#shutterbug series

[pics-and-fanfics]

Alright.

I need to share a series that has utterly shattered me, and makes me so happy that I wish I could read it for the first time again. I’d even live thru the week again just to read it for the first time again.

“Shutterbug” by @goldkirk ripped my heart out in the best way possible, I am not ashamed to admit I cried a few times and came closer than I’d like to admit to crying in the middle of class reading this.

I’d like to thank them for writing this

I’d like to share this with as many people that will listen to me

I’d like to read this a million times over for the first time.

I’d like to feel my heart break and mend all over again the exact way it did when I was reading this.

Absolutely heart wrenching, earth shattering, punch in the gut fic, but it’s also a warm hug, a whispered sentence of comfort, and a warm drink on a cold day surrounded by the people you love, family or not.

Hands down, one of the best fics I’ve ever read, I’d like to share the emotions.

I’d also like to go cry in a corner for a bit.

This is a heavy series, I would very much head the warnings at the warnings of each chapter, but it’s worth it (if it’s not triggering for you)

Thank you for your time ❤️

[604to647]

Wrong Number

3.4K / Detective Tim Rockford x fem!reader

Summary: Detective Tim Rockford receives an unexpected text after leaving for work.

Warnings: 18+ Content (MDNI pls). Established relationship, nicknames (Shutterbug, baby, gorgeous), roleplay (sort of), possessive!Tim, bratty!reader (but not really, just loves to prank her man and gets exactly what she wants), PWP, oral (f receiving; Tim eats it from the back), unprotected PiV, spanking (ass and pussy), roughish sex, dirty talk, pussy pronouns.

A/N: Been feeling out of practice with writing smut lately so... I practiced 😂😁😇 As with all instalments of The Rockford Portfolio, can be read standalone, takes place anytime after their relationship has been established. Inspired by this TikTok prank/trend (a reminder that Tim does not have TikTok - as confirmed in Macarons).

Dividers by @saradika-graphics - tysm 🥰 / Series Masterlist

You couldn’t.  It’s too mean.

Biting your lip to stifle your own giggles, you practically skip back to your and Tim’s bedroom - pretty pink sheer nightgown flouncing as you contemplate going through with your prank.

Settling on top of your now cooled sheets, your mind flashes back to scenes from the previous night: Tim’s smoldering gaze washing down your body as he towered over you, playing you like his own personal instrument - three fingers strumming and curling until you sang the demanded melody for which only he had the sheet music.  You came twice before he finally fed you his cock - taking you pressed up against the window overlooking the friendly neighbourhood street in front of your building while growling anything but friendly filth in your ear about how anyone could look up and see how you were born to bounce on his dick.

Then there was this morning: Tim’s head between your legs as your thighs quaked, threatening to close over his ears as he pulled orgasm after orgasm from your cunt with his talented tongue; only letting you repay the favour after you had thoroughly soaked his facial scruff and the front of his sleeping shirt with your nectar.  You can still taste the salt of him on your tongue and feel the rawness in your throat from the scape of Tim’s thick length, now much soothed having been coated with the creamy balm of his cum.

You should be contented, fulfilled - but you’re not; the greedy ache between your legs growing by the second and making its presence known like a horny little devil.

As a matter of personal principal, you never say “I wish you didn’t have to go” or “Please don’t leave” to your detective when duty calls.  Though these thoughts are not unfamiliar to your heart, you have no desire to ever ask your man to choose between you and his work, nor do you think it would sit well with either of you if Tim were to shirk his law enforcement responsibilities at your request.

Instead, you just wrap your arms around Detective Rockford’s thick trunk a little tighter, chase his lips a little bit longer like you did only five minutes ago when he left for the precinct this Saturday morning.  You and Tim recited your usual ritual, simple and familiar words dressing feelings of worry and longing that run deeper than either of you can ever articulate in these moments:

Come back to me safe, Detective Rockford.

Nothing could keep me from you, Shutterbug.

This morning, however, these soft declarations don’t calm your heart or abate your want for your handsome detective as they usually would.  Your little devil clenches on nothing, demanding and egging you on – it’s Saturday and he’s only going in for a few hours of paperwork, what’s the harm in reminding Tim of what he has waiting at home?

The words, copied from a couples prank trending on TikTok, loaded with innuendo and implication is already typed out on your phone; your thumb hovers over the SEND button of the fake “wrong number” text: He just left, you can come over now 💋💋💋

You press SEND and wait - the read receipt indicates it’s seen right away; chewing your bottom lip, you watch as three little dots pop up to show that Tim’s typing a response.  Eagerly, you wait for his text - but it never comes; the dots vanish, reappearing a moment later only to disappear again without any message coming through.

Then you hear it.

A siren. 

At first a faint wail, the sound quickly crescendos to a blaring horn as the source approaches at an impressive speed.  You bound to the window and watch as Tim’s Crown Vic, cherry light flashing on the hood, roars down your street and parallel parks back into the spot he only just vacated with a precision that makes your mouth go dry.  Tim climbs out and slams the driver’s side door closed, long legs already taking him halfway to your building.  He looks pissed.

For a second you panic, he does know it’s a prank, right?  He must – Tim’s a brilliant detective after all; there’s no way he would actually believe the text is real and that you’re cheating on him – just as Tim never gives you any reason to doubt his devotion and fidelity, you’re sure Detective Rockford knows that he’s your one and only.  The message has done its job: Tim’s back and he’s definitely riled up - you race back onto the bed, positively giddy with anticipation of your detective’s return.

Faking interest in your phone, you pretend to be unaware of your front door being flung open, then ceremoniously slammed shut with a forceful bang.  Heavy footsteps echo through the apartment, growing in volume before coming to a stop in your bedroom’s open doorway.

“What have you been doing, Shutterbug?”

You look up, the perfect picture of innocence, as if only just noticing Tim’s return: he’s leaning against the doorframe, one flexed forearm braced above his head – you squeeze your thighs together at the sight.

“Just scrolling through Instagram.  You’re back already, Detective?”

“Got a text I couldn’t ignore,” he stalks towards the bed and holds up his phone, the prank text you just sent displayed on the screen, “what’s this all about, baby?”

“I don’t have the foggiest clue, but you’re the detective, not me,” you goad him, unable to keep your lips from curling into a smirk.

Tim studies the dancing mischief in your big doe eyes – he’s seen through this type of feigned confusion from plenty of perps in the interrogation room, but on you, it’s cute.  He begins to crawl over your body, grinning to himself when your breath hitches at the obsidian of his eyes, “I think you wanted me to see this text, wanted me to go nuts.”

You flutter your eye lashes, “Why would I want that, Detective?”

Tim advances, predatory and dangerous – with nowhere to go, you fall back onto your soft bedding with a sharp exhale, “Maybe my pretty baby needs a reminder on who she belongs to?  Or perhaps, you’re just being a greedy girl?”

Still relishing your role as the bright-eyed innocent, you say nothing – Tim’s hulking frame hovers and you happily breathe in his intoxicating scent, a mixture of his cologne, clean soap, and authority.  He’s so, so close but has yet to touch you since returning; it takes all of your self restraint not to reach up and grab Tim by the leather holster straps bracketing his thick arms and pull him down for a kiss.

“Is my little Shutterbug not satisfied? Didn’t I fill you with enough cum last night? You seemed plenty happy this morning when I was eating your hungry hole like a cream puff.”

Fuck.  Your only answer is a pathetic whine.

“You need more, gorgeous?”

Your vigorous nod is almost comical - Tim chuckles darkly and leans in.  You arch up, eager to meet his lips - but the sweet connection you’ve been craving never comes; Tim is stilled above you, teasing eyes fixed on your growing frustration.

“Maybe I’m not the man for the job since I was the one who left you sooooo needy?”

You could cry, “You are! I want you, Detective!”

Tim pulls his handsome face away, escaping the reach of your clawing hands, “You sure you don’t need someone else, baby?  Maybe the lucky man who was supposed to receive this text?”

Fisting his crisp white dress shirt so hard it might rip, you beg, “I’m sure, Tim! You, I only need you!”

No match for Tim’s strength, you watch helplessly as Tim easily breaks free from your grip and moves backwards off the bed, “I don’t know, Shutterbug.  Just a couple minutes ago you were inviting someone over to give you what I couldn’t – you can’t be that sure. Maybe I need to convince you?”

Before you can register what’s happening, Tim grabs you by the ankles and pulls you down the bed towards him, flipping you onto your stomach with a blinding speed that knocks the breath out of your lungs.  His hands travel up your thighs, thick fingers digging into the meat of your hips and yanking up so you’re now on your knees, face still smothered into your bedspread, moaning.

Smack.

You yelp, dizzy from the pleasure of the sting left behind on your ass cheek from Tim’s generous palm.

“Love the way this ass bounces for me.”  Smack, smack. “She dances like this for anyone else?”

Turning your head to press your cheek on the soft covers, you look back to admire the dominating stance Tim takes at the foot of the bed, whimpering, “No, Detective.”

He smiles at you indulgently, but his eyes remain hunter-like; flipping up the thin skirt of your night gown and roughly pulling down your panties before dropping to his knees.

“Hello again, beautiful.” A puff of cool hair hits your glistening pussy and you clench from the syrupy sweetness of Tim’s baritone.

Two thick fingers part your sticky folds and massage your slit, collecting and spreading the slick that continues to drip from you.  You curve the slope of your back further, pressing your chest into the mattress and wiggling your ass for more.  At the two sharp slaps to your pussy, you lurch, moaning heady and unabashed as Tim soothes his reprimand with gentle butterfly kisses all over your cunt.

A smile is pressed to your heat, “Hmmmm, she said she didn’t have anything to do with the text, baby - that it was all you. She’s my good girl.”

“Traitor,” you mutter into the sheets, but beam as Tim nuzzles and strokes his nose over your core, you feel rather than hear his barely audible purring:

Such a good, good girl.  So perfect.  You know who you belong to, don’t you?

“Timmmmmmmm…” you whine, reminding him that you’re the one who needs tending to, you’re the one who called him back.

Tim ignores you and continues to lay soft, sweet kisses to your pussy, singing her praises, “You know you don’t need anyone else - isn’t that right, beautiful?  Doesn’t matter who she texts; no boy is ever going to give it to you like I can.”

A completely irrational, hot surge of jealousy nearly snaps your head around when your body jumps and shudders, words of protest stuck in your throat as Tim dives face first into your blooming cunt and starts to devour you.

There’s no gentleness, no build-up, Detective Rockford simply feasts – guided by hunger, determination, instinct.  Every lick and slurp of Tim’s tongue substantiates the claims of his earlier words, there’s no inch of your pussy that’s safe from the resolve of his mouth.  He power strokes your wet folds and torments your hole with his tongue, his lips, his nose; every switch up, change in direction or pattern is purposeful, meant to disorient you – and it’s working: you think you’re going to lose you goddamn mind.  Arousal flooding down your inner thighs, there’s nowhere for you to find reprieve - Tim’s rough hands grip bruises into your ass cheeks, spreading them wide and keeping you at his mercy.  By now, you’re mewling and clawing at the sheets above your head, the only coherent sound that escapes your drooling mouth is the repetition of your detective’s name.  Tim’s own growls and the wet smacking of his continued raid on your cunt echo off the walls in your other otherwise silent and serene bedroom; impossibly, your detective doubles down with a snarl, sucking and gnawing a practiced path from your clit to your ass and back, over and over and over.  He’s barely breeched your opening and you’re already about to come.

“Fuck, fu- Tim, I’m so close, so close, I’m gon-, gonna… fuck, baby, please!!”

Detective Rockford comes off your cunt with the loudest pop you’ve ever heard, and continues to conspire against you in a playful yet domineering tone, “Should we let her come, beautiful?  Let her be a good girl, too?”

Throwing your head back in a howl, you tighten, empty and desperate – this answer apparently placating Tim enough for him dive back in, he latches directly onto your pulsing clit and starts sucking.

Your orgasm slams into you like a freight train and you scream and pound your fists into the mattress.  Tim’s soothing palm rubbing your ass as you ride out the aftershocks of one of the most explosive highs you’ve ever experienced distracts you enough that you don’t hear the clinking of his belt buckle and the undoing of his work trousers.

Jaw slack and eyes still partially unfocused, you remain faced down and ass up, unmoving, when out of the corner of your eye, you see Tim lift and press one of his knees on the bed for leverage.  He wicks his swollen head through the honey of your release and you shiver in anticipation; later, you would look back on the last thing you hear before Tim pushes in as a clear warning:

“I’m not going to make the same mistake of leaving you needy again, Shutterbug.”

He pounds into you.

Every one of Tim’s thrusts is unrelenting on your sopping hole; she does her best to hug and console his cock with her warm embrace, but Tim’s drive is unforgiving – this is about proving a point.  Panting and grunting with the intensity of his exertion, Detective Rockford ruts into you animalistic, feral and with his vice grip on your waist, he bounces you to meet each punishing jab.  Bottoming out every push, Tim’s balls slap against your clit like the crop against a racehorse’s hind and you neigh and whinny in response - high and wild, trying to run.  He grabs your wrists and pins them behind your back, then lifts his knee to place his foot down in its place; with you pinned to the bed and trapped, the steepness of this new angle is delicious.

Tim repeatedly sheaths himself into your warmth, withdrawing wholly and waiting to witness the cry of your gushing cunt before slamming himself back in again.  You whine and plead, for what you don’t even know – the pleasure that Tim’s giving you is so intense, so merciless, you’re feeling like you might actually float away when your man’s dirty mouth brings you crashing back to Earth.

“Your pussy looks so good like this, Shutterbug – stretched wide and taking dick.”

“Knew exactly what you were doing sending me that text, didn’t you?  Knew even the idea of another man touching you would send me racing home…”

You think you might pass out.

“… to give you this cock.”

“This what you wanted, baby?”

You mumble something incoherently into the pool of drool that’s collecting on the bedspread.

“Yeah?  You wanted to be fucked hard and dumb?”

“Just a little plaything for me to tear apart and put back wet and bare before leaving for work?”

“Omigod, Tim!!  Yes, yes!”  Lightheaded and unable to take a full breath with the way your chest is being driven into the mattress, your pussy throbs - pleasure blossoming from Tim’s possessive and dominant tone.

“Could the little boy toy you text make you feel this way?”

You shake your head into the wet sheets, the welcomed hurt from your arms being pulled back only amplifying just how good Tim is making the rest of your body feel.

“Who is it you need, Shutterbug?”

You want to reply that it’s him, only ever him, but your eyes are too busy rolling to the back of your head and your body is being jolted too violently by the force of Tim’s thrusts for you to collect your thoughts, nevermind form words.

Known for doggedly getting to the truth of any matter, Detective Rockford pulls you up and holds you flush against his chest, strong forearm banding below your tits while his other hand comes to a rest at the base of your neck.  You loll your head back against Tim’s shoulder, sighing at the coolness of his holster leather against the heat of your skin.  Tim fucks up into you from below and you both gasp from the electric shock of this new position, “Fuck, you’re so deep, Detective.”

Your detective bounces you on his cock and with every punch, reaching those part of you that only he’s ever explored and marked.  An alarmingly low growl ghosts the shell of your ear, “I asked, who is it you need, baby?”

 “You, oh god, only you, Tim!!”

“And who do you belong to?”

“You!”

“That’s right.  You’re mine, gorgeous.”

“Gonna make you come so hard, your pretty head will never forget.”

“That you belong to me.”

“This pussy belongs to me.”

“The way it comes belongs to me.”

“You ONLY come for me.”

He’s ramming into you so hard, you can only attempt a pathetic nod against his shoulder, whispering against Tim’s lips, “Yours.”

“Fuck.”

Tim’s lips crash against yours in the first kiss you’ve shared since he left this morning; you both moan loudly at the much-missed contact, mouths unable to conceal the affection and love you hold for one another despite the way Tim continues to destroy your needy cunt.

He tastes of you and when your tang transfers from his tongue to yours, you shudder and clamp down on his cock; sinfully, you lick behind Tim’s teeth and suck on his lips, returning your essence back to its rightful owner - See?  Yours, all of me is yours. 

Grabbing fists full of your tits, Tim squeezes the soft flesh and pulls on your aching peaks, causing you to cry out and break the kiss; he gives it to you so rough and punishing everywhere, pushing you closer and closer to the edge.  The stranglehold of your pussy is sucking him so tight and deep, Tim knows he won’t last much longer, he continues to twist and roll your diamond hard nipples while snipping at your earlobes, “I’m close, baby.  Give me one more and I’ll stuff my pretty cocksleeve to the brim with cum.”

It's the dirtiest, filthiest, hottest thing Tim has ever called you, and wailing something catastrophic, you come instantly at his words.  Tim follows soon after, painting your velvet walls with ropes of white as promised.

While you wait for your heartbeat to return to normal, Tim holds you tender and protective, fluttering sweet kisses all over your face, across your neck, along your shoulders - murmuring with genuine concern, “You okay, Shutterbug?  Was that okay?”

You nod, spent and pliant, “It was perfect, Detective.  Better than anything I could have imagined.”

He lays you down gently and you melt into the bed as Tim goes to fetch a cloth for cleanup.  As he gently wipes the mess that’s begun trickling out of your sore and satiated cunt, you think you hear him whisper to himself, amused, “Stuffed to the brim”.  Sitting next to you on the bed, Tim brushes the hair out of your face and rubs your limp body with his now gentle hands until he’s comfortable with the condition he’s leaving you in.

Grabbing a blanket, he presses soft kisses down your exposed back and at your quiet exhale of contentment, smiles before covering you with the cozy fabric.  He sneaks one last loving kiss to your hair and stands, admiring the angelic serenity that’s taken over your dozing face.

“Tim?” you murmur into your pillow, barely audible.

“Shutterbug?”

“You know that text wasn’t real, right?  There isn’t anyone but you,” somewhere halfway between consciousness and dreamland, you crack open your sleepy eyes, voice vulnerable and small.

Tim kneels next to the bed so you can see the affection in his eyes, “I know, baby.  Just as there isn’t anyone but you for me.”  Lightly stroking your pretty face with the back of two of his thick fingers, Detective Rockford continues, good humour on display, “Besides, what kind of detective would I be if I believed that text at face value when I already have all the evidence in the world that the woman I love is beyond loyal and trustworthy?  She’s perfect and true.”

You give his fingers a sweet peck, too exhausted at the moment to express the depth of your gratitude for Tim’s faith in your love - you’ll have to show him later.  “Ok, good.  Just making sure,” your eyes close again, smile dopey, “come back to me safe, Detective Rockford.”

“Nothing could keep me from you, Shutterbug.  I love you.”

“Love you,” you coo, already drifting off into a deep slumber.

Leaving you to your rest, Detective Rockford departs with a silent promise that he’ll return home as soon as he can - walking to his car for the second time this morning with a little extra spring in his step.

[hex800020]

Fic Rec (GEN):

Most of these are Jason or Tim-centric (bc I play favorites), and almost all (if not all) are tagged angst/comf and happy end.

The ones with a 🩷 are my faves.

Series:

Displacement — GEN • Ongoing series (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “Highly recommend reading this in order.”

How Jason makes his way back to the family and, later on, how Damian joins.

Shutterbug — GEN • Series (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Tim makes a living “selling” intel and crucial clues to Batman—until one day, he gets caught in the middle when his parents’ criminal activities come to light.

Jason & Dick:

how lonely to be something that nothing wants to kill — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Jason passively tried to off himself, but Dick got there in time.

🩷The guilt never left, you know — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

While patrolling Crime Alley, Nightwing finds Red Hood being tortured. He saves him and takes him to one of his safe houses, but the newspapers pinned to the walls stir up some old wounds.

Sickening Succession — GEN • 2 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “If they just said what they were thinking, 80% of their problems would disappear.”

Two scenes:

• Dick is down bad, and Jason!Robin helps him

• RH!Jason is down bad, and Dick helps him (fever, hallucinations, the works)

Reciprocation — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Dick calls Jason because he got food poisoning and needs help. (From the Displacement series.)

citrusy sweetness — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Dick peels oranges for Jason because Jason sucks at it.

Under The Shadows — GEN • 8 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “Loved the drama and the resolution, but some parts were kinda meh.”

Jason is going feral through Gotham looking for revenge, but he doesn’t want to hurt Tim. Fear toxin gets involved. Dick attempts a self-killing

Two Years Dead — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Grave Pretender but from Dick’s POV.

Two Robins in the Hand — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Dick and Jason turn back into their younger Robin selves.

I’d give you my lungs (so you could breathe) — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “God, I just want world peace and for everyone to be happy.”

Dick randomly shows up at Jason’s place one day, and Jason realizes there’s a lot of stuff he doesn’t remember from his past—like how they once went skiing together.

Glue the wound, my suture’s split — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Dick finds out Red Hood is Jason.

Jason & Tim:

🩷 Red Hood’s Guide to Adoption — GEN • 46 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “I’m gonna vomit hearts.”

Red Hood tries to kill Tim for being “corrupt” (Tim is a fresh “orphan teenage CEO”) but ends up getting attached and starts looking after him like a little brother. (Later, he makes up with Dick and B)

And I Will Be Your Safety — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “Who hasn’t kidnapped their sibling at least once?”

Tim is overworking himself (CEO life) and straight-up asks Jason to kidnap him.

🩷 Robin is Magic — GEN • 3 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “I cried like 100 times.”

RH meets civilian Tim (photographer mode), then later attacks the Tower and realizes that Tim (the photographer) is actually Robin/Timothy Drake.

The Moment After — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “It’s the ending.”

Part 2 of Robin is Magic

A Meditation on Railroads — GEN • 5 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “It’s good, has some slow parts, but the last two chapters are gold.”

Tim’s dad leaves him in Atlanta, 800 miles away from Gotham, so he just starts walking because he thinks no one wants him… Jason finds out and tags along.

Middle Children Must Unionize — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “I wish it had another chapter.”

Jason realizes no one gives a damn about Tim, so he fixes the problem himself.

Do Not, Under Any Circumstances, Wake Him Up — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Robin!Tim falls asleep, and RH won’t let anyone wake him up (they’re in a warehouse where RH is planning some raids).

Finding the Line — GEN • 36 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “Some plot moments are amazing, but it gets kinda heavy at times.”

Jason (learning to control the Pit) notices Tim has bruises (post-Tower, post-recently deciding not to kill).

Tbh, there are like four different arcs—at one point, Tim has selective mutism.

Green-Eyed Monster — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)“It’s good, but we go from pure hatred to eternal love in like five seconds.”

RH finds his replacement (Robin!Tim) in Crime Alley after he got hit with Scarecrow’s fear gas… friend or foe? (Part 2 of An Excuse.)

Displacement — GEN • 5 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Tim almost kills a man, but Jason makes sure he is the one to do it so Tim doesn’t have to carry the guilt. (From the Displacement series.)

Aftershock — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “I love how Tim is even more messed up than me.”

Tim is deep in PTSD mode after shooting someone and ruining the “no killing” truce between Jason and Bruce. (From the Displacement series.)

Tourniquet — GEN • 5 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “I love how Tim is even more messed up than me x2.”

Tim realizes Jason, Dick, and Bruce are getting along well enough that he isn’t really needed anymore. (From the Displacement series.)

🩷 Combustion — GEN • 5 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)“10000/10, I’d read this forever.”

Jason gets hit with fear toxin and ends up trapped underground in a vault with Tim… no signal, no one knows where they are. (From the Displacement series.)

Battered But Loved — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Tim tells Jason he’s happy he’s alive—because literally no one else has said it since he came back.

Buttercup — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Tim gets buried alive, and only Jason hears his calls for help.

Bruce Trying to Be a Good Dad:

Don’t Look Back, Them Days Are Gone — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Jason returns to the manor with Damian, and Talia tries to kill him for kidnapping her baby bird.

A Grave Filled With Books — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “Oh, I’m gonna cry.”

Batman is late to patrol with Red Hood because Bruce was at a parent-teacher meeting… Jason realizes Bruce has changed.

Collar Bones Begin to Crack — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Batman and Robin!Damian return to the Cave just as Jason is working on a case… brings back some memories.

🩷 Fallback — GEN • 4 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “Dick yelling at a sick, childish Jason is peak comedy and comfort.”

Jason has an absolute nightmare of a night—on the verge of hypothermia, multiple injuries… and Batman finds him. (From the Displacement series.)

An Excuse — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “It’s so cute.”

Tim gets hit with fear gas and takes the chance to ask for affection without seeming weird or childish.

Aces High and Cigarettes — GEN • 2 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “It’s so sweet… and concerning.”

Jason hires people to kidnap and bury him alive… sort of a shock therapy thing.

Bury Me Face Down — GEN • 7 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Every time Jason dies, he wakes up in his grave (as his 15-year-old self) and tries to do things differently.

🩷 Five Stages of Immeasurable Anguish — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “I have to recommend this, it’s a gem.”

Jason wakes up buried alive (again), but this time he has comms with the Batfam. ‘Who’s panicking more?’ the one-shot

Grave Pretender — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “LMAO, this is amazing, they’re all dramatic as hell.” “It’s Under the shadows , but a comedy.”

Jason, full theater kid mode, pretends to be his just-crawled-out-of-the-grave self to haunt his family

Other Recs:

A Bespoke Tuxedo His Only Armor — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “It’s angsty but cute.”

Tim gets shot by Damian while they’re both in civilian mode and is lowkey on his last breath.

Tim Drake Spoiled Brat. (I’m sorry dad) — GEN • 16/? (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “Bro, is therapy illegal in Gotham??”

Tim dies at 17 and reincarnates into his younger self. This time, he tries to save the Bats from most of their trauma so they can actually be a family… but he is screwed because he thinks everything is his fault or some shit

🩷 Burning Ashes - The Rise of a Phoenix – GEN • 10/20 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “Only downside? It’s not finished.”

Jason reincarnates (as what seems to be Dick’s bastard kid with some random lady), and at five years old, he kills the Joker. Batman catches him and takes him in… but Jason remembers everything, is pissed about it, and also super traumatized (bc, y’know, he has the psyche of a five-year-old)

Cards on the table – GEN • 30 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “This is hilarious.”

Tim’s parents faked their deaths and just ditched him, so, in his totally mature 16-year-old wisdom, he starts scamming Gotham’s elite by pretending to be a “psychic” (he just stalks people and makes probability guesses based on the profiles he built on them).

The Waynes hire him, and dude just keeps digging himself deeper (he knows their identities)

“When Tim went out to do what he liked to call research, but what was probably legally classified as stalking, he had to be careful” (Ch. 4)

[missmonsters2]

Mirror, Mirror | One

Please do not copy, repost, or translate my work anywhere else.

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x Fem!Reader

Summary: The thought of something more had never really crossed Wanda's mind when it came to you. Best friends for 10 years and there hasn't even been one instance of accidental sexual tension. You're her best friend, that's all—until someone points out that you obviously have a very specific type when it comes to dating.

Warnings: best friends to lovers. shenanigans. jealousy, jealousy. sexual tension. pining. yearning. sexual thoughts. spicy (tumblr's version). stupid steve. neurotic nat. brat & stinky. bug as in shutterbug.

*explicit version will only be available on Ao3 & will be posted there after series is completed*

Note: i'm back!!! Nothing like coming back and posting a mini series. Enjoy this superior trope. Updates will be on Tuesdays! As you can see, we're trying something new with explicit content lol 😬

Reminder there's no taglist but you can follow my library blog for notifications 💘

Series Masterlist || Library Blog || AO3

Count: ~4.1k

⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷

It's strange how sometimes a single sentence can change someone's entire life. 

Wanda's thought about what sentences could change her life—usually, they're morbid and depressing.

'You have cancer.'

'Someone you love has died horrifically in an accident.'

'Your cat actually finds living with you miserable and would prefer the dangers of living in the streets.'

Never in a million years would Wanda ever think it'd be, 'Hey, have you ever noticed how your best friend exclusively only dates girls who look like you?'

And don't get Wanda wrong. It wasn't a morbid or depressing change; it was just...a change. An irrevocable change because now, Wanda couldn't stop thinking about it or noticing it. 

This was all Steve's fault. 

Because if someone like Stupid Steve could notice something like that, it had to mean something, right? But as Wanda remembers about the past girls you've hooked up with and brought around, she doesn't know what to make of it.

A part of Wanda wishes she had never talked to Steve that night at the bar. 

"Where's Vis?" Steve asked, looking around.

"With Tony playing pool, I think," Wanda shrugged. She doesn't particularly keep track of where her on-and-off boyfriend goes. She thinks they might be on an off-period right now, anyway. 

"And where's—oh, nevermind, there she is," Steve started to say but cut off when they both saw you across the bar talking with the bartender, flirting over drinks—which were probably free if Wanda could guess. 

Wanda's slightly annoyed because it's been a long week without seeing you, and Wanda's been used to seeing you almost every day for the past several years of her life. But you've been gone on a work trip this week for a wedding shoot and only came home just a little after lunch and needed an immediate long nap before tonight's get-together. 

That meant Wanda was sorely missing out on best-friend time, and now you were off flirting shamelessly with the hot bartender. Wanda's rooting for you, make no mistake. The bartender is definitely easy on the eyes, luscious hair, and lips—something Wanda knows you're weak for. 

Plus, Wanda's worried you're not anywhere near getting close to settling down. She wants you to be in a happy, fulfilling relationship. But she supposes she's in no position to talk herself. 

Wanda loves Vision without a doubt, but their relationship is definitely chaotic, and Vision keeps pushing for something more serious now that they've been dating (sporadically) for a long time. She's been considering it in her downtime and thinks it might make sense as the next step.

Best friends do everything together, right? So, maybe if Wanda decided to take the next step in a serious relationship, you'd find someone to commit to seriously as well. 

Then, both of you could get married at the same time. Then, they could buy a house in the same neighborhood right next to each other. There'd be endless double dates and vacations together. Wanda wouldn't have to miss you.

But first, Wanda needed to regain lost best-friend time, one-on-one style.  

"Hey, you know what I just noticed?" Steve said, breaking Wanda's drifting thoughts. 

"What?"

"Bug—" 

Wanda makes a face at your nickname. Granted, it was Wanda's fault you ended up with it back in your first year of university. You never let her forget it, especially now that you're a professional photographer.

"—over there has a very specific type she goes after for girls," Steve mused, sipping his whiskey before continuing. "I mean, they always have green eyes and brunette—wait, that's not true. She had two red-headed girlfriends in our last year of university. They still had green eyes, though." 

"Oh," Wanda said, unsure what to say since she's never paid attention to the girls you were dating. On average, they were a brief fling, and only a few lasted longer than half a year. "I guess so?"

Wanda distantly thinks about how she dyed her hair auburn in her last year of university because she was looking for a change that year and Natasha was insistent that she'd look amazing. Wanda recalls you were a fan of the look.

"Yeah," Steve nodded along. "Ironically, they always look like you in some way. Check out that bartender now—long, wavy-haired brunette with green eyes. She's got thick, long lips and even does that dark eye-shadow makeup thingy like you."

Steve just laughed it off, finishing his drink, thinking nothing more of it before he started talking about Bucky.

But it was like something clicked into place in Wanda's brain. A daunting realization that she was wholly unprepared for and not equipped to do anything about. 

Wanda watched as the bartender clocked off for the night and dragged you into a corner booth, drinks in hand. It gave Wanda the perfect view that the bartender wore many rings just like she did. 

In the poor privacy of the dimly lit corner booth, there was a staunch and needy kiss from the two of you, and Wanda swallowed roughly. 

From here, if you were none the wiser, Wanda could be easily mistaken for the girl in the booth with you. 

⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷ 

Sometimes, Wanda believes she's just being absolutely ridiculous. So what if you go after girls who share the same features as her? That didn't have to mean anything. You've always told Wanda she was beautiful, and it was perfect how you said it. 

It didn't feel insincere or creepy. It felt good to know her best friend thought she was absolutely gorgeous. But just because you thought she was beautiful doesn't mean you harbored secret feelings for her. 

You'd be insulted if you knew Wanda had ever thought that. She'd just be another one of those girls Wanda's seen you humble on multiple occasions when they found out you dated women, and they were worried you might have a crush on them. 

But then, Wanda couldn't stop thinking she actually might be one of those girls because then she'd think about if you didn't consider her like that, it wasn't about her looks but something about her personality that wasn't your type. 

And what could that be?

Wanda thought long and hard, trying to remember the girls you've introduced her to. 

Sometimes they were funny, and Wanda was funny. She made you laugh all the time. She specifically remembered one time in high school when she made you laugh so hard you peed your pants just a little. 

Sometimes they were intellectual, and while Wanda didn't have an IQ of 160, she did fairly well academically and was on the right track in her career. 

Sometimes they were charming, and Wanda was the type where she got more charming the more you got to know her. 

So, Wanda just doesn't understand. She's nowhere further with her thinking ever since this weird information has been bestowed upon her.

Maybe it all just means nothing. You just didn't feel that way about Wanda despite the type of girls you dated suggesting otherwise. You didn't need a reason for it, and maybe the fact you only felt friendship for her was the reason. 

"Wanna order pizza in tonight?"

Wanda turns her head from the tv and notices you've put your book down. "Hm, not really. We had pizza last week," Wanda shakes her head. 

"How about that Greek place that just opened up on Willington Ave?" You suggest. "Pretty sure I heard you grumbling about wanting Greek food earlier this week."

"I was not grumbling!" Wanda scoffs but smiles when you raise your eyebrow at her. "Okay, I was grumbling a little."

You snicker as you pull out your phone to order delivery. "Oh, sweet golden best friend of mine, whatever shall you do when you get married to Vis, who hates Greek food. Do I foresee a life of Greekless cuisine? Oh, the suffering you'll go through!"

"I don't need him to like it," Wanda slaps your arm, sticking her tongue out before she cuddles you. "I have you to eat it with."

You laugh unabashedly, a sound that Wanda's accustomed to hearing the joyful sound. "Better hope the person I marry also hates Greek cuisine. I don't know if I can live a life of eating double the Greek food. I love tzatziki sauce, but if I grow to hate it from eating it too much, I will make you suffer the consequences of that."

Your voice trails off as you focus on ordering food, unable to see the cogs in Wanda's head turning. 

It's all so easy. There's no tension, no electric vibes happening. Just best friends enjoying the banter and making plans to eat. 

It was all in Wanda's head, right? You're her best friend, so of course you'd know everything about her. 

The right type of friendship is fulfilling and soul-connecting, and that's what Wanda has with you. When you have a one-in-a-million connection like that, the line between friendship and romance is thin, isn't it?

Wanda hates Steve. She'd never think about this if it wasn't for Stupid Steve. She can hear his dumb laugh, blissfully ignorant about the observation bomb he dropped upon her. 

"Do you wanna get ice cream after?" You ask, throwing your phone to the side. "I'll even treat you to the gelato despite knowing I'm going to suffer through your crazy farts later."

"Oh my god, I'm going to trap you under the blanket with it just for that!" 

⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷ 

Within two months, Wanda forgets about it. Forgets, as in that she decides to drop it (let it linger in the deep depths of her brain that she refuses to acknowledge), and resolves that Steve has no brain cells and has no idea what he's saying. 

"Have you seen my strapless black top?" Wanda shouts from her room with the door open. "The one with the v-shaped front!"

"In your closet!" You yelled back from the living room, not taking your eyes off your phone. 

"I can't find it," Wanda whines, and she hears you sigh as you get up. The footsteps approach her room, and she finds you standing at the door with an unimpressed look.

"I don't want to hear it," Wanda sniffs. 

"Hear what, brat?" You say with a brow raised before you start rummaging through her closet. The nickname was a joke you started that Wanda was entirely a spoiled person, exhibiting bratty behavior at times. "That I'm not gonna be your roommate forever, so you need to learn to fold it yourself before putting it away?"

Wanda makes grumbling noises that are mostly nonsensical but smiles when you pull out the top she was looking for. 

"You are the apple of my eye, stinky," Wanda grabs the top from you before she runs into her washroom to briefly change into it. 

"A match made in heaven, yeah, yeah," you roll your eyes with good humor. "Hurry up, Natasha will kill us if we're late for Yelena's birthday. They're on an upwards mend in their relationship, so she's been so unbearably uptight lately to make sure nothing goes wrong."

"I know, I know," Wanda mutters, carefully pulling the top over her head to not ruin her makeup. 

"Alright, I'll hail us a cab, meet me outside."

"Wait, wait!" Wanda calls out. "I need help putting on my necklace."

You chuckle, walking back just as Wanda steps out of the bathroom with the delicate necklace she wants to wear. 

"Alright, alright, relax," you tell her. "Your accent gets really strong when you're stressed."

"You're stressing me out by rushing me," Wanda scrunches her nose even though you can't see it. "I'm also stressed knowing that you have to rush me, or I'll spend the party getting lectured by Natasha."

Wanda's voice comes out husked with the accent, something she's struggled between hating or loving, but mostly loving since you've expressed how lovely it is.

You grab the necklace from her hand, and Wanda moves her hair out of the way. The routine of it all starts to bleed the tension out of her shoulders. 

Then, that horrible Stupid Steve Sentence kicks into her brain. 

 It's only as you put your arms over, placing the necklace against Wanda's chest, and focusing on trying to get the clasp in. Wanda can feel your warm breath against her neck, summoning goosebumps along her arms. You're so close, and she can feel the heat of your body radiating onto her, your fingers just barely brushing against her.

The tension comes suddenly, squeezing inside her chest as her breathing slows and shakes. Her body warms in an unexpected way. 

"Ah, got it," you say, but Wanda can only focus on your voice and breath on the shell of her ear. "Cute necklace but the clasp is so annoying."

You pull away and start walking off. "C'mon, I bet if we tip our taxi driver an extra $20 bucks, they'll speed and we can pray we're on time."

Wanda's left standing there, knowing she probably sounds like she's fresh out of Sokovia with how stressed she is. Her right eye twitches.

Was that...Wanda gulps. Was that sexual tension?

And was she the only one who felt it?

Fuck.

She's going to kill Steve.

⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷ 

Natasha's absolutely neurotic when they arrive. It's just a simple backyard party, but it almost looks like a wedding venue with all the catering and flowers. 

Wanda's pretty sure Natasha's only being like this because she's overthinking about whether to cling to Yelena or give her sister some space to mingle with others. She seems to be sizing up Kate, who Yelena might be seeing, but it hasn't been confirmed. 

Yelena looks between exasperated with Natasha and secretly happy about the entire thing. Wanda can sympathize with her. After all, she's also a little sister, and Pietro can also be way too overprotective. Sometimes she's glad he's abroad in Europe for work while she remains in New York, but she misses him more often than she admits. 

"Alright, alright, Natasha," you groan, and Wanda's mind slips back into the conversation. "We're 3 minutes late, relax, will you? Damn, are you always gonna be like this until you and Yelena get back into whatever sibling bond you had before? Hope you're just like this with us because otherwise, you're gonna scare away all her friends, and she's going to hate you."

"Oh my god, do you think she'll really hate me?" Natasha bites her bottom lip in worry while looking around at all the people that they can only assume she's nagged about being late or whatever mishap. 

"Oh, man," you sigh, putting your hand on her shoulders before pushing her towards the bar. "You need some drinks and maybe some desserts in you."

Wanda's about to follow you when you turn around and nod your head in a different direction. She looks over and sees you're nodding toward Vision.

"You should go say hi to him," you tell her. "You've been complaining about not seeing him all last week, even though I don't know why you guys won't just FaceTime, but I digress. Come find me later, or I'll find you after."

You look over at Natasha, who's peering on her tippy toes to see if she can find Yelena.

"And, hopefully, I'll have ditched this nutjob," you whisper conspiratorially and laugh when Natasha turns around to smack your arm. 

"I heard that!"

Wanda chuckles as you walk off with Natasha while she turns and heads toward Vision. Despite how she was complaining about not seeing Vision last week because she did miss him, her expression was sour as she made her way toward him. 

Vision spots her immediately and waves at her with a warm smile. Wanda feels herself somewhat loosened at his expression. They'd also been friends a long time before they started on-and-off dating, so at the very least, she does miss his easy friendship. 

"Hey," Vision hugs her, slightly rubbing her back before he pulls away but keeps his arm around her. "It's been a while; you look lovely."

"Thanks," Wanda smiles with a shrug. She looks around and sees he's standing with Tony and Pepper. "How are you guys?"

"Could be better," Tony sighs dramatically. "Natasha won't let me do any of my cool party tricks as if I'm going to ruin her little sister's party. If anything, I could make it the party of the century!"

Pepper rolls her eyes good-naturedly. "We were just talking about how we're thinking of going to the Bahamas for vacation in December and escaping the cold. We've invited you and Vision along since it's been awhile since we've all gone together. Of course, we can also invite Bug and Natasha."

"Oh," Wanda says for a lack of anything else to say. She doesn't know how to feel about it, but she peers over at Vision, who's just smiling at her and looking eager about it. 

"I need another drink if I'm going to suffer through this party," Tony sighs. "Maybe I can convince Yelena instead!" He grins, dragging Pepper along, and they walk off together. 

"So, what do you think?" Vision asks when they're alone. "I didn't want to reply on your behalf since I wasn't sure, but I think it'd be good for us. I've missed you," Vision pauses as if he's about his next words but then says, "a lot."

"Yeah, me too," Wanda starts to say, but then her brain gets all haywire because it feels like a lie. She did miss him, but did she miss him a lot? "I think."

"You think?"

Wanda wants to smack her forehead because she didn't mean to say that out loud. "I mean, I was complaining a lot that I haven't seen you in a while all last week."

"Yeah, work has just been overwhelming. I get so tired after work, I just can't keep up with the texting or calls."

But you can, Wanda thinks. Granted, you're her roommate, so it's easier. But even when you have to go on work trips, you regularly text her no matter what time and squeeze in a quick call, even if it's just to say goodnight. 

The entire thing makes Wanda bite her tongue because why was she even thinking about that? That was completely irrelevant to Vision. 

Then—because as if just thinking about you wasn't enough—her eyes trail across the room, and the scene before her makes Wanda even more confused about her feelings.

You're standing there with Natasha at the bar, but it looks like Natasha's calling someone over to introduce you to them.

Another brunette with long, wavy hair, like she just had a blowout done. Wanda's not 100% sure from this distance, but she has an inkling that the brunette also has green eyes. She's wearing a white halter top and wide-legged sage green pants. She wears a lot of rings, but her makeup is lighter and more summery compared to Wanda's darker, smokey eye makeup.

In short, this woman was the clean girl aesthetic version of Wanda. 

And you look interested. 

This was ridiculous, Wanda fumes, feeling her stomach sink and cheeks flare hot in anger. As quick as the anger came, it dissipated.

Why was she so angry?

She feels betrayed, and her thoughts are turning very ugly. Wanda is definitely not being a girl's girl right now with how much she's thinking she's better than the girl in front of you. 

But that just makes everything so much more confusing. 

"Wanda?"

Wanda turns her head back to Vision. He looks concerned, and even when his eyes trail toward what Wanda's staring at, there's no additional reaction. He's not upset that she's staring at you, and that has to mean something, right?

It must mean there was never a concern about how Wanda might've felt about you. Sure, there were a few things Wanda couldn't be without, and you were one of them, but nobody can't be without their best friend. 

No one had ever blinked twice about you and Wanda.

Except now.

And that person was Wanda herself. 

The more Wanda thought about the entire thing, the more she became curious. The idea of you dating people who looked like Wanda was intriguing. She wanted to ask questions but didn't know what to ask.

It might mean nothing, but it also might mean something. 

And if it does mean something, Wanda wants to know what exactly it is. 

Therefore, Wanda needs nothing in her way to find out the truth and exactly what she wants, regardless of the answer. 

This was insane, wasn't it? Wanda's always been ambivalent about dating women. She's never gone out of her way to try it since she had Vision. Never mind entertaining thoughts about dating her best (girl)friend. And now, she was giving everything up in the pursuit of finding out what it could mean that her best friend was dating her lookalikes—and why she cared.

Wanda doesn't even know what she'll want to do with that information. 

Wanda looks at Vision, peering at his features she's always found handsome. When she thinks back, she's not even sure why she complained to you about how she hasn't seen or heard from him lately. She hadn't even gone out of her own way to do something about it.

"I'm not going on the trip. I don't think I actually missed you like that."

⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷ 

The girl introduced to you was named Raye, Natasha's coworker that recently moved from Nashville. It was also confirmed she has green eyes, though they had specks of brown in them. She was a southern belle with a bold attitude, witty, and a wicked sense of humor. All in all, undeniably charismatic. 

At least, that's what you told her in private because all Wanda could feel was unrestricted aggravation with the other girl. The southern twang made Wanda's eye twitch, mostly because she knew you were head over heels for accents.  

"And then before I knew it, I was panicked and more lost than a blindfolded turkey on thanksgiving!"

You burst out laughing while Wanda's expression is stony, but when you look at Wanda, she forces a smile on her lips.

"Hahaha," Wanda dryly let out. "So funny."

But it wasn't. What the fuck did that even mean?

Raye continues to talk while you listen with rapt interest, and Wanda takes the time to observe your features in a way she's done many times before but with a different mindset. 

Your lips are curved in a smile, glistening from your chapstick. They're shapely, and they look soft. It rivals her favorite feature of yours, which is your eyes. They've always been so expressive with her, and Wanda's been around long enough that she knows what every expression means. She can tell when they glint with mischievousness or are soft with immense compassion and empathy. 

"So, what did you think of Raye?" You ask Wanda as you leave the party.

"She's cool, I guess," Wanda answers nonchalantly. 

The rest of the party was excruciating between Raye constantly hanging around you and Wanda also being too nervous to be alone with you. 

"Really cool," you sigh with a grin. "Glad I got her number. It's been a while since I've met someone so funny."

Was she funny, though? Wanda wonders.

"Funnier than me?" Wanda finds herself asking.

"No one could be funnier than you, brat," you smirk. "I almost peed myself laughing again when you almost knocked off Yelena's cake. I thought Natasha was about to enter into a coma." You snicker while Wanda rolls her eyes with a smile. 

"Glad I can always give you the biggest laughs, stinky."

Wanda glances over at your face, recognizing the excitement by the brightness in them. It's just another reminder that, as your best friend, she knows you like the back of her hand. 

But lately, when Wanda watches you pick up girls, she can tell when they're heady with desire. That look hasn't been directed at her, and Wanda wants to know what it'd be like if it were.

Wanda recalls the night you kissed the bartender and imagines if it had been her instead. She pictures your hand sliding across her jaw and cheek while your other pulls her closer at the waist. 

It's horrifying when a slow pit of arousal builds in Wanda's gut and...other regions. It feels utterly frightening and wrong like she's betraying the friendship for having and then reacting to such thoughts about you. 

But there's another part—the part that tells Wanda there's nobody in this world that she loves more than you. The mere idea of ever being apart from you was unfathomable. Wanda could and has endured so many things, and it would always be okay as long as she had you. 

So, knowing that Southern Belle Raye has the potential to be more than a one-night stand to you, Wanda realizes that she has a very small window to not only come to terms with her newfound feelings but also act on them as well. 

If this didn't go well, Wanda would definitely murder Steve.

PART TWO

[moonlitcelestial]

Chapter 9

Beyond the Lens - Logbook Videographer!Reader x OT8 Ateez

W/C 7,878

🎥 Series Masterlist 🎥

☽ Masterlist �� 

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Previous Chapter (Chapter 8)

Disclaimer: This story is purely a work of fiction. It is not meant to assume or mock anything about Ateez, Atiny, or anything relating to what I do not know about being a videographer.

Contains she/her pronouns.

The logo in the center is mine. Please do not reuse or copy.

I strongly recommend looking at the inspiration pictures and the Pinterest boards (which will be updating as the story goes on).

General Warnings: cussing, conflict, angst, fluff, and obliviousness. 

CHAPTER WARNINGS - Overthinking and mentions of an abusive family member. Read at your own risk.

Thanks for reading <3 Moonie

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

You actually woke up to your alarm this time. It had been about a week since you got to hang out with the boys after their practice. You grabbed your glasses and swung your legs over the side of the bed to get your day started. Deciding that you were going to be halfway comfortable and halfway stylish you opted to grab a big My Chemical Romance shirt and some ripped up jeans. There was no telling if you were going to be sitting and monitoring cameras or if you were going to be wearing the harness and recording the boys talking to Atiny. 

After getting dressed, packing your dobok (uniform) into your backpack with your laptop, and doing your morning routine you said goodbye to the giants. Stepping into the garage you grabbed your helmet quickly putting it on and you got on Ink to head to KQ. Before you took off you tied your hair back to make sure that it wouldn't be in your way. It was steadily getting warmer and you looked forward to being able to ride more often. Thankfully you had missed the early morning chill. You blasted some Ateez on the way and you had made it there just as the others had. Getting off the bike you took off your helmet and put it under your arm. You passed Willow who was nursing what was most likely her second cup of coffee. She nodded at you and got out of her car. Forrest and Aurora were already standing on the sidewalk chatting. You smiled as you approached them deciding you were going to be a pain in the ass. You put down your helmet and jumped on Forrest’s back as a greeting. He almost toppled over with you, Aurora was laughing at your antics. You knew that he would be able to catch you because this was a normal thing for you. Once he recovered he readjusted you and stood there with you on his back, he had just continued like nothing happened. Unbeknownst to you a couple of the boys had seen you and were almost steaming at you being on his back. 

Willow approached the three of you, “Who is doing what today, we need to start setting up if practice starts in an hour.” 

“I have no idea, want to play kai bai bo to figure it out?” You asked, scooting up on Forrest’s back. 

“Sure,” Willow held her hand out “gawi, bawi, bo” each of you held out your hands, the three of them had chosen rock while you chose scissors. 

“Oh fuck all of you,” you scrambled to get off Forrest’s back. You puffed your cheeks out, snatched your helmet off of the ground and stomped away. 

“You get to wear the harness today,” Aurora shouted after you. You swiped your card and marched in toward the office. Setting your helmet down on your desk you started rummaging around in the office looking for the harness that you had to wear. You had found it tucked away in one of the storage closets. Someone had the common sense to hang it, thank god that thing was damned expensive. Honestly you didn't really mind wearing the harness it was more about how they all chose the same thing and you were the odd one out. 

“Good morning Shutterbug,” you turned to look at Hongjoong. He was wearing a jean jacket, sweats and a cute hat. You felt all of the tension leave your body while you turned to look at him.

“Good morning Joongie,” you bowed with a small smile on your face. 

“Aish, I told you don’t do that,” he dismissed you, walking into the room. You had forgotten that he told you that. He had gotten tired of you doing that within the first few days of you being around them. The rest of your team walked in shortly after he had plopped into your chair. You set the harness down on your desk and leaned over the back of the chair, you rested your hands on Hongjoong’s shoulders and sat your head on top of his. 

“What is the plan for today?” Aurora asked the room. 

“We are going to be going over the last bit of our choreography to clean everything up for the MV shoot next week. We were wanting to have three cameras around the room that are stationary and someone walking around with a camera just in case we have something we would like to say to Atiny. We plan to have practice for most of the day today.”

“Sounds good, I will be the one moving around today, but I will have my computer setup in the corner so we can stream all of the cameras to it again. Let's get moving so I have the time to make sure everything is situated before everyone starts getting here.” You stepped away from Hongjoong and smiled at him when he turned around in your chair to look at you. 

You grabbed the camera you would be using and put it onto the portable desk you requested from KQ. They spared no expense and had gotten you one that had a little bit of storage. You put the other backpack with the streaming things onto it as you wheeled it toward the practice room. Everyone followed you out of the room after they grabbed their cameras, tripods and suction cups. Hongjoong was walking beside you, he had almost stolen the portable desk from you but you gently hip checked him out of the way. You could feel his eyes roll as you continued walking. You made it to the practice room and wheeled yourself into the back corner opposite of their setup. Gently you unpacked all of the things you needed. First the router, then the laptop. The team had come and taken the cameralinks to set up their cameras. You got everything booted up and checked the cameras that had started to connect up. 

“Fuck, I forgot the harness” you groaned throwing your head back. Forrest, the perceptive person he is, walked over to you with the harness. “You're a lifesaver, I really didn't want to have to leave to go grab it.” 

“Like we have said before, where would you be without us?” He remarked walking away after you took it from him.

“Probably out playing in traffic like a chicken with its head cut off,” Willow said from across the room. You flipped her the bird and Aurora laughed at you. Hongjoong chuckled from beside you. He always watched you set up if he was there. You looked at him and squinted, you pulled your glasses down your nose to glare at him. He fell into more laughter. You pushed your glasses back up and stuck your tongue out at him. He did the same to you and you heard someone snort. Looking around you saw the choreographer. He was watching you and Hongjoong like you were two teenagers in love. 

You looked at your computer and checked the angles of the cameras. “Hey Rora, you need to adjust the side mirror camera to the left just a smidge, it isn't quite centered. Tree boy, the one on the front mirror looks good. Lo, yours needs to go slightly to the right.” They minutely adjusted their cameras and you gave them a thumbs up. You grabbed the harness from where you set it down. 

Joongie, can you help me into the harness? It is fairly simple. All I need you to do is adjust the buckles and help me clip everything up.” He nodded to you and stepped back so you could get it over your body. Once you had it on you turned your back to him and pulled your hair out of the way. He was gentle with pulling on the straps as he swiftly fixed it to fit you. 

“Is that okay? Do I need to make it looser or tighter?” He asked. 

You did a mental checklist of where the pressure was and how much movement you had. “It feels good Joongie, thank you.” you grabbed the metal arm and put it into the slot, after you were sure it was secure you grabbed your camera. Making sure the cameralink was attached and where it needed to be you booted up the camera. As soon as you turned it on it started streaming its feed to your computer. You adjusted some of the camera settings to make sure the lighting looked good. Once you were satisfied it looked good you started walking around getting the feeling for having it on after so long. Hongjoong had stuck by your portable desk and watched as you went and spoke to the rest of the team. 

As you were speaking to Aurora, Hongjoong spoke up to make sure his voice reached everyone. “I just got a message that the rest of the boys will be here shortly.” You walked back to your computer. You looked at your team, they were already watching you. You nodded at them and they turned on their portion of the recording. You pushed a couple of buttons on your camera and computer making sure everything was working correctly on your end. Aurora walked over to you and the portable desk to start watching the feed. Willow was going to head back to the office because she had a deadline she needed to meet. Thankfully if anything went awry she would be close. Forrest sat himself down in the front of the room right under the camera on the mirror. You made your way to the front corner of the room to get some decent angles for the dancing shots. Hongjoong and the choreographer had started up the music and were practicing while they were waiting for everyone else to arrive. Now it was time to wait. 

Thankfully you did not have to wait long as the boys had started coming in one by one. The boys had started checking their choreography as everyone was showing up. Yeosang and Seonghwa appeared not too long after you had settled watching Hongjoong and the choreographer. 

Were they trying to kill you? They both looked so good. Seonghwa with a backwards cap, a black tank top, and sweats. That man was so fine. Not to mention Yeosang, he may have had a cardigan over his tank top but the small glimpse of his arms had almost sent you into cardiac arrest. You were thoroughly intrigued by Yeosang’s choice of pants today. They had high slits on both legs which prompted him to wear what looked like leggings under them. You would definitely have to ask him where he got those. 

They both approached you as soon as they caught sight of you. You turned the viewfinder to the front so they could check their appearance. Both of them checked themselves out and made a couple of faces at the camera. You covered your mouth to stifle your giggle at them. They looked at you with smiles and walked off to go start prepping their choreography before the rest of them got here. You rotated the viewfinder back as San came waltzing in. He looked to make sure he was out of the way before stepping beside you and speaking in a quiet tone, “what is that? I’ve never seen something like that.” You waved to Wooyoung as he came into the room. 

“It is a harness and gimbal setup that keeps my camera steady when I am filming. It is especially helpful for days like today where I know I am going to be filming a lot.” 

“Ahh, I see.” He said quietly, once he was satisfied he gave you a pat on the head and walked toward Yunho at the back of the studio with the computer. All of the rest of them greeted you with a smile as they wandered in and sometimes they stayed in front of your camera to check their reflection. You snickered at each one of them while they made faces at the camera. Little did you know they were doing it to get a reaction out of you and not for Atiny. 

While you were waiting for everyone to get here Seonghwa, San, and Wooyoung had taken to walking up to where you were standing and checking themselves in the flipped viewfinder; more often than you thought necessary.

As they were practicing the boys had gone in and out. You had giggled as they came back in time with their parts. Specifically when Seonghwa came in dancing backwards, and again when Mingi appeared with his sunglasses on. Those would have to be pulled from the mirror cameras to get the best shots. You pulled out your phone and texted Aurora. You watched as she grabbed her phone and hit a couple of buttons. She looked at you with a thumbs up. Through the years of working with each other you had come up with a quick system of silent communication. Ironically enough you learned it from the bastard who deleted your footage, he was all about shortcuts. 

As the boys had continued practicing you knew that you would be doing lots of cuts back and forth to make sure you had most of the boys in your shots. When it came down to it you had made sure to follow the center person with your camera. Every once in a while you would catch one of them looking at you. They seemed to be acting as if you were their audience, which was going to technically be true because you would be filming them while they performed. On more than one occasion you caught them winking and smiling directly at you, you chalked it up to them flirting with the camera.  

The time came for a break after about an hour of them practicing. You knew you had a short amount of time to go and grab drinks for everyone. You turned off your cameras recording and walked to the back of the room where the rest of your team was huddled up. Willow had reappeared and quickly came in a few minutes ago.

“I am going to get myself a drink, do any of you want anything?” You asked as you approached. 

“I'll have a water if you don’t mind” Willow chirped

“I'll take anything with flavor!” Forrest replied shortly after 

“I’m okay, I have my water.” Aurora motioned to her sticker covered tumbler sitting next to the computer.

“Okay, I will grab those and be back in a few minutes! Will one of you hold this?” You took off the arm from the harness with the camera on it and offered it out to them. Aurora took it from you. “Thanks!” You walked off following the trail of boys toward the drinks. 

“Thank you for staying back for a minute, I have an interesting question to ask you. I ask that you be open minded with what I am about to ask.” 

‘Okay, we are all ears.” 

“We would like to ask if you think that Y/N would be remotely interested in joining our relationship.” 

They all looked between each other with wide eyes. Smirks adorned their faces as they looked back to the man in front of them. They knew it.

“She has always been very open minded. I am not sure how she feels about poly relationships because I have not seen her in one, but I know that she is someone who loves wholeheartedly. I don't think she would be opposed, but more surprised.”

“Would you guys be okay with us dating her? We know that you are the closest thing she has to family here and we value your opinion.” 

“I don't mind one bit, I will tell you that she is hesitant about relationships because she has been burned in the past.” 

“I think that you guys will be really good for her, she deserves all of the love in the world.”

“I am hesitant because there are eight of you, but I can see how much you truly care for her so I know I will warm up to the idea. If any of you hurt her, I am not afraid of you being a very public figure, I have connections and know how to hide a body.”

“Duly noted, I will let the others know that as well.” 

“We will support all of you, if anything we have been trying to get her to see how blatantly you guys have been flirting with her, she is so smart, but so oblivious.”

“We will see if we can get her to notice.” 

“Thank you, for everything, your opinion on the matter means so much to us.”  

★☆☽ O ☾☆★

“What do you think of the choreography so far?” Seonghwa asked you as you approached the stash of drinks. 

“I really like it, I am so excited to see how they pull off the concept. I'm sure all of you will look so good with whatever they come up with.” You said grabbing a couple of waters and a gatorade for Forrest. 

“Wait, Y/N!” You turned to look at San who was holding a Monster out for you. “I grabbed this for you, it is getting close to your nap time so I figured you would need some sugar.“ You looked at him in shock, you could feel the heat raising up your neck.

“That's my favorite, how in the world did you know?” You asked, taking it from his outstretched hand. 

“I see you with Monster a lot, this is just the one I see you with most frequently so I took a guess.” he said rubbing the back of his neck. 

“You are the sweetest, thank you so much.” You kissed his cheek. His eyes got comically wide as you pulled away. You giggled and started walking back to the practice room. As you were making your way back to the practice room you could hear the laughter erupt behind you. San must be cherry red wearing that cute small embarrassed smile. When you got back to the practice room you handed the drinks to your team, took the camera arm and attached it while walking. You sat on the floor next to the farthest marker and smiled up at Yeosang who came to sit by you. Both of you sat in silence watching the rest of the boys, choreographers, and your team.

“I love being able to people watch, even though I hate people.” You watched as some of the boys were practicing to get something down. You turned to look at your team that was just hovering by the the laptop. 

“I do as well, I have always wanted someone to sit and do this with as most of the boys get bored and don't pay any attention. I always like knowing what others perceive from watching others.”

“If you need someone to sit with and people watch let me know. I don't even mind if we aren't people watching and just sitting with each other. I am content just being in a room without talking.” You said with a smile. He looked at you and smiled but before he could reply Hongjoong called everyone back. You quickly put your vest back on and started recording again. 

You watched as they started practicing again, in between all of the cuts you saw Jongho mess with Yeosang. He had a hold of his shoulders and was waving him around. You messaged Aurora again and she gave you a thumbs up. After a while you were watching them get back into the full swing of things

In between dancing Yunho had walked up to the camera on the mirror across the room from you. He started doing a little Ice on My Teeth dance while the others were lining things up behind him. You looked at Aurora. She was smacking Willow, who was standing beside her as calm as a cucumber. Her eyes were comically wide at the display, you didn’t text her this time because you knew she already bookmarked it. You chuckled at her, she had always been able to be calm around the boys but when it came down to Yunho she freaked the fuck out. He was her bias which was absolutely hilarious because she had his female counterpart for a wife. Both of them were such golden retrievers, she definitely had a type. 

You suddenly got the craving for something sweet, you already finished your monster which deeply saddened you. You grabbed your phone out of your pocket and put in an order for you and everyone else. It wouldn’t be fair if you got something and didn’t share. You messaged Willow and asked if she would go out and get the drinks when they got here. A little while later you got the notification that they were here. You got Willow’s attention and gestured to the door. She nodded and silently made her way to go grab the drinks. She brought everything back in, handling the thirteen drinks beautifully. She grabbed hers and Aurora’s before heading back to the computer. You threw something small at Forrest to get his attention. His attention snapped to you as you pointed down to the drinks at your feet. His eyes immediately lit up and he slowly attempted to make his way over without being too suspicious, which only made him look more suspicious. You caught Aurora and Willow laughing in the back corner at him. 

As soon as the boys started taking a break you got their attention and pointed to the drinks at your feet. Thank god you had taken note of what everyone liked previously, otherwise this would have been a disaster. They all lit up and made their way toward you.

“Everyone should have their own drink and one for the choreographer too.” You watched as they picked through the drinks and handed them out to each other. Each of them thanked you in their own way, Wooyoung, San, Mingi and Yunho hugged your sides being careful of the camera and harness. It was then that you noticed the ache starting to settle into your shoulders and legs. Fuck around, you had forgotten how harsh this was on your body, even if you were standing mostly still and leaning against the wall it did a number on you. It would be okay for a little while longer.

Jongho and Yeosang lifted their cups to you in a cheers motion. Seonghwa and Hongjoong smiled at you with small bows. The choreographer bowed politely and thanked you before moving over to the center of the room to talk to the boys as they rested. Most of the boys had wandered around the room listening to the choreographer as he addressed them. Mingi had a specific question about his movements and just as you were getting your camera to focus on him, San stepped in front of you. 

He flirted with the camera a little before noting that the choreography was really cool. He gave you a thumbs up before he left. You looked over to Aurora and Willow and they were both snickering. You raised your eyebrow in question and they shook their heads at you. You offered a thumbs up to Aurora and she gave you one back indicating that she bookmarked the spot. 

“He totally did that to just go talk to her.” 

“Absolutely, the only thing is, did she notice or think of it like that? Or was it “just him speaking to Atiny” 

Just shortly after you were watching the boys monitor their choreography when Mingi knocked over Wooyoung’s coffee. Hongjoong had freaked out just a little and you laughed at the whole situation. When Wooyoung got back from doing whatever he was doing he noticed his spilt coffee. Hongjoong jumped in and offered his two cents while they made up talking about a coffee date later. 

You startled as Seonghwa approached. He had been in and out of the room and you hadn’t noticed him amidst the chaos. He had stepped beside you and gently put his head on your shoulder. You smiled and put your head on top of his. You could feel your heartbeat pick up and you worried that he might be able to hear how fast it was beating. Glancing over to Aurora and Willow they were already looking at you and they had raised eyebrows. Aurora broke out into a smile at something Willow whispered into her ear. She over exaggerated a wink in your direction. You rolled your eyes and looked back to your camera. Just as quickly as he appeared he left, you watched him walk back over to the choreographer and start asking questions. 

You turned to look at Forrest who was at the zero mark just waiting until he was needed. “Psst, Forrest,” he looked at you with his head tilted to the side. “Can we trade for a bit? This harness is starting to hurt me.” He nodded and stood up, making sure to avoid the camera above his head. Gently and quickly you took off the harness and helped him get settled into it. Once you both were satisfied that everything was okay you ducked under the camera and walked out of the room. Thankfully you had stashed some pain medication in your KQ office. 

As you wandered through the office you passed many people waving at the ones you recognized. You had passed Eden and the rest of his crew. They waved at you with large smiles. You had become close with them over the past few weeks. Generally new people freaked you out but just as soon as you got to know them you realized they were just like the boys just a little older. 

You just turned the corner to the office before you heard Willow calling out your name. You turned to look at her and smiled. She caught up to you and threw her arm around your shoulder. You held back your wince and walked the rest of the way to your office. 

“Are you okay, are your legs hurting you again?” She asked once you closed the door. You nodded and went to your desk digging through it to find the pain meds. You downed the pills with a drink of water you left here the other day. 

Yeah, that and my shoulders, that damn thing can get heavy after having it on for hours. You bent your leg to get your knee to pop to see if it would relieve some of the pressure. It did, but you let out a groan because it also hurt like hell for a second. You glanced at Willow as she winced. You knew she was remembering when you told her about what happened in college. Which made you think back to the entire ordeal. 

You had been filming something for a school project and one step wrong while you were framing a shot led to it popping out and right back into place. Being the busy dumbass you are you didn’t rest properly after doing that and you had to get a surgery to fix the instability. Which led to you being out for almost a year learning how to walk again. On the plus side you did have a gnarly looking scar on your left knee. You put your foot back on the ground and tested your weight on that leg. Thankfully you were stable, sometimes you wobbled after a pop like that. 

“Come on, we should probably get back, the boys were taking a quick break before starting to film the full thing.”You nodded and started to walk toward the door, you almost got smacked in the face with how quickly the door swung open. You leapt back just a little and looked to see who had flung open the door. Yunho stood there with a large smile. 

“Damnit Yuyu you almost took me out,” you rolled your eyes and walked over to the tall man. Making a shooing motion you ushered him out of the doorway so you could get back to the practice room. He threw his arm around you as soon as you got into the hallway. You felt the twinge of pain flare up at the place he rested his arm around your shoulders. You shook your head at him and turned to look at Willow who was just a step behind you. She was smiling at you mischievously. You ignored the look and turned to look at Yunho, he was smiling at some of the people you passed by. His face was a little red from practicing all day. The thing that caught you most was when he turned to look at you, his eyes widened just a hair and you saw his face get just slightly more red. He held eye contact with you for what felt like a millisecond before greeting Eden and his team. 

This man is so beautiful. His personality shines so brightly when he is surrounded by the people who support him. You could tell that everyone here cared for him, and he them. Most of the people you passed greeted him, and by extension you. You smiled politely and kept walking. Not even half of those people had greeted you, even some of the ones you recognized. 

Why would someone like him want to be associated with you? Why would someone so much like a ray of sunshine want to be anywhere near someone who was a shadow. You could feel yourself falling into your old habits, ones that weren’t mentally healthy. You could see the light he brought to a room. How well loved he is and compared yourself to him, how could you not; especially when it was all you grew up with. 

Why can’t you be more like them? Why can’t you have a social life like them? Why do you stay in your room all the time? Why haven’t you found yourself a boyfriend yet? Why aren’t you going to school for something actually useful like a doctor? How come all you wear is black? Why not add some color to your wardrobe? 

Before you even realized you were back in the practice room. Forrest was hanging out talking to Yeosang and San about something. You pulled away from Yunho and headed to where Forrest had been. You sat against the mirror. Closing your eyes you focused on the cool seeping into you, it was grounding. Focusing on your body however leads you to feel the pain of your shoulders and knee. You raised your right hand to gently massage the junction between your shoulder and neck. You opened your eyes to see Hongjoong and Jongho looking at you with concerned looks on their faces. You waved them off with the hand that was massaging your shoulder. You let your other hand rest on your knee to put some pressure on it so maybe it would stop hurting so bad. 

“One more time and then we run it through to record it.” You heard the choreographer say from the side of the room. Everyone shifted back into being professionals and you watched as they almost flawlessly danced to the rhythm pumping through the speakers. 

“Y/n, can you record this or me while I watch?” The choreographer asked you. You nodded and stood up slowly bracing your hands on your knees. Everyone went to the mirrors to cover them. Once they finished you grabbed your phone from your pocket and started the recording. You had taken some creative liberties with the recording, making sure to follow the leads and get closer to the choreography as needed. Once they finished dancing you walked to the back with them to plug in your phone so they could watch the video.

“I love the angles you got Y/n,” Yunho said, his eyes not leaving the monitor. The rest of them hummed in agreement. You heard someone behind you and turned to find a couple of people you didn’t recognize. You took a step to the side, effectively running into Jongho. You smiled sheepishly at him and subconsciously rubbed your shoulder. Taking a step back you felt your heel catch something. You stopped all movement and realized it was one of the new people. You muttered a sorry as he stepped aside to let you out. Quickly stepping away from the huddle of men you released a breath. You went to the only solid wall and leaned against it. Your heart was beating a little faster and you could feel your breath coming out a little quicker. You closed your eyes and tightened your hands into fists. Now isn’t the fucking time for this. 

You aren’t there, you are here. You could feel your heartbeat slow a little as you muttered the affirmation to yourself over and over. You are surrounded by good people, not your father and his friends. You aren’t their punching bag, they are normal people. Your breathing started to even back out from the erratic pattern. Thinking about that wretched man has always sent you into a more sensitive state. He haunted you even after all this time, you could feel the ghost of him at your back sometimes; just waiting to grab you and throw you around. You could still hear the hurtful words that he had thrown at you. Once remembered they chimed through you like a bell; the reverberations always lingering. You opened your eyes and counted down from twenty releasing a long breath. 

Thankfully the boys hadn’t noticed as they were too wrapped up in their monitoring. Aurora, Willow and Forrest did though. You could feel their looks on you. You turned to the side and looked at Aurora and Willow. Willow mouthed “are you okay?” you gave her a small nod and looked back at the boys. They had separated and were chattering about how to fix some of the more minute details. You went and grabbed your phone before heading back to the front of the room awaiting further instructions. You watched as the choreographer went over things with a couple of the boys. Yeosang had wandered out of the room for something and as he made his way back you watched as he closed the door with his butt. You couldn't hold back the laughter that erupted from you. His gaze snapped to you as he realized that you were one of the only ones who saw him. He blushed cherry red and put his head down wandering toward the monitor in the back.

Everyone had practiced a little more and as Wooyoung was leaving the monitoring station he yelled Movement check and you watched as Seonghwa glared at him and shook his head. You lightly laughed at the reference. 

The rest of the day went smoothly you had only had to do a couple more takes of them doing their thing until they were done. You helped Forrest out of the vest and carried it out of the room. Aurora and Willow were quick to dismantle the rest of your setup and made their way after you and Forrest. Once you were happy with where everything was you grabbed your helmet and started toward Ink. 

“Hey Y/N want to go out to eat with us?” You turned around and were met with San and Yunho. 

“If it were any other day, I would love to but I have weekly plans.” You responded, hefting your backpack over your shoulder. Your laptop and your change of clothes which made it fairly heavy. Thankfully the meds had kicked in and you were relatively pain free.

“Ahh I see, well I hope you have fun! We will see you soon,” San said with a large smile and a hug. 

“Thank you, see you soon!” You replied, returning the hug and giving Yunho one as well. You meandered the rest of the way to Ink before heading out. You needed the reprieve from today and this was one of the few ways you could escape. You felt the wind in your hair as you drove to one of your favorite places. After a short drive you arrived at The Black Dragon. You have been coming here for just over seven years. It had become a home away from home. When you did some looking into it, and after a few unsuccessful classes, you fell in love with this studio and how their people treated you like family. The owners treat everyone with kindness and are some of the most open minded people you have met.

You got off of Ink and toted your backpack into the dojang. They had all greeted you with warm smiles as you made your way to the small bathroom to change out of your outfit into your all black dobok. You had been recently instructing some of the younger children in your free time before your class took place. You absolutely loved being able to connect and teach them and you seemed to be a fan favorite of the parents because of how you responded to their kids. Most of the time you had heard complaints that the other instructors elsewhere were too hard on them but you pride yourself on being understanding and kind to them. They were little kids after all. 

You walked out to the main room and saw some of your students stretching and having fun. Once they noticed you they all ran to hug you chattering about the week they have had since they last saw you. 

“Sabum-nim, have you had a good week?” You heard one of the boys ask you. 

“Yes, I have had an excellent week.” You ruffled the boy’s hair as you walked past him to the front of the room. When you were satisfied that everyone was here you started the class. You went through the basics just like normal. Going through the lines of children you made small adjustments to some of their stances. Once you were satisfied with how they had progressed you started teaching them something new. 

About an hour later you dismissed the class and greeted some of the parents that had been sitting and watching the class. They all loved to chatter about how the children practiced at home and how much they adored you. Once all of the young children and their families left, all of the adults started filing in. Your class was about to begin, this was something that you looked forward to each week. It helped you release the tension that you were holding. You started your basic stretches, your mind and body falling into autopilot. You were so in your zone that you hadn't noticed a person speaking to you until they put a hand on your shoulder as they walked around in front of you. Because you were in your zone your instinctive response was to knock them on their ass. You kicked at their knees, wrapped your arm around the one on your shoulder, jabbed them in the throat, and knocked their legs out from under them. You heard his shout which brought you back to reality. You looked down to the person who had scared the shit out of you to notice it was a man. You had never seen him before in all of your years coming here. Some of the other people that had been stretching beside you snickered as the man that was on the floor groaned. They knew better than to touch you without your permission especially when you were warming up. They knew how you got after years of learning beside you.

“Ah I see you've met Ji-ho.” You heard Iesul speak from a few feet away. She was one of the women that started about the time you did. You smiled wide at her and walked over to her. She had been away from practice because she just had a baby, you must have missed her the past couple of times because your schedules did not always line up. You stretched your arms out to offer her a hug and she gladly accepted. 

“I've missed having you around, how are you? How is your beautiful baby?” 

“I am doing well, the baby boy is doing well too, this is one of the first couple times I have been back since I have had him.” She responded with enthusiasm. Her voice dropped to a whisper, “He has been here almost every day since last week according to the owner’s wife. He seems to think he is the shit and has been hitting on some of the women around here. If you ask me I think he needed to be knocked down a peg.” You laughed at her and the rest of the people in the short vicinity of you did as well. 

You heard someone clap and you turned around and moved to get into your place next to Iesul. You all bowed to Instructor Chung Ae as he looked down to the floor at Ji-ho who was still in the fetal position clutching his windpipe.

“What are you doing?” He deadpanned. You held back your snicker at his monotone question. He was one of the goofiest men you had met, once you got to know him. You and he had become close over the years. He and his wife had often given you some of the food they had prepared for dinner to take home. He always treated you well and held you to a high standard. Much like a father figure would. He was the closest thing that you had to a true father, even though you only saw him about once a week. 

“Y/N handed his ass to him after he touched her while she was in her zone.” Someone piped up from the back. Everyone snickered at the response. Instructor Chung Ae looked at you and raised his eyebrow. You smirked and shrugged at him, he smiled at you shaking his head. 

“Get up, if you cannot understand the personal space of other people, or take a couple of punches, you can see yourself out.”

Ji-ho got up off the floor and glared at you. You had seen worse glares from babies. All you did was smile at him which seemed to piss him off further. He took his spot toward the back of the room and you turned back to Instructor Chung Ae. Once he was satisfied that Ji-ho was not going to be any more of a hindrance he began the class. 

You continued with everyone for about an hour. Your movements seemed to be smoother and your head clearer once you were finished. The earlier fog and lingering thoughts had dissolved away the more you went through the motions. This class has always brought you clarity, sometimes you came here to clear your mind when you needed inspiration for shoots. There was just something so cathartic about losing yourself in the movements. Most of the time you would join in on whatever class was going at the time, and if it was late you just went cruising on Ink. 

After changing and stopping to chat with some of the other people around you said your goodbyes and made your way out to Ink. As you approached you noticed someone standing next to it, Ji-ho. 

Of fucking course. 

“What's up?” You asked as you approached him and your bike. You were really hoping that he was out here to apologize for invading your space. If you knew his type though, it would be the absolute opposite. Thankfully if he made a scene you had parked close enough to the front of the dojang that they would see you. 

“What the fuck was that in there? Why did you have to embarrass me in front of everyone? I demand an apology.” He got very close and in your face. This man was really asking to be not only punched but laid out on his ass again. 

“First of all, please step the fuck back and get out of my face, we have already established I can put you on your ass. Second of all, if you hadn't noticed, we are close enough to the front of the dojang that we have an audience.” You said looking over your shoulder. There were several people watching you in the window, including Instructor Chung Ae and his wife. “Third of all, I am not afraid of people like you in the slightest. You may act like a big macho man but all you are is a weak ass little boy. I heard about you from a couple of the people there and I can guarantee if you take one more step out of line you will be banned from this establishment. Fourth, you do not deserve an apology for something that could have been prevented by using your common sense to not touch someone when they are not paying attention. So I very highly suggest that you walk the fuck away before anything else happens.” you stated.

He looked at you very unimpressed. He reached out to grab you but before he could even fully raise his arm you heard the ding of the front door. Instructor Chung Ae and his wife came out of the building, you took a side step and bowed to the couple.  She had a small thing of tupperware in her hands and a large smile as they approached you. 

“Everything okay out here Y/N?” Instructor Chung Ae asked as he approached the two of you. 

“That is up to him,” you said, poking a thumb over your shoulder. 

“Everything out here is great, I was just complimenting her on her bike, it is very beautiful.” Ji-ho said with a tight lipped smile. 

Instructor Chung Ae’s wife stepped closer to you, handed you the tupperware and said “you forgot your dinner inside, we figured we would bring it out to you and thank you for helping instruct the children, they seem to love you.”  

You bowed and accepted it with both hands. “Thank you!” 

“Well if everything is okay out here we will let you get home Y/N,” Instructor Chung Ae said, clapping his hand on Ji-ho’s shoulder practically dragging him back inside. Instructor Chung Ae’s wife stayed behind for a second.

“Are you okay? She whispered to you.

“Yes I am perfectly fine, for the safety of the others I would highly recommend him being banned. He was out here demanding an apology and being a complete asshole. I am sure if you hadn't come out he would have ended up back on his ass.” You said in a hushed tone. 

“Consider it done, we will see you next week," she said cheerfully. She turned around and walked back to the building. You looked down at the tupperware in your hand and couldn't help but to be thankful for the two of them and their dojang. 

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

Next Chapter (Chapter 10)

Taglist:

@breadedloafs @a-short-ass-disappointment @ateezswonderland @staytinyluv @cherryangel-coke @11glitch11 @neivivenaj @herpoetryprincess @premverse @starryjoong-jeongcheollie @sol3chu

[the-fiction-witch]

The Festival

Media - The Maze Runner Series AU (1967 & 1991) Characters - Newt / Thomas / Gally Couples - Newt X Reader + Thomas X Reader + Gally X Reader Reader - Y/n Rating - 18 + drug use / drug abuse / public / exhibitionism / cuddling / kissing / making out / breast play / nipple play / breast sucking / spanking / fingering / sex / eating out / orgasms / side / missionary / cowgirl / love bites / nudity / Word Count - 5577

I hummed slightly to myself as I flipped through my magazine, glancing at the various articles and sensationalism, briefly stopping to take my tea in hand blowing across the rim before having a small tender sip.

I perked up a little as I heard footsteps rush down the stairs of my little cottage. And soon enough Ellis emerged in a pair of little white wedge heels, a denim skirt with embodied flowers, and a crop top that looked as if someone had run it over. Her Y/H/C hair was in a braid as usual.

"Mum? Opinions?" She asked doing a little turn,

"It looks lovely..." I began,

"And here comes the but."

"But, I think it might be a little... much,"

"I want to look nice,"

"I know you do, but do you really think heels are the best idea, Ellis? White heels? For a festival."

"...True,"

"You're a grown-up. I can't tell you what to wear, I can only advise."

"I know, I just wanna look my best. I spent nine hours shopping today. This is such a big moment."

"I know Ellis,"

"It only happens once every twelve years."

"I know Ellis,"

"The festival has been going on for so long! and I finally get to go!"

"Ellis. I know,"

"Sorry, Mum,"

"It's fine," I chuckled, "Of course you are excited to go. But it's probably not going to be as exciting as you think Ellis,"

I sat at the kitchen table flicking through my old photo album and looking for the pictures, Ellis beside me as we searched diligently until finally, I saw the first few pictures.

"Here we are," I smiled,

'Waterloo Sunset' Plays tentatively on the radio, cutting out ever so often. The single stolen beer was being passed from the back seat to the front seat over and over any time someone wanted a sip, excited shouting and shoving a constant across the car.

"Thomas quit purposely going down the fucking potholes! I'm getting a prostate exam of these tent pegs!" Gally yelled kicking Thomas' driver seat,

"won't be the only bloody thing shove up your ass over the next three days Gally," Newt laughed as he sipped the beer,

"Oh fuck off Newt!" gally shoved him,

I giggled and snapped a picture with my Polaroid camera,

"You gonna be a shutterbug the whole trip?" Thomas laughed,

"I hope so," I giggled,

We flipped through a few of the pictures of the mud, people, drinks and madness that I photographed, till we got to one that made me smile. The picture of all of us who went, together by our tents.

"Who are all these people?" She asked,

"Well, they were my friends."

"Why have I never met any of them?"

"Everyone went their own ways I guess," I shrug, "This was right before most of us went to college, we all got jobs and... drifted apart. It happens, Ellis."

"I still talk to all my friends from that age,"

"Yes well your twenty-three," I chuckled,

"Who were they all then?"

"Well, that's Alby and Brenda and there's zart and fry." I chuckled pointing everyone out, "And there's Gally and Minho. Thomas. and Then newt on the end,"

"...You had weird friends."

"... I'm aware," I nodded,

"Who's the one in the middle?" she pointed, "In the like long skirt and tube top thing?"

"Ellis, That's me."

"What!"

"Yes, that's me,"

she just looked at me rather shocked, "Mum!"

"It was 1967, I was sixteen. " I told her, "It was a different time."

I quickly flipped the page overseeing all the sweet pictures, of dancing, music, the mud, and all the strange clothes of course.

"You were really pretty,"

"Were?"

"You know what I mean, you seemed so happy,"

"I was, it was a fun festival. But... I'm sure it will be even better this year with you."

"Yeah, I'm sure it'll be great." she smiled, "I'm off to bed, night mum,"

"Night Ellis," I smiled,

She hopped off the table and headed up to the guest room,

I stayed up a little longer looking through all the pictures, it really was a fun festival. If I recall I didn't even actually see the Kurinji flower bloom, to busy with everything else. It really was the last big party as my life was changed forever after it ended. I did miss everyone, hadn't really spoken to any of them after it ended.

My eyes lingered a little on a photo of us all together, my eyes went over the three of them and I wondered as I have many times over the last twenty-four years... Thomas. Gally. or newt?

I tried to force the thoughts away, not like I ever needed to know. I did just fine on my own. I flicked through to one of the last pictures that got taken. I laid passed out from exhaustion and I was likely kinda drunk... possibly even stoned, I don't at all remember. I lay on my bed in my tent, and I couldn't help but look down at my exposed stomach and wonder... if Ellis was in this picture too.

"This. Is. So. Much. Mud." Ellis complained as she walked back to our tents from the bathrooms,

"I did try and warn you," I chuckled as I finished setting up, "You having fun through?"

"So far yeah," she nodded, "All though it is six pounds of a bottle of water,"

"Holly hell. No, we're lucky we brought water," I nodded heading into the tent to grab a bottle,

"Uhh sorry... uhh Hi," A voice that seemed familiar spoke outside the tent,

"Uhh hi..." Ellis replied,

"I'm sorry you're uhh-"

"Yeah, uhh no thanks you're like old enough to be my father."

"No! no! I'm sorry I wasn't trying to hit on you!" He defended, "You just uhh you look so much like-"

I went out to see what was going on and immediately my eyes went wide, "Newt..."

"Y/n!" he gasped,

I groaned a little beyond exhaustion the three days of, drinking, drugs, dancing, and food truck food had really gotten to me. and I needed my energy to pack everything up in the morning. So I just laid in the tent almost dead to the world. But I wasn't alone Newt was here with me too laid trying not to die too. I wrapped my arms around his torso my hands on his warm bare chest, I rested my cheek against his back close to his shoulder.

He let out a long peaceful sigh to feel himself in my arms, he wriggled a little but not away from me, back towards me adjusting himself back so we could be closer and he could be held tighter like a sweet little spoon.

I cooed and gave his shoulder a gentle kiss softly stroking his chest and stomach with my hands. We lay like this for a good while just enjoying each other's company,

He turned over to face me his eyes still closed, he came up close and nuzzled into my neck, he wrapped his arms tightly around my waist. I smiled and wrapped my own around him too my hands in his locks, I wrapped my fingers around his hair and kissed his forehead. For a while, we just lay like this very cosy, and comfy together. He lay so happily that the only sounds of sweet fumbles and grumbles in a sleepy state, after a good while his hand moved after it lay on my waist, I didn't mind and just held him close until his hand began to creep up my body taking a soft grip of my breast through my little dress.

I chuckled but didn't argue with him to try to complain and ... not sure I would even if I wasn't tried., as he groped and fondled my breast squeezing and squishing it, pressing and shaking it, compressing and massaging it, the only sound coming from him some low moans and grumbles of enjoyment. I smiled and kissed his forehead as he plaid with my breast slowly but surely getting more aggressive as he got hungrier and more flooded with his desires.

He began to kiss my neck softly and gently pressing a trail of kisses down to my underdress where his hand rested, He tugged down my dress to my waist to expose my bare breast and continued his kiss down my chest and breast slightly biting as he kissed, until he reached my nipple. He clamped his lips around my nipple and swirled his tongue to harden it continuing his circles as he gently sucked, I didn't bother to stop him he was happy and I admit it felt very nice to see him be so attentive, his hand of course left my breast and moved to my ass giving it a firm slap making me jump a little.

He gave my ass a few firm slaps as he sucked before his hand stroked my thigh moving it around his hip and slipping his hand between my legs, his fingers made short work of pushing up my dress and he stroked my mound before giving my clit a merciless rub I did my best not to moan. Still, he just kept rubbing until he forced a moan out of me, as soon as I moaned he pulled back from my breast and kissed my lips with a firey passion, I happily kissed back already excited even if I was amused that he was yet to open his eyes.

His hand moved so he could thrust his index and middle finger inside me making me gasp he used this as a perfect example to add tongue into our kiss, which I happily smiled into and began to battle with him, He thrusted his fingers slowly at first his thumb rubbing on my clit I did my best not to moan but it was very hard to keep quiet his groans into our kisses only fueled us more, I slipped my hand down and began to stroke his already hard erection which made him moan loudly pulling away to kiss my neck.

He pulled his hand away and kissed down my chest, flicking my nipple with his tongue as he kissed down my dress moving me onto my back as he reached my clit, he kissed and sucked my clit mercilessly his fingers slipping back inside me. I moaned trying my best not to be loud feeling the bubbles of pleasure curling my toes and digging my nails into the cheap camping bed, my head rolled back onto the pillow. His other hand came up and squeezed on my breast twisting and tugging on my nipple making me moan loudly.

I tugged him up by his hair, he moved pulling his hand away and kissing my neck. He tugged up my dress to my waist,

"One moment love," He cooed grabbing a condom quickly slipping it on and pulling me back to the kiss. "Come on love." He smirked and quickly wrapped my legs around his waist before slipping inside me, He groaned and moaned loudly as soon as he grabbed my hips and thrusted fast and hard.

I began to scream pulling his lips to my own and kissing him with passion and adrenaline, once he got to a very steady pace his hands left my hips to grab my breast making me giggle a little his other hand on my clit rubbing mercilessly as he thrusted both of us moaning and groaning until my body began to shake and I tightened my legs around him as I knew how close I was, which only made him smirk with a sly smile getting faster and more merciless until I hit my orgasm grabbing his face and biting his shoulder as I felt the pleasure flood from my head to my toes and back again,

I gasped as I collapsed against the bed feeling him keep going letting me ride it out as long as possible, until he buried his head in my neck and his hips bucking like crazy as he buried himself inside me with a long groan before he pulled out and collapsed on the bed beside me as we gasped and tried to get ourselves straight after all that. "Y/n..."

"Yes, newt?" I cooed as we cuddled up,

"I really like you..." he smiled playing with my hair, "do you like me?"

"Of course I do, you're my friend,"

"... more than that?"

"I don't know newt... my brain... very messed up after these few days."

"Okay" he nodded, "But.. if I ask again in a few days maybe once we've kinda got our heads back on. will you answer me then love?"

"I will. I promise."

"It's... actually you?"

"Yeah, it- it's really you?!"

"Oh my god how are you!" I smiled giving him a tight hug,

"I'm great, I'm great how are you," He smiled hugging me back too,

"I'm fantastic, you look amazing."

"Aww thank you, so do you. You've hardly changed."

"I don't know something certainly has,"

"I bet," He laughed, "I've really missed you,"

"I have to," I smiled, "what are you doing here?" I asked,

"I'm actually here with thomas and Gally."

"What?!" I gasped,

"Yeah, we met up again through work last year and we said how cool I would be to come back for the Festival. I mean it only happens every 12 years it would be so cool to come back."

"Yeah, I uhhh..." I stuttered trying not to panic,

"what are you doing here?"

"Here with my daughter." I smiled, "This is my daughter Ellis."

"Oh my god she's beautiful, lovely to meet you, Ellis,"

"Yeah, uhh newt, right?" Ellis asked,

"Yeah, I imagine your mum's probably mentioned me,"

"A couple of times," she nodded,

"Well you lovely ladies have fun setting up, We have to meet up one day for dinner and catch up though." He smiled,

"Yeah of course," I nodded

Before he gave me another hug and headed off,

"...So..." she smirked at me,

"Ellis. You might be an adult but I'm still your mother and I will still ground you."

"We're both adults. Can we... talk like adults?"

"Fine," I sighed,

"Did you and Newt? Use to uhh?"

"It was the sixties and we were sixteen... what do you think? It was a different time"

I headed over to the food truck to grab us some dinner after a long second day of enjoying the festival... and attempting to avoid the guys. I got the very expensive food and began the walk through the mud back to the tent but a voice spoke up,

"Y/n!"

I looked and I saw him, "Thomas! Hi."

"Thomas! What the hell are you doing!" I laughed from the protection of the tent's doors,

thomas stood in the rain and mud, barefoot, shirtless, dancing to the music the stage plaid as the band had gotten rained out,

"dancing!" He cooed,

"Why? it's raining come inside."

"But everyone else is dancing. The water is dancing."

"It's raining."

"The earth is dancing."

"That's mud thomas."

"so I am dancing!"

"...Have you been smoking?"

"Yes! but that seems unrelated."

"thomas come in the tent."

"Come dance with me Y/n." he cooed, grabbing my hand and pulling me out into the rain with him, I chuckled and held his hands as we danced like idiots in the rain, "You're really beautiful Y/n, Have I ever told you that?"

"Many times thomas,"

"Almost as pretty as a flower." he cooed as our dancing grew closer and closer, "thomas... I really like you,"

"... Yeah?"

"yeah."

"Not just the smoke talking?"

"No... I've felt like this for a while."

"That's very sweet thomas." I laughed, "Day one and you're already off your head,"

"We do... have the tent all to ourselves for a while," he smirked pulling my hips closer,

"We do," I smirked back moving my hips against his,

"We should make use of this."

"we should." I nodded grabbing his hand and pulling him into the tent, we quickly fell on the bed giggling away as we began to kiss,

Thomas gently and slowly helped me remove my dress kissing each part of my skin that he exposed fluttering kisses and compliments into my bruised scared skin, "you're so beautiful." he cooed, "So gorgeous, stunning, ravishing, exquisite, captivating, ravishing, attractive, irresistible, Perfect." He muttered until I was laid naked on the bed, "Uhh... Y/n," he groaned "How am I meant to resist you when you look like this for me?" He muttered, "May I?" He smirked eagerly his hands stroked my breasts so I nodded and he wasted no time, he grabbed my breasts squeezing me and fondling my breasts in his hands

"thomas..." I giggled,

"Uhhh! Y/n," he smirked nuzzling close to my chest mostly to have his head in my breasts giving them little kisses, before moving his hand and stroking my mound softly finding every nook and curve I possessed "May I?"

"You may thomas," I blushed,

He smirked before he began rubbing on my clit in soft little clockwise circles as we kissed often stroking my hands across his skin as he worked before his hand slipped down to push inside me,

"Uhhh!" I gasped rolling my head back,

He smiled and gently moved his fingers at a decent pace until he pulled back "May I Y/n?" he gave my lips a soft kiss before moving between my legs and pushing my thighs up until I spread my legs for him as far as they would go,

"Absolutely," I gasped,

"Perfect my sweet," he smiled before he kissed up my inner thigh I blushed a little as he moved closer softly kissing my skin being gentle and soft with his kisses until he reached my clit where he was more than intense at first giving me merciless kisses before then sucking and licking my clit so harshly and passionately I was lost in a world utterly my own holding my hand over my mouth to stop my screams being heard as he worked so hard and so skillfully before I squealed and reacted my orgasm squealing under my hand as I felt the toe-curling wave of pleasure rush over me. Which caused him to pull back "I love making you cum... you're irresistible when you cum for me Y/n," he smirked,

I giggled as I gasped and tugged at his pants undoing them enough to reveal him completely stiff and slender with not much girth to him but his veins desperate for attention, "May I?"

"You don't have to do that for me-"

"I want to,"

"Well.... Alright," he nodded, "who am I to deny what my sweet girl wants," he smirked holding his base and giving himself a few gentle strokes before I moved and gently took him into my mouth "Ohhh fuck-" he groans grasping my Y/H/Chair, "uuuuuuuhhh uuughhhh! Y/n!" he gasped and groaned rolling his head back "Ugghhhh! Ooohhh god! Y/n! Enough enough-" he said as he pushed me away, "May I my sweet?" he smirked gently moving me back to lay flat he grabbed a condom slipping it on and then moving closer and stroking his head against my clit,

"You may thomas," I nodded,

he smirked before moving and gently slipping inside me, "uuuuuuuhhh! Uughh! Ummmm" he groaned gripping my hips hard trying desperately to focus,

"Uuhhh" I gasped holding his hair as I tugged his face into my neck and feeling as each inch of him made its way inside me, he slowly sped up his movements and found a pace and path that seemed to suit him even if he was groaning seemingly uncontrollably only ever stopping to kiss me, He got faster running his hands over me as soon enough his hormones took over his body working mindlessly. I was close it was obvious he was trying so hard just to keep himself contained just a little bit longer wanting to savour this moment even if his hips didn't seem to give a shit and wanted his orgasm as quickly as possible

"I adore you, I worship you, I want you... I need you!" He groaned, "Fuck- fuck- I'm Ughh!" was enough to tip us both over I squealed and held him tightly and he completely lost it moving fast and hard as he groaned before he pulled out and we completely collapsed on the bed beside me gasping hard, "Y/n?"

"Yes, thomas?" I gasped,

"How do you feel about me..."

"I uhh...My head is on too much stuff for a straight answer,"

"That's fair. Will you tell me though... in a few days after all this?"

"I will"

"Hey! Yeah newt said he saw you!" He smiled putting his food on a table and hugging me, so I did the same,

"Yeah, Newt mentioned he was here with you guys,"

"How are you, you look fantastic!

"Thank you, you do too. I'm alright, how have you been?"

"Doing fine you know the world has been turning," he chuckled,

"Yeah, I feel that way too."

"It's great, isn't it? being back."

"it is it's just like I remember,"

"I know right, plus it's nice I barely got to enjoy it all those years ago given I whited out like a bitch on day one" he chuckled, "Such a shame,"

"Yeah," I laughed, "It's been really fun. Here with my daughter. Her first year coming so she's really enjoying it,"

"Aww that's so sweet you came with her," He smiled, "You know I'm just heading back you could come back and we could all catch up?"

"No, it's okay I wouldn't want to impose-"

"It's alright I know Gally and Newt would love seeing you"

"I uhh I need to get back to Ellis, and she has a bad headache so..." I lied,

"Ohh yeah been there." He nodded, "Maybe tomorrow we'll catch up yeah?"

"Yeah, sure." I nodded grabbed my food and headed away doing my best not to look like I was avoiding them.

I walked the festival site doing my best to find Ellis as she'd gone off a few hours ago and I hadn't yet found her,

"Y/n?"

I turned quickly and there I saw him "Gally! Hi!"

"This song sucks,” He told me as he wrapped his arms around my waist, as we sat by the fire everyone else had gone to see the band but we just sat by the fire instead. Slowly he moved closer and peppered slow kisses down my neck,

"Gally we shouldn't they could come back-"

“it's just you and me," he growled, He then pressed one kiss to the crook of my neck, I blushed a little but didn't move, so he tightened his grip on me a little hugging me a little tighter and kissed my neck again only one little kiss but enough to make me feel so happy inside, "come here on" He growled tugging me towards the tent, I giggled and ran in with him, he smirked bringing his face and lips into my neck again,

I couldn't control my playful giggles he merely continued his kisses so slowly and calculated waiting patiently between each one, his kisses slowly grew more intense until as he kissed my neck his teeth graced my skin, not enough to bite me but enough to make me feel his teeth, he repeated this just slow soft kisses occasionally tenderizing my skin by gracing his teeth on it, "Gally!" I giggled,

He chuckled with a familiar sly grin, he continued his kisses now starting little nibbles on my skin pressing his teeth more meaningfully, and continued his bites gently barely anything between his kisses and nibbles which were getting very intense,

"Gally no more," I giggled even if I didn't want him to stop,

He licked the spot he bit before kissing it again he would do this over and over up and down my neck like a vampire to my jugular, He continued with a prideful smirk, getting harder with his nibbles, kisses and bites. He smirked getting even harder "Hmmm..." He groaned leaving a hickey on my neck

"Gally-" I gasped feeling him force a hickey into my skin he continued biting and nibbling my neck around my hickey to ensure my attention for it, "Uhhh! Gally!" I moaned twisting my fingers in his hair, which he took as a sign to get even more intense "Uhhhhh!" I moaned as his hand had been settled on my waist this whole time moved under my skirt to my thigh he quickened his kisses stroking my thigh higher and higher he licked my hickey as he smirked and teased me further stroking my hip under my dress "Ummm..." he groans now all but attacking my neck with kisses, bites, nibbles and licks. I could feel he was hard against my leg I tugged on his hair almost pulling his hair,

"Uhhh Gally" I gasped moving his hand to where I so desperately needed him

He smirked stroking my mound before rubbing on my throbbing clit, "You have to try and be quiet"

"Uuhh uhhhh uhhhhhhh" I whined as he continued with my neck at the same time by now my neck looked as if I had been in a fight covered in hickeys and bite marks all down one side of my neck, not caring the marks he made just wanting to make us excited I moaned as he made a hickey on my most sensitive spot while he slipped his fingers inside me still rubbing my clit with his thumb but I clamped my hand over my mouth to stop my moan even if my eyes rolled back a little

"Ohh..." He growled "Do you want me to stop?" he whispered and I shook my head "I knew it," he groaned kissing down to my collarbone and across my gasping chest giving him more space and more real estate to leave hickeys and bites, "Let me see them." he unlaced the ties on my shirt making sure to be agonizingly slow before he tugged it off me leaving me naked on the bed, he smirked and pulled me to sit naked on his lap my back against his chest as his hand moved hard and fast-moving his fingers rapidly inside me, his other hand cupped my breast squeezing and fondling my bare skin,

"Ahhhh! Gally!" I screamed, "Please..."

He didn't need another word before tugging his trousers down, he stroked his hard shaft a couple of times before he grabbed a condom slipping it on, he held the base and guided himself inside me he groaned as he found his way, he held my hips to guide my riding to ensure the best pleasurable angle as he began his almost violent thrusts but this was normal for Gally, I didn't hold back my screams, he didn't hold back his grunts and groans either which I found sexier then I like to admit, I knew I was close clawing down his legs in desperation for the pleasure that was building and building and building until I hit it screaming and clamping my legs around him my eyes rolling back and my jaw hung open, pleasure rushing through my body but Gally kept going for a while but he was slower sloppier unable to control himself much longer until he moaned loudly and bucked his hips up hard as he came, We both just sat for a moment, gasping. Listening to the waves and to the music outside until he broke the silence,

“That song is still shit.”

“I know,” I chuckled, collapsing down on the bed to get dressed again,

“Y/n?”

“Yes?”

“How do you… feel about me?”

“What do you mean?”

“Like… do you like me?”

“It’s hard to tell… my head is kinda..”

“I get it” he nodded, “But… you’ll tell me soon. In a few days right?”

"Hey!" He smiled hugging me, "So good to see you!"

"Yeah, it's great seeing you too."

"How have you been,"

"Pretty good, just here with my daughter."

"Yeah, the guys said that's really sweet." He chuckled, "Did you wanna come back to our tent? catch up?"

"No, no it's okay I need to find her,"

"Ohh I'll help you look,"

"You don't have to,"

"No no I insist." he nodded,

"Well let's try the tent again," I nodded,

We made our way back to Ellis and I's tents, where I found her sitting by the fire with thomas and Newt,

"Hey! We found a straggler." thomas laughed,

"Why didn't you call me?" I glared a little, "I was getting worried," I sat down,

"I tried my Nokia didn't have a signal."

"Alright so long as you're okay."

"Yeah we all got chatting," Newt smiled,

The five of us sat around the fire chatting and laughing talking about the times we had as teens, and asking Ellis about all the chaos she had too. It was... nice. Admittedly... it felt like nothing had changed in some ways.

But as the night drew in, the conversation changed... I knew it would come up, but... I had no plan for what would happen then it did.

"Ellis, How old are you?" Thomas asked,

"Twenty-three just turned in April,"

"And what do you know... if anything... about your dad?" Newt asked,

"Well... mum, you've never really mentioned anything. I guess for a lot of my life I just didn't question it, too dumb to realize, then... when I knew it was strange I didn't want to ask worried it was a question that would hurt your feelings." she explained, "But... I'm a grown-up. We're all mature adults. and I'm not stupid. I'm Twenty-three. I was born in April 1968. nine months back... that's July 1967. The Kurinji festival you all came too." she explained, "So... Mum, can you tell me about my dad?" she asked,

"Well... it's complicated," I nodded, "And I'm just gonna say it, 'cause it's kinda been eating me these last three days..." I sighed, "Here, at the Kurinji Festival 1967 we all came here with our friends." I began, "... The first night, thomas and I slept together. A few hours later-"

"I got so high I whited out. Packed my bag and got on a bus home." Thomas added,

"Yes," I nodded, "And then on the second night everyone went off to see a band they liked... and Gally and I slept together,"

"And... that night I went and snuck into the VIP lounge with Brenda and Fry. ended up there till the morning we had to leave." Gally chuckled,

"Yes..." I nodded, "And that third night, while everyone was off enjoying the last few festivities... I was so tired,"

"We cuddled in the tent together..." Newt spoke up, "And we slept together. Staid in each other's arms till the morning."

"Yes..." I sighed, "That morning we packed up and all went home, and... a few weeks later I learnt I was pregnant. With you."

"I- with me?"

"Yes... that's why it's complicated. I know I never slept with anyone between the festival and finding out I was pregnant. Realistically. It could be... any of them."

"Was there anyone else?"

"no. Just those three." I nodded, "You probably think I'm-

"Mum," she took my hand, "I don't think you're anything, you were a teenager... it was a different time." She reassured,

"Thank you," I gave her a soft hug, "we all drifted apart after the festival, work, college, and other relationships so we never really spoke."

"Makes sense... I always just thought you stopped talking to me to... let me down easy," Gally began, "I... I remember I asked you if you liked me, you promised to tell me when your head was clear and, after the festival we drifted apart I kinda assumed you were being nice."

"Yeah... me too." thomas agreed,

"I... I thought that too." Newt nodded, "We all said we liked her? Damn no wonder you stopped talking to us,"

"I was honestly just busy I had a fantastic little girl to look after," I explained,

"Makes sense, let's be honest we all drifted apart. No one's fault it just happens" Thomas shrugged, "I'm just happy being back with friends again, and I have no hang-ups Y/n I'm a happily married man."

"I'm glad thomas," I smiled,

"Not married, but very happy. We have two dogs together. and he is a really good man." Gally nodded,

"Aww, that's sweet. I'm thrilled for you gally." I smiled,

"I... I... Kinda have a hang-up," Newt spoke,

"What?"

"Y/n I loved you. I loved you more than I had or have loved anyone else. When... when you stopped talking to me... it broke my heart. Yes, I've had other girlfriends over the years but... I never really settled down, never thought about anyone like I did about you. and still now... in 1991... I still love you."

"Ohh newt," I almost cried, "I love you too!" I jumped and hugged him pushing him into the mud,

"I love you! I love you so so much!" he cooed squeezing me tightly,

"You owe me a fiver," thomas demanded,

"Still? After twenty-four years you want that?" gally whined,

"We had a deal. Without a time frame." Thomas smirked, "Five pounds. please."

Gally sighed handing it over as Newt and I sat up but still cuddled, "You are so god damn slow Newt."

"I know, but I did it... eventually," He chuckled before we shared a tender kiss,

"Adorable." Ellis chuckled,

I hummed as I made three cups of tea, as arms wrapped around my waist,

"Humm hello my sweet little flower."

"Hello Newt," I chuckled, "Tea,"

"Thank you, but I'd much rather have something sweeter," He cooed kissing my neck,

"Morning," Ellis calls as she comes down from the guest room,

"Morning Ellis," I smiled handing both her and Newt a cup of tea, "The letter came today." I told her, "Did you want us to leave you alone?"

"no. It's okay," she said taking it from the table,

"I'll happily go if you want" Newt said, "But no matter what the answer is, It won't change anything."

"I know," she smiled giving him a small side hug, before she opened up her letter, but didn't look. "Mum, can you read it?"

"...Okay," I nodded putting down my tea and taking the letter, giving it a good read, "After several tests, we have been able to determine with 98.9% accuracy that the subject was fathered but sample three." I explained, "Isaac Newton."

"You're first name is Isaac?" Ellis asked,

"Same as my dad, weird family tradition, everyone's always called me Newt." he shrugged, "So... it's true. I'm the dad."

"You're the dad." I nodded,

"Hey Dad," Ellis smiled,

He got a little teary but hugged us both so tightly, "Hello my sweet beautiful daughter." He cooed, "And my lovely wife." 

[stargazer-sims]

Non-Sims Interests

I was tagged by @igotsnothing - thank you!

I have a lot of interests outside The Sims. In fact, I'd say The Sims is fairly far down my list of interests at this point...

Writing - I love writing. It's my longest consistent hobby; I've been doing it since I was a child, and I've been honing my craft over the past 4-plus decades. Writing is always something I come back to, no matter what else I'm doing. I think there are times in my life when my writing was better than it is currently, but there are definitely also times when it's been harder and both my motivation and execuation have been worse than they are now. I wrote a murder mystery about 20 years ago when I was in law school, and I tried to write science fiction, but my favourite genre to write has always been general fiction/literary fiction or "slice of life" if you prefer.

My dogs - I have two chihuahuas named Eden and Sailor, who I'll admit I spend way too much money on and way too much time thinking about. I love spending time with them and going on adventures with Eden in particular (because Sailor is a diva). I used to have a Boston Terrier named Grace who lived to be 15, and she was my soul dog. There was no adventure she wouldn't go on with me, including camping, sailing (she had a life jacket), airplane travel (no sedation required), outdoor concerts, and the Canada Day fireworks. She LOVED fireworks and was never afraid of the noise. She always tried to jump up and "catch" the lights and it always seemed like a huge game for her. I miss her.

Photography - I got bitten by the shutterbug in the mid-90s when I was studying journalism and took a photography class as part of my program. (a class, incidentally, that the general manager of our college didn't think I could do because I have low vision). I turned out to be better than mediocre at photography, and I loved it! I've won a couple of amateur photo contests in the intervening time, but mostly I just enjoy taking photos for fun. I photograph my dogs, various insects and flowers, scenery and my action figures. My favourite genre is macro photography and artistic photography.

Action Figures - I collect action figures and I really enjoy taking photos of them. I have a lot fewer now than I used to, but I still like the ones I have. My current favourites are my 1/12 scale DAMToys FunMan series figures. I have the entire collection of those.

Hiking - I am an avid hiker/walker. I like doing the Trans-Canada Trail system as well as going on hikes in wilderness areas or provincial parks, and I also just enjoy walking around the city or on the beach. It pairs well with my other interests of photography and hanging out with my dogs.

Cooking (and eating) - I love food, and I always enjoy trying new foods at restaurants or events. I also love to cook, and I will often try new recipes at home.

Fiber and textile crafts - I like knitting, sewing and weaving. I learned those skills, as well as cooking skills, from my late grandmother. I have way too much self-made knitwear. I may have a slight hat addiction, and I like making mittens too. Socks are my nemesis! This year, I'm planning to knit myself a sweater-coat.

Other interests of mine include reading, Pokémon, Build-A-Bears, video games (especially Nintendo) and generally being a 10 year old trapped in a 48 year old's body XD

__________

I have absolutely no idea who's already done this, but I'm going to tag @nakasumi-sims @jessy-the-martian-girl @cawthorntales @lindyloosims @dandylion240 @enkisstories and @enniewritesathing

As always, participation is optional. Only do it if you feel like it =)

[robintherobiner]

Choose a Tim Drake AU

These are some of my favorite 'Tim-is-never-Robin' designs, and I want to develop one of them into a fanfiction/fanart series, but I cant decide which. So, please choose your favourite version of Tim!

If you want a more in-depth explanation of the AUs, feel free to ask questions about them :3

[604to647]

Wife Material

1.9K / Detective Tim Rockford x fem!reader

Summary: Tim wakes up in the hospital after getting shot.

Warnings: Minor angst/fear (don't worry, he's okay!), established relationship, nicknames as usual (Shutterbug, baby, gorgeous), fluffy fluff while Tim is high as heck on anaesthesia 🤣🤭 (a wee The Pitt reference).

A/N: HELLO I AM HERE 😅😆 Took an unintentional break from Tumblr/socials, but have been quietly writing in the background - hopefully there is still some interest 🫣🥰. Hope you've all been well and looking forwarding to being on here again! This story takes place after Tiny Tim, but as with all instalments of The Rockford Portfolio, can be read standalone. Inspired by TikToks of husbands on anaesthesia like this and this (and thank you to @maievdenoir for the idea!)

Dividers by @saradika-graphics as always / Series Masterlist

The hospital emergency waiting room is buzzing and chaotic, but you’re oblivious to it all as you race to the reception desk – all you can focus on is those three little words that have been playing on a loop in your head ever since Detective Arnold Calloway called:

“Tim’s been shot.”

Luckily, you’re able to go straight up to the intake receptionist; trying to keep the panic out of your voice, you ask, “Can you tell me where I can find Detective Timothy Rockford?”

“And you are?”

You give your name, then blurt out, “I’m his fiancé.”

“Are you his emergency contact?”

“I should be… Tim was supposed to submit the forms a while ago,” you choke up, “but he’s been so busy, I don’t know if he…” Your voice trails off, overcome that you might not be able allowed to see Tim because of some administrative red tape.

“No worries, let me just check on that, hun,” the nurse gives you a much-appreciated smile that you’re sure could calm even the most hysterical of visitors.  These ER healthcare workers are heaven sent, you think as you patiently wait for them to finish typing.  Just then, you hear your name being called and look up to see Tim’s captain by a set of double doors waving you over.  Relieved, you bid the receptionist a hasty farewell and rush over to Captain Christine Mendoza, “Captain!  Where’s Tim?  Is he okay?”

The captain ushers you through the doors and down a hallway busy with rushing doctors and chattering patients, “He’s just come out of surgery.  The bullet got lodged in his shoulder and the impact from the shooting caused a fall that exacerbated the injury.  Luckily, the doctors got in there pretty quickly and the surgery to remove the bullet and repair the damage was pretty straight forward.  They’ll be able to tell you more – we’re almost there.”

Thanking her for the update, you round the corner to see cops littering a smaller, more private hallway, with a group crowding around a closed door - among them, Calloway. 

“Arnie!” you cry when you see him.

As soon as Detective Calloway sees you, he shouts to the surrounding cops, “Hey, make room, let her through!” and pulls you into a tight hug when you get within arms reach. 

“Are you okay?” you ask, your concern for Tim’s partner as deep as it is for your detective.  “I am, thanks to Tim,” he opens the door and indicates for you to go in, giving you a tight smile that hardly cracks his worn, distressed face, “Doctor’s in there with him.”

Closing the door, you’re barely able to stifle your gasp at the scene before you.  Tim lays unconscious on a propped-up hospital bed - various machines around him beep and whirl, monitoring his heartbeat and other vitals.  His hospital gown drapes loosely over his right shoulder when you can see a crisscross of gauze bandaging his wound; on the opposite side of his body, tubes run up his sleeve, no doubt dispensing much needed painkillers from hanging IV bags to your injured detective. 

You have to choke back a sob - he just looks so small.  

Tim, your Tim, is a powerhouse, a force to be reckoned with.  Even in the sanctuary of your shared home he exudes such a quiet strength, you’re used to him taking up a certain amount of space; Detective Tim Rockford’s colossal presence and the gravitational pull of his quality have been such a constants in your life, to see him like this nearly rocks your world off its axis.

“Mrs. Rockford?” The doctor who's been checking Tim’s bandages is now approaching; you nod, not bothering to correct his assumption.

“I’m Dr. Rabinovitch.  Happy to report that Detective Rockford came through the surgery with flying colours - we were able to remove the bullet and repair the tissue damage without any issue.  He has a few bone fractures that will require rest and a lightened activity load for the next few weeks but should otherwise heal on their own.  After that, with a little bit of physical therapy, he should be good as new.”

You exhale such a loud sigh of relief, you barely hear Dr. Rabinovitch’s resulting chuckle; he continues, “Your husband should be coming out of the anaesthesia within the hour.  He might be a little loopy when he does, which is expected.  Please tell the nurses’ station when he wakes and they'll page me.  Do you have any questions?”

Shaking your head, you thank the doctor profusely for taking such good care of your Tim, adding a request for him to kindly extend your gratitude to the rest of the surgical team.  Settling into a bedside chair to wait, you smile when here the muffled sounds of celebration coming from the hallway where Dr. Rabinovitch has just repeated the news to the waiting officers.

The adrenaline that’s been coursing through your veins since Arnie called now waning, you tuck into the somewhat uncomfortable hospital chair, curling your legs up and letting your entire body relax to the repetitive sounds from the room’s medical equipment and the steady rise and fall of Tim’s chest.

After half an hour of sitting in the same awkward position, you get up to do a turn about the room and stretch your limbs; you’re just rolling out the stiffness of your neck when you hear a dry, gravely croak:

“Shutterbug…”

“Tim!! You’re awake!” you rush to the side of his bed, ready to cry happy tears, “How are you feeling, Detective?”

“I feel… groggy.  And my shoulder feels… tight,” Tim looks down at his right shoulder with a frown, brow furrowing upon finding it wrapped in bandages beneath his hospital gown, “Oh. I was shot.”

His candour would be comical if the words themselves didn’t still make your chest tighten.  Trying to stamp down your worry, you search Tim’s handsome face, “Does it hurt?”

Detective Rockford silently contemplates his shoulder, needing a moment for his thoughts to catch up with his observations before answering, “No, it just feels weird.  I must be on a lot of drugs.”

You nod indulgently, “Do you remember what happened, baby?”

A far-off look overtakes Tim’s striking features as he attempts to recall, “We were on a raid.” He pauses, then frowns, “Mr. Pie was supposed to be there.” Unwittingly, you hold your breath, nervous for what’s to come.

“He got away,” the lines on Tim’s face deepen as they crease in concentration, frustration at the memory evident, “His guards shot at us.”  To this, you let loose a soft noise of despair, causing Tim’s countenance to relax in sympathy, “I pushed Calloway.”  Ah ha, you think, momentarily distracted, what Arnie said earlier in the hall makes sense now.

“Then… you.”

“Me?” your focus drawn back to Detective Rockford, confused.

“I saw you, Shutterbug.  When I got hit, it was like a firecracker exploded... but I didn’t feel any pain.  You appeared with a calming glow, keeping me protected and warm.  Your comforting face was the last thing I remember before everything went dark, and now here you are again, having guided me to safety.  My own personal angel.”

You don’t know how much of this is true or just the drugs talking, but you can’t help but be touched by your fiancé’s sweet words, “Oh Tim, I’m so glad you came back to me safe.”  Tenderly brushing Tim’s hair off his forehead, you remember Dr. Rabinovitch’s instructions, “I’m going to go get the doctor, okay?  I’ll be right back.”  Leaning down, you press a soft kiss to Tim’s brow and place your hand over the one he has resting on his chest, giving it reassuring squeeze.

“Oh no!!”

Starting from your detective’s sudden exclamation, you fuss over him, worried, “What’s wrong, Detective?  Does something hurt?”

“You’re… you…” Tim’s eyes are sad, his face scrunched up like he’s in pain, “you’re engaged?!?” 

Amused, you follow the line of Tim’s stare to see that he’s gawking at the ring on your left hand.  Oh goodness, he’s so high!  Holding up the offending hand, you try not to laugh, “Yes, I’m engaged.”

“Then… then, I’m too late!!  I don’t know why I thought I had a chance… you’re so beautiful and kind, of course you’re spoken for…” Tim’s hangdog expression would be downright humourous if he didn’t look quite so miserable.   Suddenly, his head snaps up, expression sharp, “Is he good to you?”

Nodding, you say softly, voice warm and emotional, “Very.”

Tim’s face falls and he looks like he might start to cry, “Good.  You only deserve the best, Shutterbug.”

“And I’ve got it,” you earnestly reassure him, “My fiancé is amazing - he treats me like a princess and makes me feel safe and loved every minute of every day.”

“Okay.” Sniffle. “He better.”  Sniff, sniff.  “If he didn’t… I would… I’m a cop!  Do you know I’m a cop?”

“Yes, Tim, I know you’re a cop,” you giggle at his drug induced, crestfallen look, “You don’t have to worry, Detective.  I’m very well taken care of.”

“Your fiancé is a lucky guy.”

“You know,” bringing your hand up to gently stroke Tim’s cheek, you run your fingers through his facial scruff, eyes full of affection as you smile at him, “I’m fairly certain that I’m the lucky one.”

Closing his eyes, Tim hums in appreciation at the soothing gesture, “Gorgeous, you can’t give me false hope like this.  I’m willing to fight your fiancé for you.”

“Tim, you’re my fiancé.”

Detective Rockford’s eyes fly open, saucer like in disbelief, “Me?”

“Yes, Tim, you,” you beam at the dramatic change in the man’s demeanor.

“I asked you to marry me?” he uses his mobile arm to point at himself, still unsure that you’ve got the right guy, “And you said yes?”

Isn’t it obvious, Silly? Tilting your head, you make sure to lock your eyes to Tim’s, “Of course, I said yes!  You’re the most wonderful man I’ve ever known, Tim – I can’t think of anything I would rather do than spend the rest of my life with you.”

Detective Rockford’s rugged features melt into a dreamy expression, “You’re really going to be my wife?”

“And proud of it,” you declare with gusto.

“Huh!” He grins to himself, dopey and in awe, “Well, good for me!”

Leaning in and laying a sweet kiss to Tim’s waiting lips, you grin against his growing smile, “Good for me, too.  I’m going to get the doctor now.  And let your friends know you’re awake – half the precinct is lined up in the hall waiting for some good news.  I’m sure they’d love to see you.”

“Well send them in, baby!  If they want good news, I’ve got it: my dream girl said 'yes'!”

Laughing, you head towards the door; just as you’re turning the knob you hear, “Mrs. Rockford?” and spin back around to see what Tim might need.

“Okay, wow, I was just testing it out but I LOVE IT!”

“I think I’m going to ask the Dr. Rabinovitch how long it’ll take for this anaesthesia to wear off,” you giggle, “I’ll be right back, baby.”

“Come back to me safe, Shutterbug.”

“Nothing could keep me from you, Detective.  I love you,” you blow Tim a kiss that he clumsily tries to catch, grasping his left hand wildly in the air before clutching it to his chest and laying back against his pillow, happy, “I love you more.”

Still chuckling to yourself, you head out into the hospital corridor to let the waiting cops know that Detective Timothy Rockford is going to be just fine.

A follow-up entitled 'Nice and Slow', taking place during Tim's recovery, has been written for @baronessvonglitter's Noun-iversary creative challenge and will be posted in June (oh! That's next week, where has the time gone??) for Adriana's Tumblr anniversary 🥳🥳!

Tagging a few people who have enjoyed Timmy and Shutterbug's stories in the past (thank you!): @milla-frenchy @lillaydee @sunnytuliptime @kulekehe @nandan11

@inept-the-magnificent @aurorawritestoescape @sawymredfox @harriedandharassed @greenwitchfromthewoods

@tuquoquebrute @vie-is-punk @misstokyo7love

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

Gotcha Bug

by Mgootd Shutterbug has been a silent informant to the Bats for three years. No one knows why they send valuable information to Batman or why they keep their identity a secret even from other masks, but they've helped foil many Rogue plots and Bruce is working on his control issues, so he lets Shutterbug keep their secrets. This status quo has kept them all safe, until a shadowy conspiracy forces the elusive Shutterbug into the spotlight and leaves the Batfamily rushing to save the city from Ra's al Ghul's latest machination. Tim Drake helps Batman by surveilling Rogues by night, has study hall with his favorite Robin (Though Jason doesn't know he knows that) and lives in a mansion full of stolen artifacts that will 100% destroy his family if reported to the authorities. It's a delicate balance, to help the world's greatest detective without drawing too much of his attention, but Tim's managed it for three years. When he discovers his own parents are at the heart of a blackmailing and smuggling plot that threatens the entire city, Tim can't stay in the shadows any longer. The only way to save Gotham is for Tim to reach Batman, but doing so means losing everything he knows. Words: 3268, Chapters: 1/4, Language: English Series: Part 1 of Tim Drake's Photo Album Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: F/M Characters: Tim Drake, Tim Drake's Parents, Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, Barbara Gordon, Jim Gordon, Ra's al Ghul Relationships: Tim Drake & Jason Todd, Tim Drake & Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake & Dick Grayson, Cassandra Cain & Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown & Tim Drake, Tim Drake & Barbara Gordon, Jim Gordon & Batfam, the briefest Bruce Wayne/Selina Kyle Additional Tags: Tim Drake Joins the Batfamily Late, Tim Drake is Not Robin, Jason Todd Lives, Identity Reveal, Ethiopia Happens but with a Good Ending, Bruce Wayne Tries to Be a Good Parent, POV Multiple, Lazarus Pit (DCU), Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Tim Drake Is a genius, Tim Drake has the survival instincts of a wet paper bag, Tim Drake isn't Robin but he's still solving crimes, Tim Drake accidentally crashes Ra's al Ghul's party, Tim Drake Needs a Hug, Smuggling, Extortion, Creepy Ra's al Ghul, Tim Drake is Shutterbug, Jack and Janet Drake's B- Parenting, Absent Parents Jack and Janet Drake, Blackmail, Swearing, Canon-Typical Violence, Lazarus Pits work the way I say so, Canon is just a buffet and I get to pick out what I want, Batdad via https://ift.tt/NsWa6UH

[missmonsters2]

Mirror, Mirror | Two

Please do not copy, repost, or translate my work anywhere else.

PART ONE

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x Fem!Reader

Summary: Wanda oscillates between crying and being overcome with confidence to confess. She barely has time to reflect when the devastating news arrives that you have a date, and Wanda needs to formulate a plan—quickly.

Warnings: best friends to lovers. shenanigans. jealousy, jealousy. sexual tension. pining. yearning. sexual thoughts. spicy (tumblr's version). stupid steve. neurotic nat. brat & stinky. bug as in shutterbug.

*explicit version will only be available on Ao3 & will be posted there after series is completed*

Note: cue the shenanigans of date stalking and taylor swift. Put your hands together for the real MVP of this chapter: Yelena.

Reminder there's no taglist but you can follow my library blog for notifications 💘

Series Masterlist || Library Blog || AO3

Count: ~4.5k

⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷

This week's philosophical question is: Is it gay to think about your best friend?

The short answer is no. The long, complicated answer is that it might be. 

There's logic and reasoning behind this because don't most people think about their best friend? Don't most people plan to have their best friend in the future? If not, then why would they be best friends in the first place?

Sadly, there's a rude awakening in Wanda's wobbly defense. Natasha is the only person to blame for blowing down her defense made of straw when Wanda chats with her on the phone in the evening while you're out for a photoshoot. 

"How's Maria doing?" Wanda asks.

"Good," Natasha answers, and Wanda can hear the tap water running and realizes the redhead is doing the dishes. "She'll be coming to visit during Christmas."

"Oh, you must be very excited!" Wanda beams. If it were her, she'd be ecstatic to be seeing you after so long. 

"Yeah, it'll be good to see her. I think she's bringing her girlfriend, Sharon. They've been seeing each other for a few months, and she doesn't have anyone to spend Christmas with since her grand-aunt passed away.

"Oh," Wanda's voice is low, brows furrowing. "That seems very fast if she's coming to spend a holiday with Maria. How do you feel about it?"

Natasha hums. "Happy, I guess? I haven't met Sharon, but I've been hearing good things about her. She's able to keep up with Maria's busy life as she's got her own, but they make time for each other."

"But what if Sharon's wrong for Maria, or Maria ends up getting hurt."

"Then I'll break Sharon's legs, but Maria's a big girl. I'll be there for her, but she'll be okay," Natasha chuckles.

"But—"

"Wanda, what's with the questions about Maria?" Natasha cuts off. "Is it something with Bug? Are you worried about Raye? She's told me they haven't even gone on a first date yet; why are you so worried?"

"It's not about that!" Wanda said defensively. "I mean—I am worried, but I just don't want her getting hurt. She's my best friend; she deserves someone perfect. Don't you want someone perfect for Maria?"

Even as the words came out of Wanda's mouth, she grimaced because she was nowhere near perfect herself. 

"Of course I do," Natasha sighs. "But unless Maria is hurting, I'm not going to get overly involved with her love life. She'll go at her own pace and update me as she goes."

"But how will you know if Maria is going to continue living away? If she gets serious with Sharon, will Maria still plan to move back here? How will you guys plan on having a wedding at the same time and picking a house in the same neighborhood?" Wanda asks seriously. Her tone is distraught because it feels like Natasha doesn't care about her best friend at all! 

There's a moment of silence on the other line before Natasha says, "We don't plan for that. I mean, I'll be bummed for sure if Maria doesn't move back but we'll always be best friends. We'll visit each other and keep in contact as often as we need, but we don't need to physically be in the same place."

And another realization slides into place. 

"How are you guys best friends?!" Wanda yells into the phone before she hangs up without another word. 

Wanda knows that she'll have to call Natasha later and apologize and say she's on her period or something, but right now, with her eyes hot and wet, she digs her face into her pillow and cries instead.

⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷ 

"Hey, I need to head out for another shoot today. Do you want me to pick up anything for you?"

Your voice muffles through Wanda's closed door. You've come in a few times, but Wanda had stayed in bed and pretended that she might've been under the weather. 

"No," Wanda says loud enough so you can hear it. "Have fun, though."

"I'll be home soon and make you some paprikash, but there's some chicken soup in the fridge for you if you want some while I'm gone," you reply. Wanda momentarily hears your hand land on the doorknob, but you don't turn it and come in. "Feel better, brat."

You don't wait for Wanda's response even though it is a quiet, "Thanks, stinky."

Alone in the apartment once more, Wanda sighs. She's been all over the place emotionally since she last talked to Natasha on the phone. She later sent a voice memo through text apologizing and said her period just came, which explained all the craziness. Luckily, Natasha was kind enough to leave it be, but they haven't chatted much since then—mostly on Wanda's end. 

Wanda's been caught between wanting to spend more time with you and distancing herself while sorting through her feelings. It was so easy at that moment to leave Vision and feel intense jealousy of Raye, but now in their own little bubble, everything was unraveling like a poorly wrapped present. 

The only saving grace was that you and Raye couldn't align your schedules to go on a date anytime soon. Raye was out of state currently and was supposed to be traveling for work for the next few weeks, and you were confirming projects that were supposed to be for the entire month. 

The extra time was sorely appreciated. 

In short, Wanda has cried 8 times in the last week while equally getting the inspiration almost to confess 7 times. 

There was a nagging fear, though. What if you didn't feel the same? What if Wanda was reading this one gigantic sign wrong, and you simply just liked brunettes with green eyes?

Or, what if you did feel the same and things didn't work out? What if the two of you date, and it goes wonderfully well before it ends? It doesn't matter what causes the end; just what if it did?

In either scenario, things would never be the same, and Wanda would lose her best friend of 10 years. 

Although, Wanda reasons that even if she confessed and you didn't feel the same, she wouldn't actually lose you. Sure, things would never be quite the same, but the friendship would continue. They've endured much worse, and Wanda would probably get over her feelings. 

Probably. 

Because if she didn't, well, Wanda wouldn't know what to do. She's lived too long of her life with you; she can't think of what it'd be like without you. Logically, she knew she'd survive, but there'd always be a part of her missing. 

Sometimes, Wanda thinks there was always a part of her missing until the day she met you. She can still remember 10 years ago like it was yesterday.

"Wanda, it'll be fine," Pietro's accent was thick and heavy, and Wanda refused to say anything out loud to acknowledge it. 

The girls in her class were already making fun of her accent, and her attempts to talk to them were rebuffed with looks as if they couldn't believe she dared to speak to them. 

It was too difficult, Wanda thought. It was too difficult to make friends when she transferred here mid-year, and everyone had already formed their cliques since elementary.

It was hard enough with the growing changes in her 14-year-old body, and she already felt awkward all the time—the giggling behind her back and to her face wasn't helping. 

Wanda wanted to go back home to Sokovia, except there was nothing left to return to. The war had reduced everything to shambles, and everyone else in her family was happy to have been able to seek refuge in America—Rochester, specifically. 

Wanda knew she should be grateful, especially since many of her aunts, uncles, cousins, and other extended family couldn't escape. She never really had too many friends, but the few she did went to Canada, and she knew she'd unlikely ever talk to them again. 

It was a lot of change, and Pietro was the only person who understood her at this new school, but even he couldn't do much since they shared no classes together. Plus, Pietro had still managed to make a friend, and Wanda didn't have the heart to make him sit with her at lunch every day. 

"Do you want me to eat lunch with you? I can ask Sam to sit with us," Pietro offered, but Wanda shook her head. 

"Are you sure?" Pietro asked again, preparing to sit with Wanda anyway, but Wanda shook her head.

"No, it's fine. I'm just going to eat my lunch quick and head to the library to catch up on some assignments," Wanda mumbled quietly, waiting for some girls in her class to pass by before she said it. 

"Okay," Pietro said, sighing since he was conflicted about staying with his sister or heading off to hang out with his friend. But at Wanda's insistence, he merely told her where she could find him if there was anything and took off with one last glance.

When Pietro was fully out of sight, Wanda took a seat alone at an empty table, pulling out her lunch reluctantly. She was quick to notice that the American kids typically brought a plain sandwich or bought food from the cafeteria, which usually consisted of the same foods like pizza or mac and cheese. 

While the comments about the food she brought were also embarrassing, Wanda didn't have it in her to ask her mother to make something else. Money was tight, and asking to add other things to the grocery list just so she could fit in didn't seem worth it when it wouldn't do anything about the fact no one wanted to talk to her. 

So, Wanda pulled out the finomfőzelék with her breaded chicken breast. She still didn't open it and let her containers sit on the table. 

Wanda wasn't quite sure what was causing it. Maybe it was just this specific instance of sitting alone, or maybe it was the last week and a half of enduring this, but Wanda felt her eyes burn and water. She willed it with everything she had inside to not let it fall and took a deep breath. 

"Hi."

The sudden sound made Wanda's head snap up, eyes wide with surprise. You stood there, and Wanda sort of recognized you from her classes. She thought she shared all but one with you. You've never contributed to the bullying but never stopped it or talked to her, either. 

Wanda vaguely recalled you've been sick with a cold the last few days. Her eyes shifted to look behind you, and she could see your friends looking very confused and beckoning you to come back to their lunch table.

"Hi," Wanda quietly greeted you back, wincing at how the accent could even come out with one syllable. 

You sat down suddenly, clearing your throat. "Can I ask you something?"

"Okay," Wanda replied warily. 

"Do you practice witchcraft?"

The question stumped Wanda.

"What?" 

"Do you practice witchcraft?" You repeated, looking serious. 

"No," Wanda frowned, so perplexed that she couldn't even be upset about her accent. "I don't. Why would you think that?"

"Well, Hela has been spreading rumors that you're a witch from Sokovia, and that's why Mr. Coulson passed away suddenly when you came."

Then, it's suddenly so clear why no one has been talking to her. 

"But if you're not a witch cursing people to death, then that's cool," you said, interrupting Wanda's thoughts. "I wanted to ask you that earlier but then I got sick for a few days. So, do you want to hang out with me?"

Wanda just stared at you, her heart racing because finally, finally, she was going to have a friend. "Yes," Wanda replied quickly, smiling. "That'd be...cool," she repeated your slang. 

"Cool," you smiled back before pointing at her food. "Noticed you bring different food every other day. Can I try some? I'll trade you some of my sandwich. Heads up, though, my mom has been experimenting with food. This week was Chinese food, so beef and broccoli might be between the bread."

Wanda smiled at the memory, the ends of it tapering off. You changed her life, and even when Hela made fun of you, you shut her up with a comment about how she stuffed her bra. It was devastating to a 14-year-old. 

After that, the two of you were inseparable. You still occasionally hung out with your group of friends, but you definitely drifted to spend time with Wanda. 

Wanda wonders if it was actually at that moment that she fell in love with you, but at 14, she didn't know how else to interpret it other than friendship. 

You and Wanda didn't meet Nat, Steve, Bucky, and all the others until high school when the other districts were poured into one school. Since then, so much has happened. 

Your parents divorced.

Wanda's mother passed away from cancer. 

You dated Sam very briefly, giving him your first kiss and then shortly breaking up with him after. 

You came out to her, scared, hesitant, and so happy when Wanda didn't care. 

Wanda started to date Vision.

Wanda wanted to go to NYU, and you happily went there with her. 

You confessed you had a crush on Natasha but didn't want to pursue it. 

Wanda's first break-up with Vision. 

You dated Jean Grey and cried when she left you for Scott. 

When you wanted to stay in New York City, Wanda decided to stay here too, rooting her career here with you. 

Wanda wonders if maybe actually she'd fallen in love with you several times over and over but didn't know how to interpret any of her strong feelings for you, categorizing them as friendship just as she did when she was 14.

"I'm home!" 

Wanda hears the apartment door close and the shuffling of you taking off your shoes. She looks at the time and realizes two hours have already passed. Deciding that she's wallowed enough, Wanda decides to get out of bed and leave her room, running her fingers through her hair to tame it.

When she enters the kitchen, Wanda finds you starting the process of making paprikash. It's something you've always done for her when she's sick, feeling down, or homesick. Yet, in this moment, something swells inside Wanda's chest, and she wants to burst out crying again.

"Oh, hey," you turn around and smile as you see her, and Wanda clears her throat and blinks the tears quickly away.

"Hey," Wanda smiles back as she makes her way towards you. "You didn't have to do that, you know. I'm feeling better."

You open your arms for her to dive into a tight hug. You smell like clean laundry and mint, and Wanda wants to bottle your smell. The tension in Wanda lately starts to drain from her body as you rub her back comfortingly. 

"Some paprikash never hurt nobody," you joke. "I'm glad you're feeling better, though, brat. Is it the break-up with Vis?"

"Huh?" Wanda's brows furrow. "No, not really. I haven't really thought about it."

"Homesickness?"

"Er," Wanda fiddles with the back of your shirt. "Kinda, I guess."

"Well, good thing Thanksgiving is in a few months. Your dad and brother are coming here this year, right?"

Wanda nods, brightening at the thought of seeing her family. "Yes, I hope papa and Tony don't get into it again this year."

"I think your dad gets a sick sense of joy of torturing the son of man responsible for all the weapons that destroyed Sokovia," you say dryly. "I think Tony's starting to catch on he's not serious, though."

Wanda chuckles, and you pat her shoulders before you pull away and take out a knife and chopping board. Watch sits on the bar stool, watching you cook, letting things fall into a comfortable silence. 

This was everything, Wanda thought.

Nothing could ruin this moment, and Wanda thought long and hard, building up the courage to say something about her feelings. She wasn't sure what to say, so she might start with something flirtatious, but Wanda would say it more sensually instead of the usual joking tone. 

"Oh!" You say without looking at Wanda, chopping the onion and garlic. "I forgot to tell you. Raye's flying back in a few days before heading out again, and we planned a date this weekend."

Everything is ruined, and Wanda can't tell if the onion or the devastating news is causing her eyes to water.

⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷ 

"Why did you bring me here?" Yelena hisses.

"Because I can't bring Natasha!" Wanda hisses back. "And be quiet or else they're going to hear us!"

"Why not Natasha? She's your other closest friend," Yelena says, quieter as she grumbles. "You're making me miss movie night with Kate. We're supposed to watch Insidious and you're ruining my chances of making fun of her being scared."

"Because," Wanda exasperatedly says. "I've already had a meltdown with Natasha, and she's going to make all sorts of comments if she knows I'm doing this now. I can't be here alone since this is the type of restaurant only couples go to."

"You think I won't make comments?" Yelena raises her brow at Wanda, looking frighteningly similar to Natasha at that moment. "I thought you grew out of stalking Bug's dates in university."

Wanda doesn't reply, too busy staring at your table. Raye is making some kind of flirty comment, reaching across the table and lacing your fingers through hers. You're laughing—Wanda can tell with how your shoulders shake. 

The restaurant you've chosen to take Raye to is a slightly upscale steak restaurant. You've ordered cocktails, a bottle of wine, and two appetizers to start. 

Raye's biting her bottom lip suggestively before she takes a sip of her wine, her index finger is stroking the back of your hand, and Wanda's wondering if she can bribe a waiter to spill a glass of beer on Raye accidentally. 

"Seriously, I know you're best friends, but this is out of hand. Just confess before Raye steals your girl and they get married."

Wanda whips her head back towards Yelena, eyes filled with indignation. 

"THEY WOULD NEVER—"

"SHHH," Yelena hisses, and they both have to hide behind their menus when you turn around and look. "Jesus Christ, Maximoff."

"They would never get married," Wanda huffs before peeking outside her menu to see that you've returned to your conversation with Raye. But then she turns back to Yelena. "You know about my feelings? Did you always know? Did you—"

"Shut up," Yelena groans. "No, I was just fishing, and you're the sucker I caught. I mean, was there a time I thought you guys were too close? Yes, but it eventually became normal."

The two of them put their menu's down when it's safe, and Yelena seems to be carefully planning how to explain her thoughts. 

"We've all accepted that you guys are very close, but you both kept dating different people—you specifically only dating boys and then Vision. It worked out that we were all going to NYU, but did you know that Bug had an offer to study abroad and do an internship that would've accelerated her graduation and then career?" Yelena carefully looks at Wanda's face.

"What?" Wanda frowns. She vaguely remembers you mentioning the program but recalled you dismissing it. You didn't tell her you were offered a spot in the program. "No, but I mean, she was building her online platform, and it was taking off. She didn't need to do an internship."

"No," Yelena agreed with a shrug, "but it wouldn't have hurt. I suspect she couldn't stand the idea of being away from you for a year. Just like how you turned down the job offer in LA at graduation when you knew she would stay in NYC."

"That wasn't—I just—" Wanda huffs. "I like where I am now. My work is flexible." 

"Yeah, but being in public relations, you could've been making twice the amount you are now," Yelena raises her brow again. "Although, at this point, I suspect you both chose adaptable careers in case one of you wanted to move to another city."

"That's not true," Wanda protests.

"Do you even like being a PR?" Yelena asks. "At least Bug loves photography. You, on the other hand, have a talent for PR, but it'd be just as easy for you to do anything else."

"I do like it," Wanda stresses. "It's easy, and the clients I've got keep me busy enough. Just because I don't spend all my time on it or talk about it doesn't mean I don't like it."

"But—"

"Enough talking, our food is coming, and you better be ready to leave at a moment's notice," Wanda cuts Yelena off as the waiter arrives and sets their food down. 

"Worst. Date. Ever," Yelena deadpans.

⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷ 

As it turns out, Raye lives relatively close to the restaurant as you walk hand-in-hand back to her place.

And not too far behind, Wanda and a reluctant Yelena trail from a distance. 

"She's not going to Raye's house, is she?" Wanda whispers with a frown.

"Why not?" Yelena grunts, adjusting her leather jacket. "She has casual flings all the time, and by the looks of their date earlier, it went very well."

"Not. Helping," Wanda glares at Yelena. They enter a street filled with apartments, and Wanda is careful about not following too close and walking under the streetlights.

"This is psychotic," Yelena groans. "Can't we go home? I feel like a literal serial killer out here."

Wanda doesn't respond, just staring ahead as they continue to walk. You're swinging your hand back and forth, interlaced with Raye's. There's giggling, and Raye keeps leaning closer to say something to you. 

There's so much sexual tension that it's palpable from here, and Wanda wishes there was a serial killer out here. 

How was Wanda going to stop this? How was Wanda going to prevent you from going home with someone else?

Wanda picks up a small rock and chucks it hard toward your general direction, hoping to spook the two of you apart. Except, her aim is so terrible that it flies completely left and hits the car beside you instead.

The car alarm goes off, setting off flashing lights and a very, very loud beeping noise.

"Wanda, what the fuck—" Yelena is cut off when Wanda suddenly shoves her down into a bush and dives next to her. "Ow, you fucking—" Wanda slaps her hand over Yelena's mouth.

You and Raye look behind, completely perplexed, when no one is there. You try to check out the vehicle, but other than a small dent, nothing is wrong with the car otherwise. Since neither you nor Raye caused it, you continued walking.

It turns out Raye lived in the building just a few steps ahead. You both stand at the door, holding hands before Raye throws her arms around your neck, smirking. 

Wanda's about to pick up another rock when Raye moves in suddenly for a hot, searing kiss.

And when Wanda watches you kiss back, her hand goes slack. Something awful builds in the pit of her stomach, and there's nothing Wanda can do when she watches you go into the apartment. 

Yelena watches Wanda's crestfallen face and sighs. "Wanda—"

"Let's just get back to the car and go home," Wanda mutters as she stands up, not bothering to brush off the dirt, leaves, or twigs from her hair. 

⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷ 

The car ride home is sickeningly pathetic—a new low for Wanda. 

"PLEASE DON'T BE IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE ELSE. PLEASE DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY WAITING ON YOUUUU—" Wanda hoarsely cries out, tears streaming down her face. She's off-tune, and she's screaming more than she is singing. 

"Oh, god," Yelena sighs, bringing her hand to her face in embarrassment in the passenger seat. They've stopped at a red light, and the car beside them is staring at them strangely. "This is sad for even you, Maximoff."

Wanda doesn't even acknowledge that she heard Yelena, only belting out, "I'LL SPEND FOREVER WONDERING IF YOU KNEW—"

"Just kill me, just kill me, just crash this car and kill us both," Yelena mutters to herself. 

The house is dark when Wanda returns, not that it should be any surprise. Deep down, though, Wanda hoped you'd return home and somehow beat her to it. 

Wanda's eyes feel tired and raw from crying the entire way home. Yelena gave her a reluctant hug, mustering all her kindness into rubbing Wanda's back and kissing the crown of her head when it was buried in her friend's shoulder. 

Pulling out her phone, Wanda looks at her texts. One from work, a couple of Natasha, one from Vis, and one from Pietro. She stares at your name in her messages, but nothing comes even if she wills it. 

Instead, she shoots you a quick "hey :)" and puts her phone away. You'd unlikely answer, but Wanda couldn't help herself. 

Sighing, Wanda gets ready for the night, trying to not let her mind drift on what activities you and Raye could be doing.

Please let it be scrabble, please let it be scrabble, Wanda thinks as she finishes brushing her teeth. 

As she walks towards her room, she pauses. It's unlikely you'd return until tomorrow morning, maybe even noon. Biting her lip, Wanda turns and walks into your room instead, crawling into your bed under the sheets. She pulls the blanket up to her chin, inhaling your scent slowly.

It both comforts her and makes her heart twinge. 

After an hour, sleep falls upon Wanda easily, and she's nearly in a deep sleep when the lights suddenly turn on, and a yelp is heard.

Wanda wakes up suddenly, shooting up with her heart pounding that it's a robber, but it's just you standing at the door with your hand over your heart and chest heaving. 

"Oh my god, you scared the shit out of me!" You scold Wanda. "I totally thought you were my sleep paralysis demon!"

Wanda rolls her eyes at the comment but frowns as you calm yourself and rummage through your closet for sleeping clothes. "What are you doing at home? I thought you were going to sleep over at Raye's."

"She got a call in the middle of everything. It was her sister or something having some kind of meltdown. Raye says her sister can be dramatic, and it happens once a month, but she couldn't really hang up. I got sleepy waiting, but I didn't wanna crash there to just sleep on a first date," you answer. 

"I'm sure you would've gotten some in the morning," Wanda mutters.

"I guess, but feels weird since it'd definitely be rushed," you take off your jacket and socks before heading to the bathroom. "It's fine, we'll probably reschedule for another date." 

"Perfect," Wanda sighs as she starts to get up. 

"Stay there, brat," you tell her as you stand at the door. "If you're gonna sleep in my bed, you better commit to the sleepover."

Wanda sticks her tongue out at you, which you return before you leave.

Tapping her fingers against the sheets, Wanda smiles. Maybe the night wasn't so hopeless after all. 

PART THREE

[blueshadesfandomstuff]

Hey was reading thru your shutterbug and seaglass series which I wanna say is so dang cute! But I noticed in your notes you kept having issues with whatever we consider school over here in America and I’d be happy to shed some light on that as I am an American and I did go to a standard public school in the era the batkids grew up anyway I hope this info helps for any future endeavors you might have. The school year starts in the autumn which for us is mid-August to mid-September and ends early to late June with a 2 week break in the winter around the new year and a usually 1-2 week break in spring around March/April. New Jersey and New York like to start school usually after Labor Day which is the first weekend and following Monday of September (different states start at just a bit earlier or later depending on various factors) kids begin what we call “Elementary”school around ages 5-6 in Kindergarden unless their parents enroll them in pre-K. Then they go from first “grade” to fifth grade, usually. Then “Middle” school is from sixth to eighth grade and “High” school is from ninth to twelfth grade. Then college which we all refer to as college even if it’s a university. College follows this same year start and end model except they follow a semester model and so there is the fall semester, a 4-5 week winter break, spring semester and an optional summer semester or summer break most universities/colleges don’t offer the full course list during this time but people who wanna finish their degree earlier or have less classes to worry about at other times may take this option. You mentioned you’re from Australia how does y’alls education system differ?

Hi there!

First off thank you for taking the time to read Shutterbug and Seaglass! I love that the series has fans - it's just so wonderful to hear people like my work enough to read it!

Thank you so much, too, for taking the time to send me such a comprehensive answer! I'll paste it all down into my planning document!

School in Australia is a little different (though I also age with Timi from this fic and so I'm a little outdated, aside from the fact I'm an after school tutor for English and Maths with a private company)

First off, we only have primary schools and high schools with middle schools still being rare and fairly new. Pre-primary is the class for 4 to five year olds and is where mandatory schooling begins here (with some private kindergardens for kids around 3/4) and tend, though not always, to be part of a primary school. Primary school goes from Pre-primary or year 1 up until year 7 with high school being years 8-12.

We start our year in late Jan/early Feb and then have four ten week terms with two week breaks in between and finish the year just before the Christmas/Summer holidays that last for about six weeks. It averages to be about the same amount of time off as the US but spread constantly throughout the year.

University or TAFE (which I think is equivalent to a technical college or community college in the US) on the other hand, runs by semester (still starts in Jan/Feb and ends in December though) with a three week break in the middle of the two semesters and a long exam period at the end.

Universities here don't have their students live-in for the most part unless they're in difficult places to get to, so kids usually live at home during their university years (unless their parents are very old-fashioned and expect them to leave home at 18). So we don't have quite the same 'college experience' that I see when I watch US programs. Where it seem to be like a 'taste of freedom' to get soon to be adults ready for the real world. I kinda wish we did do that though - it seems like it would be an easier landing if you had practice first!

Thank for reaching out!

[harryronfest]

Masterlist HarryRonFest 2022

Strings Attached by @cassiaratheslytherpuff

[E | 26k+ words]

It’s not always easy to be secretly in love with your best mate, but Harry manages it well enough. At least, he does until a product gone wrong binds him to Ron’s side for the foreseeable future.

Feels like home to me by @digthewriter

[GA | Artwork]

Harry and Ron are each other's homes.

A tangled mess by @orange-peony

[E | 16k+ words]

Ron remembers those days after the war, when he felt nauseous with grief. When all he wanted was to hide from it, but it was everywhere. In George's blank, still shocked face. In his mother's hands, folding Fred's laundry carefully, to put it back in a drawer where it wouldn't be touched anymore. In his father's tears, hidden in the shed amongst the things he was forever tinkering with.

And then, there was Harry.

When It Still Fits by @flidethechemist

[E | 15k+ words]

Ron was a sucker for nostalgia.

Every once in a while, he would sit in the Astronomy Tower and relive the memories of his boyhood days. With his Astronomy book in hand, he lists the stars he can see through Charlie’s brass telescope and reads the small notes penned in it over the years. It’s a shame that his old uniform didn’t fit anymore.

But Harry...

Harry could still fit in his.

It takes two by @the-kellephant

[E | 2k+ words]

Harry desperately looked up at Ron. “Do you trust me?” he asked.

Ron’s too blue eyes widened and he unconsciously stepped closer into Harry’s space. “With my life, Harry, you know that.”

ShutterBug by @arwrite

[M | 6k+ words]

blissful photographs of Harry and Ron’s life today, part 2 of my blissful photographs series.

Buried Feelings by @audisodd

[M | 1k+ words]

Drunk Harry can’t fight the chest monster anymore when Seamus calls him out on his buried feelings for his best mate, especially once he realizes Ron disappeared from the dance floor with a man who wasn’t him.

The curves of your lips rewrite history by orphan_account

[GA | 627 words]

In which Harry can’t keep his eyes off his mate’s lips.

Sounds like a bad idea, but OK. by @digthewriter

[GA | Artwork]

8th year doesn't change anything for these boyfriends.

[hondagirll]

a get to know you game!

tagged by @queenofattolia, thanks friend!

Favourite Colour: *looks at closet* green. pink. multiple shades of blue

Last Movie: men in black part ii (don't judge. it was on max and we were like, "why not?")

Last song: no songs but the last podcast i listened to on my walk today was the latest jill on money episode

Sweet/savory/spicy: sweet. i love all the candy!

Relationship status: single

Last thing I googled: vlc player so i could watch a download of Much Ado About Nothing that's in .avi format I have on my laptop

Current obsession: re-reading the queen's thief series. I am up to book 5 and its so good. Kamet and Costis! Also, we just finished our Firefly re-watch last night and it led me to want to look up fanfics recs for the show. I am actually braving ff.net site since most of the good stuff is there or at lj since the show is 22 years old at this point which is weird because i am so used to the simplicity of a03 (my eyeballs are now old!!!). And I'm trying to find a good (easy) bread recipe that i can make in a small apartment kitchen without a stand mixer. 2024 is the year i will make homemade bread!

tagging some mutuals with recent activity: @shutterbug-12 @chainofclovers @thebreakfastgenie @clintbeifong @dollsome-does-tumblr @bethanyactually and anyone else who wants to do this just say you are tagged!

[ao3feed-superbat]

From A Bat To A Bed Bug

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/FsKIWaB by Intercoursefluids Alfred noticed Bruce staying up far too late to work on a case and enlists Clark's help to force him to bed. Words: 552, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Series: Part 7 of Shutterbug Event Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types Rating: Not Rated Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M Characters: Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne, Mention of Bernard Dowd, Tim Drake, Alfred Pennyworth Relationships: Clark Kent/Bruce Wayne, Bernard Dowd/Tim Drake Additional Tags: Established Relationship, Established Clark Kent/Bruce Wayne, POV Alfred Pennyworth, Alfred Pennyworth Ships It, Alfred Pennyworth Knows, Minor Bernard Dowd/Tim Drake, Domestic Fluff, Bats forced to bed read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/FsKIWaB

[604to647]

Red Herring

3.3K / Detective Tim Rockford x fem!reader

Summary: You make Detective Rockford a Halloween costume.

Warnings: 18+ Content (MDNI please).  Established relationship, nicknames as usual (Shutterbug, baby, gorgeous), lingerie, semi-public sex, desk sex, oral (f receiving), unprotected PiV, bad puns, half-assed costumes.

A/N: Since The Rockford Portfolio was born from @mermaidgirl30’s Ocean Challenge this summer, I thought it was only fitting to write the same couple for Jamie's Halloween Writing Challenge (as always though, the stories in the collection can be read standalone ☺️)! Tim's hatred of Halloween is heavily influenced by Amy Santiago from Brooklyn 99 🤭🤭 Happy Halloween and spooky season everyone!

Dividers by @saradika-graphics 😘 / Series Masterlist

Tim was right.  Halloween at a police precinct is a mess.

The streets outside are absolute mayhem, crawling with costumed Halloween revelers stumbling and celebrating in various states of undress and inebriation.  No one seems to care that they’re causing a ruckus right outside of a building full of cops.  Even walking up the stairs to the main doors, you had found yourself side stepping at least two incidents of vomit, and you still feel a little worried about leaving the trio of drunk Power Puff girls on the bench outside even though they had giggled that they were fine when you asked.  There’s no safer place for them to be, you suppose.

The inside of the precinct is no less chaotic than it is outside.  It’s exactly as Tim had described.  You chuckle to yourself as you pass a couple of patrolmen headed out as Jedi Knights and think back to your conversation earlier this month when Tim told you he would be working on Halloween.

Curled up in Tim’s lap, you’re scrolling through TikTok as he watches some police procedural on the TV that he keeps grumbling at when you come across a few spoopy videos, “Do you think you might want to do a couples costume for Halloween, Detective?”

Tim actually grimaces.  He hates Halloween with a passion, “Oh Shutterbug, I’m so sorry – I have to work Halloween.  I work every Halloween.”

“Every Halloween?”

“Yeah - ugh. Halloween is honestly such a gong show.  People think costumes make them invincible for some reason,” he closes his eyes and scowls at the memory of Halloweens past.  “Every patrolman works overtime and is out on the streets breaking up fights, putting people in the drunk tank, getting drunk drivers off the streets.”

He’s not done; Tim brings his paw of a hand to his face and massages it in irritation, “The entire detective squad comes in to help process every idiot that’s brought in: DWI.  Underage Drinking.  Disorderly Conduct.  Assault.  Vandalism.  Trespassing.  Theft.  You name it, gorgeous.  Halloween is a fucking mess.”

You chuckle a little, you’re not used to seeing your normally unflappable detective so out of sorts, nevermind at the mere thought of a children’s celebration.

“Does everyone hate Halloween like you?”

Tim cracks a smile at this, “No one hates things the way I hate things.”  This has you giggling – Tim can be terribly grumpy.  “I guess not everyone.  The precinct gets decorated and there is a costume contest.”

“Oh!” You perk up at this, “And they arrest people in costume?”

“Might as well,” Tim’s face screws up in annoyance again, “It’s not like anyone respects the uniform on Halloween.  You have better luck getting compliance as Godzilla.”

For a second, you imagine Tim sulking behind his desk, filling out public intoxication reports dressed as Batman and you have to stifle a snort of laughter, “But not you though?  You don’t dress up?”

“Nope.”

“What’s the costume contest prize?” your eyes twinkle.

“No, nope,” Tim kisses the nose that you’ve scrunched up in mischief, “What do you plan on doing for Halloween, Shutterbug?”

You look thoughtful, the truth is you’re not really up for anything too exciting this year, “I’m probably going to volunteer at the library to give out candy, then I told the girls I’d meet up with them at a pub for some food and drinks.  Then they’ll head over to a bar or club or something that’s hosting a Halloween party and I don’t really want to do that.  Maybe I could come hang out with you?”

“Of course you can, baby.  But just be prepared, it’s going to be messy.”

The bullpen is loud – every desk is occupied by a dog tired, costumed detective taking down statements, yelling into their phone, or typing aggressively away on their computer – some of them doing all three.  The holding cell is overflowing, and the occupants are either wildly indignant about their detainment or completely unphased and appear to be continuing whatever reveries that had brought them in from behind bars.  There is no in between.

The commotion is so much more unruly than it usually is; it might be unsettling, except for how comical it is to see Tim’s colleagues in various costumes doing their very serious jobs. At a quick glance you see: a bumblebee, a Pikachu, two pirates, an Aquaman, and three Howls from Howl’s Moving Castle.

The juxtaposition of these outfits to the cacophony in the room is hilarious.  You spot and wave to Tim’s partner, Detective Arnold Calloway, who’s dressed as Elvis on your way to Tim’s office.

Tim’s door is open but before you announce yourself, you take a moment to ogle your handsome boyfriend as he types, brows furrowed in concentration at his computer.  He’s not in costume but you can’t complain – Tim's usual crisp white dress shirt stretches taut across his broad frame, his hunched shoulders restrained slightly by the unforgiving leather of his gun holster. His tie is loose but it’s the only thing that’s loose - Tim’s rolled up shirt sleeves strain to contain his beefy arms, and from where you stand, you can see his exposed forearms flex tightly with every furious punch to the keys on his keyboard.  Even without a costume, Tim Rockford looks like a superhero.

“Happy Halloween, Detective.”

The smile that breaks across Tim’s face when he looks up and sees you is nothing short of breathtaking, it sends a blooming warmth through your chest that quickly winds its way down between your legs.

“Happy Halloween, Shutterbug.  How’s your night going so far?”

“Pretty fun!  The library had so many kids coming in – I gave out so much candy!  And dinner was good – the girls say hi.  What about you, baby?”  You walk around Tim’s desk and lean down to place a sweet kiss to his lips before massaging his weary shoulders.

Tim sighs, “As good as can be expected for this godforsaken holiday.  I’ve been to the hospital for interviews twice, and now I’m processing a mountain of misdemeanors.”

You ghost your lips behind Tim’s ear and smile when the little puff of air you blow makes him groan.  Planting chaste kisses to the back of his neck as you continue kneading the hard muscles of his back, you chirp mischievously, “I have something that could make your evening more fun, Detective.”

Tim leans back and spins his chair around to face you, smirking, “Oh yeah?  What’s that, Shutterbug?”

Chuckling, you reach into your purse and take out a headband with two springs coming out the top like antennae and hold it out to Tim.

“What’s this?”

You point to the tops of the springs: on one you’ve glued an empty packet of Trident gum, and to the other is affixed a small dog toy in the shape of a shoe that you had found at the dollar store.  Giggling, you place the headband over Tim’s head and tuck the ends behind his ears, “It’s your costume, Tim.  You’re a gumshoe.”

Tim groans and drops his face into his palm.  The resulting bounce of the little objects over his head makes you giggle even harder, “See?  You were already dressed up and you didn’t even know it.”  You wave you hand over Tim’s body.

Detective Rockford peeks through his fingers and when he sees your impish grin and how much joy your mischief is bringing you, he can’t help but grin himself, “Alright, gorgeous.  Where’s your costume, then?”

Delighted at how easily Tim’s given in to your silliness, you reach back into your purse and pull out your own headband – a red one with similar antennae to match his black, but at the end of each of your springs is a little plastic fish, swaying and jiggling erratically as you slip the band onto you head and jovially announce, “A red herring for my dashing gumshoe to chase!"

Tim lets out a low gruff of a laugh, one that crinkles the eyes that are already always soft for you, his smile as relaxed as his shoulders now are, “Where’s the rest of your costume?  Shouldn’t you be wearing red?”  He teasingly does the same waving motion you did to him earlier over your closed trench coat jacket.

If possible, your smile gets even wider when you reply, “I am!  You want me to show you?”

“Sure, baby.”  To Tim’s surprise, instead of opening your jacket, you coyly saunter over to his office door, closing then locking it.  On your way back to him, you start to undo the knot of your jacket belt, letting the lapels of your jacket fall open to reveal the sexist red lace lingerie set Tim’s ever seen in his life.  As you slide between Tim and his desk, perching gingerly on the edge, you snicker at your boyfriend’s drooling expression. 

“Trick or Treat, Detective Rockford?” you flirt, fingers hooked under the warm leather straps of Tim’s gun holster, lightly tugging to beckon him closer.  He obeys.

Hypnotized, Tim slowly brushes his fingers over the frill of the delicate fabric that lays tantalizingly over your delicious curves – leaving goosebumps on your supple skin everywhere his hands graze, and even places they don’t.  He unwittingly licks his lips at your pert nipples, already at attention and tenting the crimson red floral lace that hug your tits so prettily – Tim can’t help himself; leaning forward in his chair, he takes one in his mouth.

The soft gasp that you let escape exhales to a throaty groan as you feel Tim’s hands travel down your body; they come to a momentary rest at your hips - tugging teasingly at the ruffled skirt of the garter belt before trailing down the straps.  As he rubs the bands that loop around your mid thighs between his thick fingers, Tim chuckles into your chest, “Is that what you wore at the library, baby?”

You giggle uncontrollably and shake your head, little fish above your head dancing wildly on their springs as you push back a little to show Tim how you’re still wearing your modest, library appropriate red dress, but that it’s been unbuttoned and left open under your trench coat.  Eyebrow cocked in amusement, Tim hooks his fingers into and pulls down the cups of your bra before diving back in, and you think you hear him mumble something like Dirty girl, through his mouthful of your breasts.

“You never answered my question – trick or treat, Detective Rockford?”

With some reluctance, Tim parts from the softness of your tits to lean back in his chair, ogling your near naked form shamelessly while he pretends to contemplate his response.  Finally, he scootches his chair forward and cups one of his powerful hands beneath your boobs and presses so that you lean back – his other pries open your legs so you can accommodate the expansive width of his shoulders.

“I think you already chose ‘treat’ for me, Shutterbug.”

Your girlish squeal as Tim lays a sweet kiss to your clit through the thin fabric of your panties is louder than you’d like and you quickly cover your mouth with a hand in order to muffle it.  As Detective Rockford open mouth kisses your panty clad cunt, your eyes roll to the back of your head and the flatness of your palm becomes insufficient to contain your escalating moans – when Tim pulls the gusset of your underwear to the side, the snap of cool air hitting the wetness of your exposed core pulls a cry from your throat that can only be stifled by biting down on the heel of your thumb.

The sting from your teeth causes you to buck into Tim’s face and from that moment forth, there’s no holding back his animalistic lust.  Tim licks fat stripe after fat stripe through your folds to the tip of your hardened nub – every new path made by his tongue dug deep and true.  Your pooled arousal is collected and swirled over your sweetest dips and waves, then sucked and savoured in his mouth like his favourite whiskey.  It might actually be.  Tim’s own groans and growls at the sweetness of your taste vibrate right into your cunt and straight to the tightening band beneath your belly.

Eyes taking in the lascivious sight above him, Tim’s dick strains painfully in his pants: his pretty girl is laid near bare and gorgeous, tits bouncing while her face screws up in pleasure, mouth stuffed with her own fist. You're a true heaven that contrasts starkly to the hell of mundane paperwork that Tim thought would make up the bulk of his Halloween shift, still sitting next to you on the very same desk you’re currently writhing on.

With a feral grunt, Tim tongue fucks your slit while his nose and the elastic hem of your pulled back panties work your slippery clit in tandem.  He builds and builds until he knows you can’t take anymore, then pushes you over the edge with the tenor of his baritone command to come.

You crest with a wild cry that’s barely contained by your now aching and wet hand, drool running down your wrist as your body shudders with wave after wave of indescribable pleasure.   

Only when he feels your lithe body settle does Tim rise to his feet and undo his belt.  Lips and facial scruff still shiny with your release, he grins a wolfish grin, “Now it’s time for 'trick', gorgeous.”

Kissing you roughly, Tim busies himself with pulling out his leaking cock as you return his affections just as fiercely, spurned on by the taste of you in your own mouth.  He pulls back to clean his face with the back of his arm, and you whimper when you unsuccessfully chase after his lips.

“No need to be greedy, Shutterbug. Your Detective is going to fuck you now,” smirks Tim, notching himself at your entrance and sliding in with ease.

The heft of him still leaves you breathless every time.  When you look up at Tim, you find his face relaxed in a look of reverence that tells you he feels the same about the welcome of your warm walls.

“Going to fuck you hard and fast, 'kay baby?  Don’t have much time.  Can’t have anyone coming in and seeing my pretty girl split on my cock” Tim’s mouth slots over yours and he drinks in your moans at his dirty promise.  One of Tim’s meaty hands grips your hip so hard you know he’ll leave a bruising imprint of his desire for you to find tomorrow, the other grabs your lacy garter belt like a cowboy would the reins of his horse; as he starts to ride you, every punishing drive of Tim’s cock leaves you marveling that the delicate fabric doesn’t rip to shreds under his efforts.

“Fuck me, Detective,” you breath, nipping and sucking along Tim’s strong jaw to behind his earlobe where he’s most sensitive.  Sticking out your tongue to lick down the column of Tim’s throat, your mouth jolts against Tim’s bobbing Adam’s apple as he continues to thrust into you like a man possessed.  The scrape of your teeth and the soothing lave of you tongue over the responsive skin at the base of his neck, cause Tim to groan, low and throaty.  When your fingers thread through his soft curls and yank down so to expose more of his neck to your sinful mouth, he retaliates by reaching for your breasts, roughly kneading and worshiping before directing his attention to your nipples.

Without letting up on your sopping hole, Tim rolls and pinches, pulls and tweaks your pert peaks, all while gritting out dirty words of praise:

Pretty thing came to a police precinct tonight to get fucked, didn’t she?

So fucking hot in your little outfit, gorgeous just for me.

This pussy's made my whole fucking night, baby.

You can only hope that your near pornographic wails are adequately buffered by the thickness of Tim’s chest, as you bury your face against the wall of him.  The combination of your tight and slick cunt and the added friction of your panties, now soaked with your cream and pressed taut against his cock, has Tim on the expressway; when his pace starts to grow frantic, he leaves your perfect tits to press his thumb down on your clit.

“Oh fuck, Tim!  Fuck, I’m going to c-” Tim’s solid and comforting circles on your crying nub are enough to send you over the edge again.  Your heaving breaths against his neck and the fluttering of your walls as they clamp down on his length send Tim barreling to join you soon after.

Hands still in Tim’s hair, you card through his dampened waves as the two of you rest forehead-to-forehead, exchanging tender butterfly kisses and soft words of devotion during the comedown from your twin highs.

Knock, knock.

“Rockford.”  It’s Arnie.

Tim slips out of you and tucks himself back in before walking to his door, waiting with his hand on the handle to make sure you’ve had time to right and button up your dress before he opens the door to see what his partner wants.

“Rockford, do you have that repor- What’s that?” Detective Arnold Calloway’s eyes widen and he points to the still bobbling springs on the headband that Tim never took off his head.

Tim has no words.

Your hand flies to your mouth and you barely contain the hysterical giggle that threatens to escape.  Arnie looks past Tim right at you, and his face breaks out in the biggest shit-eating grin you’ve ever seen.  His eyes dance with mirth and you can’t help but blurt out the answer to his unspoken question, “He’s a gumshoe!!!”  The two of you shriek in laughter as Tim stands stiffly, eyes closed in disbelief, willing himself to disappear. 

You bound up to the door and loop one arm around Tim’s waist, the other you arch to point to your own headband, beaming, “I’m the red herring in his case!”

Arnie nearly drops the files in his arms to hold his stomach as he cackles, “Perfect costumes!  Never thought I’d see the day when Rockford dressed up for Halloween!  Forget the report – I need a picture.”

“No pictures,” Tim practically bellows as he storms back to his desk in a huff, headband adornments swinging wildly.

Winking at Detective Calloway, you whisper, “I’ll get a picture,” before you walk back into Tim’s office and settle in on the couch.  Tucking your legs under your bum, you pull out the book you checked out of the library earlier before looking up to your sweet boyfriend who's gone back to typing his reports as if he wasn't just ravaging you on that same desk minutes earlier, “Love you, Detective Rockford.”

Tim glances up at the sweet angel who willingly keeps him company on this horrid night and makes it decidedly less horrid; giving you a soft smile, he winks, “Love you more, Shutterbug.”

The Monday following Halloween, you’re putting the finishing touches on dinner when Tim comes home, carrying a large box that he deposits on the kitchen counter with a look of pride and amusement.

“What’s this?” you ask with curiosity, giving Tim a deep welcome home kiss before opening the package to discover a case of wine.

To your gleeful howl of laughter, Tim tells you that he won the precinct Halloween costume contest this year. 

You’re looking through the box, picking up the bottles and reading the labels.  Malbec.  Gamay. Beaujolais.  Barbarossa.  You take out a bottle of Nebbiolo that you think might work with dinner and exclaim in delight, “Congratulations, Detective!  This is a great prize!”

Tim sweeps you into his arms and presses his lips to your pretty pout for a searing kiss, murmuring, “I got a better one right here.”

Visual aids for this instalment: