#this will definitely be something i will expand on only once in a while

[furashuban]

Nocturnal

Something a little different this time :>

Words: 2.3k

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/53384422/chapters/135113332

Summary: In the middle of the night, a little girl runs up to an old woman wide awake in her bedroom to tell her why she can't go to school.

Carole would always find herself awake in the dead of night whilst everyone else throughout the county had fallen fast asleep. She had no purpose being up so late; she would do nothing but lay upright in bed reading a storybook she had checked out from the Reading Center she managed before clocking out. Sometimes she would change her routine slightly, choosing to be in the living room instead and pace around on the carpet with said book in her hands. If Ryanne were here, she would deplore Carole for not only developing such an unhealthy routine for a woman her age, but failing to desire a solution to fix it while she still could.

The door to her room was wide open; all the lights in the hallway were still turned on and gave a white-range hue to the bedroom. Carole could sense a shadow, and she looked up to see a little girl in baby blue pajamas inching towards her doorway; her long and wavy brown hair in disarray and her head hung slightly low as she stared back at the woman in bed.

“Frankie,” she called the girl’s name gently and soft with affection. “Can’t sleep?”

The 10-year-old nodded shyly, to which Carole then put aside her book and opened her arms to show her she was invited in. Frankie rushed to climb in bed and quickly cozied up beside the woman before being wrapped around her arm. “What time is it now, Carole?”

“Ah, don’t worry about that,” Carole consoled, combing her fingers through the young girl’s unkempt hair, “you’ll still have plenty of time to catch some rest before school tomorrow.”

Hearing the words school and tomorrow next to each other gave Frankie a sinking feeling in her chest. “Carole…?” she raised her head up, her tone solemn.

“Yes?”

The girl took a second before saying anything, hesitant about what words to use and if it was either a good time to say them or even a good idea at all. But Carole had always taught her to be unafraid of pouring her heart out to her, or to anyone for that matter, even if they were strange for others to hear—she had a right to be heard anyway, to figure everything out with the help of others in the county along the way with gentleness and understanding.

“I can’t go to school tomorrow,” confessed Frankie, “I don’t feel very good, so I don’t think I can go to any of my classes because of it.”

Carole placed her palm on Frankie’s forehead, then on the side of her neck. “Hm, but you seem to be pretty healthy,” she gave the girl a curious look.

“It’s not that,” Frankie sighed. “There’s a quiz tomorrow that I’m not ready for, then a project that I’m having trouble finishing but it’s due the day AFTER the quiz, then another quiz after that, and I keep reading books I don’t actually want to read and I just don’t want to be in school at all ‘cause I get so jumpy the longer I stay there! I’m trying really hard, I really am, Carole, but…but…”

When Frankie struggled to say another word, remembering all the other arduous schoolwork in store for her this week, Carole leaned a little closer to tuck a section of her hair behind her ear so that her face was a little less cloaked. “It’s just unfair how they’re giving too many things without time to rest, isn’t it.”

“Yeah…” all the weight in Frankie’s heart seemed to have left in an instant, to have someone older than her understand her so well that they could put her difficult feelings into proper words meant the whole world to her.

“Poor ol’ Frances Schwinn,” Carole said sweetly. “I guess it doesn’t hurt to skip one day of school if you really can’t go.”

“You really mean it?” and for the first time tonight, if not in a long time, Frankie’s eyes lit up with hope, though an air of cautiousness lingered in the back of her mind. There was no way Carole could reasonably allow her to skip classes when she had so much to do.

“Don’t worry, the people that run the school and I know each other, I can convince them to let you find other days to do your schoolwork…Well, more like I can get Ryanne to do it with me first,” Carole snickered; Ryanne had the upper hand when it came to being confrontational, given her position as a council member, and never once did this enigmatic woman say no to doing a favor for Carole, much to her reluctance until she knew it was for Frankie’s sake. “But I promise, sunbeam, nothing more needs to be said. Girls like you need some time to let loose, especially when you’ve been giving it your best for who knows how long. The only thing missing, of course, is someone who recognizes that.”

Frankie threw her arms around Carole immediately. “Thanks so much, Carole,” she rejoiced, trying not to sound too exultant against her ear, but Carole could tell she was the happiest girl in the world because Frankie’s joy was her joy, too, and she wrapped her arms back around the girl.

“It’s no trouble, dearie.”

As soon as the Frankie withdrew from her embrace, she could have sworn the air around the room was suddenly frostier than before, like she was atop Mount Everest—not that she had ever been before. “Your room is really cold,” Frankie quivered, wrapping her arms around herself.

“That’s because my house is right by the sea,” Carole also couldn’t help but pull the blanket closer, “I could go for a cup of cocoa in times like this.”

At that, Carole could feel an imaginary lightbulb spark atop her head. “Hm, what do you say to that? I can whip us both a cup or two in the kitchen really quick.” Frankie pursed her lips before simply nodding in agreement. “That’s the spirit.”

Before long, the gray-haired woman and the little girl practically leapt out of bed and ambled onto the small hallway yonder. “Can I turn on your record player while you’re making the cocoa?” Frankie requested, knowing the two of them were going to be up a lot longer than she had expected.

The record player in the living room was Frankie’s favorite thing in Carole’s house. It was fairly modern than most other phonographs, simply a wooden box resting atop a pedestal as tall as the girl herself, but thankfully it was close enough to the sofa where she could mount herself by the armrest and gently place a down record without any trouble nor help from Carole. Frankie liked being able to switch it on herself once the older woman had taught her how to use it. But first, she browsed through the crammed shelves that took up a whole corner of Carole’s living room, which were towering so close to the ceiling that Frankie needed a stool to stand on as she flipped through the dedicated cubicle for vinyl covers which was still so high above.

In the kitchen, Carole had her and Frankie’s mugs settled on the countertop right after she stopped the kettle on the stovetop from shrieking and puffing. She could hear Frankie humming a tune around the corner; a tune, the older woman recognized, as being from the record the little girl had picked out and was setting atop the record player. With the flick of switch and the touch of a needle on a rotating record (in that order), the house became filled with the fuzzy, homely melody of a piano and a man’s high-note singing that mimicked the tune Frankie was humming.

“If I knew that someone cared for me, I'd let the world go by.”

“Someone who was truer as true could be, I’d never want to sigh.”

The cocoa mix and hot milk were stirred well in each mug, and Carole carried them over to the living room where she found Frankie cuddled up on the sofa with a Raggedy Ann doll she had left there this morning—which she named “Rosie”. The 10-year-old awaited her hot cocoa whilst trying not to look too eager as she was being offered her mug, appearing stiff in the way she sat up and especially in her expression, which made Carole giggle.

“Thanks for this, Carole,” the girl then took a slight sip of cocoa, still too steamy and scorching for her to handle.

The gray-haired woman took a seat on her rocking chair across the room. “It’s hasn’t been an hour, but I hope you’re feeling a little better now than before, sunbeam.”

Frankie took a moment to concentrate on the gentle music in the room, the velvety taste of her cocoa along with its heat to bear the cold sea-air breaching into the house, Rosie limp on her lap and all the quaint decorations she could eye on around the house such as a mandolin hung on one wall and pots of ivy hung on another—and lastly, Carole Paxson giving her undivided attention to her long unheeded well-being. Nothing here could remotely remind her of quizzes and projects. She grinned softly, let out a small breath, and murmured to Carole, “Yeah, so much better.”

There was a large chest in the center of the living room which was used as the coffee table, draped with a dark red cloth and ornamented with a completed jigsaw puzzle of a Monet painting, a trio of candle stands and a little Bonsai tree on top of it. Carole squinted as she noticed among the decorations a lone book with a sky-blue cover; a copy of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.

“I don’t remember leaving this here.” Carole remarked as she reached for the book.

“That’s mine,” Frankie pointed out. “Well, it’s Maddie’s, but she said I could borrow it. I haven’t been able to continue reading because of school, though.”

Carole opened the book to its first page. Sure enough, on the upper right of the foreword read “MJH’s book” written tinnily in pencil along with a neatly drawn star next to it. Maddeline Jean Hewitt, Carole instantly recognized what the initials stood for, sparking a new how-to-make-Frankie-feel-better plan upon seeing.

“You know, you can spend the rest of the day tomorrow at the Hewitts’ if you’d like that, sunbeam,” the older woman spoke in an uplifting tone. “I’m sure Maddie would be just as happy knowing you now have time to play together.” Maddie was a homeschooled girl, and coming to see her meant Frankie did not have to feel alone and awkward about not being in school while every other child was.

“Is…that a good idea?” Frankie asked. “It kind of feels wrong to skip school just so I could play with my friend.”

“Sure, it’s fine,” Carole insisted. “It’s like I said, you deserve to let loose, dearie, and that means making the most out of time you didn’t have before, not just having plain ol’ rest. Plus, time at the Hewitts sounds much comfier than time at school if you ask me.”

“Yeah, you’re right, I guess maybe I will see Maddie tomorrow,” Frankie shrugged tautly; even when she wasn’t sure about going, she knew seeing Maddie at her family’s big brick house at Sandalwood always lit her up, and it had been so long since both girls saw each other.

When Frankie took another sip of cocoa, she drew her attention to the wall clock just above Carole’s chair, and the young girl gawked in disbelief seeing that the hour hand was at 2. Being up so late, while thrilling, was just unheard of, if not strictly forbidden for children like her. And though Frankie was only partly sleepy in this hour, she realized how Carole never seemed to look tired at all since they first saw each other in the bedroom.

“Carole? What time do you sleep?”

“Hmm…Three …Maybe four o’clock-ish?”

“But why though?”

The old woman also sipped on her cocoa before speaking; the steam fogging up her thin-rimmed glasses. Truthfully, she was not a hundred-percent sure how to answer the curious child across her, only thinking about her usual routine to remotely give any good reason for staying up so late. “If I’m gonna be honest, Frankie,” she smacked her lips, “I think it’s ‘cause I just really like reading books,” and the two girls snickered, it was hard to argue knowing how long a good book can really take to finish.

“In fact, now that you don’t have your quizzes to worry about anymore,” Carole held up the copy of the Narnia book, “how’s about you finally get around to continuing this one, together with me?”

“Hmm…okay!” Frankie’s heart soared; a book she wanted to read at long last. She reached for the record player to lower the volume a tad, that way she could hear the older woman read whilst the music she loved carried on at the same time.

The moment Carole flipped through the page the bookmark reserved, the man’s voice from the record player, while much fainter now, was already singing the final chorus of the song.

“Let the great big world keep turning, never mind if I’ve got you”

“For I only know that I want you so, and there’s no one else will do.”

“You have simply set me yearning, and forever I’ll be true.”

Frankie took a break from drinking her cocoa when she realized it was still too hot, setting it aside on the coffee-table-chest. She hugged onto Rosie and laid herself down comfortably on her side, and she listened to Carole recite the passages of her book with great sincerity and fervor as though she had really gone to Narnia, and the 4 siblings of the book were really in the room.

“Let the great big world keep on turning ‘round, now I’ve found someone like you.”

[talaok]

Be the one to do it

Pairing: Joel Miller x f!reader

Summary:  You've always had a crush on your neighbor Joel, and once your friend Jordan suggests you ask him to help with a little "problem" of yours, it turns out he had never been such an unattainable dream.

Warnings: basically pwp. smut| big ass unspecified age gap, virginity loss, oral sex (f and m receiving), fingering, unprotected p in v sex, creampie, kinda breeding kink and size kink, dirty talk, he talks you through it, Joel calls reader with a bunch of pet names and probably more stuff but i need to go to sleep.

a/n: this is the farthest it can get from original. you've probably read 10 other fics with the same premise but i just wanted to write some sweet and filthy virginity loss sue me

"I can barely get a sentence out around him and you think I'm gonna ask him to have sex!?"

"well yeah" Jordan laughed "It makes sense"

Your friend was looking at you like she'd just suggested getting ice cream, while what had really just come out of her mouth was really, exponentially different.

"you're out of your mind if you think-"

"just shut up" she interrupted, rolling her eyes "It would be a fucking walk in the park"

Your eyes widened exaggeratedly at that.

Did she have any idea about what she was suggesting?

The last time you'd interacted with Joel Miller all he had to do was ask how summer break was going for your face to get as hot as the sun and for you to end up muttering some nonsense and running away.

"He'd never say yes"

Again, Jordan's eyes rolled back.

"Y/n listen I love you but sometimes you can be real fucking dumb," she said, fighting a smile "The guy probably hasn't gotten laid in years!" she huffed a laugh "And with you? With a hot young piece of ass like you!? No guy on the planet would say no"

"You-you're just saying that... and you don't know him"

"I know men"

__ __ __

You didn't even remember how you'd gotten there, all you knew was that Joel Miller was right in front of you, opening the door to his fucking house.

"Hi"

Your face was already getting warm and your voice was just an inch above unhearable.

"Hi darlin'" he greeted you, smiling with that slow, easy smile that made you want to cry every single time.

How could a human being be so hot?

"Come on in" he nodded behind him "What's goin' on?"

Now here was the problem. You had no plan whatsoever, and this was setting itself up to be a complete shitshow.

"I..."

You weren't even meeting his eyes, you could see him trying to catch a glimpse of your gaze but you couldn't do it- to be quite frank you were already starting to panic... and to regret your decision.

"you want something to drink?"

You looked up at him, your mouth slightly open as your words died on your tongue.

Jesus, he was handsome.

You hadn't gotten the chance to really look at him before, but now there he was in all his glory… huge strong muscles fighting against his shirt and all.

"c'mon, I'll get ya some water"

You didn't miss the smirk on his lips as he caught you ogling his arms.

Definitely not off to a good start.

He handed you a glass of water, and you took it, willing your hands not to shake.

The golden light of the afternoon sun seeped through the curtains of his kitchen windows, illuminating the space with a calmness that completely contrasted with your state.

"boy problems?"

You almost flinched at the sound of his voice.

"gotta beat somebody up?"

He must have thought you were dumb with the way you were staring at him all wide-eyed, not daring to speak a word.

You needed to think of something, preferably right now.

"n-no, nothing like that” you shook your head, forcing a smile.

A beat of silence passed before you decided to take back already what you’d said.

“well actually sorta"

He frowned, shifting his stance from one foot to the other.

He was waiting for you to expand on your words, but the birds chirping on the nearby trees were the only sound in the room.

"you can talk to me doll, I ain't gonna bite"

You could feel your cheeks get hot.

Jesus it's like everything he did was scandalously sexy- every time he spoke with that sweet drawl of his, every pet name he used for you... he could have peeled his clothes off slowly as he gave you a lap dance and the effect on you would be the exact same.

"Well I just..." you started "I've got a... problem"

He looked even more confused.

Were you about to tell him you're pregnant? No that would be impossible, he'd never seen you with any guy around here... but maybe at college.

For some reason, the thought of you with another guy... with a boy... didn't sit right with him.

Actually, he knew the reason, throughout the summer he'd caught himself staring a little too long at you more times than he'd like to admit- it was like all of a sudden you had grown, and the sweet little kid living next to him was now suddenly a gorgeous woman. He didn't really know what to do with that information, with the inappropriate feelings and urgings weighing in his gut every time his gaze fell upon you and you squirmed embarrassed like a shy little thing.

"alright..." he urged you to go on.

"Sarah's not home right?"

His brows drew closer together as he frowned.

Why would you ask that?

"She's at a friend's"

You nodded, suddenly looking more resolute, even if the way your teeth tortured your poor bottom lip was enough of a tell of how nervous you were.

You had decided. Jordan was right. There was no harm in trying, and if it didn't go right you'd just avoid him for the rest of your life.

"I'm a virgin Joel"

You saw his eyes widen before your own words had even registered.

"O-oh"

That's all he could stutter. I mean what was he supposed to say? That seconds before he thought you were about to tell him you were pregnant? That he could not understand how someone as beautiful as you, with the billion contenders he was sure you had, still had not found a single one to have sex with?

"And I... well the thing is that I don't want to be anymore"

He tried to get back to how cool and collected he was before- you were here to talk to him after all, the least he could do was be as helpful as possible.

"right" he cleared his throat "you want some advice on how to navigate this thing?"

The silence and the look on your face told him quite the opposite.

What were you here for then?

"No- I- the thing is that... I was wondering if maybe you'd agree to-" you bit your cheek as you finally spat it out "to be the one to do it"

Joel was sure his heart had stopped.

"babygirl-" The words had barely left your mouth and he was already stopping you.

You felt tears prick your eyes... you knew that tone.

"I'm sorry it was a stupid-"

Goddamn you Jordan.

You were already planning to run out the door when he spoke.

"darlin' I'm pushing forty here"

That's not what you expected him to say. He wasn't disgusted, or amused, or angry...

"yes but-" You tried to speak but he was talking over you again.

"you're twenty... you ain't even old enough to buy a six-pack, I-I- that ain't something you're supposed to do with me"

Joel would have never admitted it, but he was saying those things mostly to himself- to desperately fight the instinct that took over him the moment you explained the reason you were at his house... the instinct to take you up the stairs and fuck you so good no one else would ever compare.

"b-but it's what I want"

You weren't giving up. You didn't know what, but there was something about the way he was going about it that told you there was still a sliver of a chance.

Only there was a lot more than a sliver... and the way you were looking up at him with those desperate doe eyes was upping your chance as you spoke.

"I trust you, Joel," you said "You're the only man that I know that I would trust with this"

He sighed, shaking his head "If your dad found out- Jesus I wouldn't live to see another day darlin'"

Your hand found his chest, strong and solid as rock beneath your palm.

"I won't tell" you murmured, your words verging on pleas "I-I won't tell anyone Joel I promise" you swore, looking up at him as his own eyes bore into yours.

"You're the only one I want to do this with... the only one I trust"

You could see the resolution, the fight, leave his face.

How the hell was he supposed to say no?

Christ, not even a priest would have that amount of self-control.

"fuck sweetheart" he shook his head before looking up, a long breath leaving his throat "You're gonna get me killed"

You didn't even try to hide your excitement.

Your heart was beating a mile a minute as you asked "Is- is that a yes?"

His eyes- his beautiful, big, hazel eyes were back on you.

"'f course it is"

You smiled so wide your cheeks hurt.

It was really happening.

You were gonna lose your virginity to Joel fucking Miller.

"A-are we gonna do it now?" you asked, almost breathless with joy "I-I mean only if you feel like it of course"

"If I feel like it..." Joel couldn't help but laugh "You really have no idea do ya?"

Your mouth parted in confusion.

Did you say something wrong already?

"About what?"

A beat passed as he stared down at you, almost amused.

"About whatcha do to me, sugar"

__ __ __

The door to his bedroom closed with a soft click, and all of a sudden, you were the only two people on earth.

His eyes didn't leave you for even a second, and although you felt very much on the spot, you liked his gaze on you.

"If you change your mind at any point darlin'," he said, walking closer to you until his right hand could gently move some hair out of your face "You tell me, and I'll stop, ok?"

"mh-mh" you nodded, although you were more than sure no changing of mind would happen... God, you didn't even know how long you'd dreamed of this.

"Don't gimme that doll, use your words" he corrected you, his thumb drawing circles on your cheek "Later too"

"O-ok, yes, I-I understand"

He smiled, amused.

"there's no need to be nervous sugar, we'll go real slow ok?"

"y-yes"

He couldn't help but chuckle.

"what can I do to make it better?"

You had an immediate answer in mind. The only thing you had been able to think about since he got this close.

"Can... could you kiss me?"

Jesus H. Christ.

Joel had to fight the urge to laugh. He'd drop to his knees and lick every inch of you if you asked, and you were wondering if he could kiss you...

"I can do whatever you want, babydoll" he murmured, as he slowly leaned closer.

You placed your hands on his big strong chest as you raised yourself on your tiptoes, and before you knew it... his lips were on yours.

You were holding your breath as the sound of your beating heart pounded in your ears.

This was really happening- this was real-

But before you had time to take it all in, the sweet feeling of Joel's lips on yours, of his beard, his nose, his hands, it was like something switched, a knob turned in his brain, and Joel wasn't kissing you anymore- no, he was devouring you.

He'd tried to go as soft and slow as he could but the moment you let out a little whimper... it was like he got possessed.

The hand on the back of your neck forced you impossibly closer as the one on your waist tightened enough to bruise, and he was... his tongue was desperately savoring every inch of your perfect mouth, swallowing all your pretty sounds.

His lungs screamed for relief but breathing was the last thing on his mind.

He'd never kissed like this.

Your panties were soaked once he finally pulled away.

He was about to apologize for losing control, but by the way you were looking at him, there was nothing to be sorry about.

"I'm gonna take off your clothes now doll, ok?"

You nodded, your breathing ragged, your cheeks on fire.

With just one kiss, he'd rendered your mind an empty mess. You doubted you could remember your address at the moment.

"What did I say 'bout usin' your words?" He murmured, his thumb tracing the shape of your swollen mouth.

"Sorry," you whimpered weakly.

He wouldn't have heard you if he had been but an inch away.

"Y-yes, you can take my clothes off"

He smiled at that, leaving another soft kiss on your lips before both his hands reached underneath your shirt.

His big, warm hands detoured to caress your sides, leaving shivers in their wake, before he brought your top up until he slid it off.

His eyes fell on your tits, still covered by your bra, and he looked up at you to check if you were alright before oh so slowly undoing the clasp and letting the garment fall to the floor.

He had to stifle the groan climbing up his throat because Jesus, he wanted nothing more than to take each of your perfect fucking nipples in his mouth and suck until begged him for more...

but he didn't, he let his self-control win this time as he reached for the waistband of your shorts.

He watched like a hawk every inch of skin that he uncovered until the shorts pulled at your feet and you stepped out of them together with your sandals.

Your breathing still hadn't gotten back to normal, and every fucking inch of your skin was on fire, burning with the intensity of his gaze.

He didn't say anything as his fingers slid past the waistband of your panties and with a quick movement pulled them down, leaving you completely bare.

Not able to stop himself, he groaned this time, his hands taking a tour of your body from your collarbones, to the valley between your breasts, to your belly, until his thumbs were but an inch from where you were burning with desire for him. But he didn't touch you there, no, his hands reached your waist as he stared at you 'cause god bless his heart, but he couldn't stop looking.

He liked his lips, as if he was hungry- starving- and you let out a small whimper, realizing you had held your breath all this time.

"You're... perfect babygirl"

You prayed he wouldn't judge you when he saw the mess that had become of between your thighs.

He can't say stuff like that and expect me not to melt.

His eyes were finally back on you, and the pure lust in them almost made you gasp.

He looked like a completely different man.

"Sit on the bed"

Your brain took a second too long to register his words.

I mean it's not every day you're naked in front of Joel Miller.

Joel's old mattress creaked as you sat on it, and you stayed there, diligently frozen in your spot as he took his sweet time to come closer.

He wanted to preserve the image of you sitting on his bed, naked, waiting, looking like a damn dream, in his brain for all the lonely nights of the rest of his life.

He stood there, towering over you, looking down at you as you looked up at him, and you felt even smaller.

You were about to speak, to beg him to please do anything, touch you in any way, put you out of your misery, when he crouched down, his eyes now level with yours.

His hands found your thighs and another whimper escaped your chest.

"Spread your legs f'me, doll"

And so you did, your heart pounding in your chest.

"Good girl"

This time, it wasn't a whimper that fled your mouth, but a small little moan.

Fuck

Heat rose to your face again and you looked away, embarrassed.

Of course, you liked to be told you're a good girl.

"None of that" Joel tsked, his right pointer forcing you to look back at him "Eyes on me"

You were so turned on you wanted to cry. But you didn't, you nodded, and just like that... Joel was leaning closer and his mouth... oh god his mouth had found your neck.

You gripped the sheets as your whole body started going on fire- as his mouth left hungry wet kisses under your ear, on your pulse, on your collarbones, on your tits, and when his lips wrapped around your right nipple... when his tongue toyed with your hard bud you swore you saw heaven.

Soft little moans started spilling from your mouth as he sucked and sucked and sucked, his hands going to support your boobs, pushing them together as his mouth went from one to the other again and again until you didn't even remember what it meant to breathe like a normal person.

It felt so good.

Who knew it would feel so fucking good?

Joel only stopped when your nipples were swollen and utterly drenched with his saliva, and you were about to protest when you felt his mouth traveling south...

"Joel" you whispered.

He looked up at you with that sexy fucking smirk on his face, not stopping the trail of kisses down your belly.

"Yes, doll?"

"What are you-" your sentence was interrupted by a gasp when his lips found your mound "W-what are you doing?"

His smirk only widened as his mouth dived lower.

"I'm gonna lick your pussy now darlin'" his low and lustful voice was enough to make you orgasm alone.

You could only blink, and then swallow, and then open your mouth... just for no words to come out.

Joel chuckled before kissing your inner thigh, sending a shock of pleasure to your core.

"'s that ok with ya?"

"Yes," you heard yourself blurt out before you even knew it, which made him laugh, a soft, vibrating laugh that fanned your core and rendered you all the more desperate.

"That's good to hear" he grinned, his mouth lowering until he was kissing your lips... your other lips.

Oh Jesus Christ

You spread your legs wider to accommodate him and he hummed in approval, taking them in his hands and forcing them on his shoulders.

Oh sweet Mother of Christ

He granted himself one look at your perfect, beautiful fucking pussy, before his eyes were back on you, and his tongue darted out without warning and licked your whole core like an ice cream cone.

"Oh"

Your hips spasmed for a second but before you had time to feel embarrassed, his tongue was back in action, only this time he was eating you as if he were starving.

He groaned in pleasure at your taste as his tongue explored every inch of you he could physically reach. His nose was rubbing against your clit and his beard felt so nice against your skin and oh god if you thought you'd seen heaven before you were wrong because the moment his lips wrapped against your bud angels opened up the pearly gates for you.

"Oh my god" you cried, your left hand getting a mind of its own and grabbing Joel's soft hair "Oh my fucking- Oh wow"

This was nothing like what you'd experienced before- nothing your own fingers had ever produced, this was... so so good.

"You taste so fucking sweet sugar" he groaned into you, sending another wave of pleasure through you "y've got such a perfect lil pussy babygirl" he continued in between lapping at your core "wish I could have it for breakfast every day"

You could only moan in response, and you could feel his smile on your skin as he watched the effect he was having on you.

Goddamn, you looked like an angel biting your lip as you moaned for him, your face flushed, your hand in his hair... this was the best decision he ever made- who gave a fuck if your dad put him in the ground, at least he got to see this.

"Gonna come for me doll?" he teased once he heard your cries get louder and your grip on his hair tighten "Gonna let me taste all your sweet juices like a good girl?"

Those words, once again, had their effect because in no time your hips were grinding onto him and breathless gasps were forcing their way out your throat as the best orgasm of your life shuttered through you,

"Just like that" he praised you as you rode the high "thatta girl- give it to me baby"

You were only partially aware of where you found yourself as you came down from the orgasm.

you were breathing heavily, your eyes closed as Joel made his way up your body, his lips pecking every inch of it until he finally kissed your mouth.

"You ok darlin'?"

Your eyes opened at once, the dreamiest look in them,

"I'm great" you grinned, making him smile before he kissed you again, slowly this time, letting you taste yourself on his tongue.

He only pulled away when you whined, your hands gripping his arms desperately as your body begged for more.

He sat up on the bed against the headboard, and it was then you finally realized he was still fully clothed...

You were naked from head to toe and he was still dressed... you had no idea why but that made you even hornier, which is why you hastily sat up.

"A- are we gonna do it now?"

He huffed out a laugh as his hand invited you closer.

"not quite yet sugar," he cooed as he guided you to sit on his lap, your back against his chest and your ass against... oh wow.

You could very much feel through his jeans the print of what felt like his huge cock right against your backside.

You couldn't help it, you shifted your butt, not so subtly grinding against him, and when his only response was to grab your waist, you couldn't help but do it again... and again, until you not only heard, but felt a groan rise up his chest.

"babygirl..." he murmured against your ear, making you shiver "You might wanna stop that"

You bit your lip, doing it again "Why?"

He inhaled sharply, his grip tightening "'cause baby, if you keep on goin' I'm gonna come, and you ain't gonna get what you came all this way for"

That made you want to stop and keep going at the same time.

The thought of Joel Miller coming because of you doing what you were doing...

"Don't ya even think about it sugar" He anticipated your actions as if he'd read your mind. You felt him smirk as he kissed you right under your ear.

To that you surrendered, stopping your movements at once.

He hummed, satisfied, inhaling your scent as his right hand slowly moved down your belly.

You held your breath as his fingers found your clit and his mouth your neck.

You couldn't see Joel from this position, but you didn't need to, you could feel him.

His ring and middle finger started circling your clit in a slow and precise motion and moans were already spilling from your lips.

"Joel" you breathed.

"'m right here" he promised, his voice husky, clouded by his lust.

His fingers continued their torturous path until he found your hole.

You could only gasp as his fingers dived inside of you.

Oh god.

"You ever done this to yourself doll?" he asked, his fingers thrusting in and out of you lazily.

You could both hear how unbelievably drenched you were, but that was the very last thing on your mind... what seized your attention at the moment were the sparks of pleasure Joel was igniting in your core.

"mh?" he hummed once you didn't answer, still kissing your neck.

"I-I did" you swallowed, your words interrupted by yet another cry when his fingers curled, sending much more than a spark of pleasure to your brain "Like... like twice"

"just twice?" Joel asked

"It just... it doesn't feel good"

His movements continued, making your breathing get more and more uneven.

"How does it feel now?" he accentuated his words by making whatever gesture he made that had your walls tightening around his fingers.

"G-good"

"Now that ain't gonna do" he cooed, his fingers all of a sudden leaving your core.

"B-but-" you were about to protest turning his way, but his voice took over.

"'s alright darlin', gimme your hand"

You looked down to see his hand waiting for yours, and without even thinking you did as he asked.

He placed his palm big palm on top of your hand, engulfing it, and he guided it down your body, past your belly button, until you were right where he was seconds ago.

"use these two fingers" he instructed, showing you the ones he was talking about.

"good, now get 'em all nice and wet" he murmured, guiding them through your slick folds to do just what he'd said.

You were back at your hole and your mind had stopped working.

You were just a doll, following his every instruction, watching closely his hand move yours as your core ached with desire.

"Now slide 'em in" he whispered, his honeyed voice hypnotizing.

And so you did, you pushed your ring and middle finger inside of yourself.

Why was this so fucking hot?

"Now go in and out" his words were your command, literally.

Again, the sound of your slick pussy spread through the room as you did as he asked.

"how's that feel?"

You weren't gonna lie, not to Joel.

"It's... it's ok" you breathed "Not as good as before"

He smirked, his tongue darting out to lick your pulse as his free hand traveled higher, finding your boobs.

Well of course it felt better before his fingers were two times yours.

"curl your fingers" he ordered, his palm caressing your tits "Like this," he said, showing you exactly what he meant.

He did almost like a "come here" motion, and although skeptically, you replicated it, and well... Joel Miller knew what the fuck he was talking about cause goddamn...

You cried out at the sudden burst of pleasure.

"Again"

And so you did it again, only this time, Joel's fingers had found your left nipple, and the way they toyed with it just as you fingered yourself made the feeling triplicate.

"Keep doin' that babydoll" Joel breathed, his mouth leaving hot, wet kisses on your neck and shoulders as his fingers tweaked your pretty nipples.

"just like that" he hummed as you cried out louder and louder, as you squirmed above him, your free hand gripping his thigh to have something to hold on to.

"that's it... look so pretty like this sugar" he continued "making yourself come like a good girl..."

Jesus his cock was begging for attention... this was the hottest fucking shit he'd ever seen.

Your legs were starting to close as your orgasm approached, and your voice, calling out Joel's name, was getting more and more desperate.

"so good" he groaned, his fingers pinching your nipple without warning "Y'look so perfect when you come babygirl".

That's the last thing you heard as a tsunami of pleasure overtook your whole body.

You were pretty sure you were shaking and wailing like a madwoman, but all you could really be sure of was what happened once you finally reopened your eyes.

You felt so very spent and you hadn't even done what you came here for yet.

Joel's eyes were boring into yours, his hands caressing your sides.

"Still with me?" he asked.

"Yeah," you smiled wide once again.

You felt like you were lying on a cloud, no thoughts or worries going through your head... just pure bliss.

"You still sure about this sugar?"

You had no hesitation.

"Yeah"

He smiled, kissing your lips for a brief second before leaning away.

The moment you realized he was finally taking off his clothes you were wide awake.

You sat up just as he discarded his shirt to the floor.

Je-sus.

This wasn't the first time you'd seen Joel shirtless. It wasn't a coincidence you chose to sunbathe every time he was mowing the lawn...

Yet, the breath was still knocked out of you.

He was broad, like seriously so. He was big and although you couldn't say he had a six-pack it was plain obvious the man was strong.

You didn't think it was possible, but you were getting even wetter.

You wanted nothing more than to let your palm caress his chest, the sparse hair on his pecs, the v lowering towards his pants...

Speaking of which, a gasp fled your throat the moment he took off his jeans, and by the time his boxers were off your mouth hung open in awe... and worry.

"you're..." you had to swallow to try and get some water to your dry mouth "Joel you're-- huge"

You weren't looking at him as he laughed, but at the big scary cock against his stomach bobbing with the movement.

"how would ya know, babygirl?"

You had to force yourself to look away from his manhood, and once you did, you found his gaze again.

"I... I've watched... stuff"

A side of his mouth twitched mischievously at the confession.

"Oh yeah?" he teased "My good little girl watches porn? 's that whatcha telling me?"

Why was it hot in here all of a sudden?

"N-No I just..." heat rushed to your face as you bit your lip "I-I mean-"

He laughed, cutting you off "'s ok sugar, I won't tell"

You could only offer him a little smile because to be honest, your focus was still on the reason you'd even broached the subject.

Your eyes were back on his dick, and while yes it was a worrying size, it also sparked curiosity and need deep inside of you. Which is why you moved closer to him, kneeling on the bed so that his cock was right before you.

And holy mother of God.

"Can I..."

You didn't even need to finish the sentence.

Jesus, if he were to be honest even just seeing you in this position was getting him close to coming.

"You can do whatever you want babydoll, I told ya"

You nodded, hesitantly leaning a little closer.

"I-I've never..."

"As long as my dick is in your mouth I'll be a happy man darlin'"

You gulped, biting your lip as you tried to understand where to even begin, and just then, a tiny bit of precum leaked from his manhood- so naturally, you acted on your first thought... and licked his head, tasting the tang of him.

You heard him inhale sharply as you continued licking, first just his head, then the sides, every ridge and vein... but it was only when you finally wrapped your lips around him that he lost it.

"Fuck"

He groaned like an animal and that only gave you all the more reasons to go further, forcing his dick into your mouth until it hit the back of your throat, causing you to gag.

"Fucking- Jesus Christ"

You looked up at him now, your hands finding his legs as you bobbed your head up and down, sucking so very well every inch you could fit... which was barely half.

He'd gathered your hair to the back of your head, but he wasn't guiding your movements, it was all you.

"Babydoll" he rasped, "I think that's enough"

But you didn't wanna stop. This was so hot... feeling him in your mouth, hearing him moan for you...

"Baby" he grunted "I ain't gonna be able to fuck you if I come down your throat"

Those crude words brought you back to reality... and made you even hornier.

You pulled away from his dick, letting it slap back against Joel's stomach.

"Lay down f'me"

You did, without question.

He stifled a groan at the sight, at the fucking image displayed before him once you obeyed his command and spread your legs.

Fuck.

He looked at your eyes, watching for any sign of doubt, of a second thought... but he found none.

It was then he finally took his cock in his hand, giving it a much-needed pump and making you swallow drily.

He was silent as he guided his tip to your folds, making it slide between them and catching on your clit... but you weren't.

You were letting out all sorts of little cries and whimpers and moans as he toyed with you.

But you too, fell silent once you felt him stop at your entrance.

"Mh-" you were starting to hum, biting down your lip as he began pushing inside when he suddenly stopped.

"Fuck- forgot the condom"

You blinked, trying to make sense of what had happened as he reached into his night table.

"Joel" you called for him, making him turn around, condom in hand.

"'m sorry darlin', should've remembered sooner"

But that's not what you wanted to say.

"Joel can we..." you gulped "can we not-- use it?"

He frowned as his dick damn near exploded.

You wanted him to fuck you raw?

"Jesus sweetheart you tryna kill me today or somethin'?"

You smiled, your hands fidgeting.

"N-no I just... this is my first time... I- I wanted to feel it, y'know?" you murmured "A-and I'm clean and if you... if you use it with all the other women then you must be clean too, so..."

Joel had the urge to laugh.

"That ain't what 'm worried about, pretty doll"

It was one thing your dad finding out he'd fucked you... a different thing if he'd fucking got you pregnant.

Your mouth formed an o shape as you remembered.

"O-Oh no, I-I'm on the pill"

I shouldn't do this.

There's still a risk.

I'm old enough to be her father I shouldn't be doing this for countless different reasons.

I shouldn't.

I really fucking shouldn't.

And yet Joel had already gotten rid of the condom and had made his way on top of you.

You smiled before he kissed you, taking away all the oxygen from your lungs.

"I need you to relax now sugar" he murmured, his hand guiding his dick to your entrance once again.

"O-ok" you nodded, feeling the very tip of him push inside you.

"Just like that" he praised, kissing you again "Doing so well f'me"

It burned.

The stretch got more and more demanding as he tried to push himself deeper into you.

"Ah!" you gasped, your hands gripping his biceps as he kissed your neck.

"I know baby, I know"

"I-it's big" you cried, planting your feet on the mattress to try and ground you.

"You want me to stop?" he asked, looking you in the eyes, although yours were shut close.

"N-no" you shook your head "I just... " you hissed from the pain as he slid in an inch further.

"You can do it babygirl" he whispered, still planting kisses everywhere he could reach.

"B-but it's too big" you whimpered desperately as he still kept going. It felt interminable.

"Don't ya worry 'bout it honey" he said, moving some hair out of your face "I'm gonna make it fit"

That got him the first little moan of pleasure, which coincided with you letting him get an inch deeper.

"Yeah you like that?" he cooed "You like the idea of me filling you up with my cock to the very brim?"

You moaned again, louder.

"I know you do sugar." one of his hands had traveled between your bodies to find your clit, making you cry out even louder "Want nothing more than to be full of me, do ya?"

"'s ok sweetie, we're almost there" he promised, his breath sending shivers up your spine "You're taking me so well... letting me stretch this perfect little pussy for the very first time..."

It still burned, but the worst was done, and his words were making you forget half the pain.

"such a good girl" he cooed "There we go, like that, lemme in babygirl... fuck"

You'd done it.

"Oh my god" you gasped.

You felt utterly and completely full, like your body had been missing a part of it all this time.

"Joel" you cried, your grip on his arms tightening.

"You ok sugar?" he asked, although you could hear the restraint in his voice.

"Yes" you breathed opening your eyes to look at him "Yes please do- do something"

He smirked as he gave you a quick kiss.

"I'm gonna start moving now, ok?"

You nodded hastily "Y-yes- please".

And so what could he do, if not exactly what you'd asked?

He retracted his hips just to thrust in again, and... wow.

"O-Oh my god" you cried, as he did it again, finding a slow and oh so very deep pace.

He was rolling his hips, grinding against your pelvis every time he trusted in, making fireworks explode in your body.

"Fuck, doll" he groaned, his pace quickening "Y'feel so good... so tight for me"

You could only moan at his words, your legs wrapping around him.

"it's like you were made for my cock" he said, staring at you although your eyes were closed.

He didn't want to miss even a second of this.

"To let me fuck you like you need" he hissed, having to refrain himself from coming too soon.

That had been a danger since the very first inch of him had entered you.

You just felt so fucking good.

"You're such a good girl baby, y've got no idea" he groaned, kissing and licking your neck "Taking me so well"

"J-Joel!" you basically screamed once the fingers on your clit resumed their work.

"I know baby" he cooed, continuing to fuck you thoroughly "I know it's a lot, but you can take it"

The sound of your skin slapping with his bounced off the walls with each thrust together with the creaks of the mattress.

"I-I- Joel" you kept on crying, your breathing getting more and more ragged as your belly tightened expecting the approaching orgasm.

"what is it darlin'?" he purred, "need me to fuck you harder, softer?" he murmured "Tell me what you want and I'll give it to ya baby"

"M-more"

He could only smirk as he picked up his pace, now slamming into you harder, feeling your walls tighten with each thrust.

"Oh god- O-Oh shit--"

"C'mon doll," Joel groaned as your nails dug into his skin "Be a good girl and come for me- let me feel you come around my cock"

He didn't even need to ask.

"like that" he rasped as your eyes shut tight and you cried as loud as your vocal chord permitted "Just like that- good fucking girl"

Each molecule of your body rearranged itself as the orgasm overtook your body, mind, and soul.

You were sure you had ascended to another universe, the only thing that grounded you was Joel's words as he reached his own peak.

"Fuck doll, 'm gonna come" he grunted " 'm gonna fill you up babygirl- like that- take it sugar-- take it all"

It took a long while for you to gain back consciousness, and when you did, you found yourself lying under Joel's blanket, his hand gently drawing patterns on your arm as he... he was watching you.

"There she is"

You could only find it in yourself to smile as you leaned closer to him, leaving a soft, quick kiss on his lips.

"Thank you, Joel"

[henrycangelbaby]

Thinking about John Price and his cute little assistant (reader) who ends up pregnant. 

A/N: Guys i was inspired while scrolling on the john price x reader tag, this legit came to me as a vision and now i have to write it (I plan on expanding on this idea so just stay with me!!!!)

Imagine being John Price's cute little assistant, just the sweetest little thing that John is kinda obsessed with. Like don't get me wrong she is amazing at her job, smart, put together and well organized and John does feel that her addition has been a positive one, taking some pressure off his shoulders and making sure his team is always prepared for whatever they are doing. She is very good at what she does, but that doesn’t stop John from admiring her. He knows he shouldn't be bit, he can't help it, she's young and sweet and a little bit innocent and he just wants to protect and love her all the time. 

In the beginning she was shy, only addressing him as sir and knocking on his door hesitantly whenever she needed to speak to him but gradually their boundaries became less and less. More often than not she works out of his office, whether he’s there or not, he insists on buying her an early lunch when she lets slip that she didn't have breakfast that morning. He has even picked her up from a night out once or twice, a little bit tipsy and calling the most trusted person she can think of that just happened to be her boss. He takes care of her as well, helping her get her makeup and clothes off before tucking her into her bed with a bottle of water and pain killers for the morning. He doesn't mention it when he sees her next, knowing how embarrassed she will be when he tells her the loneliness her tipsy self admitted. 

When she starts to get sick John is having absolutely none of it, driving her home and ordering her to take some time off (he even visits later that night to bring her some soup for her stomach). He doesn't expect her to look so sad when she comes back supposedly better from her “flu”, he doesn't expect to see her eyes shine with tears when he asks “what's wrong babygirl?”.  He sits them down on the couch in his office together, putting an arm over her and pulling her close for comfort. He certainly does not expect her to look up at him with those shiny wet eyes and admit she did something bad before crying that she's pregnant. It’s news to John who never even considered that his girl would be dating (let alone sleeping with) people. When he vocalizes this and she admits that her baby daddy isn't a very good guy, it's over for John. 

Suddenly he's all over her, promising to be there for her, that she can come to him whenever she needs. And he actually means it. Suddenly she’s staying in the spare bedroom in his house, not only does it have more room but John can keep an eye on her. She entirely moves into his office working on his desk with him, he gets her a comfy chair so she can be supported in the later months. He gets up to hold her hair back when she has morning sickness and ensures she gets enough nutritious food each day. When she starts showing, oh my god John doesn't know what to do with himself. That little bump peaking out of her tight skirts makes him foam at the mouth. Of course he prioritizes her comfort, insisting she change shoes and stop wearing those uncomfortable looking heels, but he keeps her in her formal work attire for just a little longer, just so he can see her cute tummy poking out of it. 

Speaking of her bump. He simply can't resist putting his hand on it. He feels so protective over it, best believe he goes feral if anyone tries to touch it. Hell all but breaks loose when his precious baby looks up at him with teary eyes telling him how uncomfortable she was when some rando put their hand on her stomach, (someone definitely lost their job that day). He eventually has her sitting in his lap, cooing over her and reassuring her that they won't get in trouble, that really he is the big boss anyways. He just loves having her there, perched on top of him he rests his head on her shoulder both arms coming around to cradle her now bigger bump. 

John mandates maternity leave when she starts getting big, maybe around seven months when she spends a lot of her time complaining about back aches and swollen ankles, of course he does what he can to help her but it gets to the point where he knows that she should be resting. He has to basically forcibly put her on leave, reassuring her panics about money by promising to take care of her. And oh boy does he. He gives her foot massages and holds her belly, when she starts outgrowing her clothes best believe he would hand over any of his so she can fit in them more comfortably. He's just all over her, unable to stomach the fact that soon she will have a real live baby. That baby is about to become the most protected baby in the entire world.

That's all I have for now because I fear if I begin rambling about the rest of the 141 neither of us might make it out alive. (just know this baby is going to be so damn spoiled it’s crazy). 

[scam-alerts]

🔎Scam Exam(ination)🔍(updated 3/4/25)

Seen as: I would like a commission of my son/pet... Scam Type: Commission

Also: See this update on how scammers are changing the scam.

Accounts running this scam: furrynachodelusion breeariaga7

Proof of iloveartworks being a scammer can be seen/found here and here. The other accounts listed above all follow the same script and additional proof and can usually be found in the tags: #scam, #scams, or #scam alert.

IMPORTANT: Update as of 1/31/25 - They are now threatening law enforcement if you do not send them payment via the fake paypal email. This is a scare tactic. Please see that section once you get to it. Thank you.

-----

Being open to commissions isn't uncommon if you're an artist.

You may often find yourself receiving messages from strangers looking to commission you for a picture of their OC or even their favorite ship.

But if you receive a message like this, you should be careful you don't fall into a scammers trap.

-----

How it starts:

it starts by receiving a message from another user requesting a commission. Again, typical common practice if you're an artist.

What they ask for at the start, is usually the first red flag.

IMPORTANT 1/15/25: These scammers are now sending Asks and commenting on peoples posts asking 'are you open to commission? Send me a DM.' So please be aware of this as well!

Here are some images of how this scam conversation starts:

Images provided by: (1)@neogandw, (2)@foggywiz4rd, (3-4)@maikaartwork

🚩Red flag's (part 1)🚩

I want you to draw my son/daughter.

I want you to draw my son/daughter's pet.

It's a blank blog with no posts/reblogs

It's a blog that's only a few days/week old.

While this request seems simple enough, this scam gets worse.

Here are some recent examples of the dog they will request:

-----

An offer too good to refuse:

Now you may be thinking, 'surely this can't be bad or malicious, right?' They just want you to draw a picture of their child or their child's pet! And that's definitely what the scammer wants you to think. Which is what brings us to the next set of red flags:

Left image from @neogandw, right image from @maikaartwork

🚩Red flag's (part 2)🚩

'I will pay you $200-$500+' (an amount way way beyond your normal asking price.)

'I just want the best you can do.' (They don't know how to answer questions related to details such as pose, background, style, objects you want included, etc.)

'It's for their birthday/holiday' - ' I want it done as soon as possible.' (They will push that you do this with a sense of urgency so you don't ask questions.)

-----

The Catch:

Now, if you haven't reported and blocked them by now, and you agree to take this persons commission, this is where the catch to this scam comes into play.

If you tell the scammer to send you an invoice, they will refuse.

If you tell them to use your preferred method, they will refuse.

Those methods just 'wont/don't work', you see.

What they really want, is your PayPal email and your name.

From here they will say that they sent you payment, and that you should check your email. Or that 'they got an email and something went wrong' and that you should check your email.

And here is where the scam comes to ahead.

They will send you a fake email meant to look like it came from PayPal that looks like the ones shown below:

Second image provided by @badlibbing

Second set of images provided by @petxka, thank you!

This third image comes from @elrealelchunk on 1/31/25 and is very important. Scammers are now threatening law enforcement if you do not send them money.

Again as noted in the top of the post, this is 100% a scare tactic.

-----

What this email means / How this scam works:

In the case of screenshot one (provided by @neogandw) the 'MONALISA' is the person who was trying to commission them.

The payment hasn't 'went through', and the e-mail (from 'fake PayPal') is saying that they, the artist, needs to send $200 to 'MONALISA' to 'expand the limit' of their account to get the $500 that is owed to them.

Read the e-mail and think about what you're being asked to do:

'You are to send (name) money to expand your account.' You are to send someone money, to get money.

If your account is limited, why would you need to send another PayPal user money to 'unlock' your account or 'expand it', and not just contact PayPal itself to try and resolve that issue...?

This is not how PayPal works, in any sense.

This is just a way for them to scam you.

There are also a handful of red flags in this email alone.

🚩Red flag's (part 3)🚩

The sender address is not from an official paypal.com address, but instead a gmail.com address. This means that this came from a person, not a company.

The formatting. Let's be frank, no official email from PayPal will ever look like this.

The spelling/grammar issues are everywhere.

Weird url's at the bottom of the email. (I removed them for safety reasons)

Additionally: You may also find or see links in this emails instructing you to 'go here' to unlock your account. These are phishing (wikipedia) links that they will use to steal your PayPal login information. Never click links in emails asking you to 'fix an issue' with your account unless you can verify who the sender is.

If you send these people your money, you will get blocked and never see them again. That's just how this scam goes...

If you'd like another variation of this scam which talks about money wiring, you can check out @maikaartwork's version by clicking here!

-----

Final thoughts:

If you fall for a scam like this, thankfully there still might be hope.

Contact PayPal and explain what happened in detail. Show them every shred of evidence that you have showing that you were scammed including the name of who scammed you, and the email that sent you the scam, and who you wound up sending the money to.

If you use the messaging system that uses the AI chat bot, ask it repeatedly to 'speak to a real person' until you get sent to a live agent. (this is stupidly frustrating but sadly it's what you have to do.)

And remember, take screenshots and report these users to the websites they are running these scams on. If they DM you on tumblr? Report the DM. If they do it on insta, bsky, twitter or even discord?

Make sure you report them there too.

ALSO: Beware of recovery scammers. This is anyone coming into your DM's telling you they can 'help you get your money back' after you made a post talking about how you got scammed. These scammers are just looking for a quick buck.

Here's a post about ethical hackers (aka recovery scammers)

Other helpful guides on spotting scams. (by @kyra45)

[vanteguccir]

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤI WANNA GET MARRIED * SPENCER REID

SUMMARY　::　Where after JJ's wedding, a new certainty is born in Spencer regarding his relationship with Y/N.

FEATURING　Spencer Reid x reader　　REQUESTED?　no.

WARNINGS　::　fluffy fluff.

AUTHOR'S NOTE　::　that is my work, I DON'T authorize any form of plagiarism; copy, "inspiration" or translation! | english isn't my first language, so I'm sorry if there's any grammar error.

The hum of the television filled the dimly lit apartment, casting soft, flickering shadows against the walls. Y/N curled closer against Spencer, her body nearly molding into his as they lay sprawled across the green couch, tangled together like they had been built that way.

The warmth of his chest radiated through the thin fabric of his t-shirt, soothing, steady, safe. Her leg was crooked up, knee brushing against his hip, while her hand slipped beneath his shirt, fingers splayed across his ribs, tracing lazy patterns over the soft skin there.

Spencer’s arm rested heavily around her, one hand tangled in her hair, his fingertips running slow, absentminded strokes against her scalp. It was a ritual by now - this, them, the comfort of each other's touch as they watched Solaris (1972) for what had to be the tenth time. The dialogue was familiar, predictable, and yet, tonight, something felt off.

Spencer wasn’t making his usual comments. He wasn’t explaining the philosophical subtext of the film or discussing Tarkovsky’s use of long takes. He was just... quiet.

Her gaze flickered up briefly, but his was still fixed on the screen, his expression unreadable, lost in thoughts she couldn’t reach. Her brows furrowed slightly, but she didn’t move, didn’t break the quiet just yet. She let a few more seconds tick by, let another scene play out on the screen, before finally murmuring, almost absentmindedly.

"You’ve been off... Since the wedding."

Spencer’s fingers stilled against her hair for just a beat - barely a second - before they resumed their slow, rhythmic movement. His chest expanded beneath her palm as he inhaled deeply, his other hand shifting, sliding down her back, fingertips catching the fabric of her - his - oversized CalTech t-shirt and rucking it up slightly to trace against the warm skin below.

"Yeah." He exhaled, his voice quiet, weighty

Y/N let her eyes flutter shut at the feeling, but she wasn’t letting this go. Not with him. Not now.

"Talk to me, Spence."

Spencer’s jaw tensed slightly, his gaze remaining forward, as if watching the film would make it easier. As if keeping his eyes on something else would make it less real.

He sighed again, deep, before finally answering.

"Just... realized some things, I guess." His tone was too casual. Forced.

Y/N didn’t buy it for a second. She knew him, knew every little shift in his voice, every deflection. And she wasn’t going to let him retreat into himself. Not when she'd come this far in making him feel safe enough in her presence to open up about anything.

"What things?" She asked, still in a whisper, still soft, but unwavering.

She felt the breath he took before he spoke. It was a slow inhale, like he was gathering himself.

Then, out of nowhere-

"I want to get married."

The words sat between them, heavy and unfiltered. And for the first time in days, Spencer didn’t feel the weight of them pressing against his chest. Instead, he felt relief. Like finally speaking it into existence had made the storm in his mind settle, if only just.

Y/N made a small sound, something soft and curious, shifting against him slightly.

This was new. Definitely new.

"In general?"

Spencer shook his head immediately.

"To you."

A puff of air fanned against his collar, and for the first time since the conversation started, he finally tore his eyes away from the screen, tilting his head to look down at her. His eyebrows creased, trying to read the expression on her face, trying to gauge what she was thinking. But for once, he couldn’t.

And that terrified him.

"Honey?" He called, voice quieter now, unsure.

Y/N blinked up at him, her grip tightening slightly where her fingers rested against his ribs before she finally spoke, voice just as quiet, just as steady.

"You know... we kind of already are."

Spencer let out a confused hum, tilting his head slightly, and Y/N smiled, small and knowing.

"Married."

Spencer rolled his eyes, immediately trying to pull back - like a child -, but her hands didn’t let him.

"I’m serious, Y/N."

"I am, too!"

She was quick to defend herself, shifting so her head was level with his, her nose nearly brushing his as her free hand rose, fingers soft as they brushed through the strands of his hair, pushing them away from his eyes before trailing down, featherlight against his cheekbone, then resting just above his jaw.

His lips parted slightly when her thumb tugged gently at the corner of his mouth, his breath hitching just the slightest before she murmured.

"I would."

Spencer’s brows furrowed, his usually more than fast brain catching up a second too late.

"What?"

Y/N’s lips twitched, the corners of her mouth tilting into the softest, sweetest smile as she clarified.

"Marry you."

Something warm and blinding spread through Spencer’s chest so fast it nearly knocked the breath from his lungs. Hope surged up like a tide, crashing over him before he could even think to brace himself.

"Yeah?" He breathed, voice quiet, almost like he didn’t believe it.

Y/N nodded easily, fingers tapping gently against his skin before they slid down, cradling the base of his skull, her blunt nails raking against his scalp in a way that made him shiver.

"Yeah." She confirmed, soft but certain.

Spencer purred at the attention, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment, just soaking it in. Y/N huffed a small, amused sound, shifting again, pressing closer.

"Marry you a thousand times over if I could." She murmured. "Keep you with me forever."

Spencer huffed out a soft laugh, his lips twitching as he scoffed.

"Never getting rid of me anyway."

His lips hovered just above the warmth of her skin before he finally gave in, pressing a slow, lingering kiss against her exposed shoulder from the loose collar, feeling the way her muscles relaxed beneath his touch. He slid his mouth higher, teeth grazing the delicate skin of her collarbone before he latched on, sucking just lightly, just enough to feel her shudder.

Y/N sighed, completely and utterly at ease, her body melting like butter against his.

"Good." She breathed, voice barely above a whisper, and Spencer felt his lips curve against her skin.

Forever. In every sense of the word.

© vanteguccir

[omagpies]

Recently saw your roleswap AU and I’m loving it! I have a few things I’m curious about:

1. So by my understanding Anya failed her flight certification 8 times and PE was cheap enough to be fine with that? Did she never pass? Makes sense, I’m just kinda clarifying lol

2. Does nurse!Curly also feel like he wants to try something different in his career like in canon? Did he also not have enough savings after PE went under? Did he go to nursing school or did he also fail his entrance exams?

3. What’s Daisuke’s story in this AU? Did his mom push him to go to trade school to become a mechanic? Did he do that on his own and his mom suggested working with PE?

4. It’s so interesting to me that Anya tried E-dating after getting back to earth and seemingly got rejected based on her appearance, poor girl :( but I’m kinda wondering about Curly’s perspective on this, did he have feelings for Anya while she was E-dating and just sucked it up for her?

5. I’m kinda curious about Curly and Anya’s relationship pre-crash, was it a little bit flirty like in canon? Did Anya try to approach Curly with what Jimmy was doing or was the blackmail powerful enough for her not to say a peep to anyone?

haha gonna answer all of these at once! but first here's something on 5 :)

she never passed the Official Legit certification but passed what counts for it in PE (so, certified only to fly PE vessels) and kind of sees it as her last chance to make it as a pilot. still hopes to get properly certified one day, working at PE to make the money for simulator hours and exam fees

curly actually went to a med school on a football scholarship but had to drop out about two or three years in because he started prioritising studies over practice and the money got pulled. used the money he had left to switch tracks and certify as a nurse. joined PE because space travel sounded fun but is pretty bored of it because he doesn't get to do much on a regular haul. he isn't quite as existential in this regard as canon curly because working in a people-oriented nurturing profession actually makes him feel useful, he just wishes he could be more useful ya kno? has enough savings to be able to rent a place and find a job at a hospital, so overall it all kinda works out for him if you don't count all the horrors

i think in this au daisuke's mother actually pushed him to intern as a mechanic a few years earlier than in canon, which is how he met swansea (pilot with engineering background) and got inspired enough to go into trade school. by the time the events of the au begin he is a certified mechanic though not with a lot of experience :"3

curly has had the biggest fattest crush on anya almost the entire time of knowing her (i feel like he kinda spawns in already in love with anya), so her E-dating phase is kinda rough on him (like, Very rough; mans full on wasting away from his heart getting broken in tiny ways a hundred times a day), but he is king of denying himself and putting others first so he does his best to be A Good And Supportive Roommate about it. he even tries to date other people too! but with not nearly as much gusto and it never goes far. he is too whipped

there was definitely Something. i'll expand on it a bit more in a later ask i got about captain anya, but the tldr is that she goes to great pains to Act Professional and curly is never in a million years going to confess anything. and then jimmy's arrival blows it all up and any kind of romance plummets down everyone's lists of priorities. and anya never tells curly anything -- this is her problem to deal with, and with him being jimmy's friend there is a tiny part of her that is afraid of not being believed even though she overall thinks he's a good guy :")

anya writes all kinds of things, but it's all fiction. she dabbles in poetry, but her two main points of focus in prose are a) long meandering stream of consciousness type of pieces that span generations and have very convoluted plots and interpersonal relations (think woolf's waves meets one hundred years of solitude), inspired largely by the time she had to lie there and do little more than drift in and out of delirium and think, and b) shameless smut that starts out as your run of the mill romance and suddenly changes genres halfway through (funny how life can just Change all at once huh). she never really gains a Massive audience but does have a considerable number of dedicated fans of both categories

(more roleswap au)

[gremlinmodetweeker]

Do you still write?if so you write cuddling with cat koing but then he suddenly changes into his human form?

Okay so, I just finished my Mer!König au series, so I think it's finally time to tackle some of these asks. I definitely do still write for it, I just had a little blip around January-early May where I was going through a lot. At some point it might be worth posting about, but the point is that I'm better now and I hope to write more!

Now, this is a very interesting ask because I think this would only go one way.

König likes cuddling. Sometimes, a bit too much. He's an obnoxiously cuddly cat. He'll brush your face with your tail as you're blowing on soup while watching youtube. He's insufferable. However, he sometimes loses control a bit.

The last few times König lost control, it was when you were asleep. He'd be rolling around on his back while you slept and then, all of a sudden, poof! König would shift into his human form and smother you with his back. As soon as he shifts he shifts back, but let me tell you, reader probably goes to a doctor for a couple of months because waking up to something crushing you only to open your eyes and see nothing? Genuinely terrifying.

Well, that all comes to an end on a Friday night. Horangi is chilling and sitting on the chair in your room, sleeping soundly as he likes to do in the evening. König, however, is desperate for attention.

He's just living the best life and rolled on his back in your lap. His big yellow eyes are bright and his pupils have fully expanded as he's looking up at you.

You're watching youtube when you feel his paws reaching up at your face.

"König, stahp," you grumble as he knocks your food off your fork.

He mews and bats at you again.

"What's going on with you?" you mutter bitterly.

Seriously, this cat.

He merps again and you look down. As soon as you do, you sigh. He's just too cute to ignore.

You groan as you put away your laptop and put your plate down to focus your attention on your sweetest cat.

His eyes go even wider as you start to rub his cheeks. His purring is infectious, and soon you're smiling and cooing at how pretty your little prince is. You're just loving the feeling of rubbing his cheeks and you giggle when he drools a little bit. He's looking completely blissed out when, all of a sudden...

Poof!

It takes a minute for your brain to catch up as a giant man flops off the bed and onto the floor.

You're frozen in place, staring at the spot König once was as you hear someone profusely cursing in German.

You slowly turn your head to look up, and there you see a giant man with bright blue eyes staring down at you. His face is shrouded in a black hood with an all-too-familiar set of red tear tracks and his body is covered in that dreadful tactical clothing.

Him, you thought, it's Scary Big Bastard Man. And he's... He's in my lap???

"König?" you squeak.

"König what the fuck!?" you hear a man scream behind you.

You whip your head around to see a Korean man glaring at him. His eyes snap to you and he gulps.

The friendly Korean man.

"Okay, so, um, let me explain-"

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE!!!"

You throw your laptop at the big man and your plate at the other and they curse and scramble towards the door.

"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU AND WHAT DID YOU DO TO KÖNIG!?"

"I didn't do anything!" man mountain screeches as the other rips him out through the door.

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!!!"

You're running at them and grabbing anything you can to throw at them as they go.

"THE DOOR! GO TO THE DOOR!" the Korean man yells and shoves the man down to the kitchen floor.

You grab a knife and throw it at them, lodging it squarely in the big man's foot.

He screeches and in an instant...

Poof!

The knife clatters to the ground and where the big man was is now your dear sweet precious baby König, mewling with a bloody back paw.

Your eyes widen and you look at the Korean man glancing between you and König.

"Um," he looks down at König whining on the floor, "hi? My name's Horangi? You might know me as your pet cat."

You look down at König then back up at him.

"You know, like, nyah?"

You throw a knife at him too.

[tired-demonspawn]

im working on something else rn but a lil while ago i made a star wars au, so here you go :)

the main idea is written in the corner but imma tldr it(also i dont trust the upload quality of the pic): set in roughly prequel era robotnik used to be a high up republic special weapons group guy and, as a high up military guy, was assigned a jedi bodyguard, that being stone.

once his inventions got a bit too war-crime-y the republic had him jailed and stone (who fell in love with him) breaks him out and they start being weapons dealers

other misc details under the cut

okay so some of these are mentioned in the pic but i wanted to specify/expand/clarify:

stone never really falls to the dark side, that's actually why he couldn't bleed his own crystal (which let's be completely clear he would be willing to do for robotnik), he simply didnt have the hate and pain necessary to do it. he follows robotnik, his devotion and duty to him is what gives him strength in the force(think knights of zakuul)

to go with his brand, also just to show that he could, robotnik made stone a lightsaber with a black market red kyber crystal... smthn smthn your lightsaber is your life...

i went with orange for his original one because

it provides a nice contrast with the rest of his fit

it goes with robotnik's colour scheme

he simply does not have the temperament of a purple lightsaber, i dunno man the vibes are off

for my fourth reason let me present to you a quick clone wars episode concept:

--

(clone wars intro music)(random quote) UNCERTAINTY HAS GRIPPED THE REPUBLIC! the separatists have captured a republic military research vessel along with its scientists and military generals! it is up to only 3 brave jedi to save them.

(i fucked up the tone of the intro guy by the middle, and also i dont really have a 3rd guy i just wrote 3 cuz it seemed like a number they would use)

anyway gimmick clone wars intro aside

robotnik was forced entirely into the military uniform(including non special gloves) for a special scientific military meeting where "even jedi werent allowed" it obviously being a trap robotnik had a few aces up his sleeve, but even so, stone was told to stay on alert, because robotnik was most definitely getting kidnapped.

so when robotnik misses all 3 agreed upon check ins stone contacts the council(hes already somewhere with a lot of jedi, its not just a matter of "he thought it best to report"(and waste precious time that could be spent saving the doctor?) but "he literally cannot take a ship and leave without it raising suspicion"), he basically tells them something like "we cant waste any time arguing, im going. i am closest to the last reported location" so the council sticks 2 more people on him(if it was an actual episode they would most likely be already established, so we could see a "familiar face" interacting with this new character of stone)

anyway they find where did the seps take them because obviously robotnik chipped himself.

with the correct password(that only stone has(not that he knows that hes the only one)) robotnik can be tracked even through hyperspace(not exactly, but it at least gives a general quadrant of space, which ofc after leaving hyperspace gets pin-point accurate)

they get to the base, they sneak around trying to find how to get to the prisoners(because its nice that they have robotniks coordinates to the tenth of a milimetre, but they dont have the base blueprints)

during the dramatic peak of the ep, there's a weirdly menacing moment where the mild mannered jedi knight, that was kinda made fun of the entire episode for being "reduced to an errand boy" can actually swing a lightsaber around pretty well.

and then he unties robotnik, helps him up, asks if hes alright("of course not, imbecile! what took you?" "the tracker wasnt as accurate while in hyperspace as you theorised" "hm. well in any case none of this would happen if it werent for this stupid uniform" "i have a change of clothes prepared for you in the ship") aaannnd the errand boy is back

fast forward, robotnik was both arrested and freed, is now doing his own thing.

the two knights that were with stone in that "initial episode" are snooping around one of robotnik's labs, investigating this new arms dealer. they're on a terminal of some sort and behind them out of focus of the camera a bright orange lightsaber ignites, contrasting sharply against the red/blue tones of the lab.

"you aren't welcome here." the former jedi knight says.

--

and scene

so yea hope that last bit sold you on the orange lightsaber bit

originally wanted to post this au with more art attached but alas life had other plans.

anyway if you've read this far i hope you have a nice rest of your day :)

also dont be afraid to ask any questions about this au, i have so many thoughts about it, so im 100% sure i didnt include something i deffo have figured out because i either a) forgor 💀 or b) didnt know how to properly explain a vague feeling about a possible situation

[dpspcehntr]

Inspiration: Zayne

Sylus || Xavier || Rafayel

Zayne x Reader

A slow exploratory night with Zayne.

Word Count: 1.3k

Warnings: fingering, oral (f receiving), P in V, temperature play (if you squint)

A/N: Hello all! Welcome to part one of this series! I was going through my drafts and I found an old idea I never actually did anything with and so I expanded it! I'm often listening to music when I write so this was honestly inevitable. This was such an easy pick for Zayne, this song honestly picked its self for him. I recommend listening to the song as you read if possible. This is set very early in their relationship. If you squint you could say this is one of their first times together but it doesn’t have to be. I hope you all enjoy and reblogs are always appreciated!

Zayne places a hand on your thigh as you turn to look at him. His eyes sparkle with a desire you’ve never seen before. His skin is icy to the touch as his fingers linger on your heated skin. He’s discussing something about his job that you definitely should be paying attention to but the desire to get closer overwhelms your senses. His hand has risen higher on your thigh absentmindedly as he continues on. Usually he isn’t very chatty but tonight he seems to be avoiding something. He gives you another once over and he stumbles on his words. So it’s you he’s avoiding, is he avoiding how much he desires you? You scoot closer to him and settle in close. You want nothing more than to climb in his lap and let him ravish you but you hold back. His hand on your thigh only gets colder as you watch him get more and more flustered. You place your hand over his and gingerly move it just a bit closer to your inner thigh while giving him your full attention. A blush creeps onto his cheeks and he clears his throat.

“You don’t have to be afraid of your desire for me.”

The words leave your lips before you can think. He blushes a deeper pink before turning his head away from you. It hadn’t been that long since you reconnected and discovered a spark between you both.

“I’ll have you know it is not fear. I just didn’t account for how intense the feeling would be. I won’t lie it is overwhelming but I’m an adult and I have self control.”

He tries to move his hand from your thigh but you grip his wrist. You place his hand on your hip and hold it there while you climb in his lap. You lean into him, your lips inches away from his skin.

“Don’t I get a say in how this goes? If I may be blunt, I want you. Right here and right now.”

His grip on your hip tightens as you let go of his wrist and drape your arms over his shoulders. You run a finger along the back of his neck as you watch his composure continues to falter.

“May I?”

You whisper along his neck before he gives you a nod. You plant your lips on his pulse point and trail up to his jaw. He hisses under your touch as you continue up to his lips. You hesitate for a moment before he closes the gap between you both. The kiss is electric, leaving you breathless and desperate. You slide your fingers in his hair pushing him deeper into you. All restrain leaves you as you moan into the kiss. The taste of him was addictive as you deepened the kiss, begging to mold further into him. He begrudgingly breaks the kiss for air and looks at you. This time you felt he was finally seeing you in your entirety, giving himself over to his more base desires. His eyes linger on your lips, chest, thighs and finally your eyes. Being seen so wholly was exhilarating. You felt drunk on his attention, landing once again on your lips. He pulls you in for another kiss while laying you down on the couch. He slot comfortably between your legs as he kisses down your neck. One hand is planted on your hip as the other holds him up.

“Touch me, please. Zayne touch me.”

He pauses for a moment before sliding his hand from your hip underneath your skirt.

“Here?”

He whispers on your lips as he lightly presses into you. You arch into his touch crying out underneath him. He presses his fingers deeper into your clothed core. He captures your lips in his once more before sliding a finger underneath your underwear. He moans into your mouth at the feeling of your wetness, suddenly overcome with his own desire. Two fingers enter you with ease. He presses into your sweet spot and curls his fingers. His name spills out your lips as he thrusts his digits in and out of you. Each movement of his fingers leaves you begging and writhing underneath him.

“You’re so warm.”

He whispers on your lips before pulling his fingers out of you. You whine in protest as he shifts himself above you. He leans down in between your legs, lips inches away from where you need him. You look down at him, his pupils are blown wide as he watches you, waiting for the go ahead. You squeeze out a yes before throwing your head back on the arm rest. He hooks his fingers underneath the band of your underwear and carefully pulls them down. You bite back a moan as he hums approvingly at the sight of you. Here on display for him, it was better than anything he could’ve imagined. He presses his lips to the throbbing nub and takes it into a delicate kiss. Tears well up in the corner of your eyes, your lust for him only growing more and more overwhelming as he explore you. He takes a tentative lick inside you. Your hands slink into his hair to hold him there. His tongue so delicious on your aching core. He takes his time, savoring the taste on you on his tongue. You can’t wait any longer, you need to feel him inside of you right at this moment. You grip him by the hair and lift him away from you.

“I need you. I need you right now.”

He sits back up before leaning over you once again. You reach for the belt on his pants but he swats your hands away. He pulls you into another searing kiss while he situates himself out of his pants. There’s no time to undress, you’re both much too caught up in the moment for that. You hike up your skirt pass your hips and wait for him.

“Let me know if you need me to stop.”

He takes himself in his hand and lines himself up with you and thrusts inside. His other holds your hip to keep you still. He lets out a loud groan as he bottoms out, his eyes screwed shut in concentration. Even after all this he still was holding back. You were much too gone in the feeling of him to give it much thought. Being this close to him was enough. He pulls out completely and looks down at you again, though he looks composed you see the desperation in his eyes. He needs this release just as much as you do. He thrusts back into you staying there for a moment before setting a slow pace. You reach out to him and bring his lips to yours as he increases his pace. You whisper praises onto his lips as your high quickly approaches. He pulls away from your lips to settle his head in your shoulder. His thrusts became more erratic as his release draws closer.

“Where do you want it?”

He groans in your ear, teetering on the edge he wasn’t toning to last much longer.

“Inside me, please.”

You press more of yourself onto him as the tension in your body snaps as you wail out. Your release spreads through your body, making you shake and cling onto him with what strength you have left. His release is buried deep inside you as his hips stutter to a stop. He lets out another groan as you clench down on him, milking his release. You stay like this for a moment, letting you both come back down from this moment. He pulls out of you slowly and looks over you. He pulls you back in for another kiss before getting up to clean you both up.

[imaginespazzi]

Part 8: The Toxic In Intoxication

Masterlist - Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 9 - Part 10 - Part 11 - Part 12 - Part 13 - Part 14

Your mouth is poison (your mouth is wine)

(In which an all over the place writer, writes something that's a little bit all over the place)

Pairing: Paige Bueckers X Azzi Fudd

Themes: Angst, Fluff, Jealousy,

Words: 9.0K

TW: Swearing, a little bit of violence, mentions of blood, men being men

A/N: Hi lovelies :) Unfortunately, as I've been warning y'all for a while, the deadline did finally slip through my fingers. However I'm hoping y'all will forgive me for it because I am only one day late and this chapter is quite long. I do wanna warn y'all in advance that there won't be a chapter next week because I am going on vacation and my laptop is staying very, very far away from me. There's a lot going on in this chapter and I'm not sure how I feel about the whole thing but I'm hoping y'all will enjoy it anyways. I did actually edit this time but who knows how successful that was, so please let me know about typos/mistakes. As always, feel free to tell me about what you liked, what you disliked and anything you'd like to see going forward. Have a lovely rest of your weeks my loves <3

August 2025

Azzi Fudd is a spectacular liar. She excels at keeping up a façade of yes everything is perfectly fine in front of her friends and family. She’s quite good at tricking people she can barely stand into thinking oh yes i’m totally enjoying this conversation. But the person Azzi lies the most to, is without a doubt herself. As she steps out of the car into the hot Indiana air, bustling with noises from the growing crowd inside, Azzi internally repeats a lie to herself again: she did not show up to all-star weekend for a glimpse of her ex girlfriend. She’s here, as per Colleen’s managerial advice, to build connections, to further her career and to expand on opportunities in the basketball world. The fact that Paige Bueckers, who Azzi hasn’t seen in three months -the longest period of time they’d spent apart since she’d started at UConn- is definitely also going to be attending tonight’s party, is merely a happenstance. 

Taking a deep breath, Azzi puts one kitten heeled foot in front of the other, trying to ignore her heightened nerves. This isn’t her preferred scene by any means. She’d much rather be back in her hotel room, curled on her couch with a book and a pint of ice cream. It’s not that Azzi doesn’t like parties; she has her fair share of fun at Ted’s, but it’s the unfamiliarity of the environment and the lack of that once ever present comforting hand that used to tap out i’m here for you against the back of her own at big events like these, that has her yearning to crawl back into the car and hide away. 

“Azzi?” a familiar voice calls from behind her and Azzi lets out a sigh of relief as she sees Aaliyah walking towards her with a large welcoming grin, “Azeray!”

“Li-Li. Thank god you’re here,” Azzi reaches up to hug her former teammate, mentally thanking whatever god was looking out for her. She’d dreaded walking in by herself and now she wouldn’t have to. Really she probably should probably send Coach a ‘thank you’ text for having so many alumni in the league that there was bound to be a Husky she could attach herself to for the night. 

“I’m glad to see you too Az,” Aaliyah says, pulling away and looking at Azzi with a semi-concerned look, “but you seem a little extra relieved to see me? You good dude?”

“Just- just a little nervous,” Azzi admits, shuffling her feet uneasily. 

Realization dawns on Aaliyah’s face, “cause of Paige?”

“No you know I don’t like big unfamiliar places,” Azzi sighs when Aaliayh gives her a pointed look, “but I guess maybe- maybe a little cause of Paige.”

The Mystics forward shakes her head before linking her arms through Azzi’s, “I swear, I leave y’all for one year and everything implodes-," she bites her tongue, "shit was that insensitive?”

“No,” Azzi grimaces, “that’s pretty much exactly what happened.”

Something hard coils in her stomach at Aaliyah’s words. The truth is they’d been fine. Better than fine even. And then suddenly Azzi was lighting a box of matches she hadn’t even known she was holding and her whole world was on fire; an implosion of everything Azzi had once thought inflammable. She’d burned her hands trying to rescue them and all she has to show for it are invisible red hot pustules that refuse to heal. But perhaps, she thinks, that’s what a pyromaniac like her had deserved. 

Azzi cowers under the flashing lights of the cameras, clinging tighter to Aaliyah’s arm as the two of them make their way onto the orange carpet, the cameramen immediately swinging their devices to capture the college basketball player more than likely to be the number one pick in next year’s WNBA draft. She feels herself tense under their piercing gaze, anchored only by Aaliyah's strong and steady presence next to her. And as they pose for the cameras, she’s thankful for her former teammate’s company but she can’t shake the feeling that it should have been someone else. 

“And look who we have here,” Lexie Brown says excitedly as the two of them approach the interviewer, “y’all Huskies clean up nice.”

“We try, we try,” Aaliyah answers charismatically, doing a little hair flip to match her tone. 

“Aaliyah, it's your first all-star nod, how are you feeling?” 

“I feel great, you know it’s always good to see yourself being acknowledged and being an all-star has always been a goal of mine. So, I hope it’s the first of many and I’m just hoping my team gets the W tomorrow,” Aaliyah answers diplomatically.

Lexie turns to Azzi, “I bet you’re really proud of her. I mean you’ve got a couple of teammates who are first-time all stars between Aaliyah and Paige. You’ve gotta be feeling pretty proud of them”

“Y-yeah I mean,” Azzi clears her throat, trying not to flinch at the mention of Paige’s name, “It’s been- it’s been really exciting to watch them and I’m extremely proud-”

She’s cut off by the sound of excited chatter filling up the air and Azzi doesn’t have to turn around to know who’s just entered the premises. Not when she has a whole separate sensory system that flares up just for her. Azzi’s skin prickles as she registers the sound of familiar peals of laughter echoing from the orange carpet. She digs her nails into the palm of her hand, forcing herself not to turn around. 

“Speak of the devil,” Lexie says goodnaturedly, getting her hand ready to beckon the blonde over and Azzi feels panic suffocate her lungs, not quite ready to face Paige yet. 

“Oh I don’t think-” Aaliyah tries to cut in, glancing worriedly at her friend but it’s too late. 

“Paige,” Lexie calls out, beaming over Azzi’s head at the Dallas Wings’ newest star point guard. 

The world seems to move in slow motion as Azzi feels Paige getting closer and closer to her. She smells the faint scent of fresh mint weaved with a hint of citrus first. Then she hears the sound of Paige’s breathing, perfectly even to anybody else but Azzi can hear the staggered harshness hidden beneath it. And as the blonde passes over her to settle on Lexi’s other side, she feels Paige’s arm brush against her own and it hurts to breathe. The contact lasts for a second but Azzi swears it’ll last forever, tattooing itself on her bicep as a wretched reminder of a touch she’s no longer allowed to crave. 

It’s funny, there’s a hurricane swirling between them and Paige can barely look at Azzi, keeping her eyes firmly on Lexie and Aaliyah as she greets the trio. And yet, there’s a sense of calm -of peace- that seems to wash over Azzi just by having Paige near her again. The older woman seems to possess some sort of magical power that weaves itself into Azzi’s nervous system, soothing away her frazzled nerves with an unspoken promise of and if you give me the chance i’ll make it all okay. 

Despite the hectic transition from a full college season to a frantic W season, Paige looks ethereal as always. Her two piece cropped vest top and straight fitted pants match the color of her eyes and a silver chain dangles across her chest. Two strands of blonde hair hide her signature diamond studs, the rest of it pulled back into a slightly messy bun. Azzi gulps at the way the vest top parts right above her midriff, Paige’s toned abs playing peek-a-boo behind it. She lets her eyes roam over Paige’s exposed arms, trying to ignore memories of how they used to go taut under her touch, down to the blonde’s bare fingers and she feels her heart constrict. No rings. It feels wrong. But then again, nothing has felt right for three months. 

“Azzi,” Aaliyah hisses and Azzi snaps out of her thoughts, realizing she’d been asked a question. 

“Sorry,” she laughs nervously, moving a strand of her hair out of her face; Paige’s eyes intently following the movement, “what was the question.”

Lexie smiles, “I was just asking about your thoughts on Paige’s amazing rookie year so far?”

“Oh um-” Azzi hesitates, shivers inching up her spine as she feels Paige drinking in the sight of the her body like she's a woman parched, “I’m just-” their eyes lock with each other’s and everything else seems to vanish until it feels like it’s just the two of them floating in between remnants of what they used to be, “I’m just really proud of her. I always knew she’d be amazing. She’s just doing what she always does. Being the best player she can be. So yeah I’m just- I’m just really proud of her.”

And Azzi doesn’t know how they got to this point where Paige seems almost shocked that Azzi could be proud of her, to this point where there’s droplets threatening to spill over both of their water lines and they no longer have the right to wipe each other’s tears away. 

“Aww,” Lexie coos, oblivious to the tension, “well on that sweet note, off y’all go and we’ll see y’all later.”

The walk into the party is kept alive with Aaliyah’s attempt at keeping a conversation going. While Paige tries to at least entertain some of, Azzi finds herself completely zoning out until they finally make their way inside into the cacophony of music and laughter. 

“Y’all wanna get-” Aaliyah begins.

“I see Jewell and Téa,” Paige cuts her off immediately, her legs already moving in a rush, “I’ll see y’all later.”

She gives Aaliyah a tentative grin but barely looks at Azzi as she practically trips over her pant-sleeves trying to get away. It feels like something’s biting against her skin, sharp teeth indenting you did this to yourself as Azzi watches Paige walk away. She watches as the tension slowly leaves the blonde’s muscles as she’s pulled into a hug by Jewell and then by Téa. The fake smile that she’d politely kept on her face the last couple of minutes for the sake of the cameras and reporters is replaced by something far more genuine. Azzi watches as Paige is absorbed into the warmth of the growing crowd, embraced by a league that adores her, and she feels the ice cold pinch of she belongs somewhere without you now start to freeze her own heart. 

***

Azzi’s doing fine. She’s gotten through the night with Aaliyah by her side, making small talk with a bunch of different players and she’s managed to keep a friendly smile the whole time. She’d even danced for a little bit, letting loose with some of the other college basketball players that had made the trip to Indianapolis. Sure, she’d occasionally been distracted by her eyes flickering over to the bar and finding a new pretty influencer batting their fake eyelashes at Paige but really she’s doing fine. Her head’s a little dizzy and maybe the third shot of tequila, influenced by a one leggy brunette that had gotten a little too handsy, wasn’t her brightest decision of the night but really, Azzi’s doing fine. 

Until she’s not. 

And it’s Paige's fault. She had to know that it would be Azzi’s last straw. She had to know that Azzi could live with watching a thousand girls flirt with Paige as long as the blonde in question stood rigidly by the bar doing nothing but smiling politely at them. She had to know that Azzi, after having spent most of their college life watching girls fawn over her girlfriend, could deal with the flirty hands that lingered just a little too long on Paige’s bicep. But it’s when Paige leans into this one girl -whose dark curls and tanned caramel skin are just a little too reminiscent of her own- when Paige’s lips graze just a little to close this one girl’s ear, that Azzi realizes she’s decidedly not fine. 

“I need some air,” she manages to bite out, ignoring Aaliyah’s concerned look as she marches out the back door, heading towards the deck. 

Azzi buries her face in her hands as she leans back against the brick wall. She knows she’s being unfair; knows she has absolutely no right to feel this way but something burns within her anyways and the light breeze does nothing to cool it down. 

“I’m not cheating on you,” a harsh voice interrupts her pity party and Azzi sucks in a sharp breath, “We’re not together and I can flirt or kiss or fuck-” she flinches, “anyone if I want to.”

“I know.”

“Do you?” Paige’s voice is laced with accusation, “because the way you just stormed out says otherwise.”

Azzi continues to keep her head in her palms, refusing to look at the blonde, “it’s hot and stuffy in there. I just needed some fresh air.”

“Don’t you ever get tired of lying,” Paige spits out. 

“Well what do you want me to say instead?” Azzi finally looks up, her even cadence in stark contrast to Paige’s fiery tone, “I know we’re not together-”

“Because that’s what you wanted-”

“I know,” Azzi yells, and then quieter, “I know. I know I- I know I did this. But that- that doesn’t make it any easier to see you with someone else,” she swallows, “doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. Doesn’t mean I don’t miss you.”

Paige scoffs, rubbing her face as she begins to pace, “you miss me? I was at Mohegan when y’all had summer camp. The whole team showed up to the game except for you and you want me to believe that you miss me?”

“I didn’t think you’d want me there,” Azzi confesses in a whisper, “you were so mad at me after-after everything- and I just- I didn’t want to ruin coming back to Connecticut for you.”

“For me,” Paige lets out a laugh devoid of any emotion, “god Azzi there you go again with this fake ‘selfless’ bullshit.”

A thousand and one retorts die on the tip of Azzi’s tongue as she shakes her head and pushes herself off the wall. She can smell the alcohol on Paige, can tell the blonde is itching for an argument but all she feels is pure exhaustion. 

 “I don’t wanna fight Paige. I’m tired and I just-” she bites her lip, fighting the urge to caress Paige’s cheek, “believe it or don’t but- I really do miss you.”

Sparks of electricity dance their way through Azzi’s veins when Paige curls a hand around her wrist, stopping her in her tracks from going inside. And suddenly she doesn’t feel so cold anymore. 

“Dance with me,” Paige whispers. 

“What?” 

Paige shrugs, tugging on Azzi’s hand to pull her closer, “you said you don’t wanna fight and I- I don’t want you to go,” the confession hangs between them as Paige’s hands fall to Azzi’s waist, “so- let’s just- let’s pretend.”

“What are we pretending?” Azzi asks quietly and despite the warnings ringing in her head, she wraps her arms around Paige’s neck. It feels like coming home. 

“We’re pretending that we’re okay,” Paige says softly, holding Azzi’s hips as she begins to sway them gently, “we’re pretending that three months ago you said yes.”

“Paige-”

“Close your eyes Azzi,” the blond waves her hand gently across Azzi’s face, willing both of their eyelids to flutter shut, “we’re pretending that we’re not here- we’re in Minnesota or DC or I don’t know just- anywhere. And our families are here, laughing and talking and some sappy romantic song is playing. It's the best day of our lives and we’re both- we're both dressed in white-”

“Paige,” Azzi lets out a sob, as she begins to understand the picture Paige is painting for them; a picture drawn on a canvas that Azzi had torn up before any color could touch it

“Sshhhh just- let me have this okay,” Paige’s voice trembles as she leans her forehead against Azzi’s, “if I can’t have it for real, please just let me pretend.”

If they were both just a little bit more sober, maybe Azzi would fight Paige’s tightening grip. If they were both just a little bit more sober, maybe Paige would let go. Instead Azzi lets Paige play pretend, lets them keep their bodies pressed against each other, moving from side to side in rhythm with the wind. 

It isn’t until she hears footsteps approaching them that Azzi hurriedly moves away first and she can see the betrayal of if only you’d just let me hold you in front of the world written all over Paige’s face. They’re both quick to swap their tears for smiles that don’t reach their eyes as they turn to face the intruders. And Azzi wonders if Paige wishes she’d drank a little bit more too. Because maybe if they were both just a little more drunk, then tomorrow they wouldn’t have to remember just how right it had felt to play pretend tonight. 

April 2033 

“You look so pretty Mama,” Stephie gushes from where she’s perched on the bed as she watches Azzi put the finishing touches to her makeup

“Thanks baby,” Azzi smiles, blowing a kiss in the mirror. 

“Miss Buecks,” Stephie flips the running facetime call, skipping over to her mother with the phone in her hand, “doesn’t Mama look beautiful?”

Sixteen years later, and maybe it’s because of all the time they’d missed in between, but Azzi can’t help the bout of shyness that flushes across her features when Stephie places the phone, Paige’s face illuminated all over it, against the mirror so the blonde can get a proper look at Azzi’s outfit.

“You look-” Paige clears her throat, eyes dilated as they rake over Azzi’s whole body, “you look phenomenal.”

“Big word Bueckers,” Azzi teases, trying to disguise her blush, “did you just learn it?”

Paige rolls her eyes, “can’t even give you a compliment without an insult Fudd.”

“You guys argue too much,” Stephie says exasperatedly, shaking her head at the two adults who laugh. The younger girl sometimes seems far wise beyond her age. 

“We’re not arguing Stephie, we’re just-” Azzi struggles to think of a word. 

“Foreplaying,” Paige mutters under her breath and Azzi immediately glares at her. 

“Paige!”

Stephie scrunches up her nose at the screen, “what does that mean?”

“Nothing,” Azzi says shrilly, “Miss Buecks is just making up words.”

“Why would Miss Buecks do that?” Stephie asks, looking back and forth between her mother and the screen. 

“Why does Miss Buecks do anything,” Azzi babbles, as she begins to usher Stephie out of her room, “go grab your things Stephie-bean. Mama’s almost ready to drop you off at Nana and Pop’s house.”

Stephie pouts, “I wanna go to the party with you and Miss Buecks. It’s no fair you both get to go and I don’t,” she picks up the phone, looking at Paige with wide guilt-tripping eyes, “don’t you love me Miss Buecks?”

Azzi has to hand it to her daughter. She’s a smart one to choose Paige as the victim of her emotional blackmail, knowing her wiles had long stopped working on her mother. 

“You know I’d take you with me if I could Stephie,” Paige says, “but I’ll make it up to you tomorrow I swear.”

Stephie smiles and Azzi shakes her head at how quickly the five-year old’s plan had worked, “you’ll take me to the park and then we’ll get fries and then get ice cream?”

“That’s a lot of junk food Steph-”

“Ssshh Mama,” Stephie chides, “this is between me and Miss Buecks.”

“The park, then fries, then ice cream it is,” Paige concedes and Azzi rolls her eyes. 

Stephie grins brightly, puckering her lips to kiss Paige through the phone and eliciting a laugh from the older woman when she cheers, “you’re the best-est-est Miss Buecks. See you in a little bit. Don’t hang up without saying goodnight.”

“I promise I won’t,” Paige calls out after the little girl as Stepehie hands the phone back to Azzi and starts skipping towards her room. 

Azzi gives the blonde a look, “we have got to have a conversation about you learning to say no to her.”

Paige shrugs unhelpfully, “I don’t want to learn how to say no to her.”

“You’re a lost cause,” Azzi remarks, hands on hips, “and foreplay? Seriously? Us bickering is not foreplay.”

“Well it could be if you’d just let me fuck you after,” Paige grumbles and Azzi’s mouth falls open at the bluntness of it. 

“You say the most romantic things to me Paige Bueckers.”

They’re both quiet for a second as Azzi moves around her room, collecting her wallet and keys and to put into her purse. 

“You know there’s still time for me to come pick you up,” Paige says finally.

“Paige,” Azzi sighs, not wanting a rerun of the same argument they’ve been having for the last week. She knows it’s a touchy subject for Paige; that it veers a little too close to insecurities that stem from their past but she’s not quite ready to take this step yet. There isn’t quite any rhyme or reason to her logic except well, she’s haunted by memories of the last time they’d let the personal mix with the professional. Her phone still holds invitations to countless team reunions that she’d actively avoided and a group chat that she’s long muted. Azzi hasn’t stepped foot in the state of Connecticut since she’d entered the draft; she refuses to lose California too. 

“Teammates can carpool,” Paige explains vehemently, “it’s easily explainable.’

“I know-”

“Is this about Clémence?” bitterness tinges the edge of Paige’s voice as she chews her bottom lip. And there it is, the other subject they’d been tip-toeing around since it had been brought up at breakfast a week ago. Paige and Azzi are both excellent at avoiding talking about the harder topics but they’ve never quite managed to let anything go forever. 

“Why would this be about Clémence?” 

Paige narrows her eyes, sitting up from where she’d previously been lounging against her pillow, “maybe you don’t want her to see us together? Maybe you’re trying to spare her feelings I don’t know.”

“Paige-”

“You know what it’s fine,” Paige huffs, “I’ll see you at the bar Azzi.”

She hangs up before Azzi can say anything and the brunette lets out a litany of curses under her breath, annoyed with Paige’s ability to go from A to Z by skipping everything in between. There’s a part of her that knows Paige deserves an explanation about Clémence, a chance to have her lingering doubts confirmed or denied, but amidst the egoistic thoughts of well she married someone else and the self preservationist urge to prevent a potential fight, she hadn’t been brave enough to approach the topic just quite yet. Azzi’s about to step out of the room, when her phone pings with a facetime call from Paige again. 

“Are you calling to apologize for hanging up?” Azzi asks with a frown. 

“No,” Paige replies stubbornly, “I called because I hung up without saying goodnight to Stephie and just because I’m mad at you doesn’t mean I’m gonna miss saying goodnight to her.”

Something wonderful and warm blooms in Azzi’s chest as she silently walks over to Stephie’s room. This is a new chapter in Paige’s storybook that she’s slowly beginning to read; one scribbled with the blonde’s devotion to Azzi’s baby girl. Azzi still has every other chapter memorized; had thought nothing could be more beautiful than the words within the one that had been dedicated to her. But she’d been wrong. Because every day that she watches Paige and Stephie fall more and more in love with each other, she finds herself falling in love with how much they love each other. 

“Miss Buecks,” Stephie squeals, practically snatching the phone from her mother’s hand as she goofily grins at the screen, “you didn’t hang up.”

“I promised I wouldn’t,” Paige says, the hardness that had existed in her voice while talking to Azzi, dissolving into adulation, “you be good for Nana and Pops okay?”

“I’m always good,” Stephie says matter-of-factly, “can you come over really, really, early tomorrow?”

Paige laughs, “I’ll be there as soon as I wake up.”

“Good,” Stephie claps contentedly as she grabs Azzi’s hand to start walking towards the car, “good night Miss Buecks.”

“Good night Stephie-bean,” Paige echoes, blowing a kiss through the screen. 

“Paige,” Azzi says urgently, trying to stop the older woman from hanging up, “can you just hold on a second while I buckle Stephie in.”

“Az-”

“Please.”

“Fine,” Paige says, averting Azzi’s gaze as she sulks. 

Azzi lifts Stephie onto the car seat, fastening her seatbelt and pressing a kiss to her daughter’s cheek, before she closes the car door and uses it as a stabilizing structure to lean on as she pulls her phone back in front of her. 

“Hey,” she whispers. 

“Hi,” Paige says back begrudgingly, “you wanted to say something?”

“I-” Azzi swallows, “don’t go the bar-”

“Oh fantastic,” Paige cuts her off, her voice furious as she glares daggers at Azzi through the phone, “not only do you not want to go to the bar together, you don’t want me to go at all. Fine. Okay. Whatever. I won’t go. You have the time of your life with fucking Clementine or whatever-”

“Yet,” Azzi says loudly, trying to speak over Paige’s angry rant, “don’t go to the bar yet.”

“What?” 

Azzi licks her lips, “don’t go yet. I’m gonna drop Stephie off at my parents-”

“What does that have to-”

“Will you just let me fucking finish?” Azzi almost bangs her fist on the car in frustration and she’s glad to see that it makes Paige look just a little bit sheepish, “as I was saying. I’m gonna drop Stephie off at my parents and uh- your house- it’s um- it’s on the way to the bar so I thought,” she shrugs with fake nonchalance, the edge of her mouth turning upwards, “I thought maybe- maybe I could pick you up on the way.”

Paige stares blankly at the screen, eyes blinking as Azzi’s words slowly register, “you- you wanna go to the bar together?”

“I didn’t say that,” Azzi teases, eyes twinkling as she basks in the thrill of eliciting that Azzi smile from Paige’s lips, “teammates carpool right?”

“Teammates definitely carpool.”

April 2029 

“You invited Clémence to our movie night?” Jana asks in a whisper, as she walks into the kitchen where Azzi’s making popcorn. Her Saturday nights have gotten rather boring since she’s had Stephie, consisting of alternating between movie nights with Jana and dinner with her parents. It wasn’t the most thrilling of times but she looked forward to them all week, excited to not have to spend a night in solitude.

“She asked what I was doing tonight and I told her we were having a movie night and then she asked if she could join and well I couldn’t just say no,” Azzi explains, sticking the bag into the microwave. 

Jana cocks an eyebrow, “do you want me to leave?”

“Why would I want you to leave?” Azzi asks, crinkling her nose as she juts out an ear just in case the baby monitor goes off. 

“C’mon Az,” Jana says pointedly, leaning on her elbows against the kitchen counter, “you’re telling me there’s nothing going on between the two of you?”

Azzi grimaces uneasily, not quite wanting to answer the question, “nothing that would require you to leave.”

“If that’s the way you want to play it,” Jana relents, grabbing a soda from the fridge on her way back to the living room, before she pauses in the doorway to look back at Azzi, “but I know what it looks like when somebody’s in love with you. And that girl out there,” she nods her head towards where Clémence is daintily sitting on the couch, “she’s definitely getting there.”

Jana’s a rather observant person but Azzi knows that she’s at least a little bit wrong this time. Because Clémence might be a little bit in love with -even if that’s not a fact Azzi particularly wants to acknowledge- but it's impossible for her to look at Azzi the way Jana remembers someone else looking at her. That had been something completely different; a gaze that saw all the little chinks in her armor, all the imperfections carved against her walls and loved her inspite of them, maybe even because of them. Clémence might love her, but Azzi doesn’t think anyone can be in love with her the way the person she’d been hopelessly in love with, had. 

When she walks back into the living room with the popcorn in hand, still plagued by her younger teammate’s words, Azzi’s deliberate to sit on the couch next to Jana instead of the open space next to the francophone. The flash of hurt in Clémence’s eye causes guilt to trickle down her spine but Azzi thinks a flash is better than the tsunami of pain she could cause if she doesn’t start to ease herself out of this right now. There’s a selfish part of her that doesn’t want to, that’s going to miss having somebody who hangs onto her every word. Azzi likes this feeling of being wanted, even if it’s not by the person she wants. But that person isn’t hers to want anymore and she won’t torture Clémence by barricading her in the same jail that has held Azzi’s soul captive for the last four years. 

They’re about half way through the movie, awkward tension eased by Jana’s incessant chatter, when Azzi’s phone buzzes. Already confused at the timing of the call, she’s even more perplexed to see Ice’s name flashing on the screen. 

“Oooh Iceyyy,” Jana’s eyes light up when she catches a glimpse of the CallerID, “put her on speaker. Ice is one of our UConn teammates,” she explains, turning to Clémence who nods in recognition, “she probably did something dumb as fuck and need Azzi’s advice.”

“Don’t be mean,” Azzi scolds with a grin, knowing that Jana’s probably right as she picks up the call, “hello-”

“I hate you,” Azzi freezes at the sound of the familiar voice, laced with unfamiliar malice. Next to her Jana stiffens immediately while Clémence observes the scene in front of her with a guarded frown. 

“Paige who the fuck are you calling?” Ice’s voice is muffled in the background, “oh shit, Paige give me back my phone.”

“No. She needs to hear this,” Paige grits out, her pitch wavering with the effects of alcohol, “she needs to hear how much I fucking hate her. Azzi do you hear me? I can hear you breathing. I know you’re there. Did you hear what I said?”

“Paige,” Ice hisses again. 

Azzi swallows the lump in her throat, fingers digging into her bare thighs as she grips her phone so hard, she half-expects it to break into pieces in a reflection of her heart, “I heard you Paige.”

“Good. Because I do. I really fucking hate you,” Paige repeats again and Azzi flinches, “you ruined me Azzi. And now you’re ruining my marriage. My wife is perfect. She loves me. She loves being seen with me. She loves being known as my wife. Everything I ever wanted from you, she’s willing to give me. But she saw that damn hug at the Olympics and she- she’s upset with me. She thinks- she thinks I’m not over you.”

“Az maybe you should-” Jana says softly but Azzi immediately raises a hand to stop her. Maybe she’s a masochist but she can hear the hurt laced underneath the anger in Paige's voice. And if what Paige needs to get rid of her pain is a target to aim all her arrows at, then Azzi’s willing to sacrifice her heart, or at least what little is still left of it. 

“And the worst thing about it,” Paige’s voice breaks, “is that she's probably right. I have the perfect fucking woman at home and I can’t seem to get over the one who broke my heart and never looked back. Isn’t that pathetic?”

“Paige,” Ice pleads again and Azzi can hear her former teammate trying her best to wrangle the phone out of Paige’s firm grasp. 

“I’m not done yet Ice. I need to talk to her and I need to talk to her now because if I don’t, I’ll never get the courage to say any of this again,” Paige is sobbing now, and her broken whimpers pierce Azzi’s heart deeper than any words could,  “why couldn’t you just have said yes Az? I know- I know your reasons but why- why couldn’t you have just loved me enough to look past them? How do you do it Azzi? How do you live without me because it’s been four years and I- I still don’t think I know how to live without you and I hate you, I hate you because you do.”

No, Azzi thinks, I really don’t. But she doesn’t say anything, rapidly blinking back tears as she avoids both Jana’s concerned look and Clémence’s more thoughtful gaze. 

“I wish I could just feel nothing towards you Azzi,” Paige confesses, heaving as she struggles to breathe through her tears, “I don’t want to hate you. I don’t want to miss you and I really- I really, really don’t want to love you. Please just make it stop. I’m so tired of this Azzi. I’m so tired of hurting. How do I make it go away? Please tell me how I make it go away? How did you make it go away?”

“I didn’t,” Azzi whispers, so soft she’s not sure Paige heard it; she’s not sure if she wants Paige to have heard it. It’s the kind of pain, she thinks, she’s destined to feel forever. It’s weaved itself into every crevice of body and now it exists as just another innate part of her. Paige thinks Azzi’s learned to live without her but really all Azzi’s learned is how to live with these permanent scars of i think i’ll miss you forever. 

“That’s enough Paige,” Ice’s voice is clearer now, having finally snatched the phone out of her teammate’s grip, “Azzi-” she begins apologetically, “she’s just drunk. She didn’t mean-”

“She did,” Azzi clears her throat, sinking into the way Jana's arms wrap around her, “she’s um- she’s gonna be really hungover in the morning. Make sure she- make sure you give her water but don’t- don’t give her coffee. She’ll want it but it’ll only make it worse because she uh- she- when she drinks too much, her stomach hurts and the caffeine- it just- it makes it worse so- don’t let her drink coffee tomorrow morning okay? And make sure- make sure she eats something before she takes painkillers. And Ice?’

“Yeah Azzi.”

“If she doesn’t remember any of this tomorrow morning, please don’t remind her.”

***

April 2033

The bar is buzzing with noise by the time Paige and Azzi finally arrive. It’s an exclusive enough place that they won’t be too bothered by fans asking for pictures and autographs but the size of the crowd still puts Azzi a little bit on edge. She can’t help the small smile that flitters across her face when she feels Paige’s hand resting on her lower back as the blonde guides the two of them through the crowd in search of their teammates. For the last eight years, Azzi has been her own protector and she’s learned to guard herself but it’s nice -it feels right- to have someone else ready to be her shield too. 

“You know Bueckers,” Joyce says as the two of them finally approach the table that had been reserved for the Valkyries, “some might say that one should be on time when meeting their new teammates. Just a thought.”

“And some might say Edwards that being fashionably late is being on time,” Paige quips back. 

Joyce grins, “alright time for introductions.”

“I’m pretty sure I know-”

“Shut up,” Joyce reprimands, throwing an arm around Paige’s shoulders, “let me introduce these brand new people to you.”

“They’re not-”

“Sssshhh. Let me have my fun. We’ll start over here with Westbeld and Booker. You might know them, their teams kicked your ass during the 23-24 season,” Joyce says with a smirk. 

“Oh I do remember that,” Paige says thoughtfully, eyes twinkling with mirth, “what happened the season after?”

“Don’t be cocky Bueckers. It’s unbecoming,” Madison chides as she rises from the table to give Paige a hug. 

“Yeah I try not to remember that Elite Eight game thanks,” Laila says, making a disgusted face. 

Joyce glares at her, “did I introduce you yet Miss Phelia?”

Laila raises her hands in surrender as Joyce continues to give Paige a tour of the Valkyrie team. Azzi had known that Paige would fit in well with her teammate -really the blonde had the uncanny ability to fit in anywhere- but seeing it realized in front of her, it seems even clearer. Paige feels like the last mosaic piece, slotting in right where she belongs. 

“Those two over there are our babies,” Joyce points to Haylen and Jayla, “they’re like five years old but we love them anyways.”

“I’m almost 25,” Haylen protests. 

“See,” Joyce remarks, “literally children. And that one,” she points to Jana who beams at Paige, “well you already know her even if you sometimes wish you didn’t probably-”

“Hey!”

“Oh shush Jana,” Joyce says airily, “and I supposed there’s no point in introducing Azzi to you since y’all came together,” she pauses to look between them, “y’all don’t live that close to each other. Why didn’t you just carpool with Jana? I’m pretty sure she lives closer to you.”

Paige opens and closes her mouth a couple of times as Azzi feels her own cheeks heat up at the innocent enough question, “we um- well it's just- you see- my house is on the way from her parents and she had to drop off Stephie so it just- it just made sense you know? For efficiency’s sake.”

“Oh yeah for efficiency’s sake. They’re both very efficient,” Jana smirks, “makes a lot of sense.”

Joyce gives all three of them a weird look, “y’all Huskies are strange. It was just a question but anyways,” she grins as she finally steers Paige towards the blonde in the corner and Azzi stiffens at the way Paige’s body immediately tenses, “a couple of our teammates aren’t here but we do have a former teammate. Paige meet Clémence.”

“We’ve met,” Paige says, attempting to school her features to resemble anything but the discomfort she’s feeling within, “during the Olympics that is. We’ve beat France a couple of times.”

It’s a purposeful word choice, beat instead of played and Azzi's fingers fidget with the hem of her top as she tries to avoid looking at either of the two women. 

“Yes. It is good to see you again,” Clémence says tersely, her French accent stronger than the last time Azzi had spoken to her. She shakes Paige’s hand rather formally before her eyes focus on Azzi and she determinedly walks towards the brunette, “and it is really good to see you Azzi. I have missed you.”

“I-” Azzi stutters at the French woman pulls her into a hug; over her shoulder she can practically see steam coming out of Paige’s ears as she hyper focuses on how Clémence makes it a point rub her thumb down Azzi’s back, “it’s um- it’s good to see you too.”

She pulls away and she can feel the disappointment reverberating from Clémence’s body as Azzi practically flings herself on the chair next to Jana, wondering what she’d done to deserve this moment as a punishment for her sins. 

“Save me,” she pleads as Clémence and Paige sit as far away from each other as possible, occasionally shooting glares when they think the other isn’t looking. 

“Save you from having two hot women fighting over you?” the center teases, “you truly have such first world problems Azzi Fudd.”

“They’re not fighting over me-”

“Azzi you will have your usual rum and coke no?” Clémence asks and Azzi looks over to where the francophone is intently staring at her, “I will go-”

“Oh there’s no need,” Paige says immediately, “you sit Clémence. You already have a drink. I was gonna go get one for myself and I’ll get Azzi’s too. Besides, Azzi's more of a fruity drink girl. Az I’ll get you a piña colada-”

Clémence narrows her eyes, “maybe she liked that when she was in college but Azzi likes something different now.”

“She might like something different now,” Paige counters, standing up aggressively so she towers over the table, “but she’s always gonna love a piña colada right Azzi?”

All eyes turn to look at Azzi who wants nothing more than to cower under the table- or hit Jana who seems to find this very unamusinging situation rather entertaining, “I um-” she swallows, “I think tonight calls for something stronger. Round of shots for the table? On me?”

It placates the situation for a while as the rest of the team cheers on the idea, beckoning over one of the bartenders to orders a round of tequila shots for the table. For a moment, Azzi tricks herself into thinking maybe that’ll be the end of ridiculous situations for the night as the team downs shots to Jana yelling “to the Valkyries” but she should have known it was wishful thinking.

Half the team ends up on the dance floor, swaying to the mixed rhythm of the music and the newly minted alcohol coursing through their bloodstreams. Azzi watches with a smile as despite her protests, Joyce manages to drag Paige onto the dance floor with her, engaging her in some eccentric dance moves as they try to outdo each other on who can look the silliest. And as the rest of the girls cheer the blonde on, it feels like Paige is chiseling out a place for herself in another part of Azzi’s world. 

“She is easy to love,” Clémence’s hot breath fans Azzi’s ear as the francophone takes Jana’s empty seat next to the brunette. 

“Clém-” Azzi sighs. 

“She fits in well with the team,” Clémence continues, something wistful in her voice, “I have seen her play. She will fit in well on the court with you guys as well. She will fit in well next to you.”

“That’s the hope,” Azzi says softly as she tilts her head to look at the other woman, “you fit in well too. I mean it Clém. We’ll miss you at GSV.”

Clémence smiles bitterly, “I would have liked to stay but they needed the cap space so they could sign her. She- she’s quite expensive. I mean considering she is casually wearing swarovski crystals on her neck in a bar on a random Saturday night, I am not surprised.”

The two of them laugh despite the gravity that looms heavily over them. Azzi and Clémence haven’t been anything in a long time but she’d never quite shut the possibility of a potential future done. She can hear the lock ready to click now. It’s bittersweet doing the right thing but as Paige glances over from the dancefloor, eyes darting cautiously between the two of them, Azzi knows that she doesn’t want to keep any other doors open. Not when the one with Paige’s name etched on the door handle, leads to home. 

“One last dance?” Clémence asks softly, holding out her hand. 

Azzi hesitates, knowing that it would irritate Paige but she thinks she probably owes Clémence this and so she smiles and takes the francophone’s outstretched hand as they join their other teammates. It’s nothing beyond friendly and they both keep their hands to themselves as they sway to the music, but Azzi can feel the annoyance radiating off of Paige from across the dancefloor. She would never admit it, perhaps it’s a little toxic of her, but there’s a certain thrill to making Paige jealous. There’s something about the way the blonde’s blue eyes flare with ice cold envy, the way her jaw hardens as she grinds her teeth. The way she looks at Azzi like if she had her way she’d drag the brunette out of the bar and mark her with a possessive you’re mine you’re mine youre mine. It makes Azzi clench her thighs together as she tries to focus on Clémence. 

“I understand now,” the francophone says thoughtfully as Azzi’s peers up at her in confusion, “when you told me that you could not be with me. I get it.”

“I don’t-”

“You are here with me but you aren’t actually. You will always be with her,” Clémence tilts her head towards Paige, “you always have been. I understand now,” she says again simply before her face hardens, “even after all those words she said to you on the phone that night.”

Azzi’s stomach curls at the reminder. She knows exactly what night Clémence is referring to. Sometimes when she closes her eyes, it’s those words, coated in anger and malice, that shower around her like acid rain, seeping into her skin and infecting her bloodstream.

“I told you, you deserved better,” Clémence says and Azzi gulps, “but you said- you said you deserved worse. I hope you don’t believe that anymore Azzi. Just because you hurt her doesn’t mean you need to let her hurt you too.”

“I-” Azzi’s cut off by a hard body ramming into her own and she feels herself going stumbling back into the unwanted arms of a random man, “I’m sorry,” she says tersely, struggling to get out his grip. 

“No worries pretty girl,” he says toothily, the heavy stench of alcohol in his breath making Azzi feel nauseous, “but now that you’re here, how about I buy you a drink.”

“No thank you,” Azzi says sternly, trying to push the man away but he’s relentless. 

“Aw c’mon don’t be like that sweetheart,” the term of endearment sounds like an insult falling from his lips and Azzi loses her patience, stomping her heel into the man’s foot to finally free herself from his grip and he yelps in surprise.

“I said no thank you.”

“What the fuck,” the man spits out, standing up as Azzi takes a step back. He’s got some muscle and although, despite his bravado, she knows she’s strong enough to take him, she’d rather not create a scene. Her plan is to walk away. Paige seems to have other ideas, suddenly materializing in between Azzi and the man, a furious look on her face as she squares him up. 

“Do we have a problem?” the blonde asks menacingly. 

“Nothing other than your little friend here being a fucking bitch.”

Paige’s eyes darken as she takes a threatening step towards him, prevented from going further only by the way Azzi immediately laces a hand around her wrist, “what the fuck did you call her?”

“I called her a-”

“It doesn’t matter,” Azzi cuts in, stepping in between a glaring Paige and a man who’s clearly underestimating her strength, “let it go Paige.”

“Yeah,” the man mocks, “let it go Paige.”

“You fucking-” Paige tries to lunge at him but Azzi’s quick to shove her back gently. 

“Don’t cause a scene,” she warns. 

“Azzi-”

“Paige please.”

“Holy shit,” the man wolf-whistles, “y’all play for the Valks. You’re Azzi Fudd. I know you.”

“Good for you,” Azzi spits out at him before turning her attention back to Paige, who looks like she could kill the man if given the chance, “c’mon let's go back to our tab-”

“It’s funny you’re acting like such a fucking prude when you have a bastard chi-”

An unmistakable crunch rings out through the bar as the man goes flying backwards. Azzi’s knuckles are bleeding as her breath comes out in ragged huffs. She hadn’t wanted to cause a scene; could have walked away from a man being a drunken idiot, could have walked away from being called a bitch or hell, even something worse. But the man had attacked the one part of her that she’d always be ready to go to war for. He’d brought up Stephie and she’d seen red. Her fist had moved of it's own accord.

Paige doesn’t say anything and Azzi can feel the anger still vibrating from the older woman’s body as she roughly grabs Azzi’s unhurt hand.

“Let’s go,” the blonde’s voice is eerily low, “we’re going home.”

***

It’s a subconscious choice to let Paige drive Azzi’s car even though they’ve both sobered up considerably, not that one shot had done much in the first place. It’s a subconscious choice that Azzi reaches over to lace her fingers through Paige’s free hand, resting it on her lap, as the blonde use her other hand to grip the steering wheel. It’s a subconscious choice that they end up driving to Azzi’s house in complete silence. She’s not sure who’s mad at who, if they’re even mad at each other or that man or just the world but she can feel the fury suffocating the air. 

“Where’s your first-aid kit?” Paige says gruffly as Azzi unlocks the door. 

“Bathroom,” Azzi says quietly and Paige is off towards it before the word has even fully left the brunette’s mouth. Azzi scrambles after her, pausing in the doorway as Paige rummages through drawers, knowing better than to interrupt to help when Paige looks livid like this.

“Sit,” Paige points to the sink once she’s finally found the sanitizer and gauze to clean up dried up blood staining Azzi’s knuckles. 

“I can do it my-”

Paige glares at her, “just sit on the fucking sink Azzi.”

Putting away her own irritation at being told what to do, Azzi lifts herself onto the flat surface of the sink, opening her legs slightly so that Paige can stand between them. Despite still quivering with barely concealed rage, Paige’s touch is gentle as she dabs at the remnants of red liquid on Azzi’s hand. 

“You should’ve just let me punch him when I wanted to,” she says finally. 

“So you could be the one bleeding?” Azzi raises an eyebrow. 

“No because he would’ve never gotten the courage to say shit about Stephie if you’d just let me kill him when he called you a bitch,” Paige bites out venomously. 

“And let you go to jail? I couldn’t do that to Stephie,” Azzi tries to lighten the tension in the room, “she’d miss you too much. 

“This isn’t funny, Azzi,” Paige seethes as she begins to wrap the white gauze around the wound. 

“I know,” the younger woman says, trailing her other hand down Paige’s arms trying to soothe her anger, “but it’s fine-”

“It’s not fucking fine,” Paige yells. 

“Baby-” the word slips out from Azzi’s lips before she can catch it. She hasn’t used it for someone other than Stephie in so long that it feels foreign on her lips and yet, it fits exactly right. 

“Did you call Clémence that too?” and there it is, the real reason behind the volcano erupting as Paige decidedly looks away from Azzi. 

Azzi narrows her eyes, “I don’t know Paige. Did you call Olivia that?”

“That’s different,” Paige grits out, “Olivia was my wife.”

Azzi flinches at the word; hates that somebody else had ever had the honor of being called that even if she knows it’s unfair of her to feel that way when she’s the one that had turned it down first. 

“Exactly,” she says slowly, “you married someone else-” she holds up a hand when Paige protests, “I know. I know I said no but you married someone else Paige. So you don’t get to be mad at me for having something with someone else too.”

Paige is quiet for a moment and Azzi sees the exact moment the fight leaves her body as she lets out a sigh, leaning her head against Azzi’s shoulder. 

“You’re right,” Paige whispers into Azzi’s neck, hands moving to rest against the brunette’s thighs. 

Azzi runs her hand through Paige’s hair, brushing it in tandem with the harmony of her breathing, “we can’t keep throwing the past in each other’s face, Paige.”

“I know,” Paige breath tickles against Azzi’s skin and she shivers in spite of the tense moment,“I just-” the blonde lifts her head to look at Azzi, “I need to know who Clémence was to you. You- you know what Olivia was to me and I- I just need to know the same about Clémence.”

“She-” Azzi hesitates, “we hooked up a couple of times,” she squeezes Paige’s hand when the blonde flinches, “but then she- she wanted more but I couldn’t- I couldn’t do that. Partly because I didn’t- I didn’t feel the same- don’t look so smug,” Azzi chides when a small grin forms on Paige’s face, “and partly because we were on the same team. I didn’t want to complicate things, not like last time. Feel like I should probably have a rule not to date teammates.”

“Right.”

Azzi watches the cogs turning in Paige’s brain and she reaches out a hand to ease the creases forming on her forehead, “what are you thinking Bueckers?”

“I just-” Paige bites her lip, “what about me?”

“What about you?”

“I mean we’re gonna be- I mean we are- we’re on the same team too,” Paige says and Azzi can hear the insecurity of will you leave me again weaved through her voice. 

“You don’t get it yet do you,” Azzi whispers, reaching up to cup Paige’s face, “baby you are the exception to all of my rules.”

[existence-is-a-pain87]

Do you have any self aware Rodger as yet? Plz ? 🥺

I did have a piece that Tumblr deleted by accident, but I can definitely make a new one!

Also, just a quick note: To ANYONE who wants to make fanart or fanpieces based off the things I make, DO IT. DO IT AND SEND ME WHATEVER YOU MAKE!

I WANNA SEE THE ART AND THINGS YOU MAKE!! ESPECIALLY IF I INSPIRED YOU!

PLEASE I BEG OF YOU ALL!!!

Detective's Work

Yandere!Self-Aware!Rodger x Reader

Warnings: Obsession and other general yandere behaviors, swearing

--☆☆☆☆☆--

Rodger was interested in you.

A player they can hear? My, how interesting!

Did that mean he liked you? No.

You were not necessarily someone he veiwed himself as liking. You were just... too excited, strangely loving, and...

Rash. Far too rash.

You blurted out whatever came to mind, endlessly spoke to those you played with in the chat, would ignore Twisteds charging at you in order to grab items.

He was interested in you, yes, but he wasn't like Goob.

He didn't like you immediately.

He actually believed you could be a danger. Perhaps you'd be cruel and only put upon a façade of gentleness. Perhaps this was you in an especially good mood.

He didn't think he would ever 'like you', per say. He would look into you, view you with hesitation and skepticism, but not like.

He swore to himself he'd never truely liked you.

He didn't realize he was lying to himself.

--☆☆☆--

He didn't like that you swore.

It didn't happen constantly, but occasionally, a cuss would fly from your mouth in fits of frustration. Especially when a Twisted came out of seemingly nowhere for you and damaged you.

Once you did that to Toodles.

For a moment, he hated you.

Then, almost instantly, you talked about how you couldn't swear to a child and immediately apologized.

Rodger liked that you took ownership of your actions and apologized when you realized you did wrong.

He started to believe perhaps you were no threat.

Perhaps you were someone he could like, if even slightly.

He kept his eye closely trained on you, which he found much easier when you played him far more than any other Toon.

You adored research as much as he did and would run around collecting it, thrilled to get more research for Toons.

He didn't admit that he liked how much you played him.

--☆☆☆--

He was the first to tweak the game.

He was the first Toon to realize they were in a game and to find the code, so is it hard to figure he was the first to learn how to tweak the game?

It was simple anyways, something no one would notice.

He made it exponentially more likely for Main Twisteds to spawn when you played him, or for Twisteds who research you wanted.

It was simple work, something barely anyone noticed.

In fact, when someone did notice, they weren't even angry, just happy to see you more.

He even went as far as forcing a Twisted Dandy to spawn when you desperately wanted to fufill the Astro requirement.

Dandy was pissed, but Rodger didn't care much.

It was simple detectives work, after all.

Anyways, Toodles really liked you. She thought you were really cool and really wanted to meet your cat.

He told himself him warming up to you was only because Toodles liked you.

He was lying to himself.

--☆☆☆--

Rodger was filling notebooks with information he gathered about you.

He's filled twelve to the brim with tiny words, and drained a number of pens.

All to contain information about you, every single piece of information unique or expanding upon pieces of information he already gathered.

He's constantly writing more based off all the information he's been able to gather about you from what you said to them or people around you when you were playing.

A while ago, Rodger learnt of Vee seeming to know significantly more about you than he did.

She didn't crack when he kept trying to interview her and learn what she knew of you that he didn't.

It frustrated him, but he didn't dare share this with everyone.

He just resumed gathering whatever information about you he could.

Then he found the microphone.

--☆☆☆--

Scraps had to stop lending Rodger pens with the amount of them he drained empty.

He wasn't too fazed. He just used your note app and transferred all his notes about you to there and hid it from you.

Rodger had stopped lying to himself about liking you at this point.

No, he loved you. Loved you to the point of obsession.

He knew it was wrong. That he was setting a bad example for Toodles. He didn't care.

To their creators and their gods, he fucking LOVED you.

Wow, now you even had him swearing when Toodles wasn't around.

To him, you were the other parent Toodles needed in her life. Supportive, gentle, and able to be much more excited and playful than he could.

He didn't even need to think long over if you'd like to play with Toodles or not.

You were not the perfect person for children, and several times you had stated you didn't want children.

But he knew he could change your mind.

Oh, even with all he knew of you, he desperately wanted to sit you down and interview you for hours. Desperately wanted to learn how you ticked, to see your little quirks face to face.

He wanted to tie you up and never let you free.

He wanted to resent you for this obsession. For you making him obsessed.

But he knew better. He knew you never meant to do this to him, you never meant for anyone to be obsessed with you.

He couldn't resent you.

He never could.

He wasn't even frustrated he never learnt why it was you they heard, and only you.

No, he was pleased.

You frustrated him occasionally, yes.

But god, he wanted to do so many things to you.

He could now admit to himself he adored you utterly and completely.

It was merely an effect of his detectives' work, after all. And he couldn't be more pleased by the mystery of you being solved.

[halfwayhearted]

https://www.tumblr.com/halfwayhearted/773619905662795776/send-requests-anythingfluff-angst-comfort?source=share

Okay okay okay, so I've been thinking a lil, what about mb like Gavi's or Fermín's girlfriend where like it's OBVIOUS they love each other a lot and like she comes down on the pitch BUT (yes there's a but) the younger players (Toni, Guille, Pau, Lamine YOU KNOW THE DEAL) have like this tini tiny crush on the girlfriend and are just standing in the background watching her and Bf and are so obviously jealous

Sorry for bringing chaos your way <3

And I Love Her — Pablo Gavi.

Pairing: Pablo Gavi x Fem!Reader

Summary: After a well-deserved win, you quickly find your boyfriend down on the pitch and, well, laugh about the background people—not the crowd, but his teammates.

Word Count: 465+

Disclaimer/s — Giggly teenage boys, fluff, fluff, and… fluff!

A/N: I had ideas for this and they vanished but I was determined to stick with it and whatnot. I HOPE YOU LIKED:3

With a displayed seven-to-one score, the team all worked insanely hard, using every opportunity to their advantage. It was definitely a rollercoaster of emotions that led to nothing but pure and utter joy, that emotion only expanding when you saw the very man you came for wave you over. His smile bright, his hair sweaty—it was simply him.

“How are you feeling?” You’re quick to ask when you’re sure he can hear you, your hand coming to squeeze his arm once before finding your side.

“I feel good. Really good. How were your seats?”

“Got to see everyone work up close, so I’d say the seats were amazing.” With that, he offers a small smile and presses a kiss to your cheek, and you do the same. Preferring to return the action when he makes the first move, you know where you both stand, but you still find it more comforting.

You weren’t quite aware of it yet, but the two of you had an audience. And no, it wasn’t the still packed stadium of people, but his lingering teammates in the back, eyeing the two of you with childish smiles and jealous gazes, nudging one another as if to see who should go up first.

And who it’d be was figured out rather quickly!

He’s about to say something else when a hand pokes his side, causing him to jerk. Both your gazes find Héctor, who only laughs in response. Then Gavi speaks up, “Do you need something?”

“Not from you,” the boy quips, turning his focus onto you with a grin. “Did you enjoy the game?”

“Yeah! It was tense, but good. You played well!”

All he does is widen the smirk on his face. “With what I could, thank you.” Having gotten that out, your boyfriend sees exactly what’s going on. A scoff escapes his lips as he places a hand on the back of Héctor’s neck, pushing him away while pulling you close, leaving the boy to laugh alone.

You giggled softly. “Easy, Pablo. Let’s ease up!”

“I didn’t even push him that hard. I’m sure he’ll be fine,” your boyfriend grumbled, your face lighting up at his tone. “I still have to change. Let’s walk?”

“Are you sick of them looking our way? It’s cute.”

Gavi furrows his eyebrows and whips around, his intense gaze landing on Héctor, Lamine, Balde, and Pau, who quickly avert their eyes the moment he spots them. Their barely suppressed laughter, however, spills out and betrays them all. Stupid!

“Yeah… yeah, I’m sick of them looking our way.”

“Noted,” you retort, looking over your shoulder quickly to shoot them a small wave and a smile.

They returned the gesture with equal enthusiasm, giggling to themselves as though they had just been handed gift cards for their favorite game.

Likes, reblogs, and comments are always appreciated ^_^.

DT(s) — @pedriache + @spidybaby + @lechrts + @gadriezmannsgirl + @iovepoem + @sakashq @joaoflms ! ౨ৎ (i should’ve made this longer… idk. hi! hi.)

[measuredingold]

black butterflies and deja vu

author’s note: more best friend noah because i am only human and can never get enough of it LOL bit of a longer one, so strap in. as always, enjoy and feedback is appreciated :) title from the song with the same name by the maine lol

pairing: noah sebastian x reader

word count: 5.8k

cross posted on ao3 / part one and two ( but can be read as a stand alone )

cw/tw: slight miscommunication, Noah Sebastian Is Bad At Feelings, fluff, friends to lovers, ~first kiss~, jolly is sick of his friends and likes to meddle in their business, noah gets anxious, mutual pining, feelings realization, 18+ minors do not interact

It happened gradually as time went on, that feeling that kept building up inside Noah's chest. He tried to ignore it. He has before. Except, for some reason, this time it was much harder. 

He couldn't seem to shake that feeling in his chest, tightening whenever he was away from you, and then expanding when he was with you. He can't escape the warm sensation that flows through his body whenever you're near or whenever you touch him, even if it's fleeting. He also can't seem to get you out of his mind, always plaguing his thoughts at the most random times.

He feels crazy.

Noah's tried telling himself that it wasn't anything, that he just enjoyed having you as a friend. He tried convincing himself it was normal to feel this way about a friend, but that all came to a halt when he looked at you one evening and the only thing he wanted to do was kiss you.

Which is definitely not a normal feeling to have about a friend, right? 

So now, here he is, staring at you with wide brown eyes and parted lips all the while you remain completely oblivious. 

Fuck. 

Fuckfuckfuck. 

He likes you. He fucking likes you, more than a friend probably should and that was one of the most terrifying realizations he's ever had in his entire life. He can't like you, not in this way, because once that happens then... then everything changes, and he can't let that happen. 

You can't leave him, and he knows you will the second you find out about these ridiculous feelings. At least he thinks they're ridiculous because in what world would it make sense that you feel the same? He thinks that sinking feeling in his stomach is a sign, reminding him that you don't. 

You turn towards him and Noah subconsciously sucks in a breath, heart rate picking up at the sight of your smile. He's absolutely fucked.

"What do you think?"

He blinks at you. "...Huh?"

"The movie?" You arch a brow at him before huffing out a soft laugh, your eyes moving between him and the screen. 

Oh. Yeah. That. Noah had completely forgotten, too consumed by his own thoughts to even remember where the fuck he was right now. Which is his bedroom. With you. In his bed. Alone.

That isn't anything out of the ordinary, Noah's been alone with you more times than he could count. It's actually quite common between the two of you to hang out and watch something together, whether it be in his bed or yours, or both sprawled out on a couch at someone's house. It's a normal thing for friends to do.

Except he doesn't think he wants to be your friend anymore. Actually, he knows he doesn't, because all he wants is to actually kiss that adorably confused expression off of your face right now. 

"Uh. It's good."

You pause. "...You haven't been watching, have you?"

"Um." He feels his cheeks warm, giving you an embarrassed grin. "Not really?"

"Noah." You whine out. "This was your idea!"

"I know, I know!" He holds his hands up, face still on fire. "I'm sorry."

He can't even remember the title of the movie at this point. Some random indie film he had heard about on Twitter, that much he remembers. He's been wanting to watch it for weeks, but Jolly didn't seem that interested. He figured he'd watch it himself but when he brought it up to you, you immediately offered to watch it with him.

He didn't understand the feeling weighing on his chest then, but he sure as hell does now.

"It's honestly not that good, anyways." You hum out, reaching for the remote between both of your bodies.

"Yeah. It's kinda slow. Lost interest." He has no idea what he's saying, but figures it was the right option because you're nodding in agreement.

"Super slow. And the dialogue is so shitty. It'd be one thing to be slow but have a good enough dialogue to get the plot going, but it's lacking in both areas."

"Agreed."

He watches you click around on the remote to his TV, turning the movie off and immediately opening another app, flipping through the selection. His head tilts, brows furrowing.

"What're you doing?"

"Finding something else to watch." You say as if it's the most obvious thing in the world, which it is.

"...Why?"

"Because we're supposed to watch a movie together."

Oh. "You don't have to-"

"I know I don't." You cut him off, glancing over at him. His heart rate picks up at the smile you give him, the softness behind your eyes making his chest feel funny all over again. "I want to. So, help me pick out something to watch."

All Noah can do is nod. He watches silently as you continue to flip through the movies, not daring to use his voice because he's scared of what might come out. Eventually you land on something he's seen about a thousand times but he doesn't object because you seem more than pleased with your choice. The triumphant noise you make has his stomach flipping and he can't help but smile at you.

Halfway through the movie, he barely realized how close you had gotten to him. He holds in a breath when he feels your press against his arm, shifting a bit to get more comfortable before your head falls against his shoulder. 

He doesn't move.

And when you hadn't lifted your head after another twenty minutes, something in the back of his mind shouts at him to do something. He usually never listened to that voice, typically able to drown it out, but this time... he chooses to listen. Noah slowly leans his head against yours, letting out the breath he had been holding when you nuzzle yourself closer to him. 

...

It's been months since that night and yet it's still the only thing he can think about.

You are the only thing he can think about.

Those feelings he was experiencing that were once silly and quite honestly ridiculous have morphed into something much more... serious. Noah isn't quite sure what to do about it. He isn't sure if there is anything he can do about it.

Jolly told him to suck it up and tell you, because "What's the worst that could happen?"

A lot of terrible things could happen, Noah thinks, and decides he'd rather keep this to himself. The longer he doesn't say anything, the longer he gets to spend with you, because he knows once your relationship changes... who knows how long he'll have until you eventually leave. 

It's fucking pathetic, he knows it is. Not saying anything in order just to keep you close to him, but if that's what he has to do then he's going to fucking do it. He can't lose you. He knew it before he figured out these stupid feelings, and there's no way in hell he's losing you now. 

Most times it's easy to do, to act like it's not there, even though every time he's around you there's a voice in the back of his head yelling at him to kiss you. Which is what's happening now, and the alcohol in his veins isn't helping the matter much.

You're all out, and there's no special occasion, just bored on a Saturday night. Nothing special is happening yet you look the most beautiful he's ever seen you, which says a lot because he thinks you're fucking stunning all the damn time. Tonight, though, there's something about you that he can't quite shake. He can't even take his eyes off of you, and he'll partially blame that on the alcohol, and then you. 

The urge to touch you is almost unbearable and he can't stop himself from reaching out every so often, fingers brushing against your arm to get your attention. Nothing out of the ordinary between you two, but each touch almost drives Noah insane. At one point you were sitting together in a booth surrounded by friends and his hand was planted on your thigh, almost as if it was meant to be there. 

You didn't say anything. Maybe you didn't notice, or just didn't care, but Noah did. He cared a lot. 

You're now up and across the room playing a game of pool with a few other friends and Noah decided it was best for him to stay there, the burning desire to keep his hands on you too much. He's gotta fucking chill. His eyes followed you the entire time.

Jolly kicks him from under the table.

"Ow. What the fuck, man?" Noah's words slur as his eyes narrow at his friend who's currently giving him the most shit-eating grin.

"You're staring, lover boy."

His face flushes. "Fuck you."

"I don't think I'm your type." Noah rolls his eyes as Jolly leans back against the seat, raising a brow at his friend. "However, I do know who might be..."

"Don't start." Noah holds a hand up, lips pressing into a straight line. "Not tonight. Please."

He's a bit too drunk to even think about that, especially when he knows Jolly's just going to tell him the same thing. Tell her how you feel. Sounds so easy but it's far from it, and Noah knows that that is not a possibility - and never will be.

"She's staring, too, you know." 

It's almost comical how quick Noah's head whips into your direction, his heart lodging itself in his throat when he finds out that you are staring. He sees the moment that you realize you'd been caught but instead of looking away, you give him a sheepish smile and wave. Noah can see the flush on your cheeks from a mile away and he can't stop himself from waving back, a smile forming on his lips to mirror your own.

Oh shit.

"She likes you." Jolly says in a sing-song voice, his accent a bit more prominent from the alcohol.

"Shut up-"

"All you have to do is tell her-"

"I'm not fucking telling her shit-"

"She liiiiikes you-"

"Dude-"

"You wanna kiss her soooo bad-"

"Jolly." The sterness in Noah's voice makes Jolly shut up, but that shitty fucking grin never leaves his face because he knows he's right - at least about one thing.

Noah does want to kiss you. So fucking bad. He can't stop thinking about kissing you, actually. 

"I'm just saying." The older male shrugs, arms crossing over his chest. "She's still looking at you, man. Can't seem to look away. Maybe she wants to kiss you, too."

His friend's words have Noah's face heating up and his heart pounding beneath his chest. He tries to be as discreet as possible, eyes flicking across the room to find you again. He does find you staring again, choking on literal air the second he watches your tongue poke out and swipe over your bottom lip, before taking it between your teeth as you look away. His eyes land back on Jolly.

"Told you."

Noah's swallows down the lump that was lodged inside his throat. That didn't mean anything, could it? You were just staring at him... but you were staring at him almost like you wanted him? He shakes his head. No. That wasn't it. That couldn't be it. In no world would you ever... but... what if you could?

He blinks at Jolly's smirking face, not sure what to say. His mind was racing, the logical part of his brain battling with the very inebriated part of his brain. He should just leave it alone, brush Jolly off and stay where he is, but his eyes find you again. You're not staring this time, focused on your turn in the game of pool that you're still playing, and something inside Noah is tugging at him, urging him to go to you.

He looks at Jolly one more time and his friend just nods.

He's moving before he can really think about it, pushing himself up and out of the booth. His eyes are on you as you finish up your turn, head lifting up. He sees you searching, for what he's not sure, and then your eyes land on him making his way towards you. You smile, wide and bright, and his stomach twists. 

Why do you look so happy? He wishes you would stop, his hopes rising higher and higher with each step he takes. He watches you hand off your stick to a friend, saying something to them and he reaches you just as you turn around, that same smile on your lips. You still have that slight flush to your cheeks and Noah's going to blame that on the alcohol from tonight, and not because of him, but his heart still pounds against his chest at the possibility of what if. 

"Hi." You say softly. 

"Hey."

"Was wondering when you were going to come over here."

Noah's eyes widened slightly. "Really?"

"Well, yeah." You shrug. "You were all the way over there. I missed you."

Your words hit him hard, crashing into his chest like a ten ton brick. All he can do is blink down at your smiling face, eyes twinkling. Not even an hour ago you were in that booth with him and Jolly, yet you still missed his presence enough to voice it. He tells himself it doesn't mean anything, can't mean anything, but your words are weighing on his chest and his mind is racing so fast he feels dizzy.

The urge to say what he wants becomes almost too much, his body heating up as the words get lodged inside his throat. There's two voices battling in the back of his mind, one yelling Tell her! while the other is screaming at him to Run! as both fight for dominance. In the end, he does neither, and instead stares at you in complete silence.

"You wanna play?" You either don't notice his complete silence or choose to ignore it, motioning to the pool table behind you. "You can go for me. I've been sucking so much this game."

He blinks at the table and then back at you. He wants nothing more than to stay, and he goes to agree but the voice in the back of his head stops him. All the possibilities of tonight's outcome flow through his mind and he has a feeling that if he stays with you the rest of the night, he's going to do something stupid.

And even in the inebriated state that he's in, that voice that's screaming at him to do something reckless, he can't risk that. He chooses to listen to the one screaming at him to run. He shakes his head and gives you a sad smile, and ignores his heart dropping to his stomach at the way your face falls.

"Nah, I..." He trails off, eyes moving towards the bar. "I was just getting another drink, and wanted to know if you wanted one? It's on me."

"Oh." Jesus Chirst, that didn't feel good. "Yeah, sure. Get me whatever you're drinking."

He nods wordlessly, giving you a tight lipped smile before heading off towards the bar. He doesn't glance back at you, can't seem to get himself to, but he can feel two sets of eyes burning through him as he walks. He knows one is you, and he doesn't think he can stomach that sad look on your face again, so when he waits for the bartender to get him what he wants he chooses to look the other way.

The other way is unfortunately Jolly, the older male frowning hard at him from across the bar. He's angry, Noah can tell that much from his body language alone, and for some reason that makes this that much worse. He swallows down those words that were stuck in his throat, trying to push them so far down that maybe he'll forget them, and sends the bartender the best smile he can muster up as he thanks them for the drinks.

He ignores the feeling of regret that's settling in the pit of his stomach, putting on that same fake smile as he makes his way back over to you and hands you your drink. Something clenches beneath his chest at the barley there smile you give him, mumbling out your thanks. You look like you're about to say something else but Noah beats you to sit, nodding towards the booth.

"I'm gonna head back over there if you need me."

Your mouth snaps shut, lips pressing into a thin line before nodding up at him. "Okay."

That same voice in the back of his mind that had just lost moments ago tries to break through again, yelling at him to do something about the sadness swimming in your eyes. He knows he's the reason behind it and he fucking hates it, the urge to fix what's wrong growing. Though he chooses to push it away for the second time that night and heads back towards the booth, Jolly's eyes on him like daggers.

Noah ignores his questions, suddenly growing too tired to speak or to even think about it any longer. He throws half his drink back before casting his eyes towards you again, heart sinking when he finds you not staring at him. Instead, you were looking down, lips set into a frown as you scrolled your phone. 

That voice comes back, but this time to yell at him for fucking up. For not listening and to just do what it had asked. He doesn't listen, again, and shoves it away for the third time that night before throwing back the last half of his drink.

...

He doesn't know why you're here.

Or maybe he does, but he's been trying to let go of that feeling for the last few weeks now. There's no way you're here for the reason he thinks, so you standing outside his door has him confused. 

Noah's head tilts. "Hey?"

You push past him immediately, toeing your shoes off by the entrance. He steps aside, after you brush past him, and continues to stare at you with that perplexed look - brows furrowed and eyes narrowed. 

"Did I do something?" You whip around to face him. "We've barely spoken and I feel like I did something wrong."

"What?" His eyes widen, staring down at you. "You didn't do anything-"

"Then why have you been ignoring me?" You sound exasperated, and he can see the frustrated lines in your forehead as you glare up at him.

"I haven't been ignoring you." Yes he has, but he can't admit that. He swallows down the lie. "Been busy."

Noah sees the moment your eyes sadden and it feels like a punch to the gut. "Since when do we lie to each other? I didn't know we started doing that."

"I'm not lying-"

"Bullshit. You are." Your voice is raising now, your frustration going and Noah can see Jesse on the couch glance your way. "You're lying and you know it, Noah, and I don't-"

This time Noah cuts you off. "Can we talk about this upstairs?"

His eyes flick towards Jesse again who definitely was now eavesdropping, and his roommate's eyes widen before turning his attention back to the television. Noah's eyes land back on you, pleading to go up to his room.

"If I do, will you tell me the truth?"

His stomach turns violently at that because he knows he can't. He can't tell you why he's been ignoring you, why being in the same room as you physically fucking pains him, and why he has to keep conversations short in fear of saying something that'll ruin everything. 

He nods, swallowing thickly.

"Yeah. I will."

He has about thirty seconds to come up with a damn good lie. 

You eye him for a moment, tongue pressing against your cheek before nodding. You don't wait for Noah to follow you, already halfway to the stairs. He catches Jesse's gaze and he can only shrug before he finally follows behind you, letting you lead him to his room. He shuts the door behind him quietly as you sit down on his bed, arms crossing over your chest.

"Talk."

Noah's never heard you so serious before and that makes his stomach turn, swallowing down the lump beginning to form in his throat. 

What does he say? He didn't come up with a good lie like he had planned, the thirty seconds it took to get to his room not being enough time. 

"Um."

Your eyes on him are overwhelming, burning into his skin. He stands in the middle of his room, hands wringing out in front of him as he tries to slow his mind down to come up with anything to say. A beat passes, and then another, until at least a minute of complete silence has gone by. 

Nothing. He has nothing.

"I don't know what to even say."

Your gaze on him hardens and another beat passes before your arms fall to your sides, shoulders sagging. You wave him over and Noah hesitates before he sees the pleading expression behind your eyes, and his feet move before he can think of it. He sits beside you, but keeps his distance, and you turn your eyes away from him, sighing softly.

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable that night."

Noah arches a brow at you. "What?"

"That night. When we all went out? You started acting weird after that, so I'm assuming it was because of how I acted and I'm sorry. I just... I thought..." Your words trail off and your head drops, a weak chuckle falling from your lips.

"I'm confused."

"Jolly just told me something that night." You sigh, hands wringing in your lap. "I... I thought what he said was true so I..."

Noah doesn't say anything, continues to stare at you with that same confused expression because he has no idea what the fuck you're talking about. What did Jolly tell you? It could have been anything, and that thought alone has his stomach twisting with nerves.

"I... He... I thought you liked me? Which sounds fucking crazy to say out loud, but he really made it seem like you did, so uh. I was trying to, I don't know, let you know that I felt the same? Which obviously didn't work," You look up from your lap to stare at him, lips dipping into a frown, "or did, which would explain why you're ignoring me." 

It feels like Noah's world comes to a stop. There's no fucking way you just said what you did. His heart pounds so hard against his chest he swears it's going to pop right out, and there's ringing in his ears that he wishes would just fucking stop. 

You like him? You. Like. Him. 

And Jolly told you that he liked you? He's not sure if he should thank his friend or beat the fuck out of him, because he never confirmed out loud that he did. He also never denied it, and Jolly was known to be able to figure out everything. Noah's still not sure how he does it. 

He blinks at you. "What?"

"Maybe I read too into it," You continue, eyes dropping back to your lap. "I just. I thought... You wouldn't stop looking at me. And earlier that night you wouldn't stop touching me. I thought maybe he was right?"

Noah feels like he's going to pass out at any second.

"Or maybe he had just meant you liked me as a friend? I don't know, and I find that pretty cruel because he's known about my feelings for you for forever and-"

"Feelings?"

"-and that would be really fucked up of him to lie about something like that and-"

Noah says your name suddenly and you pick your gaze up once again, mouth snapping shut.

"What do you mean by feelings?"

"...I feel like it's pretty self explanatory." You sound so small, like you're afraid to even admit to it. "I like you. Have liked you. For a while now." 

“Since when?”

“…Forever? Don’t act like you didn’t know, I was pretty obvious. Everyone else knew.”

“Well, I didn’t.” 

He feels dumbfounded, staring at you with wide brown eyes and parted lips as if you just told him the secret meaning to life. 

You like him. 

You - his best friend - have feelings for him. Noah's mind races instantly, trying to understand the meaning behind your words because even though you just plainly spelled it out for him, that voice in the back of his head is telling him that he heard it wrong. You don't mean it in that way. You can't. You're you and he's him and it just doesn't make sense why you would and-

"Noah?"

He's still staring. 

"I'd really appreciate it if you said something." He blinks at you and his stomach drops at the nervous expression you're giving him, chewing on your bottom lip anxiously.

The problem is that Noah doesn't know what to say. How can he tell you that he feels the same? He doesn't remember a time where you didn't make his heart race just by merely being in the same room. There was never a time where he didn't search for you when things got tough, when all he wanted was to be shut away from the world with you because you made it feel just a bit better. He can't even think of a time where you didn't make him smile just by the sound of your laughter.

There was never a time, he slowly thinks, and his stomach twists at the sudden realization that he's always felt like that about you. From the beginning. From the very second he met you he has been enamored by you, even though he's always told himself it was nothing.

"I..." His mouth opens but nothing else comes out, words falling short. 

"You can let me down." You say gently, your smile not quite reaching your eyes. It's almost sad, actually, and he hates the pitiful feeling it gives him. "Just go easy on me."

"I don't..." His words catch again and he has to clear his throat, eyes flicking off the side because he suddenly can't look at you. "That's not what I want to do, I... I just don't know how..." 

To say it. He has no idea how to even get across what he feels for you because truthfully, there's no words in the English language to even explain his emotions. And speaking of those, they're becoming a bit suffocating right now, the walls in his room are slowly caving in and-

"Hey. Look at me, please?"

He can't stop the shiver that rolls through his body and has to force himself to blink towards you, seeing your once sad smile much more timid, and he swears he sees something wet flash behind your eyes.

"It's just me. You can tell me anything, remember?"

"That's why it's so hard." He manages to get out, voice thick. "Because you're you, and I'm me, and we're..."

His words trail off yet again and he can't help it, casting his eyes to the side again. He can't look at you, heart pounding beneath his chest because it's too much, too fucking much, and even though there's a part of him begging for him to just say it, there's still another part warning him to protect himself. 

"I know." Your voice is so soft. His eyes flutter shut and he sucks in a deep breath. "I know, but I'd never lie to you. Especially about something like this. You know that."

Your words press into his chest so heavily he has to physically catch his breath.

Yes, he does know you wouldn't lie to him. Not about this and honestly about anything. Yet, that mean voice in the back of his mind is telling him it's still too good to be true. That this is all some sick and twisted game you're playing, and somehow Jolly is in on it too. 

"I know, I just-"

"Noah." He doesn't open his eyes when you call for him, not even when he feels the ghost of your fingers against his cheek. He flinches, actually, body tensing at the touch. "Fuck. Sorry. I'm sorry. Can I touch you? Is that okay?"

He ignores the tremble in your voice and instead counts to ten in his head, head nodding on the last exhale. Your touch is back in seconds, just a ghost of a feeling, and he finds himself leaning into it until your hand is pressed firmly against his cheek. 

"...Can you look at me?"

He thinks for a moment, stomach twisting at the thought of looking at you right now and decides that that may not be the best idea. He shakes his head.

"I don't know if I can."

"That's okay." Your reply is rushed, and Noah shivers at the feeling of your thumb brushing against his cheek. "Just listen to me, okay?"

"Okay."

You heave out a sigh, thumb never stopping it's motion, "I really like you. Like like you. That feels so elementary to say but it's true. I know you're my best friend, but I really... I really like you, Sebbe. So fucking much, and... and I don't know if you feel the same, and it's okay if you don't, but I just wanted - no, needed - to tell you."

Your words hang in the air and Noah thinks he's stopped breathing. All he can hear right now is his pounding heartbeat that's rushing through his ears and he swears you can probably hear it too. What does he even say to that? He can't even think clearly, and he sure as hell can't think of a proper response to you. 

A beat passes, and then another, before his eyes flutter open. Your thumb hasn't stopped moving against his cheek and he's thankful, because he thinks the touch is the anchor keeping him afloat. He blinks.

"...Are you sure?"

You stare at him, brows furrowing and your thumb stutters for a beat that has his heart plummeting for a split second before the motion comes back.

"Am I... sure?"

"Yes." He swallows thickly, trying his best to keep his eyes on yours. "Are you sure?"

The realization dawns on you then, face relaxing at you understand what he's trying to ask. You know enough about him to understand his fears, especially with something like this, and he's thankful he doesn't have to verbally express that out loud. 

"Yes. I'm sure." You sound confident in your answer, eyes locking with his. "One hundred fucking percent."

For some reason, those words are what suddenly muffles the voice in his head telling him to run. It doesn't disappear completely, but it does shut up just enough for him to feel like he can fucking breathe. Warmth spreads throughout his body, and his chest feels kind of funny but in a good way, so he welcomes the feeling.

"Okay." Noah sees the moment your entire body relaxes, shoulders sagging in relief. The smile on your face widens just a bit, and softens around the edges, thumb still moving against his cheek. His lips twitch at the corners. "So, um. You...?"

Something flashes behind your eyes. Affection? He doesn't know, but whatever it was made his stomach flip in the most exciting way. You nod.

"Yeah. I do. A lot." Your smile only widens at that, and he feels his own begin to form. "Do uh... do you?"

Oh. He still hasn't said it. He opens his mouth, shuts it, and then opens it one more time before coming up short again. Why were words so hard? It seemed so easy for you to just out right say it. I like you. It feels like it should be easier now knowing that you said it first, knowing that you felt the exact same, yet it was like all words escaped him.

Your eyes search his face and your smile is nothing short but gentle. You're not saying it but he knows this is you silently encouraging him, but also letting him know he can go at his own pace. You've always been so patient with him, letting him take his time to do the right thing, or to get back on track, and he thinks he owes you enough to at least try and say something.

Noah nods slowly, and that same look from before flashes from behind your eyes. "Yeah. I do."

It's like time slows down after that, the two of you lost in your own world. Even though it wasn't the exact words he was looking for, it was something, and the look on your face and the wetness building behind your eyes was indication that that was good enough.

He lets out the breath he was holding.

"Good." You blink away that wetness building in your eyes, your smile so blinding that it has Noah's heart clenching beneath his chest and warmth spreading through his body again. "I'm glad, or else this would be really awkward right now."

He chuckles, low and breathy. "Well, I'm glad it's not."

"Me too."

Your thumb strokes across his cheek again and Noah lifts a hand up, fingers wrapping around your wrist to keep you there. He watches you lean closer, his beating heart racing once again at the close proximity.

"Should we thank Jolly?" You hum out and Noah swears he sees your eyes drop from him down to his lips before dragging back up.

"Please don't talk about Jolly right now."

You inch closer. "Why not?"

"Because I don't wanna think about him when I kiss you."

Pride flares beneath his chest at the instant reaction from you, cheeks twinging a slight shade of pink and eyes widening. Noah's eyes drop as your lips part and the urge to kiss you claws at him, screaming at him to just fucking do it. It seems like you are going to say something but he doesn't wait to hear it, and finally listens to the voice in his head.

His eyes squeeze shut the second your lips meet, too scared to keep them open in fear of this being fake. He just made it all up. It's not until he feels you kiss back, the pressure of your lips on his almost bruising, that he realizes that this is definitely not made up. Warmth spreads through his body as your lips move together, and he's never enjoyed kissing so much until this exact moment.

You pull back after a beat to catch your breath but Noah doesn't wait, instead leans back in to brush his lips against yours. His fingers tighten around your wrists to keep you there and the breathy chuckle you let out against his mouth has his stomach turning, that same warmth spreads throughout his chest. 

For the first time in his life, the voice in the back of Noah’s mind is completely quiet.

[maddiebrj]

Guilt Weighs Upon Your Shoulders

COZETTE RAMBLINGS UNDER THE CUT:

I have not been able to get Cozette out of my head for well over a month now. I haven't hyper fixated this much on character in a good while. Cozette is just....so interesting to me for some reason.

I've always liked her as I found her bond with Connie to be really sweet, and she felt like this wise and caring woman. And yes, while I do understand that the twist of her being Zokket is predictable( I speculated to myself that she might have something to do with him), the thing I like about it isn't because of how surprising the reveal was, but rather the layer of depth that it adds to Cozette's character that I wasn't really expecting. And it's depth that I really wish got expended upon in the game. At first, I didn't think too much of it; we now know where Cozette was all this time. But then I saw how she acted after we freed her from Reclusa's control...and then after that, I started to think about her for more than 5 minutes and realized just how sad, confusing, and messed up Cozette's situation actually is.

I..I so wish we got to learn more about Cozette throughout the game because no matter how underutilized she is, I just can't help but feel bad for her. She got corrupted in organizing the destruction of the world she loves and is supposed to protect. Separating friends and families, kidnapping people and forcing them to work in factories, spreading glolm and further separating others. All to aid the rebirth of being that wants to destroy all worlds. And she just has to live with all of that. That definitely did something to her mentally.

I can't help but think of all that. And on top of all THAT, I just feel like this was a misoppurtunity for some good and interesting character interactions. I want to know what all the Concordians think of her besides Connie and Patriarc ( who is another character that I wish got explored more), I want to know how she views the Zok troops and those memos she wrote while in the Zokket persona, I WANT HER TO INTERACT WITH EXTENSION CORPS AT LEAST ONCE.

I want to know... what exactly made Cozette fall to Reclusa's grasp in the first place. Connie asks a good question to the Great Conductor: If Cozette really was controlled by someone else, why is she taking this so personally? And while I bet it has to do with what I listed earlier, the Great Conductor mentions that it has to do with her being taken advantage of a weakness she has and I'm sitting there thinking, "Oh okay, interesting...care to elaborate on that????." From there I tried to find something, ANYTHING on what that weakness might be and just...nothing. Those Grampy turnips that give some lore tidbits on some of the major characters? They say nothing about her. Her one sidequest involves her making a decision that you can't stop her from making and comes to regret. To this day, I am still trying to figure out what that weakness is. I do have some theories.

Overall, I have this feeling that Cozette isn't entirely happy and that her story in this game isn't complete. It feels like the writers introduced this interesting concept but weren't able to expand fully on it. I can only assume they didn't as they realized how complicated of a situation it is, and it would probably draw too much attention away from the main threat, which is Reclusa. Which, do not get it twisted, Reclusa. Is. AWESOME. But I am left with a bunch of questions.

Tldr: Cozette is very interesting. I wish her character got explored a lot more.

(Oh boy, sorry, this was so long. I wanted to talk about Cozette for a while. Please don't take this as me hating on the game. I just care so much about Cozette :))

[ashkabbom]

Nightmares - Mouthwashing

A/n: I finished the draft of this at 3am and finished the English version at 5am😭. I'm not going to lie, I was a little embarrassed while writing this, but I kind of liked how it turned out. Feel free to correct me if I wrote something wrong. English is not my first language and I used the help of translator🎀.

Versión en español en Wattpad: Libro de One Shots - Mouthwashing (Cuenta: ashkabbom)

Versão em português no wattpad: Livro de One Shots - Mouthwashing (Conta: ashkabbom)

Summary/Synopsis: Nightmares keep you awake longer than you want.

Notes: I didn't specify gender and I didn't describe any closer relationship with any character, so you decide the gender and how you see the relationship between them.

→Warning: There is mention of death, blood and suicide here, so be careful or don't read if these are subjects you don't like and doesn't feel comfortable reading, since they are sensitive topics, okay?🫶🏽 Take care of yourself.

Stupid ideas are something common to everyone, right? Well, going after that job, even knowing how strange it seemed for them to accept you so... quickly or easily, that was stupid.

Daisuke and you had been playing Monopoly for a while, maybe 30 minutes. You guessed it was sometime between 3 and 4 in the morning, the moon on the huge screen letting you know that you were definitely not supposed to be awake right now.

It was those few moments that made you feel like yourself again, less crazy. Being among the stars in space was new, you didn't really expect to be here and it was a little strange not talking to other people.

"You can pay me $250" You mentioned with a cheeky smile and a cocky voice.

Daisuke looks at you confused and then at the board. It was already the fourth time he had landed on a property you had purchased, and that in 15 minutes.

"How do you manage to make this game work in your favor?" He asked indignantly.

"Daisuke Daisuke... You need to expand your mind a lot with the knowledge of a true entrepreneur." You explain with elegance and sincerity.

"I still have a lot to learn then" Daisuke says sighing with a raised eyebrow.

"This is already the second property stolen in this game without you seeing it," Anya says as she watches you and Daisuke playing.

"Hey, I thought we were friends." You look at Anya with fake disappointment.

"I thought WE were friends!" He shouts (whispers loudly) in disbelief. "And before that you two were complaining when we were playing UNO."

"Your cards were only good cards! It was impossible for you to have gotten those cards completely randomly," Anya asks, pointing her finger at him.

"What can I do if luck was on my side?" He shrugs smugly.

"What a coincidence that luck was on your side when you were the one who shuffled the cards, huh?" You point out with a doubtful tone. "Quite a coincidence."

"A twist of fate," he quickly retorts. "By the way, you were the one who brought the UNO deck, who can guarantee that you hadn't already left the deck ready for you to deal the cards?"

"Are we really arguing about UNO this early in the morning?" Anya asks with a slight smile.

"It's for the power of being right and not being accused of false crimes" Daisuke answers simply. "But I think I've had enough of Monopoly, this game takes longer than I remember and is more fun with more than two people, since Anya didn't want to play"

"Of course I'm playing! I'm the bank!" She says, feeling wronged.

"Just handing out the money doesn't count, you're not playing in the game with us" He retorts once more, pointing at her face.

"He's right," you reply as you start to put the game away. "But I swore we had more board games here on the ship."

"And we have, I remember having more than these three at least.." Anya says a little thoughtfully. "It must be in someone's room I think"

The three of you start to put away the games you had brought there together without much fuss, although Daisuke said that one of the Monopoly dice was missing.

You never imagined meeting the two of them during one of your sleepless days. Anya you had met before when you were sleep deprived once, but Daisuke was new, out of all the others you thought he would be the one who would have perhaps the best sleep because he was an intern.

This goes down the drain when he says that sometimes he lies awake thinking only that this time he heard footsteps in the hallway, probably yours, so he went to see who it was and was lucky that it was you and Anya. If it were any of the other three, he didn't know if he would be able to make any conversation flow more smoothly.

That's how you ended up playing some games during the early hours of the morning. Daisuke suggested you guys maybe play something in silence while you talked, coincidentally you had some games.

"Did you imagine yourself working here when you did the job interview?" This time it was Anya who started a conversation.

"I was kind of pushed here, so I was hoping so," Daisuke says, remembering how he got here. "But I didn't really want to be accepted here."

"I didn't even expect to get a job so quickly, I had resigned a week earlier from another job" You say as you plop down on the couch, the two board games on your side with the UNO deck on top.

"And why did you resign?" The boy asks curiously, throwing himself on the couch and stretching.

"My boss was my ex, and he was my ex for a reason, I think that was already a reason for me to rethink whether my workplace was good or at least tolerable." You say it simply. "But obviously there were other reasons, I almost sued the place where I worked, but that's a story for another day."

"And then you came to work in such a cool place like Pony Express, what a great thing" Anya says sarcastically, sitting down next to him.

"I needed a job, water, electricity and food bills are not paid with anything" You sigh sadly. "But I think I'm going to quit when we get back, it's not necessarily rock bottom here but it's not a good thing either."

"I think I'd feel a little better if I knew less about what we were transporting into space." Daisuke complains and rests his head on his hand.

"That's a fair reason, I hadn't thought about that side of things just now.." She stops to think if at any point they had received any information about the thing that you were all transporting.

"Hmmm.. That kind of company must transport food or water, things like that, right?" You assume that it must be based on what little you know.

So you stay in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the calm that night..

Now the silence seemed like the worst torture.

If you had known that, I think you would have been better prepared to try to deal with the situation, or... I don't know. You can't even imagine knowing how to deal with this. You just want to go back to that night and make it last a lifetime.

You hugged your friend with all your strength, saying that everything was going to be okay and that she was going to be okay, you were going to go back home, you were going to play together again.

"NO NO NO! God, please tell me this is a lie!" You sob through your tears. "Anya! Please talk to me! Don't say that's true!"

She didn't respond at all, her eyes, now lifeless, staring upward, blood staining her mouth and chin.

You begged her to be a lie and just mess with you, to wink and laugh at how desperate you were and tell her she was fine. Everything seemed so unreal, so weird and heavy.

Crying is the only thing you could do right. You don't even know how long you stood there with her in your arms.

But then you freeze.

You freeze when you notice Daisuke's silence in the other room, you sob and just hear Jimmy say something about letting him think he was going to fix everything.

Carefully letting go of Anya's body you stand up.

That's not true, is it?

As you enter the other room you look to the side and feel like vomiting.

"Daisuke, no no no... Daisuke answer me, please look at me, please please..."

Screaming and crying you go next to Daisuke's body now in silence, running your hand over his face.

Gosh, you didn't even know what to do. On one side was Anya's body and on the other was Daisuke's body.

All you could do was beg any God that could hear you at that moment, beg that all of this was just a terrible dream and that your friends were okay.

They still had so many dreams, you still had so many things to do together. Even if you never left the ship and died here, you would get through this together.

What had you done to deserve this? What had Anya done to deserve a future like this? Daisuke still had so much to live for.

A few minutes pass with you sitting on the floor, now holding Daisuke's body in your arms, running your hands through his hair, saying that tomorrow is another day, that he would talk excitedly to you again..

You remember hearing Swansea yelling to go after Jimmy, but at this point you couldn't tell what you were imagining and what was real.

You lay him down again.

Everything would be sorted out tomorrow.

You walk towards the kitchen in that room.

This is all too much for your head.

You grab something from the kitchen.

Everything was going to be fine

You move automatically, and then blood gushes from your neck, the knife falls and then your body.

Curse this nightmare you lived in.

[catcherintheryuu]

𝙵𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚗 𝙰𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚕 𝚏𝚝. 𝙷𝚢𝚎𝚠𝚘𝚗 𝚡 𝙼𝚊𝚕𝚎 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛

Tags : Light Angst, Drinking, Hate Sex, Rough Sex (It gets rough), Daddy Kink, Degradation, Belly Bulging, Fingering, and one mention of peeing.

A/N: First fic finally came out... Thank God! I just want to say thanks to @capslocked for introducing me to other writers that helped me out. Thank you @gangplanksorenji, @ggidolsmuts, @iznsfw, and @fillinforlater for editing and guiding a beginner like me. Also thank you to the other writers (that didn't want their name to be mentioned.)

A glimpse, no. Perhaps a little longer, a gaze maybe? How about something more drawn out, a stare? To and away, you stared. “This is getting dangerous,” you deemed all the while staring at her. 

The two of you walked slowly in the wet, desolate streets—admiring the peaceful solace the night brought. The streets lighting up but dying down; a moonlight gleam hugged her delicate features. The midnight dress emphasised her pale beautiful skin, foregrounded by the starry night. The base of her neck—her defined collarbone seeping down to her chest—caressed by the midnight breeze.

The rushing rain trailed off of your face. Her hand held yours, pulling you through city streets. Twisting through your callous hand, your hands intertwined. A mistake maybe? No matter. If it was you from the past it might’ve posed a problem but not anymore. By pure instinct, you grasped hers as well, strengthening the purest form of human connection.

A light flashed at the corner of your eye, the bus stop sign reflecting the moonlight glare. She seemed to not mind the rain, but you didn’t want her getting sick. A pull, strong enough to take control but gentle enough not to hurt her, was all it took to break her gait. You pulled her towards the bus stop, sheltering the both of you from the rain.

Admittedly, you pulled her a tad too hard; and Hyewon, unable to stop, came crashing onto your torso. Not wanting gravity to take control, you stiffened up.

“Yah!” she growled.

Your arms welcomed the crashing Hyewon, wrapping her in a tight embrace. Wet. Both of your clothes drenched and hers even more noticeable—her soaked clothes clung onto her body, tightening around every single curve, the very definition of form-fitting. You felt it all: the warmth of her hand on your pecs and her hot humid breath making its way up to you.

Seeing her eyes squeeze shut and her lips quiver, you brought her closer to you—embracing her a little while longer in hopes of soothing her distress.

You held her by her shoulders, “Sorry! Are you ok?” full of concern.

She unwrapped her eyelids, “Y-yeah. I’m fine. You just… surprised me, that’s all.”  

You plopped her down on the bench, safe from the rain. Shivering, probably because of the cold, you took off your coat and wrapped it around her—not taking “no” for an answer.

“Oh… thanks.” She looked up, her eyes like that of a raindrop—reflecting your irises into hers. Hyewon would normally be easy to read. She was the type of person to lay it all bare—making you comfortable knowing she didn’t have any ulterior motives, but this time felt a little different. Her irises reflected the care and intimacy you had for her. You tried to look away but you were immediately drawn back in.

You take a kneel, your face now half an arms length away from her, only now do you notice the peaks of her mounds piercing through her dress. Bare. With every breath, her thin frame expanded and contracted. The fragility of her body displayed itself in all its glory.

“It worked out anyways,” her voice brought you back to your senses, “You dragged us to where I planned to go.”

And so, you waited for the next bus to arrive. A moment of peace and tranquility, a moment so plain from which insanity can derive from. Yet you felt your consciousness ebb away, and as clear as your thoughts were mere moments ago, your head slowly swayed into the flow of the wind. At once, you were struck with a certain heaviness. Your head over your shoulder, on the lookout, only to see Hyewon’s head leaning against it. Unbeknownst to you, your cheeks flushed red like a paper lantern, the city serving as backdrop. Were you able to disassociate yourself tangibly, the scene transpiring right now painted a romantic cliche. 

A beam of light made its way around the corner—the bus finally arrived. “Hyewon,” you shook her by her shoulders. A small shift but nothing more. “You’re joking?” you murmured.

“Where did she even want to go…?” A heave and a ho, you carried her like a log. The driver motioned towards an empty seat in the back row. You sat her down once again with utmost care to not wake her up. Her head flailed towards the window—thump, thump, thump—hitting the window as the bus rode through the bumps. Your hand broke through the space in between and pulled her head closer up against your shoulder, her head resting on your shoulder once again. 

Deep asleep, she didn’t notice you going through her bag in search of anything indicating the location of her humble abode. It didn’t take long, Gyeoul Gong-gan Apartment Unit 381. “Wait… we live in the same apartment. What am I doing?” you mused, your thoughts clearly influenced by the devil’s nectar. With a tolerance stronger than most, weakness struck with a heavy advantage. Clearly not used to it, your eyes grew heavy and fell—only putting up a tiny struggle before your head soon followed. 

.

.

.

.

.

Flashback…

The pitter-pattering of the rain echoed throughout your apartment. The once lively place now reflected the same gloom the weather gave off. Oddly enough, it was calming for you. It served as a nice distraction to what used to be an apartment teeming with happiness and laughter—enough to rack up multiple noise complaints—now filled with a dreadful quietness, constantly reminding you of your lonesome. Minutes slipped by without notice, you found yourself staring at the ceiling with no recollection of the events prior to your sleep. Whether it be the drinks or the stress of university life, nights were no longer the same. There was never a release, a sigh of relief like there used to be, but it was all a subconscious effort to distract yourself. 

After a couple of seconds, your pillow started to vibrate, or so you thought. It took quite some time before you could get his body moving but you did. You have one missed call. Suddenly, you felt rejuvenated. “Did she call?” you scrambled out of your bed, “I knew it was all going to be okay.” And similar to that of a balloon, you deflated—shoulders slumping and your breath slipping out—just as quickly as you scrambled. “Hey man… wanna go out to eat,” the message read out, “Class is starting again, the others are worried about you.” It was your best friend, Seonghoon.

It’s been a while since your friend group last hung out together; and because of the pandemic, the first years of your university life took place online. Little did you know that this supposedly forgettable and uneventful time in your life would actually be your undoing. One that would imprint a mark inside that would slowly gnaw at you from the inside out. Like a boat hemmed in the fog—fog so light it looked like cotton, fog so light that you couldn’t help but underestimate it—the captain’s head on a swivel. So desperate, you looked for any light that shone through the softest white that enveloped you. Clouded. And there it was, the fire and the glow in the form of a girl. More luster than the starry sky and more luminous than the lone lantern in the night. Like the vacuum of space, she took you in with a pull stronger than that of black holes. The same dark nothingness in the middle of the starry sky, she was a person of immeasurable depth—an abyss, so enthralling you couldn’t let your gaze slip. 

The fire that embraced you with the warmth in the cold darkness, turned out to be the same fire that would reduce you to ashes—to nothing but a former shell of yourself. She called the tune and you listened. The tidal waves that would move as the moon influenced. The same body of water that would be lifeless without movement, “Maybe it was for the better.” She pulled the string��the tension tighter than an ancient lyre—and you broke.

Your phone vibrates once more, this time an alarm. Laundry - 3:00 pm. It was that time of the week but this one was more important than the last. Everyone was getting ready to go back to face-to-face classes after two years and first impressions were very important. But with dark circles under your eyes and a gaze so flat, it cut the air—you weren’t in the most presentable state. It took some incredible self-persuasion for you to finally get moving. Granted, all you had done so far was wash your face and wear some new clothes, but it was a step in the right direction no matter how minute it was. After taking some time to fix yourself up, you scanned your apartment. The acrid smell of the multiple leftovers pierced your nostrils—strong and stinging, you choked up—finally snapping you out of your sad-stricken state, even if only for a moment. Immediately realizing the gravity of the situation, you hurriedly grabbed your washed and dirty clothes and took them down to the laundromat.

It didn’t take long for you to go down the flight of stairs and reach the laundromat. An orange hue struck past the window, a nice and calming atmosphere, or so it would have been if you hadn’t confined yourself in your room; essentially locking yourself away from all sunlight other than the dim and gloomy light struggling through the thickness of the curtains, like that of an eclipse. 

It’s been six months since your apartment was last filled with the voice of another and even longer since you last met up with your friends. “Maybe I should go…?” you questioned yourself, “What if I kill the vibe though?” You went back up the stairs and cleaned your apartment while waiting for the laundry. It didn’t take long, as the orange hue was still there when you went back downstairs. Quicker than you thought, you found some free time; memories of smiles and laughter came flooding in. You had so much free time now… time that would have normally been spent wit—

The laundry came to a stop unnoticed, but the cycle signal broke your train of thought. You collected your clothes and brought them back up. 1… 2… 3… 4… The elevator taking longer than usual, your mind wandered once again. A tiny grin started to form on your face, quickly turning itself upside down. “Damn… I’m really gonna live with this for quite some ti—” 

“Oh my God, it’s been so long!” a voice interrupted, “remember me?” 

A dazed, “Huh?” slipped out; with furrowed brows and squinted eyes, you tried to identify the owner of the voice but to no avail. Silence filled the air momentarily, “Uh… I think you have the wrong guy,” you suggested. 

“Oh, come on! It’s me,” she swiped a lock of disheveled hair, “How about now?” 

Your jaw fell, words stuck in your throat, “Hye—Hyewon? What are you doing here?”

“What do you mean? I live here,” she retorted, “So… you’re getting your things ready for class, huh?” A puzzled look appeared on your face, “Don’t tell me you also go to Seoul University.” 

“Also…?” her eyes widened, a realization, “What are you majoring in?” 

“Architecture,” they said in parallel to each other. “Jinx! You owe me a soda,” she exclaimed.  

“Wha—” a smug face greeted you, “How did you know?” 

She turned her head away, “That’s a secret.”

“You can’t be serious, right? I’m busy right now,” you exhaled. 

“You can just buy me one some other time,” she presented her phone, “Just give me your phone number. I changed mine a while back.” In a rush, you quickly put it in and disappeared from her view.

———————————————

The bustling city filled your senses: the people being dragged by the unseeing hand of capitalism, the awful artificial vibrations of the many cars racing to get to their workplaces, the smell of the tears of the hardworking man, and the swell of humanity creeping in everyone’s personal space. It all slowly crept in—like the vignette forming in your vision. All sounds slowly if not suddenly muffled themselves. 

A tap on the shoulder, “Yo… you good?” your head subtly swung, mimicking that of a pendulum, a response but not to the question. “Y-yeah… Sorry, I zoned out.” 

“It’s our stop soon, get your things,” Seonghoon told you. "By the way have you heard of the new—” A ring broke the one-sided conversation—Hyewon was calling. “Oooh, so you have got someone?” he teased. 

You waved Seonghoon off and answered the phone. “He—Hi!” a snicker from Seonghoon earned another wave. The voice on the phone echoed, “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten what I said last time? I was waiting for you, you know?” 

“Right… yeah. Of course, I remember,” you replied, “There’s a Korean BBQ spot I know downtown. Are you free this Friday?” Your reply earned a smirk from your friend. “Alright then, just call me. I’ll pick you up.” 

“And with that, the date has been set,” you exhaled.

Seonghoon’s brows furrowed, “It’s a date?!?!?”

 Eyes widened, “What!? No, no, no! I meant the date September 14!” 

A playful punch hit you on your shoulder, “Relax… I was just messing with you. It’s our stop by the way.” Seonghoon led the way while you followed. It was quite a trek before you would reach the main campus, eventually splitting up due to the difference in departments. You would then drag your drained self through the day, and all of a sudden it was nighttime. 

The swell of humanity had already dissipated, and what remained were the remnants of people picking themselves back up from their busy day. There were also a few people—whether responsible or irresponsible, we’ll never know—burning the midnight oil. Some people were playing catch-up, while others were trying to get ahead of everyone else. It just made it clear that everyone was moving without a single care for your own problems.

And with less than three days to prepare and classes taking up most if not all of your time, it was physically impossible to be at your best.

.

.

.

The sound of sizzling meat mixed with the aroma of seasonings and sauces fill your senses as you enter the building. The aroma was intoxicating, causing your mouth to water—yet you couldn’t do anything but wait as you and Hyewon stood outside waiting to be ushered to your seats.

Korea just transitioned away from its pandemic protocols. It’s been ages since you last ate out by yourself, let alone with the company of someone else.

“Is it only going to be the two of you?” the waiter asked. You nodded in response.

“Just follow me.” The waiter motioned towards an empty seat. You allowed your partner to go first (now don’t get it wrong, you guys aren’t in that type of relationship) displaying your gentlemanly behavior. Partners, in a non-romantic way, just seems like the appropriate way to call it

The both of you sat down to where the waiter ushered you. You were welcomed by a soft yellow hue coming through the window from the lamppost outside. A calming atmosphere radiated from where you sat—the seats being padded which allowed for some of your stiffness to disappear.

Taking a short look around, your architectural senses started tingling. Things you wouldn’t have noticed before become apparent—Greek pillars lifted the ceiling to a higher degree than normal, to allow for a spacious and comfortable feeling, while small pots of flowers hung from the ceiling reminded you of ancient history, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon to be exact. 

Ancient history… well, that’s another way to describe what you and Hyewon have going on. It’s been ages since you guys last met yet somehow you’re here eating with her, like it was just the good old days.

Anyways, it was kind of weird that a Korean barbecue restaurant had such a niche and unique design. The theme didn’t really match, like, who would pair the straight and harmonious architecture of the Greeks with a casual and relaxed establishment? The contrast between the two didn’t make sense from an outsider’s perspective but you guess it was a quality restaurant. There was an hour long line after all, so people must like it.

After looking around, you finally found your vision was naturally attracted to her face. You did look at everything else already so it just made sense to focus on the one last thing you haven’t paid attention to, whether on purpose or not.

Hyewon was definitely beautiful but you never really got a proper look at her. It wasn’t like you’d just randomly stare at her for a good ten seconds or so, that’d be weird… but it was happening right now. However, things are unexpectedly in your favor. Right now, all of her attention was directed towards the menu—if this was any other world, she’d have made a hole through the menu with how intense her gaze was.

It was clear she took great care of her appearance. Her skin was smooth to the touch, you imagine. Her lips were full and upturned at the corners, giving her a soft look of innocence. Hair, long and draped over her shoulders like the gentle waves of the ocean. Eyes, large and expressive—almost giving you a full view to what she was thinking—and her beauty was enhanced by her effortless charm and grace… or lack thereof. You knew that when it came to the grace part, she wasn’t the most graceful whenever food was in front of her.

You guys ordered some grilled pork belly accompanied by an assortment of side-dishes and some good old soju. With excellent service, your order arrived within ten minutes. She had just gone to the bathroom to touch up her makeup—so light that you didn’t even notice she had put it on. She returned at basically the perfect time.

“Hey! Are you going to help me or not?” She exclaimed, ready to put the meat on. You were staring at her again—no menu to distract her this time.

“Y-yeah… Sorry, I was just thinking about some things.” You reached out for the tongs she was handing you.

“It’s just our first week. Is there something wrong?” she asked with a hint of concern.

Eureka! The contrast between the straight and harmonious architecture of the Greeks and the relaxed and casual establishment perfectly reminded you of Hyewon. Her soft and innocent look, that just radiated charm and grace, was in complete contrast to how she actually acts around people. She was always a genuine person that did and said whatever she wanted. She never bothered to please other people just for the sake of it. Kind of weird that you’re comparing a restaurant to a person but that’s what happens to architecture majors.

You brushed away all of your thoughts. “No, no, no. It’s not a school thing,” you replied quickly, trying to clear her concern.

“Hmmm… If you say so.” She hesitated, trying not to pry. “Anyways, let’s start cooking for real this time. Let’s leave all that stuff for another time.”

You finally started cooking. You laid the pieces of meat over the piping hot grill. You watched as it cooked itself from the overwhelming heat coming from the grill. You watched as the raw fat from the pork belly slowly transformed to a nice golden brown and its juices slowly dripped off the edge. You were so absorbed into watching the meat being cooked that you didn’t even begin to notice the rustic scent of the grill slowly change to that of a tasty aroma. The sound of the crackling fat over the heat was nothing but music to your ears. You couldn’t read minds but you could tell that Hyewon shared the same thoughts as you. As far as you could tell, she was still the same Hyewon from your high school days that loved anything related to food.

You watched as the piece of meat slowly metamorphosed from a raw and inedible piece of meat to something irresistible.

Finally, it was time for you two to dig in. You reached out to grab the tongs and place the pieces of meat onto both of your plates.

Hyewon took the first bite with amazing speed as if it was a race. Her cheeks puffed up and just as quickly as she reached for it, she gasped for air. She made a fanning motion trying to get as much cold air in her mouth as possible. You offered her a drink to wash it down but she refused. She didn’t want her first bite to be diluted with alcohol.

“I know you want to savor it but… is this really the way?” you laughed as she stood up, trying to get even more air. It took a moment but she sat down soon after.

“Whew… That was an invigorating first bite.” She heaved.

“Yeah… Burning your mouth is definitely one way to feel alive and healthy,” you retorted. Concerned, you proposed a compromise to the hungry Hyewon. “Let’s eat some of the side dishes while we wait for it to cool, okay?” 

“Fine…” her eyes downcast. The side dishes were quickly consumed, and it was, again, the time for the main dish. 

You saw her all giddy and full of energy, making tiny quiet claps in anticipation—you couldn’t help but find it adorable. And for the rest of the main event, you found yourself constantly distracted by the amount of happiness Hyewon radiated with every bite. “So this is what parents feel like when they say that they can feel full just from watching their children eat,” you thought. 

Some time passed by; conversations came and went, more pieces of meat were cooked and eaten, and drinks were poured and emptied. 

“So… why did you major in architecture?” If it was any other person, it would’ve been difficult to discern what she just said. Hyewon’s cheeks were puffed up, trying to do two things at the same time—enjoy some food whilst talking to you. 

“You know you shouldn’t talk with your mouth full right?” an awful attempt to change the topic. Her cheeks slowly deflated as the pork gradually melted inside her mouth. What should’ve been a good ten seconds, now became two. It was impossible for you to think of a response that fast—or at least an answer that would be believable enough. Running out of time, you deci— “Ok… so why did you major in architecture again?” she interrupted, her eyes lit up all proud and smug. Her face radiated like that of a golden retriever that just fulfilled its owner’s commands. 

Your stream of consciousness wandered away. The numerous chatter, that once filled your ears, was now all muffled. The crackling fat on the grill found its way through the chatter to your ears, the aroma filled your nose. It was all so beautifully distracting. 

“Hello??” her hand swatting the air in front of you, trying to get your attention. “Did you not he—” you stuffed her mouth with the last piece of pork. That should buy you some time. 

You started to interrogate himself, “Why did I choose architecture again? Do they even make a lot of money?” subconsciously holding yourself away from the truth of it all.

Hyewon started chewing vigorously. The girl who always savored the last piece went out the window. The time that you bought yourself quickly ran out. 

“Why didn’t she take her time with the last piece?!?!” you panicked. 

“You do realize that that was the last piece right?” A pitiful last attempt to distract her from the topic at hand. 

Her face quickly turned from one of eagerness and excitement to one of great disappointment. You saw her looking over the table, her eyes desperately panning left and right in search of leftovers. Sad to say, it truly was the last piece. 

You saw her pouting—her face all scrunched up, hands clenched into a tight fist, her eyes downcast, and shoulders following the same trajectory—though unable to rid herself of her cute aura. You couldn’t take it seriously because of how large the contrast was, yet you knew the gravity of the situation. “Ehem…” you coughed, raising your hand in hopes of gathering the attention of an unoccupied waiter.

A good ten seconds passed by and you couldn’t help but be bothered by the daggers pointing behind your back. Wanting to correct the situation, you stood up—disregarding how you looked to everyone else—trying to get the waiters’ and waitresses’ attention. 

“Could we get two more servings and some more drinks?” you said as you looked towards Hyewon, hoping to satisfy her. Arms crossed and lips pouted, she maintained her rigid and immovable stance. You knew she wouldn’t budge until you were actually able to replace what was taken away and then some. It took some time but she finally got around. Her once pouting face now held the crescent of the moon on her lips. 

You reached out for the tongs once again and slowly distributed the meat onto their plates. Her face lit up every time he placed a piece onto her plate and drooped down every time you put one on yours. Noticing the small detail, you regretfully decided to just give the rest of the unclaimed pieces. 

Her wide smile glistened, allowing the rest of her features to shine. She regained her radiance, the same radiance reflected onto him. And with the mood lifted by such a vibrant display, moments slipped by without notice.

Your hand interrupting the bustling atmosphere, you asked for the bill, to which a waitress arrived and gave, or so you thought. Another hand made its way to interrupt the waitress this time. The hand was delicate and graceful—slender fingers that tapered off into slender nails, wrists dainty yet strong and embraced by a simple hair tie. “I can pay. It was my idea anyway,” she protested. Fearing another fight, you decided to concede—but not entirely. The LED lights slowly crept in as the natural light slowly dispersed. “What if I offer to take her home?” you thought, “Hey—” 

She interrupted, “You wanna drink some more?” presenting her hand. 

She gathered her long locks of silky hair, “Wouldn’t want to be wasted so far from home do ya?” Her fingers worked gracefully—twisting and looping the hair into a tight bun, leaving some lengths untied for a slightly disheveled look.

“So… are you gonna take my hand or what?” She swiped the stray lock of hair from her face. Not missing a heartbeat, you took her hand—the very same hand you admired just a few minutes ago. To your surprise, her fingers intertwined with yours—an intimate and romantic gesture—but you had not a single clue if it held any meaning. Hyewon always had a problem with personal space and physical touch. “So this is what those boys, who confessed to her, felt.” 

The cobwebs of your heart were slowly getting woven away. “Is this right? Am I allowed to feel like this?” The invisible vice grip returned, ever so slightly tightening in your solar plexus. To what should’ve been butterflies in your stomach, were the rotten cocoons all knotted up. 

You shook your head in discord of your own thoughts. “Yeah… there’s no way. We literally just met again after all these years.” Hyewon pulled you by your hands outside, oblivious to your thoughts. 

“Where exactly are we going?” you stopped in your tracks, forcing her to break her pace.

“Don’t worry about it,” she chuckled, “Did you always ask these many questions?” She tugged on you again, “Now, come on!” Forcing an exhale out of him, “Fine!” 

.

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.

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Flashback end…

“Wake up you lovebirds!!” The driver yelled inside the now empty bus. Eyelids still heavy, everything slowly came into focus—your head resting on Hyewon’s. Somehow still asleep, “What the hell…? Is she a light drinker?” you carried her to her unit.

“Don’t tell me her keys fell out…” the slight jingle when exiting the bus replayed in your mind. Not wanting to leave her out in the open, you took her a floor down to your apartment.

Light. Your hands behind her knees, her breasts pressing onto you. You find yourself conscious of her braless venture with the way you felt her tits plunge itself, in its erectness, on your back; sending waves of sensation to and from your back.

You lay her down on the couch, dripping water all over the place. “How the fuck am I supposed to dry all of this?” Scratching your head, you began to unbutton your polo.

A hand slithers its way from the back of your shoulders to your abs—the finger tracing the definition of your muscles, leisurely admiring it. “I can’t believe your ex is missing out on this,” the girl whispers into your ears.

Earning a well-deserved shove, “Get the fuck off me! I’m letting this go just because you’re drunk.”

“Or what?” her voice alluring, tempting a reaction out of you.

A pinch to your temple—trying to hold yourself back, letting out an extended exhale, “I swear— say one more word and I’m gonn—”

A flash of light glared through the window—exposing her naked body, her transparent midnight dress gripping tightly—followed by a roaring thunder.

Don’t look. Your head turned away, you don’t see her approach you. A turn back and you’re greeted by her face, not a foot further—her face tilted, awaiting a reaction out of you. Eyes downcast, you’re taller than her, stronger than her, and yet it feels as though she has you under her grasp. She grabs your chin, “What now?” The water in her clothes weighed it down, slowly showing off more and more of her chest.

You grab Hyewon’s wrist, causing her lips to quiver. A twist and a turn, like that of a ballerina, you switch places. You trap her between your body and the wall, her hand forced by your own against it. “So you can take charge~” her voice trailed off.

“Fuck this.” You let go of her hand, the gentleness absent. You’re not falling for anything at this point. It’s clear she wants to rile you up… but why?

“It’s been six months right? Six months of no action too, I presume?” you see what she’s getting at.

“Was it all planned? Was that innocent display a lie?”

“Does that matter? I know you want me,” her finger peeling back her lower lip, “I’ve seen the way your eyes stare at me.”

“You’re not getting what you want, you know that right? I don’t know why I thought this shit would work,” you wave her off.

“I always get what I want~” approaching you ever so slowly. “Isn’t that right?” her hands curling behind your neck.

You prove her right—you lean in for a kiss, her hands pull on your hair, “Where did all that bravado go? Guess you were a bad boyfriend huh?”

You lift her by her waist, her body draping over your shoulders as you throw her onto the bed, not without a single smirk curling up her mouth, “There it is… there’s the man I want.”

“You fucking whore,” your fists clenching, “You think you can just come in here and do what you want? You don’t deserve any of that lovey-dovey shit.”

“Oh~ trust me. I don’t want any of that.” Hyewon crawls with no care in the world, her eyes focused on your bulge. Fuck. She lacks manners, lacks grace—her eyes completely bewitched. To her, you are her food for the night. Her teeth skillfully peels your underwear, revealing your cock. “Ooooh, big, veiny.” How phallic.

And suddenly, her grace comes back—the sultry grace of sucking your cock. She swallows it all in one dive. There’s no beauty behind it all, or at least there shouldn’t be. There was something hypnotic about how she stared at you with your cock in her lips.

Look down and all you can see is her disheveled hair with your hands gripping to the shape of her head. A subtle force keeps her plunging deeper and deeper to no end. Her tongue swirls around your cock, rubbing all over the veins, not leaving a spot untouched. Her nose plugged, her other senses heightened itself to that of a supernatural level. She feels you through the veins of your cock lodged in her throat, every throb and every pulse. She reads you completely—you weren’t thinking with your brain after all.

Not enough. You push her head deeper, her nose plunging deeper into your pelvis. Hyewon’s sultry grace disappears, “WAI-” The silent apartment, now resonates with the sinful sounds struggling out of her throat. “HMMMF!” her hands slamming onto your thigh. “Choke on it!” you punch it in. The walls of her throat begin to collapse, tightening. A cough, or so it should have been but instead she choked more on your cock, clearly too much for her to handle, the length forcing its way down even more.

Release. She pushes back, gasping for air. She needs oxygen and you deprived her of it. “I’m not done with you,” you grab her head and force your cock deep down her throat again.

“Stop, stop, stop! I can’t fucking bre- GOUHK!” A galore of drool seeped out the corners of her mouth, dripping down onto the already wet sheets. “Fuck you,” Hyewon slurs, this time you pull on hair. The constant bobbing continues, though not of her own volition. You press her head onto your pelvis one last time, this one stronger than all the others. Your spine buckles down—the same amount of force one would put when opening the lid of a jar, arms tensing and veins appearing—you unload onto the walls of her throat. The goopy, thick liquid forcing its way down to her stomach. Unable to take it all in, she pushes you away and coughs up the rest. You go along with it, feeling your load force its way out.

Hyewon lays down on her back, gasping for air, occasionally coughing up your cum like a broken water fountain.

“H-Holy shit… I almost died there.” Hyewon exaggerates as her fingers pull on the corners of her mouth, widening the moist entrance to show the masterpiece you created within her velvety walls—clumps of white semen sticking to her uvula, semen blending in with her ivory-like teeth.

“You’re not a one-hit wonder are you? If you were then I’d understand why she left you,” another remark looking to irk something inside of you. You pull on her ankles, “Ow! You could be much kinder to a lady like me, you know?” The sarcasm in her voice telling you she doesn’t give a shit about your feelings and your past.

Rip her dress off, “Fuck you! That was expensive.”

“You think I fucking care?” You shoot out a glare so flat it cuts the air.

“Oh~ I know you don’t,” she giggles, “Now fuck me like the slut I am will you?”

You twist her body—her back now facing you. Her hands unfolding her pussy, making way for your cock. A plunge deep inside, “Oh… fuck~ You’re so fucking tight.” Her plush flesh tightens around you. Hyewon’s hands are busy trying to keep herself sane—grasping at the sheets, almost ripping them.

“Yeah~ Just like that… daddy,” she turns around. You greet her face with a slap, earning a yelp. “I’m so fucking trashy right?” You hear the smirk in her voice.

“You’re not fucking learning are you?” her hair brutally balled up into your fists. Pull tighter—her back arching. Pull tighter—your other arm now putting her into a chokehold. You thrust into her, vehemently, without a single care. You have full control now. Let go of her hair and palm her abs, feeling your cock swell through.

“FUCKKKK!” She tries her best to push your arm away, “Fuckin- Stop! Stop pressing on it! YOU"RE GONNA RIP ME IN HALF!” She claws at your chokehold, trying her very best to get out. Fuck that’s hot.

It’s the way she surrenders every part of her body as you fuck the living shit out of her—well, it’s not like she has a say in the matter. You push her into any position you want. Manipulate her like a doll, existing purely for your pleasure.

The whines, the slurring of her voice, all of it so enthralling to hear. You feel her saliva drip onto your arms. You thrust harder than the last with every incomplete sentence coming out of her filthy mouth. With every incoherent word, your cock throbs. Every single moan now a glass-breaking scream. You’re piling on noise complaints. Harder. You’re really in it now—in her—almost fucking her ten crimes deep before you can relish in your high. The knot in your stomach is slowly unravelling, the floodgates are about to open. You’re remolding her into your toy—if only she wasn’t the one playing with your emotions but who cares, you were having the time of your life. Another rip-roaring scream, the last one. Now, everything that came out of her mouth was nothing else but a low grumble, her voice box pushed to its very limits.

Hyewon’s nails dig deep into your arms, “Ahm- I’M PEEING!” Her muscles contracting, her hips buckling. Your cock following the trajectory. She’s on her toes. You feel the warm fluid trickling down your thighs. You don’t let up; in fact, you squeeze tighter.

The whites of her eyes take over as they roll back in her head. A hand free, you go further. You mask her with your hand, her grumbles struggling through it. Every moan, every groan. You feel her depleting energy, channeled by her voice, propagating through your very veins.

Fall in love with the idea of sophistication, the assumption of carnal layers peeled back, to reveal the sin of lust inside such a person, peeled back one by one.

Take away a sapien. You were stripping her down to her very core, diluting it. Primitive. With pure instinctual fucking, you were singlehandedly reverting her DNA millennium’s back.

You free Hyewon from your clutches.

What a masterpiece to behold! Her body lays on the mattress—limp, almost lifeless. A quiver then and there easing your worries. Your floodgates open, you unload on her back—ropes of semen shooting out—marking her as yours. It fits her so well, almost like a back tattoo (but made of cum). The liquids making a cocktail in the sheets.

Your heart is beating out of your chest. You aren’t satisfied… yet. Your fingertips dig into her cheeks, “Fucking weak slut. All that talk for nothing.” Hyewon’s gaze is cloudy, she isn’t even staring at you. She’s drunk-dazed, almost jaded. You slap her face with your cock, “Wake up, bitch! We aren’t done!”

It’s a bit too late for some foreplay but here you are, rubbing her cunt vigorously. Are you starting a fire? One thing’s certain, her nerves are burning and you’re warming her up—her erogenous zones. Preparing them for the experience they’re about to go through.

Finger her. Your fingers—three to be exact—make their way through the ruined walls, like an explorer finding the ruins of ancient civilization. You feel some precum sticking to her walls. You bottom out, reaching the furthest your hand could go. You curl your finger in a come-hither motion, jerking it in a disorderly, primal manner. No techniques. It’s the pure girth of your fingers stimulating her G-spot, almost clawing at her walls, her body quivers with the slightest touch.

Hyewon, still unconscious, her body declares its sign of life with every single convulsion.

You don’t limit yourself. Your other hand making its way to her ass. What is meant to be a delicate spot—throw that out the window—you go at it with intensity. Rather than curling your fingers, you put pressure on the walls of her ass, working it in a circular motion—stirring it in its chaotic mess.

The obligatory orgasm, and when it eventually does come, like a dopamine hit, is thrilling and satisfying but for no more than a few fleeting moments but that’s all you need.

Her back arching, pelvis thrusting the air, her arms reaching for the ceiling, palms spreading to its very limit. Her liquids squirts all over your hand. You send an electric charge coursing through her veins, essentially resuscitating her, “HOLY SHITTT- LET ME TAKE A BREAK! PLEASE! DADDY! PLEASE! TOO MUCH! IT’S TOO MUCH! I’M CUMM-” Hyewon’s last words before passing out again. Her body crumples on the bed—her body in shambles, almost droopy.

A deafening silence fills the room, the only thing you can hear are your weary breaths. You just finished but are you finished? You look back, the view unlike any other. She’s a tool and nothing more. And despite looking pristine just moments ago—like a flower untouched, the color white personified—her body says otherwise.

How sinful. How tempting. She’s all that and she knows it. Hyewon may think she’s a devil but you beg to differ. A fallen angel you’d say. It’s almost artistic as to how much she encapsulates it without knowing so. The innocence remains the same, unaware of her surroundings and herself. Is lust a sin? You hear the moans reverberate from the upper floor. The normality of it all hits you. It’s an innocent sin. There’s no point overthinking. Enjoy yourself… just like Hyewon just now. You needed it, the release. “You could have been a lot kinder about your words, you know?” you give her a spank, blood vessels squeezing, your hands imprinting itself.

“You knew I was awake?” she looks back, struggling to sit herself up—her arms weak from what you just put her through. You lay beside her. “Yah!” You put her in your arms, this one a tender embrace.

Hyewon tucks her head under your neck, her finger tracing circles on your pecs, “Just so you know, I’m not taking back what I said. I don’t know her but she’s a bitch.”

You let out a chuckle as your fingers run through her hair, almost massaging her scalp. “Are you trying to score some good guy points now?” she looks up, her eyes devoid of ulterior motives.

“Is it working?” your other hand makes its way under her chin, caressing it.

Her lips quiver, resisting the urge to smile. “No,” she says as she hides her face away, pressing them onto your abs.

“Let’s get up by the way, your liquids are everywhere,” you punctuate.

You get off the bed, helping her on the way up, “I didn’t rough you up too bad, did I?”

An attempt to prove you wrong, she smacks your hand away, rejecting any form of help. “I’m an independent woman,” she says all smugly.

“Oh yeah?” you give her the side-eye, your fingers point toward her legs, “Is there an earthquake right now? You’re wobbling like crazy.”

“Fuck you,” she says just to immediately use your body as support. She looks up to see your smug face, “I hate you, you know that?”

“Your body sure doesn’t say so. But I still can’t believe you did all that… for me,” you grab onto her shoulders, standing her straight.

“I did all that for you—your cock all right? Don’t get it twisted,” you twist her body, then carrying her like a princess, “Yah! Put me down!”

“Or what?” you lean in closer, almost biting her ear. It sends shivers across her body, you feel the way her body just shivered, “You’re turned on again, aren’t you?” Met with silence, the sensation of wetness on your arm serves as her answer, “Just… don’t say those things next time, okay?”

“Who says there’s gonna be a next time?” shuffling in your arms.

“I did,” you give a light kiss on her forehead, “You were just lucky I gave in to you this time.”

“And if I don’t stop talking shit about your ex?” she crosses her arms.

“Then I’ll make sure you’ll be the one to give in,” you carry her towards the bathroom.

“Well… she’s a bitch,” you give her a glare, “Now, teach me a lesson in the shower will you?”

A/N: Hello!! I finally got this out! It took longer than I wanted since I got sick, and I just couldn't write properly. I got some more time now so hit me with some asks/requests. I might do them... but what's for sure is another fic before February ends. -🔎