#notice board code
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glossamerr · 11 days ago
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Notice Board | Club page
Idk what to call this. Like a notice board or bulletin board. I used it to post important notices and links etc. inside my teams club. It's all scrollable, the post it notes can fit however many lines you want. And you can hide any of them if you dont have that much to say.
Link: https://codepen.io/glossamerr/pen/GRVQZjX
Bit of an old code. lmk if you need help editing it.
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maddy-ferguson · 7 months ago
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i have a crush on someone i met a month and a half ago who i only saw for a week then that i'm seeing again for a week now and that i'm gonna see for four more weeks from now until june this is what life is all about
#and like i say: brf slt#i hadn't had a CRUSH on someone in literal years. like it was bad for me and this isn't even bc i'm bored i'm just attracted to them. yay!#you have to talk to people to like people i'm finding. because i didn't notice that i was charmed until i was charmed by the talking#the way we met (lmao) is i'm studying to be a teacher. and they work in the middle school i spend a few weeks at this school year#but like that person is not a teacher they work there like when kids don't have class they'll be in a classroom doing their homework or#whatever and they would be the one like telling them to not make any noise#amongst other things#idk if there's a word for that in english it's a very specific job. and anyway. we had to go like where these people work like the specific#part of the school the last time we were there (me and the girl i'm studying with who's with me when i'm...at this middle school. it's like#an internship but it feels weird to call it an internship. but that's what it is) and they were like come see us again from 4 to 5 later#we'll do *this* and we played board games with the kids that were there and that probably sounds weird but it was very fun and funny and#that's when i was like waittttt. and then i looked for them on social media at midnight#i kind of didn't think about them once from six weeks ago to monday but on monday i was like omg i'm gonna see my crush again😁 and then i#did on tuesday and we had a fun interaction and everything because we're bffs. anyway. this is great#when i didn't see them on monday i was like omg what if they quit😔 but they hadn't.#it's just the right amount for it to be fun because like i don't know this person and i won't know them because i won't see them again#until march and after that until may but like it's fun for the weeks i do see them. saw them for 3 minutes on tuesday and like 25 today#it's a job YOUNG PEOPLE do it's not like an old person😭 we're around thesame age. i actually applied to a job like that 3 years ago but#i cried during the interview because i'm crazy like that. i had 2 interviews at 2 different high schools and i didn't cry during the#second interview but i still didn't get the job. lol. but as i was saying young person and i feel like we would genuinely get along like#in an ideal world we would all have drinks together like with my friends and everyone and we would actually hang out. me saying that#instead of like in an ideal world we would: date is you can't even dream a whole dream can you coded😭😭 but like. whatever
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ne0nwithazero · 2 years ago
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I went through all the stages of grief trying to make this for like three days straight, Javascript is evil </3
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isimchi · 2 years ago
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After revealing their makeovers, Morning Star wants to tell something to the group.
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"Uh. I don't know how to properly do this, so I'll just say it. I'm a dude. I'm trans. So. Yeah."
"Oh okay, nice! Thanks for letting us know. Which pronouns do you use now?"
"He/him, I think."
"Yeah thanks for trusting us, Star! Can I still call you sibling or should I still call you brother now?"
"Either is cool with me! Just not sister please."
"I got you, bro."
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lassiie · 8 days ago
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HACKER!STEPBRO HEESEUNG - TRAPPED.
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The one where your antisocial stepbro pretends he's not obsessed—while secretly hacking you, jerking off to your secrets, and discovering about your desire. He’s obsessed… And you'll use it.
BEST TO READ IN DARK MODE FOR EFFECTS
CONTENT ↠ nsfw! mdni!, smut, angsty toxic Heeseung, obsessive, psychosexual dark vibes step bro Heeseung, stalker heeseung, if I can't have you no one can typpa heeseung, deep voyeurism kink, needy/pervy/manipulative reader, strong depiction of fantasies, sexual tension, consensual edging, p in the v, overstimulation, , light choking, public act, bad behavior's reader.
WORDCOUNT ↠ 9k (not proof read enough.. damn...)
Was literally obsessed with those two songs when writing this : https://open.spotify.com/intl-fr/album/4OFZVvqlg84Czl7td7XddK?si=rakigTTnSJyY8CnPyp8A7w
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Heeseung barely glanced up the first time you met.
Not when your mom introduced you, her laugh sharp and grating over the clink of designer glassware. Not when she called you her little angel, like she hadn’t spent the last decade ignoring your existence—like a piece of cloth begging to be brought back just because it’s trendy now. And definitely not when you smiled at him like you actually meant it.
He just slouched further into his hoodie—hood up, sleeves covering half his hands like armor. Said something that might’ve been “hey,” but it sounded more like: I don’t give a shit.
You smiled anyway. Quiet, composed. Like you didn’t notice he hadn’t met your eyes yet, hadn’t even registered the color of his irises. He had a good face, for sure. And a nice name. Heeseung. Hee—seung.
Let’s try not to forget it…
He’s Heeseung—the one who doesn't match the luxury flooring or manicured smiles. Heeseung, who looked more interested in his phone screen than the pricey piece of steak he’d just been served.
You—
You were different. And Heeseung noticed.
Because other girls—especially the daughters of his father’s revolving door of Stepford wives—always played the same game: almost flirty, too fake, self-obsessed, and excited to be part of the family.
You… you were calmer. Almost shy. Ashamed to even call your mom “Mom.” You were also interested in his presence—lightly tapping his foot with yours, giving him those apologetic doe eyes, like: Sorry that my shameless mom got a grip on your already-married dad just to milk him dry…
But it’s not like he divorced his mom for yours. And it’s not like you were the first one. Generally, the other step-siblings never asked about him. Never cared to know what lay beneath the hoodie-tortured-kid style he wore like armor.
You?
You looked at him like he was a person. Like you saw something he didn’t even believe was still there.
And with months—and then a year—maybe… you liked what you saw.
You asked questions. Not the fake kind. Real ones.
“You coded that game on your own?”
“You really won a national contest?”
“That glitch mechanic you added… did you write it from scratch?”
He wasn’t used to that kind of attention. Not anymore.
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You leaned over his laptop one afternoon, wide-eyed, genuinely impressed. Your breath was warm on his shoulder, the scent of vanilla and soft detergent clinging to your hoodie—one he was almost sure used to be his.
“You’re kind of a genius,” you’d said, and smiled that smile. Soft. Easy. Like you weren’t afraid of him.
Because why would you be? You were always so nice and caring to him. You’d bring him a plate of food when his dad never cared to check even once. Leave Post-its with sweet pep talks before exams—ones that made him smile for the first time in a decade. Sit silently beside him after he got scolded for placing second on the honor board. Your hand, always soft and peach-scented, would stroke his hair like he wasn’t eight months older. And your eyes—so sweet when they met his.
You weren’t supposed to make him feel things.
And he wasn’t supposed to want someone like you.
But there you were. Not just prim—but infuriatingly so. You weaponized it. You made being stuck-up look like a goddamn virtue. All perfect posture and polite smiles. Still, something was off. Like how you made him open up to you, but never really talked about yourself—your life, your past. Always mysterious, always evasive when he got curious, always turning the tables on him.
You… you made him feel watched. Seen. Known.
And he didn’t like not knowing you back. Because he needed to know everything. It was pathological. Every variable that could disturb his life. Every secret.
And you—you were the unknown variable. The only one he couldn’t figure out.
And the worst part?
Heeseung couldn’t match you. He wasn’t good with people. Never had been. Getting you to open up? Never happening. He even got tense in crowds. Even if girls liked him, he couldn't maintain relationships beyond hookups. He could throw a punch, sure—but he'd rather let the other guy walk off with a smirk, too bored to bother.
But he was good at something: systems. Code. Surveillance.
So he broke the rules he’d promised himself he wouldn’t—with you.
He hacked your devices.
He shouldn’t have connected to them. Shouldn’t have hijacked your phone. Shouldn’t have hacked your webcam feed like it was just another game level to conquer.
It started innocent—ish. Really. Just some harmless digital snooping. New mother, new stepsister, weird vibes, potential threat to his peace and privacy—totally justifiable.
But your passwords were laughable. The kind of thing a middle schooler could crack.
Seriously. “Bookworm123”?
Please.
After all he was Mr. Cybersecurity Prodigy. Award-winning code monkey. VPN for his VPN, two-factor-auth god.
And he peeked. Just a little…
Your instagram private account, that your mom swore you didn’t have because “socials medias was too destructive for her future doctor of a child.”
Your spotify. Pinterest boards. You’re files.
like essays about behavioral neuroscience and a note named “journaling” : Plans. Rage. Angry rebellion written between textbook reviews. Your escape plan : college far away, control of your own life, zero influence from Barbie and her string of Stepdads. How you craved more. Your identity crisis, GPA fetishist, and how competitive you were to the point of mania. Basically, a mirror of Heeseung in the shape of someone who tried to play the hero of his narrative.
Then, it got worse.
Because curiosity became fixation. He was too deep for it not to be.
On sleepless nights, Heeseung discovered things he absolutely shouldn't.
That his straight A’s and volunteering hours stepsister — was actually sneaking off to frat party with her friends, just feel alive, get waisted and let some sophomore finger her.
The music you fall asleep to, your “fuck” playlist too — the one you wouldn’t admit to owning even under threat of death.
That habit of yours to flirt with strangers like you had a death wish or just want to be ruined so badly being jailed would be for your own good. 
That you send cropped pics, no face — just enough tits and thighs, to creeps then ghost them when they beg to meet, just to feel seen.
And he knew the kind of porn you watched on school nights, after wishing him sweet dreams. Earphones on, lips between your t-shirt collar like you’re scared someone might hear you in that big mansion. And what killed him is how fucking rough it is. Spit. Hair-pulling. Throat-fucking. Girls like you weren’t supposed to want that. Girls like you were supposed to blush and look away, like when he got too close. You’re supposed to be horrified at things like that — not get off to it at 1:38 a.m.
He discovered your texts with that secret boyfriend of yours. How badly he treated you—and how you let him, just to feel owned, loved. He knew when you snuck in those late-night FaceTimes, shirt half-off, hand between your thighs, playing the loyal girlfriend for him and his pathetic dick.
And Heeseung? He was obsessed with that version of you—the one he didn’t even dare to fantasize about, yet you handed to him on a silver plate.
Your self-care sessions got him hard under his desk. Got him jerking off to the way your fingers curled around your own throat in the dim hue of your bedroom, playing at power, pretending you didn’t crave being broken open.
You were too good at pretending. Sitting across from him, blouse crisp, smiling like a poetry award was the climax of your week.
What a goddamn lie.
But at least he’d seen you now. Most of you. And he understood better. Understood your issues. But something in him snapped.
Because this wasn’t just about obsession anymore.
It wasn’t about lust.
Or even protection.
It was about you.
And how you made him feel real again.
How you gave him a purpose.
You didn’t flinch when he glared. Didn’t avoid him at dinner. You just smiled, slid him your extra fries, and asked about the AI competition like it mattered. You looked at him like he was a person.
Not a project. Not a problem.
Not a hacker. Not a delinquent.
Not some mistake his father regretted.
And that… made you dangerous.
Because now you were a necessity. Something—someone—he cared about.
He did want to protect you.
But he also wanted to own you.
To erase the line between your bedroom and his. Between your thoughts and his access. Between your gasps at night and his name.
You weren’t supposed to get close.
You weren’t supposed to care.
And he wasn’t supposed to fall for you.
Fall for you?
...
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But now what ?
You were the virus in his system.
The girl who said “good job” when he didn’t ask for praise. Who laughed when no one else did. Who touched his shoulder once—just once—and left him with a twitch in his fingers he couldn’t debug.
But you were a line of code he couldn’t rewrite. A live feed he couldn’t turn off.
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And maybe, if he watched long enough—if he memorized every breath, every sigh, every single unguarded look—you wouldn’t disappear like the others.
Maybe, if he learned your pattern…he could break you open before you broke him.
And maybe, just maybe, you’d want him to. Even if it meant losing something. Even if it meant pulling you into the dark with him… and never letting you go.
Now you were sitting across from him. You spare him a glance while structuring your salad like a freak, with those doe eyes and he’s hard. Hard at a family dinner while they talked business.
Suddenly his breath catches your feet touching under the table. Like questioning, you good ?
Yeah it’s me, Heeseung. That sweet voice of yours haunting his head. 
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His foot slides slower in between your legs mindlessly and when you almost jolt, he realizes. 
“gotta go sleep.” he blurred, rushing off the table. “Tomorrow is exam day.”
Fuck, he wants more. More of your secrets.More of you—the real you.
So he turned on your webcam, night after night, and your phone’s, and tab. like you were his favorite streamer, his favorite radio mc, the best sound to sleep. Like you wanted him to fantasise, think of it every night… 
You were stretched across your bed, laughing into your phone, wearing nothing but a tank and panties, circling your finger on your belly mindless. The way girls do when they forget they’re being watched.
You laid out your clothes for the next day like some little honor-roll princess—giggling when your friend called you a chaebol, and you shrug her off. 
But the way you lingered on the lace you never wear… the silk you only sleep on alone… the sheer pieces he has never seen— holding them up to your chest, slow movements like the reflection was his to tell you what to wear. It was fucking foreplay. You were a fucking siren, with your fucking hair finally down, and those dumb big scare glasses off. 
And him ?
Heeseung…
He was already crashing on the rocks. He was a black-hat addict no-full-blown cyber-pervert. rock hard, mindlessly stroking his bulge at the sheer form of you in unmatched underwears.
So innocent. So mine.
Some days later, you knocked on his door while your parents were off circling the globe, allergic to stillness and obligations. Your hair was tied up but messier than usual, cheeks sun-kissed, eyes almost red—like you’d cried.
God, if someone made you cry… I’d kill them.
You held two glasses of soda, dripping with condensation. No way you could deny you’d been pacing by his door for the last hour.
“What are you up to, genius? I’m bored,” you said, voice half-curious, half-something else.
Heeseung—fool, addict, liar—let you in. Let you get too close. Showed you things he shouldn’t because you asked with that look that made him feel like a god, not a glitch. But also made him wonder who had made you sad enough to want to change your mind.
Still, you smiled at his screens like they were art. Touched his keyboard like it was sacred. No step-sister had ever looked at him like that before—hell, no one actually had. Fuck, he needed to focus. Focus on you, not you.
“You really made all this?”
He nodded, trying not to smirk, trying not to shake. His fingers danced across the keys like a seduction.
“Wanna see something fun?”
A window blinked open. He typed some commands, and grainy footage appeared: the neighbor’s yard. Middle-aged man with hedge clippers, snipping bonsai like manicuring his soul.
He tapped more keys. Suddenly, sprinklers roared to life. The neighbor shrieked, dropped the shears, and bolted.
You burst out laughing, collapsing into him, palm against his chest. That sound—reckless, sweet—made something snap inside him. It wasn’t just pride. It was possession. You weren’t weirded out. You liked it. Liked him. Not the fake polite way. The way that made him want to caress your cheek and kiss those red eyes.
But he was a coward—or your strongest soldier, as he liked to call himself. One who wanted you close, for good, not some fling you’d regret like the others he barely tolerated. No, he wanted you for life—and he was in the perfect position, as long as your parents behaved.
Then your eyes met. Dangerous idea sparking. You dared him with your gaze, then dashed out of his room.
“Try it on my bedroom camera!” you shouted, disappearing down the hall, hoodie flapping like a flag.
Fuck. If only you knew he was already connected.
Moments later — Cam03: Her Bedroom Feed lit up.
You stood in front of the lens—he used to fuck himself to thoughts of you—starry-eyed as he purposefully reactivated the red dot, signaling it was on. Made a mental note to re-enable it later.
You waved. Smiled like sin. Mouthing: “See me?��
He choked. Because yes—he saw you. Always had. But now? Now you saw him.
Like you always knew.
You reached for your top, lifted the hem just enough to flash bare skin, then darted out of frame, laughing like it was a game.
His chest burned. Panic and arousal mixed in his bloodstream like a drug. Heeseung’s brain broke.
But he didn’t shut it down. He couldn’t. Instead, he gave in. His trembling fingers dimmed your room’s lights, shifting godspeed to soft pink. He knew it was your favorite. Knew too much.
Then he started your playlist—the one with soft beats, gentle melody, moonstruck, your favorite.
You paused in the doorway. Turned just enough for the camera to catch you again. Smiled with pure fascination, like a kid. You should’ve been afraid. But you weren’t.
You looked at the cam again, really looked, like he was the sweetest boy, and you didn’t care much what he was capable of—because it was him.
You walked back to his door, dripping sunlight and mischief.
“That was so cool,” you said, high-fiving him like your heart wasn’t thundering. Like you hadn’t just exposed the darkest part of him and come back wanting more. “Can you, like… track people? Their phones or whatever?”
Heeseung blinked. “I-if their GPS is on. Or if they ping the network.”
You tilted your head. Bit your lip. “…Wanna play hide and seek?”
He scoffed in disbelief, but there was a glint behind his eyes—half challenge, half thrill. Like he’d just been dared to play a game he already knew the rules to.
He grabbed his laptop. The mansion was too big. Too full of shadows, quiet corners. A maze of marble, high ceilings, inherited guilt.
Heeseung sat somewhere, a storm brewing behind his eyes.
You texted him: “find me.” One signal. One flare. Then silence.
He tracked you through your phone GPS—chose not to use the hallway cams, even though he easily could have. Something intimate, invasive, about watching your little red dot move on his map. Every time he walked to you was an ode to the game only you two could play.
Library.
“Checkmate. You’re here.”
“Wow! So you really can!”
West Wing.
“If I’m facing a mirror, it’s too easy… not even fun.”
“Fuck…”
Wine Cellar.
“If you’re trying to get drunk, pick the 2007 Bordeaux.”
You laughed.
The pool.
He stuck to the GPS. The red dot blinking. Stalling. Then disappearing.
You texted: “find me now.”
His screen dimmed like the whole house was holding its breath.
Heeseung’s pulse quickened. GPS cut out. No new pings. He tried again. Twice. Three times. Nothing.
Every nerve in his body was a wire of curiosity. The air heavy with chlorine and humidity as he stepped toward the pool deck, leaving his computer by the bar.
Then he found it—your phone, face down on the stone near the pool.
But you, where—
“Got you!” You leapt.
Laughter, bare legs, hoodie off. Heeseung didn’t have time to react before you crashed into him—both of you tumbling into the water with a splash that shattered the silence.
You surfaced first, grinning like a devil. “You can’t find me if I don’t want you to, huh?” you teased, flicking water at him.
Heeseung stared at you, laughing mid-cough. Clothes heavy. Hair plastered to his forehead. The water clung to your skin in a way that made his hands twitch under the surface. You floated closer then. Then reached out and hooked your fingers in his bangs, stroking them like you always did. Then tugging gently.
“How about I cut your hair?” you whispered, too close to him not to have his eyes linger on your lips. “We’re starting university soon. Can’t show up like some code-goblin, right?”
He snorted. But you two didn’t move. Just watched each other's souls for too long. Heart hammering. Skin burning. You were in his pool. In his arms now. In his system.
“Are you okay?”
He, with the most considering eyes a family member ever gave you. But you just nodded to his biggest displeasure. Something was wrong, yeah.
Actually, everything was wrong. And surely something was wrong with you. You felt trapped. In your studies, in your relationship, in these always-new families, in your boring unstable life. You wanted more. More attention, more love, more recognition, more freeness, just more…
You weren't special like Heeseung. You couldn’t clap your fingers and get that video back from your so-called boyfriend—he threatened to leak it if you ever thought of leaving him again. Couldn’t clap your fingers and make a scholarship appear on your forms for university, and couldn’t clap your fingers to make you go to your best choice without the biggest loan you can think about.
But it was better to tell him everything was okay. Because if you didn't fake it… you’d be dead by now.
And maybe it’s the weather, or his concerned look, or his trembling hands on your ribs—not too low, not too high. But it felt good being with Heeseung, even better seeing the way he looked at you—you really had a problem.
“Can you… like… if I ever asked you…”
“What?” He came closer, almost locking in his hands. “Tell me…”
“If someday I needed you, would you… like… help me if I have something very complicated to solve... like… you know, math.” You laughed it off like you weren't about to ask him to get that sextape back.
He nodded so obediently it hurt. Fuck, you had him in the palm of your hand without doing anything more than just letting him watch. Deny his ever-growing desire. Playing this game you caught him in.
Yeah… maybe you really were what your mom made out of you… sadly.
After that, Heeseung was like a man on a mission. He hacked every piece of info he could find on that deep shit. Until he found it… your complicated math exercise…
A tap of you and him. Filmed like you weren’t aware of it. Heeseung couldn’t find the courage to watch it…
Until he did.
And it was everything he ever fantasized doing with you.
I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him.
That guy needed to be out of your life.
Now.
He could frame him for anything he wanted. Crash his Tesla. His mind was spiraling as he bit on his nail, replaying that video again and again and again. Zooming on you.
I’ll protect you.
First, you needed an escape. Easy—that guy already cheated on you with so many girls, it was easy for you to catch him. So he wrote a fantasy he hoped you’d fall for. He drafted messages from your bf’s phone. A fake date. Something sweet, just enough like your boyfriend to pass.
“Meet me tonight baby girl. Just us. Let’s talk. 9PM. My room.”
“Baby girl…” you hated that name, but still couldn’t refuse him. And now Heeseung understood.
You saw it, and for a second, you believed. He watched you re-read it, then start getting ready—lip gloss, that fluttery dress, even that nervous little smile like it still meant something.
Meanwhile, your boyfriend was across campus, buried in someone else. Moaning her name. Careless, as always.
Heeseung watched it all—your hope fading when you opened that door, his betrayal, his choke. Your silence. Her grasp. One earbud in, one eye on every camera feed you both could offer.
You left the place in a rush, your phone starting to buzz as Heeseung watched every message your now-ex boyfriend sent you. You found yourself drifting in a club. You needed air, music, and drinks.
The music wasn’t even that good, your drink, not that strong. You didn’t plan to dance. And you didn’t plan for some no-brain guy with smooth hands to hit on you.
And you almost let him have his way near the bathrooms. Just to forget the sound of your phone. Forget that you had to go back to that guy until he decided he’d had enough or leaked the tape.
Almost.
Until Heeseung’s hand was on your wrist, showing up out of nowhere to pull you away.
“Heeseung?”
He got you out of the club, his hand digging into your wrist. The car ride was dead silent. Heeseung looked pissed. You were hollow, but not dumb. And you let him snap.
“What the fuck were you thinking?”
You didn’t answer.
“... Don’t you have a bf?”
Still silent. Tears welled up before you could blink them back, and Heeseung was at a loss for words. Yeah, it was that easy to shush him—crocodile cries easy.
“Stop crying…” he muttered, but he looked panicked now. Like your tears were acid on his skin. “Tell me what’s going on?”
Like he didn’t know.
But you had to play it well. Make him do it tonight, and no other night.
“He cheated…”
“Then leave him…”
“I can’t…” Hee looked at you with fake wonder. “He filmed me once… and…”
He nodded, enough to tell you you didn’t need to keep going.
When you got home, Heeseung took your hand before you stormed into your room, and he watched you—really watched—and got in a hug. Caressing your hair, getting closer to your ear, “I'll help you.”
You almost feared he could feel your smile. You detached your head with the saddest questioning expression.
“I’ll protect you,” he said, the heaviest stare he ever gave you.
You just nodded like you weren’t expecting much. When you actually wanted exactly what he gave you.
Back in your room, you kept re-seeing Heeseung’s expression. Almost mad, almost dangerous.
And you. You wanted more. You wanted everything—not just protection, but revenge. Revenge for the time you lost on that guy, for your virginity you couldn’t bring back, for the stress… for everything.
So you opened your laptop. Placed your phone next to it like it’s part of the performance. You know he’s watching.
You know.
Heeseung, on his part, got in his room ready to execute the next part of his plan when the ping of your camera alerts him. But tonight is not the night. After seeing you like that, he doesn't want to do that.
So he started to undress. Until—
“Heeseung?”
His head snapped to his monitor. WTF.
“You’re here, no? I mean, you’re watching.”
He almost fell on the ground, unable to walk straight to his computer.
What? What? What? What? What? What? What? What? What? What?
The webcam light doesn’t flicker on right away when you open it.
You look at your reflection. This webcam is better than the last time you used it. Wide-angle. Pretty high-def. You can see almost your entire room. Bed. Closet. Console. The mirror angled just right to show the bathroom.
God. You made it so easy for him.
You let your fingers lazily drift to your dress straps. In a slow reveal. You watch yourself in the camera—legs tucked just right to keep mystery intact. Eyes locked on the return. You open your—
“You like it when I do that?” You looked almost innocent doing it. What the fuck were you doing, Heeseung’s mind screamed. “You want more?”
Heeseung was stunned. Too many questions. Too many desires.
He didn’t even respond, his hand mindlessly disconnecting your camera’s red dot and reconnecting again like Morse.
“Then ruin him for me. Make him as ashamed as I was.”
You were pulling his obsession like strings. A puppet master in silk cloth. The light on the webcam flickered once again.
You smiled, slowly nodding. “Good night, Heeseung.” Shut it all down.
By morning, half the campus was infected with a juicy little virus: dozens of very compromising photos of your now-ex, including a special feature of him being pegged by none other than his mom’s best friend.
Iconic.
The breakup text? Already sent. Blocked him before your brain even had a chance to process.
You didn’t see him all day. No dinner, no open door when you brought snacks. Nothing.
Maybe you really fucked up. Poor Heeseung, thinking you were innocent, only to find out you were just like everyone else—grey, messy, complicated.
But just before bed, your phone lit up. A note. Your password written clear on the screen.
You sat frozen, eyes flickering between the note that started typing on its own, and the webcam pointed right at you.
“I’ll always protect you.”
Then, an mp4 file popped up. Your lips curved into a shy smile.
You almost said something, but instead, you tapped beneath his words:
“Thank you, Heeseung. I don’t know what I’d have done if you weren’t there.”
The cursor blinked, paused—like he was thinking hard about what to say next.
“I protect what’s mine.”
Your eyes drifted to the webcam. “Am I?”
“Aren’t you?”
Your gaze dropped shyly, biting your lip to keep the smile from slipping out. Fuck, it was hot—this obsessive, protective boy who’d kill for you.
“I am…” you breathed, fingers playing with the thin straps of your dress.
“Maybe?”
Slowly, you peeled it off. No bra. No panties. Just you—bare, glowing in the soft light of your screen.
Heeseung’s side: panting mess. Trembling. Rock hard. Watching was always intense, but this? His brain shorted out. Every movement you made poured fuel on the fire in his chest—the way you loosened your hair, slid off your glasses, shy but teasing.
Your voice slipped through his headphones like a spell.
“Tell me what you want,” you breathed. “I’ll do it. As a thank you.”
He was nearly feral, watching you perched like a dream made just for him. But now you wanted him to take the lead. For once, you wanted control handed over.
And for a long, heavy moment, silence.
Then, a new line in your notes:
“Anything?”
You nodded, lips parting.
Another line.
“Touch yourself.”
“For me.”
You rose, heading for your bed.
Then:
“No. Here.”
You sat back down. Fully exposed. The chair never felt colder. The electricity on your skin was undeniable—the weight of someone watching, devouring every move.
You shivered. Something folded inside, vulnerable but not scared.
Then your screen flickered.
A video opened.
Porn.
But not just any porn. A girl like you—same frame, soft lighting. She was in a gaming chair, legs parted, cat headphones, a pink toy buzzing between her thighs. Moaning like she’d been waiting for eyes to watch.
You blinked. The message was loud and clear.
Your breath caught—not shocked, but challenged.
Back to the webcam—doe eyes, tempted. Your fingers traced lower, hips shifting, copying her exact position. Mimicry never felt so twisted.
You didn’t hesitate. Your fingers moved.
Heeseung watched like it was a live confession. Pupils dilated, chest heaving, gripping himself tight, trying not to explode too soon.
A message appeared:
“Slower.”
You obeyed, breath shaking, already slick with every stroke.
Another message:
“Fuck, you’re shaking.”
You were. Legs twitching, spine arching against the chair.
You never thought you’d go this far, but he was puppeteering you with his commands.
Then:
“I’ve never seen you like this. Fuck. I want to cum in you. In that chair. Just like that.”
You groaned, eyes fluttering shut, but forced them open—locking onto the lens like it was him.
Another message:
“I want you ruined. For anyone else. Say it.”
You moaned, fingers freezing.
“I’m yours,” you whispered.
“Say it again,” he typed.
“I’m yours, Heeseung.”
The pressure built��right at the edge—
Then:
“Stop.”
“Don’t cum.”
Your breath hitched. You froze mid-stroke, legs trembling.
Another line:
“I said stop. If anyone makes you cum tonight—it’s me.”
Your fingers hovered, shaking. The ache burned deep in your thighs, stomach taut.
But you stopped.
Because his word mattered more than your desire now.
Your screen blinked.
“Get your toy.”
You swallowed, nodded, reached into your drawer.
The vibrator was familiar—sleek, pink, faintly scented from your date-night oil. You rubbed it, coating it with your wetness, then slid it slowly inside, breath heavy.
Then the toy buzzed. Flickered. Came alive.
You gasped—he was controlling it.
Before you could say a word, it pulsed hard. Your body jerked, chair creaking beneath you. Your grip tightened on the arms as pleasure rolled through you like a whip.
“That’s it,” he typed. “Don’t touch it. Just take it.”
You moaned—too much, too fast—your body trembling, legs spreading without control. The sounds you made were filthy, desperate.
Heeseung’s fingers typed again.
“Grip the chair.”
You obeyed.
The toy buzzed harder, relentless and cruel.
“Look at the camera.”
Tears pricked, but you held his gaze—through that little glowing lens. Your thighs trembled, breath catching—
He knew.
He memorized every sound, every gasp, every twitch.
Your climax hit like an explosion—so fierce your back arched from the chair. Toes curled, lips parted in a silent cry.
If only you could hear it—the gasp, the groan, the shuddering moan from his room. Rooms apart, perfectly synced.
You collapsed back against the seat, chest heaving.
The toy powered down. The room fell silent but electric. Only the Notes app stayed open. One final line appears:
“I know your body better than anyone ever will.”
You smile, eyes rolling, calming yourself. You’re still catching your breath when your phone buzzes.
Unknown Caller.
You smirk. Answer it without hesitation.
Hee,” you whisper, lazy satisfaction dripping from your tone.
You hear him—shaky, panting, like the edge nearly broke him. “Fuck,” he groans. “Fuck… You’re so pretty. So fucking pretty. You don’t even know what you do to me.”
His voice is hoarse, frayed with restraint. You picture him—still burning from his climax, hand resting low, skin flushed.
“You drive me insane. Every breath you take, every moan...” He watches you lift your thighs, tucking yourself shyly behind them like a girl playing innocent. “It’s mine. You’re mine. Don’t you get it? I want you so bad I—fuck—I can’t even—”
You cut in softly.
“Heeseung,” you murmur, voice smooth like silk sliding over a blade. “I never said I was yours...”
Silence.
You lean in, sugar-sweet, doe eyes locked on the lens, like you don’t quite know what you’re doing.
“You think this makes me yours?”
He breathes hard. You swear you hear the tension in his throat—how he swallows that growl.
“Then what?” he whispers. “What do I have to do?”
You hum, hiding your face in your thighs, thoughtful. “I’ll know.”
Heeseung almost chokes. “You’re playing with me.”
You tilt your head.
“Of course I am, Hee. Isn’t that what you like? What we always did? Playing games.” Your voice softens, teasing, the tone that always breaks him. “You’re obsessed, Hee. But to own me?” you shake your head slowly. “You’ll have to do more than just watch me cum on camera.”
A pause. You let it hang, let it burn. Then, low and teasing:
“If you really want me,” you whisper. “Stop being a coward. Show me.”
His breath catches. You almost feel the stillness on his end.
Click.
You hang up.
Still smiling, you toss your phone aside.
“Good night, Heeseung,” you murmur to the camera before shutting everything down.
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Heeseung hadn’t heard your voice in three days.
Not on the phone, not through the headphones, not even that little intake of breath when you tiptoe around your room late at night.
Three days.
Seventy-two hours of silence.
No webcam flickers. No Notes app replies. No little “good night, Hee” teasing him through pixels.
Nothing.
He tapped at your IP like a lunatic. Pinging dead signals. Checked your cloud for new files. Scraped your cache for cam logs, anything—anything—that might prove you were still playing.
But you weren’t. You’d shut him out completely. Blocked him, in every way that mattered—except the one that destroyed him the most: in person, you were still perfect.
Because in real life, you were still her.
Still the step-sister who sat next to him at dinner, nudging his arm, sipping from his glass like it meant nothing. Still in those stupid soft modest dresses that smelled like your vanilla lotion and innocence. Still saying his name in that sweet voice that didn’t match the girl who once whispered “I’m yours” for a night, while fingering herself in his favorite dress.
Still shy smilling in front of the parents, like he wasn’t slowly going fucking insane of you ghosting him in the cruelest way possible.
Heeseung clenched his jaw until it hurt. His fists, tighter. You were torturing him. Training him with your silence. Denying him touch, sound, ownership—making him feel like just another loser watching from a screen.
And worst of all? You liked it.
He could see it in the way you smiled at him when no one was looking. Like the devil behind a halo. Like the dom who knew her puppy would crawl the moment she said good boy.
You knew what you were doing. And you knew he was starving.
He watched you meet someone new through your messages—tracked him from his first DM. The second the guy sent a heart emoji, Heeseung had full access to his cloud, laptop, phone, and location history.
So when you showed up at that guy’s place in that same dress as that night, Heeseung went feral. watching you through the guy’s hacked MacBook camera. Front-row seat. 1080p. Wide angle. Clear sound. Perfect view.
You didn’t even try to hide untapping your phone camera, angling it for him. But he was already there.
He watched the way you swayed when you walked into the room. That skirt was short—barely legal. Hair done like you were on a mission to ruin him. Lip gloss like you were asking to be kissed. Or owned.
Heeseung’s fists dug into his thigh. You let the guy kiss you. Hands on your hips. Heeseung scoffed in fury. The guy went down on you and Heeseung leaned forward—eyes glued to your face smiling at him. Not for the man.
Only for him.
You mouthed his name, Heeseung, made that sound again—that sweet gasp that cracked every nerve in his body—and his hands were already down his pants before he even realized it. Stroking slowly. Angry.
Then the guy started fucking you. It was… pathetic.
You looked bored. Pretty. But not wrecked. Not how Heeseung would have done you—needed you. Not how you looked when he edged you, whispering commands through your notes.
He texted :
He’s not even close to making you cum.Why are you with him?Stop. 
Now. 
Please.
You didn’t stop. You got louder. Not for performance, because knowing hee was watching, unleashed you.
Heeseung’s hand stuttered. He bit down on his bottom lip so hard it bled. You were performing. For him, not the other guy. You had to be. And yet you didn’t stop when he begged you.
Heeseung didn’t drink. Didn’t smoke. Didn’t call a friend.
He texted one of the girls who’d been orbiting him since he entered university—some pretty, pouty girl with no idea what she was walking into.
She came fast. Obedient. Heeseung fucked her like punishment.
Shoved her onto his lap, dragged her skirt over her hips without a single word. Didn’t ask if she was ready. Didn’t even pretend to care. Just spread her thighs, lined himself up, and buried in—rough, silent, merciless.
She moaned his name, kissing his neck. Heeseung kept his eyes on the screen. Because on the monitor behind her?
You were still live. Fucking someone else. His airpods were in. And he was moaning your name under his breath.
The girl was clueless to much overwhelmed by his deep, rough trust. Riding him like she thought she was doing a good job for him to be so feral. 
Heeseung touched her the way he would have to you, controlling. forcing her in position trying to reach her deepest part, as he watched your hips roll on screen. Your nails dig into someone else’s back.
“Grippe my back. leave marks.” he ordered her.
He hiss, mouthing along with your sounds like a prayer.
“Fuck—Louder. Just like that... Just like that—fuck.”
The girl on his lap whimpered, “does it feel good, Hee?”
Heeseung stared at your body—your lips, your tits, your sweat-shined thighs.
“You’re so perfect,” he muttered. “Fuck—you…”
His climax came hard, violent. He choked your name on the exhale and came inside the girl like she didn’t matter—because she didn’t.
When the girl left, he stared at the screen for an hour. Watched you dress. Watched you check your phone. Smiling.
Not once did you reply to his messages.
You were killing him. Starving him. Making him beg. He slammed the laptop shut, chest heaving, hatred and love boiling into the same sick ache.
You were right. He was a coward. But not for much longer.
You found it on your bed. No card. No note. No sender. Just a black box, wrapped in a ribbon you never heard arrive. Inside: lingerie. Lace. Sheer. Decadent. Your exact size. Your exact taste. Lightly soaked in a scent you could recognize in your sleep—his cologne.
Your fingers trembled when you held it up to the light. No message. But then again, he never needed words.
Heeseung didn’t ask. He tried to command.
So, you didn’t text. Didn’t thank him. You just wore it.
That night, when the webcam light blinked to life, you were already sitting pretty in front of your laptop. Sheer fabric draped over your body like a sin begging to be confessed.
You leaned into the camera, eyes soft, voice sweeter.
“Goodnight, Genius. Hope uni’s not eating you alive.”
And then—
You logged off. Just like that.
Left him starving. You knew he’d pretend it didn’t affect him. He tried, bless him.
He texted the next day, like it was nothing. Invited you to his university party. Like this wasn’t war. Like he wasn’t already losing.
Of course, you went. Dressed in red. Not the lingerie—something sharper. Something that made his friends stare a little too long.
Heeseung barely spoke to you that night. Slipped back into his old self—like he hadn’t spent the week watching you like a man possessed. But he was in his element, charming his nerdy circle, and you were happy just watching him thrive.
Then, it changed.
He didn’t introduce you as his stepsister. That alone cracked the air between you. His hand found your back, fingers tracing lazy nothings while he laughed with his friends, eyes on you like you were art.
You liked seeing him smile. Liked knowing you made it easier.
And then—he excused you both. His friends wished you luck with admissions. So polite. So clueless.
He walked you up a narrow hallway, like it was nothing. A quiet corridor, half-lit.
Then he locked you in a hug.
And kissed your neck.
“You’re so pretty,” he whispered, hands already exploring.
“You too,” you murmured, smiling. “New haircut? You kept it long in the back. Looks good.”
“You said I should, so...”
You smiled harder, went in for a kiss—your first. His lips were maddening. Soft, sure, and hungrier than you expected. He kissed like he’d waited for years. Like he’d decided waiting was over.
"Untie your dress," he whispered against your mouth, voice low.
You raised a brow, smirking. “Thought you liked watching from afar.”
His jaw flexed. “Not tonight.”
You let the ribbon fall, letting the dress slip open. Underneath—his gift. His breath caught.
“You like it?” you teased.
He didn’t answer. He spun you, pressed you into the wall, and his hand was already between your thighs—finding you soaked.
His mouth brushed your ear, voice cracking with restraint.
“Fuck. You’re so wet for me. I’ve waited so long.”
“Say it,” he growled.
“What?”
His thrust was sharp—two fingers deep.
“Say you want me to ruin you. Say you like it.”
You whimpered, arching into his hand. “I like it when you ruin me.”
“Say it right.”
You licked your lips. “I want to be yours, Heeseung. Ruin me.”
His exhale was jagged—like something inside him broke.
Then came silence. Just heat. Breathing. Fingers moving in and out of you as he grinded against your body, shameless and reckless in a hallway anyone could walk into.
And just before you came—he pulled away.
“No,” he said simply. “Let’s go.”
“Home?”
“No. My room.”
His dorm was massive, dark except for the red glow of a snoozed monitor. His roommate was nowhere. Probably never real to begin with. You practically jumped on him. Messy kisses. Wandering hands. He kissed your neck, your shoulder, your back—and then—
Your hand brushed his desk. The monitors flared to life. And there you were—your webcam feed, glowing on the screen.
Recording. Your name as the file.
“You always make me watch,” he whispered, stripping you down to the lingerie. “Now watch yourself.”
He pulled you onto the bed, body still facing the screen.
“You’re mine,” he murmured, spreading your legs for the camera. “I’ve owned you since the first time you stepped into this house.”
On screen—your reflection trembled. Moaned. Melted in real-time.
He eased fingers inside you again while holding you in his lap, pinching a nipple until you gasped, breath tangled.
“I know what you fantasize about when you’re bored,” he whispered.
He started humping you, slow and heavy.
“I know what kind of porn you scroll past—then go back to.”
Thrust.
“I know which songs you loop when you touch yourself. I synced your playlist.”
You choked on a gasp.
“I know you changed your passwords, just to make me mad.”
His hand curled lightly around your throat.
“But I like it. I like when you pretend.”
He never slowed—just kept pushing you higher, mean and relentless.
And when you moaned his name?
He broke.
“I’m going to give you every twisted thing you’ve ever typed,” he growled. “Every fantasy you deleted. Every filthy draft you couldn’t finish. I’m going to make them real.”
Your climax slammed into you, shuddering through your bones—but he didn’t stop.
“I’ll tie you up in the library when no one’s looking,” he said, voice wicked. “Bend you over your best friend’s bed and leave a bruise only I’ll recognize.”
He laughed.
“I’ll make you cry my name with someone else inside you—just to remind you no one will ever ruin you like I do.”
You turned and kissed him, wild and unhinged.
He kissed back like a claim. Like he was branding your soul.
Then he grabbed you and threw you onto the bed. Reached for a condom.
You stopped him.
“It’s safe today, Hee. Do me raw.”
His pupils darkened. Something dangerous sparked.
He freed himself and dragged his cock against your wetness, teasing your entrance. You moaned each time the head kissed you. His smile was smug. Addicted.
“Heeseung. Please.”
He nodded—and slid in all at once.
You gasped, overwhelmed, stretched so good it hurt in the most perfect way.
He rocked into you deep and slow, biting your neck, lips pressed against skin he couldn’t stop worshipping.
Then he pulled you upright—still inside you.
“You like this position, huh?”
You nodded, dizzy, undone. He studied you like he’d been preparing for a test. He always aced those.
Then—his thrusts changed. Not faster. Just deeper. Harder.
“Hee—”
“Like that, yeah?”
You nodded again, mouth open, breathless at every delicious, punishing thrust.
He looked so fucking good like this—hair sticking to his forehead, lips parted, eyes glazed with need. You went for another kiss and he gripped your neck, slid to your hair, pulling until your back arched.
“Like that?”
“Yeah—yeah—fuck—don’t stop—”
He sucked your tits, relentless now, chasing both your highs. You clenched down so hard his groans turned ragged. He bit your nipple, then folded you in half, throwing your legs over his shoulders.
And then—he lost it.
He didn’t slow.
Not even as your body bucked under him, shaking.
He buried himself deeper, fingers biting into your hips, sweat dripping from his jaw as he fucked you like he wanted to unmake you.
The monitors kept rolling. Your name flashing on screen, over your own moans.
You reached for him—some desperate grasp for balance—but he pinned your wrists above your head, fucked you harder. One of your legs slipped off his shoulder, and he yanked it back up with a grunt.
“Keep it there,” he snarled, breath ragged. “Don’t move unless I say.”
You didn’t.
You couldn’t.
You were already too far gone.
You felt yourself stretch around him again, again, again—your walls pulsing and fluttering with every brutal thrust. It was filthy, unrelenting, and it wasn’t enough.
Heeseung's voice was in your ear, low and wrecked.
“This how you like it?” he panted. “Getting used like this—getting ruined on camera for me?”
You sobbed a yes—high and gasping—and he growled. His hips snapped forward again, this time shoving you higher on the bed.
“Fucking take it.”
He leaned in, biting your lip, grinding deeper. The rhythm turned meaner—each thrust slamming into you with brutal precision.
“You like knowing I’ll replay this?” he whispered. “Jerk off to it when you’re not around?”
You moaned helplessly.
“Want you to. I want you obsessed.”
“Oh, I am,” he said. “You made me this.”
His rhythm stuttered—he was close. You could feel him twitch inside, groaning against your mouth.
Then—
He came.
Hard.
Buried deep.
His whole body went taut over yours, shuddering as he emptied himself, hips rolling slower, deeper. You felt the heat inside you, the stickiness, the way his cock throbbed even after the high.
And still—he didn't pull out.
He kissed your collarbone, your throat, lazily now. Worn out. Quiet.
The screen behind him kept glowing.
Your body was wrecked, your heart pounding against his chest.
He pulled you close, like he wasn’t finished. Like he never would be.
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The next morning, the sun barely broke past his blackout curtains. You were still half-naked in his sheets when you heard his fingers tapping at his laptop. A fresh hoodie hung off his shoulder, hair a messy halo.
“Hey,” he said, voice rough with sleep.
You groaned into the pillow. “Already working?”
He smirked. “Coding clears my head. Better than coffee.”
You rolled over. He looked too good like this. Soft around the edges. Eyes warm.
“I wish you could come here,” he said. “To my university.”
You blinked, suddenly alert. He smiled, but it didn’t reach all the way. “You did apply, right?”
“…Yeah.”
He nodded like he already knew. “But you didn’t tell me…pfff.”
Your stomach turned, just a little, as you smirked. “I didn’t want you to be happy for something so unsure.”
“I know.”
Silence. He got back typing. 
“You really think I wouldn’t find out?” he said. “You think I’d just… let you leave somewhere else?”
You narrowed your eyes. “What did you do?”
He smiled. Shrugged. “Nothing you’ll ever be able to prove.”
Your heartbeat slowed. Thick. Smiling unsure.
“Heeseung...”
He stood, walking over. Calm. Barefoot. Still smelling like last night and wanting more.
“I didn’t touch your application,” he said softly. “But I might’ve nudged the scholarship committee. You’re exceptional, after all.”
You froze. “Why?”
“Because you belong here, in that prestigious place and nowhere else.”
His fingers grazed your chin. Tender. Possessive.
“...With me.”
You swallowed. He tilted your face up to his, eyes half-lidded.
“You would've turned it down if you knew,” he murmured, getting his lips closer, smooching slowly. “You’re too proud for that kind of help. Too proud to admit you want to be kept.”
Your voice caught in your throat. “That’s not why I applied.”
“I know why you applied, just like me.”
His thumb ghosted over your lower lip.
“That’s why I made sure you’d stay. to be free.”
A flicker of something dangerous passed between you. Or maybe it had always been there. He leaned in, lips brushing your ear.
“You think you’re playing me right now, huh,” he whispered, “but—what if I like being used, if it means I get to keep you?”
Your breath hitched. And he smiled. Like he’d already won. Or maybe he was wrong. Maybe you’d just let him believe he had.
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Author’s Note:
Babies~ here it is!! 💗 The second part of my enha stepbro AU (first one was HUNTED).
I really hope this one pleased you… did it??? 🥺
I worked so hard on this piece to match the exact vibe I had in mind. Like—why was I waking up at 3 AM with wild ideas for scene effects that were borderline impossible to execute?! 😭🌀
This one definitely has a different flavor! While HUNTED leaned into soft, needy sub!Jakey energy (bless him), I wanted TRAPPED to explore the more intoxicating side of obsession—but not so far that we start hating our sweet little Heeseung~ Just a touch of crazy, y’know?
I really hope the mood translated well, because after rereading it 500 times, I fully lost that "first read magic" feeling I’m not super proud of this draft yet—kinda wish I had more time to proofread and polish it up. I’ll probably update it later (perfectionist problems 😭).
Next up is Part 3, which is supposed to be Sunghoon’s! Let me know if you want anything special in it—I’m all ears... and pervy brain. Just know it’s gonna involve dacryphilia, so bring tissues… for various reasons
XOXO
Reblogs and thirsty little thoughts are always appreciated don’t be shy~© Lassiie
@heejunluvr @choeryyxyz @hoonprksung @schniti-is-in-the-house @ii2sanrio @woniedoyouloveme @saeris-world @gonorrheaisme @soobiverse
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em1i2a3 · 16 days ago
Text
I’m On Fire
Pairing: Bob/Robert Reynolds/The Sentry/The Void x Thunderbolts!Fem!Reader!
Summary: The heating unit in the compound breaks during the peak of winter, leaving everyone in the tower freezing cold and grumpy, except for Bob–who’s a walking furnace. So you decide to get a taste of the warmth.
Warnings: No explicit warnings, just fluff! Bob and you are friends…With feelings…Friends with feelings I say.
Author’s Note: I really enjoyed writing this request anon, but I kept laughing when writing this because all I was picturing was this Tik Tok. Anyways, I absolutely loved writing this one! Very fun fluff for a Saturday, and thank you @receedingdawn for the cute ass banner.
Word Count: 4,034
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The cold came in like a wave. It didn’t crash through the windows or blow in through the doors. It seeped through the cracks, and invaded.
It started sometime before dawn–quiet and unnoticed–at the base of the Tower, where a blinking red light pulsed steadily on the diagnostics board in the lower mechanical level. It was just a minor system alert. One line of code trying to tell someone to check the heating core. A low-priority flag. The kind of warning that gets buried under a dozen other maintenance requests, and a digital blanket.
Nobody noticed it, or bothered to check, so the cold just continued to climb. It crept floor by floor, rising like tidewater. Slow. Patient, and semi-forgiving it the alert got caught–which didn’t happen.
By midday, the lower levels had cooled to a mild chill–noticeable, but nothing out of the ordinary for winter in New York City. It was the kind that made you rub your hands together and blow against your palms to give you a little relief from the cold, before moving on with your day. But by the time the sun dipped below the skyline, the eightieth floor–the Thunderbolts living quarters–was freezing.
High above the city, the wind screamed against the glass walls like it was a living thing. The steel bones of the Tower groaned softly in response to each gust, and you could’ve sworn you could feel the floors shaking at some point. The vents blew nothing but a mechanical sighº–like it had risen a white flag in surrender to the harsh winter–and the lights that lined the ceilings flickered every so often as if they were shivering with you. The floor tiles had the bitter feel of ice cold concerte, mugs of hot coffee and tea went lukewarm within minutes of being poured, and your breath had turned visible even within the confines of the living quarters–puffing out in little clouds that hovered and curled like ghosts before fading into the stillness.
The air had a sharpness that bit at fingertips, slid down collarbones, and made people quiet, and frustrated all at the same time.
”I’m telling you,” Yelena muttered, pacing in thick socks, and two layers of sweatpants, “We are one bad power surge away from an ice age in this damn place.” She fixed her gloves on her hands, as she huddled into the collar of her sweater.
”Pretty sure my blood is trying to congeal in itself…I think I’m on the brink of death.” Walker added, hunched over on the common room couch with a blanket draped over his shoulders like a funeral shroud.
Across the room, Ava was bundled in a military-grade parka she must’ve pulled from storage. Only the sharp glint of her eyes were visible above the thick wool scarf that she had wrapped around her head. She hadn’t said a word in fifteen minutes, she just stared into her mug, watching as little frost specks floated on top of her coffee.
Nobody was handling the cold well.
Except Bob.
He looked like he had wandered in from a completely different climate–like he had gone on a beach vacation in the tropics and brought the heat with him.
Perched at the far end of the sectional, he sat cross-legged with a worn paperback in his lap, a bowl of salt and vinegar chips balanced on the armrest beside him, and a cold Coke Zero sweating quietly on the coffee table in front of him from the warmth of his hand touching it every so often.
He didn’t have a blanket or socks, just a pair of soft grey sweatpants and an old, slightly threadbare long sleeve shirt that clung gently to the shape of his chest and shoulders–damp in spots where the heat radiating off him had started to collect.
In comparison to the rest of the team–who looked like they were preparing to trek across the Arctic–Bob looked like he was five minutes away from cracking open a window. It also wasn’t just the fact he looked comfortable–it was that he was radiating heat.
It was rising from his skin in slow steady waves if you paid close attention to him. The faint shimmer was lifting off his forearms, and a soft flush clung to the tops of his cheeks and the bridge of his nose, like he had just come in from a run rather than being sat unmoving in the meat locker common room for the last forty minutes. There was even a sheen of sweat glistening at his temples, catching the light every time he turned a page and tilted his head.
Yelena froze mid-pace and squinted at him.
”Bob…” Her voice was flat, bordering on accusatory, “Are you–are you sweating right now?!” Bob blinked up from his book, pushing his light brown hair out of his face.
”Uhm…” He lifted a hand to wipe at his forehead, as if he was surprised to find it damp, “Y-Yeah? A little. I–I mean, I told you guys I run warm…A-And I’ve got the Sentry in me, so–uh–of course I’m kind of…Y’know…Hot.” There was a beat of silence, then Yelena turned to the others.
”And he has the audacity to joke about it.” Walker let out a dramatic groan from beneath his blanket.
”He‘s not joking, he is hot. Like tropical-level hot. Bob…You’re a walking space heater.” Bob went pink immediately. Not just his face–his ears, too. He ducked his head with a bashful shrug and tried to laugh it off, but it came out awkward, then he reached out for his Coke Zero and took a long sip.
From the kitchenette, where a bottle of whiskey was being passed like emergency rations, Alexei glanced up from his glass.
”We should wrap Bob in blanket burrito, then take turns crawling in like it’s sauna.” He stated, and Bucky, who had been silent until now, raised his glass slightly, unbothered by the cold.
”I’d pay to watch that happen.” Bob choked on his drink. Not a little, polite cough–a real sputter. He turned his head and pressed the back of his hand to his mouth, trying to keep it quiet, but he could feel the heat continuing to rise beneath his skin. Alexei, of course, was completely unbothered.
”Just saying,” He shrugged, pouring himself another half-glass, “You get three people in there with you, rotate every thirty minutes…Efficient heat source I say.” Walker snorted.
”We could even install a zipper on the blanket, then call it the Bob Bag.”
“Worst part is I would definitely be the first person to try it…It’s freezing.” Bob hunched slightly where he sat, trying to disappear into the cushions. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the idea of someone cuddling up next to him–it was the idea of the entire team looking at him like he was the last functioning radiator in New York City that was making his skin prickle.
”G-Guys, “ He stammered, lifting his palms in surrender, “I’ll probably end up combusting if you all t-try to–if anyone–I–I mean…” He fumbled for a save.
”H-How about we just–uh–call m-maintenance again, yeah? I’m sure they’ll help…R-Right?” No one responded. Instead, they all turned toward him slowly. Creeping forward. Ava didn’t even stand–just started sliding across the armchair like a sleep-deprived slug with one goal: heat. Yelena grinned.
”You’ve been outvoted, human furnace.” Walker stood.
”Don’t resist Bob…Embrace your destiny.” Bob’s shoulders hit the back cushion as the group began to close in.
“G-Guys, I’m being serious–”
His voice cracked at the end–not from fear, but from that thing under his skin, the one that didn’t like being crowded. Not when he didn’t want it. Not when he wasn’t ready. Then his eyes glowed. Just a soft, flickering glint beneath his lashes. It was enough to make everyone freeze. Walker stepped back instinctively. Ava’s mug lowered a fraction. Even Yelena lifted her brows and let out a soft scoff as she retreated a step.
“Ugh…The sunshine god always has to ruin the fun and scare us off,” She commented, letting out a long sigh, “I guess I’ll call maintenance again and see what the hell they’re doing. Probably still trying to figure out how to reset a server without breaking a nail.” She grabbed her phone from the coffee table and turned her back on the couch. Bob exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“S-Sorry guys…Didn’t mean to uh–to flare.” He hated that part. That undercurrent of otherness. The way people joked until something flickered in his eyes, and then everything stopped being funny. How he went from Bob to the Sentry in a heartbeat without meaning to. Even here, in this mismatched pile of sarcasm and trauma and second chances–they still backed off when the light showed.
Bob was still hunched over, fingers pinched at the bridge of his nose, trying to will the faint glow in his eyes away when the sound of teeth chattering echoed down the hallway.
Everyone turned toward it.
The sound grew louder–soft footsteps over the cold floor, the rustle of layered blankets, the stifled clatter of a mug being carried between violently trembling hands. And then you appeared in the doorway, wrapped in two fleece throws like a cocoon, shoulders hunched, cheeks flushed with windburn, and face pulled into a miserable grimace.
You looked like you were on the verge of dying. Or committing murder. Possibly both.
“The hell…” You croaked through your chattering teeth, breath curling in front of your lips, “How did this happen without anyone catching it on time?”
Your voice wavered on the last word–not just from frustration, but from the way your whole body was trembling. You were shaking, jaw clenched, knees knocking together slightly under the blankets as you shuffled forward like someone trying to survive a blizzard in a hoodie.
Bob’s heart slammed in his chest. Not from panic, or from Sentry wanting to see you, but just from pure instinct. He felt it burn inside him–this pull toward you, this immediate, deep, animalistic need to wrap you up and make you warm. Not just because you were cold. But because you were you–someone that had connected and tethered to him on more than just a baseline friendship level. Though it was hard for Bob to really contain himself, and the desire to take care of you in general because he knew you probably didn’t see him in the manner he saw you in.
“They probably missed it. That’s the only reason this could’ve happened. Nobody flagged it in time.” Ava responded first, her voice muffled behind her scarf. You exhaled hard through your nose, steam huffing from your lips. Your eyes flicked to the sectional–to the wide, open space beside Bob. You took one step toward it, then paused.
Your eyes landed on him.
You blinked slowly, your gaze dragging from his flushed face to the damp edge of his collar to the Coke can on the table still sweating with heat.
Then it clicked.
“Oh, right,” You rasped, eyebrows lifting. “I forgot about you running hot, you’re gonna be my life saver!”
Before Bob could respond–before he could stammer out anything–you moved.
You dropped onto the couch beside him with the exhausted weight of someone who had given up on survival. You let your blankets slide open just enough to let the heat in, curled your toes beneath you, and leaned into his side with a soft, contented groan.
Bob stopped breathing.
He felt you. Every inch of you. Your icy fingers brushing his thigh. The chilled edge of your arm nudging his ribs. Your cheek settling lightly into the curve of his shoulder. And then–God help him–the tiny, blissful sound that slipped from your lips when the warmth of his body hit you full-force.
It was quiet. Barely audible. Just a hum of deep, unconscious relief.
“Mmm…”
But to Bob, it was devastating.
His entire body tensed like he was preparing for impact. His breath caught in his throat. His hands twitched on his thighs, and the heat under his skin flared so suddenly he had to will it back down before his shirt started to steam.
You didn’t even notice.
You were too cold. Too relieved. Too focused on not crying from the sheer comfort of finally, finally finding warmth after what felt like an hour and a half of your limbs feeling like they were going to shatter.
“Oh my god,” You whispered, pressing your face against the side of his arm like you were trying to melt into him. “You’re boiling. This is perfect.” You breathed in deeply, smelling the cool mint scent of his body wash, letting it invade your lungs, as you nuzzled even closer to him.
Bob swallowed hard. “I-I…Uh…”
You sighed again. And this one was worse. Better. More dangerous. It wasn’t just relief–it was pleasure. The kind that only came from thawing out after a deep freeze. A sound that vibrated low in your chest and hummed right against his ribs.
He couldn’t look at you.
If he did, he’d die. Spontaneously combust on the spot. Sentry and all.
You tugged the top blanket around the both of you, like it was natural–like sharing heat was second nature. Like you weren’t undoing him with every breath that ghosted across his neck.
A long silence settled over the room.
Not awkward. Not exactly. But heavy with something unspoken.
You didn’t notice the way everyone else had gone quiet. You didn’t see the way Yelena lowered her phone without pressing call, or how Walker and Ava slowly exchanged looks, eyebrows raised. You didn’t catch Bucky’s subtle nod from the kitchen, or Alexei’s low whistle as he leaned back in his chair like he was watching the beginning of a very good movie.
Because you were too busy melting.
Literally and figuratively.
Your arm moved slowly. Almost imperceptibly. It slipped from beneath your blanket, slid across Bob’s damp shirt, and curled around his torso–fingers splaying wide across his side. Not in a flirtatious way. Not in a way that begged attention. Just an unconscious, instinctual kind of closeness.
A gesture that said: you’re warm, and I need all of it.
Bob’s heart skipped.
He didn’t move. Couldn’t. His spine had gone rigid, and his breath had stalled somewhere between his throat and lungs. You were touching him. Really touching him. Not in passing, not in jest, not in the familiar bump of shoulders during a mission or a sarcastic pat on the back.
But this. A full-body lean. An arm around his waist. Your chilled hand flattening over his ribs, tugging him–gently–closer to you.
And he let you.
Because he would’ve let you do anything.
Your fingers brushed a damp spot on his shirt. He was sweating. Badly. But you didn’t flinch. Didn’t comment. You just let out another of those sighs–low, content, sinful in its softness–and nestled closer until your forehead touched the curve of his neck.
“God…” You mumbled into his skin, breath curling warm under his jaw, “You’re saving my life right now.” Bob let out a shaky laugh that sounded more like a whimper.
His hands were still on his thighs, white-knuckled, as if he were holding himself down. As if one move would tip this entire fragile balance into something he couldn’t pull back from. Because it wasn’t just warmth he was giving you–it was everything.
Every part of him was screaming for more.
More of your voice. More of your weight leaning into him. More of your fingers splayed against his side and the way your leg was now casually draped over his calf under the blanket.
And yet–somehow–you still didn’t seem to notice what you were doing to him.
From across the room, Yelena’s voice broke the silence.
Soft. Distant. A whisper clearly not meant to be heard.
“Oh no…She’s gonna kill him.”
Walker coughed into his sleeve. “He’s not gonna survive the next ten minutes.”
“I give him five.”
“Three, if she sighs again.”
Ava hummed in agreement. “He’s gonna short-circuit.”
Bob could hear them. He could hear everything–every shifting blanket, every laugh being swallowed behind a cup, every knowing glance being passed around like popcorn.
But all he could feel was you.
The weight of your body against his.
The cold that finally eased from your limbs.
The way your breathing slowed, softened.
And the way you whispered–barely audible, but so close he could feel the words against his skin:
“…Think I could stay here all night.” The words left your lips like a sigh—half asleep, half joking—but Bob felt them hit.
They lodged somewhere between his ribs, soft and brutal, and echoed in his chest long after the sound had faded into the blanket-wrapped stillness.
He didn’t respond right away.
Couldn’t.
His mouth opened slightly, but no words came. His throat was dry. His breath was shaky. The heat he’d been radiating all evening was nothing compared to what flared through him now–less like warmth and more like a furnace igniting from the inside out.
You shifted again. Just a little. Your fingers flexed slightly against his ribs. You were settling in deeper.
Bob’s voice, when it finally broke free, was small and trembling.
“Y-You can. I-I mean–if you…If you want. I-I wouldn’t–I wouldn’t mind.”
You didn’t say anything at first.
But after a beat, you tilted your head and looked up at him.
And that was it.
The end of him.
Because you weren’t even trying to do anything. You just looked up–sleepy and flushed, lips parted, eyes soft–and you saw him.
The way his jaw was clenched. The way his shoulders were locked up. The way his fingers curled into his thighs like they were holding on for dear life. The way his shirt was soaked from heat and nervous sweat and yet he hadn’t dared move.
And then your eyes met his.
And you saw it.
The wreckage.
His face was flushed–burned red at the ears, his lips slightly parted like he was afraid to exhale too hard. His eyes were wide, glassy, stunned. Not from embarrassment. Not from discomfort.
From everything.
From being touched, and wanted, and needed.
From your breath on his skin, your arm around his waist, your words curling like ribbons into his ear and tying knots he didn’t know how to undo.
You blinked once, slowly.
“…Bob?”
His breath hitched.
“I-I’m f-fine,” He stammered, the lie so thin you could hear the tremble beneath it. “J-just…Y-You’re really close, and I-I’m trying not to–uh–I mean, I d-don’t wanna–”
He stopped himself.
But the damage was done.
You stared up at him for another long moment, blinking against the golden flush of his cheeks and the sweat dotting his brow, and the way he couldn’t quite meet your eyes now.
And something shifted in your chest.
You loosened your grip around his waist–but not to move away. Just enough to smooth your hand against the curve of his side. Gentle. Careful. Tender in a way that quieted everything else.
“…Am I making you uncomfortable?”
Bob shook his head before you’d even finished the question.
“N-No. G-God, no,” He said quickly, too quickly. “Y-You’re not. I-I like it. I–”
He swallowed hard.
His eyes finally flicked toward you, just briefly.
“I-I just…Don’t k-know how I’m doing this w-without Sentry going o-off the rails…” Your lips curved into a quiet smile against his skin.
“Maybe he’s used to me pestering you by now,” You murmured, voice low and teasing, “Maybe he knows not to get in the way of things.”
Bob blinked.
His chest lifted with a deep breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding, and the glow in his eyes flickered briefly behind his lashes.
“Y-Yeah,” he said softly, with a quiet sort of wonder. “M-Maybe.”
He didn’t add that Sentry was right there. Listening. Not pushing forward, not flaring to the surface like he so often did when Bob felt overwhelmed.
He was just…Calm.
Not silent, exactly. But watching through Bob’s eyes with something that felt like reverence. A kind of awestruck stillness that made Bob feel like his ribs were filled with golden thread instead of bone.
You were still watching him. Still close enough that every breath he took shifted you slightly. And even in the dim light of the living room, he could see the soft twitch of your lips and the calm around your eyes–like your nervous system had finally unclenched for the first time all day.
“Sorry I’m so clingy,” You added after a moment, eyes fluttering shut, “I know this probably feels like being tackled by a human-shaped block of ice.”
Bob’s voice cracked again.
“Y-You could tackle me any time.”
Your eyes opened slowly.
“What?”
His ears turned bright pink. “N-Nothing. N-Never mind.”
You snorted–this breathy, fond little sound–and let your hand trail lightly across the shape of his ribs, fingers drawing lazy circles through the soft fabric of his shirt.
“I think I’ll just pretend I didn’t hear that,” You said, lips curving into a slow smile. “For your dignity’s sake.”
Bob swallowed hard. You shifted a little closer until your forehead was tucked under his jaw and your fingers were curled in the hem of his shirt like you didn’t want to let go.
He could feel your eyelashes brushing against his skin.
Your voice dropped to a whisper.
“Give me a few more minutes with you…And then I’ll untangle and let you recover.”
That almost made him laugh.
But it caught in his throat because something about the way you said it–something about the gentleness behind the tease–made it feel bigger than just cuddling on a cold night.
It felt like you knew.
Maybe not everything.
Maybe not how often he thought about you. Or how many times he caught himself daydreaming about a moment like this–exactly like this. The weight of you against him. Your breath slowing. Your body folding into his like it belonged there.
Maybe you didn’t know how much he ached when you brushed against him on missions or leaned on him when you were too tired to stand. Or how long he’d been pretending it was nothing when every second of contact burned through him like a star being born.
Maybe you didn’t know that every part of him had been waiting for you.
But maybe you felt it. Just a little.
Because you didn’t pull away. You didn’t tease too much. You just settled in, calm and warm and real, and gave him the one thing no one had offered in a while.
Time and gentle touch.
A few more minutes. A few more inches of closeness. A few more breaths shared between them. Bob turned his face slightly toward your hair, just enough to breathe you in. Your scent was cold, but there was a depth of warmth beneath it, something fruity–like jammy blueberries and blackberries, maybe a field that had ripening strawberries. It was like you were bathing yourself in something that was tropical to emote the sense that you were someplace warm instead of a cold compound.
Finally Bob lifted his hand, and let it rest over your back. It was tentative at first, then more solid, like a soft protective weight. His thumb stroked gently across your spine, and he whispered:
”Take as long as you want.” You didn’t respond, you just let out a slow, steady breath that warmed his neck and a soft hum of contentment as you curled into his chest and closed your eyes again.
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dollishmehrayan · 5 months ago
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# “WOULD YOU DO ANYTHING FOR ME?, BUY A BIG DIAMOND RING FOR ME?” ── .✦ ( how batboys act when they’re engaged w reader )
dollish note ౨ৎ: I lowkey crashed out over losing Americans on tiktok but this woke up to post on tumblr but hey, also can we talk about how trump used that as a pr stunt && thought we wouldn’t notice wtf like omgg the way many americans caught on, alsoo please leave some motivation for me because I just kinda lost motivation for this app after the tiktok thingy went down 🫠 tags: (batboys x engaged!reader)
© dollishmehrayan — ( all rights reserved to me. These works cannot be reposted, translated, or modified. Thank you for understanding dollies! )
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DICK GRAYSON ── .✦
Over the moon and not afraid to show it. Dick tells everyone the second you say yes. Alfred? He knows. Random stranger in the grocery store? The metro security guy?, Yep, they know too. He’s got that goofy, lovestruck grin plastered on his face 24/7.
Wedding planning enthusiast. You thought you’d do most of the planning? Wrong. Dick’s fully invested, showing you Pinterest boards of venues, color schemes, and “Do you think Nightwing blue (dollish note: I think ‘#3366CC’ perhaps?) would be tacky for the napkins?”
Gets sappy at random times. You’ll catch him staring at you with a dreamy look, and when you ask why, he just shrugs. “I’m just thinking about how lucky I am.”, “Dick calm down you only proposed like 2 weeks ago.”
Brags to the Batfam constantly. “Guys, I’m going to be a husband! Can you believe it? Me! Richard Grayson!” Bruce pretends to be joyful a bit but he’s done hearing it for the 777x time but even he cracks a small smile when Dick won’t shut up about you.
Practices saying his vows in the mirror. You walked in on him once, and he was mortified. “Okay, but you didn’t hear the good part yet!”, “You literally finished the whole paper !!”
JASON TODD ── .✦
Acts like it’s not a big deal, but it’s huge for him. He’ll play it cool at first, saying something like, “It’s just a ring, babe.” But deep down, he’s nervous, excited, and trying not to let it show.
Keeps the engagement low-key. Jason’s not one for flashy announcements or grand gestures. He wants this to be something special between you two, not the whole world.
Protective x10. Now that you’re officially going to be his spouse, Jason is extra watchful. He’s already looking into ways to keep you safe and makes sure you’re never caught in the crossfire of his vigilante life.
Wants you to be 100% comfortable. He checks in with you constantly about the wedding plans. “We don’t have to do anything big, okay? Just say the word, and it’s done.” He’ll let you take the lead but secretly loves when you include him.
Teases you with the whole “fiancé” thing. “Hey, fiancée. Can you grab my coffee? Oh, did I mention you’re my fiancée now?” It’s his way of hiding how excited he really is.
TIM DRAKE ── .✦
Nervous wreck but totally in love. Tim overthinks everything after proposing. Did he pick the right ring? Did he say the right words? Is he even ready to be a husband? But every time he sees you smile, it calms him down.
Keeps it practical. Tim doesn’t want a huge engagement party or a grand wedding. He’s more focused on what your future together will look like your shared goals, finances, and making sure you’re both on the same page.
Researches marriage like it’s a mission. He has books on successful relationships, listens to podcasts, and even makes a checklist for wedding planning. You find it adorable when he starts using color coded spreadsheets.
Loves when you call him your fiancé. The first time you said it, he blushed so hard he had to look away. Now he’s low-key obsessed with hearing it. “You don’t have to keep calling me that… but don’t stop either.”
Gets emotional when he thinks about the future. You once caught him staring at the engagement ring on your finger, looking teary-eyed. When you asked what was wrong, he said, “I just can’t believe you’re actually mine.” (I would’ve smacked the shit out of him for that, I don’t do romance 🙄💪)
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reiding-writing · 5 months ago
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Cold!reader who defends Spencer when’s someone’s making fun of his autistic traits, and the teams like “what?????”
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STAGNANT — SPENCER REID!
why would someone ask spencer a question if they didn’t want to hear the answer?
late s8!spencer x cold!reader 1.2k fluff? cold!reader masterlist.
main masterlist.
a/n — the cold!reader roster i have atm has me kicking my feet and twirling my hair, stay tuned
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You step into the cramped precinct in a town that barely makes the map, the smell of stale coffee and old paper immediately hitting you.
The air hums with tension—murder cases tend to have that effect on a room. Your team disperses, each member diving into their respective tasks like clockwork.
You stay near Spencer, keeping an eye on the board he’s already scouring, his sharp mind undoubtedly miles ahead of everyone else’s.
It doesn’t take long for the local officers to start asking questions. You’ve seen it before: their curiosity morphing into disbelief as they’re confronted with Spencer Reid in full form.
This particular case involves a peculiar type of soil found on the victim’s shoes, and when one officer, a grizzled man named Officer Moore, offhandedly asks about its significance, Spencer lights up.
“It’s fascinating, actually,” he begins, his voice picking up with enthusiasm. “The soil contains traces of montmorillonite clay, which is common in areas with volcanic ash deposits. This specific type is unique to the western side of the county, and based on the composition—” He gestures to the samples bagged on the table, oblivious to the officer’s quickly fading interest.
Spencer continues, lost in his explanation, his words flowing like water over smooth stones. You watch the officer shift uncomfortably, his expression hardening into impatience. The moment Spencer pauses to breathe, Moore cuts in, looking at you with a smirk.
“Is he like this all the time? Never shuts up, huh?”
You freeze. The room, bustling moments ago, seems quieter now. Your team is too far off to hear, but you’re right here. Close enough to feel the sting of the comment.
Spencer doesn’t notice. Or maybe he pretends not to. Either way, it doesn’t sit right with you. The dismissive tone, the condescension dripping from the officer’s words—it sparks a heat under your skin that you don’t bother to hide.
“Are you stupid?” Your voice is sharp, like a knife scraping metal. Moore’s smug expression falters.
“Excuse me-?”
“You heard me,” you continue, stepping closer, your gaze fixed on him. “If you can’t keep up with what Dr. Reid is saying, that’s your problem. He’s giving you answers—solutions—that you clearly wouldn’t find on your own. So maybe try listening instead of running your mouth.”
Moore blinks, taken aback. His hand hovers near the cup of coffee on the table, forgotten. “I didn’t mean—”
“Yeah, you did.” you interrupt, crossing your arms. “And for the record, if he’s too much for you to handle, then stay out of his way, you’ll murk his IQ into single digits.”
The room is quiet now, the subtle hum of computers and distant voices the only sound. Spencer finally looks up, his expression unreadable. There’s a hint of surprise in his eyes, but mostly he just seems... confused.
Moore mutters something under his breath and stalks off, clearly not willing to press the issue further. Good. You watch him go, your blood still simmering.
“You didn’t have to do that,” Spencer says softly, his voice carrying a note of uncertainty.
“Yes, I did,” you reply without hesitation. “He was being a jerk.”
Spencer tilts his head, studying you. “People say things like that all the time.”
“Well, they shouldn’t,” you counter, your tone firm. “And if you wont put your foot down about it then I will.”
For a moment, he just stares at you, as if trying to decipher some hidden code in your words. Then, unexpectedly, he smiles—small and fleeting, but genuine. It feels like a victory, however minor.
Later, when the team regroups, the tension in the precinct has eased, though you can still feel a few lingering stares from the local officers.
Hotch gives you all the rundown of the next steps, his voice steady and commanding as always. You nod along, but your focus drifts to Spencer, who’s scribbling something in his notebook, seemingly unbothered by the earlier incident.
As the team breaks off to get to work, Emily sidles up beside you, her dark eyes alight with curiosity. “So,” she begins, drawing out the word. “What was that about?”
“What was what about?” you reply, feigning ignorance.
“That little showdown with Officer Grumpy Pants earlier,” she says, smirking. “Word has it you tore him a new one,”
You shrug. “He was being disrespectful.”
Emily raises an eyebrow. “To Reid?”
“To all of us, honestly,” you say. “But yeah, mostly Reid. He didn’t deserve that.”
Emily studies you for a moment, her smirk softening into something more thoughtful. “Awe how sweet,”
“Don’t start,” you warn, but there’s no real bite to your words. Emily laughs, raising her hands in mock surrender.
“Hey, no judgment,” she says. “It’s just... very human of you.”
“I’m not a robot.”
She gestures vaguely toward you. “Oh hush you know what I mean,”
You roll your eyes but don’t bother arguing. Instead, you glance across the room at Spencer, who’s now deep in conversation with JJ and Rossi. The earlier exchange seems to have rolled off him, as if it never happened.
But you know better. You’ve seen the way comments like that stick, the way they fester in that moment f hesitation before he speaks. You’re not sure why it matters so much to you—why he matters so much—but you don’t dwell on it.
The case drags on into the evening, the pieces of the puzzle slowly falling into place. By the time the unsub is in custody and the team is preparing to head back to the jet, exhaustion hangs heavy in the air.
As you gather your things, Morgan claps a hand on your shoulder. “Hey, Ice Queen,” he says, his tone teasing. “You did good.”
“Thank you? I was doing my job.” you reply, shooting him a bemused look.
He chuckles. “Not with the case, sweetness. Word is you went full gladiator on one of the locals earlier.”
“Word travels way too fast in this team,” you mutter.
Morgan grins. “What can I say? We’re a nosy bunch. But it’s nice to know you haven’t lost your bite now you’re saddled up to boy wonder.”
He gestures with his head towards where Spencer was sleeping on the jet’s couch, wrapped in a cheap blanket like baby.
You fight back the urge to smile.
“I never changed,” you say dryly.
Morgan laughs, but there’s a glimmer of respect in his eyes. “Sure you did,”
“No I didn’t,”
He nudges your shoulder, a whisper of “You’ll admit it one day,” before he walks off.
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thepencilnerd · 2 months ago
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Your Man
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thank you very much to @ananonymousaffair, @clubsoft, and @letsgobarbs for including me in the 𝘈 𝘋𝑂𝘊𝑇𝘖𝑅 𝐴 𝐷𝘈𝑌 writing event <3 i cannot wait to dive into the pieces written by my fellow writers (check out the full post for every tagged gem!) prompt: "I think to be so dumb must be nice." | colour: black 🖤 pairing: jack abbot x f!resident reader summary: You and Jack have been bickering your way through night shifts for ages now—until two flying trays, a stitched-up hand, and one too many almost-confessions turn everything into something neither of you can ignore. content/warnings: enemies to lovers (all the banter, jabs, & sarcasm), slow-burn, emotionally repressed idiots to emotionally repressed idiots in love, depiction of harassment towards healthcare workers, protective!reader & protective!jack, fluff, angst, Robby being done with both of you wc: 5.2k a/n: i def could have gone a certain direction *cough cough* but i was overcome with a sudden craving for enemies to lovers / "they're both stubborn and it's complicated tropes," so i present to you this emotionally constipated snippet of my heart 🩺🖤
It was a well-known fact that you always clocked in after Jack Abbot.
Not because you meant to. At least, not exactly.
It started one night during your first week on night shift. You’d been cramming for exams all day, convinced you could fit in just one more practice block before your shift—just one more. But you dozed off somewhere around question 43, mouth open against the back of your textbook, a puddle of drool collecting around what once was a diagram of the cardiac chambers.
You sprinted in at 6:45pm, flustered and un-caffeinated, only to find Jack already there. Leaning against the nurses’ station with a cup of coffee like he’d been born in that spot, annoyingly calm and smirking like he’d seen this coming.
"Cutting it close, Dr. L/N," he’d said, not even looking up from his chart. "Careful. That’s how habits start."
He was right.
At first, you were apologetic—nervous and over-eager, all stammered greetings and shuffled charts. Jack didn’t seem to notice you beyond the bare minimum, and you chalked that up to his status, his seniority, his general aura of don’t talk to me unless someone is actively dying.
But things changed. Somewhere between covering for each other during rounds, tagging out on disaster admits, and a running tally of how many times you each got paged during a single trauma night, familiarity set in. You became colleagues. Then reluctant allies. And somewhere along the line—rivals. Enemies, depending on who you asked and on how bad the night was going.
One time, you were both elbow-deep in post-codes, barely functioning off stale coffee and mutual spite, when he passed you a chart and muttered, "Try not to kill this one with your bedside manner."
You took it without looking up from the board above you. "I'll match your emotional range and we'll both be fine."
You were never late, but it soon became a silent game. He always beat you at it. Whether it was by five minutes or five steps, you never let yourself get there before him. A superstition, maybe. A routine. A rhythm. And because you liked to keep him on edge—just to get a reaction out of him.
Seeing Jack colored with shades of affect, even if it was playfully annoyed, was fun. It made him predictable, addictive, a full 180 from his usual stone-cold demeanor. He’d scowl, grumble something about professionalism, and still let you win half the time. It became a kind of game, and you were very good at it.
Now as a senior resident awaiting board licensure, it was practically tradition.
He was already at the nurses’ station, sipping black coffee like it was fuel and he was a half-full tank, eyes scanning over charts. His voice cut through the hum of bedlam as you approached. "Late again, Dr. L/N. At least you're consistent."
You flipped him off without breaking stride. "And yet, somehow, the hospital hasn't burned down yet. Miraculous, wouldn't you say so, Dr. Abbot?"
He raised a brow, the faintest smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. "Not even ten minutes in and already have our claws out, do we?"
"Oh, Jack," you pouted, "this is just foreplay."
"Ah, is that what you call passive-aggressive incompetence now?"
"Bold of you to assume it’s passive," you fired back, picking up an iPad and scanning through your list of patients for the night. "Or that I’m incompetent, considering I actually round with patients instead of brooding in corners like a gargoyle."
"Gargoyle?" he echoed. "I’m flattered you’ve been staring long enough to come up with nicknames."
"Please," you scoffed. "Your aura of gloom is visible from space. NASA actually filed a complaint saying it was interfering with their ability to conduct research."
Jack paused for a beat, gaze flicking over you more intently than usual. "Did you eat before your shift?"
You eyes were glued on the iPad, your only response a single head bobble "no."
He didn’t like that. Robby could tell from the way his jaw flexed slightly—but he said nothing. Just hummed under his breath and looked back at his clipboard.
Robby had been watching through his glasses the entire time, arms crossed and eyes narrowed like a dad wrangling in two over-caffeinated siblings. He blinked at the two of you, then sighed—long, theatrical, the kind of sigh that said he had survived more codes than he could count but this was titrating his patience.
"You two ever gonna kiss, or just keep trying to murder each other with sarcasm?" He took his glasses off to bury his face in his hands with a groan.
Jack didn’t look up, turning the page over on his clipboard. "I prefer homicide. Cleaner paperwork."
"Honestly, I'd take an explosive diarrhea case over having this conversation," you muttered, half to Robby, half to yourself, rubbing at the bridge of your nose like the words might erase Jack from your field of vision. 
Robby would be remiss if he didn't catch the way neither of you clocked his kiss and make up comment. He stared at you both, mouth frozen in a half-smile that said he couldn’t decide whether to laugh or launch you into separate time zones. He gave it two full seconds—long enough to confirm that you were both still hopeless—before shaking his head in defeat.
"I think," Robby hummed, patting both of your shoulders like a tired camp counselor, "to be so dumb must be nice."
You and Jack had the same unimpressed expression locked and loaded—scowls sharp and identical, contempt trained squarely on Robby, both of you about to mouth off in perfect sync.
He walked off before either of you could open your mouths. 
By 3am, the fatigue and hunger were chewing holes in your composure.
Too many admits. Not enough staff. Shen being chronically unbothered. Myrna threatening to murder her wife—when you and Jack turned to ask if she had a wife, matching expressions of disbelief already locked in place, she looked at you deadpan and asked, "You wanna get hitched?"
And always—always—Jack.
Fucking Jack.
With his clipboard full of passive-aggressive notes in that damn attractive calligraphy handwriting.
His tone clipped like a warning and welcome all at once.
And his black scrubs making him look like the grim reaper of constructive criticism and deconstructive mental undressing.
"Patient in six?" you asked.
"CT just came back. Small bowel obstruction. Classic presentation, apparently."
You glanced his way. "Told you it wasn’t just post-op gas."
Jack didn’t miss a beat. "And yet, you were already quoting discharge guidelines to the new intern before radiology even called back."
You shot him a look. Walsh would be proud of you for that one. "I was outlining possibilities. It’s called methodical thinking—must not be a concept you’re familiar with."
He grinned, lazy and unbothered. "Chaos works for me. You panic without bullet points."
You rolled your eyes. "You’re the only attending I know who thrives in complete chaos and calls it a ‘method.’"
"And you’re the only resident I know who color-codes her trauma alerts."
The edge of your lip curled. "That’s called being prepared."
He gestured vaguely. "It’s called being uptight."
You arched a brow. "Spoken like someone who thinks organized is a four-letter word that starts with 'f' and ends with 'k'."
He leaned in, voice dropping just slightly. "Spoken like someone who secretly enjoys cleaning up after my messes."
You blinked once. Then grinned wider. "One day, your beloved chaos is going to bite you in the ass."
He tapped your chart as he walked past. "I guess it’s a good thing you’ve already alphabetized the first aid supplies for me."
By 3:20, the storm hit.
Lightning cracked the sky. Power flickered. The backup generator hummed to life with a groan. You should've brought an extra jacket to keep in your locker but it would end up disappearing anyway. Jack was in the hallway already, flashlight in hand.
"OR’s shut down. We’re triaging manually. You good?"
You nodded, biting your tongue. This wasn’t the time.
You worked side by side in the makeshift command center. Tension simmered beneath the quiet coordination—until a grabby frat-boy type from bay four decided he didn’t like being told to sit still and wait.
It happened fast.
He flung the tray off his bed, sending instruments clattering across the floor. You instinctively raised your hand to shield your face—just as a stray scalpel nicked the back of your hand, slicing a sharp, shallow arc. The pain didn’t register immediately. Jack did.
He was on the guy in an instant, stepping in front of you, voice low and lethal. "Sit. Down." The words came out all but minced. 
Security had already been called, but Jack looked like he wanted to break the guy’s face just for breathing in your direction. He didn’t even turn back to you until the orderlies dragged the patient away.
Then his hand was cupping your elbow, his voice much softer. "Let me see it."
You hissed as he inspected the cut. "It’s not deep."
"You’re bleeding on my chaos," he muttered, guiding you gently to an empty room.
You snorted through the blossoming pain. "Told you my color-coding wasn’t excessive."
He grabbed a suture kit, pulling gloves on with the kind of care you usually saw him reserve for crics and broken ribs. "Hold still."
"Bossy."
"Only when someone I like gets stabbed in the hand."
Your breathing hitched. "Like, huh?"
Jack’s attention was fixed on your hand. "Don’t make it weird."
You smiled, watching him thread the needle, so close, so focused. "Wouldn’t dream of it."
The quiet that followed wasn’t heavy. Quite the opposite. It felt warm. Easy. He worked methodically, hands sure, touch gentle, eyes flicking up every few seconds to check your expression like it mattered more than the wound. As he cleaned around the cut and prepped the lidocaine syringe, you both said it in unison—
"Slight prick and a burn."
You laughed under your breath, both at his expression of surprise and your synchrony. "God. That phrase is ingrained in my soul. I think I said it to a grapefruit during my 5th year."
Jack’s lips twitched. "I said it to a patient’s plush raccoon once."
You watched his hands move with steady precision, stitching you up like he had all the time in the world. The storm outside cracked again, but neither of you flinched.
"Make sure I don’t scar, Doc," you teased, settling in as he prepped the suture. "I need these hands to make magic and miracles happen. Might even become a hand model if this whole medicine thing doesn’t pan out."
Jack didn’t look up, but you caught the twitch at the corner of his mouth. "I’ll do my best, ma’am. But if you end up on a billboard somewhere, I expect royalties."
You snorted. "In your dreams."
Jack didn’t say anything at first—just gave you a small, private smile like he was tucking something away in the back of his mind. Like he was keeping it just for himself.
And this time, when you looked at him, he didn’t look away.
For a few minutes, the raindrops tapping against the windows were the only sound that filled the empty space. Jack didn't speak. He just kept his gaze on your hand, now bandaged, resting on the edge of the tray table like it had never been hurt. You watched him watching you, your heart thudding quietly in your throat. 
"You always take care of your disasters this nicely?" you mumbled.
He smirked. "Only the pretty ones."
You didn’t speak of it.
Not until later, when the lights came back and the halls emptied and you were alone in the break room.
You noticed it as he leaned against the counter, scrubs rumpled, hair even more so. His scrubs were black, as always—just rumpled enough to prove he'd been moving all night, just fitted enough to be infuriating. You took a sip of water, eyeing him from across the break room table as you both took a seat. Something about the way the fluorescent light caught the curve of his jaw made the words slip out before you could stop them.
"Do you own anything that isn’t black?" you asked, voice light with sudden curiosity. "Or is your off-duty wardrobe just a series of increasingly gothic-toned hoodies that match your work-wear?"
Jack glanced up from his coffee, one brow arched. "It hides blood."
You stared. "You really don’t let anyone in, huh?"
He didn’t answer right away, just sipped his coffee and stared out at the empty hallway beyond the break room.
Finally, with a shrug that didn’t quite match the weight behind it, he said, "You’re one to talk."
That made you laugh, but it came out softer than expected. "Guess we’re both pretty terrible at normal."
Jack’s lips twitched. "Normal’s overrated."
You leaned back in your chair, legs stretched out in front of you, the tips of your sneakers barely brushing his. Neither of you moved. 
Suddenly, Jack got up and yanked open a small drawer by the coffee machine and pulled out a sad-looking granola bar, handing it to you without meeting your eyes.
"Eat this."
Your brow furrowed, suspicious. "Seriously?"
"You haven’t eaten since yesterday," he muttered, brushing it off like it didn’t matter. Like he hadn’t noticed.
You stared at the wrapper, then at him. "You really had that locked and loaded?"
He didn’t answer. Just crossed his arms and stuck the bar out at you further. "It’s chocolate. Don’t make me regret it."
Instead of prying further, your hand reached out slowly and took it, eyes still narrowed, studying him like he’d just burnt out a fuse in your brain.
Silence washed over you again. Occasionally filled by the sound of you munching on your granola bar and taking measured sips of your coffee. After a few minutes and one crumpled granola bar later, you caught Jack sneaking a glance at you over the rim of his cup.
You didn’t say anything—just raised a brow.
He looked away like he hadn’t been watching you at all.
But the corner of his mouth betrayed him.
The words crept out of your mouth carefully. "Do you think..." 
Jack looked up, gaze intent. 
"Nevermind," you stopped yourself. 
He leaned in closer, the space between you shrinking into something almost unbearable. Not quite touching, not even brushing—but the air thickened under the weight of his stare. That kind of eye contact that felt like it could crack glass. Steady. Searching.
You let the quiet spool between you like a thread someone might tug, if they were brave enough.
"It's rude to start things you don't intend on finishing," he stated simply.
You blinked, still caught in the current of that look, then leaned in a little—almost like you were about to whisper a secret. Jack mirrored you without hesitation, like it was instinct.
Your voice was barely above a murmur. "Do you think..."
He waited, gaze steady, maybe even a tinge of hope if you squinted.
"...that the real reason you thrive in chaos is because it matches your personality?" you deadpanned.
Jack exhaled sharply, the ghost of a scoff tugging at his mouth. He sat back, shaking his head. "Unbelievable."
You grinned, eyes bright and playful. "What? I finished it."
"Barely," he muttered, but he was smiling too.
A few beats passed. You both sat in the lingering quiet, the kind that settled in only after long shifts and half-spoken things.
Then he leaned in—just a little—mirroring what you'd done earlier. You furrowed your brows, curious.
He lowered his voice, almost conspiratorial. "Do you think..."
You leaned in too, expecting something real, something heavy.
"...that you secretly enjoy being wrong? Because, statistically, it’s seems like your favorite hobby."
Your jaw dropped to let out a puff of air, baffled by his audacity, and pushed his arm. "God, you’re insufferable."
He chuckled under his breath. "And yet, here you are."
You gave him a sideways glance, lips quirking. "I will admit that it’s in my top five favorite hobbies. But it still doesn’t beat ‘annoying Jack Abbot.’ That one’s undefeated."
Jack shook his head, eyes warm and lips softened in a grin. "You’d miss me if I ever stopped letting you win."
Your only response was a coy smile. You nudged his foot with yours beneath the table, and he glanced down at the contact. He nudged back, subtle and sure, like he didn’t want the moment to end just yet—then looked back up at you. Something passed between the pair of you—unspoken, tentative, curious.
The room fell quiet again, comfortable this time. Neither of you moved to leave.
Until Jack's phone buzzed.
He glanced at it, then cursed under his breath. "Room seven. It's that kid who demanded to speak to the 'head doctor' because I wouldn't give him dilaudid for a tension headache."
You raised a brow. "So... a normal Friday?"
"Basically."
You watched him go, expecting a quick de-escalation. Room seven. You knew who that was. Height rivaled only by his ego. Frat letters drawn across his bare chest like illiterate war paint. Barked at nurses like he owned the floor. The kind of guy who made everything someone else's problem, backed by daddy’s legal team and a two-semester record of hazing infractions.
Jack had said he’d handle it. He always did. Especially with these types. It was like they were on a rotation—every Friday night, a new brand of uninhibited pre-frontal cortex, privileged chaos.
But then you heard his voice—Jack’s—sharp and too loud from down the hall. A clatter followed, unmistakable. Tray to tile. A chair scraping. Then another crash. A shout that definitely wasn’t Jack’s.
You were already moving.
By the time you rounded the corner, the frat boy was mid-lunge, fury twisting his face as he hurled a tray toward Jack’s head like he was reenacting some half-remembered bar fight. Jack ducked, barely—but he was boxed in, too close to the wall.
You didn’t think. Just moved.
"Hey!" you barked, adrenaline surging. You threw yourself at him, coming at him like a freight train and making him fall back onto the bed with a grunt. A nurse hit the emergency call. Security swarmed seconds later.
Jack had grabbed your arm and pulled you back—tight but not painful—pulling you just out of the fray. "What the hell?"
You glared at him, chest heaving. "Returning the favor."
He didn’t let go.
"On-call room. Now."
He practically hauled you down the hall, his hand never leaving yours. You were both silent until the door shut behind you. He pressed his palms to the counter and stared at it like it had personally offended him.
"What was that?" His voice was sharp, unfiltered, pissed in a way you didn’t see often—not like this. Not when it was about you. "You could’ve gotten hurt."
"So could you." You leaned against the metal bunkbed frame, still catching your breath. "A simple 'thank you' would suffice."
His Adam's apple bobbed, slow, like the movement itself took restraint. His jaw was tight, eyes darker than usual.
"You're reckless," he said quietly.
"Takes one to know one," you laughed.
Jack didn’t.
He stepped forward instead, jaw clenched. "You have no regard for your safety and only for that of others."
You took a step back.
"You will go out of your way to treat and protect everyone around you at the expense of your own well-being."
Another step back. Any closer and—
"Do you understand," he said, each word measured, devastating, "how much I worry about you?"
Your heartbeat was a war drum now—loud, insistent, thunderous.
"Do you know how much I think about you? How much I plan for the worst every time you throw yourself between danger and someone else without a second thought?" he added, voice cracking just enough to reveal the truth beneath it. Laid bare.
"When you walk into the ER and you haven't eaten since the night before and I can see it—you're running on caffeine and impulse and whatever scraps of adrenaline are left."
You opened your mouth, but no sound came out.
He didn’t stop there. "When you give your jacket to a freezing patient and spend the next six hours shivering without saying a word—like that’s normal."
You swallowed. "It wasn’t cold..."
Jack’s voice sharpened. "You forget your umbrella and show up soaked but act like it's fine. Like it’s not freezing. Like you didn’t just volunteer to get sick."
Your fingers twitched against your side.
"And when you blow off your own wound care to finish a chart. Or cover a code blue for someone else even though your shift ended twenty minutes ago."
You looked away. His eyes never left you.
He stepped even closer, willing you to look at him. "When you pretend you’re made of steel. And then crack alone in the stairwell when you think no one’s looking."
It felt like ice cold water had dropped from the ceiling.
"Jack—" you managed to force out. 
He held up a hand and turned around, cutting you off. "Please." 
He couldn’t hear it. Not unless you felt the same. Not unless you'd listened, actually listened, for once. He’d rather bleed out not knowing than survive a rejection he couldn’t patch. Just colleagues. He'd switch over to day shift if he had to. Robby could put in a word for him. Temporary, at least until he found a new hospital. Maybe in a different city. Of a different state.
He looked anywhere but you, turning like he meant to leave, like he could walk it off and pretend none of this ever happened.
"Jack, please..." The words came out desperate, begging, pleading for him to stop.
He didn't meet your eyes—couldn't. "I'll see you at the nurses station." 
"Oh, for the love of God—" You reached forward and yanked him back by his forearm.
And then your lips were on his.
It wasn’t clean or careful. It was a crash—years of tension detonating all at once. He froze for half a second, eyes wide open like his brain was short-circuiting, then kissed you back with everything he had and more. Desperation, disbelief, hunger—it all poured out of him like water breaking through a dam.
Your hands cradled his face, thumbs grazing over the light stubble along his jaw, fingertips brushing the sharp edges of his cheekbones like you were learning him by touch alone. He kissed you like he couldn’t stand to stop, and you held him like you weren’t going to let him. He tasted like spearmint—sharp and stubborn—the gum he always carried in his pocket, and behind that, burnt coffee and something so distinctly Jack it made your limbs tingle.
His hands found your waist, your jaw, your back—grasping like he didn’t trust the moment to be real unless he mapped every inch of you with his fingertips. You were pressed chest to chest, and it still didn’t feel close enough.
Jack had kissed people before. He had slept with people before. He'd been married, for God's sake. But this—this—was unreal. This was heat and gravity and every inch of restraint he’d stitched into place finally tearing wide open. This was the reason human beings fought in wars. Why people wrote poetry and ruined perfectly stable lives for one perfect, maddening kiss. Why everything else material and immaterial suddenly paled in comparison.
Your hands were in his hair, tugging salt and pepper curls just enough to make him groan, low and wrecked against your lips.
He kissed you like he was trying to memorize the shape of your mouth, share the oxygen in your lungs, the little gasp you made when his thumb grazed the spot behind your ear just right. He devoured everything you gave him and kissed you like a man who had run out of time and patience.
Because he had.
He’d wanted this too long to pretend otherwise, and he'd sooner die than deprive either of you from this any longer. 
You pulled back just enough to breathe, your forehead resting lightly against his. Both of you were gasping, eyes locked in the kind of dazed silence that usually followed adrenaline crashes. 
"Took you long enough, old man," you whispered, lips still brushing his.
Jack blinked once, twice. Like he couldn’t believe this was real. Like the thought had crossed his mind a thousand times, but the reality of you—this—hit harder than he’d prepared for.
"You feel the same?" he asked quietly, in a tone that was more awe than question.
You nodded. "Since before either of us were brave enough to say it."
Jack let out a breath that shook at the edges. "I thought if I let it slip—if I looked too long, said too much—you’d shut me out."
"I thought if I admitted it, it would ruin everything."
"It didn’t," he murmured, leaning his forehead against yours.
"No," you whispered. "It finally made sense of everything."
Jack blinked again, almost like he hadn’t fully registered it until now. His gaze swept over your face, pausing at your lips, then your eyes, as if searching for the lie he couldn’t find.
"You really mean that?" he asked, quieter now. Not disbelieving—just internalizing.
You nodded again, slower this time. "I don’t do this if I don’t."
Jack let out another breath, but it wasn’t shaky this time—it was solid. Grounded. Relieved. He laughed under it, the sound warm and slightly incredulous.
"You really are impossible," he murmured, brushing his nose against yours.
"And you’re dramatic," you whispered back, smiling.
"Fair," he said. "But you’re still mine."
"Yeah," you said. "I think I always was."
Jack huffed a breath, the ghost of a smile tugging at his mouth. "Careful. You just kissed your attending. That kind of power could go to your head."
You grinned, still breathless. "Please. You kissed me back like your life depended on it."
"Who says it didn't?" he asked rhetorically, so quietly it almost got lost in the air between you.
Your fingers drifted to the back of his neck, fingertips brushing softly along the hairline, anchoring him there. Jack shivered. Not from cold—never from cold.
"Thank you," you admitted. "For taking care of me while I was busy taking care of everyone else."
His grip on your waist tightened, grounding himself, and then he leaned in again. This time it was slower. Less frantic. His lips found the curve of your neck, warm and reverent. You gasped—quietly—but it was enough. He kissed lower, just beneath your jaw, and your hands curled in the fabric at his shoulders.
"Always." The word left his lips like a prayer.
His fingers traced the hem of your scrub top, ghosting up your sides like he was overriding any and all memories of anything else other than you. No dissonance. Just Jack, desperate to feel something real in a world that never gave him space to.
You pressed closer, kissed the corner of his mouth. "You taste like that godawful spearmint gum."
He grinned against your skin. "You love it."
Another scoff. "If throwing myself in front of a raging frat boy was all it took to get you to shut up and kiss me, I would've done it ages ago."
Jack pulled back just enough to look at you, smug. "If you do that again, I’m going to make you do my charting for a week."
You snorted. "With pleasure."
He didn’t argue. Just dipped his head and kissed you again.
You woke in the on-call room, a mess of tangled limbs and haphazardly strewn clothes. Your cheek pressed to the rise and fall of his chest. The storm had long passed, but its echo lingered in the hush around you. Jack’s arm was slung low around your waist, fingers drawing lazy, absent-minded shapes against your hip like he didn’t know how to stop touching you now that he’d started.
"For what it’s worth, I still think you’re a pain in the ass," you murmured, voice thick with sleep.
His chest rumbled beneath your cheek. "Likewise," he said, but it came out softer than usual.
You shifted just enough to look up at him, your hand brushing gently across his ribs, then settling over his heart. "Don’t get used to this."
His brow arched. "This?" If you looked hard enough, you might have seen worry flash across his face. 
"Me being nice."
Relief painted his expression. He smiled, full and rare. "You’re the one curled into me like a particularly mouthy cat."
You buried your face in his chest. "Shut up."
His fingers tightened slightly at your hip. "Not complaining. Just saying... I could get used to this."
You looked up again, caught the vulnerability flickering there before he blinked it away. Your thumb brushed his jaw, and you leaned in, pressing a slow kiss to the corner of his mouth, a smile blooming in its wake.
"Yeah," you whispered. "Me too."
A few weeks and an undetermined number of shifts later, you walked through the double doors of the ER wearing a black hoodie—oversized and unassuming to anyone else, but unmistakable to anyone who knew him.
Robby and Dana spotted it from a mile away. The frayed drawstring, the hole near the front pocket, the faded cuff seams—the one he always reached for when the weather dropped below 60 degrees, too tired to bother, or too raw to pretend. Jack’s favorite and now second most prized possession.
The first being the shirt you wore when you stayed the night for the first time—oversized and soft, probably older than the first year med students—borrowed without asking. He never washed it. Claimed it smelled like you now and he'd keep it that way.
No one said a word.
Except Robby, who walked past and muttered, "Finally." Then, as you and Jack strolled side by side toward the nurses’ station—still bickering, now with smiles tucked behind every jab—he held out a fist to Jack.
Jack bumped it without hesitation.
Robby grinned. "Took you long enough."
"Shut up," you and Jack muttered in unison, but neither of you stopped smiling.
Jack's hand brushed yours between steps, a casual touch that lingered just long enough to say everything he couldn't say out loud in front of witnesses. You let your pinky hook around his for a second before letting go—just a flash of something soft beneath the usual snark.
"Didn't know we allowed pets in the ER," Dana remarked from her chair before looking up through her glasses. "Or are those lovebirds I hear?"
You smirked. "We’re just evolving."
Jack raised a brow. "Into better people?"
"No," you replied. "Into slightly better-functioning disasters. I am, anyway. Jack’s still somewhere between disaster and cryptid."
He bumped your shoulder gently before giving you a playful wink. "Speak for yourself. I was already perfect."
You rolled your eyes but didn’t argue. A smile crept up like second nature. You'd get him next time.
Robby snorted. "God, you two are insufferable."
You turned just enough to shoot him a smug look. "You love it."
He held up his hands in mock surrender. "I do. But if I walk in on you making out in the supply closet, I’m blackmailing both of you. With photos."
Jack didn’t even flinch. "Make sure you get our good angles."
You could definitely get used to this.
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dior-luxury · 28 days ago
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𓂃 . 𐑞 "Get On The Bed" Prank On Them ⟡
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ꔫ﹒genre﹒⟢ - romance/fluff/comedy. f!reader
⏆﹒⿻ ch . bangchan . leeknow . changbin . hyunjin . han . felix . seungmin . i.n
﹙◞◟﹚﹒warnings ﹒Mild Suggestiveness . Romantic Themes . Mild-Language
Bang Chan (방찬)
It had been a cozy, quiet evening. Chan was sprawled out on the couch, laptop open, headphones slightly askew as he worked on a track, mouthing along to the beat. You’d been waiting for the right moment to test your little prank, and now—he looked so focused—it was perfect.
You walked over casually and leaned in just enough for him to notice. When he looked up at you with a smile, you tilted your head and, with a playful lilt, whispered, “Get on the bed.”
He blinked. Once. Twice.
“…W-what?” he stammered, pulling off his headphones so fast they nearly snapped back into place. “Did you just…?”
You nodded, keeping a straight face.
Chan’s ears flushed instantly. “Uhm—should I—uh—wait, are you serious?” He looked around like the walls were suddenly sentient witnesses to his confusion. “Like...now?”
You could see the gears in his head turning at high speed—wondering if this was a signal, a joke, or something more serious. He even stood up halfway, brushing invisible dust from his shirt, his face a mix of shock, amusement, and bashful hope.
But the moment you cracked a smile, he froze. “Wait a second...are you—are you pranking me?!”
You burst out laughing, and he groaned, hiding his red face behind both hands before collapsing back onto the couch. “You’re evil,” he muttered, a shy grin tugging at his lips. “You can’t say stuff like that so casually—do you want me to lose sleep tonight?”
But for the rest of the night, he kept sneaking glances at you, his smirk lingering—clearly, the prank had left an impression.
Lee Know (리노)
You knew Lee Know was sharp. Hard to fool. But that didn’t mean you wouldn’t try.
He was in the kitchen finishing a snack when you leaned on the doorway, arms folded, and casually said, “Get on the bed.”
He turned slowly, a brow raised. “Excuse me?”
“Get on the bed,” you repeated coolly, giving nothing away.
He narrowed his eyes. “Why? Did you change the sheets or something?”
You didn’t answer.
Lee Know took a step toward you, licking his lips in thought. “Wait…” he said slowly, eyes scanning your expression like a detective. “You never say stuff like that unless you’re up to something.”
You shrugged.
“Is this one of those TikTok pranks?” he asked, amused. “Are you recording me? Where’s the camera?”
Still, you held your poker face.
That’s when a sly smile curved his lips. “You know, if you want me in bed, all you have to do is ask nicely.” He winked, walking closer. “No need for vague commands.”
You burst out laughing, and he snorted. “Yeah, thought so. You’re a terrible liar.”
Then he leaned down, placing his hands on either side of your shoulders against the wall. “Just know…you’re playing a dangerous game, baby.”
You gulped—and realized you’d started the prank, but he might just finish it.
Changbin (창빈)
You found him in the studio corner of the apartment, scribbling lyrics and mouthing beats. His glasses were sliding down his nose slightly, and he looked deep in the zone. Perfect timing.
“Hey,” you said sweetly, leaning on the wall. “Get on the bed.”
He paused, pen midair. “Huh?”
You nodded. “Now.”
He blinked. “Wait. Why?” He stood slowly, frowning. “Are you okay? Do you need to talk about something? Did I forget something important? Is it—wait, did I mess up a date? Your birthday’s not today, right?!”
You had to bite your lip to keep from laughing.
“Wait—should I bring snacks? Or like…is this about a massage? Did you hurt your back?” He was now spiraling into a full-on theory board of reasons why you might want him on the bed. “Or—is this, like, code for something?”
You finally laughed, clutching your stomach.
He squinted. “No… Don’t tell me this was a prank. Are you serious?”
You nodded through your giggles.
“I WAS READY TO APOLOGIZE FOR STUFF I DIDN’T EVEN DO,” he yelled dramatically, throwing his hands up. But then he grinned, eyes twinkling. “You got me good… Next time, I’m turning the tables.”
Hyunjin (현진)
Hyunjin was mid-selfie when you waltzed in. You caught your reflection in the mirror behind him—him pouting, perfect angles, glowing skin. You loved how into himself he could get, and now you were about to ruin it (in the best way).
“Get on the bed,” you said, standing tall.
He dropped his phone like you’d just cast a spell.
“…Is this a dream?” he asked, placing a hand to his chest dramatically. “Did I just hear my beautiful girlfriend—the love of my life—tell me to get on the bed?”
You nodded solemnly.
“Oh my God,” he gasped, looking toward the ceiling. “Thank you, universe. My time has come.”
Then, without skipping a beat, he threw himself onto the bed in a theatrical flop, arms wide like he was in a telenovela. “I’m ready! Take me!”
You couldn’t contain your laughter. He peeked up, suspicious now. “Wait…are you laughing? Is this a joke?!”
You nodded through the laughter.
He sat up with an over-the-top glare. “You devil,” he hissed, pointing dramatically. “How dare you toy with my heart like that.”
But then he giggled and pulled you into bed with him anyway. “Fine. We’re both staying here now. Prank or not.”
Han (한)
It was a quiet, late afternoon in your shared apartment, rain tapping against the windows like a soft lullaby. You and Han had spent the day lounging in pajamas, binge-watching anime, stealing snacks, and laughing about nothing in particular. He was now sprawled out on the couch, hoodie half over his head, a bag of chips clutched to his chest.
You stood up, stretched, and glanced at him with a mischievous smirk. “Babe,” you called softly, your voice low and suggestive, “come get on the bed.”
Han’s head snapped up so fast you thought he might’ve hurt his neck. His wide eyes blinked at you in disbelief, a chip falling from his mouth mid-chew.
“Huh?? What?” he asked, half-gasping, clearly not trusting his ears.
You bit your lip to hold back your laughter. “You heard me. Bed. Now.”
A moment of silence. Then his brain combusted.
“Oh my god, wait, wait—hold up,” he stammered, practically throwing the chips aside and scrambling to his feet. “You’re serious?! Like serious serious?!"
You didn’t answer. Instead, you turned and sauntered toward the bedroom, giving him just enough reason to follow.
Han trailed behind, his hands in the air like he was surrendering to fate. “Wait, babe, I didn’t shower yet! Should I—? Should I light candles? Do I need to… should I bring water or something?!” His voice cracked in that signature Han-way, half-excited, half-overthinking.
The moment he stepped into the room, you turned to face him, a completely straight face. “Okay,” you said, nodding solemnly. “Now lie down. Face down. We’re doing... tax paperwork.”
The confusion on his face was pure art.
“What? Bro, WHAT?” he exclaimed, hands dramatically slapping his thighs. “I was mentally preparing for the Olympics! You’re telling me we’re doing taxes?!”
You broke into laughter as he dramatically flopped onto the bed like a starfish. “Unbelievable. My heart rate hit 130 for forms and deductions?!”
He pouted for a good five minutes, but later admitted it was a pretty good prank—especially after you kissed his cheek and promised to “make it up to him” with cuddles and a massage.
Felix (필릭스)
The golden hour sun poured into the apartment, casting warm hues across the walls. Felix had just finished baking cookies and the scent of chocolate still lingered in the air. He had that soft, relaxed look on his face—the kind that made your heart flutter.
You were sitting on the edge of the bed, scrolling through your phone when the idea popped into your head. “Lixie,” you called out sweetly.
He peeked in from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a towel. “Yeah, baby?”
You locked eyes with him and tilted your head innocently. “Come here… get on the bed.”
For a second, he just stood there, blinking. Then his ears tinged pink, and he smiled—slow and slightly dazed. “You want me to… right now?” he asked, his voice dipping into that soft, deep register.
You nodded slowly. “Right now.”
He carefully placed the towel down and walked toward you, his movements graceful but slightly hesitant. You could see the wheels turning in his mind—Felix, ever the gentleman, was trying to read the room just in case he misinterpreted your tone.
“I mean… we can,” he said, voice low, “if you’re in the mood. You sure you’re okay?”
You had to bite your lip to keep from laughing. He was just so tender about it.
When he finally got to the bed, he sat down beside you, waiting for your lead. And then you handed him… a Rubik’s Cube.
“Time me,” you said seriously. “I bet I can beat your record.”
Felix stared at the cube, then at you, then burst into a soft giggle. “Oh my god, you brat,” he laughed, burying his face into your shoulder. “You tricked me!”
You both ended up lying on the bed anyway—laughing, tangled in blankets, solving the Rubik’s Cube together and sharing stolen kisses between turns.
Seungmin (승민)
Seungmin was sitting cross-legged on the floor, headphones on, editing a vlog for STAY. He had that slightly furrowed, focused look on his face, occasionally muttering to himself as he cut and trimmed footage.
You leaned against the doorway, watching him, then decided it was the perfect time to cause trouble.
“Seungminnie,” you purred. “Come get on the bed.”
He paused his music, pulled one earphone out, and turned slowly. His eyebrow lifted with suspicion. “Why?” he asked dryly, voice laced with his usual sarcasm. “Are you going to steal my hoodie again?”
You gave him your best doe eyes. “Just come here.”
He stood up slowly, stretching, arms raised over his head as he walked toward the bed with caution.
“I swear,” he muttered, “if this is another prank where you bury me in plushies again, I’m going to file a formal complaint.”
You patted the bed beside you. “Just lie down. Trust me.”
He lay down stiffly, his body language reading: I don’t trust you at all. “Now what?”
You sat on his stomach and dramatically opened a folder. “Time for a pop quiz. Seungmin Kim, please list the chronological order of every date we’ve ever been on.”
He stared at you like you had lost your mind.
“No,” he deadpanned.
“Yes.”
“No, I refuse.”
“Yes, and if you get one wrong, you owe me boba.”
Seungmin sighed so hard it could’ve moved furniture. “This is abuse,” he said, but there was a grin forming at the corners of his mouth.
You both ended up laughing so hard you couldn’t even get through the first few questions—and he did buy you boba later, grumbling the whole time about how you “play too much.”
I.N (아이엔)
It was late evening and you and Jeongin had just finished a casual home karaoke session. He was sprawled out on the floor, arms stretched out like a starfish, hair tousled, breath still slightly uneven from belting high notes.
You patted the bed gently. “Hey, Innie,” you said softly. “Get on the bed.”
His head whipped around like a deer caught in headlights.
“Huh?! Why?!” he asked, already blushing.
You kept your expression serious. “Just do it.”
He sat up slowly, his face suspicious but obedient. “Is this a trick? Are you going to throw a pillow at me?”
“No tricks,” you said. “Promise.”
Jeongin climbed onto the bed, sitting cross-legged, eyes fixed on you like he was waiting for some kind of jump scare.
You leaned in close. “Now lie down. Completely flat. Arms at your sides.”
“Okay…” he obeyed, stiff as a board. “Now what?”
You reached over and placed a slice of cold cucumber on his forehead.
“What the—?!” he sputtered, lifting his head. “What is this?!”
“It’s spa time,” you said calmly. “You’ve been working hard. Relax.”
He let out a high-pitched laugh and covered his face. “I thought you were trying to seduce me and it’s salad ingredients?!”
You both collapsed into giggles, and eventually, he did relax—laying with his head in your lap, cucumber slices now replaced by your fingers brushing through his hair.
922 notes · View notes
gyugraphy · 1 month ago
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psyche (1)
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— synopsis. After the catastrophe in New York-when the Void tore through the city-the Thunderbolts know it can't happen again. Bob Reynolds doesn't need another collar or containment spell. He needs help. Enter her: a psychiatrist with an unusual gift, capable of stepping into the mind itself. No one expected her to reach him-least of all, him. "You're just going to leave me the moment it gets too hard, aren't you?" he says. She meets his gaze, steady and unshaken. "I've walked through nightmares to get to you. I won't walk away now."
— pairing. robert reynolds (sentry/the void) x reader
— warning/s. mentions of trauma, mental illness, depression
— word count. 5.1k
masterlist ⊹ part 1 ⊹ part 2 ⊹ part 3 ⊹ part 4 ⊹ part 5 ⊹ part 6
⋆˙⟡
“Strange called,” Christine Palmer said, not looking up from her tablet.
You glanced in her direction but didn’t respond. You felt like there isn't anything worth saying. Instead, you focused on the soft, familiar sounds around you—the quiet clatter of metal instruments being cleaned at the nearby sterilization station, the steady shuffle of footsteps on polished hospital floors. A monitor beeped somewhere down the hall, keeping time in the way only machines could. The hum of fluorescent lights overhead, that you never really noticed, added to the background noise.
In the corner, a few patients sat hunched in plastic chairs, wrapped in hospital blankets that offered more symbolism than warmth. Their faces were drawn, tired, a mix of exhaustion and quiet anxiety. Some waited for scans, others for pain relief, a few just for answers that might never come tonight. They all shared the same energy, that tension that lived in the bones of everyone who passed through the ER after dark. You knew it well.
You were supposed to have clocked out an hour ago—your shift technically ended at midnight—but no one really left on time in this place. The ER didn’t care about schedules. It held you in its grip until it was ready to let go, and sometimes, not even then. Not when a life could still slip through the cracks—because of a missed bleed, a bad stitch, or the wrong word spoken at the worst possible time.
Christine tapped her screen a few times, then added, “Apparently, Bucky Barnes asked him to help find a psychiatrist.”
That made you pause, your fingers hesitating on the chart you were holding. Still, you didn’t look up. The case wasn’t serious—just a minor injury with a straightforward treatment plan. You met Christine’s gaze briefly, then looked back down, eyes scanning through lines of notes more out of habit than need.
“You know I’m not practicing anymore,” you muttered. “Psychiatry, I mean.”
Christine leaned a hip against the counter beside you, folding her arms. “Since when? You’re double-boarded. And don’t give me the ‘I’m just a surgeon now’ line. I’ve heard it too many times to believe it.”
“It’s not a line. It’s a preference,” you said, your voice flat. “Organs are a lot simpler than people's minds.”
“Sure,” she said, the sarcasm thin but present. “You can cut them open, take out what’s broken, sew them back up, and call it a day. But that’s not why you switched.”
Your hands stilled mid-note. The chart blurred for a moment, your pen hovering above the page.
“Tell Barnes to find someone else.”
“Actually, he didn’t call,” Christine said quietly. “Strange didn’t either.”
You looked up, and she turned the tablet toward you.
“They just sent me this.”
Your name was there in bold, black text at the top of the screen—accompanied by layers of encrypted clearance codes, redacted fields, and a formal request for psychiatric consultation. It wasn’t just a note. It was government-level. Serious. Sealed. No fluff. No context. No diagnosis.
Just one name buried in the lines of classified language.
Robert Reynolds.
You stared at it. The name carved through you like a scalpel—sharp, precise, and deep. Your chest went tight. Not with fear exactly, though it wasn’t far off. Christine watched you too carefully now.
You said the name aloud, almost to yourself. “Reynolds. Sentry? The Void? The man who turned Manhattan into literal shadows?”
Christine’s voice softened. “He’ll could probably eat you alive,” she said. “Whoever it is. You know that.”
You didn’t answer. You glanced at the clock hanging on the wall beside you. You reached for the gloves on your hands, peeled them off one by one, and tossed them into the biohazard bin beside the counter. The silence between you stretched.
“You’re not going to do it,” Christine said, trying for a steadier voice. “Right?”
But you were already moving. You grabbed your coat, your badge, and turned toward the hallway that led to the staff exit.
“Right?!” Christine repeated, this time louder. You only waved her off by raising one hand as you continued to walk.
Christine sighed under her breath, watching you go.
“Oh, she’s in trouble,” she mumbled, more to herself than anyone else.
⋆˙⟡
The city didn’t feel real when you stepped outside.
Maybe it was the late hour. Or the way the streetlights buzzed overhead, casting everything in a dim, unnatural gold. The sidewalk gleamed with recent rain, and the night air clung to your skin—cool, damp, electric. Maybe it was just the words still echoing in your mind.
Bob Reynolds.
You heard that name before—not whispered behind closed doors, not even in passing. People avoided it deliberately, like saying it out loud might stir something sleeping. Might invite the dark back in.
He doesn’t need containment. He needs healing.
That was what the message had said.
But you knew what it really meant. You could read between the encrypted lines. Reynolds wasn’t just unstable—he was a ticking bomb they didn’t know how to disarm. He wasn’t a patient; he was a problem no one wanted to admit they couldn’t fix.
They were looking for someone to step into the fire and hope they didn’t burn.
You had no intention of being that someone.
Not anymore.
It was just past two in the morning when the elevator doors slid open on the surgical floor. Most of the hospital was asleep or pretending to be. You were still on your feet—finishing post-op notes in the nurses’ station, trying to tether yourself to something routine. The soft tap of keys, the faint smell of coffee gone cold, the distant echo of an intercom down the corridor. These were the things that kept you grounded when your hands weren’t cutting. When your mind threatened to drift.
The hallway was quiet. Empty.
And then, something shifted.
You didn’t hear him at first. You felt him. A subtle change in pressure. A ripple through the air, like the building itself had gone tense.
You looked up.
There he was.
Bucky Barnes. Standing in the middle of the hallway like a ghost. Dressed in black, that metal arm catching the flickering light overhead. Expression unreadable. Posture coiled.
Your fingers hovered over the tablet.
“Subtle,” you said dryly.
He didn’t smile.
“I’m not here to make a scene.”
“You’re five seconds from getting tackled by security.”
“I turned off the cameras on this floor.”
Of course he did.
You sighed and slid the tablet aside. “You could’ve sent a message.”
“You would’ve ignored it.”
He wasn’t wrong.
You stood, slowly. Kept a polite amount of distance between you. “You want a consult.”
“No,” he said. “I want you.”
That gave you pause. He saw it.
“I read your work,” he continued. “The old stuff. Before you scrubbed it. Neural pathway immersion. Psychogenic structure mapping. Entering the subconscious. Rewriting trauma loops from the inside.”
You kept your expression still. “That research was never meant for clinical application.”
“It saved people.”
“No, it delayed their collapse. That’s not the same thing.”
He took a step closer. “You walked into the mind of a patient mid-psychotic break and helped him walk back out.”
“That patient relapsed two weeks later. Nearly took out his care team with him.”
“But he lived,” Bucky said. “That’s more than Reynolds has right now.”
Your chest tightened, but you didn’t let it show. Not much, anyway.
“So let me get this straight,” you said, voice cool. “You want me to crawl into the mind of the most powerful bipolar the world’s ever known? A man who once turned half of Manhattan into literal shadows? You want me to walk into that and—what? Talk him down?”
“He’s not just the Void.”
“No. But the Void is part of him. You don’t separate the two.”
Bucky’s jaw clenched. His voice dropped.
“He’s trying, okay? He’s lucid. Or close to it. He’s afraid of what he’s done. He wants to be better—but no one can reach him. They’ve all stopped trying. Except me.”
You studied him then. Not just his words, but everything else—the tight set of his shoulders, the wear in his eyes, the quiet tremor under all that steel. This wasn’t just a mission for him.
“You care about him.”
His breath hitched. “I know what it’s like to be controlled by something inside you. Something you didn’t choose. Something you hate.” His voice cracked just a little. “So yeah. I care.”
You looked away. The floor felt suddenly distant under your feet.
“I’m not a miracle worker, Barnes. I’m not some psychic surgeon. I can’t promise I won’t make things worse.”
He hesitated. “Would you try… if he asked you himself?”
That stopped you.
Your throat went dry.
“You think he wants me?”
“I think he’s afraid of you,” Bucky said. “Which is exactly why I think he needs you the most.”
You exhaled slowly. The kind of breath that emptied your lungs and still didn’t feel like enough.
The name echoed again in your mind like a wound reopening.
Robert Reynolds.
You crossed your arms instinctively, bracing against the words. Against everything they meant. You weren’t ready to say yes—but you couldn’t walk away yet. Not when the puzzle Bucky had thrown at you was already rattling around in your mind like a loose coin.
"Tell me more about him," you said, before you could second-guess yourself.
Bucky blinked, clearly expecting you to brush him off, maybe even shut him down. But you hadn’t done that. Not yet.
He stepped a little closer, lowering his voice as if the air itself might carry his words further than he wanted. "Bob... he's not what you think."
You could feel the weight in the silence between you, the hum of fluorescent lights and distant beeping from another part of the Tower, but it felt miles away. The shift in Bucky’s voice wasn’t a demand. It was a plea—one you weren’t sure you could ignore.
"He's always been complicated," you said, trying to keep your tone neutral. "Sentry and the Void aren’t easy to separate."
Bucky nodded slowly. “I know. But right now? He’s more fractured than ever. The Void doesn’t just come out and take over anymore. It’s... it’s slipping into him, little pieces at a time. He doesn’t know where the man ends and the monster begins.”
You stared at him, thinking of everything you’d heard about Bob over the past few months—the whispers, the rumors, the stories that came with living in a world of meta-humans. The Sentry, a hero with the power of a god, the man who’d nearly torn apart the world itself in a breakdown. The Void, a primal force of destruction that had no regard for morality or life.
But hearing the weight of that confusion in Bucky’s voice was new. And it unsettled you more than it should have.
"Where is he?" you asked, voice quieter now.
"He’s here, in New York," Bucky said, his eyes flicking away. "Living on the same floor as the rest of the Thunderbolts— or the new Avengers. We’re all on the top level of Avengers Tower, trying to keep him from... from himself."
You blinked. Here? With the Thunderbolts? In Avengers Tower? That was... an entirely new layer to the situation. You weren’t sure what was more surreal: the fact that Bob Reynolds was living under the same roof as some of the most dangerous people on the planet or the fact that you’d just been asked to walk into his mind.
“How is that even... manageable?” You asked the question, but you weren’t sure if you were asking Bucky or yourself.
Bucky’s jaw clenched. "We try to keep him grounded. When he’s not... when he’s lucid, he’s like any other person. He talks about everything—sports, movies, some of the stuff that made him happy before everything broke down." He exhaled sharply, clearly frustrated. "But the minute he starts spiraling, it all goes wrong. The Void starts leaking through the cracks. And it’s not just him anymore. He reflects everyone else’s fears. He mirrors them. It’s like we’re all living in his nightmare when that happens."
The implications hit you like a truck. A man who could turn his fear into destructive power was now having his own breakdown while everyone around him became collateral damage.
You closed your eyes for a moment, feeling the weight of Bucky’s words settle deep in your chest. “Is anyone else in danger?”
Bucky hesitated. “Not unless we provoke him. But... it’s getting harder to contain. We don’t know what he might do when he finally snaps, and we can’t keep him isolated forever. Not without breaking him completely.”
You shook your head, barely processing the words. Living with the Thunderbolts? This wasn’t just a clinical case anymore. This was a man in desperate need of help who could bring the whole team down with him if things went sideways. And you were being asked to wade into the heart of it.
“I don’t even know where to begin,” you muttered, more to yourself than to Bucky. “You want me to just walk into his mind, face whatever twisted version of reality he’s experiencing, and fix it? I’m not a magician.”
“You’re the only one who’s ever been able to do something like that,” Bucky pressed, voice low but insistent. “You helped people when it seemed like no one else could. Even when it wasn’t perfect, they stayed alive. And you’re the only person who can actually get in there, see it from the inside. No one else has that ability. No one else can.”
You pressed your palms against your face, exhaling sharply. Your mind spun. This wasn’t just about fixing someone. This was about getting close to a raw, broken mind—an unstable mind that could tear apart everything around it if pushed too far. You’d been in this position before. You’d seen minds crumble and break. You’d been the one to pull them back—but not without a price.
“Why me, Bucky?” you said, the question finally spilling out. “You know this isn’t going to be easy. I’m not some miracle worker. I can’t promise I won’t make it worse.”
Bucky’s expression softened. “Because you’re the one who never gave up on the people everyone else walked away from. You see them. Really see them—without the fear, without the labels. You don’t treat people like they’re lost causes. You treat them like they’re still worth saving.”
You took a step back, your chest tightening. You’d made it clear years ago that you wouldn’t practice psychiatry anymore. You weren’t the kind of person who specialized in people’s mental health, not when it carried so much emotional weight, not when the cost was too high.
"He's afraid of himself," Bucky said, almost as if he were reading your thoughts. "He’s terrified that he’s going to lose himself again, that the Void is going to take him completely. But there’s still some part of Bob in there. He wants to be better. He wants to make it stop. I know he does."
You swallowed. “So where does that leave me?”
Bucky stepped closer again, lowering his voice. “I need you to help him. Not fix him. Just help him understand he’s still in control—if he is. If there’s still a way to reach him before it’s too late.”
You closed your eyes again, the pressure in your chest rising. But when you opened them, Bucky was still there, his gaze steady, waiting for something.
And you knew, despite everything, you were already halfway in. Even if you didn’t want to be.
⋆˙⟡
The Avengers Tower loomed like a monument against the night sky, its gleaming windows reflecting the city lights below. As you stepped inside, the difference hit you immediately. It wasn’t the usual cold, sterile atmosphere of hospitals or military facilities. No, this place was warmer—not in temperature, but in feel. It had a kind of lived-in quality you weren’t expecting. The faint smell of coffee lingered in the air, mixed with the scent of old books and worn leather furniture. Shoes were scattered by the door, someone’s guitar leaned against the wall in the corner, and someone had scratched “Yelena was here, losers” into the corner of the counter.
"This is the Thunderbolts' floor," Bucky said as he swiped the access panel, letting you both pass through. There was a strange undertone to his voice, a quiet sort of pride—or maybe wariness. "It’s... a work in progress."
You raised an eyebrow. “A rehab wing for ticking time bombs?”
Bucky gave a small, tight smile. “Something like that.”
The elevator doors opened to a wide living area that was surprisingly quiet, dimly lit. The hum of music thudded faintly from another room, but the space itself was calm—almost peaceful. You noticed how the walls weren’t bare and cold like the rest of the building had been. Bookshelves lined the walls, mismatched furniture sat comfortably in corners, and discarded snack wrappers sat on the coffee table. It didn’t feel like a headquarters for elite soldiers and heroes; it felt more like... home.
Before you could take it all in, a voice rang out, piercing through the quiet.
“Bucky!” The voice was sharp, teasing. “Who’s the new blood?”
You turned to see Yelena Belova striding toward you. Barefoot, dressed in sweatpants, her braid half undone, and a crooked grin on her face, she looked like she didn’t have a care in the world. She took a long look at you, her grin widening.
“She’s not mine,” Bucky said quickly, as if almost to assure you—or himself.
Yelena shot him a knowing glance. "Pity," she said, her grin only growing wider. Then, her eyes shifted to you. “I’m guessing you’re here to meet Bob?”
Bob. That nickname.
You nodded, but you could feel the weight of Yelena’s gaze. Her expression shifted slightly, and you didn’t miss the subtle change. It wasn’t fear, but something much more calculated—like someone who knew the danger that came with being in close proximity to a ticking time bomb, and what could happen if that bomb ever went off. There was wariness in her eyes now, something you hadn’t expected after the teasing remark.
Bucky didn’t miss it either. “I’m bringing her to meet him.”
At the mention of Bob Reynolds, Yelena’s expression changed again. Her playful smile slipped just a fraction, and the playful tone in her voice dimmed. She didn’t say anything for a moment, just looked at you with a kind of guarded understanding, before finally speaking.
“Be careful,” she said, her tone softer now, though still carrying an edge. “He’s a bit sweet. Until he’s not.”
You paused, the weight of her words sinking in. Sweet. Until he’s not. That one sentence sent a chill down your spine. You’d heard the name Bob Reynolds before, the Sentry, the Void—the rumors about his mind and his power were legendary. But this? This was a whole different level of complication. Sweet until he’s not. You couldn’t ignore the warning, not when you were about to walk into that very storm.
Bucky stepped forward, breaking the moment of quiet tension. His voice was quiet but firm. “I’ll be with you. You’re not going in alone.”
You didn’t say anything right away, your mind already racing. You weren’t sure if you were relieved or more uneasy now that you had confirmation Bucky would be there. It didn’t make it less dangerous.
“Thanks,” you finally said, though you weren’t entirely sure what you were thanking him for yet. Maybe it was just for getting you this far.
Yelena took a step back, a small smirk still tugging at the corner of her lips. “I’m just saying,” she added casually, “you don’t have to rush in. No one will blame you if you need a minute to run.”
You chuckled lightly, though the humor didn’t quite reach your eyes. “Right,” you said, your voice tight, “I’m sure that’ll be helpful.”
Bucky didn’t linger, turning toward a door at the far end of the room. It was heavy, imposing. You could tell this wasn’t just any door; it was the kind that kept the more... unpredictable things behind it. Bob Reynolds, the man who had lived through the collapse of his own mind, who carried the weight of the Void in him. You had an idea of what kind of danger he represented, but standing in this place, it felt much closer than you had ever imagined.
“Ready?” Bucky asked, looking over his shoulder. There was a glimmer of something in his eyes—maybe it was concern, maybe it was just routine. Either way, it didn’t settle your nerves.
You took a deep breath. “As I’ll ever be,” you said, but even as the words left your mouth, you felt the truth of them slip through your fingers. This wasn’t about being ready. This was about what you could handle when everything fell apart. You didn’t have any illusions about how this might go.
With a quiet hum, Bucky led the way to the door. You followed, feeling a kind of coldness creep into your limbs despite the warmth of the room around you. Whatever was waiting behind that door wasn’t just about Bob Reynolds. It was about everything that had led him to this moment. The Sentry. The Void. The man who had been both savior and destroyer. And now you were about to walk into that darkness.
The door to Bob’s room was slightly ajar when you arrived, and Bucky didn’t hesitate. He knocked once, then pushed the door open.
Inside, Bob sat at the edge of the bed, his posture tense, hands clasped tightly between his knees. His blonde hair was a little too long, and his shirt was wrinkled, like he hadn’t bothered to care about his appearance in the last few hours—or days. He was staring at the floor as though it might somehow provide answers to whatever was going on in his head.
When you stepped inside, his eyes flickered up to you. The movement was slow, almost as if it took him effort to pull himself away from whatever was haunting him in the depths of his mind. And then—he blinked.
“Oh,” he said, the word soft and distant, like it didn’t quite belong to him.
Bucky stepped forward, giving you a glance before offering the introduction. “This is her,” he said, his voice gentle but firm. “The one we talked about.”
Bob stood, his movements awkward, like he wasn’t sure what to do with himself. He was tall—broad in the shoulders, built like a man who could break cities—but he moved like someone terrified of knocking something over, of breaking something fragile.
“You’re… the mind walker,” he said quietly, his voice low, tentative.
You nodded, crossing the room slowly to close the distance. “And you’re the man with the monster inside him.”
Bob’s lips twitched—a ghost of a smile, fleeting and uncertain. “Guess we both come with warnings,” he muttered, the humor in his voice strained but there all the same.
The air in the room felt thicker now, the weight of his words hanging in the space between you. You studied him for a moment longer, the tension building like an unspoken agreement that neither of you could escape. You stepped closer. Without saying anything more, you both sank into the floor, sitting cross-legged across from each other. The distance between you was minimal, just your knees nearly brushing. But it was enough to feel the tension crackling in the air between you.
“I need your permission,” you said softly. “To go in.”
Bob didn’t hesitate, though his eyes were dark with uncertainty. He nodded once, the smallest motion.
You closed your eyes.
At first, there was nothing. Calm. His mind opened before you like a gate, as if it was letting you in—but something was wrong. Behind that gate, you could feel a storm building, growing, ready to unleash.
And then—
You were in.
It was worse than you had expected. The space around you was dark, twisting. The architecture was impossible—floating staircases, walls that screamed, mirrors that bled shadows. It felt like a mind split in two: one side terrified, the other hunting. The chaos was dizzying, the sensation of being swallowed whole by something far larger than you.
And then you felt it.
Something massive, coiling around the core of his mind. It was there, lurking. Watching you.
The Void.
It turned its head, and you felt its eyes on you—it smiled.
“You’re not supposed to be here,” it whispered, its voice like shards of glass scraping against your skull.
Pain bloomed instantly. A searing throb behind your eyes. Your nose started to bleed, the pressure inside your head unbearable.
“Get out,” Bob’s voice said, faint, distant—not the Void’s. “Get out now!”
And before you could even process the command, your body snapped back. Your eyes flew open, and you gasped for air, choking on it as blood dripped from your nose. You blinked, disoriented, and found yourself back in the room with Bob.
He stumbled backward, pale, his breath ragged, eyes wide with fear. “You saw it,” he said, his voice trembling.
You wiped the blood from your face and sat back, trying to catch your breath. “I felt it,” you said quietly, the weight of the experience still heavy in your chest.
Bob’s eyes searched your face, his expression torn. “Did it… did it touch you?”
You shook your head slowly. “No. But it came close. Too close.”
He let out a shaky breath, running a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t know it would go after you.”
You exhaled, trying to shake off the lingering feeling of the Void’s presence. “We’re not ready,” you said, your voice a little steadier now. “We need to know each other first. Establish a connection before diving into something like that.”
Bob didn’t say anything for a long moment. He just stared at you, like you had said something that didn’t quite register in his mind. His expression was still unreadable, but there was something there—a glimmer of hope, perhaps, that you could give him something he’d lost. Something he didn’t think he could ever get back.
“Okay,” he said softly, as if testing the words. “We can… get coffee or something.”
You gave him a small, understanding smile. “Let’s start with daylight.”
Later, back in the common room, you nursed a pounding headache and a steaming cup of tea. Yelena was sprawled across the couch, her feet resting on the armrest, eyes half-closed. Her gaze flickered over to Bob, who lingered just inside the doorway, watching you like he was afraid you’d vanish if he looked away.
Yelena’s lips curled into a mischievous smile. She lowered her voice, but you could still hear the teasing note in it. “Someone’s got a crush.”
Bob’s face flushed instantly, his eyes widening in embarrassment. “I do not,” he muttered, like a kid caught in the act.
Yelena raised an eyebrow, her smirk turning smug.
For the first time all day, you couldn’t help but laugh. It was the kind of lightheartedness you hadn’t felt since stepping into this mess, and it felt like a small, precious thing in the middle of all the chaos.
You finished your tea, Yelena stretched across the couch like she owned the place, eyes flicking between you and Bob with far too much interest. Bob hovered by the doorway, visibly trying to gather the nerve to speak, shifting his weight from one foot to the other like a schoolboy.
You stood, brushing off your hands. The day had been long, and you were more than ready to go.
Just as you stepped toward the elevator, Bob moved quickly, blurting, “Uh—wait!”
You turned to him, surprised.
He looked like he instantly regretted speaking so loud. “I just—uh, I think we should talk again. Tomorrow. If you want. About… you know. Everything.”
You raised an eyebrow. “Alright. Where?”
Bob blinked. “I—uh, I don’t actually know where you work…”
You let out a breath. “Metro-General Hospital”
His eyes lit with recognition. “Right, yeah. That makes sense. I’ll be there. I’ll wait until your shift’s over.”
You studied him for a second. He was tall and intimidating by most standards, but right now he looked like someone nervously asking their crush to prom.
“Okay,” you said, biting back a smile. “I’ll see you then.”
Bob nodded too many times. “Cool. Good. Great. Okay.”
You stepped into the elevator. As the doors started to slide shut, you heard Yelena’s voice behind you—lazy and far too entertained.
“She said yes, Romeo,” she drawled. “You can breathe now.”
Bob muttered something unintelligible.
Yelena’s laughter echoed down the hall just before the elevator doors closed. You shook your head, grinning to yourself.
Tomorrow was going to be something.
⋆˙⟡
The Sanctum-like glow of protective wards hummed low along the ceiling as Stephen Strange poured tea into two mismatched cups. The room they were in wasn’t grand — no spell-casting library or mystical relic chamber — just a quiet observation lounge. It had a clear view of the city below, and right now, the skyline looked distant and unbothered by the storm they were preparing for.
Wanda Maximoff stood by the window, arms crossed. Her reflection in the glass looked tired.
“You didn’t tell them everything,” she said without looking back.
Strange let out a quiet sigh as he set the teapot down. “I told them what they needed to hear.”
“No,” she said, turning slowly. “You told them just enough to believe this was still safe.”
Strange didn’t flinch under her stare. He simply raised his cup and sipped.
“She’s walking into a fractured mind with something ancient wrapped around its spine. The Void doesn’t just destroy—he consumes. She’s not just risking injury. She’s risking... unmaking.”
He nodded, gently. “I know.”
Wanda stepped closer. “So why send her?”
“She’s not like us,” Strange said.
Wanda frowned. “That’s not a reason.”
He looked up at her, finally setting the cup down. “It is. You, me, even Charles—we bring power, force, structure. She brings something else. She listens. She understands how to walk with someone in their madness, not just force them out of it.”
Wanda studied him for a moment, then said, quieter, “What’s the best-case scenario?”
“She reaches Reynolds. Helps him stabilize. Creates a bridge between him and the monster he’s trying to cage. If she succeeds… the Void stays dormant.”
“And the worst?”
Strange was quiet for a long moment.
“If the Void latches onto her,” he said finally, “we lose both of them.”
Wanda looked down.
“She doesn’t know how dangerous she really is, does she?” she asked.
Strange gave a faint, unreadable smile.
⋆˙⟡
A/N: :)
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delulu-julia · 2 months ago
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Can I have headcanons for tall reader, and she is very tactile, and when she’s hugging turtles, they always bump to her chest, but she doesn’t care at all (romantic, before any confection) feel free to ignore
How boys hugging you
(romantic, before confession. female reader)
This one was in my box for soo long actually,, I just felt writing this today, so enjoy!
Leonardo
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He’s so respectful it’s almost painful. Every time he bumps into your chest, he freezes like someone hit him with something sharp
“Oh—! I-I didn’t mean to— Sorry, I really—!”
He’ll immediately pull back, hands hovering awkwardly like he doesn’t know what to do with them.
Lowkey thinks you’re doing it on purpose at first. But then you stay all casual, smiling so bright, and he gets lost for a moment
“You’re very… affectionate” he says once, awkwardly, after you done this to him a couple of times
He has to meditate longer now. To “clear his mind” (calm down after your hugs.)
The thing is, he loves your hugs. Your warmth calms him down. But he’s hyper- aware of every part of the contact. His honor code is screaming
Eventually he starts preparing himself mentally before a hug. Bracing for impact. Standing straighter. Trying (and failing) to maintain eye contact.
He won’t tell you to stop. He couldn’t. But when you leave? He tries not mention it and hides in the dojo
Keeps wondering what it would feel like to hold you back —on purpose
Raphael
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The tough guy who’s not tough at all around you
Instant flustered rage mode.
The first time you hugged him and he got smushed against your chest, he pushed you away like “Tch— watch it!”
But you saw the bright red on his cheeks and the way he wouldn’t look at you for the rest of the day
And if you hug him more… he’ll try to push you again. He will growl, go back slightly — because he’s embarrassed and doesn’t know what to do with the explosion in his chest
You wrap your arms around him and pull him close? His cheek is immediately squished into your chest and he just stays quiet for a little
“What the—!? D’you even notice where you’re—”
“Mhm. You’re warm...”
And then continue hugging him. He stops struggling after five seconds. Six seconds in, his arms are around you too.
From then on, every time you go in for a hug, he pretends to protest but leans into it faster every time.
He acts like he’s annoyed, but if you don’t hug him after a mission? He actually gets moody
Donatello
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You once hugged him mid-rant about Kraang code. He didn’t speak again for a full 30 seconds
He becomes fully broken every time. You hug him, and his brain reboots. There’s white noise only. Static.
“H-huh? Oh. Uh—um. I—I think we’re—too—close —!”
He dropped his screwdriver three times after that
When you don’t let go, he just… stands there. Stiff as a board. Face burning. Mind racing.
His inner monologue: “This is fine. Just two friends. Hugging. Very tightly. With my face where it absolutely should not be— ”
But you’re always casual. You don’t even comment on it. And that makes it worse
He starts secretly practicing possible things to say next time you hug him. He never actually uses them
Eventually, you hug him and he finally just… melts a little. Doesn’t pull away. Lets himself enjoy it
Your hug habits become his new favorite variable. He might thinks about them a lot. Secretly
He might even rest his chin on you if he’s feeling bold
One day, you hugged him from behind and he let out a little noise. You teased him. He hasn’t recovered since
Michelangelo
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He lives for it.
The first time it happened, he blinked… looked up at you… grinned like a devil, and went:
“So THIS is what heaven feels like”
Doesn’t care how flustered he gets. Hugs you back tighter. Smushes his face against you like a cat
You’d think he’d make inappropriate jokes, but surprisingly, he doesn’t. Mikey loves touch, and he knows your hugs are genuine. He just gets really soft about it
That said, he definitely teases the others about it, like:
“You guys get the forehead hugs, but I get the squishy ones”
Or…
“Aww, Raphy, what’s wrong? Didn’t get your daily booba hug?”
*Throws a beanbag at him*
He starts leaning into hugs before you even reach him. Sometimes lifts one leg like he’s being dipped in a rom-com
When you walk into a room and your arms are open, he runs into them like a happy golden retriever
Starts making excuses to get you to hug him “I’m cold” “I stubbed my toe” “I’m emotionally fragile...”
You carry him once just for fun. He let out a high-pitched giggle, practically bouncing in place
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norrisradio · 3 months ago
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SOME KIND OF FAITH
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LINE BY LINE ᝰ.ᐟ "I'm not a religious person but I do sometimes thing God made you for me." - sally rooney, normal people
ᝰ PAIRING: oscar piastri x reader | ᝰ WC: 1.6K ᝰ GENRE: fluff, angst, some religious themes, oscar yearns, mentions of australia 2025 ᝰ INCOMING RADIO: welcome to the first installment of line by line! super excited to bring all of your favorite quotes to life ꨄ︎ requested by anon!
send me an ask for my line by line event!
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Oscar’s never been a religious man.
Not when his mum made him sit through Sunday mass as a boy in Melbourne, his little legs kicking the pew out of boredom. Not when the chaplain at boarding school passed around wafers that stuck to the roof of his mouth like paper. He was never moved by sermons or scripture.
But something shifted the first time he met you.
It was raining sideways the day you arrived—one of those rare cold weeks where the wind curled under the doors and the air smelled like damp textbooks and wet leaves. You’d transferred mid-term, shoes still caked with mud from wherever you were before. The hallway buzzed with whispers as you trailed the headmaster to your new dorm, expression unreadable and hair sticking to your cheeks.
Oscar was fifteen and mostly quiet. He liked things with order—lap times, smooth apexes, knowing exactly when to downshift. But you were chaos in sneakers. You rolled your eyes at the dress code and laughed too loud in the library. You asked him what he was always scribbling in the back of his notebook, and he lied, said it was maths. You caught a glimpse of a gear diagram and raised a brow. “That’s not maths. That’s obsession.”
He didn’t argue. You didn’t press. And that was the beginning.
Friendship came slow and steady, like watching frost melt in sunlight. One day he was ignoring you in Chemistry, the next you were shoulder to shoulder on the floor of the common room, arguing about whether Interstellar was overrated. You slipped into his life so easily he didn’t realize you were already a part of it until months had passed and your shampoo lived in his shower caddy. Until you were stealing his hoodies and he wasn’t asking for them back.
Now, years later, you’re still here. Not next to him, but close enough. Close enough to send voice notes that ramble and laugh and drift off like you're thinking aloud just for him. Close enough that his hands still remember the weight of your wrist during three-legged races at school carnivals, the smell of bonfire smoke in your hair when you fell asleep on his shoulder on that one frigid field trip.
He thinks about those things more often than he admits.
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Oscar’s never been a religious man.
But he finds himself praying in traffic. To red lights that hold long enough for your voice to stretch across the Bluetooth. To quiet corners of hotel rooms, where the only thing he wants is to hear you laugh like the world hasn't chewed at your edges. To whatever force keeps you picking up his calls, even when you're half-asleep or halfway through dinner with someone who isn’t him.
He never says what he really means. Not directly.
And lately, he’s started to feel it again—that creeping, silent thing lodged in his ribs. That ache that doesn't quite have a name. Especially when you call him at 11:47 p.m., voice groggy and slow.
“I couldn’t sleep,” you say.
Oscar is thousands of miles away, in a hotel bed that smells faintly of bleach and stale air. He stares at the ceiling and closes his eyes like maybe, just maybe, you’ll appear there.
He doesn’t ask why you called him of all people. He just listens.
Sometimes you talk about your day. Sometimes about nothing at all. Tonight, it’s a story about some guy who tried to get your number at a conference—a guy who ordered for you without asking and called your job “cute.” You laugh about it, but Oscar hears the edge in your voice.
“Sounds... promising,” he says, but it comes out stiff. Like swallowing a stone.
You don’t notice. Or maybe you do and let him get away with it. You’ve always been kind like that.
There’s a pause. Not awkward. Just quiet.
You breathe into the receiver.
And not for the first time, he wonders if God is cruel — to make someone like you for him, and then keep you just out of reach.
He thinks it when you hum without realizing. When you say his name like it's a safe place. When your silences are the only kind that don't make him restless.
He never says it. Of course not. He just tells you to get some sleep, soft and low.
And when you do—when your breathing evens out and your side of the line goes still—he doesn’t hang up.
Just lies there in the dark. Listening.
As if you might stir. As if you'll whisper his name in your sleep. As if prayers ever worked for people like him.
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Oscar’s never been a religious man.
But he starts bargaining with the sky the moment the rain begins to fall Sunday morning.
The plan had been simple. Seamless. Like the clean arc of a lap executed perfectly: maiden pole, win, you in the paddock. His home crowd thundering in his ears, champagne dripping from his suit, and you waiting for him at the barrier with that look that always melted him down to the screws.
It was supposed to mean something. He’d visualized it all week—crossing the line, holding your gaze as the national anthem played, telling you what he’s been holding in his chest for years, letting it spill finally, finally, now that he had something to give.
But the rain – the rain. 
It’s light at first, mist curling along the halo, soft enough to ignore. But it thickens during lap 40, silver threading through the clouds like a warning. He feels it in his chest before it even begins—the wrongness of it. The crack in the air.
Still, he clings to the plan.
You’d said yes to the race two months ago. Your first in person since uni. You’d booked flights around conference dates, rerouted your thesis schedule. You’d smiled when you said it, too—"Wouldn’t miss your home GP for anything, Oz."
And he had smiled back, because the timing felt divine. Like something had shifted in the universe just enough to make room for both of you again. He’d even practiced what he would say in the driver room after.
But then the rain came.
One corner. That’s all it took.
The rears locked just enough. The front twitched. The car was gone. Onto the grass, the gravel biting like teeth. Cheers turned to gasps. Gasps turned to the hiss of radio static and his own voice, low and stunned: “I’m off.”
He clawed it back. Ninth. Eight places from where he’d started. Every lap was a punishment he bore alone, helmet fogging, tyres screaming, the track never quite drying, never giving him what he needed.
And then there was media. Cameras, microphones, a parade of tight smiles and repeated questions—Walk us through the mistake. What were you feeling in that moment? Do you think you let the fans down?
He repeated the same phrases like rosary beads: "The rain caught us out." "It was my fault." "I should’ve handled it better."
Every word was a cut. Every smile, a lie.
He doesn’t know what he’ll do when he sees you. For a moment, he considers disappearing. Ducking the debrief. Flying straight back to Monaco. Avoiding the sting of it, the shame. He rehearsed a podium speech. Not this.
By the time he makes it to his driver room, his race suit feels like a wet second skin. His shoulders ache. He wants to disappear into the floor. He wants the world to stop spinning long enough for him to catch his breath.
He doesn’t expect you to be there.
But you are. Sitting quietly, back against the wall, a bottle of water balanced on your knee. You look up as he enters, eyes catching his like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Like the universe hadn’t just tried to drag him under and failed.
You don’t say anything at first. Just look at him like he matters. Like he didn’t just choke in front of his whole country. Like he isn’t unraveling by the seams.
And then you whisper it.
Soft. Gentle. “Oscar.”
And it breaks him. That’s all it takes.
And the way you say his name—
It feels like absolution.
He crosses the room in three steps, falls into you like gravity was always leading him here. You catch him like you knew how. Like you’d been waiting.
He doesn’t mean to say it. Not like this. Not in a rain-soaked race suit, with his hands still shaking and his throat dry from lies. But it slips out anyway, cracked and quiet into the fabric of your jacket.
“I’m sorry,” he breathes. “I love you.”
You freeze.
Oscar’s never been a religious man. But he knows faith when he sees it. And he sees it now, in the way you hold him tighter, in the way your lips brush the shell of his ear like gospel.
He pulls back just enough to look at you. And he’s not sure what you’ll say. But you just touch his cheek, thumb running over the smear of dried rain and sweat.
“I thought you knew,” you say softly. “I’ve loved you since boarding school.”
He exhales, shaky. Half-laugh, half-relief.
The fluorescent lights above buzz. Somewhere outside, the sound of an engine roars as the next session begins. But here, in this small driver room filled with silence and sweat and grace, time feels suspended.
Oscar presses his forehead to yours.
And maybe Oscar’s never been a religious man.
But if this is what absolution feels like— Your arms around him, his name said like it means something, your heartbeat steady under his cheek— Then maybe he’s starting to believe.
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leo-in-the-pitt · 1 month ago
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Turning Point
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This is Chapter 5 of the Beginning to End series !
Pairing: Jack Abbot x Wife!Reader 
Summary: You and Jack are newlyweds who also just so happen to be expecting your first baby. These next 9 months will be the best and worst of your life whether you realize it or not.
Warnings: Established relationship, implied age gap, strong language, some fluff but also porn with plot, unprotected PIV, fingering, oral (both m and f receiving), daddy kink, praise kink, pregnancy, birth trauma
WC: 12.7k
First Night Back
Fortunately for you and Jack, Robby was able to get you a full week off before coming back to work after the wedding. The week was filled with you two sitting on the couch next to each other creating a registry for not only the baby but, for things to fill your home with eventually.
“You ready to go back tonight?”
“I wish I could stay home with you all the time but, yeah, I’m ready.”
The buzz of the ER returned like muscle memory.
You and Jack stood side by side in the locker room.  His hair was still damp from the quick shower he'd taken before you left the house. You could smell his shampoo in it. 
“Ready for the honeymoon shift?” Jack said, his voice dry but warm.
You snorted. “Nothing says romance like traumas and code blues.”
He leaned over and kissed your temple. “At least you’re here to make it tolerable.”
You walked out together, and the noise hit instantly—monitors beeping, a patient yelling from triage, an EMT calling out vitals mid-roll-in. It should’ve felt overwhelming. Instead, it felt weirdly familiar. 
“Well, well, well look who’s back.” Robby said from across the ER.
Dana held her arms out. “We’ve got a full board just for you two. Pedestrian versus car in Trauma 1. Sepsis in 3. Psych eval holding in 5 and refusing meds. And,” she added with a smirk, “some kid in curtain 8 swallowed a Lego.”
“So glad to be back here,” you muttered, walking away to find your first case back.
You and Jack split off instinctively, no need to even speak. You caught him glancing at you as he passed. A flicker of we’re okay. We’re doing this.
The night was filled with case after case, barely any time to talk to each other. Mostly just him asking if you were okay in passing. But you always made time to catch each other eyes from across the ER.
There was a lull around 2am when Jack came to find you. He looked over at you, and his expression softened. “You sure you’re okay?”
It wasn’t the first time he’d asked tonight. Or this week.
You sighed. “I’m pregnant, not broken. I’m fine.”
“Just making sure.”
You leaned your hip against the desk, pretending you didn’t notice the subtle way Jack’s eyes scanned you from head to toe—evaluating.
“Jack.”
He raised his hands in mock surrender but said, “I’m allowed to care.”
You softened. He wasn’t wrong. It was part love, part habit. The way you’d both learned to read each other in triage, in chaos, in the stillness between codes. Except now the stakes were higher. 
6:50 a.m. — Change of Shift
You were charting the last of your overnight notes when you heard them before you saw them.
Dana, breezing through the doors with a coffee in one hand and her ID badge already clipped on crooked. Robby beside her, muttering something. And Langdon, as always, trailing behind them.
“Look at you,” Dana said the moment she spotted you, dragging her chair backward across the floor to sit right beside you. “Pregnant and still functioning. Honestly, it’s inspiring. Or maybe terrifying.”
You didn’t look up. “Don’t talk to me until I’ve had a nap and a bagel.”
“Fair,” Robby said, dropping his bag on the counter. “But before we begin, serious question: Are you going to have your baby in this hospital?”
“Well, our OB is upstairs so don’t think we have too much on a choice. But no, you guys are not allowed in the room. You can all wait in the waiting room.”
Groans came from all of them before Dana and Robby walked away. Landon staying behind.
Langdon leaned against the counter, his eyes narrowing at your charting speed. “You’ve been up all night?”
“Sure have,” you said, popping the final signature on your trauma note.
“You should be home. Resting.”
Jack, walking past, paused just long enough to throw in, “She also threw a pen across the unit when her monitor froze, so…thriving.”
You shot him a glare, but your lips twitched. “It didn’t hit anyone.”
Langdon grunted. “I’ve seen less motivated attendings take two weeks off for a cold. And you’re still here?”
You shrugged. “Only sixteen weeks, not sixty. I can still do my job.”
“You look like something’s bothering you kid. You fuck up on your first night back already?”
“I’m offended that you would even think that but, no. Its about me and Jack.”
“It’s about your sex life isn’t it?”
“That obvious?”
“Somehow these conversations always turn into a sex talk regardless of how hard I try to say away from it and anyway you guys are married now and you’re carrying his child so even if I don’t want to think about it, obviously you guys are having sex.” Langdon blinked once.  “So go on.”
You exhaled, feeling immediately ridiculous but too far in to stop. “It’s just- we’ve been weird lately. Hesitant. Ever since I started showing. I mean of course we had sex on our wedding night and one other time last week but, it felt off in a way.”
Langdon nodded, letting you keep going.
“He’s being careful. Like, overly careful. Gentle in a way that makes me feel like I might shatter. And I know it’s coming from a good place. I just- I miss feeling like myself. Like us. There’s this invisible line we keep dancing around, and I’m starting to wonder if he’s scared of hurting me. Or the baby. Or both.”
Langdon leaned back in his chair. “Definitely both.”
You raised an eyebrow.
“I’ve seen it before, felt it before actually,” Langdon said. “New father, already in love with a kid he hasn’t met yet, suddenly sees his wife as precious cargo instead of a woman with her own needs and desires.”
“So what, I’m just a vessel now for this baby?”
“No,” he said, firmly. “You’re still you. But he’s navigating something new. He’s terrified. And you’ve always been the strong one, so his instinct is to protect what he doesn’t understand.”
You were quiet for a moment. “And how do I deal with that?”
“Talk to him,” Langdon said simply. “Tell him you’re not made of glass. That being close, being touched, being wanted—it still matters. Pregnancy doesn’t erase who you are in the relationship. It just shifts the balance. He needs permission to stop treating you like you’re breakable.”
You nodded slowly. “And if he still hesitates?”
Langdon gave you a look. “Then you remind him who the hell you are.”
You laughed, tension breaking just a bit. “You’re not the worst at this, you know.”
Langdon reached for his coffee. “Don’t tell anyone. I’ve got a reputation.”
“Mel is really lucky to have you.”
He smiled gently. “Not as lucky as I am to have her.”
You stood. “Thank you.”
He looked up. “For what it’s worth, you two are solid. You’ll figure it out.”
You nodded again, already composing the conversation in your head. It wasn’t just about sex. It was about closeness. About not letting this new chapter turn into distance.
You grabbed your bag and stood slowly, a hand reflexively brushing your belly.
Jack appeared behind you, looping his fingers through yours. “Ready for our appointment?” he murmured.
You nodded. “Oh my god. I forgot about that.”
“That’s what you have me for.” He kissed your cheek.
As you walked out together, the ER faded behind you. There was no need to sneak out the back door to go upstairs to your OB. Basically the whole hospital knew you and Jack were expecting. News spread like wildfire once you told Dana, Mel, Robby and Langdon that they were allowed to tell whoever they wanted.
———————————————————————
16 Weeks - OB Appointment
The waiting room was quiet, bathed in that too-soft, too-warm light that always made you feel like you might accidentally fall asleep sitting up. 
You were still in your scrubs, badge clipped to your collar, shoes a little scuffed from twelve hours of trauma and chaos. 
Jack sat beside you, one leg bouncing restlessly. 
He nudged your knee. “You good?”
You nodded. “Just tired.”
“Want me to be quiet?”
You glanced at him. “You’re never quiet.”
Jack smirked but didn’t argue.
The nurse called your name, and you both stood. Jack’s hand instinctively found your back as you followed her down the hall. She didn’t comment on the way your steps slowed, or the way your eyes flicked toward the ultrasound machine.
“Hop up here,” she said gently. “The doctor will be in soon. We’ll take a listen first.”
You lay back, pulling up your scrub top just enough to expose the curve of your belly. The nurse squirted cold gel onto your skin and pressed the doppler into place.
It took a moment—one long, aching second—before you heard it, the whoosh-thump-whoosh-thump of a tiny, relentless heart.
Jack let out a breath you didn’t realize he’d been holding. His hand found yours without needing to look.
“Strong,” the nurse said, smiling. “Mid-150s. Baby’s happy to be in there.”
You blinked, surprised by the sudden sting in your eyes. Maybe it was the exhaustion. Or maybe it was the way Jack was staring at the monitor like it held every answer to every question you hadn’t asked.
Then the doctor came in. “Vitals are great, weight is on track, and baby is measuring right on schedule. Any new symptoms?”
You hesitated. “Some weird pulling when I twist or stretch. Sleeping’s harder.”
“That’s normal—your uterus is growing, everything's are adjusting. Stay hydrated, rest when you can, and if it gets sharp or constant, page me.”
You cleared your throat. “Can I ask something?”
Jack looked at you sharply.
The doctor nodded. “Of course.”
You didn’t look at Jack. “Is it safe, you know to- to keep being intimate?”
He almost choked letting out a cough.
 “Absolutely. Unless your having complications—which you’re not—sex is totally safe. The baby’s protected by the uterus and amniotic fluid. It’s normal for things to feel different, emotionally or physically, but there’s no medical reason to stop unless either of you wants to.”
He stared at the ceiling, cheeks burning. Jack’s hand tightened around yours again.
“Thank you,” you said quietly.
The doctor smiled at you both. “Just listen to each other. This is new territory, but you’re a team. You’ll figure it out.”
When he stepped out, the room was quiet again, save for the faint echo of that tiny heartbeat still ringing in your ears.
He turned his head toward you. “Didn’t see that coming”
You shrugged, sheepish. “I wanted to hear it from someone that’s an expert in this field.”
He laughed. “I needed to hear it too.”
Later That Night — At Home
The house was dim, lit only by the soft amber glow of a lamp in the living room and the blue flicker of the TV. 
You came out of the bathroom in one of Jack’s old t-shirts and boxers, towel-drying your hair. He was on the couch, legs stretched out, wearing sweats and a t-shirt with the look of a man who hadn’t stopped thinking since that OB appointment.
You sat beside him, letting your weight lean into his. He immediately curled an arm around your shoulder.
Neither of you spoke for a while. You just breathed, syncing up with him again. 
Eventually, you murmured, “You were really quiet after I asked the doctor that question.”
Jack nodded. “Was just taking it all in I guess.”
You tilted your head toward him. “You’ve been scared around me. I guess I just thought our first week of together after the wedding would be us having sex everywhere and anywhere.”
“Yeah.” His voice was raw honesty. “You’ve been pushing through like nothing’s changed. But everything has. And I don’t want to be the reason something goes wrong.”
You touched his chest, over his heart. “Don’t be fragile with me here.”
Jack looked at you then, fully, like he was trying to memorize every inch of your face.
“I missed you,” he whispered. “And I didn’t know how to get back without hurting you.”
You took his hand and brought it to your belly. “We’re right here. Still me. Still us.”
He leaned in, forehead pressing to yours, like he’d been waiting all day to just be this close.
“We can go at whatever pace you want.”
“Jack, I’m growing a child, there’s are so many hormones flowing through my veins and these hormones are telling me that you need to have sex with me as much as you possibly can.”
“Tell me if something’s too much,” he said softly. “If anything feels wrong. I just- I want you to feel good. Wanted. Safe.”
You smiled. “I already do.”
The kiss started soft but, deepened quickly. Not rushed. Just full of need that had gone unsaid for too long.
His hands found your hips like he remembered them. You pulled him closer, needing that weight, that warmth, that certainty that came only from this—from him.
You climbed on top of him without hesitation. Your legs wrapped around him, his thumbs rubbed small, knowing circles just above your waistband. His tongue finding your mouth, swirling around yours. You lifted yourself around him, resting your bodyweight onto his lap.
He let out a soft groan. You adjusted yourself and felt his excitement growing underneath you. 
His hands now inside your shirt around your waist. You reached down to the hem of his sweatpants. He adjusted himself off the couch slightly, just barely giving you enough space to slide your hand into his boxers. 
“Ah fuck.” 
You wrapped your hand around his already solid cock, your thumb rubbing past his tip, already slick with precum. 
“Excited already…daddy?” You whispered, lips curling into a smirk. 
He let out a breathy laugh, but there was a softness in it—like this moment meant something more than just release. “Why don’t you keep going and I’ll let you know.” 
His hands left your hips and went above his head as you put your hand onto his chest. You other hand began to pump up and down on him. Firm enough to make him squirm underneath you. 
He was breathing hard and fast. His eyes closed with his head up to the ceiling. You could feel the veins on his cock pulsating in the grasp of you hand. 
His hands left your hips and rested above his head, giving you control. You placed your free hand on his chest, steadying yourself as your grip on him tightened. You began to stroke—slow, firm, deliberate.
He was breathing harder now. His jaw clenched, eyes shut tight, chest rising and falling in quick succession. You could feel him throbbing in your hand, every pulse syncing with his shaky breaths.
You leaned in, your lips grazing his ear. “Cum for me, Daddy.”
“Fu—fuck, babygirl.” His body tensed beneath you, arching as his orgasm hit. You felt him spill over your hand—hot, sticky, desperate.
You stroked him through it, coaxing every last drop out of him. And when you were done, your hand slid out and came to your mouth, licking him off your fingers one by one, eyes locked on his.
“That’s my good girl,” he breathed, brushing your hair back, his hands settling around your neck. “Clean up the mess you made.”
“Love how you taste in my mouth.” You grinned, collapsing beside him on the couch.
He put his hand on your thigh, stopping you from going any further. “Where do you think you’re going?” 
“Thought you needed a second before we do anything else.”
He nodded his head upwards. “Fuck that, get on top of me right now babygirl.”
He lifted up his hips up, pulling his pants and boxers down to his ankles before sitting back down on the couch. 
You stood up off the couch, putting yourself directly in front of him. “Take them off.”
You lowered his boxers on you, red lace panties underneath. 
“Those too.” His eyes were dark, voice deep.
Panties hit the floor with you stepping out of them. His shirt the only piece of clothing still on your body, barely covering your lower half. 
“Come up here.” He tapped his thighs with both hands. 
You straddled him again, knees pressed into the cushions on either side of his legs. His hands gripped your waist under the shirt, tugging you closer. You framed his face with your hands and kissed him—hungry, messy, needing more.
He was hard again by the time your hips shifted just enough.
He grabbed himself with one hand, positioning his cock at your entrance. He slid inside you in one long, perfect motion.
Your breath caught.
He filled you. Completely.
He pulled your body closer, lips crashing together. 
You rested for a moment, letting yourself adjust to his size inside of you. His hands moved to your lower back, holding you there, grounding both of you in the moment.
“God, baby,” he whispered against your collarbone. “You feel so fucking good.”
You breathed out shakily, forehead resting against his. “I needed this.”
“I know.” His thumbs followed the curve of your hips. “Me too.”
You rolled your hips—slow at first, savoring the way his breath caught, the way his eyes fluttered closed. The drag of him inside you was almost too much, but somehow not enough.
Your bodies moved together, falling into rhythm like muscle memory. 
“Look at me,” he said, voice rough and quiet.
And you listened.
He cupped your face with one hand, the other gripping your hip to guide your pace. There was nothing rushed about him.
“You’re so beautiful like this,” he murmured. “Carrying our baby. Still wanting me to fuck you.”
Your heart swelled, throat tightening. You bit your bottom lip as you rocked against him harder, chasing that edge—but not just for the release.
His hands slipped up your back, under your shirt, pulling it over your head and tossing it aside. His mouth found your chest, trailing kisses across your breasts, slow and open-mouthed, worshipful. You threaded your fingers through his silver curls, gasping when he sucked gently at your nipple.
“Jack—” His name broke in your throat.
“I’ve got you,” he said, kissing you again. “Let it go.”
You ground down harder, your body tightening, the heat building deep and fast now. He matched you thrust for thrust, his hips lifting up off the couch. 
“Cum for me,” he growled into your neck. “Let me feel you fall apart while I’m inside of you.”
Your climax hit fast and hard—hips bucking, breath caught, muscles clenching around him. You cried out his name as waves rolled through you, your nails digging into his shoulders.
He wasn’t far behind. His grip on you tightened, and with a low, groan, he spilled into you, pulling you down to him, chest to chest, heart to heart.
For a long moment, neither of you moved. Just held each other. Just breathed.
You rested your head against his, bodies slick and tangled and trembling.
“Fuck I missed this,” you whispered. “I missed us.”
Jack kissed your forehead, lips lingering. “We’re still us. Just more now.” He looked down at your stomach. 
You smiled into his skin. “Yeah. More.”
His hands settled over your belly, still resting inside you.
“I love you,” he said softly.
“I love you, too.” You kissed him again—slow, deep, and full of all the things you couldn’t say out loud.
———————————————————————
18 Weeks
“So, been meaning to ask you, you guys doing any better now?”
“Oh, Lang, trust me you don’t wanna know how much better we’re doing.”
“Yeah, I really, really could’ve gone my whole life without seeing the look of your face right now.”
“Whatever, guess your advice worked.”
He lifted his coffee cup up in a salute. “My advice always works. Anyway aren’t you guys supposed to go look at a house later?”
Langdon perked up. “House hunting again? I thought you guys were getting burned out.”
“We are. We’ve looked at, like, fifteen places and nothing feels right. So I’m not getting my hopes up.”
He shrugged, easy and steady. “You’ll find it. That ‘oh, this is ours’ feeling. It shows up when you least expect it.”
You gave a half-smile. “You get surprisingly sentimental when you’re over caffeinated.”
He grinned. “Kid, I get sentimental when I care. And you two? You’re the real deal. Don’t settle for a house that doesn’t feel like it knows your names already.”
After Shift
The sun was at its highest point when you pulled up in front of the house. 
Jack was already waiting on the sidewalk, hands in his coat pockets, rocking on his heels. He gave a small wave when he saw you.
“This the one?” you asked as you stepped out, eyeing the house.
“Apparently,” he said, looking up at the place like it was a riddle he couldn’t quite solve. “Our agent said it just came back on the market this week.“
The exterior was older—white paint a little faded, porch railing crooked. But the windows were big, the trees in the yard were bare, leaves on the ground, and there was a creak in the front step that made you smile for no reason.
The agent greeted you at the door and waved you in with a soft “Take your time. Take it all in.”
You stepped inside—and something shifted.
It wasn’t flashy. The floors were original hardwood, scuffed in all the places that said someone lived here for a long time.The kitchen was dated, but the sunlight poured in like the house knew how to catch it.
Jack walked a few paces ahead of you, quiet. Not cautious—just thoughtful.
You followed him through the living room, past a fireplace that would need work, and into a small room tucked in the back.
You looked around—window facing the yard, soft echo from your footsteps on the floor. Small. Safe.
He didn’t say anything. Just walked over to the window and looked out into the overgrown backyard.
“I can see us here,” he said, like he hadn’t meant to say it out loud.
You stood next to him, shoulder against his. “Even with the popcorn ceilings?”
He smiled. “Especially with the popcorn ceilings. Definitely getting rid of those though.”
Jack followed close behind as you climbed the creaky stairs, your hand grazing the banister that could definitely use refinishing. 
At the top, the hallway narrowed. Three doors, slightly ajar.
You pushed open the first one. Small. Bright. The window faced east—you could already imagine morning light filling the crib, soft blankets folded over the chair you’d place in the corner.
Jack stepped beside you. “Definitely the nursery,” he said softly.
You moved to the second room. Bigger. The shape of a bed against the wall, dresser under the window, maybe a little chaos in the corners—Jack’s shoes, your half-read books.
“Our room,” you said.
He nodded, and then nudged the third door open with his foot. The last room.
Neither of you spoke as you stepped in. It was almost identical to the nursery—same creaky floorboard near the closet, same slanted ceiling that gave the space a little character. But this time, when you looked at it, you saw something different.
A twin bed. Toys on the floor. A sleepy toddler dragging a blanket behind them on a Sunday morning.
Jack moved behind you, his hands slipping onto your belly from behind, chin resting gently on your shoulder.
“You thinking what I’m thinking?” he asked quietly.
“I might be.”
“A second one?”
You turned your head toward him, half-smiling. “Too soon?”
Jack grinned. “Little bit. But not really.”
The baby kicked again—like he was chiming in.
You laughed. “You hear that? Your brother’s already opinionated.”
Jack kissed your shoulder, his voice warm against your skin. “Guess we’ll keep the extra room ready. Just in case.”
You both stood there a moment longer, wrapped in silence and the distant sounds of the old house settling around you.
———————————————————————
20 Weeks
Your next OB appointment. You didn’t remember this one either. Not that you needed to. Jack kept track of everything—dates, vitamins, test results. He was your living, breathing calendar.
This appointment you wanted go over your birth plan. 
“Of course. Let’s talk about what’s important to you. Any specific preferences? Vaginal delivery? Epidural? Who you want in the room?”
You looked at Jack first. He gave you the tiniest nod, that quiet go-ahead he always gave when the decision was yours, and he’d back you no matter what.
“I’d like to try for a vaginal delivery,” you said. “And I want an epidural, if I don’t need to feel all the pain, I don’t want to.”
The doctor made a note of it. “Totally fair. Birth doesn’t always go according to plan, but we’ll make sure you feel supported every step of the way.”
“And I’ll be there,” Jack added, like it wasn’t even a question. His voice was steady, but there was something in the way he said it. You reached for his hand without thinking, and he took yours immediately.
The OB smiled again. “Husband in the room. Got it. Anyone else?”
“No, just him. No matter how much anybody else wants to come in, I need them to stay in the waiting room, unless they need to drag jack out of the room for freaking out too much.”
“Which is a very real possibility.”
“Got it. Any thoughts on interventions? Vacuum, forceps, C-section if needed?”
You hesitated. That part scared you more than you liked to admit. But Jack squeezed your hand before you could answer.
“I’d like to avoid a C-section unless absolutely necessary,” you said. “Same with everything else, if possible of course. But do whatever you have to.”
“Completely reasonable. We’ll aim for low intervention, high support. I’ll note that flexibility is key. How long are you planning on staying at work?”
“As long as I can.”
You didn’t need to look at Jack to know that he was shaking his head.
“All up to you. If you want a note that you need to stop working let me know. It’s yours whenever you need.”
You exhaled slowly. It felt like you were drawing the map for a trip you couldn’t see yet but, at least now, the path had a shape.
The rest of the night was spent relaxing before your next shift. Going over your plan with Jack again. And getting some much needed sleep before work.
That night, between cases and chaos, you caught him just as he was sitting down to chart. 
“Hey, um—can I talk to you really quick?”
His head snapped toward you, brows pulling in. “Yeah. What happened?” His hand went straight to your belly.
You placed your hand gently over his. “The baby’s fine. Perfect, actually. I just...need to show you something.”
You held out your hand, fingers beckoning. Jack narrowed his eyes, voice softening. “Where exactly are you taking me?”
You smirked. “Don’t worry about it.”
You tugged him into the empty on call room, backing up until your spine met the wall.
His eyes darted around the space. “What are we doing in here?”
“Everything,” you whispered, grabbing the front of his scrubs and pulling him in close. “I need you right now, Jack.”
He hesitated only a beat, eyes going toward the door. Then he sighed, low and hungry.
“Well, if we’re doing this here...” His hand slipped away from your waist. “At least let me lock the god damn door first.”
The soft click of the lock was the only warning before you reached for your waistband, untying your scrub pants. Your top hiked up slightly, revealing the curve of your belly.
Jack’s eyes darkened as his hand found your stomach.
“God, you look so fucking good,” he murmured, voice rough. “Carrying my baby. Still this desperate for me to be inside of you.”
His hand moved lower, cupping you over your panties. “Fuck. You’re soaked already.”
“All for you,” you whispered.
His thumb pressed through the fabric, slow and deliberate.
“Ja-Jack,” you gasped, shifting your hips into his hand. “Please. I need your fingers inside me.”
He didn’t need to be told twice.
He slid your panties aside, two fingers running along your folds—slow, teasing strokes that sent electricity racing through your core. He dipped just enough to coat his fingers in you, but not enough to satisfy.
Then, finally, he pushed inside.
You bit down on your lip, head falling back against the wall.
His other hand came up fast, covering your mouth.
“Shhh,” he whispered in your ear. “Quiet, babygirl. Don’t want anyone knowing how fucking filthy you get for me.”
Your hands searched behind you, gripping for anything to brace yourself. The angle. The pressure. The thickness of his fingers curling just right. 
Moans broke from your throat, muffled against his palm.
He moved faster, deeper. Fingers fucking you with practiced precision while his thumb rubbed tight circles around your clit.
Your body started to quake.
“Look at you,” he growled. “Falling apart on my fingers. My perfect girl. My perfect mommy.”
Your eyes rolled back as the orgasm slammed into you—white-hot, unexpected, unstoppable.
You shook against him, clinging to his arm as your legs threatened to give out.
Jack held you upright, never letting go, fingers slowly easing out as he kissed your temple.
Still breathless, you whispered against his shoulder, “You’re going to be the death of me.”
He smiled, brushing a strand of hair from your face. “Not a chance. You’re carrying my whole world in there.”
Jack pulled his fingers from you slowly, like he hated to let go.
You were still trembling, thighs pressed together, leaning against him for balance as he gently fixed your panties back into place.
“Fuck,” he murmured, brushing his lips against your temple. “You okay?”
You nodded, eyes glassy, breath still uneven. “Yeah, yeah Just don’t think I can walk back out there yet.”
He chuckled, low and quiet. “You’re gonna have to. I’m not carrying you back to the nurse’s station with your legs like jelly and my cum on your thighs.”
You smacked his chest, trying not to laugh.
A sound. The unmistakable knock on the door.
Both of you froze.
Then came a voice—muffled but unmistakable.
“Hey, Abbott you in there? We got a GSW coming in 5!”
Dana.
Jack’s eyes went wide. You slapped a hand over your mouth to stifle the nervous laugh bubbling up.
He mouthed fuck and motioned silently for you to stay put while he moved toward the door.
“Yeah, one second” he called, voice a little too casual.
In one smooth motion, he straightened his scrubs, cleared his throat, unlocked the door—and stepped out.
“Sorry,” he said to Dana, running a hand through his hair. “Let’s go?”
Dana blinked at him, skeptical. “You’re sweating. You okay?”
Jack smiled. “Yeah just- just wanted to grab a quick nap. You know how these rooms get, pretty stuffy in there.”
You could hear the forced calm in his voice, and it made your cheeks burn.
Dana glanced past him, trying to peer into the room. “You in there alone?”
Jack blocked the door slightly with his body. “Yup. Just me.”
A beat passed. Then she raised an eyebrow.
“You seen your wife?” Dana asked. “She just kinda disappeared. Gonna need her for this one too.”
“Bathroom, I think,” he said smoothly. “You know, gotta pee all the time when you’re pregnant.”
Dana made a face. “Ugh. Say no more.”
Jack waited until she turned down the hallway before he exhaled and slipped back into the room, shutting the door behind him again—quietly this time.
You were still against the wall, lips parted in disbelief. “Did we seriously just almost get caught by Dana?”
He grinned. “We absolutely got caught by Dana.”
You stared at him, then burst out laughing—quiet and breathless and wild.
“I can’t believe you just lied to her face like that.”
Jack leaned in, hands braced on either side of your head. “I’d do a hell of a lot more than lie to protect this.” His voice dropped low.
Your laughter faded into something softer. More vulnerable. You reached up and brushed a thumb along his jaw.
“Next time,” you whispered, “we pick a room that doesn’t echo.”
He kissed you, slow and lingering.
“I’m already looking forward to next time.”
“Oh, you’ll get a next time. I’ll make sure of it.”
———————————————————————
22 Weeks
Just four weeks after looking at the house, you two were moving in. Everyone had been helping. Everyone.
People constantly at the apartment helping you pack things into boxes. Robby and Langdon going to the store with Jack to pick up all the furniture you wanting for the house. Dana, Collins, and Mel helping you find the perfect decor.
And now here you stood in the middle of your new living room, surrounded by cardboard boxes and the faint smell of old wood and fresh paint.
Jack was upstairs, wrestling a dresser up the narrow hallway, swearing under his breath in the gentlest way possible. You could hear the dull thud of a drawer sliding out, followed by the scrape of furniture against the banister.
Your hand rested on your belly. Twenty-two weeks. So close, yet so far.
You turned slowly in a circle, trying to decide which box to open first. The one labeled KITCHEN – FRAGILE stared back at you like a challenge. You ignored it and went for the one marked BOOKS – LIVING ROOM.
Jack thumped down the stairs a minute later, wiping his hands on his jeans. “Okay,” he said, out of breath. “I don’t care what the listing said, that hallway is not ‘spacious.’”
You grinned. “You got it up there, though?”
“Barely. I think it’s staying with the house when we die.”
You sat on the arm of the couch, letting the stretch in your lower back ease out. “I was going to start on the books.”
Jack glanced at the box. “Start with the ones we never read but pretend we did. Those can go on the living room shelves.”
He crossed the room to you and crouched down, one hand brushing against your knee, the other settling on your belly. “How’s he doing?”
You shrugged. “Chattier than usual. I think he likes the noise.”
“Or he’s already judging our furniture arrangement.”
You looked around. The couch was at an awkward angle, the coffee table hadn’t made it in yet, and you still hadn’t decided if the painting from your old apartment belonged anywhere in this new place.
It was chaos, but it was yours.
Jack leaned his head against your leg. “We’re really doing this,” he said, quieter now. “This whole thing. House. Baby. All of it.”
You ran your fingers through his silver hair. “We are.”
You felt home.
——————————————————
24 Weeks 
Your belly had rounded out more noticeably now. Jack couldn’t keep his hands—or his eyes—off of. Even during the most chaotic shifts, he found a way to check in: a hand on your lower back, a squeeze to your palm during charting, the kind of quiet glances that spoke louder than words.
You were 24 weeks today, at work while he was at home. Hopefully putting together more furniture that had just come in.
He texted you during rounds. “24 weeks. Viable. Our little one could make it of their own now.”
That night, it stormed. The kind of downpour that made traffic impossible, left sirens echoing too often, and made everything feel a little more raw.
You came home late, soaked and silent. Too tired to cook. Too wired to sleep.
Jack was the one who finally said it, after hours of half-watching some muted show from the couch.
“Come here.”
You were already next to him, but he opened his arms like he meant it—like he needed more.
You crawled into his lap, careful of your belly. He cradled you against him, one hand on your thigh, the other curved protectively around your stomach.
“The baby kicked earlier today,” you whispered into the crook of his neck.
He pulled back just enough to meet your eyes. “You didn’t tell me.”
“I wanted to wait until it was just us.”
His expression softened. He brought both hands to your belly now, thumbs brushing side to side like he was trying to feel her through will alone.
And then, like magic, another kick.
His face lit up like he’d been handed the universe.
You nodded, and he exhaled the kind of breath people only release when they’re holding too much love at once.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so in love with something I haven’t even met.”
You leaned forward and kissed him—soft and slow.
Your hand slid under his shirt, fingers tracing the planes of his chest. His lips moved against yours like a promise.
He lifted your shirt carefully,, until your belly was exposed.
Then he sank to his knees in front of you on the couch, lips brushing against the stretch of skin just above your navel.
“Hi baby,” he whispered. “It’s Daddy. You keep growing strong in there, okay? I’ll take care of her out here.”
You blinked back sudden tears, heart too full, body aching with love and something deeper.
He looked up at you, reading your expression instantly.
“C’mere,” he said softly, rising to his feet. 
“Let me take care of you, too.”
———————————————————————
26 Weeks
The nursery didn’t look like much yet—just a pile of boxes, a folded-up rug, and the smell of fresh paint still lingering faintly in the air. You stood in the doorway with a mug of chamomile tea, watching Jack wrestle with the instructions for the crib.
You stepped inside, careful over the half-unrolled rug, and knelt beside him. “Want me to read while you build?”
“God, yes. I’ve been pretending this part makes sense for twenty minutes.”
You took the manual, flipping through to the page with the exploded diagram. “Step one says attach Panel A to Side B using bolt type—wait, why are there three types of bolts?”
Jack looked at you like he might cry. “They’re identical, I swear.”
You laughed, and he softened at the sound, reaching to squeeze your knee. “Don’t laugh at the father of your child in his hour of need.”
“I’m laughing with you.”
“I’m not laughing.”
“Not yet.”
You handed him the correct bolts—probably—and settled beside him, your back leaning against the wall. 
You watched as he slowly pieced the frame together, getting into a rhythm. The room felt warm, despite the January air outside. You two had basically ignored the holidays with everything else going on.
The walls were pale blue now—soft and quiet.
Jack slid one of the sides into place, then sat back on his heels, wiping his hands on his jeans.
“Oh god, it’s done,” he declared.
“Certified by the ER doc?”
“I’ll get it notarized.”
You looked around. The rocking chair was still in the box. The mobile was still in the bag. There were folded baby clothes in a laundry basket in the hall, waiting for a dresser you hadn’t found yet.
But the crib was up.
Jack sat beside you, his shoulder against yours, both of you looking at it like it had just made something real that wasn’t quite real before.
“You okay?” he asked after a while, voice low.
You nodded, slowly. “Yeah. Just hitting me a little.”
“What part?”
You took a breath, exhaled slowly. “That there’s going to be a baby sleeping in that crib soon.”
Jack looked over at you, and his expression softened into something you’d seen a thousand times but never got tired of. That quiet, steady awe he reserved just for you.
“Our baby,” Jack said. 
You leaned your head against his shoulder. “You think we’ll be any good at this?”
“I think we’ll be tired. And messy. And figuring it out every day. But yeah.” He kissed the side of your head. “I think we’ll be pretty damn good.”
You closed your eyes for a second, letting the weight of the moment settle.
“You know,” Jack said, voice casual, “we still haven’t settled on a name.”
You smiled. “We’ve ruled out a lot, though.”
“That counts for something.”
Jack looked over at you. “Okay, so what do you like?”
You hesitated, watching the light from the window spill across the floor. “I keep thinking about names that sound solid. Not trendy. A name that would be good for when he’s an adult trying to get a job.”
Jack nodded thoughtfully. “I still like Wesley for a boy.”
You smiled faintly. “Yeah. That one can stay on the list. Even though you heard it on TV somewhere and it has no meaning to us”
“It’ll have meaning once theyr'e here.” He turned his head toward you. 
“I think it kicked just now, maybe it is a boy after all,” you whispered, one hand on your belly.
Jack moved to kneel in front of you, resting his palm gently over yours.
“You like that one, huh?” he said to your stomach, smiling.
You both sat with it for a minute in silence. It was the kind that stretched and softened between people who knew how to share it.
“So Wesley for a first name or middle name?” Jack sat up, crossed his legs. “Do we honor someone? Or do we just pick something that sounds good?”
You shrugged. “We still have a couple weeks. I’m sure something will come to us by then.”
Jack looked up at you, eyes soft. You reached for his hand, and together, you sat there, naming the future, one piece at a time.
———————————————————————
28 Weeks
You hadn’t planned on finding out.
At first, it was just going to be a surprise. Something you’d discover together in the delivery room, sweaty and overwhelmed and crying. But over time, the not-knowing started to weigh heavier than expected.
Jack never pushed. But you caught him daydreaming from time to time, talking to your bump in quiet moments, cycling through baby names. Jack had a strong feeling you were carrying his son. Only talked about boy names.
So when your OB offered to write it down in a sealed envelope, you nodded without hesitating.
You didn’t want to open it. Until tonight.
“I want to know,” you said softly, sliding the envelope across the kitchen counter to Jack. “If you still do.”
He looked up from where he was getting dinner ready, eyes wide. 
“You sure?”
You nodded, pulse already racing.
He wiped his hands on a towel, drying them carefully before picking it up.
“You open it,” you said.
“No,” he said gently, “I want to see your face when you find out.”
Your chest tightened. Hands trembling just slightly, you broke the seal. You unfolded the single piece of paper.
And read the word.
BOY.
It didn’t hit you all at once.
Then Jack stepped around the counter, reading it over your shoulder.
And everything stopped.
He laughed—but it broke halfway through, a sound caught between disbelief and something close to a sob. He pressed his forehead to yours, arms wrapping around your waist and belly in one movement.
“A boy,” he whispered. “We’re having a son.”
You laughed too, and suddenly the tears came fast. 
Jack held your face in his hands. 
“A son,” he said again, voice. “I swear I’m going to love the hell out of this kid.”
You ran your hands through his hair, brushing it back from his face as his eyes stayed locked on your belly.
“I think he already knows,” you said.
Jack looked up at you, eyes glassy. “He’s going to know everything. Every day. How much we love him. How much he’s wanted.”
And for the first time in weeks, the future didn’t feel so far away.
———————————————————————
32 Weeks 
Your schedule had barely lined up with Jacks in the past couple weeks. But once it did, Jack had plans for you two. 
The night went on, chaos as usual. Until 4AM. 
He caught your eye in the hallway—just a glance, but you knew that look.
You had just sat down to eat a quick snack when he appeared behind you, voice low, warm against your ear.
“Follow me.”
You glanced around. “Jack—”
He turned, walking away like he hadn’t just whispered something that set your skin on fire.
You followed him anyway.
The on-call room door clicked shut behind you a moment later. The lights were off. Jack didn’t turn them on.
He just backed you against the wall with a hand on your belly and a kiss that made time stop.
“Couldn’t stop thinking about you,” he murmured against your mouth. “You’re happy. Glowing. Carrying our son.”
His hands slipped under your scrubs.  One slid around to the small of your back, the other resting protectively over your bump.
“I love how you say our son,” you whispered, already breathless.
“Say it again?”
You smiled. “Our son.”
His hand dipped between your legs without hesitation, cupping the heat he knew was waiting for him.
“Fuck, babygirl,” he groaned. “You’re always so ready for me.”
He lifted you onto the edge of the nightstand, working fast but careful. 
Your legs parted, scrubs halfway down, his mouth on your neck, hand moving between your thighs until your head hit the wall behind you.
“Quiet,” he whispered. “You know these walls are paper thin.”
“Then don’t make me moan,” you shot back, voice thick with want.
His grin was wicked. “No promises.”
He dropped to his knees and disappeared between your legs, and all you could do was bite your knuckle and hope the shift stayed quiet five more minutes.
Jack’s tongue dragged through your folds like he was memorizing you all over again.
Slow. Deep. Obsessive.
Your thighs trembled around his shoulders, your hands gripping the edge of the cot so tightly your knuckles ached.
“Jack—” You breathed his name like a warning.
He didn’t stop. Didn’t even slow.
His tongue circled your clit with precision while his fingers slipped inside you, curling up at just the right angle. 
It was too much yet somehow not nearly enough.
You came hard and fast, biting back a cry as your body arched.
He stayed with you the whole way, holding your hips, riding out every pulse of your orgasm like he wanted to feel it himself.
By the time you opened your eyes, he was already standing, undoing his scrub pants with one hand, eyes locked on you like he might not survive another second without being inside you.
“Turn around,” he said, voice rough and ragged.
You obeyed, turning to face the wall, breath still uneven.
He slid into you slowly, deep and the sound that came out of both of you was pure relief.
“God, you feel so fucking good around my cock babygirl.” he groaned.
Your forehead pressed to the wall, mouth open, body rocking back to meet his every thrust.
“Harder,” you whispered. “I can take it daddy.”
He gave you what you asked for. Each stroke slamming into that sweet spot inside you, his body hot and heavy behind yours, his rhythm fast and hungry.
“You’re mine,” he gritted through clenched teeth. “My wife. The mother of my child. My whole fucking world.”
You pushed back into him harder, chasing that edge again.
“Then don’t stop,” you gasped. “Show me.”
And he did.
The pleasure built fast. Frantic and unstoppable. You reached between your legs, fingers circling your clit.
“Ja-Jack—”
“Fuck, I’m close.”
“I’m gonna—”
You came together, your body clenching around him, his hips jerking deep inside as he spilled into you.
The only sound in the room was your breathing, shaky and uneven.
He leaned over you, still buried inside you, pressing soft kisses to the back of your neck.
“Get dressed before someone…
A knock at the door made you both freeze.
“Hey!” came Robby’s voice. “Tell me you’re not doing what I know you’re doing in there!”
Jack groaned and dropped his head into your shoulder, chuckling.
“One minute!,” he whispered. He pulled out of you slowly. “Worth it.”
Since this had become somewhat of a habit, Jack had towels ready to clean himself off of you.
You tried to walk out first. Tried to act like it was just another on-call nap.
But you didn’t even make it to the nurse’s station before the ambush.
Robby stood with a cup of coffee in hand, leaned against the counter with the same smug look he wore anytime he caught anyone doing something even almost against the rules.
“You two owe me new ears,” he said flatly. “And a therapy session.”
Dana, sitting beside him, didn’t look up from her chart. “At least pretend to be subtle next time. We have patients trying to survive, and you two are in there giving the walls a show.”
You felt Jack step up behind you, his hand finding your lower back as always.
“We were gone maybe twenty minutes,” he said.
Dana finally looked up. “You were gone forty-five minutes. And you walked out looking like you just finished a marathon.”
Jack grinned unapologetically. “Best forty-five minutes of my life.”
“Yeah, we all know that wasn’t the first time.” Said Robby while rolling his eyes.
Langdon appeared from around the corner, perfectly deadpan. “If HR asks, I didn’t hear a thing. But if I ever get stuck in that on-call room, I’ll just sleep outside instead.”
You groaned and buried your face in Jack’s shoulder.
He wrapped his arm around you like a shield. “Hey, she needed a break. Doctor’s orders.”
Robby snorted. “Oh yeah? Was the baby involved in that medical necessity?”
Jack didn’t miss a beat. “He approved.”
That brought everything to a halt.
Dana’s eyes widened. “He?”
You blinked, cheeks warming. “Yeah. We decided to open the envelope.”
Langdon raised a brow. “So the orgasm was celebratory?”
You made a noise somewhere between a laugh and a groan. “Can we please change the subject?”
Too late. Dana stood, walking around the counter to hug you with a wide grin.
“A boy,” she said warmly. “God help us all.”
Jack leaned in and kissed the side of your head, completely unbothered by the teasing. And for a moment—amid the chaos, sarcasm, and inappropriate comments, it felt like everything was exactly how it should be.
“Hey, you ready to head home?”
“Yeah, I just need to talk to Robby first. Should be quick.”
“Glad you’re finally taking your time away from here.”
You went to Robbys office where Collins was sitting inside talking to him.
“Hey, you mind if I steal your husband for a couple of minutes?”
“He’s all yours.” As she was walking past you, she put her hand on your growing stomach. “Hey there baby boy!”
You stepped inside and shut the door. “Ugh, this back pain is going to have me admitted soon enough.”
He nodded and gestured to the chair across from his desk. “Sit. Talk to me kid. Whats going on?"
You lowered yourself into the chair slowly—thirty-two weeks in, and even basic everything came with sound effects now.
Robby leaned forward, arms resting on the desk. “How you feeling?”
“Tired. Hungry. Nervous.”
He nodded. “So, business as usual.”
You cracked a smile. “I- I wanted to get started the paperwork for maternity leave.”
Robby didn’t say anything for a second, just looked at you. Not with surprise, he knew it was coming.
“When are you thinking?” he asked.
“I’ll think I want to work up to 36 or 37 weeks, depending on how I’m feeling. 
“Think that’s a good idea. How long do you want after?”
“Well I think that 12 weeks would be good enough but, Jack wants me to take 6 months.”
“If you take 3 months or 6 months, you’ll always have a place here.”
There was a quiet moment. He scratched something on a notepad, then leaned back in his chair with a sigh. “You know it’s going to be weird here without you.”
“Don’t worry, you’d have to physically drag me out of here to keep me from coming back after.”
“I know.” He gave a faint smile. “Still going to be weird.”
You shrugged. “You’ll have Jack. He’ll keep you in line.”
Robby snorted. “Jack barely keeps Jack in line.”
“Yeah about Jack actually.” Your tone became more serious. “He’s just been so anxious recently, you know all the baby stuff and now the house and work. I- I need to know that if something goes wrong during delivery…if something happens to me…” You took a deep breath. “You’ll take care of Jack.”
Robby didn’t move. For a long second, he just stared at you. Then he leaned forward, slow and steady, until his arms rested on the desk in front of him. “You think he wouldn’t be taken care of?”
You shook your head. “No, that’s not—he’d survive. Of course. But he’d fall apart first. And he wouldn't let anyone see it. Not even Dana. Not even Langdon. Not anybody. He’d keep working. He’d try to act like he was okay, and it would eat him alive.”
Robby sat back slowly, his face unreadable. Then he spoke, and his voice was softer than you’d ever heard it. “You think I haven’t already thought about that?”
You blinked.
“I’ve known Jack for too long,” he said. “Watched him lose patients. Watched him get in fights. Watched him fall in love with you so fast it scared the hell out of me.” He let out a dry breath. “I’ve already thought about what I’d do. I just hoped I’d never need to.”
“I know it’s unlikely,” you said, more to yourself than to him. “But things go wrong. Even when they’re not supposed to.”
He nodded slowly. “You’ve been on both sides of the trauma bay. You know better than anyone.”
The room went quiet for a long time.
Then Robby leaned forward again, lacing his fingers on the desk.
“If something happens,” he said, “I’ll take care of him. I’ll make sure he doesn’t drown in it. I’ll bring him home. I’ll put food in his fridge and get him to shower and tell him he’s not okay, and that’s fine. I’ll do all of that. As many times as it takes.”
You swallowed hard, eyes stinging.
“But,” Robby added, “You don’t get to disappear on us. You hear me?”
You let out a shaky laugh. “Yeah.”
“I mean it. You’re allowed to be scared. But you don’t get to check out. Not if I’ve got a say in it.”
You nodded, brushing at the corner of your eye.
Robby stood and came around the desk. For a second, he just looked at you—like a brother would. Then he reached down and pulled you into a hug, careful of your belly but not at all careful with his heart.
“I got you,” he murmured. “Both of you.”
And for the first time in weeks, your breath felt like it reached all the way down into your chest again.
You let the silence settle for a beat, eyes drifting to the framed photo on Robby’s desk— a picture of Collins and their child at the beach, sand stuck to their legs, wide grins that didn’t care about sunscreen or the time.
He caught your gaze. “It changes everything you know. Having a kid.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. You’ll be good at it, though. Both of you.”
You blinked a little too fast and looked down at your hands. “We’re trying to figure it out.”
“You don’t have to know everything yet. You just have to show up.” He paused, then added, “That kid’s already luckier than most.”
You didn’t say anything right away. Just nodded. Let the words sink in.
Robby cleared his throat and reached for a folder. “I’ll email you the HR packet. We’ll work out the schedule. You just tell me if anything changes, okay?”
You stood, placing a hand on your belly with a small smile. “Thanks, Robby.”
As you turned to leave, he added, “Hey.”
You looked back.
“If I hear even one more thing about you and Jack using that on-call room like a honeymoon suite, I’m locking it from the outside.”
You laughed. “Deal.”
And as you stepped out into the hallway, the door clicking shut behind you, you felt a little lighter. 
One step closer to meeting your son.
———————————————————————
34 Weeks
Jack stood alone at the supply cart, restocking syringes with mechanical precision. The rhythm of it was almost meditative.
Robby found him there, hands in his jacket pockets, lingering like someone who had something to say and didn’t quite know how to start.
“Glad she took the night off.”
“Yeah she spent the whole day throwing up, almost had to bring her here as a patient. But she’s okay now, just needs to rest for a couple days.”
“You think she’ll make it to 36 weeks here?”
“For the baby’s sake, I hope not. But knowing her and her stubbornness, she will."
Robby leaned against the wall, silent for a moment. “She came to see me 2 weeks ago.”
Jack’s eyes narrowed slightly. “About the maternity leave?”
“Yeah,” Robby said. “But not just that.”
Jack set the last syringe into place and shut the drawer. “Okay?”
Robby watched him for a second. “She asked me to take care of you.”
Jack stilled.
“She said if something happens, during delivery, if so…meshing happens to her, she wants to make sure you’re not alone.”
The silence stretched between them.
Jack didn’t move. Didn’t say anything. Just stared at the closed drawer like it could explain something.
Robby stepped forward, lowering his voice. “She’s scared, Jack. Not of being a mom. Not even of labor, I don’t think. But of what it would do to you if something went wrong.”
Jack’s jaw clenched. He nodded once, like that was all he could allow himself.
“I told her I’d look out for you,” Robby said. “I told her I already planned to.”
Jack finally looked up. His eyes weren’t wet, but they were close. “She shouldn’t be thinking about that.”
“She’s a doctor. A damn good one. She knows the risks. Seen more than anyone should have to.”
“I know, I know.” His voice was rough, low. “I just- I don’t want her scared.”
“She’s not scared of dying,” Robby said gently. “She’s scared of leaving you. It’s not the same thing.”
Jack looked down again, rubbed a hand over his face. For a long moment, he didn’t say anything. Then, quietly: “You’ll keep your word?”
Robby didn’t hesitate. “Yeah. I will.”
Another pause.
“I can’t lose her Robby,” Jack whispered. “I won’t make it.”
Robby put a hand on his shoulder, solid and sure. “You’re not going to.”
Jack nodded, slow. Then rubbed both hands over his face again, this time with more force—like he could scrub the fear off.
“Okay,” he said. “Okay.”
Robby let his hand fall away. “Just- when she needs you to act calm, act calm. And when she needs you to panic a little? Panic with her.”
Jack cracked a faint smile. “You give this speech to every soon-to-be dad?”
“Only the ones who might implode if things go sideways.”
Jack smirked, barely, but it was there. “Fair enough.”
They stood there a minute longer both carrying more than they said.
And then, like always, they went back to work.
Except now he pulled every OB resident he trusted into side conversations. Asked about signs of hemorrhage. About shoulder dystocia. About NICU protocols and what really happens when things don’t go as planned.
He framed it like curiosity, like professional interest—but Dana knew, and Langdon knew, and Robby definitely knew.
———————————————————————
36 Weeks
You were exhausted. Sitting at home all day wore you out more than you ever thought it would.
The kind of exhausted that made you feel like everything in your body was weighing you down. 
Thirty-six weeks. You’d stopped counting days. But Jack still looked at you like you were the most breathtaking woman he’d ever seen.
Which, at this moment, made you feel like you needed him just as much as he needed you.
You were lying on your side in bed, a hand resting protectively over your belly, when he came in from his morning shower. Damp hair. Bare chest. Sleepy smile.
“You okay?” he asked, voice low, eyes flicking to your bump. “Need anything?”
You looked up at him, slow and deliberate. “Yeah actually,” you said softly. “I need you.”
He crawled into bed beside you, careful as always, hand coming to rest on your thigh. 
“What kind of need are we talking here?”
You shifted, moved with deliberate slowness, until you were kneeling between his legs. Belly full and round between you. 
His eyes widened—concerned first, then darkening quickly as he realized where this was going.
“Babygirl, are you sure ? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I want you. But you’ve just been so tired lately.”
You looked up at him. “Let me take care of you.”
He swallowed hard. His cock was already twitching in his boxers, barely hidden. 
You pulled his waistband down, freeing him. 
Thick and heavy, already hard in your hand. You kissed his tip first, slow and soft, tasting his precum.
He groaned immediately, hips twitching. “Fuck.”
You took him into your mouth, just the head at first, letting your tongue swirl around.
His hand found your hair, gentle, never pushing, never rushing.
“You’re so good at this my dirty girl,” he murmured. “God, baby, you don’t have to…”
You went deeper, and he lost the rest of the sentence.
You worked him with your mouth, your hand wrapped around the base, moving in slow tandem with your tongue. He was unraveling beneath you, every sound he made proof of how much he needed this, needed you.
He brushed your hair back, groaning your name. “I’m close,” he warned. “You want me to?”
You pulled back just far enough to say, “In my mouth, Jack. I want all of it.”
That was all it took.
He came, hips bucking once, his hot release spilling onto your tongue. You kept going, gentle, milking him through it until he was panting, eyes glazed over like he’d just saw heaven.
When you finally sat back, wiping your mouth with the back of your hand, he looked up at you like you’d just knocked the breath out of him.
“So me babygirl. Show me what I gave you.”
He sat up, looking directly into your eyes. You opened your mouth, his cum spilling out of the corners. With his thumb, he guided his seed back into your mouth until you sucked on his thumb. Getting every last drop of him. 
“Swallow me.” 
And you did. 
“I do not deserve you,” he whispered.
You smiled, easing back beside him. “You really, really do.”
He pulled you close after that, one hand on your belly, the other tangled in your fingers.
“Just remind me to return the favor,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to your temple.
You smirked. “You’ve got four weeks, daddy.”
And Jack? He looked ready to make every one of them count.
———————————————————————
37 Weeks
Jack didn’t make a big deal out of the due date. He didn’t talk about it much, didn’t circle it on a calendar or start any countdown. But you knew he was keeping track. He always kept track.
You started noticing the little things first. How your car’s gas tank was always full. How your overnight bag slowly filled itself, snacks, chargers, an extra hoodie he never wore but packed anyway because you liked it. 
He just did it. All of it without you ever saying anything.
Sometimes you’d catch him in the nursery at night. Not doing anything, just standing there. One hand on the crib rail, eyes tracing the space like he was rehearsing something he couldn’t quite say out loud.
He rewired the baby monitor so it reached farther. Tested it three times. Installed a soft nightlight in the hallway, not because you needed it, but because he couldn’t stand the idea of fumbling in the dark if something happened.
There was a checklist in his notebook. Not digital—written by hand. Folded neatly in half and kept in his back pocket when he came home from work.
Jack didn’t talk about fear. He didn’t talk about worst-case scenarios, or about what could go wrong. But when you reached for his hand at night, his fingers were already waiting.
One evening, you found him sitting on the floor beside the crib, tightening one of the screws even though it didn’t need it. You leaned against the doorframe and watched.
“You think he’ll like it?” you asked quietly.
Jack looked up at you. Nodded. “Yeah. I think he will.”
You didn’t say anything. You just put your hand over his.
———————————————————————
38 Weeks 
You were done waiting. Having your baby in April felt nice. 
Every step felt heavier. Every hour dragged. 
Thirty-eight weeks, swollen and aching, and somehow still wanting him inside you more than ever.
Jack had been hovering since you took the first test. 
You came into the bedroom after your shower, towel slung around your waist, damp hair curling at the edges. You sat on the edge of the bed, your hand resting instinctively over your firm your belly.
“Hey,” he said softly, already reading the look in your eyes. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” you whispered. “But I need you to help me.”
He crossed the room quickly, crouching in front of you. “What’s wrong?”
You leaned forward, lips brushing his ear. “I need you to fuck me again.”
He pulled back slightly, eyebrows raised, lips parting. “You serious?”
“I’ve read every myth and midwife blog I could find. Sex helps induce labor. And if this baby’s ready, I am, too.”
This wasn’t just sex. It was trust. It was the both of you saying: Let’s do this. Let’s meet our son.
He stood to meet you at the edge of the bed. 
You lay back on the bed, shifting carefully, hips wide to make space for everything you were carrying. He climbed over you like he’d done it a thousand times but, this was different.
His hands trailed down your sides, reverent. His eyes never left yours.
“Tell me if anything feels wrong,” he murmured.
“Only thing that feels wrong is not having you inside of me fucking me into labor.”
That pulled a groan from his throat.
He knelt between your legs, guiding himself into you slowly, carefully. You were wetter than you’d expected. Desperate.
“God,” he whispered as he slid in. “You feel incredible.”
You wrapped your legs around his hips, feeling full and stretched and grounded. 
Every movement was slow at first, deeper than fast.
Jack bent to kiss you, moaning into your mouth as your hips rolled up to meet him.
“You good, babygirl?”
“Better than good. Don’t stop, daddy.”
And he didn’t.
He moved like he was trying to memorize your body one last time before everything changed. His hands on your belly, his forehead pressed to yours, soft grunts against your skin.
Then suddenly—your body tightened.
Not in pleasure. But in pressure.
You gasped, hand flying to your stomach. 
“Jack—”
He stopped instantly. “What? What is it? Did I hurt you?”
“No—no. I thi- I think that might have been a contraction.”
He blinked, his entire body going still. Still inside you. “Like a real one?”
Another one followed, sharper. “Fuck,” you hissed. “That’s definitely real.”
Jack pulled out gently, panic and awe crashing over his face. “Okay. Okay, baby—uh—do we call the OB? You want to go now?”
You grabbed his wrist, eyes locked on his. “Jack. Finish what you started.”
His mouth dropped open. “You still want..”
“I’m not in active labor yet. Might as well fuck me until I am.”
He laughed, full and loud, and kissed you hard.
“Well,” he muttered against your lips, guiding himself back in, “if my son wants to arrive in style.”
And with that, you rode wave after wave—of contractions, of pleasure, of something sacred and wild and absolutely yours.
By the time the next contraction hit, you were already moaning into his neck.
And your labor had officially begun.
———————————————————————
Jack’s hand never left yours during the car ride, one on the wheel with one hand, gripping yours with the other. The go-bag was already in the car with everything you could need while in the hospital. Plus more.
You were timing the contractions on your phone, trying to breathe through them, but they were coming faster now. Five minutes apart. Then four.
By the time he pulled into the hospital lot, you were doubled over in the passenger seat.
“Fuck,” you hissed, clenching his hand. “That one hurt.”
Jack threw the car into park and jumped out, rushing around to your door.
“Okay, let’s go. Slow and steady.”
You were halfway to the entrance when a voice called out—
“Hey, that looks like an ‘I just had sec and now I’m in labor’ face.” Robby. Of course.
Jack just flipped him off without breaking stride. “Call OB, she’s in labor. Now.”
Dana was at the triage desk when you walked in, her eyes wide.
“Whoa, whoa—are you…?”
“Yep,” you gasped. “Contractions. Thirty-eight weeks. We’re about to have a baby.”
She jumped up from her chair. “Got it. OB’s on call. We’ll page them. You need a wheelchair?”
“No,” you gritted out. “I can walk—”
Another contraction hit, and your knees buckled slightly. Jack caught you with both arms. 
“You’re not walking anywhere,” he muttered, already lowering you into a chair someone had wheeled over. “I’ve got you.”
The elevator ride was a blur. Someone shouted “incoming labor!” over the intercom, and by the time the doors opened on L&D, a nurse was already waiting with a gown and a monitor.
Dana, Robby, and Langdon had followed the chaos up as far as they could. The doors started to close again, but not before you looked back and saw them.
Robby grinning like a lunatic. Dana blinking hard like she might cry. Langdon sipping coffee and saying, “Don’t forget to breathe, Jack!”
Then the doors shut. Hours blurred. Morning into afternoon.
Contractions. Monitors. The deep, low sound of your own breath trying to ground you. Jack never left your side. Even after three coffees and a panic attack in the hallway.
“You’re doing amazing babygirl.” he whispered, brushing sweaty strands of hair from your face.
“I better be,” you groaned. “You’re the reason this is happening.”
He laughed softly, kissed your forehead. “Best thing I’ve ever done.”
Then your OB walked in, checked your dilation, and said the words:
“It’s time to push.”
Jack froze. You squeezed his hand so tight he winced.
“Ready?” He asked.
Jack nodded for you both. “Yeah. We’re ready.”
Your legs were up in stirrups. The pressure was unbearable. But Jack was there, one hand gripping yours, the other bracing behind your head.
“You’re doing so good,” he whispered. “So, so good. You’ve got this.”
Your OB sat between your legs, calm and steady.
“Okay, next contraction,” he said. “Push for me.”
You nodded, bracing yourself. Then it hit. Face twisting in pain.
Jack was right there, voice in your ear. “That’s it. Come on, babygirl. You’re almost there.”
Your OB’s voice cut through the haze. “He’s crowning! One more big push—just one more!”
Tears blurred your vision. You weren’t sure if they were from pain or adrenaline or love. 
Maybe all three.
“Come on, mama. Bring our boy home.”
And with one final, scream—you pushed.
And then,
A cry.
“Time of birth: 2:24 p.m.,” said the OB.
But you didn’t hear anything except the sound of your son’s first breath.
Jack choked out a sob beside you, hand covering his mouth as he stared.
“He’s here,” he whispered. “Oh my God. He’s here.”
They laid your son on your chest, slippery and warm, his fists clenched tight as he wailed against your heartbeat.
You looked down and lost yourself completely.
Tiny nose. Your dark hair. His father’s eyes.
He quieted the second you touched him. Jack leaned over you both, tears streaming freely now.
“Hi, baby boy,” he whispered, voice shaking. “I’m your dad.”
You looked up at him, your hand reaching for his face.
“We did it,” you breathed.
He kissed your lips, salty and trembling. “You did it,” he whispered. “You’re unbelievable.”
“Alright, have to deliver the placenta on your next contraction.” 
You leaned your head over to the left, looking down at what was happening to the lower half of your body.
Your expression faltered. Your eyes rolled slightly.
Jack’s smile vanished. “Hey, hey, hey, look at me,” he said quickly, cupping your face. “What’s wrong?”
Your eyelids heavy. Your sight of Jack directly in front of you becoming blurry.
“Alright we got some bleeding here.”
Blood. Everywhere. Jack could hear it pouring onto the floor below you.
“She's hemorrhaging!” a nurse shouted.
“You shouldn’t be in here Dr. Abbot!” Said your OB as a nurse pulled your son off of your chest.
“No, I’m not leaving her!”
“Someone go get Robby!” A nurse yelled from across the room.
“Jack..” You managed to get out in a whisper.
“I’m right here. I’m right here babygirl. I’m not going anywhere.”
“N-no, his name… Jack.” you breathed. “Your name. He should know who he comes from.”
Jack shook his head, blinking hard, lips trembling. “Don’t say it like it’s goodbye.”
“It’s not,” you whispered, your breath catching. “It’s for him. Just in case. I want him to carry you forever.”
Jack leaned in, pressing his forehead to yours, tears slipping from his eyes and into your hair. “Okay,” he choked out. “Okay, we’ll name him Jack. Our boy. He’ll know.”
Your eyes fluttered, body growing heavier by the second. You exhaled, barely audible.
Jack kissed your cheek, your forehead, your lips—desperate to keep you tethered. “I love you. Don’t let go. Please, baby, don’t—”
Your eyes shut.
The commotion around you barely audible as you slipped out of consciousness. “BP’s dropping—she’s crashing!” “Get her to ICU now. We need to intubate and stabilize.”
“No, no—” Jack stumbled forward, but Robby caught him, using all his strength to pull Jack out of the room and into the hallway.
Jack could barely breathe.
He didn’t even realize the team pushing your crying baby boy passed and down to the nursery. 
“Jack,” he said carefully. “Listen to me.”
Jack shook his head. “She was fine—she was fine a couple of minutes ago, Robby. What the fuck happened?”
“I know. But she’s not now. She’s in the best hands. Let them work.”
“I- I can’t do this without her, Robby. We’re supposed to be talking about the rest of our lives right now. I won’t make it through this alone. I need her.”
“You’re not alone. We’re all here with you. And with her. There’s a waiting room full out there just for you guys. You don’t need to do this by yourself now.”
He lowered himself to the cold, hallway floor. Arms went up, hands above his head, fingers intertwined in his hair.
“I can’t lose her Robby.” His voice broke as he looked up, tears pouring down his face, eyes already bloodshot. “This is all my fault.”
His entire world just changed in the blink of an eye. Because your family just began. But you weren’t there for it with him. 
———————————————————————
Wooo, my longest fanfic so far! Y’all I had to take so many breaks while writing this.  Also accidentally deleted the whole thing and almost threw my laptop across the room but, here it is! And there obviously has to be another part. 
Let me know what you guys think down below please ! :) 
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blaqcats-fics · 4 months ago
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unfortunately, i usually don't keep track of birthdays specifically in fandoms. so, imagine my shock when i found out that i share a birthday with bruce wayne (feb 19) — based on silverage and modern-age Batman. it is also a shock that i also just found out this man is a pisces. so in honor of both of our birthdays, here’s just a fun little skit!!
It starts with a podcast.
Tim’s the one who’s listening to it, earbuds in, looking for background noise while he codes. He barely registers the conversation until he hears the words:
“You know who gives me serious Pisces energy? Batman.”
Tim blinks. Rewinds. Listens again.
“I mean, think about it. Secretive? Brooding? Carries the weight of the world on his shoulders but refuses to talk about his feelings? Classic water sign behavior. Probably cries in the Batmobile.”
Tim immediately forwards the clip to the family group chat.
Steph is the first to react.
Steph: HOLY SHIT WAIT IS BRUCE A PISCES??
Damian: Don’t be ridiculous.
Steph: NO. THIS MAKES SENSE.
Steph: Moody. Overdramatic. Keeps adopting kids for no reason other than his feelings?? Classic Pisces.
Dick: If Bruce is a Pisces, that would explain SO MUCH.
Damian: This is stupid. He doesn’t even believe in astrology.
Steph: Because he’s a Pisces and doesn’t want to be perceived.
Dick: Wait when is his birthday again??
Tim double-checks. Then he stares at the date.
Tim: …Feburary 19th.
Silence.
Then:
Steph: OH MY GOD.
Dick: OH MY GOD.
Damian: This means nothing.
Jason: No. No. It means EVERYTHING.
When Jason jumps on board, things escalate.
Because Jason starts compiling evidence.
“Think about it,” he tells Dick later that night. “He’s moody as hell. He broods. He internalizes everything. He loves tragedy. I bet you anything he listens to sad music while doing patrol.”
Dick, who has personally witnessed Bruce listen to Chopin while looking out over Gotham like he’s in a Victorian novel, has no counterargument.
Alfred’s reaction is the worst.
“Master Bruce is, indeed, a Pisces,” he says when asked. “It explains quite a bit, I’ve always thought.”
Bruce is right there.
He looks up from his paperwork, eyes narrowed. “It doesn’t explain anything.”
“Of course, sir.” Alfred’s voice is as dry as the Batcave itself. “It is mere coincidence that you have the emotional repression of a particularly stubborn fish.”
Now that they know, they start noticing everything.
“He’s so sentimental,” Steph says, watching Bruce silently look at the Bat-Signal with his arms crossed. “Like. Deeply sentimental. I bet he has an old love letter tucked away somewhere that he rereads when he’s feeling tragic.”
Jason hums. “He does keep Selina’s notes.”
Tim gasps.
“Oh my god,” Dick whispers. “He’s the most Pisces to ever Pisces.”
The final straw is when Cass catches Bruce watching a French noir film in the dark with a glass of scotch.
She takes a picture.
It’s sent to the group chat immediately.
Cass: Look at this. Look at him.
Tim: That is the most Pisces shit I’ve ever seen.
Jason: He’s mourning a past life rn.
Steph: He’s thinking about his tragic love affairs. Probably wishing he could save them.
Dick: He’s gonna write poetry about it later.
Damian: All of you need to be stopped.
Eventually, Bruce notices.
Because of course he does.
“What,” he says, standing in the middle of the Batcave, staring at them like they’ve personally betrayed him, “is happening?”
Nobody speaks.
Then Damian, who has had enough, scowls and says, “They have been discussing your astrological sign.”
Bruce blinks.
“They are also keeping a list of your most Pisces-like behaviors.”
Jason immediately hurls a smoke bomb to escape.
It doesn’t end there.
A week later, Clark drops by.
“I heard you were a Pisces,” he says, grinning.
Bruce throws a batarang at him.
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mimi--writes · 14 days ago
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Forever Mine
—"Don't leave me..."
—In which the television you see in your dreams doesn't want you to wake up.
A/N: Someone needed to make a Yandere Tenna fic and I guess it's got to be me. See my vision, I beg of you.
CW: Yandere, Manipulation, Guilt-Tripping
——————————————————————————
The Dreemurr family's divorce is a town wide scandal, the 'incident' causing it forever an unspoken haunt to the townspeople.
To you, however, it's the reason you got this nifty little free TV.
It's cool—works just fine, though it has some parental restriction codes that were quite the inconvenience to get through, but it's free. That's right. Zero dollars. You just visited Miss Toriel one day like you thought any good neighbor would. And luckily for you, she asked if you could take her television off her hands, because no one in the family used it anymore, and it just brought back memories she didn't want.
So you helped Miss Toriel and got a free TV. Sweet.
It sits in your house, affectionately nicknamed "Tenna"—because of its long antennae that almost seem to squirm when you touch them. You know it is far from the most modern form of entertainment, but it is entertainment nonetheless, and besides—you've reluctantly grown attached to this television. Late nights on the couch, just you and it, have become commonplace. Sometimes, you even fall asleep.
And on one of those nights, the dreams begin.
You are in a place so dark it's light again—bright, saturated colors in checkered patterns marking the floors, infomercials everywhere, and tons of little flyers with the same fuzzy TV silhouette your eyes can briefly make out.
Okay, what kind of fever dream this is, you don't even know. Might as well just make the best of it.
You pick up a flyer.
"Coming Straight From Your House—Mr. (Ant) Tenna's Marvelous Mystery Board!"
Some sort of game show- wait, did that flyer just talk?
There is suddenly a spotlight on you.
"That's right!" Continues the voice, with the same chipper yet even timbre of a gameshow host. From the wall behind you pops out-
A man with a television head.
A very hot man with a television head.
You would be remiss not to admit it, really. Sure, he does, well, you know, but the TV-head is really just a bonus! On top of that surprisingly charming suit and nice ass, the TV-head fills your brain with ideas that make you wonder if you are deranged.
You decide not to give them the time of day just yet.
Meanwhile, the man with the television head continues to race about his gameshow.
"Special prizes, physical challenges, and more, only on-"
"I'm in," you say, and for all his bravado, the television man—Mister Ant Tenna from the poster, wait, your TV is named Tenna, wait, are you seriously dreaming about your TV as a hot gameshow host—startles noticeably, antennae going ramrod straight.
"You are?" He says. You nod.
"Uh, yeah. Seems cool."
He claps his hands with excitement, and suddenly, a thermometer appears on screen, immediately cracking with excitement.
"Magnificent! Splendid! The Fun-O-Meter's off the chart folks! Mike, play the applause!"
And pre-recorded applause ensues. You wonder if anyone is actually watching. Except no one is watching, because this is a dream.
You go through the motions—play the games, win the prizes. You get Z Rank, because you have what many would call a massive skill issue. But Tenna does not mind, regarding you with the patience of a saint.
The credits roll, but Tenna seems hesitant.
"Maybe- another round?" He suggests. You nod.
"When I come back," you say, before he can get the wrong idea. "Every good show needs an intermission.'
With that, you leave your dream, certain that it really was just that. A one time dream.
But then, the next late night on the couch comes, and you find yourself in that same dream once again.
Tenna's antennae droop as he speaks to you in private afterwards.
"You sure took a lot time!" He says, trying to sound cheery. It fails, though, considering the way he shrinks in discontent. "It's alright though, I get it. It was fun enough, just me and the board- I've- never been good company anyways, and-"
He's trying so hard to sound alright with it that it just makes you feel even more guilty. His antennae droop, and you avert your eyes in a desperate attempt to stop the guilt from stabbing at your heart. It doesn't work.
"You're great company," you say, in lieu of asking how come it was just him and the board when he has all those employees under him. "You know what? I'll stay as many rounds as you want! Seem fair?"
Immediately, he perks up, rapidly growing in excitement, antennae perked back up.
"Absolutely wonderful!" He says. The Fun-O-Meter once again explodes. Applause roars as Tenna starts rambling.
You play and play as many bonus rounds as you can until Tenna is something akin to satisfied. At last, you wake up.
You have slept through the entire day. Angry messages await you, as a result of obligations miserably unfulfilled. You don't even want to check them.
But you do. Typing out responses and making amends.
You wish you were back there, in that dream of yours.
So you stay by the television and fall asleep once more.
And once again, Tenna greets you.
"You came by faster today, darling!" He says. You find yourself liking the nickname, if only because it is him saying it.
You nod.
"That I did."
"Miss me?" He asks, and if he had eyes you just know he'd be batting them innocently.
"No," you start, trying to set up some sort of coy flirtation, but you immediately regret it when he visibly deflates.
"Oh," he says. "I- should have seen that coming. I mean, hah, you're absolutely stellar, darling, and I'm... Just..."
"I- I didn't mean it!" You hastily amend. "I was just joking. Really, I don't even know what I was thinking; I'm sorry!"
He smiles at that, placing a tentative arm on your shoulder.
"You-" he starts, before clearing his throat and trying to regain his composure. "You won't mind if I do this, then?"
And before you can ask what he means, he's pressing a fiery, impassioned kiss to your lips.
It's half-loving, gentle, like you are the most precious thing he has ever held within his arms, half an act of possession, like he wants to lay claim to you in a way no one else can. The possessive half is carried out guiltily, you can tell, the way he gently licks at all the bites he leaves, consoles you when you yelp at the little electric shock he gives.
You've never wanted anything more.
The kiss ends, and you find a gutted sob escaping you. Tenna startles.
"Was that not alright, darling?"
"This- This can't be a dream," you say. You feel pathetic, longing for a relationship conjured up in a fantasy like this. A man born from your own furniture, who obsesses over your happiness like it is his sole priority. That can't be what you want, and yet it is. "Please don't let this be a dream."
You suddenly feel a comforting hand on your back, the touch initially sending a shock down your spine."
"It's not a dream," Tenna says, breath tickling your ear. You can only hope he's right.
You wake up with a start, dreading the day.
——————————————————————————
The relationship of your dreams is half fantasy, half nightmare. Tenna is a sweetheart, indeed he is, always fretting over your every concern and comfort, letting your worries melt away with his games and challenges.
And then sometimes he'll snap, scold you or break, and mere moments later, he'll be on his knees, begging not to leave.
"Please stay," he begs you one night, the blow of the wind that should have been pleasant chilling you to your very core. "You're all I have. Please-"
"I will," you nod, gulping. He doesn't believe you, face contorting into its familiar motion, and regardless of having no eyes, it's oh-so expressive that it immediately makes you shoot up with dread.
"Say you love me," he whispers, shaking you with a manic sort of feel. "Say it."
"I love you."
"I don't believe you."
"I- I love you," you say. "Please."
And like some sort of trance has been broken, his head jerks, the hands that were only just shaking you now cradling with the gentleness you normally know.
"I'm sorry," he murmurs, kissing reverently as if that'll prove anything. "Don't leave me. Please."
You know you won't. You can't. You'll keep waking up later and later in the day, letting him take more and more out of your time. He is greedy, absolutely ravenous when it comes to you, and he'll devour you whole if that's what you offer.
And yet you offer yourself whole anyways, because you just can't say no.
Time passes. It's all a blur. You remember less and less of your day to day activities, and more and more of your dreams. Of Tenna, sweet and charismatic and pleadingly manic the next. How he beckons for you to stay even when the ring you now recognize as your alarm screams for you to wake up.
And how could you not, when his kisses are so inviting?
It all comes to a head one night.
"Stay," he murmurs, serving you dinner. You sigh.
"You know I will," you say.
"Not like that," he says. "Stay here. Forever."
"For- ever?"
Your eyes widen as the implication of his words catches up to you all too late.
These dreams- no- they're-
"I have a life back outside," you say, panicking as his antennae twitch in displeasure.
"Then you'll leave me to rot...?" He asks, falsely resigned. You gulp. You know him better by now. You know how intelligent he is. How assured.
He knows exactly what you'll say, that he knows you know but you'll do it anyways, damnit-
"That's not what I mean," you say. He sighs.
"Of course you can tell yourself that!" He says. "I really am insignificant... Just a tryst-"
"I'll stay," you say at last, acquiescing as you always have. He beams, kissing you like a touch-starved puppy, and you forget yourself for a few moments.
As far as any of your friends and family know, you will never wake up again.
But as far as you know, intoxicated by the seemingly permanent love in the air, you are the most awake you have ever been.
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