yeah I'd like that" I said blushing and looking to the side. All of a sudden khalil came closer to me and moved my face back towards him so that we both made eye contact. As he held my face, he leaned in closer pecking my lips. I leaned closer and began to slowly kiss his lips. We both pulled away and headed to the car.

(Imagine its you and khalil at the top)

*timeskip*

"Thanks for dropping me off at home Khalil" I said. "No problem my princess" he responded. When I got in the house, I prepared for dinner and talked to khalil afterwards. We talked on the phone until we both decided to go to sleep.

-A/N( authors note) this is my first imagine I've written and I honestly enjoyed writing this 🥰if you want me to make a part two of this let me know in the comments. Excuse any errors and Thank you for reading!

[blackterrae]

Ideas for Black!Reader Fic

I am going to try my hand again at writing. And I wanted to share some people and fandoms that I love. If you don’t know these shows/actors/franchises/movies/streamers I’m putting you on! For the following:

Princess Bride

Alice In Borderland

Johnny Depp- All his characters

Artemas (singer [i like the way you kiss me])

Cameron Monaghan- I know that there are fics out there but it’s only always his Jerome/Jeremiah roles never just him or Cal Kestis

Anthony Carrigan- I loved Anothy as Victor Zsasz

Paul Dano- There are Riddler fics but not as many for his other roles

The Entire Cast of Hawaii Five-0 (2010) - Don’t even get me started on how good this show is! And the cast looks amazing!

Chicago Med/Fire/PD- These shows have so much potential for fanfic storylines!

The Game (2006)- Has great potential for slow burns and fluffs.

Star Wars franchise (1977-present) - I know I said Cal Kestis but there are also other characters like Anakin, Luke, Obi Wan,Boba Fett (etc.)

NCIS franchise- I honestly love this franchise and it’s characters!

Hamilton

Any/All Sports Men- Jude Bellingham,Lewis Hamilton,LaMelo Ball,Allen Iverson(etc.)

Berleezy - He’s handsome and he’s funny!

Coryxkenshin- I literally love him and his videos!

Albert Aretz (Flamingo)- Look … he may be the epitome of mediocre white man but I like what I like!

AMP- Duke Dennis, Kai Cenat, Agent 00, ChrisNxtDoor,Davis, and Fanum ( all I gotta say is love a black man from infinity to infinity🗣️)

Beta Squad- A British YouTube/ streamer group!

SOMEBROS- Berleezy, Rico, ,PG, Joe (etc.)

WWE- come on now, do I even need to explain!!!

Four Brothers- All the cast but Garrett Hedland in particular!

Peacemaker - Don’t get me wrong I love Adrian Chase but I want to see just as much Peacemaker x black!reader fics because 2 words… JOHN CENA

MAWS- New animated Superman show! Love!

Smallville - The entire cast is hot! Tbh I fell hard for Tom Welling when I was younger when he was in Cheaper By The Dozen. Plus they literally whitewashed Vixen. COME ON! Vixen is a black female hero btw. She was also with Jon (Green Lantern) at one point.

Justice League/Justice League Unlimited (2001 and 2004)- I mean I literally can’t find any Jon Stewart x black!reader fics and he was with a BLACK WOMAN!

Warner Bros Franchise (minus the looney tunes & space jam)- There are lots of popular franchises that this company has from Fast & Furious to The Matrix!

Peaky Blinders- Saw a Tommy shelby x arms dealer black!female reader fic on my previous account but even then I couldn’t find it again on that account. So it’s gone with the wind. And the cast (i.e the actors and other characters they’ve portrayed). Example: Cillian Murphy as Johnathan Crane.

The Bear

FBI (All)

The good doctor

Tiktokers: Vinnie hacker

Blue Bloods

Will Poulter- I haven’t really seen any Adam Warlock fics

Slashers

Stranger Things

Cruel Intentions

Burnt

Dave Lizewski

Eddie Redmayne

Macgyver (2016)

Fresh Prince of Belair

Guardians of the galaxy- Explanation? Do I really need one?

On My Block

Descendants (characters will be the actors age in real life.duh)- Love Boo-boo Stewart & Mitchell Hope!

Matt Rife

Joey Bragg (Liv &Maddie) - What can I say I love dorks!

The Boys- Haven’t seen that many fics about the characters and a black reader

Once Upon A Time- I love dark fairytales sometimes because they remind me that not every story has a happy ending and you have to learn from them. But this series is good for any theme really.

Walker Texas Ranger (1993)

Top Gun

Nicolas Galitzine

Magcon: Whether you saw their vines on YouTube or vine, you know who they are

Dolan Twins

Mission Impossible

Euphoria- Entire show has great storylines with the potential of drama in fics

Shameless- Especially Carl Gallagher and Lip Gallagher

Creed- Michael B Jordan need I say more

Keanu Reeves- There are very few fics about Keanu but I’ve seen a few of his John Wick x black!reader fics (chef’s kiss) but never see any of The Matrix Fics!Also Ted (Bill & Ted)

River Phoenix

Batman Beyond

Rider Strong

Danny Gonzalez

Timothée Chalamet

New York Undercover

Past-Present Singers & Rappers/ Groups -Bow Wow, Tupac, Lil Baby, Nelly, Omarion, Prince, Michael Jackson, Jon B,Usher, Central Cee, Måneskin, New Edition, BTS, James, PRETTYMUCH Bay(etc.)

Anime(Any kind!)- Would love to see other shows, I know hunterxhunter,aot,one piece (etc.)

Bridgerton- There is very little Bridgerton stories catered around a black reader.

Marvel- Now that’s not to say that there aren’t any in fact there are many but I never see (Tobey Maguire Spider-Man stories and it seems like everyone tends to focus on the famous Marvel characters like The Avengers but not on other aspects like X-men or better yet, heroes that haven’t even gotten their own movie but are just as amazing like Squadron Supreme , it’s equivalent to DCU’s Justice League.

Secret Invasion- Not gonna lie , I’m feening for Gravik.😳

DCEU- Another franchise that pushes its other characters to the side. For example, Hush (Thomas Elliot) is literally the epitome of Bruce Wayne gone bad!

Ross Lynch- There are so many roles that Ross did so well in Like Teen Beach Movie or Sabrina.

Highschool Musical Franchise (2006- present ) I’m not just talking about HSMTS (2019), I mean even further back than that. I don’t see any Troy Bolton x black!reader and that’s crazy. I also can’t find any Zac Efron x black!reader

Interview with a Vampire (1994) and (2022)

Austin Butler- He did well in his role as Elvis!

Vikings - There are a good amount but still!

Transformers

Suits

Saved By The Bell

The Goldbergs

Parks & Recreation

Leverage

The Outsiders

Heart of Stone

New York Undercover (1994)

Addams Family

Victorious

Matpat

ICarly

The Real Bros of Simi Valley (2017)

Think Like A Man (2012)

One on One (2001)

Scorpion (2014)

The King of Queens (1998)

G.I. Joe Franchise

Terminator

Beware the Batman (2013)

Any and all Asian Idols/Actors

Seal Team

Mortal Combat

Bill and Ted

Barbie

Detroit: Become Human

Will Trent

Tokyo Vice

Growing Pains

Graceful Family (Kdrama)[Any Asian Drama shows or movies would be great as well]

The Regime

Batman: The animated series

The Sympathizer

The Invitation

Jawbreaker

If anyone needs ideas for these franchises/movies/shows/actors , then holla at me! I got you!

Also add more to the list if anything that you would like to see comes to mind.

Also tag black writers who you want to see this!

@sheabuttahwrites @shinsouscatpisssmell @cocoamoonmalfoy @heathenarmyimagines @cinewhore @cocoamoonmalfoy @stxxllaaa @glitterjuju @lilvampirina @breanime @blackmissfrizzle @afro-hispwriter @stargirlfics @lavenderursa @clydesducktape @pettyprocrastination @theblvckvenus @plantvenuss @punani @n-slayaaaaa @infernalodie @halfofmysoulsblog @iridecsense @tomhardydallasstarsgirl @supremethunda @thekrazykeke @canumoveurseatup-no @hiatuswhore @avintagekiss24 @ohcaptains @iguessweallcrazyithinktho @xsapphirescrollsx @sunflowertuliplily @bakarilennox @batfamily14 @ramp-it-up @blackreaders-assemble @royallyprincesslilly @funnyexel @blackterrae @slashisms @artemisthewh0re @shelbydelrey @toocriticalharlow @v-era-18 @vampsired @queenimmadolla @sinnerlillith @greengoblinswifey @apocalypse-shuffle

[starcrossedxwriter]

Built for Love Part 11 (MBJ x Famous Black OC)

Warnings: a bit of angst, lots of fluff, NSFW

A/N: I don't wanna give a single thing away about this chapter so I'm just gonna say enjoy!

“What are you doing outta bed?” Michael paused scrambling eggs on the stove to throw her a glance that matched the exasperation and annoyance in his tone. “I told you I’d bring it to you.” 

Charlotte’s slippers made scuffing noises across the hardwood floor as she made her way to the kitchen island. 

“Thank you but you’ve sequestered me in that bed since Saturday and I didn’t fight you on it once. It’s Wednesday and if I lay there for one more second, I was gonna lose my mind. I’ve slept enough for a lifetime.” She glanced down at the kitchen island, heavy laden with breakfast. She spied breakfast potatoes, bacon, sausage, fruit, and biscuits. “Now who is all this food for??” 

“You,” he responded simply. “You needed sleep and now you need calories. You’ve been losing weight since we moved here and that stops now.” 

Charlotte could not deny that was true. It was unintentional but her soft curves had certainly lost much of their curviness since she moved to New York. She was not at her skinniest by any means, but the rigorous performances and practices, her regular workout routine, and the stress caused the pounds to shed without her even realizing it.

She popped a piece of cantaloupe in her mouth as she walked up to him. “This is very sweet and everything smells delicious. Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome. Now go sit.” 

Charlotte moaned. Dr. Jordan was the strictest fake doctor she had ever met in her life. He barely gave her a chance to stand and stretch her legs. 

“Babeeeee,” she whined, wrapping her arms around his midsection. Her forehead rested on his back. “I can stand for a few minutes. He fucked up my upper body, my legs still work just fine.”

“You need to rest and relax, Charlotte. Damn,” he muttered under his breath. “Worst patient I’ve ever seen.” 

“How many girls have you nursed back to health from near death, babe? Damn, I thought I was your first for once,” she joked. However, when it fell flat, she grimaced. “Too soon?” 

“Wayyyy too soon, baby. How’re you feeling?” 

“Fi-” she started to say but remembered her promise. It included this. She pressed her lips to his back, his taunt and bare muscles flexing at her touch.“B-better. Nightmares weren’t so bad last night… just a couple so that’s progress… torturously slow progress,” she added. “And I made an appointment with my old therapist. We’re gonna do virtual sessions till I get back to LA.” 

Michael turned from the stove, still in the grip of her arms, to face her. He gave her an encouraging smile. “That’s great, Els.” He was proud of her, he knew how hard that was… that she likely felt as if she was backtracking or starting over. “Why didn’t you wake me last night?” 

“You need to sleep too, Dr. Jordan. All this taking care of and fussing over me, I know you’re not resting.” 

“I’ll rest when those heal.” He lifted her chin lightly to look at the bruising on her neck. He knew they would get worse before they got better but his eyes glazed over with rage every time he looked at her bruises, particularly the ones around her neck. He could make out exactly where his hands were, a temporary brand to what he tried to do. 

Charlotte rubbed his arm, an attempt to soothe the brewing emotions she could feel inside him. She always admired his emotional intelligence, how he was able to reign in his emotions and rage even when he so clearly wanted to find the nearest punching bag or Shaun’s face and have at it. “I’ve had worse. It always looks way worse than it feels. Well, that’s not true. The first day, it felt worse than it looked. But it’s not too bad now. I promise. And I’d rather you rest now. I really am ok.”

Despite her assurances, she could tell he did not believe her. She sighed, wondering when she would earn his trust again. That was honestly the hardest part in all this for her, knowing that her actions had caused her to lose it in the first place. 

“How long is it gonna take for you to trust me when I say that again?” She asked quietly. She wasn’t angry, there were consequences to her actions and this was one of them. But it did break her heart. She hated the idea that he did not trust her words. This was their first real issue as a couple, the first time she had to contend with them not being on the same page. 

Michael sighed, his hand going to scratch the scruff of his beard for a moment. “It’s not a question of trust, Els. Because I do trust you. And I’m not tryin’ to hold this against you. But this taught me that for better or worse, your default is to deal with your shit alone. To hide and, if needed, lie to avoid bothering or worrying other people. And I get it, I understand why. But I won’t lie and pretend like this shit didn’t shake me up a lot. Being stuck in LA knowing something wasn’t right even though you promised it was. Seeing you after the show shaken and scared and not knowing why… seeing you nearly dead on the floor when I was one room over. That ain’t shit I’m gonna get outta my head anytime soon. When you say you’re good, I wanna know that’s true. But I also know it’s gonna take a lot more than a promise and a few days for that to happen. You gotta work on trusting me with your problems and your pain and that shit takes time. And in the meantime, I’m gonna work on taking you at your word but I might also just need… some reassurances that you’re really ok.”

 She understood why Michael was being so protective. She could tell he still felt guilty, though he shouldn’t, about not being there to protect her in the first place. And now, he acted as if she needed to be wrapped in bubble wrap at all times. He barely let her out of his sight and if it was not an absolute necessity, he barely let her out of bed. She understood the impulse. If it made him feel better to fuss, she would not deny herself or him that.

“I understand. I didn’t think about how all of that would affect you… scare you. And I am sorry. Whatever reassurances you need and fussing you wanna do for as long as you wanna do it, I won’t fight you on it. Promise.” 

“Thank you.” He kissed her nose, her face scrunching up a bit. “How’s the pain?” 

“Manageable. Head is still pounding, everything’s a bit stiff but I feel like I can get up and move around a bit. Or at least move from the bed to the couch for a change of scenery. Maybe convince the best and sexiest doctor in New York to take me on a walk after breakfast so I can breathe some fresh air?” 

He eyed her suspiciously. “You sure you're up for that?” 

“Probably not up for a long one,” she admitted. “But even if it’s just 10 minutes… the cameras and reporters have finally moved on to bothering someone else. We could escape for a bit. I’m going a little stir crazy, Bakari.”

“Fine. Just for a bit then Avengers on the couch?” 

“Thank youuuu.” 

She ate quickly, finishing two plates at Michael’s insistence.  

As they went into their bedroom to change, she raised an eyebrow in shock as Michael handed her one of his favorite sweaters. She had stolen quite a lot of his clothes in the last few months, in which they basically became her clothes and he never saw them again. However, this coveted sweater had always been out of her grasp. He had always made it clear it was one of the few items that were off limits because he knew he’d never get it back. However, she had tried it on one or twice when he wasn’t home and it was like wearing a cloud, so insanely soft.

“Wow… so this whole time all I needed to do was almost die to get this?? Chile, I would’ve done that months ago to get this sweater,” she joked. Though she could see the corner of his mouth twitch, he did not laugh. “Still too soon?” 

“If it was too soon 20 minutes ago, it still is, Els.”

“Sorry, Jackson wasn’t a fan of my dark humor about dying the first time either. But it helps to find some humor in it… somewhere. And you gotta admit, it is kinda funny…” She remarked as she pulled on a pair of leggings. They still had to bundle up, one thing Charlotte did miss about LA was the perfect weather year around. 

“Ain’t a single humorous thing about any of this, babe.” 

“I dunno… I mean no, it isn’t funny. But also, it’s kinda crazy… Since I met him, Shaun’s gone out his way to try to kill me twice… and each time, I’ve survived. Like he is really bad at murder… terrible. I mean, not complaining… Thank God for it. But I would just stop trying if I was 0/2 with the same person, you know? That’s embarrassing??” That did make a small chuckle escape Michael’s lips. “See!! It is kinda funny when you actually think about it.”

“I’m ignoring you,” he called as he went into the closet to pull out their winter coats, baseball caps, and shades. Thankfully, the press and paparazzi surrounding their building had started to dissipate. They had gotten a couple glimpses of her family and Michael coming and going but none of her, thankfully. That was the only thing that would have made this whole ordeal worse, her bruised and battered form thrown across the front page of every newspaper. She knew it was still a possibility, pictures of her injuries from the hospital could leak. The downside of fame, nothing was truly private. 

She shrugged as he helped her pull on her coat. 

“I’m just saying he’s bad at killing or I am just that good at surviving,” she muttered. “Maybe they should cast me in Black Panther too?” At his confused stare, she smiled. “Cause I clearly have 9 lives like a cat? I could be like your sexy evil accomplice… The Golden Cheetah?”

That did make him laugh for the first time in several days. His hands grabbed her jacket to pull her close to him. “I’ll talk to Ryan about it, how about that?” 

“That’s all I ask.” She stretched on her tiptoes to kiss him before he took her hand to lead them outside. 

Their walk did not last too long as Michael knew it would not. Not because Charlotte was not up for it but because neither of them wanted to be out in the cold long. But she still appreciated his willingness to acquiesce to her small request. A walk was really the only public thing she cared to do, at least, until all the bruises faded. And she did appreciate the activity, she wanted to keep her limbs from going too stiff. She’d be back on stage next week, the one thing she did have to fight Michael on. Chris was on the verge of an ulcer every day she was out. He called to check on her everyday. She knew he actually cared about her but she also knew he wanted his leading lady back… ASAP. She already felt guilty ruining his opening night, the least she could do is not send him to the hospital from the stress. 

But Michael did not push back too much once she promised to have security with her, given that Shaun was officially out on bail. Restraining order or not, she and Michael were not interested in testing whether Shaun would adhere to it. She let Michael pick and vet the guy, who came highly recommended.cHis accolades included knowing more than an acceptable amount of ways to kill someone with his bare hands so she could not deny she would feel more safe in his presence. And the theater security and box office had been alerted and prepped to ensure her ex did not step foot on the premises again. And he no longer, thankfully, even had a legitimate reason to, Chris letting her know he had been fired from his investment firm immediately after the news broke. 

Charlotte knew she would not know real peace or be able to fully move on until he was behind bars, which the DA warned could take a year given the docket unless he accepted a plea. But she would accept the small wins and forms of justice that she could get, she knew it was far more than many in her position would ever see. 

As she pulled her outer layers and hat off, she got a glimpse of her hair in the mirror. 

“Ugh.” 

“What?” 

“My hair… How can you stand to look at me like this? I look like a troll doll. I’m gonna have to go to the salon or pay someone to come and wash it. I look crusty as hell.” 

“How about we relax in the bath and I’ll wash it for you?” 

Her face lit up. She remembered when they talked about a similar scene in Creed, the intimacy of helping Bianca do her hair. Her heart swelled at the idea of recreating such a moment. The role of victim and caregiver over the last few days had stripped a layer of emotional intimacy the pair was accustomed to. She knew it would come back eventually but she hoped, perhaps, this small act would speed things up a bit.

“Really?” 

He gestured toward the bedroom, taking her hand to get ready for the tub. 

Soon, she found herself resting against Michael’s chest in the bath, bubbles surrounding both of them. He did all the work, his fingertips softly massaging shampoo and conditioner in her tresses, Charlotte could’ve fallen to sleep right there.

“Can I ask you something?” Her soft voice breaking the silence between them as Michael worked diligently and carefully to avoid causing her pain. It had been on her mind since they got home, stationed at the forefront for the hours and hours she spent resting or recovering in his arms. Several days removed, the shock had worn off for both of them, she felt like enough time had passed to finally talk about things unrelated to what happened or her safety. They could talk about the future, one she prayed to God she did not completely destroy.  

“Shoot.” He took note of the nervousness in her voice. He did not know what she could be about to ask him, what could cause her to be nervous. He was an open book. 

“At the hospital… you said you wanted to marry me…” her voice grew quiet, one of her legs drawing into her chest. “Did you mean that? Do you still mean that? Or was it just, you know, you caught up in the emotion of everything?”

His massaging stilled for a moment before he answered, “Yes, yes, and no.” Simple and to the point as he resumed his task. 

He could feel her body relax against him again at his answers. 

“You don’t wanna elaborate on any of those answers?” 

He laughed. “Nah cause it’s pretty cut and dry to me. I’m pretty set on spending the rest of my life with you.” 

And that was not him just trying to assure her, it was the truth. He knew in his soul Charlotte was the end game for him well before they went on their first date. He had just been waiting for her to catch on. And once she did, every step he had taken since, including this move to New York, was with the intention of spending every day of the rest of his life with her. 

“Even after all this? After I lied to you?” 

Michael knew she still felt guilty. Between the two of them, there was much guilt to go around in their household over the last 72 hours. Some of it was fair and some of it was not. But just as he was trying to work through his own guilt, he did not want Charlotte to continue to hold onto hers when he had forgiven her.  

“Els, I meant it when I said I forgive you. And when I say somethin’, I mean that shit. Stop beating yourself up over it. I’ve loved you since the moment you walked into the studio for our screen test. And I’ve just fell more and more in love with you with every passing day. All of this changed nothing for me, except reminding me that whatever time we have together, I don’t wanna waste it.” 

Her hands played in the tall bubbles of the bath as she contemplated his words. 

“That been on your mind since I said it?” 

“Yea,” she admitted. “You know, all my time in bed gave me lots of time to ruminate,” she chuckled lightly. “It’s just… I mean we just have never talked about marriage a-and the long-term stuff. I mean and I get it, we haven’t even been together a year. But w-when you said that, it made me really happy because I feel the same about you. B-But then I just… you know, obsessed over it for the last three days wondering if all this changed your mind or made you question whether I’m the person you wanna spend the rest of your life with.”

“Nah, I would’ve married you after our first date if I could’ve.” 

Charlotte chuckled and shook her head, small droplets of water spraying everywhere. “We would’ve been skipping about 10 steps there. I want a proposal,” she laughed. “Knowing you, it’ll be something sentimental that makes me break down in tears.” 

Thank God she could not see the giant smirk that fell on his face. 

“And a big wedding, I assume?” 

Charlotte tilted her head as if to contemplate. She knew he expected the answer to be yes, after all most girls dream of a grand wedding. But that had never been her. “Honestly? I was never the girl to dream about the big princess wedding… just the prince,” she teased. 

Michael ran a comb through a section of hair, working to detangle it. He was trying to be as gentle as possible, knowing her head still hurt, which meant the whole endeavor took longer than it should have.  

“Am I living up to the childhood fantasy?” He asked. 

“My wildest dreams couldn’t have conjured you up.”

“I aim to please.” He kissed her shoulder. 

“I don’t even really care about planning it. I had to endure J and Lauren’s wedding planning and whew… miserableeee. And they couldn’t even enjoy the day that much. I dunno, I don’t want to be more worried about whether some elaborate affair is going according to plan instead of actually enjoying my wedding day? I wanna be celebrating our love and the first day of our life together. I mean yea, I want a wedding of some sort but it could have 25 people in your backyard. As long as I’m in a drop dead gorgeous dress and you’re waiting on me at the end of the aisle, I honestly don’t need or care about anything else. I’d be fine with a big one if you want one but someone else’s gotta plan it.” 

“I’ve never put much thought into my wedding so you won’t get much argument outta me. I would push back on the backyard thing though. Maybe a small destination wedding or a small venue in LA, something like that.” 

“I like the sound of that.” 

“Speaking of destinations,” he mentioned, shifting gears of the conversation. If they went too much farther down this road, Michael would find a wedding planner to plan a small intimate ceremony for next week. “I think we’ll both finally have some time off in September when you finish here. Let me take you on a trip.” 

“Oooo you tryin’ to fly ya girl out?” Michael rolled his eyes at her antics. “Where would you want to go?” 

Michael immediately shook his head. His sweet girl was the opposite of decisive. She would let Michael make every decision if she could. And this time, he wanted to go where she wanted to go. 

“Nahhh ma, it isn’t to celebrate me. It’s for you. Where do you want to go?” 

“It should also be to celebrate us both… a bit delayed sure but we never really did anything to celebrate Creed. That’s your first big leading man blockbuster.” She flipped the script on him. 

“Fine, it can be to celebrate us both but you still need to pick.” 

“I really hate you,” she laughed. “Well, at least, help me narrow it down. What kind of vacation vibe would you want?”  

“Preferably somewhere relaxing where I can have you naked or only in a bikini for most of the trip.” 

She could not hide the sly grin on her face at his words, the heat that rose throughout her entire body. She forced the feeling to dampen. They had not had sex yet and given how the other night went, she imagined Michael would pump the brakes again. She understood, but she did not want to deal with the rejection again. 

“The Caribbean is an option but September is dead in the middle of hurricane season, so we’d have to be ok with it being canceled potentially.” Michael smiled, he was never one to consider weather patterns before traveling. He barely checked the weather before he stepped outside each day. But of course, Charlotte would think about that. “We could do something like a spot along the Mediterranean? Or something like that. I’ve been wanting to go back to the Amalfi Coast but maybe we should go somewhere we both haven’t been?” 

He learned something new about his girl every day. “When did you go there?” 

“My first birthday after Shaun… My family surprised me with a vacation there. I had spent most of that whole first year miserable and in bed. The first six months were the hardest. But by the time my birthday came around, I was starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel but still wasn’t there. I was in therapy and still struggling to find me in all of it? And I was just really depressed so the trip was supposed to cheer me up a bit. Lauren, Jazz, one of our other friends, Chelsea, and I all went. And we had a ball,” Michael could feel her entire body light up as she spoke, as if the mere memories of that trip were fuel and power.

“We just ate and drank and ate some more and swam and went on boat rides and just… lived. God, it was the first time I felt uninhibited happiness and relaxation in years. It was kinda my Eat, Pray, Love moment as corny as that is,” she admitted. “One morning, I got up super early and went down to the beach by myself while we were in this town, Ravello. I had this necklace he gave me for my last birthday. Hideous, gaudy silver thing I’d never pick or wear myself. But I couldn’t let it go and clung to that stupid thing since the break up. Anyway, I watched the sun rise and I realized that I’d never be me again. The me before him was dead and gone. But I also realized that maybe that wasn’t a bad thing? Cause the me before him needed that necklace as proof that someone loved me, no matter how hideous and awful that love was. The me before him and during him needed any type of love, no matter the cost of it. And that part of me needed to die. So, instead of trying to resurrect the old me, I decided I would reconnect with the things that made me happy and forge something new. And then I ran into the water and tossed that terrible necklace into the sea. And then I regretted polluting the sea with something that was definitely not biodegradable,” Michael’s deep baritone filled her ears with laughter. “So long way of saying, it just represents new beginnings to me in some way. So even if we don’t go this time around, I’d want to go back with you at some point. But I’d honestly be fine with anywhere as long as I’m with you. So why don’t you just surprise me?”

“Fine. Don’t think I don’t realize you’re using my love of surprises against me.” 

She turned and winked at him before he helped her stand and get in the shower to effectively rinse out all of the products. Their afternoon of hair styling continued as she sat between his legs on the couch, Avengers playing on the tv as he moisturized and styled her hair. She savored the help, she hated dealing with her mane of hair. And the intimacy it had created was exactly as she had hoped. And he did an excellent job. Though she could tell his arms were exhausted by the time he finished tying her scarf around her clean and moisturized curls and coils into a pineapple on the top of her head. 

“You could’ve been a hairstylist in another life.” 

“You didn’t tell me it was such a work out. Boxing didn’t hurt my arms this much,” he laughed. 

“Well when you’re prepping for Creed 2 and wanna help me with my hair for extra arm training, let me know. I quite enjoyed not dealing with it for once.” 

Her injuries made it difficult to cuddle on the couch as they wanted so Charlotte laid with her head on his lap, his hand resting on her arm as they watched the movie. 

“Can I ask you something?” This time it was Michael’s turn, a question that had been on his mind for longer than a few days. He did not know if now was the right time or if there’d ever be a right time. And he did not expect an answer but he wanted her to know he would listen if she was ready to ever share it.

“Of course.” 

“And you don’t gotta answer if you don’t want to. But you never told me… what made you finally decide to leave? Was it whatever you dreamed about that night you got sick?” 

Charlotte’s eyes clenched shut. It was always a delicate balance. What of Shaun’s brutality to share and what not to. But she knew this was one of those things, the things she needed to learn to trust Michael specifically with. He was home and home was where you could bare it all… your whole soul. He asked and she would answer, no more hiding. 

“There’s a lot I haven’t told you about him. I mean a lot of it was the same old same. But somethings, I said I’d never tell anyone, Jackson, Lauren… even you. A-and that nightmare, it was bad, don’t get me wrong. Definitely made the ‘the CIA couldn’t get this out of me,’ shortlist. But the breaking point was, he saw me talking to a reporter after a show one night and thought I was cheating, God he accused me of cheating like twice a week, which just made me so upset. We argued all the way home. He asked me if I wanted to leave him a-and in my frustration and anger, I told him he wasn’t giving me many reasons to stay. Looking back, it was a real stupid thing to say, like pouring gasoline on a fire. But I w-was just so tired, tired of feeling like I was killing myself every day to be perfect and love him and getting so much pain thrown back at me. When we got home, he beat me. T-that wasn’t the bad part, that was par for the course. But then… he dragged me out onto our 11th story balcony. He picked me up and threatened to throw me off until I swore I’d never leave.” 

She watched as his entire body stiffened, his fists clenching with anger. She wanted to offer him some assurance, something to ease the feelings that brewed but there was not really anything that could be said. That story and her life just were what they were, upsetting and enraging and all. 

“He played God with my life for a few minutes, though it felt like an eternity, my body balancing on the railing like a rag doll with only him holding me there. There was one point, I tipped so far back, I actually thought he had let go and I s-saw my whole life flash before my eyes. I always thought people were being dramatic when they said that. But it’s true. Like a movie in fast forward and all I saw was every mistake that led me to that moment. When he was satisfied that I had begged for my life enough, he let me down and drug me back inside to finish the night. He knew I didn’t have much fight left in me after that,” she whispered, her hand wiping a tear. “Ugh,” she could not contain the groan of frustration at her own emotions. She hated that he still had this effect on her. “I don’t know why I’m crying over this o-old shit,” she shook her head. “He doesn’t deserve it. A-anyway, I decided that the next day that I had to leave or I’d d-die. I made a p-plan and left a week later.” 

“I’m sorry, honeybee.” There were no other words he could offer, though those sounded inadequate in the space. With every story she told him, he felt like a layer of the complex onion that was her peeled back. “I should’ve killed him,” he muttered, more to himself than to her. And it was true. The fact that he still drew breath was enraging, another thing he felt guilty for. For not ending the monster that haunted her. 

Charlotte reached over and grabbed his hand, their fingers interlocking. “Your soul is too good to be tainted by him. Besides, you did quite a number on him from what I heard. I didn’t know you had hands like that in real life, baby Creed,” she teased, thankful her joke caused a small smile to grace his features. “God, I wish I could’ve seen it… Saying that makes me feel like a terrible person,” her head fell into her hand, propped up against the back of the couch. “But j-just to see him, for once, feel a fraction of what I felt. Feels like a bit of justice for it all.” 

“That doesn’t make you a terrible person. You’re far from a terrible person. If he dropped dead tomorrow, you would be justified if you threw a damn party. Hell, I would throw a party and I only met him once. You’re allowed to want justice for all of it.” 

“Thanks.” She shifted, bringing her feet under her. “You know what’s crazy about it? I always regretted him… Regretted meeting him, agreeing to that first date, staying through all of that. B-but the last couple days, I’ve been thinking about my life right now… the last few months are the first time that I’ve felt like I was at home, like I know who I am and my soul is at peace. It’s pretty damn good. A little damaged around the edges, sure, but still so amazing that… If I had to go back and do it all again, I know in my soul I-I’d walk that same jagged path through all the pain, a-and landmines, and everything else if it was what I needed to do to end up here again, if it meant I would find home again.”

“And where’s home?” his voice was quiet as if he was worried the answer would not be what he expected, as if he were afraid to hear it. 

Charlotte tilted her head to study him, her hand going to cup his cheek, the scruff of his beard tickling her palm. 

“You.”  

Waves of guilt crashed over him, causing a tear to fall. The first one he had shed since the hospital. Charlotte whisked it away with her thumb. 

“Not feelin’ like I deserve that right now. You were in trouble and I didn’t even see it till it was too late. I never should’ve left you here. I couldn’t even keep you safe. What kinda fuckin’ home is that?” 

The guilt in his voice broke her heart. She moved, slowly and stiffly, but moved to slide into his lap. Her hands rested on his shoulders as she looked at him.

“Look at me.” It was her turn to demand as he so often did, demand that he overcome the guilt and shame that forced his eyes away from hers. She knew it was difficult, had struggled to find his eyes too many times for fear she would see confirmation of her guilt, her shame, her unworthiness. But it was never there and he would not find that in her eyes today either. 

“Every single time I’ve ever needed you, you were right on time. This was no exception. The truth is, you’ve been keeping me safe since the day I met you. I was so lost before I met you. I-I had healed my heart a-and my mind and my body as best I could. But my soul, I had vowed never to let someone so close to it again, had boarded it up with walls so high it would be impossible to let someone in again. To let someone see me again. And that was fuckin’ lonely,” she admitted. “A-and exhausting to force myself to keep my guards up like that, to deny everything I’d always wanted… a partner who saw me in my entirety and loved me for all of it. But I did it b-because it w-was better than the alternative. A-And then I met you. And you instantly knew the me I hid from everyone, you knew my soul and what it needed to finally mend. And you slowly but surely broke down every wall and barrier I had fought so hard to keep up so you could ensure I got what I needed, a safe place to land. And every day since, you’ve seen my soul in its entirety, all its light and darkness, its hopes and fears, its permanently damaged pieces and those that’ve healed. And you’ve loved me beyond my wildest dreams for it all. You are my peace and my solace and my safety every moment… that is the best home I could’ve ever hoped for.” 

She wiped her tears that fell before offering. “He w-wanted me to deny t-that. Before he…” she lifted her own eyes to the ceiling as she re-lived that moment. “Told me it was him or no one, wanted me to tell him I would c-choose him. And I couldn’t. It’s insane,” she acknowledged. “And I knew you’d p-probably tell me just to lie to save myself. But I couldn’t deny what I’ve known to be true since we kissed in your apartment in Philly. You are it for me. You are my choice every day, every time, no matter.” 

His lips crashed against hers, his arms wrapping around her tightly to pull her into his chest. Michael knew the depths of Charlotte’s love for him without a doubt. And he loved receiving a tear-inducing speech about it as much as he enjoyed doling them out on her. However, to know that, even in what could’ve been her last moments, she chose to love him loudly and unapologetically, hit his soul harder than he had ever experienced before.

No more words passed between them, each touch was a silent declaration of love between them that they did not have the words to capture. The day had laid them both bare in a way they had never experienced before or expected. And it was not their trauma guiding them, it was pure love. A desire and need to connect mind, body, and soul.

“You want… need me to stop?” He whispered as she sucked on the soft skin of his neck. In his heart, he knew the answer before the words left his mouth. He could tell in her movements that stopping would be near impossible this time. But he had to check, had to double check before they went down this road. 

She immediately shook her head. Charlotte’s brain was mush, a complete fog of desire, need, and pleasure as she kissed every inch of exposed skin she could find. She had never yearned for a person as much as she yearned for the man beneath her. She wanted everything, all of him. She knew now, in hindsight, that the first night, she had wanted him for all the wrong reasons. And she was grateful that he, once again, saved her from herself. But now, in this moment, she wanted to feel him, feel his gentle touch and caress, and savor every moment of his love for her. And she wanted him to feel her, not her brokenness and fear, but the life pumping through her veins, the love she held for him, that he was her choice. 

“No,” she whispered back, he was thankful to hear that word leave her lips. “Do you wanna stop?” 

“Not this time.” 

“Good.”

Michael immediately wrapped his hands behind her thighs and hoisted her up to carry her into their bedroom. She let him guide her to their bed, laying her down gently as he removed both of their clothes. Charlotte instinctively wanted to shrink up and cover herself, hyper aware of the bruises that littered her form. 

Sensing her thoughts, Michael immediately leaned over her and started to press his lips to each one, gentle and lingering kisses on every cut, scrap, and bruise that sent jolts of electricity through her form. A silent but touching reminder that she survived and told her he did not care how they looked. He worked his way down her body slowly but this time it was not the usual teasing he liked to do. He simply wanted to savor every second of it. 

He handled her with such care, as if she were perfectly sculpted glass that would shatter if he pushed too hard, too fast. She was not fragile, he knew that. She was strong and powerful. But her wounds were fresh. Fresh enough that he used every moment to assure her that his touch was different, would never hurt her as he had, and would never treat her body and soul with such pain and callousness. It had taken great restraint not to taste her or bury himself inside her the last few days, to be as close to her as he could, feel the life pumping in her veins. But she needed time and so did he, to reckon with what they both almost lost. 

He could feel the frenzy beneath him as he worked, her body writhing with silent pleas that begged for more.  But he did not want to rush. He remembered their first time, slow and measured as he took her apart piece by piece. He understood the impulse to rush but they had time, he kept reminding himself. Time with each other. 

He returned to her lips, a quiet directive to slow down landing on her ears.

“Slow down, baby,” he muttered, “Slow down.” Their foreheads rested against each other as he forced her to take a breath. 

“I need…” her words trailed off as she whimpered, her fingers twisted in the soft fabric of his t-shirt as if he’d turn to dust before her eyes if she let go of him. Her eyes searched his for understanding, that he knew exactly what she so desperately needed.

“I know, I know.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek, her head leaning into it to find his lips again. “Hey, hey. Look at me.” Their eyes connected, brimming with tears as she took in his undying love for her. “We’re both here, safe and sound, and no one’s going anywhere. I promise. Let me take care of you.”

At her nods, he resumed his touching until he found himself at the treasure trove between her thighs, her flower dripping and begging to be touched by the man she loved. And that was all he needed as he spread her legs and wrapped his lips around her bud.

Charlotte’s back immediately arched off the bed as he feasted on her. It had only been days but she had missed the feeling of his tongue on her and inside her. He spelled out his love for her in gentle caresses that made her head spin. 

She melted against his mouth like chocolate, her cries of pleasure crescendoing with every movement of his skilled tongue. 

“That’s it baby, let me hear you.” He slid two fingers inside of her, increasing the sensations that already threatened to overwhelm her. 

Charlotte felt as if her body was in overdrive. Her hips rocked to meet every thrust of his hand, her thighs clamped around his head as he feasted on her. It did not matter how many times his mouth found its way to her core, he managed to reduce her to a mewling puddle begging for more, every time.

And usually, she let him stay between her thighs as long as he wanted, pulling out as many climaxes as he could. But this time, she needed more. She knew he wanted to take his time, take her apart and put her back together. But she could not wait. Her soul could not wait. She needed to feel him inside her. So much had been taken from her, so much had left her feeling empty in this life until Michael. Michael filled her up where her past and present trauma only drained her. And right now, she wanted to be filled. The emptiness ached and she wanted to be filled to the brim and overflow. 

She pulled him from between her thighs, bringing his lips to hers. She relished in the taste of herself but only for a moment before she whispered. 

“I need you. Inside me. I c-can’t… can’t wait,” she panted. “W-we have all night b-but I need to feel you now.” 

He acquiesced, the vulnerability in her voice more than enough to forgo his original plan. 

He kept her eyes on his as he thrust inside of her slowly. Charlotte moaned at the delicious stretch he always provided. Months, it had been months since she first felt that stretch and it still caused a gasp to escape her lips, her eyes to see stars, and every thought in her head to shatter. 

“J-Just like that,” she whimpered, all her senses squarely focused on him and the pleasure he graciously provided. All she could feel was the sparks of bliss at the end of every stroke and the trail of fire that marked where his hands roamed as he explored her body. All she could hear were the symphony of their moans, his deep grunts as he fucked her and her screams of pleasure. All she could see were his brown eyes, a look in them that made her own eyes mist with tears. She did not know why she was crying, whether it be from the intense pleasure or the look in his eye, a look that no man before him had ever given her, a look she would have never deemed herself worthy of. The look of pure love and adoration. 

Michael’s hips drove into her over, a primal growl escaping him as her muscles clenched around him repeatedly as he curved into her g-spot, their bodies made for each other. His eyes never left hers with every push forward and retreat. 

As he pulled out every trick he could think of to please her, pour his love into her, Michael could not help but think about how he almost lost this. How he almost lost her. He had plans for this insanely beautiful woman beneath… plans to grow old with her, to celebrate every milestone and moment of his life and hers together, to build a life and family with her. And all of it could’ve been gone. He had never experienced this before, a year ago he could not even convince Charlotte to go out on a date with him but now? He could not fathom his life without her. And that brief moment where he had to consider such a life… it had shattered him in ways he never knew a person could be shattered.

“I love you,” his voice shook as tears sprang to his eyes. “Fuck, I love you so much.”

“I-I l-love… you,” she moaned back, her words choppy and broken between her pants and moans. 

His mind drifted to the ring that he kept stashed in his bedside table, hidden in a box he knew Charlotte would never bother to open or examine closely. A ring he had started to design the day after that gala, the night she told him about her ex and decided to overcome her fears to choose him.

He knew she did not believe him when he said he had known he wanted to marry her since then. It sounded far-fetched, he recognized, to know that so early. Afterall, his friends called him foolish for designing and buying a ring for a woman who rejected him mere months prior. “Take your time,” they had all cautioned. “Make sure she is what you want.” But Charlotte was the one thing, the only thing, in this universe that he did not need time to consider, that he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he wanted. And he used this moment, every second spent in her sanctuary to show her how deeply his love for her ran, past his mind, past his heart. He loved her with every fiber of his soul. 

“You know how beautiful you are?” He asked as he draped her legs over his shoulder and leaned over to rest his forehead against hers. Charlotte gasped at the angle, he had not changed his pace one bit but this position allowed him to reach the depths of her pleasure center. Those tears she had kept in now spilled over as his words filled her heart and he filled her body with every stroke. That ache of emptiness? Gone. She was overflowing. “Do you know how much… I love you?” 

She cried out, unable to form real words or thoughts beyond obscenities and his name, which flowed without thought from her lips. 

“I’ll spend every day of my life loving you, keeping you safe. There’s nothing in this world I won’t do for you, Els. Nothing. ” His word was punctuated by a particularly deep thrust that turned Charlotte into a babbling mess as she came. “That’s it, baby. Cum for me.” 

“More. Harder. Everything you have, please,” her voice was strained, trying to speak while her body calmed down again. She understood his gentleness, appreciated it. But now, she wanted to feel him in the depths of her bones. She was his and she wanted to feel that in every ounce of her being.

Michael helped her flip over onto her stomach, this time instructing her to hold onto the headboard so she did not have to lay on the bed. He allowed her a moment to situate herself in the position he so enjoyed. He still practiced some restraint, refusing to unleash his usual power onto her still healing body. But he loosened the reins just enough to give her what she wanted and needed. 

There was nothing slow about how he rammed into her, her body thrusting forward with every delicious slam of his hips into hers. She was thankful he thought of the headboard, giving her the leverage laying face down on the bed would not have and protecting her bruises. 

“Yes! Y-Yes! T-thank you,” she moaned out as he fucked her with abandon. She surrendered to the pleasure, her screams bouncing off the walls as he made her cum again and again and again.

He took her in any and every position that would not cause her pain. He buried his face between her legs and feasted off of her before plunging into her again, Charlotte allowing her body to be at his mercy. They had all night and all the time in the world and she wanted him to use every moment of it. 

***

When Charlotte stirred again, she glanced over to find Michael sound asleep next to her. It was still dark outside, the clock reading 4:30 am. She laid there for a few moments, letting the soft sounds of Michael’s soft snores fill her ears. She turned and watched him for a few moments, the steady rise and fall of his chest. As she listened to him, the final part of a song she had been writing swelled in her heart. And when the pen called her, she did not dare ignore it. As quietly as she could, she climbed out of their bed and wrapped herself in her robe. 

She tiptoed out of their room and into the living room, grabbing her pen and notebook before retreating to the balcony of their apartment. She had rarely been out here, her own fear of them and the frigid New York winters keeping her from enjoying this one feature of their home. But tonight, not even her past or the cold chill could send her back inside. She curled up in a blanket in one of the chairs as she listened to the bustling sounds of the city fill her ears. 

It did not matter what time of day it was, New York City was always awake, always moving, always alive. Her lungs breathed in as much of the frigid air as they could before she breathed it back out. She knew she could not stay out there too long, it was freezing. But she also knew this was the only spot her singing would not wake up her sleeping boyfriend. 

Baby, the sound of you

Better than a harmony

I want you off my mind

And on me

Holding me closer than we've ever been before

This ain't a dream

You're here with me

Boy, it don't get no better than you

For you, I wanna take my time

All night

She closed her eyes, curled in a small ball, as her siren song filled the night sky though she knew no one but her and God would ever hear it. But that was fine, she preferred it. This was just for her, just for her to commemorate the love she found and was grateful to God for.

I wanna love you in every kind of way

I wanna please you, no matter how long it takes

If the world should end tomorrow and we only have today

I'm gonna love you in every kind of way

Give you all, give you all of me

Her eyes only opened at the faint creaks of a door, surprised to find Michael standing in the doorway of the balcony as she finished the last line. However, as she started to stand and finish singing, he shook his head. 

“Don’t stop. I wanna hear you.” 

And so she continued, this time, her eyes on his as she finished her song, the second verse she had been struggling with flowing from her lips as if it had lived in her heart all along. 

When you need it

'Cause I need it

I wanna fall like your favorite season

I'll never get up

Stay here forever, babe

It don't get no better than this

Your kiss

I wanna love you in every kind of way

I wanna please you, no matter how long it takes

If the world should end tomorrow and we only have today

I'm gonna love you in every kind of way

I wanna love you in every kind of way

I wanna please you, no matter how long it takes

If the world should end tomorrow and we only have today

I'm gonna love you in every kind of way

When she was finished, she sat up in the chair and glanced at him. 

“I’m sorry, thought going out here wouldn’t wake you.” 

He shook his head. “Bed’s cold without you, went looking for you and heard your voice. Wanted to hear you.” 

She smiled. “I’m glad you heard it… it was about you anyway,” she winked. “Back to bed?” 

“Umm… before we g-go,” he stammered slightly, Charlotte surprised to find a nervous energy suddenly surrounding him. He was usually so confident and assured, nervous was a rare emotion on him. “I have something for you.” He meandered to the balcony railing, standing directly in front of her before he pulled out the arm that he had bent behind his back, a small black velvet box in his hand. 

“You didn’t need to get me anything,” she offered with a small smile. If he had not been so nervous, he would have laughed at how she missed the obvious. The size of the box really only lent itself to one thing and she had not picked up on it yet. “Though I’m sure it’s beautiful.” 

He slid the box into her hand, Charlotte expecting to find a necklace or pair of earrings or something small nestled in the luxury box. However, all the wind seemed to knock out of her as she opened to find a sparkling and mesmerizing engagement ring, a giant pear shaped diamond set in the center with elegant but subtle diamonds nestled in the rose gold band around it. It was simple and yet, the most gorgeous ring she had ever seen in her life.

She glanced up from the box to find Michael in front of her on one knee. Every question that rose to her lips immediately vanished, caught in her throat as shock swept all of her senses. Her heart was beating so hard, she wondered if it was possible for it to beat straight out of her chest. 

“A-are you serious? I-If this is j-just a dream…” she whispered, her eyes moving to the sky as if she was talking to God. 

“N-No, this is real. Charlotte, I’ve loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you. Every day, you love me with your whole being. You support my dreams, however far fetched and foolish they may seem, you push me to be the best man I can be. Not just for you and my family but for myself. With you, I’ve always been right at home. Falling in love with you is both the greatest decision of my life and the easiest one I’ve ever made. And every day, I thank God for bringing you and your beauty, your laugh, your spirit into my life. I don’t know what the future looks like, I don’t know how much time we have with each other. But I know that I want to spend every moment of my life loving you and being loved by you. So, this is me being sentimental and making you break down in tears,” he joked to their earlier conversations. “Charlotte Elsbeth Bennet, will you marry me?” 

Charlotte’s breathing was choppy as she took in his words. Tears flowed earnestly as she tried to form a sentence.

“M-Michael… God I love you so much. B-But are you s-sure about this? I k-know with everything that’s happened… W-we haven’t even been together for a year. Are you s-sure I’m what you want?” 

“I’ve had this ring for months… I started designing it the day after the gala last summer. I was waiting for the perfect moment, wanting to plan the perfect proposal for you back in LA. But what happened reminded me that I don’t want to waste our time planning perfect or ideal moments. I just want to live in all those moments with you, by my side. All day, something kept pulling me to this ring, telling me that this was our moment. And I think it’s because our best moments, the realest ones for us, are just us… being us, comfortable and safe with each other. No planning, no overthinking, no obsessing. Just being home with each other. So here I am, unsure about so much, the future and where this life will take me and us. But this moment,” his hand rubbed her knee, her face covered by both her hands as she quietly cried. “This decision is the surest I’ve ever been in my life. I am sure about you. I’ve never been so certain that you were the woman for me. Marry me.” 

Charlotte immediately launched herself from her seat and into his arms, the small box still wrapped tightly in her hand as she held him. 

“I love you so much,” she whispered before kissing him, her body resting on his bent knee. 

“I love you too…” he paused, realizing he never actually heard the magic word. “So is that a yes… or?” 

She let out a watery laugh. “A million times, yes! Yes, yes, yes!” The box fell in her lap as she cupped his face in her hands. “ Now you’re really stuck with me, Mr. Jordan.” she teased as her hands wiped the tears that flowed earnestly from her eyes.

He took the box from her and slid the ring on her finger, his heart swelling at how she admired the piece. She was not much of a jewelry wearer so he went for a ring that was simple, one she would not mind wearing every day, but was worthy of her hand. 

He wiped a tear from his eye and chuckled. “Good, that’s what I was hoping for. Mrs. Jordan has a nice ring to it.” He pressed his lips to her ring finger. His deep baritone filled the cold air as he let out an excited yell, standing and spinning Charlotte around. “Wanna go to the courthouse tomorrow?” 

“Slow downnnnn. Another surprise this week might actually kill me,” she laughed. “Anndddd I wanna be my usual flawless self for our wedding photos,” she gestured toward her bruised face. 

“You’re always flawless to me.” 

“Alright I already said yes, don’t lay it on so thick,” she offered in jest, causing him to pepper her face with kisses. 

“Well how about I take you back to bed and warm you up and I can make you say yes a couple more times?” 

She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, “I think I’d rather you make me scream it.” 

“Oh that was always the plan.” 

And before she knew it, Michael had her on her back, their hands interlaced on the pillow as he made her scream that beautiful word over and over again until the sun came up.

Tag List: @certifiedlesbianbaddie @bangtanxmegan @reelwriter19 @prettyisasprettydoes1306 @hi888888sworld @msniaimani @destinio1 @lynaye1993 @chaoticevilbakugo @blackerthings @pipsqueak-98 @miyuhpapayuh @passionxwrites @gopaperless @injerafiend

A/N: Our babiesssssss!! I went back and forth on the proposal scene for a while lol and this just felt right so I hope you all enjoyed it! Every Kind of Way by HER is one of my favorite songs. This is not the end of our story buttttt we are getting close. Just three or four more chapters to go.

Drop a comment and let me know what you think/let me know if you want to be tagged!

[vanwritesfan-fiction]

Accidental Courtside Romance

Pairings: Jack Harlow x Reader

Words: 1,555

Sneak Peek: You turned to Jack, attempting to snap his neck with your mind, boring holes into the side of his face with your eyes, but he avoided eye contact, the nutrition facts on the back of his water looking very interesting in that moment. Once the game was underway, the cameras from multiple networks swarmed the floor seats, multiple A-list celebrities showing up on the jumbotron.

Warnings: Angst, fluff, Jealous Jack lol

Jack was wrapping up the LA part of his press tour for “White Men Can’t Jump” and he needed to make an appearance at the Lakers-Golden State Game 6 playoff game before you could head home. You agreed to tag along with the team even though you couldn’t care less about Basketball. You chose a comfy cropped sweater and boyfriend jeans for your look for the night because you couldn’t gauge what the temperature would be in the arena.

You and Jack were getting serious, and while in private you were officially together, you both agreed to not hold hands or engage in PDA while out in public. You weren’t ready to deal with the hordes of possessive fans that probably weren’t going to be very fond of you when they found out about your relationship. You and the team rode down to Staples Center together, Jack greeted by friends as he stepped out of the van, and you made sure to stay in the back of the group so you and Jack weren’t even photographed together. As you were filing into the building, Urban grabbed your arm and pulled you to the side, surprising you as you weren’t expecting the disruption. “Hey, Jack wanted me to let you know that he wants you on the floor with him and Co.” “What about our whole arrangement?”, you pulled out your phone to see if you had gotten a text from Jack because you hadn’t discussed this before leaving the hotel. Nothing. “I think he thought if you talked about it before, you would have backed out,” Urban chuckled and you rolled your eyes, knowing Jack was right. You loved having Jack as your boyfriend, but you were trying to distance yourself from the spotlight as much as possible.

You walked by yourself through the back hallways, an employee meeting you at the entrance of the tunnel before you would go out on to the floor. “Hi, if you’ll follow behind me, I’ll lead you to your seat.” You hurried behind the employee through the dark tunnel, passing by crowds of people who were getting ready for tipoff. You’d been to a couple of basketball games before with your dad, but they had always been up in the nosebleeds, so this was an experience on another level. You’d never been this close to professional athletes before, let alone some of the biggest celebrities from TV and movies.

You turned to Jack, attempting to snap his neck with your mind, boring holes into the side of his face with your eyes, but he avoided eye contact, the nutrition facts on the back of his water looking very interesting in that moment. Once the game was underway, the cameras from multiple networks swarmed the floor seats, multiple A-list celebrities showing up on the jumbotron. When the cameraman turned to where Jack was sitting, he gave his signature Louisville sign, and you did your best to slump down in your chair and hide behind your purse. “You alright there?” you turned suddenly to your left to see Michael B Jordan chuckling at your reaction as he took a sip out of his plastic cup. You were so embarrassed that he had caught you hiding in the moment, you couldn’t even bother being star struck. “Yeah, I’m fine.” You straightened up in your chair, attempting to regain your composure. “First time on the floor?” You looked at Michael’s face, immediately focusing on his perfect lips. Damn, he was even more handsome in person. “Is it that obvious?” “No, everyone hides in fear when they sit on the floor at a playoff game”, he shoved a handful of popcorn in his mouth. You laughed at his joke, starting to relax a little bit. “Michael”, he extended his hand out to you, and you took it. “Y/N”.

By the second quarter, Jack reasoned enough time had passed and you shouldn’t be too mad at him anymore. He glanced over in your direction, and a tinge of jealousy hit his chest when he saw you getting friendly with MBJ. You both seemed to be engrossed in conversation, and while Jack was a big fan of Michael up until now, he would have clocked him given the chance tonight. He knew he had to break up this new friendship, so he sent you a text, willing you to look down at your phone with his eyes. “What’s up with you?”, Cozane asked when he noticed Jack’s attention was turned to you. “Nothing,” he brushed off the question, not dropping his eye contact from you.

Truthfully, you were pissed off at Jack for putting you in this position, you were uncomfortable in crowds and knew it only took a picture or one text sent off to a tabloid for you to suddenly be under scrutiny. It wasn’t what you wanted for yourself or for your relationship right now. You sat in silence for the rest of the game, and when there were only a few seconds left in the last quarter, you said bye to Michael and made your way back to the van. Jack followed behind you, trying to grab your arm and talk to you, but you brushed him off with little effort. You weren’t going to make a scene in public just because you were upset with him. The ride back to the hotel was dead quiet, everyone in the van feeling the negative vibes that were radiating off you. Once the hotel door locked, Jack quickly tried to apologize. “Baby, listen, I’m sor-“, you cut him off mid-sentence with a slam of the bathroom door. When you emerged from the bathroom, Jack was already in bed, scrolling through his phone. You climbed into the bed and settled under the comforter, turning off the bedside lamp.

All that could be heard in the dark was both of your shallow breaths. “So, we’re just flirting with anyone now, huh?” Jack flipped the light back on, sitting up in bed. You paused, “That wasn’t just anyone, that was Michael B Jordan,” you responded still turned away from Jack. “So, you admit it!”, Jack raised his voice, jumping out of bed and standing in front of you on your side of the bed. “Jack”, you sighed settling your head back on your pillow, “go to sleep. I’m too tired to argue.” Jack plopped himself on the edge of your side, pushing you over to give himself more room. “We didn’t even flirt, I was Fan Girling over him the entire night, he was just being nice to me.” Jack laughed, leaning his back on your body in relief. You raked your nails down his bare back, Jack enjoying the touch. “Were you really that uncomfortable tonight?” Jack turned his head to you. You clapped your hands over your face, reliving the moments in your mind. “Yes, J! I do want to be public with you, but on my own terms. Promise me next time you’ll at least ask me before you place me on the floor of a fucking NBA playoff game.” “Promise, boo.” You hooked pinkies in agreement. Jack laid down next to you in the small area he had cleared at the edge of the bed, propping his legs on top of yours.

“Did I lose my girl to MBJ tonight?” You sat up quickly. “Actually, and don’t say no before you hear me out, I was thinking about it on the way back to the hotel. If I can get the three of us in a room, I’m pretty sure I can convince him to be a throuple.” Jack pinched your side, causing you to cry out. “Ow! I feel like you’re not listening to my proposal!”

[callsigndragon]

Desperate times, desperate measures | ch. 7: It's all about the money

Word count: 2.8k

Warnings: these two *talk*, parents beign absolute assholes, feelings, cuteness, fluff and a bit of angst as always.

A/N: i will introduce a new character in the next chapter, i just need to find the face claim. Initially, Michael B. Jordan was supposed to be a doctor, as in the movie, but as i planned the whole thing, the doctor made less and less sense... so now I need to find a face claim for an actor who will work with Page!

It's okay if you like it and all, but please... a comment is also welcomed and if you reblog it? I'll kiss you on the forehead.

If you want to be added, comment down!

When you wake up the next morning, Jake is still in bed, his soft snores leaving his body through parted lips. You could take this moment as an advantage, run towards Emma’s room, and busy yourself to avoid the necessary talk that awaits you. But running away from the problems is not the best solution. 

You’ll have to face it sooner or later. 

The thing is, whatever the hell almost happened last night, it felt good. It’s weird, it’s rare and new, and you don’t want to dive in head first just yet. Not when there’s so much at risk. Not when you two have a baby to take care of. Maybe you can tell Jake how you feel about it, and he won’t feel like you’re rejecting him. He really seemed interested in exploring this feeling that arose between the two of you last night, but you had fallen asleep by the time he came back. Not on purpose, though. You were tired of all the activities of the day. 

“I thought you’d run away,” Jake mutters, eyes half open and voice hoarse and heavy due to the sleep. He stirs awake, the movement making the blanket fall from his chest and leaving his golden chest exposed to the morning sunlight entering through the window. 

“It wouldn’t be fair to you, right?” You question, more to yourself than to him, while sitting on the bed with your legs crossed under you. “Can we…talk?” 

Jake sighs, covering his face with his hands before sitting up and mimicking your posture. “Page, if you’re going to dump my ass, just be quick. I can take it.” 

You shake your head, catching his attention. “I don’t want to dump your ass, Jake. It doesn’t mean that I want to change our whole relationship just because of one kiss.” 

He nods, looking at his hands. “Yeah, you’re right. We should talk about it first. See what it meant to us? And how we feel.” The surprise in your face must be quite evident because he rolls his eyes and grabs a pillow that he throws at your head. “What? I can be rational too, you know.” 

“Don’t throw me a pillow, cowboy.” You warn him, sliding your hand from your lap to the pillow resting on your side. 

“What are you gonna do, darling?" 

"Hit you with a pillow." You say it matter-of-factly, raising the pillow over your head. Jake jumps off the bed and throws himself to the floor, along with the rest of the cushions that were over the bed last night. 

"You shouldn't announce your movements to the enemy." He looks at you, smirking like a hunter does when he has finally cornered his prey. 

“Enemy?” You huff, moving slowly backwards. “I thought we were a team!” 

“There’s no team in the pillow fight, Page. You should know that.” and before you even have time to answer, he's throwing all the other pillows your way, some of them—if not all—landing on your head. 

You raise your hands in surrender and only look at him when you hear him chuckle. "I give up." 

"I'll spare your life, then." Neither of you move from your spots. Not even an inch. You stay there, sitting on the floor and looking at each other, hundreds of unsaid words floating in the air between you. "I don't want us to fake that this didn't happen, Page." 

You place your arms on the mattress, needing to touch something that grounds you and assures you that this isn't a dream. Not only are you having a proper conversation with him, but he's also confessing his desire to pursue these feelings that you two seem to have for each other. 

It feels like a scene from one of your books. 

"We have Emma, Jake. This decision isn't about us anymore." 

"Emma deserves to have parents that like each other." Well, he's right on that. 

"And what do you think it is that we deserve, Jake?" You ask him, wanting to know what he truly thinks. 

You can see the corner of his lip twitching as he tries to conceal a smile. "We deserve to know what would have happened if I hadn't made that call." 

You smile softly, looking at your hands. The same ones that ache for touching his bare chest. "Maybe it was meant to happen, you know. Call it destiny."

"I don't believe in destiny, darling," he retorts, getting up from the floor and walking towards you, offering you a hand to help you stand up. "But I do believe that we can make this work."

Once you're back on two feet, you look at him, finding solace in his emerald eyes. "This doesn't even have a name."

"You're a writer, I'm sure you'll find a word for it." He mumbles, caressing your cheek and getting lost in the intensity of your eyes. He always loved them. "Can I kiss you to seal the deal?" 

You chuckle, moving your hands to rest on his shoulders. "You have been reading too many fairy tales lately." 

"Yeah, maybe it's time to start writing my own." He places his hands on your hips, bringing you closer, and leans down to press his lips against your soft ones. This kiss is different from the one you shared the night before. 

It's soft, sweet, and tender. And yet, it also leaves you craving for more. 

Jake's whole existence makes you crave more than you have. 

After a few seconds, he pulls away, licking his lips and smiling like he just won the biggest prize at the carnival. "I liked that." 

"Me too." You admit while your fingertips find their way to his neck, playing with the soft and short hairs that have been growing since he started his paternal leave. "Let's not rush it, please. It would only fuck things up, and we still have many months ahead of us…" 

He nods, kissing your forehead sweetly. "I'll try my best." 

You hear movement in the other room, letting you know that Emma is up and ready to start a new day. "Looks like the princess woke up." 

"Wait, if she's a princess, what are you? A king?" You laugh, feeling empty, when he moves away to go get Emma. 

"I'm just a peasant amazed by the presence of a princess and the beautiful queen." He says before disappearing through the door and making you smile when he uses his sweetest voice to say hi to the little girl. 

Jake and Emma are sitting on a blanket in the grass at the back of the house hours later while you answer your emails when Olivia comes out giving you an iced tea. 

"Oh, thank you, Olivia. You didn’t have to!" She's been a sweetheart all day, and you think that maybe the initial awkwardness between Jake's family and you is over. "I didn't ask about your show. Was it good?" 

"I didn't watch it in the end," she says, sighing and sitting down next to you. "I lost track of time talking with my husband." 

"Oh, dear. I hope you get to see the chapter soon." 

"I hope so." 

The conversation ends there, and you keep answering your emails. You don't realize until a few minutes later that Olivia is still sitting there, but she's looking at the screen with gossiping intentions. "It's work stuff, you know." 

"Oh, yeah, that I gathered." 

Isn't she even a bit ashamed of having been caught snooping on someone's else's business? It doesn't seem like that, because she doesn't tear her eyes away from the screen even after being subtly called out. "Oh, you're gonna be an actress now?" 

You let out an incredulous sigh before answering. "Yeah, but I'm sure you know that already after… reading the whole mail." 

"We're family now! Your mail is my mail." She says with a gleeful expression that doesn't go well with the situation. 

"I don't think this works like that." You mutter, sending the email and closing the laptop before she can start reading another email that doesn't have to do anything with her. 

"A movie is a big opportunity, isn't it?" Olivia questions, taking a sip of her tea. 

"It's what I wanted to do before becoming a writer." You answer her as politely as you can, looking in Jake's direction and hoping that he gets to look your way and see your expression. 

"But you earn more money selling books, right?" She asks again, trying to learn more about the topic. Is she that interested in knowing how much money you earn? 

“I don’t sell books, Olivia. I write them.” 

She shakes her hand, waving it off. “You know what I mean.” 

“Can I ask why are you so interested in my… net worth?” 

She blinks, as if asking her that question surprises her. “Oh, I just want to know if you’ll have money to raise Emma alone once Jake gets tired of you.”

You stare into the distance for a solid thirty seconds before turning your whole body in your seat and looking at her. “Excuse me?” 

“Come on, dear. It’s evident that he just married you to prove something to us. He needed someone to date. He found you and the kid and saw a chance.”

You rise to your feet, making yourself big in front of her and trying to look intimidating. “Mrs. Seresin, your son and I knew each other way before you and your husband threw him an engagement ring and forced him to get engaged to someone he didn’t love.” 

Olivia scoffs, getting up from the chair, and showing in her face the same feelings that made you want to run away yesterday. “Honey, please. Don’t try to make yourself important. You’re just another pussy in my son’s dating history book.” 

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” You question her, tired of her antics and how she’s objectifying you. Your voice makes it to Jake’s ears, because as soon as the words leave your mouth, he’s walking in your direction with Emma in his arms. 

“Everything alright, ladies?” He asks it in plural, including his mother, but he only looks at you, worried about the possible absurdities that his mother could have said to you. 

“Oh, I don’t deserve that title, Jake. I’m just another pussy.” You repeat Olivia’s words, making her face go red. Now she’s getting embarrassed? 

“You did not say that to Page, right?” Jake asks, stepping closer to her. “Right?” 

Olivia throws the glass of ice tea to the floor, broken glass and ice cubes scattering all over the wooden floor of the patio. “And what if I did? She’s the reason why we’re going to lose the ranch! You decided to marry a famous whore rather than fulfill your duty as a son!” 

“Don’t talk about her like that, mother.” Jake warns her, raising his tone and making Emma cry a bit. She must be scared. “I didn’t want to marry someone I didn’t love, I told you.”

“We all have to marry someone we don’t love, son. Look at me and your father!” 

“Yeah, and how did that go? You hate him and us so much that you can’t even hang family pictures on the fucking walls. You hate your family!” 

“But at least I did what I was supposed to do!” Olivia is yelling at this point, making Emma cry out in fear. 

“I don’t want to form a family and hate my kids. I deserve better than that.” 

Joe walks out of the house, looking between all of you to see what is going on. “Can you stop the yelling? I can’t hear the fucking TV.” 

“Joe, can you tell your stupid son that he has to marry the Willer girl?” She keeps raising her voice, and it’s giving you a headache. You’re really close to slapping her. He just called Jake stupid, in front of you. She doesn’t care a bit about him. 

“You don’t even know her name.” Jake shakes his head in disbelief, and you can see how his heart breaks a bit more every second he keeps talking to them. He manages to soothe Emma, and she grabs his shirt in between her tiny fists. 

“I don’t need to know her fucking name because you won’t marry her! You only had one job, Jacob. You were supposed to inherit the ranch, but no, you had to go play the little soldier in the fucking plane!” Olivia is totally unhinged at this point, and you’re tired of her shit. 

“I would fucking appreciate it if you stopped talking about my husband like that.” You grab your bag that had been resting on the table next to you and rummage through it until you find the checkbook that you always carry around but don’t really use. “You want money? Is that why you were so interested in how much I gained as a writer? Say your number.” 

"Mom, you did what?” Jake shakes his head and places a hand over yours. “Please, Page. You don’t have to pay her anything.” 

“Jake, it’s nothing, I promise. I just want you to get rid of them.” You whisper, squeezing his hand. 

“Get rid of us? He should get rid of this fucking who—” Joe starts the sentence, but he stops halfway through it when Jake glares at him. 

“I’ve been waiting to punch you in the face since I was six. Give me a reason.” 

“Your number.” You repeat, looking only at Olivia. 

“750k.” She smirks, raising an eyebrow, seemingly thinking that you don’t have that amount of money. 

Little does she know that writing romance novels is more profitable than she thinks. You open your pen, swallowing a bit after you realize that this pen was Anne’s gift after you published your first novel. Seems like she’s still there for the important moments. 

You write down the amount she asked for, sign it, and before you give it to her, you take a step in her direction, raising a finger. “There’s a condition, though.” 

“What now?” She says, rolling her eyes. 

“If you talk shit about Jake one more time, I will come back, buy this fucking dunghill, and destroy everything you have fought so hard to keep.” You simply say, not raising your voice, and being as calm as you can. You’re not going to give them the satisfaction of looking affected by their actions in front of them. “Am I clear?” 

“Yes, now give me that fucking check.” Olivia mutters, not looking at you, her eyes fixed on the small piece of paper that put an end to all her problems. 

“If you grab that check,” Jake says, standing next to you, “you can forget that you have a son.” 

She raises an eyebrow, takes the check between her hands, and looks at him with scorn. “I’m sorry, who are you?” 

You place a hand on the back of Jake’s arm, grab your purse and your laptop, and move him inside the house. “Let’s get our things and leave this place.” 

“Page… I can’t return that money.” He whispers to Jake when you get to your room, looking embarrassed due to all this situation. 

You grab his face between your hands, making him look at him. “Honey, you don’t need to pay me back, okay? There’s no need to. I feel bad, though.” 

“Why?” He asks while packing the few little things you used this morning. 

“I kind of feel like I bought your freedom, you know? I just... I couldn’t stand there and see how they were treating you and how this wasn’t going to end once we were gone.” You rant while sitting down, watching as Jake takes a place next to you. 

“... would you be mad if I said my brain didn’t register anything after you said “my husband”?” He admits sheepishly looking at his hands. 

You snort at his confession. “Really, Jake?” 

“What? It was hot, okay?” 

“Did I make you horny, baby?” You joke, getting up from the bed and closing the suitcase. 

“Oh, yes, you did.” 

He grabs the two suitcases while you carry Emma in your arms. “And you were supposed to be celibate for a year?” 

“I swore fidelity, right?” He winks at you, trying to make things a bit easier. “I never said anything about us not doing things.”

“Cheeky bastard.”

You’re out of that ranch in fifteen minutes, not wanting to waste a single moment more there. They had what they always wanted. Maybe Jake would be able to live his life without having to worry about them. 

On the way home, you two finish posting the pictures on Instagram—the ones that will make your relationship public and that will let you know not only to the world but to social services as well—that you two are in a serious, loving, and real relationship. 

Now, the only thing you have to worry about is this new relationship that you two seem to be entering. 

The instagrams

@halibshepherd

@mygyn

@the-romanian-is-bae

@justanothermagicalsara

@drakelover78

@celestialeviereads

@averyhotchner

@ravenhood2792

@potato-girl99981

@callsign-sunshine

@purplevortexx

@novastories

@luvrrish

@footprintsinthesxnd

@nikfigueiredo

@allivingstone01

@violyn20

@lunamoonbby

@dempy

@hangmandruigandmav

@shanimallina87

@tomanybandstolove

@inesdiary96

@phoenix1388

@jynxmirage

@crthurston

@fandom-life-12

@atarmychick007

@mayhemmanaged

@twsssmlmaa

@meigalibrary

@eugene-emt-roe

@startrekfangirl2233

@topgunslut

@clancycucumber230

@books-are-escapes

@mavrellover91

@soulmates8

@xoxabs88xox

@hisredheadedgoddess28

@iammirrorball

@chaoticassidy

@alana4610

@xstellakx

[reputationbarbie]

all-american bitch ★ faceclaims

Liberty Washington

Ryan Destiny

Agent Jordan

Michael B. Jordan (himself: secret service au)

Ellis Washington

Marsai Martin

Agent Idris

Damson Idris (himself: secret service au)

Hudson Washington

Caleb McLaughlin

Agent Flynn

Rome Flynn (himself: secret service au)

[noirsfantasy]

On the seventh day of Christmas...

𝔄 𝔇𝔢𝔠𝔢𝔪𝔟𝔢𝔯 𝔗𝔬 ℜ𝔢𝔪𝔢𝔪𝔟𝔢𝔯 𝔭𝔱. 𝟑

𝔭𝔞𝔦𝔯𝔦𝔫𝔤 ➛ Actor!Michael B Jordan x OC!Naomi Samuels

𝔯𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔤 ➛ Fluff, angst

𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔡 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔱 ➛ 5.8K

𝔰𝔶𝔫𝔬𝔭𝔰𝔦𝔰 ➛ Naomi and Ashanti get into it and things go downhill. Thankfully, Michael is there to save the day and cheer Naomi up. They end up getting a bit closer than expected. Later on, Naomi learns why Ashanti is the way she is.

𝔞/𝔫 ➛ Listen, I know y'all have your opinions about Ashanti, but all I'm gonna say is, never judge a book by its cover. Also I literally had to stop myself from melting while writing this chapter! I hope you guys enjoy!

12 Days of Christmas Masterlist

Part 2 Here

"Wow! Okay, I think it's obvious that's the winner right there." James says in surprise.

"What can I say? We've just got that creative touch." I say, putting my elbow on the snowman. Unfortunately, it wasn't packed together sturdy enough and my added weight caused it to crumble and me to fall on top of it.

"Naomi!" Ashanti shouts, annoyed that I ruined the snowman. Michael rushes over to help me up as Dan, Teresa, and James all laugh at the sight. Michael is laughing a bit too, but he makes sure I'm okay and pulls me to my feet. I brush snow off my bottom and chuckle at my clumsiness.

"Oh shit, I didn't mean for that to happen." I rub my neck sheepishly and look over at Ashanti, who looks livid. "You okay, Ashanti?"

"No! I'm not okay! You always ruin everything!" She shouts angrily. We all look at her in confusion, wondering where this all came from.

"What do you mean? I thought we were having fun." I respond, attempting to diffuse the tension.

"No, you're always stealing the spotlight!" She retorts, her voice sharp.

"Whoa, calm down, Ashanti. She didn't mean to ruin the snowman." Michael intervenes, trying to ease the escalating situation. But Ashanti, fueled by jealousy and frustration, continues her tirade.

"No, Michael! She's always stealing the spotlight! Trying to be the center of attention with her stupid ideas," Ashanti crosses her arms as I stare at her, taken aback by the sudden outburst.

"Stupid ideas? This was supposed to be a fun activity. Why are you so upset?" I question, trying to understand.

"Because you always have to be the special one, don't you? You can't stand anyone else getting attention," She accuses, her eyes narrowing. "Always pretending to be all cute and clumsy, always trying to be the one everyone likes. It's pathetic, really." Her words cut deeper than expected. The atmosphere grows tense, and I feel a mixture of hurt and anger welling up inside me. Michael and Dan exchange uneasy glances, unsure what to do. Teresa tries to calm the situation.

"Come on, guys, let's not do this here. Let's just go back to having fun." She says, trying to hype us up again, but to no avail.

"No, she needs to hear this, Teresa. You can act innocent all you want, Naomi, but you're not fooling me. Everyone falls for your act, but I see right through it. You're manipulative, Naomi. Always trying to make people sorry for you." I glance at Daniel, hoping for support, but he seems caught in the middle, unsure of how to navigate this awkward conversation.

"Enough, both of you." James interjects, trying to diffuse. "You're ruining this for all of us with this unnecessary drama."

"It's not unnecessary, James. She needs to hear the truth," Ashanti retorts, her anger only growing.

"The truth? You're making baseless accusations and I'm just supposed to sit back and take it? Hell no." I fire back, my frustration boiling over.

"Baseless? Look at you, falling around like a toddler, trying to make Michael feel sorry for you. You're always playing the victim. And he's been falling for it all day," She sneers, gesturing towards Michael.

"That's not fair, Ashanti. Naomi hasn't done anything wrong," Michael finally speaks up, unable to stand her bashing me. Ashanti looks offended.

"Of course, you'd defend her. You always seem to prefer her over me," She accuses, her jealousy showing.

"I'm not choosing anyone. But I won't stand here while you attack her for things that obviously make you insecure."

"Michael, can't you see she doesn't care about anyone but herself? She's only pretending to be this interesting, edgy girl because that's the only way people can notice her. Quite frankly, it's disappointing you can't see how she's trying to manipulate you to not like me."

"That's enough!" I snap, unable to contain my anger any longer. "If I make you so miserable and you can't stand to be around me so much, why don't you just leave?" The silence is loud as she glares at me, before huffing.

"Fine! Maybe I will!" She turns and stomps off angrily, leaving the group in an awkward silence. I grunt in frustration as I watch her leave.

"Naomi, maybe you should go after her." James suggests, trying to be a voice of reason.

"No, I'm done playing her games. She wants to walk away? Fine," I reply, my tone strong. "Maybe she'll finally realize everything isn't about her."

"I'll go after her." Teresa says, leaving to follow her cousin. Dan puts a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"You didn't deserve that, Naomi. She's just... I don't know what her deal is." He says with a sigh.

"I don't know, maybe there's something else going on that we don't know about." James suggests, shrugging his shoulders.

"The audacity she has to accuse me of all that stuff, when I've had to put up with that from her since we were kids!" I frown angrily, my hands clenching again.

"Let's just take our minds off that for now. We can't let it ruin our whole day. How about we explore the market a bit more?" Dan suggests and James and Michael nod in agreement. Reluctantly, I agree, realizing that dwelling on negativity won't do me any good.

As we start to walk through the market, the vibrant lights and festive atmosphere fail to fully lift my spirits. The encounter with Ashanti keeps replaying in my mind, leaving me feeling a mix of frustration and hurt. I trail behind the boys and Michael slows down until he's walking beside me.

"Don't believe any of what she said, Naomi. She's just projecting onto you and that's not fair." He speaks softly. I sigh and glance up at him.

"I know, but it's still frustrating," I admit. His presence offers me some comfort, a reminder that not everyone interprets situations like how Ashanti did.

Meanwhile, Teresa catches up with Ashanti, finding a quieter section of the market where the snowfall adds a serene touch to the surroundings.

"What do you want, T?" Ashanti snaps, her frustration still evident.

"Just checking on you. What happened back there?" Teresa inquires, genuinely concerned.

"I don't wanna talk about it," Ashanti mutters, avoiding eye contact.

"Look, I get that something upset you, but taking it out on Naomi like that wasn't fair. She's our cousin, and she doesn't deserve that kind of treatment," She asserts, her protective instincts kicking in.

"You always take her side!" Ashanti shouts, turning away.

"I'm not on anyone's side, but I won't stand by when you're treating people unfairly. Sort out whatever's bothering you, Ashanti, before it ruins more than just today," Teresa advises before leaving Ashanti to her thoughts.

Back at the market, I'm walking with Michael as we've split up from Daniel and James. The sun has begun to set and it starts to get a bit colder. Michael smiles at me and places his arm around my shoulder as we walk, providing me a sense of warmth. He tries to get my mind off of the earlier confrontation and cheer me up.

"You know something else that's irritating?" He starts, his tone suggesting he has something to say.

"What's that?" I ask, raising an eyebrow as we walk. He takes a moment to reply.

"I haven't gotten to buy you a drink yet. A real one," He gestures to the market ahead. "We've been walking all day, so this is my chance." He grins and my eyes light up at the suggestion. I think for a moment, before cracking a small smile.

"I guess one drink can't hurt." I give in and Michael squeezes my shoulder, gently.

"Glad to see I haven't lost my charm." He says playfully, causing me to chuckle softly. "Just, this time, it's not gonna be hot chocolate. Let's change it up." I grin and nod in response. "I've got the perfect idea." Michael takes his arm from around my shoulder and grabs my hand, leading me into the market. His hand is warm against mine and he links our fingers, causing me to smile.

"It's just over here." He tugs my hand as he leads me through the crowd.

"What kind of drink did you have in mind?" I ask him. "Nothing too strong, please." I joke.

"Relax, I don't want to see you passed out on the floor." He answers before laughing. I roll my eyes and playfully slap the back of his hand in response.

"Okay, so what's this perfect idea?" I inquire with a smirk. Michael grins as we reach a small stand selling Christmas treats, hot cocoa, and other seasonal beverages before stopping and pointing towards the menu.

"Mulled apple cider." He says and I raise my eyebrows.

"I actually love that idea. They're nice and warm, but with a little bit of a kick. Love it." I nod in approval and we order two hot mulled ciders from the vendor.

"Here you go." The vendor smiles as he hands us our drinks. We all take them and move to find a spot to sit. After a few seconds of searching, we settle on a park bench away from the crowds. I take a seat and cradle the drink in my hands.

The mulled cider has a strong cinnamon smell, the heat warming the air around us. Michael sits down beside me, his own cider in one hand and the other placed on the back of the bench. We smile at each other as we take the first sips of our drinks.

"Mmmm, it's so good." I say, enjoying the warmth of the winter beverage. Our eyes meet but we go on drinking in silence. It's not awkward. We both know that we could talk if we wanted to but the peace is nice. Finally, after about a minute, Michael breaks the silence.

"Naomi..." He starts and I tilt my head in his direction.

"Yeah?"

"About what happened earlier. I just want you to know that I don't think those things about you. Not at all." He pauses for a moment as I listen intently. "And honestly, I don't think Ashanti does either. She just feels insecure about her image, and my arrival didn't make things any easier for her. But, whether she meant it or not, she's wrong about you." I didn't even realize how much I needed to hear that tonight, but his words seem to bring me some peace.

"Thank you, Michael. Really. I really appreciate it." I respond with a smile of my own. Our gaze lingers for a few more seconds, but I realize there's still something bothering me. Suddenly I turn to face him on the bench so we're sitting face to face.

"Can I admit something?" I hesitate. He nods and looks at me intently. I take a deep breath before speaking.

"I'm just as insecure as Ashanti," I confess, looking down into my mug. "I'm always trying to be cool and impressive, but I'm scared of looking dumb. It's like I'm not truly special to anyone." I glance over at Michael and I know he's listening carefully.

"My family is the most judgmental. Nothing seems to please them. I became a real estate agent, but it wasn't as good as Teresa's nursing job. I quit to be a full-time artist, and they say I'm throwing away all their hard work. Broke up with my cheating ex, and they say I should've paid more attention to him. Now that I'm almost thirty, they're nagging me about marriage and kids. What about what makes me happy?" I take a deep breath, feeling my eyes well up with tears.

Michael nods and I spill more, feeling vulnerable. "Their expectations are exhausting. I second guess every choice I make. Even if they're right, I don't want to live worrying about what people think. I want to live for me." I look up at Michael, his eyes still trained on me. I blush, realizing I've dumped a lot on him. He places a reassuring hand on my thigh.

"You know, I get it, Naomi. There's a lot of pressure on you to be perfect. But you don't have to be that. I see you for you. You're not perfect, but you're real. Don't be so hard on yourself." He smiles and takes my hand. I give him a small smile in return, grateful for his encouragement. His words resonate deep within me, creating a sense of warmth that goes beyond the heat radiating from the mulled cider. For a moment, I forget the chaos that unfolded earlier, and it's just Michael and me, sharing a connection.

"Thanks, Michael," I say, my voice a mix of gratitude and relief. "I really needed to hear that." He squeezes my hand gently.

"Anytime, Nao." He winks as he uses the nickname he gave me. "I'm happy to help." We share a cuddle on the bench, finishing our ciders. Michael breaks the silence again with a mischievous grin.

"You know," he starts, his eyes sparkling with playful intent, "as much as the scavenger hunt was a bust, there's still one thing I really wanted to check off our list."

"What is it?" I ask, my curiosity piqued. Michael smirks.

"Close your eyes and trust me." Raising an eyebrow, I decide to play along. Closing my eyes, I feel Michael taking my hand, lacing his fingers with mine once more and guiding me through the bustling market. He takes care to keep me from bumping into anyone or stumbling. As we walk, with my eyes closed, all I can focus on is the warmth and softness of his hands, making me feel at ease.

"Almost there." He whispers, excitement in his voice. A flutter of anticipation builds. The market sounds far and I realize we've steered away from it. Snow crunches under our feet as we come to a stop. "Now, open." Gasping, I find a beautifully adorned horse-drawn carriage before us, illuminated by twinkling Christmas lights in the trees. The festive carriage driver welcomes us with a warm smile.

"Surprise," Michael says, grinning that gorgeous smile as he gestures toward the carriage. Speechless, I take a moment to react.

"Michael, this is amazing. How did you...?" He chuckles, pulling me into his side.

"I saw them doing rides earlier today and I figured, if anything, this might somewhat salvage the evening." He glances over at me. "I hope you like it."

"Of course, I love it." I respond, still in shock at the gesture as I take in the magic of the moment.

"So, you wanna hop in? Or just stand out in the cold?" He asks teasingly, offering me his hand. I roll my eyes and grab his hand as he helps me into the carriage. As we get settled into the seats, the carriage lurches forward and the ride starts. As we're pulled down the snowy road, I look up and see the beautiful Christmas lights above us.

"Wow," I whisper in awe and smile brightly. "It's so beautiful." Michael smiles back and looks up as well.

"Yeah, it really is." He agrees. As the gentle rocking of the carriage and the peaceful night setting work in harmony, I feel my body relax more and more with each second.

I look over at Michael and his eyes are trained on me. I gaze back at him, noticing, once again, how striking his features are. He's handsome in such a unique way, with his deep, chocolate-brown eyes, his strong jawline, and his playful, almost cheeky dimpled grin that makes me want to melt every time I see it. He doesn't look away from me and I can't make myself look away either.

It seems like he's about to say something, but the sound of the horse whinnying as it trots on the snowy gravel draws our attention back to the moment. When we glance at each other again and I'm surprised by the intense way he's looking at me. His eyes study me carefully, as if he's trying to memorize every single detail about me; my skin, my expression, the way my lips move when I speak.

Out of nowhere, I begin to feel a bit shy, a warmth rising within me as I realize how close we are. I look back up at the lights, my cheeks turning red and out of the corner of my eye, I see Michael do the same. We sit there for a few moments, silently looking up at the lights, our bodies inching ever so slightly closer. Suddenly, I feel Michael's lips peck my cheek. I look over at him, pressing my hand to my cheek in surprise. He looks back at me, his gaze still focused intently on mine. He watches me, studying my reaction before bringing his fingers to rest underneath my chin.

"Come here..." His words send electricity through my body as he pulls me forward a few inches and presses his plump lips against my own in a gentle kiss. My eyes flutter shut as my breath grows shallow. His lips feel soft on mine and I can taste the sweetness of the mulled cider from before. Every nerve in my body sparks with heat as the world around us becomes muffled. He's tender and gentle, kissing me in a way that says he truly cares about me.

Michael pulls away for a moment, his thumb caressing my skin softly as it grazes across my bottom lip. He wets his lips slightly before pulling me back in for another kiss. This time, his touch is firmer, his tongue slipping its way into my mouth. I find my hands resting on either side of his neck, pulling him in deeper. He sets his hands on my hips, pulling me closer so that our bodies fit neatly together.

The kiss continues for a few more seconds before he finally breaks it, breathing heavily. He pulls his head back slightly as he looks at me. I'm completely speechless. I've never felt anything like this before. My heart is fluttering, my arms are weak, and my body feels like it's on fire.

Our moment is interrupted by the sound of the driver clearing his throat awkwardly. Michael turns to him and smiles apologetically.

"Sorry, my lovebirds. We're almost there, don't worry." I look up at the driver and give him a sheepish smile, my expression growing even redder if that's even possible. Before I can say anything, Michael cuts in.

"Heh. Lovebirds." He mocks the driver's words jokingly, his tone light and playful. He turns back to me and kisses my hand. "He knows what's up." I smile, feeling like I'm in a dream. We pull back to the place where we started and the carriage comes to a halt. The driver climbs down from his seat and opens the gate so we can leave. Michael gets out first and puts his hands on my waist, helping me down from the carriage. He tips the driver before pulling me by the hand to his side, wrapping his arm back around me.

"Did you enjoy the ride?" He asks, smiling down at me.

"The physical one or the emotional one?" I reply teasingly, causing Michael to laugh. "I did enjoy the ride," I admit, giving a bit of a shy grin.

"Good," he replies, his tone shifting to something more sincere.

"It's getting late." I sigh as I look at the time. Michael glances at his watch and nods in agreement.

"Yeah, we should probably get back before they start to worry." He replies, giving me a warm smile. I return the smile, turning to face him.

"Today was a lot... but you really turned it around for me. Thank you for that." Michael pulls me into a hug, his body engulfing me.

"Don't mention it. I didn't like seeing a frown on your face." He says as he lets go of me. "You look way prettier when you smile." I blush at his compliment, looking down at my feet as he takes my hand in his. He looks ahead as we make our way back to the family house, the festive lights and decorations still illuminating the winter night.

As we near the house, I can't help but to feel a mix of emotions. Today had unexpected turns, but it all worked out in the end. Mostly. As we step inside, we're met with the warmth of the home and all of the lights are off. It seems like everyone's gone to sleep. Michael and I slip off our shoes before quietly making our way up the stairs.

"Looks like everyone's down for the night," He says, peering into the hallway and seeing no lights.

"Hopefully we didn't keep them up." I whisper, trying not to make too much noise on the creaky floor. Michael turns to me, leaning against the wall as he gazes at me through the darkness.

"Hey, Nao," He starts and I look at him in curiosity.

"Yeah?" He looks off to the side for a moment, as if contemplating his next words.

"I know today wasn't perfect, but I really enjoyed spending time with you." He takes my hand in his again. "I know I've only been here for a day, but I already feel so close to you. I'm not exactly sure how to describe it, but I know exactly how I feel when I'm with you." He leans in and speaks softly, causing me to shiver. His smile grows brighter as I look up at him with affection. "And I gotta say, I'm pretty excited for tomorrow."

"I really can't tell you how much this means to me. I feel like I don't have to try with you. Everything just flows so naturally. I can't wait to spend more time with you." I reply, biting my lip slightly.

"You sleep well, Nao. Goodnight." He tells me, planting a kiss on my cheek.

"Goodnight to you too, Michael." I say back and he gives me that small, flirty nod he gave me when we first met as he turns and begins walking down the hall towards his room. I watch Michael leave, his warmth lingering as he disappears into the guest room. I stand there for a moment, absorbing the sincerity in his voice and the unexpected connection we've formed. As I enter my room, the quiet of the night surrounds me, and the events of the day play like a movie in my mind.

I take a deep breath and decide to capture the essence of the day on paper. I grab the cheap sketchbook Ashanti gave me yesterday, along with a few coloring pencils. The room is dimly lit by the soft glow of the streetlamps outside, casting a gentle ambiance.

I begin sketching, letting my hand move freely across the paper. The pencil captures the laughter, the awkwardness, the joy, and the unexpected intimacy that all came with today. The lines on the paper become a visual narrative, each stroke expressing the emotions that I experienced throughout the day. I feel a sense of regret as I recall how Ashanti and I acted towards each other. I feel grateful for the comfort I was given today.

As I continue to sketch, I am reminded just how much art has a way of helping me process my feelings. The notepad becomes a canvas for both the highs and lows of the day, a tangible representation of the emotional rollercoaster I've been on.

On another page, I capture the moment I had with Michael. The mulled ciders, the carriage ride, even our time by the fireplace this morning. I smile as I reminisce on this eventful day, feeling lucky to be where I am. I glance at the clock and realize how much later it has gotten. The exhaustion of the day catches up with me and I decide it's time to put the pencil down. I change into my pajamas and slide under the cozy covers of the bed.

With a contented sigh, I close my eyes, waiting for sleep to take me. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, who knows what surprises it might hold. The room is filled with a quiet peace, and as I drift off to sleep, the events of the day soften into dreams, leaving behind the anticipation of what tomorrow might bring.

When I wake up the next morning, I feel sense of anticipation, eager to make the most of today. As I get ready, I take a deep breath, preparing myself for the day ahead. There's still a lingering tension in the air, especially with Ashanti, but I'm determined to make Christmas Eve memorable for everyone.

I head downstairs to find the family gathering in the living room, watching a movie. I say good morning to everyone and head into the kitchen to see if I can help. I get there to find just my aunts Tina and Pat preparing the Christmas Eve feast. I find a place to help out and smile to myself, chopping up some vegetables.

As I move around the kitchen, Ashanti enters, her eyes meeting mine briefly. There's a flicker of guilt in Ashanti's expression, a silent tension between us that, at some point, needs to be addressed. Although, I am not planning on being the one to start that conversation. She goes and sits at the kitchen table, scrolling on her phone. My aunt Tina looks over her shoulder and smiles.

"Oh, I loved that photoshoot you did, sweetie. You looked so fierce and powerful!" She compliments, putting her hand on Ashanti's shoulder.

"Yeah..." She replies, not looking up from her phone. Aunt Tina smirks and glances over at me.

"You know, Naomi, I want to apologize for the other day." She starts and I look up from my task with a raised eyebrow.

"You do?" I question and she nods.

"Maybe you're onto something with your art. At least it's better than jumping from job to job." She says, causing Aunt Pat to snicker a bit. I look over at Ashanti, who doesn't look up from her cellphone. "Ugh, the things I would do to be able to get paid to just doodle all day. Must be a dream." I sigh deeply, looking over at her.

"Aunt Tina, do you really think that art is just about sitting around and drawing whatever I want?" I ask her calmly.

"Well, honey-"

"No." I cut her off. "My job isn't that simple. It takes years to learn the skills I have. Art is a form of expression. It's like telling a story and it isn't always your own. It has a way of connecting people and cementing memories for years to come. I'm not some toddler with a crayon. To me, art is everything. Why can't any of you respect that?" I ask, gesturing to everyone in the room. My aunt Pat looks at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Mimi," She starts with a sigh, "you know we want nothing but the best for you." I clench my fist as I stare at her.

"See, that's another thing. If I'm being honest, a lot of my insecurities come from others telling me what they think I should be. I think it's time I start listening to what I want for a change."

"We're just trying to look out for you, sweetie. You're a bit reckless is all." Aunt Tina says, rolling her eyes.

"No, the problem is that you guys don't respect my choices or ambitions," I reply. "Thank you for the concern, but at the end of the day, it's my life." I say with a bit of sass.

"Whatever." Aunt Tina says, throwing her hands up. "Just do what you want. You always do anyway." Ashanti slams her hand down on the table and stands up.

"Will you stop, Mom?" She raises her voice, shocking us all. Ashanti takes a deep breath and points a finger at Aunt Tina. "It's one thing if you want to judge me and treat me like a child because I'm your daughter," She continues firmly. "But keep Naomi out of it! What she's doing is amazing and, I've got to admit, I'm jealous that she actually has the courage to do what she wants."

"Ashanti-"

"I'm not finished!" She cuts her mom off. "All my life, you've had a plan for who I was gonna be and what I was gonna do, but did you once ask me what I wanted to do? I just went along with it because I figured mother knows best. But I hate my life and I'm starting to hate the person I've become." I start seeing Ashanti in a new light, having heard this new bit of information. I'd always thought that she just didn't like me and that we were always at odds, but now I know why.

"Naomi and I used to be best friends, but because of how you raised me, I grew to despise her, when really I should've despised you. I've stood by my whole life and let you dictate my decisions, but I won't let you do that to my cousin. You have no right!" I stare at Ashanti, stunned by her outburst. I'm also a little relieved that someone finally stood up for me. Aunt Tina and Pat don't know what to say.

"If you guys are my real family, then you won't just want me to be a carbon copy of you." She says, a bit calmer. "And if you care about us and what's good for us, you'll respect our choices."

My aunts are silent, their smug expressions completely washed away. Aunt Tina sighs again, not wanting to admit that we're correct. Before she can say a word, my mom comes downstairs, wearing her best Christmas sweater. She immediately senses the tension in the room and steps in. "What's going on down here?" She asks, her tone firm and direct.

"Nothing, Mom. Ashanti and I were just leaving." I say, before heading out of the kitchen. Ashanti follows behind me and we make our way to the study.

The room is dark and quiet, Ashanti flipping on a light to see the room. The two of us share a look, the mood of the moment taking a sharp turn. Ashanti sits down on the couch, burying her face in her hands. I hesitate for a second before sitting down beside her.

"Ashanti, I'm so sorry." I offer, reaching my hand out to her. She doesn't respond right away, but she finally takes my hand in hers.

"No, I should be the one apologizing. I have been so unfair to you and I'm sorry for all I've put you through." The look she gives is one of guilt and regret. I give her a soft smile and she continues. "I've just been so angry for so long and I took it out on you. My mother would always pressure me to do exactly what she wanted me to do and I was jealous that you could do anything you wanted when we were growing up."

"Ashanti..." I say softly, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I never knew you felt this way. I always thought your life was perfect and I felt like I would never amount to all the things you've accomplished." I admit.

"No ones life is perfect, Naomi. All those accomplishments, they weren't mine. They were my mother's. I just went along with everything, in hopes that I would make them proud. But nothing is ever enough." She takes a deep breath and looks me in the eye. "And I want to apologize for yesterday. I didn't mean any of those things I said. Honestly, I'm not doing as well as everyone says."

"What do you mean?" I question. There's a long pause as Ashanti considers her words, trying to get them right.

"You know how everyone's been talking about how successful I am?" She begins, seeming unsure of herself. I nod, listening intently. "Well, I'm struggling. A lot. My mother doesn't know this, but I lost my modeling job. My boyfriend and I broke up a few months and I'm about to be evicted!" She confesses, a tear running down her face. "That's why I've been so mean lately. I've been trying to keep up appearances but it's stressful as hell and it's even worse because Michael's here." My eyes widen as she tells me this, the words catching me off guard.

"You don't like that Michael's here?"

"I like Michael," She says, shaking her head. "I mean hello! He's Michael B Jordan, who wouldn't like him? But ever since he arrived, Mom has been pressuring me to seduce him. I hate it, I feel like some shallow bitch who annoys everyone. I just wanted to make my mother happy, but at what cost? I'm just making a fool out of myself and it's obvious that he likes you. I'm so tired of being fake. I can tell that no one likes me." She looks down at her lap, avoiding my eyes.

"That's not true," I defend. "Yeah, you get on our nerves sometimes and sometimes you make Michael a bit uncomfortable..." She gives a wry laugh as I speak. "But we all love to have you around. You may see yourself as fake, but we all know the real you. And we love being around you. Ashanti, even when you started being mean to me when we were kids, I still was excited to see you. And I'm glad to have you as my cousin. If I'm honest, your teasing made me want to do better. And your mom may have pushed you to be perfect, but every accomplishment is yours. You earned each of them. And I'm so proud of you, Ashanti." She looks up at me in disbelief.

"Really?" She asks, a shocked expression on her face. Her eyes are filled with tears and her shoulders are slumped. "But how can you say that when I've made things so difficult for you? I've been nothing but nasty to you."

"Because you're still my cousin." I reply with a gentle smile on my face. "It's true that you can sometimes be a bit much, but I still love you. Like you said, we both got on each others nerves when we were kids, but no one's perfect, especially when it comes to our family."

Ashanti wipes away her tears. "I appreciate that, Naomi. Honestly, I really think that you're such an amazing person. I'm just really bad at saying it." She says with a faint smile. "I'm really sorry for everything I put you through before and after Michael got here. I really do love you. Please forgive me?"

"Of course, I forgive you, Ashanti." I pull her into a hug, a real one. She hesitates for a second, before hugging me back. I give her a little squeeze as I missed this feeling with my cousin. She doesn't let go for a moment, before finally speaking again.

"Hey... can I ask you a favor?" She asks, her voice soft.

"Yeah, what is it?" I reply, prepared for whatever she might ask of me.

To be continued...

[herbrattypsht]

Erik is a 6’6, 225 pound baby stuck in a mean ass grown man body.

He all tough n’ shit on the outside cause of all his issues n stuff but deep down he wanna be babied

Im talkin cuddles, back rubs, belly rubs, like when he with his significant other he wanna be up under them all the time if he could

He LOVES laying on you like he isn’t crushing you with his size but i mean he’s cute when he’s all cuddly to its worth it

He’s a fat sucker for head scratches

[loveamirada]

Brad Pitt-Questions

Brad Pitt x (Black)Reader!

Contains:Reunion Fluff and Age Gap couple

"Y/n!" Jimmy Kimmel announced as you walked from the back onto the stage as the audience began to roar as you smiled waving at them

Hugging jimmy you smiled once again waving to the crowd before sitting down adjusting the tan wide leg trousers that you wore hugging your waist

The crowd finally began to die down as you received a few whistles complimenting your looks as you smiled shaking your head as you pulled down the cropped black long sleeve turtleneck to attempt to cover your abdomen

Your stylist never missed when it came to the fits

"Wow you look great, how have you been?" He asked "it's great to have you here"Jimmy smiled as you cornered your body to face him

"I've been cool,working on more music,getting back into dancing" you licked your bottom lip "actually I -uh landed a role a while back in a film coming out in the fall"you announced as applause came from the audience"yeah ,tell us more about that, co starring along Michael B Jordan , your his love interest correct?"he took a sip of his drink from the mug as you nodded"yeah,It's a action film actually but we might've exchanged saliva a few times throughout"you smiled laughing as you received cheers and whistles

"How's that been for you working with male co stars considering your new found relationship status"Jimmy bounced his eyebrows as you bit your knuckle ,your elbow rested on the back of the chair to keep your body propped as you smacked your lips "I knew that was coming"you cleared your throat .

Jimmy laughed before turning to the audience "if anyone wasn't aware,it was revealed after a picture was released over the internet of y/n and one of Hollywood's well known actors Brad Pitt ,the picture went viral sending the internet into a frenzy"they displayed the photo of you and William kissing intimately on the screen as your face felt hot ,you palmed your forehead and the crowd applauded happily

"Ah"you exhaled looking at the screen rubbing your lip with your knuckle"to answer your question- Brad and I's relationship is completely separate from work ,he's very mature and we separate our careers from real life".You explained looking at Jimmy

"and you'd be surprised to know that we had been together 5 months prior to that being leaked"you corrected gesturing towards it as he nodded

"He's in Japan right now filming for bullet train correct?"he mentioned as you nodded exhaling sadly" yeah, my old man has been away for 6 weeks now"you spoke as the studio aww'd making you smile

The conversation went on about the movie as you were enjoying the conversation almost spilling a spoiler

"So Brad was okay with steamy scene that was in the trailer? "jimmy egged on as you rolled your eyes looking at the audience as you pointed to Jimmy mouthing"this guy"

"How about you ask him the next time he's here"you laughed playing with the rings around your fingers as he raised his eyebrows giving you a weird look as the crowd began to go into a screaming frenzy as you looked behind you to see the love of your life making you scream also out of surprise and excitement

"Hey!"you smiled as he held out his arms and you jumped into them wrapping your legs around his waist as his hand held your back and the other palmed your bottom

In front of you two people came from the back quickly switching out the one chair you sat in for a short couch as you and William shared a sweet kiss as he placed you down on your feet .

"I've missed you sweetheart "he whispered in your ear before pulling back holding your face in his hands as you smiled leaning up to peck his lips as he smiled down at you with those sleepy blue eyes.

Brad held you close to him as the two of you walked back over to the couch as Jimmy stood there with a pleased smile "Brad Pitt everybody!"Jimmy announced the already known actor as Brad bowed his head to the audience before shaking Jimmy's hand ,his free hand slid down to your waist guiding you to sit as he sat next to you closest to Jimmy

"Honored to have you here"Jimmy beamed as his hands rubbed together "I think I'm more excited than y/n!"Jimmy joked nervously as the crowd laughed and so did Brad as his arm wrapped around your waist resting on your hip and the other on his crossed legs

Jimmy proceeded to ask Brad questions about his up coming projects sneaking in jokes about the two of you in as the interview was going well for the most part

"So Brad,you have a beautiful,young girlfriend,what's that like?"Jimmy asked laying his hands flat as Brad chuckled "well you know I ask myself everyday how an old man like me got to be with someone like y/n and I still haven't came up with anything"he breathed out a laugh looking into the crowd as you rolled your eyes smiling

If anything you felt lucky beyond measure to be with someone like William

"You're sexy as hell ,that's why"you spoke out as

Brad looked down at you with a pleased expression leaning down to kiss your ear and then your neck as the crowd roared and Jimmy smiled before turning to the camera "That's it for Jimmy Kimmel Live"Jimmy announced "The sexiest couple in Hollywood Brad Pitt and y/n everybody!"he gave a final call as you and Brad smiled at the crowd

[henneseyhoe]

COMING SOON LIST:

Michael B Jordan X Reader smut/fluff

Duke Dennis X Reader fluff

Keith Powers X Reader fluff

OC X Reader Smut

[princessmisery666]

Daily Mixes Challenge - 2K follower celebration

I wasn't sure about doing a follower celebration as I'm quite sporadic with posting but I just surpassed 2K followers, I will be celebrating my birthday in May (the same day as Sam Winchester), and my blog will be turning 3 and I wanted to celebrate.

A multi-fandom challenge with no end date for sign ups or posting entries.

Music inspires me in my day to day life and as I have progressive hearing loss I listen to A LOT of music. I want to consume as much as I can before I can’t do it any more.

So my challenge is this: send me an ASK picking one of the below categories: 

Daily Mix 1

Daily Mix 2

Daily Mix 3

Daily Mix 4

Daily Mix 5

Daily Mix 6

Pop

R&B

Hip Hop

Dance

Rock

Metal

2010s

2000s

90s

80s

Chill

Happy

Upbeat

Romantic

Moody

I will hit shuffle on the corresponding Spotify playlist and give you the first song that plays. You then have to write a fic or create a mood board, aesthetic or piece of art based on that song or the feelings it gives you.

More Info below the cut.

I will make sure no one gets the same song.

For anyone who doesn’t use Spotify, it creates “made for you” playlists that are personalised to your tastes and they change from day to day. It changes DAILY, so I don’t know what song you could get. I listen to anything from cheesy pop to hardcore rock.

Info & Guidelines - cause no one likes rules: 

Fandoms I’m interested in but you can write for any fandom you wish. Supernatural, Marvel, Top Gun: Maverick, DC, Shadow & Bone, The Witcher, Outer Banks, Yellowstone-verse, Sons Of Anarchy. And probably more feel free to ask. 

Bonus points for: Sam Winchester/Jared Padalecki, Sam Wilson/Anthony Mackie, Erik ‘Kilmonger’ Stevens/Michael B Jordan, and Geralt/Henry Cavill.

MARVEL NOTE: I won’t read Tony Stark fics. He can be a supporting character but I won’t read anything that is centred around him. Sorry. I have a reason for this that I’m happy to discuss but it’s a bit dark and this is supposed to be fun.😉

Feel free to combine this with any other bingos/challenges you are partaking in if they allow the same. 

Can be fluff, smut, angst, kinks, crack, A/B/O, AU’s whatever floats your boat. Dark themes welcome. 

Any and ALL trigger warnings must be highlighted. I’ll step out of my comfort zone and read anything - except Tony Stark, paedophilia, necrophilia and scat play (don’t look it up).

Any and all ships welcome.

Can be reader insert, 1st/3rd person, OC or character’s POV. Whatever you prefer.

Fics can be any length, but PLEASE use a ‘keep reading’ line for long posts or fics over 500 words.

If the song you get doesn’t spark any inspiration, there’s no pressure to do it, and feel free to ask for another.

Can request as many songs as you want. 

You don’t have to be following me.

No end date for requests

No due date for entries.

Use the tag #666DailyMix so I can find it and don’t forget to tag me in your work.

Would appreciate a reblog for a signal boost

I will reblog all entries

I will create a master list and update whenever there is a new submission

[rvcsa]

⋆｡°✩ my writing rules

now playing :: party beyoncé , andré 3000

⋆｡°✩ i do write :: fluff , smut , angst

⋆｡°✩ i do not write :: rape or sa , pedophilia , dbf or step sibling type shit , anything non consensual

⋆｡°✩ people i write for :: all amp members ( kai , duke , fanum , agent , chris , davis ) , the sturniolo triplets ( chris , matt , nick ) , outer banks ( rafe cameron , jj maybank , john b , pope heyward ) , bpwf ( shuri , riri , shuriri ) , michael b jordan , beta squad ( sharky , niko omilana , aj shabeel , chunkz , kenny , filly ) ,

⋆｡°✩ requests :: open !

© rvcsa — all work is owned by me. do not copy, translate or transfer my work to any other blogs or sites and do not claim as your own.

[hail-the-veil]

Fandoms, rules and WIP!☠️

RULES:

(SUB! BOT!) MALE CHARACTERS ONLY! (ftm/afab included)

(DOM! TOP!) MALE READER ONLY (amab only)

Any genre allowed (fluff, smut, etc) I'm okay with anything, go as wild as you can, we're not kink shaming here. As long as it's not pedophilia, you're fine. I may take long to finish your request so be patient. I like writing afab/ftm characters 😸 *insert turn your fav male character to masc trans*

-hail

Currently open for request for fandom and characters (more coming soon):

One piece

-Zoro, ace, sanji

The last of us

-joel

Hunger games

-snow, peeta

COD

- tf141, alejandro, konig

atsv (spiderman universe)

-miles, miguel o hara, peter b parker

DC

- d!ck grayson, jason todd, damian wayne, tim drake, bruce wayne, duke thomas

-wally west, barry allen

-roy harper, oliver queen

-hal jordan

-aqualad/garth

-clark kent, conner kent, jon kent

-john constantine

MARVEL

-steve rogers, Matt Murdock,

Jujutsu kaisen

-gojo, geto, nanami, choso, megumi

Baldurs gate 3

-gale, halsin, astarion, wyll, rolan, dammon, raphael, gortash

HSR

-blade, aventurine, welt, sunday, gallgher, jing yuan, boothill, danheng, gepard, dr ratio, sampo

Genshin impact

-zhongli, childe, dottore, baizhu, wriothesley, neuvillete, alhaitham, kaveh, diluc, kaeya, thoma, tighnari

Harry potter

-Harry potter, cedric, draco

Blue lock

-isagi, chigiri, nagi, reo, niko, rin, sae, kaiser, shidou, aryu, kuon

Castlevenia

-Alucard, dracula, trevor, Hector

FNAF

-Michael afton

Resident evil

-leon kennedy, carlos, chris, ethan

Stardew valley

-all the bachelor

.

WIP

-d!ck grayson x villain! Male reader

"my fuck doll" (smut; noncon/dub con) pnp (porn no plot)

-raphael (bg3) x TAV/male reader

"a scroll away" (smut; dub con) (very little plot)