#oh shit I need to make sure someone can pick me up at the airport when I get there tmrw. I’d really prefer to not be stranded (or pay for

[boomerang109]

i have genuinely been very productive today and that’s a very big deal for me!

i have not, however, packed or cleaned out the fridge or finished the dishes. and i leave for the airport in 13 hours. i need to do those things

[thebibliosphere]

From what I've seen, I think the Batkids would like your book.

Hunger Pangs? You flatter me.

But also, yes thank you for this particular strain on self-indulgent brain rot. I am going to be absolutely abnormal about this.

I’d like to imagine Dick picks it up at an airport somewhere on his way back from a trip and becomes hooked on the “clever, pretty, jumps-from balconies-for-the-thrill-of-the-fall vampire and goes, “oh, same.”

The fact that it’s got a rugged, soldiery werewolf with a heart of gold who enforces self-care as a form of kink-play is also doing stuff to his brain. (That’s a thing? He can… he can ask someone for that? Who does he ask for that? It’s been weeks since he slept more than a few hours and ate more than cereal for dinner. Seriously, who does he ask? How much is it? He’s got money. He’ll pay.) The uh, the need for validation and the budding praise kink is also hitting a little too close to home.

As is “all powerful witch with the power to pick you up with her mind and throw you around like a rag doll.” (LiStEN, he spent a large chunk of his formative years surrounded by tight spandex suits, villains with sexy mind control pollen and getting kidnapped and tied up every other week. It’s not his fault he’s Like This.)

He’s not mad about it, though.

*

Babs catches him re-reading it during downtime. She’s not even that interested, more asking what it is to be polite, but the way Dick jumps and turns red, like he didn’t even realize she was in the room is… intriguing.

“I can see why you like it,” she says, several days later, casually drinking her coffee while Dick stares straight ahead, willing the floor to open up and swallow him whole. “Magic, politics. Saving the world from certain doom with the power of knowledge and ecological preservation.” She glances sideways at him. “Vlad’s got some interesting quirks.”

“Shut up.”

“Are we sure you’ve not been compromised?”

“Babs, I mean it.”

“Mean what?” Tim appears in the kitchen as though from nowhere, pouring a red bull into the coffee pot.

No one tries to stop him.

“Dick’s reading a new book,” Babs says, ignoring the murderous look Dick sends her way.

“Oh? What book? Is it any good?”

“Uh, yeah, uh.” Dick rubs at the back of his neck, glaring daggers at Babs as she rolls out of the room, cackling. “It’s uh, romance. Kind of silly actually…”

“Oh?”

Dick nods. “It’s got a vampire and a werewolf. Two guys. And a… well she’s just sort of magic. They break into a library to save the world from ecological disaster. They’re all bi. Together. Or they will be in the next book. This one’s more about the vampire and the werewolf getting together. Um...”

Tim’s gone very still in the way he does when his brain has caught hold of something and he’s absolutely about to let it consume him. “Oh?”

“Yeah.” Dick shrugs. “It’s got some kink in it,” he warns, not wanting to expose his younger brother to something he’s not ready for. Which is ludicrous because he’s Robin. And from the way Tim’s not drinking his ‘coffee’ he can tell this is only going to go one way no matter what he says. He brightens, remembering something. “But there’s, like, a non smutty version too? Or a less smutty version, I guess? I don’t know, I haven’t read it yet. I could, we could go to the bookstore, maybe stop at the art store too…”

“I’ll meet you in the car.”

*

“So,” Jason says, and Dick can already tell where this is going by the shit-eating grin on his face. “Vampires, huh? Or is it more the werewolves you’re into?”

“Who told you?” Dick bemoans. “Was it Babs?” He bets it was Babs. Fucking Babs.

“Oh, no one told me anything Boy Wonder. Tim found out the author has a go-fund-me for some medical shit that exceeded his monthly allowance and he’s been harassing Bruce to “fix it” for several days now. He’s down in the cave making a nuisance of himself right now. Apparently he quote “needs more of the bisexual monster books Dick told him about” unquote, and the author can’t do shit if she up and fucking dies because this country’s a fucking for-profit shit hole.”

Dick places his head in his hands. “Oh, God. Is Bruce mad? He’s mad, isn’t he?”

Jason shrugs. “Couldn’t tell you. Last I heard, Tim was playing him the audiobook over the bat computer to make his case.”

Dick let’s his head thump against the table. This is it. This is his villain origin story. He’s going to run away and join the Rogues. Or maybe he’ll go back to the Circus. Either option is better than the idea of having to meet Bruce’s eye later over the dinner table.

“Personally, I thought the plot was a little weak but the characters are compelling,” Jason says, sipping his herbal tea. “I liked the chill necromancer doctor. I feel like he’d be able to fix me.”

[woso-dreamzzz]

Ma'am II

Aitana Bonmatí x Royal!Reader

Summary: The plane ride

You sipped your champagne as you relaxed back in your seat.

Your bodyguard sat at the very front of the plane, nearest the cockpit to give some semblance of privacy. Of course, the idea of true privacy on a plane was laughable but it was as close as you could get and you were thankful for that.

"Are you still looking at the shower?" You called out, your head angling towards the back of the plane," It's just a shower."

"On a plane!" Aitana said as she peaks out of the back compartment," An ensuite bathroom on a plane! You've got a bed!"

"Where else are we supposed to sleep?"

"It's only a few hours," Aitana said as she took her seat next to you," Why would we need to sleep?"

"A nap never hurt anyone," You replied," Besides, we still need to request permission to land and such. Some airports don't like when we give them too short a notice."

"You're royalty," Aitana insisted," They're probably jumping over themselves to get you to land with them. They're probably thinking you're going to tip."

She laughed but it petered off when she realised you weren't laughing with her.

"No, seriously? You tip just to land?"

You shrugged. "Tipping never hurt anyone." You stood and stretched. "Greece still sound good to you?"

"We've been in the air for nearly half an hour! What do you mean does 'Greece still sound good'?! What have we been doing?"

"Flying aimlessly," You said," This is kind of like an expensive joyride."

Aitana's mouth hung open. "You're so out of my league."

You grinned, all suave with years of charming foreign dignitaries. "Pretty sure you're the one who's out of my league." You leaned towards her, lips skimming the shell of her ear. "You know, the bed is pretty big. The cabin's almost soundproof." You wiggled your brows. "Feel like joining the mile-high club?"

"You want me to agree to join the mile high club? In the private jet of the English royal family?"

"What? Not fancy enough for you?"

"You might want to make our excuses. I'd hate for your bodyguard to think I'm rude."

Your bodyguard, in the end, didn't think Aitana to be rude at all. Even though the two of you disappeared into the bedroom for the remaining time of the flight.

"What time do we land?" She asked.

You hooked your shoulder over your chin, throwing your bare leg over her hip. She was lying on her side facing away from you but that didn't stop you from being as close as humanly possible to her.

"Hmm," You hummed," An hour? Hour and a half? Depends on if they've already found an airport to land at."

"Is this your world?" She asked with a little giggle," Taking your fancy jet to places without even a plan?"

"Well," Your voice dropped low as you kissed her naked shoulder," I do have a plan. It's fifty percent complete now."

"Oh, yeah? What was the plan?"

"Well..." You trailed kisses down her skin. "The first part was getting you to agree to get on the plane with me. The second part was having my wicked, wicked way with you in said plane. The rest of it? Wait and see, princess."

"Princess? I think you'll find that you're the only princess here."

"Not if I marry you. Then there'll be two princesses on the plane."

You felt Aitana tense under your touches. She went rigid like every muscle had been locked into place.

She rolled onto her back, steering up at you with wide and unblinking eyes.

"You want to marry me?"

You frowned, eyebrows drawing together in confusion. "I don't do this," You said," I don't date for fun. I've never dated for fun. I date to marry someone. I'm dating you so I can marry you. I want to see you walk down the aisle at Westminster Abbey. I want cameras to pick up me saying 'holy shit' because you're so pretty. Yes, Aitana, I want to marry you."

She kept staring at you and frankly, it put you on edge.

"Don't you want that too?"

She surged forward, tugging you into a heated kiss.

You tried to kiss back as best you could but she had really caught you off guard with the urgency of it. You didn't know when you ended up on your back but you did.

Aitana sat above you, legs straddling your hips like she was sat on a throne.

"God," She said," Of course I want to marry you."

You grinned. "I'm sure my father has property in Spain, in Barcelona even. I could move."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that. You won't have to retire from football yet. I can be signed off on some long-term international duty. Building ties with Spain and what-not."

"A house near the stadium," Aitana continued," With a garden, big enough for a pet."

"A trellis with ivy growing on it," You said," Small enough that no paps will bother us but big enough to have my brothers and their kids visit."

"Big enough for kids of our own."

"Little princes and princesses who grow up to play football for their country, whichever of ours they choose."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"But how? You're royalty. Your father is king."

"And I'm his third child," You say," He's got his heir. He has his spare. What am I? The spare's spare? Aitana, I love you. I'd leave the family if it meant I got to marry you."

"Really?"

"Really."

Aitana grinned at you, leaning down. "Yes, I will marry you."

You grinned back at her. "Once we land, I'll get you a ring. We can start the honeymoon early."

"I like that plan."

[wosoamazing]

The Transfer

Summary: You move to Barca.

Warnings: None I don't think

A/N: Google translated Spanish so I apologies if it is incorrect, hope you like it. Also as usual feel free to send requests, whether it is for this Series or for kid!readers, or something else. Hope you like it.

You run to Leah when you see her, and give her a massive hug, you missed her, camp was hard, especially the second last day. There was a conversation you needed to have with her, you didn’t want to risk her finding out from someone else, so you decided to just start it right there and then in the airport.

“We need to talk about something, Le.”

“Go to Barca.”

“What?” you exclaim looking up at her, surely you heard her wrong.

“Go to Barca, you deserve it Bug, you’re amazing, go to Barca, you can always come back, Arsenal will take you back in a heartbeat, any club would take you back in a heartbeat, but you’re not going to want to come back, and I’ll visit I promise, and we can put daily facetime calls in our calendar for the first few weeks. Call me whenever you need, I’ll pick up the phone. But the girls are lovely there, and you will have Lucy and Kiera.”

“Wait, so you’re saying go? How did you find out?”

“Of course I’m saying go, it’s Barca, and the finding out part, well Alexia messaged asking if I knew anything I said no, asked Lucy and Kiera and they were like ‘yeah she spoke to us about what the people were like, and the environment etc we thought you knew’ Millie then walked in and was like ‘Guy’s shit just went down at the Matildas camp, might want to check your sister is okay though Leah’, Millie than told us what Sam told her and yeah”

“So, you’re not mad I didn’t ask you first?”

“No, I’m proud, you asked the right people the right questions, you stood up for yourself, you manage to do some pretty hard ball negotiations, and you didn’t let anyone make the decision for you, you stayed true to yourself, and I’m proud.”

_____

“Ready to go?” Lucy asks as your suitcases are loaded into the back of the car, you nod you had just played friendlies against the Lionesses in England, so at least the travel there was short, however the travel back to your club was going to be a bit longer, as you weren’t returning to Arsenal but to Barca.

“I feel sick,” Kiera moaned as she came out to join you and Lucy.

“Yeah, I told you to stop drinking, why do you think we didn’t drink.”

“Ah because she is still a week and one year underage, and you I don’t know, because you don’t know how to let loose and have fun,” Kiera replies. Last night some of your national and club teammates as well as some Leah’s national teammates had a party in your honour, to celebrate you going to Barca and to celebrate your Birthday, which was in a week.

_____

It was your first night staying at Lucy and Kiera’s and somehow it was conveniently team bonding night at their place. It didn’t seem like a coincidence at all. You were really nervous to meet the team, they all knew each other already, this was the first time you were joining a team that you were completely new in, when you joined Arsenal you already knew the girls really well because of Leah, and then when you joined the Matildas you had Steph, Kyra and Caitlin, but this was different.

You had stayed quiet for most of the night, watching the game, trying not to draw attention to yourself, however that was all unravelled when Mapi sighed “Estúpido Àrbitro. Eso fue claramente una falta.” (Stupid Referee, that was clearly a foul)

“Casi fue tarjeta amarilla.” (almost was a yellow card)

Everyone heads turned to you, and their jaws dropped. “You know Spanish?”

“Ah, well a bit, mainly to do with the game, one of my Friend’s Dad’s is Spanish and they talk Spanish at home, especially when he is watching the game.”

“Leah never told me that,” Lucy remarked, “Leah doesn’t necessarily know” “oh, so is this a friend or a friend.”

“Lucy leave the poor kid alone,” Kiera told her off.

“So it is a special friend,” “Is she, or he, cute?” “Do you have a photo?” the girls all asked at once.

“Girls, as Kiera said, leave the poor kid alone, she just got here” Alexia told them, they all shut up immediately.

_____

“Oh, Bebita, what’s wrong?” Alexia asks you as she walks into the locker room, you were slumped back in your locker, leaning against the wall, “come here”, she says as she drags you up and brings you in for a hug, in which you broke, tears start to stream down your face as you try to get out of Alexia’s grip, it was only your third day at Barcelona and yet here you were crying in front of your new captain. Alexia only tightened her grip at your actions cooing “It’s okay, I’m here,” rubbing your back slightly. “How about we sit down,” she sat down and pulled you into her lap, you rested your head on her shoulder, giving into her.

“I-I miss Le,” You sobbed into her shoulder.

“I know, its okay Bebita, we’re here,” Alexia could never understand completely how you felt but she could imagine, she could see how close you and Leah were which wasn’t surprising considering you had been living with her for the past six years but leaving her and only seeing her through the phone was something you were struggling with, and the team had started to notice it, you were always slightly sadder when you re-joined the team after being on the phone with Leah.

_____

You woke up and looked at the clock, it was 9:00am, ‘shit’ you mumble to yourself, you sprung out of your bed before flopping back into it, after having the realisation that you didn’t have training today, you had a game last night, which you played in, it was much tougher than the games at Arsenal, so you were exhausted.

It was only then that you took in your surrounds, there were balloons scattered around your room, and on the floor, there were little present signs with arrows. You quickly got yourself semi presentable before following the presents, they lead you into the living room, all your new teammates were there. “Surprise!” they all yelled whilst someone exploded one of those confetti guns, you were in fact surprised, you had been at Barca a week, you were expecting something low key with Lucy and Kiera not a whole team affair, “Come sit,” Lucy said tapping the empty section of couch between her and Alexia, as you walked over you couldn’t help but notice the pile of presents on the coffee table, you had already received gifts from your family and arsenal teammates, so these had to be from your Barca teammates but you couldn’t really believe it.

“You got these all for me?” you questioned in disbelief.

“Yes, they are all for you,” Alexia tells you before handing you a gift, “here open.”

You eventually finished making your way through the present pile and thanked everyone profusely.

However, while you thanked everyone Alexia walked in with three more presents, these ones were quite heavy. “Don’t open them yet, I just need to call someone,” whoever she was calling answered, and then she handed the phone to you, it was Leah and Lia, “Happy Birthday Bug! We may have some surprises for you, open the skinny rectangular one first. It’s from Katie, she wanted you to have it on your actual Birthday, make it more special” you opened it up and grinned it was a whoop, “tell her I like it please, and that I said thank you.”

“Will do bug, now the smaller of the two remaining was Lia’s idea, but both presents are from us” you opened the two gifts and at the sight of them tears left your eyes, “T-thank you,” your sister and Lia had just gifted you a new Mac Book Pro and a new iPhone. Ingrid moved closer to you and hugged you, knowing it was what you needed. After getting ready the rest of your morning was filled with fun festivities as the girls made sure to spoil you, however it was time to start getting ready to go out for dinner, so everyone returned to their own homes in agreeance they would all meet there, waiting for everyone to be there before they went in.

As you walked into the restaurant with the team Lucy whispered to you, “there may be one more surprise,” she gestured her head over to the massive table in the restaurant, where two familiar figures sat, you couldn’t control yourself and run over to them. “Hi Bug, glad you’re happy to see us,” Leah said hugging you “we missed you” Lia said now hugging you.

“I missed you too” you said before you sat down between them, you were grinning from ear to ear. “How are you here?” “Oh, this was all Alexia’s doing, she planned it all.” You looked over to you captain who winked at you, maybe Barca wasn’t going to be so bad after all.

[jybyls]

Tease

Part 1

Warning: Teasing, R is kinda jealous, sexual tension but no smut, R is an actress too, and I think that's it.

Synopsis: Part 2, so you're visiting Jenna on the set of Finestkind, and you wanted to get your revenge after her teasing you but you end up in one damn of a situation

Words: 1k~

Jen <3

You: Loveee ! Do you know what day it is ?

So today I finally get to see Jenna again and I'm terribly excited.

Jen: Hi love, did you sleep well ?

It's sweet she asks if i slept well because she knows I have trouble sleeping even more when I'm not with her. But currently I couldn't give a fuck less about my sleeping schedule.

You: Who gives a shit I FINALLY get to see you today !!

Jen: Oh yes that's right ! Omg I forgot it's already the day !

You: How could you forget ? I'm terribly offended.

Jen: Come on I'm sorry I really can't wait to see ya love ❤️

You: Yeah sure

Jen: Don't be like that

You: Ok ok I'm sorry

I'm really excited to see you tho ❤️

Jen: Me too ❤️

When's your flight ?

You: At 6pm.

Got everything pack already and I'm just gonna clean the house and feed the cats

Jen: Omg bring the cats with you !

You: Lmao I wish I could, but my best friend gonna take care of them while I'm gone

Jen: Really wish you could bring them :(

Miss them

You: More than me ?

Jen: That's a trick question and I won't answer

You: That is not a trick question woman 🤨

Anyway you're gonna pick me up at the airport right ?

Jen: Yes ofc

Need my little princess passenger

You: Tbh that's one of the thing I missed the most

Jen: Being my princess passenger ?

You: Yeah

Jen: You're unbelievable

You: I can't wait to see in your Mabel outfit in real life

Jen: Oooh right I forgot about that

I really bet you can't wait

You: Ok now don't be a teaser

Jen: I didn't do anything !

You: Aren't you suppose to work ?

Jen: Lunch break

You: Right

What scene do you gotta do after you're break ?

Jen: A lovey dovey scene

Oh right so whenever me or Jenna are doing a scene where we're kissing someone else we call those scenes "lovey dovey scenes" to not make the other one jealous. Which never works by the way.

You: Right I forgot that's basically all the movie is about.

Anddd now I'm jealous and she knows it.

Jen: Don't be jealous

We can recreate that scene if you want. It'll be soo much better than the actually scene

Will they make you feel better ?

You: Probably yeah

Jen: Alright. I gotta go my love I love you can't wait to see you ❤️

You: I love you too, work hard. I'll reward you when I'll get there ❤️

Jen: Oh God.

She can't be the only one to tease.

My plan arrived, and I've been looking around for Jenna until I saw a small figure looking around like I was. She turned around, and a smile immediately grew on her face. She ran up to me, hugging my waist tightly. "Hi baby. I've missed you so bad." She said, her face buried in my chest. "I've missed you too, love." My face in her neck holding her for dear life. She pulled away to kiss me softly. That's only when I realised she's still wearing Mabel's outfit. Oh God.

"You're still wearing Mabel's fit." I said while checking her out. "Yeah, you like it ?" She smirked. Fucking tease. "Yeah it looks even better in real life," I look up at her, not looking away from her mesmerising eyes, "you look so good, love." She just smiled at me, taking my hand in her. "Thank you sweetheart," she took some of my baggage and start walking toward her car, "by the way you know I worked real hard today." She made an allusion of our conversation earlier, I like to think that she kept thinking about that all day. "Remebered that huh ? Could you even think of something else all day ?" I teased her, I'm getting my revenge today.

"No I couldn't this is why I worked so hard, I mean, I had to think about something else than you which was really considering the pic that you send me so I think I deserved my reward." She started to ramble as she opened the door for me, I mumbled a small 'thank you' before starting to talk. "Right, you do deserve your reward." I smirked, seeing how hard I affected her.

Jenna is usually the one who has an effect on me and totally controls me, but from time to time, she lets me take control for a moment, so I'm enjoying it. Plus, I know as soon as she asks me to get down on my knees, I will.

On the way to the set of Finestkind, we talked about our day, going back and forth on random topics too. Once there, she made me meet everyone, but she hurried our way to her trailer.

"Remebered what I told you about recreating that lovey dovey scene ?"

"Yeah, I do, but what exactly was the scene ?"

"Let me show you ? You're Charlie, and I'm Mabel, ok love ?"

I only nodded, letting her guide me for now.

Jenna is currently lying on her back while I'm kissing her stomach, begging for her to let me taste her. "Please, pretty please." I'm so desperate for her, but how could I not be? She has been teasing me for the past hour. It goes from pulling my hair away from a kiss to denying me pleasure her. It's driving me crazy and she's loving it, maybe too much.

"What do you want, baby ?" She smirked down at me. "You. Just you, please." I'm turning into a whining mess. She pretended to think for a moment before answering me. "Mmh, I don't know. Why should I ?" She's being cruel. She knows it, a small tear run down my eye. I buried my face in her thigh, holding her like my life depended on it. "Because you worked so hard today, you need to release some stress." She can't deny me for too long she'll eventually give in.

"Okay, then have me, baby." She caressed my hair softly, I looked up at her checking if she was playing with me, but I realised she wasn't and immediately started to get to work.

We're having a long night.

[heartsforsserafim]

Airport

genre ; smut

tw ; crying,overstimulation,orgasm denial, clit play, tit play, mommy kink, praise kink

dom!siyeon x sub!reader

this was requested!

- Siyeon pov

I've been sitting here for the last 2 hours because they lost my luggage. "Ma'am we need another hour to look through everything to make sure we didn't see it, is there anyone who can come collect it for you?" I look at him, I'm obviously irritated and if someone could've came and got it i would've been home by now. "No. Now hurry and find it."

Soon the guy came back with her luggage, apologizing rapidly about the situation and siyeon just went towards her car. Speeding her way home, not caring about what comes in her way. She wanted to get home for one solid reason and that's to relieve her stress.

- 3rd person pov

Siyeon made it home, and was putting her clothes back where they belong before going to back hug you while you were making dinner, "How was your trip baby?" she began kissing along your neck instead of replying, "H-honey come on we should eat first" "I think I'd like my dessert before dinner tonight" you automatically felt your panties completely ruined. You turned off the fire, and turned your attention over to siyeon

Her hands went up to your chest area, fondling with your buttons on your shirt, soon taking your shirt off leaving you with just your bra. The entire makeout session led you two to your shared bedroom where you are currently under siyeon as she marks your neck with love bites and hickeys. "Siyeon a-ahh"

You moaned out, while she moved close to your aching core, "Hm? Want me here?" She said and began teasing your clit, your hips automatically bucking into her movement. "Oh no, beg for it." "F-fuck please. I need you so bad" "Need me where?" "I-inside. Anywhere fuck please mommy!"

You yelled out, she got from on top of you, doing down and removing your panties. A line of your slick following behind it, "Aww look at you, so wet"

Your hips bucked uncontrollably into her hand when she was rubbing your clit, "Princess, use your words." "F-fuck me." Her eyes became dark, and she placed two digits inside of you, doing the come hither motion, "O-ohh sh-shit i- o h g-od" you moaned out while siyeon used her tongue to flick across your clit.

You came quicker than the both of you expected, but that didn't stop Siyeon, her head moving between your legs, not even letting you calm down from your last orgasm. She lapped up all your cum, licking you clean before inserting her tongue inside of you, using it to pleasure you. She almost moaned because of how good you taste.

You tasted so sweet, just like candy. "M-mommy i'm cumming o-oh fuckkkk" You say and cum once more on her tongue. Siyeon began just demolishing you at this point, going faster while your body shook due to the afterglow of your last orgasms, you continue to moan her name aloud.

After two hours of making you cum, she saw how fucked out you looked. "Poor baby" she says and picks you up, running a warm bath for you. Using her own body wash on you, a cherry blossom one. Shampoo being bubble gum scented, after washing you. She used her own favorite lotion on your body, before putting you into a pair or her own shorts and her t-shirts.

She laid you into bed, her laying behind you and just hugging you close, "Y/nie?" your soft snores were heard, she secretly laughed and decided it was best to sleep, she hugged you close and went to sleep by your side

[huggybug]

when it rains, it pours - matty beniers

word count: 1.4k words

um hello i wrote this in 30 mins at 1am so don’t hate me if it’s bad🫣 but the world needs more matty love and something about yelling at him in the rain is very therapeutic to my soul

“She’s still there?” You furrowed your eyebrows when you heard Brendan’s voice. Walking down the hallway in Matty’s new apartment in Seattle, you were quick to figure out that he was on facetime with his friend so you hung back, hoping to not disturb him.

“Yeah dude, I think she’s going home in a couple days” Matty replied.

“She better be gone before I get there, we’ve gotta tear shit up bro” Brendan said and Matty laughed loudly. You probably shouldn’t be eavesdropping but isn’t there a rule like if someone’s talking about you then it’s fair game? That’s what you’ll go with anyways.

“Yeah yeah, trust me I’ll have her back home long before that” Your breath hitched and you could feel the tears pricking you eyes. While maybe what he said wasn’t particularly bad, you had felt like you’d been walking on eggshells this entire trip.

He asked you to come out to see his new place and maybe catch a game or two. He bought you a plane ticket and picked you up at the airport before taking you around his new home, a place you could already tell he loved. However, with everything he showed you, it just made you feel out of place.

You were apart of his college life. The two years of fun he got to have before starting his career and as amazing as it was to see him finally playing in the NHL, you knew that you weren’t meant to be here alongside him.

This was different. Seattle had captured Matty’s heart in a way he’d sworn would never happen because he ‘loved Michigan too much’. He looked at home here, it was natural for him. His life was already set up and planned out without leaving room for you. It was just as well though because at the end of the day, you were in Ann Arbor and he was here, simple as that.

You ran back to the bedroom, taking a few deep breaths as you tried to collect yourself before figuring out the best move. It only took a few minutes and a text to your mom to have her book a flight back to Michigan and you were ready to go.

You were doing him a favour, he deserved to have a fresh start, to not have to worry about his girlfriend back in college across the country. It would be easier this way. Once your bags were packed, you towed them out to the main area of his apartment. Matty was still on the couch but his phone was resting on the table and he was watching a replay of his game last night.

“Oh hey, we’re gonna meet for dinner at- what are you doing?” Matty cuts himself off when he sees you standing with your suitcase. “What’s going on?”

“I’m going home” You say, your voice coming out a little hoarse but you clear your throat, ignoring the feeling.

“What? Your flight isn’t for another couple days babe, did something happen?” You’re frozen as he gets up off the couch and makes his way over to you.

“I think we should break up” You blurt out, surprising yourself just as much as him. You weren’t even sure if there was anything to break up. He claimed that he didn’t think labels were important, that your feelings should be enough to not warrant a silly label. In hindsight, that should have been a red flag.

“Can we talk about this?” He was confused. Everything was going well, he thought inviting you out here would show you how serious he was and that he wanted to take the next step with you, at least that’s what Nick told him.

“There’s nothing to talk about. I’m going home, good luck here Matty, you’re going to do great” You knew he would. He was Matty freaking Beniers, of course he will be amazing, it just sucked that you wouldn’t be here with him.

“Y/n! You can’t just leave like this what the hell!” Matty yells and you flinch. He’s never yelled at you and you hated it. It lit a fire in you that gave you the courage to actually walk out the door. You grab your suitcase and practically run to the door but Matty’s quick behind you, trying to grab your hand to stop you.

“Stop- just let me go” You storm out of the house and into the rainy streets of Seattle, not even caring that you didn’t have a jacket, you just had to get away from him.

“Y/n! Stop! Come on!” You ignored Matty’s calls, focusing on your steps as you felt the rain mix with the tears on your cheeks. “Don’t do this! I love you!”You whip around to see him standing right behind you, panting a little from chasing you down the street.

“You’ve never loved me Matty, we both know that” It was all just a game to him, you were something to keep him busy while he waited for his real life to start. He never intended on bringing you along, you were never supposed to make it that far.

“Don’t say that” He huffed, reaching to grab your hands but you pull away. The rain continued to pelt down around you but the heat in his gaze was enough to distract you from your drenched clothes that were now sticking to your body.

“Why not? It’s true isn’t it? Isn’t that what you were talking to Brendan about?” Matty sucked in a sharp breath, he didn’t know that you heard him. “Yeah, you need me to leave so that you can go party with him so here you go, I’m making it easier on you”

“Babe, come on. That’s not-”

“Don’t. I can’t do this with you Matty” You didn’t want to hear a lame excuse. It would only make things worse.

“I thought bringing your out here would help make sense of everything. That it’d show us that long distance wouldn’t be so terrible and we could do it” He reached for your hand and this time, you let him. “Brendan was being an asshole, I swear whatever you heard it doesn’t mean anything”

“You don’t want me to leave?” You ask hesitantly and he scoffs, as if it were a completely ridiculous question.

“If you could, I would’ve had you move in with me in August” Matty smiled softly, “I always want you here, trust me”

“Swear?”

“I swear. Why wouldn’t I want my girl here?”

“Didn’t know I was your girl” You mumbled and Matty rolled his eyes.

“You wanna know the first thing I told Truss after I met you at that party?” He asked and you looked at him before nodding. “I said ‘if I don’t end up with her, I must’ve seriously fucked it up’ and yeah, maybe I was drunk out of my mind but I meant it and he reminds me of it all the time” You chuckle which makes him smile. “I love you and I’m not letting you go like this. You’re my everything, I don’t know when you decided that I wasn’t yours but you’ve always been mine” His eyes burned into yours and as much as you wanted to look away, to call a car to come pick you up and take you away, you couldn’t.

“I love you, always have and always will” You finally cave, squeezing his hands in reassurance.

“Yeah? So you’re not running out on me?” He asked humorously, smirking down at you.

“One condition”

“Anything” He grinned lazily.

“Am I your girlfriend?”

“Of course. I told you, you’re my everything give yourself any title you want, I don’t care. All I care about is if I have you” He pulls you into him and you go easily, finally feeling a little at ease in the new city. The moment seems to freeze when he kisses you, the rain falling around you goes silent and it’s suddenly just the two of you.

“This is so cliché Matty” You giggle once the moment ends. He wipes a tear from your face, still holding you close.

“What? Yelling at each other in the street?”

“No” You laugh, “Just something about the rain” It was something out of a movie but you loved it.

“Well it rains a lot in Seattle so you better get used to it” Matty replies, grabbing your bag as he guides you back to his apartment.

“Yeah I guess I should” You definitely plan on spending more time here, rain or not.

[longeyelashedtragedy]

twenty questions for fic writers

tagged by @tetrapod7 ...i did some of them already, but not all! so i might as well answer the ones i didn't already answer!

1. how many works do you have on ao3? 155! now that i have an anonymous fic these all will get more annoying to answer, looool

2. what's your total ao3 word count? 478,822

3. what fandoms do you write for? right now i just write for "men's football rpf." i'm occasionally tempted to write for the Old Fandom again.

4. top five fics by kudos: top 5 of all time are all from a song of ice and fire days:

drabbles of ice and fire

captivated

egg baby

arya saves the day

ends and beginnings

was i the best writer of aged-up arya/jaqen AUs in the fandom? uh, yes, since 4 of those are...that, lol.

if we're just talking footy though...

shakira ex machina

doce

two hundred words to say i love you

ça c'est ma dope

hairbrush

oh ffs...removing the crossovers....

shakira ex machina

two hundred words to say i love you

hairbrush

the right kind of blue

desperate times

5. do you respond to comments? sometimes....when i don't lose track 😭 i need to be better...

6. what is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? i answered that here!

7. what's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? ummm...not sure. could it be 5.VII? that's a really satisfying ending. i'll go ahead and say that one.

8. do you get hate on fics? only once, and it was a very pathetic stab at armchair activism "how dare you write a fic on this problematic topic" shit. it could happen again at any time i guess.

9. do you write smut? unfortunately...i'm not very good at it and it stresses me out.

10. craziest crossover: i wrote hozier x jaqen h'ghar for my bestie long ago and posted it at like ass am in zurich airport :')

11. have you ever had a fic stolen? yes! answered here. it was this rakidric! published 3 days before we all locked down. i have not read this in a zillion years.

12. have you ever had a fic translated? also answered here!

13. have you ever co-written a fic before? answered here but also i want to cowrite with someone so very much!

14. all time favorite ship? also answered here!

15. what's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will? my ivantoine, "In The" :'( and others too...my post-WC modren for example. i'm wondering if Mare Liberum will ever be finished. we'll see...

16. what are your writing strengths? i think i am confident and experienced and that comes across (?) even things i wrote a while ago, that i think are "better" (more artistic, more daring) sound less experienced at the same time. my dialogue has improved so much. i think my fics have a good rhythm--varied sentence lengths, good use of repetition and parallelism, line breaks, etc. i like to think i can get people to empathize with/care about people they didn't expect. my writing helps me examine my own flaws. i am not sure what else? my bff said i describe love and loss really well <3

17. what are your writing weaknesses? i think i'm a weak writer, actually! i think my writing is shallow and always sounds the same. a lot of angsty endings, alienated characters, sounds more immature than it should. i don't know how to make porn hot (because i think strange things are hot, i guess?). truly, i've been grappling with how shallow it all sounds. i am a deep feeler (lol) but not a deep thinker at all and i think that shows.

18. thoughts on dialogue in another language? answered here

19. first fandom you wrote in? answered here!

20. favorite fic you've written? honestly--my favorites are probably still trophy boyfriend and then "chief of the armed forces" because that's just an absolute crackfic masterpiece. in footy...i probably should pick some favorites, no? let's go with dangerous, i tore off the golden branch, possible red card - violent conduct, rojo y blanco/crvena bijela, and 5.VII. i feel like some franko fics belong here but i just chose 5!

[stucknthemiddleff]

Safe P1. 1.15

Spotless Mind - Jhene Aiko

Mask Off (Remix) - Future

Loyalty - Kendrick Lamar Ft. Rihanna

Love Gon Go - Chris Brown

Stuck N The Middle

June•

Dana

Double checking that I had all my toiletries in my all black leather pull string book bag, I walked out of the bathroom in the hall. Going back into my room, my eyes interlocked with Cari's light grayish and green colored ones. Sadness in her pout at me, I couldn't help but to make my way over and sit next to her on my bed.

Wrapping my arms around her I kissed the side of her head. She smelled like her favorite bath and body works fragrance as usual. Burnt vanilla caramel, which means she was probably going to see Bryson later. She only wore it for him and had different smells for when she was hanging out with me or going to work. It also let me know she wasn't taking me leaving all too well, although she tried masking it.

Doing a small snort she did a big sigh, "You're really leaving me, I thought we were going on vacation together?"

"We still can, I just need to see different sights for a while babe." I told her, with all honesty. Never would I tell her or Cooper, but their faces reminded me of Calen since I knew that he was their brother. Every smile, frown, all of it reminded me of him and I just needed to get away. I didn't want Cari to take it the wrong way, so I didn't tell her. But I held off on the drinking a bit, just to give her a peace of mind.

"You called your job already?" She asked.

"Yeah." I nodded at her. In all honesty I had quit my job. It was a last minute decision, and maybe it was unprofessional for me to just tell my boss I was ready to resign, but it needed to be done. I had saved up enough money to maybe find something else by the end of the summer.

Knowing Erin I wouldn't have to worry about money all while with her, she could be controlling when it came to me trying to purchase stuff on my own in the past.

I was miserable and would wait until I came back to Atlanta to tell Cari, knowing she would go ballistic if I told her now. I just hoped this trip with Erin would help my mind, and I would still try go see my mom. I already knew that was going to be a whole different battle, especially if I showed up with Erin.

"You want me to take you to the airport?" She asked me snuggling my side. Feeling myself tighten my arms around her, I hoped she didn't feel it in an alarming way.

"Uh, nah I'm having a taxi come pick me up in like thirty minutes." I told her, not really knowing how my transportation was really set up. I hadn't even called Erin yet, here I am packing.

"Oh, okay." She blinked a few times at me, before looking down at her hands playing with her fingers.

"I love you." I spoke sincerely making her eyes connect with mine. Cari smiled, showing a little of her and Calen. They had to all have their fathers smile, I was sure of it.

"I love you too." She replied pulling me into a hug, "I'm gonna go see Bryson, tonight isn't gonna feel right being here alone."

"Yeah sucks you're allergic to dogs and cats huh, at least to have a pal here while I'm gone." I told her and she laughed at me.

"Bryson has wanted to get me a dog so many times," She shook her head with a playful scowling expression, "Mostly just to keep it at his condo."

"There are other animals to adore Car." I told her and she just shook her head again.

"I'll let Bryson figure that out, for now he's my only baby." She shrugged at me.

"Yeah." I nodded, looking down at my lap. The fact that I was confused on who was and who I wanted to be my baby pained me. So badly I wish I could tell Cari about it, but eventually she would know. For now I wasn't going to tell her that I was contemplating on taking Erin back. But it was easier than being depressed about someone who I thought really loved me, who up and left without any explanation.

At least Erin came back and explained herself, but I wasn't waiting around for Calen to do that shit. He was a chapter in my life for only a week and a half to help me get my girlfriend back. Even with his abrupt departure painfully cutting me, I was still grateful to him. Was that sick?

"Dana, are you crying?" Cari asked knocking me out of my zoned state, I looked over at her shaking my head while lifting my right hand. My fingertips making contact with my lower right eyelid, indeed it was wet.

"Oh shit, look Car your sadness starting to rub off on me." I joked, but Cari just stared at me sadly.

"Dana-"

"I'm going to do a double check on everything I have and meet you downstairs okay?" I quickly cut off anything she was about to say. I was done crying completely. It was time for me to go and I needed to make that phone call.

"Yeah, sure." Cari did a small smile standing slowly to her feet from my bed. Walking to my doorway she gave me one last look before exiting out into the hall. Once I was sure she was far away from hearing me, I dialed Erin.

After two rings someone picked up, "Hello?"

"If your offer is still on the table, I'm-"

"Say no more love, I'll send a car right away to take you to the airstrip." She spoke happily in my ear. Whenever Erin got what she wanted, you could tell it through her tone. Yeah I was spending time with her to get my mind off of Calen, but that was it.

~

The sun shined bright through one of the jets left side windows, clouds looking like cotton we passed by. Even with being over twenty thousand feet in the air, I still felt tugging on my body. At least by now I would have thought that my mind would start to clear.

Erin cleared her throat softly throwing me out my thoughts, "What you thinking about over there?"

Locking my eyes with her grey pupils I saw curiousity in them, "Nothing."

I smiled at her small looking back out the window.

"Does Cari know you're with me?" She asked lowly, taking a sip out of her champagne flute.

"No, she wouldn't understand." I responded looking back over at her lifting an eyebrow by my response.

"That she wouldn't." Erin nodded in agreement, turning to her left she picked up another glass off the side table of her seat, handing it to me. Taking the glass I stared down at it, suddenly remembering the last time I drunk alcohol.

"I'm just glad you decided to come." Erin spoke making me raise my eyes to the soft grin on her face.

"Yeah," I nodded, "Me too."

Standing up out her seat, she came and sat in my chair, moving her free left hand up my bare right thigh that my light grey dress didn't cover. Moving it away with my right hand I looked into her eyes, hers got a confused look in them.

"I can't touch you?" She asked in offense.

"I'm just not ready for that again yet Erin." I told her. Turning her head to the side a little she licked over her bottom lip looking away.

"I bet you let him touch you, huh?" She asked with grit, shocking me. I looked over at the side of her face in disgust.

"Why would you ask that?" I asked in disbelief making her scoff before taking another sip of her glass.

"So its true, wow," She shook her head with a smile looking over at me, "You let him fuck too?"

"Erin, do not push me, I'm warning you. I came with you because you asked, not to get asked a million questions about something that's over." I warned her in a stern tone, she stood up out my seat fixing her lips about to say something. One of the pilots entered into the pit from the sliding door to the front of the jet.

"We will be arriving in ten minutes." He informed us before closing the door back, after getting a nod from Erin. She put her sights back on me finishing the rest of the glass.

"So I guess that mean you did have sex with him," She continued and I shook my head.

"You know I have only went that far with you, because I trusted you." I replied taking a sip of my glass. Even though I had let Erin use the sex strap on me in the past it never really felt like I had lost my virginity. It had been so long ago too, thinking about us being that close right now was too much. Especially with my heart cut in half. Something about being with Calen made me feel more like I was doing stuff for the first time. Erin and I really didn't do much stuff sexual, and this conversation just made me think of Calen and how he handled me so different.

"Hmm, so what you let him do?" She asked making me take a deep sigh. These questions weren't fucking helping either.

"It doesn't matter, he and I are over and I'm here with you." I spoke matter of factly, "Can we act like it?"

"Well I don't know, you won't even let me touch you Dana." She replied back at me crossing her arms over her chest slowly.

"I say again, that I'm just not ready okay?" I told her and she squinted her eyes, shrugging her shoulders.

"Fine. It's time to get ready to land though." She told me as I nodded downing the rest of my champagne that didn't taste anything in comparable to the last I had enjoyed more.

I missed him so much, and so far this trip was not helping me forget about him. If this didn't work, I didn't know what would.

~

Calen

Taking a strong pull from the fat blunt in between my fingers, my vision before me of the sunny New York skyline afternoon put me at ease. Just a little bit, I fixed the glasses on my face. My eyes had been to irritated lately for me to wear my contacts. My nigga Lupe and I discussed the plans for tonight's convention while catching up on the patio of his top floor studio hideout. Used only for going over plans and entertaining women. It was a nice spot I had to admit, the view of the city couldn't be any better.

"You know you owe me right?" Lupe spoke breaking me out my thoughts, he took the blunt back from me as we sat side by side in his long beach chairs. He took advantage of the soft sun on his uncovered upper body, while I decided not to. Didn't need the women here getting the wrong fuckin' idea.

"I know I do, whatever you need in the future I got you." I told him, and it was nothing but sincerity. This job we were pulling out tonight would put a lot of his people at risk. They were ready only by loyalty, the same that matched for me with anything he needed.

"Well something's already came up Cal. There's this crew, new shit trying take over a block of mine. I mean I got rookies set up to show what they are worth, but they need someone real from the ropes to teach them what we do to niggas that don't realize what block they fuckin' with." He told me, puffing on the L.

"I gotchu." I nodded at him looking over at the view of the city again.

"Think you could handle that for me?" He asked and I nodded.

He smiled sitting up in his chair, "Good shit."

Holding out his fist, I dapped mine with his as we heard footsteps that sounded like high heels clacking coming our way.

"Damelo papi chulo." A Latina female looking like a china doll with a curvy body spoke leaning on the back of Lupe's back kissing his neck. With only a black lace bra on, one of her breast slid out the cup barely showing a nipple.

"Ay, don't you see two men here talking business woman?" He told her taking a puff of the blunt before handing it back to me, "Go on I'll be there in a minute."

Sucking her teeth with a grimace at the back of his head, she leaned up off of him fixing her bra, looking my way quickly she winked at me showing pretty teeth as I blew the smoke out my lungs. I smiled quickly looking away, already knowing what that look meant. Then she walked away slowly, the sound of her footsteps departing.

"I'm about to go blow off some steam before we do this shit tonight, you should do the same with Tabitha and not go back to that fuckin' hotel room." Lupe advised me, standing to his feet.

"I'm chillin man." I shrugged taking another hit.

Lupe laughed, "Why I got a feeling this shit over a female man."

"I told Zeus the same thing. It's bigger than that." I replied, Lupe chuckled again standing up out his chair.

"It's over a female, because the womanizing Calen Rodriguez I know....nigga." Lupe joked, I laughed at his silly ass.

"I'm cool man." I told him and he shook his head.

"Well, mi casa is tu casa." He spread his arms before departing leaving me, "As long as you invite me to the wedding mothafucka."

"Ha," I cracked up at his stupid ass, "Thanks man." I yelled, taking another hit, thinking about how I would be glad when everything was over. My mind always fantasizes about fast forwarding time when you finally get to the moment where you ready to be.

That's all I wanted, and just had to be patient for it. For now I would just smoke and get ready for tonight. Standing up out my chair, I went and leaned against the balcony hearing foot steps approach behind me.

"Hey Tabitha." I spoke not turning around already knowing it was her. Eventually she came and stood about two or three feet beside me.

"Calen, its good to see you again." She spoke with her deep latin accent. Her and I had some fun in the past but that was then and this is now.

"Yeah you too, still beautiful." I complimented looking over at her, in only a see through bath robe.

"Aye, careful with the compliments." She warned me looking in my eyes with lust in them. Being three years older than me, when I was seventeen, Tabitha took my virginity on a visit I took to visit Lupe for business years ago, and every once in a while when I came to New York she didn't let me down. But my heart was locked and sealed making me not want that anymore.

"Yeah yeah." I breathed throwing the roach in my hand now over the balcony. She came closer to me looking down at my neck.

"Whose Dana?" She asked and I hadn't realized my necklace had came from underneath my shirt. Backing away from her I smiled taking one of her hands. While my other hand put my gold chain back under my front shirt collar.

"No one." I kissed her hand softly before letting it go, "Tell Lupe not to tire himself out too much for our event tonight."

Tabitha looked over my face and had a big smile come across hers, "You're in love Calenito."

"I don't know what you talking about." I breathed giving her a serious look. She crossed her arms over her chest looking me up and down.

"Denial." She called after me. Ignoring her I took a deep breath making sure I had my phone on me still.

Exiting out the studio I decided to call my mother knowing I couldn't put off not talking to her about what was going on. But I knew I couldn't right now especially with being high as fuck. My phone rung in my pocket, I took it out showing that Cari was calling me. With it being months since I talked to her I knew she was about to cuss me out and blow my high.

"Yes Cari." I answered getting into my all black Benz I only drove around in for my business in NYC.

"I just want to say thank you Calen, "She started with a sniffle, "Thanks for driving my best friend away."

"Cari what are you talking about?" I asked her in alarm closing my car door once inside. What she mean drove Dana away?

"Oh now you want to act like you care huh? She hadn't heard from you in two months Calen!" She screamed in the phone at me, my high gone after all that smoking with Lupe.

"Cari! Tell me what the fuck you mean, is Dana there with you?" I asked in seriousness looking at the constant traffic going past me on the street.

"Don't worry about where she is just know it's all your fucking fault!" She screeched, making me worried now.

"Cari, is she in Atlanta!" I yelled and before I could say anything else, she hung up in my face. What the fuck?

~

"You know where she went Coop?" I asked him while I paced back and forth in my hotel room.

"Nah, Cari won't tell me nothing." He told me.

"Fuck, you were supposed to keep your eye on both of them!" I yelled at him. My whole calm composure was non existent, Dana was out somewhere with who knows who, and could've lied to Cari about where she was.

"Calen, listen to me take a deep breath. What's going on in New York man, is more important right now. I'll try and get something out of Cari, just focus on what you gotta do and bring that bitch down bro." Cooper advised me. But all I kept thinking about was Dana being alone somewhere.

"Find her Cooper." I ordered to him before hanging up. Sitting on my bed I rubbed the sides of my head, trying not to over think. Where was she?

~

Dana

"You look beautiful." Erin commented behind me as I looked in the full body mirror at myself, and all I wanted was a drink of something strong. We were staying at the Continental and it looked more like a townhouse in my opinion.

"Thanks." I breathed looking into her eyes, analyzing her tuxedo she wore with ease.

"Hey I was thinking, that maybe while I'm here. Maybe take some time to go see my mother." I told her and Erin's eyes lit up, "And I want you to come with me."

"Of course." She shook her head coming towards me she kissed my lips softly, placing her right hand to to the left of my waist. Breaking out of kiss she smiled, with a big grin.

"Great." I smiled at her, "Is it time to go?"

"Yes, come on babe." She replied taking my hand leading me out our hotel room. Riding in the limo briefly we made our way through the early night of New York. The sooner I had a glass in my hand, the sooner I knew I didn't have to worry about all the pain I had went through the past two months. Mingling with rich folks, that seemed like the perfect distraction right? Lights flashed left and right as I gripped Erin's hand a little tighter. This was a very huge newsworthy a consummation between four different big multimillion dollar companies, that all wanted to make more money by working together. Erin briefly told me about it on the jet, that I honestly wondered who was the mastermind behind it all. That and the fact that it was a mask convention, but that was good for me. I didn't none of there photographers taking my picture anyways. That and the fact that it might be on TV and my mom would see me. Once inside the ballroom it was elegance in every corner of the huge building. You could almost compare it to an adult cotillion. My mask made it slightly harder to breathe fully but, my surroundings seriously made me not want to take it off. There was a grand table with silver silverware probably more than expensive than this all black gucci dress that Erin had me in. Sitting down with Erin, there was a caucasian man speaking in a very nice tuxedo while people quietly mingled amongst themselves. People at the bar all in masks, it kind of freaked me out.

"Are you alright baby, want a drink?" Erin asked beside me.

"Yes, please." I spoke to her, she nodded standing up out of her seat leaving me alone at the table with people I didn't know. A few minutes passed as I just looked around and some bodies in the area just didn't look right or maybe I was tripping. Coming back with my drink Erin sat next to me and the next thing I heard was a loud boom.

"What the?-" Erin yelled before masked men grabbed her knocking her upside the head and another guy almost tried to grab me also but I ran in my heels. Everyone else in the building in a flurry back and forth, dazed by the confusion someone knocked into me, my mask falling to the floor.

Looking around through all the bodies as gunfire continued I saw only one thing that kept me still. In an all black tuxedo and a gun in his black glove covered hand a glistening bracelet on his wrist, he looked like he saw death looking at me through his matching mask.

Before I could have thought of a next move someone knocked me to the floor. Thinking I was about to die, a strong hand grabbed my left arm pulling me from the floor. I was being pulled through to a back room, and out the back of the building.

I was pushed into a car in the backseat and the car suddenly drove off. I was being kidnapped and no one would even know where I was. The only thing Cari had was that I was coming to New York to visit my mom, but that was only half truth. Was this my end? The masked guy didn't look my way, or say a single word. Scared to fight that he might shoot me, I remained silent.

We came up to a hotel building as I stayed staring down at my lap. Knowing yelling wouldn't help, I just decided to listen to anything my kidnappers said. It was like every decision I had ever made led me to this point. Why didn't I just stay in Atlanta with Cari? The masked man gripped me tight as we exited the lobby to the elevator and I felt uneasy. I didn't know if I wanted to throw up or pass out. My feet hurt now from running in my heels, to now standing for more than I intended in these shoes.

"Cooper, get Cari now and y'all get on the jet to the airstrip now." The familiar voice demanded, making me raise my head to look at the mysterious figure in front of me. Raising his hand the guy took his mask off, eyes blazing with what looked like anger. Still handsome and the look of dominance in his expression Calen stared with confusion at me.

"Dana, what the fuck are you doing here?" He yelled at me while the elevator dinged letting us know we were at the appropriate floor.

I could ask him the same thing.

~~

Thanks For Reading!😍

[joe9cool]

COLLIDE-JUSTIN HERBERT- 6

TW: Mention of suicide. Just the word, also no hate to any real life people. This is just a work or fiction.

shit.

Shit.

SHIT.

Justin was freaking out. What should he do? Should he tell his parents they should cancel their flight? He couldn’t do that, they would ignore him anyways and he knew she would never admit it, but his mom was losing her mind. This was his first major injury at the NFL level, and he was in alot of pain.

But that also left the question of Sara, she was staying at his house. What was he supposed to do about her? He didn't want her to leave, but he wasn’t sure that they were ready for that step. I mean they haven’t even had a talk about what this meant. Now she is going to be meeting his parents?

He wondered how he was going to navigate this situation, he didn’t think his injury was serious for his parents to come from Oregon, his parents had lives, jobs, and friends. Not to mention Patrick was still living with them. They had enough on their plates, they didn’t need to come down just for this.

He went through the rest of the tests in a daze, so much so that he didn’t realize how much time had passed, or there was a knock on the door.

Mike came in, Sara right behind him holding his bag. Mike had a shit eating grin. “I ran into your girl as she was going to drop off something."

She held up his bag, " I was just going to give it to Mike but he insisted that he take me to you."

The team doctor was starstruck, “I'm not trying to be unprofessional here, but its very nice to meet you.” He shook Sara’s hand. “My daughter is a huge fan of the show, and your acting in general. Would you mind if I took a picture for her?”

Sara blushed. “Um sure.” The doctor passed his phone to Mike and he took the photo, not realizing that Justin was glaring at her the whole time. After the photo was taken, Sara wanted to leave. Detecting that Justin wasn’t happy about her presence but Mike wasn’t having it. He wrapped his arm around her. “Naw see we gotta introduce you to the guys that are here! You’re telling me Herb has been keeping you a secret all this time and now you wanna leave?”

Justin tried to interfere. “Mike. Stop”

Mike brushed him off, continuing his hold on Sara. “Naw man you finally get a girlfriend, and you tryna hide it! And look at that ,a famous movie star!” He looked at Sara “Did you know Herb had no intention of calling you after you gave him your number!”

Sara smirked at Justin. “Oh I’m sure I was the one that called him”

Mike busted out laughing. “I fucking knew it.” He slapped Justin on the thigh. “I bet Ekeler $50”

Justin’s face paled “Wait Ekeler knew?”

“Hell ya man! You ain’t that slick, we all knew you were seeing someone. Hey, I am happy for you guys. Make a cute couple,” He walked out. “Hey Sara, you need to come to one of our Brisket days.”

He left, leaving the Doctor, Justin, and Sara alone. The doctor decided to check on some results leaving the couple alone.

“I was going to text you to let me know when you are here I could have discreetly picked it up.”

She shrugged. “I was trying to message you, I was looking around for security and Mike spotted me. I am sorry”

“Its fine. Hey listen” He scratched the back of his head. “I got a text from my parents that they are en route from Oregon.”

Sara sighed. “I guess that means I should be-”

“You can still stay with me.”

That stunned her into silence “Sara?”

“Wow. Are you sure? I mean I would love to meet them but what does this make us?” She had to put it out there. It was driving her crazy not to know what this was. They had been dancing around the subject for a few months.

Justin looked around. Now was not the time to be discussing this “Let’s talk later, I don’t think this is the place.”

Sara nodded. “Okay, but I am not going to forget about this.”

They were interrupted by a knock. The doctor poked his head in “Um Justin? We have the results ready.”

“Okay I have to go, I’ll pick my parents up from the airport when I am done here. See you at home.” He got up and left with the doctor.

Sara smiled like a schoolgirl

He said “See you at home.”

“Come meet my parents”

They did have to have the talk but right now none of that matters. She had to impress the people who made the man she loved.

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A fucking rib cartilage fracture.

“You will be put as day to day” Coach Staley said. “We will be giving you a few days to rest and recover.”

“How long will recovery be in general?”

“Months, I would recommend missing a few games.” Justin and Staley both shook their heads no. “No way, this season is too important.”

“Justin, we don't want any long term damage. You’re taking a big chance if you continue to play like this. Its going to be really uncomfortable.”

Staley stepped in. “Look, we have a few extra days. Justin, go home and rest, spend time with your family. We will check back in on Monday. “

The doctor had prescribed painkillers for him to take and bandage wraps for his midsection. He warned Justin that sneezing, coughing, and laughing would be painful for some time.

Justin went to the pharmacy to pick up the stuff he needed before heading to the airport to pick up his parents. As he was waiting in the pick up area, he was trying to figure out how he was going to make this speech. He was also wondering if his parents knew who she was, he would like to think they are hip. However, they are still his parents and used to actors and actresses from their generation. He can recall he and his family in theaters when Bohemian Rhapsody came out.

It was funny, because he never gave that movie a second thought, but now that he is dating the person that was Freddie Mercury’s love interest he might have to watch it again. He broke free from his thoughts when he got a text from his dad saying they had arrived. He placed his porsche in park and put on his mask so he didn’t get recognized

It didn’t take long for him to see his parents coming towards him, considering they have been there so many times. “Justin!” His mom reached out for a hug but stopped herself as she remembered the reason she was in town. “Oh I’m so sorry baby. How are you feeling?”

He shrugged. "Fine as can be." After they were all settled and in the car Justin told them the complexity of the situation. After a quick silence he decided to break the news. "So listen I actually have a friend staying with me right now. I was going to text you and say not to come down because I was covered but."

"Oh? A teammate?" Holly questioned.

"Um no"

"Someone else came from Oregon?" He smiled. His parents knew he didn't have any friends outside of his teammates in LA.

"No it's actually someone I've been seeing." The air got sucked out of the car. Justin saw in his peripherals that his dad turned around to face his mom in the backseat. "Mom. Dad?"

"I had no idea you were seeing anyone. Is it new?" Holly was the first one to ask questions.

"Well it's been a few months."

"A few months huh? And she's already staying with you?" Justin knew what his mother meant by that. She was protective of her sons and she wasn't stupid. Once word got around that her son was going pro, girls started to surround him. Her other son Patrick was going through the same thing. Girls would do anything if it meant they became the girlfriend or wife of an NFL player.

"Mom, it's not like that. She makes more money than me." He didn't know her exact net worth, but he had overheard conversations with her banker and investors and wow.

His dad finally spoke up. "What does she do?"

"She works in the entertainment business."

"Oh like on sets?"

Justin smirked "I guess"

"Well that's great sweetie. We can't wait to meet her." He could tell his mom was still hesitant. He didn't introduce them to girls. The last one being in high school.

By the time they arrived and Justin unlocked his door he could smell food and sweets. Sara came around the corner with a bright smile on her face. However he knew her too well. She was twisting the ring she usually wore on the forefinger. It was a habit that she did when she was extremely nervous.

"Hello Mr. And Mrs. Herbert. I'm Sara" she stuck out her hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Sara, nice to meet you. Please we are Mark and Holly. "

She smiled. "I made dinner, and there's cookies in the oven. I had no idea you guys were coming in."

Holly smiled. "We usually don't, but I was so worried seeing him on the field like that. I thought he would need help. But apparently not."

Sara reached their bags, ready to put them in the guest room but Mark insisted they could do it.

Holly remarked. "If I had known about you.

I would have brought out the photo album."

Sara felt a pang. "He didn't tell you?"

"No, he is very private even with us. So I'm not too surprised." Sara looked out to where Justin and Mark were standing

"I haven't said anything to my parents. So I can't say anything." She confessed.

"Really? Private as well "

Sara was surprised that she would spill information to basically a stranger. "My parents are somewhat wealthy snobs. Corporate careers only matter. My sisters and their husband's are all basically business and law school graduates and there's me."

"Justin said you worked in entertainment."

Sara smiled. "I'm an actress." Holly clapped her hands together. "I knew I recognized you from somewhere! You were in Little Women!"

"Yes, and a few other films."

"Is everyone getting along?" They looked over to see Justin and his dad heading in. Justin looked nervous.

Holly smiled. " Everything's great."

Justin was suddenly distracted by the huge edible arrangement on the counter with a teddy bear. "What's this?"

At the mention of the fruit Sara's mood soured. "It came while you were gone. I don't know who it's from there's a card though."

One of the good things about acting is that she could hide her emotions once she processed them. She had more than enough time to process this.

The bear was holding a heart that said 'get well soon' which peaked her interest when the delivery guy dropped it off.

She knew that she had no right to look at the card in the envelope but it wasn't sealed. As Justin looked out the card she knew exactly what that fucking card said.

'I'm always here for you. Miss you

Your Tay Bae

She watched his face out of the corner of her eye. He seemed neutral as he ripped up the card.

"Justin!" Holly scolded. "That's rude! Who sent that nice arrangement?"

"The O-line sent it. Trying to mess with me by sending the bear." He rolled his eyes.

Sara wanted to punch him

One of her flaws was that she was a very jealous person. Obviously dating someone with a fan base involves female fans getting out of hand. She dealt with that with Harry.

But this.. this was something else.

Who the fuck was Tay?

"Sara"

She made sure to keep record of the name

"Sara."

He wouldn't be stupid enough to follow this bitch on instagram

"Sara!" She snapped out of her daze to find the group looking at her. "Huh?"

"I said something smells good." Mark laughed as she flushed bright red. "You were spacing out."

"I'm so sorry, where are my manners. Yes I made a spinach mancotti." She took the food out of the warmer. Justin began to pull out plates.

Dinner was a hit. Sara loved his parents, they were easy to talk to. They asked about her career and how she got started. Justin realized he didn't even know the answer to these questions and he started to feel bad about not really asking her about her career. She was so invested in him that he didn't even pay attention to hers.

The card seemed to be forgotten as everyone ate, dessert and coffee was served. Holly and Mark couldn't stop complimenting her cooking skills.

"I took culinary classes in high school and college. I was always more drawn to the arts rather than sports."

"Oh god it's so nice to hear that. My family is sports obsessed and so am I. It's just nice to discuss some other topics.

After dessert Justin and Sara cleaned up while his parents sat outside on the patio. She insisted on them not helping with nothing and relaxing.

Unbeknownst to the couple in the kitchen. The elders were watching him

"That kinda reminds me of us when we were younger. " Mark remarked to his wife as he saw his son pinch the brunette's butt as she swatted at him laughing.

"Who would have known he found someone? You know he did not discuss football or the game once since we met her." Holly smiled and took a sip of her drink. "Who would have thought?"

"I don't think I've seen him like this with anyone."

They watched as Justin looked at Sara while she was wiping down the counter. He was staring at her like a love struck boy. It was adorable to see.

Before too long the couple joined them and they spent the rest of the night talking. Around 10:30 Holly and Mark went to bed.

Soon after, Justin and Sara headed up to his room. Sara helped him out of his clothes and switched out his wrapping. After he was done and laying in bed Sara did her night routine. When she walked out of the bathroom she saw him reading.

"I'm going to turn this light off since you have your nightstand on." She turned off the overhead ones.

"If you need anything I have my phone up. Goodnight babe." She was about to head to the living room when he called out.

"Uh where do you think you're going?"

She looked confused. "I'm sleeping on the coach. It pulls out."

He rolled his eyes. She was silly If she thought she was going to sleep on the coach. "Um I know it pulls out, I bought it."

Sara rolled her eyes. "Get your cute ass on this bed." He patted the spot next to him.

"No way, you said I'm violent in my sleep. I'm not risking you getting hit."

"I didn't say 'violent' I said 'move around too much. Difference" He smirked.

"Don't change it. I remember it clearly as day. 'Gosh Sara you're violent.'" She mimicked his voice.

He laughed then let out an 'Ow as he held his rib.

"See I already did enough damage. Goodnight."

She left the room, and Justin was left pouting. The whole point of her being there was to sleep with him. Not sexually, well maybe a little sexual. He liked that physical connection. He liked closeness, it was embarrassing to admit but he and Sara tried cockwarming a few times and he had become obsessed with it. It would usually lead to sex, but if it didn't he would be content with that.

After a while of reading, he fell asleep.

—--------‐—-------------------------------------

Sara waited til she heard the snoring from his room. Then she investigated.

She put her brightness on low, then went to the first place she thought of

Instagram.

She was going to log into her personal account. The one that only followed family and close friends but she thought against it. She went into her fan page account. It wasn't to actually have a fanpage for herself, it was to snoop on people and other things. See what they were saying about her.

Clicking on Justin's profile she went to his following. The first thought that ran through her head was the name

Tay Bae.

Tay is usually a shortened version of Taylor. Let's start with that. She put in the name Taylor.

11 results. Most of the names were guys, except for two.

There was taylor who was a sports dietician that was private. Then there was Taylor Biscotti.

She was a sports reporter for the Chargers and NFL analyst. She was blonde, pretty the usual nightmare for girls like Sara.

But that didn't prove anything. But then she thought about the conversation she and Bella had in the kitchen.

Everyone has a past, why is he so private?

She didn't Google Justin's personal life. She swore she would never do that. Anyone can do that and make assumptions. Hell people have done that to her.

But now she had to get to the bottom of this.

Going into Google Images she typed in

'Justin Herbert and Taylor Biscotti'

The first photos were interviews they had done together but the caption on one of them caught Sara's eye

Justin Herbert in lowkey relationship with NFL-

Upon clicking the article, she was going to be sick.

Justin Herbert is in lowkey relationship with Taylor Biscotti

The two were spotted out and about the Irvine area after picking her up from the airport.

She took a deep breath, okay maybe this is an old article. She looked at the date.

June 15th 2022.

She searched again and stumbled upon an interview she did with him on Twitter last season. To the normal person it would seem like a normal interview. But she knew Justin, she knew his body language and his facial expressions. In the comments there were some crude ones about them. Remarks about Herbert getting interviewed by his girlfriend.

"You motherfucker" She whispered.

Sara liked to see the best in people she really did. However being an overthinker overruled that.

Maybe he ended it once they started dating. But why the fuck would she send that expensive arrangement? She kept deep diving. She found some blogs that speculated due to their careers it was just a hook-up and nothing serious. But again who the fuck sends a hookup something like that?

Also another thing bothered her.

"Both reps were reached out for comment but no return."

Now if nothing was going on why wouldn't they deny it.

Sara liked to hurt herself so she went back to Taylor's page. Her most recent post about the NFL being back and she was rooting for the Chargers made her angry. Torturing herself further, She looked at the comments.

Gorgeous

Beautiful Taylor

Go Chargers!

Justin is a lucky man!

You still seeing Herb?

She couldn't handle it. She logged out and deleted her search history.

She locked herself in the furthest bathroom and stifled her crying.

Is this why he didn't want to follow her? Why was he so private? Was he protecting her feelings?

What about her feelings? It was at that moment that she came to the Realization that she was falling in love with him.

Maybe she was being overdramatic. Maybe it was just a hookup and they were cordial. They work together and Justin doesn't like awkwardness.

She calmed herself down by coming to that conclusion and splashed cold water on her face. Now was not the time to bring this up. Not with his parents here and him being injured.

She headed back onto the couch. Just as she was about to drift off she felt herself being pulled against something. "What the-"

"Shhh" She felt kisses on her neck and she settled down. "You're supposed to be sleeping." She tried to keep the bite out of her voice.

He didn't seem to notice. "I can't sleep without you. I miss you."

She tried to get out of his arms. But despite his injury, his good side still had more power than him. "Stop fighting me" He growled. He tried a different approach. "You're gonna risk hurting me and we can't have that can we?" He continued kissing down her neck and sucked on the spot that got her going. She held back a moan

He was being so cuddly and clingy. She had to ask "did you take a pain pill?"

She felt him nod. She felt herself nodding off again. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to hear what came out of Justin's mouth

He whispered. "I'm crazy about you."

And in that moment, all was forgotten.

—------------------------------------------------

The rest of the weekend went great. Holly and Mark got to know Sara more. She tried to back off and allow his parents to spend time with him. She kept herself busy on the phone with her publicist trying to go over specifics over next month's darling premiere. Justin and his parents were at the training facility going over his treatment plan before he dropped his parents off at the airport.

"Oh by the way." Her publicist Heidi was an older woman with sharp tendencies. To many people she came off as a bitch. But the truth was she knew the business like the back or her hand and didn't want to see her clients get caught up on the wrong side. "What are you doing in Irvine?"

"Huh?"

"I was scrolling at your tag on Twitter. There was a guy posting a pic of your autograph, saying you refused a picture."

"Oh! Yes I was grocery shopping and I didn't want to get recognized. " hoping that she bought the lie.

"In Irvine?"

"Yes, I'm sort of taking a break, plus one of my friends from college lives there so I was staying with them for a few days."

Heidi didn't seem to think anything of it as she changed the subject. "Also Mr. Styles' team requested that you two take a photo on the carpet together at the premiere."

Sara was confused. "Why would he want that?"

"Beats me, but he is pretty consistent. This could be a big opportunity for you two. Maybe a big reconciliation. An interview where you say you want to work together? This could be big Sara, if rumors start that you two might get back together this will blow up!"

'Except I'm over Harry and don't want to be in the press with his name' She thought to herself. She took a deep breath. "Heidi I don't want to be associated with rumors that aren't true. It would just be a lie, I'm not saying I could never be cordial again. It's just I can't see anything past that."

She heard a sigh of disappointment. "Okay well its something to think about. You two would be the ultimate power couple. The press, your fans would go nuts!"

"Yeah I'm not too sure." She heard the front door open and she was grateful for the distraction. "Hey can you text me? I got to go." Sara hung up before Heidi could respond. She looked over at Justin.

"Parents on plane?" He nodded. He seemed nervous. "What?"

"Can you help me shower?" He took off his cap and ran his hand through his greasy hair.

She laughed. "Why are you so shy? I've seen you naked so many times." He flushed even redder, making her laugh even harder. "Come on, let's go."

She set up a bath for him since she would have to wash his hair and it would be too hard for him to stand up.

She got all of her products out. He had too nice of hair to be using patene. She did a bubble bath and turned on the jacuzzi jets.

Once she stripped Justin she undressed to her underwear. At his raised eyebrow she shrugged. "I don't want my clothes wet."

He slowly lowered himself in the water, groaning at how good it felt, Sara sat up on the ledge on the tub behind them. She guided him to lean his head back. She rinsed his hair before lathering up the shampoo. Making sure she was massaging the scalp as well. "God that feels so good." He moaned which made her smile. She did a couple washes, while rinsing his hair of the suds she remarked. "You have such nice hair."

"It's getting long again. I need to cut it."

"Just a couple inches. A little cleanup." She heard Justin start laughing. "What?"

"You wouldn't like it if I buzzed it off like last time.

She pulled back. "You mean you buzzed off all of it! When?"

"Give me my phone." She got up and handed him the iPhone on the bathroom counter.

After a few minutes of searching he showed her the 2020 photo. She was silent "Babe"

She snapped out of whatever daze she was in and looked at the photo. Immediately she burst out laughing. "You look like a cadet! Fresh out of high school and all!" She said between giggles.

Justin had to defend himself. "Hey! It wasn't that bad!"

"Yes it was!"

"So if I came to your place one day with this cut. You would break up with me."

She pretended to think about it. "I wouldn't say break up. Maybe some space til it grows back. Which lucky for you it does. "

After the condition and some help with body washing :which came with some innuendo) the pair dried off and began to look for a snack. She was about to open up the chips and salsa when she saw Justin throw out the edible arrangement. Bear and all.

"Aren't you going to eat that? The team payed alot of money for that." She couldn't hide the smile that came across her face.

"Naw it's old."

They continued looking around for snacks. Finally Sara had an idea. "Let's go out"

"What. Where?"

"I know a place, trust me it's very private. I know the owner." Justin was hesitant. "Please trust me." She grabbed his hand and she saw him have an internal struggle before he said. "Okay"

After locking up, she led him to her car with tinted windows, the sun was almost down and once they reached their destination. After a quick phone call she began to drive.

As the city lights passed them by, Justin was staring into Sara's profile. She was stunning, and cute when she was focused.

He meant what he said when he said he was crazy about her. Again it had only been a few months but he had never felt so…. Alive. Normally he would be watching game videos. This weekend was about rest and he had done that. The team had told him it was all about pain management going forward and that he should be able to play against the Jags.

He was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't pay attention to the radio playing or that she was singing beautifully to the song.

"You sing?"

She smiled. "You forget I was a theater kid. I had the lead role in musicals. I was on the drama team in college."

He actually didn't forget. " So you would have hated me in high school."

"You were the star quarterback, you and your teammates would have bullied me."

"I wasn't like that. You watch too many movies with that trope."

Sara was silent for a bit. "I lived it." She said softly.

"Huh?"

"I was bullied alot. My older sisters were all athletic and smart. I was smart, but not athletic and I was constantly compared to them. Even By my own family. I've dealt with it. It still hurts, especially this industry. Sometimes I still feel like I'm in high school when any guy I showed interest in chased after skinny blonde popular girls."

She continued "and that's fine, everyone has a preference, it's just hard when you never were anyone's preference."

"I'm sorry."Justin didn't know what to say. Cause in theory he was one of those she was talking about. He thought back to all the women he was involved with. There was a brunette. But it was mostly blondes he was after. Until Sara came into his life.

"When I told my parents I wanted to pursue the arts they told me it was a waste of time. They paid for all my sisters' degrees, didn't help me with mine. They compared paying for my school to flushing money down the toilet."

"You didn't deserve that." He thought about his and brothers upbringing. His parents were always supportive of everything they did. He couldn't imagine not having that.

"Things got better when I came out here for college. I found myself. I began auditioning for cameos and finally got a couple of commercials, and befriended some nice people. Which wasn't easy, so many people would backstab you for some loose change if they could. Found that out the hard way early on."

"I'm sure your parents are proud."

"They say they are for the cameras. But I know that deep down they think it would be better if I was a lawyer or a doctor. It looks better to their country club friends."

"Well if it's any consolation. I'm very proud of you. Watch some of the commercials I did and you could give me some pointers." They smiled at each other as he grabbed her hand

At last they arrived at their destination and Justin realized they were far out of civilization. The place looked like a run down shack. "Uh what is this place?"

"So this place I discovered accidentally when I was nineteen. I was going through a rough patch with school and just not in a good place mentally. I rode my bike far out, and while riding about a block from here my tire deflated. So I came to Jerry's pub crying my eyes out with no money and he calmed me down, fixed it and gave me a ride home. I would always come up here since then. He's pretty much my second dad."

"It doesn't even look like this place is open."

"It's not busy on Sunday nights, however if I'm coming I'll call and he will clear the place out ahead of time. So it will be just us and him if you don't mind."

She reached her hand out and Justin grabbed it and let her lead the way. She knocked on the door four quick times before it opened. A well toned, middle aged man answered. Immediately drew her in for a major hug. "Thank you so much for doing this on short notice Jerry."

He had a deep voice. "Anything for My favorite girl." He looked at Justin. "And you must be the friend. I'm Jerry, owner here."

Justin returned the handshake. "Justin."

" SareBear here tells me you guys are seeing each other. What do you do for a living son?"

Was this Sara's dad? Was this a set up? "Um yes sir. Um I play Quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers."

"Isn't it San Diego?" Jerry laughed. "I'm sorry. I don't really keep up with sports like that."

Justin found himself laughing too. "It's fine, I like it that way."

Jerry's place was a small bar, old fashioned dive with a jukebox. He made them drinks. (Wine for Sara, water for Justin since pain meds.)

It felt normal, she felt normal. Like a normal twenty-six year old who was falling in love with someone that could be the one.

Her favorite Taylor swift lyric went through her head.

"And all at once you are the one I have been waiting for."

Maybe this was her moment.

She and Justin talked for a few hours until Jerry joined them. At some point Sara excused herself to use the bathroom.

"I like you Justin, your a good man with a good head on your shoulders"

"That means alot. I always try to be humble."

"You treat her right ya hear? Harry messed her up real bad. She's a good woman who deserves to be loved by a real man."

Wait. Who was Harry?

Justin nodded "Sara told me how you guys met, but can I ask what drew you to her?"

Jerry smiled. "She reminds me of my daughter Kate, she was the same age as Sara, the pride and joy of me and my wife's life. All of our kids, but Kate was our oldest. Outgoing, funny, always wanting to help and be a bright spot in someone's life."

"Here and Sara get along?"sadness crossed the older man's eyes. "Kate committed suicide her senior year of high school."

Justin felt so low. "I'm so sorry"

"Yeah she tended to hide a lot of her emotions til it bubbled over. She was so busy taking care of everyone else that she neglected herself. I blame myself, she was going through so much but always downplayed it. Bullying, was scared of the future. She felt lost. I see so much of Kate in Sara that I worry about her."

"What do you mean?"

Jerry sighed. " She buries her emotions. Sara keeps everything to herself. She doesn't want to burden anyone with her emotions. I've met her parents, nice people but they don't appreciate what an amazing soul she is. Call her immature

, a dreamer. She says it doesn't matter but she tries so hard to impress them, and it seems like it's never good enough. I've told them about Kate. Hasn't affected them."

He took a swig of his drink. "Someone like Sara… she comes around once in a lifetime. She's a special person. I hope you realize that you are one lucky man."

Justin nodded. But before the conversation could continue Sara came back to the booth. "Jerry, I see you got a new jukebox that has Bluetooth connection! Welcome to the new age!"

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah and guess what? I've had it for three months and not one person uses the damn feature."

"Well today is everyone's lucky day. " She hooked up the phone.

" I'm gonna put my phone on shuffle."

The first song was upbeat . Sara began swaying and singing the song. Jerry smiled and went to take his glass to the back of the bar. Justin thought about his words

'She's a special girl'

A few more songs played, he found himself singing along to the ones he knew.

They called it a night with promises to come back.

Sara was on a high as she drove them back. The 1975's falling for you came on and it was the song to set the mood perfectly

'On this night, in this light

I think I'm falling, I'm falling for you.

Once they arrived back at 1 in the morning She helped Justin get ready for bed. After a bit of back and forth about her sleeping arrangements ( she gave into sharing his bed with him) she headed into the kitchen to grab a glass of water.

As she was shutting off the lights. Sara noticed his phone on the kitchen counter. She went and grabbed it when it started to light up and vibrate in her hand.

Suddenly she was brought back to the harsh reality when she looked at the screen to figure out who would be calling him at this hour.

Taylor B.

[storiesofsvu]

Under Over Ch 5

Joe Velasco x reader Warnings: language, usual talk of SVU stuff, verbal arguments. It's kinda a filler chapter? I'm not even sure lol. Here's hoping it's not garbage all put together.

As the days went on, and Joe became a more familiar and trusted face around the Elite, he found himself more occupied and thankfully spending less time bored out of his skull at his UC apartment. Kayra began tasking him with errands to run, meetings to attend, packages to pick up and basically anything else he could think of. He didn’t mind it at all, it got him more information on the ring, and sometimes the errands involved chaperoning some of the girls around the city, getting to know them and how deep involved they were on a better level.

Today he was out running some of those said errands, dropping off a couple of the girls at the airport for an early morning flight, followed by picking up a couple of packages to be brought to the penthouse. He was always intrigued by what he would find when the elevator doors slid open, especially during the day. As you had told him, most of the girls only lived there part time and he come to notice that when they weren’t there, other girls filled their spots. Sometimes during the day he would find the place empty, other times it was almost like a sorority house, girls lounging around watching TV swapping stories.

This time, he could hear raised voices before the doors even opened and he let out a little sigh, hoping he wasn’t going to have to break up a cat fight. The elevator pinged and he stepped into the entry hallway and immediately perked up at the sound of a male voice on the other side of the argument coming from the lounge on the other side of the kitchen.

“You’re being fucking ridiculous you know that right?” He recognized the voice as yours, it was hardened, a little raised, but you weren’t in a screaming match, at least not yet.

“I’m being ridiculous!?” Kayra yelled back, “she nearly died the last party she worked!”

“Because you didn’t do a fucking check on the damn johns! That bastard is known for bringing in dirty drugs! He’s a serial killer waiting to happen!”

“Well it’s not like we have to worry about him anymore, I told you, I took care of him!”

Joe moved through the house cautiously and quietly, placing the packages under his arm down on the kitchen island. He wanted to make sure things ended without a physical altercation, and on top of that, the more eavesdropping he could get done, the better. He hovered, staying tucked around the corner and out of sight of the lounge.

“Jesus Kyra! You can’t keep fucking doing shit like that! You’re going to get us caught!”

“Caught!?” Kayra chuckled, his voice dropping as he stepped toward you, “come on princess you know that’s not gonna happen. There’s always someone else to go down, and we can run off to that nice little resort out of jurisdiction.”

“Get your fucking hands off me.” You growled in return, shoving his arm away from you as you went to step away Kayra’s hand tightly wrapped around your arm, pulling you back to him.

“You know I really don’t like your fucking attitude today.”

“You don’t own me!”

“I fucking made you! You would be nothing without me and you damn well know it!”

“I said don’t fucking touch me!” This time you forcefully shoved him away from you, using your knee to further the blow.

“I can do whatever I damn well please to you!” Kayra yelled suddenly, a glass hurtling across the room, smashing into the wall.

Joe leapt to attention at that, swiftly stepping into the room,

“Everything okay here?” He expected to find you looking a little shaken, but instead, you were absolutely fuming. Both your and Kayra’s head snapped over to him,

“Oh, perfect, you think I need saving pretty boy?” You snapped, “I told you, I can fucking handle myself.” You turned back to Kayra, “and I don’t care what you fucking say, I’m bringing her in.”

“Stop being such a fucking cunt!” Kayra snarled as you stormed past him, shoving past Jose and disappearing down the hallway, your door slamming behind you. Joe raised an eyebrow to Kayra who chuckled, pulling down a fresh glass to dump some bourbon into it, downing it before he spoke again, “don’t worry about it. She’s always like this when she’s on her rag.”

“Okay…” he started cautiously, “packages for you are on the island.”

“Thanks Jose.” Kayra clapped him on the arm, downing the rest of his drink, “hey, stick around will you?” He nodded toward your room, “she seems to like you, take her out or see if Granger’s free, she’s always in a better mood after dinner with him.”

“On it boss.”

“You’re a good kid Jose.” He shot the other man a wink before making his way out of the penthouse, packages in arm.

Joe let out a little sigh, moving back into the kitchen to grab a soda from the fridge, the TV was already on, so he switched it to a channel he actually liked and dropped down onto the couch. He knew Kayra probably wanted him to go check on you, but he didn’t want to prod and make things worse before they’d had a chance to get better. He could hear a muffled conversation that went on for about ten minutes and assumed you were on the phone, shortly after he heard your bedroom door open and your footsteps coming down the hall.

“What? He assign you to babysit for the rest of the day?” You grumbled and Joe laughed.

“Told me to take you out or call Granger.”

“I’ve already got plans.” You sighed, “but thanks.” You crossed to the fridge, pulling out a bottle of water and returning to the living room, surveying the TV screen for a minute, “never would’ve pegged you for an animal planet kinda guy.” He chuckled,

“It’s a nice distraction.” He shrugged, letting a moment of silence go by as you continued to watch the screen before he spoke again, “you sure everything’s okay?”

“Yeah.” You sighed, crossing your arms over your chest, “I met with sapphire last night, she wants to come back and I told her she could, Kayra doesn’t want her, said she’d be better off being street garbage.”

“He really doesn’t care once a girl’s out of the house does he?”

“Sometimes he doesn’t care about the ones in the house.” You sighed, leaning against the back of the couch.

“Was…that glass aimed at you?” He asked softly, glancing up at you and you huffed.

“General vicinity, but I know it was just to scare me.”

“Has he ever gotten physical with you?”

“Pretty boy… if I need a white knight to come save me, I’ll let you know.” You clapped him on the shoulder and Joe sighed, there you went, slipping right back into defensive mode, walls up, he’d lost his in chance today. “I’m going for a run; I’ll see you later.”

“Yeah.” He replied, his phone suddenly pinging, he glanced down to the device, “shit!”

“What?” You asked with a grin, “you late for a date or something?” Repeating his own words from the other day back to him with a tease.

“Something.”

**

“There he is.” Liv’s voice called out with a slight teasing tone, “was beginning to think we might have to send out a search party.”

“Sorry.” He rubbed at the back of his neck, “errands were finished but something kinda came up at the house.”

“Something big?” Amanda questioned with a raised brow and Joe shrugged, dropping down into the chair at his desk.

“Not sure. Kayra—the guy in charge—I’m worried about him getting destructive with the girls.”

“What do you mean?” Liv asked and he sighed.

“Walked in on him and one of them fighting over bringing back the girl I left at the hospital for them. They were screaming at each other and he threw a glass apparently ‘in her general direction but not at her’. Her words.”

“This y/n? The one you think might be the den mother?”

“Yeah. Honestly, I’m not sure what she is, I’m still trying to figure out her dynamic in the group.”

“Well what do you know?” Liv prompted.

“Kayra picked her up at a strip club, she’s a dancer, I’ve only seen her leave the main room of a party once and that was with the solicitor general and McGrath.” He noticed the way Liv rolled her eyes, the way Fin tensed, “and before you get too deep into it, he wasn’t exactly there for work, he left with her panties…”

“God.” Liv brushed her hand over her face.

“Considerin’ you’re still alive I’m guessing he didn’t blow your cover?” Fin asked.

“No. Don’t think he wanted me to rat him out to the wife.”

“How many higher ups go to these parties?” Amanda asked, leaning back in her chair.

“Well, that night was a private party, y/n said there was a reason they hosted themselves and the client list was exactly that. I counted four defence attorneys, two judges, and six politicians.” Fin let out a low whistle,

“Carisi’s got his work cut out for him…”

“Yeah. That’s why I need more time. If y/n is in some kind of authoritative role, right now is the time her and Kayra aren’t seeing eye to eye. If I can get in with her she’ll probably let a few more things slip and will be more likely to flip on him when we make a bust.”

“Have you ever seen her buy or sell a girl?” Fin asked.

“No.” Joe shook his head, “she’s just like… their guide, shows them the ropes, keeps an eye on them, makes sure they’re appropriately dressed.”

“Sounds like a den mother then.” He replied, turning back to Olivia.

“Keep working whatever angle you have with her, she trusts you?”

“Seems too.” He shrugged again, “she can be a bit hot and cold. One second it’s like we’re nearly friends, the next she’s closed off and using retorts and quips to communicate. Sometimes she treats me like a person and others it’s like I’m one of her johns, she’ll only say what she thinks I want to hear, putting on an act…”

“What about any of the other girls?” Amanda suggested.

“I don’t even know their real names. They’re only referred to by the gemstone in the bracelets, easier to dehumanize them, make it feel like the buyers are only buying the jewelry and not paying for sex. Besides, y/n’s the only one who stands up to Kayra, she’s basically in charge when he’s not around.”

“Can I see that app?” Liv asked, and Joe nodded.

“Yeah, sure.” He tugged his phone out of his pocket, handing it to his captain.

“Shit…” she muttered as she scrolled through it, “you weren’t kidding. This is just auctioning off jewelry.”

“Yeah. Girls are referred to as models when they go to the big public parties.”

“So we’ve gotta hit ‘em at a private one.” Fin commented and Olivia sighed, handing the phone back to Joe briefly before Fin swiped it.

“The bracelets do have GPS in them, and an alarm feature if any of them get into distress while working. The system’s honestly brilliant, even if it is being used for this.”

“Do the girls constantly wear them?” Amanda asked and Joe shook his head.

“No. They’re kept at the penthouse, dolled out before the parties. It’s not always the same girl wearing the same colour, some nights they sub in different girls. Except for the diamond.”

“I don’t see that anywhere on here.” Fin looked up with a furrowed brow.

“Y/n wears it.” Joe sighed, “I guess it’s just for extra security for her? Or that’s the goal? Like, work your way up to be the diamond? I’ve heard Kayra say multiple times about how he made her.”

 “Yeah.” Amanda snorted, “picked up a stripper and made her a hooker. Cause that’s the dream.” Her laugh died off at a glare from Velasco and she fell silent.

“Alright.” Olivia sighed, “get a full report typed up, talk it over with Rollins, see if a fresh set of eyes helps with anything, and we’ll hear from you after the next party?”

“Yeah. I’ll leave a copy of my schedule too.”

“Thanks Joe.” She clapped him on the shoulder and retreated back to her office with Fin.

“So why single out this girl over everyone else?” Amanda asked, her brow raising in Joe’s direction and he let out a small chuckle.

“This girl, this entire ring, it’s nothing like any sex ring I’ve ever seen. I mean, the girls all have freedom, half of them have other jobs, they’re not trapped in some dumpy basement getting beaten and pumped up with drugs. I almost don’t get it.”

“Doesn’t mean what they’re doing is legal.”

“I know. But it does mean they’ll be harder to convince to testify, or to even leave in the first place.”

“You should try to find out where the rest of the girls were picked up from. There’s gotta be a couple who were picked up off the streets, some that know just how bad things can get?”

“Yeah. I’ll try to talk to y/n some more tomorrow. See how much she’s willing to give up. I know she’s got her head on straight but I’m worried about Kayra crossing a line with her.”

“You’ve got a soft spot for this girl, don’t you?” Amanda smirked and he scoffed, sputtering out a response as he prayed his cheeks weren’t pink.

“There’s just something… different about her.”

“Yeah. Sure. Sounds like you’ve got a crush.” She teased.

“Absolutely not! She reminds me of my cousin. I just want to make sure these girls stay safe until we can get them out.”

“Whatever you say Velasco.” She turned back to her computer, leaving Joe to finish typing up his reports. Right as he hit send, his phone buzzed on the desktop and his eyes darted toward it, quickly picking it up to read the text from you.

‘Can you pick up Carly from the Plaza at ten and bring her to the house?’

‘Carly?’

‘Ruby. Sorry, forgot you wouldn’t know names.’

‘Yeah. Course. Anything else?’

‘Tell her to stay in my room. I should be home by midnight.’

‘You need a ride or anything for your date?’

‘Not a date pretty boy. Just meeting some people.’

‘Limani?’

‘Surprised you remembered. And no, I don’t need a bodyguard. Just pick up Carly please.’

‘On it.’

Joe let out a little sigh, rereading the conversation again before he glanced up at Amanda.

“You got plans tonight?”

“Aside from binging Love Island, no. Why?” He flipped the phone screen over to her so she could read the conversation, smirking at the nickname you’d chosen for him.

“Maybe you and Carisi need a little date night? See if this meeting looks work related or not?”

“I have been wanting to try Limani.” She replied with a grin, eager to be more involved in the case rather than just sitting at her desk every day. It was getting boring, and she wanted to see what was so special about this girl, and if Joe’s suspicions were right.

_____________ @witches-unruly-heart @fandom-princess-forevermore @cycat4077 @xoxabs88xox @alwaysachorusgirl @teamsladsandgentss @thatesqcrush @im-just-a-mississippi-girl @wandas-wife @katieslotherford @momlifebehard

[rainbow-carat]

Shy Minghao

bi!Minghao x bi!gn!reader

A/n: This was like a fever dream it all came to me at once nO JUDGEMENT PLS. *waves to my 6 followers* hey gang wass poppin hope ur having a lovely night ♡

…

You’re Joshua’s friend and Minghao comes to LA with him.

Except it’s all orchestrated by Joshua because he thinks you two will be perfect together

You pick them up from the airport.

In this scenario Minghao is like bi?

So Shua is like oh let me introduce you to all of my gay friends? That being uhhhhh. Just you. But still.

Joshua thought it would be nice! For him to have lgbt friends! Or whatever! That’s what you told him when you needed when you came out anyways! And he’s in way over his head right now and not good at giving advice about being gay but you are!

So you all go shopping and you and Minghao are giggling together and making Shua try on the weirdest shit you can find but also you find some really nice stuff that Hao really feels good in.

So you all go shopping and you and Minghao are giggling together and making Shua try on the weirdest shit you can find but also you find some really nice stuff that Hao really feels good in.

So you all go shopping and you and Minghao are giggling together and making Shua try on the weirdest shit you can find but also you find some really nice stuff that Hao really feels good in.

So many photos are taken. So many.

And you’re all staying in a hotel for some reason but Joshua “falls asleep early” so that you and Minghao stay up late on the other bed talking and laughing and chatting and then falling asleep and somehow~ ending up asleep with Minghao in your arms.

And Minghao clings in his sleep so there’s no escaping, not that you particularly wanted to. It’s sweet how his head ends up on your chest, cuddled in close.

Minghao doesn’t wake up blushing in the morning, just like you don’t pretend to still be asleep so as not to embarrass him.

And Shua definitely doesn’t have photos of the two of you snuggling before either of you woke up.

Nothing to see here.

…

And then oops Shua has an earlier flight than Minghao by a day??? Oh nooooo guess you and Hao have some heart to heart he realizes he’s falling in love with someone he just met? And is leaving in a day? Fuck!

Lucky for both of you, you’re both falling in love and it’s very cliche and cute and leads to you both confessing at the same time.

“No you go first,”

“No it’s okay you can go first.”

“No really, you can go first.”

Idiots (affectionate)

“I um really like you. AndIknowI’mabouttoleavebut I just needed you to know because you’re amazing and I don’t want to regret saying nothing if there’s a chance you feel something too?” Minghao’s ears are bright red at this point. He wishes the floor would disappear beneath him as he waits for you to respond.

Because you’re staring at him open mouthed saying nothing at the moment.

“Well I was about to say pretty much the same thing to you Hao so this works out great.” You joke, but you feel your own cheeks warm.

“So um, what happens now?” Hao has a hopeful look on his face, like he can’t quite believe it’s true.

“Can I kiss you now?”

If possible, Minghao’s cheeks grow redder.

“We don’t have to! Sorry I don’t want to rush you at all if-“

“No!” Minghao interrupts, “I mean! I want to. I want you to, um, kiss me.”

You smile again and loop an arm around his slim waist, pulling him closer to you. “You’re sure?”

He nods his head vigorously, and you giggle.

Tentatively, your lips touch. Then again, and again. They’re soft, chaste kisses, but somehow your stomach feels alight with butterflies.

You see Minghao’s eyes flutter shut as you move one hand to cup his jaw, gently angling his face to give you access to his neck, and leaving light kisses there as well.

Minghao let’s out a sound somewhere between a squeak and a moan, and you pull away suddenly. “Is that too much? I can stop.”

“No! No it’s not that! Sorry I’m messing this up so badly.”

“Hao.” You whisper, waiting for him to meet your eyes again. “You’re not messing anything up, I promise. Just tell me what’s up- did I do something you didn’t like?”

“No it’s not that! I just don’t really ah, know what I’m doing? I guess? I feel like that’s embarrassing.”

You smile, “Hao that’s completely fine, let’s just do what feels good, okay?”

He nods again.

“Do you want to keep kissing?”

He nods some more.

“Words, darling. I need to hear it.”

“Yes! Yes please.”

You pull him back in by his shirt collar and press a searing kiss to his lips. Minghao responds in kind, his hands moving up your thighs, angling his head to kiss you more deeply.

…

When you check your phone several hours of cuddling and kissing later, you see a text from Joshua.

IF Y’ALL HAVENT CONFESSED BY THE TIME I GET OFF THIS FLIGHT

I’M FLYING BACK AND FIGHTING YOU BOTH

KISS ALREADY

You snort, of course Joshua could see right through the both of you. You turn to show Minghao the texts, only to see his eyes have closed and his breathing evened.

Instead, you snap a photo of the two of you cuddled like this and send it over to Shua, typing;

You were right

Joshua responds almost immediately with the crying emoji

Joshua: THEY GROW UP SO FAST

You: Shua literally stfu

Joshua: MATCHMAKER TITLE GOES TO ME

You: You’re so obnoxious I’m blocking you

Joshua: after ALL THE WORK IVE DONE SMH FAKE FRIENDS

You: Love u

You lock your phone, placing it back on the bedside table, and leaning over to shut off the lamp.

The room becomes dark, and you slide in close to Minghao, savoring the smell of his shampoo, his soft pullover, just him. You wrap your arm around his middle and begin to drift off too, feeling happier than you had in a long time.

[landosgirl97]

Cheers to Charleston (Chasetell Series)-Part 4

In the weeks after getting home, Chase and I had texted off and on, but with him filming and myself working, we didn’t get to talk as much as we’d like. I knew he had an event over the weekend and was busy so I had made some plans with some friends. One of my good guy friends had invited me over for a bonfire and beers with a few mutual friends so without thinking, of course I said yes. When I was there we were goofing around, taking pictures, dancing, what I would normally do hanging out with them, and then went home to bed. I didn’t even think anything of it until the next day.

I tried to call Chase for our daily “good morning” Facetime and it rang through with no answer. Thinking maybe he slept in or was already on set, I went about my day. By evening, I hadn’t heard anything from him at all, so I called Lex.

Me: “Hey, have you from Rudy today?”

Lex: “Yeah? They had the day off.. Why?”

Me: “Weird.. Chase didn’t tell me they had today off and he hasn’t answered me all day. Can you maybe have Rudy check on him for me? Please? I’m worried.”

Lex: “...sure. Let me ask him and I’ll call you back.”

Me: “Thanks.”

I waited very impatiently for Lex to call me back, busying myself with house chores while I waited. I answered on the first ring when my phone finally rang.

Me: “Hell-”

Lex: “You dumbass!”

Me: “What did I do?!”

Lex: “Who were you with last night?”

Me: “Just out with some friends! We were just drinking and screwing around! Why?”

Lex: “Check your tagged photos.. Who’s the dude standing behind you with his arm around your shoulders?”

Me: “That’s my friend Jake.. what about him? We’ve been friends for years!”

Lex: “Don’t you think he’s a little..close? Especially when you’re wearing Chase’s hoodie?”

*the realization finally dawns on me*

Me: “Oh my god… he thinks I’m seeing other people doesn’t he?!”

Lex: “Sleeping with other people more specifically. He’s been home wallowing all day.”

Me: “Shit. Thanks.”

I spent the rest of the evening texting and apologizing to Chase profusely while still getting no answer. I knew in my gut that it would take more than that so I called Rudy.

Rudy: “Hello?”

Me: “Can you pick me up at the Charleston airport tomorrow morning?”

Rudy: “What? Why?”

Me: “Cause I’m driving to the airport now and I land in Charleston at 5AM. I caught the first flight out.”

Rudy: “Chantell.. You’re flying all night?”

Me: “Yes! I really screwed up and Chase won’t answer me. I NEED to talk to him. Just… please.”

Rudy: “Yeah, I’ll be there.”

Me: “thank you. See you in the morning.”

*Rudy’s POV*

I seriously can’t believe she’s flying overnight. Chase needs to know this.

Chase: “What dude…”

Rudy: “Let’s go get breakfast before work tomorrow! I’ll come pick you up?”

Chase: “What time?”

Rudy: “It’s across town so like.. 4:45?”

Chase: “Dude that’s so early! We don’t even have to be at work until 7!”

Rudy: “it’s really good so I’m afraid the wait might be long.. Just trust me.”

Chase: “Fine.. whatever. I’m going back to bed.”

The next day I drove to where Chase was to pick him up and he looked awful. His hair was disheveled and shoved under a backwards baseball cap, he had on a hoodie, shorts, and a dark pair of sunglasses. “Hey man! Good morning!” I said. “Morning. Where are we going?” he asked. “Just across town but traffic seems to be rough this morning so make yourself comfortable. I watched as he reclined his seat and covered his face with his ball cap. Perfect, I thought.

When we pulled up to the airport, Chase moved the ball cap back to his head as I put the car in park, leaning his seat up. “Dude, what are we doing here?” That’s when I saw her come out the doors and spot my car. She made a beeline for the passenger seat and I looked past him as she pulled the door open. “He- woah!”

*Chantell’s POV*

“He-woah!” I exclaimed. I hadn’t expected someone in the passenger seat. “Chantell? What are you doing here?” he asked, shocked. “You weren’t answering me.. So I flew here. I- I had to make sure you were okay.. That WE were okay..” I smiled. He huffed, “yeah okay, get in. We’re holding up traffic.” I slid into the back seat quietly and watched out the window as Rudy drove to Chase’s apartment building. When we pulled up, I stayed in the back seat when he got out, assuming I was going back to the airport to fly home. To my surprise, the back door swung open and Chase slightly smiled, signaling for me to get out. I exchanged a look with Rudy as a thank you as I slid out of the car and followed Chase to his apartment.

The door closed behind us and I sat on the couch. “I’m sorry.” I mumbled. “You seriously flew all night to get here?” he asked me. I just nodded in response and stared at the floor. “Why?” I shrugged, “because I like you and I really screwed up. When you didn’t answer my calls or texts I didn’t know what else to do but book a flight.” A smile made its way onto his face as he chuckled, “so you like me, huh?” I shove his shoulder and laugh. “Of course I do, Stokes. Now go get ready for work. I need to get changed, I feel disgusting. Once I was ready, I made myself comfortable on the couch with a book. He entered the room and watched me for a second, “are you ready to go?” “Go where?” “To set, silly.” My eyes got wide, “I’m going to set?” He chuckles, “well I hoped you were if you’re up for it?” I hopped up and put my shoes on. “Let’s go!” I said, eagerly bouncing up and down on my heels. We rode in the Bronco to set and he got me settled in his trailer as he went to work.

While we were there, Rudy Facetimeed Lex about 20 times to show her his stunts just “to get her opinion”, meaning he wanted to impress her. The girls immediately started asking questions to get to know me better. It was weird without Chase there because he was filming but it was cool to see everyone in action. At one point, they let me go watch him film a scene and I love watching him in his element. The crew gave me a lot of crap since I couldn’t stop smiling the whole time I was there and couldn’t keep my eyes off of him. At one point, they had a break between scenes and he came to give me a hug and kiss on the cheek and the crew all ahhed to embarrass us. “So, have you two made it official yet?” Cole asked. I laughed. “What is that supposed to mean?” “I mean.. Has he officially asked you out?!” Cole rolled his eyes at me as he sat next to me. “Well.. no. But that’s okay. Long distance doesn’t work well. Especially with his career. I’m just glad he wants to spend time with me at all,” I shrug. “So you’re saying if I took him out for drinks and he was with someone else you wouldn’t be upset?” I shrug, “I would because I really like him, but again, we aren’t exclusive and I live 1,200 miles away. It’s impossible.” Cole nods. “Well we’ll see what Chase decides…” Before I can ask what he means, I see Chase stalking toward us.He wraps his arms around my neck from behind and puts his chin on my head, shooting daggers with his eyes at Cole. “What’s up, pretty girl?” I shrug. “Just talking to Cole about how cool you are to work with!” Cole sends you a look of thanks as he gets up to walk away. “What were you really talking about?” he asked. “It’s nothing important, I promise. You go and film. I’ll be right here enjoying watching you do your thing.”

When he was done filming for the night, we went back to his house to shower and change before we went to the beach and took Milo with us. We had gone to the strip of beach that I had first walked with him, and it was beautiful with the sun setting. Milo took off running toward the water, splashing around and enjoying himself while Chase and I walked further down the shoreline. When we came closer to the end of the shoreline, closer to the rocks, there was a table for two set up with candles, and soft music playing in the background. “Baby, what is this?” I asked him. “Dinner”, he replied. He pulled out my chair for me as I sat down, pushing me into the table. Chase sat down across from me as people walked down from one of the nearby houses to bring food to us. “Babe this seems really extravagant.. I would’ve been fine with Zaxby’s or something, you know that right?” He nods, “I know”, he grabs both of my hands across the table, “but that wasn’t the right setting to ask you this… Chantell Lynne, will you be my girlfriend?”

Tag List: @pankowforlife @wannabestarkeysgirl @my-baexht-ls @bethoconnor @samxslaughter @tishanas-darlings @jjmaybank63 @outerbankspov @slutforsmutsstuff @hoebx @maybanks-luver

[blackrosesfanfic]

Chapter 248

Trey

I sit up looking out the window. "What you doing up there? Texting?"

"Sir?"

"We going in the wrong direction." I say looking at the airport exit.

The driver turns. "Check your request sir. It says the airport."

I go to my app and look at what CiCi did. I wasn't the one that scheduled the ride. Sure enough it had the airport as my destination. I call CiCi ready to go off on her.

"Boss, something wrong?"

"Why the fuck you set the trip for the airport?"

She giggles. "You so serious. I chartered you a jet for tonight since there weren't any direct flights."

"CiCi, where the hell I'm going?"

"Home." She snaps. "I told you the meeting was canceled. We talked about whether you wanted a direct flight. Trey?"

I shake my head then hang up on her. Would have been great to know that I was going home. I thought for sure we were talking about the plans for me going home tomorrow. I wouldn't have told my model friend to meet me at my room. I chuckle then call Cammie.

"Love."

"Uncle Trey?" JJ says. "Where Lane at?"

I chuckle. "Lane is with his Grandma April."

"Okay, Bye." He hangs up.

"Boy." I say calling back.

The little butthead wouldn't answer the phone. I will have to just laugh at my own joke by myself. I send praying heads to Cammie. I get out of the car.

"Trey."

"Yeah." I say looking up from my phone.

It is this girl named... fuck. I forgot her name. I take my bag from the driver and walk towards the doors of the airport like the girl hadn't said my name. I go to verify my ticket with the worker.

"You headed to LA? So am I." She smiles leaning on the counter near me.

"Yeah."

She smiles. "Would it be too blunt to ask if your wife waiting for you?"

"Yes." The worker says. "Do you need any bags checked sir?"

"No, I just have this one."

She rolls her eyes at me. "Okay. You can go."

I frown. "You not gonna give me my shit back?"

"He might need that." The model giggles taking it from near the girl.

"Bitch." The worker says.

I stare at the worker for a few seconds. "I know you?"

She looks pass me. "I can help the next person."

"Damn." I say pissed the fuck off.

"Don't worry about haters." The model says grabbing my arm.

Someone else had come up and was giving me an evil look for not moving out of their way. I step back to not make a scene. This bitch ain't even tell me where the fucking plane was.

"Oh you not getting on the plane. Why would you make 2 stops and a 30 minute layover? Is there room for two?"

"It's a jet. No would be a lie." I say getting her hands off me and starting to walk away.

She giggles. "You need your information?"

"What you tryna prove?"

"Just tryna get a ride."

"Let me get my shit." I say looking around nervous. "I don't linger without security, so you either walk or keep all that shit."

She starts walking towards me. "Your id, your..."

"Yeah." I say snatching it from her.

"I'll find out where you need to go." She says walking away.

I start walking in the opposite direction towards where I thought that the gate was for the private jets. I call CiCi.

"How I get to my plane?"

"You didn't see your guide?"

I suck my teeth. "I see this annoying Instagram girl."

"Who?"

"I don't know man. She coming back. I need my security."

The girl smiles. "You must already know. It's right through there."

"Daddy!"

"Huh?" I turn around.

I look around for my son. The girl looks around too.

"I didn't say nothing." She says walking towards me.

"Naw, I heard my s..."

"Daddy!" A door opens behind me. "Daddy!"

I smile at Lane as he starts skipping towards me. I walk to him. Damn I'm excited to see him. I start to pick him up but he just grabs my hand.

"Daddy. Daddy, I take you to mommy." He pulls my hand.

"Aye, I guess it ain't enough room." I shrug with one shoulder following Lane.

She rolls her eyes at me. Lane wasn't even paying no attention. His smart self takes me back to the door he came out of. Not pausing to double check or nothing. He starts jumping once we are outside of the airport. Ma is sitting on a cart with an airport worker. She is shaking her head. Lane hops in the back seat so proud of himself. He grabs his stuffed Mickey Mouse and gives it to Ma. I kiss Ma on her cheek.

"I don't know how your son keeps finding you before anybody else. He saw you as we were passing by the first door. I thought he was seeing a look alike. Who was that girl?"

"Some woman trying to help herself on a free ride to LA."

Ma huffs. "She wasn't helping herself to fucking LA. You think I'm crazy?"

"Just saying it wasn't gonna get her nowhere."

"Daddy, I take you to Mommy?" Lane stands up. "There is Grandma!"

I hold on to him so he wouldn't fly out off the cart. He tries to move my hand. I wait until we stop to let him go. He bounces then grabs his Mickey Mouse from April. He was yet again flying to his next destination. I chuckle watching him run in disbelief. My son growing up so fast. He is full of energy.

"Grandma, I got Daddy!"

Gwen smiles. "Trey honey? How are you doing?"

"Glad to be going home."

"I bet so, Handsome." She says kissing my cheek.

"You better watch that one?" April walks by.

I suck my teeth. "Yeah, okay, April."

She stops walking but doesn't turn towards me. "Heavens. Sounded like my son."

"Daddy, hurry up." Lane says climbing the stairs all by himself.

"Gwen thought it would be a good idea to have him sleep before the flight."

Gwen giggles walking up behind Lane. "You know I did no such thing. That was all you."

I look between them. "When the hell this happened?"

"What?"

I point at the two of them. "This."

April shrugs walking away. "First impressions were wrong for us both."

"Yeah, okay."

*********************

"JJ don't you slap him in his face. No. I dont care. You don't put your hands on him."

JJ starts crying. "I not being bad!"

I sit my bag down startling everyone. They all turn looking my way. JJ pushes King in the chest then stomps away from him. King stands there shocked. Cammie glances at them then looks back at me.

"It that my baby?" She says coming over to me. She picks up his shoulder looking at his face. "Hey, Big boy."

"Damn." I say putting him on the ground.

Get your little fucker if that's all you fucking worried about. She hugs him really tight. He had been up the whole flight talking about Mickey Mouse and Goofy being brothers. He didn't fall asleep until we were in the car on the way to the house.  Cammie picks him up as he acts like he too sleepy to stand up. I roll my eyes at them.

"Hey, Trey."

"What's up, King?"

He sits down in front of some chicken nuggets. "I eat my nuggets."

I smile at him. "Okay."

"Where is Cammie?" Gwen asks walking in the kitchen.

"Tending to her son."

Gwen opens the oven. "I hope this is Cammie's hamburger pie. I've been talking about it for a week. Are you okay, Sweetheart?"

"Me?"

"Yes." She says putting something in the fridge.

"I'm good." I lie.

She smiles. "We will be back okay?"

"Okay."

"King, Mommy said in the bed." JJ demands.

 King stuffs his mouth. "No."

JJ shrugs walking away. A few seconds later he comes back. He has on pajama pants and a blanket. He stands in front of the oven.

"Uncle Trey Mommy said get this out. It hot?" He touches the oven before I could stop him. "Bitch." He walks away. "Fucking bitch."

I laugh as I take the pan out of the oven. I shouldn't do shit for her fucking ignoring me like I didn't walk in the room holding her son. So many women out there would love to see my black ass walk into the room holding their son. Someone touches my chest. I look down at Cammie's hand. I didn't want her touching me.

"King."

"Yes, ma'am." He says getting up from the table stuffing his mouth.

Cammie's hand touches my dick. I look down at her hand as my dick betrays me and stiffen to her touch. She grabs it firmly then walks away. I grab her arm.

"Where the fuck you going?" I snap.

"Tremaine." She says snatching away from me. "What is wrong with you grabbing on me like that?"

I look down at my dick. "You acting like I ain't here."

She sucks her teeth. "So you want me to leave them up and we just cuddle on the couch while they stay up all night?"

I don't say nothing. She pushes my arm.

"Go wash your ass and wait for me to put these kids to bed."

"I want to be acknowledged."

She walks to me putting her hands on my waist. She wraps them around my back bringing me to her a bit.

"Hey, Tremaine."

"Hey." I say holding back my smile.

She kisses me. "I'm glad you home early and you brought my son home early."

I nod. "Yeah."

"You are a hot mess. I'm tired of kids. It's been me and Caden and that's it for days. I'm trying to get these kids out my face. King doesn't listen to shit. His answer is no to everything. See I didn't even wanna talk about them."

I kiss her. Damn I was being selfish. She blows then turn around. King is sitting back at the table. I hit Cammie on her ass.

"King!" I bark.

"Huh?"

"Go to bed."

He stares at me. "No."

"Chyna you bring this bad boy to my house. He tells me no again I'm going to beat him. You know what that is? Not fucking sexual. You got problems."

"Call his grandpa."

King starts running. "Yes, I'll go to bed."

"Who is his grandpa?" Cammie sucks her teeth.

"Tyga great grandfather that will spank his ass. I'm sending you his number, sexy. Love you. Sorry my son the devil." She giggles.

Cammie leaves out the kitchen. I walk to the stove to see what it was that I took out the oven. What the fuck is hamburger pie? I stick a fork in it. Thank God for this Southern Bell who was raised to take care of me. King Tremaine. I chuckle to myself tasting whatever this is. Mmh.

[mochikage]

first conversation | megumi.

i.e. your first interaction with the guy that ends up being your boyfriend 

The tight grip on your phone was not helping any of your nerves. As excited as you were to be in Japan for school, you couldn’t help but hope to feel some kind of comfort from the rectangular device in your hands. Sun beams reflect off the screen and unto your face, but you do your best to block the dim screen with your hand in an attempt to read the text again. 

GOJO SATORU (TEACHER): Megumi will be picking you up at the airport. Hope you’re not too jet-lagged, there’s a lot we need to do before Monday! :D

Not the most helpful information, but at least it was something to go off of. Your stomach churns and you can’t decipher if it’s nerves of being a transfer student in the middle of the school year or if it’s from making a potential new friend that can show you around and fill you in on any gossip. 

The surrounding area outside the airport is busy. There’s no way you could find another girl in this crowd. Rushed adults shuffle around you and you can’t help but feel like you’re right in the middle. You spot a tree across the street with a bench surrounding the area. There’s a guy standing in that area, looking around. 

He’s easy to spot with that hair. 

You smile a little bit at the thought. There’s no doubt the guy is cute. He’s tall, has a good build and really pretty eyes that are scanning the crowd. Whoever he’s picking up must be really lucky. 

His eyes meet yours for a second and his brows pinch together in thought. He pulls his phone out and as soon as his eyes are off you, you relax. Was the sun making you feel so warm all of the sudden? No.

You stand up on the bench and look into the crowd for any sign of the girl that’s supposed to pick you up. From the corner of your eye, you see the raven haired guy start walking towards you. You clear your throat and straighten up your posture as subtly as you can. 

“Are you looking for someone?” He asks, pocketing his phone. You hesitate to respond to him. Attractive or not, he’s still a stranger and you’re in a different country. Maybe it’s best to let him know someone’s expecting you just in case he tries anything fishy. 

“I was told Megumi would meet me here. I don’t know if she’s running late or-”

“I’m Megumi.” He cuts you off. You look at him with a perched eyebrow, clearly unconvinced by his statement, even if he said it in such a serious tone. He sighs and takes out his phone. 

“You’re Y/N, right?”

You don’t say anything, still skeptical. When he realizes you’re not going to respond, he takes a deep breath. He wasn’t in the best of moods already and the last thing he wants to do is make you think he’s annoyed with you. 

“Gojo-Sensei told me you’d be here. You look very lost and I figured that you’re the new student. I’m one of the first-years at Tokyo Tech.”

“Oh shit.” You say under your breath. You hop down from the bench and start apologizing to him profusely. 

“I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have assumed that Megumi was a girls name and that you were a stranger trying to get me in danger. I hope I haven’t offended you in any way!” 

Megumi takes a step back and raises his hands, trying to calm you down. It’s not the first time someone mistakes him for a girl when they hear his name. He helps you take your bags and walks with you through the streets. 

You ask him if you can stop someplace to grab something to-go and he takes you to a onigiri vendor. 

“The salmon is my favorite but everything else is good.” 

You order two servings of the salmon onigiri and pay. Megumi can’t help the blush that creeps up his neck when you turn to hand him one. 

 “For helping me with my stuff.” You smile kindly at him. He takes the onigiri from you and thanks you, turning his back to you so you won’t see him blush. 

The rest of the walk to the school is relatively uneventful. Megumi had to keep looking over his shoulder to make sure you were still there. You seem nervous, and he wishes he knew how to calm you. 

After the introductions to the other school members, Megumi helped you to your room. He goes over to your desk and sets down your bags. 

“Uhm..if you need anything you can always shoot me a text...” he says, avoiding eye contact with you. Did you say something to upset him? 

He mistakes your silence for you not wanting to give him your number. 

“Or you can find me down the hall to the left...that’s where my room is.” He spits out. He winces at his own choice of words and excuses himself out of the room before you can say anything. 

You’re a little bummed out. Out of all the cool people you met today, he definitely was your favorite. You would’ve liked to find out more about him and maybe befriend him but maybe he didn’t see you in that way.

And he didn’t. 

He didn’t expect the person he was picking up that day to be that cute. He wishes he had a picture of you before going to pick you up, maybe he would’ve been more prepared. He thinks again about the food you bought him and how kind and patient you were to the vendor and the others. He couldn’t possibly have been that nice to people after a long day of traveling. 

Megumi lays down in bed that night with his hands tucked behind his head. His gaze is set on the blank ceiling as his mind wanders back to you. 

He decides to lay low for a while and let you settle in. He figures he can deal with these developing feelings while he gets to know you. And when he’s ready to admit that he’s harboring feelings for you, he’ll ask you out on a date where he can repay your kind gesture.

i did one for (inumaki).  as well but it’s shorter :(

[sharkneto]

I would very much like to read about Five cooking a hamburger

Don't worry anons, I hear ya <3

Luther is later than he meant to be. Honestly, he’d meant to be home hours ago.

Allison’s flight back to California had been bright and early, practically before the sun rose, and Luther had volunteered to be her ride to the airport. It was supposed to be a there-and-then back trip, really, but he’d gotten sidetracked driving back through downtown. In that he’d never really explored the downtown – of his own city – outside of missions for Dad. He had nothing else planned for the day, so he’d shrugged, found a parking space, and just wandered. Enjoyed a coffee from a local shop. Enjoyed a second from another one a few blocks down. Meandered through an art gallery. Found a weird little knick-knack shop that he’d picked a few things up from, thinking of Klaus. Enjoyed some ice cream in a little park.

He wasted the entire day like that and it was fantastic.

It’s dinnertime, now, though, and Mom’s on her first vacation ever with Diego, so he figures he should be home to help figure that out for whoever is there.

Luther softly shuts the door behind him, takes in the quiet entryway. Sets his little bag of things for Klaus on the side table. Maybe he didn’t need to rush home – seems no one is here anyway. Still, he wanders towards the kitchen, figuring anyone here and hungry will be there.

As he nears, his nose catches the faint smell of meat cooking. He picks up the pace and enters, expecting Klaus.

It’s Five. Luther blinks. “Hey, Five.”

Five turns to scowl at him, which Luther blinks at again.

He’s not sure what that’s about.

“What’re you making?” he asks, pushing past Five’s apparent mood as best he can. “I thought we’d order take-out tonight, what with Mom not here.”

“Oh, you figured,” Five bites. “Right, that should have been my assumption, too, with no one else here all day.”

Shit.

Luther hadn’t let Five know he was going for the day – hadn’t planned on being gone for the day – and he’d sort of assumed someone else would have swung by at some point. He hadn’t even had a chance to remind Five they were heading out early this morning; Five had been sleeping, and that’s so rare for him that Luther hadn’t had the heart to wake him.

“I’m sorry, Five. I got distracted downtown, I should have let you know where I was at.”

“It’s fine. You don’t owe me an explanation or anything. We’re all adults here, we can do what we want.” Five spins back to the stove to aggressively poke at whatever he’s got there with a spatula.

It is obviously not fine.

They’ve been back for a couple months, now, figuring out this new normal together. They’re all still figuring out Five, this damaged, prickly person he is now, but Luther already knows one thing from their weeks of quietly orbiting one another.

Five does not like to be alone.

He won’t admit it, but he spirals pretty quickly. Luther isn’t sure if it’s an apocalypse thing or a leftover paranoia for their safety after everything. It’s probably both.

He studies Five’s back, trying to gauge how badly he’s fucked up. Five looks deceptively comfortable. He’s in a long-sleeved t-shirt that doesn’t quite fit him, which means he probably stole it from Viktor, and a pair of athletic shorts, with only socks on his feet. His hair is lightly tussled and hangs over his forehead, not combed into his usual order.

He looks like the regular thirteen-year-old that he isn’t.

Luther isn’t sure how to make this right. Five’s shoulders are still taut. Luther steps further into the room. “What are you making?” he asks again.

Five glances at him and then back to his pan. “…some meat.” Before Luther can respond, Five glances at him again and adds, “I can make some for you, too.”

Luther isn’t sure what emotion is bubbling up in his chest, but there is definitely one there. “Sure, Five. Thanks.” Five just nods and then steps over to the fridge to grab another of whatever he’s cooking now. Without him in the way, Luther can see what he found for dinner. He almost laughs.

A lone burger patty lays very slowly sizzling in the middle of the pan. Five needs to turn the heat up on that if he wants it to cook in any reasonable time.

Luther swallows, working to choose his words as Five blinks back to the stove to nudge his lone burger to the side so he can add a second for Luther. “Alright, hamburgers are a good choice. What should we have with them?”

Five takes a second to squint at the circular meat patties in front of him – Luther can only just hear his mumbled “Oh, those are hamburgers,” to himself – before he refocuses on the question. “Umm.” His brow furrows as he thinks about that.

Something else bubbles in Luther’s chest. Five was definitely going to only eat a lone, unseasoned burger patty for his dinner. Five blinks over to the cupboard to open it and stare blankly at it. “There are beans?” he offers.

Luther knows there is a lot more than beans in there. “It’s just us, tonight, let’s live a little,” he says. He goes to rummage through the fridge and then the freezer. There are some frozen fries in there, tucked in the corner. They seem like a Klaus purchase, not something Mom would keep on hand. Luther pulls them out to show Five, eyebrow quirked up for his approval. Five shrugs and Luther takes it as agreement. Five jumps back to the stove to poke at the patties some more while Luther finds a pan to empty the bag on and reaches around him to get the oven heating up.

“You should turn the burner up, they’ll cook faster,” he offers as he steps back.

Five ducks to look at the tiny flame under his pan. “If you fire is too hot, you risk burning your outside while the inside is still cold,” he counters.

“Sure, but I think you’ll be ok with a little more. Is your pan even hot?”

Five frowns at him but does nudge the dial up an infinitesimal amount. Luther lets him do his thing. They have time before the fries will be ready anyway.

They sit in the quiet together. Five moves to lean on the table, picks up a beer there that Luther had missed coming in.

Yeah, he fucked up leaving Five all day. At least he hadn’t gone for the hard liquor. Small mercies.

Luther reaches a hand out for the bottle, and Five narrows his eyes in suspicion at him. “I just want a sip,” he says. It’s not going to be a small sip, but if he can get Five done with that bottle maybe he can switch him over to juice or something for the meal.

Five passes it over, as Luther knew he would, and he takes the largest gulp he thinks he can get away with before handing it back. Five tucks away his surprise at Luther actually returning his drink.

The quiet continues. The oven finishes preheating and Luther shoves the fries in, tells Five to let him know when it’s been fifteen minutes. Five pokes the burgers some more. His heat is so low it still isn’t time to flip them.

“How was downtown?” Five asks eventually, breaking the silence.

Luther nods to himself. “It was good. Found some cool little shops. There was this one with figurines I thought Klaus would like. Weird little animals.”

Five considers that, his gaze going distant. “Near a little park shoved on a corner and shaped like a triangle?” he asks.

“Yeah?”

Five pulls himself back to the present. “Yeah, Klaus would like those.”

“You’ve been there?”

Five shakes his head and then pauses, his head tilting as he considers his answer. “Well. Not now.”

Ah.

“I found some, in the rubble,” he continues. “They’re like…” His hands move vaguely in the shape of the creature, trying to conjure up the word he doesn’t have. “Animals,” he has to repeat, obviously disappointed in himself for not having a better descriptor. “With crazy patterns, right?”

Luther nods. “Yeah, that’s them. Good to know they’re durable, I guess. Good for Klaus,” he says without thinking, panicking as soon as the words leave his mouth. He glances to Five, checking how his glib remark landed.

Five just snorts. “Yeah, they’re durable, alright.” He escapes back to the stove, finally flipping the burgers. They’re just barely brown.

Luther bites his tongue to not tell Five to turn the burner up again.

Five glances at Luther and then away, then back again. Luther waits him out. “How… how do you know when they’re done?”

“The burgers?”

He nods. Sighs. Admits, “I’ve never cooked meat before.”

“Never?” Luther asks, taken aback. In fifty-eight years, Five has never cooked meat? Luther isn’t a chef by any stretch of the imagination, but he’s done some very basic cooking. Mom showed him when he was bored and the only one left.

Five somehow tucks into himself without actually moving. “Where would I have gotten meat, Luther.”

“No, no. I guess that makes sense. I’d just never thought about it. What did you do for protein?”

“Canned meat, precooked. And cockroaches.” His eyes dart to Luther and then away again.

“Yeah, sure,” Luther says, still processing that. “Um. It’s easy. I’m sure Mom has a thermometer around here, there’s a specific temperature you need the inside to get to. With burgers it’s simple, though. They don’t even have to be cooked all the way through.”

Five turns to frown at him, incredulous. “What do you mean they don’t have to be cooked all the way? Isn’t that how you get sick?”

Luther huffs a small laugh. “If the meat is good then you’re fine. Some people like their beef almost raw. Still mooing.”

This information is obviously not sitting well with Five. He shifts his squint to the meat in front of him, sits for a moment trying to find words. “That’s just asking for food poisoning, though,” he eventually splutters. “How do you just know the meat is good to begin with? Just trust?”

Luther laughs again. “We can cook them all the way.” He uses Five’s moment of distraction to subtly reach in and turn the burner up. The fries should be done, soon.

“What did you do with your day?” he asks to keep Five talking.

Five shifts. “This and that.”

Nothing, then. Luther isn’t sure what they’re supposed to do about that. It feels weird to suggest hobbies to Five. “That’s good,” he says anyway.

Back to quiet. Five finishes his beer. Luther pitches it and pours them both a glass of lemonade, which Five rolls his eyes at but accepts without grumbling.

“Fifteen minutes,” Five says out of nowhere.

“What?”

“You said to let you know when it had been fifteen minutes. It’s been fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes and eight seconds now. Ten. Eleven. Twelve.”

Luther snorts but gently pushes Five out of the way so he can pull the fries out. They could be browner but they’re hot, at least. Good enough. And, thanks to Luther’s subterfuge, the burgers should be done, too. He steps to the fridge to pull out buns and condiments.

Five watches him.

Plates set and ready, Luther holds them out for Five to deposit the patties. Five gives them one last poke. “Are you sure they’re done?” he asks.

They’re practically black, at this point (Luther may have upped the burner a little too much). They’re past well done and are solidly in over done territory. “I’m sure, Five.”

Plates back on the table, Luther and Five stand next to each other. Five doesn’t move. “You can pick whatever you want to put on top,” Luther tells him, grabbing the ketchup and then mustard.

“I have had hamburgers before,” Five scoffs. He still copies what Luther puts on his.

They end up sitting across from one another at the table, burgers piled high with sauces and lettuce and tomato. The burger is a hockey puck, but Luther eats it like it’s the best hamburger he’s had in his life. Five actually eats most of his, too.

It’s much better than takeout.