#sorry I’m not staying there until 6 am or the end of the week

[youaintnothinbuta]

“I promise you the bed will be so much comfier” — Austin butler x reader

Summary: you are Florence’s bestie and meet Austin through her while she’s on set during filming for Dune :)

Pairing: Austin Butler x reader

Word count: 1.1K

Warnings: fluff! Slow burn, no real romance, friends before dating typa cuteness! I wrote this while extremely tired so sorry if there are typos </3

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Your best friend, Florence, was in the UAE for filming for Dune. When Florence told you she was going to be spending those 5 shooting weeks either in the desert or alone in the apartment they would provide for her, you offered to find some time to visit her for a bit, but it ended up in you just coming with her for almost the whole time.

You settled into a routine with her nicely, though you didn’t see much of her for more than a few hours at a time. Mostly you filled your time with exploring the nearby areas, reading and occasionally visiting Flo on set. It was during one of these days that you first met Austin.

It was easy to get along with his relaxed demeanour, and his charm made it even easier to strike up a friendship of sorts. It wasn’t long before your friendship with him felt as though there wasn’t a time where you hadn’t known each other.

One early morning, you found yourself tossing and turning in bed. Sleep eluded you, and the more you tried to force it, the more restless you became. Frustrated and tired, you grabbed your phone to check the time. 6:14. Florence had long shoot this day and you didn’t want to wake her up any earlier she had to be up. Pushing past the straining sensation the light of your phone gave your eyes, you decided to text Austin, who didn’t have to be on set until the evening.

“You awake? I can’t sleep.”

No reply as you scrolled aimlessly, waiting. Figuring his silence was a ‘no,’ you put your phone down and tried for the hundredth time to fall asleep. Just as the the room fell back to darkness, a buzz beside your head alerted you back to full consciousness.

“I am. Come over, door will be unlocked for you.”

You didn’t hesitate. All the cast and crew were staying in houses along the same strip and Austin’s was conveniently just across the road. You slipped on your shoes and quietly made your way over, the early morning air cool and refreshing against your skin as you knocked lightly before pushing the door open. You found Austin in the kitchen, already making his breakfast and a coffee.

“Hey,” he greeted you with a warm smile, “you look sleepy.”

“Because I am,” you replied, with slightly more attitude than you intended, “I just couldn’t get comfortable.”

You turned to leave, going to curl up at the end of the couch in the living room.

He soon joined you, placing his food on the coffee table. You lifted your head from the back of the sofa to look up at him.

Austin motioned towards his bedroom. “If you want to try and get some more sleep, I promise you the bed will be so much comfier.”

“Are you sure?” You asked, hesitating for a moment.

“Yeah, of course,” Austin said, leading you towards his room. “Make yourself at home.”

You slipped into his bed, instantly feeling enveloped in comfort. Austin closed the curtains but left the door open, ensuring you could rest without feeling too closed in. His sheets smelt divine, just like the way he smelt every day, but softer. And between you and well, you, there may have been some feelings starting to develop for him.

You actually did manage to get some rest, when the sound of conversation woke you. You heard Florence’s voice ask if he’d seen you.

Austin replied, “Yeah, she’s in bed,” nodding towards his room.

Concern painted Flo’s face, “she slept with you?”

Austin shook his head, setting down his coffee. "No, she came over earlier. She’s just having a nap. She couldn’t sleep at your place."

Florence crossed her arms, studying him carefully. "Mhm. And are you trying to sleep with her?"

Austin met her gaze evenly. "No, I’m not trying to sleep with her."

"So, there are no feelings for her? And it’s normal for you to let anyone you’ve known four weeks sleep in your bed?" Florence pressed, her concern evident. She was your best friend, and you did only know Austin a few weeks. She really was only looking out for you, even if she was being a bit pushy for half seven in the morning.

Austin sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Right now, my feelings for her are friend deep because that is all I’ll let them be. If she makes it clear to me that she wants me to make my move, then I will allow myself to feel more.”

Florence nodded slowly, her expression softening. "I just don’t want you hurting her."

"I promise, that is the very last thing I want to do," Austin assured her.

Florence glanced towards the bedroom, then back at Austin. "Alright, I’ve got to go. I’m already late. Thanks for the breakfast," she said, holding up the small to-go container he gave her.

"No problem," Austin replied with a warm smile. "Don’t work too hard."

Florence gave him a cheeky nod and grin before disappearing, her voice yelling, “I will hurt you if I find out you try anything on her,” earning a laugh from Austin.

You decided to pretend to still be asleep so he wouldn’t know you heard any of their conversation. Austin took a moment to gather himself before heading towards his bedroom where he thought you were still sleeping. He approached the doorframe and knocked gently. You groaned softly, stirring but not quite waking.

"Sorry," Austin whispered, not wanting to startle you. "Are you ready for some breakfast?"

You shook your head, still half-buried in the pillows. Austin smiled softly, about to walk away, when he heard you mumble his name.

"Yeah?" he responded, turning back towards you.

You reached out towards him, and he stepped closer, thinking you were asking for help getting up. But instead of taking his hand, you wrapped your arms around his neck, insisting on being held.

He leaned down, his strong arms easily lifting her from the bed. You nestled against him, your head resting on his shoulder.

"Where do you want to go? The couch?" he asked softly.

You shook your head, your hair brushing against his cheek. You laid your head more comfortably on his shoulder, and Austin took the cue, gently swaying back and forth, like rocking a baby. His arms were strong and steady, capable of holding you for as long as you needed him to.

You stayed like this for several minutes, the morning light casting a soft glow through the partially closed curtains. Austin felt a deep sense of peace, content just to be there with you. Eventually, he felt you shift slightly, a sign that you were ready to move. He lowered you gently back down, your feet touching the floor. You looked up at him with a shy smile, your eyes filled with warmth.

"Let’s get you some breakfast,” he smiled back.

A/N: hi I’m back !! I missed y’all 🥹 sorry this is bleh imma bit rusty

[writingbyshiloh]

Third Time's the Charm

Request: Hii,if your request are still open can i request something for Gen V?Can you write something where Jordan and fem reader are childhood best friends and Jordan had always been in love with her but they feel insecure because they don’t know if reader will like them in both forms romantically?So when,in ep 3,Jordan dad goes like “Y/n and Jordan will be husband and wife” reader goes “Maybe we will be wife and wife”because she loves Jordan just like they are?

AN: Reader wants to be the first supe president (just to explain why they’re at the gala), I changed the timeline of the ep a tiny bit. I have another request about meeting Jordan's parents but that one might be more angsty.

CW: fem!reader, kissing, no beta, Jordan's parents are just their warning. The start is all flashbacks so I may have slipped on the tense a few times, no beta

WC: 2.0K

Jordan Li was your first kiss. Twice. The first time was in kindergarten, when they tried to kiss you and you smacked them with your Queen Mauve lunch box. Your second first kiss (the one you consider your actual first kiss) was done by you while playing truth or dare at 14. After picking a dare, you were asked to kiss the best-looking guy in the group. You shrugged and picked your best friend - Jordan. 

At age six, they were there when you broke your ankle trying to see if you could fly (you couldn’t). When you did get powers, they were the first person you told.

When Jordan came out to you as bigender, you did an internet deep-dive, trying to understand as much as possible.

Jordan listened to every interaction you had with your high school crush while quietly dying inside, wanting you to be happy. When your high school boyfriend cheated on you and then dumped you for the girl he cheated with, Jordan was there, ready to sink hours into their Xbox to keep you distracted.

The worst week of your life was when you didn't speak to Jordan for 9 whole days. You got into a petty argument where you called them self-absorbed and they called you clingy. The fight snowballed into yelling arguments and ended with you receiving a cold shoulder from Jordan. 

When Jordan got their wisdom teeth removed, you camped out in their room, snuggled under their duvet with them to watch Property Brothers for two days straight. You even made sure they took their painkillers on time and used ice packs.

Every fight with their parents, you were outside in your car ready to pick up Jordan to stay with you. Once you showed up at their house at 6:03 am, eyes blurry with sleep and still in pyjamas. Jordan was crying, bob haircut looked messy from sleep. You drove them to Vought-A-Burger, still half asleep and ate greasy breakfast sandwiches in your car until Jordan stopped crying. 

Jordan was even your date to prom, taking photos with you in their masculine form to get their parents off their back. Once their parents were happy, you snuck them back to yours, where you stashed their prom dress. 

You both even applied to God U together. Too nervous to check your acceptance, Jordan checked yours and you checked theirs. Sitting across from each other on your bed you both log in before giving the laptops to each other.

“Okay, three, two, one…” you counted down, opening Jordan’s laptop. Your eyes scanned for any promising words like congratulations, or welcome. "Accepted" was the first word your eyes caught but you need to fuck with them.

“Jord… I’m so sorry.” You start. Their face falls, and you feel like a dick for doing this. But the opportunity is too good to pass up. “That you believed me! Because you got in!”

They lunged across your bed to see what the screen says. You saw Jordan's eyes scan the same letter you just read, picking out the same words. 

“You’re such an asshole!” they told you, rolling their eyes, gently hitting your arm with the back of their hand

You’ve never been shy about showering Jordan with compliments. Saved in screenshots never to see the light of day, Jordan has kept some of them. 

You: OMG!!! Jordan you’re so pretty. I’m so lucky to call you my friend. 

You: You’re so handsome!!! I love your hair slicked back! If she doesn’t agree you need to drop her. 

You: ur a solid 9/10. Lost a point for not giving me a sip of your drink yesterday lol

Jordan Li has been in love with you since age 16. Probably earlier, if they want to admit that to themselves. You’ve only ever expressed interest in men so they kept their feelings to themselves, not wanting to make you uncomfortable, figuring it was better to have you as a friend only than not at all. 

In your first year, you were even roommates. While Jordan flourished in crim, you bounced between majors before settling into politics.

Every time you brought some frat guy to your shared dorm, Jordan died inside. Trying to get over their long-standing crush, Jordan did the same.

When Jordan made number 2 on the top five, you celebrate with them. Maybe a bit too hard that night.

You were there when their ranking dropped after the death of Brink. A man you only met twice, but you would do anything for Jordan. Especially given how hard you fell for both versions of them last year.

“I’m going to try to tag team with your dad, get some points for you and keep him engaged, yeah?” You ask over your shocker. Jordan is behind you, ready to help with zipper duty for your dress.

“You don’t have to.”

You let out a small scoff. “Dude. I’m doing poli supe. Schmoozing with rich people is like half our courses. Zip me up please.”

“How long have you known Jordan? You seem to be a good couple.” The man you and Jordan's dad suckered into a conversation asks. He's sitting beside Jordan's parents, while you and Jordan are on the edge of some fancy pit or table. 

“Well, these two have known each other pretty well over the years. Jordan tried to kiss her when they were kids, and she hit him with her Black Noir lunch box.”

“It was a Queen Mauve lunch box, actually.” You say with a laugh.

“And she called him ‘Jojo’ for probably the next two years out of spite.” Kayla laughs. It's a special embarrassment when your parents tell stories about your childhood. All the stories are about you but it's been so long ago you can’t remember any of it. Jordan looks worse off, slouchy posture against the banister, while you sit next to him. Part of you wants to tell him to sit up straight, but you figure you can play the grief angle better this way. 

“Oh, and remember when Jordan got his wisdom teeth out? You guys were inseparable. I think I still have the photo of you two passed out watching TV!” Kayla gushes, reaching for her phone to find the photo.

“We all thought you two would be president and First Gentleman.” Dad insists. Your smile is fake and tight, knowing if Paul pulls out prom photos, you would have to quietly fling yourself out of a window. 

Maybe you drank a bit too much liquid courage. Maybe the tension between them and their parents was getting to you. To give Jordan some space, you took their parents for a tour of your classes, knowing they’ll be talking to your family when they go back to Rochester.

Jordan shifting doesn’t even cause you to raise an eyebrow, the subtle sound just blurs into the background.

“Or president and First Lady.” You blurt out, four pairs of eyes darting towards you. “First supes in the Whitehouse? It would be political dynamite.”

“You like this version of Jordan?” Dad asks with bewilderment.

“Of course. I like Jordan because of how smart and driven they are. I like Jordan because of their weird sense of humour. It doesn’t matter what they look like.” you say, trying to prove it to their parents, but also to them. You’ve picked up on their crush many times, too kind to say something that would embarrass them or hurt them. It’s only recently how much you found yourself staring at fem Jordan and wanting to kiss her too. 

“I’m going to go and mingle some more.” says the man, Brad or Rob maybe. You forgot his name right after you met him. His words are like a bucket of cold water was dumped over you. You don’t confess your feelings to Jordan just to Jordan, but in front of their judgy parents, and a possible donner. You need to go. 

You stand and straighten out your dress. 

“I’m going to go too. Other donors to talk to. Go Jordan!" You finish with an awkward laugh and even more cringy go team! gesture by yourself. 

You didn't lie to Jordan and their parents. You did go and talk to other donors but it twists your stomach every time you bring up how amazing their grades are, or how skillful they are at fighting. After donor number three gives you an answer that technically was “we’ll see” but heavily implied to be "yes for Jordan” you went to hide in the bathroom. You have enough battery left on your V-phone to keep it going for most of the night. Tomorrow you can talk to Jordan and hope you don’t fuck it all up. 

You barely look up when the door opens, already have done too much for the day to care who it is. 

‘Hey, can we talk?” You snap to attention at the voice. Of course, you know that voice. It's Jordan, still feminine presenting. 

“Fuck, Jord, I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have spring that on you. I promise I’ll just go back and try to get you some votes, you’re going through a lot.” You say, in a rush to get the words out, desperate not to fuck up you’re friendship. The rim of the sink is hard against your back but you can’t help but shrink into it. 

“Did you mean it?” They ask, still keeping a distance from you.

“Yeah, of course, I don’t want to ruin this friendship.”

“No, what you said in front of my parents.” 

Oh right. Your confession. Fuck. It's already out there, might as well keep it going. 

“I may, uh-” you curse yourself for leaving your drink outside the bathroom, wanting something in your hands to stall. “-have a crush. On you. My best friend.” You twist your hands together, wishing Jordan didn’t look so pretty. If your heart beats any faster you may go into cardiac arrest. 

It's Jordan that indicates your third first kiss. It's gentle, and fast, like the second one. She pulls back quickly, but you run your fingers through her hair and pull her closer. The intensity from the first first kiss is still there, only this time you both share it. Her hand smooths up to your face, thumb stroking your cheek in a silent invitation to open your mouth. You comply, and tilt your head into her palm. Her tongue sweeps into your mouth and you can taste the champagne they were drinking. 

The sound of the door opening makes you both jump.

“Stall?” You ask, voice low and hushed. You squirm out from where she has you between the sink and her. You push the door open to the nicest-looking stall, desperate to keep kissing Jordan. They follow your lead eagerly, one hand wrapped around your shoulder to keep you near. 

Dipping their head, they softly kiss your jaw before moving onto your neck. You silently thank the other two women arguing in the bathroom so that your gasp goes unnoticed. Giving Jordan's hair a small tug, you pull them back up to you. The shit-eating grin they flash you makes you want to almost get caught again. 

Your free hand moves to their waist, trying to get as close to them as physically possible. 

You pull back slightly, wanting so desperately to get lost in the moment, but the commotion in the other stall is distracting. Plus you’re nosey.

Jordan frowns when you pull away, eyes scanning your face for something they did wrong. You shake your head and tip it over to the stall.

“The fuck?” They mouth to you, hand still around your shoulder.

You gently push Jordan against the door to give yourself space to squat down. You see two pairs of feet in the stall across the wall. You hear the voices quiet down, before the sound of someone peeing. You frown slightly, weird fetish to do at a memorial gala but you hear rumours about students into more fucked up shit. 

“We should get outta here.” You whisper to Jordan. 

“Weird place for our third first kiss.” Jordan whispers back. You reach around them to unlock the stall door. Third first kiss. You replay the words in your head, a warm feeling blooming in your chest. 

You gently push them out of the stall, trying to keep your laughs quiet as you both scurry past the other couple in the stall. 

[cheriladycl01]

Hiiii could you write about Carlos Sainz that he has a secret relationship with an Arab Muslim girl (she doesn't wear hijab) 24 years old, Y/N and Carlos' little sister her friend because they go to the same university from Madrid and Carlos always bothered her, he was always around Y/N whenever she was talking with a boy Carlos made them run away and that's how they became a couple but secretly it was due to Y/N's religion and Carlos likes to annoy her by teasing her face to face or sharing a message by pinching her side because she is ticklish and she also annoys him.

Thanks youu 💖

Romeo to my Juliet - Carlos x Reader

Plot: After studying at the University of Madrid, and making friends with Blanca Sainz you were constantly around her older brother Carlos who was … obviously obsessed with you!

A/N: Ive done research before writing this on Muslim culture and struggles, however I am not a person of colour, and do not want to cause any offence when writing this! Also the wording of this request did confuse me a little bit so I’m hoping I’ve got everything that you’ve wanted in here!

Carlos and you were two people you wouldn’t pin together. You were quiet and reserved whilst he was loud and expressive. You were shy, whilst he was confident. But it was those differences that actually made you the perfect pair.

Being in a secret relationship with the Carlos Sainz wasn’t easy, and neither is the story that came with it.

It started when you first applied to university. You got into the University of Madrid and your parents couldn’t be more happy as your father had work in Spain taken from the Middle East, so it wasn’t a difficult family move.

You were a very stylish girl despite being shy and with your outfits it wasn’t hard to catch the eyes on campus. And that was how you met Blanca Sainz.

It was a colder day in Madrid, around November and you were in one of your favourite winter time outfits that’s kept you warm and cozy, still not completely used to the cold winters Europe have compared to the Middle East.

You had this Burberry scarf on, a gift from you father and a gust of win caught you, immediately your hands grabbed for your skirt leaving your scarf to fly off from around your neck.

“Oh my gosh” you gasp as you tried to reach out for it but it just flew off into the distance. You started to run after it, until you saw it hit a girl and practically strangle her.

“I’m so so so sorry! The wind … and it just … and oh my gosh I’m so sorry, it hit you!” You gasp at the girl who looks over you before laughing.

“It’s … a scarf I’m fine” she giggled.

That day you guys got coffee on campus before getting to know each other and you’d been fast friends since.

It wasn’t until the end of your second year in university, your mum and dad had moved back home to the Middle East. And you didn’t know what to do about summer break.

Blanca actually invited you to her family trip to Mallorca and to stay with her in her family home.

You felt bad, so you suggest the first few weeks are spent in your family home in Dubai. And she definitely didn’t want to turn that down.

So of course you guys spent the summer, tanning, in your pool playing games with your mum and dad when they were free and going to get ice cream.

“Your house is insane, what the hell does your mum and dad do!” She asked looking around the 6 bedroom Villa your family owned.

“I don’t actually know, but he’s a business owner of some sort” you giggle, always too bored to listen to your father explain his career.

“There’s an aquarium in your kitchen island …” she points at it, mouth open wide.

“Yeah, excessive i know but my dad adores his fish”

“And your house it on the beach! AND there’s a pool? I don’t even know if I want to see the garage!” She exclaims.

“Mmmmmm yeah my dads also a car collector. He actually left some in Spain in the house there” you offer.

“Your like so humble though! I - WHAT?” She asks in shock and you just laugh her off.

You guys definitely enjoyed your time in Dubai and your parents loved her, she was invited back for the Christmas holidays too.

Then when you got to Spain you met the rest of her family.

“Mum dad, this is my friend Y/N” Blanca offers as you enter the home which was a beautiful Spanish Villa.

“Ah Y/N we’ve heard so much about you from Blanca when she calls” her mother smiles. Ana comes running down the stairs immediately pulling her sister into a hug.

“Ah you must be Y/N? Yes, you are gorgeous! Where are you from!” She grins pulling you into an unexpected hug.

“I’m from Dubai!” You smile and that night guy guys all get to know one another through board games.

It got to just after sunset when you realised that it was time to pray for Maghrib. You calmly excused yourself from the family. Blanca at this point knew when you had to pray and was always very respectful and actually intrigued at the way it all worked. She would be with you on campus in the pray room, or in a random corner of a cafe you guys were studying in and offer you her coat to kneel on if you didn’t have one.

She was the sweetest and most understanding friend you’d ever had.

However, this was the time you met her older brother Carlos. You were just finishing up, in Blancas bedroom when someone came into the room.

“Sorry Blanca, I didn’t mean to be long if I was!” You smile turning round only to see a confused man behind you.

“Erm sorry can I help you?” You ask and he still stands there with his big brown chocolate eyes just staring at you.

“A-sorry you must be, Y/N right? Blanca’s friend that she brought home?” He questions and you nod standing up, reaching out to shake his hand.

He looks down at it smirking before lifting it up and placing a gentle kiss on the edge making you gasp and go wide eyed.

“Well, welcome to the Sainz household. Are you excited about Mallorca?” He smiles and you nod, of course you were, you’d be waiting all summer for it.

And it was an unforgettable summer.

Carlos was ALWAYS around. He was like this little lost puppy and the only time you don’t think he was around was when you showered or slept. He bothered you the whole summer, interrupting you and Blanca when you were trying to tan, or would splash you in the pool when you were lounging on a lilo. He was a menace, but there was a certain type of endearment to it.

He was also insanely protective over you. Whenever you all would go out to bars or restaurants or clubs, you got a lot of male attention, which to Carlos wasn’t surprising.

You were the most beautiful person he thinks he’s ever seen, and he wants you all for himself.

“Hey Bonita, why don’t you come downtown with me, and I’ll show you a good time?” A random guy from the island had said to you in a club.

“I’m fine thank you, I’m here with friends” you smile pointing behind you to the table where Carlos Blanca and Ana are sat.

“I’m sure they won’t mind, come on. ¡Vive un poco!” He exclaims looking over you.

“She said she was fine, and I would mind” Carlos said in a gruff voice coming to stand behind you and hand on your shoulder.

The guy swiftly left, seeing who it was. You’d gotten used to the fact that Carlos would be noticed in public, you tried to stay out of it as much as possible. Whenever a fan came over you’d practically glue yourself to Blanca’s side.

But all the guys that came talking to you Carlos had them running away for one reason or another. Whether it was just him, being Carlos Sainz, or the look he gave them or what he whispered to them when you couldn’t here. They always left.

That was how Carlos and you ended up together. You were a modern day Romeo and Juliet. You knew your parents wouldn’t approve of the Spanish race car driver, just based on all the tabloid articles about him.

“We should leave” he said in a huff, he was always like this and a lot of the times that you left was because of Carlos’ changed mood.

“But we didn’t get here long ago!” You offer and he huffs again, getting more frustrated.

“Just, let’s just go home!” He says again, not touching you but giving you a look as if to say, I will drag you out of here.

“We need to get Blanca and Ana, we can’t leave them!” You say as you start to look around the club for the two girls, hoping they would protest to Carlos wanting to get you to leave.

“They’ll be fine, let’s just go. They are pretty preoccupied anyway” he nods towards them with their boyfriends and how they are dancing.

Next thing you know Carlos was dragging you home, poking at your side saying how you broke your good girl demeanour just to leave the club with him.

“I was in a club, I can’t be that good of a girl” you tease him back and he looks over at you with a sparkle in his eyes. Maybe it wasn’t even there and it was just from the street lights, but he looked so happy and content in this moment that you couldn’t help but stare.

After this summer, you and Carlos hide your relationship from everyone, you hated hiding it from Blanca the most as he would often come find you in Madrid after race weekends to keep you company.

And don’t even start about him at family venues. Despite Carlos wanting to keep the relationship as secret as you did because of the media, and your parents, he wasn’t very good at keeping his gestures subtle.

“Carlos, I haven’t seen you for a while. And whose this, a girlfriend?” One of his aunts comes over seeing you together chatting at a family reunion his mother had hosted after his race win.

He pinched your side teasingly as if to say that you guys must look good together. And as you look up at his face you can see that.

“No this is Y/N Blanca’s friend from university” he offers keeping up with the secret. And your look down smiling to yourself. It was fun in a way keeping up a little white lie that you were with Carlos.

“Shame, she’s a dime and you two would look great together” she winks before fluttering off elsewhere in the house.

“See someone else who thinks we look great together” Carlos says leaning down to meet your eye level making you blush.

“Carlos leave Y/N alone, you tease the poor girl enough you’ll give her a heart attack one day. Come on sweetie” his mother guides you away, you turn round to catch Carlos’ eye before poking your tongue out in a childish manner.

He shakes his head with a slight chuckles as he watches his mum pull you away to a different crowd of people and introduces you.

When you and Carlos would admit your relationship was unknown, but you knew you’d never been happier than you were with Carlos Sainz Jr.

Taglist:

@littlesatanicassholebitch @hockey-racing-fubol @laura-naruto-fan1998 @22yuki @simxican @sinofwriting @lewisroscoelove @cmleitora @daemyratwst @lauralarsen @the-untamed-soul @thewulf @itsjustkhaos @purplephantomwolf @chasing-liberosis @summissss @gulphulp @starfusionsworld @jspitwall @sierruhhhh @georgeparisole @youcannotcancelquidditch @tallbrownhairsarcastic @ourteenagetragedy @peachiicherries @formulas-bitch @cherry-piee @spilled-coffee-cup @mehrmonga @blueberry64857959 @eiraethh @curseofhecate @alliwantisadonut @dark-night-sky-99 @i-wish-this-was-me @tallrock35 @butterfly-lover @barnestatic @landossainz @darleneslane @barcelonaloverf1life @r0nnsblog @ilove-tswizzle @laneyspaulding19 @malynn @viennakarma @landosgirlxoxo @marie0v @yourbane @teamnovalak @nikfigueiredo @fionaschicken @0picels0 @tinydeskwriter @ironmaiden1313 @splaterparty0-0 @formula1mount

[my-wild-imagination1996]

Facing the Truth

A/N: This is not proofread and I am not perfect. There will be spelling and grammatical errors. I have not written smut in over 6 years, I’m sorry if it’s terrible. 

THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION BASED ON THE AMAZING HUGH JACKMAN AND MY CRAZY IMAGINATION

Word Count: 3.0k

Warnings: 18+ MDNI, MINORS DO NOT INTERACT, Age gap reader is late twenties and hugh is 55, swearing, P in V, unprotected sex (WRAP IT BEFORE YOU TAP IT), rough sex, oral, rough sex, angst, hugh being a dick

When you and Hugh started your friends with benefits relationship, you had promised him that when and if your feelings had become too much, you would talk to him. What started out as sleeping together only once a week ended up becoming when you were only at your own place once every few weeks. This had been going on for almost a year and whether you liked it or not, your feelings had become overwhelmingly strong. You were pretty sure he had feelings for you too but you have been wrong about things like this in the past. As much as you tried to fight it, you were falling in love with the man. You were torn between telling him and keeping quiet since you knew he’d break it off with you the moment he knew your true feelings.

He had asked you to be his plus one to an event, you were surprised but agreed. You were going as only friends and he made the clear to you before extending the invite. He bought you a really beautiful outfit for the event despite your protests to pay for it for yourself. As you sat on the couch of your apartment waiting for the text saying he was outside, you began scrolling through your various social media. You were scrolling until one article caught your eye, it was regarding Hugh and an alleged date with a costar. You wanted to open it but just as you were about to, Hugh had texted you saying he was outside. You put your heels on and went downstairs.

You stayed on the sidelines while he did all the mingling and press stuff, he needed to get done tonight. You were expecting him to come find you but figured it might be a while so you approached the bar and ordered a drink. As you sipped your drink you began scanning the room, that’s when you saw him. He was being extremely flirtatious with his older co-star. You felt pangs of jealousy and hurt. It was like a punch to the gut causing you to turn around and face the bar. You contemplated getting another drink or just heading out. You waited another thirty minutes for Hugh to approach you but he never did. He was glued to his co-stars side and it seemed that his eyes never left her. You decided it was time for you to leave so you finished your drink and ordered an Uber back to your apartment.

Once you were in the Uber, you sent a quick text to Hugh stating that you went home. Unsurprisingly, you didn’t hear back from him till about two hours after you got home and the only response you got was okay. You felt like he didn’t care and you were beginning to wonder if you should call things off with him. You waited to text him back til the morning, asking how his night went. He never responded to you so you just let things be. You had made yourself breakfast and then played Last of Us for a few hours before you heard a knocking on your apartment door. You checked your phone and you weren’t expecting anyone. You got up from your couch and looked through the peephole, seeing Hugh outside. You opened the door and he let himself in, walking right past you without even a hello.

“What hell was that about last night? Why did you just leave without even saying bye?” He asked you.

“I just didn’t want to be there anymore so I left and I texted you saying that I was left.” You responded looking directly into his hazel eyes. He just looked at you like your explanation wasn’t good enough. You didn’t know what he wanted you to say or even why he was mad at you. “I don’t understand why you’re upset. It’s not like we’re even together or like I was even your date. You’ve made that extremely clear to me.” You said with a slight venom in your voice.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” He said seeming to get more mad at you.

“What? It’s the fucking truth and you were so hung up on your co-star that you didn’t even approach me or anything so it’s fine. I do think that you and I need to stop seeing each other though. I caught feelings and the sad fucking part is that I fooled myself into thinking you might have some for me too. It’s honestly my fault for even getting involved with you in the first place.” You said with an eerily calm voice that even surprised you. You thought you saw a pained look cross his face very briefly showing that you hit a nerve

“I don’t know what you’re expecting from me. We are not together and honestly it’s better for you anyways. You can be with someone your own age. I made it extremely clear from the beginning that there's no future here for you and me.” He said. 

“You’re right. You did make it clear to me, but what’s crazy is that you thought that I couldn’t or wouldn’t fall for you. I know this is my fault for thinking this could be more so honestly I think it’s best that you leave.” You said your voice cracking in the last sentence. Tears pricking your eyes. He looked pained while he stared at you.

“Is it really what you want?” He said looking like he was going to cry himself.

“Yes.” You said softly, causing him to nod and walk out the door.

As soon as he was gone you sighed and let the tears fall knowing you’d probably never see him again, you figured it would be best for you that he wasn’t here. As you had predicted, he left you alone. No texts, no gifts, no flowers, no nothing. You knew it was over and although you weren’t together, it honestly felt like the worst break up you’ve ever had. Your friends had never seen you so out of sorts.

You had your best friend over for dinner. It had been three months since you’d last seen or heard from Hugh. You knew you shouldn’t be so hung up on him but you were.

“Y/n, you know I love you but you gotta snap out of this.” Your best friend said walking out of the bathroom.

“I know. It’s just hard cause I honestly thought I loved him.” You said to her.

“Well they say that the best way to get over someone is to get under someone.” She said with a mischievous grin on her face.

“What are you thinking?” You almost groaned knowing she was going to drag you out.

“We are having a girls night and we are gonna go to some bars and maybe pick up some hot fucking guys.” She said pulling you up from the couch, pushing you towards your room so you could get ready.

“Fine, okay, operation get me laid.” You said, making her laugh.

You and her spent the next few hours getting ready. It would’ve only taken you like an hour if you two hadn’t decided to pregame before ubering to your favorite bar. You had forgot that you showed Hugh this bar also and that he actually loved it. If you had remembered, you probably wouldn’t have chosen this bar.

On the ride to the bar, you and her were all giggles and you felt like the sexiest woman in the world in your outfit. You were feeling great but you were tipsy. You loved being with your best friend since she always pulled you out of whatever funk you were in even if it was only for a bit. When you entered the bar, you quickly glanced around before your best friend dragged you straight to the bar. You both got your drinks and moved to a pool table. After you were doing playing you two sat down at one of the empty tables and started catching up since you didn’t see each other much. Then you were approached by a waiter with drinks stating that a couple of men at the bar ordered them for you both. You both looked and smiled since they were attractive but the only thing you could think was, he’s not Hugh.

The men then approached your and Cami’s table and asked if they could sit with you two and you both had agreed. Luckily it wasn’t a booth so you both could walk away if they became creepers. You all sat and talked for a bit and your friend seemed really into the guy talking to her but you weren’t feeling the guy you were talking to. Unfortunately for you, he was feeling you and getting a little handsy so you excused yourself to the bathroom. You were headed to the bathroom but then you went to the outside smoking section of the bar. You grabbed your cart out of your pocket and took a few hits to ease the tension you felt. As you were leaning on the fence outside you felt someone tap your shoulder. You turned around hoping it wasn’t the guy you had been chatting up earlier. 

“Hello, y/n” Hugh said to you as soon as you turned around. If you had been drinking something you probably would’ve choked from the shock of seeing him here. A rush of emotions flooded you. You felt rage that he had the nerve to talk to you when he could’ve picked up the fucking phone but also heartache because you still wanted him and nothing had changed. 

“Hugh.” You said not sure what to say.

“I saw you in the bar. I wanted to approach you but you looked like you were having fun until I saw you sneak out here.” He said as if that made any sense.

“Okay.” You said just as your phone started buzzing with your best friend calling you. You picked up the call while looking at Hugh. 

“Hello?”

“Where are you? Are you okay?” She said.

“I’m outside and yes, I am okay. I found an old friend of mine.” You responded making him slightly smile.

“Okay if I head out with this guy is that okay?” She asks you. You know if you said no, she’d be okay with it.

“Go ahead. It’s all good. I’ll let you know that I made it home safe. Share your location with me.” You said still staring at Hugh’s eyes.

“Thank you!” She responded before hanging up. You lowered your phone from your ear and returned it to your pocket.

“I think you and I need to talk.” Hugh said, his eyes darkening.

“Oh do we now?” You retorted feeling the liquid courage making you brazen.

“Absolutely. I didn’t want us to end that way.” He responded sincerely.

“But the reality is, you wanted it to end so this is a mute conversation.” You said nonchalantly.

“You think this has been easy for me. You think I don’t miss you?”

“No, I don’t think that you do. I think you miss what I would do to you.” You said.

“Y/n, please come home with me. We really should talk in a more private setting.” He said looking at you with sincere eyes, causing you to nod. You let him lead you by the hand out to his car.

“Whoa buddy, I am not getting in that car if you have been drinking.” You said as you approached the car.

“I have not had a sip tonight.” He responded by unlocking and opening the passenger side door for you. 

The ride to his place was silent. You weren’t sure why you agreed to this in the first place, and you knew if you told him to take you home, he would but no part of you wanted to be without him. Not a single word was spoken til you were inside sitting on his bed.

"I've missed you." he says sitting beside you, his voice soft. "I know I told you not to catch feelings, but fuck, it's hard not to care when you're with someone like you."

Your blush at his words. You'd always found yourself craving his dominant nature, but this vulnerability was new. "I missed you too," you admit, your eyes dropping to the dark floors of his bedroom. 

Hugh reaches over, his fingers pulling your face towards him, forcing you to meet his gaze. "I don’t know how to say this, but here it goes. I pushed you away because I am afraid. Terrified that you'd want someone younger, someone who could give you the future I can't. But damn, y/n, I love being with you. I love how you challenge me, how you make me feel alive. I'm just some guy who didn't want to hold you back. I know it may be too late to say this but I love you."

Your breath catches in your throat. Hearing those words from him, the confident man who had seemed to keep you at arms length away, was a shock. "I love you too, Hugh," you whisper, reaching up to trace the lines of his face with your fingertips. "I never wanted anyone else. Your age doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is not having you with me."

Without another word, Hugh pulls you into a searing kiss, his lips demanding and hungry. You respond eagerly, opening your mouth to the invasion of his tongue. His hands travel down your body, cupping your ass, pulling you closer until you're straddling his lap, the bulge in his pants pressing against your core.

Moaning into his mouth, you grind against him, feeling his hardness through your thin dress. He breaks the kiss, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down your neck, biting and sucking on the sensitive skin. His hands roam freely, tugging at your dress, exposing your lace bra and the swell of your breasts.

"I've dreamed of this," he growls, his voice hoarse with desire. "Wanted to see you like this, all mine. Couldn't get the thought of fucking you out of my head."

You whimper, arching into his touch, craving more. "Please, Hugh," you beg, your hands tugging at his shirt, desperate to feel his skin. "I need you."

With a rough tug, he rips your dress open, the fabric tearing, exposing your curvy body. His hands cup your heavy breasts, thumbs teasing your hardened nipples through the lace. He bites your earlobe, his hot breath sending shivers down your spine. "You're so fucking gorgeous," he rasps.

You gasp as he pushes you onto the bed. His hands travel down your thighs, lifting your dress, exposing your bare pussy. His fingers tease your wetness, sliding easily through your folds, finding your clit.

"So wet for me already," he growls, his fingers plunging into your tight hole. 

You nod frantically, your breath coming in short gasps. "Yes, please, Hugh. I want you inside me."

He adds another finger, stretching you, his thumb rubbing your clit in firm circles. "You're gonna come for me, aren’t you?" he says, his voice thick with desire. "But first, I want to taste you."

Hugh falls to the floor, pulling you down the bed, lining up with your core, leaving a trail of kisses. His tongue darting out to tease your sensitive clit, making you moan and squirm. His fingers continue working your pussy, pushing you closer to the edge.

"Please, Hugh," you plead, your hands gripping the edge of the bed. "I need to come."

He obliges, replacing his fingers with his talented tongue, licking and sucking your clit, driving you wild. His hands grip your thighs, holding you steady as he devours your pussy, his tongue thrusting deep inside you. Your legs shake, your orgasm building, every nerve in your body focused on the pleasure he's giving.

"Cum for me, baby," he commands, his voice muffled between your thighs. "Let me feel that sweet pussy clench around my tongue."

His words push you over the edge, your orgasm crashing through you. You cry out, your body trembling as wave after wave of pleasure ripples through your core. Hugh continues to lap at your sensitive flesh, drawing out every last drop of pleasure.

He pulls you up the bed and claims your mouth in a possessive kiss. You taste yourself on his lips. 

In one swift motion, he rips your panties, baring your glistening pussy to his hungry gaze. "I want to be deep inside you when I tell you this," he pants, his eyes burning into yours. "I love you, Alicia. I've never felt like this before."

His words send a rush of heat through you, your heart pounding in your chest. You nod, unable to speak, your eyes brimming with tears of joy.

Hugh positions himself at your entrance, his thick length pressing against your wetness. With one hard thrust, he fills you, his cock stretching you deliciously. You cry out, your body welcoming him, the sensation of being claimed overwhelming.

Hugh sets a brutal pace, his hips slamming into yours, his balls slapping against your ass with each deep stroke. The bed creaks beneath you, the sounds of your passion filling the room. He reaches around, his fingers finding your clit, rubbing firm circles as he fucks you, driving you towards another climax.

"That's it, baby," he grunts, his breath hot on your neck. "Cum again. Let me feel that tight pussy milking my cock."

Your body spirals out of control, the sensations too much to bear. You scream his name as your orgasm rips through you, your pussy clenching around his shaft, milking him as he empties himself deep inside you.

As your heart rate slows, Hugh holds you close, his strong arms wrapped around your trembling body. He showers your face with kisses, his hands stroking your hair, providing the aftercare you both crave.

"I love you, y/n," he whispers against your ear. "I'll never let you go again."

You smile, knowing that this time, there will be no more doubts, no more fears. You've found love in the most unexpected place, and you can't wait to see what the future holds.

[icarusdescending7]

Aquamarine - Chapter 5

Ao3 | First Chapter | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Your fiancé died seven years ago, and you joined the military in his wake to fill the void his death put on you. Now, you work with the 141 for an assignment, hunting associates of their enemies.

Their Lieutenant, however, given you an uneasy feeling. You have a vague sense of familiarity with him, but from where?

-☆-☆-☆-☆-☆-☆-

Price did throw you a mini celebration, he felt bad for missing the day. Gaz and Johnny made a crude little cake for you and everyone sat together and had a good evening. Almost everyone, anyway. Ghost seemed pretty distant the whole time, more so than usual. He would only talk when spoken to but was otherwise off in his own world. Eventually, he retired to his room for the night, leaving the rest of you to your own devices. You all ended up drinking a little bit, which was a mixed bag. Johnny was a very loud drunk, Gaz giggly, and Price the sleepy kind. Unfortunately, that left you, the sad kind, to get all sniffly with them and ramble about the things that make you sad. By the end of the night, you were crashed out on top of your bedsheets, sniffling in your sleep. 

~~~

“Alright sweetheart, I gotta go. I’ll text you in the morning and we’ll call again tomorrow, okay?” Simon said, his voice slightly muffled from the phone speakers.

“Okay, Si. Tomorrow. Sleep tight.” You said, yawning. You sniffed a little, “I love you. Stay safe, okay? I want to see you again soon.”

“You know I always am, love. I love you too. Goodnight.” He said. You both hesitated to hang up, listening to each other breathe for a moment before he hung up.

~

‘Good morning. I hope you’re okay.’

‘We still on for a call tonight?’

You texted him at 6 am this morning when you had woken up. Usually, he’d respond in a few hours, but it was almost 5 pm. It concerned you.

‘Simon? You okay?’ 

‘Si?’

‘Love?’

~

It had been a few weeks since you last spoke to Simon. This wouldn’t bother you normally, considering how busy he was with work, but this time was different. He hadn’t said anything about being unreachable the last time you called, he hadn’t sent a text alerting you to an emergency… nothing. The anxiety ate away at you, chewed at the back of your mind like a horrible migraine. You stared at your texts to him, the long string of messages from you taking up the screen. No reply. 

A few weeks turned into a few months, and you finally got a message. All it read was ‘I’m sorry.’

Wait, what? What? ‘I’m sorry’? What does that mean?

‘Simon? What does that mean?’

‘Please respond. What does that mean?’

Just as quickly as you sent those messages, they were quick to stop delivering.

~

You woke up in your clothes from the day before, your head hurting from dehydration, cheeks dried with salt. Your phone had gone dead from the countless messages you’d sent Simon, not going to bed until you passed out. You put it on the charger, getting up to shower and change clothes. By the time you got out, your phone was back on but no new notifications came in. You set it down and sighed, looking over at the wall. 

A series of pictures lined them, dating back a few years at their oldest and a few months at their newest. You and Simon were the center of each, getting stupid pictures of the two of you at the pier, in the park, at restaurants, parties, and gatherings. All of them made your brow furrow— “What did he mean by sorry?” you asked aloud, staring at the photos. Deciding to send one last text in hopes he received it, you picked up your phone.

‘Seen 3:23 am’

So he did see them. But he didn’t respond. He must have blocked you but regretted it and unblocked you when he knew you’d be asleep. 

‘Is this your way of ending things with me?’ You asked, sending the message. It went through and was immediately seen, but no reply came. You dropped your phone, grumbling to yourself.

~

A few days passed, and you were sitting on your couch staring into space. You didn’t have much energy to do anything but stare. You hadn’t eaten anything but a bag of chips, and you found yourself sipping on a warm glass of water. A knock on the door drew your attention from the nothing you were thinking of. Slowly, you got up, going to the front door and peering through the peephole. The sight beyond made your stomach drop— two soldiers stood beyond with grim looks on their faces. You hesitantly unlocked the door, opening it just enough to ask what they were there for. 

“Are you the spouse of Lieutenant Simon Riley?” One of the men asked, turning to try and peer at you through the crack in the door. You sighed, opening the door fully.

“That’s me, yes. Well, his fiancé, technically but…” You trailed off. “Sorry. Is there something I can help you boys with?” You knew the answer, even if you didn’t want to admit it to yourself yet. You knew exactly what words were going to come out of his mouth, and you were already bracing for it. Your mind blurred out all the words that he said, except a few.

“…was killed in the line of duty. We’re sorry for your loss.”

You couldn’t keep yourself upright, knees buckling underneath you as the truth hit you like a bag of bricks. One of them rushed to catch you, not letting you hit the floor as you fell. Tears flowed like a broken dam and your shoulders shook. The news wreaked havoc on your mind, sending you into a swirl of agony. 

He was gone. He was gone and you didn’t have a chance to say goodbye! He left you alone with only his memory! Didn’t people normally get the honor of getting their spouses tags? Or a uniform? Or even their personal effects? This isn’t right! This isn’t right… Memories flashed through your head, showing you the life you shared with him. The way he smiled, how bright and beautiful it was despite all the devastation he’d seen. The way he laughed, how he snorted at your jokes, how all of it made your heart warm right up even when you were low. The feeling of his hands in yours now becoming a cold memory, knowing you won’t ever get to feel that warmth ever again. You won’t ever get to hear him say “I love you” again. Or sweetheart, or love, or your name. 

Was loving him worth the pain of losing him?

~~~

You woke up with a start, shooting upright with your heart racing and your head pounding. You shook as you looked around for your phone, trying to check the time. When you found it, the time read 3:57 am. You had a new text too, from Ghost. 

‘Can you have nightmares quieter? People are trying to sleep.’

It was a fresh message, sent mere minutes before you woke up. You took a shaky breath, steading your hands as you crafted a reply.

‘Like you’re any better.’ 

‘I am. I have padding on my walls for a reason.’

‘Whatever. Means sound shouldn’t come in either, or something like that.’

‘That’s not what that means.’

‘Who cares?’

‘Not you, apparently.’

‘Correct. Anyway. Its too early to go back to bed. Coffee?’

‘Sure.’

You took another breath, a lot more stable this time. You got up to get ready for the day and clean yourself up from your hangover. Eventually, you met Ghost in the kitchen and had a short conversation before Soap came in, who took over the conversation.

[clarisse0o]

Camp Wiegman-Part 12

Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Alternative Universe : Military School

Word : 6k

Masterlist

———————————————————————

Tuesday, November 3; 6:15 AM - Ona and Alexia's room.

I stand straight as a rod beside my bed. Bronze has just entered. I’m glad I haven’t lost my morning routine. I didn’t face any difficulty except that waking up was hard and abrupt due to the alarm. Luckily, my day of rest yesterday helped me recover and find motivation again. The disagreement with Bronze was quickly forgotten. I woke up alone. She had let me sleep while she went back to work. I found out when she returned just before noon to have lunch with Engen and me. She wanted us to eat before the midday bell. At least she spared me the rush hour. After that, she allowed me to stay in her room for the rest of the day as long as I didn't venture out. I promised it wasn’t my intention. I once risked it, and it didn’t end well for me. I just wanted to keep busy with movies, which I did until dinner time. I had to stop to eat with the two instructors, as agreed with Bronze. It was hard to change her mind. I was disappointed to end the day by returning to my room. I enjoyed hiding in her room. It had become my den, isolating me from the world. Needless to say, I was worried about reintegrating with the students. Bronze accompanied me to discreetly help me bring back my things. All it took was stepping into my room for any unease to vanish, thanks to Alexia. She welcomed me like a little whirlwind, not wanting to let go. It seems she eagerly awaited my return. Bronze had kept her updated regularly, but it didn’t stop her from worrying and missing me. Today, I return to the real world. Classes resume at eight. I have a knot in my stomach just thinking about it. I still don’t feel ready to return, but I have no choice. I show no signs of distress and patiently wait for Bronze to finish her inspection. It’s almost strange seeing her so impassive and expressionless again. It wasn’t like that in her room.

You can go.

Alexia doesn’t hesitate to head to the exit. I follow, but Bronze stops me by holding my arm. I turn to face her.

How are you feeling?

Better... No more fever, no nausea. I don't have much muscle pain either... I replied.

So, are you ready?

Uh-huh. I don't have a choice anyway.

Good.

I look at her attentively, squinting slightly. She’s not like usual. I don’t know what’s different, but something seems off. There’s only one way to find out...

So, how’s my work after a week? Is it done properly, Commander? I teased.

The princess finally follows the rules; that’s good, she retorts without a hint of humor.

I frown. That’s not the response I expected. I thought she’d play along. I examine her more closely. Now that I pay attention, her eyes seem swollen. And she has visible dark circles.

Are you okay?

We recently had a discussion about friendship, Batlle. It didn’t end well, so stop trying to be friendly and go eat, she orders.

She’s clearly not herself. It’s been a long time since she called me by my last name. And for such a small matter. It’s not like I asked a personal question. She’s not well, and I can’t do anything about it. I let her go, feeling powerless. I stare at the door for a moment, completely frustrated. She just brushed me off.

Ona, you coming?

I pull myself together at my roommate's call. I expected her to be gone already. Well, whatever. Bronze is right after all. She’s not my friend. It’s not my place to worry about her, even though I do and would have liked to be there for her.

Yeah, sorry. I'm coming, I say, returning her smile.

Our relationship has evolved since she learned I’m a former junkie. I feel I can trust her. I’ve grown attached to her. She seems to feel the same. She keeps saying we need to make up for the lost time of this past week.

What did Bronze want? she asks.

Just checking if everything’s okay, I shrug. She’s just doing her job.

I see.

She smiles at me in a way I can’t quite describe. I don’t dwell on it. I’m eager to get to the cafeteria. I’ll see the others, and my appetite is back. This will be my first breakfast after a long week of abstaining. I intend to savor it. When we reach the table, everyone is happy to see me. They ask if I’m feeling better. It seems no one knows about my withdrawal except Alexia and Leah. Wiegman and the four educators in charge must have covered it up as a flu absence. At least I’m spared the cliché stories about my past and pitying looks. Everything goes well this new morning. I just have a lot of questions about Bronze, who completely ignored me when she passed our table. I hope it’s not my fault. I don’t see what I did wrong, except for that conversation the other night. She didn’t seem resentful yesterday. Amidst all this, time flies. It’s almost time to return to class. We walk through the hallways to our first lesson.

I’ll join you, I tell Alexia. I need to use the restroom.

As you wish, but hurry up. It’s almost time.

Yeah, I’ll be quick.

I leave her to enter the nearest restroom. I need to gather my thoughts for the start of this morning. I first use a stall, then wash my hands. I take the opportunity to splash water on my face. Why am I in such a state over something so minor? I feel weird, like I have a bad premonition. Damn responsible person. She annoys me by making me question so much. I hit the counter in frustration. I wipe my face and leave the restroom. I sigh, seeing the empty hallways. Great, now I’m late. Perfect for a return. I walk slowly and heavily toward my classroom. A few minutes won’t make a difference since I know I won’t be allowed in anyway. When I reach the door, I knock. It opens shortly after.

Miss Batlle makes her grand return and in style, the teacher remarks right away. You start well after more than a week of absence.

Sorry for being late.

Save your pretty words and go to the instructors’ office, will you?

Of course. I know the way! I retorted sarcastically.

What did I say? I wouldn’t be accepted. I reverse course to the office of Bronze and Engen, which I know very well. I had to do archiving with Bronze there on my first day before moving boxes upstairs. I knock on the already open door to announce my presence. It’s a large space where two desks face each other. There are several filing cabinets. Nothing exceptional. There are more than one such room on the first floor. Six to be exact. One for each instructor pair. Naturally, I’m assigned to my responsible person’s. I enter the room, and Engen looks up to greet me. She’s alone, which is strange. Bronze should be here.

Batlle, she calls, surprised. Already on the first day? What brings you here this time?

Late, I grumble, sitting on the chair in front of her desk.

Late? I saw you in the halls earlier. Did I allow you to sit?

Urgent need, I half-lied. I’m not standing until Bronze arrives. Especially since I just got back.

Bronze won’t be here today. I’ll handle you for the day.

What? I blurted out in surprise.

Is that a problem?

Now this is the last straw! She raises her head from her paper, arching an eyebrow. She’s not the problem. It’s Bronze’s absence. It’s a first! She’s never missed a day since I arrived.

Okay, what’s wrong with her? Is it me?

Excuse me? she frowns. What are you talking about?

Why is she absent?

She’s entitled to a day off, isn’t she? Especially after the week she had because of you. And why am I even telling you this? It’s none of your business.

I noticed she wasn’t well this morning...

I lower my head, feeling uneasy under Engen’s scrutiny. I have regrets and don’t even know why. Maybe I spoke too much when I hear her chuckle. I must look ridiculous. I bury my head in my collar, not daring to look at her.

I don’t know which of you two worries more about the other, she murmurs.

What?

Did I hear right? Bronze worries about me? Why would she? She was asking me to keep my distance this morning... So, she talks about me to Engen. This thought warms my heart.

It has nothing to do with you, Batlle. She just has a day off to rest from her week, she explains. Anyway, that’s the end of it. How many hours are you missing due to your refusal?

Two.

Well... she murmurs, thinking. Since she’s absent and she fell behind because of you... You have two hours to sort and alphabetize Bronze’s files, she says, pointing to my responsible person’s desk.

Bronze is more original with punishments.

Stop arguing, Batlle, and get to work.

Just as friendly as Bronze... I sigh and change places, settling into my manager's office chair. Engen looks at me strangely before a sly smile stretches across her lips. She doesn't ask me to move, surprisingly. She continues her work while I focus on the task she assigned me. I don't even know where to start given the number of files scattered on the desk. I don't ask for help and try to do my work without flinching. This place is literally changing me. Just a few days ago, I would never have accepted a punishment without complaining.

Tuesday, November 3; 6:45 PM - Cafeteria

I sit down at my seat, placing my tray on the table. My first instinct is to look at Bronze's table on the educators' side. She wasn't there all day. I know because I was late again this afternoon. Engen had to take care of me. I like her a lot, but Bronze is irreplaceable when it comes to creative punishments. I straighten up in my chair when I finally see her. She's there, at her table, with Engen! We are directly across from each other. It feels like our spots were meant to be. She talks to her colleague without acknowledging me. I hope Engen doesn't say anything. She noticed my remorse because she assured me all day that I had nothing to worry about. I let go, realizing I won't get any sign from her, and try to follow the conversation happening around the table.

"Seriously, it's you?" says Alba.

"You're really in trouble, girl ! They're looking for the culprit, and it looks bad according to the rumors!" adds Lotte.

"I don't care at all," says the one in question, who is none other than Leah.

"What did you do this time?" I ask, getting to the point.

"Oh, nothing very interesting. I just tagged the sign and the walls of the establishment."

"What!?"

"It's not just laps around the field you'll get this time," laughs Alexia. "What are you playing at, seriously? Are you trying to compete with Ona for the number of punishments or what?"

Without thinking, I stand up from my chair under the incomprehensible eyes of my friends. It's my only chance. Too bad if I regret it later. Hopefully, I won't feel bad in the meantime. I walk to the educators' area. I find myself between the two instructors and stare directly into Bronze's eyes. I know Engen is also looking at me, but she's not the one I'm interested in.

"It was me," I blurt out into the void.

"It was you what, Batlle?" Engen intervenes.

"The tags. I did them."

"What the—"

Bronze raised her hand to signal her colleague to be quiet. For the first time since this morning, her eyes land on me. Her green irises pierce through me, giving me goosebumps.

"Really?" she finally asks. "I leave you alone for one day, and you manage to do something like this? Why come forward only now?"

"To take responsibility for my actions. It would be stupid for someone else to face the consequences in my place," I respond confidently.

She looks me up and down. I really don't know if I made the right choice by accusing myself without reason. One thing is certain: it was the only way to get her attention.

"Very well. Go clear your tray," she orders. "I'll deal with you tonight, no matter what state you're in. And you won't even be able to complain tomorrow morning when you wake up."

I manage a smile. My plan worked! My God, it worked! I nod and backtrack to my table. I almost trot with impatience. I'm met with confused looks from everyone at the table.

"What just happened?" asks Alba.

"I pleaded Leah's case by accusing myself."

"What?!" Leah reacts. "But why did you do that? Besides, you're not even really in a state to—"

"Don't worry about it," I cut her off. "Be glad you won't get punished!"

I reassure her ass he knows about my situation regarding the withdrawal. I feel good for a first day, so it should be fine. I think I'm the only person who is eager to get a punishment from Commander Bronze.

"Later, guys."

I go to clear my tray where Bronze is already waiting at the end of the line. I feel her eyes on me the whole time; it's unsettling. Once I'm done, she turns her back to head towards the exit. I follow her without thinking. I take advantage of the silence to observe her. I'm glad to see she has regained her color since this morning. We pass by my room where she orders me to put on sportswear. The commander is back, and I'm almost happy about it. I hurry to change, and we head to the gym. I bite my lip to avoid complaining. I asked for this. It will help me get my muscles working again after lying in bed for a week. Leah will really owe me one for taking the blame for her! We wander through the corridors of the establishment, which are almost unfamiliar to me. I haven't had many sports classes as Bronze often punished me at the same time. We stop in front of a large door that she opens. She pushes me to discover the room. I take a step back, not seeing anything in the darkness. She prevents me from fleeing with an arm around my back and pushes me inside. I'm quickly trapped with her in the room. She turns on the lights to reveal the setting, leaving me speechless. My God, tell me I'm dreaming. We are in the climbing room. What is her goal? I turn to gauge my instructor. She smiles with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. We're starting with this, and then we'll see."

Oh my God... I feel dizzy. I hate climbing. I look at the top. It's really high. There must be at least ten meters of height there!

"What do I have to do?" I ask to be sure.

"It's obvious, Ona. You're going to climb up there," she says, pointing to the top of the wall.

"Are you kidding me?!"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" she retorts. "Stop talking to complain, or I'll have worse in store for you later! You'll do the one at the back. I'll belay you."

"Belay me?"

"Yes, I'll hold you with a rope. I could very well let you climb alone, so be glad."

"Bronze... I can't... I'm afraid of heights," I admit.

"Not my problem," she says indifferently. "You should have thought about that before. Here, take this."

My throat tightens when she hands me a harness. She really has no pity. I imitate her and reluctantly put on the harness. We move to the back of the room to reach the last route. Damn... What mess have I gotten myself into this time? I'll never make it. I'm really afraid of heights and not just a little! Just being on a chair already scares me. I inspect the wall in front of me, covered in numerous holds. Just imagining myself up there makes me dizzy. I look to my left to see an insurmountable wall named Bronze.

"Sorry, but I really can't..."

"It's not negotiable, you should know that. Just don't look down and trust me. Come here."

She ties the loop of my harness with the route's rope. She does it with such ease. I can no longer escape. She gives it a sharp tug to check the knot's solidity. I'm starting to panic. Bronze seems so comfortable with any sport, but that's not my case. She finally takes the other end of the rope to attach it to a metal loop she ties to her harness.

"There, we're ready. You can start. I gave you the easiest route. The holds are big and easy to reach. »

I sigh as I face the climbing wall. The last time I climbed was back in high school, and I was far from being any good. I start to climb, using one handhold, then two, then three... and I'm already stuck. I'm less than a meter off the ground, and I don’t know where to put my foot next.

"To the right, Batlle," she directs me.

"That's way too far!"

"Of course not. Use your legs to climb, not just your hands. You’ll never make it otherwise."

"What kind of punishment is this, seriously?" I snap.

"Alright, enough complaining. Climb that damn wall now. We’re not leaving until you reach the top."

And I know she's serious. Bronze likes things to be finished. Especially punishments. There’s never been one that I’ve abandoned halfway. I place my foot on the hold she indicated and muster all my remaining strength.

"See, you can do it when you try."

I continue climbing higher and higher. I had to stop several times after making the mistake of looking down. Bronze had to reassure me and encourage me to keep going. I have no idea what time it is, but it’s definitely late. I struggle to grasp another hold, and finally, I reach the top! I let out a proud yell, which makes Bronze laugh. It’s the first time I’ve succeeded, and it’s all thanks to her. She made sure I didn’t give up. I sigh in relief.

"Can you lower me down now?"

"No."

"What do you mean, 'no'!?"

I wish I could see her face, just to know if she’s joking. Her voice doesn’t sound like she’s joking. Unfortunately, I can't verify it. I cling to the wall, trying not to let go.

"No. I’m not letting you down. Not yet."

"This isn’t funny! I’m really scared and can hardly hold on. Everything hurts!"

"I’ve got you. You’ll stay up there until you explain why you took the blame for something you didn’t do."

"Excuse me!? What makes you think that? I did it!"

"Those tags were done Sunday night, Ona. Last I checked, we spent the evening together. Besides, the drawings look like they were done by a kindergartener. It would be a disgrace for someone who practices art as a hobby. To top it off, we already found out who the culprit was just before dinner."

Damn it! She got me like a rookie. Here I am, stuck against this wall like an idiot. She brings me back to reality.

"So, Ona. Don’t mess with me and tell me the truth!"

I’m literally backed into a corner. I close my eyes and rest my head against the wall. I have no choice, I have to talk. My limbs are giving out, and my head is spinning. I’m trembling all over. I’ll lose my grip soon.

"I wanted to get your attention..."

"Get my attention?" she repeats, surprised. "Why?"

"You ignored me all day, and I noticed you weren’t doing well this morning... I was afraid it was because of me, even though Engen assured me otherwise."

"You can’t be serious, Ona? You got yourself accused of something so serious just to get to me!?"

"It seemed to be working until now..."

"You’re such an idiot!" she says bitterly. "But you’re brave, I’ll give you that. Alright, let go of the holds. I’ll lower you down."

"I can’t."

"Don’t be ridiculous. Let go!"

"I’m scared!"

She sighs as I cling tighter to the wall. I can’t help it; it’s stronger than me.

"Ona, there’s a reason I made you climb up there."

"Oh really?" I sneer bitterly.

"It’s a trust exercise. I need you to trust me, not just in climbing."

"Stupid exercise!"

I’m on the verge of a panic attack. I’m holding back tears that are welling up in my eyes.

"Ona, please, I won’t let you fall, I promise."

My trembling won’t stop. It’s an awful feeling. I close my eyes to fight against myself. I know I can trust her. I don’t know what I’m waiting for. I take a deep breath before letting go without thinking. I squeak as I swing back and forth, hitting the wall. She stabilizes me before slowly lowering me down. I force myself to open my eyes to see myself floating in the air. My heart is pounding with fear, but it’s not so bad after all. I’m relieved once my feet touch the ground. I collapse against the wall, trying to regain my composure. Bronze smiles at me and crouches down to untie my knot. She really got me this time. She knew it wasn’t me. She just wanted to corner me to make me talk. She surprises me by placing her hand on my forehead to check my temperature.

"You haven’t had any more episodes?"

"No, it was fine today..." I murmur.

"Hmm. Engen told me that you were late. Was that also to get my attention?" she teases.

"The first one wasn’t. Well... not intentionally. The second was to check if you were absent for the day."

She raises an eyebrow before bursting into laughter. It’s a genuine, pleasant laugh. She shakes her head before leaning against the other wall. It’s true it would’ve been smarter to choose the other wall. The climbing wall’s features hurt my back, but I’m too exhausted to move now. I watch her pull her legs up and wrap her arms around them. It’s a very childlike position for her. I savor the silence that follows. I realize I missed her presence today. It doesn’t stop me from feeling stupid for confessing my obsession with her. I watch her stare at an invisible point in front of her, looking completely absent. Several minutes pass before she speaks again.

« Why?"

« What do you mean, « why »? »

« Why did you want to get my attention? » she repeats, finally looking at me intently. « It’s really confusing. Just a week ago, you hated me. »

I lower my head, thinking. She's right. It is confusing given everything I’ve said to her. I don’t even know when my feelings changed. I nervously play with my fingers. Admitting my true feelings would reveal too much. I sigh as I look at the ceiling.

« You’re the only one who cares about me here. Well, no. You’re actually the only one who’s cared about me for years, I correct myself. I appreciate the attention you give me, even if it’s sometimes annoying to have you on my back. I’m sorry for getting so worked up the other night. I felt like everything I thought was wrong and was afraid you’d become cold again like in the beginning . »

« What exactly were you thinking? »

"Well... I thought you were only helping me because you were ordered to. That you were doing it professionally and not because you liked me. »

« Of course, I’m doing it professionally, but not just that, Ona. By accepting Wiegman’s offer, I volunteered to supervise you and enforce the rules. That’s all. The rest is from me. »

I feel remorse now. I lower my head to hide my embarrassment. I’ve been making a fuss over something that doesn’t exist. I suddenly feel really foolish.

« If I really didn’t care about you, I would have let them send you to a rehab center like Wiegman and your mother planned, she adds. I dissuaded them because I trusted you, and I was right to. »

« Thank you…"

« I’m not doing much. »

« Yes, more than you think. »

« Like what, for example? »

« You’re the only one who can stand up to me. You punish me without mercy and manage to make me comply with orders I would never have followed before... You’re also the only one who pushes me to succeed in what I undertake. You show that you trust me, and that reassures me », I conclude.

I’m a real idiot. She wants the best for me, and I keep digging myself deeper. I watch her as she remains silent. She seems lost in thought.

« You have a very contradictory personality, you know? »

« What do you mean? »

« You act like a tough girl who doesn’t care about anything and is afraid of nothing, but after spending time with you... I’ve discovered that you have a serious lack of self-confidence. My punishments have chipped away at your armor. »

I don’t respond. There’s nothing to say since she hit the nail on the head. Bronze is very observant. She just figured out that side of me without me wanting her to. I bite my lip.

« I wanted to thank you for what you did for me this week. »

« It’s normal. »

« I must admit it really pissed me off to see you so down this morning. You don’t hesitate to help me when I have issues, and I can’t even do anything for you. I thought about it so much that I went over every situation from last week, fearing I had done something wrong. »

I need to get this off my chest so she knows how I feel. I felt bad for her. I’m aware that our relationship is evolving, but I hope our attitudes won’t change. I really enjoy annoying her. It’s become my favorite pastime here. It’s fun, and I love that she takes care of me... Even if the punishments aren’t always great.

« I got dumped last night. »

I look at her in disbelief. I don’t know what surprises me more: the fact that she’s confiding something very personal or that she broke the rules. I had already asked her questions about herself, and she had kindly brushed me off.

« The commander dares to break rules? » I reply with humor. « And seriously, did someone actually want you?! »

« Of course they did! » she huffs, hitting me on the shoulder.

« Sorry, »I chuckled. « It was too tempting! »

I managed to get a small laugh out of her. She rests her head against the wall and closes her eyes. She really seems affected. I should have noticed this morning.

« He’s just an idiot. He doesn’t know what he’s missing. »

« Oh really?" she chuckles, looking at me.

« Absolutely. Even though you’re a super annoying commander... I imagine that outside these walls, you must be a nice person. I got a little glimpse of that this week. »

« I’ll remember those words. »

« Hey! That’s out of the question! I’m trying to cheer you up here! »

I managed to get her to laugh a little more. It’s nice to hear, and it reassures me at the same time.

« You say that, but you don’t even know what happened. For all you know, I could be the worst bitch. »

« Is that so?"

« I don’t think so. Only with you when you annoy me. »

« That’s mean. »

« Realistic. »

I smile at her response. I love having these casual, spontaneous conversations with her. I know it’s short-lived, so I’m enjoying it. As soon as we leave this room, I’ll have to deal with the commander again. She’s too obsessed with the rules to be any different.

« How long were you clean before last weekend? »

I sit up at this question. It seems like we’re in a moment of trust. I turn to face her and let my head rest against the wall. Her eyes are looking at me intently, very interested in my forthcoming answer. She’s taking a risk by asking me to open up... I sigh and play with a strand of my hair.

« I left the rehab center on September 18. One year after I entered. »

« Just a week before you came here? » she’s surprised.

« I guess my mother preferred to send me to this hole at the other end of the country rather than risk seeing me relapse, » I chuckle bitterly.

« I’m glad she did »

« Really? » I frown.  « I could have done without a military school. Just like the rehab, actually. It was really my worst experience. »

« Drugs are just a never-ending spiral once you taste them. I hope you won’t fall back into it. »

« It was just a rough patch, that’s all…"

I murmur this as I pull my knees to my chest. I’m very thoughtful about everything I’ve been through.

« «You complain about school, but if she hadn’t sent you here, I wouldn’t have met this cheeky kid you are. »

« That’s true, » I say with a shy smile. « You’re right. »

We enjoy the calming silence after all these emotions. It’s been a long time since I confided in anyone other than Mapi. She didn’t even have to drag it out of me. Mapi got the full story. She won, as she’s now the only one who knows everything. It’s no wonder she’s my best friend. She’s the only one I trust implicitly. I know she’ll never let me go, or she would have done so already.

« Still, I know about your love life before your first name. »

« In your dreams, I’m not telling you ».

« Why? You’ve already broken many rules tonight. One more or less…"

« You’ll find out sooner or later, but not tonight. You already know more than you should. »

I give up to keep the good mood going. I’m curious to know, but it will have to wait. I’ve tried to find out, but no one knows. It feels like a golden rule, but it seems ridiculous.

« If you don’t tell me, then tell me why such a beautiful girl is still single? »

« I don’t think t— »

« Oh come on », I interrupt. « You can talk about it to someone. And besides, who am I going to tell? I have no friends here. »

« No friends? What about the Putellas sisters or Leah and others? » she lists.

« Well, alright... I might have friends... Actually, I didn’t really want any attachments... I hate relationships; they always end up causing pain. Except Alexia didn’t get that memo... She can be very endearing. »

« We’re not so different after all, » she murmurs.

« Why do you say that? »

« I’ve been criticized for not being present enough and not investing enough in my relationships, she confesses. That weekend I couldn’t come home was the last straw. I’m not good with attachments either. I’m actually more of a feelings handicap who runs away at the first sign of trouble. »

« So I’m to blame."

"What? No, of course not! » she quickly responds. « It was planned that I wouldn’t come home the weekend you returned. Wiegman ordered me to keep an eye on you the whole week. I informed them of my absence well in advance. It was just that things were already bad before, and the news didn’t sit well. It’s in no way your fault, I assure you. »

I am to blame, even if she says otherwise. If she had returned, she might still be in a relationship. Can I be selfish for not wanting things to change? If none of this had happened, we wouldn’t be here sharing private conversations. I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world. I feel comfortable around her. I no longer feel exposed when confiding in her.

« Do you promise that everything we’ve talked about stays between us? » she asks.

« Of course », I promise. « And I’m not the type to break my promises. »

Time continues to pass. I hope it’s not too late. I’m dead tired, though. This first day has really worn me out. To think that just yesterday I spent the entire day in bed.

« I’m going to take you back to your room, she breaks the silence by standing up. You need to rest. »

« Do you work tomorrow? »

"I suppose I have no choice if I want you to behave. You might try to get my attention. »

« Oh, come on, I chuckle. »

I can tell she’ll bring up this story more than once. I accept her hand that helps me up. We put the equipment back in place before leaving our confessional space. Students are still hanging around in the hallways, which means it’s not yet past ten o’clock. Bronze accompanies me to my room, and I’m glad to see that it’s empty.

« Well then... Good night », she says.

« Thanks for everything, Bronze, » I reply softly.

« See you tomorrow, Batlle. »

I smile as she ruffles my hair. I don’t like the gesture, but coming from her, it doesn’t bother me. Once she’s gone, I head to the bathroom for a quick shower and put on my pajamas. I don’t waste any time sliding under the covers afterward. I’m physically and emotionally exhausted from the day, even though it’s better now. It was a special exchange, and I’m glad I’m the only one who knows about it. I get lost in my thoughts, but it doesn’t stop me from falling asleep effortlessly, with a smile on my lips.

[homeofthelonelywriter]

Drawn to you | Pt. 8

(A/N) Writing this was fun, but I've never cried so much while writing fanfiction.

Pairing: Alastor x bunny demon!Reader (no Y/N)

Warnings: sick!Reader, cancer, major character death, Reader finds out the truth

Synopsis: He remembers you. Finally.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8

“I am sorry…you have cancer.”

You didn’t react. After all, you had already suspected it for quite some time. This was just the confirmation. But Alastor…oh your sweet Alastor. You glanced at him and watched all color drain from his face.

You squeezed his hand and tried to smile at him reassuringly.

“Is…how bad is it?”

The doctor glanced at the man by your side before he looked at you again, and you immediately knew the answer.

“It’s stage four. I’m honestly surprised you are still as lively as you are.”

Alastor looked up, panic clear on his face. He couldn’t lose you. Not you.

“What about treatments? There has to be something we can do, there-.”

You gently pulled at his hand, grabbing his attention. With a soft smile, you turned back to the doctor and asked for a moment alone with Al. The doctor of course agreed and left the room, giving you two some space.

“Al…”

As he looked at you, you watched tears gather in his eyes. Not you. Anything but not you. He fell to his knees in front of your chair as you pulled him into a tight embrace, resting his head against your chest. You tried your best to soothe him as the tears spilled from his eyes. It took a few minutes for him to calm down enough to talk.

“I can’t lose you.”

You smiled at him, swiping some of his hair out of his face.

“No matter what happens Al, I’ll always be with you. Watching over you. You’ll never truly lose me, okay? Let’s just make the best of what time is left.”

After a moment, he nodded but still stayed on his knees in front of you until the doctor knocked on the door. You spent the rest of the day at the clinic, Alastor calling in sick, as the doctor explained what would be done. He offered treatment, but you knew that you were too far gone and declined. But you accepted some medicine that would help on bad days. At the end of the day, you left hand in hand with Alastor, who insisted on taking you back to his apartment for the night.

You soon had to quit your job and stay home most of the day. But Alastor fulfilled every promise he had ever made to you. He bought a big house with a pretty backyard and he took the time to plant your favorite flowers. He built the swing where you’d spend most of your time, wrapped up in blankets, no matter how warm it was. And after a few weeks, he got down on one knee and asked you to marry him. Of course, you said yes, not having the heart to tell Alastor that you’d never make it to your wedding day. You knew that your days were almost up, so you asked Alastor to take a week off, saying that you wanted to do some wedding planning.

But on the last day of his week off, the two of you were sitting on your swing, you in his arms. And you knew it was time. You glanced up at your lover and could see in his eyes that he knew as well.

“I love you Al. Always will. Don’t…don’t forget me, okay?”

He smiled, tears in his eyes.

“How could I ever forget you? I love you so much my darling. Go rest, you deserved it.”

You passed away in his arms that night. It was peaceful and quiet and even after you had died, Alastor continued to hold your body while crying, swearing that he’d never forget you.

Heaven - right after

The next thing you remembered was feeling like you did before you had gotten sick. You felt healthy, cheerful, and energetic. You turned to look around and found a person standing, waiting for you.

“Welcome to heaven, dear.”

Heaven? You never thought that it was real, but now that you had actually died, you felt a sort of relief wash over you. With steady feet, you walked up to the person, a blonde, young man with wings.

“I’m Saint Peter, and I can see that you’re on my list, so walk right in.”

He smiled and gestured towards the large gate that slowly swung open. You were about to step towards it, but you had something you wanted to ask him.

“Do…do you know when everyone dies?”

Saint Peter nodded.

“My…my fiance…when will he…will he live a long life?”

The man quickly checked his list but came up empty. Instead, he grabbed the file that was lying on his desk and flipped through it.

“Oh, you mean Alastor?”

You nodded, relief washing through you that he had found him. That must mean that he’d go to heaven as well.

“I’m sorry dear, but he won’t live much longer. And when he does die, he will go to hell.”

Hell? That can’t be right. The sweet man who had changed his entire life to take care of you. The man you had loved since the moment you met him.

“You-You must be mistaken.”

“I’m not I’m afraid. Serial killers don’t usually get into heaven, you know? Not that you knew about any of that, if you had you wouldn’t have ended up here.”

He smiled as if he had just told you that the next few days would be sunny, while you couldn’t believe your ears. Alastor couldn’t have-, he wouldn’t-, he…and suddenly everything you had ever wondered about made sense. The fact that he always seemed annoyed when he had to warn the public about the serial killer. The stains on his clothes. His weird behavior the mornings after a new victim was found and how the attacks practically stopped after your diagnosis.

You took a few steps back, still trying to work through everything. Your love, a serial killer. But where you expected your heart to break and disgust to fill your veins you only seemed to love him more. The first two killings were of men who had only ever mistreated you. He had killed for you, to protect you and make your life easier.

“I want to go to hell.”

Saint Peter looked up, clearly confused.

“If he goes to hell, then so do I.”

The angel in front of you truly tried to talk you out of it, he did. But your mind was made up. And so, he sent you to hell.

@impulsivethoughtsat2am @fanficwriter5 @wonderlandangelsposts @mo-0-o @xalygatorx @fairyv-ice @nixie189 @cutiebimbo

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Hazbin Hotel - Masterlist

Master-Masterlist

[beybaldes]

✨mr krabs i have ideas✨

festus with tanners mentor!girlfriend makes my brain tingle because there’s so much there

arachne and her being so happy they get to work together because they both got the 10s. controversially i am an arachne lover so childhood bestie!arachne is everything to me. they could never make me hate her. 😔

festus and her being there when arachne dies at the zoo and (according to book canon) walking home with clemmie and coryo after she’s taken by medics. festus proposes they all go to his apartment but when they get there he bursts into tears and mentor!girlfriend has to send clemmie and coryo on their way and ushers festus inside and stays with him.

later trying to convince festus to create an alliance between coral and tanner and festus teasingly telling her that he could think of a few ways she could convince him

her and festus being together at the arena but went their seperate ways to talk to other mentors and gather information. bombs go off and chaos ensues as they try to find each other

i have so many festus thoughts but im just going to leave this here and not be annoying

SpongeBob! You popped the fuck off with this one! (Also not annoying at all pls send me all your festus thoughts) also also sorry this took so long I finished uni for Christmas and have been in every day since oops, I really enjoyed writing this though. More festus to come ⁎⁺˳✧༚

- you and Arachne are basically siblings the way you grew up together

- I’m talking inseparable : born within two weeks of each-other and grew up as next door neighbours, walked into the academy on your first day together holding hands, sat next to each other at lunch every day, had joint birthday parties every year, etc

- no one could tear the two of you apart

- well, except a pretty determined festus creed, who laid eyes on you the second you walked into that classroom at 6 years old and knew he wanted to be your best friend instead

- Arachne, ever the social butterfly, was quick to attract a large group of friends around the two of you, which gave festus the perfect chance to get to know you better

- as the years went by you and Arachne stayed best friends, but if anyone asked you to name your closest friends, festus creed would also be on that list

- he was ever so charming, and a good listener (though only when it came to you) and when everyone seemed to move at Arachne’s beck and call, he would wait for yours to do anything

- it was sweet, in its own way, and it’s one of the things that drives the two of you to end up together

- like, obviously, festus has had a crush on you since he was a boy

- but you finally start to realise you like him back when all these little things start adding up

- he looks at you for your reaction whenever someone says something, he sits or walks or stands next to you at every chance he gets, he brings you the homework when you’re sick, he carries your bag around for you, he pulls your chair out for you in the canteen

- honestly the list goes on and on

- but the thing that finally gets the two of you together is when you and Arachne have a fight

- it had only been something stupid, but because everyone was Archane’s friend before they were yours, they take her side

you’d been sat on the steps outside the academy, eating your lunch alone in the sunshine while everyone else had gathered at your usual table. Though you knew you were still welcome there, you didn’t want to have to deal with the silent treatment from Arachne (and therefore everyone else) while she built up the courage to admit she was wrong like she always eventually did when it came to you. It was peaceful away from the noise of the canteen, and you found you didn’t mind being alone - at least, alone until the sound of someone running down the steps and right towards you, reached your ears.

Festus Creed took a seat right beside you, his lunch tray in hand and his backpack in the other. “You didn’t show up to lunch. I was worried sick.”

“Me and Arachne had a fight, a squabble really. It was literally over what we thought one of the answers were on the history of Panem homework.” Festus laughed as you did, swapping half of his orange with half of your apple slices. “She’s upset with me though, so I figured everyone would be upset with me.”

“Well, if it makes you fell any better, I think she’s upset with me now as well.” You looked at him confused; your confusion only growing as a smile curled on his lips. “I don’t think she’s too fond of the fact that I am oh so fond of you.”

you lean in and kiss him before his words can truly settle inside of you. but hours later, when they fully do, all you can think about is how you can’t wait to kiss him again sometime.

- when the reaping finally roles around, you and all your friends having to take on the role of mentors for the tributes, you and Arachne get the boy and the girl from 10 and it couldn’t be more perfect

- well, it’d be more perfect if you didn’t have to be mentors at all but, you know what I mean

- the two of you basically plan for your tributes to team up to fight against the other tributes because obviously 🙄 but all that goes awry when Arachne’s tribute kills her

your first reaction is complete stillness and silence. from the moment Arachne’s girl reaches through the bars of the zoo and stabs her right in the throat you have been completely silent. you couldn’t move, you couldn’t think, you couldn’t breath, you couldn’t scream. Total nothingness. you could only watch as Coriolanus ran forward, bravely pressing his hands against the wound in an effort to save your best friend. You didn’t even manage to get the words out to thank sweet Sejanus plinth, who dragged you to the floor and pressed you under him as peacekeepers rain bullets at the rouge tribute. Even when the gunfire stops and Arachne lies too still for a living person, even when Festus takes you from Sejanus and thanks him on your behalf, even on the walk home sandwiched between festus and Coryo, who’s hands are still covered in the thick of Arachne’s blood, you can’t seem to find the words. It’s only on the doorstep of festus’s apartment - the smell familiar and warm and welcoming - when things seem to catch up to you.

before he can even unlock the door to let you, Coriolanus, and Clemensia inside you’ve burst into hysterical tears: sobbing, gasping, wretching at the thought of what you’ve lost tonight. Festus sends Coryo and Clemmie on their way and ushers your inside, through the house and right to his bedroom, where he guides you to sit on the edge of the bed and kneels before you, hands cradling your face. “You’re okay, you’re okay sweet thing, just breathe.” His grip on your face tightens ever so slightly when you don’t seem to calm down, but it only helps to ground your more. “Breathe with me okay? You’re gonna be okay, sweet thing, it’s all gonna be okay.”

- you sit front row of her funeral beside Coriolanus and selfishly wish you had festus at your side instead

- when festus makes his way to his seat, which he finds is right behind yours, he reaches his hand between the gaps in the chairs and connects it with yours

- he holds your hand the whole way through the funeral and after, until the two of you end up in bed that night and he finally lets go to hold you fully, pressed against his chest as he cradled you to him

- when he wakes up the following morning however, it’s like he’s with an entirely different version of you

- it’s still you, but you’re cold, refusing to cry or grieve or do anything but focus on the games - all you want now is to get things over and done with

- winning doesn’t matter and you don’t really care what happens to your tribute, you just want to go home (which was concerning to you because physically, you were home)

“you need to convince Coral to partner up with Tanner.” you’re sitting at your dressing table as you to speak to Festus, him in his uniform on your bed as he waited for you to get ready to go and bond further with your tributes for the day. “He doesn’t stand a chance alone, he needs the help. Coral does, hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if they won.”

Festus only wiggled his eyebrows at you, meeting your gaze in the reflection of your mirror. “Well, sweet thing, I’m sure I could be convinced…” Festus is quickly quietened by your hairbrush smacking against his chest. “I was only saying!”

When he sees you try and smother the smile that tries to form on your face he stands from the bed, crossing the room, and wrapping his arms around your shoulders, speaking to your reflection. “Everything is going to be okay sweet thing. Trust me. In a week from now all this will be behind us and we can get on with the rest of our lives. You and me, a house somewhere in the upper city, two university degrees, other things. Whatever you want will be ours.” Your hands reached up to hold into his arms that wrapped around you, squeezing them lovingly as your stoic composure quickly dissolved. “But if what will soothe your roaring mind right now is an alliance between our tributes, then an alliance you shall have, sweet thing.”

You lean into his hold, titling your head to press a kiss to his clothed arm. “I love you, festus.” It didn’t matter that you knew he wouldn’t say it back just yet, he had always had a hard time verbalising his feelings, because you knew that he loved you, you could feel it right in this moment more then ever before.

- and then, only hours later, the trip to the arena came, and with it, the attack from the rebels

- festus had left your side for approximately 5 seconds, going to drag coral away from Tanner and the boy from 7 (who you hoped were all planning an alliance) when the first bomb went off

your ears ring with a shrill noise that only further disoriented you, your view blurry as you looked up from the rubbed floor of the arena and into the flames. the blast of the bomb from behind you had sent you flying forward, yet, you couldn’t see festus anywhere. smoke filled the room and rubble littered the floors, pieces of the ceiling and walls falling into the centre of the arena in the aftershocks.

you try and stand but your legs fail you and your arms shake with the effort you used to try and push yourself off of the floor. Rubble is falling closer and closer to you with each second, you can’t hear or see anything to anyone, let alone festus, and you’re sure that this is how you’re going to die.

just as you’re about it close your eyes and accept your fate, a shadow emerges from the ashes, running in your direction and yelling what you think is your name. it’s only when they grab you by the arms and hoist you up that you begin to see and hear properly again. “Coral.” You whisper, reaching out and caressing their face.

they seem unfazed, wrapping your arm around their shoulder and holding it against their collar bone while the other wraps tightly around your waist. “your leg is injured, so I’m going to have to drag you, okay? It might hurt.” your barley feel the pain in your leg and if you were any more conscious you might be worried about that, but right now all you can think about is how they came and saved you from the rubble. Coral could’ve ran, for freedom, to leave you for dead, for whatever. but they hadn’t, and a part of you didn’t really understand.

“you saved me.” you whispered, only loud enough for them to hear as they continued to drag you through the arena and to the exit. “what about you’re friends?”

“they’re fine.” they answered, helping you through the barricade and ever closer to safety. “so’s your little boyfriend. they all got dragged out by peacekeepers pretty quickly. we were too far in the destruction to be found as fast.”

you hear him before you see him. festus creed is calling your name in a wretched cry, sobs accentuating everything that came from his mouth. and when you catch sight of his frame, he’s being restrained by two peacekeepers, who seem to be insisting that he can’t go back in there, that’s they’ll find you but he needs to wait out here. before you can call out to him, Coral does so for you. “they need help! their leg!”

all eyes turn to you. you and the tribute from four gripping tightly onto each other, covered in ash and scrapes, hand gripping hand. it’s something festus never thought he’d see and it has him questioning everything he’s ever known. maybe the people from the districts were just like you and him. maybe everything he’d been told was wrong and it was silly to punish children, like himself, for the crimes of their fathers.

what he does know for certain is that he’s never run so fast in his life. he reaches you before the peacekeepers can and tears you from Corals hold, thanking them profusely even as peacekeepers drag them away to go with the rest of the tributes who made it out alive. he grips you with a strength you didn’t know he had, a hand cupping the back of your head and holding you tight against him. “I thought I lost you, God, I thought I lost you. I though you were…” he can’t say it, can’t bring himself to speak it out loud less he makes it come true. “All the rubble and the smoke and the fires, and when I tried to search for you they dragged me out. They told me I couldn’t go back in for you: I would’ve gone back in. I never should’ve left your side, what if you’d-“

He shakes his head, pulling you out of the safety of his hold so he can cup your face, thumbs runnings cross your tear-stained cheeks as he looks at you. “Never leave me. Not like that, not ever. Please. Promise me.”

He’s never sounded so pleading, so desperate, and he’s never wanted for anything more in his life. “I won’t, I’m sorry, I’m okay, I’m okay, I’m okay.” You’re a blubbering mess in festus’s arms, gripping to the back of his red blazer like your life depends on it. Your cries only worsen as the ringing in your ears starts to fade and you start to feel a throbbing pain in your leg. “I’m sorry. I love you, I love you.”

“I love you too, I love you too, I love you too.”

- festus follows you to the hospital and everywhere else after that

- but like seriously

- he already knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with you and the attack in the arena only solidified that idea

- the hunger games are over and Lucy grey is crowned their winner within the week

- festus proposes the following morning

[weezly14]

It’s national infertility awareness week, and I’m still infertile.

It’s been 19 cycles of nothing.

No, not nothing.

Once I was 8 days late before I started bleeding clots.

Once I got three days of very, very faint lines. I told myself not to get excited until the lines got darker. Instead they disappeared, and the blood came. I tried to tell myself I’d just taken seven faulty tests over three days. It hurt less.

(It hurts, still.)

It’s national infertility awareness week, and my best friend has a newborn, and another friend just announced she’s pregnant. It’s a boy.

(What would my lost faint line have been?)

I’m in the middle of my first IVF cycle. Every morning and every evening my husband gives me injections of fertility meds. I’m bloated, fatigued, emotional. I’ve had headaches and nausea. I have bruises from the shots, and every other day we wake at 5:30 to drive to the clinic for bloodwork and an ultrasound. I can’t tell if it’s going well or not. Everything about IVF is shrouded in mystery and uncertainty. I haven’t been my best self, but my husband has come with me to every appointment, has held my hand and watched the fertility videos and kisses the bandaid he puts on me after he administers the shots, morning and evening. He buys me a hash brown after every appointment and dealt with the pharmacy for me. He woke up at 6 am today to wait for fedex to deliver my meds.

(My father left when I was a baby, wouldn’t go with my mom to visit me in the nicu. But my husband has gone above and beyond for eggs that may not even become embryos. Potential future sprout, you will never feel unwanted; you will always know the love of a doting, caring father. Before you even became, he took care of you.)

IVF is not a guarantee. It gives us a chance, but it’s still just that — a chance. A better one than we’d had, but it could still fail. It’s hard to hold onto that reality and the stubborn hope, too. Because it’s stubbornness more than anything that’s gotten me here. I don’t know when to quit. As scary as it is to try, I have to at least try.

So, this is trying. It’s four injections a day and bandaids shaped like cats or dogs. It’s a shared audiobook on the drives to and from the clinic, and hash browns on the way home. It’s tears and fear and clinging to the idea of success, holding each other when it gets to be too much. It’s the cats and dogs staying close and giving cuddles, like somehow they know how much I need it. It’s friends and family checking in and offering support.

(It’s the basket in the closet of an empty bedroom, filled with little things acquired over the past year and a half. Little things for a potential future sprout, socks and onesies and a blanket. In the room we haven’t filled, that we still call the nursery.)

Infertility sucks, but it’s more common than anyone wants to believe. 1 in 6 is the stat going around. National infertility awareness week is all about people sharing their stories, helping others feel less alone. It’s still fucking lonely, but it helps, somehow. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. As much as it hurts when friends get pregnant easily, I’m so glad for them, too. I’d hate to see them go through what I have.

So, for whatever it’s worth, it’s infertility awareness week, and I’m infertile. I have two failed IUIs under my belt, and I’m on my first IVF cycle. Everyone’s journey is different, but they all suck. Not all of them end with a take home baby. If this is your experience, too, I’m sorry.

I don’t know how our journey ends. I might not for a while yet.

(Lost faint line, potential future sprout — you were always, always wanted. We’ll keep trying.)

[moon-sang]

Could you add a little more to your 3AM prompt? I feel like it could be a gooooood one shot! :)

36 Days

Din Djarin x GN!Reader

Ok, you guys win, I’ll write my idea :>

Please tell me if there are any gender indications, so. I can change it to gender neutral

SUMMARY: You and Mando have a huge fight. (Happy ending)

WARNINGS: Fighting, angst, nightmares, mature language, pls tell me if I miss anything!

~~~~~~~~~

How did this start again?

Oh that’s right! You had walked outside of the Crest for the first time in exactly 5 weeks, 4 hours, 19 minutes, and 6 seconds.

And Din had the nerve to tell you off about it!

The story was Gideon had managed to get his hands on you when you were a few years old. From there you had been his lab rat up until the age of 20, that’s when Mando rescued you, and brought you along on his ship with his tiny green son.

You were forever grateful that he let you stay with him, but at the same time you were slowly losing your sanity, piece by piece. Exactly 36 days of being trapped in a dull silver cold ship, with a baby…how did Din not see it?! The frustrations!

Whenever you brought it up he would always turn you down by saying

“There are millions of bounty hunters and imperials looking for you, I can’t protect you as well as I protect the kid, keeping you out of sight is just a safety precaution.”

Fair enough…

BUT 36 DAYS

You weren’t even allowed to open any windows for kriffing sake!

~~~~~~~~ “You were reckless.” Scowled Din, fists clenched tightly by his side.

“No! I was tired of being trapped in this ship! 36 days, Din! 36 days since I last felt the sun!” You exclaimed.

“You’re being dramatic.”

“I am NOT! You might as well send me back to Gideon! I was more free even with him!” You yell, voice turning hoarse.

Din seemed to be taken back by your statement, because he is silent for a moment. “You wanna go back to Gideon? Be my guest, I’ll drop you off right now if you want me to, it’ll be easier on me, without you here.” He says in the most intimidating voice you’ve ever heard.

Tears formed at the corners of your eyes and he’s about to say something, perhaps and apology for his harsh words, but he doesn’t get a chance to, because your shoving past him, and making your way out of the cockpit.

Din doesn’t follow, he crossed the line and now he just needed to give you some space.

He had regretted the words the moment they came out, but he couldn’t stop them from toppling off of his tongue, pure anger and venom overriding any of his common sense.

~~~~~~~~

You cried for what seemed like hours in Din’s your cot. 

It wasn’t just from the fear of Din’s words being true, but from the fight itself. Everything just got so overwhelming, especially with Din being so tall and just- intimidating! 

An ugly, heavy sob wracked your body as you tried to curl up impossibly tighter on yourself. 

Eventually you felt the familiar pull of your eyelids, and the haze of your tired mind. It didn’t take long for you to fall asleep, with old tears falling onto the dense pillow. 

~~~~~~~~

“You have made the right choice Din Djarin.” Gideon’s voice booms through what you could only assume was a imperial cell. 

Gideon had his familiar victory smile etched into his face, whilst Din stood beside him watching you struggle against your cuffs. 

“Din? What’s going on?” You croak out. 

Gideon let’s out a sinister laugh

“You wanted to come back, right?” Din says, followed by a dry chuckle. 

Tears stream down your face, as you strain against your chains. “Din! Please don’t do this, I’m sorry!” You scream in broken sobs. 

Din says nothing as he turns away from you, and begins his decent to the Razor Crest in the distance. 

“Din!” You scream as loud as you can, hoping the desperation in your voice would magically change his mind. 

Gideon smirked once more. 

“Din!” You yell again, but to no avail. 

Distantly you knew you were having a nightmare, but you couldn’t find it in yourself to wake up. 

So you settle for screaming for Din, because right now, it’s the only thing you can do. 

~~~~~~~~

Suddenly you felt hands tug at your waist, and your dream shifted, eventually disappearing into thin air, as you were welcomed back to your reality, in the Razor Crest, alone, crying in Din’s bunk, covered in your own sweat. 

Usually Din would comfort you right about now. But he wouldn’t do that now, not after fighting. Maker you would be lucky if he ever spoke to you again! 

An unexpected sob rips through your body, leaving you quivering against the wall. You could distinctly hear something hushing you gently, but you had to remind yourself that you were alone...and probably just paranoid from the nightmare. 

That is until you hear it again. 

“Din?” You sob out, hands travelling up his breastplate to confirm it’s really him. 

“Shh, I’m here, meshurok.” 

Just hearing him speak makes you cry even harder, which seemed impossible for you. 

As the tears began to flow more freely your sobs became harder, until you were gasping for air. Din held you through it all, rocking you gently, bodies swaying together. “I-I’m so-sorry” You cough up, gripping his cowl tightly between your sweaty palms, trying to ground yourself. “I’m so-so sor-sorry.” You whimper. Din hushes you quickly, running his hands through your hair. “It’s ok ner’karta, relax.” 

~~

You don’t remember much of that night, you can’t remember how many hours Din held you securely against his chest, strong arms keeping you safe, and close to him, but it opened up a new path for the two of you. One where you wouldn’t lose your tempers and actually try to understand each other. 

~~~~~~

You followed Din over to the hatch, ready to wave him off for yet another hunt. 

You had come to terms with staying on the ship

Din couldn’t lose you. 

Which is why.. you couldn’t understand why Din handed you an oversized cloak and said;

“No, Mesh’la, we’re going to go out”

Din had never seen you smile so brightly in his whole life. 

[queenofthekings]

𝖜𝖍𝖔 𝖜𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖘 𝖙𝖔 𝖑𝖎𝖛𝖊 𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖗, 𝖕𝖆𝖗𝖙 𝖎 (𝖘𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖘 𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊)

Summary: Hawkins, Indiana, 1986. A dead end town where nothing happens. One night, Eddie Munson goes missing without a trace. He turns up two weeks later on your doorstep, covered in blood and no memory of the last two weeks. When you notice him acting strangely, you follow Eddie into the woods and discover his terrifying secret. But the most terrifying part to you? You can't bring yourself to stay away from Eddie. Whether you've realised you're in love with him or you're under his spell, you don't want to be away from Eddie for a single second and a deadly love affair begins.

Author's note: I doubt anyone's read it but this is a revamped (no pun intended) version of the fic of the same name on AO3 I wrote last year. I love that fic so much and felt like people on here would miss out on it as I haven't posted it here. If you'd ever like to read the original version, you can find it here! If any of you do choose to read it in it's entirety, please don't spoil it for others!

CW: 18+, swearing, character death, sex references, potential smut in later chapters, vampire!Eddie, blood, scenes that people may find disturbing.

Word count: 4.3k

Any hate will not be tolerated, constructive criticism is welcomed.

The alarm went off at 6:15 AM on the dot, its obnoxious and short beeping noise was the worst part of waking up, yet it was a necessary evil. You groaned as you reached out to turn off the beeping and hide back under the covers. You really weren’t in the mood to face the world or school.

You laid under the covers for another five minutes until you sighed, reluctantly pushing the covers out of the way, and sitting up. Rubbing your eyes, you groaned once more as you realized the glass next to you bed was empty. “Thirsty,” you frowned, climbing out of bed, and grabbing your glass to go downstairs and refill it.

Once you reached the kitchen, you stared out the window as your glass began to fill with water. You were completely lost in your own thoughts, distracted by a bird pecking at the grass. Suddenly, your felt a pair of hands on your shoulders, causing you to shriek and drop your glass.

Turning around to confront the culprit behind you, you punched your older brother in the arm. “Don’t fucking scare me like that!”

Stephen laughed loudly, giving you a quick hug. “I couldn’t help myself, I’m sorry. You’re so easy to scare.”

“You’re such an asshole.” You laughed, picking up your glass to drink what little water was left in it before turning off the tap. “How was work?”

Stephen sighed, filling the kettle, and setting it to boil. “Same old, same old. Jamie’s gonna take you to school if that's alright.”

You frowned as you put your glass down in the sink for washing. “Why can’t you take me?”

“Because, pipsqueak, I’m fuckin’ tired.” He poured himself some coffee before leaving the kitchen and disappearing upstairs.

It had just been the three of you for almost three years; your mom had died of cancer and dad was nowhere to be found. To keep food on the table, all three of you worked. Stephen worked nights at the powerplant, Jamie worked days at the general store, and you worked weekends and the odd evening at the diner.

It wasn't much, but you made it work.

“Y/N!” Jamie called out. “I am leaving in exactly seven minutes! If you’re not ready then, I’m leaving without you!”

“Shit!” You sprinted upstairs to hastily get ready for school. You frantically threw on an Evil Dead t-shirt, dark plaid mini-skirt, and old grey socks, forcing your feet into a pair of black boots. Additionally, you grabbed your denim jacket off the floor before picking up your backpack and hurtling yourself down the stairs.

Jamie stood at the front door, looking at his watch. “Only thirty seconds to spare, I’m impressed.”

You pushed past him to get out the front door, giving him a death glare before smiling. “Oh shut up, I’m here now, aren’t I?”

“But for how long?” Jamie's expression went sinister as he opened the door for you before climbing into the car himself.

After climbing into the car, you punched his arm. “If you kill me on the way to school, you’d be doing me a kindness. Surely, you want me to suffer as much as possible.”

Turning the car on, Jamie pressed play on the stereo, Bronski Beat began playing throughout the car. “If I can't kill you, I'll just leave you with my terrible music.”

You groaned, sinking down into your seat. “You're too kind, sparing my life and giving me the gift of whatever this is.”

He smirked, shaking his head. “I am nothing but merciful.”

The rest of the car ride was silent as you tapped your thighs to the beat of the music, watching Hawkins fly past you. Yawning, you leaned your head against the window and tried not to fall back asleep. All the late nights were definitely catching up to you and it was probably time to sleep early for once, not that you’d ever actually do it though.

The car pulled into the Hawkins High parking lot and came to a halt, with you climbing out and grabbing your backpack.

“Stephen will pick you up tonight, as usual. I'll be home probably at about 6 with dinner, alright?” Jamie leaned over to make sure you could hear him.

You nodded, putting on your headphones and grabbing your Walkman out of your backpack. “I’ll see you at home.” You didn't bother waiting for a reply as you walked into school, pressing play on your music, Shout by Tears for Fears filling your ears.

Arriving at your locker, you ignored the “Hellfire’s Bitch” plastered all over it. You’d long since given up trying to rub it off as it would appear again the next day, you were used to it anyway. When it first started to happen, you’d always scream and cry about how much you hated it and how it wasn’t true, but now you wore the name like a badge of honour.

Better to be known as Hellfire’s Bitch than a slut, right?

While you weren’t an official member of the Hellfire Club, you were still pretty good friends with the members. After your mom died, they’d more or less taken you under their wing. They made you laugh again and remind you that you always had someone looking out for you, no matter what.

The only downside was being teased for being associated with “freaks” and having to deal with the constant fear of being beaten up by Jason and his band of loyal cultists. While you hadn’t been attacked yet, you knew it was coming at some point – you were 5’1”, you didn’t stand a chance against Jason’s 5’8” frame. You’d be toast in seconds.

You shrugged off those thoughts, grabbing the necessary books out of your locker and walked to your first class, not bothering to take off your headphones. You weren’t in any classes with any of your friends anyway, so there was no point in taking them off.

You breezed your way through the classes, never putting your hand up and taking notes if you needed to. Before your mom’s death, you’d always be engaged in classes and would always ask questions. But now? You didn’t see a point in doing anything but getting your work done so you could get out.

Once the lunch bell rang, you rushed into the cafeteria and looked around for your friends, only to have Eddie Munson stand on his table and stretch his arms out towards you. “But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.”

Blushing deeply, you laughed and made your way over to his table. “Alright, Romeo, you can stop with the theatrics now.” Placing your tray on the table, you flattened the back of your skirt and sat down closest to Eddie.

Eddie moved his chair slightly closer to you. “You’ll never guess who I’m gonna ask to prom.”

You looked at him and then at the rest of the table before back to Eddie, knowing that everyone except you knew who he was talking about. “I’ll guess Nancy Wheeler.”

Gareth almost choked on his food from laughing. “Close but not quite.”

You went silent for a few moments to think, the smile slowly growing on your lips as an idea came to your head. “Chrissy Cunningham? Fuck off, even I wanna sleep with her.”

The entire table sat up straighter at your comment, all of them instantly thinking of you and Chrissy making out in very little clothing. Several of the boys coughed awkwardly as they readjusted their jeans, causing you to roll your eyes and turn back to Eddie. “You’re such a bullshitter, Munson.”

Eddie put his hands up in surrender. “I’m not bullshitting, I swear.”

You laughed, opening your carton of juice. “I’ll believe you when I see it for myself.”

Eddie gave you a slight smirk, his eyes focused on your lips for a moment before returning to your eyes. “Don’t you worry, Juliet, I’ll prove it.”

You raised an eyebrow, licking your lips. “I’m betting on it.”

Gareth sighed, slamming his fist down on the table, causing you and Eddie to jump. “Either kiss and get it over with or stop eye-fucking each other, there’s kids around.”

You and Eddie moved slightly away from each other, coughing awkwardly as you took a sip of your juice. Talk at the table went to the usual next D&D session, you just sitting and listening to the excited boys, not knowing, or understanding anything that was being said. But listening to the excitement in their voices always made your smile.

The rest of the school day went by uneventfully and ended with you waiting outside the school for Stephen to pick you up. As usual, he was late. Everyone else had already gone home, leaving you to sit on the wall in front of the school with your headphones on, staring at the road and waiting for Stephen’s car.

A person stood in front of you, causing you to take your headphones off and look up at them. “Well well well, it looks like it’s just you and me, Juliet."

You sighed, folding your arms over your chest. “Why are you still here, Eddie? School’s over.”

Eddie almost frowned as he sat down beside you on the wall, ignoring your question. “Why are you still here?”

“Stephen’s supposed to pick me up. I guess he forgot,” you shrugged, grimacing.

“What’re you listening to?” Eddie took your headphones, pressing play on your Walkman before you could answer. You watched his face show little to no emotion as he listened to your music, his eyes focused on something in the distance, or probably nothing at all.

After a few minutes, he took the headphones off and handed the Walkman back to you. “Because you didn't give me a chance to answer before you listened, it’s Modern Talking.”

Eddie nodded slowly. “It's… different.”

You shook your head, laughing a little. “It’s okay, you can say you hate it.”

He narrowed his eyes, leaning his head in closer to yours. “Whoever said I hated it?”

“Oh please, I know you, Romeo. You don’t wanna be rude by saying my music is terrible, so you call it interesting, you’ve said that about anything you don’t like that I like.”

Eddie smirked. “So you think you know me?”

You raised an eyebrow, getting closer to him. “Of course I know you, we know each other very well.”

“Maybe we do, maybe we don’t.”

You moved away, brushing him off. “You never answered my earlier question, why are you still here?”

Eddie shrugged, fiddling with the ends of your hair. “I was about to leave when I saw you out here alone, I didn’t think you should be waiting for your bother alone... if he even turns up.”

You frowned. “He’ll turn up, he’s just running late.”

“I’ll tell you what; if he doesn’t turn up in the next 10 minutes, I will take you home.”

You thought about his offer for a moment before slowly nodding your head. “Okay, sure.”

It wouldn’t be the first time Eddie had offered to drive you home; he’d even done it a handful of times over the past few years. But you always felt guilty over him having to stay later after school to wait with you and then eventually drive you home.

While your brothers tolerated Eddie and accepted that he was a friend, they were still wary of him. Not because of any of the Hellfire “cult” nonsense, but because of Eddie’s reputation for dealing drugs and smoking almost constantly. It was the typical overprotective older brother routine that you’d had been forced to live with since your parents died.

Eddie lit a cigarette and blew out the smoke, being careful to not blow it in your face. You looked in his direction, taking the cigarette from him and taking a long drag, blowing out the smoke as you handed it back.

Almost hesitantly, Eddie took the cigarette back. “Okay, that was the hottest thing you've ever done, who knew Juliet could hold a smoke?”

You raised an eyebrow, smirking a little. “Surprised, Munson?”

He took another drag, processing everything he’d just witnessed. “I just pictured you as the good girl, never doing anything like this.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “We crash parties all the time, I’d hardly call myself the good girl.”

Eddie took one last long drag before throwing his cigarette away. “In that case, Juliet, the not good girl, I think it’s high time I take you home.”

You sighed, nodding as you picked up your backpack and jacket, making your way over to Eddie’s van with Eddie wrapping an arm around your shoulder. His arm dropped to open the passenger side door for you before disappearing to the other side of the van and climbing in.

You tossed your bag and jacket in before climbing in yourself, closing the door behind you. The van smelled of thousands of cigarettes, beer cans and cologne; while you wouldn’t call it horrible, it certainly took you by surprise every time you smelled it. You were sure the smell was strong enough to burn some hairs off your nose, not that  you’d ever say anything to Eddie about it.

The car ride was silent between you two, the only sound was Eddie’s stereo playing Master of Puppets by Metallica, Eddie’s hands tapping against the steering wheel. You’d heard him play the song a thousand times since it was released, it was cute in a way.

People always saw Eddie have this tough and scary exterior but once people ripped the surface away and go deeper, they’d see that he was one of the softest and kindest people in the school. Fiercely protective and loyal to those closest to him, he’d take a bullet for them if he could.

All too soon, Eddie had parked his van outside of your house and was waiting for you to make a move. You awkwardly picked up your belongings, knowing you should say something… anything but nothing came to mind. “I’ll see you later?” You blurted out without fully thinking beforehand.

It came out more like a question than anything else, and if Eddie could hear your thoughts, he’d be bombarded with loud screaming and being told you were an idiot repeatedly. You couldn’t understand why today of all days, you couldn't act normal around him.

Just say goodbye like a normal person, you complete loser.

Eddie nodded, giving you a gentle smile, clearly not fazed by your strange reaction. “See you later, Juliet. And please don’t tell your brothers I let you smoke.”

You nodded, your insides melting at that damned smile. “Your secret is safe with me.” You nodded as you opened the door and climbed out. After closing the door, you gave him a salute before racing inside.

Once the door was closed, you instantly began banging your forehead against it repeatedly, cringing at every hit until you felt a hand on your forehead, moving your head away from the door. “If you wanted to crack your skull open, you’ll have to hit harder than that.”

You frowned, moving your head to see Stephen grinning beside you. Once you realised who it was, you instantly began punching his arm. “You were supposed to pick me up from school, asshole!”

Stephen raised his arms in defence before grabbing your fists to stop you from attacking him. “I know and I’m sorry, my alarm didn’t wake me up. I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

You stopped fighting, your eyes narrowing. “Make it up to me how?”

He let go of your hands. “You can have whatever you want for dinner all weekend, and Eddie Munson can take you to school and pick you up for the rest of the month.”

You thought about his offer for a moment before nodding. “You got yourself a deal, you’re lucky you get to live another day.” You held out your hand and Stephen shook it, sealing the deal.

He smiled as their hands shook before his smile dropped almost as quickly as it appeared. “Did you smoke?”

Your eyes went wide for a moment before you bolted for the stairs, Stephen hot on your heels. He grabbed your ankle, pulling you down as soon as you reached the top step. “I’m gonna kill Munson!” he yelled.

“You said he could be my ride for a month! We had a deal!” You yelled back, trying to hold in your laughter as you lay on the stairs.

“That was before I knew he got you to smoke!”

You were just about to kick him in the balls to get him off, but the front door opened, revealing Jamie had come home with burgers. Stephen looked down at you, leaning down to whisper in your ear. “This isn’t over, you’re grounded for the rest of the semester,” then he walked downstairs to greet his brother.

Rolling your eyes, you turned over and stood up, slowly making your way down the stairs. At first, you thought it was all a joke but hearing your brother’s voice sound so threatening made you realise that perhaps he wasn’t joking at all and maybe you were grounded after all.

Arriving in the kitchen, you grabbed your Styrofoam box of a burger and fries from the greasy bag and grabbed a Coke from the fridge before sitting down at the counter to eat.

The three of you ate in silence, until Jamie spoke up through a mouthful of fries. “How was school?”

You shrugged, finishing the rest of your burger before answering. “Same old, same old, Stephen forgot to pick me up, so Eddie brought me home.”

Stephen shook his head, clearly annoyed that you brought it up. “I didn’t forget, I overslept. Do I need to bring up how you’re grounded for the rest of the semester?”

You looked down, playing with a fry. Jamie frowned, turning to the eldest sibling. “Why’s she grounded?”

“Would you like to say why you’re grounded?” Stephen asked, you shook your head. “She’s grounded because she smoked.”

Jamie raised his eyebrow slightly, directing his next question towards you. “Was it drugs or just a cigarette?”

“Cigarette,” you almost whispered, hanging your head.

“What do you mean “just” a cigarette? She shouldn’t be smoking anything!” Stephen almost yelled.

“You were her age once! You did far worse than her! Do I need to remind you why all your girlfriends were banned from the house? Or why none of mom’s jewellery was left to us?” Jamie fired back.

“It’s because I did worse shit that I want to stop her from continuing!” Stephen towered over Jamie. “If she isn't careful, she’ll ruin her life!”

“OH MY GOD, STOP PRETENDING TO BE DAD!” You screamed, getting off your seat. “No matter how hard you put on the persona, you’ll never be him.”

Stephen moved around the counter to stand in front of you, looking like a giant compared to you. “I don’t know if you noticed, kiddo, since that deadbeat left, I have to be. My life ended the day mom died. Both of our lives did, we had to look after you.”

“So this is my fault?” You laughed bitterly. “If you didn’t want me, you should’ve just shipped me off to England when Aunt Clara fucking asked.”

His eyes narrowed, his voice getting quiet. “You know what? Maybe I should’ve. Maybe then I wouldn’t be stuck in this fucking shithole with a little brother who’s a pushover and a little sister who thinks the entire world revolves around her.”

Before another word could be said, Stephen stormed out of the house and sped away, leaving you and Jamie to stare at each other and wonder what in the world had just happened. Feeling tears well up in your eyes, you darted towards the door and shakily grabbed your coat and put it on.

“Where are you going?” Jamie asked, walking towards the door after you.

“Out.”

“You’re grounded, remember?”

“So stop me from going out then.” You waited for a few seconds before nodding your head. “I’ll be back later, I just wanna clear my head.”

Jamie pulled you in for a tight hug, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “You’re not a burden to me, okay? Stephen’s just got a lot resting on his shoulders and I know he shouldn’t take it out on you, but he just wants the best for you.”

You nodded, hugging him back before letting go. “I love you, Jamie, and I’m sorry for ruining dinner.”

Jamie brushed you off. “Nah you didn’t, don’t worry about it. I love you too and go see Eddie.”

“How did you know I’d go see Eddie?”

“I was eighteen once before, I know love when I see it.”

“I-I don’t-” you stuttered, completely taken aback by your brother’s comment.

“I’ll keep your secret, don’t worry. Now go before it gets too dark.”

You gave him a smile before walking out into the dusk. It wasn’t too far to walk to Eddie’s, but it still probably wasn’t a good idea to walk it at that hour and alone. You shivered a little and wished you’d put on tights or jeans before leaving but it was far too late for that now; you’d probably borrow a blanket from Eddie when you were there.

After almost an hour of walking, you arrived at Eddie’s trailer. With a shaky hand, you knocked on his door. As you waited, you could feel the anxiety rising within you, almost making you cry; not over seeing Eddie, but the weight of the argument and what Stephen had said had finally hit you and it hit like a tonne of bricks.

Eddie opened the door with a wide smile. “Well this is a surprise, Juliet.” His smile dropped once he noticed you were on the verge of a panic attack. “What happened? Who do I need to kill?”

You shook your head, hugging him tightly, burying your face in his chest. Eddie closed the door behind you and hugged you back, pressing a kiss to the side of your head before gently scratching the top of your head, soothing you. “You're okay, nothing will hurt you here.”

Keeping your head in his chest, you breathed in the smell of cigarettes and cologne, both smells and Eddie’s words helping you calm down. Slowly, you came out of the hug. “I got into an argument with Stephen.”

Eddie nodded, pressing another kiss to the side of your head. “You get the blankets; I’ll get the beer.”

You nodded, grabbing blankets from the sofa and Eddie’s room before making your way up to the roof of the trailer, arranging the blankets to be comfortable to sit on and resting one on your lap to warm your legs up.

The pair of you always sat on the roof whenever you came over, staring up at the sky, looking at clouds and smoking during the day and looking at constellations, talking about your dreams and drinking during the night.

Eddie brought up a box of beer, passing it up to you as he finished climbing up the ladder himself. He settled next to you, getting two cans out and opening one before handing it to you and opening his own. “You wanna tell me what actually happened?”

You sighed before taking a sip of your beer, reluctantly nodding. “There isn’t much to really say. Stephen grounded me for the rest of the semester because I was smoking with you. He also basically said that I ruined both his and Jamie’s lives when our mom died, and he wished he’d sent me off to England.”

Eddie took a massive chug of his beer, clearly trying to contain his anger. “Your brother is an asshole, I’m sorry but he is. If he doesn’t apologize for saying what he said and ungrounding you, I’ll get my uncle to beat his ass.”

You shook your head, taking a long drink. “Don’t worry about it, Jamie has my back.”

“The offer’s always open, Juliet.”

You smiled at each other as you both fell silent, drinking your beers and staring up at the stars, the silence of the trailer park occasionally broken by a couple arguing or a dog barking. To you, it was nothing short of heaven to be under the stars with Eddie and dreaming of being away from home.

“Let’s get out of here.” Eddie said, breaking the silence.

You looked at him before looking at your watch. “The diner should still be open.”

“I was thinking more somewhere overseas.”

“So my brother shouts at me, I should flee the country?”

“This place is a dead end; we’ve been saying it for years.”

“So what’re we gonna do about it?”

He shrugged slightly. “You know I’ll follow you wherever you wanna go.”

You downed the rest of your beer. “What if I wanna go to Antarctica?”

He laughed, shaking his head slightly as he opened another beer for you, handing it to you. “In that case, Juliet, I’d better get my winter coat.”

You took the beer from him and took a sip. “Did you mean it? When you said you’d take Chrissy to prom?” You asked quietly.

Realising your change in demeanour, Eddie stroked your cheek with his thumb. “There’s only one girl I’d take to prom, and it’ll never be Chrissy Cunningham.”

With watery eyes, you looked at him. “Who’s that?”

Eddie smiled gently, leaning into you, as if he was about to kiss you but he stopped just before you lips, his forehead resting against yours as his dark eyes bore into yours. “Isn’t it obvious? It’s you.”

You opened your mouth to speak, but he placed a finger over your lips to stop you before continuing. “And since I do wanna take you to prom, there’s one very important question I must ask you. Y/N, my Juliet, may I take you out on a date tomorrow night?”

A tear fell down your cheek as you smiled, taking a few seconds to answer. “Edward Munson, my Romeo, you may take me out on a date tomorrow.”

[shidousprincess]

PLEASE ON MY KNEES BEGGING FOR NESS ILHSMMMM HE'S MY POOKIE PLEASE ANYTHING FLUFF MAYBE EVEN STEAMMY PLEASE 😭😭😭😭😭

If you do this request tysm, stay safe and healthy ▄█▀█●

Anon requested Ness so I shall deliver (I hope) I might do some steamy if yall want a next chapter I’m sorry it took 3 days I just couldn’t come up with a plot and my period has been kicking my ass so I’ve done nothing but sleep and read others stories but today a idea flew to my brain and so I wrote it 💜 I’m still trying to tweak my work as I go any tips are appreciated

Nessxfem!reader

Hope you all enjoy! Much love my sunflowers stay safe and healthy aswell !!!

Likes and reblogs are appreciated 🫶🏻

‼️Request are open btw{on my knees begging yall for requests🧎‍♀️}‼️

Photographerxmodel type Au

Words:1k+

Y/n,ness,and Kaiser all childhood best friends ,after high school ended they all went their separate ways but kept in contact until y/n went abroad to study photography and ness and Kaiser went to go apply to be models for and expensive brand

6 years later y/n was setting at a cafe in Shibuya drinking her favorite drink thinking of where she could apply for a photography job.lost in thought she didn't notice her 2 childhood best friends enter the cafe until Kaiser noticed a familiar face that looked like y/n his childhood best friend he walked up to them  "hello might I ask your name? "They were snatched out of thought and they quickly said “Y/n. Kaiser ! I haven’t seen you in years is ness still with you ?” as soon as Ness heard her speak he ran over to see her  not even worrying about his spot in line . "Y/n we've missed you so much!"they both said in unison not having seen each other in 6 years they all decided to catch up on what each other was doing..."so y/n what have you been doing since we haven't seen each other in sooooo long".Ness asked. “Well I have been studying abroad in photography and I finally finished about 2 weeks ago so I decided to come back to Japan to see if I could find a decent photography job and so far I haven't had any hits  what about you two?”... Kaiser spoke up "me and Ness became models for Louis Vuitton and we have been looking for a photographer and looks like we stumbled upon you at the perfect time

You can come by the company tomorrow and apply to be our photographer I'm 100% sure they will accept you" Kaiser says with a smile “

You thought for a few seconds and decided you would.

So you all 3 began to chat some more about how everyone was doing and what has been happening

“I really enjoyed seeing you both and getting to talk and catch up but it's really late and I need to make it back to my apartment so I think I'll leave first” then they both got up with you “we need to go aswell ... goodbye y/n" they both said in unison .. “wait a second y/n “Kaiser said you spun around to see what he needed he ran up to you with a piece of paper with the company's address. “This is the address you need to come to tomorrow” he said then walked back to where Ness was . “Bye guys I had tons of fun today thanks for the job opportunity aswell” . You then turned back around and headed for your apartment.

~The next day ~

You arrived at the address Kaiser gave you and walked in you asked the lady at the front desk if she could take you to where the manager is

She gladly obliged and took you to where she was .. “thank you “you said and bowed then you knocked. “Come in” says the manager. You walked in and took a seat and she soon asked “you must be the girl Kaiser told me about yesterday”.. “ yes I am he must have told you about me wanting to be he and Ness’s photographer?” You questioned. “Yes you are correct and I would love for you to become their photographer” . “So when do I start” . “Next week Monday morning at  9am” .. “ ok will do thank you for the job” then you got up bowed and left.

~5 months later~

Ness’s pov

It's been 5 months since y/n started being our photographer and my crush on her has never left even after high school and I’m not sure if they feel the same here lately Kaiser has been around her a lot more and he takes her out places in his spare time and just leaves me hanging and it kinda pisses me off that he keeps hogging her and today I decided to take y/n on a date ..

for the past 2 months Kaiser has been spending a lot of time with me and he also had taken me out plenty of times. And I've noticed how Ness’s behavior has changed around Kaiser and i. it breaks my heart to see my high school crush sulk.. I haven't been talking to him because I'm always with Kaiser so I decided today I would ask if he would like to go to the park where we could talk and I can confess to him.

An hour later we were done with the photoshoot and Kaiser as always tried to get me to come with him to a restaurant but I declined and he just looked at me dumbfounded as I walked over to Ness .

“Hey Ness?” I tapped on his back to get his attention.

“Hey y/n can I help you with anything?” He asked

I gathered up all the courage I had and asked “would you like to go out to the park with me ?”

Ness stood in shock that you were the first to ask him out on a date to the park .

“It's ok if you don't want to you said in a panicked tone. Ness jumped out of his trance “no no I would love to go out with you” he said with a sweet smile ...

You had noticed over the past 5 months how he would always be staring at you or trying to make conversation with you but Kaiser would always but in and cut him off you had thought if he felt the same way you did....

~At the park~

Neither of you talked the whole way there when you both sat down on the swings Ness broke the foreboding silence “so what did you need y/n ? “You stood up and said..”Ness I have wanted to ask you this ever since the end of high school but didn’t have the courage or confidence .. I love you Ness” ..

Ness froze not believing what he had just heard he came back to his senses when you were crying because you thought he didn't like you back he then jumped up and picked you up and spun you around and brought you into a loving kiss he then broke the kiss after a few minutes to catch y'all's breath” I have always loved you y/n and always will” he then kissed you again you then broke down in happy tears and so did ness “soooo are we a thing now ?”he asked you lightly hit him on the arm “yes of course” you smiled.. Ness smiled and pulled you in for a hug

The end

[tearfallpixie]

Make Mama Happy - Chapter 6

Tags: @nerdraging4point0 @thesazzb @synthetic-wasp-570 @circle-with-me @beaker1636 @itsjustemily @witchyweeb34 @agravemisstake @cookiesupplier @cncohshit @faceless-mirror @nonamessblog @yournecessaryevil @black-damask1999

@lyschko666 @vinyardmauro @skulliecadaver-blog @some-daniela @latenightmusiclover @rye14-blog1 @somewhere-diamond @Shilohrosechicken @abiomens @awkwardalex @miss570

“Mama Mauro! Thank you so much for inviting me.” Heather said, hugging Rosa when we walked in. Rosa hugged me next and pulled us both inside.

“Come in. Its so cold out there. I already have hot water on for coffee or hot chocolate.” She told us. We all went into the kitchen and got our drinks before going to the living room and sitting down. “How are you handling being without our Vincenzo dear? This is your first tour separated from him, right?”

“It is. I miss him every day but having Heather with me helps. Especially since she’s missing Ricky.” I murmured, hoping my voice sounded convincing.

“I’m sure calling him every day helps. He tells me how he misses you too.” I raised my eyebrows in shock.

“Uhm, yeah. It definitely helps. I’m ready for him to be home at the end of the week.” The words felt sour in my mouth, but I forced a smile and pretended that I was excited. How could I keep this up if every time we talked, we devolved into bickering about something stupid?

“I’m sure you are. Lets get this place decorated so when he comes home on Thursday he can be surprised.” She led us to the attic where we pulled down the boxes and took them to the living room. “Lets go ahead and pull down the Christmas tree but we wont put it up until Friday. Vinny has an issue with it being up before Thanksgiving.”

“Oooh. I like him even more now. I respect all the holidays and I hate seeing Christmas stuff overlapping.” I giggled. I pulled tinsel out of one of the boxes and wrapped it around the banister of the stairs, while Heather put a wreath up on the front door.

“What about you dear? Are you missing Rick?”

“Of course. Since they are ending their tour right before the holiday, I am flying to Washington Tuesday and meeting him there.” Heather told her.

“Well tell him we say hello and to have a wonderful holiday.”

“Will do Mama Mauro.” Next we decorated the fireplace with pumpkins and candles and while doing that Vinny called his mom.

“Hello Vincenzo! Nichole and Heather are here.” She exclaimed when she answered.

“Hello Vinny. I can’t wait until you are home.” I forced out.

“I can’t either baby. I could really use a hug right now. Hello Heather.” There was some shuffling in the background and an ‘oof’.

“Heather? Hi!” Ricky spoke. “I cant wait to see you Wednesday.”

“Hi Ricky, I miss you.” She giggled, making me roll my eyes. It was one thing for me to pretend to like Vinny but hearing her genuine sickening puppy love was worse.

“Hello Ricky.” I called and there was a pause.

“Hi Chole. How are you?” He said in a friendly tone.

“Oh just so wonderful. I miss you so much.” I fake sobbed.

“Haha. I miss you too brat.” There was an underlying hint of amusement in his voice and it made me smile. “Hey, sorry for stealing your girl for the holidays.”

“I guess I can let you have her for the weekend. But don’t expect me to be nice about it again.” The silence that followed that was awkward and I cocked my head.

“Baby, did you not tell her?” Rick asked.

“Tell me what?” My eyes flicked from the phone to Heather and she wore a guilty expression.

“Well, we decided that this year I would stay up there with him until the new year.” She said cautiously.

“That’s a month and a half.” I sputtered. “We always spend Christmas together!”

“I know. He’s parents asked though. Its just this year. Next year will be just us. I promise.” I shook my head in frustration.

“No, no! Its supposed to be us.”

“I thought with you seeing Vinny, that this year you would spend it with his family.” She explained, cautiously flicking her eyes at Rosa. I was about to pop off but bit my tongue.

“They don’t know me. It would be weird. I need some fresh air.” I muttered. I grabbed my jacket and dashed out the front door before they could say anything else. I pulled my hood up and walked down the street, enjoying the way the cool air burned my lungs. My phone rang and I glanced at it to see Vinny calling me but I really didn’t want to talk to him right now, so I hung up and turned my phone off.

~~~~

MM: I will see you at our place at 10am dear.

I groaned as Rosa texted me Wednesday morning. She made it clear that she would not take no for an answer even though I had tried to get out of thanksgiving dinner. I really didn’t want to talk to Vinny at the moment even though he hadn’t done anything wrong. He had been trying to contact me all weekend and I had been avoiding his calls.

N: I will be there. I promise.

I dreaded driving through the snow that had piled up over the last few days but Mama Mauro had spoken so I wasn’t about to piss her off. I put on a cute red velvet dress and grabbed my peacoat before going out to my car and driving to the house.

“I’m here.” I called when I entered the house. I heard shuffling in the kitchen and Rosa popped her head out.

“Oh perfect timing! Come in here and help me with these cookies, wont you?” I hung my coat up and joined her to see several different cookies laid out on the counter. There were peanut butter cookies, snickerdoodle, chocolate chip and plain cookies to decorate with frosting. “You don’t have any allergies, do you?”

“No ma’am.” She beamed and handed me a tray of different color frosting tubes to decorate with. We spent the morning decorating and chatting about Vinny getting home in a few hours making the time fly by. I had never decorated cookies before so I was absolute trash at it but I found myself laughing and enjoying the holidays more than I could ever imagine.

“Why don’t you visit your family for the holidays dear? You seemed very upset when Heather said she wouldn’t be around.” Rosa asked.

“My family and I don’t talk so she’s been my only family for the last 8 years. We always spend the holidays together so it just kind of hurt. I know I should let her go to Ricks place since they are getting serious and all but I’m just not ready to be alone.” I shrugged, putting a crappy smile on the pumpkin I was drawing.

“Well you are always welcome here.” I smiled but internally my heart was screaming. I was trying so hard to get back at Vinny for being an asshole to me that I was about to break his mothers heart. The door opening tore me from my thoughts and I set down the frosting I was currently using, brushing my hands off on a towel before heading to the front room. What I saw when I got there was a disheveled drummer who looked way too exhausted and was lugged down by three bags. The moment he saw me, they dropped to the floor.

“Vinny!” I exclaimed, running at him and throwing myself into his arms. I wrapped mine around his neck and his squeezed my waist, lifting me into the air. I knew his mom had followed me, so this was all for show

“I’ve missed you so much baby.” He said. I felt the floor returning to my feet and he pulled back a little before leaning the short distance down to press his lips against mine. I kissed back as best I could but forced it to end quickly.

“Vin, your mum.” I mumbled, trying to play it off. He let go of me and went over to Rosa, pulling her into a hug.

“Sorry mama.” He chuckled. “I missed you too.”

“It’s ok dear. I understand that you missed her more.” His mom laughed. “Why don’t you go up stairs and shower and then come back down to help us finish the cookies.” With a nod and a kiss to my cheek the drummer disappeared up the stairs.

[ace-of-zaun]

The Wrong Place at the Wrong Time: Pt. 7

Silco x f!reader - 8k words - SFW

cw: fluff, soft silco, jealous/possessive silco, kissing, tiny bit of angst, suggestive themes, innuendos, self doubt, the author is an idiot

a/n: how has it been eight months? What the heck have i been doing for eight months??? i genuinely thought it’d been like four months since i last updated this fic, i am so sorry. To make up for it, please take a very indulgent, fluffy chapter featuring a whole lotta kissing with our favourite rat man ♡

PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | PART 4 | PART 5 | PART 6 | PART 8

It’s just shy of a week later when you find yourself in Silco’s office, sitting beside the man himself, resisting the urge to play a cheeky game of footsie with him as your legs share the space beneath his desk.

Neither one of you have labelled whatever this new development in your relationship is, but given that you spend a considerable amount of time kissing each other until you’re both breathless, you’re not in any particular rush to hurry things along. 

You’re just happy that you can finally taste those luscious lips on a daily basis. 

Having just finished a tear-jerkingly boring meeting with a client who had droned on and on in the most monotone voice you’ve ever had the displeasure of hearing, you’re more than happy to escort him out of the office. 

Silco saunters after you, following your tense form as you all but shove the client out the door, ensuring you keep your tried-and-tested ‘customer service smile’ plastered across your face.

Whilst you might want to wring the client’s neck for torturing you with boredom, it would probably be bad for business if you actually did… Then again, you’re pretty sure Silco wouldn’t mind. In fact, if he was as bored as he seemed for the whole meeting, you think he might even endorse it. 

What’s the point of being king anyway if you’re not going to make it illegal to bore you to death?

The door is finally shut with a resounding click and you’re given approximately three seconds to turn back to face the stained glass window, before you’re being pushed up against the door, Silco’s lips moulding to yours instantly.

You’re startled for a very brief moment, but you soon find yourself sighing into the kiss, instinctively winding your arms up and around his neck until you can gently tug at the ends of his slicked-back hair with each movement of his lips. 

At this point, you think you might be addicted to the way Silco kisses you like he’s trying to devour you. Every single time. Without fail.

His fingertips deftly move from your hair down to your waist, roaming your body as if he can’t decide his favourite way to hold you. 

Far too soon (although, some might argue not soon enough by the way you’re starting to feel dizzy from rapidly running out of breath), Silco reluctantly pulls himself from your lips, resting his forehead against yours.

His good eye flutters shut whilst the corrupted one is trained on where his arm is snaked around your waist, holding your body firmly against his. It’s like he’s utterly drunk on you, breathless from your scent. 

“I wish we could do this forever,” you whisper happily, using your thumbs to lightly trace circles on the delicate skin behind his ear. 

Silco smiles for a brief moment before he dips his head down to give you another quick peck on the lips. He stays close to your lips, almost as if they’re magnetised. 

“As do I, my darling,” he murmurs, his other hand coming up to rest on your hip bone. “Unfortunately I must attend to an incident at one of the docks. Would you mind taking care of this afternoon’s meeting for me?”

Immediately, you tense up at the mention of going to a meeting alone, a flood of anxiety rushing through your body.  

“Um, actually, I can’t,” you say nervously, your eyes dropping down to your shoes.

Silco lifts his head and pulls back slightly. You can feel him looking down at you with a confused frown.

“You can’t?” he repeats. 

“Nope. Sorry, I’m super busy,” you emphasise, looking absolutely anywhere but his face.

You know that if you even glance at those beautiful eyes for just one sliver of a second, you’ll crumble. 

“Busy with what?” he probes, undoubtedly giving you The Look, as his voice drops to a concerned rumble. 

You employ the classic hide-and-seek technique and refuse to meet his gaze. You can’t see me if I can’t see you.

“I’ve got to see a man about a dog!” you blurt out in response, your panicked mind spitting out a ridiculous phrase instead of an actual reason.

“I beg your pardon?” Silco asks incredulously. 

“Yep. And now that I think about it, I’m starting to feel a bit sick, so actually I might have to go lie down for a bit. You know, before I go see the man about the dog,” you ramble, your brain switching off in the face of panic. 

Then, you subtly attempt to wiggle out of his hold, planning to flee into the streets of Zaun in the hopes that you’ll somehow end up at a pet shop, (the idea of getting a dog incredibly appealing at this particular moment in time), but find it a difficult task given how Silco is currently pressing you into the door, hips pressed solidly against yours. 

He gently grasps your chin between his fingers and pulls you into meeting his gaze. His eyes search your face intently. Then, only a few moments later, he appears to have found something because suddenly he is taking your hand in his and wordlessly leading you over to the couch.

You allow yourself to be herded over to the plush seat and resign yourself to your fate when he sits you down and moulds you into his side. 

A large hand soothingly runs up and down your waist. You melt into him, pulling your legs up so your knees rest on his thighs. 

“Why are you trying to avoid this meeting?” he asks, his voice low and soft. 

Of course, your first instinct is to lie. But you’d promised to tell him the truth about your worries all that time ago on the pier and you weren’t in the business of going back on your word. 

You sigh heavily and begin to fiddle with one of the buttons on his waistcoat. 

“I’ve just… I’ve been really nervous about going to meetings again,” you admit, fidgeting to hide your embarrassment. “I mean, this is twice now a client has tried to kill me and, I don’t know… I’m just worried one day they’ll succeed.”

Part of you feels ridiculous. 

He’s a crime lord, for Janna’s sake. He runs a cut-throat, criminal enterprise - what were you expecting; sunshine and roses? 

Silco is clearly upset by your confession given the way he sighs and holds you tighter, his arms wrapping protectively around your frame.

“Oh sweetheart,” he mumbles into your hair. “I should have prepared you better.”

It sends a pang ringing through your chest. You didn’t mean to make him feel bad. 

“It’s fine, Sil. Honestly,” you insist, wrapping your own arms around his waist. 

Silco pulls back from the hug and looks down at you, his brow furrowed. 

“It’s not fine, darling. You have every right to feel worried.”

One hand lets go of you to snake up your body until he’s holding your cheek, thumb tracing your cheekbone in a gentle caress. 

“I promise I will keep you safe," he tells you, and you completely believe him. “And I will see to it that I personally train you in the basics of defence." 

You throw your arms around him again, squeezing him tightly as you press your face into his chest, inhaling his scent. 

“Okay,” you nod against his chest. 

Honestly, some training sounds like a great idea. You’re not quite sure how you’ve gotten this far in living in Zaun without knowing at least some basic defence moves. Your tactic so far has just been to, you know… run.

Which had honestly worked a treat right up until the point you were hit on the back of the head with a shovel and tied to a chair…

But, then again look how that turned out. Working with and kissing the cutest crime lord in the whole of Zaun? What more could a girl ask for?

Well, now that you’re asking, maybe a-

Zaun’s-Cutest-Crime-Lord breaks your train of thought before it can run away from you entirely. 

“I won’t force you to go to this afternoon’s meeting; Sevika can cover for you.”

“No, no, I can do it,” you say, sitting up to look at him once more. 

He appears unsure, his eyes narrowing slightly as if it’ll help him suss out any lies. 

“I’ll be alright,” you reassure him. “I just need to channel my inner you and stare at them menacingly until they spontaneously combust.”

You even give him a demonstration to further ease his concern. 

Silco rolls his eyes dramatically, but his fingers betray his true feelings because they begin to trace worried little patterns on your knee. 

Your heart aches for how caring this man can be (if, and only if, you’re an ex-kitchen-utensil-salesperson or a sweet little girl with blue hair and a morbid fascination with weapons). 

Completely unbidden, a cheeky little idea pops into your head and you find yourself purposefully putting on a serious face. 

“But now that I’m thinking about it… I guess there is one more thing that you could do, you know, to help me feel better about the meeting,” you say in a small voice, goading him into turning to face you fully. 

“Anything, my dove,” he answers solemnly, his brows furrowed in concentration. 

You climb into his lap and weave your fingers through the dark strands of his hair.

“This.”

Your lips crash into his for the umpteenth time this morning. 

And boy, does it make you feel better about your meeting. 

-

Surprisingly, the meeting goes better than expected, with no obvious hitches and definitely no murder attempts (from either party). Maybe your newfound meeting success is due to you finally perfecting Silco’s trademark death stare after practising it in the mirror for a whole two minutes. 

Or maybe it’s because you’d had your best buddy Sevika standing just over your shoulder the entire time. And whilst her style may be different from your lovable rat man’s, there’s no doubt that Sevika can be intimidating. 

Perhaps you should be learning from her instead of Silco… 

Is it all in the dangerous glare?

Or is it all in the cloak?

You make a mental note to ask her the next time you spot her in the bar. 

Before you know it, the week has flown by, and you’re almost back into the groove of things. Sure, meetings still make your stomach feel like it’s on the world’s longest rollercoaster. But you’re definitely gaining a bit more confidence with each one. 

Just before leaving for today’s meeting, you’d kissed Silco at his desk, biting down a smile when he leant forward slightly in his chair in an attempt to chase your lips when you pulled away. 

It had almost felt… domestic. Like you’re an old, married couple (without the constant bickering, of course). But you’re none of those things. You’re definitely not married, not really an official couple, and even though Silco might be an old codger, you’re not going to be the one to tell him. 

And you don’t want to potentially ruin things by asking him to put a label on your relationship if he isn’t comfortable with that. 

Besides, you know right now you need to focus on your work, not the intricacies of your relationship status. 

When discussing the newest client with Silco, you had learned that he was a businessman named Isaac and that he was looking to become another distributor of Shimmer. And your job was to find out exactly what he wanted out of this deal, so you could begin to draw up a contract that benefited both parties.

Isaac had requested a specific address for you to meet which Silco had recognised as a café along the Promenade, one he’d visited before with Jinx. And since neither your partner-in-crime or your best buddy could join you on this outing (both being called to deal with another ‘meeting’), you immediately felt better that you’d be in a public place rather than a shady warehouse or dock. 

Even better, the Promenade’s closer to the bridge, which meant you were less likely to run into any questionable individuals or people who might wrongfully mistake your identity, knock you out, and tie you to a chair. 

Of course, you’re beyond nervous about going to your first meeting alone since the knife incident. But you’ll have guards with you and plenty of witnesses in a busy café on the off-chance that anything does go wrong.

But when you finally arrive at the pre-arranged address, you’re surprised to find a large building that is clearly undergoing renovation, instead of a bustling café. The sign has been removed and the large windows are covered with big cloth sheets, likely protecting them from the fresh coat of paint on the walls surrounding them.

Before you can question whether your driver has gotten lost, you spot a finely dressed gentleman outside the building, looking down at his pocket watch, one hand leaning on an intricately designed cane. 

He’s definitely older than Silco, given that his hair is more salt than pepper. And there’s a sharp look about him. Like he’s constantly evaluating and making mental calculations on how he can use any and every piece of information to benefit him. 

With the carriage parked further down the street, you approach the man with your guards trailing behind you, studying him as much as you can to gather any clues about him. It never hurts to have a little profile on exactly who you’re going to be dealing with. 

“Isaac?” you say, when you get close enough for him to hear. 

The man turns to look at you, his eyes trailing up and down your frame like he’s drinking in every single detail. Truthfully, it’s a bit unnerving. Like he can see into your mind. 

(You hope he can’t. It’s filled with Silco’s thighs, pizza wheels, and the constant question of who would win in a fight between a bear and a shark.) 

“You’re the delegate sent by Silco?” he responds with one eyebrow raised, his voice smooth and low.

By now, you’re used to people being surprised that you work for Silco. You still don’t really give off that scary crime lord vibe that he seems to exude so effortlessly. 

You look down at yourself and then back up at him, smiling just a touch too brightly.

“Yep! Last time I checked.”

Isaac gazes at you in amusement until you tell him your name and hold your hand out for him to shake. 

Instead, he smirks and takes your hand, only to bend down to kiss your knuckles.

“Enchanted,” he says. The low, smooth tone coils around you, making you shudder slightly. 

Honestly, it makes you feel a little bit gross considering you don’t know him, but you reason that he’s probably just doing it to raise his margin of profit. Besides, it’s better to play along and get on his good side, if only for the sake of the deal.

Plus, it sure as hell beats people trying to stab you in lieu of a proper greeting. 

“Likewise,” you respond. 

“I hope you don’t mind if my fan club quickly checks you for any weapons,” you tell him, gesturing to the three guards standing by you. “We’ve had some trouble in the past.”

“Of course,” Isaac responds, with a graceful nod of his head.

And while the guards search him, you suddenly realise that the building before you is definitely not open to the public. If you go inside with this man, you’ll have no witnesses like you were hoping. But you do have three massive bodyguards, which ought to be enough.

Right?

Once the guards give Isaac the all clear, you glance up at the building in front of you. 

“I was under the impression we would be meeting at a cafe,” you say, trying to keep your tone even to hide your nerves. “My-”

You catch yourself, unsure of how you were going to complete that sentence. 

Your what, exactly? 

Boss? Boyfriend? 

Man-you-annoy-on-a-daily-basis-until-he-kisses-you-just-to-get-you-to-shut-up?

(Only 2/3 of those are correct and you categorically refuse to acknowledge which one is untrue.)

“Silco told me he’s visited before,” you settle on. 

“Ah, yes. I believe the previous owners used the space for that purpose,” Isaac replies, following your gaze. 

That catches you by surprise. 

“Oh, you own the building now?”

“And the one next door,” he says with a look that borders on smug. “I’m in the process of joining the two spaces to create a luxury lounge bar for exclusive clientele.”

Now, that is not what you were expecting. A luxury lounge bar sounds far too fancy for Zaun. An establishment much more suited to the residents of Piltover. 

Your astonishment must be evident in your expression because Isaac chuckles, low and full of mischief. 

“Would you care for a quick tour before we begin?” he asks, holding out his arm for you to take.

You glance up at his inviting expression and decide that you wouldn’t mind a quick tour, if only because you’re damn curious how a street café is going to be transformed into a high class lounge bar. 

A polite smile crosses your face.

“Sounds lovely, lead the way.”

True to his word, Isaac had given you a brief tour of the newly joined building, showing you the main bar lounge as well as the myriad little side rooms that you can just picture housing rustic leather sofas and antique fireplaces. 

Isaac had continued his flirty demeanour throughout, offering you an exclusive, black card membership when the bar’s ready to open, drinks on the house every time you visit - the lot. 

Of course you’d humbly refused it all, but you kept playing along, allowing him to lead you from room to room with your guards silently following after you, sizing up each room and Isaac’s every action. 

Now, sitting in the main lounge at a table that is half booth seating, half chairs, (no prizes for guessing where you’d chosen to sit), you begin to discuss the arrangements of a contract. 

Isaac tells you that he’s looking to sell high grade Shimmer in his bar, all the while making slightly passive aggressive and insulting comments about night clubs, including, but not limited to, the very one you call home. 

You’re just about to ask him about the number of clientele he’s expecting to handle each week when a commotion at the door causes you to look across the room, only to find yourself looking at a very familiar face, standing with his hands clasped behind his back. 

You struggle not to grin at the sight of him, and though his own face remains passive, you can spot the slight changes in his body language that reveals how pleased he is to see you again.

Gods, is this boy obsessed with you or what? Mans follows you about like a lost puppy. 

“I hope you’re treating my negotiator well,” Silco says, his voice a rumble that makes your stomach do flips no matter how many times you hear it. “She’s a very valuable…asset.”

A glare is shot his way for having the nerve to call you an asset, but Silco ignores it. No matter, you’ll get him back for it later. 

Luckily, Isaac appears to be unperturbed by the intrusion. 

“I can assure you, she’s been treated like royalty,” he says, a little hint of… something in his voice. You can’t quite tell. 

Silco joins you at the table, sliding in beside you on the plush booth seat, making sure your thigh rests flush alongside his.

Assuming he finished his meeting much more quickly than expected and wanted to make sure your own meeting was going well, you continue discussing the contract with Isaac as you had been before.

And Isaac continues to make casual flirty comments, which you laugh along with to maintain the banter and rapport you’d already build up over the course of the meeting. You don’t mean anything by it, but sometimes a bit of flattery is beneficial in this business.

So you laugh at Isaac’s jokes and you smile at every over-the-top compliment.

In fact, you barely even notice the man beside you (who has been uncharacteristically quiet since crashing the meeting), until you make the mistake of leaning across the table to casually touch Isaac’s arm.

All of a sudden, Silco’s hand grips your thigh under the table, not too tight for it to hurt, but tight enough for you to snap your head to look at him in shock. 

But he doesn’t even glance at you, his piercing eyes glued onto Isaac. 

You immediately worry you’ve done something wrong and you’re about to ask his input on the deal when Silco speaks, his voice far more steady than you were expecting given his intense demeanour. 

“I apologise for the interruption, but I require a moment alone with my negotiator.”

Isaac appears just as surprised as you are, but he recovers quickly and clears his throat. 

“Of course. You’re more than welcome to talk in the room next door, if you wish.”

He gestures to a door that you remember leads to a little side room. 

Silco nods and quickly slides out of the seat to stand. You follow him, sending a quick, apologetic smile to Isaac in an attempt to hide your concern. 

Once you’re standing, Silco turns to acknowledge the man still seated at the table. 

“Do excuse us,” he says courteously. 

Isaac nods and with that, you’re being gently herded to the door, your anxiety increasing with each step.

Did you say something wrong?

You enter the sparse room, going to stand by one of the tables that is covered in a dust sheet. 

Silco shuts the door behind you (waving off the guards who try to follow) and you worry that he’s upset with the way the deal is going, even though from your perspective, it had been going quite well until Silco had interrupted. 

You turn to face him with a worried frown. 

“Are you not happy with the terms?” you ask him gravely. “I know we didn’t really-”

Silco crosses the room in a few, long strides and grabs you by the waist, picking you up so he can seat you atop the nearest table.

You gasp in surprise and Silco’s lips collide with yours. 

He kisses you with a searing amount of passion, standing between your legs until there’s barely any space between your bodies. His hands switch from running through your hair to grasping at your waist and when his teeth nip at your bottom lip, you cry out, allowing him to slip his tongue into your mouth.

You match his movements eagerly, if not a little bit bewilderedly. 

When he finally pulls back for breath, the both of you stare at one another, panting.

“What was that for?” you say breathlessly, your chest heaving against his. 

“You’re mine,” he responds in a low rumble that shoots heat straight through you. 

He begins to trail wet kisses across your neck and you struggle to think straight with your heart pounding.

What does he mean? Of course you’re his, why is he-

It suddenly dawns on you the reason for this sudden bout of possessiveness.

He’s jealous. 

You place your hands on his chest, trying to stop him for a moment. 

“Wait. Do you think I’m flirting with this guy?”

“You are flirting with him,” Silco all but growls, his hands landing on your lower back where he jerks you forward on the table until you’re flush with him. 

“To get a good deal!” you protest. “I’m just preten-” 

A sloppy kiss on your neck makes you jump when his teeth sink into your skin, surely leaving an obvious bruise. 

“Silco!” you cry out, trying to keep your volume as quiet as possible. 

“Pretend or not,” he grumbles against your neck. “I don’t share.” 

You breath catches and Silco leans away from you just enough to look you in the eyes, a delicious hint of lust betraying his intense expression. 

“I want you to be mine and mine alone.”

Your eyes widen when your distracted brain finally catches his meaning. 

“You- you want to be with me? In a relationship?” you ask in a daze. 

Part of you feels silly for asking but you need to be sure. 

“Yes.” he replies emphatically, returning to his previous ministrations of kissing along your collarbone. “If it were up to me, you’d never leave my side again.”

You think your heart might have just filled up and popped like a balloon. 

He wants you to be his girlfriend. 

Those pesky feelings are bubbling away inside you, almost to the point of being overwhelmed, so you resort to your tried and true method of coping.

Being a shitlord. 

You gasp dramatically, tightening your grip on the strap at the back of his waistcoat, reaching up under his coat. Then, you let your voice drop to a hushed, conspiratorial whisper. 

“Does this mean what I think it means?”

Silco slowly leans back and narrows his eyes at you in suspicion. 

“Dare I even ask what you think it means?” he inquires sceptically. 

“Are you asking me to… be more than just your kitchen utensil salesperson?”

The change in emotion is rapid and entirely theatrical. Silco rolls his eyes and sighs heavily, his whole body joining in the motion. 

“I think I’ve changed my mind,” he comments flippantly. 

Despite your grin, you grip onto him even tighter and wrap your legs around him like a koala. 

“Nuh-uh, mister, no takesie backsies,” you say, smushing your face into his chest. 

Silco’s head drops back to look at the ceiling, his hands falling to his sides in mock exasperation. 

“Dear Janna, I fear I’ve made a grave mistake-” he begins. 

“Oh?” you interrupt loudly. “Well, in that case, I think my new friend Isaac is more than up for a little bit of lip service.”

You let go of him and start to shuffle away from him so you can climb down from the table, but Silco immediately grabs onto you again and pulls you back against him, effectively trapping you in. 

“Not on my watch,” he grunts in your ear, the delicious rumble going straight from his chest into yours. 

Truth be told, you’re not entirely sure who initiates the next kiss, but before you know it, Silco has his hands in your hair again and is surely bruising your lips with how hard he kisses you. 

Eventually, (reluctantly), you manage to convince him you need to finish the meeting, but with the promise that you can continue your endeavours the very minute you get home. Silco only agrees after you seal the deal with another quick kiss. 

Finally straightening each other up until you’re more presentable, and with a lot of reassurance from Silco that no-one will be able to tell that you’ve basically spent the past five minutes snogging each other, you return back to the main lounge where Isaac is patiently waiting. 

Isaac makes no mention of your extended ‘chat’ and you get right back into the meeting, this time with a much happier kingpin by your side. 

It’s incredibly difficult not to show how giddy you are for the rest of the meeting. And it definitely doesn’t help that Silco decides to deliberately stroke up and down your thigh the whole time.

But you finish the meeting, promise Isaac you will send him a draft contract to review, and just about refrain from skipping out the door to the carriage where home and Silco’s gorgeous lips await you. 

-

Once you’d finally arrived back home, your plans had been slightly waylaid by the fact that Jinx wanted to spend the rest of the evening with you both, which meant you’d had to postpone any plans made in Isaac’s bar. 

Of course, you’d enjoyed the evening, as you always enjoyed spending time with Jinx and Silco. But you were also secretly pleased when Jinx had finally dropped to sleep in her bed after reading her no less than nine stories from her storybook.

The child had far too much energy. 

On the way back to Silco’s office, you had quickly stopped by your bedroom, brushing your teeth and getting changed into your pyjamas so you could relax after such an exhausting day. 

By the time you’d reached his office, Silco was already lounging on the sofa, his waistcoat and tie gone, looking just as tired as you felt. 

But neither of you had wanted the evening to end just yet, so you’d climbed onto his lap and kissed him so gently, he couldn’t help but let out a content little sigh. 

The two of you had quietly talked, with Silco’s long fingers softly carding through your hair until you’d found yourself falling asleep against him. Somewhere in the haze between sleep and awake, Silco had murmured that you should sleep in his bed, mumbling something about not wanting you to wake yourself up by walking back to your own bedroom.

You’d sleepily agreed, allowing him to gather you up in his arms and carry you to his bedroom (pointedly ignoring the fact that if he was going to carry you anyway, he could have just carried you down the hall to your own bedroom…)

But you much preferred the alternative. 

Silco had laid you down on the soft sheets of his bed, disappearing for a few minutes to get himself washed and changed, and reappearing just as quickly to join you under the covers. 

In the darkness of the room, Silco holding you in his arms like you were the most precious person in the whole world, you’d kissed slowly and deeply, like two lovers discovering each other for the first time. 

Relying only on the feel of Silco’s lips and the quiet sighs brushing your cheek, you’d kissed him until you felt your body pulling you under, down into the murky depths of sleep. 

He must have been able to tell that you were fighting it, because soon enough, he’d rested his forehead against yours, breaths intermingling in the tiny space between your lips, and whispered into the darkness of the room. 

“Sleep, my lovely. I’ll still be here when you wake up.”

For the first time in your life, you fell asleep with a tiny smile on your face, wrapped in the arms of a man you adored with your whole heart.

It was the best sleep you’d ever had.

But now, as low streaks of light begin to pour through the windows, you feel your body awakening, a slight ache in your limbs from your extended rest. 

You blink yourself properly awake and soon become aware of the position you’re in. Silco is pressed with his chest against your back, a strong forearm slung around your waist, holding your body close to his. 

Your legs are tangled together and you can feel each warm exhale of his breath on the back of your neck, tickling the fine hairs on your nape. 

Still asleep. 

Carefully turning in his hold until you’re facing each other, you admire how beautiful Silco looks when he’s asleep, all the tension that usually lines his face completely melted away. 

If only he could be this relaxed all the time. It suits him. 

You lean forward and delicately kiss his cheek, causing him to sigh and hold you even tighter. 

Gods, you could honestly stay here forever. 

Eventually, the bathroom calls, and you manage to pry yourself from his arms without waking him, completing your morning ritual in the little ensuite and even finding a spare toothbrush in the cupboards to freshen your mouth.

When you return to his bedroom, your feet padding softly against the wooden floorboards, you find him flat out on his back, snoring lightly with his mouth hanging open.

You grin and resist the urge to fetch a camera, instead picking the slightly less evil option of snooping around his bedroom.

Predictably, the furniture is dark and woodsy. And everything is neat enough. But not too neat that it doesn’t look lived in. 

But the one thing that immediately draws your eye is the little writing desk placed in front of a tiny, stained glass window that looks out on the streets of Zaun. 

You approach the desk quietly, your eyes ticking over the myriad little trinkets that are dotted over the surface.

Of course, there’s some notebooks, and fountain pens, and bottles of ink. But there’s also a few little boxes filled with their own treasures. 

One contains a pair of reading glasses that almost make you squeal on the spot. (You are definitely forcing him to wear these at some point.)

Another houses lots of little curios that you’re certain will all have a story attached to them if you were to ask. Some pretty shells, a broken little toy, a stamped coin you don’t recognise. 

But when your eyes land on the smallest trinket box, you don’t even look inside because you’re completely distracted by the items that lay beside it.

A pizza wheel and a set of measuring spoons. 

Your heart nearly bursts in happiness when you recognise them as the ones you’d sold to him from your stall all that time ago.

He hadn’t thrown them away like you’d thought when you couldn’t find them in the kitchen. He’d kept them in his bedroom. With the rest of the items he treasures.

Clutching your hands to your chest to stop yourself from breaking out into song, you look up, and as if you thought your heart couldn’t be anymore full, you spot the portrait of him that you’d painted in the Topside art studio resting against the sil of the window.

Your hands drop at the same time your expression does when your eyes jump from the kitchen utensils to the painting in repeated succession…

He has a shrine to you in his bedroom. 

He has a shrine to you… in his bedroom!!! 

Your hands slap over your mouth in giddy joy and you giggle as silently as you can, dropping down onto the little seat in front of the writing desk, not caring for one second that they’re still your mortal enemies. 

You carefully pick up a notebook, checking that the pages are easy to rip out and won’t ruin the notebook if you do. Turning to a fresh page, you grab a pen and begin to write a silly little limerick about you and Silco, the words coming to you surprisingly easy as you write. 

there once was a kitchen utensil seller, 

who fell in love with a silly, old fella- 

The moment you read back the words on the page you freeze in horror.

You’ve just written down that you’ve fallen in love with Silco… in one of his own notebooks. 

Your heart begins to race as you descend into panic. 

Fuck. 

Fuck!

What are you going to do? He can’t see this! 

This can’t be the way he finds out how you feel about him. What if he doesn’t feel like that yet? What if it’s too early?

Shit. Are you in love with him? You’ve only just officially started dating. Literally, yesterday. 

Your mind becomes a whirl of spiralling thoughts and in your panic, you look down at the notebook and start to make a plan that, almost concerningly, resembles a murder cover-up. 

First and foremost, you need to get rid of the evidence. Then you need to get an alibi. Then-

Before you can even think about running to your bedroom to hide the notebook - Sod’s law - you nearly jump out of your seat when a gravelly, morning voice speaks from behind you. 

“Whilst I treasure waking up to this view, sweetheart, I must admit,” Silco’s voice somehow drops even lower, almost tantalisingly so. “I’d much prefer for you to come back to bed.”

You freeze for a second, resisting the urge to snap the notebook shut in fear of looking too suspicious, and take a moment to clear your face before turning to look at him over your shoulder.

The smile that pulls your lips is automatic as you observe him lying in bed, propped up on one elbow as he gazes at you hungrily, his dark hair all tousled and his lips dry.  

Gods, he’s honestly never looked better. 

You bite your lip and Silco smirks, a devilish little thing, as he crooks one finger to summon you back to bed. 

But you can’t go back to bed, you have to cover up your crime before he can notice what you’ve done. 

So you decide to grill him on his obsession with you. 

“But if I come back to bed, how am I supposed to admire your shrine to me?” you ask in a way that you hope sounds innocent (but in all honesty doesn’t at all), vaguely gesturing to the kitchen utensils and painting behind you. 

Silco heaves a dramatic, heavy sigh like you’re the most exhausting person ever. 

“Of course you think it’s a shrine,” he grumbles under his breath. 

He throws back the covers and starts to get out of bed, and now you do slam the notebook shut as your eyes widen. Luckily, Silco takes no notice and saunters into the bathroom, leaving the door open as he disappears through it.

You jump at the opportunity to grab the notebook and shove it behind his dresser, along with the pen you used and all his pencils, because in your paranoia, you assume he knows how to dust for fingerprints and will no doubt use the pencil trick if you just rip the page from the notebook.

By the time he returns, you’re sitting back down at the desk, mindlessly spinning the blade of the pizza wheel, trying to look like a picture of perfect innocence and not like you’d just stolen half of the stationery from his writing desk. 

Silco glances over at you in surprise when he finds you in the same place he left you (and pointedly, not back in bed) and strides over to you with purpose.

You look up at him with wide eyes until he reaches your side. He carefully plucks the pizza wheel from your hands so you won’t hurt yourself on the blade, and suddenly picks you up, throwing you over his shoulder with ease.

You squeal in surprise and start to wiggle on his shoulder as he carries you across the room and over to the bed. 

“Help! I’m being kidnapped by the Eye of Zaun!” you jokingly cry out. 

Silco gently chucks you onto the bed and you wriggle away from him until your head hits the pillows, unable to hold back a smile the entire time. 

He crawls onto the bed after you and cages you in with his arms, leaning down to whisper in your ear once he hovers atop you. 

“Now be a good girl and behave.”

His lips descend on yours and you easily melt into the kiss, wrapping your arms up and around his shoulders, pulling him even closer to you. 

When both of your lungs are burning from the lack of air, Silco regretfully pulls back and rests his head in the crook of your neck. Your hands run up and down his spine for a few blissful moments until you finally break the peace. 

“Sil, we need to get up for work.”

“No we don’t,” he instantly mumbles back, lips resting against your neck with every word. 

You smile up at the ceiling before gently pulling on the back of his loose shirt. 

“We do.”

Silco ignores you completely, lifting his head to place a series of kisses along your neck. You drop your shoulders and relax into it completely, up until the moment that you feel him start to suck a bruise into your skin. 

“Oi!” you say, weaving your hands into his hair to pull him away from you. “Stop it, you’re going to get me in trouble with my boss.”

At this, Silco leans back up until he’s hovering over your lips, his eyes full of mischief. 

“Oh, darling, I’m afraid you’re already in deep trouble with him.”

You can’t help grinning at him as he dips down to kiss you again, making you even more late for work. 

-

It’s early evening when Silco lets out a deep, heady groan, the sound reverberating around the tall, empty space above his office. 

“Yes, right there, darling,” he says, his timbre making it sound like he’s experiencing nirvana. 

So, you concentrate on that place and bite back a grin when he stifles another, whinier moan. 

Currently, Silco is lying flat out on the floor, his face smushed into the rug as you try to get the knots out of his old, decrepit body with a back massage. 

Honestly, how many times have you warned him that hunching over his desk all day and night will give him terrible back pain? You think you’ve lost count at this point. 

Still, you’re kind enough to help out your little himbo even when he doesn’t follow your advice. 

“Why can’t you get a chiropractor to do this?” you ask, straddling his back as you try your best to ease some of his pain, rubbing your hands into the space just below his shoulders. 

“Because you are far less expensive,” he mumbles gruffly into the rug. 

You smack his clothed arm and glare down at the back of his head. 

“Wrong answer.” 

“Because you’re the only person I want touching me, darling,” Silco tries again, this time in a much sweeter voice.

He’s probably realising that it might not be such a good idea to offend the person currently trying to help him. 

“That’s what I thought you said,” you say, digging into his back a little bit harder.

You continue to massage his back, following his directions of which areas to focus on, all the time wondering why the richest man in Zaun doesn’t just hire an actual professional, instead of getting you to give him a massage.

Is it just because he’s a stubborn old man? Or does he actually not trust anybody else to touch him like this?

Now that you know more of Silco’s past, you wouldn’t be surprised if he has difficulties with touch. But apart from that first time you’d tried to hold his hand in the warehouse, he’s never seemed reluctant to touch you.

Maybe he-

In the middle of your internal debate, two things happen at once. 

First, you clearly hit a sweet spot in your massage because Silco groans in pure relief. Loudly. 

And second, Sevika walks in through the office door completely unannounced. 

There’s a millisecond of a pause before she scoffs. 

“Fucking hell. Can’t you two do that somewhere else?”

Your head pops up over the desk in surprise, only to find her grimacing, looking up at the ceiling in disgust. 

Your eyebrows burrow in confusion, wondering why Silco’s office would be an inappropriate place for a back massage when you suddenly realise what she thinks is happening. 

“Wait, no! We weren’t doing that!” you call across the room in horror. “I was just giving him a massage!”

“Gross, I don’t wanna hear the details, just lock the door next time,” she groans, sounding like she wishes she was anywhere else but here. 

Immediately your eyes widen as you realise your accidental double entendre. 

“Wait, I didn’t mean-”

But she’s gone before you can finish your sentence, the door slamming behind her.

You sit for a moment in shell shock before glancing back down at Silco, who has turned his head sideways to look at you, his face resting on the backs of his hands. 

“You don’t think she’s gonna tell people that we were… you know…” you trail off, making a vague, indecipherable gesture with one hand. 

“Sevika’s not one to gossip,” Silco reassures you. 

You inhale and exhale, pushing yourself up so you can go and lock the door, not wanting any more interruptions. 

By the time you’ve made your way back to the desk, Silco is already sitting in his chair, facing towards you in a clear invitation to sit in his lap.

You don’t.

Instead, you plonk yourself down on the edge of the desk, facing towards the window, and bite your lip, painfully aware of Silco staring at you from the corner of your eye. 

He waits a few more moments before rolling his chair closer to you and taking your hands in his. 

“If you’re truly worried about it, I can speak to Sevika for you,” he says gently, trying to catch your gaze. 

“No, it’s not that, it’s just…” you finally meet his eyes, worry painting your expression. “I have a feeling you don’t want to tell anyone.”

He sighs quietly and of course, you hate making him upset, but it’s something that needs to be addressed. 

“For your safety, my dove,” he says pleadingly. 

“I know,” you agree fervently. “I understand, Silco.”

It makes complete sense that he doesn’t want anyone to know. Anyone known to be close to the Eye of Zaun is much more likely to become a target than someone who just works for him.

But it still hurts. 

You want to tell everyone. The whole world!

You want to tell your old boss at the stall down in the market.

You want to tell the old lady you used to live next door to.

Hell, you even want to tell the man who served you at the coffee shop everyday for three years, and every single day called you by the wrong name, until the day he visited your stall and saw your name badge, forcing you to find a new place to get your drinks from…

Then again, maybe not him. 

“I just wish I could show you off. Have my own little stall in the market,” you tell Silco, nervously playing with his hands. “Maybe you could have a kissing booth… except I’m the only one who gets to kiss you,” you add with a frown, eyes snapping up to make sure he knows how serious you are.

Silco chuckles and his lips pull into a mischievous smirk. 

“Do you think I’d get many customers?”

You stare at him hard. 

He would. 

“I’ve changed my mind,” you say, pulling on his hands so he rolls forward in his chair, closer and closer to you. “I’m going to keep you locked up in this office forever. These lips are mine.”

Your fingers raise to slowly trace his lips, forcing Silco’s own hands up since they’re still entwined with yours. You watch in fascination as his eyes darken until he suddenly pulls you downwards, landing heavily in his lap. 

He lets go of your hands and manoeuvres your body until you’re straddling him, his lips resting on the shell of your ear. 

“The rest is yours, too.”

You gasp as a shudder rolls down your spine, allowing him to grab your waist as your own fingers slide into his hair, bringing your lips together in a heated kiss.

You’re just starting to feel flushed at the promiscuous position and the heat flooding through your body when a loud bang echoes from behind you.

You scream and nearly headbutt Silco, who is forced to grip onto you tightly to stop you from toppling off the chair.

Whipping your head around, you’re met with the sight of Jinx, standing right in the middle of Silco’s desk like she’s just dropped down from the ceiling. 

Since when did she start doing that?!

“I knew it!” she yells excitedly, her face lit up as she points at the two of you. “I knew you were secretly doing the kissing thing!”

Both you and Silco groan in tandem, and you can’t help but slump forward to rest your head on his shoulder, exhausted from Jinx’s grand entrance. 

Well, so much for keeping it a secret.

PART 8

a/n: y’all better believe the next chapter will include silco-training-reader-how-to-defend-herself shenanigans 😈 

-

Taglist: @htmlbitxh @pinkrose1422 @jennithejester @wondermia69 @redskull199987 @paradoxdraggon @ariaud @ruthdied

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL

April 2023 Wk 2

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. Organized by which ones (in each category) I’m enjoying most.

Ongoing Series - Thai

Bed Friend (Sat YT, GaGa & iQIYI uncut) ep 9 of 10 - My biggest concern is that Uea left his sister in that house with a known abuser. Meanwhile, the office teasing was cute. I’m thinking that the final two episodes were mostly added to deal with the backstory resolution of the family drama, and to add a sappy proposal thing. I’m not necessarily mad about it, but I do think there’s probably would’ve been a better tighter story at 8 episodes. 

Future (Thai Sun YouTube & Gaga) ep 4 of 5 - There is nothing to this show but softness. Also we visited my old exclamation to the BL gods: please don’t make them act crying. It’s so difficult to watch. That said I still love this  stupid show.

Pastsenger (Thai Weds Gaga) 6 of 12 eps - Wow. Sides kissing. Brave high school kid! Also mains. Wait. What is happening? 

A Boss and a Babe (Fri YouTube) ep 7 of 12 - Having a rich boyfriend sure is clutch. Boss is smart to ingratiate himself with his boyfriend’s gaming team. Also there is no doubt that they are complete and total boyfriends, the most boyfriendly boyfriends ever. 

Tin Tam Jai (Tues Gaga & iQIYI) ep 8 of 12 - I’m pretty much fast forwarding anything to do with the main couple I just find them so boring. Although my beloved side dishes have disappeared. So I guess I am watching it for the faen fatal? 

Chains of Heart (Sat iQIYI) ep 9 of 10 - Whatever. Good sex scene tho. Bummer about the, ya know, story. 

The Promise (Thai Weds YT) ep 6 of 10 - ON HIATUS UNTIL APRIL 19.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Our Dining Table AKA Bokura no Shokutaku (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 2 of 10 - It’s just the best. It’s so sweet. Yutaka’s little smile because the kid likes him and wants to cook with him is probably the warmest most endearing thing ever to happen in JBL. 

Unintentional Love Story (Korea Thurs iQIYI) 9-10 fin - sorry I won’t have a chance to watch this until early next week but I promise to post about it! 

The Eighth Sense (Korea Weds Viki) eps 5-6 of 10 - Hyung mistakes made by constantly acting EXACTLY like bf in front of their friends is very cute. I don’t have much to say a this time. Narrative and characterization is unfolding as expected, staying tense as we get little nuggets of backstory. Lines will be crossed, one way or another. The trot part was VERY funny. Also we got us a on screen rep of a fairygodBLer. These two kiss well but all I can see when they do is how much pain is incoming. I don’t know what was up with the ending but we do have 4 more to go, so I don’t think we are actually in an H3:MODC situation. 

My Story (Pinoy Sat YouTube) - It’s a bit frenetic, camp, crazy, and outrageous, but I’m not mad about any of that because it’s classic Pinoy BL. So I think I’ll keep watching. This is the same characters as My Day. Which means they did break up the main couple from that series. So if that’s going to traumatize you, be aware. There are a lot of storylines going on. And I’m just not sure BL from the Philippines can handle this much at once, they may have bitten of more BL than they can chew. 

Naked Dinner AKA Zenra Meshi (Japan Fri Gaga) - Japan is so weird. I mean that in a good way (but also sometimes in a bad way). Also sometimes just weird. Also embarrassing and cringe. I’m going to watch it but I don’t like it very much. 

It’s Airing But ...

Love Syndrome (Thai Sat WeTV) stopped at ep 2 of 12 - I’m just not into any aspect of it (except Lee Long Shi and I can watch him in Tin Tem Jai) - saving to binge if the end is solid.

Venus in the Sky (Sat YouTube) pilot/tester?) 0 of 10 - not entirely sure what’s up with this one distribution-wise, but the pilot was cute, classic university-set pulp. I hope it happens because the leads are cute with good chemsitry and I thought it was fun. However, it totally holds together as it’s own little short story too.

Make a Wish (Thai Weds ?) from WaGa Creative staring Fluke Natouch (OhmFluke UWMA etc...) & Judo (The Miracle Of Teddy Bear) in a medical-fantasy. About a doctor who sees ghosts and a deity who resides in a Bodhi tree that earns merits whenever he fulfills a wish based on a y-novel by Sammon (Manner of Death, Triage). Same as above.

In Case You Missed it

Cafe In Love 10 eps finished its run.

Destiny Seeker 10 eps also finished its run.

A First Love Story is on Gaga now. It’s my favorite BL short ever made, check it out. It’s wonderful.

Next Week Looks Like This:

Starting:

04.18 Step By Step (Thai WeTV & Gaga) - 10 eps office age gap, I am all in! 

04.19 The Promise is back!

Finishing: Bed Friend, Chains, Future

I might start watching Destiny Seeker or Cafe in Love, or both.

2023 forthcoming BL master post (see comments, some are inaccurate, NOT KEPT UPDATED)

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

En of Love franchise leaning into its brand (Future the series)

I love their friendship and their bromances and this was an adorable moment ... but now I want these two to lead out a BL together. 

I love an “accidental” outing (both Boss & Babe). 

Calling out tropes and characterization, as ya do.

Passing along the familial obligation of care. 

 (all Bed Friend) 

(last week)

Current Kpop earworm? Block B’s Very Good, I TOLD you I’ve been dipping into the well a lot recently. I really miss Kpop’s 2nd gen insanity phase. 

[cwritesforfun]

Jake Hangman Seresin x Fem!Reader: Pretend We’re Dating?

I did write another fake dating with Hangman fic which will be linked here. This one is different I promise. 

#23. "Just pretend to be my date." and #60. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to seduce me." 

Masterlist 

Y/N’s POV

I open my door and Jake is standing there with a rose asking “Can I tempt you with a free night out on the town with me, free of charge?” I laugh and answer “Tempting, but I don’t know.” He laughs and begs “Just pretend to be my date."  I reply "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to seduce me." He replies “Maybe I am. You never know. So, will you do it?” I ask “What? Pretend to be your date?” He answers “Yes that.” I reply “Sure. The night was boring until you got here anyway.” He replies “Compliments won’t buy me drinks.” I playfully slap him and he then says “Come on. We have to go.” I quickly ask “For what?” He answers “The fake dating... it’s kind of tonight. We have to be somewhere and need to leave in the next 5 minutes in order to be early. I told them that my date loves to be there early, so we have to leave in ... well 4 minutes now.” I ask “And who is the rose for?” He answers “Ah... you mi lady.” He hands me the rose and I reply “Ok come in. Thank you for the rose. Now, what do I wear?” He answers “I’d prefer nothing... I’m kidding. Would it be too cliché to ask if we could match? I’ve always wanted to wear matching outfits with someone.” I reply “Ok. I’ll be right back.”

I change into similar colors as Jake and I then walk back to where he is sitting. Jake exclaims “Wow, that is great. We look great. Okay, let’s go.”

Jake starts driving and I notice he seems anxious. I rub his leg and ask “Hey Jake. You seem anxious and that is making me anxious. Where are we going and who are we meeting?” He answers “I just ... my friends wanted everyone to bring their girlfriend so we could hang out together outside of work. I promised them I would bring my girlfriend tonight and I’ve been telling them I’ve been dating you for 6 months at this point, so yeah that’s about it.”  HE TOLD PEOPLE WE WERE DATING FOR 6 MONTHS!?! That’s a huge lie. Wait... he’s been talking about me for 6 months?!?! That is kind of sweet. I ask “Is that why we always hang out on the same night every week and why we’ve stayed at each other’s places? You’ve been saying you have a date night with your girlfriend on that night?” He answers “Sort of, yeah. That sums it up.” I ask “And do you actually like me?” He answers “Shit, I wish I wasn’t driving right now, so I could look at you. Here, let me pull over.”

Jake gets over 2 lanes and pulls into a spot at a store. He then turns to face me and exclaims “Most of the time when we’re together, I get so embarrassed to say anything especially how I feel about you. And now... Now, I need to tell you. I really like you, Y/N. You’re beautiful, kind, and hilarious, and you make me the happiest guy in the world. When tonight is over, could we go on a real date?” I answer “Yes we can, Jake. I like you too.” He smiles, grabs my hand to kiss it, and then holds it as he starts to drive again.

We end up arriving at this restaurant 10 minutes early according to Jake. He still seems stressed about something. 

Once we get out, I stop walking and Jake turns to face me asking “What’s wrong? Why did you stop walking?” I answer “You still seem stressed. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” He smiles, cups my face with his hands, and says “I’m fine. I just ... It wasn’t how I wanted to share my feelings to you. I don’t know. It feels wrong how I did it when you deserve something so much bigger and better.” I lean closer and say “I can think of one way to ease this worry.” He asks “What?” I answer “A kiss on the lips.” He smirks and asks “May I?” I answer “Yes.” He leans in and we kiss. 

I hear clapping and we pull apart. I see some of his friends standing there watching and clapping. 

Jake waves and exclaims “Hey guys! Sorry about that, she asked for a kiss and who am I to deny my beautiful girlfriend?” I laugh. He’s so cute. I wanna kiss him again. Fuck, I really really like him. 

Jake introduces me to his friends then we head inside where I meet more of his friends. It intimidates me a little because there are so many of them and only one of me. I only have like 2 or 3 friends in town because I like my alone time more than I like to spend time with people other than Jake that is.

Jake’s friend, Coyote, turns to me, and asks “So how did you and Jake meet?” I answer “We met at the Hard Deck. I was with some friends when he hit on me and I thought he seemed arrogant. However, my friends said I needed to get out there and talk to guys, so I went and talked with him for a while. My first impression was wrong. We hit it off there and I didn’t give him my number or any way to reach me. I went back the next week in hopes of seeing him because I didn’t give him my number and he was there. He was happy to see me, we exchanged numbers, and then we made Thursday night our date night every week. Jake has been my constant ray of sunshine and joy for the past 6 months. I cannot wait for many more months like these.” Coyote replies “The Hard Deck? Wait, that means I was there. I’m with him every time we go there. Unless you’re cheating on me, Hangman?” Jake rests his arm around the chair behind me and answers “I have gone without you. I’m sorry. Bros before hoes, except when she’s your hoe. Right, man?” Coyote stares confused and then bursts out laughing. Yeah, Jake just called me a hoe but he called me HIS?! So do I consider that a win? Yes. I turn to Jake and say “You’re lucky you’re hot.” Jake asks “How mad would you be if I kissed you?” I answer “Not mad at all.” He smiles, leans in, and kisses me.

Dinner goes so well that we all plan to start hanging out weekly. After dinner, we all go see a movie where Jake and I hold hands the whole time all the while we sneak glances at each other. He’s so freaking cute. I could scream.

We end the night at the Hard Deck. Where else would we end the night? 

I’m sitting on a stool watching the boys play pool. I had to get off my feet. Why did I wear heels? Whose idea was that? Mine. I know. 

Jake walks over, pecks me on the lips, and says “Hi.” I reply “Kiss me better.” He smiles, puts his hands on the side of my face, and says “Ooh bossy I like it.” He leans in and kisses me gently. He slowly moves his hands from my face to my neck and deepens the kiss.

I hear “Dude, PDA! Chill Hangman.” Jake pulls away long enough to flip off his friends. I hear them laughing as turns back to me, and asks “Where were we?”  I laugh and he leans back into my lips.