#my older cousin is packing her bag and she asks me to find a shirt from her bag while she sorts her makeup out- she wanted the shirt for

[ghoul--doodle]

I love winning!!

I’ll dump the full story in the tags

[londonharrington]

enchanted | eddie munson x fem!reader

transferring to a new school on your senior year may not be as bad as you think.

notes: some curses, could have a part two if anybody wants it :))

all i can say is i was enchanted to meet you

The entire morning was a blur to Y/N, seeing as it was her first day of school. Sure, it was normal to be nervous on your first day of school, but she was a senior, a senior who had the misfortune of transferring schools in the middle of the year because their family had to move out of their old town. New job opportunity for her father or whatever.

Her eyebrows were already furrowed by the time she parked her car and made her way inside the building. Everybody’s business seemed to have stopped when she first stepped inside. Everybody looked at her as if she was some type of new specimen that is waiting to be discovered by other people.

Of course, they would feel this way. These people have been together for god knows how long and she was this new thing that has peeked their interests. They all seem to be wondering what she was like. Was she a preppy girl? An artistic one? A nerd? They did not know that at the moment.

Y/N made a beeline to the principal’s office where she got her schedule and was asked by the principal to find somebody to tour her in the building, seeing as everybody was busy. She just nodded and immediately went out of the room, automatically face palming for not asking where in the goddamn building was Mrs. O’Donnell’s room was.

She tried asking some people and only two them (a skinny raven haired one and a curly haired one, who both looked like they were freshmen) answered her question seriously; most of them just tried to flirt or recruit her into whatever group they had.

She knocked on the door and was met with an old woman who just raised her eyebrow at Y/N, “Yes? What do you need?”

“Uhm. Hi. I’m Y/N L/N and I just transferred here. Is this Mrs. O’Donnell’s class?”

“Oh. Just in time. Class this is Y/N and she will be joining us for the rest of the year. You may sit down next to Mr. Munson. Maybe you’ll be a good influence to him. Now, do your work for what ever subjects you need and we will have a test later this afternoon, and no talking.”

She rolled her eyes discreetly as she made her way to her seat. She was sat next to this boy who looked a little bit older than her with long messy hair and a shirt with some type of demon-like image, similar to the shirt the boys she met were wearing earlier.

“Hey,” he just said.

“Hi.”

“Where are you from?”

“California. Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, what is it?”

“What is that shirt for? I’ve seen people with that shirt on and I was intrigued.”

“Oh! It’s for a club that I’m in! We play Dungeons and Dragons!” he suddenly exclaimed as everybody looked their way. Thankfully the teacher, whose name Y/N already forgot, was out of the room that moment. “Do you know how to play the game?”

“No but my cousins always try to teach me. I thought it was just for nerds.”

“You wound me, Y/N. Do I look like a nerd to you?”

“No.”

“Exactly. So how can that be for nerds?”

The bell suddenly rang and everyone started packing their stuff inside their bags as they went out the room.

“Hey, I never got your name?” she suddenly said before the two of them parted ways.

“Oh. It’s Eddie,” he smiled.

“Eddie, can you give me a tour of the building later?”

“Sure, why not. Around lunchtime?”

“Yes, please. Thank you Eddie!” she said, walking to god knows where, leaving Eddie smiling before shaking his head and going to the forest, skipping his next class.

♡ ♡ ♡  

“And this is the gym, and unless you’re into sports or typical high school bullshit, you won’t go here often.”

The two of them made their way around the school as the two talked with one another, learning about their interests and hobbies. To Y/N’s surprise, she really liked Eddie. He was different and unpredictable.

They were enjoying each other’s company when suddenly, two girls came to them.

“Hey, your the new girl right? Why don’t we show you the rest of the school so you can get away from him. Yeah?” one of them asked.

“Uhm,” she looked at Eddie who had a slight smile, as if he already knew that she was going to go with the other girls, “No, thank you. I’m fine with him showing me around,” Y/N smiled, which shocked the three people with her.

“He’s a freak! Why do you want to stay with him?” the other girl exclaimed.

“Because he’s nice. And I asked the two of you directions to class earlier and you just rolled your eyes. So, please, leave us alone.”

The two were stunned. They only huffed in response as they left.

Y/N looked back at Eddie as she said, “Do you want to go to the cafeteria now? I’m getting hungry, to be honest.”

He only nodded as he held out his arm which she gratefully accepted, indicating the start of a beautiful friendship and will blossom into something more.

♡ ♡ ♡  

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[titan-fodder]

Prima Vista Part IV

[ previous ]

Rating: E (explicit; mdni) Pairing: Mike Zacharias x fem!reader wc: ~ 9.6k

Warning: a big helping of abandonment/daddy issues, lots of feelings, explicit sexual content A/N: y’all are gonna be so soft and then so mad lmao. 

The plan was to go to Mike's house then back to campus. You said you didn't have anything to do at your mom's, that a long phone call would suffice, which is why Mike is confused when you ask him if you can stop by before going back. It's an hour out of the way, but it's not like he has anything better to do, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious about your humble beginnings. 

 The house is in a decent-looking neighborhood, small, nearly identical one-story homes surrounded by cracked sidewalks. He has to be careful not to trip as you make your way to the front porch, pots of dead or dying plants along the edges of it. You shove your key into the lock, twist and open, then motion for Mike to follow. 

 The den is dimly lit, ceiling fan above with only one working bulb. A crime show is playing on the TV but there's no one watching. There is, however, another light pouring from a back room, and as soon as you drop your bag on the couch, a head pokes out from the doorway. 

 "Baby girl!" A shrill voice cries, and Mike sees you grimace. "I thought you weren't coming by!" 

 A woman walks into the den wearing long, cotton shorts and an old tie-dye shirt then pulls you into a hug so tight that it makes you cough. 

 "Mom," you take a deep breath as if to refill your lungs with all the air that was pushed from them. "This is Mike."

 He holds out a hand and smiles, but all your mother does is stare with round eyes and blurt, "Oh, he's a big boy." 

 "My fucking god." You don't yell or whine, just pinch the bridge of your nose and mumble, "Just shake his hand please." 

 "Sorry, I'm sorry, just was not expecting… You didn't tell me how tall he was."

 "'Cause it doesn't matter. Why would I—nevermind," you cut yourself off, face falling flat just like your voice. 

 Mike isn't sure if he should be flattered or offended or embarrassed, so he just ignores the comment entirely and says, "Nice to meet you." 

 You make your escape to the back, dragging Mike with you before shutting your bedroom door and leaning against it. 

 "Mom is a little weird, but you'll always know where you stand with her," you tell him. "Also, sorry about the house. She’s a teacher, so she’s usually pretty beat at the end of the day. Not enough energy to do a lotta cleaning."

 "Didn't even notice," he reassures you. 

 Mike unpacks his bag next to you, and you gather the dirty clothes from both yours and his, balling them up and taking them with you out to the garage to throw into the washing machine. Mike should have done it at his parents', but as you were packing up that morning, his mother got all teary eyed and his dad just kept shaking your tiny hands and telling you to come back, so it just didn’t happen. 

 Back in the living room, your mom is sitting in an old rocking chair, and Mike thinks you'll take a seat on the adjacent couch, but instead you ask, "You need help with anything? Dishes or vacuuming or somethin'?"

 She looks up at you, fly-away hairs sticking out around her temples and forehead and responds, "It'd be nice if you could do the dishes. I just haven't gotten around to it."

 "Can do," you nod and walk into the kitchen, opening the dishwasher and making a displeased noise at the dirty plates and bowls inside. There's room for a few more, but once it's full and running, you just clean what's left in the sink by hand. Mike finds a towel, stands next to you, and holds his hand out for every scrubbed dish, drying it and placing it in the rack to hopefully be put up later. 

 "You hungry?" You ask when you're done and drying your hands. "It's almost one."

 "Uh, yeah. I could eat." 

 Truthfully, he's starving having only had a small breakfast at his parents'. He doesn't want to say that, though, doesn't want you making a big meal for him or apologizing for anything. 

 "Sandwiches okay?" 

 Something in your tone has him on edge. Your voice is too quiet, deflecting downward as if you're forcing each word from your mouth. 

 "Yeah," he nods. "If you get the stuff, I can make 'em." Mostly so that you can relax but also because there's no way he's gonna let you make him a fucking sandwich. 

 You shrug your shoulders, grab bread, lunchmeat, cheese, and condiments, then say, "You can make ours. I'll make mom's."

 He knows he's missing something, but he doesn't know what, and right now he's too afraid to ask. 

 He eats next to you on the couch, you and your mom watching TV as Mike tries to subtly glance around. Mounted shelves are decorated with dusty, mismatched figurines, cracks opening at the corners where the walls meet the roof. The brick fireplace is stacked high with plastic tubs and books, probably from your mother’s classroom, and the carpet has seen better days. 

 Mike isn't judging—not in the least—but he has a feeling he knows why being here puts you in a sour mood. The house feels lived in, cluttered and cozy and worn around the edges, but it's still empty somehow. 

 After the three of you are finished eating, you take the paper plates and dispose of them, then tell your mom that you'll be in your room. She gives you a soft smile that you struggle to return.

 It's a little more you in the bedroom, blue walls covered in old posters and collages, a quilt similar to the one in your dorm folded at the bottom of your bed. Your pillow cases are faded and covered in an old flower design that matches your sheets, and there's a small nightstand next to the headboard that's bare on top with wrinkled papers poking out of the bottom drawer. 

 "It's not much, but if you wanna snoop around like I always do, feel free." 

 Mike doesn't really want to, especially since you already seem so uncomfortable in what should be a safe space for you. The only thing he feels okay investigating is the old bookshelf next to your closet—mostly YA novels, some poetry books, an old set of The Lord of the Rings series, a textbook over rocks and minerals and another over volcanoes. Tucked away in the bottom shelf is a tiny booklet that looks like a photo album, and Mike has to fight the urge to pull it from its place and flip through the plastic pages. Anything to get to know you better. 

 You lay in bed, eyes locked on the ceiling, and Mike doesn't know what to do. There's a very small TV sitting on your dresser, an old DVD player next to it, so he figures he'll save both you and himself from talking by picking out a movie. 

 He fingers through them, not that there's a lot, just skims the spines until he pulls out a copy of Space Jam. You only glance at the screen when the intro starts, and Mike immediately zeroes in on the way your jaw sets and your brows furrow. 

 "I can pick something else," he tells you quietly. 

 You take a deep breath and shake your head. Slowly but surely your features begin to soften. 

 "'S'fine."

 "Are you sure?" 

 "Yeah. My, uh…" You swallow loud enough from Mike to hear, neck bobbing with the motion. "My dad and I used to watch it all the time."

 He doesn't know what to make of it or how to respond. In the months he's known you, Mike has never heard you mention your father a single time, and he's never asked in fear of what your response might be. 

 He moves your quilt to sit on the very edge of the bed, a little too tense as he heavily contemplates ignoring what you'd said and still switching movies. 

 "You can lay down, you know," you mumble. "I'm not gonna bite you."

 "You have before," he tries to act casual, but it comes out too stiffly.

 You laugh through your nose— "Suit yourself—" then get more comfortable on the mattress. 

 Michael Jordan gets pulled into a golf hole and the Loony Toons journey to retrieve his shoes from the real world. Mike is barely paying attention, more focused on the way your breathing evens out until it becomes slow and deep. 

 That's good. You could use a nap. 

 He watches you for a while, the way your eyelashes flutter against your cheeks and your lips part. You're all curled up on yourself, hands tucked under your chin, knees to your stomach, and Mike wants to slip behind you so badly, to pull you to his chest and lay with you until his heartbeat syncs with yours. 

 But first. 

 As carefully as he can, Mike stands from the bed and glides to the bookcase. He lowers himself in front of it, quickly finding what he's looking for and pulls it from the shelf. 

 It's a small little album, full of polaroids and old pictures cut in half. The first page sets the tone for the rest of the booklet, a photo of a very small you outside eating a popsicle next to a man that is most definitely your dad. You've got a similar facial structure as well as his coloring. Not to mention the expression he's wearing is one Mike has seen you make many times before. 

 The next picture is the two of you dressed up for an event. He's in a striped Polo and slacks while you're in a little checkered dress, a rose corsage on your tiny wrist. Some kind of father-daughter dance, Mike guesses. 

 Sitting on his lap at a fair, a chubby little boy a few years older than you standing close with a stuffed snake around his neck. A party where you're posed with an honestly frightening costume character. You in a bright, mesh jersey standing back to back with your dad, arms crossed, looking at the camera with your chins tilted upward. 

 They all look like good memories. The little boy in the fair picture appears several more times, and as he loses his baby fat, Mike sees the resemblance he shares with you and your father. It's too close to be a cousin—your eyes and mouths shaped the same—so he must be your brother. 

 Mike doesn't know how to feel about that because again, you've never uttered a word. As far as he knew, you were an only child, so why…

 He gets lost in the pages, watching you grow and pose mostly next to your dad. Smiles and laughs and silly faces with your tongues sticking out. Your mom is in some, brother in others, and then, you're in a cap and gown, grinning widely next to your dad who's beginning to gray at the temples. His own smile is barely there now, a ghost of what was seen in the previous photos. It's forced, it's sad, and it's the last picture in the book. 

 Mike's chest hurts. He wonders what happened, when exactly you'd lost him. Was it a quick goodbye, or had it been drawn out and painful? Had he been sick for a long time? He'd looked perfectly healthy in all the shots. Maybe a car accident that took both him and your brother…

 He flips to check for one last photo on the back of the page, but it's empty. However, tucked in a tiny, paper pocket is a folded up note that Mike stares at for a few solid minutes, debating the pros and cons of reading it. He knows he's already violated your privacy by looking through the album, and fuck, he's only been in your house for a couple hours at most—how has he already managed to tumble down such a humongous rabbit hole? 

 Your tiny snores reach his ears, and Mike gently pulls the note out, biting his lip as he unfolds it as quietly as possible. It's soft, like it's been read too many times, and the letters scribbled in all caps are beginning to fade, but the words are still legible. 

 It starts with your name, and then it's all apologies—sorry I can't stay, I have to leave, you don't understand how much this hurts me and so on. 

 Mike's eyebrows pull together the further he reads, blood pounding against the walls of his arteries, pulse picking up because he understands now.

 Your father wasn't in any sort of accident; he just left. 

 The letter ends with a gut-wrenching, You'll always be my little girl, and Mike nearly crumples the paper up to throw away. He resists somehow, simply folds it with shaky hands and slips it back into the pocket at the back of the album. 

 He's never been so mad at a stranger in his life. This must be it. This must be why you are—

 "Should've known you'd go straight for the photo album." 

 Your voice makes Mike's body jolt, his face heating as he turns to look at you with wide eyes. 

 "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean—"

 You wave him off and prop yourself up on an elbow. "It's whatever."

 But, it's not. It's this huge part of you that still affects you to this day. Mike is no psychologist, but he has a pretty good feeling this is the main reason you hold everyone at arm's length. 

 "Why didn't you ever tell me?" 

 "What's there to tell?" 

 Sitting up fully, your gaze moves to the screen just in time to see Michael Jordan step off of the spaceship and onto the baseball field. I Believe I Can Fly is playing, and you're gritting your teeth. 

 "It's not anything that comes up in normal conversation anyway. I wasn't just gonna hit you with it outta nowhere. Also," you look back to Mike, eyes still sleepy, lips pulling downward in a frown. "I'm not the only one who hid stuff about my family."

 Mike sighs and quietly tells you, "That's different," as he closes the album and slides it back into the row of books. 

 "Is it, though? Is it really?" 

 "I..." 

 Mike shuts his mouth and actually thinks on it. He wasn't trying to lie to you about his home life or his heritage. He's only half Greek on his mom's side, after all, and he's only been to the country to visit family a couple of times—once when he was a child and once right before college. The culture is a little different over there, but it all seems so natural to him, especially after being raised to speak the language. 

 Honestly, he didn't ever tell you because he didn't think to, but Mike can understand the shock of walking into his childhood home and getting thrown through that loop. It must have been jarring for you. 

 It's a positive aspect of his life, though. It's not something that's damaged him or made him cold toward others. And, he hates describing you in such a way, but it's true.

 At least it makes sense now. 

 "I guess not," he shrugs. He's not about to fight you on it. 

 You stare at him for a while, waking up a bit more as you rub your eyes and stretch. 

 Then, you flop back down on your pillows. 

 "So. Any questions, Zacharias?" 

 He's surprised that you're asking, and though he doesn't want to twist the metaphorical knife in your gut, he still replies honestly: "Too many."

 A long exhale through your nose, and then you're patting the mattress next to you and grumbling, "Fine, I'll do my best, but you gotta come up here."

 "Why? You gonna need to cuddle afterward?" He can't help but tease. 

 "Fuckin' maybe, dude! We're about to get into my god damn trauma so—"

 Mike is up on his feet and flying toward the bed. He isn't about to sabotage the one fucking moment you're opening yourself up. 

 "Alright, what first?" You ask, trying to look bored, but Mike can clearly see that you're nervous. 

 "He left." 

 "Yeah."

 And then he gets the full story. 

 Your dad was pretty perfect during your younger years—a bit of a workaholic but still good. He took you to dances like the one you'd both dressed for in the photograph. You'd spend days at amusement parks where he'd carry you on his shoulders. He coached the basketball team you'd played on as a child.

 "Not saying he played favorites, but I was definitely closer to him than my brother was."

 The brother who developed a drug problem at fourteen, who was always either out with his little addict friends or at home where he would just scream at you and your mom. 

 "He went to rehab a couple times, but it didn't stick." 

 He left home at seventeen and hasn't gotten in touch with you or your parents since. 

 "I keep thinking one day we'll get a call from the police saying they found his wallet on a fucking corpse, but who knows. Maybe he got clean. Maybe he started a family somewhere else. He'd be twenty-five now."

 "Were you ever close with him?"

 You shrug. "We spent a lot of time together when we were really little, but even back then he was kinda a mean kid."

 It very quickly circles back to your father. Mike still doesn't feel like he has all the answers, so he asks through the skin of his lip, "Why'd he leave?"

 At this point, you've got your head in his lap as he sits against the wall. He smooths your hair back from your face every once in a while, something his mom used to do to him when he was very young that always soothed him. 

 He hopes it's having the same effect on you, thinks it might be considering you've had your eyes closed for a while now, humming now and then as you talk. 

 "Honestly, I don't really know. I don't think he and my mom were ever in love. Like, they just kinda settled for each other," you sigh. "They didn't have a lot in common. They had different upbringings. But, they didn't fight or anything—not in front of us. They were good at hiding the hard times from me and my brother. They just didn't… click."

 Mike bites his tongue, wonders if that was hard to watch or if you'd been too naive to notice. 

 Then, there's his second train of thought that's really just the voice in his head screaming, we click, though! You and I work! But he keeps it to himself. This isn't about you and him. 

 "I think maybe dad had, like, a 'stay together for the kids' mentality 'cause as soon as I graduated, he was fuckin' gone. And, I mean gone. We went to a graduation party the next weekend that lasted a few hours—just me and mom—and when we got back his truck wasn't in the driveway and his drawers were empty. He left that note you read on my desk."

 Mike breathes. Just breathes. He tries to make sense of it, how someone could just do that without a real reason. There hadn't been any explanation in the letter, only apologies. 

 "Have you seen him since?" 

 You open your eyes and reply, "Nope," popping the 'p'. "I don't know where he is, and he hasn't reached out. Mom made the drive to my grandma's—his mom—but she said she didn't know where he was either. Pretty sure she was covering for him, though. She was always kind of a bitch. You know, save for the whole paying for my college and all."

 Mike snorts at this, not that there's anything funny about the situation. It's just his first reaction. 

 You ignore it, moving on with an, "Anyway."

 "Anyway," he mimics. 

 "I don't know if you've noticed in the short time you've been here, but my mom is a little… off. Not super good at taking care of herself."

 "Is this why?" 

 "Clever boy," you show a bitter smile. "I didn't really understand since they weren't, like, in love or whatever, but… I think it was the betrayal more than anything. Like, it came outta nowhere, a big ol' slap in the face."

 "Plus, he left you behind," Mike adds, as if you don't already know. 

 Looking up at him, you raise your eyebrows and smirk. "And, now you know about my abandonment issues." The last part comes out in high-pitched, melodic syllables, a little song that would be funny if Mike didn't know it was a coping mechanism. It most definitely is, though. He can tell that you're the type to mask every issue with humor and sarcasm. It's how you've been dealing with him for the last several months. 

 "So, that's my story," you conclude on an exhale. "Now you know all my dirty secrets."

 "For some reason I don't think that's all of them," Mike pets your hair again. "But, probably the important ones."

 "Mm. I guess."

 The rest of the day is really just spent killing time. You cook an easy dinner that you refuse to let Mike help with, then sit in the den with your mom just like you did at lunch. A medical show is playing. Then a reality show. Then a game show. None of you say much of anything, and it's painfully awkward for Mike now that he knows what happened, but he can power through a few days of this if it makes you feel better. 

 Hours pass until you can retreat, and moonlight shines through your bedroom window, not that Mike needs it. He's memorized your body at this point, knows where to touch without even seeing. He makes sure to be gentle, to suckle and blow on your pebbled nipples as you card fingers through his hair and breathe faster and faster. 

 Leaving love bites down your chest and stomach, he sucks on your skin, gently grazing his teeth over every bruise. Mike wants you to see them all the next day—not a staked claim, just something you can't ignore when you look in the mirror, evidence of his feelings in every mark. 

 When you're finally nice and relaxed, he spreads your legs and licks into you, trying not to be too rough with his beard, but a few swipes of it over your clit leave you shaking in his grasp. You whisper his name, the common one that everyone knows him by, but then, rolling off your tongue like a prayer, you call him, "Miche," and he can't help the rumble that rises in his chest. 

 It should be strange. That's the name only his family uses, the one he was born with. He only simplified it so that kids in school wouldn't ask questions or make fun of him, and after that, it just sort of stuck. But, here and now, falling from your lips, it's so soft. So intimate. 

 You whimper when he sucks on your folds, making them swell, making them sensitive. And then, he's pushing his tongue inside of you and humming happily at the taste. His nose is bumping against your clit, and Christ, you even smell good to him—that ripe, tangy aroma that has Mike going a little crazy. He has to make sure he doesn't get too carried away. You can't make very much noise even with the rattling of the air conditioner, but as he slowly slides a finger into your pussy, he hears you moan around the fist you're holding to your mouth. 

 He stretches you just enough to get you ready, then he holds himself over you and pushes into your wet cunt. Your eyes are open, locked with Mike's as your brow raises and your jaw drops. It's erotic, something you've never done with him before. You typically either gaze somewhere other than his face or keep your eyes squeezed shut. 

 Tonight, though, you've been vulnerable and apparently want to stay that way for a little while longer. 

 He bends to catch you in a kiss, lips and tongues moving just as slowly as his hips, and when you reach to tug at Mike's hair, he pants into your mouth. 

 Those words are there again, stuck in his throat but slowly crawling upward until they're just there, pouring from his tongue, "I lo—"

 Until you cut him off with a sharp, "Don't."

 He makes a noise of frustration, wants to protest because he's so deep inside of you, and you're holding onto him like you want him—truly want him, but you mutter once more against his lips, "Don't say it, Miche."

 So, he doesn't. He bottles the confession up and keeps it locked away, hoping like hell that one day you'll let him tell you. 

 After you climax and coat his cock in slick and cream, he gives a few more thrusts and comes inside of you, filling you with himself and wondering why you're so willing to accept him in that way but not in any other. 

 He's hurting again, like he did at his parents' as you walked around like you belonged there. Except it's worse now. 

 If you don't want him to say it, that means you don't want to say it back. 

 He stays with you for a few more minutes before pulling out. You leave to clean up, and while you're gone, Mike sits on the edge of the bed, head in his hands as he tries to get it all out of his system, whispering it out loud to himself: 

 I love you. I love you, I love you.  

 You still let him hold you as you fall asleep, gripping his hand until you can't anymore, and as Mike drifts off behind you, he has one last thought—Just let me.

* There’s only three weeks left of the semester when you head back to campus, and you intend to make the most of every passing day. 

 You pay better attention in class. You study harder in the library to prepare for final exams. You go to a few more Pi Alpha Kappa parties, making sure not to burn yourself out. And, you let Mike fuck your brains out every few days. Sometimes it’s late at night after those parties. Sometimes you're too tired after the nights of drinking and end up just going to bed only to wake up in the morning and have slow, sleepy sex. Sometimes it’s in the middle of the afternoon when you both have breaks between classes.

 Neither of you bring up anything that happened over the break—meeting families, details about your childhoods, how much you learned about one another in general.

 Most importantly, neither of you address that first night at your mom’s, the way Mike had basically worshiped your body, how he’d come so close to uttering the three words you least want to hear. 

 Thinking about it still makes your chest tighten, your heart beat faster. Sometimes when you’re sharing his bed with him, back pressed to his chest, large arm slung over your waist, you think about why it is you’re so vehemently against it. The two of you already act like a couple most of the time. You walk with each other to class when you can. You stick to each other’s sides at parties. You fuck like rabbits and don’t care who knows about it. 

 And, though you’re hesitant to admit it even to yourself, you’d be lying if you said you didn’t have feelings for him. Mike is your best friend at this point. He’s insanely hot. He’s goofy. He’s kind. Yeah, the frat boy persona he puts on around his friends is annoying, but you understand it a little better now. Plus, he always takes off the mask when he’s alone with you, giving both you and himself a break from it.

 You know your time with him is quickly coming to an end—for about two months, at least—and whenever you think too hard about it, it makes you pout and huff. You’re not looking forward to your summer classes without him, but he promises on several occasions that you can call him while he’s at his parents’ if you ever need help with the material.

 It’s impressive, the way he’s able to act like nothing happened. You know it must be troubling him, but it’s not like you can do anything to soothe him. If he was really upset with you, he would have stopped spending time with you, but he hasn’t. He just bottles it up, keeps smiling at you all crookedly, and keeps satisfying you in the bedroom (more than satisfying honestly. There’s really not a word to describe what he does).

 He’s back to getting along with everyone in the Pike house, everyone being Erwin. It’s a relief just because you don’t have to put up with the tension between them, but it’s also awkward. And, a little frightening. 

 The brothers have Smash Brothers tournaments and movie nights, a few date parties here and there, and it never fails that at some point during the evenings, you find your neck prickling as it always does when you feel someone staring at you. You always hope it’s Mike. Fuck, you wish it was him. But, when you glance up and around, it’s Erwin. Every time. His deep blue eyes are trained on you, the corner of his mouth twitching upward on one side. It doesn’t matter if he’s alone or if he’s got Maddie or some other girl sitting in his lap. He's fucking shameless, and it makes your stomach hurt.

 You keep your mouth shut for the sake of the friendship but also for the sake of Erwin’s pretty face. If he and Mike ever got into an actual fight, Erwin would probably be able to get a good few punches in, but you’re nearly positive Mike would end up destroying him in the long run. That could get him kicked out of school. That could get him thrown in jail. 

 Finals roll around, and you manage to pass all of them without issue, even getting grades above the class average. You feel fantastic, like your long term goals might actually be attainable. You have a long road ahead of you, but your GPA at the end of the year is more than enough to raise your confidence. 

 Mike asks you to come back to his house for the couple weeks between the end of the semester and the start of your summer courses, but you turn him down, too scared of what might happen while you’re there. Acting like a couple in front of his parents will only exacerbate his feelings as well as yours, and you’d like to avoid that as best you can. 

 Even now as you’re standing outside by the Jeep, he tries to persuade you one last time, almost pleading, “Are you sure you don’t wanna come?”

 “Miche, I’m sure,” you tell him, trying to stay stern, but it’s hard when his sea glass eyes light up at the sound of his real name. It’s a habit you’ve gotten into, a bad one considering how much he likes it. How much you like it. “I already told you I wanna spend the free time I have at mom’s. I need to check up on her and… Probably clean, honestly.”

 He lets out a little grunt of disappointment, then nods. “Yeah, I get it.”

 “You saw what she’s like,” you remind him. “Someone needs to drop in every once in a while to make sure she isn’t, like, wasting away or something.”

 “Makes sense. I’ll be bummed, though.”

 “Be bummed all you want,” you smile. “I’ll probably still bother you over break. A lot.”

 He sounds terribly sincere when he mumbles, “You never bother me.” It makes your stomach flip in the way you do not enjoy.

 Mike sighs, taking in one of those deep breaths that makes his broad chest rise then fall, calling attention to it and making you bite your bottom lip. 

 “Alright, I should get going,” he concedes, bending down to kiss you too deeply for simple friends with benefits. It doesn’t stop you from humming into his mouth and smiling against him. You hold him by the back of his neck as he pulls your body close to his, his voice muffled when he tells you mischievously, “Don’t forget to send pictures.”

 It makes you laugh, and you lean back to swipe your tongue over his lips so that he groans and chases after you. 

 “I promise I will. Perv.” The beating sun is nothing in comparison to the way your body heats at the thought. You’ve sent him nudes before, but the idea of him looking at them from hours away, fisting his cock as he admires your body through his phone… It makes seeing him off even harder.

 After a couple more softer kisses, Mike swings into the Wrangler and pulls out of the lot. You stand in his parking space and watch him until he’s out of sight, then walk back to your dorm, dragging your feet the whole way. 

 You only stay at your mom’s house for a week, and just like you predicted, you spend most of it cleaning. She thanks you the whole time but makes excuses in between. You just reassure her that you don’t mind even though you do. She really should see a therapist and sort out the depression she’s been stuck in for a few years now, but telling someone they need professional help is easier said than done. 

 Sleeping in your old bed is much harder this time around. You're all too aware of the weight that isn't behind you, and most nights you lay awake for at least a couple of hours trying to imagine it. 

 Like you’d promised, you send him a few pictures, some of them just lewd selfies with your tits pouring out of the cups of your bra, but others are of your naked body in the bathtub, sometimes a shot of you with your hand between your legs. It feels wrong to touch yourself in your childhood home, but it’s necessary, especially when Mike sends you a few pictures of his own—one with his torso on display, defined abs absolutely mouthwatering and the V of his hips suggestively leading into mesh shorts. Another is of him in the gray joggers he wears all the time, the ones that always show off his cock. 

 He’s so fucking hot it atually hurts, makes your pussy throb as you crave his touch. It’s an awful feeling honestly, but even worse than that is the way you miss him. You aren’t supposed to miss him. You’re just supposed to be friends who have sex. Nothing more than that.

 It's why you’re glad to go back to school. Your classes will distract you, keep you from thinking about him too much. The semester is shorter during the summer, so you have to work even harder than you do during fall and spring. You don’t really think it’ll be a problem since you’re trying to cram your brain full of anything other than Mike which is great motivation for studying. 

 Nothing is gonna get you off track, you tell yourself. Nothing will interfere with your studies. That’s the plan.

 Then, you meet Zeke Jaeger. 

* You're studying in the library. It seems like you spend most of your time here, nice and quiet and empty. The campus isn't nearly as busy in the summer as it is during the rest of the school year. No parties, no sporting events, just you alone with your books. 

 It's nice. Most of the time. A little boring but mostly nice. 

 Your eyes are getting tired, and when you check your phone, you realize why. It's almost eleven PM, meaning you've been studying for about six hours. You've had longer nights, usually spent on the phone getting quizzed on the information you're learning with a few breaks in between, but that wasn't the case tonight as Mike had to spend the day with family from out of town. 

 It's okay. You're supposed to be distancing yourself anyway. 

 Taking a deep breath, you pack up your books and slide your laptop into your bag, then stand and swing it over your shoulder. 

 The strap is too long. The bag swings too hard, and your heart sinks when you hear a little grunt followed by a, "Agh, hot!" 

 Turning with wide eyes, you immediately start apologizing, "I'm so sorry, oh my god, fuck, I'm so sorry!"

 A head of light blond hair looks up from the brown stain on his white t-shirt, icy blue eyes narrowed behind wire-rimmed glasses, but when he sees the mortification on your face, his own expression softens, and he chuckles. 

 "It's fine. You can calm down."

 You're still breathing heavily, guilt making your hands shake, but he really doesn't look angry. In fact, he's grinning now, eyebrows raised like he's amused. 

 The longer you stare at him, the more familiar he looks. You're pretty sure you've seen him before. Many times before, actually, and then it clicks that this guy is on the front page of the school website. You see him every fucking time you log in, looking much more stern than he does now. Baseball hat and jersey, mitt on one hand as he hides his other in it, and yeah, you know him. 

 "You're Zeke Jaeger."

 He makes a face, scrunching his nose up and squinting. "Yeeeeah, I guess I am."

 Best pitcher in the college league despite being a sophomore like you. He's beaten the records of some major league players. 

 You don't give a fuck about baseball, have never even been to any of the school's games, but you've been hearing about Zeke since the last season. You've learned to tune it out because, again, no shits given (and also you're much more partial to lacrosse now), but he's hard to ignore when he's staring you right in the face. 

 "Well, uh," you try to act casual. It's something you're pretty good at these days. "Cool."

 He snorts, picking his shirt off his chest to air it out like it'll help, then says, "I don't know your name, though."

 You run your tongue over your teeth, wondering why he cares, then introduce yourself. 

 "Oh, you're Zacharias' little girlfriend, aren't you?"

 Your stomach flips at the mention of him. 

 "We're not dating."

 Zeke cocks his head to the side. "No?"

 "No. Just friends."

 He hums but doesn't say anything, and your eyes are once again drawn to his chest as he fans over the stain. 

 "Okay, let me get you a new shirt or something," you try. 

 He laughs again. "I highly doubt you've got a men's shirt tucked in that bag of yours, sweetheart."

 "I—" you pout for a second, mumble, "Okay, yeah, fair point."

 "Another coffee, though," he muses out loud. "Wouldn't be the worst thing."

 You shoot him a finger gun and smack your lips. "On it. Where do you get coffee at eleven o'clock?"

 "I'll walk with you," he states more than offers. 

 Then, you're both leaving the library, leaving campus, and going to a little 24 hour cafe where you blow on lattes and cover the basics about each other—philosophy major, valedictorian of his high school class, playing baseball since age seven, etc. You should sleep. You should get ready for another long day of studying.  

 But it's hard to make good decisions when Zeke Jaeger is smirking at you from across the table like you're the most interesting thing he's ever seen. 

* Zeke gets your number that night. You're not exactly sure how, but he does. 

 Then he doesn’t text you for three days. It doesn’t bother you that much. You figure he has other things to focus on. He’s on campus to take a couple courses and practice for the upcoming season, so he’s probably just busy. If that night had just been a one-off, it’s fine with you. It was cool to talk to him, but your heart isn’t broken.

 These are all the thoughts and justifications running through your head when you’re in class on Tuesday and your phone lights up during the PowerPoint lecture. You glance down, expecting Mike or Hitch, but it’s an unknown number instead. Eyes flicking from the projection screen to your much tinier one, you slide to open the message and chew on your lip. 

 Hey, it’s Zeke. You have classes this afternoon?

 You do not. And, you are too quick to tell him that.

 He takes you to a little Mom and Pop restaurant, too far to walk so you end up riding in the black Bronco he drives, trying to convince yourself that it definitely does not make him any more attractive to you. Because you aren’t attracted to him in the first place. Right?

 You sit at a table for two eating paninis and fruit. Zeke asks how classes are going, you ask about practice, and as you talk, he gets that look in his eyes again, like you amuse him or interest him or something.

 It confuses you, and for a moment, you’re taken back to last fall at that first Pi Kappa Alpha party, the one you met Mike at when he tried to get you to shotgun a beer. God, he had been so obnoxious back then, always following you around and flirting and—

 “You listening, sweetheart?”

 Your eyes refocus on the man in front of you, his raised eyebrows and little smirk. “Looks like you’re a million miles away. Sorry if I’m boring you.”

 “No, no,” you try to defend. “I just zoned out for a second. Realized I, uh, got an answer wrong on the quiz I took today.”

 “That sucks,” he hums. “Anyway, I can stop talking about baseball.”

 “It’s okay. Just go over the last, like, ten seconds,” you say with a laugh, hoping your cheeks will stop burning sooner rather than later.

 Zeke chuckles and does just that, doesn’t seem irritated or put out. He tells you about how he has a new trainer this year to warm him up and make sure his throwing arm is in top shape. “I hope he’s as good as my last. Colt was always on it, knew exactly how hot to make the warm compresses and how cold to make the ice packs. Stuff like that. He learned my needs.”

 You both laugh, and if it was anyone else, you’d have an innuendo sliding off your tongue, but for some reason, you don’t think Zeke would want to hear it, like he’d be unimpressed with your vulgar humor. 

 Back at the college, he drives you to your dorm, explaining that he lives in the apartments on the other side of campus and wouldn’t want to make you walk that far. Then, as you slide out of the Bronco, he stops you with a smooth, “Hey,” that makes you look over your shoulder at him. “Make sure you save my number in your phone, okay? I’ll text you soon.”

 The way your stomach flips is worrisome, a feeling you’re only used to when you’re with…

 “Yeah, okay.”

 He grins widely and nods, then waits for you to get a good distance away from the car before driving off.

 No distractions, you’d said. It’ll be good for your focus, you’d said. 

 What a fucking joke. 

*

Mike has to help you with some homework that weekend. You can hear his smile through the phone, snort when he makes his little nerd jokes, then sigh when he gets to the actual subject and explains it to you without a problem. His brain is incredible, and when you think about it too hard, it makes you warm inside. 

 “You’re so fucking smart. Why don’t you let people know?”

 “Maybe I just want you to know,” he chuckles. “You think I wanna spend my days tutoring every idiot who needs help?”

 “Miche, did you just call me an idiot?”

 You hear another breathy laugh followed by a sigh. “I have many, many names for you, but ‘idiot’ isn’t one of them.”

 “Oh yeah?” You play. “And, what might those other names be?”

 He lists a few, all of them making your face flush and your body tingle, and before you know it, you’ve got your pants off and your fingers between your legs. You can hear Mike’s heavy breathing on the other end, the wet sound of his hand stroking his lubricated cock, and when you reach your climax, you moan out your usual, “Oh fuck, oh fuck, Miche.” 

 He tumbles down right behind you, panting and telling you in a voice of disbelief, “Jesus, it just keeps coming.” It makes the pulses of your orgasm even stronger, remembrance of all the times he’s painted you in white, and God, you are so ready for him to get back to the school.

 Then, there’s the voice in the back of your head that makes you think maybe it’s better that he’s gone for now, that he might not be too pleased that you’re spending time with another guy. But, it’s not like things with Zeke are going anywhere. You wouldn’t even call him a friend. You text on and off, have brunch or lunch or coffee depending on the time of day. 

 And, yeah, he calls you pet names, tells you that you look nice even when you’re just in leggings and a t-shirt, talks about his family and…

 Okay, it could potentially lead to something more, but it’s only been a week, and considering his golden boy status, he could have anyone he wants, so why would he even be interested in you in any way, shape, or form?

 Naturally, your thoughts circle back to Mike and the way he could have any girl on his arm, but he still chooses to spend time with you. To fuck you. To nearly confess his feelings to you. You have to wonder if you’re emitting some kind of scent or beacon, if there’s a sign hanging above your head with an arrow pointing down. Sports gods, come get a piece. 

 If only you’d never gone to that party. If you had just kept your head down like you had freshman year. Your life would be so much easier now.

 But now you’re in Zeke’s apartment listening to him rant about some philosopher you’ve never even heard of. He’s gesturing with his hands, flipping curling, blond bangs from his face, and whenever he pauses to think, he scratches his beard. He’s very fond of the white t-shirts and jeans get-up, sometimes switches it up and wears a button down under a sweater vest. Both looks are becoming of him no matter how much you try to deny it, but when he drops down onto the couch next to you and peers into your god damn soul with those piercing, blue eyes, you have to choke back a dreamy sigh.

 What is happening to you?

 “So, what do you think about it?” He asks, looking hopeful that you might have some insight on this matter.

 But, you simply laugh and shake your head. “Zeke,” you start. “I’m gonna be real honest with you here. I didn’t understand a fucking thing you just said.”

 You assume he’ll be disappointed, maybe tire of you since you can’t be as intellectually stimulating as he’d like you to, but Zeke exhales in a lighthearted sort of way, shows one of those amused smiles, and tells you, “You’re cute.”

 Anyone else and you would have snapped back, something along the lines of, don’t fucking patronize me, but with Zeke, all you can do is stare at him and let your lips part, silently asking for something you won’t speak out loud.

 His gaze moves to your mouth for a split second. That soft smile turns into one of his famous smirks. Then, he’s back on his feet and asking, “You wanna go to dinner?”

 You are more than relieved at the shift in atmosphere, but your heart is still beating too hard as you follow him downstairs and to his car. 

* Summer is passing quickly. Too quickly. The eleven week classes are kicking your ass, or are close to kicking your ass. Lucky for you, you have your own private tutor just a call or text away. Mike helps you, and you laugh and goof around, shoot off innuendo after innuendo, but the phone sex slows to a halt eventually. You tell him that you’re tired, and you are. It isn’t a lie. But, it also isn’t the full truth.

 Between classes when you could be resting, you’re eating out with Zeke. Or, watching him and the rest of the baseball team practice for the upcoming season. Or, sitting in his apartment, watching movies and chatting about all manner of things. Nothing important, of course—there’s no diving deep into your life story like you had done with Mike over Spring Break, but Zeke still learns the little things about you. Why you’re majoring in geosciences and how you became good friends with some of the Pike guys. You don’t give him the full details on that one—that you got blackout drunk and fucked Mike and just couldn’t stop. You don’t think Zeke would be interested in hearing about it anyway.

 You learn a bit about his dad and stepmom, the latter of whom he isn’t very fond of. He also has a little brother who’ll be attending the college starting this fall, and he’s interested in the Greek life. Naturally, you build PKA up. Even if there are some… Problematic people in the house, there are also a lot of really good guys. 

 “I’ll make sure to pass it along to him,” Zeke tells you one evening as you’re both sprawled on the couch, backs against the armrests as you face each other. It’s how he seems to prefer to sit when the TV isn’t on. When you asked him why, he had told you, “Just like looking at you,” and you didn’t know how to respond. You still don’t know how to respond.

 “Eren thinkin’ about joining any sports?” You ask now. “Does baseball run in the family or anything?”

 Zeke snorts. “Kid couldn’t hit a baseball even if it was on one of the t-ball stands.”

 “I’ll take that as a ‘no’, then.”

 “I would say he’s more academically inclined, but,” Zeke sighs. “That would be a lie.”

 You can never tell if he actually likes his brother. Most of the time he complains about him, but every once in a while he’ll bring up something cute Eren did as a little boy, and you see a fond glimmer in his light eyes. 

 “Anyway,” Zeke waves off the subject and transitions to a new one—one that makes your stomach drop. “Are you gonna tell Zacharias about us?”

 You choke on your own spit, leaning forward to cough a couple times, then challenge him with a nervous laugh, “I wasn’t aware there was anything to tell him.”

 Zeke tilts his head, mouth pulling up as he raises his eyebrows. “Come on,” he chuckles.

 “Come on, what?” You frown. If you were with Mike, you both would have died at that. Come on my face, you can hear him say, and you have to fight a smile because there’s absolutely no way you could explain that to the man in front of you.

 “You don’t have to play coy, sweetheart. We both know there’s something going on between us.” He says it with such confidence that even if he wasn’t right you wouldn’t be able to argue with him. The assumption should annoy you, should make you scoff and leave, but instead you sit there staring, caught up in his gaze and cocky grin.

 “I—”

 “It’s okay, you know. Not like you’re alone in this.”

 Those questions swim through your mind again, all the insecurities that you’ve been sorting through with Mike, but now that voice is louder because that sense of trust hasn’t formed yet. You’ve only connected with Zeke over meals and movies. It sounds domestic, but despite your apparently obvious attraction to him, you still don’t feel like you really know him. 

 But, he draws you in, like a moth to a flame. You can’t help it. There’s just something about him that makes you want him to like you, like you want to impress him, like you want to be good for him. You’ve been trying to ignore those thoughts, but they’re much harder to fight now that you’re sitting in front of him, taking in his wavy hair and pale blue eyes, that ever present smirk on his face, the curve of his neck that disappears into his shirt.

 He could just want sex. He could just want a fling. Wait for everyone to get back on campus and drop you for another girl. You tell yourself you wouldn’t care; you’re good at keeping things casual.

 Wouldn’t it be fun to be his arm candy for a while, though? Let people look at you and whisper louder than they did when they’d see you and Mike together? You don’t care about status, about being in the spotlight. It’s more for the experience, dating someone who could teach you things.

 Mike teaches you things, that voice pops up again. He’s been helping you with your work for almost a year now. You can’t just overlook that. 

 “What, are you weighing the pros and cons over there or something?”

 You snort. “Maybe. We still don’t really know each other all that well, Zeke.”

 “Might I remind you that we’ve been hanging out all summer? Did you honestly think it wouldn’t lead to anything more?”

 “Honestly,” you mimic, “I never thought you’d be interested.”

 “Why wouldn’t I be?” His brow furrows like he’s genuinely confused. “You’re smart. You’re funny. You’re cute.” 

 God, you can’t even count how many times he’s called you ‘cute’, how many times it’s made you blush over the last several weeks, just like it does now.

 Then, he pushes, “Do you not find me at—”

 “Of course I do,” you cut him off. “I don’t know who doesn’t, which is exactly why I don’t know where this is coming from.”

 Zeke sighs like he’s annoyed, then turns the hand on his thigh palm up and beckons you with two fingers. “Come here.”

 “What?”

 “Come here.”

 Your blood pressure spikes, breaths coming in little puffs that have no way of getting to your brain. It’s probably why you obey, rolling to your knees and clumsily crawling over to him. You stop short, right between his bent knees, but Zeke sits up, straightens his legs, and pulls you into his lap.

 More of that precious air leaves your lungs as you exhale too sharply, staring at him with huge eyes. You don’t know what’s happening, can’t believe it’s happening. It doesn’t feel real even as you rest your hands on his shoulders, even when he holds your hips and pulls you so that your full weight is on him, but fuck, you can’t say anything. You can’t make a sound. All you can do is wait for him to make his next move.

 “Why do you look scared?” His voice is just above a whisper, but at this proximity you can hear him without a problem. 

 “I don’t have a lot of experience sitting in men’s laps,” you manage, trying to keep your usual careless tone, but you doubt it works.

 “For some reason I don’t believe that.”

 You rear back, actually offended. “Excuse m—”

 That ire, however, melts away as quickly as it arose. Zeke slides fingers up your waist, all the way to the back of your neck to bring your face to his—your lips to his. 

 He feels different, not at all what you’re used to. His kiss is more demanding, hungry, and God, you still can’t breathe, can’t think straight because his tongue is moving past your lips, and you’re letting it, letting him taste you as your fingertips dig into the flesh of his shoulders. You lift yourself from him just a little only for Zeke to pull you back down with the hand still gripping your hip. He makes sure you feel him when he grinds up into you, the zipper of his jeans rubbing you through your little shorts so that you gasp into his mouth. 

 You both stay like that for what feels like a fucking eternity, biting and sucking on lips, stroking over each others’ tongues until you absolutely have to break apart. You’re panting now, body still tense on top of his, and Zeke stares at you with half-lidded eyes and shows the ghost of a smile.

 “Oh, I’m gonna have so much fun with you.”

 The statement sets you on fire, so much so that all you can do is whimper quietly and lean in for more. 

  And, as you get lost in Zeke Jaeger, you decide for yourself.

I need to tell Mike

[ next ]

[fandom-imagines-stories]

Simple Man

Dean Winchester x Reader

Words: 3351

Summary: It was never what he thought he would have. But now Dean doesn’t want to let go. 

Notes: I was going to wait and make this a Thanksgiving special, but I thought today would be more fitting. I can’t believe Supernatural ends tonight! This show has been a part of my life for a while now and it will forever stay in my heart.  I had a really really good time writing this one. It might be one of my favorites I’ve written for Dean, if not my top pick. I hope you guys enjoy it and look forward to seeing more. Carry on. 

Want more Supernatural? Find it HERE

(P.S. thank you to my beta reader @suckmysupernatural​. Love you!)

-

Oh, take your time, don’t live to fast

Troubles will come and they will pass 

He had slept through an alarm he didn’t remember setting. It wasn’t until he heard the creaking of the door that he stirred, reaching under his pillow for his knife. But it wasn’t there. Dean panicked as footsteps crept towards him. They were nothing more than a small pitter-patter on the wood floor, but he still prepared himself for the attack. The small creature leapt on top of him and he rolled over so he was pinning it beneath him. It giggled. It giggled?

“Daddy, Mom said she needs you in the kitchen.” 

Dean leaned over to the night stand and turned on the lamp. A little green eyed girl squirmed out from underneath him and skipped out of the room. 

“The hell…” Dean muttered. He opened the dresser and sure enough, his clothes sat in the drawers. He put on a T-shirt and slowly walked out of the room. The smell of bacon and coffee coaxed him to the kitchen. He couldn’t believe what he saw. 

You were standing over the stove, trying to save the bacon from burning. Dean was just frozen in the doorway. Finally spotting him, you made your way over to him, which was difficult with the little boy clinging to your leg. 

“Thank God you’re up. I need you to finish making breakfast.” You lifted the boy into your arms. “Eric’s got a fever and Ellie is going to wake up any second needing to be fed.” You gently laid a hand on Eric’s forehead. “I’ll call the doctor as soon as I get him to lay down. But you know how impossible that is.” 

“But I’m not tired.” Eric whined. 

“I know, sweetie, but you don’t want to get sicker, do you?” He pouted his lip and shook his head. “Alright, so I need you to go back to bed.” You looked back at Dean. “Can you just finish the bacon? I’ll be back to make their toast.” 

Before Dean could speak, you rushed up the stairs. As if on queue, a baby started to cry from somewhere upstairs. Dean just stood in shock. What the hell was going on?

As if by second nature, he walked around the kitchen, grabbing a paper towel to let the bacon drain off the grease. It felt almost natural. He somehow knew where everything was, even though he had never been here. Or had he? His brain was fuzzy with thoughts he couldn't remember. He saw images flash in his mind. Sam graduating from Stanford. His parents celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary. You… in a wedding dress. 

“Johanna Charlotte Winchester you better be ready for school or your dad’s going to come and get you!” You yelled, coming back into the kitchen, this time a wailing baby in your arms. It wasn’t until now that Dean noticed you were wearing a sheriff’s uniform. You snatched up a piece of bacon and popped it in your mouth. “Thank you.”

You bounced the baby in your arms, trying to calm her down, but she wasn’t having it. The green eyed little girl from early came bounding into the room with her backpack over one shoulder. Ellie continued to bawl. 

“Can you hold her? She always stops crying when you hold her.” You handed the squirming child to him and he tried not to panic. You noticed your husband’s awkwardness. “Rough morning?” You snickered. “Here, I’ll make you some coffee.” 

As the child in his arms slowly stopped her crying, more memories flooded Dean’s head. You telling him you were pregnant for the first time. Going to the emergency room for the birth of his son. Watching Johanna hold her new baby sister. They all felt like dreams, but then how was this all real? 

“I’m feeling a little... off this morning.” He admitted, watching you carefully as if he were waiting for horns to sprout from your forehead. Your face fell. 

“Oh god, please don’t tell me you’re sick too.” You put your hand on his forehead. “You’re picking everyone up from the airport today.” 

“Everyone?” Dean’s brows furrowed curiously. 

“I would go get them, but I’m at the station until five.” You sighed, moving your hand down to caress his cheek. “Besides, you’ve been dying to see your brother since the Fourth of July.” 

“Uncle Sam!” Jo exclaimed excitedly. 

“Sammy’s coming?” Dean asked. Finally, something familiar. Your face contorted with confusion. 

“Of course he’s coming. Jessica and the kids are too. They always help prepare for tomorrow and since your parents will still be out on their cruise, we’ll need all the help we can get.” 

“Tomorrow...” He spotted the calendar on the wall, but you answered first. 

“Thanksgiving.” You stated. Your confusion changed to concern. “Are you sure you’re okay? Do you want me to stay home?” Jo raised her hand. 

“Can I stay home too?” 

“Sweetheart, it’s just one more half-day of school before break and then you’ll get to play with your cousins for the rest of the week.” Seeing you start to get stressed, Dean put a hand on your shoulder. 

“You go to work. I’m fine.” He assured you. “I’ll hold down the fort and I’ll pick up Sam at- what time again?”

“3:00.” You pressed a kiss to his cheek and smiled. “I know you worked extra last week so you could have the garage closed for Thanksgiving, but I think the fumes might have gone to your head.” You grabbed the keys off the counter. “Oh, and I’ll be taking Baby to work since you’ll need the van to fit everyone.” His look of displeasure made you laugh. “I know, I know, but you’ll have to suck it up for today unless you think the four-year-old can babysit.” 

You kiss Ellie on the forehead before giving Dean a quick, but passionate kiss on the lips. You held out your hand for your daughter to take. 

“Alright, partner, let’s go.” 

The two of you leave and Dean looks down at the baby in his arms. Was this really happening? 

-

Boy don’t you worry, you’ll find yourself

Follow your heart and nothing else

If he was trapped by a djinn, he would have remembered fighting it. This was something else. The more time he spent in the house, the more this world felt real and his hunting life felt like dreams. Maybe… maybe this was real. 

He remembered everything now. He had met you in a bar on New Years Eve. You hit it off talking about cars and classic rock. He proposed about two years later outside that same bar during the first snow of the season. You always said the first snow was the best one. You got married and a couple months later found out you were pregnant with Jo. Johanna Charlotte Winchester was born on April 3, 2007. She was seven. Three years later, Eric Samuel was born on November 29th. He was four. Lastly, Ellen Sandra was born six months ago tomorrow on May 27, 2014. 

Sammy had a family of his own. He married Jessica right out of law school and the two had two boys; Josh, 8, and Michael, 6. Their families stayed close, even though Sam was in California and Dean in Kansas. They were happy. 

If this wasn’t real, how could he remember all that? 

3:00 rolled around and Eric’s fever had gone down. He called you to make sure it would be okay to take him along to the airport. You told him that as long as he was feeling okay, it should be fine. The doctor said it sounded like the heat in his room was too high. Dean buckled Eric into his carseat and Ellie in her carrier. While Johanna almost looked like a mini-girl version of him, Eric looked like you. His eyes were yours, along with his hair color and his nose. Ellie looked like a fair mix of both. 

Jessica was the first one to greet him since Sam was busy carrying the boys’ bags. He hugged her tight and couldn’t stop beaming. 

“It’s so good to see you guys.” He smiled and she gave him a sunny grin in return. 

“I know Sam’s been eager to see you and the family for a long time. Of course, I’m only here for the food.” She teased and he pulled her into another hug. 

“I can’t believe this.” Dean sighed happily. Sam and Jessica. Him and you. One big happy family. 

“Do I get a hug, or are just going to hog my wife?” Sam snarked, setting down the bags as Dean nearly tackled him. Sam laughed, struggling to breathe in his brother’s crushing hug. “I missed you too, Dean.” 

“Uncle Sam!” Eric cheered, clinging to Sam’s leg. 

“Hey buddy.” Sam smiled, lifting his nephew into his arms. Jessica peaked into the baby carrier Dean had set on the bench. 

“Look at how big she’s gotten.” She awed. Ellie was asleep, so she spoke quietly. Jess frowned, finally noticing the two brown haired boys fighting over one of their comics. “Josh, stop pushing your brother.” She scolded. 

“He took my comic!” The older of the two retorted. Jessica just gave him a stern look and he surrendered. 

“Michael, give it back when you’re done reading.” Sam ruffled his youngest son’s hair. Dean knelt down. 

“So are you two tough guys too cool to give your uncle a hug, or what?” He pulled his nephews into a warm embrace. “Are you both taller? You’re taller than the last time I saw you.” Dean pat Josh on the back. “You’re gonna be taller than your dad before you know it.” 

“You know, you’d see them more if you flew out to California.” Jessica noted. Dean’s eyes widened. She laughed. “I know, I know, you have a thing about flying.” 

“I want to go to California!” Eric exclaimed.

“One of these days, we can go on a roadtrip in Baby to Uncle Sam and Aunt Jessica’s, how does that sound?” Dean promised. Eric nodded, excitedly wriggling in Sam’s arms. 

Everyone loaded up into the van, Sam sliding into the passenger seat. Dean had to laugh. This was just so crazy. Here they were, driving in a van packed full of children. Their children. He thought of all of the times Sam sat beside him in the impala, the two weary from a hunt. It felt like a different lifetime. Like a different world. It felt less real. 

-

You’ll find a woman and you’ll find love

And don’t forget son, there is someone up above

Four children ran around the backyard, jumping in leaf piles and chasing each other with sticks. Jo seemed to rule the yard, keeping her older cousin at bay with her stubborn persistence. Dean smiled proudly. 

“She’s quite the pistol.” Jessica noted with a laugh, jutting her head towards Johanna. She was sitting beside you, bouncing her baby niece in her arms. 

“I wonder where she gets that from.” You gave your husband a smirk. He wrapped an arm around your shoulders and pulled you closer, pressing a kiss to your temple. 

“I love you so much.” He whispered. The tone in his voice made you glance up at him. He was watching you with intensity in his eyes. So much love and yet… there was pain there. 

“I love you too.” You laced your fingers with his, your concern evident in your voice. “Dean, are you okay? You’ve been acting a little weird all day.” You spoke quietly so you wouldn’t worry your brother-in-law. Your husband gave your hand a gentle squeeze. 

“I’m fine, really. I’m just…”  Dean felt an overwhelming wave of emotion and choked back tears. “Really happy.” He lifted your chin up, bringing your lips to his. Everything was perfect, right down to the way your lips fit perfectly against his. He knew, without a doubt, that this was real. 

Soon it was time to put the kids to bed. Sam’s boys slept on the pull-out couch in the basement. Eric was exhausted from a day of excitement, as well as his baby sister. Dean was charged with the task of putting a rambunctious Johanna to bed. 

“I want to stay up and drink beer like a big kid.” She pouted, making the adults in the room chuckle. Dean crouched down and picked her up. 

“Alright, here’s the deal. I promise that when you’re a big kid like me and your mom, then you can stay up and have a drink with us. But until then, you’re gonna be my little deputy right?” He tapped the golden plastic badge that she never took off. Jo grinned from ear to ear and nodded. Humming a Bob Segar tune, he took her upstairs to her room and tucked her into bed. 

When he came back down stairs, his brother and the two women were smirking at him. 

“What?” You and Jessica exchanged a look and burst out laughing. “Come on, what?”

“That girl has you wrapped around her finger, Dean.” Jessica snickered. You took a sip of your beer. 

“Oh, he’s like that with Ellie, too. He dotes on them like you wouldn’t believe. One little pout from Johanna and he melts.” You couldn’t help but beam at your husband. You loved the way he was with the kids. 

“I got her in bed, didn’t I?” Dean huffed, taking his seat beside you and resting a hand on your knee. Sam shook his head. 

“It’s all in the looks, brother. You may think you’ve one this round, but I saw the look in Jo’s eyes.” Sam gave his brother a sure nod. “She knows where she stands.” 

“At least I’ve got Eric,” You sighed teasingly. “He’s a mama's boy, through and through.” 

You curled up beside Dean, comfortable in his warmth. He kissed the top of your head.

The hours passed with plenty of laughter and love. Soon, it was getting close to 11:00 and you wanted to get plenty of rest for the busy day tomorrow. Everyone would be helping prepare the massive Thanksgiving meal that the Winchesters made every year. Sam and Jessica said goodnight and headed to the guest room while you and Dean made your way upstairs. 

You reached your rooms and Dean’s hands found your waist, his lips trailing up your shoulder to your neck. You leaned back into his embrace, bringing your hand up to tangle your fingers in his golden-brown hair. His hands started to wander and you sighed mournfully. 

“Baby, we both have to be up in the morning.” You groaned, breaking away from him. When you turned around, he was pouting, his green eyes big and sad. So that’s where Johanna got it. He was just so impossible to resist, but if you didn’t go to bed now, you’d be exhausted before dinner even started. You draped your arms around his neck. “I’ll tell you what; how about we get a good night’s sleep tonight…” you pulled him close and whispered into his ear, “and I’ll give you something to be really thankful for tomorrow.” 

Dean’s eyes widened and his smirk spread into a smile. 

“Mrs. Winchester, we have a deal.” He loved the way that sounded coming from his lips. Mrs. Winchester. 

You gave him a long and passionate goodnight kiss before changing into your pajamas and climbing into bed. 

It must have been around 12:30 when the baby started crying. The baby monitor was on your nightstand, so you were awakened by the sound first. Dean moved to get up, but you stopped him. 

“I’ll get her.” You sleepily shuffled out of the bedroom. Reaching the hall, you muttered something that your half-asleep husband only half comprehended. Something about the electricity acting up again. 

The crying continued and you didn’t return. Dean yawned, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes and got out of bed. He slowly made his way down the hallway to the nursery. The door was ajar and the lamp had been turned on. You must have gone downstairs to get her a bottle. 

Dean picked up his crying daughter, rocking her soothingly in his arms. She wailed and wailed until she heard his voice. 

“Alright, sweetheart. It’s alright. Daddy’s got you.” He hushed. After a moment of rocking and soft whispers, Ellie started to settle down. As soon as her cries reduced to the occasional sniff, Dean set her back in her cradle. “That’s it. You’re going to be just fine. I’m not gonna let anything hurt you.” 

Smiling down at his beautiful baby girl, Dean felt something on the back of his neck. When he touched it, his hand came away red. He froze, and as if his body went into auto pilot, he turned around. At first he couldn’t scream. He just stared. 

Your mouth gaped at him, your eyes filled with terror and pain as the blood spread out from your stomach. Ellie started to cry again. 

“No!” Dean screamed. That’s when the fire started. 

And that’s when he woke up.

-

And be a simple kind of man

Oh, be something you love and understand

Dean sat straight up, sweat soaking through his t-shirt, his scream still on his lips. The cool air of the bunker made him shiver. He couldn’t breathe. He heaved and coughed as if the smoke really filled his lungs. A sudden hand on his shoulder made him jump out of the bed and flatten himself against the wall, holding out his fists to fight. 

“Dean?” You rose slowly, walking towards him cautiously. “It’s okay. It was just a dream. You’re okay.” 

He just stared at you, taking in every feature. You watched his eyes fill with tears and his chin tremble as he tried to speak. Nothing came out, just a strangled sounding cry. Dean fell to his knees and you rushed to hold him. Whatever it was, it wasn’t just a nightmare. 

Dean wrapped his arms around your middle and leaned his head against your stomach as you soothingly ran your fingers through his hair. He didn’t make any sound as he cried, but the tears fell endlessly down his face. He was shaking in your arms. 

“Dean, honey, what’s wrong? You’re scaring me.” You whispered. This wasn’t the first time that he’d woken suddenly from a dream, but it had never been like this. 

You told him that you were pregnant today. He seemed happy. Shocked, but happy. But now? Whatever was going through his head was breaking him. You sunk down in front of him so you could hold him fully, letting him cry into your shoulder. 

“I’m sorry.” He finally choked out. “I’m sorry that this is all I can give you. I’m sorry that we don’t have a big house full of kids. That Sam has lost any chance at happiness. That we can never have a normal life.” You pushed back. 

“Baby, what are you talking about?” 

“I’m sorry that this baby is going to grow up haunted and broken… just like me.” His voice cracked. You put a hand on his cheek. 

“Dean…” You pressed your forehead against his, feeling your own tears start to fall. “This baby is going to be loved and wanted and cherished, just like you.” You kissed him gently, reminding him of your adoration of this hero of a man. 

Dean held you closer, letting your words sink into his heart. He wanted to believe it. He wanted more than anything to believe it. Even in his beautiful dream, you ended up burned and bloody. Even in his dream, he was broken. 

But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t try. He would try like hell to give you a life as close to perfect as he could manage. Maybe that meant hunting together until you went down guns blazing. Maybe that meant settling down, someday, somewhere. He would try. 

Baby be a simple kind of man

Oh, won’t you do this for me, son, if you can

-

General Tag: @rae-gar-targaryen; @takemepedropascal; @childhood-imagination;  @mylovegoesto; @yellowbadgergirl; @itmejado; @suckmyapplejacks​ Supernatural: @desimarie12; @deandreamernp; @vicmc624; @halesandy; @livshaes; @d-whinchestergirl87; @mrspeacem1nusone

[diaryofabeautyfiend]

🚨Warnings: Light p in v smut. Some angst. Lots of fluff. My grandfather’s name really is in the Smithsonian.🚨

Plain Gold Ring V:

Exactly Like You

“I know why I waited

Know why I've been blue

I've been waiting each day

For someone exactly like you” - Nina Simone

——————————————————————

Your last day in D.C. felt like the last day of your life. This life. Every article of clothing was packed. Every knickknack and tchotchke sent with the movers. You were ready for your next life. Did your next life include Andy?

The weather was beautiful. Sunny. Not too hot. You and Andy had planned on spending it outside seeing the sites. He had never toured any of the museums. You invited Jacob along. The second you said it you wished you hadn’t. You felt like a home wrecker even though Andy promised Jacob wouldn’t see you that way.

Andy was bristling with excitement. “He’s going to love you, baby.” You were not great with kids. You actively chose not to have them. You loved your nieces from a distance when they were little. Now that they are teenagers you feel a little more at ease with them. You are their cool rich aunt who spends an absolutely outrageous amount of money on them when you visit. You nearly fainted when Andy asked if you’d like to have children.

“Aren’t I too old for that?”

“You’re only three years younger than me. I know a lot of women who had their career before they had a family.” Your face snapped from terrified to anger real quick, “Not that you can’t have a career and be a mother. People do it everyday. Shut up, Andy.”

“You’re cute when you’re nervous. Have you thought of having children with me?”

He rubbed the back of his neck, “Well, yeah. I’d like to have a couple more.”

“Oh. A couple he says.” You could feel the hives forming. “This seems like a good conversation to have right before I leave.”

He ran his hands up and down your arms. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to pressure you. You haven’t thought about it? Not even a little?” The door buzzed in the nick of time.

“Jacob’s here! Hallelujah!” You wiggled out of his arms to grab your shoes.

He laughed shaking his head. “We’ll finish this conversation later, young lady.” he pressed the intercom button, “Hey come on up, buddy. This is going to be great, honey.” He loved your nervous laugh and the way you fidgeted with your fingers. Just the fact that you were nervous told him you would love his son.

You heard voices coming from the living area. Fucking hell. Was that Lori? You contemplated going out of the window. You went into the bathroom to grab some lip balm. You knew full well that it was in your bag on the kitchen island. You were just staying out of their way. When you heard the front door close you reemerged.

“Ready to go?” Your eyes were wide and you were way too smiley. If Andy didn’t know better he would think you were on drugs.

“Yeah. I think no more coffee for you ok?”

“It’s nice to see you again, Miss Y/N.” Jacob extended his hand.

“Nice to see you too. So! The Smithsonian. What part are you most interested in seeing?”

“Air and space I think.”

“Then that’s where we’ll start. My grandfather’s name is actually on a plaque. I’ll show you. He was in the navy and built planes that were used in Korea I think. And my dad’s picture is there. He works for a division of NASA back in Louisiana where I’m from. He developed this little part of the rocket booster. He’s literally a rocket scientist.”

“That’s really cool. I’d love to meet him sometime…..”

Andy was loving every second of this. You and Jacob really got along. You were making plans to visit your father and stepmother over the summer and maybe hit the beach in Florida. Jacob’s face lit up at the prospect of meeting your family. Both Andy and Lori were only children. Jacob didn’t grow up with cousins or really any kids his own age outside of school. He seemed pretty comfortable with the idea of you and Andy together.

Andy tested the waters a little by holding your hand. Jacob didn’t seem to notice. By the time you got to the next part of the museum he had his arms around your waist. He even kissed you a couple of times. Nothing but a tender peck here and there. Jacob didn’t seem to mind when he showed you affection.

After lunch Andy dropped you off and then ran Jacob back home.

“So, what are you thinking?” Andy asked with nervous trepidation.

“The museum was cool. I really liked the rockets. It’s cool that Y/N’s dad made those.”

“Did you like Y/N?”

“Yeah. Sucks she’s moving. Do you think you’ll move to Chicago too?”

“Kind of depends on you, bud. I know you’re getting older and you don’t need Dad around very much anymore. I don’t want to miss anything. You’re my only baby.”

“I could spend summers with you. You look really happy. I haven’t seen you this happy in a long time. Even before the trial. I’d miss you but you should be happy.”

The whole way inside Jacob talked about you. He clammed up when Lori walked in.

“Hey, guys. Did you have a good time?” She kissed Jacob on the forehead.

“We had a great time. Ok, Jake. You have the number where I’ll be. I’ll be back on Wednesday. If you’re not busy next weekend you can spend the night. I have your room all set up. Love you.”

“Ok. Love you. Have a safe flight. Tell Y/N I said bye.” He escaped to his room before the arguing started.

“If it’s ok I’ll pick him up from school Thursday. Did you sign the papers?”

“She went with you?” Her voice was deadly quiet.

“She did.”

“Didn’t want to tell me that before hand I guess.”

He sighed and wiped his face with his hands, “I’ll have him back Sunday night. See you later.”

“Fuck you, Andy. You can’t even give me the courtesy of telling me my son would be meeting his father’s whore!”

He slammed his fist on the counter, “Did you sign the papers or not?” She threw the manilla envelope at him.

“They’re signed.” He took the papers and walked out slamming the door. He contemplated moving again. He has a month to month lease on his place. It wouldn’t be hard for him to find a job. He knew Jacob would be fine. Chicago was looking better and better. After all the baby talk this morning he wouldn’t burden you with anything else domestic for today.

——————————————————————

You were zipping your last suitcase when you heard Andy come in. You packed all of your sleep clothes so you were wearing Andy’s t-shirt and panties. Dinner was ordered and he had a drink waiting on the counter. He called out for you. When you rounded the corner into the living room he caught you in his arms.

“Hey, handsome.” you cooed in his ear. He nuzzled your neck and stroked your back. “You ok? Was Jacob….he hates me. I knew it.”

He tightened his hold on you, “Honey, he loved you. He talked about you the whole way back.”

“Then why is your face all worried?”

“Because I’m keenly aware that this is our last night together in my place. That when I come home Wednesday you won’t be here. I’ll go to work on Thursday and Jeremy will be in your office. I have really good memories in that office and now they’re ruined. I don’t want to wake up without you.”

His hands traveled up your bare back then back down to cup your ass. “The delivery app says they’re going to be here in twenty minutes. Think you can finish in time?”

He lowered his head between your breasts and nodded yes. Before you knew it your panties were off, his pants were down and he was fucking you against the wall. His pace was relentless. You hooked your ankles at the small of his back and leaned back so you could rub your clit. Your fingertips brushed against his dick every time he pumped in and out of your cunt. You both came in fifteen minutes.

You ate dinner on the veranda loving the cool breeze on your bare skin. As much as he wanted his t-shirt to smell like you, he like naked picnics way more. Admittedly, a big chicken Caesar salad wasn’t the sexiest food in the world. Still didn’t stop him from licking dressing off of your chest when it dropped off your fork. He was determined to fuck you in almost every room in this place.

You slept tangled and sticking together all night. You had finally gotten over your need for bed space. You’d miss it when he wasn’t there. All night the two of you wanted to bring up moving in together. Neither of you had the guts to say it. You didn’t want to beat a dead horse. He didn’t want to freak you out. Good thing you’d be long distance for a while to work on your communication skills.

——————————————————————

Your new place was beautiful. You rented a big new condo close to Millennial Park. Your office was on Michigan Ave so you weren’t far from there thought walking was highly discouraged. It wouldn’t be possible in heels anyway.

You and Andy worked diligently unpacking and cleaning. When the last box was unpacked and broken down you both collapsed on the couch. “I feel disgusting.”

“You have that nice big bathtub. Bet we can both fit.” He raised an eyebrow at you and nudged your side.

“You are insatiable, Mr. Barber. Whatever will I do without you?”

“You’ll bust from horniness. Come on.” He hoisted you up from your comfy spot and pulled you into the bathroom. While he undressed you filled the water with soft musky oils and some bubble bath. You lit candles and eased in to relax. He washed your hair massaging your scalp with his fingertips. He held you in the warmth until your fingers and toes were pruned.

For the rest of the week, if you were sitting it was on Andy’s lap. If you were sleeping it was in his arms. By Tuesday morning, you had both finished up conference calls and responding to emails. You had cleared the rest of your day to spend together.

As the sunlight dwindled it had become harder and harder to part. You couldn’t take it anymore. You had to have the conversation you had been dreading since you stepped off the plane.

“Andy, I don’t want to sound like a nagging girlfriend but, I really want you to move in with me. I know it would be so hard leaving Jacob but I have plenty of room. He can spend every summer here if he wants. I’d love to have him. I feel really strongly that this is leading somewhere. I’ll even talk about babies if you want.”

His heart was bursting. You kept rambling on trying to convince him. Little did you know he was already convinced. “Stan is going to kill you.” He laughed and pulled you onto his lap. “Give me a few weeks to wrap up everything.”

When you dropped him at the airport there were tears but you knew you’d see him soon. “I love you, baby. I’ll call you as soon as I land.” He kissed you like he would never get to do it again.

“I love you too. See you soon.” He smiled through his tears.

“See you soon.”

——————————————————————

That weekend he spent all of his time with Jacob. He planned on spending every moment he could with his son. Jacob even had his first few weeks planned starting with meeting your family in Louisiana.

When he brought Jacob home on Sunday he worked up the courage to tell Lori the news. “Do you have all of your stuff for your English assignment? If not I can bring it by before school tomorrow.”

“I got it, dad. I had fun this weekend.” They hugged. He smelled Jacob’s hair and kissed him.

“Love you. Be good for mom.”

“Love you too!”

Lori stood in the doorway with her arms folded protectively over her chest. “So she’s gone?”

“Yep.”

“So what now? What does this mean for you?”

He pulled out the kitchen chair and rested his head in this hands. “This wasn’t a fling, Lori. I’m moving to Chicago. Jacob is real excited about spending summers with us.”

“Do you love her?” Tears shimmered in her eyes and her voice wavered. It would be cruel to lie to her.

“Very much.” It stung to hear. With nothing left to say Andy stood to leave.

“Andy!” she called after him. When he turned she wrapped him in a hug. The two of them embraced for several minutes.

When he stepped onto the sidewalk outside of the building his phone buzzed in his pocket. He saw your face smiling back at him.

“Hey, baby. How was your day?” He looked up at your old window and thought of how the two of you started, the past he left behind and smiled at the sound of his future on the other end of the line.

[adsosfraser]

The Stone’s Toll - Chapter Ten

Read on AO3

“We can’t stay here.” 

 “No, we can’t.” Jamie pulled his wife onto his bare chest. “And wee Hamish has sent a letter, requesting his cousin’s aide. Though he was vague on which, I’m sure he wasna comfortable writing Jamie Fraser on something the English could see.” 

 “So we go to Leoch with Fergus?” 

“I willna put ye in danger, the travel there will be treacherous now wi’ the English on our throats everywhere.” 

 “Well, I’m certainly not leaving you, James Fraser. Have you forgotten I’m wanted too? We go together. And, with us gone, Lallybroch will be safer, we’ll be safer for a while. But…” 

 “What is it Sassenach?” 

 “I know you and the sea aren’t close friends, but ports shouldn’t be as monitored as they were right after Culloden. The islands will be safer, Charles even fled to the Isle of Skye to go to France. In the future, some islands are even able to retain some of their culture, their tartan. We can always go there, it would be safer while we wait… for a pardon.” 

 “A pardon?” He was shocked. 

 “Yes. When I returned I placed three letters in the post at Inverness. Copies of historical letters I assume. They may give us the freedom we want.” 

 A sharp breath escaped his lips and he slumped back on the chair. “Christ, a pardon. You know how well that went the last time.” 

 “But this time there’s no more war, we’re done with that horror.” 

 “Aye, we’ll seek Hamish, then if we canna stay, we’ll bide on one of the wee islands.”

 “What’s this about ye up and leaving Jamie Fraser! And dinna think I’m not cross wi’ ye too Claire!”

 “Jenny,” Claire took her hand, “you know it isn’t safe for us to stay here. We got lucky the last time.” 

 “And I’ll no’ have my wife sleeping in a cave.”

 “Well, ye two eejits could at least wait ‘til yer goddaughter is christened! Ye dinna ha’ to leave wi’ yer tails tucked between yer legs so soon.” 

 “Goddaughter.” Her heart warmed and she squeezed Jenny’s arm.

 “I ken yer already her aunt, but ye’d make a fine goddaughter to the lass. I suppose that would make yer daft husband her godfather. Puir lass.” She feigned pity for the tiny girl in her arms. “Would the both o’ ye wait, jes’ one more day?” 

 Claire looked back at Jamie but already knew their answer. “Of course.” 

 The ceremony was brief, the priest wasn’t prepared to perform it so soon. Caitlin gurgled up at Claire in her arms. The holy water was sprinkled over her tiny forehead in the small kirk near Lallybroch. Other than the slight cry from the chill of water, Caitlin was a perfect baby. The Frasers and Murrays all joined back together to Lallybroch to celebrate. They enjoyed a small stew of rabbit and potato, the most filling one in weeks. Father Ross had the death certificate for Fergus ready to sign, but on seeing the boy alive and healthy, he walked towards the fire in the Great Room. 

 “Wait,” Claire shouted to his back. “Don’t burn it. Jenny, will you sign that?” 

 “He’s clearly no’ deid Claire, are ye off yer heid?” 

 “No, it’s just, it’s important that the document isn’t destroyed. I can’t explain how.” 

 “Verra weel.” She plucked it out of the Father’s hands and went off to the study. She mumbled, knowing long ago not to question her sister's strange nature. 

 Claire had ripped through the fabric of her dresses and the contents of her leather bag to pull out every piece of gold, silver, and jewellery that was left during the hours waiting for Father Ross. It was little less than three years’ salary in her time, but now it would support Lallybroch for years to come. She dumped it all out on the dining and the jewels, gold, and silver scattered and clattered against the wood surface. She had put away some for her and Jamie of course, enough to be comfortable on their journey, but even with the small dent into the funds on the table, it was still an astounding sum. Jamie spied her wedding ring on a chain within the pile and raised a brow to her, but she shrugged her shoulders in reply. 

 “A christening gift.” 

 Everyone at the table stared dumbfounded at the treasure disorganised on the table. A ‘Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ’ was supplied by her son. 

 “How Claire?” Ian piped up. 

 “I didn’t steal it if that’s what you're asking.”

 “Well, how on earth did ye find so much?” Jenny yelled, exasperated. 

 “It was my inheritance from my parents and uncle. And the man whose advances I turned down…gave some of it to me.” 

 “Jesus, Mary, and Bride, ye’ve been hiding this away all this time?” 

 “No, I’ve just recently acquired it myself. But now, it can be put to good use instead of rotting in some bank. Take it, Jenny, use it to save Lallybroch from the famine, clearances, and drought to come.”

 Jenny planted a sloppy kiss onto Claire’s cheek and handed Caitlin over to Ian. She grabbed her arms and began jumping excitedly. Claire even thought she heard a squeal from the small woman. Displays of affection from the woman were rare, and Claire felt so happy and touched that she included her in it. 

 “Claire ye have no idea how this will help us.” 

 “I have some idea.” 

 Their packing was done, and the horses were all lined up for the journey. Jenny embraced Claire, and she was reminded of the parting before Culloden all over again. 

 “Ye come back to us sister,” she raised her voice to a shout so Jamie could hear, “I dinna care much if this oaf does.” 

 “I love ye too Janet.” He pulled her from Claire into a giant hug. 

 “Och, ye ken I love ye too, a bràithair. Now, try to come back to us as quick as ye can. Lallybroch will be missing her Laird.”  

 A plant along the trail made Claire pause. It was a forget me not, and though it was only the beginning of March, it was blooming brilliantly against the grass of the glen. It couldn’t have been a coincidence that they were so close to the standing stones when she found it. She knew they needed to go back together, for closure. So she jumped off her horse and scooped her hands into the dirt. 

 “Jamie I want to go to Craigh na Dun before we stop into Inverness.” 

 Jamie pulled back on the reins of his horse and stalled in the middle of the path before Claire. He looked down at his wife and the flowers in her hands.

 “If you don’t want to that’s fine, I just wanted to plant these there, and we might never get another chance to do so.” 

 “Aye, we’ll go.”

 He dismounted his horse in one swift move. Carefully, Jamie helped Claire back up to her horse without crushing the delicate flowers in the process. Jamie passed the reins of his own horse to his son and climbed up behind his wife on her mare. 

 “Fergus, be a good lad and find a place to shelter in Inverness. Something not too in the open, or conspicuous either.” Jamie pulled out the bag of coins and tossed it to him. 

 “Oui, milord. I shall not fail you.” 

 Milord and papa, milady and maman, had become as interchangeable to Fergus as Jamie’s Sassenach, mo gràidh, mo nighean donn, and the countless other affectionate names he could come up with for his wife. 

 “Now off wi’ ye son, we’ll be shortly after.” 

 They held tight to each other, not able to bear even a second of lost connection. Fog clung to the air surrounding the tall monoliths and blocked the vision to the moor below. 

 “I wish I could punch it. But it won’t even let me do that.” 

 “How about this one to the side. Not too much danger of falling in fer yer wee hand.”

 She pulled slightly apart from him for the first time since they created the hi together. Her arm trembled as she reached out to lightly touch the stone closest to the centre one. Though it had become an unwitting victim of its brother’s actions, it would have to do. Lining up her arm, she delivered the first blow that jolted from the cold surface to the bones of her arm and shoulders 

 “Fuck you!” She screamed a gut-wrenching cry as she slammed her fist into the rock. “Fuck you! Fuck!”

 Her breath hitched and Jamie gathered her once again in his arms. He kissed her skinned knuckles. Giving her a few minutes to calm her racing heart and heaving lungs, Jamie cradled her tight to his chest, one arm under her knees and the other supporting her back. How many more tears would she cry, for something that was only the size of a blueberry? She knew she’d never lose the feeling of grief, but it would become more manageable most days. With her husband there to bear it with her, she knew it would be a certainty. 

 “I’m ready.” She patted his chest. “Are you?” 

 “Aye.” 

 “Do you want to punch it too?” 

 “No, that bastard stone’s taken too much from us. I won’t give it the satisfaction of flesh and blood from my hands as weel.” 

 She wanted to reach out and cradle the voice she had once heard to her chest, protect her against the violence of the stones. But it seemed it was her daughter instead who protected her. Digging the small hole into the ground by the outer stones, she smiled tearfully. Jamie’s strong hands were right beside hers, guiding the dirt away. Together they scooped the small plant into their hands, a mismatch of Jamie’s on top of Claire’s and then Claire’s on top of Jamie’s. They patted the dirt mound and encased the stems in the nutrients. With the task finished, Claire fell into Jamie’s lap and began to weep. She stroked his shirt with dirtied hands and left stains on the white linen. He rubbed the fabric on her back and Claire felt the moisture fall onto her hair and slowly down to her scalp. She offered him her sgian dubh and he etched into the centre stone with sharp angles, leaving the blade there as a gift.  Baby Fraser.  Claire’s hand trembled in his grip and she was almost consoled by the fact that she could feel his shaking too; he didn’t hide how it affected him as well. “I trust yer grandsire and grandmam are keeping ye out o’ trouble  a leannan . I love you. Tell Faith I love her too, and I ken she protects ye up there, but jes’ because she’s older doesna mean ye canna protect her as weel. Jes’ like I do fer yer auntie. Ye mind what yer family says, and we’ll meet again soon enough.” 

 Claire knelt down and gently cradled the small flower in her hand. “I love you, my baby girl. We love you so much.” 

 Jamie ripped off a strip from his sark and wrapped it around her bloodied knuckles with a kiss. They stayed to talk to the stone for a while. Jamie laughed with Claire after sharing an incident from his boyhood about a goat, some string, a bucket of shite, and his sister. Claire pulled out the photos from within her pockets and shared her child-self to their daughters, and the interesting marvels of the future. Jamie was proud he recognised the ‘airyplane’ from when Claire brought out the black and white pictures in the cave. He was bewildered of course at first, cursing the strange magic, but once he saw the brilliant smile of his Sassenach he knew the depiction couldn’t hold any evil. He especially liked seeing her as a bairn, with pigtails and a pink frilly dress and how the photos showed the change from cute baby to mature woman. She set one into the plastic wrap, a photo of her, her parents, and her uncle and buried it beneath the earth. 

 “Your family is with you always, my darling girl.” 

 With one last glance, they rode back to Inverness holding each other on the saddle. 

 Their short stay in Inverness was that: short. After the first night of full bellies and a warm fire, the innkeeper alerted the travellers to the presence of redcoats fifteen miles away. It gave them time to prepare themselves, instead of another hasty retreat to Leoch. 

 It was not nearly as strong of a fortress as it had once been. 

 Claire was put to use straight away, mending flesh and bone. Jamie was spirited away as well to advise his cousin in the Laird’s Tower. The only bright spot was the wonderful Mrs. Fitz. Fergus spent much of his time messing around the surgery and playing with the medicines, much to Claire’s annoyance. No matter how many times he insisted it would not happen again, his nimble little fingers were constantly filching items off of shelves and tables. So she sent him off to the kitchens.

 The ledgers had become impossible, and Leoch was close to ruin from partially funding the Jacobite cause. They felt the sharp absence of those who had fought bravely alongside them. None were left. Most of the men residing in the lands were either too old, too young, or too crippled to fight. There was talk of taking up a deal with the British, to leave Leoch and settle somewhere comfortable in America. Hamish was inclined to that option more and more each day. The Lairdship was not an easy thing for a twelve-year-old, let alone under such stress of a post-war climate. So, it was decided that the MacKenzies would sell Leoch to the British for land somewhere deep in Virginia. As much as it pained them to leave their culture and homeland in the hands of those bastards, they had no other choice. The lands produced nothing, the woodlands sparse, and their supplies pilfered by roaming soldiers. Claire felt guilty for the small amount of gold tucked into her dresses, but she told herself the amount she was left with couldn’t save them all. They stayed in constant communication with Jenny through letters and informed her of their impending move. Jenny wrote back to her cousins,  Alexander and Elizabeth Malcolm , just as often, if not more eager to know they were safe. 

 In the blistering heat of the summer, Claire, Jamie, and Fergus travelled in the safety of the band of MacKenzies. Virtually no redcoats bothered them on their way, patriot to king and country as the Laird most certainly was in their eyes. 

 At Ullapool, they said their last goodbyes as they split to different destinations. Jamie couldn’t possibly survive a month-long journey across the water. They purchased passage on the  Serendipity  and waited. 

 Jamie wretched off the side of the gangway as the ship made port. Stornoway, and from there they would hopefully find somewhere to settle down. A croft, north of Stornoway soon came to their attention. Most of their money went to purchase the land outright, they weren't too keen to rent one out as other crofters did, knowing the clearances would hit Scotland hard. So, Alexander Malcolm, his wife, and his son, began to build a home out of the small abandoned cottage. They hoped it would be temporary but would be fine if it wasn’t, for they had all they needed already: each other.

[soyforramen]

28. i’ve been crushing on you for so long and when i get your name in secret santa i decide to write you a love note except there’s a last minute shuffle with people trading and my gift is given to someone else (bonus: ot3! ot3!)

I know this was a prompt sent in by @arsenicpanda, but lord help me if I can find the ask.

--

“So, who’d you pull for Secret Santa?” Fangs asked.

Betty picked at her sandwich. The reminder of Cheryl’s forced Christmas cheer drove away what little appetite she had. Nervously, she glanced over at Jughead who seemed oblivious to her internal struggle. When he glanced at her, she smiled and shoved her sandwich towards him.

“Veronica,” he mumbled through bites. He shot Betty a glance, a concerned warning that he’d be making sure she ate later.

“Cheryl,” Betty said miserably. “I don’t even know what she’d want.”

While she and her cousin had been on better terms now that the babies were older, it was still rocky. Alice Cooper and Penelope still hadn’t learned how to co-grandparent, forcing Cheryl and Betty to work together to avoid a Hatfield and McCoy situation for every holiday."

“Something red,” Fangs said with a laugh.

“Or stupidly expensive,” Jughead added.

Betty sighed and stared out at nothing in particular. Between finals, editing the school paper, and Christmas shopping for her own family, not to mention the long list of things she hadn’t managed to get to this month, it looked more and more like she wouldn’t be getting much sleep until the New Year.

“If you wanted to stare at me, all you had to do was ask. I'll send you as many pictures as you want.”

Betty’s eyes refocused to find Toni sitting across from her. Her knowing smirk made Betty flush. Suddenly, Toni was all she could see, bright eyes twinkling with mirth and her lips temptingly full and pink. Before Betty could stammer out a response, Jughead laughed and slung his arm across her shoulders.

“Toni, are you flirting with my girlfriend?”

At the reminder of his presence, Betty squirmed and stared onto the old picnic table. Guilt crawled across her skin; after all, Toni hadn’t been the only one flirting lately.

“Have been for a while Jones,” Toni shot back with a wicked grin. “You gonna do something about it?”

Betty held her breath, waiting for an irritated response or jealous sulking, but instead Jughead threw his head back and laughed. The sound shook out the tension that had suddenly risen within in her, and she couldn’t help but join in with him. When she glanced across the table, Toni shot her a wink. This time Betty’s skin crawled with something far different than guilt.

--

It was the last day of finals, and Cheryl had finally rounded everyone up. A vast array of presents, the wrapping of each a reflection of the giver, was piled in the center of the common room. Betty’s was meticulously wrapped, a hand made bow sitting on top. Archie’s was wrapped with more tape than paper, and Jughead’s had been thrown into a plastic shopping bag. Veronica’s was wrapped in expensive, holographic paper, no doubt wrapped at a chic New York boutique, while Kevin’s sat in a reusable tote that proudly thanked him for his donation.

“Can we get this over with Cheryl,” Veronica said over a latte, “I have an economics test in fifteen minutes.”

“So much for holiday cheer,” Kevin said in a soto voice.

“She’s even wearing Grinch green,” Fangs added.

“Do any of you humbugs have any holiday cheer?” Cheryl asked. She set her hands on her hips as she surveyed them. “No? Then how about we make things extra interesting. We’re all redrawing names.”

A collective groan rang out. Not to be discouraged, Cheryl picked up the first gift, a small package topped off with tinsel.

“Archie, pour vous.”

Before he could take the package, Toni leapt forward and grabbed the package.

“Sorry Red, you'll have to take a rain check,” she apologized, ignoring Cheryl’s harsh look. When Cheryl started to object, Toni said, “You’re the one who changed the rules on us.”

Cheryl huffed. “Fine, I’ll allow it just this once. But anyone else who tries it -“

She let the threat hang in the air before reaching for the next present.

“And this one will be for …”

--

Betty watched Jughead pack from the comfort of her bed. Outside the snow fell, it’s soft plinking noise lulling her back to sleep.

“Are you sure you have to be in Ohio the whole time?”

He turned, smiling, and kissed her on the forehead. “Jellybean’s been threatening me since August that if I didn’t come up there she’d drag me there herself.”

Betty reached out and grabbed his flannel shirt, pulling him back for another kiss. “I’m sure I can fend her off.”

“I’ll miss you too," he said.

His eyes were so soft when he looked at her like that. It was almost enough for her to volunteer to drive him to his mother’s. Almost. Knowing that they had holidays to spend together years from now made it easy enough to let him leave today. That, and the fact that if she did go she’d miss the twins’ first visit Santa. (And, worse than that, she'd have to hear about it all second hand from Cheryl).

“Why don’t you ask Toni to hangout? She wants to go see that weird alien movie you've been gushing about,” Jughead said, turning back to his luggage.

All of the warm, gooeyness that she’d felt evaporated immediately. Desperate to relieve her discomfort, Betty pulled the blankets tighter around her. There wasn’t really a reason she could give as to why she could say no; after all, they were part of the same friend group and they did get along splendidly. Not to mention the inappropriateness of admitting to one’s long term boyfriend that you had a maddeningly, infuriatingly, deep crush on someone else.

“Maybe," Betty said while she picked at a loose thread.

Then again, maybe spending more time with Toni would cure her of this crush; after all, it had happened with Veronica and they’d settled into a close friendship, one Betty wouldn’t give up for anything.

“Don’t have too much fun while I’m gone,” Jughead said, picking up his bag and helmet.

He kissed her cheek and Betty mumbled out an ‘I love you’ that felt just as real, just as strong as it ever had. A few minutes later Betty’s phone chimed and she saw a text from Toni. Betty groaned and burrowed deeper into her bed.

--

“It’s fine, really. I can walk. It’s only a few blocks,” Toni repeated as she pulled on her jacket.

Betty glanced out the diner window. Outside, drifts of snow were quickly growing.

“Just because you can doesn’t mean you should,” Betty replied.

Despite the tension that had been building up within her, despite the fear (exhilaration? increasing desire?) of being alone in such a close space with Toni, Betty couldn’t let her walk home in this kind of weather. Even if their friendship hadn’t grown deeper over the past week and a half she still would have made the offer.

“Are you worried about me, Cooper?” Toni teased.

“Yes.”

The smile fell from Toni’s face. She searched Betty’s face, and finding what she was looking for, smiled softly at her. It was so similar to the one Jughead had given her before she left that Betty had to look away.

“Alright. Lead the way,” Toni said.

Pop’s bid them a good night on their way out, and they braced themselves for the cold. Impulsively, Betty slipped an arm through Toni’s. After all, they were friends now, closer than they had been. She did this sort of thing with Veronica all the time, though unlike with Veronica, Betty only found her crush on Toni growing deeper.

“So, what are you doing tomorrow?”

Toni shrugged and stepped closer to Betty. “Same thing we always do. Watch reruns of It’s a Wonderful Life with Grandpa and eat too much. You?”

“The Blossoms invited us over for Christmas dinner.”

“Yikes,” Toni said with a slow whistle.

Betty pulled out her keys and opened up the passenger side door. Toni nodded her thanks and sat down. A minute later they were pulling out of Pop’s parking lot.

“I take it you and Cheryl are running interference?” Betty nodded and turned on her blinker. Despite there being no one on the street, it was a ingrained habit that made Toni smile at her.

“Something like that. Mom’s convinced they’re going to cancel last minute to make us host it, so she’s been on a cleaning and decorating rampage this past week. But the kids love that Cheryl’s been staying with us.”

“That’s good. I'm down there. ” Toni pointed to the right side of the Sunnyside Trailer Park. “The most drama we get is when some idiot decides to shoot off firecrackers at 4 am.”

Betty laughed and pulled in next to the trailer surrounded by half rebuild cars. She sat on her hands to keep from rushing out of her car and checking the models of each.

“Well, this is me,” Toni said.

Betty nodded, unsure of what else to say. In her peripheral vision she saw Toni pull something out of her bag.

“You were supposed to get this at Cheryl’s Christmas exchange,” Toni said.

She held out a package with crushed tinsel wrapped around it. When Betty looked closer she realized there were different kinds of vintage cars driving along a highway, each with a pine tree strapped to the top. Glancing at Toni, she gently pulled the paper apart. She almost fainted when she realized what it was.

“Toni, this is too much, I can’t -“

Toni held up a hand. “It’s really nothing. I just got lucky at the thrift store and thought of you.”

Betty stared at the first edition copy of The Secret of the Old Clock, scared to open it least it fall to pieces in her hands. A paper peeked out of the pages, and she gently tugged it out.

‘Merry Christmas Betty!

Thought you might like this (and don’t forget to check the inside cover before you put it under glass).

From,

Your Secret Admirer.’

Upon reading those words, Betty couldn’t help but keep the smile from her face. Something like this was so heartfelt, so personal, she couldn’t help but want to take Toni into her arms and thank her profusely. Opening the book ever so gently, Betty gasped at the author's faded signature.

“Toni -“

Her voice had taken on a tone of anguish. Torn between her loyalty and the sudden tenderness she felt, Betty was at a crossroads without a map.

“Is this about Jughead?” Toni asked. Betty whipped around to look at her. With a gentle smile, Toni wrapped her hands around Betty’s.

“Call your boyfriend.”

Betty squinted at Toni, unsure. Was Toni asking her to choose between them? As if reading her mind, Toni laughed. She slipped the book out of Betty’s hands and set it on the dash.

“Call your boyfriend, Coop.”

Frowning, Betty pulled out her phone and dialed Jughead. With every ring, her heart beat more painfully against her chest.

“Hey, happy Christmas Eve eve,” came Jughead’s sleepy voice.

“Hey, I didn’t wake you did I?”

She could her him shifting in the background. “No, we were just watching the worst movie of all time.”

Jellybean yelled out in the background and there was a scuffling as the phone exchanged hands.

“Break up with him, Betty, he has no taste.”

“Santa’s Slay should never had been made,” came his tinny voice. A second later and his voice was as clear as if he were sitting next to her. “What’s up?”

“Toni’s with me, and -“

“Oh, she finally gave you her Secret Santa gift?”

Betty’s eyes drew together and she glanced over at Toni. “You knew she drew my name?”

“Actually, I drew it, but -“

“You?”

Jughead’s chuckle was throaty and deep. The sound of it sent shivers down her spin in much the same way that Toni’s look did right now. “She wanted to trade, and neither of you have been subtle.”

“But -“ There was a silence that hung in the air as Betty processed what was happening. “Do you mean -“

“I’m secure in our relationship Bets. If you want to, then you have my blessing.”

“Oh.”

He laughed again. “Merry Christmas Betts. I love you.”

“I love you too,” she said, her voice sounding far off.

The line went dead and she sat there, watching the falling snow. It felt as if her chest were going to explode. The world had expanded three times since she’d first picked up the phone and suddenly it felt as if there was a wealth of new possibilities open to her.

“Well?” Toni asked, breaking Betty out of her reverie.

Betty turned to her slowly, taking her all in. Setting her hand on the console between them, Betty slowly leaned in, hesitantly touching her lips to Toni’s.

“Thank you,” she said softly. “I really like my Christmas gift.”

Toni wrapped her hand around Betty’s and tugged her closer. “Than you’re going to have to do a better job of showing it than that.”

[thinkingaboutyoungroyals]

Falling For You But You Are Worlds Away: Chapter 2

A/N: So, I'm not Latino but I do come from an immigrant family so I may end up basing Simon's experience moving to a whole new country with my own experiences. I also consulted Hispanic friends on the language and culture I used here but forgive me if I get anything wrong. Please feel free to suggest or correct me on anything.

AO3

Simon had never been on a plane before. In fact, he had never traveled before.

It wasn’t like his family had copious amounts of money to spare for a fancy vacation. The most they probably did was spend a weekend in Stockholm, sightseeing and doing tourist-y stuff during one of his mother’s birthdays.

So, to say that he was overwhelmed by the process of traveling by plane, internationally, and as a minor, was an understatement. He was utterly terrified and anxious.

When his mother and Sara had dropped him off at the international airport in Stockholm (that place, alone, was overwhelming to see, even if he had looked at the pictures online beforehand), their hugs were long and teary. His mother barely let him go and Sara clung to his arm, crying silent tears into his jacket. They made sure he had enough snacks to fill him up on the 8-hour flight and his mother must have lectured the airport official tasked to escort him (because he was a minor) for so long that the woman had to gently tell her that Simon would miss his flight if they dallied any longer.

So, reluctantly, he said goodbye to his family.

Simon was given a badge to wear that indicated he was an unaccompanied minor and the stewardess seated him towards the front of the Economy class next to the window. She asked him if there was anything else he needed before leaving him to tend to other duties. No one was seated next to him yet so Simon took his time looking at all the knobs and buttons, familiarizing himself with them. He spotted magazines tucked into the little pocket in front of him so he took one out.

Just his luck, Wille’s face stared back at him. It was one of those tabloids and, fortunately, this one didn’t have Simon on it. The words on the cover spoke about the Royal Family’s Christmas celebrations.

Unable to help himself, Simon ran a gentle finger over the image of Wille. He missed him. He missed him so much. He missed his smiles. His hugs. The way he made noises when he was embarrassed. The way he tried to sing but was always off-key. Damnit, Simon really missed him.

When Wille first denied it was him in the video and Simon decided to break up with him, he was angry. So damn angry. Wille had promised him that they were in it together, that Simon wasn’t going to be alone. And he broke it.

But, now that he had time to think things through and see the situation from Wille’s position, he understood. Sort of. Maybe not completely. The Royal family’s need to stick to tradition and rules in a modern world that had no room for it would always baffle him. But, there wasn’t anything Wille could do. And coming out was such a personal and terrifying thing, Simon could speak from experience.

He wished he could tell Wille where he was going – he knew the prince would worry if he didn’t see Simon at Hillerska. But, Simon promised his mother to keep his whereabouts quiet from others aside from them, Ayub, and Rosh.

His best friends had been upset to find out that Simon was leaving the country. They had tried to appeal to his mother but when she made a decision, she was determined to see it through. Not even her soft spot and affection for Simon’s best friends could sway her.

Thus, here he was. On a plane. To New York.

Someone shuffled to the empty seat next to him, an older man who acknowledged him with a nod. Simon gave him a small, polite smile and tucked the magazine back into the pocket. Then, he took out his headphones and put them on as he waited for the plane to fill up and take off.

During the flight, Simon realized traveling by plane wasn’t too bad. It was probably one of the most luxurious things he had ever experienced. There were movies and snacks and interesting meals. He watched 3 movies, all in English, and snacked on the provided bags of pretzels and sodas. When he had finished those, he dug into his own backpack for the snacks his mother packed. He also napped for about an hour, leaning against the cold surface of the window. He took pictures of the clouds on his phone.

The stewardesses checked on him every once in a while. Then, when the plane was almost to New York, they were given little papers to fill in for immigration. The man next to him, clearly a veteran of flights and traveling, kindly helped clarify the places that confused him.

Then, when they landed at JFK Airport, while everyone else shuffled out of the plane, Simon had to wait for someone to get him. An airport official eventually arrived, a man who greeted Simon in Swedish and led him out of the plane. The official got him through immigration, Baggage Claim to collect his bags, and to the Arrivals area.

Simon scanned the crowd, looking for his aunt.

“Simon! Over here!”

A woman with dark curly hair, wearing a plain white shirt and jeans, waved at him, excitedly. His Tia Elena.

Feeling himself smile, Simon dragged his suitcases behind him as he hurried over to her. She fought through the crowd to get to him.

“Tia!” He was enveloped in her arms, immediately, the hug as tight and warm as his mother’s.

“Oh, look at you, mijo!” She pulled back to look up at him – he was at least an inch taller than her. “You’re so tall now! And so handsome! Look at those beautiful curls!”

Simon laughed. “Gracias, Tia. It’s good to see you, too. Thank you for having me.”

She placed a gentle hand on his cheek. “Of course. You’re family.”

She patted his cheek affectionately before turning to the airport official who had escorted Simon. After confirming who she was and her relation to Simon, they were finally allowed to leave the airport.

His aunt drove them in a red Toyota sedan, chattering and pointing out the window at buildings and signs, explaining what they were or where they led to. Simon nodded along, politely, watching New York pass him by. Being here, it finally sunk in – he was no longer home in Sweden. He was no longer going to see his mother, his sister, and his friends for a long while. He wasn’t going to see Wilhelm.

The longing made his heart grow heavy but he kept his face neutral, not wanting to worry his aunt.

At a red light, Tia Elena picked up her phone and unlocked it before handing it over to him.

“Why don’t you video call your mama?” she said. “Let her know you’ve arrived safely.”

Simon took the phone and scrolled through the contacts, looking for his mother’s name. It was probably late there now, as Sweden is 6 hours ahead of New York, but maybe they were still awake.

“Elena?” His mother picked up, immediately.

“Hi, mama. It’s me!”

“Mi amor!” She beamed. “I’m glad you got there safe! How was your flight?”

“Good! Mama, did you know they give you food on the plane? It was really good. Nothing like your cooking though.” Simon bit his lip. “I miss you and Sara, already.”

“We miss you, too, mi amor. Sara! Come here, it’s your brother! Where’s your Tia?”

Simon moved to show his aunt on camera.

His aunt waved at the phone. “Hi, Linda! Simon is here with all his limbs attached, don’t worry.”

Simon’s mother laughed. “I’m glad to hear that. How are you, Elena?”

His mother and aunt chatted for a bit, with Simon holding the phone. At some point, Sara showed up to say “hi” and announce the news that her grant from Hillerska had been approved. She was going to be a resident when the term started.

And, suffice to say, Simon was happy for his sister but was also a little bummed that he couldn’t be there for her. But, he also knew she was in safe hands with Felice and Madison.

“Who’s gonna feed my fish then? That was your job!”

“Mama will, duh!”

“I’ll take good care of them, Simon, don’t worry.”

Simon smiled. “Thanks, mama.” He bit his lip, feeling the longing stir in his chest again. “I… I miss you.”

His mother returned the smile, sadly. “We miss you, too, Simon. Take care, okay? I’ll call as often as I can.”

“Okay, mama.”

“Bye, Elena. Take care of Simon!”

“No need to tell me twice, Linda.”

Goodbyes took another minute or so and finally, Simon ended the video call. He could feel his right eye watering. He turned to look out the window again, not wanting his aunt to see. But, she must have those instincts all mothers had as he felt her pat his shoulder, gently.

The rest of the ride was mostly silent with only the radio and his aunt occasionally pointing out a store or a restaurant that she and his cousin, Ana, would frequent. He assumed he would be doing the same, at some point. But, right at that moment, he didn’t really care. He had only been in New York for an hour and he already wanted to go home.

They soon arrived at the home where his aunt lived with her only daughter. It was painted yellow, one story, and a few steps led up to the front door. A few potted plants and some large bushes decorated the lawn as well as patches of ice and snow.

As soon as Simon entered with his suitcases and backpack in tow, he was greeted by a shriek and arms wrapped around his neck.

“I can’t believe you’re finally here, Simon! Welcome to New York!”

The arms retreated and Simon looked down in surprise. His cousin, Ana, a year older than him and whom he remembered often led him around by holding his hand, was shorter than he was. She must have noticed it, too, as she scoffed.

“Ugh, why are you so tall now?!” she whined.

“Simon probably eats his vegetables and you don’t,” said his aunt, gently bumping her daughter in the head.

Simon laughed, shaking his head as he pulled his cousin back for another hug. He had forgotten how much he had missed her.

Ana, Sara, and he were thick as thieves and the best of friends when they were younger. They grew up together. That was, until Simon turned 11 and Ana and Sara, 12, that Tia Elena’s then-husband and Ana’s father, Ricardo, decided he wanted to try his luck in America and moved his entire family there. Two years later, he left them for another woman. But, that didn’t matter. He left his family but Tia Elena managed to keep the business that she worked hard to put up and grow.

“Take your cousin to his room and let him rest. I’ll start on dinner.”

Before Simon could protest, Ana grabbed his backpack and one of the suitcases before making her way through the house. Sheepishly, Simon followed behind her, eyes roaming around to take in the furniture and knick-knacks.

They walked through the living room with a sofa and armchair, T.V., and a collection of DVDs. A couple of photos on the walls of Ana and Tia Elena (none of Ricardo, of course). He surprisingly found one of his mom with him and Sara wearing their Hillerska uniforms. They had taken that on the first day of school back in September.

They passed by the dining room and he spotted the kitchen through a beaded curtain.

“That’s the bathroom.” Ana pointed to a small door at the end of the hallway. “Master’s bedroom is Mama’s room.” She pointed to a door on the opposite side. “She has her own bathroom so you and I will share. Mine is this one.” She pointed at the door they just passed that had a pink butterfly made from wire and what looked to be stockings stuck to its surface. “And you get this room.”

She opened the door and stepped aside to let him through first.

Pulling his suitcase behind him, Simon cautiously entered the room, still feeling like a stranger in what was supposed to be his home in the next couple of months. Or longer.

There was a bed, a little larger than his own at home, covered in green sheets and four pillows. A window with open blinds was above it (Simon itched to close it). There was a closet on the wall and next to it, a chest of drawers. There was also a desk with a wheeled chair and a lamp as well as an AC with another window with blinds above it.

“The AC is unplugged right now since it’s winter,” said Ana, entering after him and closing the door. She set his backpack on top of the chair and his second suitcase next to it. “There’s a heater but if you still get cold, let us know. We can get you an electric heater. I have one in my room, too.”

Simon sat on the bed. It felt nice. Soft. The sheets smell freshly washed.

“Thanks, Ana,” he said smiling up at her.

She returned the smile and sat next to him. For a moment, they were both quiet. Simon wasn’t quite sure what to say to her and clearly, neither did Ana. The excitement of seeing each other had worn off and the years of their separation finally settled. He wondered what she was like now. It wasn’t like they didn’t talk – they kept in touch through social media. But, it wasn’t the same as before.

“How are you, Simon?” Ana suddenly asked, sounding hesitant. “We heard about… you know… that.”

Heat filled his face and he immediately dropped his head into his hands. “Ana… please don’t tell me you watched it.”

She snorted. “Of course not! I wouldn’t do that to you! Plus, it’s weird! You’re my cousin!” She nudged him. “But… was it really the prince?”

He groaned.

“I mean… you don’t have to tell me or anything. But, I just want you to know that… whoever did that to you, guys, is really shitty. And, I hope they step on a pile of legos.”

The unexpected joke coaxed a giggle out of Simon. Ana was funny. He wondered when she developed this weird sense of humor, but he kind of liked it.

He raised his head to look at her. “Thanks, prima.”

“Anytime, primo.” She nudged him again. “You know that I’m always on your side. I even joined my school’s GSA Club in solidarity! And lemme tell you, we have lots of cute guys for you to meet!”

Simon groaned again. “Ana, I’m not really looking to… date.”

Or be with anyone ever again. Wilhelm had ruined him for anyone else.

“You don’t have to date them. Just meet them. Make new friends. Learn things about yourself.” She nudged his foot with her own. “I mean, I learned a lot about myself there.”

Simon turned to look at her, confused. “Like what?”

Ana couldn’t look him in the eye but she took a giant deep breath. “GSA doesn’t just have cute guys, you know. There’s also… cute girls.”

Oh… OH.

Simon wrapped an arm around her back, squeezing her to his side, like he often did with Sara.

“Does Tia know?” he asked softly.

Ana bit her lip and shook her head.

“Why not? You know she’ll be supportive. She supported me when I came out.”

“That’s different. You know it’s always different when it’s other people’s kids but when it comes to your own kids…” She scoffed. “I love her and I know that she loves me. But, I just don’t know how she’ll take it if I tell her that I don’t just like guys… I like girls, too. I mean, how can you not? They’re so pretty!”

He shot her a look.

“Right, you can’t relate.” She chuckled and then sighed. “It’s just… different. I don’t know how you did that. But, I wish I could, too.”

Simon understood. It was scary when he decided to come out to his mom and Sara when he was 13. He thought they would stop loving him. He thought things would be different after he did. But, nothing much changed, really. His mother and sister simply told him that they still loved him. Now, instead of teasing him about girls, they teased him about boys. He had never been so grateful to have had such a loving and accepting family.

He knew Ana was scared right now. So, if he could be a friend and comfort, he would. They were family, after all.

“You’re on my side so I’m on yours, okay?” he said, smiling, kindly.

She laid her head on his shoulder. “Thanks, Simon. And, I'm not even exaggerating. I’m really excited to have you here.” She patted his knee and stood up. “So… I’ll let you rest now. Mama probably needs help with dinner. It will take a while so you can nap or something. We’ll catch up more later?”

“Yeah, thanks, Ana. And I’m really happy to see you, too.”

She grinned at him before opening the door and closing it behind her.

The sound echoed in the room.

Simon looked around the room – his room – that was full of so many things for him yet felt so empty.

There was no fish tank for him to spend mindless minutes talking to his fish. No second-hand desktop with his Xbox connected to play games with Ayub and Rosh. He did bring his laptop and his game systems but he could no longer make their Friday game nights.

Not for the first time since he boarded the plane to New York, Simon felt all alone.

After taking off his jacket and shoes, he curled up on top of the covers and closed his eyes. Within minutes, he was asleep.

He dreamt of Sweden and all he left behind.

.............

The sky outside was gray. Winter was cold and cruel and it seemed like even the sun refused to come out and grace them with its warmth. Wilhelm thought it matched his mood, perfectly

“Your Royal Highness… Prince Wilhelm…”

Wilhelm tore his gaze away from the window and stared up at the face of his concerned-looking Math teacher. Mr. Englund raised an eyebrow at him.

“Your answer?”

Wilhelm looked at the board. There was an equation on it that he didn’t bother to try and answer.

He shrugged. “I don’t know, sir.”

Mr. Englund sighed at him. “See me after class, please.” He moved on. “Frederika, what is your answer?”

Wilhelm tuned out his classmate’s response, choosing to look back out the window again. He had no energy for school anymore.

After class, Wilhelm stayed behind. He stood in front of Mr. Englund’s desk and waited as his classmates filed out. When the last of them was gone, Mr. Englund finally turned to him.

“You’ve been distracted, lately, your Royal Highness. Is everything alright?”

Wilhelm shrugged again.

Mr. Englund cleared his throat. “If you need extra tutoring-.”

Wilhelm’s eyes flashed and his hands shook as he finally spoke, “I don’t need to bribe you to get a good grade in this class, sir.”

Clearly caught off-guard by this, Mr. Englund’s mouth opened and closed and opened again.

“That’s not what I-.”

“It’s illegal, you know,” Wilhelm continued. “To give special treatment to those who can pay when you should be treating all your students, equally. Not everyone has the means to bribe their way to the top.”

Wilhelm was running his mouth, he knew. He wasn’t exactly sure if it was illegal (he should probably look it up) but he knew it was wrong. He knew what the need to get a passing grade in this class did to Simon. He would be damned to let it slide.

He was the Crown Prince, damnit, so he might as well own it in some way.

“I won’t speak of this to the headmistress,” he continued as Mr. Englund continued to stare at him, mouth agape like a fish. “Though I suspect that she’s already aware of your little side business. But, I won’t be a part of it. Good afternoon, sir.”

With his head held high, Wilhelm walked out of the room.

As soon as he was far enough away, he stopped and leaned against the wall. His heart was pounding so fast, he wondered if he was getting a heart attack at the young age of 16.

“Your Royal Highness?”

He looked up to a concerned Malin hovering over him.

He managed a reassuring smile at her. “I’m fine. Sorry. Just… I need a minute.”

She nodded and stepped back.

He knew he was already late for his next class but, nonetheless, Wilhelm dug through his pocket and took out his phone. He dialed the already familiar number, not willing to forget this one thing, just in case. And, just like any other time, the call went straight to voicemail.

“Yo, this is Simon. I’m not available right now. Leave a message and I’ll try to call you back. Bye.”

“Simon,” Wilhelm said in a low voice. “Hey. Um… It’s me. Uh… I did something today. I think you’d be proud. I think. I hope.” He took a shaky breath. “Please call me back. I need to talk to you. Please. I…”

He meant to say, “I still love you. I never stopped. I don’t think I’ll ever love anyone else the way I love you.”

Instead, he said, “I miss you.”

Wilhelm hung up and thumped his head against the wall. It hurt a bit but not as much as his heart right now.

[nahimjustfeelingit-writes]

Imagine:

Erik dealing with his sixteen year old daughter.

Warnings: Angst

Okay so this was intended to be two parts but the way this is written I will do one more part to wrap it up.

“What should we do? Should we go to this party of Donte’s or should we stay in and have a sleepover?”

Trinny brought her shades above her head, turning over on her pool lounge chair to look at Kayla. Kayla was currently watching the clouds float by within the crisp blue sky while the sun beat down on her peanut butter skin. 

“I don’t know, Trinny...with what’s going on in my house my mom would kill me if she found out I went to Donte’s for a party.”

“Why don’t you ask your dad, Mr. Erik?” Trinny sounded his name out seductively, “Just tell him it’s a mutual friend's party and he can just...drop you off at my place and I can drive us over to Donte’s. He’s expecting you to be there, don’t you wanna see him?”

“First of all STOP saying his name like that, it’s cringe. Secondly, my dad ain’t stupid he will know I’m trying to be sneaky.”

“Well, then you won’t be going,” Trinny turned back on her chair, bringing her shades back down, “Your mother is a complete BITCH. My parents are never around so it’s not like that can tell me what the fuck to do...GIRL! I forgot to tell you about what happened with me and Miles…”

Kayla blocked out Trinny’s words. She really wasn’t in the mood for gossip. After the big argument with her mom they basically avoided each other. Her father tried to play the mediator in the situation but her mother didn’t feel like dealing with it anymore. She felt like she lost a battle against her own daughter. Kayla is still irritated with her for going through her phone and finding her half naked photos. 

“Kay, are you even listening to me?” Trinny says with an elevated tone.

“Uhm...what happened with Miles?” 

“Oh my God, bitch, you didn’t even hear a word I said.”

“Sorry...I’m just thinking about my mom...she found my photos that I planned on sending to Donte.”

“WHAT?!” Trinny sat up, flipping her legs around to sit on the edge of the lounge chair.

“Yep...she went through my phone and found my photos. She literally invaded my privacy.”

“That’s fucked UP.”

“I know,” Kayla says with a sad voice, “she should have just talked to me about it instead of going through my phone and snooping…”

“I mean, would you have told her?” Trinny asked.

Kayla didn’t respond to that. 

“Don’t worry, if you come to this party tonight, Donte can see you in your underwear then.”

“Ughhh!” Kayla blushes, “In person is better than in a picture, isn’t it?”

“Exactly!!!! Then, you can finally lose that V-card like I did with Miles...trust me...I heard Donte is big,” Trinny giggles.

“I don’t know about having sex with him but we can kiss...and touch,” Kayla says timidly.

“Kiss? Touch? Girl, this ain’t middle school! You are about to be 17 years old! It’s time to take it to 3rd base.” 

“I don’t know,” Kayla chuckles, “That’s sacred, you know?”

“Yeah, I get it Kay-Kay, miss star basketball player, you’re chicken!” 

“Shut up, Trinny,” Kayla sat up in her own lounge chair, adjusting the straps to the bikini that Trinny let her borrow since her parents felt it was too grown to wear something so revealing, “Take a picture of me in this bikini, it’s cute on me.” 

“Yeah, it shows off your curves,” Trinny grabs her iPhone, standing up to take a picture of Kayla. Kayla stood in front of the pool, looking back at Trinny with her booty poked out like those IG models do, giving a kissy face to the camera. Trinny snaps a few photos before instructing for Kayla to turn around, bend over, and blow a kiss to the camera.

“Donte NEEDS to see these,” She motions for Kayla to come over so she can see them.

“Oooh, They are all so cute, send them to me!” 

“Gotcha,” Trinny sends them to Kayla but not before sending them to Donte as well without Kayla’s knowledge, “You ready to fool around with my parents liquor stash before we do each other’s makeup and toes?”

Just then, Kayla’s phone started ringing. Picking it up from the chair, Kayla almost jumped out of her own skin.

“It’s my dad! He’s trying to FaceTime me!”

“Cover up!” Trinny tosses Kayla a fluffy beach towel with SpongeBob on it while laughing hysterically at Kyla frantically trying to wrap herself with it.

“Hey Daddy!” Kayla puts on a wide smile while walking away towards Trinny’s house.

“Hey, Princess...you didn’t tell me you were leaving...what did we talk about?” His voice was stern right along with his eyes. 

“I’m at Trinny’s. She picked me up...I didn’t think I needed to tell you.”

“You didn’t think you needed to tell me? Really Kay? I don’t care if you were going to your cousins house. You let us know where you are going, with who, and when you will be home, ALWAYS, do you hear me?”

“...yes,” Kayla takes a seat at Trinny’s parents open bar in the kitchen. She toyed with a bottle opener out of her father's vision so that he wouldn’t assume she was drinking. 

“I’ll come and pick you up, Trinny lives in the hilltop community right?”

Kayla sighs, “Dad, Trinny can bring me home. She has her license. You don’t have to come-

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for Trinny to drop you off, your mom already thinks the friendship you have with her is questionable.” 

Kayla can see her dad leaving the house in a crisp white t-shirt with the words “The Black Dollar Is A Terrible Thing To Waste” one of his brand T-shirts since he has his own clothing company. 

“Mom says this, mom says that, what can I do? Honestly. It’s like I’m in a prison.”

“You’ll be in your own prison if you keep talking about your mother like that,” Erik warns while settling behind the wheel of his Lamborghini truck, “Have your things packed I’ll be there in like fifteen minutes.”

“Whatever,” Kayla hangs up, slamming her phone down with a roll of her eyes. She wasn’t ready to go home just yet. Supposedly Trinny could whip up a mean daiquiri with tequila and she wanted one badly. The only amount of alcohol she has ever had is a few sips of red wine from her mom during the holidays. 

“How did it go?” Trinny came strolling back inside with her long, jet black, silky thick hair that reminded Kayla of Pocahontas soaking wet. She must have taken a quick dip in the pool. 

“I have to go home apparently...he’s on his way here.”

“Ouch,” Trinny has a smile on her face, “So I get to see your fine ass dad? Mmm.”

“Trinny, STOP IT! For real,” Kayla says with rage, “That’s my dad and your underage...it’s disgusting.”

“First of all, I’m 18, secondly, it’s not disgusting if the feeling is mutual,” Trinny starts laughing as if it were a joke but Kayla is angered, “Girl...chill the fuck out. I’m kidding...I wouldn’t do you like that.” 

“...have you ever...been with an older man?” Kayla asks with a whisper as if an adult was in earshot.

Trinny kisses her teeth, “okay...once. He’s 23 though...my older brother's college friend. It happened over winter break.” 

“TRINNY!” Kayla was flabbergasted. 

“What?!!! You’re giving me this judgy look.”

A knock came to Trinny’s door. Kayla shared a look with her before quickly getting up from the bar, running out of the kitchen and up the stairs to Trinny’s room. She was still in the bikini that Trinny let her borrow. Trinny opened the door, giving Erik her best braces filled smile, poking her petite hip out.

“Mr. Erik! Hi!” She spoke with a bubbly voice before holding her door open wider, “Kayla is up stairs gathering her things, do you wanna come in and wait?”

“Yeah, I can do that,” Erik stepped into the house, looking around like a detective would a crime scene.

“Everything okay, Mr. Erik?” Trinny stepped around to meet his eyes.

“...where are your parents, Trinny?” 

“Out of town, Santa Monica,” Trinny gave him a wide smile, “They are always pretty busy, nothing new.” 

Erik averted his eyes completely. Trinny was inappropriately dressed with the tiny fabric of her bikini, a belly ring, and a tattoo of a butterfly on her left hip. Erik walked around Trinny to stand near her steps, his eyes focused up and ahead so he could spot Kayla. He couldn’t explain it but he felt out of place. Being alone with Trinny didn’t feel right.

“I’m going to wait in my car. When Kayla is finished, tell her I am outside waiting on her,” Erik says before walking towards the door again.

“Mr. Erik, you don’t have to go so soon...it’s okay to stay inside.” Trinny says with a soft voice.

Erik’s blood was boiling. Trinny wasn’t his daughter but if she was...she wouldn’t see the light of day for a very very long time. She was definitely a lost child. No direction at all. He feared for what this little girl influenced Kayla to do. Y/N is right, Trinny is a problem. Erik was back outside in a flash, his breath coming out harshly. This will be the last time Kayla steps foot in this house again.

Back inside, Kayla is storming down the stairs wearing a pair of Nike biker shorts with a matching Nike sports bra, some Nike slides, and a beach bag filled with her swimwear. 

“Your dad was in here waiting for you but he left,” Trinny spoke lazily, “Do you have everything?”

“Yep! Let me get out of here before he calls me! Bye girl!” Kayla gives Trinny a quick hug before leaving her place. 

_________

“Her parents are never around huh? No wonder she has no direction, give me your bag.”

Kayla tried her best not to roll her eyes while she handed her father her bag. Kayla walked towards their home, her keys swinging in her hand. 

“She’s too grown, Kay. I don’t want you going back to that house.”

“Seriously?” Kayla stomped, turning to face her father, “This is crazy...did mommy talk you into this?”

“No...I’m making the decision.”

Erik ignored Kayla’s whining voice while opening the front door. He held the door open for her, Kayla storming inside like a brat.

“You better pipe that shit down, Kayla. What conversation did we just have this week? No more disrespect. You still have to apologize to your mother for talking to her the way you did. You’re lucky you still have your fucking phone.”

“So much for me asking you if I can go to this party…” Kayla reaches her hand out for her bag, “Can I have my bag back please?”

Erik heaved a sigh before handing Kayla her bag, “What party did you think you would be going to?”

“See...this is EXACTLY WHY I didn’t ask,” Kayla threw her hands up with defeat, “Never mind...forget I said anything.”

“This party involves you going with Trinny and I know Donte will be there. That is a definite no, Kay, I’m happy you knew not to ask. I don’t trust him, and neither should you honestly. I told you he has one thing in mind, ONE.”

“Yeah, I heard you the first time you said it,” Kayla turned away from her father to climb the stairs to her room, “I guess I’ll go sulk in my room for the rest of the night!” 

“I don’t think so! You still have to talk to your mother, Kay! Don’t think you’re off the hook!” Erik shouted after her before Kayla slammed her door shut, “AND OPEN THAT DOOR!”

“Ughhhhh,” Kayla opened her door. 

Erik was exhausted. Stalking to the kitchen he opens the fridge to figure out what to make for dinner this time. Y/N will be home in a couple of hours and the pot of spaghetti that he made was nearly finished. Erik decided to make some salmon with lemon butter sauce, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Taking the fresh salmon fillet from the fridge, Erik opened the spice cabinet to choose all the seasoning and rubs that he needed. The green beans are frozen so that would be easy to pour into a pot and the mashed potatoes are instant. 

While he sets off to cook, Erik receives a text on his cellphone from Y/N. Rinsing his fingers free of seasoning, Erik dries his hands with a dish towel hanging from his shoulder before picking his cell up from the counter. He unlocked his phone to read the text, his eyebrows disappearing behind his locs while reading her message. If it isn’t one thing it’s another. It was becoming draining. It was an overflowing bucket of issues. Y/N was at work she didn’t need added stress on top of being a Nurse Practitioner. 

Wifey: KAYLA WAS OVER TRINNY’S HOUSE?! 

Erik: Are you available to talk right now, babe?

Three seconds later, Y/N calls.

“Where is she?” Y/N spoke harshly through the phone.

“She’s home now, relax, I took care of it,” Erik covered the salmon with aluminum foil before placing it in the oven set to broil on high. 

“Wasn’t she supposed to do that blood drive after school today? Why is she at Trinny’s house in a little ass bikini?”

“Wait, what?” Erik pulled the dish towel from his shoulder harshly, “How do you know about this?”

“Remember I told you that Delia follows her? She thinks because her and her aunt are buddy buddy that she won’t tell me!” 

Erik closes his eyes, “Do I even want to know what these fucking photos look like?”

“Don’t even worry, I’ll be confiscating her phone when I get home.” 

“I’ll do it.”

“...really?” Y/N says with a disbelieving tone.

“Yeah, I can go upstairs and do it now. Enough is enough we should have taken it for good when we found the photos instead of giving it back.”

“Wow, now you put your foot down the proper way,” Y/N chuckles to hide her irritation.

“Why are you being so cynical about it? I’ve been putting my foot down, Y/N, I just don’t yell and shout like you do.”

“I’ll see you when I get home, I’m not discussing this right now.” 

“Fine,” Erik takes the phone from his ear, hanging it up without another word spoken. Since three nights ago when Y/N and Kayla argued, Y/N took her frustrations out on him. Erik endured it enough. Walking up the stairs, Erik made his way to Kayla’s room. Knocking twice, Erik held his ear to the door. Kayla was listening to music. Lil Uzi Vert was playing loudly over her speaker and there was no way she would hear. Twisting the knob, Erik called her name between the crack of the door, Kayla still not answering him. 

“KAY!” Erik shouts before opening her door fully, “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?”

Erik couldn’t help but to raise his voice angrily at his daughter. Kayla is laying back on the bed in a bikini that barely covered her breasts, taking seductive photos. At the sound of her father's booming voice, Kayla shot up out of her bed, grabbing a faux fur zebra printed throw blanket from a bean bag chair on her floor, wrapping it around her body with an embarrassed look on her face. 

“Turn that music off...now,” Erik says while trying to still his rage. Kayla grabs her phone from her bed, pausing her music before looking down at her feet. 

“I guess your mother texting me was a sign for me to come up here and check on you...she found out that you were at Trinny’s house and she says that you are all over Instagram with a tiny ass bikini on, bent over all grown,” Erik closes his eyes to ease his anger, “What the fuck are you doing wearing that, Kay?”

“Dad...it’s just a swimsuit. Swimsuits are going to show skin! I can’t help that-

“You can. You have more appropriate swimwear and that’s not a swimsuit that’s two pieces of barely any fabric. Delia told your mom about it.”

Kayla felt a mixture of fear and anger towards her father. Aunt Delia told her mother? She felt betrayed. She could go to Aunt Delia about anything but now that is over. She’s getting unfriended just like the rest of her nosy, interfering relatives. 

“Taking more photos for your Instagram or did you plan on sending those photos to Donte?” 

Kayla’s eyes danced around her room, avoiding her father's question. 

“Kayla…” Erik spoke carefully, “I’m going to ask you one more time...who are these photos for?”

“...Dad-

“ANSWER THE QUESTION!”

Kayla gasps, her eyes growing wide and frightened. She stepped back further, her back touching her bedroom wall. Erik was shaking, his eyes blazing, and his breathing harsh. Her father never got this pissed off with her. 

“It’s for IG!!! That’s it!!!” Kayla spoke with a shrill voice.

“Give me your phone,” Erik held out his hand, “I’m not playing. Give me the damn phone, Kayla. That’s it. I tried the calm and understanding approach now it’s time to give you tough love.”

Kayla groaned loudly before throwing her phone at the wall, cracking her screen. She blew air through her cheeks while angrily wiping tears from her eyes. Erik was reading to blow a fucking casket. He tilted his head at Kayla, his eyes searching hers, silently asking her why she would do that?

“Forget the dance, forget having your phone for the remainder of the school year, you will no longer hang with Trinny, you will come straight home from practice to focus on school and that’s it. The TV, OFF, you have no privileges, FUCKING NONE I am tired we did not raise you to be disrespectful and unappreciative. I’m serious about this, Kayla, I am done, I am fucking done, do you hear me, fucking done, do you understand what I am saying? Do you see the seriousness in my tone...my face?!!!!”

A single tear fell from Kayla’s eye while she stared at her father as if he were a stranger. He looked at her with this disgusted expression like he couldn’t believe that she is his daughter; that he created her. He looked like he wanted to disown her. All of this over a few raunchy photos. Kayla didn’t believe it was that serious of an issue to punish her so extensively. 

“I guess I should just find a new family since my parents are so damn extra-

“WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY?” Erik stormed over to Kayla, “REPEAT THAT?”

Kayla swallowed spit nervously, “...I just feel like this is going too far...It’s just photos, Dad, that’s all.”

Erik chuckled dryly before bending down to pick up Kayla’s cell from the floor, “take that shit off and get yourself together, it’s late,” he spoke with malice before walking out of Kayla’s room, leaving the door wide open. 

___________________

Y/N walked through the front door, tossing her keys in a ceramic bowl that Kayla created in her art class during her freshman year of high school. She wore a change of clothes so that she wouldn’t bring germs home from the workplace. She could smell dinner and her mouth instantly watered. Walking through her living room area Y/N could hear Erik talking to someone in the kitchen. When she finally entered Erik was sitting at the kitchen island talking to Delia, Y/N’s younger sister. 

“Hey, sis,” Delia stood up to give Y/N a quick hug, “Erik called me over so we could talk about Kayla.”

“Hey babe,” Y/N gave Erik a chaste kiss before walking over to the stove, opening the top to the green beans and inhaling, “So what are we discussing exactly? Her photos or her overall disregard?”

“All of it,” Erik says while holding a water bottle in his hand, “I filled Delia in on everything that’s been going on here with Kay Kay-

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Delia spoke defensively, “I haven’t spoken to you in about a month and the first thing I hear is that my niece is being defiant and grown.”

“These are our issues, Delia. All you’re gonna do is go back to mama and tell her what’s going on and you know she can’t keep her mouth shut for shit. Then, I’ll have the whole damn family calling me, asking me what I’m doing wrong and how I should handle it. Kayla is my daughter.””

“Maybe that’s what you need right now because clearly what you’re doing isn’t working,” Delia shared a quick look with Erik, “Erik and I were talking and we think Kayla should spend the summer with Aunt Edwertta. She can use the isolation-

“Aunt Edwertta is a pastor’s wife who will do nothing but shame Kayla. Plus, ever since she said that I don’t have love for my family I don’t talk to her. She criticizes everything I do, she talks about how her kids are these wealthy people like we’re trash. She can mind her business too and worry about what fine China set she wants to eat on for dinner.”

“Baby,” Erik stood from his seat at the counter, “It might be a good idea. We punish her, take things away, yell, repeatedly tell her what not to do and nothing is working. This might be a good idea-

“Erik, I don’t need you to tell me what’s good for Kayla-

“Kayla is MY CHILD as well, Y/N...we make decisions together,” Erik spoke sternly while jabbing his finger against the kitchen counter. 

“Funny, you and Delia must be the new married couple because both of you made a decision without me.” 

“I’m not trying to overstep,” Delia looked between Erik and Y/N, “she’s my niece, and I care about her.”

“Teh,” Y/N walks away to grab a plate, “Her auntie or her friend? What made you change your mind?”

“Seriously, Y/N?” Delia was immortalized with fury, “Just because me and YOUR daughter are close doesn’t mean that I don’t worry about what the fuck she is out here doing-

“CHILL OUT,” Erik stood between both women that are much smaller than him, “I asked Delia over so she could tell me if there is anything else we need to know about Kay, especially with Trinny.”

“Trinny is all up and down her page,” Delia pulls out her cell, “I checked out the girls page and she’s pretty popular on IG with like 250K followers.”

Delia gives Y/N her phone to look at Trinny’s page. Trinny looked like a 25 year old girl with the way she dressed. This isn’t the influence that Kayla needed. Y/N goes back to Kayla’s page and sees the photos, turning the phone screen around to show Erik. His jaw clenched painfully while staring at the pictures. 

David_05: Damn, this is Kayla?! 👀 shawty got a phatty.

TrinnyVasquez_xoxo: THATS MY SEXY BEST FRIEND! @Dman_theRealest do you see your girl?

Dman_theRealest: SHEESH! I hope you’re coming to my party I need to see this in person, hit my phone light skin 😈

“She was taking more photos in her room when I went to get her phone...I think she was sending them to Donte,” Erik gives Delia her phone back.

“Where is her phone, let’s check,” Y/N impatiently held her hand out towards Erik for him to give her Kayla’s phone. Digging into the pocket of his jeans, Erik carefully places Kayla’s phone into Y/N’s hand since the screen was shattered completely.

“SHE DID THIS?!” Y/N examined the phone with hysterical eyes, “We just bought her this phone!”

“She won’t be needing it...just be careful looking through it so you don’t cut yourself.”

Delia and Y/N go to Kayla’s camera roll, finding just three photos of her showing an ample amount of cleavage with the same tiny bikini top on. She’s licking her lips seductively while staring into the camera. With her heart thumping painfully in her chest, Y/N goes to Kayla’s inbox and finds a message thread with Donte.

“She sent them to him…” Y/N spoke with a defeated voice, “Oh my God-

“WHAT?” Erik looked like he was ready to punch a wall.

“He sent her a picture of his...well, you know.”

“Oh hell nah!!! Little nigga sending my daughter dick pictures?!! Fuck that!!! KAYLA!”

“Shhhh, Erik no,” Y/N tried to stop him, “We will talk with her later-

“Ain’t no later she got some explaining to do! What if she’s having sex, Y/N? How will you feel then?”

“You know Donte’s father, you can have a talk with him tomorrow while you assist coach their practice,” Y/N reasons, “Man to man. For all we know Kayla probably didn’t see the photos yet since you took her phone-

“But he is sending them to MY daughter. I will gladly rough this little ass boy up, Y/N, I don’t care how old he is,” Erik tries to walk past Y/N but she stops him, “The boy is a JOKE. The shit I hear him talk about…no.” 

“I’m going to go,” Delia grabs her shoulder bag that she purchased from a friend’s boutique, “I’m sorry if I intruded. Y/N, Erik, please keep me posted on everything. I have to pick up Amar from day care.”

“...okay,” Y/N gives her sister a quick hug. 

Delia makes her way out of the house, leaving Y/N in the kitchen with her arms around Erik’s waist to calm him down.

___________

Sitting at the long extendable dining table, Kayla accepts her plate filled with a healthy portion of food. Y/N sat across from her, playing with the remaining green beans on her plate with her fork. Erik was at the head of the table chewing his food slowly while looking between his daughter and his wife. The tension was so thick a machete would have a hard time cutting through it. Kayla reaches for her glass of lemonade to wash down the potatoes, spilling some on her pajama top. She reached for some napkins placed in the middle of the table at the same time her mother did, their fingers touching. Kayla flinched, withdrawing her hand quickly. 

Y/N noticed her actions, dropping her fork on her plate with a loud clanking. Kayla looked up through her lashes at her mother before rolling her eyes with a shake of her head. Erik ran his tongue across his upper teeth while giving Kayla a death glare. Kayla could feel the heat of her father's eyes almost burning a whole into the flesh of her temple but she ignored it. Sitting in front of her mother after eavesdropping on her and Aunt Delia looking through her phone made her want to scream and pull her hair. Donte sent her a dick pic that she didn’t get a chance to see because her father walked into her room without knocking. 

“Kayla, don’t you have something to say to your mother?” Erik says, his deep authoritative voice loud in her ear even though he sat further away.

“I’m sorry,” Kayla says dismissively.

“Let’s try that again,” Erik says, “Apologize.”

Kayla looks up at her mother, seeing the hurt in her eyes. She is cowardly in her chair, unable to look at her face any longer.

“I apologize, ma, I’m sorry for yelling and cussing at you, I’m sorry for disrespecting you, I’m just truly sorry.”

Y/N couldn’t fight her tears, “Why do you do this? Is it Trinny? Does she tell you to act like this?”

“No…” Kayla didn’t sound too sure of her response, “It’s all me.”

“Are you covering for her?” Y/N asked with a shaky voice.

“Trinny has nothing to do with this, okay? I’m just tired of being sheltered, I’m tired of being treated like a five year old; can’t wear certain things, can’t go certain places, can’t talk to boys, no privacy at all. Y’all don’t understand...I’m not a little girl anymore...I want freedom.”

“Freedom to do what?” Erik says with his brows raised and a smirk on his face, “You’re 16, what’s out there for you at 16? Trust me, I know what’s out there. I was 16 before. I think you’re covering for Trinny and that scares me. She was prancing around in a bikini in front of my my face, trying to get my attention sexually-

“Oh really?” Y/N leans back in her dining chair, folding her arms across her chest, “So not only is she out here acting like she’s a grown ass woman she’s trying to seduce your father?!”

“Trinny is all jokes, she’s goofy and wild that’s it.” Kayla tries to defend.

“Jokes?! What does she say to you about us, Kay? Come on, there is no need in hiding it either way we will find out.” Y/N says.

“She thinks dad is cute but I told her to stop, Trinny wouldn’t actually try anything,” Kayla shakes her head with annoyance.

“Remind me to pay a visit to Trinny’s house to talk to her parents,” Y/N spoke more so to Erik before pushing her plate away, “That little girl is problematic.”

“Mom...please,” Kayla looked worried.

“Why are you taking up for her?! Do you need her approval or something?” 

“You don’t get it,” Kayla stood up from the table, “I’m not hungry anymore-

“Sit down and eat because you won’t be coming down here in the middle of the night to eat,” Erik says while sipping his lemonade, “Trinny is popular, right? You want to be popular? Known? Trinny took you under her wing and now you will do whatever it takes to keep that up...correct?”

It was written all over Kayla’s face. I guess being the school athlete wasn’t enough. No surprise honestly. Trinny is beautiful, popular, definitely having sex and those are all the things that Kayla fed off of. Trinny wanted to mold Kayla into a replication of herself. 

“You don’t have to respond, I already know,” Erik says while forking some salmon, “Tomorrow, I’m going to have a talk with Donte’s father. I already spoke to him and I’ll be discussing with him about what Donte did.”

“Dad no!” Kayla panicked, “Please! If somebody finds out I will be clowned forever!”

“Kayla, what do you expect us to do?” Y/N says, “Enough is enough, he shouldn’t be sending you anything like that to your phone-

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot you snooped through my phone again, typical,” Kayla fires back with hard eyes, “What’s next? Implanting a chip in my arm to see where I go when I’m not home?”

“Who the FUCK are you smart mouthing? Erik…” Y/N’s hands shook, “I’m telling you...get your daughter, get her now.”

“Take your food upstairs, Kay. Clearly this punishment isn’t sinking in. Y/N, I’m sending her to Aunt Edwertta’ for spring break.” Erik wasn’t asking, he was telling. Y/N didn’t argue with him. Maybe sending her there will do something for her. 

“Auntie Edwertta? What?!!” Kayla stood from her seat almost knocking the chair down, “I don’t want to stay with her!!!”

“You don’t have a choice in the matter,” Erik stands, grabbing all of their plates, piling it up, “Get some sleep, you have school in the morning.” 

Kayla stormed away, rushing up the stairs. Y/N finally exhaled before the tears began to fall. 

“Hey,” Erik’s large hand on her back rubbing it in circles made her cry harder, “We have to try every approach, baby. We’ll call your aunt and ask her. Since spring break is in two weeks we can drive Kayla up there and get her settled in. Baby, shh shh, hey, look at me,” Erik crouched down in front of Y/N turning her face towards his, “It’ll be okay...she’s still our baby girl…”

Y/N pressed her forehead against Erik’s while he thumbed away her tears. He kissed her all over her face before wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.

“What if this doesn’t work? What if she goes up there and tries to sneak away?”

“Aye, let’s not think bad thoughts,” Erik strokes Y/N’s hair back, “we have to try first, don’t we?”

“I know I know,” Y/N sniffles, “I just wish it didn’t have to come to this.”

“What else do we have?” Erik says with a soft, soothing tone. 

_________

“Damn! What kind of shit is that? I can’t even remember the last time I was punished. Your parents are like correctional officers. Eat this time, sleep this time, study this time, like what the fuck?!” 

Kayla was sitting on her roof, way past her bedtime. Her parents forgot to confiscate her iPad that she got as a gift from her Aunt Delia. 

“They don’t want me hanging with you anymore. This may even be our last conversation, girl.”

“...what?” Trinny’s face frowned, “What the fuck did I do?”

“Well...they think that you are a bad influence on me,” Kayla dramatically rolls her eyes into her head.

“WOW,” Trinny rolls her eyes, “Mr. Erik ain’t my future baby daddy anymore, IM KIDDING CHILL OUT!”

“I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that shit is nasty and I don’t like you referring to my father in that way.”

“Whatever, the party was lit by the way, too bad you didn’t make it,” Trinny pouts on the phone. Donte was expecting to see you but I kept him company so it was cool.”

Kayla squinted her eyes at Trinny, “Kept him company doing what?”

“We just chilled, played Uno, had some drinks, you know, my special daquiris. Everybody was asking for you!”

Kayla felt uneasy, “I told you, my parents don’t want me hanging with you anymore, Trinny.”

“You’re your own person, I don’t make you do shit. You wanna hang with me, that's your decision...I can’t stand your bitch ass mom,” Trinny laughs.

Kayla mugs Trinny, “Listen, I don’t like this shit either but my mom isn’t a bitch, okay? Don’t call her that...if anything I can not you.”

“Oh so NOW I can’t call her that? Girl, fuck outta here. She’s a bitch and if she says anything to my parents it’s a problem, PERIOD.”

“What the fuck? Why are you popping off? I said what I said, that’s it on that,” Kayla says getting buck on FaceTime.

“Listen, you called me to vent. So whatever you got going on leave that shit over there. Don’t FaceTime me on some rah rah like you’re big and bad,” Trinny yelled into her phone, “You know what, why don’t you go ahead and hang up, you punished, right? Go to bed baby boo.” 

Kayla hangs up, ready to throw her iPad off the roof and into their pool but instead she looks up into the starry sky, tears welling up in her brown eyes. Looks like she lost a friend. She has other friends but it was something about hanging with Trinny. She wasn’t looked at as the good girl, the nerdy girl, the boring girl. Quickly, Kayla made it back inside of her bedroom, closing her window behind her. She placed her iPad in her hiding place before slipping beneath her covers, tucking herself in. She is afraid to face Trinny and Donte tomorrow at school. Closing her eyes, Kayla forces herself to fall asleep, her brain trying its best to ward off nightmares. 

@tgigoldie @soufcakmistress @chefjessypooh @chaneajoyyy @pananegra @theblulife @becincere @blaqwidow91 @fish-outta-watah​ @eyeknowmywrites @crowngold @njadakillthiscookie @blktinkerbell @luvanxi @sheisexcellent1 @chocolatedippedinhoney @brandithecrystalgem @dababydababydababydababy @soulfulbeauty19 @btitannaaa @sunkissedebony97 @youngblackndgifted @harleycativy @rbhp @thee-germanpeach @thadelightfulone @palmstreesallday @skylahb @bakaris-shorty @nizzle-mo @truglori @queenflaws @ljstraightnochaser @theegoldenchild @scrumptiouslytenaciouscrusade @nickidub718 @vikkidc @thehomierobbstark  @abluesforlyssa @abeautifulmindexposed @fd-writes @chasingsunlight @sickaddiktions @munteanhore @xo-goldengirl​​ @tiava143 @33kiara@honeytoffee @asiasblackworld727 @momobaby227 @informalmelancholy @soulshinechronicles @hearteyes-for-killmonger @goddessofthundathighs @soulfxll @whazzzupmyhitta @seyven89 @lahuttor @janelledarling @shewritestheblues @fanfangal @kreolemami @thoughtsoftheantagonist @luvwitoutlimit1 @mygirlrenee @hippiesandpeacesigns @alittlejd @jaysaidhi @thewaysheis--awkward–awkward–awkward @walkrightuptothesun @shawnstacksss @theesotericqueen @mareethequeen @browngirldominion @ceeverse @therealmrsrhodes @sensitivelegend @teheeboo @yomiloo @msreshel-blog @bbygirrll05 @fahi0nanart @afteracouplepuffss @shaelyn102 @yaminax-kuss-a @lackbbaby @amyhennessyhouse @thattruckinwitch @dameshaemonique  @glittermakesmesmile @justgetitoverwith0  @notavintagecliche @pariahcolored @cydneyrenee4 @ajjiiaaahhhh @naeelyniecee @ambthegamer​ @efonteno​ @mikesteel20​ @wisenerdcreator​ @draggingstxns​ @eevolsidog​ @xoxomyaah​ @asweet-serendipity​@therealmrsmbjordan​ @ajspencer1892​ @queengodiva619 @niqui87 @quietpoeticheart @itsjustyazz​​ @dasia21​​ @woah-express​​ @bbgiirrll​​ @backandbetter2​​ @megabriahall​ @forbeautyandlife​​ @queenflaws​​ @cecereads209​​ @queenbetter​​ @yomiloo​​ @daddys-baby-girl-t​​ @lovinthemelanin​​ @ladymac82​​ @ambitionwood​ @t3mporaa​​ @toniilaney​​ @iv0rysoap​​ @sinfully-dope​​ @lovehatecritique​ @chocolategirl605 @naysianaee​

[sammy-gvf]

We get along (for the most part)

            Chapter 4

Lee Bodecker X OC —————————————————-----

Warnings: none just some cursing

MINORS DNI!! this story will get 18+!!

Other chapters are pinned on my profile in my masterlist



I am so sorry for the wait!! I wanted to make sure this looks good!

ALSO HUGE SHOUT OUT TO @please-buckme for going in and editing for me!! You’re a rock star, mamas! ❤️

—————————————————————————

Friday

After having classes all week, I like to unwind at Lilly’s house with a few alcoholic beverages. We used to drink and smoke cigarettes all weekend long when we were teenagers, since we aren't anymore and we both work and attend college classes we barely have time to see each other.

Stepping out of my car onto the sidewalk of Lilly's house, I see Mrs. Bodecker on the porch of their new home. She has her radio up quite loud to where I can hear the song “ California Dreamin’ By The Mamas and the Papas. I walk myself up to the bottom of her steps and I say

“Heard the news about the house, congratulations! How do ya like it so far?” I say loud enough to get her attention. The house is a white wood 2 story house with plenty of windows to let sunlight shine through in the early morning hours.

“Oh! Maggy!” Ruth exclaimed “You scared me dear, the house is great so far.” She says bending over to turn down her radio that's by her feet. “Lee and I are settling in quite nicely. Just wish there were some younger couples around is’ll.” She says as she walks down the porch steps to give me a side hug.

Reciprocating the hug, I give her a smile and say “Well, Lilly lives here” I point over to the house to the right of her, “We are both 22 and hangout quite a bit. I guess that's considered young, huh?” I smile.

She looks up in surprise, “You girls are 22? I'm only 25!” she says with an excited tone grabbing my hand.

“You're only 25? I thought you were older!” I say surprised, I cross my arms and cock my head to the side.

“A lot of people do. It's because Lee is older.” She says, starting to walk back up her porch steps. “Lee is 32, a little bit of an age gap but it's all good” She explains smiling and sitting down on the bench again.

“Well, yeah. Lee is a little bit older.” I say smiling “I guess if yall love each other, age don't mean nothin.” I start to walk away.

“What you got there?” She asks, eyein the brown bag in my arms, I pull out the bottle of wine and show her.

“Lilly and I are going to drink a little tonight.” I say looking at her “ Would ya maybe want to join us?” I ask her with a questioning tone. She instantly peps up and runs hurriedly towards me.

“That would be wonderful. I don't get out much.” She says holding my arm.

I look at her with a smile “We are starting around 8 tonight, stop on over when you can.” I say as I walk away from her and onto Lilly’s front steps.

Giving a small knock, I welcomed myself into her home and I placed the bottle of wine in the fridge. Looking around, it looks like her family is out for the night or maybe the weekend. Her family ain't all here in Knockemstiff, they get out of town and travel about an hour or two to visit grandparents or cousins.

“Lilly, you here?” I yell into the empty house “I brought wine!” I exclaim, looking around her house. “Lils? Where are you?” I say as I walk down the hallway to her room.

There she was, taking a nap as she frequently did after a long day of work and school. I smile and look down at her, sitting down on the side of her bed and sweep some hair behind her ear, trying to wake her up a bit.

“Hmmm,” She starts to mumble as she is slowly starting to wake up. I touch her hair one more time, sweeping a piece of her brunette hair behind her ear. “Come on, Lilly. Time to wake up, bug.” I say.

Opening her blue eyes, she smiles at me and starts to stretch. Slowly waking her body back up, she sits up in bed and rubs her eyes.

“Goodness, what time is it?” She asks in a sleepy tone.

“It's about 6:50 pm” I say chuckling, she looks up apologetically and starts to get up.

“ I am so sorry! I thought that I reminded my brother to wake me up before they had left for the weekend but I guess he forgot.” She says turning her body to the side and stepping out of the bed. Her feet hit the floor with a light thud and she walks towards her closet to get changed.

Her room is lit up by the sunlight coming through her windows, the white of the walls are illuminated by the light. Her bed is in the middle of the room with two bedside tables on either side of the bed. The room is fairly clean with the exception of a few shirts lying around and the doors of her closet being open.

She pulls out a light green dress to wear around the house, since no one is here she doesn't really have to worry about looking proper. We have the house to ourselves frequently, maybe once or twice a month. We have never had full on parties but we have had a few people over from high school before. Most of the people we were close with moved out of Knockemstiff after we had graduated. Good on them for escaping this town.

“Hey,” I say towards her while her back is still turned to me. “I invited Ruth over. Ya know, the Sheriff's wife.” She turns around and gives me a “huh” kind of look.

“What do you mean? Isn't she older or something?” She asks pulling out the dress and immediately changing into it, “I thought I saw her before out hangin laundry.” She says, turning towards me.

“Actually, Ruth is only 25. She ain't much older than us.” I say, looking at Lilly. “I thought she was a lot older too because she's married to Le- I mean the Sheriff.” Lilly turns around and gives me an eye.

“Oh, so now you and the Sheriff are on a first name basis?” She says with a smirk on her face, walking towards me she stands in front of me with her hands on her hips.

I smirk a little, “I mean, yeah, we are but that's because he’s been watching me since I was a teenager. He thinks he is eventually going to catch me doing something and get me in trouble.” I say looking down at my lap and I chuckle a bit.

“Well, that sounds fine that she’s comin over.” She says sitting down next to me on the bed. “But he’s bothering’ you, you say? Have you told anyone?”

“Yeah, he's botherin me a bit. I was at church, and all, with my folks on Sunday and he got a lil close.” I say as I lower my head to look down into my lap.

“Why don't you say something?” she says looking at me with a puzzled look.

I get up off her bed and start to pace back and forth in front of her, “What can I even say? He's the sheriff!” I say as I stop in front of her. “Who would believe me?”

She gets up off of her bed and walks towards me, “I would. Hell, maybe his wife would too.” She says as she grabs my hand and starts to drag me out of her room, speed walking towards the front door.

I grab her hand and try to get her to stop, but then we hear a knock on the front door.

“Of course, when I’m tryin to get you to do the right thing, something interrupts me” She says as she treads towards the door, I follow behind her.

We arrive at the door to find a giddy Ruth waiting at the door with a smile. Her brown hair is done up with a bandanna. She's wearing a plain tan t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. Lily smiles in return and lets her in.

“Hey ladies! Ready to have a girls night?” She says as she comes in and steps past Lilly. “I don't think I’ve had one of these since I was in high school.”

We turn around and watch as she stands near us, “Well, where are we partying?” She asks as she does a little shimmy towards us.

Lilly and I look at each other and give a little shoulder shrug and we all plop down on the couch in her living room.

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

A few hours go by. Laughter, words exchanged and questions asked. We found out that Ruth was in college before she met Lee, and wanted to become a journalist.

When she found out that she could no longer afford to finish school, when she was halfway through her senior year of college, she dropped out and started working; hoping that she could make enough to go back.

Then she met him.

“Lee swept me off my lil feet.” She says in a southern drawl as she takes a swig of the bottle we are sharing, “He was charmin’. Talked the talk and walked the walk.” she slumped back into the couch behind her and spread her legs apart to get more comfortable.

I turn towards her and give her a questioning look, “Answer me, honestly.” I cock my head to the side, “Why Lee? You're a good lookin’ gal and a smart one at that.” I say taking a swig of the wine bottle.

She looks over at me and gives me a drunken smile, leaning forward onto her thighs with her elbows putting her face into her hands. “Why Lee?” she asks in response to my question.

“It kind of looks like she is thinking really hard about this question” I think to myself

“Well, he takes care of me.” She says as she reaches into her back pocket and pulls out a pack of cigarettes. “Not to mention the pay from him bein’ the sheriff ain't too bad either.”

Lilly and I look at each other surprised as she takes the cigarettes out, lights it up and offers us some from the pack.

We take the cigarettes happily and both get a light from her already lit cigarette.

“So you don't love him?” Lilly asks as she sits on the floor leaning against the couch, taking a drag of her cigarette and a swig of the wine.

Ruth looks over at her and takes a drag from her cigarette, “I do but he never lets me go anywhere that ain't the house or church.” she says, “Hell, I could be in trouble for being here right now.” She laughs and Lilly and I give each other a look.

Lilly and I both stand up and excuse ourselves, leaving Ruth in the living room by herself as we speed to the bathroom. We hurry into the tiny bathroom, shut the door behind us and lock it.

I whisper, “Shit Lil, what are we gonna do if he finds out she's here?”

She looks at me in utter fear, grabs my hand and responds saying, “I don't know, but she's gotta go, Mags.” I shake my head, we both take a deep breath and head back out to the living room.

Ruth is passed out on the couch.

 Fuck me.

We stop in our tracks and we both gasp, fear instantly striking us as we hear a door slam next door and a voice yelling,

“God fucking damnnit, where are you Ruth!” Lee yells.

The room is silent. The only thing making sound is the small snores coming from Ruth.

Lilly and I shoot each other a look, knowing we have to move fast.

“What if he just thinks she left him?” Lilly whispers to me as we move around slowly, not to make any sudden loud noises.

“He aint dumb, Lil.” I say looking her in the eyes from across the room, “The first place he's gonna look is the surrounding houses.”

As we start to hear more curses coming from the house beside us, we start moving around quickly to pick up anything that could be used as evidence against us if he comes here to check.

As we are almost done picking up cigarette buds and wine bottles, we hear the door from Lee’s house slam and loud footsteps coming towards Lillys house.

There's a loud bang at the door.

A booming voice comes through the door and we scatter, trying to throw everything away that could make us look guilty. we run over behind the couch and squat down

“Sheriff's department, open up or I’m kickin’ this damn door down!” Lee states as he slams his fist against the door again.

“Lil, you gotta go open the door.” I whisper to her in a shaky voice.

“No, you go open the door.” she says to me, shooting me a smile. “He knows you, you should be able to sweet talk him, huh?” she says, slurring her words.

“Lil, I am not sweet talkin him.” I say, “Besides, if we just hand over Ruth we should be fine, yeah?” I suggest, elbowing her in the arm.

The knocking continues.

“You have one minute to open this damn door or what I said is gonna happen” he yells again, more stern this time.

“Coming!” Lilly shouts as she stumbles to the door. Clearly, he will be able to see she's drunk.

Lilly walks over to the white door and opens it revealing an angry Lee.

Lee steps towards her, getting closer to the screen door. Lilly steps back a bit and stumbles on her feet.

“Now, darlin, who might you be?” he asks in a charming tone, standing there with his hat off and hands on his hips.

“My name is Lilly-Ann Brighter, sir.” she says as she slowly slurs her name to the sheriff.

He chuckles and says, “Well, Miss- or is it Mrs. Brighter?” He asks, “Aint you a cute lil thing.” He runs his eyes up and down her chest.

I gag just hearing that.

gross.

“Miss. Brighter, sir.” She says to him.

“I have the suspicion that my wife may have been here, due to her shoes bein out front of your front door, ma’am.” he says in an almost scarily calm tone.

Lilly's eyes instantly go wide.

Ruth blew our cover and outed us.

Fuck.

“Uh, yes sir, she is here.” Lilly says as she looks down at her hands and then back up. “We were having a uh.. sleepover!” she says, pepping herself up.

“May I come in?” he asks with a sly smile on his face.

Suddenly, I suck in cold air and realize,

My car.

It's parked out front.

He knows I'm here.

I am so screwed.

Instantly, I pop up and start running towards Lilly's room, frantically grabbing my keys, and I book it out the window. My feet hitting the ground, I hope I didn't make too much sound.

I sneak off to the side of the house, leaning up against the white side paneling as I pop my head up to the kitchen window to see Lee inside the house, picking up Ruth off the couch bridal style and talking to Lilly still. He's looking around for something, as his eyes keep wandering around the room.

I gotta get outta here, FAST.

I keep track of where they are by footsteps so I start to move faster as I hear footsteps slow.

Soon, I’m hiding in a bush out front of Lilly’s house, as Lee is standing on the porch talking to her still.

I can hear the mumbling but I can’t really make out what they’re saying.

Suddenly, he walks off the porch with Ruth in his arms, walks past me in the bush, walks up his steps into the house and he shuts the door.

I take a deep sigh of relief and wait for a second.

I get up and dart to the front door and I fall forwards to meet Lilly‘s feet standing there. She has her eyes on me and her arms crossed across her chest.

“Mags, what the fuck!” Lilly yells at me.

I rush to my feet and use my hand to cover her mouth “Lilly, shut up.” I say as I back her up to go to her room, keeping her mouth covered as we move.

We get to her room and I uncover her mouth, she whispers to me, “Why did you leave me in here by myself with him? That was so scary.” she says standing still in front of me.

I sit on her bed and take a deep breath.

“ Because, he knew I was here and I didn’t want to see him or talk to him.” I say, laying back on her bed. She’s still standing in front of me.

“You really don’t like him, do you?” she asks as she sits down next to me on the bed.

“No, I really don’t.” I say as I prop myself up on my elbows to look over at Lilly, who I can already tell is losing consciousness as we speak. “Now, if you’ll excuse me I’m going to get a cup of water and close up the house.”

I get up off of Lilly’s bed and head towards the living room area, where I fix up the couches a little bit and turn off the living room light. The only light that is now visible is coming from the kitchen. The window of her kitchen is directly across from the kitchen window of the Bodeckers.

I make my way into the kitchen and get myself a glass of water. I step off to the side to make sure I’m not visible through the window. Hopefully he brought her in and went to bed.

I look down at my glass for a minute and then out the window.

Lee is staring right back at me.

-—————————————————————-

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[pain-somnia]

ssm 2k20 day 1: stuck with you Title: us and these walls Rating: M (for sexual content) Disclaimer Day’s Notes: this prompt was selected by my patrons on Patreon and I decided to make it a modern au...a quarantine au lmao so here’s a smutty quarantine au for y’all I hope it’s enjoyable. As a heads up SasoObi is mentioned often throughout the fic and it’s a minor pairing...well it’s Sasori/Obito/Third Kazekage but they’re background. I mostly put them in there for Kitty who made me fall in love with SasoObi lol this is super late but I hadn’t planned on any of my entries to be long and I failed ‘cause this is long. This fic was almost longer than it is.

us and these walls

It started with a couple of White Claws. And it ended with Sakura in the wrong bed and severely under dressed.

Sakura woke up with a start, giving an unattractive snort before clutching her aching head. The throbbing around her eyes delayed her in realizing that there was an arm slung around her waist and something hard poking at her ass.

No, Sakura grumbled inwardly. No no no no.

She already knew exactly who was in bed with her. There was only one person that she had been stuck with for the past two weeks in her cousin Sasori’s house.

Obito, Sasori’s husband, had a younger cousin that she was always grouped up with at family events because he was the closest to her age, only being eight months older than her. Other than sitting next to each other at brunch or at holiday meals, the both of them didn’t really talk much to each other. Not that Sakura didn’t want to.

Sasuke Uchiha just made it so difficult to get to know him as anything other than Obito’s ridiculously hot cousin.

Two weeks ago, Sasori had asked Obito to call Sasuke over to fix the sink in the kitchen. Sakura wasn’t sure what it was exactly that Sasuke did for a living, only that he had remodeled parts of the house before Sakura moved into her cousin’s house and he may or may not have also been the bartender in the blurry photos Ino had sent her one night many weeks ago.

Because Sasori was the way he was, Obito had called Sasuke at eleven at night and for some reason the man had responded and was awake at the time. Instead of letting him go home, Obito begged Sasuke to stay the night in the guest room.

And then the quarantine order was issued.

Somehow, Obito was able to convince Mikoto Uchiha that it was best for Sasuke to remain at his house for the quarantine. Somehow it had worked and of course Sasuke had no choice but to listen to his mother. And somehow the two of them ended up stuck living together alone because Sasori had packed his and Obito’s bags and took off.

Whoever the fuck the man that went by the moniker “Third” was, Sakura had to assume he was loaded. The morning of the second day of quarantine all she had was a note left by her cousin about where he and his husband went off to and three days later there was a post to his Instagram about how he and Obito were living it up by the pool at their boyfriend’s mansion.

It was no wonder Sasori had ditched her. She wasn’t that surprised he had. Sakura felt more betrayed by Obito.

Warm breath fanned against her temple and the arm slung around her waist pulled her in closer. Sakura adjusted herself so Sasuke’s cock nestled between her thighs instead of digging into her behind and Sasuke released a content sigh, curling around her more.

God.

This wasn’t like her. She didn’t have casual sex. Sakura had been suffering from a three year dry spell ever since she had ended her last relationship. Sakura wasn’t the kind to go out and find someone just for the sake of hooking up. She could almost hear Ino and Karin chanting in her head, “One of us. One of us. One of us.”

“Anything we need to do today?” Sasuke mumbled into her hair. Sakura tensed up. She hadn’t noticed that he had been awake.

“We already went shopping yesterday for groceries and the essentials.”

She and Sasuke tried to stock up on everything they needed the day before. They had almost ended up going home with nothing when a middle aged man without a mask on got too close and Sasuke opened up a disinfectant spray they were going to buy and sprayed him in the face.

They had also stopped at the liquor store because nothing said essential like alcohol.

Which is exactly how they ended up in their current predicament.

Sakura wasn’t sure how to take Sasuke’s behavior. He didn’t seem to mind that they had woken up naked and spooning and was even nuzzling her hair. She wasn’t opposed to the bit of affection but she would have preferred it happened when she wasn’t feeling nauseous and had a headache.

“I think I’m gonna be sick,” Sakura mumbled, disentangling herself from Sasuke’s hold and rushing to the hallway bathroom.

She was dry heaving and spitting up bile for all of a few seconds when she felt Sasuke’s presence next to her on the floor. He stroked her hair, pulling it back away from her face until her heaving stopped.

“Thanks for putting pants back on.”

“Yeah. Here.” Sasuke handed her a black shirt that must have been the one he had been wearing the night before. Sakura pulled it over her head and tugged it so it covered her until midway down her thighs.

Sakura was grateful that Sasuke had the mind not to turn the light on in the bathroom; the open bathroom door casted a strip of light from the hallway.

“So…” She opened the conversation, not entirely sure what it was that she was trying to say. She blanked out, not having an actual thought beyond her ass being cold from the tile floor and so she shifted so she was sitting on the fluffy bathroom mat.

“Do we, uh, need to get anything?”

Sakura scrunched up her nose in confusion. She was too hungover for conversation. Sasuke looked at her pointedly, raising a brow and it finally dawned on Sakura what he was getting at.

“Oh, no. No. I’m on the pill.” Sakura averted her gaze, chewing on her lower lip in discomfort. “And I’m clean.”

“Same.”

The both of them sat on the bathroom floor in silence for an awkward amount of time before Sasuke cleared his throat and said he needed to make a call.

Well, this is shit, Sakura groaned inwardly, pulling her knees to her chest and running her hands down her face.

.

.

Sakura kept herself busy with preparing orders for her online store. She was fortunate enough to be self-employed but there was going to be a delay with her orders because the mailman kept missing her scheduled pickups.

“Do you think Sasori would kill me for this?” Sasuke asked her, putting down his drill.

Sakura looked up from her sewing machine and up at the racks Sasuke had made for her bolts of fabric. He wasn’t able to go to any of his jobs and ended up using his free time on small projects in the house. Sasuke had helped her organize everything by creating a proper work studio in the spare room that was originally Obito’s exercise room. Sasuke had moved all of the equipment into the garage.

“Oh, definitely.” Sakura went back to stitching the pair of tulle panties with an embroidered butterfly motif. “But you put a nifty set of cubbies in his mud room.”

Sasuke moved around her to measure for a set of shelves she had wanted.

“You’re making panties?” He raised a brow at Sakura’s current project.

“Yeah they’re a parallel set to that dress.” She pointed at a mannequin with a tulle sundress with the same butterfly motif. “My shop’s name is Naughty & Nice. That’s the nice and this,” she lifted the finished pair of panties, “is the naughty.”

“Those are too cute to be naughty,” Sasuke scoffed.

“Well I also have those.” Sakura pointed to a different mannequin dressed in a custom leather harness.

“Huh.”

“Yup.”

That was how the past two weeks had gone. Sakura would work and Sasuke would exercise or keep busy making improvements to Sasori’s house. Sometimes Sakura would find him playing video games, speaking to his friends over his headset.

Sasuke had to break his lease with his landlord. It was the loudest Sakura had heard him as he argued with the man about granting him an extension to pay his rent the following month. It hadn’t sounded good and the man couldn’t be reasoned with.

Unfortunately for Sasuke, his parents thought it would be better if he continued to stay at his cousin’s house. Due to the kind of jobs his parents had—police captain and nurse—they thought it would be safer for Sasuke to stick to the house where the only other occupant didn’t leave unless she absolutely needed to.

Sasuke had placed a majority of his belongings in storage and brought over his cat and anything he thought he would need and the guest bedroom became his.

At some point Sakura became curious about his finances. He had no job that she knew of that he could do from home, but he still had money for all of the takeout that he had been ordering until Sakura had put an end to it and told him that she would cook enough for the both of them as long as he helped provide the groceries. She was used to cooking for three anyway and Sasuke ate enough to make up for Sasori and Obito.

They were the only two occupants of the house and had to work around each other. It forced them to communicate beyond the uncomfortable small talk they were accustomed to.

Sakura found it easier to carry discussions without the presence of their family members, especially that of Mikoto Uchiha who always gave her soft yet sly smiles whenever she stood or sat closely to Sasuke. It was a calculative expression she was used to seeing on her older cousin whenever he wanted something and knew he was going to get it.

As much as she wouldn’t have minded to get to know Sasuke better, Sakura was sure that whatever his mother wanted to happen wasn’t what Sasuke wanted. They had worked well together and cohabitated amicably, but the closest they got to anything beyond that was a drunken tryst that she wasn’t even sure was going to be repeated sober.

.

.

He fucked up. He had fucked up.

It started with simple boredom. Sasuke had been stuck living with his cousin’s husband’s pretty cousin because Sasori couldn’t be bothered staying in his own house during a quarantine and had blackmailed Sasuke into playing babysitter.

They had been watching a marathon of slasher films and decided on turning it into a drinking game. Sakura curled up on the small extension of the L shaped couch with her pack of White Claws and Sasuke laid out on the other end with a pack of Ithacas. Somehow that had ended up with Sasuke joining Sakura on the extension and his fingers curled inside of her panties, stroking her as she clutched onto his arm and released high pitched cries of joy.

He’s not sure how they got to a bed, but he wouldn’t doubt it if he had just thrown her tiny body over his shoulder and carried her to the guest room that had become his temporary room.

That wasn’t how Sasuke had planned on dealing with Sakura and his ridiculous crush on her that wouldn’t go away.

It hadn’t taken much convincing for him to come fix the kitchen sink in the middle of the night. Besides Sasori blackmailing him because of his OnlyFans account, Obito had sweetened the deal by mentioning that if he stayed over he would be fed a free breakfast. Obito was a mediocre cook but free was free and he would be able to spend some time in Sakura’s company without his mother hovering with her knowing smiles.

He hadn’t expected to wake up to the smell of something cooking and walking into the kitchen to find Sakura wearing nothing but a baggy cream colored button down cable knit cardigan that hit mid thigh and a pair of black thigh high socks.

Sakura hadn’t expected him either. She had thought she was home alone because of a note from Sasori explaining that he and Obito had taken off to their boyfriend’s place. Sakura had called Sasori immediately for answers, but he didn’t pick up his phone.

At least, that’s what her flushed face and drawn down brows made it seem like. He hadn’t been paying attention to the phone calls she was trying to make but to the curve of her pert breasts that peeked from the v-cut of her cardigan. Sakura hadn’t been wearing a bra and he just wanted to drag his tongue up her sternum.

He was distracted from those dangerous thoughts when he received a phone call from his mother about the quarantine orders and how Obito had already told her that Sasuke was staying at his house. Sasuke didn’t have much room for an argument, especially considering his landlord Kakuzu wouldn’t give him an extension for his rent and Sasuke had had enough and broke his lease.

He cursed Kiba for moving out to live with the blondie he had been dating for the past few months and had only made it official a month ago. Kiba had been mostly staying over there and using Sasuke’s and his place for storage so it had made sense for him to officially move in but that had left Sasuke with paying the full rent on his own because he refused to move.

That decision was biting him in the ass now that he couldn’t bartend or go do some jobs as a contractor. He was heavily relying on his not safe for work accounts where he posted nudes for pay.

And speaking of not being safe for work…

It was three days after the drunken bedroom incident and Sakura needed help taking photographs for her online shop.

When Sakura had told him what she did for work he had been impressed that she had owned her own business and at how talented she was. When she told him that usually Sasori modeled her prototypes and she took the photos for her site, he was slightly disturbed. Looking at Sakura wearing her dresses and her lingerie, he couldn’t imagine Sasori wearing the same things and it looking as well as it did on her.

There may be some bias though. He was actually attracted to Sakura and he and Sasori were more enemies than they were friends and unfortunately related because Sasori was married to Obito.

“Move your arm back like this,” Sasuke instructed Sakura as she posed in a tulle panty and bra set that left nothing to the imagination. The butterfly patterns tastefully covered her nipples but didn’t do much to completely hide the small, pink thatch of hair between her thighs.

He was supposed to be focusing on showing off the lingerie to advantage, but his eyes kept drifting to the small bruises scattered on Sakura’s inner thighs and the red blooms of kiss marks that made her body look well loved.

“I can edit those out,” Sakura remarked shyly when she noticed where his gaze was directed. “I do it for Sasori for my site. He prefers keeping them though for his personal collection of photos.”

“I didn’t need to know that about Sasori.”

Sakura laughed at his discomfort and took her camera back from him. “Thanks again for the help.”

“Any time,” Sasuke muttered, watching her walk through the living room and down the hall to her bedroom.

.

.

Sasuke had the terrible━wonderful━habit of going without a shirt and exposing his tattoos when he was stuck inside all day.

It had been barely five days since their drunken mistake and the hickeys all over her body and bruises on her inner thighs and hips from the rough pounding she must have taken had yet to completely heal. Which also meant that the scratch marks on Sasuke’s shoulder blades, the hickeys all over his neck, and the bite mark on his left shoulder were still visible as well.

They hadn’t discussed what had happened. They spent the first day in an awkward state of avoidance and kept to their respective areas in the house. The second day had them going back to normal and just silently agreeing not to mention it.

But the curiosity was there now. It was there when they shared meals. It was there when he walked in from the garage after working out. It was there when he lazily strummed his guitar aimlessly. It was there when she finished her yoga routine and he was waiting to use the living room to watch or play Call of Duty.

It was there when they sat around reading in the living room and drinking tea. It was there when he made sure she took proper breaks instead of keeping herself hunched over her sewing and embroidery machines. It was there when she randomly heard his drill or hammer or the dragging of planks of wood and other materials into the house when he found something to fix or improve.

The curiosity became a yearning when she found him laid out on the couch, watching some aquarium building show. Sasuke just looked so cozy and she just wanted to curl up with him. Or straddle him.

Straddling him was definitely a favorable option.

Sasuke was immediately on alert, body stiffening under Sakura as she settled herself over him, straddling his hips. His hands slid across the sides of her bare thighs and over her small cotton shorts, until he gripped her hips through her thick oversized pullover.

He watched her warily as she pressed her hands on his stomach. His abdominal muscles twitched under her fingers as she slid her hands up his stomach.

“I was thinking…” Sakura’s cheeks heated up as Sasuke’s hands slid under her sweater and he took hold of her waist, his thumbs massaging circles on her skin. “Do you want to try it sober?”

Sasuke sat up faster than Sakura had expected him to move. In lieu of an answer to her question, he gripped the back of her neck, fisting her hair still damp from her shower, and pulled her closer to slant his mouth over hers.

There had been heated stares and what Sakura had hoped were looks of longing. Here was proof that she had been right.

Sakura sighed contently as Sasuke palmed her breasts, squeezing and fondling her with his large hands. Pulling back for air, Sasuke laid his forehead on hers, looking her directly in the eye as he continued to massage her flesh and tug at her nipples and roll them under his thumbs.

“You sure about this?”

“Absolutely.” Sakura cradled the back of his neck with both of her hands and pulled his mouth back to hers. Using her hold as an anchor, she fell back slowly, guiding Sasuke to follow her and nestle in the cradle of her thighs.

Sasuke pulled back, giving Sakura room to remove her sweater. It had barely been tossed aside when he returned to her, pressing kisses to her stomach and trailing his mouth up to her breasts, sucking on the underside of them before rolling her nipples with his tongue.

While Sasuke laved at her nipples and sucked on the flesh of her pert breasts, he worked on sliding her shorts off. When he didn’t find anything under them except for skin he looked up at her, head cocked quizzically.

“I planned to be out of them so why bother putting on undergarments?”

“Next time,” Sasuke pressed a kiss to her knee and then the other, “let me take them off.”

“Next time,” Sakura’s breath hitched as he gave her clit a flick of his tongue, “huh?”

The look Sasuke gave her was all heat as he sucked one of her nether lips into his mouth before working her with his tongue. Sakura sank her fingers into his thick, black hair and wondered if he had done this for her the other night. If he had it was a shame she couldn’t recall it or had a heads up to just how wonderful Sasuke’s tongue was. Her fingers tightened their hold on his hair, keeping him in place as her thighs trembled around his head. She cried out, high and sharp, when Sasuke pressed deeper into her, his tongue working harder as he alternated between strokes and suckling on her hardened little nub as if it was his reason for existing.

Sakura’s ankles locked behind Sasuke’s shoulders as her hips grinded against his mouth to chase the wave of her orgasm. With a keening cry she collapsed back onto the couch, her chest heaving from exertion. As she tried to control her breathing, Sasuke made his way back up her body, pressing kisses and nips to every bit of skin he could. Humming with satisfaction, she cupped his face in her hands and pulled him back up so she could kiss him hard, tasting herself as she rolled her tongue against his.

“Take off your pants,” Sakura panted, sliding her hands down to the waistband of Sasuke’s sweatpants.

Sasuke shook his head and licked up her sternum with one sure lick, pressing his tongue hard between her breasts. “Turn around.”

His voice was a low rumble, vibrating against her breastbone, and causing a shiver to run down her spine. He used a hand to guide her to turning around until she was stomach down on the couch. With her back exposed to him, Sasuke pressed open mouth kisses down her spine. She flinched when he reached the center of her back, the spot surprisingly sensitive. He palmed her ass with both hands, massaging the cheeks before biting down on a fleshy area.

“Hey!” Sakura squealed at the sensation. He chuckled against her, sliding a hand between her thighs to where she was softest.

“I think you liked that.” He stroked her with his fingers, spreading her folds and dipping his middle and ring fingers inside of her. “I know you liked that.”

“Hmm, maybe I did.” Sakura pressed her cheek to the couch cushion and lifted her rump higher in the air and rocked her hips from side to side teasingly.

Sasuke sat up on his knees and grabbed her by the hips, pulling her closer to him. He pressed his hips against her and rocked back and forth, his clothed, hardened length digging against her core. Sakura moaned softly against the couch cushion as Sasuke grinded against her in alternating rhythms.

“Just put it in already,” Sakura pleaded.

“Fuck,” Sasuke hissed as she rocked back against him. “Do you want me to go get a condom? I think Obito has some in the master bedroom.”

“Don’t bother,” Sakura panted. “Don’t make me wait.”

“Alright.”

Sasuke stood up and pulled his sweatpants and boxers off. He helped her turn back around and settled himself between her legs. Bracing himself on one forearm, Sasuke licked his fingers and rubbed the tip of his cock before taking himself in hand and gave himself four quick pumps before guiding himself inside of her wet heat.

Sakura moaned at the fullness as he stretched her pleasantly. She cupped his face in her hands once again and kissed him wherever she could reach with her mouth—his chin, the corner of his mouth, his upper lip. She hadn’t realized how empty and aching she was feeling until this moment.

“You good?” Sasuke asked, keeping still but adjusting her legs around his hips for her comfort.

Sakura nodded, wrapping her arms under his armpits and clutched his shoulders. She tilted her hips up and rolled them until he began to thrust.

She didn’t know if this was how they did it the other night, but she was enjoying it. Sakura expected him to grope at her breasts and her ass as he pounded into her, but Sasuke kept to a steady pace and with his forearms caging her head, he wrapped her hair around his fingers and kissed her languidly. It was so warm and affectionate she almost forgot that it started as her just wanting a fuck on the couch to figure out if it was as good as she had thought it would be and to make up for being robbed of the experience by her inebriation.

“Harder,” Sakura demanded and without missing a beat Sasuke gave her exactly what she asked for.

He sat up on his knees and lifted her legs straight up so that her ankles crossed behind his head and he thrust harder, holding onto her knees to keep her in place. One of his legs slipped onto the ground so that he could brace himself with his foot and make sure they didn’t fall off the couch.

“You feel so good,” he praised her, kissing her left inner ankle.

“Yeah?” Sakura smiled mischievously up at him and squeezed the muscles of her core, causing Sasuke to falter in his movements. She giggled at his expense but choked on air when he readjusted his footing and thrust particularly hard into her.

Sasuke pushed her knees up into her chest and held her there as he set a punishing pace, hitting her repeatedly in a spot she liked. Her staccato cries of joy filled the room, drowning out the sound of the television.

She fell apart again and Sasuke slowed down his thrusting in favor of feeling her flutter around him and kissing her lazily. They lay like that, him still inside of her, and they exchanged kisses.

“Your turn,” Sakura murmured against his mouth as he stroked her side, brushing her ribs with his knuckles.

“Flip over,” Sasuke ordered, voice low and causing her stomach to clench in anticipation. Settling behind her, Sasuke chased his finish, his chest pressed to her back and panting in her ear.

They both collapsed on the couch and Sasuke turned on his side so that he could pull Sakura against him. They lay in a boneless sort of manner and sated, intertwining their legs and their bodies slick with sweat.

After a moment of silence, Sakura spoke up.

“Well that was definitely better sober.”

Sasuke snorted, his silent laughter rumbling in his chest and vibrating against Sakura’s back.

.

.

He was supposed to be getting some water. Somehow a trip for water turned into him making out with Sakura. She was seated on the kitchen island and he stood between her legs, one hand pressed to the small of her back and the other cradling her face.

“I’m supposed to be making dinner,” she whined but made no move to pull away. She gasped when Sasuke slid his hand between her thighs.

“We can order pizza.”

.

.

She couldn’t remember what her question was. Not with the way Sasuke moved underneath her, breaking her rhythm and holding her hips down to meet his every thrust. He had her crying out and collapsing onto him, weak to his relentless pounding.

Sakura panted, struggling to catch her breath after they both came, as Sasuke rubbed her back soothingly.

“Yeah, I’ll change the bulb in the hallway closet.”

That was the question? Sakura frowned against Sasuke’s clavicle. Well, alright then.

.

.

“Shut up!”

Sakura hid her face in her hands, trapping the heat radiating off of it with her palms.

“Tell us everything,” Ino insisted. Karin nodded vigorously in agreement from her window on Sakura’s monitor.

The three of them were using Zoom to video chat and it was supposed to be wine and movie night, but it had instead turned into a gossip session now that Sakura admitted to them that her three year dry spell had ended during the quarantine.

“We keep fucking,” Sakura whined, pulling her knees up to her chest and falling sideways on her bed. “He’s like the fucking energizer bunny: just keeps going and going.”

Karin snorted, earning herself a glare from Sakura. “How is that a bad thing?”

“It’s not.” Sakura chewed on her lower lip. “We hang out and do other stuff too.”

“Like what?” Ino asked, blowing on her nails. She had taken out her nail polish and had given herself a pedicure as she waited for Karin to pick their movie and their change in plans hadn’t stopped her from continuing.

“We watch movies and take care of Obito’s garden and his plants. I’m teaching him how to cook.” Sakura sighed and groaned softly under her breath, “We take naps together and just...cuddle.”

Besides sex being added to the list of their activities, the only change to their cohabitation was that sometimes they curled up in Sasuke’s bed just to sleep together or hold each other as they lay in the comfort of the blankets. It sometimes led to sex, but that wasn’t the goal. They simply liked being together and exchanging kisses between the sheets and listening to music.

It was sometimes more enjoyable than when he was making her come like a train. Sometimes. Alright, always. Coming was nice but she had a drawer of toys for that. She couldn’t cuddle and joke with her vibrator.

“Now that you’re boning him,” Karin smirked at her, “do you think you can introduce me to his older brother?”

The three of them burst into laughter, Sakura burying her face into her pillow to drown out the sound.

.

.

When Sasuke had remodeled Sasori’s master bathroom, he had found a bath to install that would fit his cousin’s tall frame perfectly inside. It was for that reason he knew he and Sakura could both fit comfortably, considering he and Obito were the same height.

“This is nice,” Sakura sighed, settling between his legs and resting her back against his chest. “I thought Sasori had locked his bedroom before leaving to Third’s.”

Sasori had in fact locked his bedroom, but Sasuke had picked the lock so that he could use the master bedroom for the setting of his photos for his OnlyFans. Sasuke had money to make and he needed privacy and also didn’t want to get into Sakura’s way while she worked and took care of the house.

Things had been good so far between the two of them. They hadn’t discussed what they were doing, but Sasuke was enjoying being trapped in the house with Sakura. Her affection for him even traveled outside the walls of Sasori’s house. She would hold his hands as they walked down aisles when they went shopping for things they couldn’t order or when they went for walks around the neighborhood.

Now they were taking a bath together. Sasuke had used the large bathtub for some photos, carefully placing bubbles to cover his penis, but then making them dissipate with a flap of his hand to take uncensored shots for his Patreon tiers that involved full nudity.

It was as the water cooled and the bubbles became flat that he thought about Sakura and if she would want to relax with him.

When he suggested a bath to Sakura, her eyes lit up and she found all of the candles in the house, played some soft music, and prepared the bath with scented oils and bubbles.

“This has got to be a fire hazard.” Sasuke gestured around the room at all of the candles. Their flames reflected against the tiles of the bathroom, creating a nice ambience.

“Shhhh.” Sakura kissed the inside of his wrist, and snuggled into him more. “Don’t be a killjoy.”

Sasuke leaned back and closed his eyes. This would probably be a little better if I were high, he sighed inwardly. He should have rolled a joint before they got into the bath.

“Would this be considered a date?” Sakura asked, breaking the comfortable silence between them.

“Some people would consider it a date. I would rather be clothed during most of a date.”

“I don’t mind,” Sakura chirped. “You’re exactly how I would want you to end up anyway.”

Heat that had nothing to do with the bath traveled up the back of Sasuke’s neck and settled in his ears.

“If the world wasn’t so fucked up right now, where would you wanna go?”

“Hmm…” Sakura hummed one thought, her knees swaying from side to side. “For a walk in Old Town to get some ice cream. Maybe check out the hibachi spot and then watch the boats on the river.”

“I don’t even like ice cream and that sounds good. Just to be outside.”

Two months had passed since the quarantine had begun and Sasuke was beginning to feel restless. He didn’t usually care about going out, only really went out for work, but now that he was forced to stay inside all day, every day, he just wanted to go out and do something.

After the quarantine was over, he and Sakura were going to need to take a road trip just to feel normal again.

“My friend Karin got tested and her results were negative so she’s going to come over and give me a haircut.” Sakura tugged at the ends of her long hair. “I procrastinated getting one and then everything was shut down.”

Sasuke huffed air out of his mouth and blew at his bangs. They had grown long enough to fall to his chin. “You think she’d mind giving me a haircut too?”

.

.

Sakura couldn’t stop giggling. She rubbed the back of Sasuke’s head, right at the nape where Karin had shaved his hair so it was a close crop. She had buzzed him into an undercut before Sakura and Sasuke could say anything about it.

“I just needed a trim.” Sasuke scowled. Karin had done a really good job and the hairstyle looked great on him, but Sasuke had only wanted to take care of his unruly bangs. “If I put my glasses on, I’ll look like a wannabe Skrillex.”

Sakura snorted, curling up in his lap. “His undercut is on the side like Karin’s. Yours is on the back.”

“Whatever. Don’t you dare give her my brother’s phone number.” Sasuke ran his fingers through Sakura’s new bob cut and kissed her forehead. “Anything you wanna do before bedtime?”

For the past few weeks they had tried to make sure they were preoccupied so that they wouldn’t get bored. Sakura was still attempting to teach him to cook but she has better results teaching him yoga.

“We could have a Lord of the Rings marathon?” Sakura wrinkled her nose in thought. “I can work on some crochet crop tops while we watch.”

They had settled into a comfortable, domestic routine. Sakura was enjoying living with Sasuke and didn’t care about Sasori and Obito having ditched her. She was kind of glad they did. She was especially glad for it the week before when Sasuke made her ginger and honey tea and always had a hot water bottle ready for her when the cramps got really bad. Sasori had the weird idea to feed her liver whenever she was on her period. He never cooked it, always handing it to her raw.

It was nice living with Sasuke. Sakura wasn’t looking forward to when Sasori and Obito returned and ruined the tranquility they had.

She prayed things wouldn’t change when they were around other people. That they wouldn’t go back to how they used to be when they sat awkwardly next to each other at holidays.

.

.

Usually a morning person, Sakura was always first to wake up out of the both of them.

She woke to the feeling of him pressed against her back, erection settling against her ass and warm breath puffing against her nape. His arm wrapped around her body and held to her chest as her fingers were laced with his.

“Sasuke.” Sakura attempted to separate their limbs. “Sasuke. We fell asleep on the couch again.”

Sasori’s couch was ridiculously comfortable and with the wide extension sticking out to make its L shape, Sakura found herself falling asleep on it often. During the quarantine she always lay there when watching TV or movies which was pretty typical from pre-quarantine life, but now instead of selfishly taking up the best spot, she was sharing it with Sasuke who was surprisingly cuddly.

“Sasuke,” Sakura whined. The more she tried to pull away, the more he clung to her. She disentangled their legs and he bit down softly on the back of her neck. “I have morning breath and, dude, I definitely need a shower…”

“Like I care.”

Sasuke was talented at distracting her. One moment she wanted to get ready for the day and in the next all she wanted was to roll around in bed all day. Sakura made no protest when Sasuke helped her remove one of the shirts she kept stealing from him and pulled off her sweatpants and tugged her panties off. Thanks to Sasuke, she was spending an incredible amount of time naked on Sasori’s couch.

“I was supposed to,” Sakura’s breath hitched when Sasuke bit the inside of her left thigh, “be making breakfast.”

“This is preferable,” he murmured against her folds, burying his face between her legs.

During the weeks of their cohabitation, Sakura had discovered that Sasuke liked going down on her more than he enjoyed when she returned the favor. He apparently liked to take advantage of the fact that she could have more than one orgasm in a single round of sex and even though getting blown was nice, he didn’t like the recovery time or how sensitive he became afterward.

Sasuke was in the middle of getting her to the first orgasm he wanted to give her when the front door opened. Not that Sasuke or Sakura had noticed.

“Oh my God,” Sakura sighed breathily, sinking her fingers into Sasuke’s hair.

“Oh my God!” Obito cried out, snapping Sakura out of her pleasure induced daze.

“My couch!” Sasori hissed, eyes narrowed in distaste.

Sakura sat up, almost kicking Sasuke in the face, and saw both her cousin and his husband and a giant man almost half a foot taller than Obito on the other side of the couch.

“Oh my God,” Sakura moaned softly in horror, grabbing the throw she kept on the couch and wrapping it around her body. Sasuke straightened himself and took a seat next to her, bare as the day he was born, cock hard and hair mussed, with a shiny smear on his chin from the activity that had just been interrupted.

“Holy shit, Shisui was right.” Obito stared in awe at Sasuke’s crotch, only snapping his attention away when Sasori slapped his arm and shot him a look of disgust. “What? I thought he was exaggerating how big it was. Oh, fuck. I owe him one-fifty now.”

Sasori rolled his eyes and made his way to the kitchen, calling out behind him, “Please tell me you mean a dollar and change.”

Obito rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “No. Hundred fifty.”

“Hello.” The giant man waved at Sasuke and Sakura, flashing them what in a normal situation would have been a charming smile if it weren’t for the severe lack of clothing and what he had walked in on. “I’m Third, It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He held out his hand. He put it down as soon as he realized they weren’t going to shake his hand. “We came over because Obito has been raving about your cinnamon chip scones and Sasori said that you could teach me to make them for him.”

“You could have called first,” Sasuke drawled, bending over at the waist to reach for his sweatpants and boxer briefs.

“You could have not been fucking on my couch!” Sasori’s voice carried in from the kitchen, followed by the slamming of cupboard doors.

Sakura rolled her eyes and stood up, careful to keep the throw wrapped around her body. Leave it to her to be caught by her cousin, his husband, and their boyfriend getting eaten out in the early morning in the middle of the living room.

“Come back in one hour and I’ll teach you how to bake anything you want,” She told Third, craning her neck to be able to look him directly in the eye. “But you gotta take them with you.”

“Anything?”

“Anything.”

Much faster than she expected someone of such great bulk to move, Third was escorting Sasori and Obito━who had already found her homemade yogurt and was eating it━out of the house.

“Are you really going to be teaching their boyfriend to bake?” Sasuke asked, yanking his pants up and following her as she walked to her bedroom. Sakura snorted and shook her head.

“I can teach him over FaceTime. We’re changing the fucking locks.”

.

.

Day’s Notes: There’s a high chance I may revisit this AU because I used some AU ideas of mine and mashed them up to make this fic and I’m very attached to my OnlyFans Sasuke AU. I have so much to write for it.

[imaginedhaven]

Rules of Engagement: Chapter Seven

Link to Masterpost

The new laptop is here and working so much better than the old one did! I don’t know how I hadn’t replaced it sooner, with the exception of the fact that I am an utter cheapskate lol.

But enough about me, I know what y’all came here for. ;)

~*~*~

Aelin woke up surrounded by a comforting warmth and burrowed into the feeling with a happy little moan. She hadn’t remembered her bedroll being this comfortable, but she was grateful for it nonetheless. The scent of pine and snow lingered in the air, meaning that while they had departed for Adarlan they hadn’t yet reached the border, and as her eyes fluttered open a pale shirt came into sight—

Wait. A shirt. She wasn’t alone.

She bolted upright, grimacing as her head and her muscles responded to the motion with a fierce ache.

A dry voice sounded above her, though amusement was woven into the soft lilting accent. “I see you’ve finally decided to grace the waking world with an appearance.” Gods, what had happened, that she felt so awful and that Rowan had stayed with her rather than return to his own bedroll across the campsite?

As memory came rushing back in, she let out a soft whimper. She had trained again, and lost herself to the fire that burned inside of her. A fire that was currently mere embers, an internal look revealed. “Are you mocking me?” she asked, trying for a lighthearted tone but sounding raspy and exhausted even to her own ears. “I feel as if you’re mocking me.”

Green eyes met hers, obviously examining her face, though a part of him seemed distracted and hidden away. “And if I am?”

Aelin attempted to stretch, hissing at the lingering pain running through her. “I may have to let you get away with it, today. I probably deserve worse.”

“Let this pain be a lesson for you,” he replied, “though I wish you didn’t have to experience it. When you lose control like that, when the magic owns you rather than you using the magic, it’s all too easy to burn out. You almost went far enough that we couldn’t have brought you back.”

“How long was I asleep?” she asked.

“Six hours. It’s only a little after dawn now.” As she watched, he looked around the campsite. Aedion was packing his and Lysandra’s things, casting occasional concerned glances in their direction, but thus far he remained silent.

“You sound distracted,” she commented. “What’s on your mind? I know you promised a lecture—”

“Maybe later,” he said quietly, as though he were much farther away than he actually was. “We’re not likely to make it to the next town on time, not with you as badly off as you are. I’m doing what I can to make sure we won’t be defenseless.”

“What do you mean?” she asked. She turned to face him properly, though she couldn’t yet bear to completely move away, so they were left with her legs tucked neatly against his.

“How does it feel,” he asked instead, “when you access your power? Where is it stored?”

Aelin frowned and cast her gaze inwards once more. “Like… a well,” she replied. “Like it’s all sitting in a well, or it would be, if I hadn’t…”

Rowan nodded. “The depth of that well is what differs between magic users, in addition to the actual contents. Some have very little magic, and can access most of their power at once. No matter what you’re thinking now, yours goes deeper. You’re drained now because your magic controlled you, and you didn’t—couldn’t—take the time to access it correctly, to pull it up from that well one piece at a time.”

“That’s what you’re doing now, isn’t it?” she realized.

Another nod, this one more absent. “You’ll take several days at least to be back to full strength. One of us needs to be ready to react if necessary. I can still do other things, but… a piece of me is there, drawing it up.”

“How long will it take?” she asked, curious.

She was met with a raised eyebrow. “That depends on the strength of the magic user,” he said.

“That’s not an answer.”

He chuckled, then, and a thrill went through her at the sound. It had taken weeks, but she had finally managed to coax an actual laugh out of the stoic warrior. “Some take hours. I take a full day. 

So his magic was as powerful as the rest of him. Of course it was. Aelin still had questions, though. “And when it runs out, I presume that only time will allow it to come back?”

“Correct, for the most part,” he replied. “The only other way is to take from your carranam using a blood connection, if you’re lucky enough to have found yours.”

“Carranam?” she repeated, something in her uncoiling in pleasure at the way the Old Language word felt to speak.

“It’s a rare bond, and most never find one. Just like mating bonds, only carranam are compatible magically rather than…” The sentence trailed off, but she understood well enough where it had been going to nod in reply. “It’s a risky move, though, and one that requires a great deal of trust. It’s easy for your carranam to take too much from you, and then you have two magic users burning out instead of one. Even if someone suspects, they’re more likely than not to never test the bond.”

If burning out felt anything like what Aelin was going through, she understood entirely, and said as much. “Did you ever find someone you trusted enough?” she asked.

Rowan shook his head. “I haven’t suspected such a bond in any of the people I usually work with. We work well enough together, but working well together has little to do with magical compatibility in that regard.”

Aelin hummed her understanding and moved to stand, only to have a large tattooed hand come down on her shoulder. “Don’t we have to move soon?” she demanded as Rowan stood instead.

“Ideally, yes,” he replied, “but you would’ve simply fallen down again had I let you stand unaided.”

Aelin groaned. Stupid overprotective hovering Fae males and their territorial protective instincts. Really, it was a wonder Aedion was managing to pack up the camp and not directly offering her assistance as well. Perhaps Lysandra had something to do with it, or perhaps he and Rowan had come to some kind of understanding in the night.

Still, she took his hand and allowed him to help her to her feet. Ordinarily, she would’ve argued her point further, but given the tremble she felt in her knees she grudgingly had to admit Rowan had a point.

~*~*~

As night began to fall around them once more, Aedion bit back a soft growl. They still had several miles to go before the next town, but now that night had fallen their odds of booking a room were slim at best. They could push further and exhaust Aelin even more than she already had been, but in all likelihood even if they did that they would still be spending a night among the trees and stars.

They had been traveling along the edge of the Oakwald Forest, though the way was slightly longer than sticking to the coast. While the Regent would likely have preferred the coastal route, Aedion knew these lands better than he knew the coastline and would be able to take them from town to town on their way down to Rifthold. Aelin had been thrilled at the prospect of camping, and Lysandra had simply been glad to get away from the palace for a little while.

At the thought of her, he looked to the head of their party where a ghost leopard was bounding along beside a white-tailed hawk. While she would never have said as much to Aelin, she had admitted to him on occasion that she grew tired of being within the palace walls. While it had been easy to bring her along in the role of Aelin’s stylist and handmaiden, the role she had assumed when Aelin had first brought her to the palace a little over two years prior, Aedion realized he would’ve fought to bring her along anyway.

She would never mention the looks she got around the palace, both as a shapeshifter and as someone who had once worked out of the alleyways in the city, but Aedion noticed them. It took more restraint than he cared to admit to let her handle the situation as she saw fit, but he knew attempting to fight her battles for her would only result in something large, fanged, and clawed visiting him in the night. It had already happened on more than one occasion, and waking up to a ghost leopard or a massive bear standing over him was not an experience he cared to repeat.

And so he bit his tongue and he exercised all of the control he had learned from Aelin’s father, and he let his mate fight her own battles because he knew she wouldn’t have it any other way. It didn’t sit quite right with his instincts, but those instincts hadn’t been fine-tuned to human mates. Her happiness was worth more than his pride, and it had been from the moment he’d seen her.

Aelin hissed in her saddle, one hand going to her side, and the hawk immediately flew back to her side before Whitethorn shifted back into his Fae form. She moved to wave him off, but accepted the chunk of bread he pulled out of a bag and shoved at her.

That had been a surprise, Aedion thought with a smile as he watched his cousin accept being fussed over for what was probably the first time in her life. Ordinarily he would’ve tried, and they would’ve likely scrapped about it, but as he watched he realized that the older warrior fussing over her instead felt… right, somehow.

As they came to a stop for the night, the ghost leopard approached him and morphed back into the face Lysandra usually wore. “So tell me,” she said as she tucked a chestnut curl behind an ear “is there a reason you’re not over there growling at Rowan for existing too close to her?”

Aedion shook his head with a smile. “It doesn’t work like that,” he insisted. “She’s my cousin. He’s more than capable of making her eat, and she may be my family but she’s not mine.” Not like you are, he let himself think, though he knew it would be dangerous to say aloud.

Her eyes lit up. “Wait, do you think…?” She stopped talking and he knew it was so the others wouldn’t hear her, though her gestures made clear what she was asking.

He allowed himself to glance over at his cousin and her trainer once again, this time taking in the hand she had placed on his shoulder and that he hadn’t removed. He watched the way she laughed and then grimaced, and the way he helped her sit against a tree and growled something he couldn’t quite hear, concern clear across his features.

“I’m not sure,” he finally said, “but whatever’s going on, he’s managing her better than anyone ever has. I’m not about to get in the way of that.”

Indeed, he had a feeling that anyone who ventured too close right now would meet an unpleasant fate. Instead, he wrapped an arm around Lysandra’s waist and smiled when she allowed him to pull her in close.

A soft hissing sound from the edge of the forest immediately set him on edge, and as he narrowed his eyes and focused on the spaces between the trees he froze.

They were not alone.

A quick look to Whitethorn confirmed that he had heard it as well, and soon the warrior was hauling Aelin away from the trees and closer to them so they could survey the threat together. “I’m not familiar with the creatures that haunt your lands,” he admitted. “What can you see?”

“It’s strange,” Aedion replied, gaze fixed on the long limbs he could see moving in the trees. “If we were closer to the mountains I would say these are Stygian spiders, but they don’t usually come this far—”

One of the creatures finally broke through the treeline, and Aedion cut himself off as he saw the horse-sized spider emerge, a cruel gleam in its eyes.

~*~*~

It didn’t take centuries of military experience to know they were outmatched, Rowan realized as he watched the threat unfold before them. If his count was correct, a dozen of the spiders were waiting in the line where the trees began to grow thin, and there were only four of them. Aedion was a warrior through and through, senses enhanced by his Fae heritage. He wasn’t certain of the shifter’s abilities, but from the way she held herself he could tell she would go down fighting rather than running. The problem was Aelin, and it didn’t take long to realize that at all.

Aelin was standing beside him unaided, but a hand still pressed against her side and pain was still strong in her expression. He had done his best to make sure she was cared for on their journey, but it had only been a day since she had almost burned herself out. It would likely be another two before she was feeling anything close to normal again, and it would be dangerous for her to draw on her own power.

He had pulled up most of his own magic at this point, but he was only one warrior, and he wasn’t certain of this enemy’s weaknesses. With that in mind, he turned back to Aedion. “Assuming you’re correct,” he said, quick and quiet, “what do you know about these creatures?”

“If I’m right, most of what I know is wrong,” the warrior replied as he quickly bound back his golden hair. “Stygian spiders don’t usually venture outside the mountains. They stay there, and barter their silk to those foolish enough to bargain away years of their life, or other intangible gifts.”

Magical creatures, then, and creatures that lived at a high altitude. It was unlikely efforts to choke the air away from them would be met with any amount of success. Ice and blades it would have to be. “Somehow, I don’t think these are here to bargain,” he said.

“I think you’re right,” Aedion agreed, and then the first spider was upon them, pincers snapping. A blast of frigid wind knocked it back, but Rowan could tell that the setback would only be temporary at best. These creatures were fast, faster than they had a right to be, and winds would only delay them and drain him.

A glance at the hardened shells of the creatures told him ice would be equally ineffective. He could trap them, certainly, but they would inevitably get free, and he couldn’t be certain they wouldn’t track him or anyone else in the group. 

He spared a moment to glance to his left, toward Aedion and his mate. The shapeshifter was obviously sizing up the threat, likely trying to decide the form that would deal the most damage to these creatures. He hoped for her sake that she settled on something with reach and sharp fangs or claws. Aedion himself had drawn a sword and positioned himself between the creatures and the shifter, though that would only last for so long against so many.

To his right, Aelin grasped for a knife, hissing slightly as her fingers wrapped around the hilt. He could tell the movement hurt her far more than he was letting on, but that she would fight to her last as well. Her movements, however, were slow and clumsy. For her sake, they needed to end this as quickly as possible, and that meant testing something he had come to suspect.

To Aedion, he said quietly, “We need to draw these things out of the trees.”

“Does that mean you have a plan?” came the reply.

Rowan nodded. “Our best chance is ending this as quickly as possible. That means drawing them out into the open so that we can deal with them.”

“It’s the ‘dealing with them’ aspect I was hoping you had a plan for,” Aedion quipped.

Rowan growled and grabbed Aelin around the waist. “I have a plan, but we need to be ready regardless. The shell looks like it has weak points in the underbelly and around the eyes, if all else fails, but if I’m right we won’t need to fight with blades tonight.”

Aelin glared up at him, but Rowan ignored her as he moved them back several paces. Aedion and the shifter followed, and as he’d expected the spiders continued to draw closer. An intelligent foe with their numbers would try to surround them, and he had seen the cold calculations in the first spider’s eyes. He was counting on them drawing closer, or else this last hope of a plan would certainly fail.

Once they had retreated a safe distance from the forest, he turned his focus back to Aelin. She had drawn two daggers now, but her hands were trembling enough that he suspected they would be largely useless.

Rowan took a deep breath as the dozen spiders he had spotted finally emerged, and as the shifter took on her preferred feline form and Aedion lifted his sword he turned to Aelin, one hand going to her chin and tilting her head so that she was looking at him as well. “Do you trust me?” he asked.

“I already don’t like where this is going,” she replied easily, though he could read the truth in her eyes at this distance. Just one more reason to suspect he was correct, and that this would work.

“If this works,” he said as he turned his attention back to the advancing creatures, “one blast. Surround them. Do your best to avoid the trees if you can. Work fast and burn hot.”

“I thought you told me not to touch my magic,” she frowned.

“I still don’t want you to touch your magic,” he agreed as he took one of her knives from her.

Aelin was now seething beside him, likely because of his theft of her weapon. “I’m going to need that,” she pointed out.

“You are. But I’m going to need it first.”

He looked back at her, her face flushed with anger, and held her gaze as he drew the knife across his own palm. As he handed it back to her so that she could do the same, he took a moment to send a desperate prayer to whichever god may be listening that he wasn’t about to get them all killed.

~*~*~

Aelin looked up at Rowan, eyes wide, as he handed her knife back to her. “You think…?”

“We can discuss this later,” he growled, pine-green eyes back to tracking the threat that surrounded them. “We need to deal with this now, while we still can.”

That was true enough, she supposed. With a hiss, she cut a shallow slice into her own palm, mirroring him. “A blood connection, right?” she asked.

He nodded, and extended his hand toward her. “One blast. Take what you need, but end it quickly.”

“It’ll be my fire that comes? Not your gifts?” she asked.

He glared back at her. Would I be doing this if it wasn’t your fire you’d be wielding? he seemed to ask. If I thought my own magic would be effective against these, I’d be using it myself.

“Fair enough, I suppose,” she said, and then their palms met and Aelin gasped as a whirlwind of ice and snow slammed into her.

From what he had said earlier, she had known he was a powerful magic user as well as a skilled fighter. She hadn’t realized the depth of his power, however, not fully at least. The blizzard swirled inside her, ancient and fierce, scented like the wintry pine forests she called home. The cold winds strengthened the embers of her own magic, stoking them back into flames, and she grinned. “One shot, you said?”

He nodded. “Make it count.”

Making sure to keep a hold of his hand, Aelin led them a few more steps back. These spider-like creatures were still too close to the trees, and she risked starting a larger blaze if she attacked now.

Rowan followed her movements, lacing their fingers together so they could maintain the connection. As the spiders drew nearer, she finally judged them to be near enough to make her move.

She didn’t quite listen to Rowan. Instead, she drew a small amount of his power to create a ring of fire around the creatures, ensuring they would be unable to move. The spiders shrieked and hissed, and she grinned. “It would appear you were right,” she said quietly. “They don’t seem to like fire at all.”

“If I wanted your opinion, I would ask for it,” he snapped. “Finish it.”

Aelin focused her attention back on the ring of fire, and within moments it was burning white-hot and tall. Within moments the screaming and hissing grew in volume and then stopped altogether.

Once the only sounds in the air were the crackling of the flames, she and Rowan both carefully released their grip on each other’s hands, and immediately she felt the loss of that powerful ice storm that had swirled in her so briefly and yet so profoundly. Instead, the pain she had come to know throughout the course of the day surged back in, and she winced and curled her arms against her midsection. The fire died faster than she had expected, and as she glanced to her left and saw the sweat on Rowan’s brow she realized he was working to extinguish the flames. Once they were low enough, Aedion moved to approach the bodies of the creatures, but Rowan called out to him. “Don’t,” he said as he continued to work. “There’s not going to be enough air for you to breathe, not yet.”

Gods, he could remove the air from that large an area, even after she had taken some of his power to create that fire? Aelin eyed him with a newfound appreciation of his mastery of his gifts, even as her knees began to shake from the exertion of the day.

Finally Rowan nodded to Aedion, and judging from the sounds her cousin moved in to ensure the spiders remained dead. Aelin’s eyes, however, remained on the Fae warrior as he stalked back toward her. “We should push for that town if you think we can make it,” he said quietly. “Even if we’re just camped on the outskirts, it’ll be safer than staying here.”

So he wasn’t going to address what had just passed between them, then. Rather than confront him just yet, though, she nodded. “We can move out once Aedion finishes… whatever he’s doing.” She wasn’t quite sure yet how she was going to manage, but she knew he was absolutely correct that they couldn’t remain.

A cool breeze blew across the back of her neck and she shivered, glaring at her companion—her carranam, she realized. “How are you still doing that?” she demanded. “I thought—”

“I have several more centuries’ experience than you managing my own magic,” he replied smoothly. “And I began this with my power largely untapped, whereas you had almost nothing left. Now, are we going to debate this or are we going to move?”

She gave him a look that she hoped said we are talking about this later and moved back to where the horses were tethered. They were still eyeing the dead spiders nervously, but it was easy enough to calm her own mount enough that she felt she would be able to ride. That was, assuming she could lift herself onto it in the first place.

A pair of hands rested themselves on her hips, but before she could turn or say anything in protest Rowan was already lifting her so she could settle astride the horse. When she did manage to glare down at him, he shrugged easily. You were taking too long, he seemed to say. Was it this link between them that was allowing her to interpret his gestures so easily? She would have to ask him later, when he finally deemed it safe enough to discuss.

His hands left her then, though she was left with an imprint of their warmth on her as though a piece of her fire now resided in him as surely as the memory of his wind and ice now resided in her. She wondered how long that imprint on her magic and her soul would last, whether it would just be a few days longer or whether she would still be feeling him when he inevitably sailed across the sea and back to the queen to whom he had promised his service.

It was strange, she realized, just how quickly the tides had turned. When he had first arrived she would have loved nothing more than to send him straight back, but now…

Now she had no idea what she would do when he left, never to be seen again.

~*~*~

Tagging:

@ireallyshouldsleeprn @queen-of-glass @fangirlprincess09

[fablesrose]

Because I Am

Description: Worth and the heart are very fragile things. Sometimes it’s good to know when to walk away.

Pairing: Dr. Stephen Strange x reader

Word count: 2,136 

Warnings: break-ups, implied cheating

A/n: This was written for @angelinathebook‘s 300 follower writing challenge, congrats on 1,000 followers babe! The prompt I chose was “You’re not worth it,” it will be in bold. Enjoy!

Masterlist

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

Late, again.

I checked my watch, seeing the minute hand tick past the hour mark. I sat in the cafe only a couple streets away from my flat with my favorite drink and scone. It had been nice to take the morning off, but I was hoping my boyfriend would join me like I asked him to.

This marks the third date that he’s either been late, or not shown at all. It was starting to look like it was going to be the latter. I started to wonder if he was losing interest again. The last time that happened the only reason we got back together was because of the time apart, we thought we were different people so we gave it another go.

But never had he forgotten my birthday. That made me wonder if he got caught up with his duties in the sanctum. He always was a workaholic. And because of that he’s on his third chance.

Chances. Everybody knows I give a lot to many. Maybe too many to too many people. Every chance given is a piece of my heart that’s cracked. Sometimes it hurts. Sometimes it doesn’t pay off. Sometimes even then, after more were given than was deserved, they have the audacity to ask for one more.

I sighed and shook myself out of my thoughts, coming to the conclusion that Stephen wasn’t coming. It’s alright, I’ll just pop by the New York sanctum to say hello. I grabbed my drink and headed towards the London sanctum, the one I study in. Not very often do I enter the sanctums in my casual clothes, but everyone knew I wasn’t due back to work until later this afternoon.

I said hello to those I passed in the hallways and eventually I reached the doors to the other sanctums. Still sipping on my drink I walked through and wandered the hallways trying to find my over worked boyfriend. I wasn’t surprised when I didn’t find him. He’s always moving and I wasn’t as familiar with this one as the one in London. So instead I went to the library where I knew I’d find Wong.

“Welcome Y/n.” Wong didn’t look up from his book as I approached.

“Hey, Wong,” I perched myself on the corner of the desk and craned my neck to see what he was reading, “Spiritus pax, et imperium… That’s a good one I’ve heard. Haven’t gotten around to it.”

Wong nodded to show he heard me, but didn’t make much of an effort for small talk.

“Wong, have you seen Stephen today?”

He looked up at me, “No, he texted and said he was spending the morning with you.”

That doesn’t seem right, “That’s odd since he didn’t show for breakfast two hours ago...”

We both shrugged at each other.

“Oh well, I guess I’ll wait for him to get in, I took the whole morning off.”

Wong turned back to his book, “You are welcome to stay as long as you would like.”

“Thanks.”

I stayed perched on the desk and pulled out my phone. I started to scroll through Instagram to pass the time. Eventually I scrolled through all of the new posts and decided to hop over to Stephen’s profile.

It took a long time to convince him to get one and he hardly ever used it, as shown by the next to no pictures posted. He had more pictures in the tagged section, most of them tagged by me. I flipped over there and scrolled to the bottom to start at the beginning.

I enjoyed scrolling through pictures of us that I had taken. Some of them were silly, far and spread between cute moments on adventures. I particularly liked the one where we sat together on the Ferris Wheel. Stephen had taken my phone when I pulled it out to take a picture of the view. He quickly used his long arms to snap a picture of him kissing my cheek. He caught me laughing with my eyes closed, and managed to angle so the colors of the sunset were in the background. It was my favorite picture.

I finally reached the top with the most recent pictures when I noticed one that I didn’t recognize. It wasn’t uncommon, Stephen had other friends that tagged him in things, so it wasn’t the first I didn’t know.

The picture was part of a brunette’s face, her hair clearly messy from just waking up. The picture had the purpose of catching the background, and clearly visible was Stephen looking over his shoulder at her. He had a half smile and was wearing the shirt I got him only a couple of weeks ago. That’s how I knew it was recent, despite it being posted just this morning. I noticed he was wearing the shorts he usually wore to bed which made my heart start to sink.

The caption read: Look at how cute my boo is! He’s so sweet to make me breakfast, Love you!

I could tell my the picture that it wasn’t Stephen’s apartment, and all of it together caused my stomach to twist.

I didn’t look up from the picture, “Wong?”

“Hm?”

“Were those his exact words? That he was hanging out with me?”

He looked up from his book again, looking a bit puzzled, “No… He said he was spending the morning with his girlfriend. Why?”

I tapped the side of my phone for a moment before deciding to show him the picture.

“Wong, what does that seem like to you?” I held my breath, waiting for him to call me crazy.

He took a deep breath, “It looks like he’s cheating on you.”

I sighed heavily, “That’s what I thought...” I boosted myself off of the table, “Well! I guess my morning off is being cut short. If you need me I’ll be next door.”

Wong nodded at me with a concerned look on his face, but didn’t move to stop me.

I quickly went to the London sanctum and changed into my instructor robes. I didn’t have a set class, instead I went where I was needed, giving a helping hand with the children.

I taught the classes with a heavy heart, but I surprised myself with dry eyes. It’s impossible to stay in too bad of a mood when you are in the midst of little ones, though. They giggled when they were supposed to be concentrating, and made funny faces when they concentrated too hard.

Before I knew it, the end of the day came. All the classes scheduled were completed, and I wasn’t booked on the night shift at the sanctum, so I was able to go home.

I was packing up my things after the final class of the day when a little girl tugged on my sleeve. She pulled a beautiful flower from behind her back and stretched her arm out towards me. She whispered timidly, “Happy birthday, Miss.”

I was shocked. In the midst of everything going on I had forgotten it was my own birthday, and hardly anyone knows when it is. I squatted down to her level and looked up towards the exit to see some of the older students who I have taught for ages looking at the scene expectantly. I smiled and waved softly at them before turning my attention back to the young girl handing me a flower. It had magical golden sparkles dripping around and on the petals, mesmerizing me.

I gently took the stem from her hand and held her cheek in one hand. I kissed her hairline quickly but softly, “Thank you, little one. I love it.”

She beamed up at me and bolted to her fellow students.

I didn’t want to crush the flower in my bag, and I knew I couldn’t walk home with the flower out in the open, but I also wanted to enjoy the slight sprinkle that had started on the glass windows, so I quickly used my sling ring to open a portal just big enough to place the flower in the glass of water I remembered I left on the counter this morning.

I walked home slowly, hearing the soft pat pat pat of the rain against the pavement next to me was soothing. By the time I reached my flat my hair was just wet enough to stick to my face. I left the lights dim and started to make myself dinner. I wasn’t sure how everything was going to go from here, I didn’t know what moves I would have to make, or what he would do in turn. So, instead of worrying or even reacting to it, I was going to think, I was going to continue as I have, and I wasn’t going to let it rule over me.

At least, that was my plan until Stephen himself walked through my flat door, using the spare key he keeps. He was still in his sanctum wear and his hair was dripping, slightly tinged white from the gel that no longer kept his hair in it’s place. I couldn’t help but smile at the look.

“Hey, are you doing okay?” His features formed into something that was almost concern, but not quite, and all of the sudden the quiet little moment of him looking silly and not a care in the world was broken.

My smile faltered slightly, “Yeah, why do you ask?” I subconsciously picked up his ring of keys that he dropped on the counter. I did it often, so he didn’t notice when I subtly removed my flat key as I was fiddling with it.

“Wong said you were upset.”

“Ah...” I turned back towards the stove to give my meal a stir, “You- You didn’t come to breakfast this morning.” I guess I was doing this, I just hope I could do it slowly.

“Oh, was that today? I got a call from someone who needed some of my guidance in the Hong Kong sanctum.”

So now he was blatantly lying to me. Fantastic.

“I saw you wore that shirt I got you today, I’m glad you like it.” I kept my voice calm, even, and terribly bland. I was afraid if I showed anything, I would show everything.

There was a pause where I’m sure Stephen was puzzling over what that meant. I heard the click of his phone unlocking and then the sharp intake of breath.

“Did you...” He trailed off nervously.

I turned just enough to see that he had Instagram pulled up on his phone. I hummed softly, “So...” I turned to lean against the counter and face him, “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

He was caught off guard and started to sputter silently. Maybe I was secretly hoping for a good explanation, that was his sister or a cousin who’s place he crashed at for whatever reason, his neighbor was feeling sick, and they have that kind of relationship, anything, really. I kinda think I would have bought it too.

But no, instead, after he stopped sputtering, he fell silent completely. He offered no explanation, not even a lame excuse. I nodded to myself and pushed myself to stand. I walked to the door and opened it, standing to the side to let my now ex-boyfriend pass.

“You could have just said you were losing interest Stephen.”

He had just stepped across the threshold when he turned around, “Y/n, one more chance. Please.”

Even him asking was breaking my heart again. Just like all the other times someone asked for just one more chance. I decided I just couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t lose anymore of myself to giving one more chance to those who didn’t earn it.

“No.”

I started to close the door before he asked, no, he pleaded, “Why?”

I paused and held his gaze firmly, “You’re not worth it.”

I closed the door the rest of the way and when he made a move to keep it open I used the sling ring I slipped onto my finger to make his hand fall through, keeping him from stopping me. I locked the door and slid to the floor.

It was done.

I finished my dinner slowly. Everything seemed so bland, but I didn’t regret it. I was just so tired. Maybe I should have seen the signs. All I knew was that I lived a nice life full of wonder and magic. And that was enough for me.

Later that evening I gently touched the sparkling flower I was given. I played the conversation in my head over and over. I gazed into my own eyes in the mirror as I approached the last lines.

“Why?”

“You’re not worth it.”

Because I am.

Tag list: Send me an ask or a message if you want to be added or removed!

@kitkatd7 @snarky--starky @confetti-its-an-imagine-blog @kaogasm

[gloriafc]

Paul imprinting on Bella's older cousin

You were reluctant to follow your younger cousin, but you promised your uncle you'd watch over her when she went into her depressive state.

Of course he trusted you with her clumsy self since you're a surgeon and can fix up any of her bumps and bruises.

"Bella I get he's your best friend but do you think this is the best idea?" "You don't get it Y/N. You wouldn't understand. He's all I have left."

You start to worry when you see a buff guy carrying your cousin into the Emergency room.

"Y/N you don't have to worry, Jacob was there. I'm fine." "Does this look fine to you Bella. You show up in the ER with a cut half the size of your forehead. You have your dad worried everyday, and we can all tell something is going on with you. And now you're crashing motorcycles. Yeah that looks perfectly fine to me."

Of course Bella constantly shows up at your house to ensure you won't tell her dad about the bikes. She goes as far as dragging you with her and her now different looking best friend on your day off. They both drag you to a small house where a couple of boys start teasing Jake. A female catches your eye, she moves to hug Bella before turning to you, making you notice everyone staring especially one guy.

“Hi, I’m Emily.” “Y/N” “Bella’s cousin right? Jake told us about you.”

Emily quickly pulls you in, becoming quick friends.  You find yourself heading over to gossip often, Bella going with you to see Jake. Sam becoming comfortable enough having you around all the time because it makes Emily happy.

Of course since you’re around all the time you’ve gotten to know everyone else well enough. You’ve had dinner with them enough times to think of them as friends.

With time everyone tells you about the pack and about the imprint, one of the main reasons is because the Cullens are back and they worry something could happen to you.

“Wait how is that possible?” “Y/N I know it the whole imprint process can be confusing.” “No not that. I spent years studying anatomy and you just told me your bones move and shift on their own and you turn into giant dogs. How is that possible?”

Of course you take the time to talk about the imprint. At first you find it weird that Paul is only 19 and you’re 24. But eventually you get over it. And start a relationship with him.

The entire pack actually find it interesting when they find out new things about you. In turn they let you study their wolves where you slowly become their in-home nurse. Re-breaking and setting any bones they break when they fight each other.

“Wait so you’re like a genius?” “...” “Stop looking at the medical magazine and answer me!” “Jared. I will break all of your ribs and let them set wrong. Yes I’m a genius, I graduated medical school at 17. I’m twenty-four and Chief of Trauma with a photographic memory. Any more questions about how smart I am?” “Can you help me with my science homework?” 

Eventually you learn about the Cullens being vampires, and you quickly grow past it knowing Carlisle as your mentor before he left.

Paul finds himself at your house often, not wanting to go home. He loves watching how calm you look while studying or talking about surgery in general. You know he doesn’t fully understand but you appreciate the fact that he listens more than any boyfriend you’ve had before.

Your relationship is filled with constant teasing.

"Babe you need to grow. The whole bed on the floor thing is not working for me." "Then go sleep somewhere else." "Why do you hate me?!" "You're a pain in my ass." "In my defense it's a nice ass."

Sometimes you forget he’s five years younger than you. You often find yourself asking him to stay the night knowing he doesn’t want to go home anyways. The two of you will stay up talking about his problems at home, the way he talks makes him seem so much older with everything his dad has made him deal with.

You slowly find yourself falling in love with everything about him, even his short temper.

You're the first one to say I love you. Shortly after Paul admits he's wanted to say it for a while but never knew how you felt since you have a different mentality about relationships, being older and all.

"Babe I love you and everything but if you touch me with your cold doctor hands again I'll stick you in the furnace."

Jared constantly teases you about being out of Paul's league to get a rise out of him.

"Hey Y/N if your last boyfriend was a surgeon, what made you fall for this flea bag?"

Paul occasionally brings you lunch when you’ve been busier at work, reminding you to take a break so you don’t over work yourself.

Of course when the colder months start to come you’re always at work so you don’t go around as often, resulting in some of the newer pack members not knowing who you are. You end up meeting them when Emily gets into a car accident, a car sliding on the ice into hers. Since you're there to ID her the nurses quickly call Sam down resulting in the whole pack and tribal council sitting in the waiting room as you perform her surgery. When everything is done and she's stable you make your way down to the waiting room, Paul and Sam are the first ones standing. You can just see all the stress on Sam's face.

"Is she okay?" "She had multiple blows to her head from her car flipping. Broken ribs and a broken leg. She's stable right now, we put her into a medically induced coma to help her heal without extra stress, we'll wake her up in a couple days. She'll probably have a slight case of amnesia but it should wear off shortly after waking up. She'll be fine."

Sam quickly pulls you into a bone crushing hug whispering thank you into your ear. Hearing his voice crack brings tears to your eyes once you remember you just operated on one of your best friends.

You manage to pull some strings and Emily is put into a bigger room so multiple people can see her at once, knowing she enjoys being around everyone. Once you see Sam start to cry at the sight of her sleeping all bandaged up you quickly leave the room with tears in your eyes. You make it down the hallway before you have to lean against the wall, tears streaming down your face and unable to breathe. You quickly feel arms wrap around you making you turn and grip Paul's shirt as you slowly feel yourself loose control of your emotions.

"It's okay. She's okay. You saved her." "She looked so bad." "She probably did. But because of you she's alive." "She almost died on that table. She almost died and it would've been my fault if she didn't make it." "Don't think that. Don't think about her dying. And don't think about it being your fault. You were here and you did your job. You're not the person who crashed into her car. You're the one who brought her back to us."

You're the person who takes her out of her coma. Of course the entire pack is there. Her entire room filled with flowers, balloons, and cards.

When she wakes up she cries when she sees your face. At first you think she's going into shock but she just grabs you pulling you into a hug.

"I remember going in and out of consciousness. I remember seeing you. I could hear you telling the nurses to call Sam and a whole bunch of other doctor words. I saw you climb over me to perform CPR. You were covered in blood. My blood. When the other doctors were pushing the bed to the OR, you stayed over me the whole way. I could hear everything until they put the mask over my face." "You heard me say-" "That you wouldn't leave until you saved me."

You can't help the tears that start falling down your face as Emily pulls you into another hug.

When Emily gets discharged Paul finds himself just staying at your house. He can feel you constantly worrying and has to remind you that Sam's not letting Emily out of his sight any time soon.

Of course he starts to worry when you put yourself back into work but knows you're better when you start telling him about the stupid things people do that make them end up in the hospital.

When everything starts to go back to normal Paul feels himself relax when you come around more. He loves watching you talk with Emily as you cook, or sewing the boys last pairs of shorts.

"I swear this is the last time I'm sewing your shorts. I didn't go to medical school to work as your seamstress." "But you're so good at sewing." "I sew skin all day, what do you expect."

Eventually as your relationship progresses with Paul everyone finds that his anger has simmered down a ton. What no one knows is that Paul actually proposed, without a ring but it's the thought that counts. Yeah it's really early, especially for someone his age but you couldn't be happier, and you both agreed to wait for an appropriate time to get married even if that meant years.

Eventually you just flat out ask Paul to move in.

"Are you positive?" "Paul were engaged and all your stuff is practically here, except for the shirts I don't believe you actually own."

Of course you realize that having him live with you results in a ton of sex and constant naked cuddles. You honestly don't even have a need for blankets at this point, you sleep next to a space heater anyways.

Because you saved her life Emily names her and Sam's first kid after you.

"This is Monica Y/M/N Uley."

Eventually Paul saved up the money and got you the perfect ring.

"Is this why you've been working those odd jobs and weird shifts." "You know I had to get you the best, and it wouldn't be the best if I didn't do the work to get it."

Of course all of your close friends are furious you two didn't tell them you were engaged sooner.

"Did he just propose? That's so cute." "No we've been engaged for months now Emily." "And you're just telling me?! I'm skinning that boy alive next time I see him." "Please don't. I kind of need him alive for the next eighteen years." "You're pregnant too?!"

Since Emily's the only one who knows you're pregnant she helps you plan to tell Paul. She may or may not have stolen a whole bunch of pregnancy tests from the hospital with your help.

She makes the used tests into a bouquet that you set on the kitchen table for Paul to see when he gets home from patrol.

You sit in the living room knowing the first place Paul will go is the kitchen to make a sandwich.

"I'm home!"..."What the hell? Are these all pos-"

Before you realize what's going on you're being spun around by a very happy fiance and soon to be daddy.

[therainroguefanfiction]

⍚ HaikWeek!! 2020 ⍚ Day 6 (Nobuyuki Kai) Hating Goodbye

📑 Table of Contents | « Previous Day

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Friendship, Fluff, Slice of Life

Word Count: 3,136

Pairing: Reader x Kai

World: Haikyuu!!

Prompt: Favorite Moment/Scene/Match + Beginnings/Endings  

Author’s Note: Here is the next entry for @haikyuuweek2020​~ Oh boy, I think I fell even more in love with Kai in this fic ;_;) crap. Also, I re~ally love the training camp arc it makes me so happy~~!

━━━━━━༻⍚ 🏐 HaikWeek!! 2020 🏐 ⍚༺━━━━━━

“Wait, so you’re going to a training camp for an entire week?” you wondered, watching your boyfriend as he carefully folded his clothes into his bag.

“That’s right. We’re going to Shinzen high.”

“That sounds so fun!” you wrinkled your nose, sliding down in his desk chair. “What the hell am I supposed to do while you guys are gone?”

He hummed softly as he zipped up the bag, setting it by the end of the bed. “If you want, I can ask my cousin if she’ll bring you. It’s not a long trip.”

You sat up straight, eyes sparkling. “Is it okay for me to go? Since I’m not on the team.”

“I can double-check with Nekomata-sensei,” he pressed a soft kiss to your forehead, giving you a smile. “I’m sure he won’t mind, though.”

“Thank you so much, Yuki!” You threw your arms around his neck and he chuckled, meeting you halfway to claim your lips.

“You’re welcome. I’d be much happier if you were there, as well.”

“You make it sound like I’m your emotional support partner,” you teased, tugging on the collar of his shirt.

His eyes were warm as they met yours, his forehead resting against your own. His large hands held onto your hips, thumbs drawing soft circles against your skin. “In a way, you are. I feel much happier when you’re nearby. You keep my head clear during important moments and I’m able to push myself even harder.”

You felt your face growing hot at his sincere words, not expecting such an honest response. Though, what did you expect? Everything about Kai Nobuyuki was nothing short of soft and honest. You smiled, eyes shimmering with love as you tugged him closer, lips embracing in a slow, sensual kiss.

You had just finished packing up your bag when a knock sounded on the front door, echoing throughout the empty house. You nearly tripped over your feet going down the stairs in your excitement to answer the door.

Yuki’s cousin, Yua, stood there with a soft smile which brightened upon seeing you. “Good morning, Y/N. Are you ready to go?”

“I am!” you quickly slipped on your shoes before stepping outside, tugging the door closed behind you. “Thank you so much for driving me to Saitama, Yua-san. I promise I’ll pay you back.”

She giggled as she slid into the driver’s side, sticking the key into the ignition. The car started up with a soft rumble, the air conditioning ice cold as it hit your skin. “You’re practically family. Besides, I’m excited to visit the Dairyu-ji temple. It’s been so long since I was there.”

Your heart skipped a beat when she called you family and you practically melted right then and there. No one knew this about you, but you dreamed of one day marrying Yuki and being an official part of the Kai family. They were also so kind and gentle, minus his mother who had a lot of spunk, especially when it came to her life’s passions.

You stared out the window, watching the scenery blur as the car passed by. Though the trip was only about a forty-minute drive from Tokyo, depending on the traffic, you had never actually been there. You found yourself wondering if they had a statue of Saitama from One Punch Man.

The thought had you giggling.

Yua pulled up to Shinzen high school, giving you a smile. “I’ll be staying in Saitama for a few hours before returning home. If for any reason you need to return early, just text me okay? Have fun!”

“Thank you, Yua-san!” You gave her a small wave as you stepped out of the car, swinging your bag over your shoulder. You quickly sent a text to Yuki letting him know that you have arrived before you entered the school grounds, taking in the site.

Shinzen high was quite large, offering a variety of buildings that made it easy to get lost. And that’s exactly what you did. In just a few minute’s time, you were completely turned around. It almost felt as if you were an urban explorer and that made it kind of exciting for you.

Fifteen minutes passed before your boyfriend finally responded.

» ‘Sorry, hun, I was in a match. Where are you?’

« ‘About that…’

» ‘Did you get lost?’

« ‘Yes :(‘

» ‘Turn on your location for me, hun :) I’ll come get you’

You did as he asked, turning on your location before leaning back against the stone building. The sky above was a blinding blue, fluffy clouds drifting by on the soft breeze. Cicadas were chirping loudly in all directions, sure indications that summer had officially descended upon the earth.

You could smell Yuki’s familiar cologne mixed with the scent of sweat as he approached you, his warm hand sliding into your own. You gave him a sheepish smile, gently squeezing his hand. “Sorry, Yuki~”

“It’s okay, my love,” he responded softly, pressing a chaste kiss to your forehead. “I’ll always come to find you when you get lost.”

“You’re the best boyfriend in the world~”

“No, you’re the best partner in the world.” He booped you on the nose, giving you that closed-eye smile that you loved so much.

“Psssst. Y/N! Hey, hey Y/N!”

You blinked, looking up from your phone as you looked around for the source of the sound. Nishinoya Yuu, Karasuno’s libero, was hiding behind the bleachers, peering through the opening between seats as he called out your name.

He had a good reason for this, of course. After Tanaka and Noya started hitting on you the first time you met, the Nekoma team became super protective over you whenever they were nearby because of their loyalty towards Yuki. This continued despite the fact that both boys stopped hitting on you after finding out you were taken.

This was a shame, in your opinion, because you had really hit it off with the short libero and enjoyed his company.

You glanced at your team. They were playing a match against Fukuroudani, their backs to you and completely focused on the game. You moved closer to the end of the bleachers, trying to act casual as you looked at your phone. “What’s up, Nish?”

“I wanted to give you a heads up. After our matches today, we’re having a barbeque!”

“Really?” you responded with excitement, whipping around to face him while completely forgetting that you were supposed to be acting incognito. “Is that what you guys were acting like dorks over?”

“Yeah! We love meat over at Karasuno!”

You snickered. “That could be taken so many ways, Nish.”

He huffed, folding his arms over his chest. “But I get labeled the pervert?”

“Because you are.”

“So are you!”

“I never said I wasn’t,” you laughed. “Now go focus on your game, you dork. You guys are seriously behind.”

His nose wrinkled at the mention. “We’ve got this, don’t you worry!”

You chuckled at his reaction, reaching through the gap to ruffle his spikey hair.

Yamamoto caught movement from the corner of his eye and glanced over. At first, he didn’t think anything of you leaning over on the bleachers. He just assumed you had dropped something through the gap, but then he saw a flash of blonde and he realized that Karasuno’s libero was hidden behind them.

While he had no real qualms with the shorter male, even joining the Kiyoko fanclub, he was quite protective when it came to you because you were like his sibling plus you were dating his teammate.

His fist clenched in annoyance. “That little -”

He didn’t get far, though, Kuroo grabbing the back of his jersey. “Where are you going? We may have won the set but the match isn’t over.”

The tiger-haired boy pointed directly at you. “Nishinoya is alone with Y/N! There’s no telling what schemes he’s using to try and get with them!”

Kuroo raised a brow at Yuki who was wiping sweat from his face with the fluffy white towel around his neck. He glanced at you, the corners of his lips quirking up as he noticed the excited expression upon your face. “What’s going on?”

“Nishinoya is flirting with Y/N!”

“You don’t know that,” Kuroo sighed, though he too wanted to march over there when you reached through to ruffle the boy’s hair.

“What should we do, Kai?” Yamamoto turned to the older boy for instruction, but Yuki only chuckled softly in reply.

“I think you’re making a deal out of nothing. He may be a flirt, but he respects Y/N enough to not flirt with them knowing that they are dating me.”

“How can you be so sure of that?”

“I trust them,” Yuki smiled at you as you waved at Noya who bolted back over to his team. “Besides, they are close friends.”

“Eh?” Yamamoto’s eyes widened at this information.

“They text back and forth pretty often ever since our first practice match with them.”

“You’re okay with that?” Kuroo wondered, holding onto his chin. He couldn’t say for sure whether he’d be entirely happy with his partner texting another guy like that, especially one that had hit on them so strongly upon first meeting.

“Of course. As long as Y/N is happy, I’m happy.” Kai offered them a closed-eye smile before setting the towel onto the bench and returning to the court. The two boys could only watch him in wonder, unable to fully process how he could be so trusting and angelic.

“Bar-be-cue!!” Karasuno’s boys were the first to react when they stepped out of the gym to find the spread of food just waiting to be devoured.

Your own eyes lit up, mouth-watering at the heavenly scent of the meat being grilled. “Wow, so you were telling the truth.”

Noya huffed at you, folding his arms across his chest. “You thought I was lying?”

“Not lying perse, but I figured you had gotten your wires crossed. Wouldn’t be the first time,” you snickered, poking him in the shoulder.

“Rude!”

“While you two argue, I’m gonna eat your share of the meat!” Bokuto grinned as he rushed past toward one of the grills.

“No fair!” You both chorused, rushing after him. Thankfully, you were both able to secure some meat before he could eat it all, settling down beside one another.

“Did you read the latest chapter of Saki no Shita?” you glanced at him as you stuck a piece of meat into your mouth.

“No spoilers!” he all but shoved his hand into your face, brow furrowed. “I didn’t get to read it!”

Konoha scoffed as he approached the two of you, brow raised at the smaller male. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those people that binge read.”

You nodded, sending him a shifty look. “Yeah, those people are the worst. How can you wait so long to find out what happens?”

“Hey!” Noya cried indignantly, making you snicker.

“Binge reading is pretty fun,” Masaru commented with a smile as he joined the group, settling down on the grass across from your chair. “If you take breaks between the chapters, it feels like the story loses its oomph, you know?”

You tapped your chin, looking up at the afternoon sky. “I mean, I guess that makes sense. I feel like if I waited to binge read, I’d lose interest, though!”

He chuckled softly, bringing his fist to his mouth. “That’s valid! We all enjoy it the best way we can, after all.”

“See? He gets it!” Noya grinned. “And besides, I don’t binge it on purpose. Practice takes up a lot of my time so I usually pass out when I return home.”

“Oh yeah, that makes sense,” you nodded. “On the days I spend over at Yuki’s house, he usually falls asleep right after taking care of his younger siblings.”

Noya gasped dramatically, eyes wide as saucers. “You sleep under the same roof? How scandalous, Y/N!”

You scowled, tossing a piece of onion at him. “Not like that!”

He recoiled in disgust, bringing his feet up as if he had just witnessed a mouse scurrying across the floor. The flimsy chair was unable to handle the sudden movement, tipping backward. His arms flailed like a rooster as if that would somehow stop his fall.

“Nish!” you leaned over him when his back hit the ground, noticing how he managed to keep his paper plate up in the air, saving the little bit of meat he had left from hitting the ground. “Are you okay?”

Masaru sweatdropped from beside you. “Judging from the comical swirls in his eyes, I’d say not.”

“Well, if he’s down for the count…” Konoha grinned as he reached for the meat on Noya’s plate. “…I’ll just – hey!! Bokuto, what the hell?!”

You watched the owl of Fukuroudani snatch the meat from the plate, shoveling it into his mouth before Konoha could even register what had happened. And just like that, he darted away like a ninja, popping up beside Hinata and stealing a piece of meat over his shoulder. The poor first-year didn’t even notice, despite the desperate ramblings of Yachi who attempted to explain the theft.

Your eyes followed him as he darted around the group, stealing a piece of meat here and there, even from his own team members. Most people didn’t even notice his ninja-like moves. You sweatdropped, “He’s like the damn hamburglar.”

“The… what?” Masaru raised a brow in confusion.

“He’s an idiot is what he is,” Konoha muttered.

You were about to reply when you noticed the third-year approaching Yuki and Kuroo. “Oh hell nah!” Keeping your plate close to your chest, you weaved through the hulking boys like a plane flying through skyscrapers. You arrived just as Bokuto stole their meat off the grill, dashing away like the criminal that he was. “Bokuto, you little thief! Get back here!”

You tried to give chase, but a strong arm wrapped around your waist, keeping you in place. You pouted at your boyfriend. “Yuki~ Why’d you stop me?”

“I’d rather you spend the last of camp with me opposed to chasing Bokuto-san across the school,” his eyes twinkled with amusement as he pecked your cheek.

“And in case you can’t read between the lines,” Kuroo grinned at you, poking your forehead. “He doesn’t want you to get lost again.”

“Rude,” you huffed. “It happened once, okay.”

“It happened three times.”

“Three?” Yuki raised a brow in surprise, looking between the two of you.

Your face heated up at your secret being revealed like that and you tried to kick him in the shin but he just laughed and rushed off to make sure Kenma was eating properly.

“Three times, huh?” Yuki mused softly, tugging on the side of your shirt.

You pouted at him before looking down at the grill as he added more meat to replace what Bokuto had stolen. “For the record, only the first time was my fault. The second time, I trusted Nish to know where the vending machines were and the third time Eri-chan gave me the wrong directions to the bathrooms.”

He chuckled. “You should have just asked me, hun.”

“You were in games each time, though.”

“I still would have helped you.”

“That’s why I didn’t tell you,” you smiled, poking his side. “I know you would have left the game to help me!”

“Of course, I would.” His arms found their place around your body as he pulled you into a gentle kiss, his lips soft against yours. “Y/N, my love, you will always come first. No matter what.”

“Don’t let Kuroo or Yaku hear that,” you mused against his lips, a bright smile on your face.

You sniffled, wiping away the tears that were gathering in your ducts before they could fall. Noya stood across from you, his own eyes shimmering with tears.

“You take care of yourself, understood?” you sniffled again. “Make sure you read the next chapter so we can talk about it!”

“I will,” he nodded frantically, sniffling as he tried to hold back his tears. “Don’t stay up too late reading, your grades are trash.”

“So are yours!”

“I know!”

Ogano sweatdropped, leaning toward Nekoma’s captain and covering his mouth. “Are those two gonna be okay?”

Kuroo rubbed the back of his neck. “They certainly like to be dramatic…”

As if on cue, both of you burst into tears, throwing your arms around each other. Yamamoto and Tanaka appeared out of nowhere, trying to pry the two of you apart.

“Y/N, knock it off! You have a boyfriend already!!”

“Noya, let them go! They have a boyfriend already!!”

“I’m never letting go!” Noya cried, tightening his grip.

“My bestie!” You cried back, gripping the back of his shirt.

Yaku sighed, bringing his hand to his forehead. “You both act like you’re never going to see each other again…”

Suga chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “Guys, you’re making a scene. People already think Karasuno is crazy…”

“Because you are,” Bokuto chirped happily, giving the grey-haired boy a thumbs up. “But it’s okay, Nekoma is, too!”

“What did you say, birdbrain?” Kuroo grinned sadistically making Bokuto stick his tongue out before darting behind Akaashi.

Yuki tapped Yamamoto on the shoulder and the younger boy released his hold on you, taking a step back so the older male could come up behind you. His hands were warm on your shoulders. “Hun, Karasuno needs to get back home. I know you’re going to miss him but you’ll see him again.”

“Promise?” you looked up at him with hopeful eyes, sniffling loudly.

“I promise,” he smiled softly, bringing his lips to your forehead. “We can even make plans to spend some time in Miyagi if you’d like. I’m sure Yua would love to go sightseeing there.”

“Come on, Noya, let them go.” Daichi appeared behind the libero, patting him on the shoulder. “We need to get going, we’ve got a long trip back.”

Reluctantly, the two of you released your grip on each other, exchanging sad looks as if a pair of twins were being separated. Noya’s arms wiggled in the air as Daichi dragged him toward the bus by the back of his shirt.

“Bokuto, why are you crying?” Akaashi deadpanned, not looking back at the boy that was sobbing into the back of his shoulder.

“It’s so sad!”

Tsuki rolled his eyes as he stepped toward the bus. “I’m surrounded by idiots.”

You turned around, burying your face into Yuki’s chest, arms wrapped around his waist. Your words were muffled by the cloth and hard to understand because of how soft you spoke. “I hate goodbyes and endings. They suck.”

Yuki hummed softly, running his fingers through your hair. “I know, hun. I know.”

━━━━━━༻⍚ 🏐 HaikWeek!! 2020 🏐 ⍚༺━━━━━━

» Next Day

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[artificialqueens]

Tree House Kisses, Chapter 18 (Adorney) - Scorpio and Veronica

A/N: Click here for previous chapters. Xoxo!

Chapter Summary: Someone’s planning a super sweet sixteen, and love is in the air...

Chapter 18: Those Magic Changes

Courtney skipped into the kitchen, trilling, “Gooood morning, mommy!” and giving Karen a big, warm hug. She turned to Karen’s new boyfriend, who was struggling with the coffee maker. “Hi, Todd. Let me help you with that.”

Karen raised an eyebrow at her daughter’s sunny disposition. “Okay, what do you want?”

“Well, now that you mention it, I was thinking about my party…”

“Oh god, here we go--”

“Moooom,” Courtney whined good-naturedly. “It’s my sixteenth birthday. We’re doing it here in the backyard, that’s saving a lot of money, right? I mean, Kim’s was at the Hilton.”

“Courtney, I don’t need to remind you that both the economy and our financial situation were very different back then, right?”

Courtney smiled and put her arms around her mom’s shoulders.

“I know, mommy. That’s my point. Kimmy had a booming economy and the emotional stability of two-parent family. I mean, I’m dealing with a divorce and two wars and a terrible president. I should have a nice birthday party, don’t you think?” Courtney pouted her lip.

Karen laughed. “Well, when you put it that way…”

“So listen,” Courtney said, getting down to business, “Roy’s cousin Tomas is a DJ, and he said he’ll do it for the friends and family rate.” She placed a business card on the counter. “I found a caterer in Pasadena that has tons of vegetarian options and she gives a huge discount if you go pick the stuff up from her.” She put a printout of another business card down carefully. “And she’s like 2 blocks away from a bakery that does vegan cakes and look at this!” Courtney pulled out a picture of a black and white cake with a bright pink bow. “It’s my colors!”

Karen shook her head. “I thought we’d get a cake from Costco, honey.”

“Mother. Costco?” Courtney clutched her chest dramatically. “Omigod, this is worse than the divorce.”

Todd, who had been silent, began to laugh. “I’m pretty stoked on the vegan cake idea, Court.”

“Thank you! Oh, and Party Planet can deliver tables, chairs, lights, decor, everything, early in the morning and then pick it up the next day. They did April’s quinceañera last year, and they are AMAZING.” She put the last piece of paper down triumphantly. “I’ve been doing a lot of research and these are the best deals in town, mom.”

Karen shook her head. “Fine, I will talk to these vendors. I’m not promising anything, though.”

“Thanks, mommy! And remember, we’re also saving money since Darienne and I are doing the invitations and placecards ourselves.”

“You spent three hundred bucks at Michael’s, Courtney. I don’t know how much money that saved.”

“Mommy...have I told you how beautiful you look today?” Courtney batted her eyelashes. “And so young…”

“Go get dressed for school, Courtney.”

She kissed Karen on the cheek and departed from the kitchen, singing, “This will be the best party ever! Because I have the best mother!”

Todd shook his head. “You’re getting so played.”

“I know,” Karen sighed.

-

Adore and Willam were the last to arrive at lunch; Fame and Pearl were deep in conversation about who knows what and Violet sat across from Trinity, giving her answers to some homework that she didn’t do.

“What’s up, guys?” Adore asked, plopping down in the grass next to Violet and Trinity. Willam sat against the tree butting his way into Fame and Pearl’s conversation.

“Hey, Adore. Just trying to get this finished before class--heard Mrs. Davis is checking for correctness.” Trinity rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“And Violet's helping you. Aw, look who's being nice today,” Adore teased Violet, trying to elicit some kind of response from the girl. Violet had been ignoring Adore since the locker incident and she just wanted things to get back to normal between them. Or as normal as possible, under the circumstances.

Adore sighed when Violet stared at the paper in front of her.

“Did you read the story at all Trin? He dies at the end,” Violet grabbed pencil from Trinity, erasing her answer.

“Lenny dies?!”

“Yeah-” Adore started only to be interrupted by Violet.

“Maybe, you should have read the book. I don't even know why I'm helping you,” Violet passed the paper back.

“Because you love me and like to see me succeed in life,” Trinity flashed a smile and Violet playfully rolled her eyes.

“Never suggest such a thing.”

Adore let out a frustrated groan before flopping back onto the grass between the two girls, “Can you, like, stop acting like I don't exist.” Adore said, a pout on her lips, hazel eyes blinking at Violet.

“Fame,” Violet called over Adore.

“Yes.”

“Do you still have some grapes left?”

“Mhm,” Fame nodded, ready to toss the ziplock to Violet.

“I'll come get them,” Violet said, crawling over to the others.

Adore sat up on her elbows, watching Violet crawl away. Then looked up at Trinity who was shaking her head, “Can you talk to her?”

“I'll try, but you know how Violet is.”

-

The cast was scattered all over the place waiting their turn to get on the stage and go over blocking and lines. And Adore didn’t hesitate to find her way to where the other pink ladies sat in the back of the theater, plopping down beside Raja.  

“Hey,” Adore said softly, bright eyes admiring the beauty of the older girl.

“Sup,” Raja nodded, pulling the headphones off her ears.

“You look good,” the words left Adore’s lips before she could stop them and her face reddened in turn.

Raja was wearing a Cyndi Lauper t-shirt under a frayed jean jacket, patches sewed carefully along the sleeves and front. Her caramel skin peeked through the rips in her jeans, her long dark hair was braided back, bangs swept to one side, and battered black boots giving her more of an edge and pulling the entire look together.

“I ‘look good’?” Raja raised a brow and Adore face grew redder but she nodded, because it was true. “Thanks for the compliment but I threw this on in two minutes. You, look like you took some time getting ready this morning, though,” Raja said, putting her feet up on the seat in front of her.

Raja wasn't wrong, Adore had been spending more time in the mirror in the mornings than usual.

“Not really,” Adore lied, remembering how she kept messing up her eyeliner and nearly wanted to cry because her right eye wasn’t perfect.

The smell of weed and Raja’s perfume had Adore’s stomach doing flips as she leaned in close; the music from her headphones echoed between them.

“Well, you look good,” Raja looked over Adore, before moving to take her feet off the seat.

“Thanks.” Adore tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

“Wanna go to the vending machine with me?” Raja asked.

“Yeah.” Adore hurriedly stood up, the pair making their way out of the theatre.

“Have you seen the jackets?” Raja asked as she put her money in the machine.

“No, have you?” Adore leaned against the machine as casually as possible.

“Yeah, I’m helping with the costumes. I gotta show them to you when we get a chance.” Raja said, moving closer to Adore after grabbing her pack of skittles. “Maybe try them on to make sure they fit?” Raja suggested, fingering at Adore’s jacket, brown eyes staring intently into Adore’s.

Adore’s thoughts raced with possibilities, but she only nodded in response.

“Uh, you wanna hang out later?”

“Sorry,” Raja smacked her teeth, stepping back and opening the bag of skittles. “Got work, but another time, okay?”

“Yeah,” Adore nodded.

Once back in the theatre, Raja put her headphones on Adore, going through her music seeing if the younger girl could name the songs from ear.

“You don't know this one,” Raja teased.

“Yeah, I do. Give me a sec; the song just started,” Adore smiled.

“Let me see what part it's on,” Raja leaned in, her scent filling Adore’s senses again. Raja’s hand found a spot on Adore's thigh as she leaned toward her. Raja put her ear to the outside of the headphones and the pressure on Adore’s thigh made it hard for her to concentrate on the song.

“If you haven't gotten it by now, then you're not going to get it,” Raja laughed, hand squeezing Adore’s thigh slightly. Adore turned to look at Raja, heartbeat speeding up when she noticed how close they were to each other; noses nearly touching.

“Whatever, it's all stuff from before I was born. It’s stuff from before you were born,” Adore pulled the headphones off.

“Exactly. When you come to my place… I'm going to have to get you acquainted with some real music.”

-

Courtney walked back to her seat, trying not to watch Adore’s ridiculously obvious flirting. Frankly, she found Raja to be a little bit pretentious and full of herself, but Adore seemed to think she walked on water, so she was just keeping her opinions to herself.

It wouldn’t be so bad, but she’d canceled their plans twice in the last week, which irritated Courtney to no end. She couldn’t be totally sure that the last time had to do with Raja, but Courtney had her suspicions. She sighed, approaching Roy and Darienne, who were of course dutifully studying for a US History test while everyone else in the theatre was fucking around.

“You alright, babe?” Roy asked.

Courtney looked down at him and smiled sweetly. “Mmmhmm…” She ran a hand through his thick hair and settled into his lap, demanding attention.

Roy grinned, dimples deep in his cheeks, and went in for a long, slow kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Roy, when did Teddy Roosevelt start the National--” Darienne began and then looked up, rolling her eyes. “You guys, come on...”

“Sorry, am I interrupting?” Courtney asked coyly, batting her eyelashes.

Roy laughed and sucked on her pulse point, one hand trailing down her thigh. “Yes. And don’t stop.”

“You used to be a really responsible study partner, you know!” Darienne said.

Courtney giggled as Roy buried his face in her hair, giving Darienne an apologetic shrug. “Sorry.”

“Whatever. I guess I’ll just be ruining the curve by myself now.” Darienne flipped her hair and went back to her textbook.

Roy lifted his head, eyes blazing. “Fuck you, I’m still gonna ruin the curve. I’ll get a higher grade than you without even studying.”

“Wanna bet?”

“Twenty bucks says I beat your grade on Friday without cracking this book.”

“Deal. Give me the book.”

“You don’t trust me?” Roy clutched his chest in mock dismay.

“Not as far as I can throw you, Del Rio.”

“Hmph. Well, you’re smarter than I thought.” Roy handed over his textbook, chuckling.

-

“Knock knock…” Adore said, standing at Courtney’s back door.

Courtney pulled off her headphones, sweaty after just getting back from a run, and threw open the door. “Hiya babe, come in!”

“I’m just here to hand-deliver the RSVP for the most ridiculous invitation I’ve ever received.”

Courtney clapped her hands, jumping up and down excitedly. “Did the glitter go everywhere?”

“Yes. You goddamned asshole.”

“Roy was so pissed. He was sitting on his unmade bed and now it’s like, in his sheets. And when I saw him there was even a piece of pink glitter in his eyelashes,” she doubled over laughing. “He said he’s gonna have his mom put a Santeria curse on me.”

“I’d support that.”

“Too bad she loves me!” Courtney giggled mischievously, then sat down at the table, sighing dreamily. “This party is going to be amazing. I almost feel bad for using the divorce to manipulate my parents into spending so much money…”

Adore laughed. “Almost, but not quite?”

“Well, do you remember Kimmy’s sweet sixteen party, at the Hilton?! Come on! I deserve this!” Courtney pouted.

“Of course you do, princess. So...I wanted to ask you a question about the guest list.”

“Yes, I invited Pearl and Willam and no, I did not invite Violet.”

“Noted. But, I was wondering if I could invite Raja.”

Courtney stared at her for a moment, blinking rapidly.

“I mean, you know, we’ve been hanging out, and...things are...why do you look like that?”

“Because Raja has never even said one word to me.”

“Well…” Adore bit her lip. “Maybe, she can just be my plus one.”

“This party is about me, Adore. Why would you need a plus one?” Courtney whined.

“Uh...” Adore hesitated, knowing how Courtney got when it came to her birthday. She was the most important person that day and she’d fight anyone who said otherwise.

“Whatever,” Courtney finally sighed crossing her arms in annoyance.

“Whatever? So, I can-”

“Yeah, you can invite her, I guess. But I expect your present to be the best one I open at my party. I want to be wowed and everyone else to be jealous that you’re my best friend.” Courtney raised a brow, challenging Adore.

Adore let out a nervous chuckle at her friend’s ridiculousness.

“Okay, yeah, it’ll be the best present you could ask for. I promise.” Adore leaned across the table planting a kiss on Courtney’s cheek.

-

“Pearl, if you can do the school over here, I can work on the foreground,” Sasha said.

“Sure!” Pearl settled down over by the corner as directed, arranging her brushes, chatting with Sasha about the plans for the other backdrops. She was especially excited about getting to take the lead for the drive-in, since Sasha had loved her sketches.

“Sasha! Did you know that the US History test is tomorrow?!” Shea came running around the corner in a panic. She glanced down at Pearl and tried to regain her composure. “Hey Pearl.”

Pearl flashed a coy smile and Shea returned a shy grin.

“Yeah, hon, I know. Do you wanna come over and study later?”

“Uh, yeah, duh. And can I borrow your notes too?” Shea smiled charmingly at her friend.

Sasha laughed. “Sure. I’ll go get them.” She rose from the ground and walked over to her backpack.

Pearl looked up at Shea, standing with one hip cocked, head tilted. She was just so damn cute.

“Shea, I love that dress. Where did you get it?”

“Oh, um...I made it.”

“You made it? Are you serious?” Pearl jumped up to examine it closer. “You are kidding me; this is incredible!” She ran a finger over the colorful fabric.

Shea cleared her throat. “Thanks.” She took a small step back and Pearl wondered if she’d crossed some boundary.

“You know, I heard that they need someone else to do costumes. If you’re interested, I bet Thorgy would kiss your feet.” Pearl tried to give her a friendly, non-predatory, no-homo smile.

“Cool, yeah, that’s…” Shea trailed off, looking into Pearl’s eyes, clearing her throat.

Sasha handed a red notebook to Shea, looking between them with an amused expression. “Here you go. I’ll be done here by 4:30.”

“Okay, thanks. See you later,” Shea said, quickly taking the notebook and bolting.

“Something I said?” Pearl asked.

Sasha laughed. “Don’t take it personally.”

-

“So, mother,” Courtney skipped into the kitchen, a sly smile on her face and a piece of paper in hand.

“Courtney, please don’t tell me-”

“Just a few last-minute things that I must have for my party.” She held the list out for her mom to take, but Karen only glared at the paper.

“Come on. It’s not bad, I promise,” Courtney waved the paper in front of her face, coaxing her to take it out of her hand.

With a sigh, Karen took the paper from Courtney, folding it up.

“Wait, what are you doing, look at it.”

“I will, when I have time.” Karen assured.

“What’s more important than your baby girl’s sweet sixteen?” Courtney crossed her arms.

“Courtney, don’t start,” Karen squinted at Courtney.

“Ever since you and dad finalized your divorce, it’s been like I don’t even matter,” Courtney eyes watered and her bottom lip quivered for effect.

“You know that’s not true,” Karen sighed, knowing Courtney’s tactics, but couldn’t help feeling the guilt that would eat her alive if Courtney didn’t have the birthday she wanted. “Let me see what you wrote.”

“Two cakes and an ice cream cart,” she looked up with wide eyes.

“We’re doing the vegan cake from Sweet Pea, plus I want a regular chocolate cake for everyone else and an ice cream cart for people who don’t like cakes plus it’s cute and fun and the awning matches my color scheme.” Courtney smiled and Karen rolled her eyes.

“You’ll get the vegan cake and one or the other; not both,” she said before she continued reading. “Smoke machines, strobe lights? Disco balls? Courtney--”

“They are just little add-ons to the lighting package! It’ll make the dance floor sooo much more fun, Mommy, please!”

“Balloon arch? Confetti cannons? A photographer AND videographer? Do you want a clown too?” Karen murmured under her breath, but Courtney heard her mother and only rolled her eyes.

“Mom, we need production value, and the photographer is to capture the memories, it’s going to be such a special day.”

“We can all take pictures. I have a camera, and so does your father, and Todd, plus I’ll borrow the video camera from Bonnie. And doesn’t your friend Thorgy take beautiful pictures?”

“Yeah, but that’s not as good as a professional!”

“Whatever,” her mother shook her head.

“Keep going,” Courtney waved her hand. Her mother grew silent as she continued to read the list.

“Okay, Courtney. No!” Karen slapped the paper on the counter, wanting to get it out of her hands as quick as possible causing Courtney to frown.

“What?”

“No spray tan, no teeth whitening! Even if we had that kind of money, which we don’t, that stuff is full of toxic chemicals.”

“But, mom, it’s winter and I’m so pasty, I need a tan!” she whined.

“I said NO! And I’m not hiring a professional makeup artist, or hairstylist either. Kimmy can do your hair and makeup. I don’t have the money for this stuff and you know it.”

“What about daddy?” Courtney asked. Did she know her list was a bit much, yes, but did she think it was unreasonable, no.

“Pick out three things that you really want from this and then I’ll call your father,” she slid the paper across the counter to Courtney.

“Mommy!”

“Courtney. Don’t.”

They glared at each other, before finally Courtney decided to give in.

“I’ll rewrite the list.”

“Thank you, I’ll call your dad.”

-

Fingers intertwined with Roy, Courtney made her way to her locker, going on and on about her plans for the party in a couple of weeks.

“I already have it narrowed down between three outfits that I might wear for my party. I just can’t figure out which one would be the best one,” Courtney pouted.

“You’ll look beautiful in any outfit you choose,” Roy leaned in, placing a soft kiss to her cheek.

“You haven’t even seen the outfits. How would you know?”

“That’s because you won’t let me and you’re the most beautiful girl no matter what you wear,” Roy smiled, tugging Courtney’s hand, pulling her into his chest as they walked up to Courtney’s locker.  

All Courtney had been able to talk about for the last week is party plans and Roy found it absolutely endearing how adamant she was on making sure everything was less no than perfect. His only job so far was to find the perfect birthday gift for her, which was stressful in its own right.

“Thank you,” Courtney said, stopping in front of her locker before pulling Roy into a sweet kiss, “but you’re no help right now. I just have to decide on what color I want to wear and then it’ll really narrow it down. Everyone else will be wearing black and white so that means I need to pick the perfect color to POP compared to everyone else.” Courtney continued as she unlocked her locker.

“I thought you’re wearing pink.”

“Oh my god, do you know how many shades of pink there are?” she rolled her eyes. “I mean- OHMYGOD!” Courtney squealed as she opened her locker, startling Roy.

“What!? What’s wrong?” Roy pulled the locker door open wider to see a black box decorated with glittery numbers saying “1996” sitting on top of a note. His brows furrowed in confusion as Courtney bounced on her feet in excitement.

She grabbed the box out of her locker and opened it, another squeal leaving her before she closed the box, looking up at Roy with teary green eyes. She reopened the box a big smile spreading across her face as she ran her finger over the pretty silver brush and pulled out a familiar bright red hair bow and slipped it onto her wrist.

-

Courtney sat at the table watching her mother take the cookies out of the oven, setting them aside to cool down.

“Are we going to take allll the cookies over there?” Courtney asked, blinking up at her mother, hoping that she would let her keep a few for herself; it had been her idea to bake cookies for the new neighbors instead of the lasagna Karen wanted to take over, secretly hoping that she’d get some cookies too.  

“We’ll keep a few here, since you were so helpful today,” Karen said taking her oven mitts off, “Now go wash up while the cookies cool down.”

Later, Courtney skipped down the sidewalk at her mother’s side, excited to be the first one to meet the new family out of all of her friends.

“Does the new neighbors have kids?” Courtney asked.

“Well, I saw a boy a little older than you and I saw a little girl around your age, when they were still moving yesterday.”

“I’ll ring the doorbell!” Courtney yelled, running up to the door and pressing the button, beyond excited to meet these brand-new kids.

“Just once,” Karen swatted Courtney’s hand away from the doorbell as she went to push it again.

Courtney mimicked her mother, smiling wide when the door swung open to reveal a woman with dyed curly blonde hair and a young girl hiding behind the woman’s leg.

“Hi! I’m Karen and this is my daughter, Courtney. We thought we’d welcome you to the neighborhood with some homemade cookies.” Karen held out the container.

“They’re vegan!” Courtney added, smiling up at the woman.

“Thank you! Vegan cookies, wow. Never had them before.” Bonnie gave a tight smile, taking the cookies from Karen.

“They’re really really good,” Courtney said, addressing the girl behind the woman’s leg more than the woman herself, hoping that they would like the cookies as much as she did.

“This is really appreciated. I’m Bonnie, and this is my baby girl Adore,” Bonnie said. “Do you want some coffee?”

“I’m not a baby!” Adore exclaimed, before hiding again, biting her lip.

Courtney smiled at Adore, wiggling her fingers at the dark-haired girl. She couldn’t see much of her as she peaked at Courtney from between Bonnie’s legs; but the bright red bow wrapped around the girl’s ponytail caught Courtney’s attention and she had an urge to tug it.  

Courtney was shaken from her thoughts as Karen’s hand on her shoulder guided her into the house.

“Adore, why don’t you and Courtney go play. You can show her your new bedroom,” Bonnie suggested, and headed into the kitchen, chatting with Karen along the way.

“I really like your bow. It’s so pretty, I don’t have any bows,” Courtney said reaching to tug at the bow, but Adore moved out of her reach, causing Courtney to frown for a moment until she saw a big smile spread across Adore’s face.

“Do you want to go upstairs and see my other stuff? I have so many bows,” Adore touched her own before turning to run up the stairs and Courtney followed.

-

She closed the box sitting it back in her locker and picked up the card that the box had sat on.

“Uh, so who is it from,” Roy asked even though he was ninety-nine percent sure he knew who it was from.

Courtney ignored him as she read the card:

Remember my favorite red bow I used to always wear? When we first met, you’d beg me to let you wear it. When I finally gave in, you lost it the next day. I can’t believe we stayed friends after that. :p It must be because you were the only one who had patience for my “tender-headed bullshit,” to quote my lovely mother. This is gift 1 of 10, for our 10 years of friendship. -Dory

-

Courtney watched Adore whimper, grit her teeth and stomp her feet as Bonnie detangled her hair.

“It's okay, Dory,” Courtney said softly, hating to see Adore like this. She sat in front of Adore, trying to distract her from the brush running through her hair.

When Adore let out a cry as the brush snagged on a particular knot, tears started to fall from her eyes. Courtney leaped forward, pulling Adore into a tight hug.

Bonnie shook her head, finding the whole scene adorable and over-dramatic.

“She'll be fine, Courtney.” Bonnie assured.

When the girls didn't let go of each other, Bonnie decide to send Courtney off.

“Courtney, can you be an angel and go get Adore's big red bow out of her bedroom for me.”

Courtney nodded, peeling away from Adore, running to get the bow, knowing that it was Adore's favorite and wanting to get back to her as soon as possible.

Running as fast as her little legs could carry she burst through Adore’s bedroom door, grabbing the red bow from her night table. Courtney hesitated for just a moment, admiring the brightness of it before Adore’s yelp from downstairs pulled her out of her thoughts, causing her to spring back into action.

Passing the bow to Bonnie, Courtney plopped back down in front of a crying Adore.

“Hold my hand, Dory.” Courtney said, shoving her hand towards Adore and they stayed like that until Adore’s hair was finished.

-

“Babe, are you crying?” Roy wrapped his arms around Courtney.

“No,” she sniffed, “I just really miss that red bow,” she turned around to face him.

Fuck, he thought, he completely forgot that he was going to be going up against Adore for the title of best gift. Best friend vs Boyfriend.

Around the corner, Adore watched Courtney’s emotional reaction to her gift with a satisfied smirk. Nailed it.

-

“Dory, pretty pleasssseee,” Courtney begged, hugging Adore tight.

All Courtney wanted was to wear Adore’s red bow, when her Grandma Muriel came to visit tomorrow, but Adore didn't want Courtney to wear it because it was hers.

“No,” Adore huffed.

“But I promise to bring it back,” Courtney pouted, blinking those wide green eyes.

Adore crossed her arms, red bow tight in her hand. Courtney smiled mischievously hand inching toward Adore's. She gripped the tip of the bow and tried to lightly tug it out of Adore’s hand.

“No, Courtney!” Adore yelled, hopping off the couch. Crossing her arms and turning her nose up.

“Pretty please! With cherries on top,” Courtney bottom lip quivered, her feelings hurt that Adore was being so mean to her to today. “I thought you were my best friend.”

“I am.” Adore uncrossed her arms nodding.

“No, you're not because you won't let me wear your bow.” Courtney pouted.

Hurt was evident on Adore’s face at Courtney's statement of no longer being best friends. She looked down at the red bow that she had taken off her hair earlier and contemplated her options. The red bow was hers and it was her favorite. She also liked being Courtney's best friend; they played together all the time, watched movies and did everything together.

She was scared Courtney would try to keep her bow, but she didn't want to stop being Courtney's best friend.

“Okay,” she sighed, “you can wear it.” Adore held the bow to Courtney, who squealed in delight, attacking Adore in a tight hug, sending them both to the ground.

-

“Here, hold this,” Courtney shoved the box and the card into Roy's hands. She raked her hair high above her head like she’d do on game days and wrapped the bow around her ponytail.

As Courtney fixed her hair, Roy noticed Adore moving toward them from the lockers behind them. Eyes wide in surprise that he hadn't noticed her there earlier, he moved to the side as Adore snuck up behind Courtney, wrapping her arms around his girlfriend’s waist.

“P.S. I'm still a little bitter about you losing my bow, even though your mom bought both of us replacements,” Adore snickered as Courtney squealed for the third time that day, turning around and throwing her arms around her neck.

“I didn't do it on purpose,” Courtney pouted and Roy cleared his throat. Adore immediately noticed the intimacy of their position and stepped back.

Courtney, distracted by the surprise, only turned back to the locker.

“Does it look good?” she asked straightening it out trying to look in the small locker mirror.

“Looks amazing,” Adore smiled.

“It looks perfect,” Roy nodded, before shooting Adore a quick glare, wracking his brain for the perfect gift to beat Adore’s.