#they have some very pretty covers that bit-lit never had lmao

[thekidsarentalright]

HELLO I SURVIVED!! my voice is extremely fucked up from screaming and my legs hurt but i’m alive!! i feel like there’s so much stuff i need to ramble abt so i’m just gonna write a fuckin essay here lmao i’m so sorry 😭

ok so the stage looked SO cool in person. the backdrops were gorgeous <3 and everything was like a physical prop, not projections… including the giant replica of bubbles the dog <3 pete kept pretending to put his hand in its mouth and patrick was singing to it! and the pyro was insane, i could feel the heat from it and i was Not super close to the stage. they Also had a clock on the side of the stage that would go backwards every so often… like going back in time to play older songs 😭

UM?!?! THAT SETLIST?!?!?! ginasfs was NOT a possibility in my head at all, so that was absolutely insane, my god!!! everyone was like “???” after pete said they’d never played it live. and then it started and my brain literally blacked out. like my only thought was “there’s no way this is happening, what the FUCK”. that song is so important to me and honestly was one of the first ones i remember loving when i got into fob, so that was a whole moment!! if there’s a different song every time that’s so scary, i SO hope u get the song u want if that’s the case! <333

“don’t forget who left the light on 20 years ago” had me tearing up and then all the tttyg stuff… fob wants us all dead fr! and THEN HEAVEN IOWA?! AND HEADFIRST SLIDE?!?!?! i was HOLLERING the whole time, my throat still hurts 💀 and FAKE OUT OMG WHERE DO I EVEN START 😭 the pink lights worked and it looked so pretty!!! it took some ppl a minute to get theirs set up, so the stadium kinda gradually lit up more and more and by the middle of the song it was fully lit! i swear i saw the exact moment where patrick realized what was going on and he smiled so big <3 i teared up so hard (was trying not to cry bc i had glitter on my face lol… i kinda cried anyway) and then pete gave us a shoutout! i’m def keeping my seashell on like… my wall or smth <3

also the covers!! that first song patrick did at the piano is lake shore drive, it’s actually what he was playing in that tiktok of him in the studio back in like… february! (it’s the piano thing right after the clip of him playing trumpet) my mom recognized it when i was watching that video originally and asked why he was playing it, so i already knew the song… was Not expecting it live tho 🤯 and then don’t stop believing?!?! we were all v confused but excited lmao… and then crazy train a bit later 😅

and pete did baby annihilation!! honestly when i said he could do it and i’d cheer, i did NOT expect him to actually do it lmaoo… but he did and it was fantastic!! hold me like a grudge was also incredibly fun, it goes so hard live <3 shoutout to the ppl who were doing the clapping during the bridge w me lol

every time patrick started talking he’d go “hi” in this soft voice and i was just like “HIIIII 🥺” AND HE WORE DOC MARTENS!!! AAAA 💓 he was so sunshiny and just skipping around like usual <3

OH ALSO!! idk what the other venues on this tour are like, but wrigley has this thing above the stage where they have a couple different flags, and all except one of them were changed out to be the smiley face logo!! it reminded me of when they planted their flag in the lftos music video and i got emotional looking at it 😭 like. they did it!! and it’s so obvious they’re excited to be doing all this!! ur gonna have an absolute blast at your show for Sure!

(the openers were fucking amazing too, i totally didn’t process that tai was playing until literally right before they came onstage. and then they covered snakes on a plane and were like “iykyk” and i very nearly died lmao)

(alsooooo congrats on finishing ur first year of college!! happy stardust summer! mwah 💕)

- 🧋 anon

SOOO sorry to be answering this a couple days later tumblr never showed me i got it!!!!! ANYWAYS

ohhhhh my god it sounds like it was such a fantastic like. incredibly special concert, i'm so happy for u!!! the setlist and the set itself literally blew my mind as i was watching a livestream of the show like????? my god they really pulled out ALLL the stops while also keeping the classics on there, really a setlist to please Everyone i think?? also w the set like. all the animatronic stuff and different backgrounds and everything. patrick was Not kidding when he said this show was visually different than anything they'd ever done before i am. SOOOO impressed. actually both by that and the stardust project, i remember something similar happened for mania tour and it was really pretty (kept my cutouts and still have them!!!) so im VERY glad it's happening this time for fake out <333 they deserve to see all of our love in every way possible <333

SO interesting that that's what he was playing on that tiktok omg he was practicing for so longggggg.... insane that ur show got a special lil piano mashup and then last night he did what a time to be alive.... so curious to see if its wattba forever now or if that's gonna be different each night Too!!!

and YEAHHH baby annihilation being on the setlist is making me soooo ;__; every time i think abt it im sooooo proud of pete for like. being confident enough to do That in front of thousands of people. also made me so happy to see patrick skipping around stage in his slay lil outfit like all four of them were SOOO happy u could tell i just. god i love them, they DID it they had their lil flag planted and played such a good show. last nights show was no doubt so good and special too from every video i've seen i just. i Know this tour is gonna be the tour of a lifetime, im SOOO excited for my show and also so glad urs was such a wonderful time and experience like u got so many special lil things!!! ginasfs and snakes on a plane etc!!!!!!!!! loved hearing all of this <33333

[bokebelle]

connie springer + friends with benefits

A/N: this is very very self-indulgent and ended up being longer than intended but please enjoy my Connie brainrot bc i love him a lot and he needs more content

WARNINGS: 16+; friends with benefits relationship; mentions of sex; modern au

PAIRINGS: connie springer x gn!reader

TAGS: fluff, a tiny tiny bit of angst.

REQUESTS: open

One of the best people to get into a friends with benefits type of relationship 💯

You guys would have to be good friends before this kind of relationship happens. Connie may be fun and goofy from time to time but he wants to make sure you trust him as a partner and vice versa

He probably wasn't even looking for a fwb type relationship tbh it probably just happened and you guys just went with it

it probably started with growing sexual tension whenever you two hung out. A little playful flirting here and there 👀

At a party, you two were a little flirter than usual and he just looked around to see if anyone was around, and whispered in your ear if you wanted to make out in his car LMAO of course you agreed

things just escalated over time til he offered to take you home one night and you best believe he did NOT go home that night

When the post nut clarity finally hit that you guys hooked up, he just asks if you would want to do it again

Connie turned to look at you, lips slightly swollen, with a light dusting of pink on his cheeks and a light sheen of sweat on his chest. "So...wanna do it again?"

"Right now?!" you sit up, instantly feeling the soreness in your lower half. you definitely weren't ready for another round

"Not now, dummy. But maybe...whenever we both wanna, y'know..." he avoided looking at you, suddenly feeling embarrassed at his own proposition. "but if you totally don't want to, it's fine I understand."

A small smile dances on you lips. He looked cute all flustered, suddenly looking nervous when he was anything but just moments ago. "I think I'd like that."

You two don't really tell anyone, but you don't keep it a secret either. He'd tell them what's up if people would ask (if you wanted them to know) but since you guys flirt all the time no one really suspected anything more was going on

the longer your relationship progresses, the bolder he gets lmao literally went from being shy about asking to hookup in his apartment to dragging your ass you his car during a date because his dick "suddenly missed his best buddy" you smacked him

He is also very open to experimenting and trying new things. He'll try it once and if it doesn't work then it's fine. He also respects your boundaries if ever you don't feel comfortable with the idea of trying something new. he won pressure you and won't bring it up

Probably uses a safeword like "taco"

He isn't THAT rough that you'd need one, but he wants to give you the option of stopping whenever you feel like you can handle it 😭 this baby doesn't wanna hurt you and wants you as safe as possible 🥺

This man is a great mix of playful and serious in the bedroom. He knows when to make you laugh during sex and to tone it down when you just need a physical release. your comfort is his priority so he wants to make sure he fits whatever you need

Connie is actually really good with aftercare despite not knowing it's actually a thing!!

He just knows it's on him to take care of his partner afterwards so he helps you clean up, gives you clean clothes especially if you're at his place, and offers you a snack or asks if you wanna watch a movie

If you want to cuddle and just talk, he's totally down! if you also need some personal space, he'll totally respect that and give you the time you need, whenever you need it.

He can be a total flirt but he's also very friendly and knows his limits so he doesn't end up sending mixed signals. He's flirty enough to keep things interesting but not enough to confuse either of you about your relationship unless he falls for you.

Great aftercare? Attentive in the bedroom? Funny, handsome, respectful king? overall one of the best people to have a FWB relationship hands down

If you ever decide you want to end that kind of setup, he'll totally respect it and would still treat you as a good friend! will occasionally make inside jokes about hooking up but it's all in good nature because he enjoyed his time with you and he wants you to remember that time with the same smile he has whenever he thinks about it pls i love him

BONUS: Falling in love with Connie during your FWB relationship (and him falling in love you with back)

honestly how can you not fall for him

Connie is always so sweet, funny, respectful, both in and out of the bedroom so it wasn't long before you started wanting to stay in his arms a bit more after a good session

Connie never treated you any differently, but there were times when things just felt different

The moment you knew you had feelings for him was when he fucked you differently compared to your previous sessions

Sure he would blow your back out every now and then, but there were also more mellow times with him when you both were feeling lazy and needy

But THIS was a new experience. He fucked you slowly, but intensely. His hands were all over you but his touches were more gentle and soft. His kisses were a little bit sweeter and the caresses on your face lingered just a bit longer.

You snuggled into his chest a little more after that and you swore he held you a bit tighter, pulling your body just a bit closer to his. When you became aware of his heart beating under your ear, and found yourself being lulled to sleep by it, you knew you were fucked both literally and figuratively

Your feelings for him weighed you down more and more until you decided you were playing a dangerous game and you had to get out before you reached the point of no return

it sucked having to break things off with Connie but it was the first rule of any fwb relationship and you broke it more and more everyday.

As you sat up and rolled out of bed, ready to get dressed and leave, you felt Connie's arms come up behind you and rested his chin against your shoulder.

"Hey, why don't you stay the night?" he asked, placing a quick kiss on the junction between your neck and shoulder.

You exhale heavily, dreading what was coming next. You didn't plan on breaking it off so soon, but you knew staying the night would only be the wrong choice to make - for your sake and your heart's.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"C'mon, this isn't the first time you've stayed the night. Please?" You wanted to give in. You wanted to roll around, kiss his pretty face and spend the night in his arms. But knowing he didn't feel the same way as you did, knowing you'd leave with a heart that would break a little bit more if you stayed over, is what made you say no.

"It's not a good idea, Connie." you take a deep breath. "Actually, I think we aren't a good idea anymore."

You felt him withdraw his arms from your torso, the areas where he held you instantly feeling cold and empty. You hold on tighter to the sheets, partly to cover yourself up but mostly to keep you from breaking down in front of him.

"What?! Why not? Did I do something wrong? Was I too rough?"

Connie desperately racked his brain for what could have gone wrong from when you were saying his name like a prayer to now. He didn't want to mess it up with you, he really didn't. You slowly became someone he felt safe with. You became the one he wanted to see first thing in the morning, that's why he wanted you to stay over. He was falling for you, but he didn't want to admit it just yet. Maybe you caught on and didn't feel the same way? He knew he'd have to tell you eventually, but he wanted to be selfish a little bit longer. He wanted to enjoy what you guys had before going back to being just friends with no 'benefits'.

"I know we agreed to being just friends but I think I'm starting to feel something more than that and it's really stupid. But I don't think I can do this anymore without falling for you more than I already have." The tension in the air is palpable. In the time it takes for what you said to finally sink in Connie's mind, you decided his silence was his final answer.

When Connie saw your figure quietly get up from the edge of the bed, he knew this was his chance.

He quickly made his way over to your side, sitting on the edge. He reached out and gently wrapped his arms around your waist.

"Don't go, please." He whispered into the skin of your back.

You turn to look at him, keeping your tears at bay, trying to pry his arms off of you. God, with the way he was looking at you, that was almost all the convincing you need to stay just last night with him

"Connie, don't make this harder on me. You don't understa-"

"No, [y/n]" he cuts you off, now moving his hands to hold yours. "you don't understand." he delicately presses a kiss to your fingertips before kissing the back of your hand. "I want you. I want you to stay."

The meaning behind his words lit a spark in you that erupted into a passionate flame in your chest.

Connie wanted you. He wanted you just as much as you wanted him.

You cup his face, one of his hands coming up to rest over yours. You lean down and place the sweetest, softest kiss you can on his lips. It's not much but you hope he can feel all you've wanted to tell him in that one kiss.

"Okay, Connie, okay" you whisper as your lips pulled away from his own, a small smile forming when he whined at the loss of contact.

You committed the image of Connie Springer pouting at you because he wanted a kiss to your memory. You would tease him about it soon enough, you just wanted cherish the fact that he wanted kisses - your kisses.

You had more nights to share, more kisses to give him, but for now you just wanted to enjoy the feeling of having Connie in your arms, knowing you had each other as long as your hearts wanted.

You wanted to enjoy the feeling of Connie simply being there, finally being yours. He wasn't going anywhere, and neither were you.

"I'll stay."

[pillow-anime-talk]

wap challenge.

synopsis: ‘WAP challenge’ versus our lovely boys.

# tags: headcanons; current relationships; aged up; romance; mild comedy and fluff; suggestive?

includes: female reader ft. hitoshi shinsou & you shindou {bnha} + eita semi & tobio kageyama {hq!!} + seijuurou mikoshiba & rin matsuoka {free!}

— HITOSHI

↘ It was absolutely NOT YOUR idea to do this challenge. Mina was the initiator of it all, because she’s addicted to the TikTok app, plus she knows every trend that is currently taking place. Plus, she’s your bestie, so it’s super obvious that you’ll do a lot of (stupid) things with her to keep an eye on her silly ass. 

↘ UMMM, anyway. Also not gonna lie, but you liked to dance, so it was much easier to induce you this time, hehe.

↘ Therefore, a few trainings later, you could easily record the ‘WAP challenge’ and put it on the pink-haired teenager’s popular account. 

↘ Meanwhile, your lovely boyfriend was in the coffee bar with Denki. Unexpectedly, the latter got a notification on his phone. 

↘ (Of course, we all know that Kaminari is the second TikTok biggest fan and his content is something like ‘Top10 things I don’t like about Bakugo’.)

↘ Coming back to the topic, the blonde’s eyes automatically widened when he saw the video inserted into Mina’s account; he wasn’t surprised by the young girl’s idea and its general performance, but you... He totally didn’t expect it! After all, you were the complete opposite of a crazy pinky one and you were literally the voice of reason in your friendship.

↘ “Oh, God... Wow. You have to see this, Shinsou.” He laughed under his breath, then restarted the short video and turned the black phone to the boy who currently drinking colored bubble tea.

↘ Well. Needless to say, some cold tea flew out of his mouth and his both cheeks turned redder than Kirishima’s hair.

↘ Aaaand he got an boner.

— YOU

↘ That mf... Okay. 

↘ Listen to me.

↘ Honestly, you were never interested in having an account on this whole TikTok app, but you saw a tons YouTube videos of people dancing to an English-speaking female rapper’s song and you just found it as a fun and interesting activity (+ you really liked this lit song, so...).

↘That’s why, you pushed back the furniture in your own room, which was in the Ketsubutsu Academy dorm, and put on a music. The first three attempts were just learning the steps, but by the fourth time you were ready for the real dance, so you tied your hair in a high ponytail to make it more comfortable and corrected the top of your clothes.

↘ Absorbed in setting up the camera and playing the song at the right moment, you didn’t even notice when your boyfriend entered your room. Of course he wanted to say hi or just kiss your pretty face, but at the same moment you jumped up and lifted your leg, quickly dropping to your knees.

↘ Shindou’s eyes widened while he resting his arm against your bedroom white wall. He even bit his lip, feeling a pleasant tingling in the stomach and throat.

↘ To say that he was delighted is definitely not enough.

↘ And when you finished the dance with the split, your boyfriend was still silent... However there was a sound of clapping and mouth pecking throughout the room. Slightly frightened, you turned towards him, and your cheeks flushed deeply.

↘ “Well, well, well. I didn’t expect that, but... I’d love to see it again, babe.” He winked at you, and you quickly covered your red face with your hands, still sitting on the floor.

— EITA

↘ All of us know perfectly that Semi is... a very serious man. I mean, have you seen how much he gives while he playing volleyball and helping his lovely teammates? Eita takes many things seriously (both at school and in private life) hence his strong character and his frequent lack of playfulness when you both have a small talk.

↘ However, you still love him very much and you would do anything for this big baby boy to make him happy and make him feel loved and appreciated as your boyfriend, friend and also volleyball player.

↘ Anyway, you didn’t expect that one day he would come over to your house and your mother would let him in, saying that ‘as always, you are at your own bedroom, listening to music’.

↘ Eita also didn’t expect anything special that day; he just came to you to spend Saturday watching interesting anime, some movies, talking and possibly ordering a pizza at his treat, but then he opened the door to your room and literally at the same moment he saw that you swing your leg up, and after a while you get down on your both knees.

↘ Of course he was so shocked because, firstly, he didn’t expect you to dance, and secondly, he didn’t expect you to dance this kind of moves...

↘ The poor boy who always took everything around him seriously couldn’t absorb for the next few seconds the fact that some people do a lot of things for fun... not for awards and medals like him and his beloved team.

↘ Fortunately, he quickly shook his head and laughed a bit under his breath when you barely managed to do a splits.

— TOBIO

↘ HAHAHGAHHAHDDAHAHAADDXXHJXJXDD. SORRY. I MEAN...

↘ The poor baby boy has his head high in the clouds and is only interested in the volleyball or matches, the milk in the carton from the school vending machine and you.

↘ Therefore, he’s not into the social media like Twitter, TikTok, Tumblr or YouTube. Sometimes he just steals your Spotify or Netflix account, but that’s all.

↘ Therefore, when one random day Hinata and Yamaguchi ran up to him with orange-head’s phone in his hand and a few seconds later asked if he had already seen the video with you in the lead role, the black-haired young man raised an eyebrow up, not understanding about what his two teammates talked at that moment.

↘ However, when after a short while he saw a dance video with loud music on the app on Shouyou’s phone, a small wrinkle appeared on his forehead and his mouth tightened into a narrow line.

↘ When the video was over, he thanked his besties, then took his own smartphone out of his pants pocket to search for your name in contacts. He quickly wrote you a short message, and as you read it, a huge blush appeared on your both cheeks.

↘ Tobi! | 14:23 ; Why didn’t you tell me that you dance? You’re pretty good at it. I’d like to see it privately. See you after classes :).

— SEIJUUROU

↘ :D

↘ Let’s start with the fact that Seijuurou is definitely a social animal and knows a lot of phone apps (unlike Haikyuu boys, lmao).

↘ I mean, he knows perfectly well all Twitter or Tumblr jokes and general slang, his favorite app is probably Instagram, and the Urban Dictionary is his second home, his bestie. Not need to mention that you share Netflix together, you two also are on the same Discord channel, and on top of that, he makes a shitpost on his own Facebook profile.

↘ No wonder that one day when he caught you dancing to the Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion song, he immediately joined to you. As if dancing had been in his veins from the day he was born, almost like swimming.

↘ The young man literally took all your viewers off the account and all the beauty of the fame you worked hard while you putting your own content on the channel.

↘ ‘Well... I expected that.’

↘ After a few days, of course, you changed the main theme of your account and instead of creating it by yourself, you shared it with your beloved boyfriend (after all, you couldn’t refuse the fans and the red-head...).

↘ Now you put all kinds of videos and posts together, and the people on TikTok like both of you very much and consider you two to be the sweetest couple in the whole world.

↘ Camila and Shawn are nothing compared to you!

— RIN

↘ I think Rin would know what TikTok is, and also know that you have an account there, but he has never been more interested in it than necessary. 

↘ I mean, it might have existed, but he wouldn’t be interested in getting into the ‘world’ of any influencers and celebrities.

↘ Well. 

↘ The big boy was very busy with swimming and with planning your dates...

↘ So when he listened to music on YouTube one randomly evening and totally accidentally click a complication video with ‘WAP Challenge’ tiktoks, he was surprised that you showed up as one of the dancers.

↘ Your all movements were polished and super strong. You danced really great, better than Rin could ever have imagined. Dressed in black shorts and a gray top, you fit well with the sounds and voice of a female rapper, and as the cherry head knew English, his tongue automatically lick his lower lip.

↘ Hmm, I don’t think I need to add to this headcanon the fact that shortly after watching the short video with you about another 20 times, Rin put on his feet shoes and decided to go to your house.

[mellowswriting]

Meaning Found

pairing || Poe Dameron x Reader

summary || Sometimes it takes a crash and the fear that your best friend is dead to finally admit that you love his stupid ass.

word count || 3,466

warnings || language, allusions to sex, minor injuries, lots of teenage makeout sessions lmao

a/n || I rewatched the sequel trilogy and was reminded of my intense love of Poe Dameron, so this kind of just... happened. My first Poe fic, too, so I tried to nail his sarcastic, teasing personality but I don’t know how well I did. Let me know what you think!

Main Masterlist  |  Join the taglist!

“Poe?” You called out, your hands cupped around your mouth in a vain attempt to amplify your voice through the trees. “Poe, where are you?!”

It had been hours since you crashed on this godforsaken planet, the smell of smoke and overheated metal rousing you from your unconscious state. The first thing you noticed after the awful smell was pain. Your calf was killing you, the pain radiating up through your entire leg from a long gash that thankfully wasn’t bleeding too badly. It just hurt like a bitch.  

Panic lanced through you when you realized your hot-headed pilot was nowhere to be seen. There wasn’t a single trace of him. No blood, no tattered clothes, no nothing. He was just gone. Fear thickened in your throat like glue, your lungs seizing under the weight of it. Still, you busied yourself with fixing what was left of the radio. Poe would be pissy if he came back and you hadn’t at the very least gotten a distress signal to the Resistance.

When he came back.

Poe would be back.

But then the radio was repaired and you managed to salvage some supplies from the wreckage of your precious ship - and Poe still wasn’t back. Enough was enough, you decided. Forget your fucked up leg, your pilot was out there somewhere, possibly in worse shape than you and in desperate need of help. So you found a branch that had been ripped from its tree when your ship met its untimely demise and tucked it under your arm in a makeshift crutch and got to hiking.

It was way more painful than you had expected. Each step had a sharp stab of fire-like pain bringing a wince to your face, but it seemed like the longer you walked, the more your body grew acquainted with the wound. It still hurt like hell, but the worry for Poe was far greater. The further you went, the more you really began regretting the choice to come on this mission. Your presence wasn't even entirely necessary - it was a damn supply drop for Maker’s sake. But when Leia herself asked you to have Poe’s back (and keep his pretty little ass out of trouble), you couldn’t very well say no.

Boy, was she going to get an earful if you got back.

When. When you got back.

“Poe, you shithead!” You screamed, your voice echoing off of the trees even through the rain. “I’m gonna leave your ass here, I swear! Where are you?!”

You barely heard it, the sound of his voice calling out your name. Hope lit in your chest, burning hotter than the pain that was now entirely forgotten as you took off through the trees, expertly dodging branches and raised roots as you went. His name fell from your lips over and over, hope falling away into relief when you realized his voice was growing closer.

The sight of Poe Dameron always took your breath away - not that you would ever admit that. It didn't matter when, it didn't matter the circumstance. He was too pretty for his own good, all sharp angles and dashing smiles. Even when you were at your grumpiest, usually as you sipped your coffee during morning briefings that always felt earlier than the last, his presence eased the heaviness that plagued your shoulders.

This time, it was infinitely more intense. Maybe it was the desperate way he crashed through the treeline. Maybe it was the huge grin that broke out across his face when he locked eyes with you. Maybe it was the way his arms immediately opened to embrace you and lift you from the ground, disbelieving laughter rumbling through his chest. Whatever it was, it had tears building in your eyes. For a moment, everything else was forgotten. The two of you weren’t stranded without a functional ship, you weren’t filled with fear and adrenaline, there wasn’t a painful gash in your leg. You were just in the arms of the one person who could make this whole shitshow a little bit better.

Out of nowhere, your relief gave way to fear. Sharp, debilitating, all-encompassing fear. You could have lost him. Poe could have died, or you could have died, and you wouldn’t have told him - fuck, he never would have known. Holy shit.

“Did you really have to call me a shithead, though?” Poe laughed as he put you down, his eyes sparkling with amusement. The gasp you let out when your feet touched the ground had that amusement disappearing, though. “Shit, what happened? How bad is it?”

“No, no, I’m fine. I’ll be fine.” You managed through the heaviness that clamped around your throat. Poe didn’t believe a single word that came out of your mouth, obvious by the way he sighed and shook his head. He ignored your protests and the way you slapped at his shoulders when he quite literally scooped you up. “Fuck, Poe, I said I’m fine -”

“You’re bleeding, you aren’t fine.” He gruffed out, readjusting his grip at your knees carefully. “Which way is the ship?”

The standoff only lasted a few moments, the both of you glaring at each other and waiting - Poe waiting for you to at least nod in a direction and you waiting for Poe’s dramatic ass to put you down. Of course, Poe won. When didn’t he? All it took was the jerk of your chin and Poe set off, grunting every now and then with the effort.

“You aren’t hurt, are you?” You whispered a few moments later. That fear was still rolling in your stomach. No matter how hard you tried to swallow it down, it still threatened to choke you up.

“C’mon, sweetheart, you know me. I’m tough as nails.” Poe laughed. He cleared his throat quietly when he saw the tears still gathered in your eyes. “Seriously, I’m okay. Don’t worry about me.”

The endearing term made your heart flutter. Pet names fell from Poe’s lips like second nature, you were used to it. Blame the leftover adrenaline, but this time it hit differently, right in your chest. Without thinking, you reached up and brushed his sweat-dampened curls back from his forehead gently, careful not to accidentally tug with all the jostling as he carried you. Your lower lip trembled. “We could’ve died.”

“I know.” Poe’s eyes hardened. “I know, I’m so sorry.”

“Poe, it wasn’t your fault.” You chastised gently, your fingers automatically carding through his hair and gently untangling it. He leaned into your touch slightly and a small smile graced your lips. “You couldn’t have known this would happen.”

“You told me to take the northern route, I should’ve listened -”

“Come on.” You sighed. Always so hard on himself, this one. “I literally argue with you about everything. That’s what we do, you dork. There’s no actual difference between the north route and the west route and we both know that.”  

“Yeah, yeah.” Poe smiled softly down at you and your breath caught in your throat again. Damn it. The man really was gorgeous, even with the guilt that still lingered on his face.

“I wasn’t bitching at you or trying to say you got us into this, okay? I… I just realized that you… fuck, Poe.” Words failed you. Or rather, you failed your words. They were there. They had been there from the very beginning, but the overwhelming fear of losing his friendship choked the words from you time and time again.

You didn’t even realize you were back at the wreckage of your ship, too in your head to pay attention to the world around you. Poe set you down gently in the grass, apologizing quietly when you hissed in pain. Now that you weren’t adrenaline soaked and desperate to find him, your body was all too happy to let the pain flare back up.

“Let me get the bacta from the med kit,” Poe murmured, leaving your side for just a moment. He seemed just as anxious as you were, the idea of being apart making both your stomachs turn. Even just a few moments, even just a few feet of distance, it was too much. Poe kneeled at your side and easily tore the remainder of your pants from your calf, the comfortable material now only reaching just above your knee.

Cleaning the gash was no walk in the park, but the moment the bacta touched your inflamed, angry skin, you sighed. That shit was magic, no doubt about it. Nonetheless, Poe was still careful as he wrapped your calf, his every touch slow and gentle and the memory of the last time the two of you were like this bubbled to the forefront on your mind. The roles were reversed, of course, because it was almost always Poe making daringly stupid choices and ending up wounded, but you had been so scared of making the blaster wound to his shoulder worse that your hands shook.

There had been a gentle trust in his eyes when Poe reassured you that he was okay, that you would do just great. His normally confident voice became meek as he whispered that you were the only one he trusted to fix him up, so you better get to it. That was Poe. Always trying to cover up vulnerable moments with humor. But that sparkle of humor was nowhere to be found as he settled himself next to you. Hell, he could barely keep eye contact with you.

“What...what did you realize?” Poe whispered. Something in the way he was looking at you told you that he knew already, fear and hope and anticipation all plain on his face. He pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, something you had come to recognize as a nervous habit.

You drew in a deep breath, steadying yourself against the racing of your heart and the excitement that buzzed through your veins. It lit you up from the inside out, the very idea of finally, fucking finally, saying the words you had been itching to say for far too long. “I realized that we could’ve died before I told you how much I love you.”

Poe let out a shaky breath, those full lips parting and closing around words that couldn't seem to find their way into existence. A fleeting moment of panic wound its way through your chest at the idea that you had misread this whole thing, constricting your lungs in a vice-hold that threatened to choke the life out of you, but it was washed away by the sudden press of his lips against yours. On the many occasions you imagined what it would be like to kiss Poe Dameron, you envisioned it to be all teeth and gasping passion, but the reality was so much better than anything else your brain could have dreamed up.

Poe kissed you like you were the most precious thing he had ever had the privilege of holding in his hands. Your eyes fluttered closed the moment his lips brushed yours, a soft and reverent touch that pulled a wrecked sound from him. He leaned back, breaking the gentle embrace of your lips to study your face. There was a small crease between his eyebrows where he had them furrowed and you couldn't help but reach up to rub at the space with your thumb.

The smile that broke across his face was brighter than any sun in the galaxy and he pulled you to him. The second kiss was more confident, something you never thought Poe Dameron could be more of. The warmth of his tongue sliding along your bottom lip made a rough shudder slither down your spine and his hand at your cheek buried itself in your hair to tilt your head. The new angle let him press even closer to you and the quiet moan it drew from him had you practically giddy, excitement singing through your entire body. Somehow your hands found the collar of his shirt, your body moving instinctually as if it was commonplace, as if your body knew exactly how to move with his.

“I love you.” Poe whispered against your lips, pulling away just far enough to rest his forehead against yours. He kissed you again, a short one just shy of a peck. “I guess we’re both idiots, huh? Could’ve had you for so long if I had just said something.”

“You can have me now if you stop talking.” You teased and Poe grinned. It was a grin you had seen countless times, but this time it felt almost new. Like you were able to appreciate that pretty smile of his in a new light. “Kiss me again, flyboy.”

An almost wild groan rumbled through Poe’s chest and he did just that. Poe kissed and kissed and kissed you until you were both left with swollen lips and goofy grins. Neither of you could get enough, like you had been drowning and were finally up for air. There was nothing else that mattered. Not the slow establishment of peace and control that Leia had managed to bestow upon the galaxy. Not the sudden shifting of goals after the success of the Resistance. Not the sudden floundering for meaning.

Everything you were searching for, the meaning of it all post-war…

It was found in each other.

“Wait, did you radio anyone?” Poe asked suddenly, those pretty brown eyes blinking up at you inquisitively.

“What?” You were a bit dazed from the feeling of his tongue expertly taking you apart. It took your mind a second to remember how to process words.  “Uh, yeah, Leia sent Rey out to get us.”

“How long ago?”

“...Seriously? That’s what you’re thinking about right now.” You motioned between your chests, an eyebrow raised. Poe just stared at you expectantly and you sighed. He would wait there until the Falcon landed right next to you with his stubbornness. “Like three hours ago. Why?”

That devilish smirk reappeared like it never left. “Just wanted to know how much longer I get to have you like this.”

Heat creeped up your neck at the implication. “Maker, you are so annoying.”

Poe bit at his bottom lip and for a mere second you were distracted, wanting nothing more to be the one nibbling at him. But then he had to open his mouth again. “Yeah, and you love me. Says more about you than it does about me.”

“Shut up and kiss me.” You demanded.

“Yes, ma’am.” The words were whispered against your lips as he leaned in, once again dragging you into a makeout session that could rival any other. Like teenagers, the two of you, all wandering hands and teasing nibbles.

It wasn’t long until the telltale sound of the Millennium Falcon approaching pulled you apart - a good thing, too, because both of you were writhing for more than could happen in a field in the middle of nowhere. Besides, it was growing darker and being stuck any longer without shelter when the creatures of the night would begin creeping out to prowl wasn’t the best of ideas. You weren’t surprised that the little orange and white droid was the first down the ramp when the ship had settled on its landing gear.

“Hey, buddy!” The excitement in Poe’s was unmistakable as he crouched down to greet BB-8, the impact of his droid crashing into him knocking him right onto his ass. A series of inquisitive beeps made Poe sigh almost exasperatedly. “No, she’s fine, I took care of her leg.”

BB-8 rolled over and bumped at your legs affectionately, completely ignoring Poe’s indignant, “I’m fine, too, by the way!”

Rey appeared a moment later when you were kneeling to pat the droid and look him over, ensuring he hadn’t been harmed since the last you saw him. It felt a bit strange to care so much for the little guy but he was practically a little kid to you. You had started calling him Poe’s son as a joke long ago when you first met, but you had come to realize just how right you were.

“What the hell happened to you two? Did you forget how to pilot, Poe?” Rey called out as she walked up and immediately a loud bout of bickering began. To an outsider, it would look like these two hated each other but you knew better. Your little friend group would do anything for each other, especially after all you had been through together. All that was missing was -

“Finn!” Poe smiled and embraced his friend in a tight hug before slapping him on the shoulder. “I didn’t know you were coming, too.”

“You think I would miss seeing you two stranded together? Nah,” Finn asked as he pulled you in for a hug as well, a laugh rumbling through his chest. “I figured the two of you would’ve ripped each other's heads off by now.”

“Ha, ha.” You intoned sarcastically. “It’s nice to know that you two have careers in comedy now that the war is over.”

The playful jabs continued as the five of you settled into the Falcon, Poe keeping a hand on you at practically all times. On your lower back, on your hip, settled on your thigh. It seemed like now that he had the ability to touch you like he always wanted to, he couldn’t stop himself. It wasn’t long until his little game became obvious - seeing how long it would take for either of your human companions to realize something was different.

It didn’t take long for it to escalate. A hand on your thigh quickly became tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear, which became affectionately rubbing the tension from your neck. Within fifteen minutes of flying through hyperspace, you had to leave the cockpit with some bullshit excuse just to keep yourself from curling up in his lap right then and there. You busied yourself in repairing the wiring you had been working on the last time you were on the Falcon, a simple job that was practically finished already save for untangling and reconnecting the wires and replacing the panel that covered it. Of course it took no time at all for Poe to wander off and find you, his arms wrapping around your waist.

“Hey,” Poe murmured before kissing your neck gently, swiping your hair out of the way to give him even more access. The scrape of his stubble against your sensitive skin made you shiver against him and you could tell Poe felt it by the way he smiled against your neck. “Love how responsive you are...you’re never getting rid of me now, sweetheart.”  

The lighthearted remark on the tip of your tongue melted away at the feeling of his tongue tracing that sweet spot just under your ear. You couldn’t help but lean back into his chest, one of his hands leaving your hips to brace against the wall. A low hum fell from your lips when Poe bit at your shoulder teasingly and you couldn’t stop yourself from reaching back to run your fingers through his hair and hold him against you, your attempted repair completely forgotten in front of you.

Every touch had pleasure curling around your body, lighting up your every nerve with need and excitement. The man was a god, but if you told him that, it would pump up his ego to an insufferable level. Maybe you could handle it, the ridiculous amount of pride, if he would just touch you…

“Please,” You whispered, your eyes closing as your head fell back onto his shoulder, and you didn’t miss the hungry way he hummed against you. The arm that was wrapped around your waist shifted and his hand slid under your shirt, the shock of his warm skin against your stomach forced a gasp from you. His fingers dipped below your pants, just barely teasing at the hem of your underwear, and -

“I knew it!” Finn’s deep voice echoed harshly through the metal walls of the Falcon and you both jumped, damn near cracking heads in your surprise.

“No you did not!” Poe scoffed, letting you bury your face into his neck to hide your embarrassed face. Poe’s dismissal did nothing to curb Finn’s excited sprint back to the cockpit, screaming something about Rey owing him credits all the while. A short, huffed laugh fell from his lips as he pushed you back against the wall, facing him this time. “We can’t go back up there, they’ll be impossible.”

You set your chin against his chest with an agreeing hum. “We could just go to the bunks… carry on where we left off.”

Poe grinned at you. “Hell yes.”

[i-like-writing-stuff]

definitely love [five hargreeves x reader]

request:  Could you do a Five x reader fic where the reader is kidnapped by the Handler and Five comes to save them. Thx

a/n: it’s kinda short, but i feel like it’s pretty sweet, i guess??? the only warning is some curse words here and there cause i cant help myself and maybe the handler being like a huge y/n x five shipper lmao

perhaps therell be a part 2???

summary: when the handler kidnaps you, don’t you dare think five wouldn’t come to your rescue as soon as possible.

“Listen, lady!” You yelled, rolling your eyes at your former boss, “I have no idea where that dipshit is, alright?!”

The Handler raised a brow at your seventh burst this hour, taking a long drag out of her cigarette, before puffing out the smoke with a laugh, “I’m sorry- I can’t take your seriously when your boobs haven’t even kicked in yet.”

“Oh, you did not go there.” You squinted your eyes at her, trying to launch forward, but to no avail, as the Handler kept on laughing at your attempts of attacking her.

You only laid back in your seat, feeling the ropes around you squeeze you into place. You had been tied to that chair for the past three hours, although no real torture had been inflicted upon you- other than having to listen to the Handler talk for three hours.

Even when you worked for her in the Commission you didn’t like her much. She was too extra, too much work for you, in spite of her gorgeous sense of fashion. All you wanted to do was retire as soon as possible, but when Five Hargreeves got a job there, your world was turned upside down and before you knew it, you were a teenager again, in 2019, trying to stop the apocalypse with his other siblings.

Except that you failed, and you ended up in 1963... with another apocalypse on its way... because somehow you brought it with you.

“What do you even want with him?” You asked, as she stopped laughing to drag another long puff out of her lit cigar.

“Let’s just say I have a deal.” She smirked, turning to you, “And I need to make sure you two will hear me out.”

“Is that why you kidnapped me and brought me here?” You raised a brow, looking around the abandoned warehouse, “That’s cliche.”

“What’ll be cliche is if he finally admits to having feelings for you when he comes to your rescue.” The Handler scoffed, making you raise a brow at her, “Oh, please- we all had bets going on in the Commission on the two of you.”

“Wonderful...” You dryly said, shaking your head in disbelief.

However, somewhere deep within you, you hoped that what the Handler said would become true. You met Five on his first day working for the Commission and you quickly warmed up to each other since you had basically the same personalities, but you, yourself, were having a hard time understanding your feelings. 

You found that sarcastic piece of shit adorable and charming, but you were not gonna admit it to his face- you didn’t need him to get even cockier. He may or may not have shown in the past two weeks signs that he shared your feelings, but you decided not to put that much thought into it, since saving the world was the number on priority on your list.

“Hey!” Five’s voice suddenly rang through the room, as he stumbled in, holding Lila by the arm.

“Lila?” You wondered, confused by the presence of Diego’s crazy girlfriend which he picked up from a... well, crazy house.

“Well done.” The Handler smirked, placing her hands in the pockets of her coat.

“What is Lila doing here?” You frowned, watching as Five threw her on the floor, glaring at the Handler, “Five!”

“You were right to think she is familiar.” Five told you, placing his foot on Lila’s neck, “She is one of them.”

You perked your brows upon hearing the news, looking at the girl on the floor. She helped Diego escape the mental asylum and she’s been on his side ever since, but when you first laid eyes on her, you couldn’t help but get a familiar vibe off her.

Until you realized...

“That’s your kid?” You turned to the Handler, “The girl you adopted?”

You had heard years ago that during a task, somehow the Handler returned with a little girl, but you didn’t put that much thought into it, even if it was a bit strange. Five had a job in London and the Handler accompanied him, but you figured she just wanted to get some- come on, she is really creepy and kinda flirty!

“What?” Five raised a brow, looking at the girl beneath his foot.

“No matter.” The Handler said, stepping towards you, “Here we are... together again.”

“Yeah, it’s a real party.” You sarcastically said, “Ow!” You immediately yelped, as the Handler pulled on your rope, making you jerk back against the chair back, causing Five to tense up.

“I’ve gotta ask.” The Handler said, not once letting go of the rope, making sure the grip on you would be tightened, causing Lila to laugh, even if her throat was being stepped on, “Did you miss me, you little shit? Or did you miss your little girlfriend more?”

“I’ve been gone for only three hours.” You chimed in, making Five shake his head in disbelief, “Besides... nobody ever misses you, really.”

Five decided to put on the same tough guy act, not wanting to reveal his concern, because truth be told- when you didn’t show up at the family meeting that morning, he began feeling stressed. It was not like you not to show up, especially since his brothers and sisters treated you like their own, so that made him tense. 

But, when Lila showed outside the store with a smirk on her lips, he knew immediately she had something to do with it.

Because, truth be told, you were not expecting to let yourself get kidnapped by the Handler. Yeah, she was a great assassin, but you had been holding the title of the best agent in the Commission for the past seven years. That was, before betraying it to help Five save the world and his family.

“Ah, this one.” The Handler smiled sarcastically, letting go of you in order to push you forward.

“Woah!” You yelped, almost losing balance off the chair if Five hadn’t caught you. 

Lila quickly got up coughing before Five could return, but he couldn’t care less. At least you seemed to be fine, no cuts or bruises- the Handler did nothing to you, she was just toying with him to ensure he’d come here to hear out her proposition.

“Now that we’ve made the exchange...” The Handler said, as Five started untying your ropes, “Lila, darling, would you give us a minute, please?”

“Go play with your toys or something...” You taunted the girl, getting up from the seat after three, long hours, rubbing your sore wrists.

“Yes, the grown-ups need to talk.” Five backed you up with a smirk, as Lila only rolled her eyes, walking away from the three of you, knocking something off a table angrily.

“Very mature.” You raised a brow, “I can see how she and Diego made quite the couple.”

“Don’t make me vomit, Y/N.” The Handler scoffed, before changing the subject nonchalantly, “So... do you two lovebirds like jazz?”

After an interesting discussion with the Handler, you and Five walked out of the warehouse in silence, contemplating your decision. She made you two a tough deal, which needed some time to be thought upon, but, unfortunately neither of you had that kind of luxury.

“You know, if we do take the deal...” You spoke up, turning to Five, causing him to stop in his tracks beside you curiously, “It’d be like... one last job together.”

You and Five had been on jobs together before, but you never officially called yourselves partners, even if your success rate was off the charts. You had a great teamwork, so you were not that surprised when the Handler chose you two for a job of this level and risk.

“I don’t even want to think about that just yet...” Five sighed, covering his face tiredly, “We still have another option.”

Your heart ached at the sight- watching Five rub his small face tiredly, all stressed out and overall exhausted, you truly felt bad. You tried helping him, after all that is why you followed him through time, but this was beyond you, and him. 

You knew how much Five loved his siblings, in spite of his attitude towards them. Everything he has done so far it was for him... and you.

You had no idea, but to Five it was surreal. He accepted the fact that he loved his brothers and sisters, but it took him a lot longer to accept that he was actually in love with you. However, it did make sense- you always made him feel better, ever since you guys met. He wasn’t sure if it was love at first sight, but right now, in this moment, he knew it was definitely love.

“But...” Five spoke up, putting on a weak smile, as he placed his hands in his pockets, “At least you are safe now.”

Hearing those words come out of his mouth, your knees felt like they were about to fail you. As Five looked into your eyes, you knew he was sincere, so you couldn’t help the heat rushing to your cheeks.

“All thanks to you.” You quickly smirked, trying to brush off the nervousness, “I mean... she could have picked any one of your siblings to provoke you, but I had the pleasure of spending three dreadful hours with her.” You sighed, folding your arms over your chest, “So, thank you for coming to my rescue.”

“Thank you for playing the damsel in distress.” Five teased you, playfully flicking your forehead as he picked up the pace, “If things don’t work out with dad, now we have a plan B.”

“Hey, don’t let it get to your head!” You quickly yelled, rushing to catch up to him, “I still am a trained assassin!”

“And how exactly did the Handler get her hands on you, then?” Five asked, brushing off the way you absentmindedly locked your arm with his in an attempt to slow him down.

“I was baking cookies.” You slightly shrugged with an innocent smile, “And Frank Sinatra came on the radio, so of course I blasted it through the kitchen.”

“How do you survive?” Five wondered, looking down at you with a small smile on his face, watching as your lips turned to a playful pout.

Yeah... it was definitely love he felt for you.

[nostalgiahan]

Still Into You

genre: songfic, fluff, smut

pairing: graffiti artist!changbin x afab!reader (gender-neutral language)

word count: 2k

warnings: drug use (cannabis,) trespassing, oral sex (f,) car sex, little dialogue, changbin and reader run from the cops lol

a/n: i was listening to still into you by paramore and this just kinda. came into existence. it’s also very song focused so if you’ve never listened to 2000s alt rock... i’m sorry lmao. the sugarmill in the story is also a real place that my friends and i used to visit and smoke take pictures at, although the cops never found us there haha. anyways enjoy folks.

Your nails had been tapping on the windowsill enough to wear them down to nubs by the time Changbin pulled up in front of your house. When his beat up Subaru pulled up next to the curb, you just about jumped out of your skin from excitement. Today was your fourth anniversary, as well as Valentine’s Day, and the adrenaline rushing through your blood was a sign that you were more than looking forward to whatever fun plans he had up his sleeve.

Compared to most couples on Valentine’s day, your outfit was pretty plain and not at all glamorous. Practical boots, jeans, an old band hoodie and Changbin’s dark green parka were your clothes of choice, but you knew that your boyfriend wasn’t going to take you to some fancy restaurant. No, you two were going adventuring.

As soon as you hop in the passenger seat of the car, shoving a couple of receipts into the foot well, Changbin reaches into his hoodie pocket and gives you a card. It’s crude, made of a folded sheet of printer paper and hastily scribbled on in pen but it’s very fitting for him.

“You better enjoy the card,” he says with a smirk, “because it came to me in a dream. This is pure, undiluted Changbin, packaged for your enjoyment and convenience.”

Giggling, you open the card. Inside is a barely legible “i love you so much y/n” surrounded by hearts, and in the corner is a drawing of a cow dressed in a lab coat and holding a beaker labeled “Moorie Curie.” It’s perfect, but what else did you expect from him?

“Happy anniversary, my love.” When you look up at Changbin, he has the widest smile on his face, cheeks dotted with flecks of paint and eyes crinkled up into little crescents. He’s dressed similarly to you, hair sitting in a pile on top of his head, clearly not having been paid attention to before leaving the house. It doesn’t matter, though, since the both of you will be wearing hoods over your heads anyways. You lean over the center console to give him a quick kiss, although it takes a couple of tries to get his lips since you’re both smiling so hard.

Changbin kicks his old car into gear as he sets off towards his destination. He’s explaining where you’re going, but you can barely hear him over the car speakers blasting Simple Plan and Green Day.

“So yeah, it’s this sugarmill that caught on fire in, like, 1910, and they never renovated it. There’s a bunch of cool abandoned shit around there, too. I think there’s, like, three fucked up couches.”

As you listen to him talk, you stick your fingers through the gap at the top of the side window. It’s permanently cracked open like that, and you have vivid memories of trying to throw cigarette butts through the gap when the two of you were bored.

After a while of listening to pop punk and playing with Changbin’s fingers over the gear shift, you arrive at your destination. Several charred brick buildings sit in the middle of a field, dead trees framing an open area in the center where someone has set up some logs and rocks to form a makeshift circle. Your boyfriend’s eyes scan the landscape, looking for his next canvas. Eventually, he tugs your arm and leads you towards one of the buildings, smiling back at you. “C’mon, let’s go explore this place.”

The two of you wander for a while, over rickety walkways and up staircases, taking pictures with your Polaroid and holding hands the whole time. Eventually, Changbin finds a stretch of wall big enough to start his work. Setting his duffel bag on the ground, he beckons you over and crouches down, inviting you to hop onto his back.

He pulls out a can of white spray paint, shaking it and popping the cap with his thumb. As he starts to paint, making large, sweeping motions with his arms, you really wished he had worn something sleeveless, however impractical. After lighting a slightly crushed joint you’d fished out of your pocket, you nestled your nose into his shoulder, holding the joint up to Changbin’s lips. He takes a few pulls as he works, the previously bland wall turning into a beautiful blend of blues, purples, and whites. It’s always fascinating to see how he works, seemingly not thinking before laying down a line of paint, yet each stroke seems to perfectly fit in with the others.

As he’s switching colors, Changbin lets you off his back, settling his hands on your sides. He stares at you for a bit, trying to study every bit of your face that isn’t covered by the oversized hood of his jacket. After a while, he smiles, pulling you close and kissing your forehead. Changbin always called you his muse, but you never expected him to take it as literally as he did, often staring at you or asking unrelated questions when he was stuck with a piece. He sways gently back and forth, pressing little kisses to your head, as Good Charlotte emanates from the tiny phone speaker in his back pocket. Occasionally, he’ll pull back just a tiny bit to really study your face, kissing you softly and muttering something along the lines of “i really can’t believe how fucking incredible you are” or “i love you so much it’s unreal.”

It’s not until a few more songs have ended that he pulls away, inviting you back onto his back as you light another joint. The piece is almost done, the tag “SPEARB” painted in blobby letters, shining artificially. All he has left is the outline, but his work is cut short when you hear the faint sound of sirens approaching and the light creeping in from the broken windows flashes a faint red and blue.

What happens next is like clockwork. You hop off of Changbin’s back, putting out the joint on the wall and throwing it into his duffel bag along with the other cans of paint he’s left out. What you’re supposed to do next is grab the bag and run, but Changbin is trying his best to finish a really specific detail and the more time he has that can in his hand, the less time you guys have to get the fuck out. After what seems like an eternity of whisper-yelling and (gently) stomping your foot at him, he caps the can and throws it into the bag. Finally, the two of you are off. As he’s picking up the bag, however, you notice what he was taking so long to finish. In tiny lettering, in the bottom corner of the piece, 4 words. “fuck cops” on one line, and “for y/n” on another.

As the two of you clamber over wooden planks and piping, pulling your hoods over your heads and your masks over your faces to hide your identities, Changbin grabs your hand and squeezes. He lets go almost as quickly as he grabbed it but the sentiment is still there; i’m here, i’m gonna keep us safe. It’s a welcome sentiment when shouts of “police,” and “show yourselves” echo through the abandoned hall.

Fifteen minutes of running and one chain link fence climb later, you’re back at the car, cops nowhere in sight. You’re panting heavily as you throw off the parka and throw it into the backseat, and Changbin doesn’t look any better as he’s gulping water and fanning his face. Right as you’re about to climb in, he grabs your arm and spins you so you’re pressed between him and the car, holding your cheeks in his hands and grinning at you.

“God. Fuck. Wow. You’re unreal. I love you so much.”

You’re unable to do anything but nod. The two of you are still breathless and in that moment you realize that’s what your love was like. In the four years of you dating, your love never went stale, you never settled into a routine. You were always doing new things, like going on spur of the moment road trips or fucking around at playgrounds in the early hours of the morning. You never thought about the future, just did your best to enjoy your time in the present and bask in the glow of each other’s affection. You expected that after such a long time together you’d at least feel a little duller, but everything still feels as fresh and new as when you were teenagers and sneaking out to make out on park benches when no one was looking.

As you’re lost in thought, Changbin pulls you impossibly closer and presses his lips to yours, hard. Music is still playing from his phone as the kiss becomes more heated, and you make sure to add 1985 by Bowling for Soup to your “running from the cops” playlist later. Almost every memory you have with Changbin is attached to a song, and this one is no exception.

Changbin pulls away to wrench open the back seat door, guiding you to sit and kneeling on the dirty floor. He heaves the duffel bag on the seat next to you and you dig through it, searching for the joint you threw into it earlier. Once you’ve gotten to My Own Worst Enemy, you’ve lit it and Changbin has gotten your jeans halfway down your legs and your thighs over his shoulders.

Your boyfriend wastes no time in burying his face in your heat, licking hot stripes up and down and moaning loudly into your core. He pulls away to rest his head on your thigh and take a few puffs of the joint, and in that moment you remember your Polaroid exists and manage to snap a picture of him blowing out smoke, with your hand in his hair and his face squished between your legs.

Changbin pays it no mind and gets straight back to work, sucking on your clit and easing his tongue into your hole. Your grip on his hair tightens and you arch into his mouth, fucking yourself back on his tongue. Picking up on this, he hooks his arms under your thighs and pulls your towards him, close enough that you’re afraid he’s going to suffocate himself trying to pleasure you.

It’s hot and sticky and perfect, and the atmosphere combined with the weed and the fact that Seo fucking Changbin is eating you out is too much for you and you cum all over his tongue, which eagerly laps up your release, taking long, languid strokes to make sure he gets every drop. As you come down, Changbin is stroking your thighs and sucking hickeys into the soft flesh, and you register that Misery Business needs to be added to your “dirty car sex” playlist.

After basking in the yellow glow of the car’s overhead light and the thrilling afterglow of just having done something you shouldn’t have for a while, lazily finishing off the rest of your joint, the two of you get your things in order and begin the journey to Changbin’s apartment, speeding down the highway with the windows cracked the whole way. He carries you into the building like he always does, setting you down gently on the couch before heading off to the kitchen so you can make some blueberry muffins together. You do, and they’re terrible, so you heat up leftovers instead and watch reruns of old James Bond movies, cuddling on the couch. The night ends with Chasing Cars and you laying on Changbin’s chest, naked and sweaty and anticipating lots of aches in the morning, whispering tiny i love yous into each others’ skin and it’s perfect. But everything is always perfect with him. What else could you possibly expect?

please let me know if you guys enjoyed this!! feel free to send an ask, i always love receiving them🤌🏻🤌🏻

[gogoseijoh]

cigarettes - ukai keishin x reader

summary: you make sure keishin knows about your least favorite habit of his, and he thanks the universe every day for bringing you into his life

genre: angst, implied smut, fluff... just throwing everything out there lmao

word count: 1.8k

(a/n): i was not thoughts head empty trying to work on ‘losing’ so i took a break with this :) it’s kinda rushed but i like it and i hope you guys do too... i did not proofread sorry for any mistakes lol

You always waited up for him. It was one of Ukai’s favorite things about you. No matter what type of day he had, he could trust that when he scaled the stairs to the cramped studio apartment above the store, you would be there, in bed with either the TV on or a book in your hand, waiting for him to give you a kiss before you drifted off. You’d wait, even if he was just downstairs, taking care of some final things for the members of the volleyball club and cleaning the store. It didn’t matter how late it was or how many times he told you that you could go to sleep without him, you would always just hum and tell him to mind his own business, and that you would sleep whenever you wanted. Ukai would just chuckle and press a kiss to your forehead, savoring the fact that you cared enough about him to sacrifice your sleep schedule. There had been a lot of late, stressful nights for him lately, but you still kept up your promise. However, he did sometimes forget something extremely important to you. 

Ukai had made it a habit since you moved in together to keep a travel-sized bottle of mouthwash or a pack of gum in his pocket, along with a pack of cigarettes and his lighter. You made your disdain for kissing a smoker, and the fact that he smoked in general, clear when you started dating, and before you had started living together, he was largely able to abstain from smoking around you and just keep to vigorously brushing his teeth before any time he was seeing you. Moving in together, though, made it clear to him that he would have to take extra precautions to make sure his breath didn’t repulse you out of wanting to kiss him. He did his best, but sometimes it slipped his mind after he finished off his last cigarette while closing up the store. He’s make the mistake of giving you a deep kiss, just for you to grimace and insist on slipping out of bed to brush your teeth again. This was one of those nights.

You had smiled when you heard the jingling of his keys unlocking the door, and it only widened when the door creaked open and the blonde let out a raspy, “Hey, sweetheart.” Once he locked the door, he made his way over to you with a lazy grin on his face, a sign that his day had been a good one, and leaned down for a kiss, only for you to recoil before his lips could touch yours. Your pointer finger met his lips, and you grimaced, “Keishin.” He instantly backtracked, reaching the bathroom door and grabbing his toothbrush from it’s holder, squeezing a copious amount onto the bristles to make sure the taste of smoke would be gone.

“I’m sorry, honey,” he sighed, beginning to brush his teeth, “One uf deez days uh warnt s’ip upf.” His speech was garbled as he finished his proclamation that you had heard many times before in between strokes of the brush. He turned towards the sink, catching you shaking your head with a concerned look on your face behind him. You sat up in bed, pulling your knees up and wrapping your arms around them. He finished with a furrowed brow, spitting into the sink and washing off his toothbrush. Your face was hidden in your legs as he made his way back to your side, hand coming to the back of your head to stroke your hair, “What’s wrong?” He wasn’t expecting the tears in your eyes when you looked up at him. He instantly toed his shoes off, slipping behind you on the bed and pulling you back into his chest. This was always how he comforted you, knowing that you liked to lean back and listen to his heartbeat and feel the vibrations of his chest as he spoke to you. You nuzzled into his neck, and he could feel your tears wetting his skin. Ukai was completely lost in that moment. When he walked in, your smile had been so bright and contagious, so how had you gotten here within just a few minutes. He turned his head, planting gentle kisses on the crown of your head as you cried. He pushed your shirt up and before you knew it his arms were settled around your waist, knowing that when you were upset, nothing comforted you quite like skin to skin contact. It wasn’t much, but it must have been enough, because your sobbing turned into sniffling within minutes. 

You lifted your head from his neck and turned in his arms, straddling his lap and taking his face in your hands. He grinned, pulling you even further into him, “Hi, pretty.” You leaned in, pressing your forehead to his, just wanting to breathe in his air. Your silence was deeply concerning, because you were never one to hide from your feelings, and he spurred you on slowly, “(y/n), what’s going on? Did you have a bad day?” 

You bit your lip, shaking your head, “No, Keishin, I’m just worried about you.” The sadness in your eyes was legitimate, and it only grew as you continued, “I just, I don’t know, you’ve been smoking a lot more than usual. I know you’re stressed, but still, it’s not healthy. You know I hate that you smoke.” Ukai opened his mouth, but no words came out, but yours didn’t stop, “I don’t want to lose you, Kei. We’re getting married. We’re going to be starting a family, and I want you to be around to see all of it. I already hear you coughing sometimes, and it’s scary.” 

As he looked up at you, Ukai felt something within him stir. Again, he had known that you didn’t like his smoking as long as he’d known you, but he didn’t know that it was bothering you so deeply. You sometimes made sarcastic comments to him about it, but nothing this serious. You must’ve been holding this in for a long time, and Ukai’s heart fell into his stomach. He didn’t realize how much he was hurting you. One of his hands came up your back to cradle your head, hugging you so closely he thought you might lose the ability to breathe, but you only wrapped your arms around his neck, cheek to cheek with your fiance. Ukai murmured into your hair, “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I never meant to hurt you like this.” You were so small in his arms, mostly from the emotional exertion of finally letting out your worries. Ukai continued, “I was focusing on the wrong part of the problem. I need to work on it.”

“I do appreciate you taking care of your breath, though,” you whispered, trying to break the tension with an attempt at a joke, “I’ll do anything to help you quit, Keishin. I love you so much.” You pulled back from his embrace, looking in to his gorgeous eyes in wonder.

His lips curled into a smile, “I love you more.” You suddenly leaned in, capturing his lips with yours. It was a slow, deliberate kiss, all of the passion you felt channeled into it. He couldn’t help but groan into it, feeling how soft your lips were against his. You were so sweet to him, so kind and so much more than he thought he deserved. You had assured him multiple times that you were with him because you loved him, and he was the absolute perfect man for you. He had won your affection a very long time ago, but he still found himself wondering at times why you had chosen him. When Ukai had first begun to like you, so had Shimada, and it became a sort of competition to see who could woo you first. It was futile for Shimada in the end, because anyone who came close to you and Ukai could see how much you liked each other. Ukai liked you because you were both strong and soft, keeping him on his toes with your witty comments and drawing him in with every giggle and grin you gave. You were just as whipped. You loved his hair, often helping him with touch ups, and you loved his voice, the tone always soothing you. Shimada had given up as soon as he saw it, that spark between you that lit the world around you on fire. When you were together, your smiles couldn’t be broken, and it was contagious.

Keishin knew he couldn’t let you go no matter what, so four years after you started dating, he proposed. It was simple, just a question he asked so casually that you could’ve missed it. You had been wrapped up in bed one morning, sheets tangled with your legs and your back pressed to his bare chest, soaking in the feeling of his warm skin. It was still dark, but you had woken up when he had tried to get out of bed, and you were quick to pull him back down. He told you that he had to open the store, but he couldn’t resist staying longer when your lips met his, not caring about any morning breath. That kiss quickly turned into his quick hands traveling down your body jokingly saying, “If you’re keeping me here, I gotta get something out of it.” That was just a front. There’s nowhere else in the world he wanted to be. The afterglow was spectacular, both of you breathing deeply and covered in the sheen of a light sweat. You were happy that you got him to stay a little longer, but you knew he had to go, so you turned in his arms and gave him one last kiss. You hummed, “Go get dressed, Kei. I don’t want your grandma to yell at you again, and more importantly, I don’t want to get yelled at.” You went to pull away, but Ukai didn’t release you, looking at you in a way you had never seen before. Before you could question it, he spoke quietly, “Marry me, (y/n).” You froze, eyes wide in disbelief. He continued, “I’m serious. I want to marry you. Will you marry me?” You said yes. 

Ukai couldn’t believe you said yes, but then again, here you were moved in to his tiny apartment a few months later with your wedding three weeks out. You did so much for him. How could he not notice how much his smoking bothered you? This is the least he could do, and he logically knew it wasn’t healthy. You were right about the prospect of a family, too. Ukai wanted to be there for you and your future children as long as possible, and if he kept smoking, that wouldn’t happen. He didn’t really care how difficult it would be, because it would be completely worth it to be in your life a long time. What could be more perfect than being able to grow old with the love of his life? The next day when he was researching the best ways to stop smoking, he couldn’t think of a single thing better.

[lcnelyinthesky]

admiration - tsukishima kei

a/n: okay hi?? im ellie?? heres this??? i worked on it for like four? days?on and off? and its longer than any oneshot ive written but yk shes cute ig. pls be nice pls enjoy... but also my last piece got 2 notes and im really hopin in not shadowbanned here lmao

genre: fluff, angst, rivals to lovers!!

pairing: bisexual!female!reader x tsukishima kei (yes bi reader its a vibe)

warnings: a break up with a beautiful woman i made up myself, swearing

word count: 3.7k (ahhhh!!)

enjoy!! :D

Elementary second year. Your newly-assigned seat was next to a much taller, blond kid. He was smart and bright, rivaling the sun in terms of unbridled joy. Now, none of that can be seen by eight year old eyes, but looking back and comparing, it's easy to spot that he changed. 

Tsukishima Kei was an excitable kid, just as everyone was, but he was still snarky; his arrogance seemed to be something that just festered within his soul, no matter the trauma that brought it out. 

Childlike wonder is still alive and well at eight. 

The teacher you had back then was quite rude. She was pushy and angry, and she assigned way too much homework. Everything she uttered made you huff in disappointment, crossing your arms and hoping for some sort of reaction from someone. The kid next to you was named Koji--or, at least, that's what you called him. He was your best friend, spending every moment with you like you were siblings. You'd be able to crack a joke with the smallest glance and you’d talk constantly. As soon as your handwriting was legible to people of your age group, you'd pass notes back and forth and cackle at their contents. Until, of course,

“Tsukishima, will you switch seats with Kojikata today?” Your teacher sounded exhausted, huffing her sentence out on a sigh before going back to the multiplication tables on the board. Suddenly, your little world was interrupted.

“Y/N, right?” He didn’t look at you, placing his folders down on the desk and pushing his glasses back up as he sat. His words were hushed and quiet, but the class had moved into individual work--he wasn’t interrupting anyone.

“Yeah. Can I call you Tsukki?” You were angry, gripping your pencil tighter in your little hand as you wrote numbers down on white paper. One times one is one. Two times two is four. This is easy.

“No,” he was long doing the same thing, but writing quicker than you. That’s how it is, huh?

Three times two is six. Four times five is twenty. Six times three is eighteen. Five times six is thirty. This is easy-

“Miss, I’m done.” His voice was always so dry. Uninterested. 

Four times three is twelve. “Me too!” Your hand shot up with the paper in it, sending a death glare at the boy next to you.

That's how it is, huh?

This pattern continued for weeks. Tsukishima didn’t move from his seat next to you, as your teacher had made the realization that you worked far harder without friends around. Tsukishima lit a competitive fire under you; everything was now a race.

It started with handing in assignments. Who would go up to the front desk first to have their work checked over? Who would finish this quiz faster? Then it transferred into everything. 

Who would get to class faster? Who finished their lunch quicker? Who could read faster? Who scored higher on spelling tests? Who could run faster in gym class?

And then it was middle school.

Middle school brought in Yamaguchi Tadashi. 

It'd be an understatement to say he warmed to Yamaguchi quickly, but the basis behind that was strange. Tsukishima was never one for friends, even though everyone wanted to be friends with him. He was cool in the eyes of a handful of eleven year olds; letting everything roll off your back seemed to be an admirable trait. Yamaguchi worshipped him, and Tsukishima took him under his wing to teach him the ropes of being a cool kid.

At heart, though, Yamaguchi was kind and attentive. He could tell when things were going wrong, and supposedly it was him that changed the rest of your life.

The rivalry continued just as it had in elementary, just with higher stakes. You'd fight for answering questions first, working ahead of everyone else to just beat him. He’d never bat an eye at it, and sometimes you thought it was all over, but then

“Y/N.” Tsukishima Kei stood three steps behind you, looming over you with the height he was seemingly born with. The hallway was emptying by now, kids walking into their classrooms once again. The white floors rung with the quiet sounds of soft-bottomed shoes and a light above your head flickered calmly.

“Yeah?” You spun around to meet his gaze.

“What’d you get on that lit essay?”

“A 96. Why?”

“No reason,” he smirked and tilted his head up, looking down at you, “I got a 100.”

A huff and a stomp away gave him the answer he needed as he followed you into the classroom, sitting down behind you and next to Yamaguchi just as he did every day. The little shit.

Tsukishima was never better than you, technically speaking. On average and on paper, you were always both roughly the same. You'd fight for being top of the class, the position switching between both of you every day. You excelled in creative things while he excelled at sports, but both of you dabbled in the other. When people in your year began dating, everyone came to assume you two were. It was embarrassing, really, because Tsukishima Kei was a little shit know-it-all who will never beat me at anything ever and people need to stop thinking he will because he won’t I’m better than hi-

“Hey?” Oh right. Friends.

“Koji!” He never left, at least not yet. His nimble fingers tapping on your shoulder brought you back to reality, making you jump and turn around to face him, wrapping your arms around his body for a split second.

“You looked zoned” his face was riddled with concern that was easy to write off.

“Oh, whoops” a small blush heated your cheek as your hand migrated to rub your neck. “Did you want something?”

As you walked into the classroom a bit further, Koji sat on your right; he seemed to buckle down more when you had moved away from each other way back in the day, so there were less mid-class comedy shows. He grew up just as you had, and with the closeness of the two of you people began to think you were dating. At twelve, it was incredibly necessary to date someone--anyone. Theories bounced from everywhere and anywhere and with you it was either your best friend or your biggest rival. Your lack of attraction to either of them became the center of many late night crises. 

“Not particularly,” his gaze switched from you to the board again, beginning to write something down when he turned his head. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah! Of course I am,” you smiled at him, the kind of smile that made your eyes crinkle at the corners, and suddenly it was high school.

-

“Tsukishima is really cute! And he's smart, I heard that Kageyama wasn’t too bright somewhere.”

“But Kageyama’s so much hotter! His being a little dumb sometimes is endearing.”

“Are we not going to talk about that third year setter, Sugawara?”

“No, he’d never go for a first year. Besides, that Hinata kid is more of an enigma.”

“Have you even seen them play?” A howl of angry “yes”s fell over the crowd, trying to prove something. None of them had ever seen them play.

That asshole Tsukishima getting popular felt like a stab in the soul. None of them knew him or how much he sucked, but the amount of girls fawning over him was horrific.

-

There's something consistently poetic about young love, no matter where it comes from. Something extra sweet about holding pinkies in school corridors when no one is looking and seeing them every day, smiling loudly as the sun broke over the horizon all bright and early. The raging hormones and dumb, fake social hierarchies of fifteen make emotions run wild, and only the deeply immature end up helplessly infatuated. Others are more cautious, but there's only so many precautions one can take at fifteen. Sometimes some of us just want to be loved, no matter the sincerity of it.

Cared for, and whatnot. No harm in that, in the long run at least. 

“Y/N, right?” Her name was Mei. She was in your class; 1-4, just like Tsukishima. She was pretty. Long, black hair was preceded by two green streaks at the front. She’d always have those down, making her features look like a photo in a perfect frame. She had a collection of hair clips with small shapes on them that she’d have somewhere on her person at all times. Her more mid-sized body was paler than most, and she was covered in freckles and moles. Her eyes were an unusual shade of blue that looked deep enough to swim in. Her cheeks were always stained with a peachy blush that moved up her collarbones and into her ears, making her look like she was always smiling no matter what her face was doing. Karasuno’s school uniform did wonders for her curves, the skirt swaying up on occasion and making her look so damn perfect.

“Yeah! You’re…” a second of dumbfounded pause felt like years in your mind, coming to the conclusion that she was the most beautiful girl you had ever met. “Ojiro Mei?”

“Yep! I just wanted to tell you you looked really pretty today!” Her voice always had an upward inflection, and was higher than most. It was cute. Incredibly cute.

“Oh.” A moment of confidence fell over you like you weren’t in control of your actions, “you’re beautiful.”

“Thank you very much,” she bounced back on her toes and then rolled back to her heels, hands intertwined behind her back, “You’re too kind, Y/N.” Her sentences were always punctuated with an eye-crinkling smile.

Later that day, you found her on every social media account you could; she messaged you first.

When you don’t know you’re interested in women, it’s hard to notice that they’re flirting with you, but after a handful of supposed gay panic, you asked her on a date.

She was two inches shorter than you, and somehow that persisted no matter what shoes she was wearing. Every small outing with her felt like cloud nine--watching the sunset, small conversation over tea at a nearby cafe, cuddling in your bedroom with only a string of Christmas lights on. She always looked so wonderful in soft lighting, the potential cold of winter disappeared with pale beiges that made her freckles look like stars. Every action Mei ever did was soft and full of care. She could send every single emotion through her fingertips on your jaw, deepening a kiss you started moments before. She was like magic, until she wasn't anymore.

You supposed, when thinking back, that things fell out around month thirteen. The rose colored lenses everything was viewed through faded a bit, and it's easy to notice her pulling away. There were less late night phone calls and less recommended music and less hands running through your hair. Everything has a natural progression to the end, right?

“Do you still feel it?” It was raining. Large drops of water fell down to the floor, smacking the pavement at speeds you couldn’t even try to measure. She was wearing a bright yellow raincoat that looked almost dull in the four pm light. 

“Feel what?”

“Anything, baby.” All of her words ended with a huffed out sigh, like she was tired of something. Lying, maybe. 

You pondered the question, and it seemed like your hesitation gave her all the answer she needed. 

“Ya know, Y/N.” She looked down and grabbed your hands with hers, rubbing her thumbs on your palms as you grabbed around them. “This was fun. We had a good run.”

A solemn tear fell down your cheek at the ending, but there was no use in self pity or anger now. She was so sweet and kind, and it's truly unthinkable how she continued that kindness in the end.

“Yeah. A good run.” The pink in your cheeks grew as you choked out a laugh, pulling her in for one final hug under the dim fluorescent lights on the front door overhang of the school.

Fifteen came and went with love, and when sixteen rolled around you wondered if you’d ever be loved like that again.

-

A spirit can't be broken overnight, and if you’ve spent the last eight years of your life having a strong, consistent rivalry with someone, it won’t leave any time soon. Tsukishima and you were on similar playing fields for most of your life, but you had one thing he didn’t: relationship experience. In that way, you always counted yourself one point higher, like a boy scout badge. 

For a spell, however, your intensity changed. There was nothing more driving you than spite, and there was nothing you wanted more than to beat him. You were well into your second year of high school at this point, and--volleyball notwithstanding--you had wins over Tsukishima. You had seen him play volleyball, every match in his second year, and you deemed he was simply okay. You refused to count his success onto the list of wins for both of you.

June fifteenth. Tournaments were coming up around the corner when it happened, which explained every reason why he was there. You weren’t exactly prepared for the rain, so the best bet seemed to be sitting at the front entrance of Karasuno High School and wallowing in a little bit more self pity before you went home. You were just dumped after all, the tears weren’t done falling. 

The feeling between sadness and shame overflowed you, shades of yellowish green painting the world around you and churning your gut into oblivion. And the tears fell. It felt like a scene in a movie; in a few seconds, a strong, capable man would show up to your rescue.

“Y/N?” what the fuck?

He was sweaty. His face was matte from a light film of saltwater. He had a grey umbrella over his head, keeping himself dry from the still-pelting rain. His six-foot-two frame was covered with a black tracksuit, and he still had his sports goggles on.

Those fucking sports goggles.

“Tsukishima.” you deadpanned, trying to get him away as fast as possible. His words were snarky, as always, but this time laced with concern. Like he actually cared.

“What are you still doing here? It’s almost six,” he stood under the overhang with you, crouching to take a few feet off of his incredible height. 

“Sulking?”

“Ah,” he huffed and sat down next to you, “it’s not great for your posture, ya know.”

“Oh shut up, Tsukishima.”

“Remember when we were eight,” he looked up, studying the moths as they flew around the lights on the ceiling, “and you asked if you could call me Tsukki?”

“Vaguely, but we were eight.”

“Yeah, true” his head dramatically fell to his lap, staring at his knees as he chuckled, “but you can. Call me Tsukki, that is.”

An uncomfortable laugh fell from your lips, and he spoke for you, “this one kid, Koganegawa, the setter on Date Tech, calls me that too. It's not a Tadashi-only nickname anymore.”

“You say Tadashi-only like I wasn’t there first.”

“He never asked.”

“Would you have said no?”

“Probably” he hasn’t actually looked at you yet. 

“Should I not have asked?”

“It doesn’t matter anymore.”

“Okay, Tsukki” you drew out the last letter, giggling at the situation before you had time to think about your emotions.

He noticed that you weren’t crying anymore and helped you stand, grabbing your hand and pulling you up. Tsukishima and you lived closer than you thought, walking the same direction and only splitting up seconds away from your home.

You walked in silence the whole time, but it was comfortable. While he was your rival, he was always a friend. There was nothing scary or intimidating about him, as is with most people when you’ve known them forever; it was almost like his facade just didn’t work on you. You were huddled close to him to stay out of the rain. 

The second you parted ways, you ran home. The rain was more of a drizzle now, but the temperature began a free fall--getting out of the cold as fast as possible was your first priority. Upon entering the front door and taking off your shoes and jacket, leaving everything to sit in the entryway, you took a shower. The rain didn’t do enough to wash away the pain of the day, and warm steam would let the rest evaporate. The expected unrelenting sadness wasn’t really present as much as was expected, though. Everything felt fine. Content. Okay.

-

And it continued that way. He sent you a snapchat asking if you had gotten home safely, which prompted a memory of you never giving each other your phone numbers. After a quick yes, tsukki. no need to worry ;), you sent him your number asking to play some game.

Whatever is meant to happen does, right? Any excuse for falling for him. You didn’t want to, of course, but things happen. Time changes. Thus, the excuses. Thus, the ignorance. Thus, the five stages of grief. 

It started with the denial, because no Y/N you can’t like Tsukishima Kei. He’s so competitive and mean and snarky and horrible and you hate him! Then, the anger, because Tsukishima sucks and he’s horrible and you’re going to punch him in his stupid cute face. Next, the bargaining, because please don’t let this be happening you’ll do anything to lose these feelings, even if it means letting him win at something. Going into the depression, because all you’ve ever wanted was to be free of this assclown and now you’re stuck thinking about him at three in the morning when you’re supposed to be dreaming about anything other than him. And finally, acceptance, when you scowl at him in the hallway because fuck, you like Tsukishima Kei.

The worst bit of acceptance is getting over it. Now you had to confront your feelings. Now you needed to tell him. 

It was roughly five months since he found you sulking on school grounds, and you regretted most days the way you let him text you every morning. It’d always be something stupid, like a joke about the novel you were reading in lit or sometimes he’d tell you, off hand, something dumb Hinata and Kageyama did at practice. Sometimes he’d text you, within the first twenty minutes of the school day, pointing out something little you did with your hair. They were never really compliments as much as comments; he’d say “your socks have a pink ring at the top” and give you nothing to work with from there. A simple yes would suffice, you always supposed, because “yes, tsukki. they do.”

He’d linger at his desk during the break between classes and would stay there if you didn’t leave, but would leave a few steps behind you if you did. He wouldn’t follow you, but he’d watch to know where you were going. Everything he did was concealed though--you'd only notice if you really wanted to know.

Yamaguchi was the only one to notice, even after a while of it. You’ll never know what he said to his friend, but the conversation you had with the aforementioned friend a day later gives some guesses.

“Y/N?” Tsukishima was never the shy type, and you knew him in the days where everyone was shy. He wasn’t loud, but he was bold. His words were always pointed and important. Everything he did always had purpose and intensity behind it.

“Tsukki?” You were sitting under a tree, enjoying the late spring weather of the beginning of your third year. Nothing became intense yet classwork wise, so there was ample time to chill on the school grounds. Overlooking the soccer field was a large oak tree. It was big enough to comfortably have multiple groups of people under its shade, but it was empty at the moment; save for you and the book you were reading.

“I was just wondering if you’d like to maybe go out sometime?” He somehow didn’t pause while talking, but his words came out more something akin to word vomit. You we’re more shocked than you should have been, if you had picked up on the signs. But you were feeling the same as he was, as far as you could tell.

“Sure, when?” You looked back down at your book for a second, placing the bookmark in it and folding the pages shut.

Tsukishima looked dumbfounded, standing there with his eyes bugged out and his mouth slightly agape. He started making unintelligible babbling noises, hoping to get something out that had any meaning at all. You took the reins instead, gaining confidence in his lack thereof.

“I was planning on getting coffee or something today after school. It gets really cold at night now, huh?”

“Yeah, I suppose.”

“Would you like to join me?”

“There's a break before practice today so” he hesitated, letting the pink in his cheeks finally catch up to the beating in his chest. “Sure.”

You wouldn’t have ever pegged Tsukishima Kei as the flustered type.

-

There was never a drop in conversation, as there never really was between you two. A whole life together and you still had things to talk about, mentioning everything from your individual childhoods to recent developments. Turns out he never knew what genre of books were your favorite. Or what kind of music you listened to. Or what any of your hobbies were. 

Turns out you both had more in common than you thought, competitive spirits notwithstanding. Tsukishima Kei was a strange man in every sense of the word. He was arrogant and snarky and disinterested and bright and passionate and smart. He was your rival, smug look plastered on his smug face making your chest bubble in anger just as it had a million times before--or was that admiration this time? The world may never know. 

All that was real right now was the deck of cards on the table, being separated out into a card game both of you learned as kids. The small, round, cafe table shook with every slap of your hands, but the basis of your relationship would always be competition. It's just that now the anger behind that competition was gone. All that was left was admiration. 

[clairjohnson]

Night Out

This is based off a loose prompt of "jealous and possessive Keatlejuice where the boy goes feral". My buds @hoodoo12​ (link) and @vicunaburger​ (link) also wrote for this - check the links out! I’d like to start this off by saying I’m no writer - but boy do I like to try lmao. So enjoy my public exposure of shame interests. NSF/T (TW: Blood, Violence, Non/con kiss.)

You may have overdone it this time, but honestly? The alcohol and steady thumping of the club music made it hard for you to care. The cute guys buying you drinks didn’t hurt either. Though cute wasn’t really what did it for you now. There was something about the older, leering men in the club that had you tightening your thighs as they walked by. Predatory looks that should have frightened and disgusted instead left you aching. Had you always been attracted to these types of men? Or had he started this new fire? Your ghost summons turned fuck-buddy was anything but a straightedge young man. He was foul-mouthed, perverted, and easily had 20 years on you – well, 20 years from before he died anyway. He hadn’t elaborated, but you got the feeling he’d been gone and buried a long time. Yet, with a laundry list of repulsive attributes, the thought of him and his malicious smile had your mind swimming.  

A large hand gripping your bare leg pulled you from your thoughts, and you snapped your head over to meet one of those less than savory gazes.

“Looking for a good time, sweetheart?”

The rough hand paired with the familiar pet name sent a bolt of heat between your legs – but not for the stranger sitting next to you.

“I’m all set.” You smiled politely and moved from your seat, brushing by the man and heading towards the back door. This needed to be taken care of – and you had a direct line to the man for the job. A rush of cool air hit you when you entered the alley. Your bare legs and arms erupting in goosebumps. While leaning under a flickering light you pulled out a pack of cigarettes – your gaze drifting to the adjacent wall. Images of you being shoved against it were all it took to have his name slipping past your lips.

“Betelgeuse.”

The word came out in almost a whisper while you placed a cigarette in your mouth.

“Betelgeuse.”

Heart pounding in your chest, you light the end and took a long, steadying drag.

“Betelgeuse.”

As the last syllable was said the air around you became still. In a flash, the cigarette was plucked from your lips and vanished. Your eyes darted around the dark alley trying to catch a glimpse of him, of stripes adorned by a halo of ratty blond hair. Instead, your gaze landed on the brightly lit cherry of your cigarette, the glow seeming to float on its own in the darkness.

“Ya look like a fuck’n smoke show, babe. What’cha doing all dolled up in a creepy’ol alley?”

You still couldn’t see him, but his words and subsequent chuckle echoed around you. The hair on your arms started to stand on end.

“Went out for some drinks, do a little dancing…” You pulled at the hem of the short black dress you were wearing as you spoke, eager for it to be hiked up over your hips. “But I got a bit, anxious, as you like to put it. Figured you could help me feel better.”

“Oh sweetheart, always happy ta help.” There was a pause while the tip of the cigarette grew brighter as he took in a drag. “I’m ganna make ya feel all sorts of things.”

There was a loud bang when the back door you’d exited from not minutes before swung open, causing your heart to leap into your throat. A large, clearly intoxicated man stumbled out onto the pavement. It took you a moment in the dim light, but you recognized him as the guy who’d been hitting you up at the bar. You watched him catch himself on the wall beside your head, his chin tipping down to stare at your significantly smaller body.

“Thought I’d find you out here. God, you’re pretty.”

Before you had a chance to protest his mouth was on yours. Your small fingers gripped into his shirt as you tried to push him back, a yelp muffled against his lips when he grabbed your ass. You gasped for air when you finally yanked your head back.

“Woah dude, the hell do you think-“

Just like your cigarette the man at your mouth was torn from you. You watched in horror as he collided with the adjacent wall, his head bouncing off the bricks with a sickening crack. The ghost that had been hiding from you before made himself very visible. He emerged from the darkness with a pair of glowing yellow snake eyes and a mouth full of snarling, jagged teeth. Instead of the suit you were accustom to he wore a long brown jacket and guide hat, his dirty hair poking out the back.

In stark contrast to his usual chatty, extroverted self – he stayed silent. Approaching the man with a heated gaze. You thought about saying something. Telling him that the guy was drunk and just being an ass, but any words you planned to say in his defense died in your throat when Betelgeuse’s fist connected with the man’s stomach. You gasped, hand moving to cover your mouth as you watched him land the next punch against his face – the poltergeist’s ring leaving a nasty gash across his cheek.

“Stop.” You could barely hear yourself over the growls and cries of pain. Betelgeuse wouldn’t let up. Blow after blow landing on the crumpling figure of a man. You could hardly see what was happening, but you knew in your gut that this was going south fast. “Please, stop.”

When the hands that normally wrapped around your throat in the throes of pleasure dug themselves into the club goer’s neck with clear purpose, you shouted.

“BETELGEUSE!”

He froze.

The broken man was dropped to the ground and Betelgeuse lowered his arms. Slowly, he turned to face you, his eyes still sharp and filled with something you hadn’t seen before – and it scared you. He’d never scared you. Not once since you’d summoned him.

He started towards you and you tried to back away only to be met with a wall. Your stomach dropped when he was finally under the florescent lamp with you, the light revealing the splattering of blood across his front. Panic started to set in. With a growl he wove his bloody hand in your hair and pulled you into a heated kiss. You moaned against his mouth in response – a wave of relief washing over you. The passionate, bruising kiss lasted only a few seconds before he yanked you back, blue eyes raking over your flushed, terrified face.

“Yer fuck’n beautiful, ya’know that?” He said, lifting his other hand to run a thumb over your jaw, leaving a smudge of red in its path. “Yer so soft. Delicate. And yer Mine.”

The world around you started to spin and you pressed yourself to him for support, burying your face in his button up. As quickly as the spinning started, it stopped, and he shoved you from him. You yelped at the push, ready to collide with the ground, but instead met the bounce of a mattress. The furnishings of a cheap motel room became clear as your head started to settle. Your gaze moved back to Betelgeuse, and even though the remnants of fear was still very fresh, the feral look he gave you while unlooping his belt ignited new feelings.

A snap of his fingers was all it took to have you bare to him. The ghost shrugged off his long jacket and tossed his hat to the floor, but kept the rest on. Causally, he pulled his cock from his pants, stroking himself absently while his eyes roamed your body. The silence was deafening. By now, when you normally called him, he’d have listed off a hundred different ways he was going to fuck you. A stream of never ending filth leaving his grinning mouth. But not this time. There was an edge to the way he surveyed you, almost calculating. Without a word he advanced, pressing himself between your legs and crashing his lips against yours in a desperate kiss.

You kissed him back with gusto and dragged your fingers down his clothed back, finding purchase in the fabric. Thankfully you had been ready for him when you called, so the quick thrust of his entrance and the deep stretch only caused a delighted groan. Foreplay obviously forgotten he ground into you with rabid determination. His hips pounding against your bare skin. You’d warped yourself around him as tight as you could, only loosening your grip when you felt his teeth sink into the juncture between your neck and shoulder. Playful bites and scratches had always been a favorite of his. He liked to find and kiss the little marks he left the next time you called him up. This bite, however, was not playful. It ached and you shouted, your heels digging into his lower back in response to the pain. He released his hold and growled against your throat, his pace starting to pick up.

“Mother fucker think’n he can just touch you.” The words were snarled into your flesh and you yelped when he latched his teeth, gentler this time, onto your shoulder. Betelgeuse pulled back and pressed his lips on the bite before moving to the next unmarked spot. “Yer already fuck’n spoken for – livin’n guys may not have much sense, but they got eyes.”

He moved away from his final bite to nip at your ear and the fingers at your hips pressed into your skin so hard you knew he’d leave bruises – which seemed to be exactly what he was after.

Betelgeuse adjusted the position, moving your legs over his shoulders and holding your hips with a painful grip then started up his thrusting with purpose. One hand crept up from its death hold to circle your clit. The unforgiving pace paired with his deft fingers had you falling into an orgasm head first and you cried out.  A few rough, deep thrusts and he was right there with you, tipping over the edge with a growl.

It was quiet after that, save for your gasping and thudding heart. You opened your eyes to see him staring down at you – the wild, frankly jealous, look on his face now significantly softer. The ghost leaned down to press a light kiss against your lips before rolling off. He moved further up the bed and laid back with a satisfied groan. As easily as he’d done away with your dress he brought a lit cigarette to his fingers. He placed it between his lips as he kept his eyes on you.

“Com’ere.” He said, patting his chest and holding his other arm open in obvious invitation. You crawled over and curled yourself into him, the position oddly comforting. The comfort was lost for a moment when you noticed the staining of blood across the white sheets – it was like someone had been murdered. Someone almost had been murdered. You looked up at the sated poltergeist as he puffed on the cigarette lazily.

“You want some?” He’d caught you looking and raised a brow before holding out the cigarette. You nodded and he placed it against your lips for you to pull a long, steadying drag.

“Are we going to talk about what just happened?” You asked while blowing the smoke out across his chest.

“Not sure what ya mean.” A bullshit response. He pulled in a few more deep and needy inhales before he was spent – flicking the butt to the floor and letting out a sigh of irritation.

“I didn’t like him touch’n ya.” The words were said as if they’d been tortured out of him and a scowl started to form on his lips. Betelgeuse flicked his eyes over to your face and then to the red, angry bite on your neck. “We’ve been fuck’n for a while now, babe, and I know we ain’t never talked about it – but this thing? I’m going to need it ta be exclusive moving forward. Now I’m not say’n this changes anything about our little arrangement – “ He paused to make a hand gesture between the two of you, “we’re still just fuck’n, nothing more, I just…”

For once he was at a loss for words. You could almost hear the gears in his head turning as he tried to figure out what he wanted to say, or more accurately, what he felt.  

“I like you too.”

There was a long silence. If his heart were still pumping you probably would have felt it trying to beat out of his chest if the look on his face was anything to go by. He groaned and dragged a hand over his face, peaking out between his fingers at you. Defeated he sighed and dropped his arm.

“Yeah, I like ya. And I don’t like share’n.”  

[kiara-carrera]

“I'm a mess” + Leah and JJ!

95: i'm a mess + mayson

thank you for continuously aiding my obsession with them. i'm actually really happy with how this came out omfg. very much not canon compliant to the actual fic and clueless (slightly jealous) babies. also weed, if you're not down with that (the smoking stuff is also probably v poorly written because i've never smoked in my life lmao).

"Is that my shirt?"

Leah nearly fell out of the hammock. She practically jumped out of her skin, one hand grabbing onto the side and the other clutching the joint she'd rolled a few minutes earlier. Her head whipped around to see JJ walking up to the trees outside the Chateau, an amused grin on his face.

"Jesus fuck, J. Don't sneak up on people like that," Leah whined, flipping him off as he came to a stop in front of her. He grabbed the side of the hammock, stopping it from swinging aggressively as she regained her balance.

"My shirt," he repeated, tugging at the sleeve of it.

She glanced down at the Pelican Marina shirt as if she just remembered she was wearing it. She'd randomly grabbed it from his room when she got back to the Chateau with John B, having ditched the party — and technically JJ? — at the boneyard. "Oh yeah, I got beer all over mine."

He raised an eyebrow, confused.

"Long story," she dismissed with a wave of her hand. Specifically, the one with her lit joint, which didn't go unnoticed by JJ.

"And you took my weed, too?" he exclaimed, eyeing the joint in her hand. Even buzzed, JJ had about thirteen issues with the way it was assembled, but rolling was never Leah's strong suit.

"No." She gave him a mischievous grin, shooting a conspiratorial wink. "It's John B's."

JJ chuckled at her expression, gasping with pride as he slapped a hand over his chest. “My little klepto! I've trained you well."

She shrugged. "I spotted him money for the last keg, he owes me. Wanna smoke it with me?"

JJ eyed her poor craftsmanship, but ultimately accepted with a shrug. Leah tried her best to keep still as JJ climbed into the hammock, sitting back against the other end to be across from her. The swayed a bit before he finally settled in, slotting one of his legs between hers.

She held out the joint to him, waving it tauntingly in front of him. JJ chuckled, plucking it from her fingers.

He took a quick hit, cringing when he let the smoke free. "This is shit weed."

"That's because John B bought it."

" ... Fair enough."

They sat in comfortable silent for a few minutes, passing the joint back and forth as the very beginnings of a nice mellow feeling started to creep into Leah's veins. She tried her best to blow a smoke ring, but it came out more like a disjointed blob.

JJ snorted. “Weak."

"Dick," she grumbled, kicking her foot into his calf.

He rolled her eyes at the childish action, before posing a question. "Wanna tell me why I had to walk my ass back here tonight?"

Right. They'd ditched him. Whoops?

Okay, look, they had a reason. One of them being an absolutely trashed John B. He rarely got piss drunk but on the occasions that he did, there was a high chance he'd either do something really stupid or fall dead asleep and Leah had preferred to have him fall asleep at home then on the beach for her and the other's to drag him to the van.

Plus, JJ's attention had been firmly elsewhere at the time.

"Yeah, John B got a little too drunk and I was covered in beer and Kie and Pope have to work tomorrow so we decided to call it," she answered, feeling slightly guilty that they'd bailed on him. She gave him a regretful smile. "We were gonna get you, but you seemed ... preoccupied."

From the start of the party, some girl had practically latched herself onto JJ, and as usual, he lapped up all the attention. Leah didn't blame the girl. JJ was probably the hottest guy on the island, but Leah didn't really want to see him making out with some girl right in front of her.

But, uh, not that she cared. Obviously.

She changed the subject, trying not to sound like some bitter little baby. "So we just, uh, left. Pope said he texted you to let you know."

Pope definitely did not text JJ, but the blond wasn't going to fault him for it. No harm, no foul, especially since he most likely drove home with Kie tonight. God knows Pope was ass over elbows for their friend.

JJ nodded slowly a few times, like he was bobbing his head to an invisible beat. He could already tell he wasn't going to get a good high from John B's shit stash, but at least the keg at the boneyard had gotten him buzzed enough.

The keg, which reminded him of something. "Speaking of beer — "

"We weren't speaking of beer."

"Speaking, thinking, same difference," JJ dismissed, giving a nudge to her leg. "Why were you covered in beer again?"

Leah groaned, letting her head toss back in annoyance. "Fucking Kooks, that's why."

JJ frowned. "I mean, sure, but how ... ?"

Leah sighed, taking one last hit before leaning forward to hand him the joint. When she let the smoke go, she said, "Well, there was this guy I was with for most of the night. I don't know if you saw me after we ditched keg duty."

Oh, JJ had noticed. He definitely fucking noticed.

"He looked like a preppy asshole," he commented, trying to seem nonchalant. It was a wonder Leah bought it, because really he just sounded like a petty little bitch. He brought the joint to his lips, asking, "What happened to your no Kook rule?"

"He was a Touron," Leah replied. "A rich-y rich one, but a Touron all the same."

"But I thought you said — "

"Kook comes in later," she told him. She adjusted her position in the hammock, playing with the hem of JJ's shirt. "Although the Touron was actually a preppy asshole, so you're not really wrong. I mean, he seemed nice at first? But he was also ridiculously boring and full of himself. Ended up being a total dick."

"So basically he was a Kook without the Figure Eight address?"

"Pretty much. So anyways, we're talking and he's mostly going on about himself, which, like, fine, whatever, I was just waiting for him to wanna make out with me anyways — " She didn't notice the way JJ's eyes narrowed just a bit. " — And some fucking Kook drunk off his ass knocks into us and his beer spills all over me."

JJ let out a low whistle. "That blows."

"Oh, definitely. So my shirt's fucking drenched, like, I'm a mess, right? And you'd think any halfway decent person would like, I don't know, be good about the situation? Nope, the fucker decided it would be a great time to make a wet t-shirt contest joke about my boobs. Or, according to him, lack thereof."

Leah rolled her eyes as she laughed at the stupidity of it all, leaning over to snatch the joint back, taking another hit off it. She'd been pissed at first, but the look on his face when she dumped her drink on him was enough to ease her mind.

JJ on the other hand didn't seem as amused. "You're kidding me, right?"

"Like I said, total dick."

"You should've come and got me, would've had him on his ass."

The angry look in JJ's eyes was enough to make a soft smile break across Leah's face. That alone seemed to dim some of the irritation in his expression.

"Easy there, killer," she told him, leaning up to pat him on his leg. "I already threw the rest of my drink at him."

JJ conceded with a grumble, a part of him slightly amused at the thought, but he still muttered, "Still could use his ass kicked though."

"He could've, but I also don't need you fighting every guy who so much as looks at me the wrong way," she snorted. "Besides, I think you're forgetting I have a very nice right hook of my own."

The mental image of Leah socking Rafe Cameron in the face was enough to make them both burst out laughing.

It was a few minutes before all the laughter was out of their systems and they were back to a mellow quiet, the sounds of crickets chirping filling the air.

"So why were you even hanging out with him if he was such a boring dick?"

Because you had your tongue down that girl's throat.

She didn't really know how to answer his question without verging on embarrassing, friendship destroying, Pogue rule number one breaking honesty.

"Boredom? I don't know. Just looking for someone to hook up with, I guess," she replied, not really noticing how he bristled at her answer. Instead, she took an opportunity to try her hand at another smoke right, squealing in delight when a wonky, yet undeniably round ring blew from her lips. "Look!"

JJ grinned at the childlike wonder in her eyes, swaying slightly as she made the hammock swing a little with her excited bounces. He shook his head at her, watching her slip back to rest more comfortably in the hammock, her legs nudging his every so often. His gaze was absentmindedly fixed on the sight of his shirt on her when she cut into his thoughts.

"So, uh, how come you're not with ... " Leah trailed off. She didn't know the girl's name nor did she really want to. She was also worried if she kept going, a twinge of jealousy would leak into her words.

She was totally not jealous, though, by the way. Just to make that clear.

"Just wasn't really vibing," JJ said casually.

In all honesty, he'd only really stopped vibing when he saw that stupid fucking tourist all over Leah. The guy had looked like a dick and her story pretty much proved it, but the sight of them had tanked his mood incredibly. So when his own Touron had invited him back to the place she was staying, JJ bailed.

There were only so many times you could hook up with other people while thinking of the same goddamn person, especially when you shouldn't — no, couldn't be thinking about that person.

Because they were your best friend and you were a fucking idiot.

"Oh."

He leaned over, plucking the joint from her fingers. He took a hit, letting the smoke seep out of his mouth after a moment. He tried to play the situation off, grinning at her. "Eh, not a big deal. Besides, why would I want to be there when I can chill with my best friend?"

The words best friend hung in the air between them.

Neither one of them liked the way it sounded.

Neither one of them had the guts to do anything about it.

[ukulelecal]

Making a Yogi (Dad!Ashton)

In which Kennedy finds that she loves yoga like her dad does.

Warnings: pregnancy

Pairing: Dad!Ashton Irwin x Reader

A/N: just another short lil dad!sos fic bc i have issues. we are not surprised. but like i’ve had this idea for a while and i started writing it a hot minute ago but i got stuck somehow and just got inspired to finish it lmao

dad!sos universe

❀❀❀

You and Aston both understood the importance of having some alone time. Valued it. As much as you loved each other, you knew you couldn’t and shouldn’t spend every waking moment together. So, you always made sure to give each other space.

When you had your first child, alone time was far and few in between. 

Newborn babies were a handful, as you expected, and you and Ashton found yourselves together with your daughter, Kennedy, a lot more than you found yourselves alone. Not that you minded. She was the best thing that had ever happened to the two of you, and you loved her more than anything.

Now that you were pregnant with twins, soon enough, you would be lucky to get a single second alone once they came along.

One afternoon, you were exhausted and in desperate need of a nap, so Ashton graciously offered to keep an eye on Kennedy so you could sleep. With the little girl - nearly two years old - in his arms, he made sure you were comfortable in bed before turning off the light and leaving you to rest.

“I think it’s nap time for you too, sweetheart,” he mumbled as he carried Kenny back downstairs, noticing the way her eyes were drooping and she buried her face in his neck. He decided she could nap in the living room; there was less of a chance that you would hear her if she woke up crying. 

He gently laid her down on the sectional sofa and covered her up with a blanket. Fighting sleep for just another moment, her chubby finger jutted out past him.

“Dada,” she whined, and he followed the direction of her finger. Laying on the living room floor was the Pluto the dog stuffed animal that she loved so much. She never got a good sleep without him in her arms.

“You want Pluto, sweetheart?” He cooed, and she nodded tiredly. He quickly reached over across the floor to grab the yellow dog for her and placed him in her arms. She happily cuddled into him, eyes fully closed. Ashton pressed a loving kiss to her forehead. “Have a good nap, Kenny.”

Once he was sure she was asleep, he glanced around the living room for something to do. It had to be quiet, obviously. He had a sleeping wife upstairs and a sleeping daughter right next to him. He didn’t want to go far either, in case Kenny woke up. 

Ashton sat on the other end of the couch for a bit, scrolling through his phone and responding to a couple texts from the guys. It didn’t take long for him to get bored of sitting around, and he looked around again in search of something to entertain himself. He wasn’t used to doing nothing; he was always active, and with a daughter, a pregnant wife and the job of a musician, he was usually pretty occupied.

He spotted his yoga mat rolled up in the corner of the room, and decided that was a good plan. It was quiet and if he moved the coffee table a bit, there would be plenty of room. Kenny usually didn’t take very long naps, so he figured he could get a decent flow in before she woke up.

He ever so carefully moved the table and laid out his mat on the floor, wasting no time in getting into his flow. He took poses that felt good and made sure to get in some good stretches. He kept an eye on Kenny as well, making sure she didn’t roll too close to the edge of the couch.

As he got into downward dog, he heard a small whine and some shuffling coming from the couch. He peaked up and found Kenny sitting up. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and clutched Pluto tighter to her chest. Ashton couldn’t help but grin at her rosy cheeks and messy curls. 

“Hi sweetheart,” he cooed, staying in downward dog. “Did you have a good nap?”

She smiled and held up Pluto for him to see. Ashton chuckled fondly as he slowly lowered his knees to the ground and sat up right.

“Yeah, you and Pluto took a nap together.”

He pushed himself up to stand and walked over to the couch, lifting up the sleepy girl into his arms. He pressed a kiss to her cheek and smoothed the hair on her head.

“You hungry, sweetheart? Want to go have a snack?” He offered, mostly because he was feeling a bit hungry himself. She shook her head and pointed down to the yoga mat that was still on the floor. 

“That’s Daddy’s yoga mat,” he explained, wondering why she was suddenly taking an interest in it. “Can you say yoga, Kenny?”

“Oga,” she tried. Matching smiles spread across the two Irwin’s faces as Ashton nodded.

“That’s right, sweetheart!” He cheered. “You want to do yoga with Daddy?”

“Oga!” She repeated as she nodded enthusiastically. Ashton carefully set her on her feet and lowered himself to the mat as well. The fact that Kenny wanted to try yoga and be like her dad made his heart swell. He knew she wouldn’t be able to do many poses, considering she wasn’t even two years old yet, but it would still be fun for her to try.

“Watch Daddy, okay?” Ashton mumbled. Kenny dropped Pluto to the floor as she watched Ashton go back into downward dog. “This is called downward dog.”

“Dog,” she affirmed, causing Ashton to chuckle. She examined his pose for another moment before dropping her hands to the floor, doing her best to imitate Ashton. He watched her with a loving smile that only grew when she went into the pose - a baby’s version of the pose, that is. 

“You got it, sweetheart! Look at you, you’re doing yoga!” He cheered as they giggled together, their laughs nearly identical. You always swooned about how she got her laugh from Ashton, as well as her smile and curly hair. 

“More, Dada!” She exclaimed. She was always trying to copy Ashton, and this was just another thing that she would get to do with him. 

Ashton showed Kenny a few more simple poses and she did her best to imitate them as well as repeat the names. Even if she wasn’t fully doing everything correctly, she seemed to be having fun, which was all Ashton cared about. 

Upstairs, kicks from the twins woke you up from your nap. It was far too short, in your opinion, but you knew you weren’t going to be able to get back to sleep.

“You babies are hungry, huh?” You grumbled as you slowly sat up in bed, stretching your arms above your head. “I hear ya.”

You gently rubbed your protruding stomach as you waddled down the stairs. You were about to turn into the kitchen when you heard the familiar sound of your husband and daughter’s giggles coming from the living room. A smile spread across your face as you made your way there instead to find the two of them on Ashton’s yoga mat. They were both laying on their backs in happy baby pose, holding their feet up. 

Your smile only grew as you slipped your phone from the pocket of your sweats, capturing a quick picture of the precious moment. You loved watching the two of them together. Ashton was an amazing father with so much love for his daughter, and Kenny clearly admired him. They were so similar in many ways, and it melted your heart. You held so much love in your heart for both of them, and you couldn’t imagine your life without them.

You posted the photo to your Instagram story, with the playful caption, “Not even two yet and he’s already turning her into a yogi!”

Ashton noticed you as you stepped further into the room after posting the photo. The smile on his face grew a bit. He lowered his legs and rolled up to sit.

“Hey, honey,” he mumbled softly. He turned to Kenny as she moved to sit up as well. “Look who’s here, sweetheart!” 

Kenny’s eyes landed on you and her face lit up. She reached her arms up to you immediately, wanting to be held.

“Mama!” She cooed as you bent down to pick her up. “I do oga with Daddy!”

“I saw, baby! Did you have fun?” You replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead. She nodded in response, and Ashton came over to the two of you. He kissed you softly while his hand found the small of your back.

“We didn’t wake you, did we?” He asked sincerely and you shook your head. Ashton was an incredible husband. He took wonderful care of you, especially when you were pregnant. He wanted you to be as comfortable and happy as possible.

“No, the twins are kicking. I think they’re hungry. You guys want to have a snack with me?” You offered, looking between the two. Ashton got distracted by doing yoga with Kenny and forgot about his intention to eat.

“Sounds good to me.”

[the-astro-ace]

Alrighty, for @spiritofcamelot who asked for snippets from my giant list of WIPs lmao

SO HERE WE GO

9 - Dragonlord Gwaine

So, uh, funny story

The first chapter of this one is up on AO3 X’D

Basic premise: Gwaine is a Dragonlord, but he doesn’t know it until he happens to run across Balinor in a tavern one day

Ummm, yyyyyyyyyyyyyyeah.  I’m stuck on this one X’D.  I had Plans, but then the further I got in the Plans, the less I liked the Plans, and now I don’t know what to do this one laskdjfklasdf

I would love to give a snippet from Chapter 2, but as it stands right now I have no idea how much of my current WIP of chapter 2 is actually going to make it in/get released

So

Yeah

I hope to finish this one, but I have no idea how soon that’ll be ;-;

~~~

19 - Spymaster Merlin

Basically: Arthur realizes Merlin knows what he’s talking about when it comes to enemies, and decides to make it official by appointing Merlin as spymaster

Merlin then turned back to Arthur.

Arthur was watching him, his brow furled in thought.

Merlin glanced behind himself - was that where Arthur was looking? - but when it revealed nothing, he turned back, utterly confused.  “Arthur?  Is something wrong?”

Arthur stared at him for a moment longer, before sighing and leaning back in his chair.  He gestured to the empty one across the desk from him.   “Have a seat, Merlin.”

Merlin was taken aback.  He gestured to the clothes that still needed putting away.  “But I -”

“Now, if you please.”

Merlin blinked, but he nodded and set out the half-folded shirt on Arthur’s bed, before making his way to the desk and taking a seat.

Arthur was silent for several moments, staring at Merlin with that expression of consideration.

Merlin’s stomach began to twist.  Did… did Arthur find out somehow?

Merlin shifted.  “Arthur?”

Finally, Arthur spoke, “Merlin… you knew about Valiant.  You tried to warn me of him before he attacked.  You were investigating the men who impersonated Sirs Ethan and Oswald long before anyone was suspicious of their true identities.  You knew Lady Catrina was a troll before anyone else -”

Merlin shifted uncomfortably in his seat.  “Arthur -”

Arthur held up a hand, and Merlin shut his mouth with an audible click. 

Arthur paused, then he let out a breath.  “What I’m trying to say is that… you have good instincts, good reflexes, and time and time again you have proven your loyalty to me and to Camelot.  You have a way of figuring things out before anyone does, and you are able to make connections with people that I am incapable of.  You take things into your own hands, and if there’s a threat, you’re one of the first people who know about it.”

Arthur clasped his hands on the table, and met Merlin’s eyes with an intensity Merlin wasn’t sure he liked.

“I have a proposition for you, Merlin.”

~~~

37 - Gwaine Emrys

I AM SO HAPPY YOU ASKED ABOUT THIS ONE BECAUSE I LOVE THE PREMISE SO MUCH

This is another attempt of mine for a comedic fic, and, here, I’ll just paste the first bit and hope it is self-explanatory 😆

There were a lot of things that led to the situation Gwaine was in now.

First and foremost, he supposed, was that several years before, he had jumped into a fight in a tavern to help save a handsome, raven-haired young man and his companion from surely being killed.

That, of course, led to him waking up in an unfamiliar castle and an unfamiliar bed. And that led to many more moments with the raven-haired young man in question, bringing Gwaine to a life that he never thought he could have had, but would never give up for the rest of the world.

Now, several years after that initial day in the tavern, Gwaine’s life was looking very different.

Very different indeed.

For starters, he was now a knight for that raven-haired young man’s companion.  One noble, albeit very prattish at times, King Arthur Pendragon of Camelot.

And that raven-haired young man in question, one quite handsome Merlin Emrys, was Gwaine’s husband.

His name wasn’t Merlin Emrys when they met, no, for Merlin had had no surname to speak of then.  

But when magic had been finally, finally returned to Camelot and Merlin had been given the role of Court Sorcerer, Arthur had asked Merlin to pick one.  To appear more regal in the eyes of the council and of the neighboring kingdoms, he explained.

Merlin could have chosen the last name of his father – and that of the Dragonlord Clan Ambrosius – but as people knew him by his other name, Emrys, already, Merlin went for convenience and simply opted to make his second name his surname.

And when, about a year later, he proposed to Gwaine and asked for them to be married, Gwaine was faced with a decision himself.

He had never told Arthur – or anyone other than Merlin, really – his true surname, wishing to keep that part of his past buried and forgotten.

He was Sir Gwaine, Knight of Camelot and nothing more.

But when it came time to sign the marriage papers, Gwaine found himself adding on a new part to his name – one that made him completely and utterly Merlin’s.

Gwaine Emrys.  Not too shabby sounding if you asked him.

However, thinking back to that moment when Gwaine chose his new name, he never could have predicted what would transpire because of that choice. Most everyone in Camelot knew Merlin, and most knew Gwaine was his husband and a knight.  A mundane, magic-less knight.

But, there were still people who did not know Merlin on sight, especially in the outer villages.

In hindsight, Gwaine supposed they should have realized mix-ups like this would occur.

“Everyone! He’s here!  The great and powerful Emrys!”

The faces of the villagers lit up, and they all turned to Gwaine with broad smiles – cheering and clapping with the belief that the great sorcerer was among them, and all their problems would soon be solved.

Oh dear.  

This would take some explaining to do.

~~~

65 - Selkie Gwaine

I remembered this one having more - whoops

Okay so this file has a grand WHOPPING total of 43 words, so I shall just use a description I already wrote lol

OKAY SO I'm uh, not sure how this is going to start

But I think the basic set up to start will be that Merlin+Gwaine+the others are all living in a seaside village.  Merlin and Gwaine are good friends, and often hang out

Somehow I'll establish that Gwaine never talks about his past - he's referenced a couple things, but he never goes in depth, and Merlin's never heard him mention going to visit his family.  His dad's dead, but other than that Merlin doesn't know what happened to them (So actually not too different than canon alksdjfasd)

I think just...one night a storm's coming in.  And Gwaine's just...sad.  Maybe it's an anniversary, or maybe it's his mother's birthday, but point is Gwaine's just being all melancholic That night the storm comes in, and as Merlin's on the beach doing, uh, Something, he spots a figure sitting in the shallow waves

And Merlin, upon closer look, finds it's Gwaine

Merlin is of course ASLKDJFLKAJSDFLKJASDF "GWAINE WHAT ARE YOU DOING"

Gwaine doesn't move (I'm trying to decide if he's inebriated at this point too but idk), and Merlin approaches him, to get him out of the water before he drowns, gets struck by lightning, or gets hypothermia, ya know? And I just have this idea of Gwaine, when Merlin gets close, is all "Can't you hear it singing?"

Merlin's all ???

Gwaine: "The ocean.  Can't you hear it?"

But point is Merlin grabs his arm and is all "Come on we need to go" and at that Gwaine gets up and follows

So Merlin gets Gwaine back to his house - Gwaine just seems out of it this whole time so he's probably inebriated oof - before Merlin gets him out of his wet clothes, gets a fire going And of course he's a bit 😳 at the idea of cuddling for warmth with Gwaine (because this is me lol) but point is he's certain Gwaine's going to get hypothermia if he doesn't

So they get all comfy and go to sleep aslkdjfjlaksfjklasdf

The next morning they wake up and Merlin's just "Do you want to tell me what that was all about??"

And Gwaine just sighs

"I'm not human, Merlin

"I'm a selkie"

~~~

77 - BODY SWAP

Merwaine Body Swap AU.  Pretty self explanatory I think

Merlin looked into the mirror.

He expected to find two Merlin’s staring back at him: himself, and the figure with his face next to him.  But instead, he found one Merlin standing to his right side -

And Gwaine, taking the place where he should have been.

“W-what?” Merlin breathed, before reaching a hand up to his face.

The Gwaine in the mirror did the same.

Merlin’s breathing grew ragged, and he ran his hand over his face - feeling his cheeks, his nose, the scruff covering his jaw.  While there had been mornings he’d desperately needed to shave before, there had never been anything like this.

The most damning thing, however, was when he moved his hands to the sides, and found long hair there - brown and curled, and definitely far longer than Merlin had ever let it grow.

And it finally began to sink in what all this meant.

If - if he was in Gwaine’s body, and the figure with Merlin’s face thought Merlin had stolen his -

Merlin turned to the person next to him.   

The figure with Merlin’s face was doing the same thing Merlin had been, running his hands over his face with a shocked expression, as if unable to believe what he saw in the mirror.

Then he slowly turned to look at Merlin, that shocked expression still there.

“Merlin?” the figure asked.

“Gwaine?” Merlin responded, stomach sinking at this confirmation of who it was that was truly standing next to him.

They stared at each other for a moment longer.

Then they screamed.

[viastro]

the less i know the better | kim mingyu

ミ★ synopsis: in which you perform a demon summoning ritual as a joke not really in an attempt to get a boyfriend.

ミ★ genre: demon!mingyu, humor, some fluff

ミ★ warnings: uh satanic rituals? if that counts as a warning idk LMAO

ミ★ word count: 1,673

ミ★ pairings: mingyu x female reader

ミ★ notes: uh hi guys! I’m back with this short little oneshot, not as long as my two previous ones but it’s okay. I don’t think this is that good but I hope you still like it!

“Okay. If this works, which it 10/10 won’t… then I hope he’s cute. If not, then we’ll just pretend this never happened. Alright y/n?” You say as you give yourself a small pep talk. Letting out a sigh, you lean onto your bed, staring at your several lit candles surrounding your Hello Kitty bowl which is on top of a poorly drawn goat head inside a pentagram.

“God, what am I thinking? Am I really that desperate to have my hand held?” You mutter to yourself, slapping your head twice as a way to knock some sense into yourself. The answer is yes. You giggle at your foolishness, convincing yourself not to do the ritual. You blow out the candles, and stand up from the floor. You go ahead and sit on your bed, turning on your laptop to go onto Netflix.

“Let’s continue Love Alarm…” Turning on the fourth episode of your kdrama, you settle into your covers, hugging your squishmallow close to your chest. Within ten minutes you start feeling envious of the fact that the female lead has two handsome men pining after her, while you have none. 

You go to lecture everyday, study in the library with your friends, then head back to your apartment. That’s it. The one time you had a boyfriend was in your freshman year of high school, and that didn’t work out. It’s kind of alright though, considering that he ended up being one of your best friends.

ding 

“Speak of the devil.” You whisper, reaching over towards your phone to read his text. 

“That’s it.” You slam your laptop shut, throw your phone to the side, and make your way onto the floor. You light up a match, lighting up each candle that surrounds the bowl of ingredients. 

“Um, hi… devils…” One of the candles flicker and your eyes widen slightly, only to calm down once you realize how ridiculous you’re being to think this could possibly work.

This is just for fun, funsies perhaps. This is strictly for funsies, something to laugh about when you’re older. You say to yourself, letting out a slight breath.

“I uh, I’d like to summon a demon. I didn’t read all the instructions on the website cause I’m pretty sure that it was putting a virus on my laptop and I can’t have that. However, I read the gist of it in that short timespan and I think I did it right? Hopefully. Uh, yeah I’d like a nice demon to come and help me. Um, please?” 

After a few minutes of silence, you sigh at how stupid this all is. You blow out your candles, and crawl back into bed, feeling defeated. You frown up at your ceiling, cursing God for making you single and having no men be interested in you.

“I think I’m decent looking, I can be funny at times, I can cook? Isn’t that what a guy wants?? I hate it here.” You let out a groan and close your eyes, soon letting sleep take over. 

                             ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

“Uh, pspsps… wake up.” 

You let out a sigh, thinking it’s just Seungkwan again. You swat your hand out, accidentally making contact with a shoulder. 

“Go away Seungkwan, I’m tired.” You say with annoyance, rolling over so that you’re facing away from him. 

“Seungkwan?” Your eyes snap open once you realize that is indeed, not your friend Seungkwan’s voice. You turn over slowly, only to make eye contact with a very handsome man with brown hair. 

You screech, sitting up immediately and holding the covers close to your chest, making said handsome man also squeak and step away from you. 

He’s tall, his brown hair parted so that his forehead is showing. He’s in all black, almost making it hard to see him in the darkness of your room. He’s wearing a silk black shirt with… tight… black jeans, accentuating his long legs. His eyes glow red in the dark and your blood runs cold.

“Holy fucking shit it works.” You utter and he grins, showing off his perfectly symmetrical white teeth. You reach over and turn on the light on your nightstand, and you almost gape at how much better he looks with the light on.

“I’m honestly surprised that it did. Considering this isn’t as formal as the usual set ups are..” Demon man says as he nudges your Hello Kitty bowl, only to reveal your horribly drawn goat. You feel heat rush to your cheeks, letting your legs slip out of the warmth of your sheets as you kick the Hello Kitty bowl away from his hand in an attempt to hide it from him. He glances up at you and smiles, making his way to your desk and leaning against it.

“So, what did you need y/n?” Your eyes widen at the mention of your name.

“How did you know my name?” You ask and he chuckles, running a hand through his hair. “I’m a demon y/n, It’s important for me to know the names of my clients.” He answers and you nod your head slightly. 

“What’s your name?” He raises an eyebrow at your question before responding, “My name is Mingyu.” 

He stares at you, and he’s taken notice of how surprisingly cute you are. Your eyes are puffier than usual considering that you just woke up, and your lips are pink and formed into a small pout. Mingyu lets out a small smile. 

“You look awfully innocent to be summoning a demon on a Monday night y/n.” He tells you and you push a strand of your hair behind your ear nervously. 

“I, uh, I guess you can say I am. I’m the only one among my friends who’s still single, no guys have been interested in me since my freshman year of high school. I’m a junior in college now and I feel really… lonely? This is going to sound ridiculous, but I really just wanted to see if you can find me a boyfriend? Or if you could uh.. Be my boyfriend?” You say shyly and he stares at you with a blank expression as he processes what you said.

“So… you basically… summoned a demon…” You nod your head as he pauses, “To be your boyfriend.” You nod your head in shame and he lets out a small laugh behind his hand. You bite your lip as you continue to stare at your hands, avoiding eye contact with the demon as he continues to laugh.

Mingyu takes a few steps forward so that he’s right in front of you, and he pats your head. You glance up at him to see his eyes are now a warm brown, filled with… kindness?

“You’re so cute. With anyone else I’d usually just leave after hearing that but you’re so cute I can’t help but laugh.” Warmth floods your face, causing you to look away as he smiles again. He sits on the edge of your bed and takes ahold of your hand.

“Y/N, I think you’ll do just fine finding a boyfriend on your own. Just make sure to be yourself and they’ll love you.” He tells you and your eyes widen as another rush of warmth rises to your cheeks. He smiles wider, squeezing your hand. “Besides, I’d have to get something in return if we went through with your wish. I don’t wanna take your soul, you’re too kind.” Mingyu explains and you bite the inside of your cheek.

“I’ll be leaving now.” He says, getting up off your bed and moving to let go of your hand. You panic and squeeze his hand tighter, he raises an eyebrow at you. “Please don’t go. You’re really nice, I’d like to have you in my life for a bit longer.” 

Mingyu is shocked, he’s never been put in this position before. Well actually, he has, but this is the first time he finds himself wanting to listen to you. You’re looking at him with a hopeful expression on your face, and he lets out a sigh in defeat. 

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” He grumbles and you smile widely, making his small pout go away. 

He’s so surprised at how you’re basically glowing. There’s this bright aura to you that makes him wanna put you in his pocket and protect you. He hasn’t felt this way before for anyone, and he doesn’t think it’s normal how he’s feeling this so quickly either. 

“I’ll stay with you for one week. Only one, I’ll make sure you feel special. That you’ll remember that this is how your future partner should treat you.” Mingyu tells you and you nod in tiny. He almost coos at how big your eyes are. He pauses, thinking to himself, God DAMN it Mingyu shut UP! right after he stops himself from cooing at you.

He snaps his fingers, changing his formal clothes into a normal pair of gray sweats and a white t-shirt. He moves to step out of your room and you say, “Wait!” Mingyu turns back around and cocks his head to the side, similar to that of a puppy.

“What do I need to pay you back in return? Do you need my.. my soul?” You ask quietly and he lets out a small huff. 

Mingyu KNOWS that he should say yes, and that he’ll be taking your soul when he’s done. However, something else inside of him is telling him that he’s wrong, and he shouldn’t take your soul, and that he’ll take up another offer afterwards to make up for the lack of payment from you.

“Nothing y/n. You don’t need to pay me anything, I’ll see you in the morning. Go to sleep now, it’s 3:00 AM.” Mingyu mutters, a small blush creeping up his neck as he steps out of your room. He closes the door softly behind him and you're left in a state of awe.

“Oh.. my god? You…” You point towards the deformed goat head drawing you made, before pointing at the Hello Kitty bowl you kicked away. 

“You guys did this.”

[maxrev]

Traditions for Tradition’s Sake

Thank you @nightmarestudio606 for the help with a title, as I was just too happy to write something to think so far ahead lmao

Anyway, have some Niall and Kaidan at Christmastime (a bit late) 

“So, where we off to?” Niall asked. 

“It’s a surprise,” Kaidan told him. 

“I hate surprises.” 

Pausing in the act of pouring hot chocolate into two large travel mugs, Kaidan smirked, “Do not. You love surprises.” 

With a look worthy of the Grinch himself, Niall huffed in annoyance. “Fine but only when they involve you,” he conceded.

“Good thing this one does then. It means you’re sure to love it.” 

Niall slumped against the counter, defeated, and watched Kaidan move around the kitchen in a continuous rhythm, packing a basket full of goodies. Of course, the hot chocolate was not complete without a can of whipped cream for topping and cinnamon to taste. He was also pretty sure he’d seen a flask of whiskey make its  way into the basket. When he’d questioned Kaidan, all he’d gotten was ‘something to make them toasty.’ Didnae need whiskey for that. 

However, it meant wherever they were going was sure to be cold. Although, snuggling up with Kaidan had many advantages and was worth braving the temperature and snow outside.  

He was currently packing small snack bags of pretzels dipped in yogurt and chocolate, frosted Christmas cookies, and Niall’s personal favorite, shortbread. Though the last was only added recently, just for him. Each goodie Kaidan and his mother, Grace, had made by hand, their own little tradition since he’d been a boy. And while he and his mother baked, he’d go out with his father to cut down a Christmas tree, something the three men had done together this year, walking all the way out to the back plot of land which had never been cleared for planting fruit trees and boasted a forest with all different sizes of evergreens. 

The Alenko family traditions had now become a part of Niall’s life, though he chose to help only minimally in the kitchen. He’d didn’t mind cooking but baking was too precise and he nearly always messed something up. 

He reveled in being part of such a close, loving family and how they celebrated, missing the ones he’d had with his own family, now all gone. 

Once the last item made it into the basket, Kaidan stopped, hands on hips,  brown eyes checking every inch of the kitchen to make sure he hadn’t missed anything. Walking towards the pantry, his tousled dark head disappeared inside. Niall looked at the basket, thinking it probably weighed more than the St. Bernard, Riley, currently snoozing by the fire. 

“You know,” he mused, “if ya keep feedin’ me like this, I’ll be looking like St. Nick verra soon.” 

Kaidan emerged from the pantry, a wicked grin on his face. With a wink, he sauntered over to Niall, arms wrapping around his waist as he leaned in close and whispered in his husky voice, warm breath tickling Niall’s lips, “Then I guess I’ll have to sit on your lap and tell you exactly what I want for Christmas.” 

Eager to hear more, Niall countered with, “Dinnae keep me waitin’. Tell me now.” 

Kaidan chuckled, low and soft. “Don’t worry, I will. But,” he held a finger against his lips, “we have things to do first.” 

Much to Niall’s dismay, he turned and hefted the heavily laden basket with ease and walked towards the front door, a smile on his lips as he looked over his shoulder. “Come on, Santa, let’s go. I have a surprise for you.” 

“I do love surprises.” 

“I thought you didn’t.” Kaidan had stopped by the door to bundle up warmly. 

“Changed my mind. Ya did say the surprise involved you.” 

“Oh, indeed it does.” Kaidan gave him a heated look before bundling up and headed out the door. If he kept it up, Niall would be shedding layers all the way to -- well, wherever they were headed. With a sigh, he slipped on his boots and gloves, donned his pea coat, and reached for the toque and scarf Grace had knitted just for him in his favorite colors; black, red, and white. An early Christmas present. 

He stepped out onto the porch to find a winter wonderland scene straight from a painting; multicolored lights swayed from the eaves in a soft puff of wind. The porch railings were wrapped in the same lights, twinkling merrily, their colors muted, reflecting against the pristine snow. The railings along the porch and steps were wrapped with lights and garland, intertwined. 

A large pine tree off to the side of the porch was also wrapped with lights, both multicolored and white. As he closed the door, a thick, beautiful evergreen wreath decorated with assorted Christmas decorations and bells, jingled softly. The foggy windows along the porch were gently lit from within by battery operated candles, shedding amber light out onto the porch. 

Hearing a noise, he turned, mouth dropping in an O of surprise. Kaidan stood in front of his parent’s beautiful black Friesian, Warlock, coat glistening in the light of a half moon, whispering to him quietly while one hand played with the forelock. The horse nudged him in the chest, making him stumble, and he laughed in response before pulling a carrot from his pocket. Niall felt green with envy. As the horse happily munched on the carrot, the bells around it’s neck rang in the air. 

Behind the horse sat a beautiful sleigh, adorned with intricate designed scrollwork one might find in days gone by. It was a deep red, the designs painted a shimmering gold. The runners waxed and ready to glide effortlessly over the snow. Inside the bench seat was covered in red velvet and piled high with warm woolen blankets and at least a few afghans he was sure Grace had knitted over the years. 

Walking down steps cleared of snow, Niall appreciated the sight of Kaidan’s dark head resting against Warlock’s, kindred spirits. 

Kaidan looked over as he approached, “Ready for an adventure?”

“Oh, 'tis an adventure yer plannin’? I thought ‘twas a surprise?” 

“It’s a surprise adventure.” At Niall’s look of skepticism, he amended, “An adventurous surprise?” 

Niall couldn’t help but smile, “With you? Always.” 

Leaving the horse, Kaidan walked over to wrap Niall’s scarf snuggly about his neck before tucking it inside his coat. 

“What, am I wee lad of five?” 

Kaidan tugged on the scarf, before smacking Niall lightly on the shoulder, “Sometimes, though there’s truly nothing wee about you. Now, climb in and let’s get going.” 

As soon as he was settled, Kaidan flicked the reigns and called out, “Time to go, Warlock. Let’s show Niall some amazing sights.” 

The horse neighed in response and with little effort, pulled them forward and on into the night. As if powered by holiday magic, the sleigh glided effortlessly over the mounds of snow like it was floating along in the air. Niall remained quiet, taking in the peaceful moonlit scened around them. The trees in the orchard, all lined up in rows, and the evergreens scattered haphazardly about, wore their winter coats with refined elegance. 

The air was sharp, crisp, and fresh; completely unlike the salty sea air they had living on the beach. It was brisk and cold, clearing Niall’s head from the usual doubts and anxiety which always seemed to follow him around, though less and less as the months went by.

Above them, a dark, velvety canopy was the backdrop for millions of twinkling lights, the stars on gorgeous display as if the whole galaxy was a Christmas tree. 

As if no time had passed, Niall realized with a start the sled was slowing to a stop in a small, sheltered alcove amongst the hills, a windbreak of evergreens behind them to keep the chill winter breeze off their skin. Kaidan climbed out and whispered to Warlock while rubbing his neck. Going back to the sleigh, he reached behind the seat and brought out some hay, spreading it out on the ground for the horse. 

It was just like Kaidan to always make sure everyone, animal or person, had what they needed. 

He climbed back in and reached inside the basket to hand Niall his mug and the flask of whiskey. 

“Tryin’ ta get me drunk and take advantage of me?” He dangled the flask in the air. “Take more’n this ta do the trick.” 

A dark brow shot up in response, “I need to get you drunk to take advantage of you?” 

Without waiting for a response, because they both knew it wasn’t true, Kaidan dug around in the basket and pulled out some of the goodies he’d packed and handed them over. He then shook out several blankets and layered them on their laps before wrapping two of the afghans around their shoulders. A nice, toasty cocoon of warmth. 

Niall added a bit of cinnamon to their mugs and Kaidan followed it with a dram of whiskey and topped them with whipped cream. The two sat side by side in this quiet little world, munching contentedly on Christmas snacks and drinking hot chocolate. The whiskey warmed him from the inside out and while it was cold, he wasn’t too uncomfortable. Besides, their body heat warmed him up quite well. 

Following a bite of cookie with hot chocolate, Niall swallowed them down and asked, because he was really curious. “So, is there any particular reason we ventured out in weather cold enough to freeze my bollocks into bags of ice? Is this a strange Canadian passtime or something?” 

Kaidan nearly choked on his drink, coughing and sputtering with laughter. “Um...no. No, it isn’t. But, there’s actually a very good reason we’re doing this. Just enjoy the surroundings - and the company - and be patient.” 

“‘Tis no virtue of mine, patience, as you well know but aye, the company is verra enjoyable.” 

Leaning over, Kaidan softly brushed their lips together. “For me too.”

Wherever Kaidan was, Niall wanted to be there. It didn’t matter the circumstances, just as long as they were together. With Kaidan by his side, he could face anything head on. 

They sat in the sleigh snuggled side by side, eating, drinking, and talking. Eventually, despite the cold, Niall began to drift off. He was happy, warm, and full; the perfect recipe for a nap. 

Kaidan nudged him lightly, “Hey, sleepyhead, wake up.” 

Niall blinked open his eyes, “What’d I miss?” 

“Well, my stellar company for one.” Niall snorted and Kaidan glanced at him in mock indignation. “Are you saying my company isn’t any good?” As Niall shook his head no, yet didn’t stop laughing, he sighed and crossed his arms. “You also missed the moose who came up and asked for directions.” 

Struggling for breath at the statement, mentioned so seriously with no hint of amusement, Niall managed to spit out a retort, “Must’ve been a female. A male wouldn’t ask for directions.”

“Very funny, Niall.”

“Ya know ‘tis true.” 

“You didn’t miss anything yet,” Kaidan assured him. 

Mouth cracking open in a wide in a yawn, he waited, then asked, “Hey, d’ya have anymore shortbread? Oh, and whiskey. My bollocks really are goin ta freeze off.” 

“Those wee things? I doubt it.” Niall glared at him. “So I’m not keeping you warm anymore? That hurts.” 

Niall nudged him, “Stop. Ya know I just want more.” 

Kaidan chuckled, “Yeah, I do.” He handed the flask over along with a bag of the shortbread, pulling it back when Niall reached for it, eyes narrowing in thought, “Although, you did say you were worried about becoming St. Nick. Maybe you’ve had enough?” 

“Well, you dinnae seem upset if I did, so why should I worry? More of me tae love, aye?” 

“Ohhhh, aye.” Kaidan eyed him up and down as if he was a popsicle and the weather was dangerously hot. Might end up there at this rate. 

He popped a piece of shortbread into his mouth and as he chewed, Kaidan grabbed his hand and squeezed, “There! Look up, Niall.” 

Nearly choking on the shortbread, he did and was overcome with awe at the site which greeted him. Across the sky was a giant ribbon of colors in vibrant hues of pink, blue, violet and green. They flowed across the dark sky, lighting it up like a carnival, colors swaying and dancing to the earth’s own music. It was spectacular. Niall felt small in the presence of a wonder such as this. 

He watched for several minutes, mesmerized, at the splendor before him. Turning, he saw Kaidan watching him. 

“You’re not watchin’ them dance?” 

“I’ve seen it a few times and right now, I’m enjoy watching you more. The look of awe and wonder on your face, the colors as they dance across your skin, is much better than watching them in the sky.” 

Voice gruff with emotion, Niall pulled him close, “Ach, ya flatterer,” for a kiss which left them both breathless and hungry for more. Very warm as well. 

As they watched the light a bit longer before they began to fade, Niall spoke softly, “My da told me about them as a wee lad. Said his da had showed him, told him a story they were our kin, gone up to heaven and paintin’ the sky just for us. I remember I could imagine Gilliana doing such when she...well, maybe ‘tis all of them up there now, paintin’ the sky for me. And you now, as well.” 

“What a beautiful thought, Niall. I love it and from what you’ve shared of them, think they would do so, Gilliana spurring them on.” 

Turning, he captured Kaidan’s face in his hands, “Tapadh leibh, mo chridhe*,” he whispered softly against his lips. 

“You’re welcome. Thank you for coming along and enduring the chilly weather just for me.” 

Niall snorted, “Chilly, he says. Aye, I’m happy to be here with ya.” 

Grasping the reigns, Kaidan turned Warlock and headed for home, remaining quiet, leaving Niall to this thoughts who knew he would treasure the memory of this night forever. 

[pinballwitxh]

kickstart my heart - (request) - spencer reid x oc

REQUESTS - CURRENTLY ON HOLD

IF YOU ARE NOT 18+ DO NOT CLICK ‘KEEP READING’

summary: a night out with the team reminds spencer and his wife of what life was before kids.  one babysitter later, an extra evening at the hotel and the night is finally there’s for the taking.

also yeah I love kickstart my heart by motley crue and I heard it earlier and I was like oh yes INSPIRATION

AND my first drunk karaoke song I ever sung was Don’t Go Breaking My Heart with my cousin at a small bar in Dallas and part of that experience helped me to write this lolololol if y’all ever want the video hmu LMAO

warnings: well if the request asked and the summary didn’t give it away there shall be SMUT, so much ~smut~  ; )

a/n: thank you so much for requesting this, anon!  hope you enjoy this and have kept your eye out.

The team had just wrapped up another case and it wasn’t quite dark out, yet.  Morgan smirked at each of his teammates before suggesting they check out one of the local bars down the street from the hotel and stay an extra night.  JJ groaned and leaned against the SUV, “It’s so late,”

“My internal clock is so off,” Spencer’s wife sighed.

“You parents, have some fun!” Morgan exclaimed, “The night is still young,”

Spencer laughed, “Not when you have kids,”

Prentiss whined at them as well, followed up by a teasing Rossi.  When Hotch said he would join Derek, though, the entire team couldn’t say no.  When they arrived back at the hotel they made a call to their regular babysitter and booked another night along with the team.

it took so much control not to just snuggle up under the covers and go the hell to sleep.  Which is exactly what Spencer tried to do.

“Nuh-uh, if I gotta go then you gotta go,” she reprimanded as she leaned over his limp body.

He groaned, “Go without me, I’ll come down in twenty minutes.”

“That really means ‘I’m going to sleep and never waking up,’“ she scoffed, “Come on, Spence, when was the last time we actually went out?”

“If I remember correctly it was five months and six days ago-”

“Stop stalling, get up.” she said as she shoved him playfully.  It took her about five minutes to refresh herself and he jumped at her commanding voice, “Get up!”

- - -

Many drinks later his wife was slung over his shoulder and talking wildly about their first date.  Their coworkers laughed at her many rabbit trails and funny quips, particularly towards Spencer’s awkward self.  He blushed and took small drinks of his second cocktail, the beginning tingles of tipsiness finally making themselves known.  

Rossi and Prentiss were currently up on the stage performing Don’t Go Breaking My Heart and having a wonderful, drunken time together.  By the middle of the song everyone in the small bar was singing along with them and having just as much fun as the performers.  

If only Garcia was here, then the bar would be ten times more rowdy and the drunk girl had to admit she missed her techie.

“Sing for us!”

Spencer and his wife turned to Morgan with quirked brows.  Spencer immediately rejected but his wife, on the other hand, jumped at the idea.  After much useless tugging and yanking on her husband she left him at the table and practically sprinted up to the stage.

“Oh, Jesus. . .” Spencer muttered to himself with a smile.

He hadn’t seen her this drunk since two New Year’s Eve’s ago.

The familiar guitar twang of a song very near to Spencer started up on the stereo.  A blush spread across his face as each memory involving that song ran through his head rather fast.

It was playing the first time he saw her.  The first time they kissed.  At their wedding.

With her best effort she belted the beginnings of the song, unashamedly.

Soon the rest of the team was cheering her on with grins on their faces.  The chorus unsurprisingly brought nearly the entire bar to singing with her.  With a look in her eyes that Spencer hadn’t seen in a long time she approached him with swaying hips that made him nearly drool.

With an arm around his neck and the other holding the cheap microphone she dipped dangerously low in front of him.  Morgan and Hotch roared with laughter at Reid’s wide eyes and deep red face.  JJ was nearly crying from laughter and Prentiss merely nodded in admiration towards her drunk coworker.

Rossi sipped on his rum and coke, “Young people,” he rolled his eyes with a smile.

She ran a loose hand down the front of his chest before turning back around to belt the chorus.  She had the entire team singing with her now, Morgan approached her to dance alongside her.  Spencer smiled at the sight of his two friends attempting to dance and sing like they were actually on a stage.

The intense guitar solo slowed down along with her singing.  With sultry eyes and a devilish grin, she approached her husband again.  She raised one leg over his own in the chair, leaning down painstakingly close to his lips with her own.  This, of course, was followed by many hoots and whistles from their friends.

For a minute there was no music or lyrics to be sung, only their eyes and their pounding hearts.  That sweet and genuine smile he had grown to love over the years appeared on her features and she sealed the space between them.  

Deeply she kissed him, pulling him closer by his tie.  The whistles only grew longer now and he could faintly hear Morgan cheer, “That’s my Pretty Boy!”

Spencer’s hand grabbed at her hair, pulling her closer to him in a surge of confidence and deepening the kiss.  Discreetly his tongue slid between her lips and he could have sworn he heard the faintest of moans from her.  A tingle spread through his body straight to his core, definitely not from the drinking.

She nearly missed the last few lines of the song because she couldn’t pull away from him so soon.  But when she did, the entire bar (which was about ten extra people) was in an uproar from the scene they had all witnessed.

- - -

They were the last ones to occupy the bar, talking quietly amongst themselves about the case and their everyday lives.  Their buzzes had died down after ordering a few appetizers (and many glasses of water.)  It was one of the few times the team could get together as a team and enjoy each other’s presence.

Spencer’s arm was wrapped tightly around her waist as they walked down the dimly lit hall to their hotel room.

“Think the kids are okay?” she asked quietly as they approached their door.

Spencer slid the key in, “Babysitter called me an hour ago, they’re asleep and didn’t cause her any trouble.”

She smiled, “That’s good,”

It was quiet as they undressed and got ready for bed, the dark circles underneath their eyes starting to appear.  It was well past their ‘bedtime’ of ten o’clock and both of them were ready to knock out for the night.

Spencer looked up from his book when she opened the bathroom door clad in just a towel.  Her hair was wet from her shower and he could faintly smell her soap and shampoo.  His eyes roamed over her wet body, licking his lips subconsciously.

“Cat got your tongue?” 

He glanced up to see her smirking slightly at him, pulling the towel tighter over her body in a (useless) effort to hide herself.  She winked at him and leaned down to retrieve her pajamas and toothbrush.  

Spencer’s eyes did not leave her body as she gathered her things and headed back into the bathroom.  Once the door closed he was painfully aware of the growing bulge in his boxers, now.

As quietly as he could he walked to the bathroom door and knocked on it.

“You can come in, Spence, why are you knocking?”

He opened the door slowly and leaned against the doorframe, taking in her clean state.  She glanced at him with a cocked brow, “Need something?”

“Definitely,” he responded.

She turned to him, “Excited to see me?  Or is-”

“I’m definitely excited to see you,” he responded huskily, entering the bathroom completely now.  

He shut the door behind him and smiled at her, “Tonight, when you were singing, t-that was. . .um. . .”

She blushed, “I know, I felt it too.”

“It’s been so long since we’ve had a night just to ourselves,” he sighed, relieved she was feeling the same way, “I love the kids, but I miss all the time we used to have.”

“Well we have plenty of time tonight, don’t we?” she responded.

He smiled at her and took her into his arms.  She wrapped them around his neck and stood on the tips of her toes to meet his lips halfway.  He smiled within the kiss, tasting the faint remainder of toothpaste on her tongue.  She squeaked when he wrapped his arms underneath her and hoisted her up onto his waist.  She gratefully wrapped her legs around his middle and smiled down at him.

“We’re gonna slip on the tile floor if this continues in here,” she whispered in his ear, kissing beneath his lobe.  

He nodded in agreement before releasing a sigh and carrying her out of the bathroom.  She landed against the bed with a smile and uncontrollable, small giggles.  Spencer loomed over her body with lustful eyes, drinking in the sight of his wife beneath him.  Drops of water were still scattered over her shoulders and inner thighs and her hair was pressed against the sides of her hair, still damp.

“You’re so,” he paused, “Well, I couldn’t think of a better word than hot after the performance you gave tonight.”

“Had you thinking about that the rest of the night?” she teased, pulling him down by the collar of his night shirt.

He kissed her neck slowly, “That had me thinking of many things, tonight,”

She sighed as he peppered kisses up and down her neck, suckling on her collarbone just the tiniest bit.  Hastily she pulled him away and attacked his lips in a much more needy way than she had tonight.  Their tongues swirled around each other and explored the insides of each other’s mouths and teeth clattered against each other in the intense lip-lock.  

His hands slowly pulled the towel off of her body that she had been keeping from him all night and he nearly growled at the sight of her.  He leaned down to take one of her hard nipples into his mouth, tugging and nipping at it ever so slightly.

She shivered against the contact and arched her back at the feeling of his mouth around herself.  Goosebumps spread all over her body and she wanted nothing more than to make love to him all night.

Slowly he kissed down her stomach, fingertips trailing over all the stretch marks from her pregnancies.  It made her smile to think of the family she had with Spencer, and how she would never have wanted to start one with anyone else.

His lips hovered over her dripping core, placing sweet kisses all along her inner thighs.  She giggled at the ticklish sensation and leaned back into the fluffy bedspread.  Pure bliss took over her senses as Spencer finally dipped his head between her legs.

She gasped when his lips finally met her aching center, his hot breath creating quite a contrast to her exposed self.  His tongue roamed between her folds and lapped up every drop of liquid as she squirmed beneath his strong hold on her hips.  She couldn’t contain the very loud moan of his name as his tongue dove inside her, rubbing against her insides and creating a friction she craved.

“Fuck me, please, Spencer,” she moaned out, hardly able to hold herself back anymore.

He pulled away with glossy lips and a sweet smile, “I’ve been waiting all weekend for this,” he said as he stripped himself of his shirt and boxers.  Her eyes widened at the sight and ushered him to come closer, running her hands up and down his chest with a kind of greed that made him even harder.

“Don’t keep yourself waiting, then.”

He kissed her long and hard as he lined himself up with her entrance.  Slowly he pushed himself inside of her, groaning at the warmth that surrounded his length now.  She let out a sharp gasp at the feeling of him filling her completely.  

It had been quite some time since they had been intimate.

Spencer began to pump inside and out of her slowly, “Fuck, I needed this so bad,” he groaned.

She pulled him close and kissed him, “I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you, too,” he said before beginning to pump himself once more.  

As Spencer gained speed the friction between their bodies grew stronger and hotter.  She could feel her juices leaking all over his cock, it made her feel so young again.  Sex was rare with the kids around, now, only making the spontaneous fucking even more hot.

If that was possible.

He pulled away and stood at the edge of the bed, pulling her legs close to wrap around his middle as he began to pound into her.  He couldn’t peel his eyes away from her bouncing body beneath him, her face twisted in pleasure and the sweetest moans coming from her perfect mouth.  One of his hands went to her breast, squeezing it tightly as he rammed faster into her.

“I’m gonna cum,” she moaned, “Oh shit, Spence!”

He nodded, “Do it, cum for me, love.”

Just as her orgasm hit he placed both of her hands above her head, threading his long fingers between her own.  She let out heavenly moans that made him twitch inside of her as she clenched around him, rocking her hips against his.  He watched as she rode out her high, her moans becoming quieter chants of his name.

“Cum for me, Spencer.” she whispered, pulling his head down close to her.

He buried his face into the crook of her neck, picking up his pace once more.  She wrapped her legs around his back, giving him a better angle that made both of them moan simultaneously.  The closer he got to the edge, the harder he sucked on her neck.  

His orgasm rocked his entire being as he spilled himself inside of her.  She placed a hand on his cheek and brought him in for heated kiss as he bucked his hips against hers, riding out his high.  Soon his bucks became quick and sharp twitches against her until he finally collapsed over her sweaty body.

They remained like that for a few moments, panting heavily in each other’s ears and shutting their eyes in exhaustion.  He pulled away from her neck and pushed the strands of hair away from her eyes, smiling down at her.  She gazed up at him with a smile of her own and pecked his lips, “We should have date night every week if it turns out like this,” she panted.

He laughed and kissed her forehead, “I think we could manage that,”

- - -

The team were waiting patiently in the lobby for the couple to make their first appearance of the day.  Emily had not-so-subtly hinted that they had been busy for at least part of the night before she finally fell asleep. 

Morgan’s eyes gleamed with mischief as the couple finally arrived from the elevators.  Spencer groaned at the sight of his friend giving him a thumbs up, whereas his wife was basking in the glory.

“Don’t encourage him,” Spencer grumbled.

She scoffed, “I just got laid by my incredibly attractive husband last night, there’s no way I can hide it.”

Spencer smiled at the comment and slung an arm around her shoulders, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, “Well, when you put it that way. . .”

“Heard you two lovebirds had a ‘busy’ night?” Morgan clapped Reid on the shoulder with a grin.

“You didn’t hear them, I did!” Emily exclaimed as they gathered their luggage.

Spencer and his wife blushed to the tips of their ears but smiled at their friends nonetheless.  Hotch held the door open for his teammates with a very small smile on his face, “Last night was fun, but we need to get home and get some much-needed rest.”

Everyone nodded in agreement and followed after each other to the SUVs parked outside.  Before she slid into her seat, Spencer laid a forceful (but quiet) slap to her ass.  She turned to find him wearing a smirk that was so rare, it made the feelings from last night begin to bubble up inside of her once again.

Rossi rolled his eyes, having seen the entire exchange in the side mirror of the SUV.

“Save it for home, agent.”

THE MASTERLIST (MORE REQUESTS AND SPENCER FICS)

[peachy-blinderss]

What? I Am a Good Girl Pt.2

Part one here! 

Based off the following request: 

“Could you do a Tommy one where everyone thinks you’re some good girl that doesn’t get mixed up in the business, but one day they find you helping Tommy get a hit planned out?“

Warnings: Mentions of death, murder, violence, swearing, fighting, soft fluffy Tommy ;) 

Word Count: 2094

Slowish Burn, Friends to lovers :)

Part three will be coming shortly. I have a tendency to be super long winded and bad at getting to the point so hopefully this isn’t too boring. I guess this is a bit of a filler. I really hope you like it anyway though. I know I’m not the best writer out there but hopefully you enjoy this. And I know some people will say “oh this isn’t in character for tommy, you write Tommy too nice.” I definitly do but I’m out here living my soft Thomas Shelby fantasy lmao. I am always going to write Tommy as a nice guy f canon 😂 Please leave a comment to tell me what you liked or didn’t like. Thank you for support as always. 

Love you all,

Lex :) 

                                                         ✺ ✺  

      Chirping birds woke you up well before your 7am meeting time with Tommy. Never a morning person, you groaned while covering your face with your pillow. You tossed and turned until you couldn’t stand it anymore. You dramatically uncovered your face and threw your pillow in the direction of the chirping. Fucking birds. Rolling to the edge of the bed you finally forced yourself to sit up and face the day. The only consolation for your far too early wake up call was that you were seeing Tommy today. A large smile split your face when you thought of your best friend and you were excited to see him. Even though you had only seen him hours before, you missed him and begged the clock to move faster towards seven. As much as you relied on each other, you both didn’t see each other as much as you would like. Tommy was a busy man who made time for few. You were one of the lucky ones and you only saw him once or twice a week. 

       You finally forced yourself out of your warm bed, lazily strolling towards your kitchen in search of breakfast. You took your time not feeling like moving fast so early. Eventually, it was time to get dressed and leave so you quickly changed and headed out the door. 

       It was summertime in Birmingham which meant you could wear dresses outside and not freeze to death. You reveled in the rare sunshine warming your cheeks and sighed in contentment while making the short walk to the betting shop. Much to your disappointment you quickly came upon the shop which would force you to swap the sunshine for the dull atmosphere it held. Before you had the chance to go in you heard someone calling your name behind you. The first thing you noticed was the clear blue eyes of your best friend. A cheeky smirk crossed your face as Tommy approached you. 

     “My my is the Thomas Shelby running late?” you giggled out. “I’m almost offended because you’re never late for anything.”

      He rolled his eyes as he planted a quick kiss to your cheek. You wondered if it was the sun or his plump lips that made the skin of your cheek heat up. You shook your head to rid yourself of such a ludicrous thought and smiled brightly at him. Tommy lit a cigarette before pointing it at you. 

      “I’ll have you know I was not late Y/N. I was pulling the car around back for Curly to fill up with Petrol. I would never be late for anything involving my best girl,” Tommy said with a lazy smirk on his face. 

       You were immediately excited by his words. It wasn’t often you left Small Health and it was even rarer when you left Small Health with Tommy. You knew today was going to be a good day. You were practically bouncing with your excitement and beaming like a small child on Christmas. As he grabbed your hand to lead you to his car you couldn’t stop the barrage of questions pouring out of your lips. 

        “Where are we going, Tommy? Are we going to the country? Are we going to London?” You said eagerly shaking your intertwined hands back and forth. Tommy swore you were both fifteen again and about to sneak off on your first trip outside of Small Health together. He smiled fondly at the memory. 

        “If we go to the country can I drive the car? Oh it’s so nice out we should have a picnic! Maybe we could ride the horses and visit the Lees and-”

      “Y/n! Lord woman calm down. I’m not telling you where we are going until we get there, now please get in the car,” Tommy said while opening your car door. 

     “Fine but I’m going to bother you the whole way there Thomas,” you chuckled manically. 

                                                         ✺ ✺  

       About an hour had passed driving through the lush countryside and you were barely quiet the entire time. You had to make the most of the rare alone time with Tommy. He only got mad at you once when you started worrying over the large bruise covering part of his left eye. Your pouty lips and puppy dog eyes made him forgive you rather quickly. Tommy always had a hard time staying mad at you. Time passed too fast for your liking when you finally felt the car roll to a stop. You would’ve been perfectly content driving and chatting Tommy’s ear off for the rest of the day. Despite this, you were excited to see a stable off in the distance. You almost loved horses as much as Tommy did. 

      “Are we riding today Tommy?” you questioned him happily. 

         His only reply was the cryptic smirk he sent your way before he walked to your side of the car and helped you out. Remaining silent he grabbed your hand and pulled you towards the stable. Tommy rubbed his thumb on the back of your hand to calm you down. He always did that when you were nervous or excited because you had very strong emotions that pulled you all over the place. Tommy only let go of your hand to push open the stable doors. Once you were inside you were overwhelmed with the sight of the many beautiful horses. One large black stallion in particular caught your eye. You dropped Tommy’s hand in order to move closer to it. He truly was beautiful and you couldn’t resist patting his nose. Tommy smiled softly as he watched you whispering to his horse. You were so enamored with the stallion you jumped when Tommy began speaking behind you. You cursed Tommy under your breath for scarring you. 

      “His name is Apollo,” Tommy laughed as you swatted his arm, “the owner of this stable is a good friend of mine and has been training him up for a few months now. He’ll be racing at the Derby tomorrow. James Burton’s horse will also be racing in the same Derby. I’m sure you can see where this is going Y/N.”

       You remained quiet as you pondered Tommy’s words. You knew you’d do anything for him and you were very curious to see what he planned for you. 

      “What do you need me to do Tommy? I’m ready to do whatever it takes,” you said softly. 

         Tommy sighed sadly in response, “Aye, that’s what I’m afraid of Y/N. I shouldn’t have brought you into this. It would have been better if you didn’t know, but I don’t know what else to do.”

        You were shocked to see the genuine sadness in his eyes. He hadn’t looked so sad since he was a boy. Tommy told you almost everything but he always hid the bad parts from you. He never wanted you to see him falter and always tried to protect you from what he didn’t want you to see. You knew the situation was grave when you saw how he looked at you. 

       “James Burton will not be leaving the race alive,” Tommy said slowly. “He is a liability and he is getting far too confident. He needs to be disposed of quickly and quietly. As much as I don’t like it you will distract him while the rest of the boys dispatch his men. There are a few private boxes at this track, you are to take him there and keep him preoccupied with the race. There is a door behind each bar in the boxes, I will be waiting there and I will kill him when the time is right. Do you understand?”

       “Tommy, wouldn’t it make more sense if I were to do it? I mean it would be so easy to carry a small gun in my purse and spring it on him when he least expects it. What if he hears you come in when you open the door and you get hurt? I really think it would be best if you let me-”

     Tommy immediately cut you off before you could finish. You could see the fury practically rolling off his body which scared you a bit. Tommy never got like this with you. 

        “Absolutely not Y/N. Have you gone fucking mad? I will not risk it. I will not risk you,” Tommy roared. 

      You were furious. You couldn’t believe Tommy was talking to you like this. Not one to hold back you turned your anger onto him. 

    “Why do you constantly underestimate me, Tommy? I am a far better shot than John, and hell I’m probably a better shot than you. Just because I am a woman doesn’t mean I’m not capable. Why did you ask me to help if you aren’t going to trust me, eh? You just want me to be some pretty damsel in distress and I don’t fucking like it. I’m not useless Thomas, why can’t you see that?” you seethed. 

        Tommy roughly ran both hands over his face before he threw himself down on a nearby stool. Your headstrong nature drove him mad sometimes and he wished you would just listen to him. He lit a cigarette and thought for a few minutes before speaking again. Meanwhile, you were glaring a hole into the side of his head. 

     “Love come sit by me, eh? I don’t want to fight with you, “ Tommy said while gently patting the stool next to him. 

     You tried to keep yourself from going over to him but you melted when he called you love. Tommy knew good and well that was one of your weaknesses. He never fought fair. You rolled your eyes and crossed your arms with an over exaggerated huff leaving your mouth. You forced yourself to stay cemented to where you stood. 

     “Please love, we never fight. Let’s not start now, eh?” 

      Damn him and his husky voice and pouty lips and puppy dog eyes you mentally cursed as you crossed the stable and sat down on the stool next to him. Refusing to let him win so easily, you dramatically crossed your arms over your chest before turning your back to him. You always forgave him quickly, but today you wanted to make him sweat. 

     “Y/N look at me, please. I need you to talk to me,” Tommy said. 

        Still, you refused to turn around and face him. Accepting the situation, Tommy began talking at your back. 

        “Love, I know what you’re capable of. You are one of the bravest people I know and I know you could easily handle Burton. I just don’t want you to ever know what it’s like to kill a man. It changes you. It makes you cold and bitter and I don’t want that for you. I want to keep you safe and I don’t want you to end up how I have. I’ve become a bad man. I kill men who look at me the wrong way and children are scared of me. I don’t want you to know what that’s like. Please Y/N don’t be angry at me” he pleaded with you.

      Tommy turned you to him when he heard you sniffle. His calloused thumb quickly wiped the tears falling from your eyes. It broke his heart when you cried and he never liked to be the reason for it. 

        “Please don’t cry, love. I’m sorry for upsetting you,” Tommy said softly while grabbing your hands and lightly running his thumbs across the back of them. You began to calm down and you finally looked Tommy in the eye. 

       “It’s not that Tommy. It just breaks my heart to hear you speak so lowly of yourself. You are the kindest and sweetest man I have ever known and I wish you could see yourself how I see you. I’m crying because I worry so much about you and thinking of you getting hurt makes me physically ill. I want to protect you too you stupid idiot,” You said while lightly punching his chest. 

       “Are we ok then Y/N? I want to make sure we are fine before tomorrow?” Tommy asked nervously while wiping the remaining tears from your cheeks.

     “Yes Thomas, we are ok. And yes Thomas I will follow your plan so stop worrying,” you rolled your eyes. 

         You could see him visibly relax and you giggled as he kissed the back of your hand while mumbling quiet thank yous. 

        “Oh, but Thomas?” You said with a cheeky smirk on your face “I’m going to need a new dress for tomorrow and I trust you can handle that for me.”

        Tommy rolled his eyes playfully at you, “Whatever you want love.”