#on monday after i came home from the conference which was from 8 to 8 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

dontmeantobepoliticalbut · 2 years

Text

Albuquerque Police on Monday arrested the man they say is the “mastermind” behind a recent string of shootings targeting Democratic lawmakers’ homes.

The suspect, Solomon Pena, is a Republican who unsuccessfully ran for office in November, has made repeated claims that the election was rigged and appears to have attended the Jan. 6, 2021, riot in Washington, D.C.

Around 3 p.m. APD’s SWAT team swarmed a condominium complex near the ABQ BioPark Zoo to execute a search warrant. They made announcements for Pena — who they said may be armed with a firearm — to surrender as drones flew overhead.

Within an hour officers had arrested Pena, who is accused of paying four men to shoot at the homes of two county commissioners and two state legislators, Police Chief Harold Medina announced Monday evening. Investigators also believe Pena was present for at least one of the shootings.

youtube

One of the four men Pena is accused of hiring, Jose Trujillo, is being prosecuted federally on drug trafficking and firearm charges but the names of the other suspects were not immediately released.

Pena ran unsuccessfully in the House District 14 race and claimed on social media he should have won the election. He also visited three of the targeted officials’ homes unannounced in November complaining the election was fraudulent and should not be certified.

“APD essentially discovered what we had all feared and what we had suspected — that these shootings were indeed politically motivated,” Mayor Tim Keller said at a news conference. “They were dangerous attacks not only to these individuals … but, fundamentally, also to democracy.”

Both Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, and the House Republican Leader Ryan Lane, R-Aztec, issued statements applauding law enforcement and condemning violence.

“There is no place in our society or our democracy for violence against any elected official or their families, and I trust the justice system will hold those responsible for such attacks to full and fair account,” Lujan Grisham said.

Lane said the New Mexico House Republicans are grateful no one was injured in the shootings and referenced Pena’s criminal past — which had been a controversial issue during the campaign.

“This is yet another example of a convicted felon unlawfully gaining access to firearms, which they are barred from owning or possessing, and using the weapon in a manner that causes public harm,” Lane said.

DEMS TARGETED

In early January, APD disclosed that it was investigating several shootings targeting Democratic elected officials’ homes around the city.

They said Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa’s Southeast Albuquerque home had been struck by eight bullets on Dec. 4 and a week later, on Dec. 11, more than 12 bullets hit County Commissioner Debbie O’Malley’s North Valley home.

On Jan. 3, shots rang out at state Rep. Linda Lopez’s home in Southwest Albuquerque and three bullets went through her daughter’s bedroom as the 10-year-old slept.

After news of the investigation began to circulate, state Rep. Javier Martínez — the current nominee for House speaker and the representative for District 11 in Southwest Albuquerque — inspected his home and noticed it too had sustained damage from bullets. He had heard gunfire outside his home on Dec. 8 and believes that’s when the shooting occurred.

Police also investigated gunshots fired near the campaign office for Raúl Torrez as he ran for state Attorney General and near the office of State Sen. Antonio “Moe” Maestas, but a department spokesman said Monday detectives don’t have any evidence linking Pena and his alleged accomplices to those shootings at this time.

SHOTSPOTTER ASSIST

The break in the case came after the shooting at Lopez’s home.

More than a dozen shots were fired after midnight on Jan. 3, and police received a ShotSpotter notification.

Medina said responding officers found shell casings, but didn’t immediately see any damage.

The state senator who represents District 11 later reported that a bullet struck the ceiling of her daughter’s room. She had awoken to gunfire and felt material falling from the ceiling.

Then, 40 minutes after the shooting, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s deputies pulled over 21-year-old Trujillo, who was driving a Nissan Maxima registered to Pena.

Deputies arrested Trujillo on an unrelated warrant, and during an inventory of the car found 800 fentanyl pills and two guns, a Glock handgun with a drum magazine and an AR pistol.

The shell casings found outside Lopez’s home were tested at APD’s crime lab, and they matched the confiscated weapons, police said.

APD acting Cmdr. Kyle Hartsock with the Investigative Enhancement Division said detectives have electronic and cellphone records, surveillance footage and witnesses “inside and outside of this conspiracy that have helped us weave together what occurred.”

“The persons doing the shootings — we are still investigating if they were even aware of who these targets were, or if they were just conducting shootings,” Hartsock said.

He said Pena was at the shooting at Lopez’s home and fired at least one of the guns.

Hartsock said the case is still being investigated and additional charges are likely to be filed against other people.

FAILED CANDIDACY

Pena’s candidacy came under scrutiny over the summer when his opponent, Rep. Miguel P. Garcia, D-Albuquerque, filed a court challenge to disqualify him because he had been convicted in 2008 of stealing large amounts of goods from several big box retail stores in a reported “smash and grab” scheme.

Pena served nearly seven years in prison.

In September, 2nd Judicial District Judge Joshua Allison ruled that a state law barring felons from holding office unless they are pardoned by the governor is unconstitutional so Pena remained on the ballot.

Less than two months later, Pena lost the November election by more than 3,600 votes — garnering 2,033 votes to Garcia’s 5,679.

However, in frequent postings on Twitter, Pena maintained that he didn’t lose and that the election was rigged.

On Nov. 15, Pena posted a photo of himself wearing a red “Make America Great Again” sweatshirt that appeared to have been signed in gold by Donald Trump and said “Trump just announced for 2024. I stand with him. I never conceded my HD 14 race. Now researching my options.”

He also posted a photo of himself that appears to be from Washington, D.C., that he said was “one of the last pictures I have of the Jan 06 trip.”

In a reply to someone calling him a criminal on Dec. 28 on social media, Pena said, “Everyone in the NM government who helped overthrow Trump are the active treasonists who must be placed in Guantanamo Bay Cuba for natural life. Once they are gone I can work on rebuilding Albuquerque.”

On Nov. 17, in response to a Tweet by the New Mexico Secretary of State warning against attempts to manipulate the election certification process, Pena replied “I will attempt to stop the certification in Bernalillo County, until a hand recount has been done. It was rigged!”

EARLY SIGNS

youtube

For Commissioners O’Malley and Barboa and Sen. Lopez, Pena was a familiar face. He had visited each of their homes, uninvited, in the days following the election.

On Nov. 18, O’Malley, Barboa, Charlene Pyskoty and Walt Benson voted 4-0 to certify the general election results. Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada missed the meeting.

O’Malley — whose term as commissioner has since ended — told the Journal on Monday that Pena showed up at her home wanting to talk about what he alleged was election fraud, telling her he believed he should have received more votes because he had knocked on many doors during his campaign.

“He gave me some papers and said ‘I want you to respond,'” she recalled.

She said the packet included what looked like Internet information about voter fraud and a letter.

She had no communication with him after that.

Pena was not hostile, O’Malley said, but the encounter was unsettling enough that she notified law enforcement.

“I thought it was odd, and he seemed a little anxious to me and a little, kind of aggressive, and that kind of put me on alert,” she said.

BCSO personnel checked on her house but did not see anything, and O’Malley did not think about the incident much until someone shot at her house a month later.

Police said Pena also has a black Audi sedan registered under his name, which matches the description of the vehicle he drove to O’Malley’s house in November.

Barboa said she had a similar encounter when Pena showed up on her doorstep asking her not to vote to certify the election results.

“I know our addresses are public, but I was a little thrown off because it’s not usual that people come to our door,” she said.

Barboa said they spoke and he handed her paperwork similar to what others who are questioning elections have given her and other officials during county commission meetings.

The Commissioner said she grew worried for Pena during the encounter as she thought he was making illogical claims about the results of his own race.

“He was just sort of all over the place — the things he was putting together weren’t quite connecting or fitting,” she said. “You can’t say because you knocked on a thousand doors, you know you got a thousand votes.”

She said Monday she was pleased that police were able to make an arrest and quell some of her family’s fear. Her daughter, she said, has been too afraid to bring her child over since the shooting.

“I’m hoping today that this is done that my daughter can bring my grandbaby here again,” Barboa said, while choking back tears.

She said the ordeal will change the way she lives and that she is going to pursue new security strategies for herself and her family.

Plus, Barboa said, it’s distressing that elected officials are now going to take steps to shield themselves from the public — noting that the New Mexico Legislature has already removed some lawmaker contact information from its website in response.

“All of that is going to change because of this and that breaks my heart as someone who believes the public needs access to our elected officials,” she said.

TIMELINE

• On Dec. 4 around 4:41 p.m. eight shots were fired at County Commissioner Adriann Barboa’s home in SE Albuquerque. Barboa said bullets went through her front door as her family was preparing to celebrate Christmas.

• On Dec. 8, Rep. Javier Martínez reportedly heard gunshots outside his home near the North Valley and, after the investigation was announced a month later, found damage “presumably from gunfire” to the house.

• On Dec. 11 in the early morning gunshots were fired at County Commissioner Debbie O’Malley’s home in the North Valley and more than 12 bullets struck the house.

• On Jan. 3 just after midnight, eight shots rang out at Rep. Linda Lopez’s home in SW Albuquerque. Lopez said that three bullets went through her daughter’s bedroom as the 10-year-old slept.

19 notes · View notes

hockeylvr59 · 2 years

Text

Here With Me Part 18 || Taylor Makar

Author’s Note: It's silly for Kelsey to go home when she's with Taylor the night before Medical Ethics right? She might as well spend the night. After some convincing she agrees but yet thanks to some snow (6-8 inches worth) it turns into the couple's first snow day instead. FC: Marina Laswick (@marooshk on instagram).

Warnings: cursing, smut // Word Count: 5,690

~~~~

Seventeen

February 22, 2023

“Yes Taylor…right there.” Kelsey moaned softly.

Taylor’s hands were absolute magic, digging into her internal oblique muscle on her right side.

It had been a long day for Kelsey, from the annual engage conference at Hampshire which took the place of normal classes to another practice with her girls in which her skate blade had caught the ice funny causing her internal oblique muscle to be tweaked and spasm endlessly.

Though she’d tried to drive home she’d only made it across campus before the pain was too much and she was pulling into Taylor’s lot before calling her boyfriend. She’d barely been able to explain through the pain but her tone alone caused him to race downstairs. After giving her lower back a cursory massage which eased the pain enough for her to head inside with him, they made their way to his room where he was now being far more thorough, working to help the muscle release so the throbbing pain would stop.

Leaning her head back against his shoulder as Taylor sat behind her on the bed, Kelsey sighed in relief as slowly the pain receded.

“What did you even do?” Taylor mumbled as his thumbs slowed and lightened their pressure just stroking over the muscle gently to calm the area.

“Blade caught funny.” Kelsey replied. “Instant pain.”

Taylor didn’t seem fully convinced that she could be in this much pain from just a tiny tweak alone.

“Sometimes with hormonal changes the muscles of my lower back get a little more sensitive for a few days a month, I’ll be fine though Tay. Just need to take some pain meds.”

Kissing her head, Taylor got up and came back with a bottle of Advil, a tube of biofreeze, and a bottle of water. Handing her the former and latter, Taylor moved to use the roll on topical meds over that whole side of her lower back, letting it dry before tugging her shirt back down.

“Since you’re here, want to stay and watch a movie?” He asked softly.

“Sure.” Kelsey agreed, knowing that she didn’t want to risk driving until the meds had taken effect anyway. So shifting up Taylor’s bed, she moved to get comfortable without jostling her back too much.

Since she didn’t particularly care what they watched she urged Taylor just to pick something as he snuggled against her, his laptop on his thigh. Though she wasn’t super focused on the movie, she did enjoy the feeling of Taylor’s arm around her, stroking her lower back gently through her shirt. It made her sleepy but she did her best to stay awake.

She must have dozed off a few times because eventually she felt Taylor kiss her head before he murmured softly.

“Why don’t you just spend the night? You have class here in the morning anyway.”

His words woke her up and she groaned before shaking her head.

“I can’t Tay.” His look spoke the ‘why not’ for him and Kelsey sighed. “I don’t have any clothes for tomorrow nor do I have anything for class.”

“I’m sure we could find something for you to wear.” Taylor whispered nosing against her head again as if his touch could sucker her into it.

“Still wouldn’t change the fact that I don’t have books for tomorrow T.” Kelsey sighed. “You know I like spending the night with you, just can’t.”

This time it was Taylor who sighed and the puppy dog look on his face was too much.

“Taylor…”

“Fine.” He pouted softly. “But you know…if you’re going to come over on a Monday or Wednesday night why don’t you just plan on packing what you need to spend the night. Seems silly for you to go home and come back.”

“It’s not that far T.” Kelsey murmured.

“Far enough.”

Kelsey couldn’t help but laugh at how pathetic Taylor was being right now.

“Also not sure your roommates really want me spending more nights over.” Kelsey added.

“Honestly doubt they’ll care.” Taylor prodded.

“Check with your roommates and I’ll think about it.” Kelsey stated firmly before twisting her head to kiss her boyfriend. “But I should get home before I start to doze off again.”

Scooting her way off of his bed, Kelsey jumped down and moved to grab her phone and keys which were the only things she had brought up.

“I’ll see you in class tomorrow.” She assured him before stealing a couple more kisses and making her way back to her car.

She did not in fact see him in class because UMass had a delayed opening which canceled Medical Ethics.

And boy did she hear about that.

***

February 24, 2023

Instead the next time she saw him was two days later after his Friday night game. With it being senior night she hadn’t planned on staying through the lengthy postgame ceremony but it had been a good game and so she’d lingered before making her way down to the hallways near the locker room to wait.

Once again it wasn’t Taylor who spotted her first but Mikey and when Taylor came out of the locker room after being fetched he had taken his jersey and top pads off but was still in his skates, hockey pants, and base layer. The fact that he was still in skates meant that he towered over her more than usual.

“You came.” Taylor declared, grinning down at her as he leaned a hand on the wall beside her. “And you’re wearing the hat.”

Kelsey had in fact worn the hat he’d given her Valentine’s day with his number on the side.

“Yeah well might be my last chance to come support you this season.” Kelsey declared, enjoying the sight of him half dressed. “And I like the hat.”

Taylor didn’t give her the chance to say anything more as he swooped in for a soft kiss, his lips just caressing over hers gently.

Moving her fingers to tangle in his sweaty hair, Kelsey kissed him back just enjoying the moment. Neither noticed the freshmen peeking their heads out of the locker room or the seniors coming back down the hall with their parents and Carvy behind them.

Carvy cleared his throat but neither Taylor nor Kelsey moved to break their tender kiss.

“Makar…I gave you two rules…”

Eyes all around them went wide with varying expressions of ‘Taylor is so fucked’ and ‘what the hell is happening.’

Peeking out of the corner of her eye at her uncle, Kelsey proceeded to flip him off while still kissing Taylor lightly.

It wasn’t like it was a dirty or inappropriate kiss. It was light and soft and Kelsey really didn’t care who saw them. She wasn’t going to get much time with her boyfriend this weekend so she needed this little moment.

In hushed whispers the seniors rushed to explain to their families that the girl was Carvy’s niece and that was just the kind of relationship they had so her flipping him off wasn’t as offensive as it may have seemed. Her actions even drew small smiles from a few of them because yeah that was just Kelsey for you.

“Alright, cool it Kelsey.” Carvy stated before laughing. “Taylor needs to go cool down, not get warmed back up.”

Though she rolled her eyes, Kelsey broke the series of kisses after one more and hugged Taylor softly before letting him retreat to the locker room, a wide smile on his face and a promise that she would text him later following.

Though she hadn’t planned on it, she was definitely glad she had stayed because that was absolutely worth it.

****

February 27-28, 2023

Though Taylor’s roommates hadn’t been thrilled about him wanting Kelsey to spend more nights they weren’t going to flat out tell him that he couldn’t have her over.

So, Monday evening after their usual roommate dinner was finished, Kelsey came over with a bag including clothes and hygiene products as well as her things for class the following morning. As she sat at Taylor’s desk doing homework, Taylor lounged on his bed watching some hockey game, trying but failing at not distracting her.

“You know you’re not helping your argument for me to come over more during the week.” Kelsey teased as Taylor once again dropped a kiss to her head while passing by after going to the bathroom.

“Aren’t you done yet?” Taylor pouted, earning a soft glare from his girlfriend.

“Give me another half hour T.” Kelsey insisted, just wanting to get through her current assignment before putting things away for the night.

To his credit, Taylor sighed but was relatively well behaved after that in letting her focus on her materials for school.

Closing her books and computer, Kelsey put them away before standing up to stretch.

“Thank you.” She murmured softly, smiling at him over her shoulder before stepping toward his bed. Immediately Taylor reached for her, pulling her up onto the bed with him and Kelsey moved to straddle his thigh, carefully pushing the computer with the game on aside a little.

As his hands moved in exploration over her body, Kelsey leaned in to kiss him softly before pulling back. “Can we talk about something?” She asked softly.

Taylor’s hands slid along her lower back just above her ass as he nodded, propping himself up against the headboard a bit more.

“When you get a chance I want you to go get tested for STIs.” Kelsey stated. “And don’t let your mind go nuts on me okay. This is just another one of my precautionary things since we’ve been together awhile now.”

“Sure Kels.” Taylor agreed, sliding his hands down over her ass. “I’ll check into an appointment or walk-in testing this week.” She couldn’t help but be a bit relieved that he didn’t make a big deal about it.

Kissing him again, Kelsey relaxed into Taylor’s touch.

“Don’t you want to finish watching the game?” She asked, breaking the kiss after a few minutes, her forehead resting against Taylor’s.

“Nah. I’m good.” Taylor declared, pressing forward for another kiss. There really was nothing like just kissing him, enjoying the feeling of his body pressed against her own.

After what had to be at least a half hour, Kelsey felt the fatigue of the day start to sink in and she broke the kiss yawning.

“Think it’s time to start getting ready for bed T.” She murmured softly.

Taylor kissed the side of her head before letting her get up and Kelsey moved to grab pjs from her bag. Moving to the bathroom after changing, Kelsey went through her normal routine before returning to Taylor’s room and flopping down onto his floor with his desk at her back.

Though Taylor didn’t say anything, she could feel him watching her as she stretched and grabbed her phone to pull up her nightly meditation.

“You should join me Tay…” She murmured softly, peeking up at him. “I think it would be good for you.” As she patted the spot beside her, Taylor looked at her curiously before shifting those long limbs to sit down. “Just close your eyes and breathe.” Kelsey directed, starting to play the meditation audio to walk them through it.

Meditation was something that helped Kelsey to reorient herself and put one day behind her while setting herself up for success the next. It wasn’t something she did on the weekends as much so this was the first time she was doing it in front of Taylor.

Just letting herself relax, Kelsey focused on the monotone voice and the rhythm of her breathing. She could hear Taylor’s breaths beside her and the warmth of his presence only helped her body to settle.

When the audio stopped, Kelsey just continued with her breathing for a few more minutes before finally opening her eyes. Taylor’s eyes were still closed and Kelsey leaned over to kiss his cheek before slowly standing up.

“C’mon Tay, let’s get some sleep.” She whispered, offering a hand out to help him up off the floor.

Slowly Taylor pushed himself up while taking her hand and then hugged her softly, lips grazing her temple. He looked more relaxed and Kelsey could only smile at that hoping that the quiet time meditating had helped him the way it helped her.

After getting his hug, Taylor lifted her up onto his bed and Kelsey shifted to make room for him as he moved to turn out the light and pull the shirt off over his head. Once he had settled in beside her, Kelsey snuggled into him and rested her head on his bare chest just ready to get a good night’s sleep before class tomorrow.

“Night Kels.”

“Night T.”

***

Kelsey jolted awake not to the sound of her own alarm but to what must have been Taylor’s phone buzzing frantically on his nightstand.

“Kels it’s fine.” Taylor mumbled, kissing her head as his long arm reached for his phone. “Umass is closed today because of the snow. Go back to sleep.” He reported before setting his phone aside once more.

“Wait what?” Kelsey insisted, even more awake now as she propped herself up and looked toward the window. She hadn’t checked the weather to have any idea that it was going to snow.

“It snowed Kels.” Taylor mumbled again, his voice deep with sleep. “So umass is closed. Medical Ethics prof emailed to do the reading for Thursday and we’ll discuss it all then.” Feeling her get more worked up, this time Taylor reached for her phone, handing it to her.

“Check your emails. Your other classes today are probably canceled too, we were supposed to get like 6-8 inches.”

Blearily looking at her phone, Kelsey pulled up her email seeing the one Taylor had mentioned regarding medical ethics. There was also one from her other morning class informing them that due to weather and the professor not being local that even though the college wasn’t officially closed, he was canceling class.

“Now can we go back to sleep?” Taylor questioned softly, his arms wrapping around her tighter.

Though she was fully awake, Taylor’s bed was warm and now she didn’t have anywhere she needed to be. Turning her alarm off, Kelsey handed her phone back to Taylor and took a deep breath before settling down and ducking her face into his neck to block out the morning light.

“Sleep.” Taylor mumbled, his chest rumbling under her. Though Kelsey wasn’t sure that she would be able to sleep, she would at least enjoy Taylor’s scent and the way he clung to her. Though she couldn’t describe his scent beyond the slight linger of soap, it smelled good and made her entire body relax.

Kelsey knew that she could get a little stressed and uptight when it came to school but admittedly it was nice to have a snow day where she could just spend a morning cuddled into her boyfriend’s arms without either of them having any obligations. They really hadn’t had too many mornings like this.

Certainly none where they could go back to sleep.

With Taylor’s scent making her calm, his warmth making her feel safe, and the rhythm of his steady breathing under her, Kelsey dozed off despite not thinking she’d be able to.

When she awoke again, she had no idea what time it was, however, her bladder was screaming at her. Attempting to shift only led to Taylor’s arms tightening around her and Kelsey whimpered softly.

“T c’mon. Need to pee.” She murmured into the skin of his neck while wiggling slightly. With a sigh he loosened his grip and Kelsey slipped out from under the blankets to make her way across the hall to the bathroom.

Ensuring she had put the seat down, Kelsey took care of business and then washed her hands before splashing a little bit of water onto her face, rubbing at her eyes. As she stepped out of the bathroom she nearly bumped into another large chest.

“Wow. Surprised T let you out of bed.” Mercs murmured jokingly.

“He definitely didn’t want to.” Kelsey replied, moving around him to step back into Taylor’s room.

As soon as Taylor spotted her again, he was reaching for her to come back to bed. He really was like a koala always wanting to cling to her. Complying to his wants, Kelsey moved to climb back into bed letting him wrap his arms back around her.

“I’m not going to be able to sleep T.” She declared running a palm along the bare skin of his chest.

“Just cuddle then.” He breathed, yawning softly.

Kelsey was open to cuddles and let him wrap her up in his arms. But after a few minutes she trailed her hand down to the light grazing of hair along his happy trail just stroking gently. It was a subconscious thing but she loved caressing that spot on his body which led to some of her other favorite parts of his anatomy.

She’d barely started playing with that patch of skin when Taylor grunted and pulled her body directly on top of his chest cutting off her access.

Pouting, Kelsey shifted her hips to grind gently against Taylor’s dick. Now that she was awake and all pressed up against her boyfriend’s mostly nude body Kelsey couldn’t deny the itch that lingered under her skin. It had been over two weeks since they’d had sex and though it hadn’t really bothered her before, now she wanted to feel him inside her.

Though it didn’t take long for Taylor’s dick to pop into a semi, he didn’t get any harder than that. Clearly he wasn’t in the mood for sex for some reason and Kelsey couldn’t help but sigh.

“Is someone horny?” He chuckled, his hands dropping to her ass.

“Two weeks T.” Kelsey mumbled. “How are you not horny?”

“I‘m hungry, Kels.” Taylor’s response made Kelsey sigh again and she started to shift to get up so he could get breakfast only to be stopped by his hands holding her still and then shifting her over just one of his thighs.

Gently his hands pushed her shorts and underwear down to her knees before helping her kick them off.

“Taylor. You said you’re hungry.” Kelsey murmured, confused as to why he was undressing her when he was too hungry for sex.

“Ride my thigh Kels.” Taylor instructed.

“What?” Kelsey asked, a little confused as her mind raced to process Taylor’s words. She’d never ridden someone’s thigh before but she could imagine how it would be pleasurable. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah Kels.”

Biting her lip, Kels lowered herself over his thigh and took his little bit of guidance to grind down on the thick muscles of his quads. It took a minute to find a movement and angle that felt good but once she did she rolled her hips frantically seeking out the pleasure of an orgasm. As she ground against him, her arousal spread, making the glide easier and allowing her to increase her speed.

“Holy shit Kels, that’s so hot.” Taylor grunted, his eyes heavy as he watched her. “C’mon…get yourself off on me.”

Taylor’s words only fueled her more and within a few minutes, Kelsey felt an orgasm roll through her just strong enough to take the edge off of the itch.

As her body weakened, Taylor sat up and hugged her tight, kissing her head and whispering how beautiful she is when she cums. Reaching for the handy box of tissues beside his bed, Taylor gently cleaned her and his thigh up before waiting for her to regain control of her body to get up and get breakfast.

Once she was strong enough, Taylor guided her off the bed to redress while he moved to get up and throw his own clothes on before going out to where his roommates might be lingering.

Though she was sure Taylor’s roommates probably sent him some raised eyebrows, no one said anything and she moved to look out the window in the living room as Taylor moved to the kitchen. It had definitely snowed there was no doubt about that.

“Can I help?” She asked softly as she moved back to the little kitchen area.

“Crack eggs while I go to the bathroom?” Taylor replied, shifting out of the way to give Kelsey kitchen space when she nodded and asked how many. Following his instruction, Kelsey washed her hands and then got to work and by the time she had finished cracking eggs, Taylor had returned. Working in tandem, they prepped a simple breakfast and then moved to the living room to sit and eat.

“We should go play in the snow after we finish.” Kelsey murmured, nudging Taylor’s leg with her foot as they sat on the couch.

“You hate the cold…” Taylor trailed off between bites.

“But I like playing in the snow.” Kelsey insisted, shrugging at Taylor’s look of confusion. “Come on. We should all go out, it’ll be fun.” She declared throwing the roommates into the mix even if Lauts was the only one presently in the room.

“I’d be down.” Lauts piped up from the small dining room table.

Sending Taylor a look of ‘see’, Kelsey nudged him again.

“You really want to go out?” Taylor questioned.

“Yes.” Kelsey stated emphatically.

“Okay. If you want to go play in the snow that badly we can go play.” Taylor chuckled.

Grinning, Kelsey resumed eating her breakfast while Lauts moved to inform Mercs and Mikey to get dressed to go out in the snow.

Once they were done eating, Taylor took their dishes into the kitchen to wash while Kelsey moved back to his room to grab her toothbrush for her morning hygiene routine before dressing warmly in as many layers as possible.

When Taylor returned he smiled and rolled his eyes a bit before stepping to kiss her head.

“You’re something else sometimes, you know that?” He asked, the smile and tone of voice telling her the statement was made in fondness.

“But you like me.” She replied teasingly, causing Taylor’s eyes to flash that same something they had at the Whales game but that she didn’t understand.

“Yeah. I do.” He stated simply, kissing her head again before moving to throw on clothes of his own for snow play.

Though Kelsey was visibly more bundled up than Taylor or any of his roommates she didn’t care and urged them to go out so that they could play in the snow.

For over an hour they played in the snow, Kelsey making snow angels and roping them into making a snowman with her before it all dissolved into a massive snowball fight with quite a few other umass students joining in on the fun. By the time they headed inside, Kelsey’s hands were numb but she was smiling because that had been exactly the kind of fun she needed.

Shoes were kicked off in the entry way onto a mat and then Kelsey followed Taylor back to his room to get out of the rest of the wet clothes. Thankfully her inner layers were still relatively dry but she was definitely feeling the cold and shivered as she hung a damp layer over his desk chair.

“Holy fuck Taylor.” Kelsey murmured as her boyfriend’s cold hands slid around her waist under the edge of her shirt.

“We should get you out of these clothes too, just to be safe.” He murmured, voice deep and signaling his real interest.

“Oh so now you want sex.” Kelsey teased as she shivered again.

“I can’t think of a better way to warm us both up.” He rasped, nipping softly at her neck.

“Such a boy.” Kelsey mumbled sliding a hand up behind her to tangle in Taylor’s hair as he marked up her neck.

“Is that a yes?” He mumbled against her skin.

“When have I ever turned down sex with you Taylor?”

Kelsey felt him shrug and giggled.

“Well? Are you going to get me naked or not?” She prompted, only to softly squeal as Taylor quickly pulled her clothes off her body with deft hands before lifting her up onto his bed.

His clothes were quick to follow and he grabbed a condom from the bedside drawer before leveraging himself up into bed, hovering over her. Immediately she pulled him down for a dirty kiss, her hands resuming their position in his hair. With his body settled over hers, Kelsey groaned, welcoming his weight and the way he grew hard against her stomach showing that unlike this morning he was as needy as she was.

As they made out, Kelsey felt herself grow damp and she moaned softly into his mouth. “You ready?” He mumbled kissing along her shoulder to give her a chance to breathe and answer.

“Yeah. Fuck me Tay.”

With her consent, Taylor shifted to sheathe himself in the condom before parting her legs a little more to settle against her core. Adjusting himself for better alignment, Taylor slowly eased inside her, grunting softly at the tightness of her body around him before pausing to allow her to relax fully.

Kelsey couldn’t help but gasp at the fullness. Though she should be used to it by now, the way Taylor fit inside her always took her breath away. Even without the added emotional connection that was growing stronger everyday, sex with Taylor was physically the best sex she's ever had, no comparison.

Wiggling slightly she felt him slide just that little bit deeper and though she tried to keep the moan quiet she didn’t succeed triggering a banging on the adjoining wall.

“YO T.” Mercs voice called through the wall. “Don’t particularly care if you want to fuck your girl but can you keep it down, some of us are trying to take a nap.”

“Oh god.” Kelsey mumbled burying her head against Taylor’s shoulder. She knew that the roommates had probably heard her before but they hadn’t called them out on it directly like that.

But Taylor didn’t let her dwell on it, completely ignoring his roommate as he focused on setting a steady pace with his thrusts, mouth seeking hers to muffle her moans and whimpers.

“Take me so well.” He mumbled against her lips as he ground his hips into hers between thrusts. Digging her nails along his shoulders, Kelsey drew her legs up farther along Taylor’s side to deepen the angle he was able to thrust at. Kissing her, Taylor took advantage of it, burying himself inside of her even deeper on every instroke. It made Kelsey whimper into the kiss but looking at her and the pleasure on her face Taylor knew it was a good whimper, one that was seeking more.

“Fuck, you love feeling me as deep inside you as you can get don’t you.” He praised while taking huffing breaths as his groin tightened with an impending orgasm.

“T. Please.” Kelsey whispered.

“I got you.” Taylor assured her while pulling out. “Put your legs up over my shoulders.”

With the adjustment in position settled, Taylor pushed back inside her until his pelvis met hers, settling him as deep inside her as possible.

“Oh.” She gasped out as softly as she could manage, trying to keep quiet.

“Yeah? Feel good?” Taylor questioned, needing to be sure that it wasn’t too deep before he resumed any sort of rhythm.

“Taylor…” Kelsey breathed, because this was exactly what she needed.

As Taylor resumed his thrusts, Kelsey’s head fell back and her body arched in pleasure. Feeling him this deep was incredible and it wasn’t going to take long for her to cum with him hitting all the right spots.

Taylor was already holding back his orgasm to make Kelsey cum just focusing on the way her body shook as he fucked her deeply. She was a literal goddess under him.

Sliding a palm under her head, Taylor tipped her face back toward his and kissed her to quiet her noises as he felt her twitch around him signaling that her orgasm was going to hit hard in a matter of moments. Thrusting even harder to hit those deep spots with a bit more pressure, Taylor felt her body snap and she screamed into his mouth as her body clamped around him like a vice, dragging his own orgasm out of him as she milked him endlessly.

Though his body felt limp, Taylor kissed Kelsey’s cheek before pulling out to dispose of the full condom. As he got up he gently helped her lower her legs back to the mattress. She was flushed all over and Taylor felt another pang of arousal as he looked at her sprawled across his bed looking thoroughly fucked.

“Need help getting to the bathroom?” He asked softly, leaning over the bed to kiss her sweaty forehead.

“Think you could get it up for a round two?” She replied, her voice soft and crackly from her previous pleasure. Even if he wasn’t initially sure, the way his dick had twitched at the suggestion made the decision obvious and he nodded.

“Yeah, just need a few minutes.”

“Good then come here.” She called, shifting onto her side to make room for him on the bed. Holding her close they kissed languidly, Taylor’s fingers plucking softly at her nipples to keep her arousal up while he rebounded.

Every time she thought the sex couldn’t get better, Taylor would go and find some new way to drive her wild.

After about fifteen minutes of kissing, Kelsey felt Taylor start to stiffen between them and she smirked against his lips.

“Can I be on top?” She questioned, trailing fingers down his arms.

“Sure Kels.” Taylor breathed, turning to reach for a condom before settling on the mattress so she could straddle him. Taking the foil package from him, Kelsey carefully tore it open before rolling it onto him and then settling over him, lowering herself onto his dick slowly.

Feeling a little achy, there was no way she was going to be able to take him as deeply as last time but after finding a comfortable level of penetration she rolled her hips over him in a manner she knew he liked. With both of them having previous orgasms which increased the sensitivity, Kelsey knew it wasn’t going to take long for either of them.

With Taylor continuing his exploration of her nipples, working them over with his tongue and lips, Kelsey threw a hand over her mouth to quiet herself as first one wave of pleasure rolled through her followed by a second and third which brought her orgasm on in full force. As her body started coming down, Taylor’s hips jolted against her and his mouth bit another mark into the skin of her clavicle, his own orgasm causing him to pulse inside her.

Fully sated and knowing that she was going to feel their activities for at least a day or two, Kelsey carefully lifted off Taylor and collapsed next to him on the bed just needing a few moments before she cleaned up and redressed to use the bathroom.

“Think this might be the greatest snow day ever.” Taylor mumbled as he wrapped an arm around her and kissed her head.

“Yeah, no complaints.” Kelsey agreed, yawning.

While Kelsey was still working up the strength to get up, there was a knock on Taylor’s door.

“Dude please tell us you’re done in there. We’re gonna play some COD before practice and your presence is required.” Mercs insisted.

Taylor’s groan made Kelsey laugh and she kissed his lips softly.

“Go play with them. I should go home anyway before my roommates think I’m dead.” Taylor hesitated for a moment before sighing.

“Fine. But let me go clear and warm up your car for you while you put yourself together.”

Kelsey wasn’t going to argue that and nodded as he slipped out of bed and tossed the condom before throwing on some clothes and grabbing her keys.

By the time she had cleaned up, thrown clothes on, packed up her overnight bag, and stripped Taylor’s bedding, putting the spare sheets set on, her phone was buzzing with a text from Taylor telling her that her chariot awaited.

Replying that she would be right down, she moved to put her coat on and headed out to the entryway to throw on her shoes.

“Kelsey. Catch.” Mikey’s voice called from the kitchen and when she looked up it was just in time to catch a protein bar he was tossing her way.

“Since Taylor was too busy to feed you lunch and I’m pretty sure you need it.” The smirk on his face told her that he had also witnessed their activities and Kelsey’s cheeks flushed scarlet again.

Shrugging, she waved the bar in thanks and gathered her things before heading outside to meet Taylor at her car, eating on the way.

After loading her bags up she let Taylor pull her into a hug, stealing a few more kisses.

“Thanks for cleaning my car off. You’re the best.” She murmured, her thumbs brushing against his cheeks.

“Thanks for spending the snow day with me.” He replied, squeezing her tight.

“Anytime. I’ll text you when I get home.”

With Taylor’s phone buzzing, likely with a text from the roommates telling him to hurry his ass up, he reluctantly released her and moved to open her door for her.

“Bye Kels.”

Blowing a kiss to him through the window, Kelsey proceeded back to her apartment where her roommates were all bundled up on the couch watching a rom com.

“Pour yourself a glass of wine and come join us.” One declared.

“Yeah and dish. How many times did you get fucked today? Damn girl, he got you good.” Another exclaimed, noticing the slight limp Kelsey walked with and the darkening bruise on her neck.

Rolling her eyes, Kelsey dropped her bags into her room before grabbing that glass of wine and making them make room for her on the couch.

She’d dish…but just a little. The rest was between her and Taylor.

#taylor makar #taylor makar imagine #colorado avalanche imagine #colorado avalanche #nhl imagines #nhl imagine #hockey imagines #hockey imagine #taylor makar nws #nws #lemon #hockey smut #nhl smut #cavalanche #046

11 notes · View notes

xtruss · 5 months

Text

Immigrant Battling Cancer Among Trio Who Won $1.326 Billion Powerball Ticket: Oregon Lottery! The Ticket Was The Fourth-Largest Powerball Jackpot in History.

— By Leah Sarnoff | April 29, 2024

Oregon Lottery Announces 3 Winners of $1.326 Billion Powerball Ticket. The ticket was the fourth-largest Powerball jackpot in history.

The winners of the $1.326 billion Powerball ticket were officially revealed by the Oregon Lottery on Monday.

During a press conference at the Oregon Lottery Headquarters in Salem, Oregon, husband and wife Cheng and Duanpen Saephan and their friend Laiza Chao were announced as the winners of the massive lottery drawn earlier this month.

Cheng Saephan, an immigrant from Laos living in Portland, explained how life-changing the lottery win is amid his eight-year cancer battle.

"I'm happy for my family, they will have a good life," Saephan said during the press conference. "I'm battling cancer so thinking how am I going to spend all the money," he said, adding that he can now find a "good doctor" and that he and his wife plan to buy a home with their lump-sum winnings.

Saephan immigrated to America in 1994 and used to work in Aerospace.

"My Life Has Been Changed... I'm Happy For My Family; They Will Have A Good Life."

He and his wife and their friend, Laiza Chao, bought 20 Powerball tickets in hopes of winning the jackpot.

"I call Laiza as she's driving to work, I told her you don't have to go to work now; we won the lottery; we won the jackpot!" Saephan recalled during the press conference.

The staggering $1.326 billion Powerball ticket was the fourth-largest Powerball jackpot in history and the eighth-largest among U.S. jackpot games, according to the Oregon Lottery.

On April 6, a lucky ticket matching all six Powerball numbers was sold at the Plaid Pantry convenience store in Portland, Oregon, the state's lottery announced at the time.

The Numbers Drawn For The Jackpot Were 22, 27, 44, 52 And 69, With A Powerball Of 9, The Lottery Said.

Powerball lottery tickets pictured inside a store in Homestead, Florida July 19, 2023. Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images

"This is our first winner on this scale, so this is very exciting for us," Melanie Mesaros, spokesperson for the Oregon Lottery told ABC News on April 7.

The lottery winners have the opportunity to accept a lump cash sum of $621 million or receive annual payouts of the $1.3 billion, also pre-tax -- starting with one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5% each year, the lottery said.

The jackpot is subject to federal taxes and state taxes in Oregon.

The Plaid Pantry location in northeast Portland will also receive a $100,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket, according to the lottery.

"Plaid Pantry is thrilled to learn that one of our 104 Oregon stores sold the $1.3 billion dollar Powerball ticket," Plaid Pantry President and CEO Jonathan Polonsky said in a statement to the Oregon Lottery. "This store is one of our newest and most loved stores. Proceeds from the Oregon Lottery fund many programs that benefit everyone in the state, and we've been a proud partner with the Oregon Lottery since the very beginning."

The individuals with the winning $1.326 billion ticket came forward on April 8 and underwent a vetting process before their identity was announced.

"This is an unprecedented jackpot win for Oregon Lottery," Oregon Lottery Director Mike Wells said in a press release on April 8. "We're taking every precaution to verify the winner before awarding the prize money, which will take time."

An aerial image shows the White Stag neon sign as vehicles cross the Willamette River in downtown Portland, Oregon, Jan. 25, 2024. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

The Powerball jackpot previously ballooned to an estimated $1.3 billion ahead of the April 6 drawing after a record-tying streak with no jackpot winner.

The Powerball hasn't been won since Jan. 1, when a ticket sold in Michigan claimed a $842.4 million jackpot.

In 2022, the largest U.S. lottery jackpot, worth $2.04 billion, was won in California.

Powerball is a multi-state jackpot operated by 44 states, plus the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, according to Oregon Lottery.

Powerball tickets are $2 per play and the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, according to Powerball.

"My life has been changed... I can rest my family and find a good doctor." The winners of the $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot were officially revealed by the Oregon Lottery. One of the winners, Cheng "Charlie" Saephan, has been battling cancer since 2016.

"I'm on disability ... used to worked on aerospace and make airplanes," Saephan said at a press conference. He added that he's currently going through chemotherapy and plans on buying a house and finding himself a good doctor to continue his treatment. The staggering ticket was the fourth-largest Powerball jackpot in history. Saephan will be splitting the prize with his wife and his longtime friend. "I'm happy for my family; they will have a good life."

Cheng "Charlie" Saephan holds display check above his head after speaking during a news conference where it was revealed that he was one of the winners of the $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot at the Oregon Lottery headquarters on Monday, April 29, 2024, in Salem, Oregon. AP Photo/Jenny Kane

Images of Cheng "Charlie" Saephan are displayed during a news conference where it was revealed that he was one of the winners of the $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot at the Oregon Lottery headquarters on Monday, April 29, 2024, in Salem, Oregon. AP Photo/Jenny

Oregon Lottery External Communications Program Manager Melanie Mesaros holds a list of numbers as Cheng "Charlie" Saephan speaks during a press conference after it was revealed that he was one of the winners of the $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot at the Oregon Lottery headquarters on Monday, April 29, 2024, in Salem, Ore. In the weeks leading up to the drawing, Saephan wrote out numbers for the game on a piece of paper and slept with it under his pillow, he said. He prayed that he would win, saying, "I need some help - I don't want to die yet unless I have done something for my family first." AP Photo/Jenny

#Lottery #Powerball #ABC News 🗞️

0 notes

moon-light-jukebox · 4 years

Text

“All you have to do is ask.” Chapter 6 - [Reid x Reader]

previous chapter // series index // next chapter

Summary: After a long stretch of crimefighting, Reader and Spencer finally get a chance to spend some time together. Reader is ready to give Dr. Reid the proper introduction to female domination and BDSM he asked for.

Pairing: Spencer Reid x (Female) Reader

Category: 85% Smut, 10% Fluff, 5% Angst.

Word Count: 7.9k for Chapter 6

Content Warnings: BDSM, Femdom, thigh riding, pegging, orgasm denial, spitting, slapping, bondage, sub drop, aftercare, brief mention of menstruation (just in case that needs a warning). This chapter is filthy, y’all.

A/n: Before we begin, I wanted to give a small warning. When I started this story, I wanted to give an honest portrayal of BDSM/Femdom. The before, during, and after are equally important. Sub/Dom drop is a very real and emotional thing. But don’t worry, Reader is always there for our nervous boy.

y/n = your name. y/l/n = your last name. Italicized text is Reader’s thoughts.

-- Chapter 6 – “Dirty thing” --

Things started to move so fast after Illinois. We arrived home late Sunday night only to be called back out on Monday morning to assist the Tucson Police with a child abduction. We were finishing up the paperwork when the call came in from Florida about a series of car-jackings that weren’t really car-jackings.

It had been more than 2 weeks since that night in the hotel room, and all I had since then were just moments with my Dr. Reid. He sat next to me on the plane sometimes, his hand resting on my thigh when he was certain no one could see. He had placed a kiss on the back of my neck while we were standing in the conference room in Florida. I was surviving on these stolen moments.

Spencer seemed to be happy with our first BDSM experience together, which was a relief to me. I had never had a submissive that was inexperienced before. I felt a great deal of pressure where he was concerned; I knew the toll one bad partner could have on a person.

Some nights Spencer would call me from his hotel room. I would give him instructions on how I wanted him to touch himself; listening to his desperation grow every time he brought himself to the edge and I pulled him back. We experimented a bit with degradation. Learning the complexities of Spencer Reid was quickly becoming one of my favorite pastimes.

After Florida we made a brief stop in Alabama; Hotch informed us that we were only spending one night here and that we would be departing at 7:30 am the following morning. Our unit chief also swore that we were going to have the weekend off; no interruptions. I’ll believe it when I see it, was all I could think. Glancing around to the rest of the team, I could see they agreed with me.

We all had separate rooms that night, thankfully. If I had to listen to Emily snore for one more night, I might lose my mind. I wasn’t sure how JJ did it. Coming into my room, I kicked my shoes off and headed for the bed. I pulled my phone out of my bag before I very unceremoniously flopped down on the bed. The pace of the last 2 weeks was starting to wear on me.

I brought up my text messages when there was a hesitant knock on my door. It was just past 8 pm; it was risky, but I knew it had to be Spencer. I hurried towards the door, throwing it open to reveal his sheepish face. Wasting no time, I grabbed him by his shirt and dragged him into the room.

“What are you doing?” I hissed. “Someone could have seen you.”

"I'm not allowed to go to my friend's room to hang out?"

He has a point. “Well, you never know! It’s better to be safe.”

His full lips turned down into a pout. “I just wanted to spend some time with you. I missed you, y/n.” Is my heart fluttering like that a sign of a medical problem? I wondered. “And not just the…stuff we do. I just…I just missed being with you.”

How could I stay mad at that? “I missed you too, baby.” I took his hand in mine, guiding him over to the bed. He propped up on the pillows beside me, both hands coming up to loosen his tie.

“Can I ask you a question?”

I snorted a bit. “Yeah, Doc, I think you can ask me anything you want at this point.”

“Well,” his cheeks were starting to turn pink. “We’ve been…” I wonder what he’s gonna call it. “…serious”Hmm, that’s fair. “for almost 4 weeks now, 27 days and 14 hours, give or take, depending on when you wanted to say this started.”

“Get to the point, darling.”

“Right,” he muttered. “Well, we’re supposed to have this weekend off. And I don’t have any plans.” He dropped his eyes to his hands which were twisting nervously. “I understand if you have plans, of course. Or you’re just not in the mood. Statistically speaking, given the time we’ve spent together,” your likely to have your period soon-“

“Woah,” I interrupted. “Let’s pump those breaks, Doc.” Spencer looked horrified that he had rambled on so much and equally relieved that I had stopped him. “First of all, I have an IUD. I don’t get my period very often.” I can’t believe he’s talking about my period. “And second, the only plans I have this weekend involve grocery shopping and laundry.”

“Oh,” he said quietly. “Me too.”

I pulled my lips together between my teeth to try and suppress my smile. “Are you asking about my weekend plans because you’re interested in being a part of them? Or just out of curiosity?” Come on, Doc. All you have to do is ask me.

“I was-I was wondering if you wanted to spend some time together this weekend? If you’re not busy.”

My sweet, sweet boy. I stretched my body up, bringing my lips to his. I brushed my mouth over his in a very sweet and unhurried kiss. “No, Doc. I’m not busy.” I felt his lips smile against my own. “And maybe we can try some new things if you’re interested.”

“I’m more than interested in everything related to you,” he breathed against my lips.

It was decided that Spencer would come to my apartment Saturday in the early evening. I left the exact time up to him, in case he had anything he needed to do on this rare weekend off.

It was around 2 pm when my phone chimed with a text message from him.

“What time is okay for me to come over?”

I laughed out loud; I should have expected this. “Whenever you want, Doc.”

His response was immediate, which was also rare. “Can I come over now?”

“Sure, Doc. But I want you to bring something with you.”

I pulled open the door a short time later to find a very nervous looking Spencer Reid. Even out of work, he was still dressed the same as always. He had dark slacks on, a navy shirt, and a cardigan, he had forgone the tie today, and he was clutching the strap of his messenger bag for dear life.

“Hi, Doc,” I greeted him with a huge smile before waving him in. I saw him taking inventory of my apartment. From the art on the walls to the rug on the floor to the books on the bookshelf. "You need a bigger bookshelf," he said at last.

He wasn’t wrong. “I suppose I do. But not all of us can have a whole wall as a bookshelf, Doc.” I put my hand on his arm, pulling him into my living room, then down onto my couch. His entire body was tense, his eyes moving around nervously. I leaned closer, putting my hand on the side of his face, drawing his gaze to meet mine.

“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,” I reminded him.

“I want to do this. I do.” He swallowed nervously, flexing his fingers. “I just…I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what’s going to happen. And I don’t want to mess up. And I’m so nervous that I’ll do something wrong.”

I leaned forward, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Hey, hey. Take a breath. I’m serious. Take a deep breath.”

He rolled his eyes but complied.

“Spencer, I don’t expect you to just come in here and jump into a world that you’ve never been a part of before. I’m nervous too.”

That had his eyes widening. “You are? But why? You know what you’re doing.”

It doesn’t feel like I do. “Every person is different, Spencer, and I haven’t cared about a submissive the way I care about you in a long time.” My boy smiled at that. “Before we do anything, we’re going to let you get comfortable. I’m not going to do anything that we haven’t already discussed. If you feel uncomfortable, say “yellow” and I will pull back. If you don’t want to do anything more, say “red” and we will stop right then.”

He bit his full bottom lip, his eyes widening as he continued to meet my gaze. “I don’t want to disappoint you.”

Just when I think my heart can’t possibly handle another crack in it. I cupped his jaw in both of my hands. “You could never disappoint me, Spencer. Never.” I said the words with 100% sincerity and honesty. It was true. “Even if you decide this isn’t what you want and you walk out right now, I’ll never be disappointed.” If he left right now I would feel a lot of things, but disappointment in him wouldn’t be one of them.

“Okay,” he breathed. “Can…Can I kiss you now? I don’t know-“

I leaned closer, my lips hovering millimeters from his own. “Yes,” I whispered. “You can kiss me.”

His lips were tender as they brushed mine. It was like nothing we had done previously mattered, my nervous boy was still so afraid, but still so desperate and so curious.

I pulled back right as his tongue flicked over the seam of my mouth, resting my forehead against his. “Let’s not get carried away,” I chuckled. “I still need to talk to you.”

Spencer sat back, his hands folded on his lap, looking at me expectantly.

Forever the eager student. "The scene begins when I send you into the bedroom alone. It ends when you cum. That can always change if you decide you want it to stop." He needed to know that. “Since this is your first experience, I want you to be prepared for some pretty intense emotions once we’re done, I promise I’ll be right here with you to get you through anything, should you feel it.” My boy’s eyes were wide, but he nodded. Still so trusting. “I’ll be using toys on you this time. I ordered them a few weeks ago and they’ve all been sterilized.”

His brow quirked at that. “You had to buy them?”

It was impossible to contain my laugh. “I didn’t think you’d be okay with toys that had been used on other people, no matter how well I sterilized them.”

The horrified expression on his face did nothing to help me suppress my laughter.

“Anyway,” I went on, still attempting to get myself under control. “I have various sizes for different things. I assume you’ve never done any sort of anal play on your own?”

There’s that blush. “No, y/n, I haven’t. Does that matter?”

“No, sweet boy, not in the way you think. I just want to make sure you’re comfortable. So, we will start with smaller sizes. If you decide you like it, we’ll work up to bigger ones. Or if you like the small ones, we can stick with those.”

He was shifting his hips unconsciously. “You’d be okay with that?”

Moving quickly, I lifted my leg over both of his, my hands pushing his shoulders to the back of the couch, my heat settling over his cock. He’s already a little hard, I thought with a smirk. I leaned forward, my mouth finding the softness of his neck, my lips skimming down to his pulse point before placing a soft kiss there.

Spencer groaned softly, his hands resting on my hips. He knew our scene hadn’t started yet, which made him bolder with his touch.

Kissing my way up to his ear, I took the lobe between my teeth, tugging softly, before I spoke. "I just want to fuck you, Dr. Reid. I don't care what size cock I fuck you with." I don't know if he shivered at the feeling of my breath against him or at my words. Hopefully both. I placed one last kiss on his neck before I moved off of him.

His bewildered expression amused me greatly. “But, before any of that, did you bring what I asked?”

It took my brilliant boy a second to remember what I was talking about. He reached for the messenger bag beside him. “Yes,” he muttered, opening the bag to pull out several books. “But I wasn’t sure what sort of book you wanted me to bring. So, I brought a few different options.” He set 4 books down on my coffee table. “What are they for?”

“You’re going to read to me,” I said, not attempting to hide my smile.

"…I am?" At my nod, he said, "Oh..okay. Do you want to do that now?”

“Don’t look so disappointed, baby.” I held out my hand to him. “Come with me.”

Curious as ever, my boy followed me into my bedroom, his eyes scanning over the bed, resting on the small chest that sat at the end of it.

“…Are we…” he trailed off.

"Sort of. I wanted to try something first before we officially start.” I turned to him, my fingers moving slowly up his chest until I reached his collar. “It will help me get you ready for later. Is that okay?” Still so nervous. Spencer nodded quickly; his pupils were already beginning to dilate. I rose up on my tiptoes to press a kiss to his pouty mouth. "We're not really in a scene right now. I know that can be confusing, and it's not something I would normally do, but you've never done this, so I thought it would be best." I pressed another kiss to his jaw. "You can touch me, just not under my clothes yet. Alright, baby?"

He mumbled his response while I pulled him forward until the back of my knees hit the bed, bringing him tumbling down with me. His hands tangled in my hair when my mouth found his. I didn’t pull away this time when his tongue flicked over my lips. I let him in with a soft sigh, moving my hands to tug on his soft, messy curls. I shifted until my pelvis was aligned with his, beginning to rock slowly.

This whole exercise was a bit of a tease, but I needed for him to be aroused for what I had planned. The more aroused he was the better.

I tugged his shirt out of the waistband of his pants, running my hands underneath the fabric. "Hey," he whispered, pulling back to smile at me. I ignored the way my heart fluttered at his tone. “You said not under the clothes.”

Smiling back at him, I hooked my leg around his hips, pulling him down further. I used that momentum to flip him onto his back while I straddled him. He looks so surprised, I thought smugly. He knows I help teach seminars on defensive tactics.

“Wrong again, Dr. Reid,” I murmured, my lips moving down his cheek to his jaw, to his ear. “I said you couldn’t put your hands under my clothes, baby,” I whispered against his ear. “I can do whatever the fuck I want to you.” I brought my hand up to wrap around his throat, applying a small amount of pressure to each side. I pressed my still covered pussy against the bulge in his pants. “Isn’t that right, baby?”

Spencer didn’t even wait until the words were out of my mouth before he started to whimper. I lifted my body until I was sitting up then I brought my hands to his belt. My fingers were unzipping his fly before I spoke again. “I asked you a question, Dr. Reid. Or does that memory of yours stop working when you become a whimpering, needy little mess?” My words were harsher than they had ever been with him before; he’d really enjoyed the degradation we had done so far and said he was open to pushing it a bit further. Ask and you shall receive, baby.

I moved off of him then, rising to my feet at the side of the bed. First, I slid his shoes off. Then I reached up to pull his pants down. Then my thumbs hooked in the waistband of his underwear. I let out an exaggerated sigh as I climbed back on top of his body. My lower body was still completely covered but he was bare from the waist down.

He wasn’t prepared for when my right hand shot out and grabbed his face. My thumb digging into the left side of his face. “That’s twice you’ve not answered me, Dr. Reid.” I lifted my hand from his face and quickly brought it back down quickly. Not as hard as I had the last time we were together like this. Not yet.

“I’m sorry, Miss,” he whimpered. “I’m so sorry.”

“Are you?” I moved my hand down to grip his hard cock in my hand, squeezing him, enjoying the way his eyes fluttered at the action. “I don’t know if I believe that, Dr. Reid.” My hand was pumping him steadily now. “I think you need to apologize a bit better than that.”

His eyes shot open and he subconsciously licked his lips, causing me to chuckle and still my hands movements. “Oh no, you can’t have that. You haven’t earned that, my nervous boy. Look at you. Look how much your cock is leaking precum already.” I brought my hands up unbutton his shirt. “You’re just a needy thing, aren’t you? It’s almost pathetic.”

Spencer was shifting his hips again, trying to get some sort of friction. “I’m sorry, Miss.”

Once his shirt was unbuttoned, I brought my hands up to his throat, leaning down to kiss the tip of his nose. “I know.” I lifted up, raking my nails down his pale chest. “Which is why you’ll be my good boy now, won’t you?”

He nodded quickly, his eyebrows coming together when I moved off of him. I knelt in front of the trunk at the end of my bed. He propped himself up on his elbows as I opened the chest and pulled two items out before I moved back over towards him.

“Move up the bed, lay in the center.”

Crawling back onto the bed, I hovered above him, before I began to move down his body. I kept eye contact with him the entire time. It’s okay, baby. I would never hurt you. “Do you know what this is, Spencer?”

I think hearing his name surprised him; he forgot that we weren’t technically in a scene yet. I had only acted this way because I wanted to bump his simmering arousal up to a flaming inferno. I knew my boy would become more nervous if he wasn’t a whimpering, desperate mess. He nodded.

I pushed his legs up until his knees were bent, then I kissed up his right thigh, moving towards his cock. “I want you to be ready for when I fuck you.” I offered in way of explanation right before I moved to run my tongue up the underside of his cock.

Spencer threw his head back, tossing it against my pillows. I wrapped my fingers around the base of his cock while I moved him into my mouth. I didn't suck as hard as I normally did, instead of letting saliva slip from my mouth to coat him. After a few moments, I pulled off.

"I want you to touch your cock, Spencer," I said, uncapping the lube. "You're not allowed to cum. Remember that when you touch yourself. If you get so close that it's painful to stop, you have no one to blame but yourself. And if you cum, I will punish you."

His Adam's apple bobbed, his eyes moving from the butt plug to my hands then back to his cock. He wrapped his long fingers around it while I coated the plug with lube. Eyes fixed firmly on my hands; he started a slow rhythm. What a good boy.

I stroked his thighs as I moved the plug into position against his ass. His face was flushed with a mix of arousal and embarrassment, I think. I just smirked at him. “Don’t get shy with me now, baby,” I said as I slowly began to push inside of him. “I’m going to have you begging me to fuck your tight little ass before the day is over.” He whimpered, his hand speeding up slightly. “You do know that, don’t you, Spencer? I’m going to make you such a little slut for me.” The plug went in further, with almost no real resistance from him. “Jesus, it looks like you’re already a fucking slut.” His whimpers and groans were coming faster now. “Look at how you’re taking this plug,” I started to fuck it into him slowly. “I knew you were dirty, Dr. Reid. But I didn’t expect this.”

With one final small push, it was seated inside him. I reached to grab his hand, pulling it off of his cock. His lip was between his teeth, his forehead dotted with sweat. "You did so well, Spencer," I praised him. "You're more needy than I thought. I think I might make you bounce on my cock later." I moved off of the bed, reaching down to pick up his underwear before I tossed them to him. "I thought it would take some time to get you to ride me, but you're such a little slut, I'm sure you'll be begging for it soon."

He looked so confused, his fingers picking up his underwear. “Wha-“ he panted, his hips moving against my bed, already starting to be overwhelmed by the sensation.

“Put on your underwear, Dr. Reid; leave your shirt unbuttoned. Then come back into the living room.” I gave him a wide smile. “You still have to read to me.”

I sat on the couch, flipping through the books Spencer had brought, waiting for him to emerge from my bedroom. He really had done so much better than I expected. I wasn’t exaggerating when I said I was going to have him bounce on my cock. The thought of him moving over me, his head thrown back while I pumped his cock caused heat to pool between my thighs.

My eyes didn’t raise to look at him when he walked into the room. He sat to the left of me, where he had been before. His cock was still hard, his precum was leaving a damp spot on his underwear. “Which book do you want to read me, Dr. Reid?”

He groaned. “I-I don’t know if I can finish the whole book like this,” he mumbled, flushing a deeper red that went down to his neck.

“You don’t have to finish, darling boy.” I rose up from the couch then, undoing my pants before shimming them down my hips. “You just have to read to me until I cum.”

Spencer’s eyes went wide. Flickering from the books then back to where I was removing my shirt. I wasn’t paying attention to what book he picked; ultimately, it didn’t matter, I’m not sure I would be able to pay enough attention during this to even process what he was reading.

I stood before him in my bra and panties. He brought the thick book up to his chest, never so much as blinking while I moved over him. I put my thighs on either of his right thigh before I sat down, pushing the seam of my pussy against him through my underwear. I gripped his shoulders, moving my mouth to the tender area where his shoulder met his neck. Placing a soft kiss there, I moved my right hand down his chest, skimming over his stomach, then applying a teasing pressure to his cock over his underwear.

“Come on, Dr. Reid. You told me you’d read to me.”

His first few words were sure. I was almost positive this was one of the many books he had memorized, meaning he wouldn’t need to rely on the book itself to keep reading. This was probably good, as at the first rock of my pussy against his thigh, he released a soft groan, interrupting his words.

Smirking, I moved my hips more purposefully against him. My hands came up to grip his hair, pulling harshly. His moan once again made his words falter. “What’s wrong Dr. Reid,” I whispered sweetly against his skin. “Can you not focus on your book?”

“It’s…It’s so hard, y/n.”

I licked the vein running up his neck before I sucked on the skin. “I can feel just how hard it is, Dr. Reid.” I moved my mouth up to his ear again. “Take my bra off.” I expected him to fumble with this task, but he put his right hand behind my back and removed my bra in seconds. You’ve been holding out on me, Doc. Leaning back, I moved my hands to my own breasts, thumbing my nipples as I listened to Spencer read his book, his words barely registering in my mind.

“You don’t need both hands to read, do you?” He shook his head, his worlds never faltering from the story. “Good. I know how hard it is for you to sit here with that plug inside you. I know you’re thinking about how it will feel when I fuck you.” There’s that whimper, I thought. “I’m thinking about it too, Spencer.” My hips began to grind against him faster. “Put the book down but keep reading to me. If you stop your words, I’ll stop moving. The sooner I cum, the sooner you can get back into my bed.”

He placed the book down; his words a whisper now as he recited the book. “Touch me, Spencer. Make me cum like a good boy so I can finally fuck you like the little slut you are.” His hands gripped my hips, guiding my movements against his thigh, his mouth against my neck while he continued mumbling words I could barely hear against my skin.

"I've thought about fucking you before, you know," I said, my pussy becoming wetter and wetter against him. "The first time was on the jet. You had some book open in your lap. You were stretched out on the couch." I groaned as Spencer moved my hips faster and faster. "I thought about the look on your face if I just came over to you and sat on your lap." I moved to kiss his neck again. "I wonder what they would have said then." Dropping my hand down to palm his hot, hard cock over his underwear. "What would they have said if they saw Dr. Spencer Reid's big, pretty boy cock sliding down my throat?"

He was groaning now in between words, but the words were yet to totally falter. “I guess that would be better than them seeing you get fucked, right?” One of his hands moved up to my breast to pinch my nipple. “What would they think if they knew that their boy wonder, their resident genius, wanted to get his ass fucked and treated like a dirty little thing?”

I was so, so close. “Come on, Agent Reid. Make me cum. Make me cum all over your thigh so I can make you cum so hard you see stars.”

His words faltered then; his mouth moved to my shoulder, kissing it softly before he said, “I’d let the entire world watch anything if it meant I got to fuck you.” With that, he bit down on my skin. That small amount of pain caused my orgasm to break like a wave against me. Spencer kept moving my hips back and forth to help me ride it out.

The world came back into focus slowly, my breathing still harsh against Spencer’s shoulder. Gripping his shoulders, I pulled back to kiss him softly. He tried to turn the kiss into something deeper, his need making him desperate. I pulled back, looking in his eyes. “When you go into the room we really begin,” I whispered. “Green, yellow, and red. I need you to know I’m so proud of you, darling boy, even if we just end here. You’ve done so well.”

He whimpered again, confirming once again that he had a praise kink. “I want more, Miss. Please?”

I moved off of his body to sit back on the couch, picking up the book he had set down. “Go into the bedroom, take off all of your clothes. Lay in the center of the bed, hands by your sides. Do not touch yourself. If you do, I will punish you.”

When I finally made my way into the room a minute later, I found Spencer right where I instructed him to be. His cock was still hard; he was breathing rapidly. I stood at the edge of the bed, slowly slipping my panties off before I knelt down to open the chest again.

I had given this first scene a lot of thought. One day, I wanted to restrain him with my handcuffs when I fucked him. I could just imagine how he'd blush whenever he saw them after that. But, for this I had decided to use arm restraints that attached to the bars on my headboard, wrapping around his wrist with a Velcro cuff; he could open them if he needed to. I moved up on his left side, fastening one restraint to the bed, then walking to the right side, doing the same. His eyes were on my face, so expectant and so trusting.

I crawled on to the bed then, sitting myself on his firm stomach, my wet heat touching his skin. I leaned over to grip one cuff before I said, "Give me your hand, Dr. Reid." He complied without complaint or hesitation, then he did it again with his left wrist. I scooted my body down his until I felt his pubic bone brush against my still sensitive pussy. His breath hitched. "What's wrong, Dr. Reid?" I asked as I moved further down, my ass now resting over his cock.

“I-I can feel you. You-you’re so close.” His hands started to pull against the restraints, itching to reach out and touch me, push me back even further so his cock would finally touch the paradise that was my wet cunt.

I tsked at him, pouting my lips. “I know, darling boy. It must be so hard.” I moved my hands to his chest, bracing myself on one hand while the other reached up to wrap around his throat. “It’s so hard to so fucking needy, isn’t it, baby?” I moved back another inch.

He was whining under me now, shifting his hips relentlessly. Leaning forward, I placed my lips centimeters away from his own, my grip on his throat tightening just a bit. “It wouldn’t take much, Dr. Reid.” I brushed my mouth against his, laughing when I heard the restraints jerking against the headboard bars. “You know I won’t let you fuck me…but all it would take is just a shift of my hips.” I rocked back a bit, bringing my pussy right there, before drawing back up. “What would you give me for that, Dr. Reid? What would you do to feel my hot, wet, tight, little pussy rub against your pretty boy cock?”

“Anything,” his voice was so much higher than normal when he spoke. “I’ll do anything, Miss. Please. Please.”

You’re so good at this, baby. “You sound very pretty when you beg, Dr. Reid.” I placed one more chaste kiss on his top lip before I went back to a sitting position. Bracing my hands on his hips, I lifted my pelvis over his groin to settle on the tops of his thighs. His strangled groan was music to my ears. “You have been such a good boy…” I pretended to ponder this. “Tell you what, if you promise to ride my cock, to swirl your hips while you fuck yourself on top of me, I’ll let you feel me.”

He was nodding desperately, still pulling against the arm restraints. “Yes. Please. Please, Miss. I’ll do whatever you want.”

I moved his cock to lay flat against his pubic bone, the head pointing upwards towards his face. “I want you to watch, Dr. Reid.” I could feel myself dripping when I moved forward. Slowly, slowly, slowly, I placed the lips of my cunt around the width of his cock.

“Fuck." Spencer's eyes were glued to where my pussy was finally touching his cock. "You're so…fuck, you feel so good, Miss.”

This was the first time I had felt a man against me like this in longer than I wanted to admit. I should be scared, but I just couldn't be. It felt so right to be against him right now. I started moving my hips forwards and backward, much like I did when I rode his thigh. I looked down, watching his cock disappear as I slide my pussy over him. This wasn’t even sex in the way most people considered it, but being here, sharing this moment with Spencer was one of the most erotic and intimate moments of my life.

With one finally slide of my hips, I lifted off of him, getting off the bed completely.

“No, no, no, Miss, please come back.”

I looked back at him over my shoulder. His cock was wet with my arousal, his neck was flushed a bright red, his messy curls were sticking to his forehead, and his wrists were still pulling against the restraints. He is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

“My, my, Dr. Reid.” I moved back to the chest, reaching down to pull out my harness. “You might be the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen. Look at you,” I shot him a look of fake disapproval while I stepped into the harness, bringing it up to secure it around my hips. I had selected this strap-on for the specific reason that I could change the size of the dildo attached to it. So, for today I could use something smaller on my boy…until he was ready for something rougher, or bigger. Originally, I had planned on selecting the smallest dildo, but after seeing how easily he took the plug, I decided to move to the next size up.

Spencer watched with wide eyes while I pulled out my “cock”. I smirked at him. “Do you like it, Dr. Reid?” I slid the dildo into place, clip it into place. I moved closer to him, crawling up the bed, sitting on his right side. I brushed my fingers over his chest, feeling his racing heartbeat. Moving so quickly he didn’t have a chance to brace, I struck quickly, whipping my left hand up to backhand across the cheek. Rising up on my knees, I moved closer to him, gripping a handful of his hair with one hand, my other bracing myself on the headboard. “I am getting really fucking tired of not having my questions answered, Dr. Reid.”

He was positively squirming now, his pupils were huge, his mouth hanging open. “I’m sorry Miss, I’m so sorry. I can’t- I can’t think when you’re around me.” I had to fight very hard to stop my lips from spreading into a smile, but I think he saw my lips twitch anyway.

“Brat,” I muttered, yanking on his hair again, causing him to let out another whimper. “I think you need to apologize, Dr. Reid. You want to be my good boy, don’t you?” I tilted my head to the side, regarding him curiously. “Because, if you’re my good boy, I’ll let you cum. But…if you’re not,” I leaned down to whisper to him. “Well, bad boys get their pretty little asses fucked, but they don’t get to cum.”

“I’m sorry Miss,” he whined out. “I’m so sorry. Please let me apologize.”

“Open your mouth.” He did so without question, his arms pulling on the restraints harder when I spit into his mouth. “Swallow it.” Such a good boy. “Now, I want you to suck my cock, Dr. Reid. Can you do that? Suck my cock and get it nice and wet before I fuck you with it.”

His eyes were on my face; I could see just the smallest flicker of nervousness in those pretty golden-brown eyes. I’d never hurt you, baby. You know that. Almost as if he heard my thoughts, he opened his mouth for me. Releasing his hair, I brought my hand to the dildo, guiding it into his mouth. “That’s it, you’re doing so good, Dr. Reid.” I gave a few very shallow thrusts of my hips, watching his eyes flutter while his cheeks hollowed out. “I knew the first time you sucked my fingers that day on your couch that you’d be so good at sucking cock.” I moved my hand from the dildo to place it lightly against his throat. “You’re nothing but a cock slut though, right, Dr. Reid?” He moaned around me; I squeezed his throat in response.

Pulling out of his mouth, I smiled down at him while I moved further away. I placed a soft kiss on his cheek before I moved down the bed. “You know why I left your legs free, don’t you Dr. Reid?”

“I’m not sure Miss.” His response was breathy and immediate. You’re learning, my nervous boy.

“Oh, the great Dr. Reid isn’t sure? That must be first. I guess it’s probably hard for your big brain to work when all the blood is going to your cock.” I grabbed the lube from the side of the bed to place it beside his thigh. I pushed his legs up roughly, so his knees were bent again. “I left your legs free, Dr. Reid, so it’s easier to make you take my cock.”

I brought my right hand up to his cock, my grip not firm enough to be satisfying, but I wanted him to focus on that sensation, especially now. In reality, it probably didn’t matter, my boy looked too far gone to be embarrassed anymore. With my left, I grabbed the base of the butt plug, slowly pulling it out.

His breath caught in his throat, his top teeth digging into his bottom lip so hard it whitened. “What’s wrong, baby?” My tone was condescending as I worked the plug out a bit, before I pushed it back in a bit, fucking it out of him gently, much like how I fucked it into him. “What do you need, Dr. Reid?”

He knew what I wanted, I had told him multiple times, but will my boy be brave enough to give it to me. I pulled the plug out completely, tossing it to the side before I grabbed the lube. I squirted some into my right hand before I started to slick up the dildo, my eyes never leaving his.

“I-I want you to fuck me, Miss.”

“Hmm,” I acknowledged, my hands still moving up and down my ‘cock.’ “I’m not sure what you mean, darling boy. You’ll have to be a bit more specific.”

Spencer’s head thrashed, his thighs clenched, his stomach muscles tensed. “I need you to fuck my ass, Miss…Please. Please fuck my ass, Miss.”

My hand stilled. Goddamnit. Hearing those words out of him made my pussy clench, my own wetness starting to drip down my thighs. "All you have to do is ask, Dr. Reid.”

I moved into position between his thighs, bringing both of my hands up to grip his slim hips. Scooting forward, I lifted him up a bit until my knees were barely under him, just enough to tilt his pelvis up so I could see him. I ran one of my hands up his inner thigh. “You’re even pretty here, Dr. Reid.” I lifted my hips slightly, pressing the dildo against his asshole. “Hold still, baby. I know you’re so needy and that makes it so hard, but you can hold still for me, can’t you?”

He nodded rapidly, his hands fisted into balls, his wrists tugging against the restraints, his teeth still sunk into his lower lip. Usually, I would demand his words, but I understood how overwhelming this was for him. Free pass, my nervous boy. I slowly started to push inside of him. My gaze kept flicking between my ‘cock’ entering him and his face, watching for any reaction, any sign of hesitancy.

“Please,” he whimpered.

I started making slow strokes, fucking the dildo into him in shallow, small thrusts. When I had about 4 inches inside of him, I put some more lube on my hand. I stroked some of it on the remaining 3 inches of the dildo, making sure I could bottom out inside him. The remaining lube I left on my hand…the same hand I brought up to grab his cock with.

“FUCK.” Spencer’s shoulders were raising off of the bed, his eyes locked on my movements.

“Does it feel good, Dr. Reid?”

"Green, green, green, fucking green," he muttered. Under normal circumstances, I would have laughed, but right now I just pitched my hips forward, burying the dildo inside of him. He let out a strangled moan that sounded like my name when my thighs hit his body.

"Look at that," I said softly. "Look at what a good little slut you are, Dr. Reid?" I started to thrust slowly, looking at his reactions to see which strokes seemed to have the biggest effect on him. Being a profiler comes in handy at the strangest times. “You’re such a pretty cock slut, baby.” The tempo of my thrusts sped up while I looked down to watch the dildo move in and out of his tight entrance.

“Miss, fuck,” he whimpered. “Miss, please fuck me harder.”

I moved my hips faster, watching as his mouth opened in a silent scream. I gripped his cock firmer in my hand. Building up a rhythm between jerking him off and fucking him. “Is this what you want, Dr. Reid? You want to be used like this? Like a filthy slut?”

“Yes, yes, Miss, please.” His eyes were fixed on my hand on his cock, on my hips moving quickly. “Miss, Miss, you’re so- Miss, I’m going to cum.”

“Oh, you are, are you?” I teased, slowing my hand slightly. My thighs still slapping against him as I fucked him.

“Please Miss,” he begged. “Please let me cum. Please, I’ll do anything. Please, please, I’m so fucking close.”

I gripped his cock harder, my pace never slowing. “Come on, Dr. Reid. Cum for me like the dirty thing you are.”

At my words, he let out the loudest moan I’d heard him make yet. His back was arching off the bed, as rope after rope of cum erupted from his cock. I slowed my pace, only giving a few shallow thrusts to work him through his orgasm.

Right as his orgasm started to end, I slowly withdrew the portion of the dildo that was still inside him.

I leaned over him to quickly undo the cuffs, freeing him. Moving off the bed, I unstrapped myself, letting the harness fall to the floor before I dashed into the bathroom connected to my room. Wetting the washcloth, I had already laid out, I grabbed my other supplies and hurried back into the room. Spencer was where I left him, his eyes fixed on the ceiling, unseeing.

I moved to sit between his legs. First, I wiped the cum and lube off his cock, murmuring my praises the entire time before I cleaned up the remaining lube from between his cheeks. Tossing the rag into the floor, I moved to kneel beside him on the bed. "Spencer," I whispered. "Spencer, you did so well. You were so wonderful."

His gaze fixed on mine, his eyes starting to fill with tears, his face a mask of confusion. “Y/n,” he said, his voice raspy. “Why-why-“

I pushed his hair off his forehead, bringing his arms in towards his body to check his wrists. “It’s okay, Spencer. It is fine. Your adrenaline and endorphins are hitting your body right now. This is what I was talking about that might happen. It’s called sub drop.” I cupped his jaw, my thumb brushing over his lips. “I’m right here, Spencer. I’m right here. And I’m so proud of you.”

I wanted to wait until he asked me to touch him, to be sure that was what he needed, but I just acted on instinct. I laid down beside of him and wrapped my arms around him. He turned his body to face mine, his knees curled up to hit my thighs. I stroked my hands over his back, murmuring softly to him the whole time.

After a few minutes had passed, and his breathing had evened out, I spoke again. “Spence? Do you think you can take a shower? The heat will make you feel better.”

He sniffled, his eyes never rising to meet mine. “I…I don’t know if I can leave you.”

In that moment, the tiny part of my heart that didn’t already belong to Spencer Reid, this marvelous, wonderful man, was cemented into his grasp. “Spencer, I need you to look at me, can you do that?”

His soft eyes finally rose to meet mine. They were wide and anxious and swimming with a much bigger and more frightening emotion. “Spencer, I’m not going to leave you. I’m going to take a shower with you. Then after we get cleaned up, we’re going to order some food and watch whatever you want to while we sit on my couch.” My words were hurried and dripping with honesty.

My darling boy’s face lite up with hope so bright it threatened to consume me. “You’ll stay with me?”

“You don’t even have to ask, Spence.” I pressed a kiss to his forehead.

The remainder of our Saturday went like I had planned. In our shower, I held his body under the warm water, I washed his hair, and I listened while he told me whatever fact came to his mind in that moment. After we were done, I got his messenger bag and brought him his clothes.

Together, we cuddled on my couch. Him in his old Caltech t-shirt and sweatpants and me in loose t-shirt and leggings. We found some sci-fi show that he said was good that I had never seen to watch while we ate our takeout. I listened to everything he told me about the show, holding his body close to mine.

I felt the tension rise up inside of him the later it got. Which is why I turned to him with an over-exaggerated yawn and asked him the question he was too afraid to ask me.

“Hey, Doc?” I said softly. “It’s getting pretty late…and after…after everything we did today, I don’t really want to be alone. Would you mind staying with me?”

The relief I felt radiate off of him in that moment was so powerful I don’t know if I’ll ever forget the feeling. “Of course, y/n. I’d really like that.”

After I stripped and remade my bed and cleaned up any stray items that I may have missed earlier, I lead Spencer into my bedroom. I fell asleep that night with my arms wrapped around him, his back to my chest. I held my hand against his chest, feeling his heartbeat slow as he fell asleep in my arms. It took a long time for sleep to finally find me, but I didn’t mind. I was content to just feel the heart beating inside the chest of the best person I had ever known.

Series tag list: @abschaffer2 @liaabsurd @brokenanxiety @thisiscalmandits-dr @less-intelligent-spencerreid @reidsmyhusband-emilysmymistress @cielo1984 @sarcasticsagittarius1998 @101donuts @heyitssarahk @creepingfromthecorners @imjusthereformggcontent @fanfictionislifetho @annestine @boiled-onionrings @gublerspublers @dolanfivsosxox @lamusaeuterpe @publiusvirgilius @suzystuff

Permanent Taglist: @rachelxwayne @pinkdiamond1016 @sickeninglyshoujo @justagirllookingforherplace @nanocoool

#Criminal Minds #criminal minds fanfiction #criminal minds fan fic #criminal minds smut #Spencer Reid #Spencer Reid Fanfic #Spencer Reid Fan fiction #Spencer Reid smut #Dr Reid #Dr Spencer Reid #Reid smut #Dr Spencer Reid Smut #Spencer Reid x you #Spencer Reid x reader #Spencer Reid x y/n #dr Spencer Reid x reader #dr Spencer reid x you #dr reid smut #ayhtdia

570 notes · View notes

bubbyleh · 4 years

Text

Do I Know You? - Chapter 8

read this chapter on ao3! check out the rest of this series on tumblr!

Chapter 8: You’ll Be Fine A little comfort

(minor warning. bubby has a flashback to the tube)

- ○ -

Now, Kleiner knows a lot about abnormal things. They are, afterall, his job. Anomalous Materials is an… interesting place to land, but it at least gives him some perspective on how weird the world can be. The far end of what’s possible.

And Bubby showing up at his door at 1 AM, with a blanket wrapped around their shoulders? It’s definitely teetering on that end.

“Bubby?” Kleiner asks. The trams stopped running about three hours ago, how did they even get here?

“Hey, I-” Bubby swallows, nervously fidgeting with the edge of the blanket. “Harold’s not home, so. Uh.”

Right, Coomer got selected to go to a conference this week. It’s gonna be a few days before he gets back, at least. And Bubby is… scared.

“Oh, well,” Kleiner glances at his TV. “I have some movies, if you want to watch something?”

Bubby’s shoulders visibly relax, and they smile. “Sure. That’s good.”

- ○ -

And so, an hour and a half later, Kleiner finds himself sitting on his couch with Bubby passed out on his shoulder, softly snoring. Their blanket is draped over them, gently rising and falling with each breath. The TV has long since been muted, but the light is still flashing across them. Everything is calm and still, except for one thing.

Kleiner is worried.

The only way Bubby could have gotten here, so late, was if he walked. Which, while not impossible, is still quite a feat to do. Especially since he was asleep not long after, it was clear that something was keeping them awake.

He lost his little sibling for years. He can only imagine the life they lived in that time.

Bubby shifts his head slightly, groaning as his eyes wrench themselves tightly shut. Kleiner frowns.

A terrible thing happened to them both. He can only try to make it better.

Almost instinctively, Kleiner reaches over and brushes his pointer finger against Bubby’s right cheek. Bubby sighs, and just like that, the nightmare is banished. They adjust their head one last time, before settling into their peaceful sleep.

Looks like his old tricks still work.

- ○ -

Bubby winces as they wake up in the morning, both from the embarrassment of having run to their brother the second they got scared at night and the fact that they slept on a shitty couch and their body hurts. Kleiner passes by as they sit up, the springs creaking under them, and offers a few friendly head pats.

“Good morning,” he grins as he sits on the other end of the couch. “You slept for a while.”

“Oh.” Bubby slumps a little. “What time is it?”

“A little past noon,” Kleiner states.

Bubby groans. “At least it’s Saturday.”

“Are you hungry?” he asks. “I didn’t want to make too much noise in the kitchen, in case you needed sleep. But I have some food here if you’re interested?”

Unfortunately, Black Mesa’s singles dorms leave much to be desired when it comes to food preparation. Kleiner’s dorm has a meager stove that takes forever to heat up, but eventually they’re able to scrape together enough cooked eggs for Bubby’s breakfast and Isaac’s lunch.

It’s a nice and quiet meal. Bubby’s almost relieved not to have to shepherd Coomer out of the kitchen whenever he tries to eat the whole container of raw eggs. Almost.

Fuck, fuck! It’s alright! It isn’t even going to be that big of a deal when it’s over and done with. Harold’s going to be back by the end of the day on Monday, and Bubby’s going to be able to see and spend time with him again, and they won’t worry about him being gone anymore. Have they seriously not spent a night apart since they moved in with each other? G*d, that’s pathetic.

He can handle himself until Monday! Just gotta finish these eggs, get out of Kleiner’s hair, head back to the… empty… dorm…

Bubby’s stomach twists and turns itself into knots. Maybe he got a little too used to company. Maybe…

Maybe he just never liked being alone.

“Hey, uh.” Bubby sets their fork to the side for a second. “What are you doing today?”

Kleiner startles at the abrupt conversation, but he smiles. “Well, not much, actually. I might need to do a bit of shopping.” He pauses, glancing at Bubby. “But it can wait if you want to do something.”

“Yes!” Bubby blurts out excitedly, but they quickly regain their composure. “Uh, yeah. I would like that.”

Kleiner chuckles at him.

- ○ -

Selfish.

Needy.

Clingy.

They’re not sure where it’s all coming from. There have been afternoons where Bubby doesn’t see Harold for hours, so it probably has something to do with the overnight aspect. Sure, they’d never gotten the best sleep when they lived on their own, but it’s not like they had an issue with-

There’s pure oxygen being fed into his lungs but he feels like he’s choking there’s a dull ache that is both unnatural and familiar in their back the wires in spine keeps them suspended his limbs feel like lead and they want to sleep so bad so very bad but they just can’t drift off please let them sleep tonight please please

Yikes.

Bubby has to shake that memory from their mind.

Okay, so maybe they had problems with sleeping in the past. But that practically stopped the first time they shared a bed with Coomer.

Squished onto his twin mattress in his shitty old dorm, Bubby was awake for hours after Coomer fell asleep. He snored a bit, but honestly, Bubby didn’t mind. The novelty of having another person by their side was good.

Too good.

That’s why they were awake. They were waiting for something. The other shoe had to drop, because it just didn’t make any sense. After all these years, he was just allowed to do whatever he wanted now? No, the folks at Biological Research would break down his door and reprimand him for “fraternization”. For getting too close. For not knowing their place.

In his sleep, Coomer shifted ever so slightly. His arm, which had been laying outstretched previously, curled in, resting his hand on Bubby’s back. Holding him.

Bubby tensed, their breath hitching. And then, as though they had nothing to worry about at all, they rested their hand on Coomer’s chest, curled into his side, and closed their eyes.

They let their guard down, but they hadn’t exactly abandoned the fear that put it up in the first place.

Bubby realizes this as they pace their bedroom. They’d spent the whole day with Kleiner, even managing to rope him into staying the night on the couch. Which is a little mean to poor Isaac’s bones, considering he’s the older of the two of them.

The thing is, he’s going to start asking questions, and Bubby’s not sure how he’ll answer them.

Harold had mentioned to him one night, about a month ago, that he should tell Isaac about the experiments. The pyrotechnics, the intellect, the trials. Come clean about what happened and how it affected them.

And Bubby had responded with, “Ha! No.”

Which looped back to selfishness. It’s not that he couldn’t talk to Kleiner about it. Hell, he still had the file stashed away somewhere. The only thing he’d have to do was hand it over.

It’s that he didn’t want to.

Bubby shivered, and a glance at the thermostat told him that the heat was on. Damn these underground dorms, even the best ones ran cold.

Oh! He should grab an extra blanket for Isaac! That would be a good start to showing they could be a kind, courteous person who didn’t usually take over someone else’s entire weekend. They even pick out one of the better blankets for him, just to be nice.

Bubby takes a deep breath before pushing open the door.

He’s immediately greeted by the sight of Kleiner startling, frantically hiding something behind his back. He sits up straight.

“Bubby!” Isaac shouts. “It’s, er. Late, isn’t it? What are you doing awake?”

Bubby blinks, eyes flicking towards where Kleiner’s hands disappear behind his back.

“I was getting you another blanket.” Bubby states. “Are you… doing something?”

“No! I-” he swallows. “Are you feeling better? I know today was difficult for you.”

Bubby’s jaw tightens.

Alright.

“Actually, yeah,” Bubby admits, slowly moving to sit down next to their brother. “I’ve been thinking about things.”

“What kind of things?”

“Well,” Bubby says. “I wanted to thank you. Because you put everything you had aside to help me today, and I… I needed someone to do that.”

Kleiner offers a genuine smile, patting their shoulder.

“So, thanks, Isaac.” Bubby holds his arms out, offering a hug.

And like a sucker, Isaac takes it.

For a few seconds, Bubby allows themself the joy and happiness of hugging their older brother. Then, they spot the papers he hid behind his back, and he snatches them.

“Bubby wait!” Kleiner shouts, but he’s not able to wrestle the file away before Bubby sees the title.

B-K55.

Bubby’s eyes narrow at his brother. “Where did you get that?”

“I- I found it.”

“You found it.”

Kleiner nods.

Bubby deadpans. “You found a very personal, very private document that I hid in the cupboard by jamming it behind the drawers? You accidentally came upon that?”

At the very least, Kleiner has the dignity to know when he’s caught red handed. He doesn’t respond.

“Alright.” Bubby pinches the bridge of his nose. “Why?”

#half life vr but the ai is self aware #hlvrai #hlvrai boomer #boomer #dr bubby #bubby #my writing #do i know you

35 notes · View notes

idkthisisjustforfanfic · 5 years

Photo

U N P L A N N E D, part four

Knowing what Harry wanted was a relief. It made you sleep better, even that first night after you drove home and reported back to Lexi over dinner.

Sure--the stakes were now higher in a sense, right? You were going through with it. Something about that felt completely surreal and still somehow impossible, but deep inside of you, buried beneath the fear and the doubt, was a tiny speck of hope. And it was decidedly apple-seed shaped.

When you were five or six, you insisted on pushing your dolls around in a carriage, so much so that you refused one day to go to kindergarten without them. Your mother had you all buckled in the car, your doll beside you and the toy-sized stroller folded in the trunk.

It had always been something you wanted, something you saw in your future--but you’d always thought that it would be in a different order. In fleeting moments, when you made your peace with that, the hope managed to fight it’s way through all of the other feelings, letting you know that it was there and real and maybe things would work out okay.

The reality was this: you were pregnant. You’d decided that you were going to have the baby. Harry seemed involved enough at this stage, and frankly, you were fine enough for now to just push any other thought out of your head.

Where would you live? Where would he live? How often would he see the baby? Would you even have full custody or were you making a terrible assumption? Would he be on tour when you went into labor?

There were a thousand questions that tried to keep you up at night, but apparently growing a human took enough out of you that you fell asleep easily these days. And Harry had warned you it was coming--a quick text to give you a heads up.

310-324-9090 (8:24am): Spoke with Jeff some more last night after I got home. He thinks it’s best if we have a meeting with some of my team. Can you call me later and I’ll give you some details?

You did as he asked--stepped out on your lunch break and spoke to him in the courtyard, careful to keep your voice quiet.

It wasn’t that people at work were nosy--it was more that a random Facebook employee getting knocked up by a famous musician was sure to be a good headline that someone would be killing to write if they got wind. So for now, you tried your best to speak in code.

“They want to have a meeting. Just to talk about some logistics and privacy things and whatnot.” He made it sound so casual.

“The logistics of the current situation?”

He sounded a bit confused. “Of you being pregnant with my baby--yes.”

“This feels like something I would need a lawyer for.”

“You don’t need a lawyer.”

“Aren’t you the opposing side? Isn’t this going to become some weird negotiation around what I can and can’t do with your--you know.”

“I don’t know…”

“Your baby,” you whispered the word quietly, a hand over your mouth to be safe. “Who is mine, too, by the way.”

“Y/N--this is just a meeting, okay? There’s a few things for you to sign--basically just saying that you’re not going to sue me or try to blackmail me.”

Glenne had mentioned that. She threw back another margarita that night in your kitchen and said you’d have to sign an NDA. It’s just something a bunch of people sign, confidentiality, basically. You’ll be fine.

It made sense. Jeff wanted to be sure you wouldn’t sell your story or try to cash in on the undoubtedly pricey offspring you were producing--that’s what Lexi had joked about. Can you imagine how much someone would pay for his baby?

You reminded her that it was yours, too. She threw her head back and laughed, yeah, but his DNA would make it more expensive--like a purebred.

And this was the easy phase, after all--that’s what your mom had told you on the phone when you told her you’d be keeping it. Things were still normal. You weren’t showing, you had no symptoms. Other than the apple-seed growth in your uterus, everything was still completely normal. For now.

You agreed to meet Harry on Saturday afternoon--some office building in Westwood that felt eerily empty on the weekend. Hallways that all looked the same, meeting rooms and conference tables stared back at you.

He’d met you in the lobby, offered a quick hug when you walked in from the fresh air. He took you up in an elevator, fourth floor, second room down on the left.

Jeff was inside with a few others, a small smile when you walked in behind Harry, clad in a graphic tee.

“Hey,�� he said, standing and rounding the table to give you a hug. “How are you feeling?”

You could hear the guilt that laced his voice. “Good--I’m fine.”

“I’m, uh--I’m sorry about the other night. I was just--you know, kind of freaked.”

Harry let out a quick laugh, sarcasm threaded through his words. “We were doing totally fine--not freaked out at all.”

Jeff rolled his eyes, sat back down and introduced you to the other faces in the room. Lola, Harry’s publicist, John, a PR guy from his label, Dave, a lawyer. His assistant, Emma, a small smile on her face when you made eye contact.

You turned to Harry quickly--he sat on the other side of the table beside Jeff, fumbled with the top of his water bottle. He said you didn’t need a lawyer--but for some reason, he had one.

That’s when the anxiety kicked in--the swirling questions of what they all thought. They offered smiles when Jeff began talking and you did your best to wipe the sweat from your hands every few seconds on your pants.

“So--obviously, this is big news for everyone here--uh, we wanted to have this meeting, really, to just get a few things agreed upon.”

You nodded, watched Harry for a second until he looked at you.

Dave spoke now--black rimmed glasses sat atop his nose. You wondered what his life was like. A lawyer for top musicians? He probably drove a Tesla, too.“We have to have you sign something, Y/N--just saying that you won’t discuss any of this with the press. It includes no social media posting, no interviews, limited disclosure to friends and family.”

Another nod--that was a given, and it seemed to be for your own protection, too. Lexi had brought it up first. What happens when people find out he’s the father?

“We don’t expect you to hide the pregnancy altogether--to be clear. But for now, the parentage needs to be confidential.”

“Okay,” you said. “But not like, with everyone, right?” Maybe it was a dumb question. “I already told my mom.”

“No--your mom is fine.” Harry answered the question for them, which is when you realized that you were the only one on your side of the table. They sat in a line, the five of them elbow to elbow, their team and against yours.

The only problem was that right now, no one was on your team.

“How much did you tell her?” Dave’s head tilted like you’d said the wrong thing.

“Just a little--she knows it’s his,” your eyes went back up to Harry’s now. He held your gaze for a minute, looked over to Dave and cleared his throat.

“That’s fine,” Harry said.

The look on Dave’s face told you otherwise. “We need to keep the number of people who know to a minimum.”

“Well I certainly don’t expect her to not tell her mother,” Harry retorted, anger more present in his voice than before. You shrunk in your chair, feeling incredibly isolated as they sat across from you.

“Who does know?” Jeff leaned in, hoping to ease the tension between Harry and Dave--a welcome distraction when he looked towards you.

“Aside from people in this room, my mom, Lexi, Glenne--and my doctor, but, I think she’ll be fine.”

Dave started writing on the notepad in front of him. “I can draw up non-disclosures for them, too.”

Emma sipped at her water--you peered past her out the window. It was sunny--a good day for anything but this.

“So--we can move to the financial aspect,” Dave put his pen down and thumbed through some papers. “I know this is always the worst part, but--has to be done.”

You looked around the room, still feeling a step behind the others, confused. You watched as Harry twisted his hands together, stared down at them on the table. It felt like no one even wanted to make eye contact with you, like you were somehow wearing a scarlet letter.

“This agreement details the child support he’ll pay. Monthly until the child turns eighteen. Visiting rights, partial custody if he so chooses. If you sign, it means you agree to the terms and conditions and will hereby agree to share custody, barring any legal changes, of course. Anything you don’t agree to will be settled in arbitration, along with any changes to the agreements set forth here.”

He pushed a packet across the table, the paper was crisp and thick, stapled in the top left corner.

You looked up at him. “Do I get time to read it over?”

“Of course,” Jeff spoke quickly. “We’ll need it either way by Monday.

You tried not to roll your eyes. A whole two days. You swallowed, nodded, ignored the pen that Dave flipped over in his hand, apparently hoping you’d agree to sign now.

“We also have this,” he said, lifting another packet of papers from the stack in front of him. “We’d like a paternity test. This can be completed after seven weeks gestation. The previous agreements and contracts will become null and void if the paternity test proves Mr. Styles is not the father. That’s all detailed in here, though.”

There was a heat on your cheeks, one that felt like it threatened to bring tears. You stared down at the paper already in front of you, words like custodial and proprietary suddenly left your mouth feeling dry.

You didn’t have a chance to respond, Dave slid more papers towards you, this time the pen came with them. “We need you to sign the agreement to DNA testing for paternity confirmation and the basic non-disclosure today.”

You looked up at Harry--he watched as Dave fumbled through more papers, seeing if there was another dotted line for you to put your name on. Jeff stared at the glass of water in front of him, avoiding your gaze like you weren’t his friend, someone who came to his birthday parties or texted memes to his girlfriend.

“I need a minute,” you said, voice hoarse and unsteady. You pushed back from the table, turned and headed for the door without a response from anyone in the room.

“You can have time with the other documents, it’s just the paternity testing we need signed,” Dave’s voice faded when you got to the hallway, you counted the stripes on the carpet as you put more distance between you and your side of the conference table. The hallways were a maze, more rooms and tables and rolling office chairs that didn’t help calm your nerves.

There were footsteps behind yours--Harry’s, no doubt--but you kept moving, the end of the hallway was in sight, a door to a balcony, fresh air, a moment to breathe.

He was right behind you when you pushed it open, the cool metal of the door was prickly on your skin, hot and flushed. You squinted in the sun, he was quiet for a moment, the door shut.

“M’sorry,” he said after a second. You looked down at the cars that were parked on the streets below, people on sidewalks, a breeze from the ocean. “We have to do that--they’d never just believe it was mine without the actual proof.”

You turned around to face him. “Feels kind of shitty, though. They’ll think I’m lying until I can prove that I’m not.”

He rolled his eyes a bit. “Well people lie, Y/N! You might not be crazy but people out there are--so we have to just, I don’t know, they have to take precautions.”

“This isn’t just happening to you, Harry! I know that’s all that they care about--all that Jeff cares about right now--but this is happening to me, too! This is changing my life, too. You’re not the only one with a career and a family and a life.”

“I know!” He said, looking up to the sky as if it were the hundredth time you said it. “I know it is--I’m doing the best I can, okay? I need to know for sure that it’s mine, too, okay? I trust you, I do--but I have to know for sure.”

“Right--cause somehow this is my fault and it all falls on me at the end of the day, right?”

“I never said that,” he said, more hushed now.

“Well, this is on you, too. You’re the father and if I have to take a fucking paternity test I will but--you’re the only person I’ve slept with in the last, like, year.”

His eyes went a bit wide at that--you let out an annoyed laugh and turned back to the view, wishing you were home, beneath the tree in your mom’s backyard in Santa Paula. A good book and a sense of calm, something that felt all too fleeting these days.

“Really?”

“Really.”

You tried to ignore the smirk on his face, crossed your arms over your chest when you turned back to see him again. “So--there’s literally no chance it’s anyone else’s.”

He nodded, the corner of his mouth still lifted toward the sky.

“What? What are you smiling for?”

“Dunno,” he laughed a little. “Just--I kind of thought you left that night because you were seeing someone or something like that.”

“What? No--I haven’t--I had a boyfriend a while ago but we broke up.”

“I know.”

“You know?”

He shrugged, dropped your gaze for a moment. “Well, when I met you in the fall at that dinner--I don’t know, I asked Glenne about you and she said you were kind of,” he glanced back up at you, “unavailable. Or, you were dealing with something. So I figured when you left and never called it just--had to do with him.”

You thought back to that first night in October, long before the sex and the sneaking out. Sushi and drinks and butterflies when he walked in to the restaurant. You always knew that they knew him--heard his name and heard his songs on the radio. You’d seen him from afar once, a party at Jeff’s old house, you were on your way out when he strolled in, sometime in 2017, hugging other people and shaking hands with beautiful women. You never even thought he noticed you until you found yourself drunk on his couch two years later.

You knew why Glenne said it. You’d ended a relationship in the spring of 2018 and it took you all summer to even want to go out again. Lexi would beg and plead and apparently, a celebration in Glenne’s honor was what it took in the fall for you to finally put on a pair of heels and have a few drinks.

“I wasn’t unavailable--I just--I don’t know, her and Lexi can be protective.”

He nodded, quiet for a minute when he looked out over the hills in the distance.

Your break up was tough, not so much about losing him, but losing the vision you had. There were plenty of red flags--so big that even Lexi could pick up on them. But you brushed it off, pretended like it didn’t matter that he was unreliable and immature. When you finally had enough, you were more upset about the fact that it threw you off course.

What am I supposed to do, now? You’d asked Lexi in the living room, crying on the couch with a glass of wine in hand. How am I supposed to get married at 27 and have a baby at 29 if he’s not the one?

He wasn’t--he was far from it. Lexi poured more wine and said she’d order you a vibrator on Amazon. He’s a fucking dickface, dude, you’ll meet someone else. And fuck that timeline. It’s bullshit.

Maybe it was a gust of wind or the thoughts of how terribly off track this put you, more tears in your eyes when you sighed.

“I’m sorry you have to sign all this shit.”

You bit at your lip, a tiny thud in your chest when his eyes met yours.

“S’not how it should typically be and that’s because of me--or my job, at least.”

You nodded. He was right. If this was anyone else it’d be a lot easier. A lot less paperwork, a lot less questions.

“Do you want to go get dinner?”

“Right now?”

“Well,” he looked over his shoulder--Jeff was down the hall, his figure blurred through the glass. “You probably have to sign at least the NDA if you want them to let you out of the building. But--after that.”

You took a deep breath, wishing you could ignore the guilt that sat on your shoulders. He shouldn’t have spend time with you. You didn’t want him to feel tied down, trapped, you didn’t want to be the ball and chain that would inevitably be blamed for changing his life and ruining his career.

“No, no, we don’t have to, I should go home.”

“It’s Saturday,” he said. “What do you have to do?”

You didn’t expect his question--or pushback at all, really. “I have to clean. I have to organize stuff.”

“Stuff?” A smirk on his face told you he was on to you.

“You don’t have to take me to dinner. We don’t have to pretend like we’re friends.”

He watched you for a second, his eyes scanning your face as if he didn’t know what to say. He pushed his lips out in thought and then scratched at the back of his neck.

“Am I at least allowed to get to know you? If you’re having my baby--if we’re doing this--you’re kind of stuck with me.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” you tried to backtrack.

“However you meant it--I still want to take you to dinner.”

“Fine,” you said, heat on your cheeks when he smiled, eyes crinkling by the side. “But I have some things to sign first.”

“Right,” he nodded, a stifled laugh under his breath. He turned around and grabbed the door, gesturing for you to head back inside. “After you.”

Another burger, this time, hold the pickles. He teased you at the drive through window that you’d be keeping them in business alone for the next nine months, you parked this time near a beach north of Santa Monica.

“You said I didn’t need a lawyer,” you didn’t look at him, focused instead on the half-eaten burger in your hands before you took another bite. “Feels like I do.”

He looked over at you and shifted in his seat uncomfortably. “I mean--I didn’t want to freak you out. You don’t need one. You could have someone read over the papers for you. Do you have one?”

You racked through your brain. Maybe Simone would be your best bet, you could bring them into work on Monday and let her give it a read, but, then again, there was no way Dave and Jeff would let you tell another person before the paternity test results came in.

You shook your head. “Lexi watches a lot of Law & Order.”

He stifled a laugh, sipped from his soda and adjusted the dark sunglasses perched on his nose. “I don’t think she counts, love, sorry.”

You picked up your own drink and took a swig, ignoring the fluttering in your stomach when he smiled down at you.

“Hey, it’s alright. I can, uh, I can have Jeff find someone--not Dave--who can read them and you can meet with them, maybe. Go over it all and make sure it makes sense.”

You nodded, a feeling of gratitude swept through you. You offered a small smile of appreciation, another bite of your burger before Harry let out a laugh.

“See? M’not the enemy.”

You rolled your eyes. “Don’t push it.”

“Hey, I mean it,” he turned towards you now, the sleeve of french fries on his lap shifted, one fell down to the clean carpet of his car. “I know they’re requiring the test, but, I trust you. And we’re in this together.”

You crumpled up the garbage of your dinner, tossed it in the bag that sat by your feet, suddenly too nervous to sit so close to him in the confines of his car. “Let’s take a walk,” you said, unsure of how to respond to his words. It was hard to believe him, he pulled up the hood of his sweatshirt and walked beside you towards the beach, another stark reminder of the difference between your life and his.

It was obvious again, when the teenager behind the ice cream window at a beach front shop begged for a photo. You took it and prayed she didn’t even remember that you were with him. Hopefully the adrenaline in her system would wipe your face from her memory.

“This is the most beautiful ice cream cone I’ve ever gotten,” he said, sitting on the bench of a picnic table a decent ways away from the counter where you’d ordered. He twirled it around, inspecting it from all angles when you pulled the straw of your milkshake up to your lips.

“You’re acting like you’ve never seen one before,” you teased, reaching for a napkin from his other hand.

“S’just so perfect looking.” He reached for his phone, lifted his dessert up in front of the setting sun that sprawled over the ocean’s horizon. “Wow--do you see this?” He clicked the button on his phone, his thumb successfully capturing the moment.

You rolled your eyes, took a quick peek around to make sure no one was nearby. He’d already warned you that he couldn’t stay long. Typically only 30 minutes after you take a photo with someone, otherwise people start to show up.

“I’m sending this to you,” he laughed. “I understand if you want it framed or just as reminder of this beautiful evening.”

He pressed a few buttons and then your screen lit up on the bench in between you.

He peered down at it, then brought his eyes back up to yours. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth before he took the first lick of his ice cream. “Ever gonna save my number in your phone?”

You laughed, a bit embarrassed that a part of you had refused to do it. What if one day you woke up and he backed out? Said you were on your own and wrote you a check to never seek him out?

“Yeah, I just--I dunno, it felt weird at first.”

He raised his eyebrows a bit, finally took another lick from his ice cream. “Too personal?”

You laughed, “a bit.”

“Nothing quite as personal as having a baby together, if you ask me.” He took another lick and then dropped your gaze, a small smile on his face when he looked back at the sunset. “M’not going anywhere. Promise.”

When Aarav showed up at your desk on Monday morning, you knew you’d fucked up. When Simone showed up only ten minutes later, you knew you’d really fucked up.

“I’m so sorry,” you said. “I totally forgot it was tonight.”

“You forgot our bi-weekly Monday night bitch session about work was on a Monday night? On the Monday night after we didn’t hang out last week?” Simone tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at you. Aarav let out a sigh.

“I’ve been busy, I’ve been so busy.”

“Well are we still on? Simone and I are free as birds, so--we’re waiting on you.”

You looked at your work calendar, pulled up on your screen. Your last meeting was 3pm--then you were supposed to head towards Westwood to meet Harry and Dave and Jeff and probably the other people who had been at the first meeting.

“Yes, I can--I just, I have to cancel something else. But it’s fine. Not a big deal. That’s on me.”

You picked up your phone and tried to open the message discreetly. Simone pulled up her own and kept talking. “I’ll make us a reservation at Diego’s, yeah?”

“Sure,” Aarav said, “that’s the place with the good guac, right?”

“Right,” she said, clicking her phone shut and bringing her eyes back to you. “But also--can we talk tonight about how Carson told me he heard Levi mention something about talking with someone at Apple?”

Your eyes went wide. “Shut up--did you actually?”

“I’ll fill you in tonight,” she smiled, taking a step back from your desk and heading for the door of your office. “Over a nice, tall, frozen margarita.”

You leaned back in your chair and groaned, playfully insinuating that waiting that long would be torture. Aarav laughed and picked up a stress ball on your desk. He tossed it in the air once Simone walked away.

“You alright lately?”

You looked up from your screen, a half written text to Harry was typed out.

Hey--any chance we can rain check the meeting tonight? I know I have to sign it but something at work

“What?” You looked up at him and clicked your phone to sleep. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“You seem distracted, or just stressed.”

“I’m fine, I promise.”

“Okay,” he said, a lilt in his voice like he didn’t quite believe you.

You mulled it over for a second. You could tell him, you could tell both of them. They were good people and they’d sat through many intolerable staff meetings when Carson tried his best to shit on your team as if he wasn’t everyone’s least favorite coworker.

You swallowed it down and looked up at him. “All good--just, busy, really. Really hoping that there’s some movement here, soon.”

He knew what you meant--he was the one you’d been most transparent with.

“I think it’s gonna happen, don’t worry.”

You nodded, let out a sigh, wishing you could tell him that the apple seed in your uterus made things slightly less black and white than just getting a promotion.

And you wished you could have explained that to them that night--especially when they grilled you for not drinking. You shoveled chips and dip into your mouth like it was going out of style--only coming up for air when Simone reminded you about her news.

“So do you want the scoop on Levi or what?”

“Do not get my hopes up,” you warned her. “I’m not in a good place for getting jerked around.”

Aarav laughed and sipped on his margarita. “Jerk her anyway.”

“I think he had an interview.”

“No he didn’t,” you whined, worried it was either false or too good to be true. You loved Levi. He was funny and talented and he taught the three of you a lot. Plus, he didn’t really care that you’d been working from home a lot more often lately.

But you’d been hoping he’d leave Facebook for the last eight months. Ever since he told you that he’d certainly recommend you to the higher ups as his replacement.

“I swear on my life. On Mark Zuckerberg, even. I heard Levi telling Dan from Tech Support about it in the cafeteria the other day.”

Instead of responding, you shoveled in another mouthful of guac, wide eyes when they looked at you for some sort of response. But what were you supposed to say? How were you to supposed to be excited for something that had long been building, moving in that direction, but was now suddenly threatened by a one night stand?

You’d worked at Facebook longer than both Aarav and Simone. Simone came on only a few months after you, but Aarav was a whole year behind. They were also marketing geniuses, Aarav came from a top school in Chicago, Simone from the Bay Area with a degree in New Media and Internet Marketing. Your small team was responsible for digital promotions, those run online or in commercials. As the team’s Visual Designer, you worked closely with the rest of them to bring their ideas to the screen, however that looked.

So when the Team Lead, Levi, had started making mentions about heading to a new job, he casually tried to gauge your interest over coffee in the first floor cafe.

But this was shitty timing. How were you supposed to take maternity leave in the first few months in a new job? Would someone fill your spot while you were gone? The questions that started to race through your mind felt overwhelming, so much so that you wished you could reach for the margarita in Aarav’s hand.

But you didn’t. And you bit your tongue when they asked you again why you weren’t drinking. You didn’t tell them, though you wanted to, that the reason you had to miss work in the afternoon the next day was because you had to sign an NDA, agreeing to keep them and others in the dark about what was sure to be the most wild adventure yet.

And when you hugged them goodbye in the parking lot, you blinked back tears, hoping that one day, they’d know the truth.

You sent the documents to your mom. She was far from a lawyer, but she was likely the safest option you had. Lexi tried to grab them when you left them on the counter, push some sunglasses on her face and read the biggest words she saw in a posh Transatlantic accent. Both individuals agree that any proceedings will be confidential, she giggled and pretended to rip it up, collapsing on the sofa beside you to watch Netflix before bed.

It didn’t make much more sense to your mother, either, she sighed over FaceTime and apologized for not being able to help. That was your cue to text Harry. Is there actually someone I could meet with to go over these papers? Aside from Dave?

He set it up--claimed that Jeff found someone easily and then two days later, a woman with short blonde hair stood on your front step, Jeff in tow.

She sat at your small dining room table--one your mom had tucked away in the basement when you were little--the perfect spot for arts and crafts. You prayed, while your blonde-haired lawyer looked over all the words on the endless pages, that she didn’t notice the paint splotches or pools of glitter that had long been stuck on the dark, stained wood.

You sat there for hours, Lexi came and left twice in the time that the three of you huddled around the papers, Jeff with a baseball cap on as he told you about why these things were important. Rita--who you learned was a connection through Harry’s record label--had already signed an NDA and promised to explain the clauses and constraints in layman's terms.

So you felt slightly less stupid and insecure walking back into the same conference room Tuesday afternoon, alone on your side of the table.

Harry was already seated when you arrived, he offered a smile and a nervous scan over your body before you sat across from him. Jeff ended whatever call he’d been on, Dave’s hand immediately extended to receive the manila folder he’d previously sent you home with.

Another sunny Los Angeles day smiled through the window, Harry’s assistant was nowhere to be seen, the label rep wasn’t there, either. Three against one, this time.

You didn’t admit it to them, but your hand shook a bit when you reached across the table, handed over the packet of papers that somehow felt like you were giving up freedom, giving up your say in things and like you didn’t even know what you’d now lose. It was all in writing now. You were carrying this baby to term and that was the one thing that would keep Harry in your life, for better or for worse.

The only thing you took solace in was the fact that you had access to Jeff and Glenne, and maybe Rita, now, too. You could ask questions or get clarification over cups of coffee or take out.

So maybe that explained the calmness in your gut when you sat on top of an exam table in Doctor Weston’s office, Harry pacing nervously in front of you.

“Can you relax?” You asked, finally letting out the breath you’d been holding for the last few minutes.

Was it okay for you to say that? You still felt like you were walking on eggshells around him, unsure of what would tick him off and how to react. The truth was that you were still strangers--he was still someone you didn’t know. Someone who had his own pet peeves and his own fears and anxieties. He’d met you in the parking lot, he was already out of his car when you pulled in beside him the next week and met him after work.

You’re kind of late, he’d said. A frown on his face when he used sunglasses to shield his eyes.

You’d been in a meeting. You left as soon as you could. Now, he still couldn’t shake the nerves after he’d listed off the things that were keeping him up at night.

“I can’t relax,” he retorted, his words charged. He turned on his feet, hands in the pockets of his jacket. “I have to figure out a lot of stuff right now. And I’m nervous, okay? This is a big day.” He motioned over to the sonogram machine, a box of purple gloves was tucked alongside it.��

“You’re not the one who has to have someone’s fingers in her--you know.”

He rolled his eyes at that, let out a breathy sigh and sat in the chair against the wall. He clasped his hands together but then looked up at you. You wondered if he thought you looked stupid in the blue and white gown the nurse had left for you on the table. You’d locked him out of the room when you changed, now he smirked up at you.

“Cute dress.”

“Shut up.”

“S’nice!”

“It’s ratty and old and--not very flattering,” you plucked at the fabric with your fingers, looking back at him when he sighed again.

“M’sorry--I just--I had a meeting with Jeff today and we decided to push the album back.”

You were quiet, the air in the room felt stiff and cold. Goosebumps on your skin when you swallowed back the thought: it was all your fault.

“I--”

He cut you off before you could string any words together. “S’fine, Y/N, really. Gives me more time to sit on it and plan some music videos and talk about marketing stuff.”

You would have asked more about it. Asked about the songs or the process or anything in between, but the door opened and Dr. Weston smiled when she stepped into the white-tiled room.

“Hello, hello, how’s mom feeling?”

The m-word got caught in your throat, color drained from your face when Harry looked between you and the doctor. “Good, right, love?” He stood and took two steps over to you, some sort of instinct in him took over, a hand on your back when he realized how frozen you were. “Headaches, she’s said, a funny taste in your mouth, right?”

You nodded.

Dr. Weston sat on the rolling stool and moved towards the sonogram machine, an apologetic smile for the panic she’d caused in you. “Are the headaches helped by something over the counter? Advil? Tylenol?”

“Yeah,” you said. “Advil. Is that alright?”

“Perfectly fine. Just take the recommended dose, no more than it says on the bottle.”

You and Harry both nodded at that--as if he would remember her advice, too.

“Alright,” she reached for some gloves and looked up at you, eyes wide. “Ready to lean back? The gel will be cold but it will give us a good look at what’s going on in there. This will be the first of many ultrasounds.”

You did as she told, pushed your bum back on the table and let your back rest flush against it. She was right--the gel was sticky and cool and the probe that came from the machine poked at your stomach. You ignored the nervousness that pooled in your chest when you exposed your skin in the room, that last time Harry had seen you like this, it was dark and his vision was likely blurred by the alcohol.

“Okay,” Dr. Weston’s voice was calm, she moved along your lower stomach for a few seconds, all eyes were glued to the screen. “So, the big dark circle there in your uterus,” she pointed at the screen and clicked something to capture it. “That’s the lining, there, where it turns to a lighter gray.”

Harry nodded, his lips slightly parted as his arms crossed over his chest.

“And that, the tiny little thing inside of it--” she adjusted the probe again and pointed to the screen, tugging at the whole machine a bit so you could see it more easily. “That’s your baby.”

Quiet for a second, the first time in a while that your pulse slowed and you felt alone again, even if it was just inside your head. The thoughts slowed, your breathing slowed, and Harry’s hip bumped against your arm when he looked down at you.

There was a small smile on his face. One that looked genuine but slightly terrified at the same time. He pointed towards the screen, “s’right there, that’s it.”

“I see it,” you nodded.

He tilted his head to the side. “It’s more--like a pea now.”

You laughed a little, immediately bringing levity to the room. “It wasn’t going to be an apple seed forever.”

Dr. Weston smiled, rolled away from the machine when you pushed yourself up on your elbows. “Do you want to do a vaginal ultrasound? We can possibly hear the heartbeat that way--obviously less comfortable.”

Harry looked over at you, all you did was nod. She asked you to slide off the hospital shorts you’d tugged on beneath the gown. Harry twisted around to offer privacy, this time, the probe was more uncomfortable and there was a tinge of pink on your cheeks when he turned back to face you, his gaze trailed down to notice Dr. Weston’s hand under the blanket that was now splayed out on your lap.

Quiet for a second, then she smiled. “That sound, the whooshing--that’s the heartbeat. That’s the baby, again,” she pointed. “Right there.”

“Huh,” you said, once again, eyes on the screen and hands clasped over your stomach. Harry looked down at you when Dr. Weston captured the image again.

“So,” Dr. Weston’s voice was quieter now, she removed the probe and discarded her gloves into the trash. “Still too soon to tell the sex. But--we’ll do another one in about four weeks. If anything changes, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. You can email me on the patient portal or just call the front desk.”

“Okay.”

“I'll print these for you.”

“Can you print two copies, please?”

She nodded, another reminder of how off track things were from the plan. You ignored the weight on your shoulders, the guilt that passed through your veins when she shut the door behind her and left you alone in the room with him.

You sat up, the paper crumbled beneath you and Harry stood awkwardly in the center of the room.

“I, uh--I still haven’t told my family.”

You bit at your lip, unsure. Was it because he was ashamed? Embarrassed? Angry? You didn’t ask.

“I want to, I just--I haven’t seen them in a bit. So. I’m supposed to go home for a while next week.”

You nodded. “You should go.”

“It’s supposed to be for, like, six weeks.”

“That’s fine.”

“No--I’m not--I can’t miss whatever happens.”

“Nothing’s going to happen.”

He pulled his head back, confused by your words. “I don’t think that’s how pregnancy works.”

You stood from the table and hopped down, suddenly much shorter than you felt before, barefoot on the tile. “Just go.”

He let out a sigh. “I might for a week, but, that’s all.”

“You don’t have to do this,” you snapped suddenly. “You don’t have to come to every appointment and act like we’re actually--I don’t know, together, or something. We can still live separate lives.”

“I’m not acting like that,” he said, eyebrows pointed inwards now. “I’m just doing what’s right. I’m in this, too, Y/N.”

You turned around, shimmied the shorts down from your hips and held the gown in place. You grabbed for your underwear on the chair beside his, neatly folded in a pile as if your life wasn’t a mess.

“I think you should do it. Tell them in person.” You pulled up the elastic band over your hips, still keeping the gown close to your body.

He handed you the black shorts you’d been wearing earlier, the gesture didn’t match the tone of his voice. “Why are you like this?”

“I’m not like anything,” you said, one foot in first, then the other. “I just don’t want you to feel trapped in LA with me. I’m fine.”

You dropped the gown now, holding it to your chest when you turned to reach for your bra. He averted his gaze, stared directly at the vagina poster on the wall. “Right.”

You tugged on your bra quickly, reaching for your shirt and pulling it over your head. “Right what?”

“You’re right. You’re fine. You don’t need me,” a shrug of his shoulders. “Is that what you want me to say?”

“I don’t want you to say anything. I want you to relax.”

“Well I’m sorry that I can’t,” he spoke quickly now, the anger on his face stopped you in your tracks. “But the last thing I need is for you to act like none of this is a big deal.”

You didn’t mean to do it again--you didn’t feel it coming until the tears were already on your cheeks, wet and falling towards the floor. He sighed at that, steadied his own breathing and pinched at the bridge of his nose.

“I’m sorry,” you said quickly, words broken by the heavy breathing. “It just happens now--I just cry on command.”

He shook his head, watching as you folded the gown neatly on the table, left it there to be discarded by the nurse. “No--I--it’s fine. You can cry as much as you want.”

You turned to look at him, a few breaths to try to steady your pulse. He stepped forward, his arms wrap around your shoulders. You were still for a moment, unsure if you were allowed you let your arms wrap around his waist, or if it would make the crying worse. But you did, and when you did, he leaned down to kiss the top of your head.

“S’alright. I’ll go home for a week. Then I’ll be back.”

“Okay,” you said. “Okay.”

table of contents | talk to me + join the tag list

author’s note: longer than usual!!! so excited for all of you to read what’s coming! I hope everyone is staying safe and staying home. I wanted to put this chapter out a bit early since I know everyone is (hopefully) stuck inside. keep all of the messages coming i love chatting with all of you about Harry and Y/N and their little apple seed!!!!

tag list: @stepping-into-the-light @thurhomish @afterstylesmadeit @iconicharry @stylesfics-xx @harryspirate @mellamolayla @harryinsweatersandbandanas @stylesfantasy @clorenafila @mell-love @anssu-amry @yelllowgrass @littlesoldierelleora @styles217 @rachkon @c-h-e-r-r-y-y @myhat @rosegoldbel @passionate-dreamerr @grammyforstyles @haute-romance-quotidienne@dontgiveupthedayjob @ursamajor603 @craic-head-horan @heavenspidey @talk-british-2-me-britbritharry @blackxxmagicc @winter-soldier-007 @ssllbb @wanderlustiing @jdcharliewhiskey @caritocp @kaybee87 @wildbeee @hsunflowervol @harrys-medicines @tobe-sogolden @theresnooneheretosave @1d-tommo5 @soullikestyles @mrsfstyles

#unplanned #harry styles fan fic #harry styles fanfic #harry styles fan fiction #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles fic #harry styles fiction #harry styles writing #harry styles imagine #harry styles black #harry styles smut #harry styles one shot #harry styles spotify #fem!reader x harry styles #fem!reader x harry #harry styles reader insert #idkthisisjustforfanfic

520 notes · View notes

dickshardblog · 3 years

Text

Moving Day DID NOT Go As Planned

Last time we moved, we vowed we weren't doing it that way again. We rented a U-Haul, asked some friends for help, loaded all of our belongings into a truck, drove them to our next place, and unloaded all of our stuff. "Next time," we said, "next time we're hiring movers."

And this time, we did. We found a service called Bellhop, they had good rates. We booked our move for Friday the 23rd of July. We closed on our new house two weeks before, and we needed to be out of our rental by the 31st. That would give us a week to make sure we left the property in the same condition we found it in.

By the time the movers got there at 2:00pm on Friday, I had already emptied the basement into two separate storage units by transporting boxes in my car. I packed up the library, thousands of books, and moved all of those over to the new place myself. We packed up all our DVDs and Blu-rays, and moved all of them into storage along with the shelving we used to display them. We'd packed up most of the kitchen (the counter-tops were still full of stuff from the cabinets we emptied, we figured we had a week to pack and move the stragglers) and moved the boxes to the front room. We packed up the bedroom and the nursery, and moved most of those boxes to the front room. We left some boxes stacked in the nursery.

We bought a new couch for the new house and were getting rid of the old one. So we told them we didn't need the couch moved. We had some loose items that hadn't made it into boxes on the couch, which also, was not their concern. We showed them the front room, said we needed those boxes, the curio cabinet, computer desk, leave the couch, the desk we used as a TV stand, the TV (surround sound, 4k player, cable box had already been packed and moved), from the kitchen, just the small table, microwave, washer and dryer. No need to move the refrigerator, or the stove, they belonged in the house. Upstairs, we needed two beds, the crib, chest of drawers, computer desk, TV, a nightstand, an etagere, and two small filing cabinets moved.

By this time, a full three quarters of our belongings had already been moved into storage or into the new house. The movers were supposed to come with the expectation that they were moving a two story, two bedroom house into a three bedroom two story house. After they stepped outside and conferred amongst themselves, they came back in and said they were going to need to re-schedule the move … — Scuse, please? You don't re-schedule a fucking move. Moving day is moving day, come hell or high water. Period. Full stop. End of story.

Upon questioning, they said it was to give us more time to prepare for the move … — Scuse, please? For two months we've been spending our evenings and weekends packing and moving the majority of our belongings out of this fucking house while working full time jobs and raising a child. My entire library is already moved, all of the end tables, my massive mixed media collection … two storage units, a 10x10 and a 5x10, and a good portion of my new house was already full of my stuff that I already moved there prior to moving day. What the fuck do you want me to do, take apart all the furniture? That's kind of the point of hiring movers. I don't want to mess with that. I don't want to do it so much, that I'm willing to pay someone else to do it. That's the whole point of hiring the work out.

Anyway, they left and after we picked our jaws up off the floor at the sheer fucking audacity of what had just happened, we re-grouped and scrambled to find a U-Haul truck available at 2:00 pm on a Friday afternoon in late July. Luckily, we found a twenty-six foot truck available. I reserved it, we went and picked it up. It was jacked up. The brake light kept coming on and beeping at me. The brakes seemed fine, and if I turned the truck off and back on again, it stopped until it decided to start up with the beeping again.

I got the truck home at 4:30 pm, and we immediately started loading it as fast as we could. The goal was to get as much as we possibly could into the truck, loading our bed and Rowan's crib last, so we could get the truck to our new house, and unload the crib and bed, get them set up by a fairly reasonable time, go to sleep, and save the rest of the unloading for morning. We stopped loading and headed to our new home around 9:00 pm. We were tired, sweaty, dirty, we hurt all over. And to think — the plan had been to sit back and point at things while we watched fit, muscular men move all our stuff for us. We'd paid good money for it, after all.

I think we got to sleep around 3:00 am the next morning. Nothing went quite as planned. When we got back home with the U-Haul, we realized we didn't have any of Rowan's food, nor her milk, nor any food for us, and we didn't have Sammy's dog food. So, I left Jay to fight with getting Rowan's crib re-assembled on his own while I ran to Kroger and obtained sustenance for my family.

In the morning, I tried to secure the truck for another day. It was already booked. Every 26 foot truck in a 30 mile radius was booked. I tried to get a smaller truck, any truck, for the rest of our stuff. I kept calling all of the U-Haul locations near me. Nobody had a truck. Finally, I called the national number, and they did find a 20 foot truck. So, while Jay dropped Rowan off at his friend Linda's house, I unloaded what I could of the U-Haul. When Jay got back, we unloaded the two-man objects. We went to the U-Haul, swapped out the trucks, and drove back to our old house for round two.

Jay headed back in the car to go pick up Rowan at around 7:00 pm. I kept loading until around 8:30, then drove the second truckload of furniture and boxes back to our new home. We had no plans to unload that night. We would unload in the morning, return the truck, and bring two more carloads home that evening, my Versa and his Optima. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of the next week, I drove the Versa over to the old place after work and brought home a carload. Thursday, we took both cars, we made two trips with the Versa and one with the Optima. Friday, we brought both cars again, loaded them up, and finally got everything out of the old place that we meant to take.

Saturday, July 31st, eight days after some jackasses with no work ethic told us we needed to reschedule our move, I drove to the rental office and dropped off our keys.

I think that in many ways, in some states, when executed properly, the gig economy can be a good thing. In states that have adopted the Affordable Care Act, where self-employed individuals can find affordable health care options, and sensible tax codes. I think it has the potential to be good for workers, employers, and consumers alike. I rely quite heavily on services like Instacart, Shipt, Doordash, and Amazon, all of whom employ gig workers to make deliveries, do the shopping, etc. Most of the time they do a phenomenal job. And when they don't, it's usually because the person you lucked into getting is fairly new, in over their heads, not cut out for the job, and likely won't last long before they seek out something more suitable for them.

But a moving company is not suited for gig workers at all. Moving a person's belongings with the care and respect they deserve is a learned skill that most people don't possess. Let's face it, Americans love their things. Their shiny baubles. Their found treasures. I was already nervous that the movers might just be careless and break things without a thought. I was nervous that they wouldn't show at all. I didn't imagine they'd show up and then go, "Meh, too hard."

We wanted professional movers, and they sent us college kids with no work ethic, no sense of obligation to honor an agreement, and absolutely no clue what goes into moving all of ones belongings from one house to another. Every time I think back, I think up fresh, new ways I should have berated them as they beat a hasty retreat from my rented property.

Next time we move, I swear, we're hiring professional movers.

#moving #bellhop #gig workers #gig economy #work ethic #hell week

5 notes · View notes

mi6-cafe · 4 years

Photo

THE LDWS ENTRIES FOR WEEK 1 ARE IN!

Now it’s your turn to READ&VOTE!

Let’s refresh your memory first.

This week the word count was 100 words and this was the prompt:

[drabbles below the line]

HOW DO YOU VOTE?

Read all the drabbles.

Choose three that you like the most.

Fill out this VOTING FORM, telling us your favourites. (You can even leave anonymous feedback for the author).

NOTE: If you are a competitor, you CANNOT vote for your own fic. But please, do vote. :)

The voting period ends at 11:59 PM EST on Sunday night. Results will be posted and anonymous feedback will be emailed on Monday.

Title: 100 Seconds Author: sorion Warnings: implied canon-typical violence Summary: Seconds counting down to words that count.

"One hundred seconds, 007," Q says.

Bond knows. His reliable inner countdown always lets him know how close death is. Eighty seconds until he has to be off the empty German plane.

Sixty-eight seconds to not only outwit his personal death, but the death of everyone the crashing plane will kill in London.

Forty-seven to break the auto pilot, divert destiny from its path and the plane into the channel.

Thirty to grab a parachute, listen to the increasingly panicky voice in his ear.

"James! Fifteen seconds!"

Thirteen seconds for a jump and three words.

"I'm coming home."

Two.

One.

Title: Delayed Author: Ksania/Starrboned Warnings: None Summary: It wasn't flying that scared Q the most.

The stuttering departure board snaps into place, merciless and cold.

Delayed.

Impatient, Q taps his fingers against his thigh.

It wasn't flying that scared Q. He knew better than most how safe planes were, the intricate mechanisms that kept them afloat.

They didn't always land; Q waits for the inevitable to happen.

His eyes blink with the board: one, two, ten thousand - the seconds melt into months. Q stands still while the airport is buzzing around him.

"Q?" James's voice cuts like lightning through fog. "Have you been waiting for long?"

Q shakes his head, smiling thinly.

"Not at all."

Title: Flight Plan Author: Anyawen Warnings: None Summary: A chance sighting requires changes on the fly.

Be a dear and change my flight, won't you?

You'll survive 3 hours in economy class.

FIN2424 to Valencia. Leaves in 35 min.

I'm not a bloody travel agent. Book your own holiday.

I had been hoping to get back to London. Spend some time spoiling your cats. And you. Unfortunately ... <image0805202013.jpg>

… That's Nīkau Tama.

Indeed. They're announcing last call for boarding.

Keep your pants on.

Where's the fun in that?

Ticket confirmation is in your email.

Thank you, darling.

Just catch the bastard and come home, then you can thank me properly.

I prefer 'improperly'.

...

So do I.

Title: Seatmates Author: IrishWitch58 Warnings: None Summary: Departure lounges are lonely, until they're not.

Airport departure boards were depressing if you rarely had the chance to decide your destination yourself. Bond watched the crowds as he waited for his flight to be posted. He was supposed to be accompanied by a Q branch expert but they were late. He'd kissed Q goodbye early this morning, holding him close in the grey dawn light. Saying goodbye was getting harder lately. Someone moved up next to him and he blinked. “Q? But you hate flying.”

“Overstated,” Q responded succinctly. “Valencia is warmer than London and I hate cold worse. There are perks. We're going first class.”

Title: Boarding Author: SouffleGirl91 Warnings: None Summary: He waits to board the plane.

“Flight BA25007 to Kingston is now boarding.”

Heaving a sigh, he stood, clutching his ticket. Was he really doing this? Boarding a plane to Jamaica on the trail of a washed-up double-oh, just to tell him- no. No thinking about that right now. That could wait. It was a long flight. Plenty of time to decide how to tell him.

Shuffling into line, he fingered his passport. He missed having the power to skip the rigmarole and just board. But this wasn’t a sanctioned mission.

The new Quartermaster had better things to do.

This was personal. Bond had to know.

Title: Homeward Bound Author: Iambid/Flantastic Warnings: None Summary: It’s late, Q’s tired and James’s flight is due.

Heathrow is deserted.

Q is alone in the waiting area except for a lone family, waiting for a loved one. He’s waiting for James. He’s not sure if James ever thought of him as a loved one, not since Madeleine…

The arrivals board clatters, the quaintly old-fashioned sound waking him from his doze. He’s so tired, should have been in bed hours ago, but James asked him to be there and even after everything, he can’t say no to him.

He thinks to himself that maybe James is the loved one as he stands stiffly and waits for his agent.

Title: Vision Author: sunaddicted Warnings: none Summary: some dreams are bound to never become real

"I had a dream" Raoul stretched amidst the rumpled sheets, reaching out to land a hand on James' belly "A nice one?" "I was at an airport" "Why?" "Leaving" "For?" "I'm not sure, the flight details kept blurring and changing on the board" James looked down at Raoul, as if the key to his dream lay amidst those distorted features "I was leaving London. Permanently. It felt better than I always thought it would" shame burned on his tongue. Raoul hummed, thumb tracing the pucker of a scar "It was just a dream" and like one, they had no future.

Title: Fight and Flight Author: stormofsharpthings Warnings: no Archive warnings apply Summary: All the comforts of the first-class lounge

It hadn’t been his finest moment, Bond admitted as he prowled through BritishAir’s first-class lounge. He’d had a monumentally stupid fight with Q and stormed out, demanding to take the next mission available.

The departure board flickered. His flight was delayed again and Bond groaned — more hours of inaction to brood over his poor behaviour.

He paced until the board flickered again, showing a further delay, and he slumped, defeated.

After a while, he rubbed his face and looked up glumly.

COME HOME, it flickered.

Bond sighed, a rueful smile emerging, wondering if make up sex was an option.

Title: Time and Place Author: Venstar Warnings: none Summary: Travel

It was a simple process. Approach the board and wait.

“Time Agent 007.”

The only acknowledgment of his name spoken softly through his earpiece was the slight turn of his head.

“Your countdown. 5,4,3,2,1…” The voice trailed off as the board flickered before 007’s eyes divulging his next destination. “You will have seventy-two hours to complete your mission. Good luck in 2424.”

“And when I’m done? How about dinner, Q?”

If a snort could sound posh, leave it to Q to figure that trick out.

Q countered his offer. “How about you return my equipment in one piece?”

“With pleasure.”

#10

Title: The Destination Board Author: ladymars Warnings: No Warnings Apply (Canon Character Death?) Summary: M remains vigilant, even after everything.

She finds the oddest device when she first arrives. A departure board flickering with the destinations of the colleagues she had left behind. M does remember that 008 was to be deployed to Havana and that R had a conference at Frankfurt. Her new friends here tell her there's much more to explore and enjoy, now that she has time to repose, but she decides to linger. No rest for the wicked, of course. She catches an expected arrival at Altaussee, Austria followed by an unexpected one. Huh. She should have suspected he would have boarded a plane for him.

#11

Title: Trinity Author: sparklycitrus Warnings: None Summary: An unholy alliance.

When the airport bulletins all over Europe began to glitch, Q was at home, packing. He’d already given away his cats, and the only things he was taking consisted of a single suitcase and his laptop. The train ticket Bond had sourced him sat securely in his pocket. He was cutting it a bit close, but there should still be time left before everything crashed. Literally.

In a remote part of Russia, Raoul Silva turned from the camera feeds to the man next to him. “Clever boy,” he commented, to which Bond merely smiled, as they watched the chaos unfold.

#12

Title: Buggering Off Author: AtoTheBean Warnings: None Summary: He shouldn’t hope...

JB: Where are you? Oh, for fuck’s sake. NLQ: How did you get this number? JB: That doesn’t answer my question, Q. NLQ: No longer Q, actually. You’re not the only one who gets to retire and bugger off. JB: I came back. NLQ: Then you can carry on destroying someone else’s tech. JB: ... JB: Please. I need to talk with you. Just give me a hint. He shouldn’t hope… shouldn’t invite this man into his fresh start. His thumb hovers above the screen. He snaps a picture of the split-flap departures board, hits “send,” and runs for the gate.

#13

Title: (dis)quiet Author: azure3795 Warnings: none Summary: Waiting for an arrival.

Slots on the display board are flipping, a monotonous voice from the PSA intercom ever drowned out by the bustling of people arriving and departing drones on, and he waits.

He cradles a travel cup in his hands, the half drained beverage inside long since gone cold and sloshes around with dead weight. Logically, he knows it no longer provides the spot of warmth he seeks.

No matter.

“Q?”

He nearly jumps, but uses the momentum to plaster on a smile that doesn’t resemble a grimace. Good enough.

“Bond,” Q greets and thinks not of the Walther in his bag.

#14

Title: A Grand Romantic Gesture Author: scarytheory Warnings: none Summary: Q is waiting for his flight to Berlin.

He was drinking his second coffee when Bond came.

“What are you doing here? Don't tell me you're trying to stop me in some grand romantic gesture?” he was joking, but his smile faded when he saw Bond's reaction.

“Oh, God. You are, aren't you?”

Bond sighed: “I'm bad at this. I should have prepared a speech. Or should I sing?”

“Please don't.”

“Just… Can you please stay? For me.”

For a moment Q wished he could do that. But nothing would change, he knew that, and deep down, even Bond knew it.

“Goodbye, James.”

The plane was leaving soon.

Thank you to our amazing drabble writers for their contributions this week!

Edited: Voting is now closed and results are in! You can view them here!

#LDWS #LDWS2020 #signal boost

66 notes · View notes

ravenforce · 5 years

Text

Manhattan 5

Word Count: 3891

Pairing: Lou Miller x Fem!Reader, Background Platonic Avengers x Fem!Reader

Warning/Rating: Fluff because the world is dark and scary right now. I need fluff. You need fluff.

A/N: Thank you so much for everyone who likes, and follows this story. You guys are amazing. Please leave your reactions, bloody or otherwise, on the comment section. My inbox is open too if you’d like to pop by. Oh, and please note the ff:

1. If there are any grammatical mistakes I’ve still overlooked, I apologize.

2. I’m on a roll right now, since I have time while the city is on lockdown. I hope you guys are staying home and keeping up with protocols. Stay home, read fics. You’re helping your health workers that way. If you’re struggling to see the light, or experiencing anxiety about this pandemic and need someone to vent to, my inbox is open. Given probably time difference, please allow some time for me to reply. If you want to, drop me your Whatsapp, Telegram or wherever I can reach you faster. Be safe. xx

Manhattan Parts: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

***

Monday - A week before the Art Week

Most of the preparations for the event are in order with minor details needs ironing out. So, Debbie moved the regular Monday morning meeting to late afternoon since everyone has been working at full capacity the last few weeks. Assigning you to spearhead not only the artists’ acquisition but also the whole opening night was one of the best decisions Debbie ever made. You were hands down one of the most meticulous floor directors she’s ever met, and she has met so many. So it only came as a slight surprise to her when they came in for the meeting to see you snoozing on the conference table.

“What the?” Nine complained when she bumped into Debbie’s back as she loiters at the entrance of the conference room.

“What’s the hold-up?” Daphne said peering behind Constance. Debbie shushed them and continued inside.

Nine laughed as silently as she could when she saw you sleeping on the table, surrounded by different things: your laptop with Nine’s security plan open, the guest list submitted by Charlie and Agatha, the final menu from Tammy, the brochure design mock-up from Daphne and a cold-brew. Nine pulled out her phone and snapped a photo of you with a chuckle.

Lou smacked her softly with a newspaper in the head. Nine glared even though it didn’t hurt.

“She must have been here all morning,” Lou surmised as she looks at your current predicament. Debbie looked at you and then at her best friend.

“I think you should take her home,” she said. She can’t have you burning out before the opening night and that’s in a week time. Lou nodded before she sat beside you and woke you up. It was a testament on how tired you must have been because you were pliant to Lou stirring you out of the room and into her car like you were sleep-walking.

“Uhm, Debbie,” Charlie said as he tries to organize your table. Debbie asked what it is.

***

“She finished everything,” Agatha finished for him.

Charlie nodded. “This one says the security plan is approved, and she finished installing the CCTV. There’s no more blind spot at the back patio,” He read the post-it on Nine’s laptop.

“This one says approved,” Agatha said while showing Tammy’s final menu. “This one says, needs everyone’s signature.” It’s the catering contract they’ve all been sitting on for weeks now.

Everyone then started to pick up post-it notes stuck on their tables.

“Mock-up’s all good and approved. I’ll send it to the printer right now,” Daphne sing-song.

“Mine said, ‘you rock’,” Constance read grinning. Some of them didn’t get notes on their work since they are already done and in order. So you just left them encouraging notes, which they showed off to everybody. Lou left you for a moment in her car to get her laptop to find her friends making such a ruckus because of some post-it notes.

“Lou, did you get a note?” Amita asked smiling broadly at the blonde.

“No.” No one believed her. Especially since Nine could see that Lou’s holding a piece of orange paper on her back. She swiped it out of Lou’s hand.

“Aww, look at that,” Nine says before showing everybody your drawing of a star with a small quote written at the bottom of it.

“Nine, please don’t,” Lou begged before trying to swipe it again from her friend but Constance and Amita were hugging her in place, chanting read it, read it.

“I feel like a part of my soul has loved you since the beginning of everything. Maybe we’re from the same star,” Nine read. Lou groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“That’s enough,” Rose swiped the paper out of Nine’s and gave it back to Lou. “That’s sweet. Now, aren’t you supposed to be taking one awesome girl home?”

Lou nodded her thanks, picked her laptop up and gave Nine the finger with a smile before leaving the room. Debbie then asked them to settle down.

***

“And here I thought Ocean’s workaholic,” Daphne teased just as everyone settled down. Debbie playfully rolled her eyes.

“I’m not workaholic. I’m just…” Debbie tried to defend her but struggled to find a word to describe herself.

“A control freak?” Constance teased while typing away in her computer. Debbie threw an eraser on her head that sent everyone laughing.

“Just admit it, you and Y/N are the same,” Tammy joined in. “That’s why they get along well.”

Debbie chuckled. “Like I’m the only one.”

The truth is everyone gets along with you, which isn’t a problem except for Lou. Since then, everyone seems to be trying to monopolize you at work while she’s away to do PR work with Debbie outside of the office. Causing you two to barely see each other in the office, or hang out after work.

That’s the last time Lou was able to spend time with you was two weeks ago. When you showed up on her front door at midnight on a Friday night asking if she could let you crash. You were so tired you fell asleep instantly the moment she pulled you in her arms.

***

Tuesday

The sun was high in the sky when you woke up Tuesday. You raised your arm to look at your smartwatch. It reads at 11 o’clock. You bolted upright and rolled out of bed in your haste to go shower. You were halfway towards the bathroom when you stopped on your tracks.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Lou’s teasing voice sounded behind you.

You turned to look at her, and then around the room. You have no recollection of coming to her place at all. The last that you can remember was coming in at work early to go over what needs your approval and whatnot. You also remember finishing them earlier than you expected, so you decided to take a power nap. Everyone was supposed to arrive after lunch anyway, you’d have sufficient time for a nap, and to clean up before the meeting starts.

“How did I get here?” you asked confused.

“I took you home,” Lou said before opening the newspaper in front of her again to cover her face. She thinks you look sinful wearing only your underwear and her huge ACDC shirt. “You know sleeping on the job is unbecoming for you.”

Shit, you thought. “I’m sorry, I was just tired. It wouldn’t happen again, I promise.”

“It wouldn’t because Debbie is…”

“Is firing me?” you gasped. Lou looked at you over the rim of her newspaper then she folded it and put it neatly back on the table.

“Oh, don’t be dramatic, love,” she said smiling. “Debbie’s not firing you but she’s taking charge from here on out.”

“But why?” you asked before sitting down next to your lover on the dining table.

“Because you’ve done enough,” she said before putting waffles on your plate. “You did very well, love but now you’ll have to let the rest of us finish the job. That’s what it means to work in a team.”

You frowned at the delicious looking waffle. Lou is absolutely shit in the kitchen but she makes amazing breakfast. She poured you a hefty amount of coffee too on your favourite mug.

“Okay,” you conceded. Lou smiled as she watches you eat your food quietly. If she’s right, it’ll take a little bit of time before you can truly be okay with Debbie’s decision. Control is really hard to let go of, especially if you specifically built a life in which you have all of it.

“Oh, and you’re on house arrest for today,” Lou said cheerfully. She was so delighted when Debbie called her early in the morning to tell her that you’re not allowed to come into work for the day.

“Don’t sound so happy. She’s not to partake on any strenuous activities for the day that includes sex,” Debbie said seriously over the phone.

“Not even if she bottom?” Lou tried to reason out. Debbie laughed on the other line before yelling no and hanging up.

Nonetheless, Lou’s happy. Finally, after two weeks, she’s going to be able to have your undivided attention. She loathes to admit it but it’s not just about the sex anymore. She truly loves your company, even if all you two could do was watch Netflix and sleep.

“I guess I don’t have much of a choice,” you grumbled with a pout. Lou laughed, it would have been effective if you don’t have waffle sauce on your face. She reached over and wiped it before putting her finger on her mouth.

“Don’t look so glum, baby,” Lou said. “Don’t you want to stay here with me?”

***

Wednesday

You and Lou arrived at work a little late than your usual time in. Thanks to Lou jumping in the shower with you, and positively making shower longer than necessary. If you know what it means. When you arrived at the gallery, Tammy was just serving the brunch she made for everyone.

“Y/N!” she yelled the moment she saw you. You smiled at the woman. For you, Tammy’s one of your closest friends at work. She sweet, funny, and she takes care of everyone. Only Lou thinks that Tammy’s taking extra care with you.

“Hey Tams,” you said as Tammy rubbed her face against your cheeks. Lou gritted her teeth.

She was in a bloody good mood when you two arrived especially since she got to spend a whole day with you, and got to wake up next to you again earlier. It was the kind of morning where she feels like she can conquer the world. Now, not so much. Now, she thinks she can murder a blonde.

“Sit,” Tammy said after forcing you to sit next to Nine who paused her eating to give you a kiss on the cheek too. “Here, I made these especially for you.”

“Ah, Tams. You didn’t have to but thank you,” you said as you look down on the special food, packed just for you. Debbie, Daphne, and Rose watched the scene unfold as well as Lou seething.

“Hey! Why does Y/N’s food always different?” Constance asked after catching a peak of your food. Tammy laughed along with everyone else.

“Ah! I know, I know!” Amita yelled before guessing. “Is it because Lou probably fed her take out all day yesterday?”

“Exactly, Y/N deserve home-cooked meals,” Tammy said before sitting down next to you. Lou schooled her face, sighed in an attempt to reign in her rising temper. It’s too early to engage. She decides to be the bigger person even though she hates it. Just because she can’t cook to save a life doesn��t mean she doesn’t deserve you. Right?

***

Thursday

“Tell your girlfriend to take her hands off my Y/N,” Lou whispered beside Debbie as they watch Daphne talk to you about the printed collateral.

“Your Y/N?” Debbie asked softly. “Did you finally grew the balls to actually put a label on what you two are doing?”

“No. Labels are for clothes.” Lou frowned deeper as she continues to watch Daphne gripping your biceps as she laughs animatedly at something you said. Debbie chuckled softly as she watches Lou continuously fuming beside her, while you remained oblivious to her girlfriend’s teasing.

“Stop making that face. You know you’re only giving her ammunition,” Debbie said laughing before walking towards you. Daphne caught Lou’s eye from across the room and winked.

***

Friday

Her friend tested her patience all week long by being overly tactile, and flirty with you. It didn’t help that you were too busy and too oblivious to their advances. Not that she thinks her friends are truly competition but still. She likes to think that you’re hers and hers alone but Debbie’s right; you’re not. Not yet at least.

She was looking forward to today because she wanted to spend the weekend before the art opening on Monday together. She planned to stay the night in your apartment, call for delivery, and maybe catch up on some Netflix shows you two are watching. She plans to take you out to Coney Island for some R&R under the sun the next morning. She thinks you’re losing colour by being in the gallery too much but all her plans were foiled when she bumped into you in the hallway going to your door.

“Lou?” you asked while fixing the strap of your shoulder bag. You’re wearing a tight black dress, black knee-high boots, and nude overcoat. “Did we have plans?”

“No, I was just coming to see if you wanted to hang out,” she confessed reluctantly. “But you seem like you already had one.”

“Sorry. I already promise I’ll go out with Nat and Carol tonight.”

Lou’s face fell. “Oh,” is all she said before she nodded and took a step backwards. “Okay. Have fun.”

She tried to smile but it didn’t reach her eyes like it usually did when you know she’s genuinely happy. You’re about to tell her that you can see her tomorrow but Lou nodded at you one more time before she power-walked away from you.

***

It’s almost midnight and you’re about your third drink when Maria plopped down next to you at your table in the club. You kept your eyes on the dance floor to keep an eye out as Nat, Carol, and Wanda continued dancing to an upbeat song.

“Refill?” Maria asked leaning against you so she doesn’t have to shout.

“No, thank you, bubba,” you answered before looking at your sweaty, beautiful best friend. You wiped the sweat on her eyebrow. “I think I’m heading out.”

Nat, Carol, and Wanda heard it as they reach your table. “Already?” Wanda yelled before pouting and plopping down way too close to Maria to be classified as just friends.

“Come on, Cinderella. Stay for another hour,” Carol begged while doing her best impression of puppy eyes.

”Let her go,” Nat said as she offered her hand to you to help you out of the booth. “Big day on Monday. She needs all the rest she can get.”

You held Nat’s hand even after she pulled you out. “Thank you,” you said smiling broadly.

“What?” Nat asked when she noticed you smiling. You just shook your head and if it was possible smiled wider at the redhead.

You were just elated that complicated histories aside, you all found a more solid ground to stand on now. You’re happy that Nat and Carol are finally together. If you’re being honest, they look so much better standing hand-in-hand than glaring at each other like before. Maria and Wanda isn’t something you foresee but nonetheless, you can breathe better knowing that your best friend found a good girl to spend her days with. Not that they have admitted to dating yet.

“Thank you for coming out tonight.” Nat pulled you in a hug on the sidewalk while waiting for your Uber. Carol, Wanda, and Maria joined in too.

“Shut up, I like fifth wheeling with you guys.”

Nat and Carol laughed while Maria and Wanda blushed profusely.

“Tell me you’ll be there on Monday, please.”

Maria tucked a stray hair behind your ear. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

***

It’s midnight when Lou and Debbie reached the bottom of the bottle of red wine she brought with her. Lou called her best friend after fleeing your apartment, and thankfully Daphne had plans with Tammy and Rose to go shopping that freed Debbie schedule.

“I regret asking you to come here,” Lou complained half drunk. “All you did was tease me. Very unhelpful.”

“That’s because you’re an idiot,” Debbie said laughing.

“I was trying to surprise her.”

“Look how that worked out for you,” Debbie deadpanned. Before Lou can answer though, there was a knock on her door. Debbie looked at the blonde but she only shrugged and stood up.

“Whoever it is, just turn them away. I’m not in the mood,” Lou said while pulling her shirt over her head. “I’m gonna shower and head to bed after.”

Debbie was left to open the door. She didn’t know who looked more surprise when she did, her or you. None of Lou’s ex-lovers or ex-girlfriend ever knew where she lives. Not even Therese and that says something. Therese was one of the longest relationships Lou ever kept yet the woman never truly knew where Lou lives.

Where does Lou fuck her women, you ask? Well, a professional fuckboy like Lou keeps a separate apartment across town where she brings her women. Yet there you were, in the flesh, standing outside her best friend’s sanctuary.

“Hey boss,” you greeted, cheeks a little flush from the wind outside and the alcohol in your system.

Debbie pulled the door open wider to let you in. You thank her while walking directly to the living room, and placing your discarded coat on the recliner. Proving to Debbie her assumption that it is not indeed your first time there. When you turned towards her, she was already putting her coat on. You couldn’t stop yourself from cocking an eyebrow at her.

“Lou’s in the shower trying to wash away her bad mood,” Debbie said smiling. “Good luck.” Then she’s out.

***

“Debs, can we call Daphne and tell her you’re sleeping over?” Lou asked while walking directly to her open kitchen to grab some water. She completely missed the silence in the room and the familiar coat hanging on her recliner.

“Debbie went home already.”

Lou nearly shattered the glass on her hand in her surprise. “Jesus Christ!”

“Nope, just me,” you said smiling at her. She didn’t return it. Instead, she turned around and drunk another glass of water.

“What are you doing here?” Lou asked, voice is a little distant and detaches even after noticing that you’re sitting on your side of the bed and wearing one of her pyjamas that are too long for you. She flicked the light switch off, bathing the room in darkness to prevent you from seeing her smile.

“I’m sleeping over.”

Bold of you to assume you can after ditching me for Nat and Carol, she thought bitterly. Yet she didn’t say it. She asked a question instead.

“What happened to your date?”

You laughed, aggravating her a little further. “It’s not a date, Odinson.”

“Right.” She sunk down on the mattress and turned her back on you. You curled yourself on her back immediately and planted a soft kiss on her shoulder.

“It’s not a date, Lou. If anything I was fifth wheeling. Maria and Wanda were there too, and I’m 100% sure those two are banging,” you explained excitedly.

Lou visibly relaxes with that information. She turned on her back to look at you but before she can say anything, you surged forward and kissed her. She pulled you on top of her, so she could kiss you properly and she did. Your head was becoming heady from the alcohol you consumed at the club, and the way Lou’s mouth tasted like wine and home.

“Wow,” you said after the need for air took over.

Lou has one of her hand cupping your jaw, her finger tracing the shape of your mouth. The other’s gliding down your neck, skimming across your chest and breast and moving slowly behind your back. She can feel the heat of your core against her abdomen. She guided your waist to start grinding against her abs, you both groaned at the action.

“Ah! Fuck,” you moaned. She kissed you again, both hands on your waist now. She wants your underwear off so she could feel you skin-to-skin but she’s too far out to take it off you.

“Baby,” she whispered against your lips. You smiled at her.

“You kiss better when you’re jealous.”

Lou gasped and halted your moment at once. “What do you mean I kiss better? Also, me? Jealous? Of who?”

You laughed. “Ah, let's see. Tammy, Daphne, Nat, Carol? The list goes on.”

Lou pouted before reversing your position in the bed in one swift motion. She looked down at you before she started pulling your underwear off of you. “Okay, okay. I was jealous,” she admitted. “Can you blame me? Everyone just wants you.”

You sat up and helped her pull her t-shirt off. If you’re gonna be naked, she has to. Especially since nothing beats the view of her abs, illuminated only by the city lights outside.

“Well, I only want you,” you admitted before pulling her on the bed with you.

Taglist: @kaytoopio @marvelfansince08love @marvelb00kwolf @shycucumbersandwich @subject7creed @inkstainedhandsofgold

#avengers crossover #avengers x oceans 8 #avengers x reader #avengers x oceans 8 crossover #avengers imagine #oceans 8 imagine #lou miller x reader #cate blanchett x reader #lou miller #cate blanchett

84 notes · View notes

captcas · 4 years

Text

Worth Fighting For

WORTH FIGHTING FOR by capthamm

Killian “Hook” Jones is a dominate up and comer in the UFC while Emma “The Savior” Swan’s career was cut short. When Hook’s manager moves up and the office brings in UFC’s youngest legend to keep him in check, will either of them be able to handle it?

read on ao3 // tumblr: ch 1/ ch 2

[CHAPTER 3/?]

Saturday night brings their monthly movie/game night and Emma has never been more grateful for a distraction. Ruby and the Nolans will come over around 6 o’clock and Henry is practically bouncing off the walls with excitement. Tonight’s theme is Star Wars and this will be Henry’s official introduction to the series; at David’s insistence they’re starting with A New Hope and going release order from there. They’re also going to play Star Wars trivia which Henry will undoubtedly suck at.

Should be a fun night all around.

And it was, until Henry went to bed and the “adults” got to talking.

Ruby cracks another beer and turns to Emma, “So, Emma, you’ve got probably the coolest new job in the world and you haven’t said jack shit.”

She shoots Ruby an icy glare as David and MM stop bickering over whether or not Kylo Ren deserved a redemption arc to hear what Emma has to say.

Emma sighs, “It’s going alright. All the onboarding is underway and between the perks, benefits, and pay, Henry should be set for life.” She’s been fortunate to live off her winnings for the past nine years, being mindful of money and not giving into the lifestyle of frivolous spending many fighters take on, but -even her friends know- she doesn’t have a money tree.

The looks on their faces when she mentions Henry being set for life could melt 1000 Olafs. When she arrived at Ruth Nolan’s home at the age of 16, she never expected to find a family. Hardened by a life too lived for anyone her age, Emma assumed they’d be like every other foster home and use her for the money. To this day, she’s never been so happy to be wrong.

Emma’s not sure what twist of fate landed an orphan with such a great support system, but she’ll be forever grateful. David took to the “protective brother” role immediately. Soon after Emma moved in, he met Mary Margaret (fireworks and butterflies and all that mumbo jumbo) who introduced them to Ruby. They’re small, and maybe a bit scrappy, but they’re family.

She breaks out of her thoughts and returns to the present, “I will need some babysitting though; I’m required to attend each of my client’s Fight Nights. But overall it’s great, really!”

She hopes she squeaked away without having to mention Jones at all but the glint in Ruby’s eye tells her otherwise. “Ok that’s all fine and dandy,” Mary Margaret shoots Ruby an incredulous look, warning her to tread carefully, but Ruby ignores her and continues, “but who’s the client?”

David is giving her a protective father vibe, Ms is practically vibrating, and she's pretty sure Ruby is salivating. Emma sighs realizing she shouldn’t postpone the inevitable, “Killian Jones.”

Ruby practically drops her drink and Mary Margaret squeals, David rolls his eyes and turns back to the TV where SportsCenter has been playing in the background. Mary Margaret beats Ruby to the punch, “THE Killian Jones?! As in Killian “Hook” Jones?!”

Emma nods, standing up to refill the only slightly empty chip bowl in front of her. She knew this was going to happen and she wasn’t exactly looking forward to her friends thirsting over her client– client… right.

Ruby speaks next, “Well that is probably the best case scenario. Do you think he can get us tickets? Have you met him? Is he as gorgeous in person as he is on TV? Can we meet him?”

Emma, now glad she’s in the kitchen with space to breathe, is starting to feel a bit overwhelmed. She knows Ms can sense it and is unsurprised when she speaks next,“For Christ’s sake Ruby let her breathe. She’s probably only had her initial meeting with him.”

Ruby seems to get the hint and it doesn’t take long before Ms is in the kitchen helping Emma pick up the leftover pizza, “We’re happy for you, Emma. He’s a huge client for them, they obviously trust you to do a good job.” Emma nods in thanks and they both head back into the living room. Her sister-in-law’s warmth always calms her (and Ruby) down which allows David to jump in and change the subject to the coverage of some football player’s arrest on SportsCenter. Emma finally catches a breath and realizes just how lucky she is for the friend dynamic they have before settling in to debate if this James Spencer kid should still be eligible for the draft.

As she lays in bed that night, Ms’ words ring through her head. Despite the rollercoaster of emotions she’s been feeling, Killian is a huge client, one that was formerly represented by a namesake for the company. This re energizes her a bit and helps her fall asleep, actually excited for what's to come.

She wakes up Sunday morning and makes Henry some pancakes and declares it a lazy Sunday. Henry happily obliged, cuddling up on the couch with The Deathly Hallows while Emma threw on some shitty reality TV.

. . .

When her alarm rings Monday morning, Emma pulls her pillow over her head like some teenager from one of those Disney Channel movies.

It takes her a second to remember what day it is and why she’s up at this godforsaken hour.

Killian Jones. Right.

She audibly groans before rolling out of bed and getting ready for the day. Between her shower and breakfast she gets Henry up. School starts at 8 so he’s technically running a bit behind but he’ll make it on the bus in time… hopefully.

She’s pouring him a bowl of cereal when he comes out of his room zipping up his sweater and rubbing his eyes.

“Hey, kid. Coco Puffs or Fruit Loops?” He mumbles some semblance of what she thinks is Fruit Loops so she pours the bowl and slides it across the kitchen island. He smiles in thanks as she pours her own bowl and sits beside him.

“So today’s the big day?”

She didn’t tell Henry about her new client and when she spoke to the Nolan’s and Ruby, he was definitely supposed to be sleeping. “How could you possibly know that?”

“You’re not as quiet as you think you are and I’m not as tired as you think I am.” He yawns as if to punctuate his point.

“Uh huh, sure, kid.” He gives her a knowing glance and she realizes she’s not getting out of this. She runs her hands over her face and sighs, “Yes, today is the first meeting and I’m only slightly nervous to fu— screw this whole thing up.”

Henry chuckles at her attempted censorship (she never said she was a perfect parent), “You’ll be great, Mom, and Hook seems like a decent enough guy. I’m sure he won’t give you too much trouble.”

She stares at Henry a bit dumbfounded. It shocks her everyday how old he’s getting– nine going on nineteen for sure. “Are you hiding some Weasley’s Extendable Ears in your room or something? Are you a wizard? Should you be at Hogwarts?” Emma is very obviously trying to derail this conversation but it works, setting Henry off about how he’s finally on the sixth book and explaining the concept of a horcrux.

Oh, her sweet summer child.

God, maybe he is old enough for UFC.

When did that happen?

She ushers Henry to the bus, promising him they’ll watch the sixth movie tonight if he finishes the book today and is to school on time. It’s only September and he can’t be late three times in the first month of school. She kisses his forehead and he wishes her good luck.

Sometimes she wonders how such a screw up ended up with the perfect kid.

After cleaning up the kitchen, Emma finishes getting ready. She jumps on the subway and finds herself at the office with a half hour to spare. She’s never early so she chalks it up to nerves and uses the time to prep for this meeting.

Over the weekend she received multiple emails from Gold’s team surrounding a possible spot for Killian on the card for the pay-per-view Fight Night in November.

A pay-per-view card. She did enough research about Killian this weekend to know that would be his first.

Emma feels like she’s been thrown into the deep end before being taught how to swim.

Go big or go home.

She did a lot of research about Killian and learned practically nothing. She knows he came here from London almost ten years ago and that his team includes his head trainer Robin (husband of now former manager Regina Mills), and three other men named Will Scarlett, August Booth, and William Smee (he’s really selling it with that whole Hook theme). Other than that all she found was his record and highlights. He’s 6-0 which is insane for only being in the circuit for a year and a half– fighters are usually limited to three, maybe four fights a year.

4 of his 6 are knockouts.

He’s good… really good.

Her thoughts are interrupted by a light tapping on the edge of her cubicle. She glances up to find none other than the man himself. She can’t help but double take.

Real professional, Emma.

She's only ever seen him in the ring, at the gym, or dressed up for a business meeting. She’s not sure what she expected, but a leather jacket and pants that fit him like his own skin definitely weren’t it.

He looks good… really good.

Emma snaps herself out of it, “Hi, Mr. Jones, just give me a moment and we can head to the conference room.”

“It’s Killian, love, please.” She notices he winces at the seemingly habitual pet name. Emma ignores the ring of disappointment that runs through her gut at the realization that it may not be reserved for her. “A conference room’s a bit formal, don’t you think? Let’s get out of here, Swan.”

He grabs her hand before she can answer. “Mr.— Killian. Is this allowed?”

He chuckles. “We can plan the meetings at our leisure,” he says the last bit in an almost scary imitation of Regina, “but even still, Regina and I never met in office. A bit silly for two people to take up an entire conference room, yeah? Come on, lass, try something new. It’s called trust.”

Emma rolls her eyes but follows along anyway. The elevator ride should’ve been awkward but Killian kept the conversation flowing by asking her preferred drink. “Coffee, tea, or smoothies?”

Despite the risk of sounding like a child, Emma finds herself being honest with him, “Uhh, I actually prefer hot chocolate… with cinnamon.”

He smiles brightly at her, as though her drink order was the most brilliant discovery this century, “Perfect, Swan. I know just the place.”

She was so swept up in his ambush, she doesn’t realize that this isn’t the cocky, asshat Killian Jones she sees on tv or at the gym until he’s practically dragging her across the street to a small cafe. This Killian seems genuine and carries this almost childlike excitement.

Emma tells herself she has no interest in learning more about this Killian.

(Emma doesn’t have to tell herself that that is complete bullshit.)

. . .

He can’t stop himself from beaming when she offers up her drink order without hesitation. Killian feels like a bloody teenager around her. He promised himself he wouldn’t feel this way again, but something about Emma Swan has completely entranced him.

He finds himself fascinated with every part of her, including the small things, like the fact she takes cinnamon on her hot chocolate.

Once they get to the cafe across the street, Killian forces himself to dial it back. He can tell she’s guarded and as much as he’d like to be friends (more than friends) with the lass, he knows business has to come first.

It wouldn’t exactly be a good look for him if he ran “The Savior” out of the office on her second day.

Somehow he thinks he doesn’t have that power.

He’d like to. (Obviously not to run her out of the office, but he’d like his existence to mean that much to her.)

Bloody hell, he's being ridiculous.

They sit down across from each other at a small table by the window. He expects to start the conversation but before he can form a coherent thought she’s speaking.

“So, Killian. I’ve already received some correspondence from Gold’s team. I’m not sure how much time you usually take between fights and I know it’s already the end of September but…”

She’s rambling and he doesn’t think he’s ever seen anybody so adorable when they’re nervous.

Adorable is not a professional descriptor.

Killian Jones doesn’t want “professional” with Emma Swan.

Fuck.

“...Gold is hoping to get you on the main card for November 14th.”

Did she just say main card?

He chokes on his coffee.

“Main card, Swan? I’ve never been on the main card. Strictly early prelims…”

She eyes him suspiciously, “Usually that’s a good thing. Upward momentum and all that. His team is clearly impressed by your dominant record.”

“Is his team the only one impressed?” The flirt escapes him before he can stop it.

Bloody idiot.

She doesn’t even bat an eye, “The entire league seems to be impressed, Jones.” Her tone tells him she knows what just happened but she shut it down immediately.

He likes a challenge.

Emma Swan may be his favorite challenge yet.

Emma Swan is off limits, but Killian will be damned if he cares.

. . .

Emma is surprised when Killian pays for their drinks despite her insistence that she can charge it to Mills Management. She’s also surprised by how nice he is.

She keeps waiting for the other shoe to drop.

She’s still waiting.

He’s definitely flirtatious, every other sentence being easily twisted into some sort of innuendo, but she can tell it’s a front. The little things he does like tipping the barista an extra fifty cents or holding the door for her, let on to the man behind the persona.

Well, and the fact he practically chokes when she tells him they want him for the main card.

He seems genuinely shocked that anyone would be impressed by him. His mask comes out almost immediately, another innuendo laced into his question. She doesn’t let him go there, shutting it down as quickly as it started. For this to work, she needs him the real him. Not the cocky MMA fighter who he used to catch the eye of UFC execs. She compliments him, and it’s beyond genuine. That seems to calm his nerves a bit as they move into social media management and he shifts into a professionalism she’s not entirely prepared for.

She’s not sure she wants professional Killian Jones.

Whoa, Emma, pump the breaks.

She shakes it off as she watches him take notes on what she’s saying about the importance of a lead up on Twitter and how it can set the tone for the entire fight. His tongue runs along the inside of his lower lip as he concentrates and she can’t help the overwhelming wave of attraction that hits her.

Like lightning.

It’s not just the tongue, (but that’s not helping) it’s his dedication to this sport and how he actually gives a fuck about what she’s saying. Killian never displayed even a hint of the deeply rooted misogyny that runs rampant throughout the industry. He actually seems almost humbled by her presence. The words escape her mouth before she can’t stop them, “Why are you actually taking anything I say seriously?”

Very professional, Emma. Way to instill confidence in your client. Smooth.

His head snaps up at her abrupt question and he looks confused. “I know you don’t like being called a legend, Swan, but you were a damn good fighter. If I walk out of this partnership with half the following and success you had, I’d call that a win.”

She’s stunned by his sincerity.

Brick. Wall. (She thinks she hears Pink Floyd somewhere in the distance.)

“And I suppose you think you know all about me from our, what, three conversations now?” She knows it’s snippy, that’s the point.

He stops typing and puts his phone down. “Pardon me, love, but you’re a bit of an open book.”

Emma scoffs, “Anyone with the internet knows I prefer people don’t call me a legend.”

“Aye, but do they know it’s because you feel too young with a career too short to have made an impact? That you feel choosing yourself, a life, over MMA removes all glory from your name?”

Emma is entirely shaken by his apparent ability to read her like a fucking picture book. (Does that even make sense? Do you read picture books?) Emma never had a formal retirement ceremony; gloves in the middle of the ring and all that. She had asked Gold to be taken off the roster and for a quiet exit and that’s what he’d given her. The public doesn’t know the real reason she left MMA, her attempt at keeping Henry’s life as normal as possible, but somehow Killian–

Brick. Brick. Brick.

“Let’s talk about Instagram.” She sees the disappointment sweep across his face, realizing she can read him pretty well too. That’s terrifying.

Way more terrifying than social media plans.

They keep it strictly business for the rest of the meeting. She’s startled when her stomach rumbles and she checks the time.

12:00. They’ve been strategizing for three hours.

She’s not sure where the time went, and when Killian asks her if she wants to grab a bite to eat together, she’s startled again by her initial gut reaction to say yes.

Obviously, she says no and makes up some lie about needing to get back to the office. He knows it’s a lie, she can see it all over his face. He doesn’t push her though, and she’s grateful. They set their next meeting and Emma’s heart speeds up, seemingly unaware that this is a business meeting and not a date. She shakes his hand and promises to have a full plan ready for Thursday before practically sprinting out of the cafe.

In three conversations Killian Jones has gone from asshat to… who knows. One thing Emma does know is that Killian Jones is off limits to the highest of ethical degrees. But what scares her most, is that she’s not entirely sure she cares.

. . .

As soon as he asks her to lunch he knows he’s pushed too far.

Actually, he perhaps pushed too far by letting on just how easy it was for him to read her, but lunch, well that was just asking for a brick wall. He runs his hands across his face, completely taken with someone he has no right to. She’s witty, smart, and could probably kick his ass— scratch that, could definitely kick his ass— but she also has demons, he can see them swimming behind her eyes. Demons that seem scarily similar to his, maybe not on the surface but definitely in their damage. Emma is raw and unapologetic; a real human being who is, for all intents and purposes, unimpressed by the suave persona of Killian “Hook” Jones.

She’s bloody perfect.

He’s fucking fucked.

Eloquent.

Killian decides to grab a quick lunch from the cafe and head to the gym. He has a lot of pent up frustration and really feels the need to punch something. Thank god that’s his job. He scarfs down his sandwich, not realizing how hungry he was and jumps on the subway to the training center. He miraculously finds a seat and is able to scroll through his phone a bit. As he pokes around Twitter he finds an article announcing Emma “The Savior” Swan’s comeback to the UFC. He clicks on it, curiosity getting the better of him despite probably knowing the gist of the article.

He didn’t expect a timeline of her very impressive career:

2008: Swan joins the UFC with her Boston gym. Her debut match against Aurora Rose ended in a TKO. She’s back in action six months later fighting Ella Tremaine. She wins again, this time after three rounds by split decision.

2009: A dominant start to the year for The Savior with a first round submission against Tiana Dampier in January. She rounded out her year with another first round submission against El Oldenburg in May, and a third round knockout against Esmerelda Gringoire in October.

2010: Swan goes three rounds with Merida Baer and wins by unanimous decision. Swan wins again after three rounds by split decision against Megara Alcmene. The Savior’s final match is a KO against Mulan Fa rounding out her record to 8-0. Her next match, meant to be for the women’s title, was declined with no comment from The Savior.

2020: Swan joins Mills Management as a talent manager assigned to Killian “Hook” Jones.

Killian knew Swan was good, an early legend in her own right, but he had no idea she was this dominant. He also had no idea she left without so much as a wave goodbye. He figured he’d just missed the announcement seeing as it came well before his introduction into the sport. Against his typical moral code, he tries to google why she left but finds nothing. She knocks out Mulan Fa and then just stops being added to cards and fades away as new fighters take her place.

He knows there’s a reason for her secrecy and he’d be lying if he said curiosity was the only driving force behind his attempt to learn more. He finds himself wanting to know everything there is to know about Emma Swan; a deeper part of him aches for her to be the one who tells him.

He’s positive he can only dream of gaining that level of trust from her, but he has to try. Liam's words ring heavy in his ears, "A man unwilling to fight for what he wants, deserves what he gets."

He gets off at the stop closest to the training center and walks through the front doors, waving to Belle at the front desk before heading into the locker room. He’s fortunate to be on the UFC roster, allowing him to keep his training gear at the center and not have to worry about lugging it around with him. It also gives him the freedom to come here whenever he needs to let off some steam. He changes quickly and finds a treadmill to warm up. He jogs a mile and a half before picking up the pace. Killian’s in the midst of his runner’s high when someone steps into the machine next to him. He turns his head to offer them a small smile in hello, it’s not that big of a gym, exclusive to the UFC industry and a few friends of friends, so chances are he knows the person at least in passing.

Oh, Killian knows them alright, and he practically falls off the treadmill when he sees her green eyes blown wide.

#Captain Swan #cs ff #cs modern au #emma swan #killian jones #capthamm #worth fighting for

33 notes · View notes

crackedoutgiraffe · 4 years

Text

To the Moon and Back

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16

A/N: Chapter 17

When you went into work the next monday, you learned that Emily was accepting a job to work for London’s interpol office. She said that that Monday was her last day. Later that week, she moved to London. Garcia and Morgan went on a last minute trip there to help her settle in and to see how she was doing. While they were gone, the team got called to a case in Seattle. That was when you met Emily’s replacement.

“Agent Blake, this is David Rossi, Jennifer Jareau, Spencer Reid, and Y/N Y/L/N,” Hotch introduced everyone, “Derek Morgan and Penelope Garcia are in London.”

The case in Seattle was difficult to say the least. The day after you got back, you and Reid entered the bull pen to see Morgan and Garcia with numerous bags. “Hi! Hey! You guys are back. Hi,” you gave Penelope a hug and then went to give Morgan one as well.

“Oy, mates,” she said in a british accent. “Give me a squeeze.”

“Oh, you guys look great,” you smiled.

“Cheers. How's it going?” Reid asked, returning Garcia’s hug. Morgan held his hand out for a fist bump and Reid shook it. “How's Emily doing?”

“Brilliant and lovely,” Garcia was adamant about using a british accent.

“Her apartment's off the chain,” Morgan added.

“You mean her flat,” She corrected. “You have to take a shaky old lift to get to the top, but the view is brilliant. For my favorite bloke,” Garcia handed a mug to Reid

“Hey, I love it! Thank you!” Reid accepted the gift with a smile.

Garcia handed you a miniature double-decker bus, “Thanks.”

“How was temporary duty?” Reid asked.

“Oh, it was around the clock. I thought I'd get a little more of a vacation, but…” Morgan shrugged.

“Did you watch the Olympics at all? I did see a little track and field, but the queen bee here,” Morgan gestured to Penelope, “she saw everything. Emily is for real hooked up over there.”

“She sends her love. And tea of the month starts next week,” Garcia pointed out.

“Ohh. I miss her,” you frowned.

“Don't even get me started,” Garcia smiled. “Hey, how's the noob? Is she nice?”

“Yeah, she is,” you nodded.

“I'm just asking,” She said in a hushed tone. “Reid, do you know when she was recruited she was 24?”

“I've guest lectured in her forensic linguistics class before,” Reid nodded.

“Of course you have, 'cause she's a professor and an agent, which is so impressive,” she scoffed.

“No, really, she's great,” you insisted.

“And driven, clearly. Berkeley grad, double major, Bureau star of the Unabomber case,” Garcia started to ramble. “And she teaches at Georgetown. When she's not doing that, she's SSAing at the Washington Field Office, and she's a Ph. D. Does that mean I have to call her doctor?” Everyone looked at her weird. “What?! I did some research on her 'cause I couldn't sleep on the plane. And my point is, clearly, she is smart and capable, but is she nice? Oh, dear God, this is happening, where I talk and the person is behind... Me,” Garcia turned around slowly to see the newest Agent standing behind her.

“The origin of ‘nice’ is 12th century middle English, meaning foolish or stupid. I hope you're referring to the modern use of the adjective. You must be Penelope. I'm Alex Blake,” she held her hand out for a handshake.

“Nice to meet you. Really, actually nice in the nicest of ways nice,” Garcia looked mortified.

“I'm Derek Morgan,” He shook the newest Agent’s outstretched hand.

“Welcome back,” she smiled

“How was Seattle?” Morgan asked.

“The unsub made Ridgeway look like a saint,” Blake said with a small laugh. “He even used his own kid to bait the victims.”

“Well, we've seen that before. No doubt we'll see it again,” Morgan smiled.

“Don't unpack,” Rossi said as he entered the bull pen followed by Hotch.

“Garcia, the files,” Hotch directed.

“Yeah. The files. Oh, God,” Garcia mumbled as she walked to her office.

That was everyone’s queue to head to the conference room.

“This week we are going to Mobile, Alabama,” Hotch started. “Four women have been found in dumpsters. They were all drifters, so we have no IDs for any of them.”

You examined the case file in front of you, “They were all missing their toes?” you asked.

“That’s oddly specific,” Blake responded.

“It’s very unusual,” Reid spoke up. “Most of the time unsubs will remove fingers, but not toes.”

The team quickly went through their ideas for the case and got on the plane. The plane ride was like all the others, quiet. Everyone did their own thing. When you arrived in Alabama it was really muggy. Blake was very helpful during the case. You two were the ones to apprehend the unsub. His name was Jacob Barkley. He hated men with foot fetishes, so he took it out on women who had feet. You, Reid, Morgan, and JJ played poker on the way home.

***

The next six months were more of the same. Case after case. Your relationship with Reid progressed to the point where he asked you to move in with him. You did not hesitate to say yes. Morgan came over the next weekend to help you and Reid pack all your stuff. Everyone at the office was very supportive of your relationship. The only problem Hotch and Strauss had was that if either of your performances suffered, one of you would be transferred. You made sure neither of you needed to be transferred.

There was one week without cases, so the whole team hung around the office and did paperwork.

“We should all go on vacation together,” Reid announced.

“That would be fun,” JJ agreed.

“Everyone could bring their families and stuff,” Morgan looked at JJ.

You lifted your head from your desk, “I know a really affordable place in Florida, it’s right on the beach.”

“When would we go?” Blake asked.

“Could we plan for three months from now?” Reid proposed.

A chorus of ‘yes’ and ‘I’m in’ rung through the office. Reid got up and went to Hotch’s office and then to Rossi’s.

“They’re in,” He announced.

“I’m going to need numbers of everyone going,”

“I’m one,” Morgan said as he stood up.

“I’m three,” JJ added.

“I’m one,�� Blake said.

Hotch came out of his office. “I’m three.”

“I’m one,” Rossi shouted from his office.

“Garcia is one,” Morgan said as he reentered.

“And then I’m two,” you wrote. “We need… 2 big rooms and 5 smaller rooms.”

“Morgan can I talk to you for a second,” Reid stood up and walked toward the door.

SPENCER’S POV

“What’s up?” Morgan asked as we walked out of the bull pen and down the hall.

“I want to propose to her, and I need your help,” I whispered.

“What do you need?” he smiled.

#spencer reid #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer #spencer reid x reader #Criminal Minds #criminal minds fic

31 notes · View notes

timelordthirteen · 4 years

Text

Killing Time 22/35

Detective Weaver/Belle French, Explicit

Summary: A Woven Beauty Law & Order-ish AU. Written for Writer’s Month 2019.

Chapter Summary: Belle is frustrated, tense, and annoyed with the case and with life, but Weaver once again knows how to get her to relax. .

Notes: So this chapter was not just an excuse to write some more hot smut between these two, I swear. Also the plotty bits that I intended for this chapter are now moved to the next one. The number of planned chapters is not changing however. Please note the additional smut tags for light spanking and a little anal play, which I am very nervous about. It just happened and I hope it doesn't turn anyone off. Sorry.

Warnings: Mention of miscarriage, light spanking, anal fingering

[AO3] Previous: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]

Weaver sighed and pushed the folder away from him, shoving it across the conference table.

Belle sat at her desk across the room, her shoulders hunched as she typed and her eyes moving back and forth between a printout of Nevada adoption law and the laptop screen. She was, what Weaver would call, cranky. Of course, getting the information on Molly Macreedy’s adoption wasn’t as simple as calling up and asking for a favor, one ADA to another. First papers had to be filed locally and approved by a judge, then a request had to be processed through the Washington State AG’s office, which then came back to Belle to be filled with the Clark County District Attorney’s office, requesting, very nicely, one state to another, for them to open a sealed adoption record.

That had necessitated another call to Molly’s adoptive parents to get their signoff on opening a potential can of worms. They were very accommodating, though Weaver felt like every time he reached out, it was ripping the bandage off the wound again, one that he knew would never heal.

Since her meeting with Dr. Hopper, she’d been out of sorts. It was more than the tedious paperwork or the weight of serial murder case. Weaver got the sense that something had happened at her appointment, but he was hesitant to ask. He didn’t have a right to question her about her therapy, especially when he could see that she needed to talk to someone. He only wished she would talk to him as well, let him know what she was thinking and feeling, both about the case, about her own trauma, and about him.

She’d said she loved him.

Yet since that moment, it had felt like there was a ‘but’ waiting, a shoe that hadn’t dropped, and when it did would put them right back where they started. They hadn’t talked about where they stood, about what this continuing period of living together really was in the long run. He knew what he wanted, but it seemed like Belle did not. She’d been through a lot in the last few weeks, they both had, and perhaps she just needed time, though the more time that went by the less sure of that he felt.

He was tired of walking on eggshells, but loathed to stir the pot too much for fear it would push her away.

Belle muttered a curse, drawing Weaver out of his thoughts. He twisted his chair and met her annoyed gaze over the screen of her laptop.

“Interstate legal wrangling not going well?” he asked.

She rolled her eyes and then sat back in her chair, her body sagging against the leather. “It’s going fine, just at the same rate of speed as a glacier.”

“Did they say when they might get back to you?”

She made a face and shrugged. “Records that far back aren’t digital yet, only 2010 and after. Which means some poor county worker gets to dig through boxes in a warehouse. So...if they can find them yet this week, they’ll be reviewed Monday or Tuesday, scanned, and emailed to me by maybe Thursday? If we’re lucky.”

She sighed, heavily, and leaned forward again, closing the email she’d been glaring at. Weaver pushed to his feet and crossed the room, meeting her tired look of annoyance with what he hoped was sympathy. He came around behind her chair as she braced her elbows on the desk and put her head in her hands, her fingers sliding into her hair to hold it back from her face.

“I hate waiting,” she groused.

“I know,” he replied, fighting a smile.

Belle and patience were not things that went together, and that saying something coming from a cop who had been known to bend some rules in the past in order to speed up an investigation. He put his hands on her shoulders and gave her a reassuring squeeze.

“There’s plenty to do in the meantime,” he continued, gently pressing at the lump of muscle connecting her neck and back. “We should find out if any of the other victims were adopted, besides Molly and Nick, just in case that’s the connection we’ve been missing.”

She exhaled and bent her head further forward, encouraging his hands to work their way further up the tension in her neck. “Yeah.”

They stayed like that for a few minutes, with her leaning on the desk and him kneading at her sore muscles, until he abruptly stopped. She made an unhappy sound and threw a look at him as he stepped away.

“I’ll happily keep going,” he said, smirking, “but at home. It’s half six already.”

Belle frowned and glanced down at her laptop screen, noting the time in the bottom corner. “Shit.”

He picked up his leather jacket from its customary spot, draped over the arm of her sofa, and turned back to her. “Frank’s tonight?” She tilted her head, already imagining the satisfying taste of the bacon chicken burger that was her usual order. “Split some mozz sticks?”

Weaver’s eyebrows lifted. “Split? Or I get two, and you get the remaining eight?”

She crumpled an extraneous piece of paper and tossed the wad at him before pushing back from her desk. He caught the paper easily, laughing, and shoved it in his pocket, to be deposited in the trash can on their way out.

Belle blew out a breath and closed the lid of her laptop.

They ate dinner at the counter in the kitchen while she searched county and state foster records for the names of the victims, but found nothing. Adoption records would take more effort, paperwork, and time. While it didn’t mean that wasn’t the connection between the victims, it was nonetheless another disappointment. It felt like the case was stalling, that the momentum they had after capturing Jack Branson was losing the battle with friction.

After dinner, she moved to the living room, and sat on the floor in front of the sofa with her laptop on the coffee table and papers spread out around her. She rolled her head to the side, frowning when it didn’t crack as she had hoped, and leaned back against the front of the sofa. Sitting on the floor had done her no favors. Ever since her appointment with Dr. Hopper there had been a vague tension in her body that if she just moved or twisted the right way would pop and bring sweet relief. Unfortunately, she knew that wasn’t the case.

Talking to Archie had been both cathartic and nerve wracking. She was glad she had told him about the miscarriage, and that someone other than Ian and her knew, but at the same time she wasn’t sure what kind of rabbit hole that would lead her down. There was no doubt that Archie would bring it up at her next session, which she hadn��t actually confirmed yet, and she wasn’t sure she was ready for it. Revisiting that old wound, even in a small way, had taken a toll on her. She wanted to tell Weaver about it, yet held back. If she brought it up, he would want to talk about it, the same as Archie did, and all she wanted was to shove it down deep and pretend it never happened.

Obviously, that had been working well for her the last two years.

Weaver finished cleaning up in the kitchen, and sat down on the couch behind Belle.

“Still no luck, huh.”

“Nope.” She sighed, ignoring his question, and tipped her head back, resting it on the sofa cushion. “So about keeping that shoulder rub going...?”

He smiled and waited until she scooted forward before he moved over and settled behind her. Belle turned off the TV, which had been left on after the six o’clock news was over, and let her head fall forward as he laid his hands over the tops of her shoulders. His thumbs ran along the line of her neck, pressing harder on the way up than on the way back down, fanning out over muscles that feel as though they’ve been cramped for hours. He felt an unnatural hardness at the junction of her neck and shoulders, and worked his fingers into it in slow circles with steady pressure.

She breathed out and her head bobbed forward in relaxation when his fingers slid through her hair, nails scraping deliciously over her scalp, before trailing back down her neck.

"You're too good at this," she said as he eased her further forward, kneading the inside edge of her trapezius muscle.

His palms pushed gently, rubbing at the hidden tension. "And you're too tense.”

She exhaled again. “Yeah, must have slept wrong or something.”

He let out a grunting sound that was somehow both disbelief and agreement, in that order. It made her chastise herself that she still hadn’t brought up what she’d told Archie, and that she hadn’t called to make another appointment.

Weaver reached down, trying to find the spot at the base of her shoulder blade that always seemed to knot up, but the angle from the couch was awkward and there wasn’t enough space between her and the sofa to make it work.

He pulled his hands away and sat back. “Up.”

She frowned over her shoulder at him, and he repeated the command as he pushed to his feet.

“Where are you going?” she asked, scrambling to her feet.

He paused and turned around in the doorway of the bedroom, smirking, and she rolled her eyes even as she stood and followed after him. He coaxed her out of the t-shirt she’d changed into after they arrived home, pulling up over her head to reveal the lace bralette underneath. His tongue pushed at his bottom lip when she undid the clasp and let it fall to the floor, followed by shoving her yoga pants down over her hips.

“You want me on the bed?” she asked with a cheeky quirk of her lips.

Weaver rolled his eyes, which made her giggle as she stretched out over the duvet, and moved to open the bedside table where a small bottle of her preferred body lotion was stashed. He popped it open, catching a whiff of vanilla and jasmine, and applied some to his palms, rubbing them together to warm it up before he touched her.

He knelt with one knee on the bed and began to slowly rub her back from shoulders to waist, up and down, slicking up her skin until it was soft and slippery. She groaned as his thumbs ran up her spine in a steady, even pressure that rolled over the muscles along her vertebrae. His fingers pressed against the prominent cliffs of her shoulder blades, jutting out as she rested her head on her bent elbows. Finally, he found the knot he’d been seeking earlier and kneaded it carefully, feeling the cramp in the tissue eventually give way and push a deep sigh from her lips.

His hands glided along her curves, easing away the tension in long, slow strokes, drawing out more little sounds. She shifted as he moved over the outside of her hips, massaging down the back of her thighs and calves, spanning them with both of his hands at the same time. She let out another low moan as he worked his way back up from her feet, and shifted her legs apart to work his thumbs into the muscles of her inner thighs.

He swept his fingers over her skin again and again, inching closer to the edge of her panties, and she let out a small whimper. The sound made his cock twitch, and he bit back a groan.

"So do I pay extra for you to keep going?" Belle asked, grinning as she stretched her legs against the bed, spreading them slightly.

Weaver’s hands moved slowly up the backs of her thighs, kneading the flesh gently and rubbing the last of the lotion in as she lifted her head and looked over her shoulder at him. He stopped below the curve of her backside, feeling the heat emanating from between her legs as she raised her hips.

He licked his lips. “Maybe, but I have some very flexible terms.”

His fingers slowly trailed up between her legs, lightly rubbing her there, her folds already swollen and wet beneath her underwear. She parted her legs a little more, and he pressed and teased her opening with his fingertips. Slipping under the inner elastic, he pushed a finger into her, sliding all the way into the knuckle, loving the way she squirmed and moaned, her eyes squeezing shut.

"This part of the massage too?” She tried to push back against him, but he pulled his fingers away to start tugging her panties off.

He tossed them aside with a grin, and leaned over her, pressing kisses up along her spine as his hand worked its way back between her legs. “I’m very thorough.”

Her eyebrow arched as she clenched around his finger, her hips pitching up off the bed. "Yes you are, Detect - oh -”

A second finger pushed inside her, and she heard the shuffling sound of his belt being undone, followed by the rasp of his zipper.

"You’re pretty tense here too, Counselor," he says, his voice low.

She can sense the smirk on his face just from the low, teasing tone of his voice, and she shivers with pleasure. Shifting up to her knees, she backed up against him, her bare ass rubbing against the front of his boxers and the hard ridge of his cock.

"Think you can rub that out too?" She smiled and turned her face to the side as he shook his head.

His hips jutted forward as she pressed against him, and he let out a light chuckle as he stopped touching her just long enough to remove his clothes. “Naughty.”

She hummed in agreement, smiling into the pillow as he returned to stroke her slowly. His cock slid between her legs, bumping against her clit and drawing out a shudder and a soft sound. Her legs spread further, her hips rocking back as he teased her. Her back and shoulders felt much better, the tension in them eased, but a new ache was building elsewhere each time he hit her swollen nub.

Weaver’s hands grabbed her roughly, holding her by the hips to still her movement. She let out a frustrated growl which slipped into a sharp gasp as he brought his palm down on her backside. He rubbed the spot, flushed pink and warm, and then continued up her back, tracing the same paths he had earlier when he soothed her muscles. She groaned and arched her back as she tried to push back against him at the same time, the contrast between the looseness of where he touched her and the burn inside where she wanted him made her head spin.

He drew his hands back, her skin silky from the lotion, and gave her another light spank. Her fingers curled against the sheets, nails scraping lightly as she bit her lip. The sting was a pleasant, prickly heat, a sensation she had felt in a long time. A part of her wanted to urge him to keep going, until she was shaking and crying out for him, but there was so much still between them that held her back even now.

He seemed to know that was all she could handle, and a moment later her legs were pushed apart by his knee, spreading her wide. She tensed at the first push of his cock, the head just breaching her entrance, teasing her with the idea of being stretched and fucked.

"Ian..."

A spark ran through him at the sound of his name, and he inched forward, thrusting into her in one long, slow stroke. She gasped when he hit the end of her and started to draw back, her breath catching on another gasp before he pushed back into her hard. Everything was tight and hot, and he groaned as she started rocking her hips back against him, begging him to move.

His thumbs rubbed little soothing circles on her lower back as he started a slow, steady rhythm, filling the air with the wet sound of their bodies moving together with the backdrop of the music from the other room. He drew his fingers down, brushing over the cleft of her buttocks, and she squirmed, flexing her pussy around his cock. She claws at the sheets as his does it again, panting and pushing back against him.

"I could..." he started to say, circling her ring with his fingertip. "If you want..."

He couldn’t complete the thought, the feeling of her fluttering around his length almost too much to bear.

"Yeah," she squeaked, with a thrust of her hips against his hand, against his cock. "Please."

He pulled out of her and leaned to the side, fumbling with the drawer on the nightstand to retrieve a small bottle of lube. She tried to slow her breathing, but even the sound of the lid snapping open had her pulse thrumming as she stayed there, bent over on the bed with her arse in the air. The bed shifted as he moved, and then there was a warm slickness between her cheeks, and his fingertip spreading it over her. She tried not to move, to fight the urge to force her hips back as he worked his finger inside with achingly slowness. Pressure gave way to pain which gave way to a fullness she hadn’t experienced in so long, and she let out a long, low moan.

Weaver was being as gentle as possible, waiting after each small bit of his finger slipped inside her arse for the little impatient wiggle that told him she was ready for more. Finally, when it was fully in, he turned it carefully, pulling back and stretching her before he pulled it back part way.

"Okay?" His voice was strained and he clenched his jaw at the tight, warm feeling of her flexing around his finger.

"Yeah," she whispered.

He took his cock in his free hand and eased himself back inside her pussy, groaning as his hips met hers.

"Fuck," he groaned, thrusting once to test the waters. “Tell me."

Belle took a breath, exhaling it slowly as he started to move, the rhythm between his finger and his cock just disparate enough that she couldn’t do anything except let herself feel everything that was happening.

“Belle -”

"Yeah,” she answered quickly. “Good, really good."

She started working her hips harder, encouraging him as he slid his finger almost all the way out of her ass, and his cock out of her pussy, only to push them back in, a little bit harder each time. He held onto her hip with his other hand trying to steady himself as his eyes rolled back, feeling his finger press through her inner walls, creating another sensation along his length.

Belle pushed up on her hands, and gasped out a shaky curse. She pushed her hips up against him, and he thrust harder into her, a warm rush of pleasure washing over her from head to toe. She tightened around him, crying out with each movement, her legs and arms beginning to quiver as the tension grew in her core.

"Oh fuck..."

The sound of her voice was louder than expected, and she bit her lip as she slammed her hips back against him. The pressure of his finger amplified the friction from his cock, letting her feel every inch of him, and every time he bottomed out inside her, a little squealing gasp was forced out of her. Full and stretched, she tried to keep up with his movements, but then her arms gave, and she turned her head to the side, resting it on her folded arms as he fucked her to the threshold of a blinding orgasm.

The twinges along his cock was driving him spare, and through gritted teeth he managed to slip his free hand around her hip and press two fingers against her clit. She came with some kind of groan and a bit of a squeal, a delicious sound he’d never heard her make before, but knew he’d love to hear again. Bracing on the bed, he pulled his finger out of her arse as he thrust one more time and came buried inside her, his thrusts slowing along with the twitch of her inner muscles.

They collapsed together on the bed, quiet save for hasty breaths and the lingering thrum of his heart in his ears.

"Damn," she sighed.

He smiled and kissed her shoulder. “Yeah.”

They cleaned themselves up, and then moved back to the bed in silence. He sensed there was something Belle wasn’t saying. She stretched out on her side, facing away from him, and he slipped into the bed, shifting until he was right behind her without touching her body with his. It felt much the same as it had that first night, when she’d woken up in a fit, scared of every shadow. She’d needed him close then, but he didn’t know what she wanted now.

“I told Archie,” she said quietly, “about the miscarriage.”

He felt the breath rush out of him and his throat tense, but at the same time there was relief in knowing what had been bothering her for the last few days. She moved, inching back towards him, and he reached out to pull her against his chest. He pressed a kiss to the side of her head and felt her squeeze his arm where it lay around her torso.

“Okay,” was all he could manage.

Belle swallowed. “Yeah?”

He nodded, his face rubbing against her hair. “S’good. Right?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I think so.”

Weaver’s arm tightened around her, and she felt his lips against her neck and then her bare shoulder. She’d managed to say the words twice in one week, and, strangely, it seemed to help. Perhaps tomorrow she’d call Archie and see if he was available on Tuesday. Maybe it was the intensity of the sex or the fact that she’d finally told Weaver what had been bothering her, but her body felt more relaxed than it had in months. As she breathed out, it felt like something more than just air left with it, something that maybe she didn't need to keep inside anymore.

#rumbelle #rumbelle fic #woven beauty #woven beauty fic #my woven beauty fic #fic #killing time

20 notes · View notes

thatonecurlygirl · 5 years

Text

Biology of Billy Hargrove [8]

Fandom: Stranger Things Pairing: Billy x Reader Word Count: ~2k Warning: none Read more: Biology of Billy Hargrove Masterlist

Sex burns approximately 3.6 calories a minute. If Lisa-Anne Jeenkins isn’t being the lying twit she usually is that means she and Billy burned 432 calories each from their two-hour fuck session last night. She beams and brags, flipping her hair as she sits on top of the booth table, her friends surrounding her.

“I can’t stand her.” You groan, rolling your eyes and dipping back into your banana split.

“They probably weren’t even together last night.” Angie huffs. “We both know Billy has a thing for you.”

“Doesn’t mean he is or even has to be loyal to me, we aren’t together. So what if he is out knocking boots with some bimbo. I just hope to God it wasn’t her.” You scoff, looking over at Lisa.

Lisa is looking back at you, an amused smile pinned on her thin lips. She Flips her hair over her shoulder again, eyes trained on you as she talks to her friends, posse, mindless minions.

“You should have seen how he was all over me. I don’t think there was an inch of this body that his tongue didn’t tease.” She runs her hands down her body theatrically. “Thinking about it has me all hot.” She fans herself.

“Fuck her.” You mumble.

“Sounds like you may be a little pissy because you’re possessive?” Angie questions. “Have you seen him recently?”

“Just Monday, not yesterday or today.” You shrug.

“Not since the two of you were making out after he broke in to let you in your house?”

“That’s right.” You nod, taking another bite of your ice cream and trying to avoid looking at her.

“I’m supposed to call him when I get home.” Lisa-Anne’s voice cuts through and you glare up at her to see her all in her story. “I’m supposed to go over to his place tonight.”

“Oh.” Angie gasps.

“What?” You look over at her, but before you are able to get an answer from her, Billy slides into the booth next to you. “Oh, Billy. What are you doing here?”

“I saw your car, thought I’d stop in.” He smiles at you and then at Angie. “What’s going on here?” He asks the two of you.

“Just listening to Lisa-Anne share the highlights of your escapades last night?” You inform him, nodding over to Lisa-Anne and all her friends who have all suddenly got quiet.

“She’s telling everyone we fucked?” He chuckles. “She wishes we did.”

“You’re telling me you didn’t sleep with Lisa-Anne?” You ask, skepticism painting your face.

“Despite what it seems like, I don’t fuck every chick I come across.” He laughs, amused. “You shouldn’t believe everything you hear, little rabbit.”

“Again with the nickname.” You groan, rolling your eyes.

“You love it.” He counters.

“Oh, she absolutely does. She was talking about how much she loves being called that just before you came in.” Angie plays along.

“You’re ridiculous.” You sigh playfully, looking at the clock on the wall by the bathrooms. “Oh, I’ve got to head out. I promised Mom I would be home before they leave for Dad’s business trip tonight.” You nudge Billy in a gesture to tell him to let you out.

“Home alone?” He smirks. “You want company?”

“I want you to move, so I can leave.” You push against his boulder-like hard bicep.

He slides out of the booth and stands up, allowing you to slide out too. You gather your trash and take it to the garbage, turning around to see your best friend and Billy Hargrove sitting in the booth and chatting to each other. A ping of jealousy rumbles in your stomach, but you push it down and replace it with a smile.

“Bye, talk to you later.” You wave and skip out of the Dairy Queen and to your car.

When you arrive home, your parents are loading the trunk with their bags. They are only going to be gone for two days, but they always pack more than what they need. It’s likely more because your parents are spontaneous people and they rarely ever know what they are going to do until they are in the middle of doing, which is something you haven’t inherited from them. You are a planner, you have to have everything mapped out and create back-up plans for your back-up plans.

“Ah, great. We left some money on the fridge in case you want to order pizza or something for dinner while we are gone. Make sure the doors are locked before you go to sleep and we will call you before bed each night.” Your mom lays out the ‘rules’ and kisses your forehead.

“Be good, kiddo.” Dad says, hugging you before heading to the car.

“Always am.” You call back and he just quirks his eyebrow and smiles, waving as they pull out of the driveway.

“They packed like they’ll be gone for three years!” Dustin exclaims as the kids walk up the street toward you.

“Yeah, I never know with them.” You laugh. “What are you three up to?” You ask looking at Dustin, Max, and Lucas.

“We wanted to walk Max home.” Lucas says, nodding toward his girlfriend.

“You’ve got yourself a keeper, Max.” You nudge her.

“Thanks guys, I’m going to hang out here with Y/n.” She sits the porch swing. “See you guys tomorrow.” “Bye Max.” The boys say, waving as they turn and walk back down the street.

“So where are your parents going?” She asks as you sit down beside her.

“My Dad has a work conference in Indianapolis. He and my mom like to make a mini semi-vacation out of it.”

“Without you?”

“I’d rather not go to those, it’s not my ideal ‘vacation’.” You explain.

“Hm, okay.”

The familiar roar of an engine gets louder and louder until you spot the source of the noise. Billy and his beloved vehicle make their way down the street and into his usual parking spot. He hops out, adjusting his clothes before looking over at you with a smile and wink. You didn’t notice before but he is wearing a new pair of jeans. You thought the other pairs looked good on him, but God himself must have made those jeans just for him.

“Oh my God!” Max groans from beside you.

“You like Billy don’t you?” She asks.

“What are you talking about? No, I don’t like Billy.” You shake your head, denying the tingling feeling in your cheeks.

“You were supposed to distract him that one time and now your drooling.” She places the back on her hand to your forehead. “Shit, I think we broke you. Are you overheated? Having a crisis?”

“Oh, stop that.” You push her hand away. “No, I’m not falling for Billy. He get’s under my skin and I thought it’d be funny to do the same to him.” You say, not confident in how things are going at the moment.

“Okay well, just don’t fall in love with him or anything. I like you and would hate if he hurt you.” She stands up. “Can we come swimming tomorrow?”

“Of course.” You nod, standing up and opening the front door. “I’ll see you then.”

“Okay, bye!”

—————

You’re sprawled across the couch in the clothes Billy let you borrow and was kind enough to let you keep. They still smell like him and you can’t decide if it makes you a creep or not to just lay there and take in the smell. Channel after channel goes by as you flip through, trying to find something to watch and you are startled when there’s a knock at your door.

Confused, you set the remote down on the coffee table and crawl off the couch, making your way to the front door. Three more knocks at the door and three rings of your doorbell sound before you are able to open the door. When you do, there stands Angie and Billy, pizza in hand. They just walk in and straight to the living room, leaving you standing there confused as you close the door.

“Glad to see the two of you are getting along. Oh, and uh what are you here?” You ask, walking into the living room, hand on hip.

“Movies and pizza!” Angie exclaims looking at you. Her face contorts to confusion and she tilts her head. “Whose clothes are you wearing?”

“Yeah, Y/n, whose clothes are those?” Billy smirks.

“I-uh, they are - it was raining and I, well Billy he-“ You stutter and try to explain why you are wearing Billy’s clothes.

“Wait,” she looks from you to Billy “Those are yours? What have you two been up to?”

“Nothing!” You huff. “Nothing, now give me a slice.” You walk over and reach into the box for a slice of pizza.

“She does look hot in them though.” He smirks, looking you up and down.

“Shut up, Billy.” You mumble, pulling your feet underneath you as the movie starts.

A movie and a half in and you are already asleep, leaning against Billy with your head tucked into his side. He sits there, arm gently wrapped around you as he continues watching the movie. Angie, she goes back and forth between watching the movie and looking at the two of you cuddled up.

“Hey, y/n.” Angie gently nudges you awake. “I’m going to head out, it's getting late. You should head to bed too.”

“Oh, shit.” You are shocked out of your sleepiness when you open your eyes to see the time. “It’s late Ang, you can just stay here tonight if you want.” You nod to the stairs that lead to your room.

“You sure?”

“Yeah, go up and find you something to change into.” You smile, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes and stamina up off the couch.

“Thanks.” She runs up the stairs to your room and wordlessly walk with Billy to the door.

“Thanks for coming over and hanging out. I appreciate it.” You smile, opening the door and stepping out onto the front porch with him.

“Anytime.” He smiles. “I actually like hanging out with you.”

“Actually? You make it sound like you enjoying my company is surprising.” You laugh.

“Not going to lie, I was a bit surprised. You’re hot, but you hang out with Max and her friend. I didn’t expect you to be…”

“You didn’t expect a loser to be fun?” You question, giving him a hard time.

“Yeah.” He chuckles. “A lot of fun.” His voice goes quiet and raspy, his eyes flicking from your lips to your eyes that are sparkling in the street lamps.

You can feel your fingertips tingling at just the thought of touching him. Before you even know what you are doing, you reach out and grab the front of his shirt, pulling him in to you. Your lips softly land on his, his fingers grip your waist as he pulls you into him as close as he can before sandwiching you between him and the window.

“This is a bad idea.” You whisper against his lips. You can feel him smile against yours before trailing kisses down the cord of your neck.

“It might be, but it feels right.” He growls nipping at your neck.

All of a sudden Billy stops and takes a step back, disconnecting all touch. He smirks down at you and reaches out to brush a lock of hair behind your ear.

“Billy?”

“Go out with me… Friday.” You aren’t sure whether he is asking or telling you.

“Okay.” You nod.

“Good.” He smiles, walking backward to the edge of your porch. “Goodnight, y/n.”

“Night Billy.” You smile, turning around and walking back into your house.

“Well, that fucking happened!” Angie yells, jaw dragging the floor.

“Shut up and let’s go to sleep.” You close the front door, hiding your smile behind your hand as the two of you make your way up to your room

_ . _ . _ . _ . _ . _ . _ . _ .

Biology of B.H. Taglist: @dontxfearxthereaper @magicwithaknife @chims-kookies @ashleymarieriffle @cynthianokamaria @billyhargovesgurl @gingertalksshit @weyheyavengers @queenemoscene @charmed-asylum @speedmetalqueen @katiexdacre @devilslittlebabygirl @xxemoluverxx

Billy Hargrove Taglist: @xicarcalii @hargrovesprincess @super-strange-sons @asheseiler @admiralsixx @lady1505 @lets-be-heroes-justforaday @queenemoscene

#Billy Hargrove #billy x reader #billy hargrove fic #billy hargrove x reader #dacre montgomery #Biology of Billy Hargrove #stranger things x reader #stranger things fic #stranger things subjects

181 notes · View notes

itsjustmyfantasyroom · 4 years

Text

Witch Beauty

Been wanting to do an undercover story for this series- here it is

Warnings: Usual SVU, Undercover SVU, light swearing and shower smut

"Once you guys are ready, we will run over tonight again. Barba should be here by then" Liv closed the door of the locker room and you went into the bathroom.

"I can't go out like this-Amanda swap outfits please"

"Nice try, the answer is no"

"Come on Y/N, let us see you" Sonny yelled through the door.

Sonny and Amanda burst out laughing when you stepped out.

"Don't be ass holes" you spat at them "Amanda, why do you get to wear pants? I have nowhere to hide my gun"

----

"So the preps are mid 20's. Perp one is 5 foot 8 inches with red hair, prep two is 6 foot even with Sandy Brown hair. They target women in pairs, they talk the victims into going back to their apartment, walking them through the park nearby and they attack them there. They are highly dangerous, they have done a number on all the girls they have attacked. One will have scratch marks on his neck from his last victim. Unis will be around in the club with Carisi and will around the park, Fin and I will be in the van, and if you want to join us"

"How many victims so far?" Rafael asked

"4..."

"You two need to shut the hell up and leave me alone" Rafael turned his head and when he seen you, his mouth dropped open at the sight.

You had heavy dark eye makeup, deep red lips and dead straight hair. You had a black choker around your neck with a moon on it which was your hidden camera, a boob tube black leather dress that didn't leave much to the imagination, just covering everything, with a small v slit on your left thigh, with low black platform heels.

Rafael met your eyes and you rolled them at him with Amanda and Sonny laughing behind you. Amanda was dressed in red leather pants, a black halter neck top with an open back, heavy makeup and large hoop earrings; her hidden camera. Sonny was in black jeans and a white button down, wearing glasses; his hidden camera.

You walked straight over to Rafael who was sitting at the conference desk in the bullpen, he stood up and gave you a hug, not kissing you because of your makeup

"Hey Rafi, keep these safe for me please"

You handed him your heart necklace, heart bracelet and his grandmother’s ring. He nodded with a smile and put them in his pocket.

"Rollins, Carisi do we have a problem?" Fin asked hushing them from laughing

"No" Amanda answered holding back laughter.

"Y/N looks like she just stepped out of The Craft" Sonny and Amanda burst out laughing again and you rolled your eyes.

"I'll be waiting at the car" you turned on your heels and headed for the lifts.

----

"Sorry for teasing you" Sonny grabbed your arm to try and get you to look at him.

"Yeah you know it was all fun and games" Amanda grabbed your shoulder from the back seat

"You guys mention it again and I'll craft your asses, turn yall into frogs" you all laughed.

Just then your phone chimed.

10.30 pm: Rafael- Stay safe Hermosa, I'll be in the van waiting. I love you

10.32pm: Y/N- I love you Rafi, see you when it's all over xx

"Ok we're here, you both know the signal, if it gets too much just let me know and I'll gets you’s out of there" Sonny grabbed your hand and squeezed it and looked at Amanda giving her a nod. Sonny's phone rang

"Hey Liv"

"Ok Carisi, all your cameras and sound are working. Send the girls in now, you follow in 10"

“Everything by the book Detectives” Rafael yelled from the other end of phone.

Because Rafael was in the van with Liv and Fin, they each had a monitor. Liv was watching Sonny's camera, Rafael watching Amanda's and Fin watching yours. Of course he didn't argue when Liv put him on Amanda's camera, he got to stare at you on the monitor.

As different as this look was for you, you looked beautiful, very Gothic but stunning. He could tell you were uncomfortable, but of course only he knew that, he knew that look you had on your face. He wasn't happy that you were undercover, dressed like that trying to catch two rapists, but he was there which eased him, and as annoying as Sonny was he knew he wouldn't be far away from you. At times Sonny was just as protective of you and he was.

---

You and Amanda were dancing and resting the same drink that had gone hot. Sonny was standing leaning on the bar as he scanned the room. He finally seen the preps walking down the stairs, he caught your eyes and gave you a double wink.

You step closer to Amanda's ear, "They’re here". Amanda spotted them and when she seen them go to the bar, she pulled you with her to stand behind them.

You guys made sure you were directly behind them so when they turned they bumped into you both. On one preps neck you could see scratch marks from where his last victim tried to get him off her. You looked at Amanda who noticed them as well and you stood up on tippy toes for the camera to get a better look at the marks.

"Barba, Liv look" they both looked at the screen and seen the scratch marks down his neck.

"We keep on top if this, we don’t need a situation with either of them " Rafael looked at Liv dead in the eyes.

----

"ALL UNITS GO GO GO" Liv screamed over the radio

"I SAID GET OFF ME" you managed to lift your knee between the perps leg and knee him hard in between them, he fell back leaning down to cup himself, when you brought your knee up again and kneed him in the nose causing him to fall back on his back. Sonny and some undercover uni's came running around the path and seen you standing over him while he held himself with both hands. Liv and Fin went running for Amanda who also managed to subdue her perp.

Liv gave Rafael strict instructions to stay in the van when it was time to go, he agreed half heartily and continued to watch your screen seeing everything unfold.

"That's my girl" he said to himself when he seen how you protected yourself.

"Good job ladies, let's get back to the station" Liv patting you both on the back

Sonny drove you all back, Liv wanted you and Amanda to question both guys first to see if they would crack being questioned by you both. Rafael sat in the back with you holding your hand and squeezing it, you looked up at him and he winked at you.

Amanda got changed first. You both agreed to leave you hair and makeup on to spook them so they knew they attacked under covers.

You couldn't wait to get out of the dress, it was too short and too sticky from sweat. You reached around to the zip, but it wouldn't budge. You pulled and pulled but nothing happened.

"For fuck sake" you muttered to yourself about to unlock the door to go and look for help when you heard the other door open.

"Hermosa, are you ok? Your coffee is getting cold"

You unlocked the door and Rafael saw how flustered you were.

"Are you ok?"

"The zipper is stuck" he chuckled at you and walked in closing the door behind him locking it.

Rafael put his hands on your shoulders and spun you around sweeping your hair over one shoulder. After a couple of tugs, he managed to get it undone. He lent over and started to kiss your shoulder which sent shivers down your spine.

"Rafi, I have to get changed, the others are waiting"

You turned to face him and kissed him on the lips. He wasn't wearing a tie, and had the first few buttons undone on his shirt, you kissed down to his neck, back up along his jaw, up to his ear.

"I'll make it up to you when we get home"

"I can't wait" he kissed you back and left you to get changed.

Within two hours you and Amanda got both confessions and they were sent to be processed and arraignment on Monday morning.

It was the early hours of Sunday morning when you and Rafael finally both got home from Sonny dropping you off.

"I need a shower, Rafi wanna join me?" You pulled him into you kissing him deeply.

He ran his hands down your side and cupped your ass lifting you up, you wrapped your legs around his waist and he walked into the bathroom.

He placed you down so he could start the water. You were undressed before he even turned back around. You opened the mirror cabinet and pulled out your make up wipes and started to remove the heavy makeup. He turned around and took in your naked form, looking you up and down. You seen his face in the mirror,

"Better catch up Counselor" You smirked at him.

You had never seen him undress so quickly before and he was on top of you, running his hands down your sides and peppering kisses along your shoulders and neck, you could feel him hardening against your thigh.

You turned to face him and he pulled you into the shower and pushed your back to the wall. He started to kiss your neck and ran his hand down your naked side across your hips and too your opening.

"You looked so hot tonight. I was fighting to keep my hands off you" Rafael purred, you giggled

"Rafi, I looked like a witch"

"A hot witch-wow so wet, all for me?"

"Always for you Rafi"

He spun you around and pushed your front against the shower wall kissing and lightly nipping at your neck, you reached behind and took his length into your palm and started to rub him from base to tip.

"Keep that up Hermosa-oh-" he took a large gulp.

"Bend over" you pushed yourself off the wall, spreading your legs more and sticking your ass out, he rubbed his length along you,

"I have been wanting to do this to you all night" and without warning he slipped into you in one go. He paused for a second knowing that he would come too quickly if he got too carried away. You noticed his pause and knew exactly what to say to fire him up again,

"You ok back there Guapo?"

Just saying that one single word is Spanish sent fire through him and you knew it, and started to pound you hard and fast.

Moans filled the room, " Rafi...I" he reached around and started to rub clit with his thumb, which was pulsing and hard.

"Rafael" you screamed, tipping him over, he grunted your name and his thrusts slowed to a stop.

He pulled out a moment later and helped you get your balance and turned you to face him. He was trying to slow his breathing, but he lent against you kissing you deeply, he pulled away to catch his breath and he tucked a piece of hair behind you ear,

“Its so hot when you call me Guapo”

70 notes · View notes

newstfionline · 4 years

Text

Headlines

Masks, gloves, and other coronavirus waste are starting to fill up our oceans (Fast Company) It’s not news that our trash eventually finds its way to the ocean. Because oceans are downstream, litter will eventually find a pathway into our bodies of water if it’s not discarded properly—and often even if it is. But as the COVID-19 crisis slowly generates a new kind of waste, made up of disposable masks and other PPE items, it’s posing new problems for the Earth’s oceans.

Dark days in the cinema business (The Week) Movie theaters will need more than popcorn to persuade audiences to catch the latest blockbuster this summer. Cinemas are among the last businesses to reopen in the United States and Europe, and with good reason: Plenty of customers remain skeptical that it’s “safe to sit in a room with strangers for two hours during a pandemic.” But the largest chains, AMC, Regal, and Cinemark, are forging ahead with plans to reopen nationwide by mid-July. It’s already proving tricky. AMC, the world’s largest theater operator, “drew outcry when it said it wouldn’t require masks” because the company “did not want to be drawn into a political controversy.” AMC later reversed its policy. It’s still capping seating at 30 percent, which will make chopping down its $10 billion net debt difficult. Meanwhile, the threat from streaming services has only grown during the crisis. If the public decides that going to the movies is unsafe, studios can go straight to video.

Protesters Won’t Leave CHOP in Seattle as Tensions Rise (WSJ) Several hundred demonstrators are staying in an autonomous area claimed by protesters for racial justice in Seattle, even as its size is shrinking and pressure to shut it down completely is increasing from local businesses and residents, as well as city officials. The Capitol Hill Occupied Protest zone, or CHOP, began on June 8 after thousands of protesters moved into a six-block area in the artsy neighborhood. Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan ordered police to abandon the local East Precinct police station to help end violent confrontations there following the killing of the African-American George Floyd by a white Minneapolis policeman on May 25. The CHOP was initially akin to a community festival focused on antiracism and police reform, with few problems or complaints from local residents. But last weekend there were three shootings in the area, one of which left a man dead. Police attempting to respond to the fatal incident in the predawn hours Saturday were blocked by a crowd telling them to leave. The 19-year-old victim, shot by an unknown assailant inside the occupied zone, was taken by private citizens to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. “It’s time for people to go home,” Ms. Durkan said in a press conference Monday. “We can still accommodate people who want to protest peacefully, come there and gather. But the impacts on the businesses and residents and community are now too much.”

272 uniformed NYPD cops file for retirement after George Floyd death (NY Post) Cops are hanging up their handcuffs in huge numbers. The flurry of farewells began after the police-involved killing of George Floyd on May 25, with 272 uniformed cops putting in retirement papers from then through June 24, the NYPD says. An NYPD source suggested the recent departures could signal a coming crisis for the 36,000-member department, which also faces a $1 billion budget reduction amid the “defund the police” furor. Police Benevolent Association president Patrick Lynch said cops are “at their breaking point, whether they have 20 years on the job or only two. We are all asking the same question: ‘How can we keep doing our job in this environment?’ And that is exactly what the anti-cop crowd wants. If we have no cops because no one wants to be a cop, they will have achieved their ultimate goal.”

In Haiti, coronavirus spreads in slums (Reuters) Berthony Clermont shares a two-room flat without running water with 10 relatives in the Haitian capital’s Cite Soleil slum, so when he fell ill with the novel coronavirus, they all did. “I tried staying at home at the beginning but it was difficult to isolate myself as the house is too small,” said the 45-year old. Mistrustful of the dilapidated public healthcare in Haiti—the poorest country in the Americas—Clermont and his family treated themselves at home with herbal teas. Clermont’s plight is shared by many in Haiti and, more broadly, across the Caribbean and Latin America. Home to 654 million people, it is the most unequal region in the world, according to the United Nations. As governments in Europe and some parts of Asia have managed to stem the spread of coronavirus, Latin America and the Caribbean have emerged as one of the epicenters of the pandemic.

A divided Poland holds presidential vote delayed by pandemic (AP) Poles voted in a presidential election Sunday that was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic and was taking place amid deep cultural and political divisions in the European Union nation. President Andrzej Duda, a 48-year-old conservative backed by the nationalist ruling Law and Justice party, was running against 10 other candidates as he sought a second 5-year term. Whether Duda wins or not will determine whether the ruling party keeps its near-monopoly on political power in Poland. Most recent polls showed that no single candidate was likely to reach the 50% required to avoid a runoff given the crowded field of candidates, all of whom are male. In that case, the two top vote-getters will face each other on July 12.

After deadly border clash, India faces uncomfortable truths about its reliance on China (Washington Post) After 20 Indian soldiers were killed in the first deadly clash with Chinese troops in decades, India faced a dilemma. Could it retaliate against its more powerful neighbor? Military action held obvious risks, including a dangerous escalation between two nuclear-armed nations. Some called for an economic boycott instead, urging ordinary Indians and companies to shun Chinese goods. Now India is facing an uncomfortable truth familiar to governments around the world: It’s difficult to disentangle from China. In wide-ranging goods such as cars, cellphones and medicine, Chinese components are a crucial part of Indian supply chains. Even bulletproof vests used by Indian soldiers are made with material imported from China. China is India’s second-largest overall trading partner and its biggest source of imports. India, by contrast, does not figure in China’s top 15 trading partners and is even lower on the list of sources of imports.

China virus cases stabilize (AP) China has extended COVID-19 tests to newly reopened salons amid a drop in cases, while South Korea continues to face new infections after it eased social distancing rules to lift the economy. Hard-hit Italy, meanwhile, registered the lowest day-to-day tally of COVID-19 deaths Saturday in nearly four months. No positive cases were found in Beijing’s beauty and barber shops in a further sign that the city’s recent outbreak has been largely brought under control. Beijing officials have temporarily shut a huge wholesale food market where the virus spread widely, reclosed schools and locked down some neighborhoods. Anyone leaving Beijing is required to have a negative virus test result within the previous seven days. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that 40 of the newly reported cases were domestically infected, while 22 others came from overseas. In Hawaii, the city of Honolulu announced that campgrounds will reopen for the first time in three months with limited permits to ensure social distancing. In contrast, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee put a hold on plans to move counties to the fourth phase of his reopening plan as cases continue to increase.

Dozens arrested as Hong Kongers protest planned national security laws (Reuters) Hong Kong police arrested at least 53 people on Sunday after scuffles erupted during a relatively peaceful protest against planned national security legislation to be implemented by the mainland Chinese government. Armed riot police were present as a crowd of several hundred moved from Jordan to Mong Kok in the Kowloon district, staging what was intended as a “silent protest” against the planned law. However, chanting and slogans were shouted towards police and later scuffles broke out in Mong Kok, prompting police to use pepper spray to subdue parts of the crowd. The proposed national security law has raised concerns among Hong Kong democracy activists and some foreign governments that Beijing is further eroding the extensive autonomy promised when Britain handed the territory back to China in 1997.

Arab leaders say West Bank annexation will imperil regional security. Will Israel listen? (Washington Post) A succession of Arab leaders and officials have sharply warned Israel against moving forward with a controversial plan to annex Palestinian lands in the Israeli-occupied West Bank as early as this week—an action they say could destabilize the region and undermine peace efforts. Jordan’s King Abdullah has declared it “unacceptable” and warned of a “massive conflict” in the region. Senior Jordanian officials have threatened to reconsider their peace treaty with Israel or their security cooperation agreements. Egypt, the only other Arab nation that has signed a peace treaty with Israel, has also objected, as have Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The United Arab Emirates said annexation would imperil Israel’s chances of building stronger ties to Persian Gulf nations. But it remains to be seen whether Arab leaders will go beyond mere statements of solidarity for Palestinians and take concrete measures in the event of annexation, Palestinians and regional analysts say. Pressure from the streets to do so could be limited, as Arabs across the region are distracted by the coronavirus pandemic, economic instability, civil wars and other woes.

Opposition wins historic rerun of Malawi’s presidential vote (AP) The opposition has won Malawi’s historic rerun of the presidential election, the first time a court-overturned vote in Africa has led to the defeat of an incumbent leader. Lazarus Chakwera’s victory late Saturday was a result of months of determined street protests in the southern African nation, and of a unanimous decision by the Constitutional Court that widespread irregularities in the May 2019 election—including the use of correction fluid on ballots —could not stand. President Peter Mutharika, who had sought a second five-year term, earlier Saturday called the rerun of the election “the worst in Malawi’s history.” He alleged his party’s monitors had been beaten and intimidated during Tuesday’s election, but the Malawi Human Rights Commission, an observer, called the vote peaceful and transparent. Chakwera won with 58% of the vote, or 2.6 million votes out of 4.4 million cast. Mutharika received 1.7 million. Flag-waving supporters erupted in cheers as the results were read out, and some street celebrations began. Fireworks popped.

#headlines #news

4 notes · View notes