#shh. admire. and dine. ]

[teneboobism]

Dinner time.

[gtgbabie0]

-Cregan Stark x Reader

{You learn that your husband is a very affectionate drunk}

I’m so back… Enjoy my lovelies! 💕

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Northern men know how to drink, it’s something you learned from first-hand experience on the night of your wedding. How the lords and ladies danced and drank together throughout the night, slurring their words and spilling their ale.

Today was no different, a celebration for your husband's name day that has been going on since the sun had started to rise. You couldn’t complain about it, it was nice to see Cregan not overwhelmed with his duties.

The dining hall is dimly lit with candles that are littered everywhere, the white wax melts in clumps on the wooden tables that are stained with ale and wine. You notice how much calmer the atmosphere seems to be, now that the evening has approached, as you lean back into your chair.

Most of the guests had taken their leave by now and only a few Lords and Ladies remain, and even their faces were visibly exhausted. A soft sigh escapes your lips as you glance over to Cregan, who is already looking at you with soft, glossed-over eyes.

“You look beautiful” he whispers, his words are slurred from his drunken state, but they still carry so much honesty and love that it melts you.

The smile that teeters on your lips is uncontrollable and it only makes Cregan admire you even more. He leans back in his chair whilst he drinks the sight of you in with hungry eyes.

You rest your hand over Cregans as he squeezes your thigh gently. “Have you had a good day?” You ask as he nods his head, his big hand caressing your thigh lazily.

“The best… thanks to you my lady” he says with a soft chuckle at the way you give him an almost shy smile. He can’t help but adore everything about you… you’re beyond perfect, 'a gift from the gods' as Cregan always says.

“I’m glad, though, perhaps it is time to call it a day now?” You tell him as you take his calloused hand within yours. He hums in agreement as his thumb soothes against your palm.

Getting him back to your shared bedchambers was a very humorous challenge. You were practically dragging him along as he leaned onto you for support, his hands soothing against your hips and waist whilst you guided him through the cold halls of the Winterfell castle.

The fireplace warms your bedchambers, bathing the cosy room in a soft light, as it crackles and pops. Cregan watches you take off your jewellery before changing into your nightgown with a soft smirk, his eyes gleaming with fondness.

“Gods, look at you… an absolute goddess” he says, his raspy voice just above a whisper. He wastes no time in approaching you clumsily, his hands grasping needly on your body as he tugs you closer to him.

The giggle that escapes you leaves Cregan breathless and it certainly doesn’t help when your fingers begin to brush through his hair as you stand between his legs. He looks up at you with a smile as you cup his face gently… he simply can not get enough of you.

“You should sleep,” you tell him softly knowing how awful his morning fog will be. He shakes his head softly as he rests against your stomach, his hand still grasping at your hips.

“Not before I thank you properly… my queen” His tone is teasing as he lets out a soft chuckle at the way you gasp.

“Shh… your words are dangerously close to treason” you whisper softly as your hand moves to clasp over his mouth, you look down at him with an almost shy smile.

"My words will only be treason if someone hears them... and we are alone." He pulls your hand away from his mouth, his fingers caressing your wrist. The way you look when he praises you makes him crazy. Your eyes, your smile, you are beautiful.

He hugs you close, pressing a kiss on your cheek. "But you are my queen. You rule over my heart. No one could ever take that place from you."

The honesty and love that are woven within his each and every word takes you back, your expression softens and your eyes start to well up with tears. It’s an overwhelming feeling that warms your chest and makes your skin tingle.

You take a seat on the bed beside him with a soft sigh. His thumb wipes away your tears as he presses another kiss to your cheek. “Don’t cry… you’re far too pretty for that” he whispers, his forehead resting against yours.

A bright smile teeters on his lips at the sound of your precious laughter, he brushes your hair behind your ears before pressing a kiss to your jaw.

“I love you, Cregan.” The words feel so natural and he absolutely relishes in the way you say it. He buries his face into the crook of your neck with a boyish smile.

“I love you too… my queen” he replies, his tone heavy with exhaustion as the alcohol starts to weigh on him however that doesn’t stop him from pressing lazy kisses all over your face, his hands soothing against your hips and waist whilst he whispers sweet nothings into your skin.

Cregan will soon find sleep, with his arms wrapped around you and his face buried into your neck. You’ll have to tease him tomorrow about how much of an affectionate drunk he is.

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[fanaticsnail]

The Marine's Mistake

Masterlist here.

Word Count: 1,700+ (just a small little drabble for me!!)

Warnings: Clean-shaven Mihawk, lots of flirting, mentions of drinking.

@feral-artistry requested this a while ago, and I finally had enough in me to pump out this little drabble. I can easily see myself adding to this little relationship down the line, but for now it's all short, sweet and innocent.

Hushed whispers travelled along the rotund dining table in the dimly-lit tavern. Hands shielding lips, narrowed eyes, the smallest tilt of chins spread like the trickle of seawater through a crack in the ship’s hull to litter the hallway with the salty liquid.

“What do you think happened?” a red-headed marine uttered to her comrade beside her, eyes widening the longer her sights were held to the table in the centre of the tavern.

“He wouldn’t have shaved it,” another shook their head, raising the cool glass of bitter beer to their lips. A small foam line falling to their top lip as they pulled the glass back to utter: “it’s a part of his look, right? It wouldn’t be intentional.”

“Perhaps it was an accident,” a blonde, tall cadet uttered with a curt nod, “cannon fire, a blast or something.”

“I don’t think he’d be close enough to the end of a cannon for that to happen,” a smaller, pink-haired cadet offered in response as he adjusted his circular glasses up the bridge of his nose.

You sat at the corner of the table, not quite following the conversation falling amongst your peers of marines. This was the third transfer you’d been a part of in the span of a month: the latest ship needing to utilise your skills as a hand-to-hand combat specialist to better the skills of the marines.

Vice-Admiral Garp and his marine cadets were in the early stages of building rapport with you, you only truly interacting with your peers and subordinates while running drills or swapping over watch shifts so far. This venture in land for the replenishment of supplies and to fix up any chipped wood for the ship was truly your first opportunity to really get to know your new crew on a deeper level.

You looked down at the end of your pint-glass, the slosh of the final dregs of the beaded liquid swaying as you held your gaze firmly to it.

“Marines,” you addressed your peers, bringing the attention of your drinking companions over to you, “I’m getting another round,” you rose to your feet, pushing your wooden bar-stool back beneath the table below, “speak now if you’d like another, I think it’s my turn this time?”

A chorus of a resounding “yes!” fell to your ears, prompting a small giggle rise in your chest. The “yes!” gained the attention of the rest of the small dining room, prompting you to lower your palm to the floor with a playful “shh”, the laugh falling as you began taking orders.

“I’m assuming all ales then?” you asked as your laughter diminished, “I should just get a jug, at this stage.”

“Yes to the jug!” the red-head began to chant, a broad smile displayed openly on her lips.

“Aye!” the marine beside her confirmed with a similar amount of enthusiasm.

Another giggle fell from your lips as you turned to make your way to the wooden bar, the barkeeper meeting your gaze with a nod in your approach. As you stood your torso up against the bar with a handful of berry clutched in your hand, your eyes travelled to the body which began their own approach to the bar.

The gentleman was adorning an open, cream-coloured silk shirt, frills embellishing the low collar with a crossed draw-string revealing the crevasses of his muscular chest. Dark and loose curls framed his face, angular and strong arches of his jaw and cheek bones comparable to carved marble. His yellow eyes beneath his long, dark eyelashes held an intensity you hadn’t seen before.

He was breathtaking. Your eyes travelled to his dark, leather pants held by a woven belt with a large, brass buckle. Trailing your eyes back up, you found your gaze met by the gentleman you were shamelessly undressing with your eyes; a warmth rising to your cheeks under the knowledge that you were found out.

“Marine,” he offered in a bored tone as he drew his body beside yours at the bar.

“Beautiful,” you challenged him, a small smirk rising to your lips. He arched his brow upwards in response, his intense frown no longer present atop his handsome features. He hummed, leaning his elbows against the wooden bar and flicking out his index and middle finger to gain the attention of the bartender.

“What are we drinking, gorgeous?” you asked him, turning your shoulders to offer him your full attention.

“We?” he scoffed, yellow eyes trailing over your face as his shaven chin pointed towards your own, “I am not buying you a drink, Marine.”

He turned back towards the bar, completely ignoring your presence beside him as he focussed on trailing the bartender with his eyes.

“I never suggested such a thing, charming,” you taunted him, your index finger trailing the benchtop beside him slowly; drawing his gaze to your digits. He arched his brow upwards, intrigue gracing his honey-coloured eyes briefly. The bartender finally gracing the both of you with his presence, brushing down the benchtop with a tea-towel and smiling broadly.

“What’ll it be?” he asked, placing his white and blue tea-towel over his shoulder and leaning against the counter.

“Three jugs of ale for the table in the corner,” you smiled, turning again to the man beside you, “and add his drinks to my tab, along with two more of what he’s having.”

The dark-haired man snapped his face back towards you, eyes wide at your boldness. His eyes narrowed at you, training over your playful expression.

“You have no idea who I am, do you?” he uttered in a low tone.

“None in the slightest,” you shrugged, your bottom lip falling into a small pout, “but I sure would like to.”

The man was taken aback, his eyes widening before a small smirk grew itself against his lips.

“A bottle of Sangiovese,” he tilted his chin back at the bartender, “and two glasses.”

You scrunched your nose upwards in delight, drawing out the berry to cover your tab and handing it over to the bartender. You turned to face your torso to the room, your elbows finding the bar behind you as you arched your back outwards in your leaning.

“Sangiovese?” you questioned the mysterious man beside you, “you in the mood for something more on the tart and sour side, handsome?”

“There you are again with the pet-names, Marine,” he taunted you with a small purr in his tone, prompting a warm flush to once again draw over your face. You broke away your eye contact with him and looked to the table of your peers; who seemed to have widening eyes and the colour drained from their faces. You shook your head a little, brows furrowing in question as they witnessed a waitress bring over their jugs of ale.

“And here I was thinking my poor mood would travel back home with me, after that meeting,” he uttered under his breath as the bartender came back with a decanted bottle of sangiovese and two crystal wine-glasses.

“What was that?” you asked him, turning your gaze back towards the gentleman who currently captivated you with his mysterious aura.

“Indeed, sweetheart,” he leant his body over yours, towering you beneath his intimidating aura, “something tart that I can roll over my palate with subtle spice is what the current mood of the hour calls for.”

Instead of backing away and cowering beneath his towered stoop, you instead arched your back upwards further and lulled your head to the side with your jaw revealed to him. He hummed down at you, reaching behind you both to collect the glasses and the decanter within his wide fingertips.

“You are intriguing,” he praised you in a deep rumbly whisper, his lips falling dangerously close to your own as he retrieved the objects behind you, “allow me to escort you outside to continue this delicious conversation over the wine you graciously paid for, that is-.”

You tilted your head, awaiting for him to continue his sentence. He turned his head to look to your commanding officer, Bogard and Vice-Admiral Garp, with his brow arched upwards. His lips curled up into a smirk, you watching how truly beautiful his smile grew to become.

“That is…-?” you trailed in question for him to continue, drawing your right hand up to his cheek. You utilised your index finger and thumb to collect his smooth chin and draw his attention back to you. Upon slowly sweeping the room before drawing his attention back towards you.

“That is, if you’re completely ‘off-duty’ for the rest of the evening,” his lips grew into a soft, playful grin. Oh, how gorgeous.

“A whole evening with a gorgeous stranger?” you questioned him, releasing his chin from your fingers and opting to caress his cheek, “and here I thought we were just sharing wine. Honey, you spoil me.”

A small rumbly growl released itself from within his chest to almost purr at you. He withdrew from his stoop, turning with the collected decanter and glasses within his right hand and turning to offer you the crook of his left elbow to escort you out of the tavern.

“You truly have no idea who I am?” he chuckled at you as he led you from the tavern doors, the room falling almost silent amongst the gasps and whispers from your peers.

“Should I, beautiful?” you asked him giving his bicep a small squeeze as you praised him. He sighed with a small chuckle, drawing his forehead in to press against your own briefly as he allowed the doors of the tavern to swing shut behind him.

The sunset hovering over the sea was a welcome sight, the warmth of the day falling on your skin and welcoming it into the romantic atmosphere you had both found yourselves in for the evening.

Dracule Mihawk was going to enjoy this unbridled and flirtatious attention for as long as you would allow yourself to play along with him. It had been a while since his aura of intimidation had been shed from his body, and even longer still since he was the one being approached at a bar rather than himself finding someone to toy with. He simply can’t wait for the pin to drop against the floor and you realise you are literally dancing with death.

And it was all thanks to a horrible prank performed by the chop-chop devil-fruit user. The devil-fruit user who was currently pinned against the hull of his ship by harsh chains of sea-stone as punishment fitting the crime. Perhaps he should even thank the infamous clown-captain for his idiocy, but for now: the promise of wine and a beautiful, flirtatious companion for the evening awaits. How Mihawk adored this attention.

[mangowafflesss]

Better Luck Next Time

Warnings: 18+, Torture, Hints to cannibalism, Blood, Death, Reader is a little unhinged. If you are sensitive to any of these topics, Please DO NOT read :) If I forgot any please let me know <3

Summary: You're out to kill but get disrupted by a group of men you've never met before.

A soft hum escapes your throat as the delicate music from the record player fills the dining room. The melody weaves through your senses as you double-check the bindings on the unconscious man, ensuring they are tight and secure.

Suddenly, he jerks awake with a gasp, jolted by your ‘accidental’ step on his foot as you step back to admire your handiwork. “All those hunting trips with my dad really paid off, didn't they, Sergio?” you laugh as he struggles against the ropes, wincing when he sees what you’ve done to him.

“You’re a fucking psycho bitch. Let me go!” he yells, but you twirl the blade in your hand, ignoring his outburst. His eyes lock onto the spinning, gleaming edge, terror deepening as he realises just how sharp it is.

You step closer, a sinister smile playing on your lips. “It's your turn” you say, motioning with the blade pointed at his stomach. He shakes his head, but you grab his face roughly, forcing him to look down at himself.

“You’re going to play and not pass out this time, got that, Sergio?” You reposition his head, making him nod. “Good, I’m glad you understand. Now, where would you like to go?” you ask in a sickly sweet voice.

“T-top left” he stammers, making you smile wider. You bend down and he tenses as you get closer. 

“Shh shh shh. This’ll sting just a little” You run the sharp edge over his skin before pressing in, drawing a circle into his flesh. His screams and cries echo in the room, but they only fuel your determination. Without giving him a moment to recover, you carve an ‘X’ in the top right corner.

Blood drips down his hairy stomach, his skin blooming a bright red. As you’re about to ask his next move, the record player stops, the needle stuck in a repetitive noise. 

“I'll be right back. Don't pass out, we've got more fun to be had” you giggle, turning your back to him and heading towards the record player. As you lift the needle, a noise from somewhere else in the house catches your attention—a loud footstep in the hallway. You glance at Sergio, whose head hangs low, before sneaking through a door that leads around to the front of the house.

Your feet are light as you move through the big rooms, hugging the walls and listening intently. Your knife is gripped tightly, ready for anything. 

You freeze as you hear voices in the dining room—deep, male voices, but how many, you can’t tell.

“Hey sunshine, who did this to you?” you hear the slapping of skin and assume one of them is hitting Sergio. Suppressing a laugh you continue forwards to listen closer.

“Piece of shit isn't conscious” another voice says. Peering around the corner, you see two men. You sneak up on the one closest to the door, his back turned to you, and swiftly press your knife to his throat.

“Who are you, and what are you doing here?” you demand, watching as the man crouched in front of Sergio turns towards you, hands raised.

“Don't come any closer, or I'll slit his throat” you warn as the second man approaches. He nods, staying put.

“I’ll ask again. Who are you?” your tone was commanding. 

“I'm John. He’s Kyle” the man says, gesturing to himself and then to the man in your grip. You hum, considering if he’s lying, and as you’re about to release Kyle, John’s eyes flicker behind you.

A cold blade presses against your throat, and another man steps into view, a smirk plastered on his face.

“Let him go, and we won't kill you. I can assure you, you’re safe” John says. You narrow your eyes, realising you have no choice.

“Fine. I’ll let him go” you mumble, releasing Kyle. The blade at your throat is removed, and you step away, keeping your eyes on all four intruders.

“Why are you here?” you ask John, who is crouched in front of Sergio once again, admiring the marks on his stomach.

“Seems we’re here for the same reason” he says, smiling before muttering to his friends. They spread out, and you realise they intend to take your kill.

“No, no, no. He's mine. Get your own” you hiss, positioning yourself behind Sergio, a murderous glint in your eye.

“We came all this way. You won’t let us indulge a little?” John pleads, tilting his head like a puppy. But you stand your ground.

“No, but you can have the guy in the basement. He’s tied up and waiting” you lie with a smile that quickly fades when you feel someone’s presence behind you. A loud sniff near your ear makes you tense. You whip your head around to see the man with a mohawk smirking at you.

“You smell sweet. I wonder if you taste the same” he says, licking his lips. You give him a look of disgust and the grip on the knife in your hand tightens. What if you just plunged it into his abdomen now? 

A click from across the room catches your attention and you stop your murderous thoughts to look at the man named Kyle.

Kyle motions for you to come closer, which you do to get away from the mohawk creep.

“Look, we were sent here to kill him. Let us have this, and we’ll never have to see each other again” he says simply. You stare into his chocolate brown eyes, smile, and nod.

“Sure pretty boy, go ahead” you say, backing towards the dining table. 

“See, it wasn't so hard, was it princess?” John taunts, but your smile hides a plan.

In a swift motion, you draw your knife and slit Sergio’s throat. His gurgling screams fill the room, blood spraying everywhere. Grabbing your backpack from the table, you rush towards the back door, pausing to see their annoyed faces.

“Better luck next time, princess” you taunt before disappearing into the night.

[entitled-fangirl]

A deer in the headlights.

Jim Moriarty x reader

Summary: Jim comes home early and scares the reader, prompting a panic attack.

Words: 811

Warning: panic attack, but hey, comforting criminal Jim! Also... criminal Jim.

Author's note: I don't own the character Jim Moriarty! And you know I couldn't resist using a Fleabag gif. Andrew Scott has my <3

Masterlist

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She sat on the couch of their shared home, her legs pulled up to her chest. Her arms wrapped around her legs, holding her book out for her to read. It was a cute sight, seeing her so comfortable in their home. 

Jim opened the door, his hands immediately moving to loosen his tie. He shook off his blazer, hanging it over one of the dining room chairs. He was quiet, almost silent. It was one of his favorite attributes of himself, being practically silent when he moved.

She hadn’t noticed him yet, her gaze focused on the book in front of her. He decided to have a little fun with his darling deer. 

He stalked up behind her. Her long hair was hanging off the back of the couch. Even as the conspiring smirk showed on his face, he couldn’t help but admire her. He continued his plan, his steps careful and meticulously done. 

He got slightly distracted staring at her hair, the tile under him squeaking. He froze, as did she. Her head moved up, her eyes looking straight forward at the wall like a deer in the headlights. He knows her so well, he can practically see the look on her face, knowing that she is now contemplating her options. 

As if instinct, his little deer jumped up, her book falling to the ground as she sprinted to their shared room. Jim smiled. He loved a game like this. He ran behind her quickly. His longer legs catching up to her.

The stairs slowed her down, her shorter legs moving quickly. He followed quickly behind her, not caring to be quiet anymore. As his foot hit the top step, she was within his reach. 

His hands wrap around her waist, pulling her to him. She let out a small squeal in fear. He smiled, resting his face in the crook of her neck and shoulder. Her hair covered his face, but he didn’t mind. It gave him an extra opportunity to smell her sweet scent. 

Her body completely froze. Her fear was an aura surrounding her at this point. Jim finally noticed her quick breaths, and her hands that had his in a death grip around her waist. She was very scared.

His grip loosened immediately. He turned her around to let her see him. Her eyes were glossy with unshed tears and they carried an uncertain look to them. He had seen this look. She was having a panic attack.

Her eyes may be looking at him, but she didn’t see him. She was in her own little world. A world of fear.

His heart dropped. His hands naturally moved to her face, cupping both of her cheeks, and pulling her face to his. Her hands jump to his, her death grip continuing. 

“Shh… it’s alright…. Shh….shh…,” he said in a comforting tone.

It seemed to calm her slightly, her body recognizing his touch, even if her brain didn’t. The tears began to fall from her eyes, another sign of her body relaxing further.

He smiled gently at her, his voice low, “Little deer, it’s alright. You’re safe…. You’re safe.”

Her body lets out a soft sigh, shaky from the tears. Her voice came out broken from the hiccuping of her diaphragm, “J…James…?”

He laughed at this. His deer was so precious. The thumb on one of the hands resting on her face began to gently move back and forth, giving her a feeling of comfort. “Yes. I’m here.”

He hated seeing her this way, but he also loved it. How she always ran into his arms when she was scared. Like now.

She let out a sob, her arms moving around his neck, pulling her to him. She began to cry harder into his chest. His hands moved to her waist, wrapping around her.

“I’m sorry, deer. I didn’t know I would frighten you like this. I wouldn’t have done so, had I known. Shh… it’s alright...,” he continued.

As her tears began to settle down, she pulled away from him. She pulled one of her arms to her face to wipe the tears, but he stopped her, his hand wrapping around her wrist. The other hand moved to her face as he gently wiped the tears for her. 

She sniffles, “You’re home early.”

He let out a loud laugh at this, “You silly girl. Of course I am. I told you I would be.”

Her eyes met his, “I forgot. I’m sorry.”

“Do not apologize, little deer. You should know by now that I would never let anything happen to you."

She nods slightly, moving back into his embrace, to which he happily obliged. The feeling of her in his arms was his favorite.

One of his hands moved to the back of her head, playing with her hair. “I will call Seb, and tell him to consider me off for the rest of the day. It is you and I for tonight. No interruptions. No phone calls. Could you even begin to forgive me, angel?”

He could feel her smile against his shoulder. “Of course, James.”

He sighs, kissing the top of her head, “Thank you, little deer. Now, let’s go relax, huh?”

She lets him lead her the rest of the way to their room to make up for lost time.

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[mariaofdoranelle]

Mistletinder

Masterlist

Merry Christmas/Yulemas, @writtenonreceipts! I hope this fic finds you well. I was so happy when I got you in the draw because I admire you so much, and I hope you have as much fun reading your gift as I had writing it ❤️

@rowaelinscourt thank you for organizing the secret Santa!

Warnings: moderate alcohol intake

Words: 4,7k

“This is gonna bite you in the ass someday, you know?” Sellene reproached from behind the steering wheel. Her friend couldn’t see what Aelin was doing on her phone, but somehow she knew.

“Shh!” Aelin looked behind her to check on the girls, but they were still sound asleep. At the age of four, if they listened to any curse word, it’d be forever until they stopped repeating it over and over again. At least, from what she was told, the Whitethorn family was used to small children and their demands. It was the whole reason why she was spending Yulemas with them, after all.

Aelin and Maisie were on their own now, and when Sellene all but dragged them to her family’s farm because of all the kids and animals, it was hard to argue. After the year from hell they had, a nice Yulemas was the least she could do for Maisie.

“You’re avoiding the subject,” Sellene insisted.

“Yes. Because I don’t wanna talk about it.”

“But you sure seem to want to keep doing it, huh?”

When you’re broke after your divorce and your business isn’t thriving, ain’t it funny what you’ll do?

On one drunken night amidst her separation, Aelin downloaded Tinder and scheduled a date on the bookstore café she owned. But when she freaked out and canceled right after the guy—Archer—arrived, she could only watch from her mezzanine office, amazed, as he stuffed his face with baked goods and left with two books.

After that, luring people from Tinder into Fireheart Books & Cafe was just a small part of her marketing plan. And the most unethical one.

“It’s a lucrative strategy,” Aelin said, feeling defensive.

“That you don’t need anymore.” Sellene rolled her eyes. “Didn’t you just butcher the anthropology section to fit more tables?”

Yes. For the same reason Aelin added sidewalk dining tables. “Your point is?”

“Did you at least give someone a try while you’re at it?”

Once. Just one person that made her actually enjoy the execution of her plan, even extending it so she’d talk to him more before ghosting. Conversation flowed, and Aelin had already gone on some dates at that point after her separation, but she wasn’t naïve enough to think she’d find love on Tinder.

“That app is a lost cause, Sel.”

“Doesn’t mean you can’t find some good hot dates.” Her friend wiggled her eyebrows. “I know I did.”

Aelin managed to muffle her laughter with one hand so the two sleeping beauties on the back wouldn’t wake up. She brushed her daughter’s chestnut hair away from her face, watching the way she leaned on her friend during their nap. Maisie and Bree were thick as thieves in preschool and, as single moms, Aelin and Sellene would frequently help each other out.

Sellene has a hot date? Auntie Ae and Maisie will happily have Bree for a sleepover.

Aelin is busy at the book shop? Auntie Sel and Bree can drop Maisie there when school is over.

Sellene was godsend this year, and listening to her rant about her love life was just one of the fun perks of being so close to her. If the few dates Aelin went to this year actually happened, it was because her friend insisted.

“So, how’s that thing with Ilias again?” Aelin said, desperate to change the subject.

A groan. “You will not believe what he texted me this morning…”

Aelin let her friend go on about her situationship, a little relieved that she wasn’t the focus of the conversation anymore.

Truth was, she was a little anxious about this Yulemas. Sellene guaranteed that her family was too big for Aelin to intrude in something intimate, and the Whitethorns were properly notified about her stay, but that nagging feeling that her and Maisie were crashing the party wouldn’t go.

After they got to the farm, it was a while before they reached the house.

When Sellene told her about all the family traditions and how homey it was, Aelin expected an old farmhouse of sorts. To be honest, she didn’t think much about how the house would look, but she definitely wasn’t expecting a classic-looking manor with an exterior made of white stone.

A blonde woman showed up on the porch before Sel parked the car, then she ran inside and came back, tugging a man by the arm. By that time, they were already leaving the car with their bags, but the older couple still insisted on helping them.

Rory and Owen, her friend’s aunt and uncle, as they introduced themselves. Aelin’s introduction was brief, since Sellene filled her family in on who she was beforehand, but they still made small talk. Though she wasn’t paying much attention, too caught up on the similarity between Sellene and Owen. Her friend joked about some strong traits running in her family, but this was uncanny.

“Genetics, huh?” Sellene said, a teasing grin on her face.

Aelin was staring, wasn’t she? Oops. “Yes, genetics.” She turned to Owen. “I can’t believe you’re not even her father!”

Rory laughed and urged them inside. “Come on, darling, there’s a lot of silver hair and green eyes for you to compare.” She smirked before she added, “And if you happen to like it, my son is single. Thirty-one, stable job, goes to the gym a lot—“

“Auntie,” Sellene reproached.

The matron frowned. “I’m not being very smooth, am I?”

Her husband gave her two gentle taps on the shoulder. “You’re never smooth at matchmaking, darling.”

Rory gave Aelin an apologetic smile before continuing, “We’re stuck with some housework right now, but if you can wait—“

“I’ll show her around,” Sellene said, waving her aunt off.

“Alright, then. Pick any empty room you’d like.” Rory turned to Aelin. “You and your little one are the most welcome, make yourselves at home,” she said with a beam before scurrying away to the kitchen.

And about Aelin’s little one: where the hell was she?

Sellene leaned closer to Aelin and murmured, “But you can totally flirt with my cousins if you’d like. There’s a whole bunch of them for you to pick.”

“I don’t think I’ll have time for that, but thanks.” Not that she wants to, but it’ll become a hard no if she’ll have to wrangle Maisie all the time.

“I saw them coming inside.” Sellene tugged Aelin. “Don’t worry, she’s safe here.”

“Your house is not.” At least not with her four-year-old on the loose.

The two women dropped their bags by the entrance and ran around looking for them, calling their names. Aelin couldn’t register much other than white walls and wooden furniture, her mind filled with what could Maisie possibly break in this small time frame, and how much it costs.

Aelin’s worry was peaking when she listened to her daughter’s voice coming from another porch, this one attached to the living room.

"Do you do your tattoos alone, or does your mom help you too?"

The man blinked, confused, until Maisie showed him the few Barbie bubblegum tattoos on her forearm. She gave it a pointed look, then to the many tattoos he had on his left arm, taking most of the limb.

Aelin decided it was best to make herself known, introduce yourself, and see if this stranger needed rescuing from her curious preschooler. She couldn’t see this man’s face from her point-of-view, but she had an inkling of who he could be because of his—shocker—silver hair.

“Maisie!” She called from afar, “I was looking for—“

The words died in her throat when she recognized the man before her. Aelin’s core felt ice-cold all of a sudden, despite the dangerous pounding of her heart. There was no way in hell this was happening, and she blamed Tinder for not requiring users to use their last name there.

“Aelin.” He made a point of looking at his bare wrist, as if checking the time. “I think you’re a bit late for our date.”

˜˜

Upstairs, in the safety of her bedroom, Sellene had the gall to cackle.

Aelin glared at her. “Could you not?”

Before ten minutes ago, her friend was absolutely clueless to the fact that Aelin and Rowan knew each other, just like she had no clue that Sellene and Rowan are cousins. But it saved her, since the woman walked into that porch and spared Aelin from doing any talking.

“Alright, lemme just…” Sellene turned away, as if Aelin couldn’t see her friend’s shoulders shaking from behind. Then she took a deep breath and turned back around. “Alright.” A twitch on the corner of her lips that was quickly concealed. “But you said you liked him?”

“That’s not the point!” Aelin said, pacing in the empty space between the bed and the wall.

Chatting with Rowan was nice, and she may have indulged in conversation with him more than she usually lets herself, but Aelin felt so drained after her divorce. She let herself be dragged to dates sometimes, but she didn’t have it in herself to fully face the dating scene again.

Sellene rolled her eyes and threw herself on the bed. “That’s the key point, actually. It’ll define our entire course of action.”

“Nope. Our course of action is whatever protects Maisie from this mess.”

Aelin was so afraid of fucking up Maisie’s Yulemas when she got here, she didn’t realize she’d potentially fucked up even before arriving. Her throat felt thick just to think of it.

Sellene squeezed her hand. “He’s not gonna cause a scandal or anything, Rowan’s not like that.”

“He’s not going to tell your incredibly welcoming family that I’m actually a cold-hearted milf that stood him up and ghosted?”

“Okay,” Sel trailed, grimacing. “He’s not like that, but he is a bit of a gossip, so…”

Aelin sat on the edge of the bed and groaned, her face resting in both hands. Whether he had a big mouth or not, she needed to fix this. Because she couldn’t put Maisie’s Yulemas in jeopardy, yes, but also because Rowan deserves an apology.

Truth is, Aelin never felt tempted to give a chance to the guys she chatted with, because everyone she met on Tinder could be classified as one of: a chronic manwhore, overall gross, or gross for a single but relevant reason, or a misogynist bigot. And sometimes she even liked to leave them stranded, especially when they fell into the latter category.

Usually, Aelin just acted flirty enough to let the guy think something other than coffee would happen, that way he’d run to their ‘date’ without wasting more of their time.

But there were exceptions, of course, and Rowan was one of them. He wasn’t exactly chatty, but she still found herself texting him back and forth late at night for almost two weeks. When he oh-so-gently requested to meet her in person after dropping some hints about it here and there to no avail, she knew she had to cut this short.

It was just business, or so she told herself when it was time to cancel the plans that were never bound to happen. Aelin didn’t have space in her life for much else.

But now the girls, Rowan and a few other Whitethorns were off to see the baby goats and some other kid-friendly farm animals, which gave Aelin a small time frame to plan her next move.

Sellene got up from her bed, nothing but determination on her face. “Here’s what we’re gonna do: we’ll wait downstairs. When they come back, I’ll keep an eye on Maisie while you scurry him away to apologize.”

This was the lamest plan Aelin has ever gotten into. “I expected better scheming from you.”

“No scheming this time,” her friend warned, “just tell him the truth.”

And that was what Aelin kept in mind, as she waited with Sel in the kitchen under the disguise of chatting with Rory.

The kids barreled into the room a while later, chatting about the farm animals they saw, petted, or even fed. Rowan lingered on the other side of the kitchen, carefully avoiding Aelin’s eyes while he rectified the little one’s exaggerated stories with things like actually, no goat charged at them, they just wail all the time.

Despite the high excitement, Maisie’s attention drifted when she noticed the batch of gingerbread men coming off the oven.

“My grandma makes gingerbread people too,” she said to Rory, then frowned. “Do you know my grandma?”

Aelin’s heart squeezed at the sight. She was hoping to keep Maisie’s mind off her father’s family these holidays.

“I’m afraid not, honey. Is she from Doranelle too?”

“No, she lives very, very, very far. I need to get on a plane to see her.”

“That’s very far indeed.” Rory chuckled. “What’s she doing this year?”

Maisie shrugged. “I don’t know. I can’t have Yulemas with Daddy this year because he’s stuck in prison.”

The room fell silent, all eyes on her little girl’s outcast expression as Aelin’s face grew impossibly hot. Gods, her daughter sure had a way with words.

“Because he’s a prison psychologist,” Aelin amended, to everyone’s relief, by the way their shoulders collectively relaxed.

Chaol wasn’t seeing his daughter these holidays because he was too busy in the Southern Continent with his girlfriend—former mistress—but there was no way Aelin was telling her little girl that. Work was the go-to excuse to why he missed so many bi-monthly visitations, and it worked for Yulemas too.

One day, Maisie would understand that Aelin has been a single mom since long before her divorce. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t try to postpone said realization for as long as she could.

“Oh, how silly of me! I forgot to get rosemary.” Rory changed the subject when silence reigned, thank Mala. The time when Chaol was a touchy subject was long gone, but people still tiptoed around it with her.

The woman continued, “Aelin, darling, could you get me some, please?”

“Sure…” she trailed, looking around. “Where can I—“

“Rowan will show you the garden,” Rory quipped.

And Aelin thought that getting him alone for a moment would be tricky. Clearly, she underestimated his mother.

Rowan glared at the older woman, but she didn’t waver. Instead, the more that odd exchange lasted, the more Rory seemed to enjoy forcing her son to spend time with someone he clearly didn’t want around.

Fuck, Aelin needed to fix this immediately.

He gestured to the open back door in the kitchen, and led her to a kitchen garden close to the house.

Sunshine glanced off the leaves which vegetables, herbs and fruit grew, and Aelin wished she could enjoy its beauty more. The smell of fresh herbs and sound of the leaves shuddering were the only soothing things, given the conversation she had ahead.

She waited for him to make a start, to no avail. Perhaps he did, earlier today when she first saw him, right before Sellene walked in and they pretended that first exchange didn’t happen.

“I’m sorry.”

Rowan’s step faltered for a second. He gave her a curt nod, and continued his stroll towards the rosemary shrubs.

She continued, “I shouldn’t have stood you up, it was really shitty of me and I totally deserve it if you hate me right now.” A pause. “But I was hoping we could put this aside for Yulemas, you know? Being in the same house and all.”

“Alright,” he said while slowly nodding, and Aelin’s shoulders loosened up with relief for a moment, until he finally looked her in the eye and added, “I'll go easy on you if you tell me what happened.”

“I told you, I’ve been having a hard time dating after my—“

“Yeah, you told me that in your apology text, but I feel like there’s something missing.”

He got her there. It was true, but not the ugly truth.

“Remember the shop I asked you to meet me at?”

He nodded.

“I own it. And my Tinder account is strictly for… cash inflow.”

This time, he fully stopped. He studied Aelin with widened eyes, and after judging the seriousness in her expression, he laughed. It was loud and full, overpowering the gentle flutter of the leaves and birds’ wings around them.

He kneeled by the shrub, snapped a few branches with his fingers, and it was just then that Aelin realized they had already arrived at their destination.

“You’re not mad?”

Rowan shrugged, and she wanted to read his expression so bad, but he had his back to her, still working on his mother’s rosemary. “I guess should be mad. I’m definitely impressed. It’s a very clever move.”

Aelin didn’t know if she should thank him or not. “But are we cool?”

He chuckled, something more amicable in his eyes this time, when he turned around. “Yes, sure. It was just online dating. Do you know how often people get ghosted? I wasn’t gonna start a riot because of that.”

“‘Kay, thanks.” He was being such a nice sport, his forgiveness only worsened the guilt she felt. “And though you’re right about that, I’d be totally mad and petty if someone stood me up. Just saying.”

“I wasn’t mad that you stood me up—“

Aelin sent him a cut-the-bullshit look.

He sighed and continued, “Alright, I was upset. Not mad. What actually made me mad is that you ghosted me after that.”

She stopped mid-stride, her head tilted. This made absolutely no sense. Rowan broke eye contact to rearrange the branches inside the small bag, making his fingers busy for a small moment of awkward silence that lasted a lifetime in Aelin’s head.

“I liked you, Aelin. You didn’t have to do that for me to visit your coffee shop.”

Aelin didn’t want to think about why his words stung, but they did.

˜˜

Engaging in conversation at dinner would be a lot easier if Maisie was eating, not showing Bree magic tricks.

She placed a french fry on the table, between her and her friend. “Now close your eyes,” Maisie commanded. When her friend complied, she shoved the fry in her mouth and said, “Ta-da!”

Bree opened her eyes, and the loud gasp she let out after noticing the fry was gone gave Aelin a good chuckle.

“Do it again!” Sellene’s daughter said, clapping her hands.

“Maybe you could do it with the cucumber this time?” Aelin cut in.

Maisie turned to her mother with all seriousness a four-year-old can muster. “Mommy, it’s Friday. We only eat fries.”

Being the little entertainer she is, the people near Maisie laughed, not for the first time this dinner. Including Rowan, who sat next to Sellene, almost in front of her. It was weird, hearing his laughter instead of reading a “haha”. A good weird. Still weird. For Mala’s sake, she needs to sort her feelings out.

“You are such a silly goose,” her friend said, fondness filling her eyes.

“No, Auntie Sel, you are a silly goose. I’m a silly gosling.” The little girl took her time pronouncing each syllable of the last word, careful to get it right.

Aelin’s mouth was ajar as she stared at her. “Where did you learn that?”

“Wowan.” Maisie said, beaming. “We’re bestest friends now because he’s an animal doctor, and he promised to show me all his animal friends so I can be friends with them too.”

“Is that so?” Aelin plastered on a smile, hoping it wasn’t too strained. It didn’t go unnoticed that he was nice enough to Maisie for her to consider him her new ‘bestest friend’, even before Aelin apologized. Fuck, she needed to unpack this later.

When she dared a glance at Rowan, he looked a little stiff, but still gave her a quick, close-lipped smile. “She likes the baby goats.”

Aelin would know. Maisie talked about them all day.

“Wowan, I’ll do a magic trick.”

He turned his full attention towards Maisie.

She continued, “Did you see me do it before?”

“Yes.”

“Try to forget.”

“I can’t do it, Maisie, I saw you do that trick too many times.” He leaned back on his chair, a lazy smirk on. “But I haven’t seen you make the cucumber disappear.”

She jolted on her seat, put a cucumber slice on the table, pointed a finger at Rowan and yelled, “Close your eyes!”

When he complied, Maisie ate that cucumber with a ferocity Aelin had never seen before.

“Dear Mala,” Rowan said when he opened his eyes, feigning shock. “Do it again.”

And that’s how he convinced her to eat every single vegetable on her plate. Fuck, he sure knows how to woo a single mom.

Not woo, Aelin chastised herself. Rowan said he liked her. In the past tense. Which should be a relief, but this wasn’t how she felt as she watched him smile at her daughter and make her have fun while eating healthy.

Rowan stole a glance at her, but Aelin had her eyes on him already. He swallowed, likely unsure of what to do after being caught staring while she was already staring.

Thank you, she mouthed so Maisie wouldn’t hear. To her surprise, his eyes softened, and he gave her a small smile.

Relief finally washed over her, when Aelin realized that the awkwardness in his expression had vanished.

˜˜

As predicted, Maisie was so hyper Aelin didn’t manage to properly enjoy the farm herself. But she didn’t mind it, since her daughter was the whole purpose of this trip. Besides, sometimes watching the kids play could be better than TV.

“I wanted to go out to eat with you, not you and your baby!” Maisie’s arms flailed around as she tried to explain her frustration.

Bree clutched her doll to her chest, a wounded look on her face. “But I can’t leave my baby alone!”

Rowan, who was just passing by the living room, froze when he registered what was going on. He turned to Aelin, confusion written all over his face, and discreetly sat by her side on the couch.

“Everything alright?”

Aelin pointed at the tea party toy set near the girls. “They’re at a pretend restaurant, eating pretend food and talking about their pretend jobs.” A pause so she wouldn’t start laughing here and there. “Maisie was expecting a girls’ night, but Bree brought her baby with her.”

“Oh, I see.” Aelin’s gaze swept over him for a minute, and it was unfair how good his pine-green eyes looked when they were filled with amusement like this. “Whose side are you on?”

“I’m getting popcorn. You?”

“I don’t know,” he murmured, “I think this is a very complex issue. We can’t read it under a Manichaean view.”

Aelin chuckled, and they fell into comfortable silence while watching the girls. Rowan’s pine scent hit her senses, but it was the chilly wind coming from the window that made her shiver.

“You cold?”

She shrugged. “Not that much.”

Rowan stood up. “I’ll warm us up.”

“You’re getting a blanket?”

“Better,” Rowan said, a troublesome glint in his eyes. “Wine.”

Not as effective as a blanket, but definitely more fun.

“Merlot?” He suggested with his head tilted.

Unbelievable. Aelin briefly mentioned her favorite type of wine to this man over text in a late night conversation, and he still remembered it weeks later.

Rowan seemed to misread her silence, his expression becoming guarded. “But I can share the bottle with Enda if you don’t feel like it.”

Aelin’s gaze quickly turned to her daughter before she focused back on him. “Can it wait until after Maisie’s bedtime?”

Rowan took a step back with a grin on, and his eyes wouldn’t leave Aelin. “I’ll get the snacks ready.”

After wrangling Maisie around the house a little more and putting her to bed, Aelin found herself in the same living room as before. However, this time, the tea party set on the table was replaced by a small charcuterie board and two glasses of red wine.

They talked about their lives for hours. Now it was nearing midnight, and none of them seemed to grow tired of each other’s companies. It was just easy like that with him, and she knew it. Too easy, was what Aelin told herself in her office as she let him down. Too easy to be true, and not the delusion of a lonely twenty-nine-year-old divorcée.

Aelin had so many reasons why she couldn’t give Rowan a real chance, but she couldn’t remember a single one of them right now. Actually, she could remember, they just felt… small.

Too bad she was too late.

“And you never thought to move back here? Being a vet and all?”

Rowan sipped his wine. “I’ve lived in the city since I was a teenager, my whole life’s there. But I visit a lot.”

“And your cousins?”

“Not as much, but Yulemas is always here.” He cocked his head, his expression shifting as he grinned at her. “Though the company is usually much less good-looking.”

Aelin blinked. She stared at the glass of wine. It was her second, and Aelin knew her limits. She wasn’t even tipsy. It couldn’t be.

“Rowan Whitethorn… are you flirting with me?”

“Yes, I’ve been trying for a while.” A pause. “Is it working?”

Wow. She looked around, mind racing and empty at the same time. A turned-off TV. Potted plants with fairy lights on. A mistletoe. Gifts under a tree.

Rowan was flirting with her.

Rowan, Maisie’s new “bestest friend”. Kind, attentive Rowan who remembered her favorite wine and looked as delicious as the Focaccia bread he stole from the kitchen for her.

Rowan, who seemed to give her a second chance even when she didn’t deserve it.

“It’s working, yeah.”

He didn’t dare say a word after her response, and neither did she. He leaned forward, barely blinking as he tried to meet her eye.

Aelin needed to say something. She wanted to say something else, but it was hard to do it while she felt her old resolutions shatter like a wall of glass.

Going on shitty date after shitty date so she could find someone reasonably good, until something happened and she had to go back to the stream of shitty dates? No, meeting new people was a hard no for now.

But it was different when she had already met someone, right? Aelin wasn’t ready to give dating a chance, but she was more than willing to give Rowan a chance.

She got up and tugged Rowan’s hand.

“What?”

Aelin tugged on it again, so he got up from the couch too. Wordlessly, she led him to a spot right under the beam that divided the living room and the hallway.

She pointed at the mistletoe above them. “Oh, look.”

“Wow.”

“I definitely didn’t see that and drag you here.”

“And my mother definitely didn’t fill the house with mistletoes tonight because she’s in love with you and Maisie.”

“Really? I hadn’t noticed,” she lied.

“So surprising.”

“Shocking.”

“Can I kiss you now?”

“Absolu—”

Rowan pulled their lips together, cupping her face with both hands while she wrapped her arms around him. Their lips brushed together, and it was almost unfair how soft he felt. He gently nipped hers so Aelin would open up to him, and the kiss was sweet and hungry at the same time. His hands traveled down her neck and arms, making her shiver, until he reached her waist and tugged her closer.

Well, fuck. If Aelin didn’t have any doubts about giving this a chance anymore, she didn’t know what to call it now. A negative amount of doubts? Anyway, her mind was jello. Aelin couldn’t know where this was going, but she knew she’d let it happen now. No more holding back.

Rowan broke the kiss and put their foreheads together, breathlessly breathing her in with closed eyes.

“If I ask you out on another date, will you show up this time?”

“Yes,” Aelin said, right before her parted lips morphed into a teasing smirk. “And I might even delete Tinder, depending on how large your coffee order is.”

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[ncityprincess]

hazel’s birthday wish 🍰

dad johnny x female reader

little hazel has decided that she wants a brother or sister for her 2nd birthday. johnny is more than willing to get started on that.

read part one here

MDNI!!

“happy birthday dear hazel, happy birthday to you! make a wish and blow out your candles baby.”

your precious baby girl had just turned two today. everyone always mentioned how difficult the “terrible two’s” would be, but you and johnny were more than ready to go on this journey with her. hazel was your absolute pride and joy. she was so well behaved, extremely curious, and loved spending time with her parents.

“baby!” the toddler shouted after blowing out her candles while clapping her hands.

both you and johnny’s families started laughing, admiring how cute the little girl was.

“baby? what are you talking about silly girl?” johnny asked his daughter as he picked her up and held her in his arms.

“want baby!” the little girl replied while pointing to your stomach.

the three of you had spent the day at the movies. it was a children’s a movie about a little girl getting a new sibling. the mother was visibly pregnant, toting around a giant belly. hazel must have must’ve picked up on it.

“hazie, you’re not supposed to say your wish out loud or it won’t come true”, you say with a smile.

hazel looks at you with a confused look, and shouts the word “BABY!” again with a sweet giggle.

johnny’s mom eagerly takes hazel from his arms and takes her to the dining room table to feed her some of the strawberry birthday cake.

“guess we should get to work on that second baby, huh?” johnny whispers in your ear with a suggestive tone.

“honey! our parents are literally within earshot” you say in a shrill hushed tone.

johnny hugs you from behind, laying his head on your shoulder. you both watch hazel interact with her grandmother. you had to admit, it warmed your heart seeing your daughter be around your family like this. you loved getting to know your daughter and raising her over these past two years. seeing her little personality traits come out. watching johnny transform into the most loving, nurturing father. he was so good with hazel. the two of them were inseparable. you had truly come to love the little family you and your husband were creating.

one more couldn’t hurt

you spent that night, and many more working on growing your perfect little family.

“that’s it mama, take all of me. you’re gonna look so pretty carrying my baby”

johnny thrusted into you with one thing on his mind: knocking you up with his baby. he wanted nothing more than to see your cute swollen belly filled up with the product of your guy’s love. he pushed your legs against your chest and drilled into your body.

you moaned loudly, not thinking about anything else but his delicious dick filling you up to the brim. johnny snaked his hand past your breasts, up your neck and eventually landed on your mouth, covering it.

“shh, wouldn’t want to wake up our daughter now, would you?” johnny cooed.

you shook your head no and tried your hardest to keep your noises down. it’s not like he gave you much of a chance, he was practically fucking you through the mattress. your eyes rolled to the back of your head as you came hard. johnny moved his hand from your mouth once you came down from your high.

“you ready for me, honey?” he asked through gritted teeth.

“yeahhhhh” you whined, wanting him to give you his load. he dropped his head onto your shoulder came with a deep groan in your ear. he continued to thrust into you, making sure he milked out every. last. drop. he stayed still in you for a few moments, too spent to do anything else. eventually he slowly pulled out of you, watching the remaining cum ooze out of you. it almost put him in a trance like state, watching something so dirty. you pulled him in for a passionate kiss, and you both made your way into the shower for round 2…

3 months later

you and johnny had just gotten back from your 8 week appointment. a few weeks ago, you had taken a pregnancy test on a whim. you were feeling slightly off, and hadn’t gotten your period in a while. low and behold, you were pregnant! johnny picked you up and spun you around upon hearing the news. he couldn’t wait to tell all of his friends and family. you both were beyond excited to go through this journey again. this time, with an unexpected twist.

“hey hazie? come here munchkin mama and i want to tell you something” johnny called out to your daughter who was busy watching coco melon on the living room tv.

the pitter patter of the two year old’s footsteps warm your heart. you’re so overwhelmed with excitement.

“yes, daddy?”

johnny picks up the little girl and sets her on the kitchen island.

“well, remember what you asked for on your birthday? when you made a special wish?” you said to her.

she looked confused, certainly not having the memory to remember that far back.

“birthday?” she said in her small, curious voice.

“yes baby” you chuckled and tickled her tummy, making her giggle.

“hazie, you’re gonna be a big sister! mommy has not just one baby in her belly, but two!” johnny said with a big smile.

you rubbed your belly, showing her that her siblings were in there. she held her tiny hand out, reaching for your tummy. she rubbed her hand on your belly softly.

“baby? BABYYYY” she yelled excitedly, kicking her legs all around.

you and johnny laughed, pulling her in for simultaneous kisses on each of her plush cheeks. sure hazel didn’t really understand what was going on, but her excitement of the situation was still there nonetheless. the next few months we’re spent reading her every single big sister book on the planet, specifically ones with twins in them. nine months had passed, and you brought your two sons eli and ryan into the world. your little family of three turned family of five brought both you and johnny infinite happiness.

the end 💋

thanks for reading! please consider leaving a tip if you enjoyed the story 👑🍭

[djarrex]

One to Remember | Part One

Captain Rex x f!reader

part two | masterlist | read on ao3

On a day that only comes once a cycle, you spend it this time with someone who’s set on making it one to remember. 

shh. I wrote this for no particular reason.

rated M for a mention of food play at the very end. wine drinking. no physical description of reader. about 1.7k words.

An arrangement of your favorite flowers. Assorted candies in a decorative box. Homemade dinner made with care and served up to you as if you were royalty. Your go-to inexpensive wine of choice uncorked then polished off. All of that topped off with dessert – Namana cream pie from Dex’s Diner.

Normally, you'd spend nights like tonight by yourself, watching your favorite holos in bed dressed in your pajamas while snacking on some takeout – but that was before Rex came into your life.

Before he arrived, Rex had commed to inform you that he wanted to cook for you tonight, and that he had some other goodies he'd be bringing along with him to help make this evening special. Happening to be back on-world at just the right time, he sounded so genuine and determined that you couldn't say no – couldn't say that you'd become comfortable with your yearly routine on days like today and would rather stick to it.

He was so ready to make your birthday this year one for the books – and eager to see what he had planned, you had no objections.

Rex went all out for you this evening, even went as far as to dress up beyond his standard civilian getup in a nice blue button down and a pair of black slacks. Per his adorable request, even you were dressed up, wearing an outfit that you'd never wear while simply lounging around at home, let alone sitting at your dining table, where you watched him get everything ready.  

While Rex cooked, he made sure you stayed seated with a full glass of wine and that box of candies at your side. You offered to help prep, clean, do anything, but you were denied, practically shooed away from the kitchen area. You knew that Rex had taken up the craft, reading up on recipes and cooking meals at your place whenever he had the chance. When you watch him cook, he seems relaxed – at ease. Chopping ingredients to plating the finished product, Rex genuinely enjoys it all, and is always proud of what he gets to serve up to you. This evening he made one of your favorites, something that he could have also picked up from Dex’s along with the pie, but he opted to make it from scratch instead, arriving at your place with arms full of the necessary ingredients, among the other things. 

Bellies full from dinner and elated smiles from the wine, Rex and you now stand on your balcony, admiring how the lanes of speeders twinkle like stars with the rest of the city lights in the skies colored an ombre of purples and indigos. You’ve been out here since the sun set, finishing off the last of the wine while watching the day bleed into dusk, listening to Rex as he regales you with shareable stories from his latest deployment. You always do get a kick out of the shenanigans his brothers get themselves into – and not only them, but also of the Jedi general and Padawan commander Rex directly serves under.

Of course you share with him how work has been and what you’ve been up to with your friends, filling him in on details that you can’t always squeeze into those secretive, hasty comm sessions. There’s plenty to talk about tonight since his latest deployment was a lengthy one, but eventually, as the hues darken in the sky, a natural silence falls between you two.

“Is it time for pie?” Rex asks after taking the final sip from his now empty glass, breaking the bout of silence. Turning to him, you crack a smile, shaking your head and resting a hand on your full stomach.

“Maybe in a little bit,” you answer. “I’m still so stuffed.”

Rex chuckles, stepping closer to you and taking your glass from your hand, setting both down on the little table. He kisses your cheek, taking your hands in his. You can tell he’s thinking about what to say next, that adorable look of thought on his face – tongue running across his lip.

You speak first, gracing him with more thinking time that you know he sometimes needs when stepping into an unexplored situation.

“Thank you for all this – for making this birthday one that I’ll never forget.” Lifting your hand, you place it on his cheek, swiping your thumb along his cheekbone. “You’ve only further proved just how incredible you are, Rex.”

Dropping your hand, Rex takes it within his once again, squeezing it gently. 

"This is the first time I’m getting to celebrate a birthday of someone I really care about,” he explains, looking down at your hand where he’s running his thumb across your knuckles before meeting your eyes again. “I wanted to make it special.”

"This has been so special."

"I, uh, got you a little something, too." Rex then drops your hand and instead reaches into the pocket of his slacks, fingers fumbling around until he's pulling out a tiny velvet bag. The color of it is a royal blue and swallowed by the palm of his hand as he then holds out it in presentation. The drawstrings have it pulled shut, the contents within still a mystery.

"Rex… you didn't have to get me anything. After all you did for me tonight–"

He interrupts you with a chuckle, instead grabbing your hand to put the bag into it.

"I know I didn’t have to, but I wanted to." Rex steps backward, folding his hands in front of him. Staring at what was placed in your hand, you sense a hint of nervousness coming from him now, eager and anxious as he awaits you to open the bag. 

Not wanting to keep either of you waiting any longer, you carefully pull the cinched opening apart, slipping two fingers inside in search of what's hidden within. As you grasp what feels like a dainty chain, slowly pulling it out from the bag, Rex clears his throat – shuffles back and forth on his feet. Eyes widening, you thumb around the thin, silver chain until you’re pinching at the pendant that adorns it, breathlessly looking up at him.

"It's, uh, nothing big – just something I saw in this little market while I was out doing recon some months ago. It, um, made me think of you." 

Heart hammering in your chest, you look back at the pendant just as he rubs at the back of his head, still appearing to be a little nervous. "I'd gone back to trade for it before we left that planet, and wanted to wait until your birthday to give it to you."

Speechless, you admire the necklace. 

The chain is simple enough to not overcomplicate the entire piece – doesn't take away focus from the small, ovular stone embedded in a thin yet intricate silver prong that holds it. Running your thumb across the smooth gemstone, you note how it’s a mesmerizing deep, royal blue, more milky and matte than glossy, matching the color of the velvet bag it came in – and of the accent color of Rex’s armor. It feels all too delicate in your hand, and it makes you wonder how Rex was able to keep it safe on its journey to you from where it had originated parsecs away – the tremendous thought and care put into it all.

You’ve been silent since before opening the bag, worry creasing Rex’s expression as if he's afraid you don’t like it. Tears start to brim and you look to him with glossy eyes, closing the necklace into a gentle fist. 

"Is it okay? I– I didn't know if you'd like it."

“Rex…” You wipe your eyes. “I don’t know what to say. It’s gorgeous, and so incredibly thoughtful. Thank you.”

He smiles warmly, closing the space between the two of you and offering out his hand. 

“May I?”

You sniffle, handing Rex the necklace. He undoes the clasp, and hands coming around your neck, he fastens it in place, the stone centered just below your collarbone. 

Your fingers find the pendant, brushing against it. “How does it look?”

“Wow,” he breathes out the word. “It’s beautiful – but you make it all the more so. Just as I’d envisioned when I’d gotten it.”

“Ever the charmer ,” you tease, resting your palm against the silky material of the shirt covering his chest and letting it linger there. Maybe it’s the buzz in your system, or more likely how it’s been far too long since you’d last seen him, but it hits you then that even though the outfit he’s wearing is incredibly sexy on him, you want nothing more than to see him without it – to feel his skin on yours.

Rex seems to sense your desire – notices the way you bite your lip.

"Say, how do you think the necklace would look… if I were wearing nothing else?"

Flirtatiously, Rex raises a brow and flashes you a grin. "Oh? Feeling a little amorous now, are we?"

"Hey, you're the one who wouldn't let me help you with dinner!" you accuse playfully, taking his hand and guiding him back inside. "Not my fault that I spent that time drinking most of the wine you brought. Besides – it’s my turn to choose what we do next."

“Can’t argue with any of that.” Rex gives you a quick kiss then tosses a glance at the untouched, boxed up dessert, jutting his chin in that direction. “Can we have pie after?”

“Yes,” you say with a laugh. “Or…”

Piquing his interest when you pause, you then lean closer to him, lips grazing the shell of his ear. “Or maybe you can eat it off of me.”

Meeting your eyes with his widened ones, Rex raises his brows and whistles low. “Oh yeah? You sure?” 

With the nod of your head, he does a goofy jog to the kitchen, scooping up the box along with two spoons before racing past you to your bedroom.

[anoncausewhynot]

Getting into the holiday spirit with Vinny

CW: Contains spoilers for EverymanHybrid

You closed your eyes and leaned back in your chair, hands gripping the edge of your kitchen table to ensure you wouldn’t fall off. An almost empty bottle of wine next to you. This was all some crazy dream, a nightmare. Jeff wasn’t dead, Habit had never taken over Evan, Vincent wasn’t missing, and you were with them laughing and basking in the joy of this holiday. Christmas. Today was Christmas.

The alcohol made your mind fuzzy and somehow managed to bring back old memories.

“Vincent you're doing it wrong, you have to hang them up like this" You placed a decoration properly on the tree and took off the crooked half-hazerdly placed ones. “Seriously have you never decorated a tree before” “well not alone” Vincent said and continued to place decorations on the tree, a bit more carefully. “Hey (Reader) can i ask your opinion on something” “Sure” You took a step back from the tree and admired Vincents Your work. “You know that web series marble something something” he placed a finger on his chin trying to remember the name before essentially giving up.  “not really, what is it?” “Well it’s a series of videos that seem normal at first but in the background if you look hard enough you can see slenderman” “cool? What does this have to do with me?” You still didn’t understand bringing up something so meaningless “Well me, Jeff, and Evan were talking about maybe starting a series similar to it but exercise themed” He looked at you expectedly. “And you want to know what I think?” he nodded. “Sounds cool i guess” You shrugged. “Actually i wanted to know if you’d be willing to dress up as slenderman and maybe i don't know, show up periodically”

Of course it seemed like a stupid request to you and you of course turned it down, but Vincent didn’t seem any less determined to make this become a reality. 

“No thanks Vinny” You plopped down on the couch and slouched down. “Fine fine, but when we’re famous don’t expect me to give you my autograph” he sat next to you and poked you with his elbow.

It was such an innocent idea, starting a web series, an ARG, meeting new people. You watched it all unfold from the sidelines. The day he posted that ominous video about someone breaking into Jeff’s house you came up to him and asked him if it was true. He had looked at you with the most serious face that day and just replied. ‘I hope not’ of course back then the possibility of Slenderman breaking into a house seemed so far off. But now nothing seemed crazy. Slenderman was real. Evan was possessed. And Vincent was gone along with Habit. You sighed and took a last drink straight from the bottle before throwing the now empty glass onto the ground, smashing it. This wasn’t fair, it wasn’t fair at all! You rested your head and let fog fill your mind as you heard your front door open. Your tired mind recognized the sound but no the threat behind it. A figure peeked into your dining room before fully walking in and stopping at the side of the table across from you. “V-Vinny?” A tear slipped from your eye. He reached out his hand and cupped your face gently “Shh…He wants me to bring you to him, so just don’t fight me…okay?” His voice was enough to soothe you and the world closed in around you.

579 words

I'v watched EMH about 2 times now in full but it's been a while since i'v tried my hand at writing anything for it

[quirrrky]

HAIKYUU BOYS WHEN THE LIGHTS SUDDENLY WENT OUT

𖧵 osamu, atsumu, kuroo, kenma, hirugami, oikawa 𖧵 fluff???? I fell in love with samu's ToT ♡ I wanna make a full-blown one shot out of it huhuhu

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OSAMU It was raining hard which caused the power in the whole area to shut down. You were his last customer left and you were dining alone, that concerned him. “Are you alright?” “Yes, I am,” you answered. He lit up a little candle and brought it to your table together with several pieces of onigiri. “It’s on the house,” he said and handed you his jacket, “you might be feeling cold. It’s raining.” “Thank you,” you shyly replied. He motioned through the vacant chair in front of you and asked, “may I?” “Sure,” and he sat across you. Through the little yellow light the candle emitted, he gave you a cute smile. “I’m…‘Samu, by the way.” You didn’t know why but it made you smile and giddy too. Maybe you also had a blush on your cheeks? “I’m Y/N.”

ATSUMU He was helping you return the materials back to the storage room when the lights inside died. “Y/N,” he immediately called upon you. “I’m fine. I’m searching for the key so we can get out of here. I dropped it somewhere.” “Is that so? Lemme help ya.” Well, it’s not bad at all. Being trapped with his crush in this dark and enclosed space was actually a blessing. He started searching the floor just touching things when his hand suddenly felt something soft. “Uh, Tsumu, that’s…my thigh.” His mouth hung open in realization. He tried to compose and explain himself. “I’m sorry! I thought-I thought t’was a gym mattress! It’s just soft and- okay, maybe I should stop now.” He chuckled nervously.

HIRUGAMI You were both so busy doing your uni requirements when the power went out. In the dark, your gazes searched for each other. “Let’s take this a sign to rest.” He said and he sat at the edge of your bed. He patted the spot beside him, inviting you to join. How could you refuse? You’re just powerless when it comes to this man. The moment you were near, he pulled you and laid you both down. You had your head on his chest and his arm snugly cradling you. Amidst the darkness, he still admired your features. Leaning down, he placed a sweet kiss on your forehead, down to the tip of your nose until your cat walked over you, interrupting. Both of you laughed. He might have escaped the schoolworks, but he could never escape your furbabies.

KUROO You were working late at night in the office when the all the electricity suddenly shut off. “It looks like the guard thinks everyone’s out. Are you okay?” He asked. “Yup,” you answered. He rolled his chair near you. “You must be scared.” “Ah, no I’m not.” He didn’t listen. Instead, he placed an arm around you and pulled you close to him. “Shh, don’t worry. I completely understand.” Even if the lights were out, you were sure that he’s grinning like shit right now. “You know, that I’m completely fine, right?” You called out with a smile, almost about to laugh as you saw through his antics. He leaned against your ear and playfully whispered, “You know what? If I kiss you right now, no one would know.” “Tetsu!” You squatted him and he laughed. And that…definitely made him want to kiss you even more, so he cupped your cheek and locked your eyes in the way he always made you weak. Before you knew it, he’s already kissing you.

KENMA It was just a normal day for the two of you when the power outage happened. He was playing video game while you’re tinkering on your phone in bed, when all the lights including all your appliances shut down. Wait! You’ve seen many instances of this before. Maybe you could scoot over to his side and he would wrap an arm around you while you’re ‘scared’. “Kenma, I-“ however before you could continue your plan, he already got his PC back on. Damn, UPS?! You were disappointed and hid under your blanket instead. “Y/N?” “Hmmm?” “I’ll just save this and then I’ll join there.” You grinned as he began crawling under the covers beside you, engulfing you in an embrace. “Why are you smiling like that?” He asked. “Nothing.” Somehow, he knew that he lost to you again.

OIKAWA You were walking along an empty street when the lamp posts went out. “Y/N-chan!” He held your hand tightly. “It’s okay. I’m fine, Tooru.” You informed him only to receive a different response. “You’re so brave! What if a ghost suddenly appears here, babe?” Ohhh, you laughed at him. “I don’t know. Maybe there’s one right behind you right now.” You teased and he hugged you tightly. “Stop scaring me like that!” You gave another laugh. “I’m just kidding! I’m just kidding! Here,” you kissed his cheek. He huffed his chest and stood upright, toughening himself up. “Ha! I got this! It’s just darkness!” A cat suddenly hissed out nowhere and, “Y/N-chan!” You laughed at him again.

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COLLECTIONS: Haikyuu ✧ DAYDREAM MUSEUM

[lolita-lollipop]

yandere other mother x reader- Coraline au

warnings- yandere behavior, platonic yandere, manipulation, slight infantilism, mentions of neglect, false reality,

this one really isn't bad, but just to warn you, if any of these things trigger you, please don't read!

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“Y/n this is insane! Can’t you see that she’s crazy?!” Coraline yelled at you from inside the dusty room while the three ghosts watched, their mouths had been sewn shut long ago, so they weren’t able to intervene. You stood there, feeling like you wanted to cry, this “other mother” was amazing, your real parents never showed much affection, going far enough that it could be Called neglect, so when your other mother held you in her lap, and braided your hair, and gave you warm hugs, and kisses on the cheeks, you felt happy. Your other father was just as amazing, but still, their treatment of you felt similar to one of a baby’s, always treating you like a young child who can’t think for themselves. Coraline noticed this far earlier, while you remained happy and oblivious, the buttons for eyes were the last straw for her.

“I know okay! I just, she’s so nice, I don’t even know what to think anymore, you know what it feels like to actually have parents… I don't, my entire life I’ve been shoved in a little blue house down the stairs and told ‘don't disappoint us’ by my parents! I just want to feel loved… it’s just, it’s just not fair” you spoke, lip quivering, you couldn’t even remember the last time you allowed yourself to cry, you weren’t supposed to love the “other parents” but you did, they were the parents you never had, and you just had to live them. At this point silent tears were trailing down your cheeks, Coraline remained fuming at you, not even sparing a moment to acknowledge the two small black buttons that seemed to appear out of nowhere, peeking through the wall.

“That doesn’t matter, do you really want tiny little needles poking in and out of your eyeballs? Do you really want to leave your real parents behind? Do you want me to leave you behind?” She seethed, you shook your head, letting out a few small whimpers and sobs under your breath, you hated that she was right, you hated it so much, you couldn’t just leave everything in the real world for this parallel universe void of life, you should want to back there right? where no one cared about you, where no one loved you, where you were nothing.

“Coraline? Is that any way to speak to your friend?” A soft voice rang from behind your form, the few lost souls floating in the room ten up, showering to the far corners where the other mother couldn’t see them, then you felt warm hands engulf your waist, pulling you closer to the women’s chest, you subconsciously leave into her warmth, she glared down at Coraline, stoking your head lovingly. In reality, she hadn’t wanted for you to get pushed down here, but Coraline was getting in the way, and you just got caught in the crossfire, she did make sure that your landing was softer though, while Coraline's was harsh.

“You don’t get to tell us what to do, you aren’t her mother.” Coraline breathed out, slimming her eyes into a harsh stare at the woman in whose chest you were sobbing into. One moment, you were in the cold cellar-like room, the next, you were back in the baby pink room that was yours in this place, your true room was a boring white, with a ritzy mattress in the middle, and a small cabinet that served as a closet. Although you didn’t particularly like the color pink, it was nice to know that someone cared enough to bring true colors into your life. The other mother continued her embrace, picking up and cradling your head against her shoulder, you felt a wave of drowsiness overtake your senses, it hit you like a pound of bricks, and you squeezed the back of the women’s shirt to see if you were dreaming or not, her hold just felt so… comforting.

“Was she mean to you darling? Don’t you worry your little head about it, shhhhhh, just fall asleep, mother will take care of everything.” She spoke, bouncing slightly up and down with each step she took towards the large bed that was displayed in the center of the room. You barely muttered a small “wait” before falling asleep in her arms. She tenderly placed your body under the silky sheets, wrapping you up with the soft fabric and placing a small pig plushy next to you, keeping an eye on her precious’s little daughter while she tended to some “housework”.

The second you went unconscious you slipped into a weird dream, you were walking on a thin sheet of water, in a pitch dark room, it was so cold like someone had dunked you in a bucket of ice, you stared out into the nothingness, gradually growing more anxious, where are you?

“HELLO! IS ANYBODY OUT THERE!” You screamed, only to be greeted by the echo of your own words, nothing more, nothing less. You started to swivel around in a moment of panic, having just about no idea what could happen to you in this dark abyss. That was until you dek the floor below you disappear, and you popped into existence into a completely different place, it was a medium sized room, the layout was similar to a grocery store, multiple shelves made the room feel smaller, what was odd about it, was that all the shelves were packed with hundreds of snowglobes. You admired the pretty glass structures as you slowly walked down the aisles, each had a completely different design, with little figures inside, you found it adorable, ogling at the pretty things. That was until you heard quiet clicking of heels, and your other mother came into view.

“There you go, now don’t be rude to me! You are a very lucky girl that I’m even letting you live, you should know much better than to taint my daughter's mind with your filthy voice, oh you make such a great addition to my collection! Enjoy your stay, forever” she chimed, you were positive that she couldn’t see you, mainly because you were standing frozen directly in front of her, and she hadn’t acknowledged you. At least you weren’t freezing anymore! You tiptoed closer to the snowglobe that was just placed among the collections, wondering why your mother was so enthusiastic about it. And saw nothing special about it, other than the bright yellow raincoat that adorned the figurine.

you remained completely unaware. of the thousands of button eyes that watched you from the globes, begging to be shattered, and set free.

“Pretty” you muttered to yourself before the world faded again, and you were back into your body, snuggled up under the covers, clutching the pig plushy close to your chest, you felt awake, but also very asleep, forgetting your entire dream the moment your eyes opened, slightly surprised to see that you were still in the pink room, in the other house. You could hear the feint sound of your bedroom door opening, the creak rang through the room. And the other mother smiled softly at your lovable position, cooing under her breath, trying not to be too loud and wake you up.

“Darling, we have to get up now, oh I know I know your still tired, but it’s dinner time, you can’t stay in bed all night, little sleepyhead, my little sleepyhead.” She spoke, rubbing your shoulder while you groaned at the sudden speaking and noise. You didn't know how long that dream lasted, but you did know that it was odd, so odd that in fact, it made up your mind for you about the whole button eyes thing.

“Uhm- Mother? I-I’m sorry, but I- I don’t want to put buttons in my eyes.” You muttered, awaiting a harsh reaction, but instead, getting another one of her sweet smiles, she picked you up again and sat you in her lap, your small frame getting engulfed by hers.

“Oh is that what you were worrying so hard about? Don’t worry honey, you never were going to have to sow buttons in your eyes, it was just to see if I could trust you, and I know that I can trust you now.” She stated, calmly, a little too calmly. So… she lied? You got in a fight with your best friend because she wanted to “see if she could trust you”?

“Oh- okay, where coralline though? Can I talk to her? Please, mother?” You started begging after seeing her stoic expression, why did you want to see her? Was she not good enough for you? Coralline was mean to you, she hurt her little girl! Why did you want to see her? We’re you going to leave your mother for a snobby brat? She tightened her hold on you, pressing you closer to her, whispering little “shh” or “stay with me” in your ear, for some reason, you couldn't place what Coraline's face looked like, even though you had seen her just earlier, any memories of her were slowly dimming, fuzzy spots started appearing in any of those memories, and like turning of a staticky tv, they disappeared. You couldn’t even remember the name “coralline” after a few minutes of being cradled in this women’s lap.

“Cmon darling, let’s go eat dinner now, your father made it this time, I’m surprised he hasn't burn down the kitchen!” She spoke, getting a few sleepy giggles out of you. After helping you down the stairs she led you to the dining room, where you went on and sat at the large table next to your two parents. And so, you forgot about your “real” world, staying young forever here, even growing younger and smaller as time went on, forgetting about coralline, and your parents, and the small door, you lived your life happy, dressed in frilly pink clothing, learning to lobe your mother as she grew more obsessed with you, she got what she wanted in the end

You stayed mother’s little girl forever

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have a great day today :)

[avengerscompound]

Moving On - Chapter 26

Moving On: A Falcon & Captain Marvel Fanfic

Masterlist PREVIOUS //

Buy me a ☕ Character Pairing:  Sam Wilson x F!Reader, Carol Danvers x F! Reader

Word Count:  2303

Rating:  E

Warnings: Angst

Synopsis:  You thought Sam Wilson was the love of your life.  You had planned to do it all with him - marriage, kids, see the world.  Even when you’re life gets turned upside down, and you both end up international fugitives, he’s there by your side.

Then Thanos comes.

When Sam is one of the many turned to dust, leaving you alone and pregnant, you don’t think you’ll ever stop grieving.  Yet, everyone tells you that Sam would want you to move on and live your life - that he’d want you to be happy. Gradually you open your heart up to another.  Carol Danvers has lost people too.  First her daughter, then her wife.  As the two of you lean on each other, feelings grow and you move on together.

So what happens when Sam is returned to you?

Chapter 26: Shared Custody

“Honey, talk to me,” Carol soothed as she ran her fingers through her hair.

After Sam’s announcement that he was staying on Earth to help put it back together after the blip, you had let yourself cry for exactly two minutes before pulling yourself together, packing up your things, and kicking Bucky out of your hotel until Carol showed up.  Kit was already mostly asleep by the time Carol showed up, and so she wasn’t aware enough that her being taken back to Alpha Flight without Sam had not been part of the plans.  By the time you’d arrived back at the space station Kit was asleep.  Carol had carried her to bed and you had fallen into it and completely broken down.

You sobbed uncontrollably.  It was almost as if all the grief you had gone through when you first lost Sam had crashed down on you again, bringing along with it the feeling of rejection and inadequacy that Sam had taken the first available exit out of the relationship.  He’d also managed to make you second guess what you had with Carol.  Whereas before you’d always admired how she put the wellbeing of the galaxy before her own needs, something that Sam had always done with Earth - now you just felt like the perpetual second choice.

Carol held you and rubbed your back.  So far she’d only asked you about Sam one time, and when you’d said you just wanted to go home, she’d dropped it.  Now you knew you had to tell her what happened.

“He’s not coming,” you sobbed.  “Steve gave him the shield and he decided he needed to stay on Earth because they needed a hero to look to.  Steve’s - gone.  And I asked him what that meant for us, and he said he loved me but I should go.”

Carol’s arms tightened around you and she buried her face in your hair.  “What about Kit?”

“I don’t know.  He wants to share custody.  I don’t…” you broke down into wracking sobs.

“Shh…” she soothed, rubbing your back.  “We can work this out.  I promise we can.”

You fell asleep crying in her arms and woke to an empty bed with a crushing headache and dehydration.

When you made your way out of the room, Carol was sitting at the dining table doing some paperwork.  She stood up as soon as she saw you. “Hey, baby,” she said.  “What can I get you?”

You shook your head and went to the kitchen.  She followed after you and began fussing around as you poured yourself some water and drank it all in one go.

“Kit’s in class,” she said.  “I thought given the sudden and dramatic return home it was better if she goes back to her regular routine.  That way she doesn’t think anything’s wrong.”

“Thank you,” you rasped.

“I called Rhodey,” she said.  “Tried to get to the bottom of what was going on with Steve and Sam.  He had no idea what I was talking about.  He said he’d look into it.”

You sank into the chair at the kitchen table and she put a cup with warm dark liquid in front of you.  “It’s coffee,” she said.  “I brought some back with me last time.  I think we need to talk about what we do from here.”

You nodded and took a long drink from the cup, letting the bitter liquid warm you.

“What happened with Steve exactly?”  She asked.

“I don’t know the fine details.  Sam said that when he was returning the stones he decided to stay in the past.  He’s old now I guess?  I mean… actually old, not just a centurion trapped in the body of a guy in his thirties.”  You spoke in a robotic monotone - too scared to emote or you’d just start crying again

“Okay, and he gave Sam the shield?  So Sam’s taking on the mantle of Captain America?” she asked.

“He said he didn’t know but that either way he couldn’t come here.  That Earth still needs him,” you said.

“And he told you to leave?” she asked.

“He said he loved me and that if I stayed it would make him happy, but that he didn’t want to take me from the life I loved or to uproot Kit’s life like that and that I should go,” you said.  “Carol… he said I was your second choice.”

The cup in Carol’s hand shattered and she cursed and began cleaning up the mess.  “He said what?”

“It’s true though,” you said.  “You won’t come back to Earth, he won’t come here.  I’m always the one that compromises, it's never the other way around.  Not even taking Kit into account.  And I’m stuck.  I’m stuck Carol, even if I decided to break up with both of you it would still be me putting Kit first because no one else in her life will.”

Carol froze in place and stared at you.  “You want to break up with me?”

“Of course I don’t.  I didn’t want to break up with him either.  I love you and my life here.  I love him too.  I wanted him to come here, and he won’t because apparently being some hero figurehead is more important than his fiancée and daughter.  And I can’t ask you to go there because -” you waved your hand at her uniform.

She moved to you and crouched down in front of you, taking your hands in hers.  “I can’t speak for Sam,” she said.  “But I can tell you this, I love you.  I love you so much and I can’t imagine losing you from my life.  If you decided to stay on Earth I would do the best I could at maintaining a long-distance relationship.  And if you broke up with me, it would break my heart.  But you’re right.  I can’t go back with you, and it’s not because I don’t love you and wouldn’t if I could, but there are things bigger than us and our individual needs.  Huge world-ending, horrific things, that only I can deal with.  If I could step away from them I would but it would mean thousands or even millions of people die.  I think you know that.  I think that’s why you always followed me rather than begged me to stay.  It’s why Maria accepted how things were too.  You aren’t second to me.  Of course, you aren’t.  Neither is Kit.  You are both my whole life.  But a lot of the time I don’t get to live my own life.  I have to live the life that got thrust at me regardless of the things I want.  And I think as hurt as you are right now that things are going the way they are, you know that’s true.”

Tears ran down your cheeks and you nodded.  She leaned in and kissed you deeply as she cradled your jaw.  When she pulled back she looked up at you.  “I think you need to go back to Earth and figure things out with Sam.  Even if that means you break up.  Even if it means you stay.  I’ll take care of Kit until you’ve got everything figured out with him.  But at the very least, he’s Kit’s dad and you can’t just run from that.”

You nodded.  “You’re right.”

“Okay good,” she said and pecked her lips.  “I usually am.  Now eat something and I’ll have a ship put aside for you.”

“Should I go tell Kit what’s happening?” you ask.

She shook her head.  “Just be back by tonight.”

You showered and ate and used one of the ships to go straight back to Earth.  You weren’t even sure where to start looking for Sam, but when you reached the Airspace over New York you were able to call him and organize for him to meet you out at the old Avengers Compound.

You arrived first and waited by the bench that overlooked the river.  Sam arrived and took a seat beside you.  “This was where Steve gave me the shield.”

You didn’t say anything.  Not even sure where to start.  You couldn’t even bring yourself to turn your head to look at him.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” he said, breaking the silence.  “I never wanted to hurt you.”

“Do you want to break up?” you asked.

“No,” he said.  “But I don’t know how we work this.  I don’t know if I can do what you did and just be okay with long distance.”

“Back before - when we all lived here and we were planning the wedding - you went to London with Steve and said you didn’t want to force me to go on the run with you.  Would you have broken up with me then if I had agreed or was the condition of us being together always that I just follow you around?” you asked.

He shook his head.  “I would have tried to make it work.”

“So the problem isn’t that it’s long distance.  It’s that it's long-distance and that I’m seeing Carol,” you said.

Sam sighed.  “Is that so evil of me?  I keep swinging back and forth on it.  On one hand, I think I’m selfish that I expect you to just ditch this life you’ve made and come running back to me and that I can’t seem to wrap my head around polyamory.  Then I think that I’m perfectly reasonable to expect the person I love to just want to be with me alone.  I mean, we’d never been open or talked about polyamory before.  At least with Carol, you had agreed to that before you started seeing her.”

You shrugged.  “I see your point.  I do.  But it doesn’t change the fact that I feel like I’m getting punished.”

Sam reached over and took your hand.  You fought the urge to pull away from him, and instead closed your fingers around his.  “Honey, we can try it if you want.”

“I do, but I also don’t want to hurt you,” you said.  “But right now I’m more worried about Kit.  I don’t know how to do this.  The whole weekends and holidays thing?  Is that enough?  And how is it fair that every weekend and every holiday she's taken away from her friends?”

“Maybe every second weekend and alternating holidays?  I don’t know how they break up the schooling up there,” he said.

“It’s a bit different,” you said.  “There’s no summer in space for starters.”

He laughed.  “Probably no weekends either.”

“Well there are, but yeah, it’s different because there’s also no day and night,” you agreed.

I guess we have a lot of things to work out.

He turned on the bench to face you so his left leg was tucked under his right.  “Babe.  Do you understand why I have to stay?”

A fat tear broke from the corner of your eye and ran down your cheek.  “Yes.  And - you know that if it were just me and no one else I’d give up everything to be with you.  I would, Sam.  It doesn’t matter that it’s been five years since I last saw you. It doesn’t matter that I’ve changed in those five years and I’m terrified that you won’t be in love with this new version of me.  I’d fucking risk it all to try, because back before I gave up my whole life and my family and my freedom, just to be with you.  What does that even say about me?”

“It says you are loyal and loving and caring and that you know what’s right from wrong,” he said, gently squeezing your hands.  “I know you say you followed me, but you also were doing what you thought was right.  I know that out there you’re working to protect the whole Galaxy.  And I know what you’re struggling with most is trying to balance all of this without anyone getting hurt.  But as that’s impossible you’re focusing on the little girl who can’t make these decisions for herself.  I’m so glad she has you for a mom.”

You leaned into him, craving his touch and he wrapped his arms around you and pulled you in tightly against him.  “I’m really proud of you,” he said, pressing his lips to the top of your head.

“I don’t expect you to never see anyone else,” you said.

“I know, and weirdly, knowing that hurts a little too,” he sighed.  “I think… I think I just need time to figure things out.  But… I don’t want to push you away while I do.  If you’re willing to just be patient with me, we can try this long-distance thing.  Maybe… maybe if I can live with sharing custody of Kit, I can share custody of your heart too.”

You laughed a little.  “That was so corny.”

He squeezed your side making you squeak and pull away from him.  “So rude,” he teased.

“I didn’t say I didn’t like corny,” you said.  “I love corny.”

He smiled and rested his forehead against yours.  “I’m sorry I can’t just be who you want me to be,” he said.

You frowned and cradled his jaw, caressing his cheek with your thumb.  “That’s the problem, Sam.  You’re exactly who I want you to be.”  You paused and took a deep breath, pulling away from him and looking down.  “You said you thought you were being selfish for not wanting to share me.  I think it’s me that’s selfish for not wanting to let you go.”

He shook his head and turned your cheek so you were looking at him again.  “It’s not selfish to love someone,” he said.  “And I do know that you love me.  I’m holding on to that regardless of what happens from here.”

// NEXT

[shai-manahan]

raising the other’s hand to their lips to kiss it softly

with Wesley please? 🥺 💕

I didn't think this would get so long lmao

Some parts would probably be confusing (I'm not sure), because this would be set after the entirety of the story, but I do hope you'll enjoy reading!

Wesley - 43. raising the other’s hand to their lips to kiss it softly

Memory is such a funny thing.

How many years has it been again? It's not really a question you still have to ask--you've always counted the days in your head--but it astounds you that after all this time, after the past few years of gambling with life and death, of all the suffering, one night inside this dining room is what it takes for the warmth to come. It's not the kind of warmth that can provide your body the respite it needs from a harsh cold night, nor the kind that once provided shelter and comfort to its occupants. That one's gone. Gone with the whirlwind that once ran through these people's lives.

In truth, Wesley's old house has never felt colder. Musty. Dry. All that remains is the worn interior full of dust and rats, the once magnificent decors starting to fall apart. A ghost of the past.

But those little glimpses of memories that go through your mind...

You were never one for poetics, but you'd dare say they were tailored around you like a blanket, bringing life unto the forsaken place. Protecting you from the unwanted ones.

"Won't you take a seat?" Wesley's words pierce through the silence as their right hand grips your left with little hesitation. Normally, you would have lashed out at the sudden touch, at the sudden invasion, but you're learning to rein it in. At least when the two of you are alone.

"I'm fine here."

"Are you?" You can hear the doubt growing in their voice. "If you were standing in front of anywhere other than a clogged window, I might have believed that."

"Maybe I am admiring the clogged window."

"No." Their fingers slowly trail up your arm, and your skin prickles at the contact. There's nothing seductive with the way they're doing it. Only softness. Concern. "Talk to me."

You heave an exasperated sigh. Right. Talk. That's something you were supposed to do now. You did promise you were going to be better at it. Or at least try to. "He taught me to avoid looking around me... you know, if I'm not sure what I'd see."

"Who?"

"You know who."

"Ah." They clicked their tongue. They never liked him. Nobody did. "Didn't he also tell you to kill people you don't trust?"

"He survived it," you snap. "He's been dealing with it far longer but he survived it."

"At what cost?" They step in front of you, their utterly frustrated face blocking your sight. "He's been doing that because he thinks he's better off alone. But you're...you're not alone. You have people around you. You have me."

You look away.

"Hey, come on." Wesley's hold lowers to your hand again. Their grip is tight, desperate. Yet there's comfort within it that calms the tension building up inside you. "You haven't been like this for a while. What happened?"

No one else would ever understand. Remember that.

"This place happened," you say before you get the temptation to deflect again. To lie. "I know you said you needed to check out some parts of the house, but if I look around and see something that's not..." You clear your throat. "There are too many good memories here. I want them to stay that way."

They won't understand.

His words reverberate in your head like a mantra, and you begin to think it was not a senseless reminder. That even with all the things you've gone through, even with all the years you spent with Wesley chasing after the truth, they would never understand. Because you're different.

They won't understand.

"It's all right." You turn to them at their words, wondering if you'd heard them right. Before you could confirm, however, they raise your hand and begin rubbing it with both of their own. With such care. With such affection. Then they lean forward, the intensity in their hazel eyes growing as they speak. "It's all over now. We have time. You'll adapt to it in your own way, and I'll be there to help. I'll stay. We'll figure it out together. No matter what."

"I'm not-"

"Shh." Wesley brings your raised hand against their lips, kissing it softly. "Like I said, we have time."

You're not sure if it was the conviction in their gaze, or the hope that manifests inside you to get rid of an ever-growing problem, or the urge to just look at anything else, but you turn around. You turn around and let yourself marvel at the sight of the entire room, bracing for the images and the shadows that don't belong there.

There's none. There's only the remnants of your past--the memories you made with the person beside you.

Memories of awkwardly eating a scheduled dinner with the family, the only child of the household throwing you a knowing smile even though you had never met before; memories of you two planning mischiefs--that would eventually turn into a calling--whenever their parents weren't around; Memories of a promise, of affection, of reconciled betrayals. Of love.

So many.

"Are you okay? Is there..."

"I'm fine." It's not a lie this time, though heat still rises to your cheeks at a sudden realization. They kissed your hand. Wesley kissed your hand. You shouldn't be surprised--you are dating now, after all--but you still are. They can be dumbfoundingly hesitant most of the time, but at moments like this, at very random moments like this, they end up casually doing similar gestures out of the blue, as if it's something they do everyday.

"I'm fine."

You're not. Not with your heart hammering loudly in your chest. But that's the problem they don't have to hear about. Not yet.

There's still some rummaging around to do.

[markberries]

i  l i k e  y o u┊draco malfoy

info: you like draco, but he likes pansy. it isn't until a party in the room of requirement makes you realize how much draco didn't like you.

warnings: cursing

genre: angst, fluff, hufflepuff!reader, halfblood!reader

word count: 3300+ a/n: LMAO THIS IS SO BAD AND ITS UNEDITED HAKJSDADH enjoy

"isn't he just so cute?" you giggled, staring at your crush from across the room. the air smelt of burning wood, sunlight seeping through the window panes. professor snape was carefully eyeing each of the students as they prepped their potions, yet your eyes stayed glued to the well known trouble maker who sat in the front of the class.

"y/n, are you ever going to help me with this potion? i know you're good with them and i could really use your help!" ron whined from beside you, poking at your shoulder repeatedly. "bloody hell, were you slipped a love potion? it's just malfoy."

you turned to ron, smacking his arm, and he let out a small "ow". you sighed, helping ron gather materials to make the current potion. "stop acting like my crush on draco is new."

"but y/n, listen to me, nothing good can come out with malfoy, and i'm pretty sure you're just fascinated by the idea you have of him in your head," ron explains, tossing the items into the cauldron, "i mean, have you even talked to him?"

you freeze for a moment, clearing your throat. "y-yes i have, um.. i bumped into him in the hallway and i said sorry."

ron soon realizes what you mean, pity patting you on the head like a child. sighing, he says, "he didn't say anything to you, did he?"

you shake your head, taking a whiff of the potion you and ron created in front of you. you've had a crush on draco since the beginning of this year, which was currently your fourth year at hogwarts. of course, malfoy didn't pay any attention to you.

"god," you cringe, scrunching up your face after smelling the absolutely disgusting potion, "that smells terrible. guess we've made it properly then."

"ugh, you're right," ron replies, backing away from the previously brewing cauldron. you look around, seeing that students are still attempting to complete their potions, so you had a bit of time to waste.

you hear draco's laugh from across the room, pansy parkinson by his side. your mere infatuation with malfoy wasn't enough to make you jealous (because personally, you thought it was an ugly emotion), but it did strike something in you when you watched draco and pansy giggle like idiots together.

people always thought you were crazy to like draco; he was mean, rude, and a pain in the ass, but you continued to see the good in him (or the good that you thought he had). being a hufflepuff who was infatuated with draco didn't grant you anything when it came to popularity, but you couldn't care less. you just thought draco was truly a nice guy on the inside.

"hello? earth to y/n? class is over!" ron waved a hand in your face, making you snap back into reality. you blinked a few times, before looking around to see students exiting the class to go for lunch, and you watched draco leave with pansy.

"come on then, i'm starving!" ron hurried you, pushing you out the door to go to the dining hall, literally grabbing you by the robe because you could not stop staring a malfoy.

tonight was the night of the room of requirement party, all houses invited (hosted by gryffindor, and slytherin was somehow invited as well), and you wanted to use this to your advantage. you wanted to tell draco how you felt, because you were tired of admiring him from afar, tired of awkwardly blushing when you spotted him, and tired of hiding your feelings.

but, unbeknownst to you, draco did know that you had a crush on him. only problem is, he has been trying to get with pansy. he thought you were too quiet and that you weren't really his type, so he avoided you. he always noticed your stares and the way your cheeks heated up when you two met eyes.

when people told him that you liked him, he would brush it off with a scoff and talk about how untrue the rumors were, because he didn't want you to cry to him about how he didn't like you. so, tonight at the party, his plan was to avoid you completely.

—

you twirled in the mirror, taking a look at your fourth outfit change. it was a plain black skirt, paired with a tight yellow turtleneck with a black oversized sweater on top of it, only showing the collar of the turtleneck. you sported black converse high tops, and you honestly felt proud of yourself for actually choosing an outfit on time.

exiting the dormitory, you were greeted at the front of your common room by harry, ron, and hermione, who were talking amongst each other, before looking over at you.

"so i'm guessing today is the day then, right y/n?" hermione asks you, raising a brow. you tried to awkwardly laugh it off, but you were already nervous. harry noticed your difference in mood, and patted you on the back.

"don't worry y/n," harry comforts you, "it's just malfoy. still don't get why you like him, because he truly is an arse, but i'm sure he'll think your beautiful."

you bury your face in your palms, stressing yourself out by picturing the worst case scenarios. "oh god, i really hope it works out."

"calm down, i'll sucker punch malfoy if he says anything stupid, alright?" ron comments, and you hear a snicker from hermione, which makes ron look at her and say, "is something funny?"

the four of you start heading down to the room of requirement, carefully trying to avoid any prefects who were not on board to the party, and avoiding any professors. all of you entered to see students engaging with one another, laughter erupting throughout the room and bouncing off the walls.

it smelt like vanilla and you didn't mind, you waved at some friends from hufflepuff and greeted others, but only looking for one person in particular; draco malfoy. you peaked around corners and asked around, until you saw the familiar slytherin talking up pansy by the back wall.

he saw you coming, but averted your gaze in order to stay focused on pansy. she was talking about her classes and malfoy was listening intently as you made your way towards him, but he chose to ignore you. you waited patiently, hands clad together with sweaty palms. your heart was pounding out of your chest, but you attempted to control your body language.

for the rest of the party, you pretty much followed malfoy like a lost puppy. you just wanted to tell him, but you felt like he was always too busy to talk to. he was always around pansy, and you really didn't know what to do.

"y/n, are you alright?" you hear hermione from beside you, whispering in your ear.

"yeah, i just haven't really gotten the chance to tell draco yet.."

hermione nods, before giving you a pat and leaving to talk to harry and ron.

"hey pansy," draco says, clearing his throat. pansy turns to him, tilting her head. "yes, draco?"

"could we talk outside? just for a moment," draco asks her, and she complies, following draco outside the room of requirement. when they're outside of the party, he scratches the back of his head awkwardly, his face scrunched up.

"well?" pansy asks, waiting for a word out of draco.

"well.. i just wanted to ask you if we could go out for butterbeer sometime, but not as friends, you understand what i'm saying?" draco asks, and pansy looks speechless. she searches for a reason to reject malfoy, not wanting to carry the weight of guilt among her shoulders. she remembers you, following malfoy around, and she uses that to her advantage.

"sorry malfoy, but i think somebody might've already called dibs on you," pansy states, looking at draco, searching for any negative emotion toward her on his face. malfoy frowns, staring at the door of the room of requirement.

"i'll talk to you later," pansy smiles, entering the party once again. draco wasn't mad at pansy, no, he was mad at you. too blinded by the terrible feeling of rejection, he blamed everything on you. he thought about how if you had just left him alone, pansy would've gone out with him (which was not true). draco goes back to the party a few minutes after pansy had left, and you rush over to him, tugging on his black and green robe.

"um, draco i need to-" draco cuts you off, ripping his robe away from your grip. "no, y/n!"

you flinch, startled by the volume and tone of his voice. his face has anger written all over it, and you became frightened. the golden trio hear malfoy's yelling, turning to where the sound was coming from.

"i-i just wanted to say that i like-" malfoy groans, rubbing his face in frustration. "i know you like  me, y/n! for god's sake, everyone knew! you weren't very subtle, y/l/n. stop trying so hard, halfblood. because of you, i got rejected. i don't like you, and i don't consider you a friend. i don't even consider you as an acquaintance. just stay away from me."

your face turns red, growing warmer by the second. at this point, you're staring at your shoes, too scared to look up at draco. tears are welling up in your eyes, threatening to fall as malfoy continues to talk. your throat starts hurting because you refused to cry out, and your hands were trembling.

"draco malfoy!" harry roars, rushing to come to your aid. ron puts both hands on each one of your shoulders, trying to get a glimpse of your face. he sees your glossy eyes, and pulls you into a hug.

"oh now you've done it, malfoy," ron hisses, turning his head to look at draco. draco scoffs, crossing his arms. "what are you gonna do, weasley?" draco shoots back.

"he won't do anything," hermione starts, eyes full of hatred, "but i will." hermione punches draco in the face, making draco yelp in pain. he holds his nose while crabbe and goyle run over to him.

"i-i'm sorry," you sniffle, "it's my fault."

"no no, shh, it's not your fault y/n," ron coos, stroking your hair in an attempt to calm you down. draco eyes you, hearing the shaking in your voice, and feeling a slight pang of guilt. i mean, did he have to yell at you that much? hermione backs up to check up on you, and harry is still glaring at him.

"lets go y/n," hermione smiles at you, and you nod at her and say softly, "okay."

all of you leave the party, eyes glued to your form. when you finally got out of the room, you took a deep breath and felt a slight sense of relief to finally get away from draco. you thought that  this would've gone better, you expected rejection but not in a situation like that. on the way back to the hufflepuff dormitory, all four of you stayed silent.

you felt too tired to talk, and i think the other three understood that. when you reached the common room, you thanked your friends, saying that you were alright (which was not true, but they knew you didn't want to talk about it). you waved them goodbye, heading up to bed, and feeling nervous about the following day.

—

the next day, you got ready like normal, but you were awfully quiet, and draco took note of that. he no longer heard your laughter from across the room, and you stayed focused on your studies. you didn't want to look at him, afraid that he would yell at you again, so you stayed away, just like he asked.

your friends would ask you if last night had affected your new behavior, but you just assured them that it wasn't the case, which was a lie. you were just too scared to say something wrong, or to annoy draco again.

draco watched you as you wrote in your notebook, an unreadable expression on your face. he was restless, the night before, thinking if he had said too much. he thought it was a bit harsh to yell at you in front of everybody, but he still had that fresh feeling of rejection in his mind.

draco watched as your eyes wandered, looking around the classroom and other students, before accidentally catching his eyes. your eyes widened, almost like you were in fear, and then you raised your hand, asking to go to the washroom. you leave the room, gripping at your robe.

draco decides to follow you, he's not sure why,  but he just does. he follows you down the hall, and he sees you sit down on a bench, breathing heavily. draco approaches you, standing right in front of you. your entire body freezes, staring down at his shoes.

"i'm sorry that you were rejected because of me," you say softly, fidgeting with your fingers. draco honestly doesn't know what to do, he doesn't know if he should say that it wasn't your fault, or if he was sorry for yelling at you. he does none of the above, and just decides to stay silent.

"um," you say, looking up at him, and draco swore he thought you were on the brink of tears, "i'll make sure to stay out of your way. i hope parkinson accepts your feelings."

you stand up, rushing to leave, the last person you wanted to talk to was draco. you didn't want to face him, honestly you were considering leaving to go to muggle school, but the thought of leaving your friends here had stopped you.

for the next week, things had stayed the same. you stayed quiet, flinching at any loud noise, and trying your best to ignore malfoy's attempts to reach out to you. he felt incredibly guilty, and his feelings got worse as the days passed. he didn't really understand how much he did pay attention to you before everything that happened.

he kind of did miss catching you staring at him, and how you would shyly look away. maybe it's because he missed the attention you had given him all the time, even if you two didn't speak.

"y/n," you feel a hand grab your arm, you didn't see who it was, but you knew that voice.

"draco please, i already said i'm sorry," you say quietly, not wanting to anger him. your friends were right, maybe draco was a bad person. you wished you hadn't tried to confess to him in the first place.

"no listen- it's not that, okay?" he says, dragging you to the side of the hallway, getting away from the other students who were walking to their classes. "i, i wanted to say i'm sorry."

when draco admits it, your eyes widen, draco malfoy apologizing to someone was very new, and you didn't know what to say. part of you thought it was a joke, that he was going to do something horrible because you ruined his chance, but blue eyes seemed genuine.

"i shouldn't have yelled at you that day, um.. it wasn't your fault, uh, i realize now that pansy was just using you as an excuse, and i'm sorry that it took me so long to realize it. i hope we can start over.. maybe as friends."

you felt like your ears were deceiving you, and you weren't very eager on becoming friends with draco, after what happened. but, you being you, you slowly nodded, unsure of your own answer. "okay, i guess. but i'm not going to lie to your face and say i suddenly lost feelings for you, i just need some time to.. adjust."

something hurts in draco's heart when he hears the amount of uncertainty that laced your warm voice, but he still nodded, respecting your decisions.

"you do know i have been trying to talk to you since the party, right?" draco asks you, and you shake your head. you're taken aback, but you decide to not talk.

"yeah, i really have," draco admits.

you deadpan, "oh. um, see you around draco."

—

after a month, you still have those lingering feelings for draco. him being sweeter to you than usual, really wasn't helping. he would wave at you in the hallways, ask to partner up with you in classes, and he seemed deeply interested in your preferences, likes, dislikes, and your life in general. it was odd for everyone else, too. it was almost like he was actually trying to be nice to you.

even though you had told draco that you needed time, it's like it went in one ear and out the other for him. he was actively trying to talk to you, walking you to class, and more. it felt like you were floating, or like you were dreaming. you convinced yourself that the guilt had probably been eating away at him, because that was really the only explanation.

"by the way, what's it like living in the muggle world?" draco asks you, resting his head on his own hand, curiosity getting the best of him. you two were out on the courtyard, where you had originally been by yourself, but he had decided to join you. you both sat cross legged, facing each other.

"ooh, what does your mother do for a living? i hear there's so many different kind of jobs in the muggle wor-"

"what the hell is up with you, malfoy?" you question, almost snapping at him, but you kept yourself in check. draco only looks at you weirdly, saying, "what do you mean?"

you roll your eyes, "you know what i mean, malfoy. why are you treating me like i'm fragile? like i'll break any second? i told you before and i'll say it again, i need time to adjust. you know that i have feelings for you, so are you trying to rub salt in the wound? because i'm really not sure what is going on."

draco laughs, "you really are dimwitted, aren't you?" he shakes his head.

"i'm sorry?" you squint your eyes at him, and he laughs again. god, you really loved his laugh.

"you're such an idiot, y/l/n," and with that sentence, he places a hand on your cheek and brings you in for a kiss. his lips land on yours, and you feel like a statue. you didn't know how to react, i mean, was draco really kissing you right now?

his lips are soft, and you felt a little bad because you did not move at all. when he pulls away, you're in awe, staring at him, shocked.

"what," you manage to get out, and draco giggles, cupping your cheeks in his hands.

"i fancy you, you idiot," draco says to you, and you swear you can feel your heart jumping out of your chest. you're still sitting in place, confusion written all over your face.

"the fuck," you sputter out this time. "you fancy me? since when?"

draco sighs, tapping his chin as he thinks. "pretty sure it was the day i caught you sleeping at the library. you had been studying for hours, a little drool on your arm as well. that was the day i decided that i like you."

you turn red, blinking your eyes.

"you saw that?"

"yeah, you looked nice that day."

draco leans back and rests his hands on the grass, smirking when he saw how much he affected you. "so, are you willing to go on a date with me?"

"o-oh, okay, wow. haha, didn't expect this," you're at a loss for words, and you know malfoy knows it, because he can't stop smiling at how stupid you probably sounded right now.

"great," he replies, pressing a kiss to your cheek.

"you know, ron won't be happy about this."

"oh forget the weasley, is he your boyfriend?"

"who said i had a boyfriend?

[rose7420]

It All Works Out In The End

A request from @laurenandloki!

Loki is trying to be a better human from the guidance of Tom Hiddleston and he messes up when he finds a borrower.

“I have to leave for a few hours, please don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Tom informed Loki. Loki looked up from his novel, his long-form curled comfortably on the couch in the living room. He only spared Tom a glance in his general direction before focusing on the bland words of the page. Truly the book wasn’t worth his attention, yet, neither was Tom. Tom grabbed his backpack, dressed casually in dark jeans and a navy blue shirt, and closed the door behind him. He was neither impressed nor disappointed in Loki’s progress at becoming a “better” person. As long as he didn’t commit any serious crimes he would be relieved.

Loki closed the book when Tom left. He stood and ambled aimlessly around the large apartment. It was a good size living space, not comparable to that of Asgard but still admirable. His steps echoed on the hardwood floor as he arrived in the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator, looking for what the mortals called ‘strawberries.’ He had taken a liking to the sweet fruit after he had tried it out of curiosity one day. They hadn’t had any type of treat like that on Asgard.

While searching, he heard a small noise come from beside him as he hunted the second shelf. He put back the carton of milk he held and shut the door. His eyes searched the counter. He heard another sound, which was easier to make out now. He could now tell it was some sort of squeak. His gaze flicked to the jar on the end of the counter. Slowly, he approached and slid the jar over revealing a very tiny creature. It was humanoid and appeared to be female by the curve of her waist and long hair. As he took away her barrier she whipped around and let out another squeak. This time it was fearful as her head craned back to look at his face. He couldn’t make out her face and ached for a closer look, he instinctively reached for her. She backed up as far as she could, stopping when she reached the edge of the counter. He knew she was cornered and had nowhere else to go. That drop would certainly kill her should she jump. He smirked as he knew he had won this short chase and wrapped his fingers around her capturing her in his fist.

She struggled, twisting to escape his hold but it was futile. He was much stronger and bigger. He opened his hand letting her breathe for a few seconds in an open palm, sensing her trembling form as she was on hands and knees. After, letting her believe she was free for a moment, he closed his fingers over her entirely, marveling at the fact that he could no longer see her. He felt her tiny fists hit the inside of his curled fingers as he walked to the dining table set in the middle of the kitchen. He opened his fist and let her fall the short drop to the table, hearing her squeak as she hit the hard surface. He lowered his head onto his arms to see her better, watching as she raised herself to a sitting position.

“Aren’t you a little thing?” He teased, reaching out to pinch her thin arm. He twisted it carefully, minding the fragility of her tendons and joints. Despite his gentleness, she whimpered, attempting to tug her limb out of his pinched grip. He loosened his grip, allowing her to think she’d won this match. Her small victory gave her the courage to stand in hopes of running away. With a single finger, he pushed her chest and forced her to fall back onto the tabletop. He was unaware that he had caused all the breath to leave her lungs as he picked her up by the middle with a pinched forefinger and thumb. Another cry escaped her from the sudden elevation. He pinched her jaw to keep her head still trying to gain a better look. Tears escaped her eyes but he paid no attention to that. Releasing his hold he prodded at her form. His finger aimed for her cheek but he accidentally poked her nose. A simple prod to him, but a full punch in the face to her. Her nose leaked blood, dripping from her chin to her shirt. And right at that time the front door opened.

“I’m back, didn’t take as long as I thought it would,” Tom shouted, Loki heard him drop his keys in the dish on top of the table in the hallway. Loki looked down at the tiny girl struck by the blood on her shirt his fingers reaching for her. She cried in horror and pushed his fingers away, tears streaming down her face. His heart rate elevated and he lifted her to his face to examine where the blood was coming from.

“What is that?” Tom exclaimed from behind him. Loki felt him lean in closer and flinched at his voice right next to his ear.

“Why is she crying, and bleeding?” Tom asked worriedly, then looked at Loki suspiciously.

“What did you do?” He questioned. For once Loki was at a loss for words. He truly had meant for no harm to come to the tiny being, he only wanted to tease her a little. She had done nothing to him, and he had scared her immensely and hurt her in the process.

“Give her here Loki,” Tom ordered, holding out a raised palm. Loki did as he asked and watched as the little lady backed away in fear from the new giant. She whimpered audibly and cried loudly when she hit Tom’s curled fingers.

“Shh, you are in no danger here Little One,” Tom coed and reassured. He tentatively rubbed a finger upon her back when she did not flinch away. Tom walked to the counter and went to set her down, but she clung tightly to his finger and wouldn’t let go.

“It’s okay, I’ll be right back. I just need to set you down here.” She shook her head and held steady.

“Alright, I think I can manage with one hand.” Tom kept his voice low and soft as if speaking to a child. He tore a piece of paper towel off and wet it under a stream of water. He handed off the damp towel to the girl.

“Here you go, use this to stop that nose bleed. Make sure to keep your head down and pinch the bridge of your nose. There you go, great job.” He rubbed her back again and looked up from his palm to Loki who stood a few steps away. His face was sad, downturned to the floor, and sneaking glances at Tom’s hand every other minute. Tom knew he felt guilty and was disappointed in him but not angry.

After her nose had stopped bleeding the girl looked up at Tom. He raised her to his eye level so she wouldn’t have to strain her neck. He instantly noticed the bruises on her arms, legs, and one dark one on her cheek.

“Were those bruises there before?” Tom asked.

She shook her head, eyes glistening with fresh unshed tears.

“I’m so terribly sorry Little One.” He apologized but also realized he had no idea what her name was. So he asked for it.

“I-It’s Y/N.” She said meekly. Tom nodded, “My name is Tom, and that’s Loki.” He gestured to the moody god. Loki walked closer, keeping his steps light, attempting to make himself less menacing.

He felt utterly terrible. He had hurt her, made her bleed, marked her skin, and caused her to cry. Standing beside Tom he cleared his throat nervous to speak. He watched Y/N back away from his imposing frame and huddle next to Tom’s thumb. She clung to it like a lifeline, terrified of Loki himself. He imagined if it was quiet enough he could hear her tiny heart pounding in her chest.

“I would like to apologize for my actions earlier. And the harm that I caused you.” Loki wasn’t very familiar with apologizing and the words were awkward, but he deemed them necessary. Y/N said nothing, practically ignoring him, only clinging to Tom’s digit. He walked away, back to his room to clear his head.

Tom had found out that Y/N had lived in his house for years. And he hadn’t even noticed. She was looking for food today and had been trying to get the lid off the jar when Loki had found her. Tom had cooked a nice, hot dinner for them to eat especially after finding out she had never had a hot meal. He had managed to calm her down enough to sit on the counter while he cooked, being extra careful to not knock her down in the midst of the process of cooking. Tom had called for Loki to come to eat but Loki ignored him, locking himself away in his room. He sighed in frustration but made sure to not think too much about it, afraid Y/N would think he was mad at her. The poor thing had been through enough already today.

After eating, Y/N was happily full. Tom let her sit on his shoulder as he cleaned up and talked to her like an old pal. He went into the living room and turned on the television.Y/N had never seen the moving screen up close, and was mesmerized by all the colors and sounds.

“Do you want to watch a movie, Y/N?” Tom asked.

Y/N nodded enthusiastically. Tom laughed from her excitement and set her on the coffee table promising he’d be back soon. After a few moments, he returned with Loki. Their footsteps were hard to miss and vibrated the ground beneath her. She stared up in fear at Loki, backing away from his presence.

“Loki has promised not to touch you, Y/N. Isn’t that right Loki?” Tom explained. Loki grunted his agreeance. Scooping Y/N off the table, Tom let her settle on his shoulder. He scrolled through a bunch of different pictures and settled on one that looked scary. Tom asked if it was okay and she hesitated. Y/N didn’t really like being scared on purpose but she felt like a wimp after today and how pathetic she was with Loki. So she said yes.

A few minutes into the movie she knew she was completely screwed. Five people had already been brutally murdered and it wasn’t stopping anytime soon. She huddled closer to Tom’s neck and buried her face into the warm skin trying to shield her eyes from the screen. He assumed that she was cold and raised a hand to blanket her with.

“Is she alright?” A deep voice asked, Loki’s voice.

“I think she’s cold,” Tom explained.

A second later Tom was handing her a woolen blanket of her own size.

“H-How?” She asked astonished.

She looked over at Loki who winked and settled his back against the cushion wordlessly.

“Hey Y/N I need to go switch out my laundry so I need to put you down. Don’t worry Loki won’t mess with you.” He assured her and plucked her up effortlessly blanket and all setting her upon the middle cushion on the couch.

She looked up at Loki who had his eyes trained on the screen, paying her no attention. She copied his action and regretted looking at the screen at all when a particularly gory scene happened. She whimpered quietly, not noticing how Loki looked down at her worriedly. A loud scream broke through the silence frightening her out of her wits. She dropped the blanket around her shoulders and ran to Loki’s lap. She stayed close to the outside of his thigh and attempted to climb the fabric. Loki looked down at the ticklish sensation and saw the cause. He slowly reached down and boosted her onto his lap letting her rest upon his thigh. She scooted backward burying herself in the bunched-up fabric of his shirt and nestled herself in the soft cloth.

“Are you scared Little Miss?” He asked, feeling the nod of affirmation against his abdomen. He reached over and picked up her blanket and draped it over her dainty shoulders. He wasn’t sure what to do with his hand, so he cupped it around her serving as a barrier from the screen and her sight.

“I’ve got you. Nothing can hurt you now. You’re fine.” Loki repeated, calming her. Soon her breathing slowed and she stopped trembling. He peeled his hand back to view her sleeping form curled into his shirt. Loki smiled with relief as he realized she no longer viewed him as a bad guy.

Tom stood in the corner smiling as he realized his plan had worked perfectly. KnowingY/N didn’t like scary movies, got cold easily, and leaving at the right time. The only thing that had gone wrong was how long it had taken Y/N to seek Loki out for comfort.

[ready-to-obeyme]

starlight (Lucifer/MC)

For @dazatsu for the Obey Me Secret Santa for 2020. I hope this fic of mine makes you smile at least once! :) I loved thinking up of the prompt for your secret santa, so I hope I did your aesthetics and preferences justice! I tried including both of your faves and ended up focusing on one. 

Feel free to message me on discord or on my personal @epiphyllous.

Happy Holidays! :)

Summary: It’s been a few days or so since you’ve returned to the human world to attend your university classes. Missing you, Lucifer decides to give you a visit, (with Belphie tagging along) hopefully without being seen, just to check up on you. 

Or so he planned. He never could have anticipated how much he actually misses you. 

notes: gn!reader, College Student MC, sfw, (sorta) established relationship, pining

--

Be patient, Lucifer tells himself. One semester: four months, or even better, fifteen weeks. Lucifer would never admit it to anyone else, but he counts the days until you come back to the House of Lamentations, occupy the room that is now too quiet for comfort, and sit at your seat at the dining table and laugh with all of them again.

The first week after you leave to attend university classes, he keeps his brothers in line, making sure they keep on going to RAD classes instead of spending the entire day moping over your absence. Not that he didn’t miss you, because, of course, he did. At the best of times you were like a buoy in a stormy night, and at others, you were a comforting presence at his side who taught him how to laugh again.

But you had promised to come back, and he had promised that they would be waiting for you when you did. Lucifer prides himself on control, so in control he would be.

Or so he would have been if he had not already planned to ‘check-up’ on you in the human world at the end of this week. 

(He tries not to think about the fact he has caved in only one week after you’ve been gone, but demons are weak to temptation-- so he forgives himself, just this once, because it is to see you.)

To anyone else, especially his brothers, he’s visiting the human realm to take care of human exchange student documents. Only Diavolo, and Barbatos by association, knows why he’s actually settling the last piece of his paperwork prior to his trip. Diavolo had only given him a wide smile, but he is embarrassed to be so evidently transparent to his old friend. (It would have been even more embarrassing had Barbatos had been there to receive the news, so Lucifer is thankful for that at least.) 

With everything in order, his brothers threatened to do well in class while he was gone and too distracted to notice the real reason he’s so eagerly planning a trip away, Lucifer heads out the door.

Belphie is waiting for him in the doorway. 

“You aren’t planning to go by yourself, are you?” Belphie says with a leisurely smile, and Lucifer can only sigh.

.

.

“Oh, sorry-- er, Pro-Professor…”

Lucifer watches as another student meekly ducks past him, skittering away with their head ducked low until they merge with their group. He can hear snippets of what they’re saying, and he isn’t sure what to think when all the comments have been on his attire. It didn’t dawn on him when he first walked onto campus grounds with Belphie in tow, but with the glances he’s been given and the attention he’s been garnering despite his attempts to stay hidden, he realizes how strange his outfit must be when compared to the rest of the population. 

He sighs and crosses his leg on the wooden bench they’ve perched themselves on, turning towards his youngest brother when he hears him laugh. Belphie gives him a sleepy smile that does not hide any of the amusement behind it. “Those people think you’re a cosplayer,” he says to Lucifer, pointing to a group of students who were looking at the two of them. “From an anime about vampires or butlers.” 

Lucifer looks down at his fur-collared coat on his shoulders and gives it a slight tug. “Ah, I suppose the coat is a little bit ill-suited for the weather, isn’t it?” He huffs when Belphie gives him a deadpan. “I jest, Belphie,” he says, crossing his arms (regally, in a way that only convinces everyone who watched him that he was playing in-character). “I understand clearly now that my ‘casual’ attire is not the norm for this university campus.”

“Or any other campus,” Belphie mutters. “People have been saying your vest makes you look like you part-time at Olive Garden… wherever that is. You should have just dressed like me today.” And Lucifer cannot argue with that sentiment, considering how well Belphie fits in with the university atmosphere and environment with his long jacket worn over his tee. If he ignores the comments on his own attire, Lucifer can hear the whispers of awe and even admiration at the cow-printed pillow that Belphie has brought along with him today to ‘comfortably sleep in class while he waits for you,’ or so he has explained to Lucifer.

“I’m not sure how I would pull off the university-look you so excel at,” Lucifer says exasperatedly. “I doubt it would…” Just as quickly as he cut his sentence off, Lucifer jumps to his feet, quickly dragging Belphie by the pillow (much to his complaints) to hide behind a particularly bushy shrub. 

“Ugh, let go of my pillow, you’re going to stretch it out--”

“Shh, be quiet,” Lucifer snaps, glaring at his brother who only stubbornly looks back. “I’d rather not be caught sneaking around on campus when we’re not supposed to.”

“Wait, what? Aren’t we here to see them?” Belphie retorts, “Isn’t this the whole point? Wait, unless…”

Lucifer can feel the tell-tale heat on his ears as warnings of an oncoming blush and wills it away with a scowl, daring Belphie to finish his thought. As expected from his free-spirited and equally willful brother, Belphie does anyway.

“You didn’t tell MC you were coming, did you?” Belphie says, and as much as Lucifer is happy to have such a cunning brother, he wished Belphie were otherwise at the moment. “That’s why we’ve been hiding around trying to find them rather than just having them ditch class--”

“I would not make them ditch class--”

“--and spend time with us.” Belphie pauses. “Why didn’t you just tell them we were coming?” 

In the corner of his eyes, Lucifer sees you walk down the crackling pavement-- backpack on your shoulders, skin a healthy glow (thank Diavolo), and eyes as bright as ever-- and Lucifer’s thoughts trail to a stop. His gaze follows you as you walk past them without notice, and he thinks to himself that a human like you truly does belong to a place with the sun, because you are as radiant as starlight.  

Lucifer looks back towards Belphie who had fallen silent, only to fight back another bout of embarrassment as Belphie stares back at him with a knowing, mischievous gleam. 

“Let’s grab a seat in their class,” Belphie says, standing up easily and walking the same direction Lucifer watched you disappear into. Just when Lucifer thinks the gleam is only from the sun, Belphie continues, his voice dripping with saccharine, “Just so you can watch them a little more closely.”

Lucifer sighs, less inclined to argue when they have little time to catch up with you. (Though even if he did have time, there was not much to say when nothing Belphie said was wrong.)

.

.

Looking back at the conversation now, Lucifer wishes he did argue, just a little, because maybe then he would feel better upon watching in horror as Belphie sleeps beside him in class only five minutes into lecture. 

After following you, they had picked inconspicuous seats in the back row of the lecture hall (with these tiny, little tables-- Lucifer doesn’t understand how anyone could write on these), hoping to remain unseen by you who sat a few rows up in the middle. Based off the scattered, quiet laughter that surrounds them, Lucifer thinks that their choice in seats was a moot point now. 

“Belphie. Belphie,” Lucifer hisses, nudging his brother’s leg in hopes of stirring him awake. “Lecture just began. How are you asleep already?” 

“S’fine,” Belphie mumbles, waving a flippant hand. “We don’t even take this class.” 

From behind them, Lucifer hears someone quietly whisper ‘legend’, and it takes everything in him to not bury his face into his hands and make themselves even more noticeable. He sighs, but regardless, he looks forward, spotting the back of your head almost immediately in a sea of students. Ever so often, he would see your head dip down to look at your laptop and up again to read the slides that were presented. The movement is repetitive, most likely reminiscent to how you would also be in a Devildom RAD class, but for some reason, watching you focus and intently study in your university classes makes it very evident how often he finds himself proud of you. 

And he almost feels guilty for following you on campus. After all, he did make a promise to be there when you came back after waiting patiently for you, and it was not as if you left happily. If anything, you had hoped to stay-- but your future awaits, and so you promised to work hard to get back to them as soon as possible. Perhaps he should keep to the promise you had made to each other-- oh. 

Lucifer watches as you lean down to rummage through your backpack, and he almost feels his heart stop when he sees your D.D.D in your hand. Your fingers scroll through something: Past texts? Your gallery, perhaps? Regardless of what the reason is, Lucifer feels something warm spread within his chest as he thinks that maybe you had missed them (hopefully even him?) just as much as they missed you. 

What he does not expect is to have his phone vibrate with a text from you. 

>> Are you busy right now?

Lucifer is thankful that Belphie is asleep because he does not see the way Lucifer fumbles to get his D.D.D out and text with his heart at his throat. 

<< Not at the moment. 

He pauses. 

<< Is something the matter?

The response is quick.

>> No, nothing is wrong! 

>> I’m just in class right now and ngl it’s kind of boring.

Lucifer buries his chuckle into his fist.

<< And here I thought you had an emergency.

>> :crying emoji: This IS an emergency. I’m DYING

>> of BOREDOM

>> Save me, Lucifer!!

<< I will not be an accomplice to distracting you during class. 

He’s already enabling you by responding, so it’s not exactly the truth, he admits. But he does like the way you tilt your head as you are wont to do when you find something amusing. 

>> Darn, okay I tried

>> I just

Lucifer watches as the text bubbles stay on screen, and he waits for your upcoming message when the people around them stand up, putting their laptops into their backpacks at the end of the lecture.

>> I miss you guys

He looks up to see you standing up, D.D.D. in hand, head down and fingers still over the screen. After a moment, you type something else and lock the phone, putting it into your backpack before heading down the aisle to leave the class. 

Your last few messages pop up.

>> Class just ended so I’ll have to go study at the library but

>> I just wanted to say I really miss you

>> Hope you’re doing well

>> Love you. 

“What are you waiting for?” 

Lucifer turns toward Belphie, whose violet eyes are still bleary from sleep but whose words are as clear and succinct as ever. He yawns before continuing, “Go after them. Let me know when their classes are done so we can actually do something together.” 

At this, Lucifer feels his gaze soften. “Yes, I’ll let you know,” he says, standing up and walking down the path to the door. “And, ah, Belphie…” He waits until his youngest brother looks up from his pillow before telling him with a small, wry smile, “Be sure not to get locked inside the classroom when all the lectures finish.” 

.

.

After a few mishaps, Lucifer manages to ask for the directions to the library most commonly used by the student body. The first few times he tried, his language was too formal for anyone to truly believe he was asking for direction. “Who are you cosplaying? Can I take a picture with you?” was thrown at him numerous times. “Am I being pranked right now? Are you a youtuber?” was also asked at him twice-- which was not often, but it was strange that it happened that many times. 

Eventually, someone had, after watching him cross his arms indignantly, given him the instructions to the library. It was only when he was walking up the steps to the building that he thought that everything would have gone much faster if he had only demanded directions and hypnotized a random student into telling him. But he imagined that if you ever found out, you would not be pleased, and that-- if anything-- was the one reason why he resisted the urge to. 

Lucifer walks into the air-conditioned building and searches for you. It does not take him long until he sees you, sitting at one of the desks in the library, laying your head on your arms, fast asleep.

It is around three in the afternoon, the sunshine filters through the ceiling windows and scatters across your desk, showering you in a flurry of light, and Lucifer thinks he was a fool to ever think he could bear to not see you for a moment longer. 

The seat beside you is open, so he sits there, watching the moving sunlight dance across the hand you placed near your face. Your chest rises and falls evenly, and for a moment, you clench your hands but do not wake, seeming to dream of holding onto something instead. It takes all the self-control Lucifer could muster to not take your hand in his. Instead, he drapes his jacket over your shoulders, careful not to let it fall off, and watches as students filter in and out of the library in the hustle of academic life. 

Lucifer isn’t sure how long he waited, surrounded by tall shelves of books and aisles of encyclopedias, but you start to stir, waking up and wincing at the sun in your eyes in a way that has him smiling in amusement. You first grab onto the jacket that had started to fall off your shoulders, and upon realizing that it did not belong to you, you look up to see Lucifer, smiling fondly. 

“Lucifer?” 

Lucifer can feel the side of his eyes crinkle at the sound of your voice still raspy from sleep. He sweeps away the lint on your shoulder as you sleepily gather up his jacket into your lap. “Whatever happened to ‘studying in the library’ as you told me?” He says teasingly, smile widening when you fluster and laugh nervously. 

“I-- you know… I was taking a break and,” you start to say, pausing only to look at him accusingly, much to his amusement. “Wait, forget about that! How are you here? Why are you here?” 

“I’m the vice-president of the student council-- I’m able to be wherever I please,” he tells you, and you huff at how smug he sounds. “As for why I’m here, it’s to check up on one of our human exchange students, of course… is what I would say.” Lucifer leans forward and gently caresses your cheek with his thumb, unable to push the affection that bubbles forth as he sees your hand press over his. “But I also just wanted to see you.”

Lucifer hears a cough from behind him and feels heat rushing into his cheeks at the (quite frankly) polite reminder that he was in a public space. He retracts his gloved hand and clears his throat, hoping that the moment is enough to clear away the pink that has undoubtedly found its way onto his face. He expects you to tease him, as you often do whenever you have the chance. When it does not come, he glances back to you, only to feel his heart squeeze at the way you look at him: your eyes softened, lips upturned gently, and gaze adoring in a way that made it seem like you believed he had hung the stars.

(If there were any more ‘coughing’ to remind Lucifer that they were, in fact, still in the library instead of their own world, neither of you take notice.)

“I missed you too,” you say, summing up his feelings in the simplest way that only you could do. You take his hand into yours and gently sway it back and forth. “Thank you for coming to visit me.”

It had been a good idea, after all, he thinks, to indulge himself for once and come see you if it meant he could hold your hand like this again. “Belphie was hoping you would give us a tour of your university,” Lucifer says softly, sweeping his thumb over your hand. “If you were done with classes.”

He feels you squeeze his hand in response to his affection, and his heart soars even as he listens to you speak. “Belphie is here?” You ask, surprised. When he nods in confirmation, you laugh. “Did he catch you when you were leaving or something? Threaten to tell your brothers if you didn’t take him along?” 

Lucifer doesn’t answer you, preferring to huff instead, though he can’t deny that he is pleased that you can know his brothers’ behavior well enough to hit it right on the money. “He opted to sleep in the last lecture hall you were in rather than go on the wild goose chase I had to find this library. Is nobody at your university unable to fathom that someone would wear something slightly more formal to class?”

“Yup,” you reply easily, grinning at him. “But it’s okay, I like your outfit. It’s very you.” You pause. “Also, we can always go shopping later, though, so people can stop staring at you. And also to buy some souvenirs for your brothers!” Your eyes brighten as you think, and his heart melts at the fact that his brothers are in your thoughts. (For as much as he wants to have your attention, he finds that the love you can give to his brothers is as equally enjoyable to witness.) 

You hum thoughtfully, “I think Beel might appreciate some food from this new restaurant that opened up last week. Maybe Levi would like something from the cute Japanese store down the road? Oh, and face masks for Asmo!”

“I’m sure they’ll be happy with anything you purchase for them,” Lucifer says, making you look up at him with a smile. And he wants to reach out to cup your face again.

Ring ring!

The both of you glance at your phone when it plays a tune, and as quickly as the alarm goes off, your hand is there to turn it off. Lucifer looks at you questioningly before you sigh.  “I have class in about ten minutes,” you say apologetically.

“Is that so?” Lucifer says, standing up from his seat. “Then I shall accompany you.” He extends a hand in askance for his jacket, only to give a huff of laughter when you only stare at him incredulously. “Is it that much of a surprise that I would like to escort you to your classes? Unless, of course, you would prefer me not to--”

“No!” You duck your head down, looking around quickly, much to Lucifer’s amusement, before lowering your volume. ‘No, I mean,” you fluster, “I’d like that. Thank you.”

Oh, how Lucifer wants to press a kiss to your forehead, but to save you (and himself, though he thinks he no longer has anything to lose) the embarrassment, he settles for easy laughter as he wraps his jacket around himself. You follow after him, pushing in your chair and lugging up your backpack, your laptop securely inside. 

“Shall we go then?” he asks, holding out an elbow for you to hook your arms with his. When you slide yourself close to him and walk down the steps outside the library, he realizes that this is the many things he has missed since you've been gone. Your hand is a comfortable presence on his arm and your footsteps are aligned with his as you walk in tandem to your next class. He briefly thinks about his brothers, most particularly how Mammon would bluster about their proximity, or how one of the romance novels Satan would have described this very situation he was in: walking alongside someone dear to him on a campus that does not seem as big when you are together.

Your hand squeezes his arm gently before you guide him through hallways and pathways. When a crowd of students bustles past them at the end of lecture, he feels you inch closer to him. 

“It’s a lecture hall, not a discussion class,” you start to tell him, much to his confusion. You laugh. “They won’t notice you’re not part of the class, so you can sit next to me.” You lower your hand and take his hand in yours.

Lucifer squeezes your hand comfortingly as the last of the previous class files out. “Try not to be too distracted by my presence,” he comments and cannot help the upturn of his lips when you shoot him a withering look he does not have to see to know it has no heat behind it.

Among other glances and subtle affection that you provide him the rest of the day convinces him fully that there has never been a better decision than to visit you. When the two of you finally meet up with Belphie, who had been asleep on a nearby bench, the night is spent out following you as you guide them around campus and at the nearest hub of entertainment. 

In the end, you do collect enough gifts for all his brothers, even sneaking a small present into his hands with a sly smile on your face.

And when he returns to the Devildom after a long, long farewell where no one wanted to leave, he provides his brothers with their souvenirs (after they stopped complaining to him about going off to the human world with only Belphie). He tugs off the coat that now lingers with your scent and places the gift you had purchased him onto his desk-- a little trinket that he can now look at and remind himself of you, with eyes of starlight and laughter as warm as the sun.

He thinks of the last message that you sent him and sends you a response.

<< I love you too.

<< Until next time.