#this will forever be the highlight of the summer

[chooh2]

Exactly 2 months later and it is done! I've beaten bg3!!!

[ommorphiabeautybar]

Dior · Summer 2024 Collection

    The heat of the season has officially hit,and Dior’s Summer 2024 Collection is here to embody the spirit of summer, bringing us sunny shades and just the right amount of glow. It doesn’t hurt the cause that everything is so gorgeous to look at too, am I right?   Continue reading Dior · Summer 2024 Collection

[marlshroom]

came to the fucked up realization after finishing gravity falls again last night the parallels of the dream bubble bill made for mabel and the literal state of delusion he keeps himself in.

in the book of bill on the page where bill cipher describes how he figured out a way to manipulate her into giving him the rift, it says:

"Summers ending, my guy. Ending to death, bro. She'd do anything to make it last just a day longer. Probably something RASH and OUT OF CHARACTER, even!"

as we know, mabel cannot handle the fact that she will be growing up. that the relationship with her brother is going to change. she is scared of high school.

bill then says "That was it. She'd never make a deal with me. But she'd make a deal with someone she believed could give her more time. The dream was done. I had her."

bill then creates the dream bubble for mabel, he makes every one of her dreams come true, a place where time is still and she can be a kid forever. a lie so great that she wont have to face the truth.

in journal 3 on one of the pages bill is writing in code, we see this:

[ID: "I ask you, why must[should] time only move forward? Why must cause preceded effect. Who voted on the law of physics."]

my friend helped me break down what bill means by this:

why can we only move forward in the 4th dimension of time. why does something have to make another thing happen, why must cause come before the effect. why cant you move backwards, in the other direction, change the decisions youve made.

how interpret this is bill asking why he is not able to back and stop what he did to his family. he says to ford that he tried and failed to undo the past.** why did him wanting people to acknowledge his advantages instead of suppress him lead to the destruction of his whole dimension?

**(i just want to point out that this is probably the time where bill is the MOST open to anybody, or at least the first. to his henchmaniacs he had been telling them that he liberated his dimension until the oracle discovered the truth. here, to ford, he got so much closer to telling the truth. he SHOWS ford the last atoms of his world. he says that it was destroyed by a monster, not that it was liberated! destroyed)

back to when bill says "I had her" about mabel, he had her cause he knew exactly what needed to happen to trap mabel in a delusion because it is exactly what he is doing to himself. creating a fake narrative of what happened to him, that he was vindicated in killing his whole dimension. only ever doing exactly what he wants because confronting the truth is too scary for him(good fucking lord). the morality page offers good insight into this too.

i am actually just going to quote the whole page and highlight the important part. it speaks for itself really

"THE POINT IS it's[morality] is a very flexible concept! But parents and presidents don't want you to know that, because then you might start asking other questions, like who put them in charge, anyway? So they cram your brain full of guilt and regrets for transgressing the laws that they just made up(the laws that they made to prevent the destruction of their dimension, regardless of if the law + the wrongful medication of a fucking baby triangle did any good to actually prevent it). Wouldn't it be nice if you could put all that baggage down? Quell the shame that follows you everywhere for a lifetime of crimes? MAKE THE SCREAMS FINALLY STOP? The good news is you CAN silence that annoying voice, and here's how!

DENIAL

Works 100% of the time in every situation. What you you mean there are people who disagree? I can confidently say there aren't!

RATIONALIZATION

If you can do it, you can justify it! "Truth" is open-source code and anyone can edit it anytime! Want to be like me? List 3 "evil" things and then 3 "reasons why they're actually good." You'll be rationalizing like Bill in no time!

DETACHMENT

Did you know 100% of your human cells die and are replaced every 7 years? That means that anything you did 7 years ago wasn't even you-it was some dead loser! You can't be held accountable for what a dead person did! What? You think this is just another form of rationalization? I DENY THAT!

THE BILL CIPHER DECISION METHOD!

Working over the eons, the voices in my head teamed up and worked out a foolproof method for making any decision in any situation.

DO WHATEVER I WANT."

ooooooooooooooooooh boy.

he is fully admitting here that he is living in a completely different really in order to justify doing whatever he wants. he gives mabel the tools to deny, to rationalize, to detach herself from the reality of it all. that time has to move forward. and he thinks it will work because it worked on himself.

but it doesn't work on mabel because she understands that she needs other people. shes vunerable, she lets people in, admits when shes wrong. and bill cant do that because it would destroy the fantasy he's created for himself.

[ewanmitchellcrumbs]

Go in Shadows

Pairing: modern!Aemond Targaryen x f!reader Warnings: Alcohol use, drunken behaviour, referenced drug use, angst, eventual smut. Word count: ~8.5k

Summary: Summers spent with her best friend, Helaena, are the highlight of her year. However, a week-long stay at her place does not go as she expects it to when surrounded by one Targaryen brother that she pines for unrequitedly, and another that can't seem to stand her.

Author's note: For @lauraneedstochill. Thank you to @aegonx for giving this a once over for me before I kicked it out of the door. No tag list. Please follow @fics-by-ewanmitchellcrumbs and turn on post notifications.

The grass tickles delicately at the backs of her bare thighs, causing her to squirm and change position, pulling the hem of her floral summer dress lower as she crosses her legs. It’s a hot and sunny Friday afternoon in July, and she’s making the most of her four day working week by spending her day off in the park with her best friend, Helaena.

Summer has always been her favourite time of year, from the six week long holidays of secondary school to the three month university breaks, and now the stolen afternoons and all too brief weekends of the working week. Helaena has been at her side for all of them. Summer is their time, a season in which their friendship has always thrived, fortified beneath a sun that never sets.

Helaena pauses, keeping the daisy chain she’s making in her hands still as she leans forward ever so slightly, watching intently at the wasp that buzzes around the open bottle neck of Koppaberg Cider that rests beside her, the heat of the day causing droplets of moisture to sweat from the glass.

“That’s going to drown in your cider, if you aren’t careful,” she warns her.

“Mmm,” Helaena muses dreamily, her eyes never leaving the wasp. “It wants the sugar.”

She watches for a few more moments, before it flies away, and then her attention turns back to her daisy chain, her numb nail piercing through the stem of the flower, before threading another through.

“Did your annual leave get approved for next week?” Helaena asks, blue eyes lifting from the floral chain in her hands to look at her hopefully.

“Yeah, I’m all set,” she says excitedly, before taking a swig of her own cider, relishing the way the sweet, berry flavour fizzes against her tongue. “So, what’s the plan?”

It’s not a question she really even needs to ask. It’s the same every year; Alicent takes a week-long trip to Oldtown to visit her father, Otto, and ever since Helaena was considered old enough to no longer accompany her, she stays behind, and the kids are left with a free house. She stays for the entire week, the house large enough that it feels like a holiday without needing to leave King’s Landing. They enjoy seven unsupervised days of swimming in the pool, raiding the fridge, and the inevitable rowdy and out of control parties that Helaena’s older brother, Aegon, insists upon throwing.

And therein lies the real reason she’s asking; to check which of the brothers will be in attendance. She has fancied Aegon for as long as she can remember, though he has never given her a second look beyond viewing her as his younger sister’s best friend. She exists in his shadow, laughing at all of his jokes, living for every thousand watt smile he casts her way, overlooking his often drunken, reckless behaviour, and pretending she doesn’t feel a burning sense of envy at the seemingly never ending rotation of girls he goes out with. His shadow seems to be where she is destined to remain forever, desperate to experience the warmth of his attention turned to her even once. The unrequited feelings weigh heavy upon her heart, tormenting her with soaring hope and devastating reality in equal measure.

As if able to read her mind, Helaena sighs. “Aegon’s going to be there…and Aemond too.”

She groans at this. Helaena’s younger brother, another bane of her existence, though for a completely different reason to Aegon. Aemond genuinely seems to loathe her, actively going out of his way to avoid her, refusing to even look at her if they’re in the same room. His responses are curt, bordering upon rudeness when she has tried previously to engage him in conversation, and so she has given up, taking to ignoring him just as he does to her, though it does not come as naturally to her as it does him. She feels her skin prickle in his presence, fidgeting uncomfortably at the shift in energy in the room whenever he enters. Back in secondary school, she had made an attempt to forge a bond with him, by approaching him with the history essay she was due to hand in, and asking for him to take a look at it in case there were any improvements he thought she could make.

Aemond had scoffed as he’d looked it over, sliding the papers back across the table towards her with a harsh flick of his wrist. “Derivative,” he’d commented dismissively. “The point you’re trying to make is too diffuse for you to adequately summarise it. If you were to improve it, you’d simply have to rewrite it.”

She had walked away holding back tears, bitterly regretting her decision to attempt to extend an olive branch. When the essay had been given back to her she had been awarded an A grade, which made Aemond’s comments even more baffling to her.

“Great,” she says with a roll of her eyes, “assuming he’ll have Alys to keep him busy?”

Helaena gives a solemn shake of her head. “They aren’t together anymore, so please try to be nice to him.”

She looks at Helaena incredulously. “Be nice to him?! Hel, Aemond hates me!”

“He doesn’t,” she replies with a gentle certainty.

“You don’t know that,” she huffs, swigging from her cider bottle once more.

“I do, actually,” Helaena utters, before turning her attention back to her daisy chain.

She feels that Helaena infuriates her almost as much as her brothers do sometimes. Bloody Targaryens.

A week later, her out of office is on and her bags are packed.

Helaena takes her bags, depositing them into an entryway closet to deal with later, the moment she steps through the door of the house, ushering her into the kitchen.

“Want to chop some stuff for me?” She asks. “I’m going to make a jug of Pimm’s for us all to drink by the pool.”

“Us all?” She asks, moving towards the chopping board on the kitchen side, where an assortment of strawberries, mint and cucumber has been set out, ready to be cut up.

“Yeah,” Helaena says, opening a cupboard and rummaging inside of it. “Me, you…Aemond, and Aegon…Aegon’s friend…”

Helaena’s voice tapers off as she pulls a glass jug from a shelf, her gaze turning towards the kitchen doorway.

She looks up from where she has been quartering a strawberry, her grip around the knife handle tightening subconsciously as she takes in the sight of Aegon standing there. But it’s not Aegon that is the issue, it’s the pretty brunette that’s standing next to him.

“Just wondering what’s taking so bloody long with the Pimm’s?” He asks, glancing between her and Helaena. “Are you fermenting the gin from scratch?”

“Hel was waiting for me to arrive,” she offers as a meek explanation, feeling her skin grow warm as he looks at her. “Hi, by the way.”

He fires off a mock salute at her, the casual gesture making her insides wither with disappointment. She was a fool to have expected anything more.

“I’m Cassandra,” the girl standing next to him pipes up with a cheerful smile, “nice to meet you.”

Aegon startles, as if suddenly realising she’s there, turning to look at Cassandra quickly before facing back towards her and Helaena.

“Oh yeah, Cass is gonna be staying for the week. Her brother’s brewery is supplying us with the kegs for Saturday.”

Cassandra nods enthusiastically, her eyes bright. “Royce owns Storm’s End brewery, he’s gonna sort us out with the beer for the party.”

“Lovely,” she says with a tight smile, lowering her eyes back to the chopping board and slicing into a cucumber with more aggression than is necessary. 

“Why don’t you go and get comfy by the pool, Cass,” Aegon says, ushering her away with a smack on the bottom. “I’ll make sure these two hurry the fuck up with the drinks.”

Helaena’s eyes narrow once Cassandra is out of earshot, looking at Aegon as she empties a full bottle of Pimm’s into the glass jug. “You’re sleeping with one of the Baratheon sisters to get free beer? That’s low even for you.”

Aegon shrugs with a smirk. “I’m not above schmoozing for booze, Hel.”

“You’re a pig,” she retorts softly, moving to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of lemonade. “What about what happened with Floris and Aemond?”

Aegon snorts derisively, leaning against the doorframe. “They only kissed.”

“And then she stalked him afterwards…”

“The week of a thousand texts!”

“Fifty seven to be precise. You remember, right?” She asks, turning to her friend for back up.

“Yeah, didn’t Aemond ghost her because she used the incorrect version of ‘your’ in a message?”

Helaena nods. “Yes, that was mean, and she didn’t deserve that. But sending someone so many texts when they clearly aren’t going to reply is a bit…” She wrinkles her nose. “...overbearing.”

“And she left him a five minute long voicemail,” Aegon titters.

“Yeah, you’re a pig,” Helaena insists, sloshing lemonade into the Pimm’s.

“Oh well. Hurry up!” Aegon demands with a clap of his hands, before walking away.

She hands Helaena the chopping board, now laden with chopped up garnishes and watches as she scrapes it into the jug, before stirring it.

Looking up, Helaena takes in the pained expression of her friend, her face softening. “Trust me, as Aegon’s sister, he’s not worth it.”

“I’m fine,” she quips unconvincingly, moving away to fetch glasses from another cupboard. “He’s just messing around.”

“I just think if you’re looking for someone who genuinely cares about you, then you’re looking in the wrong place.”

“What does that mean?” She asks, taking down five glass tumblers from the shelf.

“Just…don’t close yourself off to other possibilities.”

Helaena takes the jug and heads outside to the pool, before she has a chance to respond.

Always so cryptic. It’s infuriating.

To her horror, as she heads out into the garden, glasses gripped between her fingers, Helaena has set herself up on the sun lounger on the furthest end, leaving the only one free between her and Aemond.

She sets the glasses down on the patio table, next to the Pimm’s jug and takes a moment to steel herself, before heading over. Wordlessly, she lays down on the sun lounger, trying to suppress the unease that ripples beneath her skin at the imposing figure of Aemond next to her. His sun lounger has its back propped up, and he sits bolt upright, long silver hair pulled up into a bun and a pair of black Ray Bans perched upon the bridge of his aquiline nose as he reads a philosophy book.

Pretentious twat.

“Aemond, pour us all some Pimm’s,” Helaena says lazily, leaning back on her lounger and propping an arm above her head.

His brow furrows momentarily before he responds. “Why do I have to do it?”

“Because you haven’t done anything to help out with our gathering yet.”

“It’s your gathering,” he retorts, “I just happen to live here. I’m not an active participant.”

She sighs, not wanting to listen to any more of their bickering. “It’s fine, I’ll do it.”

“No, I will,” Aemond snaps, standing abruptly and setting his book down, before storming over to the table.

“Christ, what a prick,” she mutters to herself as she watches him go.

An hour later, she has changed into her bikini, and is laying on her front on her sun lounger, the remnants of her glass of Pimm’s turning warm in the sunshine beside it, as she loses herself in a historical fiction novel.

She can feel the heat prickling at her skin, and knows she ought to have put suncream on before coming back outside, she’ll burn if she continues to lay there. Sighing, she places her book on the patio next to her glass and sits up, reaching for the bottle which lays discarded beneath where Helaena is currently laying, dozing beneath her makeshift blanket of a beach towel.

She applies the lotion generously to her face, arms, legs and the exposed parts of her torso, stopping when she realises she is unable to reach her back. Looking over at Helaena, she can see she is still fast asleep, lulled into unconsciousness by warmth and alcohol.

Aegon and Cassandra sit by the edge of the pool with their feet submerged, talking and laughing as they drink what’s left of the Pimm’s directly from the jug, passing it back and forth. She would honestly rather die than go over there and risk the embarrassment of asking either one of them to help her.

Grunting with the strain of stretching her arms as far behind her as they’ll go, she attempts to spread sun cream on the rapidly reddening flesh of her shoulder blades.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Aemond sighs exasperatedly, slamming his book closed. “Give it here!”

“What?” She freezes, embarrassment enveloping her like a shroud.

“Insulting as it is that you would rather attempt to wrench your arms free of their sockets than ask me for help, I can’t help but find your pathetic little display highly distracting. Give me the sun scream, I’ll do it for you.”

She is stunned into silence by the offer, her stomach erupting into nervous flutters at the idea of someone who hates her so much actually offering to help her, and with something so intimate too. She passes him the bottle, praying he doesn’t notice the way her hand trembles, doing her best to avoid the piercing gaze of his singular seeing eye.

“Turn around then,” he commands, after a few moments of silence.

“Oh…right, of course….yeah!” 

A fresh wave of humiliation washes over her, and she finds herself grateful for the opportunity to face away from him as she repositions, glad that she doesn’t have to see the hands of her best friend’s petulant younger brother moving over her body.

Her breath hitches when his fingers make first contact with her skin, though she does her best to suppress the accompanying squeak of surprise that had wanted to accompany it. His touch is gentler than she had anticipated, soft and careful as he works to spread the cream evenly across her back and shoulders. She feels herself relax, nervous tension evaporating as she focuses on the press of his fingertips against her flesh.

“How is life at the library treating you?” He asks casually, as he applies more cream to his fingers, spreading it across the lower part of her back.

“How do you know I work at the library?” She asks, surprised by his knowledge of her job.

“Your best friend is my older sister,” he says as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world, though what he says next is expressed with hesitant shyness. “...and I walk past it sometimes…see you in there…”

“Ah,” is all she’s able to reply, shocked but also annoyed with herself. This is the most Aemond has ever spoken to her, and she’s so rattled by it she can’t reciprocate the effort within the conversation he’s trying to strike up.

When she hears the cap on the sun cream bottle click closed, she finally seizes the opportunity to speak. “I was sorry to hear about you and Alys,” she says softly, “you guys were cute together.”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” he tells her cooly, tossing the bottle onto the towel next to her before standing up and walking back inside.

She watches him go over her shoulder, silently cursing herself for her thoughtlessness in bringing up such a sensitive topic.

Aemond avoids her for the rest of the day, and much of the next, until the following evening when Aegon and Helaena decide that a barbecue is a good idea.

The sky is a muted blue, the final vestige of daytime clinging to it, delaying the inevitable setting of the sun, as the air hangs thick with humidity, exacerbated from the smoke that billows upwards from the barbecue.

“Is there room for my veggie sausages?” Helaena asks, peering over Aegon’s shoulder as he stands at the sizzling grill, a bottle of beer in one hand and tongs in the other, turning pieces of chicken.

“Yeah, in the bin,” he replies smugly, before swigging from his beer bottle.

She can’t help but giggle quietly at the remark as she stirs dressing into the bowl of salad that rests upon the patio table.

Helaena tuts, holding out the packet towards her older brother. “Don’t be selfish!”

“Ugh, fine,” Aegon scoffs with a roll of his eyes, setting his bottle down and snatching the packet from her.

She watches as he moves the meat on the grill to one side, before unceremoniously dumping out the sausages into the empty space. She huffs a laugh, shaking her head at his immaturity. 

Placing the salad bowl in the centre of the table, she’s about to reach for a packet of bread rolls to open, when Cassandra breezes out into the garden, laden with plates and cutlery.

“Why do you have six of everything?” Helaena asks suspiciously, fiddling with the corkscrew in the top of a bottle of wine. “There are only five of us.”

Cassandra gives a dismissive shrug. “Must have been miscounted,” she says, before joining Aegon at the barbecue, fussing at him for overcooking everything.

By the time they all sit around the table, a stony faced Aemond now having joined them, she is impressed by the spread that they have managed to pull together. Chicken, burgers and kebabs sit piled on a platter, though slightly burned. Salad, cold pasta, bread and dips accompany it all, and Helaena has ensured everyone has a glass of chilled Sauvignon Blanc.

The sky has begun to darken, a purple aura surrounding the burned orange glow that hangs low on the horizon, a pretty contrast to the fairy lights that are strung along the fence and overhead of where they sit.

She is trading the salad bowl for the plate of rolls with Helaena when Cassandra glances at her phone, so she barely notices when she excuses herself from the table with a flippant “be right back!”

A few moments later, she almost chokes on her wine, setting her glass down heavily upon the table and pressing her palm to her chest as she swallows forcefully. 

Cassandra has reappeared in the garden, this time with her sister, Floris, at her side.

“Oh god,” Helaena mutters under her breath, setting down her knife and fork.

Considering the way Aegon’s eyes visibly widen, it’s clear he doesn’t know that Cassandra had planned this.

Aemond sits with his back facing the patio door, so is the last to turn to look.

“Room for one more?” Floris asks with a bright smile.

Aemond whips back around in his seat, fury reflected in his right eye as he glares at Aegon, his voice dripping with venom. “Absolutely not.”

Aegon holds up his hands defensively, shoulders pulling up towards his ears. “I didn’t know!”

Ignoring the obvious tension in the air, Cassandra returns to her place next to Aegon, while Floris plops down into the empty seat between her and Aemond. She is sure she sees him physically recoil from her.

“Cassandra told me all about you and Alys,” Floris coos softly, placing her hand over the top of Aemond’s, “I thought perhaps you’d need a friend.”

“You’re not my friend,” Aemond glowers, snatching his hand back.

“Yeah, he doesn’t have any,” Aegon laughs, draping his arm around the back of Cassandra’s chair.

“Stop it,” Helaena hisses at him.

“You know, I think you’re being kind of rude,” Floris says to Aemond, “I’m just trying to be nice.”

“You know what I think is rude?” He spits back. “Not being able to take a fucking hint, turning up to someone’s house uninvited. That is rude.”

“I invited her,” Cassandra cuts in, though she shrinks back the moment that Aemond directs his angry gaze towards her.

“And who the fuck are you?! A vapid little nobody that my brother has decided is his flavour of the week.”

“Are you going to let him speak to me like that?!” Cassandra demands, looking expectantly at Aegon.

Aegon cringes outwardly, pulling his arm back from Cassandra’s chair. “This doesn’t really involve me, to be honest,” he tells her awkwardly.

“God, you’re pathetic!” She seethes, standing abruptly, causing the legs of her chair to scrape loudly against the patio. “Come on, Floris, we’re leaving.”

Floris stands, scowling down at Aemond as she does so. “You know, for someone who has—” she gestures towards his face, pointing specifically at his prosthetic eye, “you’d think you’d be more grateful for the attention.”

She flounces off alongside her sister, leaving the four of them in stunned silence. Helaena looks as though she wants to burst into tears, Aegon stares blankly across the table, fingers spinning his wine glass around by its stem, while Aemond quietly seethes with rage.

“Well, that was awkward,” Aegon finally says, reaching for more chicken.

The slamming of Aemond’s fist upon the table causes them all to startle, the force of it rattling the plates and glasses. They all look at him, wide eyed, as he stands up silently and walks back into the house.

She feels awful for the way Floris had spoken to him, and is desperate to make up for her earlier blunder, after fumbling their conversation so horribly. She can’t stand the thought of him being alone and upset, when both of his siblings are clearly in no position to offer comfort.

“I’ll go after him,” she says softly, rising from her seat and walking back into the house.

She finds Aemond in the foyer, about to head upstairs. 

“Wait,” she calls out, “I just wanted to see if you’re okay?”

“Never better,” he says sullenly, though he pauses and turns to face her.

“What Floris said was really uncalled for. Please don’t listen to her,” she tells him sympathetically, her eyes pleading as she looks up at him.

“I said I’m fine,” he insists, refusing to look her in the eye.

“You don’t have to pretend, it’s okay not to–”

“What are you, a fucking therapist?!” He rages, causing her to shrink back.

“No, I was just trying to make you feel better,” she whispers meekly.

“Well, don’t,” he snaps back, “I don’t need your faux sympathy or your positivity buzzword bullshit.”

Her brow furrows as she feels annoyance prickle at her. None of this is her fault, she’s just trying to offer support, yet despite that he is lashing out at her anyway. Her mouth opens, the words leaving it before she has the chance to consider them. “You are such a miserable fucking twat, no wonder Alys finished with you!”

She regrets what she said the moment she sees the fury blaze within his right eye. Instinctively, she steps away, her back hitting the wall as he advances towards her. And then his lips are crushing against hers, causing her to squeak in surprise as he kisses her hungrily, his large hand cupping her jaw. She grips the front of his shirt, his fists balling into the material, unsure of if she wants to pull him closer or push him away. But she finds herself responding, her mouth moving against his, lips parting to allow his tongue entrance, letting it lick against hers.

Nervousness and excitement swirl like a maelstrom in her belly. She could never have anticipated this. What the hell are they doing? Aemond hates her, doesn’t he?

When they finally part for air, their breathing is ragged. Aemond stares down at her, lips parted and pupil dilated. “Do you want to come upstairs?” He asks lowly.

The question makes her heart feel as though it has stopped beating. It’s one thing to kiss Helaena’s younger brother, but another entirely to entertain the idea of sleeping with him.

She falters, trying her best to speak coherently. “I…um…I don’t know if that’s a good idea…”

Aemond pulls back, his face hardening back to blank stoicism in an instant. She immediately feels the loss of him, the space that his warmth had previously occupied suddenly feeling chilly.

“Of course,” he mutters darkly, “I would hate to cut into the time you spend following my brother around like a pathetic dog.”

The statement makes her feel as though she has had a bucket of ice water thrown over her, hurt and humiliation spreading hotly throughout her body, as tears sting at the rims of her eyes. He disappears up the stairs before she can say anything in response, leaving her alone in the foyer to compose herself, wondering what on earth just happened.

She scrubs her hands over her face, drawing in a few steadying breaths, before turning to head back outside. Helaena is already in the kitchen, wrapping plates of food in cling film. She looks up when she sees her, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“Need any help?” She asks.

“No, I’m all good. There’ll be leftovers in the fridge, if you want any.”

She utters a quiet thanks, before stepping outside, her eyes immediately drawn to Aegon who sits at the edge of the pool, paddling his feet, illuminated by only the pool lamps and soft fairy lights that are strung up around the garden. The sky hangs velvety black above them, stars twinkling in the distance.

Kicking off her flip flops, she sits beside him, dunking her own feet into the coolness of the water.

“Cassandra seemed pretty angry with you,” she says gently.

“Yeah,” Aegon replies, keeping his eyes fixed on the beer bottle he has clasped in both hands. “She’ll be back though.”

“You seem certain of that.”

“Well, I am irresistible,” he says, looking up at her with a grin. “And she’s left all her stuff here…”

She chuckles softly, facing forward again, a thousand things rushing through her mind that she wants to say to Aegon. Tonight couldn’t possibly get any messier, so why not speak her mind?

“Aegon…” she begins, unable to look at him, knowing the moment she does, all of her thoughts will unravel. “I think you know how I feel about you, why have we never…why won’t you…”

She sighs in frustration, unable to finish her train of thought, unsure of what it is she even wants to say. She dares to cast him a sideways glance and sees him anxiously chewing his lip, his thumbs picking at the label on the neck of the bottle.

“It’s not like I haven’t thought about it,” he finally admits, “you’re gorgeous. But you and I are never going to happen.”

She braces herself for the impact of the inevitable pain in her chest, but it never comes. Instead, she feels lighter. The final piece of closure she needs, permission to move on from the “what if” that has haunted her teenage years and entire adult life so far. Yet she cannot help her curiosity at his response.

“Why not?” She asks, turning to look at him.

He lifts his head, meeting her eye. “I said I wouldn’t, I made a promise.”

“To who?” She asks, brow furrowing in confusion.

“Aegon! You need to help me load the dishwasher,” Helaena calls out from behind them.

Aegon sighs, moving to stand, muttering “Christ, her last slave must have died of exhaustion” to himself as he walks away, leaving wet footprints on the patio behind him.

She is frustrated that Helaena interrupted them before Aegon could answer her, her curiosity piqued almost unbearably. As Aegon approaches Helaena, she hears her chastising him in a hushed tone, Aegon’s own defensive retort is also much quieter than his usual manner of speaking. She wonders what they’re arguing about, but quickly dismisses it. There has been enough conflict for one day.

Her thoughts drift back to Aemond and the kiss they had shared. She can still feel his lips lingering against hers if she focuses hard enough upon it. It had felt nice, she had kissed the man who hated her and actually enjoyed it. Then straight afterwards he had reminded her why she usually works so hard to avoid him. It was a fluke, not worth making a big deal of. She certainly wouldn’t be telling Helaena about it.

The following afternoon, her and Helaena laze around on beach towels that are laid upon the perfectly manicured lawn of the back garden, enjoying the warmth of the midday sun upon their skin.

As Aegon had predicted, Cassandra had shown back up at the house that morning, and their enthusiastic reconciliation had been what had prompted her and Helaena’s decision to relocate to the garden. Aemond hasn’t bothered to come back downstairs since insulting her the previous evening.

Helaena lays on her front, legs bent at the knee and ankles crossed. She plucks a foil packet from beneath her towel and tears it open, pulling out a blue and green gummy worm. She dangles it towards her, the hint of a smile upon her lips.

“Want to go halves?” She asks.

“On a sweet?!”

“An edible!”

“Oh Christ…no!”

“Suit yourself,” Helaena says with an easy shrug, stretching the worm between her teeth as she bites off the end.

“Think I need to keep a clear head, especially after last night.”

“Mmm,” Helaena concurs, chewing and swallowing her mouthful of gummy. “I saw you talking to Aegon. Please tell me you aren’t still pining after him?”

“No, actually,” she says honestly, “I think last night was the closure I finally needed.”

“Good,” Helaena says, eyeing her carefully. “So what’s really bothering you?”

She sighs, knowing there’s no point denying it. Helaena is too intuitive for that.

“I…um…Aemond and I…we kissed…”

Nervously, she looks over at her friend, awaiting her angry reaction. However, instead of the scowl she’d expected, Helaena is smiling.

“And…?” She asks excitedly.

Why is she not more surprised by this? Shouldn’t she be annoyed?

“And nothing. I insulted him, he kissed me out of anger, then he insulted me when I wouldn’t sleep with him. He’s been sulking in his room ever since.”

“Go and make him apologise,” Helaena urges her.

“Why should I? He owes me an apology, he should come to me.”

“That’s not Aemond’s style. You’re both as stubborn as each other. Just go up to his room!”

“Why are you so eager for me to make up with him?”

“Because…” Helaena trails off, and for a moment she thinks she’s lost her train of thought, until she holds up the rest of the gummy worm with a smile. “Because I want to finish this and you’re harshing my buzz!”

Charming.

She has a point though, she supposes. She has made amends with one brother this week, it wouldn’t hurt to repair things with the other too.

“Fine, fine, I’m going,” she says with a sigh, standing up and brushing herself off.

As she ascends the stairs towards the upper level of the house, it’s quiet, save for the soft sounds of music and Cassandra’s giggles coming through Aegon’s closed bedroom door. She pauses as she reaches Aemond’s room, her heart hammering in her chest, and nausea swirling in her gut as she stands outside, desperately trying to steel herself to knock.

What would she say? Would he even want to speak to her?

She takes a deep breath, attempting to push through the anxiety and knocks softly. She hears shuffling from the other side, before the door pulls slowly open. Aemond’s long silver hair is loose, and he’s dressed in a plain black t-shirt and black jogging bottoms. He looks effortlessly flawless, despite how casually he’s dressed.

Has he always looked this good? How had she never noticed before?

He bows his head slightly when he sees it’s her, a flicker of sadness briefly visible in his eye before he casts his gaze downward.

“Can I come in?” She asks softly.

He nods, stepping back to allow her in, closing the door behind her.

She’s never been in Aemond’s room before. It’s flooded by natural light from the large bay windows, and everything is immaculately neat and tidy, from the orderly shelves of books, to how taut his bedsheets are pulled against the mattress. Everything has its place.

“I owe you an apology,” she begins, turning to face him.

His eyebrows raise, eye widening in surprise. “Me?”

She nods. “I should never have pried into your personal life, what happened between you and Alys is your business and I had no right to ask about it or pass comment on it. I’d really like it if we could just forget what happened yesterday and start again.”

“What if I don’t want to forget about it?” He asks, stepping closer.

Her heart sinks, disappointment making her shoulders sag. “You don’t?”

He shakes his head, looming over her, his breath ghosting against her skin as he speaks. “There’s a particular moment that I’m very keen to remember.”

Her skin grows warm, her breath hitching as he reaches up, his fingertips ghosting against the side of her neck. “Or are you still chasing after my brother like a pathetic little bitch?”

This time his words don’t offend, instead they send a shiver up her spine, her mouth going dry as his eye bores into hers.

“N–no,” she stammers, her pulse racing as his hand rests against her neck, his stare dark and intense. “I don’t like him like that anymore. I think I’d known that for a while, but him telling me it was never going to happen helped me to realise that.”

“Mmmm,” Aemond hums softly, leaning in, “I’m glad that Aegon is a man of his word.”

His lips ghost against hers, but she freezes as his words echo in her mind alongside his brother’s.

I’m glad that Aegon is a man of his word.

I said I wouldn’t, I made a promise.

She pulls back sharply, brow furrowed as she stares at Aemond suspiciously. “Was it you that Aegon made a promise to, to never try anything with me?”

Aemond nods, reaching for her again, sighing as she steps away. “It was years ago. I made him promise me he’d leave you alone, because well…I like you, and he’s not good enough for you.”

Her mouth falls open in disbelief, her voice a tight sounding whisper as she struggles to keep her emotions in check. “You had no right to do that…”

“I was protecting you,” he says softly, “he wouldn’t have been good to you.”

“And you would have?!” She responds, voice wavering around the rapidly forming lump in her throat. “You’ve spent years ignoring me, only interacting to be hateful. How the fuck is that protecting me?!”

“You don’t understand—”

“No, you don’t understand!” She cries, her chest tightening as hot tears roll down her cheeks. “If you liked me you should’ve said something, what you’ve done instead is manipulative and cruel.”

She pushes past Aemond, slamming his bedroom door behind him, before heading to Helaena’s room where she’s been staying since she arrived. Curling up on her side of the bed, her shoulders shake as she sobs quietly into the pillow, a hot swirl of anger, sadness and betrayal coursing through her body.

How dare he? How fucking dare he? What might’ve been if she’d just been given a chance with Aegon? What might’ve been if Aemond had voiced his feelings for her sooner? He had robbed her of the opportunity to find out any of it.

When the door eventually creaks open, she is unsure of how many hours she has been laying there. She has cried herself out, a hollow feeling having settled in her chest, numbness replacing the hurt and anger she’d felt previously.

“Hey,” Helaena says softly, the mattress dipping slightly as she sits upon the edge of it. “Brought you a sandwich, cheese and Marmite.”

“What time is it?” She asks groggily, pulling herself into a sitting position, as she gratefully accepts the plate from her.

“Just gone six. Figured there’s no point in us all doing dinner together tonight…”

“Sorry,” she whispers sadly, “I’ve fucked this whole week up.”

“You haven’t,” Helaena says earnestly, “none of this is your fault. Aemond has just chosen the worst possible way to tell you he has feelings for you.”

“You know?!” She asks, the warmth of embarrassment heating the apples of her cheeks.

“Please don’t be upset. Aemond’s always had a thing for you, I’ve always known. For what it’s worth, I think you guys would be great together.”

“Great together?! No offense, Hel, but your brother’s a tool.”

“He can be, yeah. But you’re more alike than you think. You just need to see beneath the tough guy exterior.”

She shakes her head. “Until this week he’s either ignored me or been awful to me.”

“Aemond isn’t the best at expressing how he feels, but he’s trying. I’ve gotten tired of watching him pine for you for so long, and make himself miserable never doing anything about it. I told him that if he didn’t say anything this week then I’d tell you myself.”

Her eyes widen, the confession taking her breath away. “Hel…”

“I know, I know, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be meddling, and I know Aemond shouldn’t have interfered with Aegon. But honestly, you can do so much better.”

“And you think Aemond is better?”

“He could be, if you gave him the chance.”

“All we do is argue.”

“Because you’re so alike! You just need to listen to each other.”

She chews her lip, mulling over Helaena’s words. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to hear him out. But not tonight. Tonight my only interests are this sandwich and whatever crap we can find on Netflix.”

“Sounds good to me,” Helaena replies happily.

They spend the rest of the evening curled up in Helaena’s bed, watching a nature documentary that they eventually fall asleep in front of.

It’s early when she awakens. She can’t see the time, but can tell from the pastel hue of the lightened sky visible through the window, where she and Helaena had fallen asleep without closing the curtains, that sunrise wasn’t long ago.

Eager to stretch her limbs, having been cooped up in the same room for more than twelve hours, she disentangles herself from her still sleeping friend, and pads downstairs. 

The aroma of brewing coffee lures her towards the kitchen, but she stops in her tracks when she spots Aemond, his back to her as he stands in front of the coffee maker. For a moment she considers just going back upstairs, until he turns and sees her.

Wordlessly, they stare at each other, time feeling as though it stretches on for an eternity, before finally he speaks.

“Coffee?”

“Um…sure.”

He nods, turning to grab the espresso cup from the drip tray before sliding it across the kitchen island to her. “Take this one.”

She utters a quiet thanks, perching on a bar stool as she wraps her hands around the warmth of the small ceramic vessel. The only sounds in the kitchen are that of Aemond preparing another coffee for himself. She’s grateful they both have something other than each other to focus on, as truthfully she doesn’t know what to say.

“Valar morghulis was how they said it in Valyria of old. All men must die. And the Doom came and proved it true,” he recites as he turns back to her, placing his own coffee upon the counter.

“What?” Her brows pull together in confusion as she looks up at him from her cup.

“You wrote that in the history essay that you shared with me back when we were at school. That particular line has always stuck with me. I thought it was inspired.”

Her heart feels as though it skips a beat, realising he has remembered such a small detail, but it is contradictory to the reality of his reaction to it. “You said it was derivative.”

“That was unkind. I regret it,” he tells her sincerely. “Truthfully, it was brilliant. I’ve never read anything like it.”

“Why were you so rude about it then?”

“An attempt to push you away, I suppose.”

“Why?”

He sighs, taking a long sip of his coffee, looking pensive as he casts his eye away from her, choosing his words carefully. “You’re too good for Aegon, he has spent his entire life failing upwards, being given things he hasn’t earned, taking what I work hard for. I couldn’t let him take you too. But you’re also too good for me. I already thought you were perfect, and was trying so hard to keep you at arm’s length. I think I fell harder for you after reading your essay, and that scared me. You deserve better than me, but I can’t seem to let you go. I lost interest in Floris because she wasn’t as intelligent as you are, and Alys ended things with me because she could tell how hung up on you I am.”

She groans exasperatedly. “Am I seriously the last person to know that you have feelings for me?”

“I’m sorry. I’ve spent a long time hiding it, but now my cards are fully on the table. I’m being as honest as I can be. I didn’t intend for you to ever find out. I wanted to get over you. I didn’t think that you’d be interested.”

“Did it never occur to you to ask?”

“I’m asking now.”

“I…I’ve never thought about you that way, to be honest, not until you kissed me…”

“...and then?”

“I think I could…”

“So is that a yes?”

“You’ve not actually asked me anything…”

He rolls his eye. “I’m pouring my heart out here. Meet me halfway.”

She huffs a soft laugh. “I think we should take things slowly. Let me get to know the Aemond that’s not a massive arsehole. Can you handle that?”

“I can handle that.”

The air feels lighter somehow as they both sip their coffee, a peacefulness having settled over the two of them, rooted in mutual hope and excitement.

Over the next couple of days, her and Aemond spend more time together. He makes more of a conscious effort to include himself when she and Helaena hang out in communal spaces. They stay up all night talking, and when they’re alone together he intertwines his fingers with hers, asking her to read to him as he rests his head in her lap. They never go further than a few soft kisses, but she finds herself falling asleep cuddled up to him each night, instead of in Helaena’s bed.

It’s disconcerting to peer behind the iron facade of Aemond Targaryen, this softer, kinder, gentle hearted side is one she’s never seen before. Yet the more she gets to know it, the more she grows to like it. It’s something deeper, more intimate than anything she had ever felt for Aegon, and she realises this is because it surpasses mere infatuation, and her feelings are reciprocated.

It’s Saturday evening, and Aegon’s party is close to becoming out of control. The heavy bass of the music reverberates throughout the house, and Royce has provided more kegs than everyone in attendance combined could ever be able to drink in a single night. Every downstairs room, as well as the garden, bustles with people – most of whom she doesn’t know.

Despite this, she is having fun. Her, Helaena and Aemond have kept within their own little bubble, talking and laughing as they pass wine between them, slugging it directly from the bottle. The more she and Aemond drink, the closer they shift towards one another on the sofa, until eventually one of her legs ends up slung over the top of his.

Her mind feels fuzzy from the effects of the alcohol, spreading a warmth throughout her body. She feels happy, she can’t remember the last time she felt this content.

As the evening presses on, Aegon stumbles over to them, a few of his friends trailing after him. She can tell from his glassy eyed expression that he’s drunk. He sways slightly on his feet as he stands in front of them all, taking in the sight of her and Aemond sitting close together.

“There they are!” He slurs. “The happy couple!”

“Has your little brother got himself a girlfriend, Aegon?” His friend pipes up from behind him.

“My cast off, actually,” he says, gesturing towards her with his glass, slopping beer onto the living room floor as he does so.

“Watch yourself,” Aemond says darkly. She feels him tense beneath her, rapidly growing angry.

“Shouldn’t you be thanking me, Aemond?” He asks, cocking his head. “I let you have her! So, come on, the least you can do is let us know what she’s like in the sack!”

“Shut your fucking mouth,” Aemond hisses through gritted teeth.

“Stop it, both of you,” Helaena says pleadingly.

She grasps Aemond’s hand, a vain attempt to calm him, as Aegon laughs hysterically with his friends.

“You’ve not fucked her yet, have you?! Will she not put out? Still holding out hope for me?!”

She squeaks in surprise as Aemond stands abruptly, towering over Aegon as he squares up to him. “I said, shut. Your. Fucking. Mouth.”

“Why?” Aegon asks with a careless shrug. “Truth hurt, does it? Because let’s face it, she couldn’t be with me, so she settled for you. Second best.”

With an angry snarl, Aemond shoves Aegon, sending him toppling backwards into his friends, stunning the room into silence as he storms from it.

Her blood runs cold, her heart drumming wildly against her ribcage as she exchanges a horrified glance with Helaena, before hurrying after Aemond, who is already retreating up the stairs two at a time.

He is pacing his room, his breathing ragged as she follows him in, shutting the door and muffling the sound of the party below them.

“Ignore your twat of a brother,” she says soothingly, “he’s drunk, he doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

Aemond shakes his head, and the look of hurt she sees reflected in his eye as he looks at her makes her heart squeeze painfully. “He’s right. You’re only with me because you couldn’t have Aegon.”

“He’s wrong.” She steps towards him, taking his hands in hers, “I couldn’t be happier with the way things have turned out. What I feel for you…it’s real. You’ve made me happier in two days than Aegon ever has in ten years.”

“Do you really mean that?” He whispers.

He looks so vulnerable, so sad as he looks down at her that it makes her want to cry.

“Every word,” she utters, leaning up on tiptoes to kiss him softly, her fingers caressing his cheek. “You’re so good, Aemond, so good to me.”

He rests his forehead against hers, wrapping his arms around her waist as he pulls her close, his eye fluttering closed. “I want to believe that.”

“I’ll make you,” she whispers, tugging him by the front of his shirt as she steps back towards the bed.

They topple onto the bedspread, laying on their sides, facing each other. Her grip on his shirt tightens as she kisses him again, deeper this time, her tongue lapping delicately against his, taking her time with it, allowing him to feel every movement of her lips against his.

When she pulls away, she trails her lips over the sharpness of his jaw and down the column of his throat, her fingers working deftly to open his buttons as she does so, caressing every inch of his bare torso as it’s revealed to her.

“You’re so beautiful,” she whispers against his neck, feeling him shiver against her, his rapidly growing hardness pressing against her thigh through his jeans.

“Fuck,” he murmurs, as her hands move to his belt buckle, pulling it open.

“I want you,” she whispers, “more than I’ve ever wanted anyone.”

He groans, fingers digging into the flesh of her hip, screwing his eye shut as she moves her hand beneath the waistband of his underwear.

Her core throbs with arousal as she strokes the velvety soft flesh of his hardened cock, eagerly wrapping her fingers around it, pumping softly, earning a sharp hiss of pleasure from him.

She pushes his underwear down far enough to free his erection, before hooking a leg over his hip and tugging the thong beneath her dress to one side.

“Feel what you do to me,” she says huskily, dragging the head of him through the stickiness that has gathered between her thighs.

Aemond inhales sharply, hips jerking at the sensation, and she smiles at the effect she’s having on him, his breaths coming fast and shallow.

“I want you inside me,” she coos, “will you let me?”

He swallows thickly, pupil dilated with desire as he nods enthusiastically. “Fuck…yes…”

She positions him at her entrance, angling her hips to encourage him to press forward. All of the air feels as though it is forced from her lungs as he pushes into her, the stretch of her body around him is exquisite torture.

“Mmmm…so big,” she murmurs, stroking his hair, feeling him smile in response against the skin of her shoulder. She can tell from the way he’s tensing that he’s holding his breath, every part of him sinking inside of her as intense for him as it is for her.

Once he is fully sheathed inside, she winds her arms around his neck. His grip on her hip is iron clad as he uses his other hand to pull down the straps of her dress and her bra, pressing his face into her breasts as they slowly begin to rock their hips together.

Their pace is unhurried, less about the act itself and more about providing closeness and comfort to each other, and she knows that Aemond is in desperate need of both right now.

His thrusts are shallow as she rolls her hips in time with his, her fingers stroking softly through the silken strands of his hair as he nuzzles into her chest, sighing softly against her flesh with every praise and word of affirmation that she utters softly to him.

She doesn’t care if he brings her to release, she wants tonight to be about Aemond, to make him feel special. When he eventually comes undone, spilling himself inside of her as he pulsates and trembles, her heart flutters as he stares at her, eye filled with nothing but adoration.

Summer has always been her favourite time of year, and thanks to Aemond she’s certain it always will be.

[xeeljii]

MORNING GLORY

WARNING! Explicit RPF! 

Summary: Soft morning sex, he just looks so easy to spoil. Continuation of this but can be read as stand alone. 

Word count: 3.4k

CW: 18+, f! reader, no specific body descriptions, established relationship. 

The light of the morning sun is soft against you cheeks, you wake up with his breath on the back of your neck, his lips pressed on your pulse, you can feel the soft exhale of his sleepy snores, and the dampness of the drool on your skin too, he has you caged between his strong arms like you will run away. You turn softly in his embrace not to wake him but Joost is a heavy sleeper so there is no real problem there. In his arms you feel secure and warm in a way that reaches deep in your heart and makes you want to stay like this forever. He looks so pretty, the golden highlights of his hair messily framing the beautiful ridges of his face, you reach a gentle fingertip to trace the skin on his cheekbones, at times it feels unfair to have him all to yourself like this, in ways no one else gets to see, like hiding a great wonder of the world behind closed door, but you also like that, how he is only yours.

Your limbs are tangled beneath the thick comforter you feel his hardness press at your thigh that he has trapped between his legs. You want to let him sleep peacefully forever, he deserves it, he works so hard, travels so much, always to come back home to you, a home he has made for himself in your arms, but the heat his body exudes is too delicious to let this pass up. The instant gratification outweighs your wish to let him rest and you start pressing open mouthed kisses along his jaw, softly but urgently, waking him slowly from his slumber. You kiss insistently against his lips before he starts opening his eyes. “Well good morning to you too” Joost says rubbing his face, he looks so young like this, it sends a pang of nostalgia to your heart for a version of him you have never met and yet still love so much. You kiss him between words as he chuckles beneath you.

“Hi” you reply simply, breathless.

Now awake you have him ready to go under you, you throw a leg over this thighs sitting right above his cock, you look down at him smiling wide ear to ear, you feel giddy like your mind is already miles ahead of you and your body following blindly in the rehearsed movements you know so well that never fail to have him moaning under you.

You take him in your hands, the tip of his dick an angry shade of red, dripping already, he is so needy at this time of day, but he knows to let you have your time, you enjoy the process and the reward is all the sweeter.

“You are so beautiful” Your voice goes straight to his dick, it kicks on your palms and you start moving softly almost nothing.

The skin there is so velvety soft you want to spoil him to no end. Your thumb applies delicious pressure on the underside of his dick following the thick vein that has him melting under you, you feel yourself dampen but that will come later. You like to play and he lets you. You start stroking him with both hands, not enough grip to get him where he wants, he is thicker than most, an addicting stretch you get to enjoy and in moments like this you just like to admire him. The familiar weight of his length in your hands feels so thrilling he emanates warm normally, you love it on winter, bear it on summer and in moments like this it feels like it burns at your skin like coal but you could never leave him hanging. You tighten your hold on him, swipe your thumb against his slit and he moans instantly his pretty lips falling open, pink and shiny, his hips buckle against your hands without him meaning to.

“Easy there” You say as you move closer to his dick, your damp pussy lips barely above his length, he can feel the heat coming off you.

“Sorry” he mutters sheepishly. His hands are tangled in the sheets holding tightly keeping himself in place for you.

“Good boy” You purr on top of him, he makes a strangled sounds between a whimper and a moan, you could feel bad about how hard he is trying for you if only having him like this painfully needy didn’t make you feel at top of the world.

You use his precum to move your hands easier along his shaft, twisting your hand in a swift movement when you reach the tip, quickly working him up into a feverish pleasure.

“Fuck schat” His hands fly to your tights like he is holding for dear life like and his body will float away any second, his fingers dig into the fat of your legs desperate to have you close

You keep your ministrations going hypnotized by the way his chest raises and falls rapidly, his face becoming redder and his breath more labored, he is close you can feel him twitching against your palm. You smile to yourself and then stop moving altogether, your hand at the base of his cock grips him tightly to stop him from cumming. He opens his eyes mouth agape, confused look on his face and oh so cute. Your pussy is throbbing just at the sight alone.

“Not yet, let me have fun” You smile devilish down at him. He is at your mercy as always, not just now but on everything, you pull the leash and he follows happily.

An exasperated breath leaves Joost's mouth but you don’t let him dwell on it too much. You move quickly down his body making room for yourself between his spread legs, he seems shocked too lost to understand what you are doing until he gets it. Your soft breath against the sensitive skin of his tip you hold him on your hand gently easing the grip, with your other hand you, you push strands of hair behind your ear, you know he enjoys a show. He has never loved anyone this much, his heart skips a beat when you smile up at him from between his legs, a playful glint in your eyes, you lick your lips in preparation. He raises to his elbows, he has to watch, he wants to commit every second to memory. You close your eyes as you lick on his tip, his taste familiar on your tongue you suck sweetly at it, he throws his head back trying so hard not to buck his hips into your mouth.

“Liefde…” he whimpers not asking for anything really, it just feels so heavy in his heart he has to let his love out in little sounds.

You take more of his length on your mouth. The weight of his arousal heavy on your tongue, you hum against him sending waves of pleasure to his spine, his hands are holding as gently as he can at the back of your hair, fingers tangling between the strands of it. His breathing is strained, you feel him huffing from his nose, his thighs tremble slightly his iron will the only thing holding him back from pushing your head down and chocking you on his dick. You wouldn’t mind it, but he is sometimes gentle to a point of frustration, you can work on that another time. You work your mouth on as much of him as you can take, feeling his tip poke against the back of your throat and the soft hair of his happy trail against the tip of your nose, you work the rest of his length with your hand, the mixture of spit and precum making dirty sounds that could make you blush if you weren’t so far gone. You enjoy having him like this, his weight on your tongue feels relaxing, the closeness makes your heart swell, you wonder if he would let you cock warm him in your mouth, if he would even have the patience for it before he starts whining.

You pull away with a pop of your lips looking up through half lidded eyes, the top of his cheeks are such a sweet shade of pink you feel if you bit him he would taste like strawberries on your tongue, you want to eat him whole. You raise to your knees again moving up the length of his body, never stoping your hand on his dicks, softly stroking more to keep him warm than to help him reach his peak, you still want to enjoy this longer. As your core rests a breath away from his tip, he reaches his hands to your body pulling you toward him to kiss your lips hungrily, bring him back to earth a little, remind him how to breath. Holding him in your palm you start grinding his cock against your weeping cunt, just to feel him close, small gasps of heavy breath leaving your mouth, you keep going no intention of pushing him inside your core, just toying with him. The hot tip of his dick keep catching on your clit making you moan in ecstasy, he knows you are prolonging his delicious suffering with no ending on sight but so worked up he can barely think to protest, his mouth all but turned useless. His dick is heavy and so hard it could almost hurt if only the sweet wetness of your pussy wasn’t soothing him as you move deliciously slow up and down his shaft without taking him in.

“You are evil” he says throwing his head back almost in disbelief, wide smile painted on his face.

You giggle on top of him grinding yourself harder with more weight against his hot member to make him tremble, he kneads at your thighs gentle but hard and you feel yourself soften at the sight of his pretty face, maybe you have tortured him too much already.

Joost's hands travel from your hips to your waist massaging the softens beneath them, holding you close and letting his fingertips melt into your flesh. He continues to explore your soft skin, he wants to count the little beauty marks, scars, pocks everything about you is so interesting to him. His left hand stays holding you in place while his right wonders off over your soft belly, up your chest, he feels the wild beating of your heart through his palm, confirmation that he is not the only one close to the peak, the knowledge that you enjoy him so much that you get off just by touching him alone makes his heart expand in adoration, he could gift you the world and it wouldn’t be enough. He grabs gently onto your breast kneading softly, moving his hands deftly pawing at the sensitive skin of your mounds, your nipple perks up under his heat, his gaze not leaving your face, moans and whimpers of his name escaping your wet lips more often. He feels you falling apart at the seams on his lap, he grabs more greedily at you chest with both hands now, the delicious weight of you on his palms, the soft skin between his knuckles as he plays tenderly with you, the fat of your boobs spilling between his digits.

“Joost” you let a high pitched whimper escape. He toys with the perked nubs, pulling softly and twisting gently, seeing you pull away and chase the contact at the same time, you are dripping all over his length.

“If you keep going any longer I’m gonna cum” He says not as a warning but matter of factly, to see what you wanna do next, eager to dance to the beat of your drum.

You nod as you lift your hips, it would be such a waste to not have him cum inside you. You play with his dick a little more letting his tip collect the wetness between your folds before pushing him inside you. His hands leave your breasts and in an instant go to your hips to help hold you up, you take it slow the stretch so familiar but still a challenge, you try to drop your hips quickly, you have lost all your patience, you want him now.

“Easy there” He tuts, throwing your own words from earlier back at you, he thinks he is so funny. He pulls you off his cock when you wince at the sensation of the too forceful stretch.

“I know you can take it, just slow down liefje.”

Inch by inch, painfully slow guided by the strong hold of his big hands on your hips and ass, you finally bottom out. You both sigh at the same time into each others mouths and fall into shared laughter. You start lifting your hips up and letting them drop, building a rhythm that has you panting like you are in heat. Your hands move to his face holding his cheeks softly so you can see when he falls apart, he chases your touch as covertly as possible blinking slowly up at you, mouth slightly open, eyes locked on each other, he is fully awake but with your hands gently holding his face like he is made of glass he feels he could fall into slumber at any second. You kiss his lips gently feel his breath on your mouth moaning into you.

“You feel so good” He mumbles closing his eyes chasing your lips again.

“More” He pleads, opens his eyes slowly to look at you, you can never deny him even if you wanted to, he is so easy to spoil like this.

You start moving faster, harder, feel him deep in your stomach, groaning together in perfect harmony, wide eyes looking for each other, fighting hard not to shut in pleasure. Your hands move to find hold on his wide shoulders, littered with little freckles, with this new grip you can ride him harder. He is so close, you can feel him twitching inside you, his hands grab firmly at your waist pulling your closer, his head between your breast, he starts placing open mouthed kisses anywhere he can reach, sucking softly on the skin at the valley of your breast, he searches blindly for your nipples, with his lips finally finds one sucking greedily in his mouth as much of your tit as he can get. It was easy to tell what parts of you he enjoyed the most but always so funny to see how desperate he would get. You feel the urgent need to give him everything he wants so you push yourself closer to give him better access, he moans with your soft flesh in his mouth, can’t help himself and bites down as gently as he can in his frantic state.

“Shit Joost” you whimper, it is gonna leave a mark, he doesn’t look up he just starts licking over the now red skin apologetic, not regretting anything.

“I am not gonna last much longer” He mumbles right next to your perked nipple feeling his lips move faintly against the sensitive skin sends shivers up your spine, you hold onto the golden locks of his nape.

“Yeah me neither” You say breathless but smile back at him softly caressing his cheek with your knuckles.

You hold it together so well, you seem so calm even at moments like this, talking him through it, guiding him and never once letting go of his hand, he thinks that is what he likes the most about you, always a constant in his life no matter what changes, you are the lighthouse he will always look for to take him home. He is intoxicated on love, doesn’t know where he stands, the pleasure fried every last one of his nerves and yet when he feels the familiar weight of your body on his, he feels more alive than ever. His arms snake around your torso moving you easily like you are weightless in his embrace, at times like this you remember the difference in strength, he is using you like a doll to get off it is exhilarating. You hold his head against your chest as he continues making love bites bloom on your boobs, he feels the beating of your heart on his skin. You feel yourself start to unravel, your cunt start tightening with a familiar electricity sending slow sparkles that will soon erupt.

“Cum inside me Joost, inside please” You can barely finish the sentence the words transforming into strangled sound as you reach your climax, you feel your cunt start to convulse around him, making a mess on his cock your release soaking both of you, you feel yourself clench wildly.

“Oh shit baby” He pulls you impossibly close, his hands fly to your ass as if he could get any deeper, you feel his length twitch violently inside of your spent cunt, with a deep thrust his hips meeting yours he reaches his orgasm, ropes of his release painting deep in your insides, you feel him thrust weakly as he rides his high.

“Baby, baby, Y/N, Y/N…” like a secret prayer he just keeps chanting your name again and again, he whispers it against the glistening skin of your chest while you cradle his head in your hands still so close to your heart while you both try to catch your breath.

You wanna stay like this forever, but the sticky mess between your thighs will drive you insane and if you let Joost stay like this any longer he will fall asleep again dragging you down with him still inside you, not like it hasn’t happened before. You pull at the hair on his nape to get his attention.

“We have to shower” He hums in acknowledgment making a super human effort to pull his head from your chest, where he feels so at home, so safe under the sweet rhythm of your heart beat, he looks up languidly placating a yawn as he places a soft kiss on your sternum.

He nods before he starts speaking again “I like this position a lot, you know because your boobs-”.

You cut him off before he can continue. “Yeah, I got it, didn’t need the explanation. Thanks” You say on fake annoyance trying to hide the furious blush on your cheeks, you lift your hips off him with a wince, he lets you use his arms as support while you move, then gets up from the bed and pulls you up after him.

“I’m just saying yeah” He holds you hands to guide you to the bathroom on your shaky legs.

“You always say communication is good for couples” He adds then looks down at you, you roll your eyes at him.

He opens the door to the bathroom and turns around placing a kiss on the top of your head before he turns the shower on. Then after making sure the water is warm enough to your liking, which he personally feels like is being boiled alive, he pulls you under the shower head.

“Got it. Then I think you have a very pretty dick” You say hoping to have him blushing and end this, but no luck.

“See! This is already bringing us closer I can tell” He beams at you proud of himself.

You turn around facing your back to him and he starts pushing shampoo unto your scalp and softly massaging.

“Well I think your pussy is-”

“Okay I am putting a pin in this conversation, it is too early for this” You turn around and kiss him to shut him up, he knows it, but he is just happy to be kissed and smiles against your lips. Day in day out like this with you by his side, there is no greater happiness than have you in his arms, to sleep in your embrace and wake up to your lips, he wishes every day could start just like this forever.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

MASTERLIST *ੈ✩‧₊˚ AN: Streets are saying he is a boobs guy, you can tell how that influenced me right at the end lmao anyways again sorry for any mistakes English is not my first langue <3 And thank u for the comments, asks & dms they make me wanna write more :D 

[lavenderspence]

Spending time with you | A.H.

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x fem!reader

Content warning: fluff, reader can’t swim

Word Count: 0.8K

Summary: Training and swimming, he didn't really care about. Just as long as he was spending time with you.

Request: Hiii! I have a request that can be fun/funny and a cute read for a summer day hehe what about Hotch teaching reader how to swim? she’s been embarrassed to let him know she doesn’t know how to but since he’s getting ready for his triathlon (maybe another one, not the same as season 7 so a slightly older Hotch if you want🤭) and she’s joined him for runs and biking, the only thing left is the swimming! 🩷

A/N: this is the shortest thing i’ve written so far, but this mild writer's block has been kicking my ass. and so has my hyper-fixation on writing all my requests, babes is struggling. but yeah, this one is a cutie, so enjoy!

Ps: girly also doesn't know how to swim so - my husband's gonna take care of me, don't worry

Requests are CLOSED!

You kicked your legs, letting the cold water splash around. You gripped into the edge of the pool tightly, as you looked on over, trying to see the bottom and failing. It wasn’t possible - at three meters deep, just looking at the darkness down there made your stomach rage with nerves. 

You swallowed, took a deep breath, and turned around to see him fastening a fitness watch on his wrist. 

The navy blue swim trunks he was wearing were highlighting his body well. He looked almost the same as the last time he’d done the triathlon - 4 years ago. But there were just a few small differences too. The smile lines adorning both his eyes and lips were now even more prominent. The small, but barely noticeable tummy he had was highlighted deliciously when he was wearing a dress shirt. And of course, the salt and pepper hair he’d decided not to dye this last time.

He looked good, he looked hot, but even his body, the whole package you’d forever be in love with, couldn’t distract you from the worry you felt, the mild fear. 

When he’d asked you to help him train for the annual FBI triathlon, you couldn’t tell him no. You loved spending the extra time with him - you loved seeing him active and you loved the goofy smile he got after a good run or some biking. 

Funny enough, you liked it too - the adrenaline, smiling in his direction, finishing up on a walk with your hands intertwined, a bit out of breath. The naps that followed after that were cuddling close to him, spooning him, and having him spoon you. 

After finishing up with the running and biking, the only thing left was swimming, which was why you found yourself holding onto the edge for dear life, your heart beating like crazy. Because, see, when you’d agreed to help your husband train for the triathlon, you’d forgotten to mention one very important detail - you’d never learned how to swim.

Three weeks of training and you hadn’t gathered the courage to tell him - so here you were, worried, overtaken by fear, watching as he jumped into the pool head first. 

Seconds later, he swam to the surface and took a deep breath. His hands pushed at the wet strands back, and he started swimming in your direction. 

He settled between your legs with a smile. His hands ran across your outer thighs, massaging the skin and getting them all wet. 

You reached for him, pushing a strand of hair off his forehead, before your palm settled on his cheek and you ran your thumb across his stubble. You loved the barely there facial hair he’d let grow in the last few days. 

“You ready?” He asked, turning his head to lay a small kiss on your wrist. You looked deep into his eyes, as you chewed at the inside of your lip. He must have seen, because he reached up and ran his thumb across your lips, pulling it out a bit to stop you from assaulting the tender flesh anymore.

Your heart pounded and you felt your palms warm up. 

“Actually, I need to tell you something first.” You whispered, as the feeling of mortification and embarrassment suddenly overtook you. So many years of your childhood, and your life were wasted, unable to learn something so basic. 

You watched as his brows furrowed in worry, his eyes shining bright in wonder, “What is it, honey?”

You bit at your lip again, only to have him pull at it again with a shake of his head. You pulled both your hands into your lap, and looked down, suddenly unable to meet his eyes.

“Idon’tknowhowtoswim.” You rushed to say quietly

“I don’t think I caught that, honey.” He pushed your chin up and searched your eyes for an answer.

You exhaled, “I don’t know how to swim, Aaron. I never learned.” You finally admit, eyes squeezing shut. 

It was quiet for a second. 

“Open your eyes, honey.” You did as he said, and watched as his finger ran across your rings, his own sparkling in the lightning, “Doesn’t matter that you can’t swim. I can teach you if you want, or you can just sit right here and enjoy the view.” His lips pulled in a small smirk before he kissed your sternum. 

“I don’t care if you train with me or not. I asked so I could spend more time with you. Either way, we’re together.” 

“You’re a good husband, Aaron.” You said as you leaned down to steal a kiss. He pulled you in as much as he could given the awkward position, and gave you a few quick pecks. 

“And you’re an even better wife, honey.” He whispered. 

In the end, you let him pull you into the water, holding onto him tightly as you floated around and he showed you the easiest way to swim. He held you, helped you, and hyped you up when you succeeded. He really was the best husband ever.

Comments and reblogs are greatly appreciated!

[thankyouforthememoriesworld]

I present the master Paige/Azzi youtube watchlist in chronological order of filming (sorta). I'm not including every game because that would take forever but I did include workouts that I've loved watching. Of course this doesn't have everything but maybe someone can help put together a playlist or something haha. I just wanted all the major interviews that I love in one spot tbh and I supposed this is also a great way for new fans to get to know these two players actually.

Spring 2019

Azzi Fudd wins Gatorade Player of the Year

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmI8Ochf92Y

Azzi Fudd’s remarkable road to recovery | ESPN Cover Story (technically this spans a lot but because it is about ACL, I'm placing it here)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6xpNyfPxsk

Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers after dinner at Cheesecake Factory

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFzQocVgm10

Summer 2019

One-on-one with Azzi Fudd: Steph camp, Unicorn Fam, early offers and more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgQeatZpetQ

Paige Bueckers & Azzi Fudd Battle To Be The #1 Hooper (July 2019 is 6 weeks after her ACL surgery)

https://youtu.be/eTbVfXufQsg?si=VF7bE-fB7P6-6tVu

Fall 2019 to March 2020

Azzi Day in the Life (photoshoot was on Jan 30, 2020 for reference)

https://youtu.be/enzGl05J-4Q?si=_LpwhC3M_OIP0clJ

Hopkins Royal FULL SERIES (season ran Nov 23, 2019 to mid March 2020 and it is over an hour long)

https://youtu.be/kAmSzerEoHc?si=h__o2wWSIbbdvVnl

No. 1 Overall Recruit Paige Bueckers Is a Human Highlight Reel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT9P-96vA7k

Ball Is Life Paige Bueckers Day in the Life

https://youtu.be/mouE9jO9Y_A?si=O5P1W0iH5IZnCHSM

Spring 2020

Paige wins Gatorade Player of the Year

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IENvfOL-YIA

Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd 1v1 Against Trainer (date based on Azzi's IG post)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxWgLaCAm6I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQN8cFt1o00

Azzi Fudd workout highlights with Chris Brickley

https://youtu.be/KpWVfzZN7qM?si=Ns6D6Vl1Yt01VGIB

Summer 2020 (starting with May)

20 questions with Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaK2qM05t7Y

Buried Treasure

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEEEnYMibFQ

Purple Hair

https://youtu.be/nTmAQKScbUM?si=vCdOBMqK-mlDMkWZ

Quarantine Haircuts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTnDwiQc5qk

Paige Bueckers Receives Advice From WNBA SUPERSTARS Ft. Brittney Griner, Sue Bird, and More!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0MagDKjoTA

A Day in the Life of Azzi Fudd

https://youtu.be/ILZCeNVcL1U?si=iouVrM2rEqIkSWAP

Paige Bueckers & Azzi's CRAZY Quarantine Day In The Life

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_TmMlXPmB4

Azzi Fudd #1 HS Player in the Country & GTS Fusion BALL OUT Series (This technically overlaps with Fall 2020 especially with Azzi signing to UConn on her birthday and is approximately an hour)

https://youtu.be/nU24h5_vnBI?si=H8Ey8V9h6kDX-4l8

Fall/Spring 2020

Azzi Fudd Carpool Karaoke, Paige Bueckers FaceTime, and More | Day In The Life (Nov 5, 2020)

https://youtu.be/RmMe60uzbUM?si=lMLALlwBmRHK0kOE

Azzi Fudd's commitment live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xdnt7TXIdw

Faces In The Crowd: Azzi Fudd

https://youtu.be/bIz7Z_vLZJQ?si=LKlDWLhwN2yDQ6uv

"Step2TheMic" podcast Episode #4 featuring Azzi Fudd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-idN_tl9cSI

Beginning of 2021

Sports Stars of Tomorrow Feature on Azzi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXep2STcYq8

Summer/Fall 2021

Paige's live of Jon Fudd eating Cicadas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkVkxsc8rKo

PAIGE BUECKERS | Day In The Life!

https://youtu.be/6CzGZQe1pRU?si=6AcXFcIsYigTEzi1

UConn Star Paige Bueckers Shows Off Her Dope Sneaker Collection

https://youtu.be/IZArJtbceys?si=TKp83pvp6Lz_Sh8-

Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers: UConn Women's Basketball Media Availability - 7/6/21

Paige: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0vKs7VjYb0

Azzi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGwUNtXSEE0

Both: https://youtu.be/bL4Jq2sFt0A?si=Fkl5eDxwl3V-8zL-

Chris Brickley Workouts (Don't know when exactly this was)

https://youtu.be/nkcLs9qkz8g?si=7Sd-ho-d6YxreJ-T

Slam Cover Interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HaJSLhx8xU

First Press Conference

https://youtu.be/JOuVS5RfsFA?si=lbcCMT_wX-u263W7

USF Presser (lowkey love this presser so much)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOdWM_xTO7k

2022

St. Johns Presser

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v4BgJhEc0M

Azzi Fudd's 2 dogs, playing with Paige Bueckers and her relationship with her parents | Inside Look

https://youtu.be/U9vnxoyoEwo?si=DmyoMR7-j_SfpksJ

UConn stars Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd talk basketball

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szGAuDtsfkU

The Workout: UCONN Duo Paige Beckers & Azzi Fudd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN5Gtzx1jt8

How UConn’s Azzi Fudd Balances Brands and Basketball

https://youtu.be/7VFgYc6eXiY?si=P5zYmtqxFYaNU-uh

2023

Kelsey Plum and Azzi Fudd Exclusive Workout

https://youtu.be/EmEO5aweU2Y?si=vAS60IQuieEtbRGQ

2v2 Azzi's Camp

https://youtu.be/VbYGpBW6SUs?si=H-8rYG7PjGUCr54S

Azzi Fudd at Curry Camp

https://youtu.be/-w0kjDPLhPQ?si=iwd0NKPMSyiaL8fH

UConn in Europe Special (48 minutes but not just them)

https://youtu.be/hhOfSaY9D-c?si=Ly2MnTfL4dbt2Ydh

How Kobe Bryant's mentality helped Paige Bueckers' ACL recovery

https://youtu.be/ugq1GLWqxPQ?si=3-6QaO81GovOA7Re

Sue's Episode

https://youtu.be/ZONny74MNWU?si=x0nG2Ny4HJDYirlQ

YOU'RE THE BEST, YOU SHOULD GET EVERYTHING YOU WANT IN THIS LIFE 💖. You make me precise timelines and you know how much I appreciate that, plus you provide me with Azzi videos (when she's starving us out).

[stevesbipanic]

@steddieangstyaugust Day 18: Right Person, Wrong Time

"And then these big birds come and rescue them!" Eddie splays out his arms like wings.

"That's so cool! Then what happened?" Steve asked eyes wide.

Eddie shrugged, "Not sure yet, councillor said I had to go to sleep. I'll tell you tomorrow though don't worry."

Summer camp had been the best summer ever in Eddie's opinion, and meeting Steve had made it even better. They had been inseparable even if they'd been assigned different cabins.

"Will you write me letters when summer is over? I don't want to miss any of the story," Steve said poking the fire.

"Of course I will, you'll be sick of seeing my name in your mailbox. Will you write to me too?"

"Of course, best friends forever right?"

"Forever, Stevie."

Scrawny handwriting on scraps of paper passed between the boys hands on the last day of camp. They were so excited to get home to send their first letter.

What they didn't know was that over summer Al Munson had been sent to jail, and with his mother gone it was Wayne that would pick him up from camp. Eddie's little home in Tawny Brooks was now on the road with Wayne until they could settle down somewhere. He held onto that paper like a lifeline.

In the meantime Steve was writing his first letter, begging his mother for a stamp and excitedly dropping it in the mailbox at the post office. It came back a couple weeks later with the words "Return to Sender". He shoved it into his desk, hurt, but hoped Eddie's letter would come soon, maybe he'd written his address wrong.

It was Steve who had written his address wrong though, dancing letters that made things hard to read changed the w in Hawkins to an m. Eddie didn't stand a chance when he dropped his letter in the box explaining he would send his address as soon as he was able. When he landed in a trailer in a small town called Hawkins the possible mix up didn't even cross his mind. He joked that Hawkins and Hamkins should be closer so they could see each other again not knowing Steve was only a short drive uptown.

Both boys ended summer hurt the other never replied. By the time their ages aligned with the same school they were different. How could Steve know that the boy with long curly hair who jumped on tables was the same Eddie with a buzzcut who told him about magical worlds? How could Eddie relate his Steve who had sun bleached highlights and who loved listening to Eddie talk to being the same named asshole who wandered the halls of Hawkins High? No, their friend was somewhere else in Indiana, lost forever.

"The shire is burning, so Mordor it is."

Mordor? Steve had heard that word before.

"That's Lord of the Rings, right?" Steve asked as they made their way to the Lake.

"Steeeeve Harrington knows Lord of the Rings?" Eddie asked in return, confusion written on his face.

"Yeah, um, this kid in summer camp used to tell it to me, I wasn't very good at reading, still aren't."

Eddie stumbled on his step, eyes meeting Steve's properly now, "Stevie?"

"Forever, Stevie."

"Eds? You've been in Hawkins this whole time, you're my Eddie!? You never wrote to me!"

"Stevie, sweetheart, you spelt it Hamkins. And sorry I didn't think King Steve was the same Steve that listened to me talking about hobbits."

"You moved, didn't you."

"Wayne picked me up, would've never gotten your letter."

"It's in my desk."

"Still?"

Steve nodded.

"I'd love to read it when this is all over, Stevie."

"If you promise you'll tell me how the story ends? I hope it's a happy ending."

"I hope so too, sweetheart, I hope so too."

[svt-x]

From Italy, with love x (Teaser)

pairing: Detective Mingyu x female reader

summary: Injured on the job and unable to work for 6 months, Mingyu embarks on a solo trip to Italy. He crosses paths with you once again, a familar face from his past he went on a few dates with. As it turns out, you’re also the owner of the dream holiday villa that he’s renting for the summer.

genre/warnings: second chances au (they’ve met briefly before), fluff, angst, smut

teaser warnings: shirtless mingyu wearing nothing but a towel lol, minor swearing

teaser wc: 467 

a/n: This is my first ever attempt at writing a fic, I’ve been having Mingyu brainrot since forever & was inspired to write this after seeing him in that police outfit. A special thanks to @wintaerbaer for helping me with this and being so supportive and encouraging🤍

"AAAAAH! Why's it not working?"

He aggressively fiddles with the hot water valve of the shower in a futile attempt to rinse out the shampoo that continues to burn his eyes. When he realises that his efforts are ending in vain, Mingyu resorts to cold water, letting out a squeal as the icy droplets hit his chiseled body.

"Fuck, it's so cold."

With his eyes still tightly shut, he frantically runs his hands through his hair and over his body, trying to wash off the bubbles that remain. Soon after, he grabs the white towel he brought in with him and loosely wraps it around his hips. Walking out of the bathroom, he lets out a sigh as he enters the kitchen, opens the fridge, and chugs down the glass of fresh orange juice he left to chill earlier.

This is not how you expected to be spending your afternoon off—letting your tenant know that they will be without hot water for the rest of the day. Joshua is currently out of town, leaving you to deliver the message. You would have rang or texted, but your laptop, which holds the tenant’s details, has been sent for repair. This would usually mean you need to go into the office, but the villa is closer to your apartment, so instead, you take this as an opportunity to meet your new tenant for the summer.

The air is filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers, and the gentle breeze, carrying hints of rosemary and lavender, envelops you as you walk up the pathway to the villa. The door is slightly ajar, and you bring up your fist to knock.

“Hello, is anyone in? It’s y/n, the landlord. Can I come in?”

When you don’t hear a response, you apprehensively walk in and head towards the kitchen, calling out once more.

“Hello?”

As you turn the corner, you’re met with the most perfectly-sculpted, muscular back you’ve ever seen. The man, still unaware of your presence, places a drink back in the fridge and closes the door.

You stutter when you finally speak up.

“O..oh sorry! I didn’t mean to just-”

Mingyu turns around to see the owner of the voice, you, visibly blushing as he notices your eyes scanning his physique. The towel does a poor job of covering the veins that snake across his lower body, and his deeply-tanned skin glistens, highlighting his huge muscles that are hard to miss.

You finally look up, and time seems to slow down for a moment as your eyes meet; small but memorable fragments of the brief time you spent together flash before your eyes, and you quite literally can’t believe Kim Mingyu is stood in front of you, naked with water dripping down his body.

“Mingyu?”

“Y/N?”

[glittervame]

Lets go make a slpash

Pool party/ water balloon

This post is going to be part of the Jinxed July by @thatdammchickennugget and @finalgirllx check it out if you want to know more!

Sorry its short, I didn't really have a plan for this because I found out about the challenge out late. I don't think I have a tag list for Mattheo but tell me if you want one.

Mattheo Riddle x FEM! Reader 18+ Basically just smut, Unprotected P in V (Wrap it before you tap it), degradation, hinted overstimulation

Mattheo's eyes widened as Y/n emerged from the bathroom in their shared room in Malfoy manor. He'd seen her in swimsuits before, of course, but there was something about this particular one that seemed to highlight every curve and angle of her body in the most flattering way possible. It was a two-piece number with a plunging neckline and high-cut bottoms that had been a gift from her friend Pansy, and it was clear that Pansy had excellent taste.

Y/n noticed his stare and smirked, twirling around to show off the full effect of the ensemble. "Like what you see?" she asked, her voice teasing.

Mattheo coughed, trying to clear his throat and regain his composure. "I-I mean, yeah, you look... you look good."

"Just good?" she teased, raising an eyebrow.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to look away, focusing on the book he'd been reading. "You look great, Y/n. Really."

Y/n grinned and winked at him before sauntering over to the mirror to check her hair and makeup. She knew she had him flustered, and she enjoyed it a little too much. It had been a while since she'd seen him like this, and it was a nice change of pace from their usual bickering and banter.

They had just been so buys hanging out with their friends that they hadn't got time to be by themselves in a while. It was summer break, and they were all staying at the Malfoy manor for a month-long vacation. It was the perfect time to strengthen their friendship and maybe explore something more, or so Y/n hoped.

Y/n had had a crush on Mattheo for what felt like forever, but she was never sure if he felt the same way. They had always been close, almost like siblings, but lately she had been noticing that their friendship had been taking a different turn. 

There was a spark between them, something that made her heart race every time their eyes met or their fingers brushed against each other's. But she knew that Malfoy manor was not the place to be making any big romantic moves. There were too many people around, too many eyes watching. Plus, she didn't want to ruin their friendship if he didn't feel the same way.

"Alright, I'm ready," she announced, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her waist. "Let's go make a splash."

Mattheo nodded, still trying to get his thoughts in order. He had noticed the change in their dynamic too, but he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination or if there was something more there. He didn't want to jump to conclusions and risk losing her friendship.

They headed outside to the pool area, where their friends were already gathered. Pansy, Blaise, and Draco lounged by the pool, sipping on butterbeers and chuckling at some inside joke. Ginny and Hermione were splashing around in the water, while Ron and Harry were engaged in a heated debate about Quidditch strategies.

The group greeted them with cheerful hellos, and Y/n couldn't help but feel a little nervous as she approached the pool. She had never felt this self-conscious before, but she was determined to enjoy herself. She took a deep breath and dove into the water, the cool liquid enveloping her and washing away her nerves.

The day passed by in a blur of laughter, games, and good-natured rivalry. The sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the manor grounds. The group decided to end the day with a game of hide and seek adding their own twist to the game, the loser got pelted by water balloons by the rest of them. As they counted down, Y/n took the opportunity to sneak away to a secluded spot she had discovered earlier in the week.

It was a small grove of trees, hidden from view of the pool area, and she hoped it would be the perfect place to catch her breath and gather her thoughts. She had just found a comfortable spot when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

Her heart leapt into her throat as she realized it was Mattheo. He looked around, spotting her tucked away in the shadows. "Found you," he murmured, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

"find your own hiding spot," she said, trying to sound nonchalant.

He stepped closer, his eyes dark and unreadable. "I think I like this one just fine."

The air between them grew thick with tension, and Y/n's heart raced as she took in his wet hair and the droplets of water that clung to his skin. "What do you want, Mattheo?"

He took another step closer, so that they were only a breath apart. "I want to know if this is just me," he whispered, his hand reaching out to lightly brush her cheek. "Or if there's something here."

Y/n's eyes searched his, looking for any sign that he was joking or teasing. But all she saw was earnestness and vulnerability. 

"There's something here," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've felt it for a while."

Mattheo's hand moved to cradle her face, and he leaned in, his lips brushing against hers in the softest of kisses. It was a moment that seemed to stretch on forever, filled with promise and potential.

When they finally pulled apart, Y/n felt like she was floating. "Is this...are we..." she stumbled over her words.

Mattheo grinned, his eyes shining with excitement. "Let's not overthink it, Y/n. Let's just enjoy this summer, and see where it takes us."

Well where the summer took them was you getting pounded into. 

You wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him closer still. You feel the heat between your legs, the ache that only he can soothe. You moan into the kiss, arching your back as you press yourself against him, needing him to touch you.

His hands slide down your back, gripping your hips before moving up to cup your bottom, squeezing gently. You feel his fingers dig into your skin, leaving a trail of desire down your spine. You whimper into his mouth, wanting more. You need more.

He picks you up, carrying you over to the bed. You watch as he kicks the door shut before lowering you down onto the mattress. His lips trail a line down your neck, sucking and nipping at your skin. You tilt your head back, arching into the sensation. You can feel his erection pressing against your core, begging to be let in.

He slides his hand between your legs, parting your folds. His fingers are rough against your skin, sending shockwaves of pleasure through you. You gasp as he circles your clit, teasing it expertly. You buck your hips against his hand, needing more. You need him inside you.

"Please, Mattheo," you whisper, your voice hoarse with desire. "I need you."

He groans, his fingers leaving your aching folds to unbuckle his belt. You watch in anticipation as he pulls his pants down, revealing his hardness. He straddles you, positioning himself at your entrance. With a deep breath, he pushes inside you, filling you completely. You cry out at the feeling of being so completely claimed, your body clenching around him in welcome.

He begins to move, his hips rocking against yours. The friction between you is exquisite, sending sparks of pleasure through your entire body. You arch your back, meeting his rhythm as he thrusts deeper and deeper. You can feel him getting closer, can feel the tension building inside him.

"I'm close, cara mia," he breathes, his voice rough with need. "Come for me."

You moan, your nails digging into his shoulders. The sensation of being so close, of feeling him inside you as he reaches his climax, is almost too much to bear. You feel the wave of pleasure building within you, threatening to overwhelm you.

"Mattheo," you whimper, your body tensing as the sensation crashes over you. You cry out his name, your body pulsing around him in a release of pure ecstasy. You feel him follow you over the edge, his hips stuttering as he comes deep inside you.

He collapses on top of you, their sweat-slick bodies sticking together. You breathe in the scent of him, the heady mix of sweat and arousal. Mattheo kisses your neck before brushing off the tears on your cheek, "You can go again yeah?"

You nod, a sly smile playing on your lips. "As many times as you want."

"Good" He thrusts back in harshly, his hand finding its way to your neck. He squeezes gently, a hint of dominance in his eyes as he sets a punishing pace. "Because I'm not done with you yet."

You moan, your body responding to his touch, his claim on you. This is what you've been waiting for, what you've been dreaming of. You wrap your legs around his waist, urging him on, eager for more of him.

Your hands claw at his back as he pounds into you, each thrust hitting that perfect spot deep within you. You feel yourself building towards another climax, your breath coming in ragged gasps.

But he never lets her cum after that first one, he keeps her on the edge, her eyes glazed with lust and desperation. His grip on her neck tightens, and his teeth graze her earlobe. "You're mine," he whispers, his voice a dark growl. "Say it."

"Yours," you gasp, your voice barely audible. "I'm yours."

He smiles a cruel twist of his lips, and slams into you one final time before pulling out, leaving you trembling and gasping for air. You look up at him, confusion and need written all over your face.

"Not yet," he says, his eyes gleaming. "We're just getting started."

And so as the night goes on, he continues to tease you until you become a sobbing mess of pleasure, begging for release that he never fully gives.

[aliaology]

DOROTHEA

summary: jack and luke talking about their older sister, who they’ll forever cherish even if shes all the way in vancouver with quinn. their talk brings up memories that will forever be theirs.

almost a sequel of my “never grow up” fic 🤍

hey dorothea, do you ever stop and think about me?

growing up, jack always looked up to big siblings. each holding a special place in his heart. but both of them we’re different. quinn was the one he went to about hockey, girls, and school. y/n was the one he went to for almost everything else.

maybe it was because of how she was always overprotective of him, quinn and luke. he felt closest to her. it was clear she was the favorite, for each brother.

“do you think y/n thinks about us a lot?” luke asked when she went off to college. jack gave luke a look. “of course she does, moron. it’s not like she could forget us.”

luke shrugged. “i just miss her.”

when we were younger, down in the park, honey making a lark of the misery.

“do you think y/n stops to think about us? like— do you think she sees something like the color red and think about us?” luke asked, sitting next to jack.

jack held a picture frame of him, luke, quinn and her on her highschool graduation day.

“maybe not that much— but i like to think she does.” jacks eyes flickered to luke then back to the picture.

luke let out a sigh. “do you remember the summer before she went to college? almost every other day she would take us to the park to just, forget. forget that she would be leaving.”

jack quietly laughed. “i can’t forget that. highlight of my summer, along with you tripping every time you climbed the rock wall and fell”

luke slapped his brothers arm. “fuck off”

you got shiny new friends since you left town. a tiny screens the only place i see you now. and i got nothing but well wishes for you.

jacks shoulders moved along with his laughter. then it went quiet. “i miss her. i hate that we only see her through a tiny screen.” he spoke.

“at least we can still see her. im jealous of quinn though.” luke added.

jack shrugged. “i am but im not. we got her for a few years, it was his turn now.”

“yeah— but permanently.” luke told.

the two stopped talking. looking at the picture. their older sister smiling happily at the camera with her arms wrapped around jack and luke. quinn stood on the end, arm wrapped around jack.

she stuck out like a sore thumb in the picture. her bright blue graduation gown and bright blue cap was a huge contrast to the mix of whites, blacks, reds and greens the boys wore.

along with her height. the heels she wore made her tower over the boys.

hey dorothea, do you ever stop and think about me? when it was calmer, skipping the prom just to piss off your mom and her pageant schemes.

laughter flooded through the quiet park. heels clicked against the sidewalk in a fast pace along with three other sets of feet running behind.

“moms so gonna kill you, sissy!” luke laughed.

you hunched over, hands on your knees as you caught your breath. luke leaned onto you, trying to catch his breath as jack and quinn stifled their laughs.

“she spent so much on this dress, and these damn— heels!” you spoke, struggling to get them off.

“not to mention the ticket!” jack added, grabbing your hand to help you stay steady as you took off the heels.

“i still don’t understand why you ditched, and why you dragged us along” quinn spoke.

“if a hughes goes down, we all do” you gave a toothy grin.

jack smiled softly as he helped you out. luke held your side, stabilizing you so you could get the heel off.

your long green dress clung to your body. the necklace you wore made its way into jacks pocket and was replaced with the necklace he got you for your birthday.

your ‘pearl’ bracelet was replaced with the bracelet luke made. and your ‘pearl’ ring was replaced with the ring quinn gave you. every nice piece of jewelry was replaced with one that actually meant something to you, whether they were pretty or not. (cough lukes beaded bracelet)

you pulled the pins out of your hair, along with the fake pearls and diamonds. you took the long clip that held your hair, out and shook your head.

“thank god im out of that. i love mom but god it felt like she was preparing me for a pageant.” you laughed.

in that moment, all brothers adored you. adored how you clearly cared for them. “lets head home now” you smiled.

but its never too late to come back to my side, the stars in your eyes shined brighter in tupelo. and if you’re ever tired for being known for who you know, you know you’ll always know me.

jackhughes

liked by ynhughes, lhughes_06 and 362,726 others

jackhughes vancouver may be fun, but i miss you, so come back.

tagged: ynhughes

comments

ynhughes i miss u more kid ☹️❤️

jackhughes so come back!

ynhughes its not that easy babes

jackhughes so make it easy lol

user14 im sobbing bring y/n back

user17 come back y/n jacky needs u

user97 BRING THE GANG BACK TOGETHER 😭😭

_quinnhughes i finally get my sister time and you want her back?

jackhughes yeah 😁😁

_quinnhughes gtfo

lhughes_06 this is true, i agree

jackhughes uh yeah id hope so

ynhughes guys pls 😞😞

user61 this is so 😭😭😭😭

trevorzegras bring hot stuff back!!!

jackhughes shes five years older than you, give it a rest 😒😒😒

trevorzegras never back down never what?

colecaulfied NEVER GIVE UP 😱😱😱😱

user73 i miss the hughes siblings together

user15 maybe vancouver will be good for her. maybe she’ll find a boyfriend

trevorzegras NO.

user82 trevor i love u 🥰

user27 i feel like any sad taylor song about growing up or even her friends like dorothea, could relate to them and y/n

tags: (perm) @hockeyboysarehot (just ask if you’d like perm tags <3 )

[1onelypoet]

stuck by the glue || Oscar Piastri smau

a/n: 1st ever tumblr post so the formating is weird and the album cover still says beabadoobe but whatever. hopefully it's good, tips are always welcome :) to be continued (maybe, possibly, probably)

singer!reader

fc: beabadoobe

yourusername

liked by yourbff, clairo, oscarpiastri and others

yourusername thank u from the bottom of my heart seattle 💞 can't wait to be back :)

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yourbff ur so hot

yourusername you.

y/nswife y/n come home the kids miss u

yourfriend1 i have tickets for la teehee 🤭🤭

yourusername wonder how u got those...

laufey so proud

yourusername ily

y/nupdates what's 3 + 5 ‼️

oscarpiastri

liked by mclaren, logansargeant, landonorris and others

tagged landonorris, mclaren, silverstonecircuit

oscarpiastri P4 today! Thank you, Silverstone 🧡

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mclaren Great job, Oscar!!

oscarpiastri 🧡🧡

op81lvr slayyyy 🔥🔥

silverstonecircuit Can't wait to have you back on the track!

oscarpiastri can't wait to be back 👊

landonorris_fans the landoscar crumbs ☹️☹️

piastri.jpg HELP THEY LOOK LIKE HIGHLIGHTERS IN THE 2ND PIC

yourusername

liked by taylorswift, oscarpiastri, yourbff and others

yourusername la u were insane. thank u thank u thank u. what a special way to end the tour 🌸endlessly grateful for everyone who made this possible. it's truly a dream come true <3

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taylorswift ❤️❤️❤️

yourusername TAYLORRRR 😭😭

yourbff the dress is everything

liked by yourusername

landoscar not to be delulu but why is oscar liking y/ns posts?? like this is the 2nd time...

oscarpastryyy I WAS WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO SAY THIS OMGG y/nfangirl can he not be a fan? 💀 landoscar girl chill 💀💀

yourusername posted to their story

[caption: homebound ☁️]

seen by pinkpantheress, oscarpiastri, laufey and others

oscarpiastri can't wait to see you 🩷 yourusername me toooo 🩷🩷🩷

f1gossip

liked by f1gossipgirl, op81updates, f1teaaa and others

tagged oscarpiastri

f1gossip Oscar Piastri spotted in NYC by fans. He is allegedly "just visiting" 👀

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carlando4ever finally a gossip post that isn't invasive or speculation

justaninchident it's a gossip acc what do u expect lmao

vroomleclerc we stan a king who actually makes time for his fans 👏

piastriswife STOP WE'RE IN THW SAME CITY IM HAVING A STROKE IMGGG

33verstappen33 shouldn't he be training 💀💀

yourusername

liked by oscarpiastri, yourbff, yourfriend2 and others

tagged yourbff, yourfriend1, yourfriend2

yourusername summer in nyc with my lovelies

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ihearty/n MA'AM???? WHO IS THAT?????

y/nupdates whoever it is, i hope they can fight

sabrinacarpenter 😍😍

yourfriend2 hot summer nights

yourusername mid julyyy yourfriend1 when you and iiiii were forever wildd

landoscar i see you in the likes oscar 👀

y/n4life pls god let it be just a friend 🙏

y/ntaylorsversion why are yall so obsessed with celebrities relationships, it's fucking weird 😐

oscarpiastri

liked by fia.official, mclaren, yourfriend3 and others

oscarpiastri quick recharge before Hungary

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piastrispastry just one chance. please.

logansargeant cannot believe you went to the us without me

oscarpiastri oops 😬

lnop_481 oh to be a malnourished pigeon in nyc 🥲

landonowins WHAT LMFAOO

yourusername

liked by oscarpiastri, troyesivan, gracieabrams and others

yourusername surpise! glue song out 2night ;)

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gracieabrams so excited 🎀

yourusername tysm gracieeee

sheplaysbass just saw someone fall to their knees in walmart

lizzymcalpine already crying

y/n_usa she's so real for this

ellefanning 💕💕

yourusername 🫶🫶

y/nnnieee just fell to my knees in walmart

yourusername

liked by phoebebridgers, y/nupdates, oscarpiastri and others

yourusername gluesong out now 🧸 this song means a lot to me, as does the person who inspired it (you know who u r, i love you more than you'll ever know), so i hope you like it 🎶 here's a little appreciation post for the love of my life ❤️

view comments

y/n.com CAN HE FIGHT 🔪🔪🔪

yourbff ur still my wife tho 💋

yourusername ofc babygirl 💍💍

laufey feeling rlly single rn

laufeycore I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE

kaliuchis cutest song by the cutest girlie 💖

oscarpiastri posted to their story

[caption: great song!]

seen by yourusername, f1gossip, lilymhe and others

yourusername i love u ❤️ oscarpiastri i love you more yourusername impossible oscarpiastri we'll have to debate it over dinner yourusername oscar piastri, r u asking me out on a date? oscarpiastri yes the 22nd works, right? yourusername counting down the hours oscarpiastri 😊

[chrisevansonly]

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐧𝐞: 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐈𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐜 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: starting a family was yours and charles’s dream, and welcoming little baby matteo hervé leclerc was the absolute best day of your lives, and the start of a new future as a family of 3

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: mentions of pregnancy, hospitals and childbirth & lots n lots of fluff

𝐚/𝐧: well she’s here the first chapter of Little Karter! i’m so excited to write this little series and i really am excited to share the ideas i have with it! i hope you all enjoy it<;3

𝐰𝐜: 1.5k+

🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️

For as long as you could remember and as long as you had been with Charles, there was never a doubt in either of your minds when it came to having a family. You’d always  wanted kids and so had Charles, so when the day had come that you found out you were expecting, it was a day you would forever remember. Nothing about trying for a baby comes easy, it doesn’t help that still to this day most books and movies fail to highlight that. It took you and Charles almost three years to conceive your now 4-year-old son Matteo, it was a lot of tears, pain and trial and error until that very morning you took the test. 

▸

Time moved slow as you stood in front of Charles, the three tests you had taken in his hands, tears lining your eyes.

“Ne me mens pas..bébé, s’il te plait”

Charles was on the verge of losing it, his eyes glossing over as he start at you with such a yearning and adoration, you had never seen anything like it 

“I promise my love…”

“Holy shit!”

He was quick to pull you into his chest, his arms holding you tight to him, tears hitting your neck as you held onto one another, A moment that would forever cement itself into memory, there was nothing that could top the reaction and love you felt and saw that day. 

“We did it Char”

Pulling back he took your face in his hands, bringing you in for a kiss, a tearful smile on his face when he pulled away 

“We did it baby”

▸

Charles had been nothing short of amazing throughout your pregnancy, from doctors appointments, to late night cravings and sitting at your side as you experienced the worst morning sickness throughout the first trimester. If you needed him he was there, he made that extremely clear to you as well as Ferrari. Letting them know if you needed him he would be there, racing was his passion, but you were his heart, and he would drop anything for you, all you ever needed to do was ask. 

He was adamant about this from day one. 

You couldn’t help the smile that pulled at your lips as you watched him pick out baby boy’s first outfit, you had gotten to the hospital almost five hours ago, your water breaking, thankfully enough on the summer break so Charles was already at home with you. He was so excited to become a father, you could not wait to see him flourish into his new role.

“Char he won’t know what he’s wearing…”

He turned to smile at you. 

“I know baby but-I just want it to be perfect for him, I want everything to be perfect for you too”

“It already is my love, you’ve done so much for me the past nine months, you’ve taken such great care of me...”

A pause fell over the room, Charles placing a little white onesie with red cars on it down onto the change table across from your bed, moving to sit next to you, his hands grabbing yours gently. 

“I love you, I would do anything for you, and I’ll keep taking care of you, both of you.”

Leaning down he kissed you, rubbing your cheek ever so softly when he notices a stray tear that had begun to roll down your skin. No further words needed to be exchanged, Charles could see it in your eyes just how much you loved and adored him, and right now that was more than enough for him.

Thankfully you managed to get some more rest not long after, Charles keeping his eye on you diligently, he was too excited and anxious to rest, despite his mother being adamant that he gets his sleep now. As soon as a baby comes along it becomes much harder to get your beauty sleep, but you’d never hear a parent complain, especially not Charles, this was what he’d been dreaming for, and he was sure if his father was still around he would be so proud of him. 

It wasn’t until seven pm, that you were dilatated to ten centimetres and could start pushing, it was a pain no one could prepare you for, and a pain that was way worse than you had ever imagined 

“Tout va bein, ma belle…tu es si forte”

“Ça fait mal Char…cant-“

Charles shook his head, moving to be closer as he swiped a cool cloth across your forehead

“I know, I know it does but he’s almost here…just a bit longer baby, I know you can do it”

He looked at you with fierce determination, he could see the exhaustion behind your eyes but you were so close to holding your little boy and it was with the next hard push and agony filled scream that his cries echoed through the room. Charles quick to kiss yours cheeks as he rested his forehead on yours, tears in both of your eyes 

“I’m so proud of you baby, you did it…he’s here”

The doctor was quick to place the crying baby onto your chest as you sniffled, your hands moving to hold onto him, he needed to be cleaned up still but this allowed you and Charles to connect with him right away

“Bonjour mon petit, tu es si parfait, papa t’aime déjà beaucoup” he said quietly, brining a hand up to wipe his eyes

“He’s so perfect Char…”

The nurses then came over and took him gently, allowing Charles to cut his umbilical chord before taking him over to weigh him and check him out, allowing Charles to come back to your side, a look in his eyes that was only reserved for you and your perfect baby boy 

“Thank you, thank you, thank you”

“Oh my love, you don’t need to thank me, I love you so much you never need to thank me for this”

He shook his head

“I do because-because you made me a father… it is all I have ever wanted”

Reaching your hand out to him he took it, kissing the back of it before sitting next to you, allowing you to then lean your head into him, waiting patiently for the nurses to bring your baby back. Of course it didn’t take them very long, wrapping him in a warm blanket and gently placing him into your arms, your eyes taking all of him in.

He was a tiny little baby, but in every way absolutely perfect, he had Charles’s nose and his hair, he was the spitting image of his father, a twin if you must

“Hi my angel…”

Charles watched you interact with your son, smiling as you traced his little cheek with your pinky finger

“You are your daddy’s twin aren’t you? Mhm..”

You couldn’t help but place a series of gentle kisses to his face, just enjoying holding him in your arms, watching as he had begun to move a little

“Char you ready to hold him..?”

A slight look of hesitation flashed across your husbands eyes, he’d been waiting nine months for this moment, so why was he so worried

“My love, you’ll be okay, I promise…you don’t do anything wrong”

“Yeah-um okay yes”

He was meticulously careful and slow in his movements as he lifted the baby from your chest, moving to sit down in the rocking chair next to the bed, he never imagined in a million years he would be holding his little boy in his arms. It was no surprise to you to see his emotions ramp up again as he placed a kiss to his forehead

“Tu es mon plus précieux trésor mon bébé”

“Il est tout à nous mon amour”

Sniffling Charles nodded, the baby sleeping soundly nice and tucked into his arm. You figured he would wake up eventually to eat but for now there was no greater sight than seeing your husband and baby boy cuddled up with one another.

“Welcome to the world little Matteo Hervé Leclerc”

rough english translations:

Ne me mens pas..bébé, s’il te plait - don’t lie to me baby, please

Tout va bein, ma belle…tu es si forte - everything is fine sweetheart (or my beautiful) you are so strong

Ça fait mal - it hurts

Bonjour mon petit, tu es si parfait, papa t’aime déjà beaucoup - hello little one, you are so perfect, daddy loves you so much already

Tu es mon plus précieux trésor mon bébé - you are my most precious gift (treasure) baby

Il est tout à nous mon amour - he is all ours my love

[ewanmitchellcrumbs]

Go in Shadows

Pairing: modern!Aemond Targaryen x f!reader Warnings: Alcohol use, drunken behaviour, angst, eventual smut. Word count: tbc

Summary: Summers spent with her best friend, Helaena, are the highlight of her year. However, a week-long stay at her place does not go as she expects it to when surrounded by one Targaryen brother that she pines for unrequitedly, and another that can't seem to stand her.

Author's note: Happy birthday @lauraneedstochill! You may remember a little while ago I sent you an ask that was prodding you for info on your favourite fan fiction tropes - I had an agenda! I remember you saying you don't look forward to your birthday, so I wanted to do something special for you. I didn't get the chance to finish this before I went on holiday, but wanted to show you a teaser of what's to come! Hope you enjoy your day, birthday twinnie <3

The grass tickles delicately at the backs of her bare thighs, causing her to squirm and change position, pulling the hem of her floral summer dress lower as she crosses her legs. It’s a hot and sunny Friday afternoon in July, and she’s making the most of her four day working week by spending her day off in the park with her best friend, Helaena.

Summer has always been her favourite time of year, from the six week long holidays of secondary school to the three month university breaks, and now the stolen afternoons and all too brief weekends of the working week. Helaena has been at her side for all of them. Summer is their time, a season in which their friendship has always thrived, fortified beneath a sun that never sets.

Helaena pauses, keeping the daisy chain she’s making in her hands still as she leans forward ever so slightly, watching intently at the wasp that buzzes around the open bottle neck of Koppaberg Cider that rests beside her, the heat of the day causing droplets of moisture to sweat from the glass.

“That’s going to drown in your cider, if you aren’t careful,” she warns her.

“Mmm,” Helaena muses dreamily, her eyes never leaving the wasp. “It wants the sugar.”

She watches for a few more moments, before it flies away, and then her attention turns back to her daisy chain, her numb nail piercing through the stem of the flower, before threading another through.

“Did your annual leave get approved for next week?” Helaena asks, blue eyes lifting from the floral chain in her hands to look at her hopefully.

“Yeah, I’m all set,” she says excitedly, before taking a swig of her own cider, relishing the way the sweet, berry flavour fizzes against her tongue. “So, what’s the plan?”

It’s not a question she really even needs to ask. It’s the same every year; Alicent takes a week-long trip to Oldtown to visit her father, Otto, and ever since Helaena was considered old enough to no longer accompany her, she stays behind, and the kids are left with a free house. She stays for the entire week, the house large enough that it feels like a holiday without needing to leave King’s Landing. They enjoy seven unsupervised days of swimming in the pool, raiding the fridge, and the inevitable rowdy and out of control parties that Helaena’s older brother, Aegon, insists upon throwing.

And therein lies the real reason she’s asking; to check which of the brothers will be in attendance. She has fancied Aegon for as long as she can remember, though he has never given her a second look beyond viewing her as his younger sister’s best friend. She exists in his shadow, laughing at all of his jokes, living for every thousand watt smile he casts her way, overlooking his often drunken, reckless behaviour, and pretending she doesn’t feel a burning sense of envy at the seemingly never ending rotation of girls he goes out with. His shadow seems to be where she is destined to remain forever, desperate to experience the warmth of his attention turned to her even once. The unrequited feelings weigh heavy upon her heart, tormenting her with soaring hope and devastating reality in equal measure.

As if able to read her mind, Helaena sighs. “Aegon’s going to be there…and Aemond too.”

She groans at this. Helaena’s younger brother, another bane of her existence, though for a completely different reason to Aegon. Aemond genuinely seems to loathe her, actively going out of his way to avoid her, refusing to even look at her if they’re in the same room. His responses are curt, bordering upon rudeness when she has tried previously to engage him in conversation, and so she has given up, taking to ignoring him just as he does to her, though it does not come as naturally to her as it does him. She feels her skin prickle in his presence, fidgeting uncomfortably at the shift in energy in the room whenever he enters. Back in secondary school, she had made an attempt to forge a bond with him, by approaching him with the history essay she was due to hand in, and asking for him to take a look at it in case there were any improvements he thought she could make.

Aemond had scoffed as he’d looked it over, sliding the papers back across the table towards her with a harsh flick of his wrist. “Derivative,” he’d commented dismissively. “The point you’re trying to make is too diffuse for you to adequately summarise it. If you were to improve it, you’d simply have to rewrite it.”

She had walked away holding back tears, bitterly regretting her decision to attempt to extend an olive branch. When the essay had been given back to her she had been awarded an A grade, which made Aemond’s comments even more baffling to her.

“Great,” she says with a roll of her eyes, “assuming he’ll have Alys to keep him busy?”

Helaena gives a solemn shake of her head. “They aren’t together anymore, so please try to be nice to him.”

She looks at Helaena incredulously. “Be nice to him?! Hel, Aemond hates me!”

“He doesn’t,” she replies with a gentle certainty.

“You don’t know that,” she huffs, swigging from her cider bottle once more.

“I do, actually,” Helaena utters, before turning her attention back to her daisy chain.

She feels that Helaena infuriates her almost as much as her brothers do sometimes. Bloody Targaryens.

A week later, her out of office is on and her bags are packed.

Helaena takes her bags, depositing them into an entryway closet to deal with later, the moment she steps through the door of the house, ushering her into the kitchen.

“Want to chop some stuff for me?” She asks. “I’m going to make a jug of Pimm’s for us all to drink by the pool.”

“Us all?” She asks, moving towards the chopping board on the kitchen side, where an assortment of strawberries, mint and cucumber has been set out, ready to be cut up.

“Yeah,” Helaena says, opening a cupboard and rummaging inside of it. “Me, you…Aemond, and Aegon…Aegon’s friend…”

Helaena’s voice tapers off as she pulls a glass jug from a shelf, her gaze turning towards the kitchen doorway.

She looks up from where she has been quartering a strawberry, her grip around the knife handle tightening subconsciously as she takes in the sight of Aegon standing there. But it’s not Aegon that is the issue, it’s the pretty brunette that’s standing next to him.

“Just wondering what’s taking so bloody long with the Pimm’s?” He asks, glancing between her and Helaena. “Are you fermenting the gin from scratch?”

“Hel was waiting for me to arrive,” she offers as a meek explanation, feeling her skin grow warm as he looks at her. “Hi, by the way.”

He fires off a mock salute at her, the casual gesture making her insides wither with disappointment. She was a fool to have expected anything more.

“I’m Cassandra,” the girl standing next to him pipes up with a cheerful smile, “nice to meet you.”

Aegon startles, as if suddenly realising she’s there, turning to look at Cassandra quickly before facing back towards her and Helaena.

“Oh yeah, Cass is gonna be staying for the week. Her brother’s brewery is supplying us with the kegs for Saturday.”

Cassandra nods enthusiastically, her eyes bright. “Royce owns Storm’s End brewery, he’s gonna sort us out with the beer for the party.”

“Lovely,” she says with a tight smile, lowering her eyes back to the chopping board and slicing into a cucumber with more aggression than is necessary. 

“Why don’t you go and get comfy by the pool, Cass,” Aegon says, ushering her away with a smack on the bottom. “I’ll make sure these two hurry the fuck up with the drinks.”

Helaena’s eyes narrow once Cassandra is out of earshot, looking at Aegon as she empties a full bottle of Pimm’s into the glass jug. “You’re sleeping with one of the Baratheon sisters to get free beer? That’s low even for you.”

Aegon shrugs with a smirk. “I’m not above schmoozing for booze, Hel.”

“You’re a pig,” she retorts softly, moving to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of lemonade. “What about what happened with Floris and Aemond?”

Aegon snorts derisively, leaning against the doorframe. “They only kissed.”

“And then she stalked him afterwards…”

“The week of a thousand texts!”

“Fifty seven to be precise. You remember, right?” She asks, turning to her friend for back up.

“Yeah, didn’t Aemond ghost her because she used the incorrect version of ‘your’ in a message?”

Helaena nods. “Yes, that was mean, and she didn’t deserve that. But sending someone so many texts when they clearly aren’t going to reply is a bit…” She wrinkles her nose. “...overbearing.”

“And she left him a five minute long voicemail,” Aegon titters.

“Yeah, you’re a pig,” Helaena insists, sloshing lemonade into the Pimm’s.

“Oh well. Hurry up!” Aegon demands with a clap of his hands, before walking away.

She hands Helaena the chopping board, now laden with chopped up garnishes and watches as she scrapes it into the jug, before stirring it.

Looking up, Helaena takes in the pained expression of her friend, her face softening. “Trust me, as Aegon’s sister, he’s not worth it.”

“I’m fine,” she quips unconvincingly, moving away to fetch glasses from another cupboard. “He’s just messing around.”

“I just think if you’re looking for someone who genuinely cares about you, then you’re looking in the wrong place.”

“What does that mean?” She asks, taking down five glass tumblers from the shelf.

“Just…don’t close yourself off to other possibilities.”

Helaena takes the jug and heads outside to the pool, before she has a chance to respond.

Always so cryptic. It’s infuriating.

To her horror, as she heads out into the garden, glasses gripped between her fingers, Helaena has set herself up on the sun lounger on the furthest end, leaving the only one free between her and Aemond.

She sets the glasses down on the patio table, next to the Pimm’s jug and takes a moment to steel herself, before heading over. Wordlessly, she lays down on the sun lounger, trying to suppress the unease that ripples beneath her skin at the imposing figure of Aemond next to her. His sun lounger has its back propped up, and he sits bolt upright, long silver hair pulled up into a bun and a pair of black Ray Bans perched upon the bridge of his aquiline nose as he reads a philosophy book.

Pretentious twat.

“Aemond, pour us all some Pimm’s,” Helaena says lazily, leaning back on her lounger and propping an arm above her head.

His brow furrows momentarily before he responds. “Why do I have to do it?”

“Because you haven’t done anything to help out with our gathering yet.”

“It’s your gathering,” he retorts, “I just happen to live here. I’m not an active participant.”

She sighs, not wanting to listen to any more of their bickering. “It’s fine, I’ll do it.”

“No, I will,” Aemond snaps, standing abruptly and setting his book down, before storming over to the table.

“Christ, what a prick,” she mutters to herself as she watches him go.

Full fic coming Monday. No tag list. Follow @fics-by-ewanmitchellcrumbs and turn on post notifications.

[foreverisntenough]

- YOU’RE MINE -

Summary: While you daydreamed about his face an ocean apart, he had no idea what yours was about to do to him. With a twist of fate and the heat of summer, a new relationship would completely ransack his heart - Everyday heavy with the thought of one another, neither of you were going to let the unexpected love of your life go. You were going to be his, you were his, and you were going to stay his.

Warnings: This story will contain fluff, suggestion, smut and angst- not sure yet!

Note: I was planning on keeping this just for myself so please be nice. I hope you like it! There will definitely be more parts (don’t know how many just yet though)

Chapter 2 - ‘You’re Mine’

“Any notes on what I should wear?”

A few hours had passed when you received another message. It was cute he cared. You cared about what you were going to wear and had been thinking about it for what felt like forever. It made you feel better he wanted to be dressed right too.

“You’ll look good in anything. Not worried”

“Wasn’t my question”

“Seriously, anything is fine. It’s just a regular restaurant...”

Trent rolled his eyes at the concept of a ‘regular’ restaurant. What did that mean to you? He was beginning to get nervous. He paced around his room as his friend laid across his hotel room’s couch pestering Trent with questions about you he didn’t know the answers to yet. This shouldn’t be that hard but knowing nothing about you made him both curious and terrified.

You finally landed on a pair of denim shorts… your sister would definitely say they were too short to wear on a first date but you weren’t upset about Trent getting some ideas. You pulled on a white cropped tank top. In the mirror it was hard to tell how sheer it might have been. Was it just this specific light in your room highlighting your nipples through the material? You stared hard but decided you were okay with that. You wanted him to see. You wanted to tease him and push him to the edge. If you were going to go on this date at all you wanted him to want you. You couldn’t risk him thinking you weren’t down. You picked out a pair of black heels that wrapped and tied around your ankles. Your legs looked long and toned in them. You were happy with the look but it felt like a lot, maybe a little too obvious, to just be bare in a tank top. In an effort to ‘cover up’ you opted for an oversized blazer on top. You grabbed a black Chanel flap bag from off a shelf filling it with essentials. You felt comfortable but hot and that’s how you wanted your night to go.

Trent took a car to your apartment that night after you gave him the address. It sunk in further how little he knew about you. It was more terrifying than it was a curiosity now. The driver opened the door for him and he thanked him politely. Trent stood in front of your apartment building apprehensively. He felt the breath leave his body, relieved. He wasn’t sure how he felt about himself that he was suddenly evaluating you based on where you lived. The luxury building with white marble floors, chandeliers, and a suited doorman made him relax in a way that he almost felt disappointed in himself. He didn’t like to imagine or assume that people were trying to use him but he couldn’t always shake it. The building brought him level that you two maybe would run in the same circles should you ever been in the same place before this. You more likely didn’t have an agenda to use him so he calmly texted you, hands still shaking a little

“Here 😉”

Your heart began to beat faster now he was downstairs. You locked your door behind you unsure what kind of night you were about to have. Unbeknownst to you, you were considerably less nervous than Trent. But your assurance about your outfit and the date fell to pieces the second you saw him. You felt small as you approached him from behind. He didn't see you yet as he stood facing the street. You could smell him as you got closer. The amber scent you liked early made you feel warm, the images you saved of the sun on his hand as it stroked your arm flooded back. You snaked your hand up his arm squeezing at his bicep. He raised his eyebrows as he turned around with a sly smile. Alternatively, he completely cooled finally at the sight of you. He felt calm; like this was meant to be his normal.

He pulled you into a hug without a word. He engulfed you. You were surrounded by him and couldn’t have been happier. He tucked you under his chin. He could feel your long nails and ring adorned fingers drag around him. His heart beat faster at the sensation. His hands slowly slid down your back towards your ass but he managed some restraint. It was the most perfect hug you ever received. He felt so good like you were supposed to be in his arms and he thought so too. He hummed at your embrace. He liked you this close to him. He wanted you in his arms all day after you met. He reluctantly began to pull away not wanting to weird you out. You softly closed your eyes at the idea of his body coming off of yours. You wanted the exact opposite from him. He took a small step to back away and smiled sweetly at you.

“Told you” he spoke into the crisp summer night.

“Hmm?” You looked at him for a moment trying to workout his words.

“I told you I’d see you” he put his finger under your chin raising it to look him in the eye. You felt butterflies being so close, his hand back on you.

“You were right. To my defense though, you’re quite famous and.. “ you paused as he smirked. “..I’m only just me so I thought this was pretty far fetched” you turned your head away from his gaze self conscious because he wouldn’t break his stare.

“The word ‘famous’ is also pretty far fetched” he joked using your words. “I needed to see you though” he moved his head to be in your new line of sight.

“Needed?” You questioned the word choice.

“You drove me mad the rest of the day, you know that?” He confessed honestly in an effort to make you more comfortable but it only made you more nervous in front of him.

“Sure” you agreed facetiously looking at him skeptically even though his words sounded heartfelt.

You both couldn’t look away from each other now.

“So the subway…” you muttered out a transportation suggestion for dinner. Trent’s breath hitched a little. He was trying to remember if he’d ever been on the subway. He wasn’t sure he wanted to go on the subway to be honest. His face was evident of his growing anxiety.

“I’m kidding, we’re going to walk. That okay?” You soothed his racing mind. He sighed relieved but reluctantly.

“You’re not as funny as you think” he quipped. You walked next to him up to the corner of your block towards the restaurant.

“No one has ever told me that. That’s so mean.” You feigned being hurt by the comment.

“I’m obviously kidding” he stopped walking, nervous he had somehow messed things up already.

“And so am I” you snapped and giggled stepping into the road to cross.

“..so this is my little world; my dry cleaner, where I get my bagels when I’m hungover, my friend lives a few blocks that way..” you kept talking filling the void. Trent was entranced, he wanted to listen to you give a tour of the entirety of Manhattan. He nodded and hummed at your remarks starring blatantly at your face. As you approached the restaurant you looked at him, catching him. He wasn’t embarrassed though he just winked back at you. The ruse that he was shy now was crazy to you. How did he often present so meek in the media.

“Hope Italian is okay. I feel like it’s sort of a neutral ground” you sung as your eyes remained locked on his.

“It’s regular” He was making fun of your text earlier and it made you smile that he was so light with you. He wasn’t afraid.

“You’re not as shy as everyone thinks you are huh?”

“Do people think that” he looked at you inquisitively as you pointed to the door of the restaurant.

“I mean I did. You kind of give off that vibe….online at least?” You raised your voice with question at the end because you thought that but on what ground. You’d never met the man till today. Your basis was just off how you wanted and assumed him to be in your head.

“Hmm, didn’t know that. I guess I’m reserved around new people but if im comfortable, I’m comfortable. I wouldn’t go as far as saying I’m cocky but I back myself in most situations.” You watched his lips move slow. His honest reveal had your heart fluttering, he was so real. So human, which seemed odd because he solely existed behind a screen and in your dreams before this.

“New people?” You repeated... “doing pretty okay so far with me” he just laughed. You went up to the hostess for your reservation and she ushered you to a small two top table tucked away in the dimly lit restaurant.

“All good?” He asked you as he held onto your hand to help you tuck into your seat against the wall. The contact had you overwhelmed but you nodded at him.

“Feels like it’s just us in here” he spoke again softly.

“that an okay thing?” You asked nervously trying to read his face. He reached over the table and traced around your open palm with his finger. The touch had you screaming inside. He was so pretty. God, in the low lit room he was glowing. It felt unfair. Who looked like this.

“A really good thing” he interrupted your thoughts and kept talking. He aimlessly looked around the restaurant, easily flowing through conversations about everything. It felt energizing to be with him. Vibrancy came naturally to him. He was effervescent in his appearance, his words, his actions. You smiled in the middle of one of his sentences. He stopped talking and looked at you.

“Sorry” you giggled “you are actually just so beautiful” he rolled his eyes shutting them.

“I’m supposed to say that to you.” He quipped.

“Yeah, if you think it. If you don’t.. don’t get my hopes up please” you continued in your fit of giggles. Completely lost in your juvenile crush trying to ignore the idea that he might very well be into you.

“I like that little laugh.” He cooed. You slowed and composed yourself. You smirked pulling your glass to your lips trying to hide the blush coming over you. He swallowed at the look of your lips pressed flush against your water.

“Do you drink? I don’t even know?” You changed topics. He laughed quite hard at your segue.

“Yeah, I do. What do you like though?” He asked you.

“You pick. I’ll get what you get. Happy with anything.” You were trying to be relaxed.

“That easy to please?” He inquired giving you a cheeky look.

“If you’re asking..” you paused.

“I’m asking” he filled in the gap.

“I’m a tequila girl butttt honestly I’m happy with anything.” He grabbed the waiter and ordered two drinks politely. You asked what he picked but he withheld and wanted you to guess when they got there. When they did you rattled off guesses on what was in the cocktail in front of you.

“Agave” he hummed at your correct guess. He watched you scramble with a puzzled look on your face he liked. You kept staring at the drink hoping for some visual clues.

“You know you’re gorgeous, don’t give me that shit” he cut your train of thought again “if I think that..get your hopes up” he mocked your tone

“Huh?” Your puzzled face stuck

“Come on baby, don’t be coy. You know exactly what you do to people, me in particular now.” He said sternly. The pet name had you internally freaking out. It was so seamlessly woven into his words. You loved it. You wanted to hear it again and again.

“No, no it’s not like that” you shyly retorted

“You don’t see the heads turn?” He pried

“It’s not something I ever thought about I guess. It doesn’t register that it might be because I’m anything special I just assume it’s like one off.”

“A one off that happens every single day?” He joked with a smug look. His argument was ironic coming from someone millions of people adored yet shied away from the word ‘famous.’

“You’re very” he slowed his words trying to tame his eagerness “very beautiful… like just unreal baby”

You felt the word hit your ear again. You could listen to it all day.

“Yeah, yeah. Okay I’ll take your word, baby” you stressed the word. Wanting to give it a go and see his reaction. You weren’t sure if he even knew he had called you baby but your emphasis pulled a smile from him.

“Yeah?” He questioned at nothing. You just hummed smug with the situation.

“I like your little world” he reminded you of your earlier comment walking to the restaurant “it’s nice, like you, you’re nice” his eyes trailed from the table up your body and onto your face.

“Please stop” you quietly mumbled. You placed your thin manicured hands over your face hiding from him in embarrassment. He seemed amused at the child like action.

“Honestly” he moaned out. You peaked through your fingers to look back at him.

“What are you being shy for now, huh?” He cooed pulling your hands from your face with his. Your hands lingering in his. “Seducing strangers on the street… but now you can’t take a compliment, yeah?” He shook his head but you were quick with your words.

“Okay, seducing is a strong word” you laughed.

“Come on just let me tell you how much you’ve been running through my mind” he pushed.

“Sorry” you apologized to which he seemed confused at.

“For…” he paused.

“Being in your head I guess” picking up your drink to hide your flushed cheeks. He hummed.

“yeah, I don’t exactly mind you in there” he said suggestively.

“stoppp” you quietly cried out laughing a little. “Why are you like this” moving your drink to hold it directly in front of your face now.

“I’m genuinely not doing anything but talking. Do you want me to stop, turn around, talk to you with my eyes closed or something” he joked

“you’re ridiculous” you pushed your chair in, needing to be closer to the table, to him, accidentally brushing your smooth leg over his. It wasn’t intentional but the touch gave you both a buzz. He pushed your drink down away from your face.

“Don’t hide that face from me baby” he continued raising his eyebrows. You playfully rolled your eyes in return.

You had no idea what time it was now but you didn’t want your evening with him to be over. You had finished your dinner and you hadn’t looked at your phone once, neither had he. You can’t remember the last time you went out to eat without resorting to it.

“You want dessert?” you asked him hoping to prolong your date. He contemplated in silence before speaking.

“Might get little something later, don’t know… still seeing if it’s an option.” The growing cheek this boy had developed since you first spoke was surprising you.

“Hmm it could be, never know.” You said lying through your teeth. Your answer to literally anything he would ask you to do would be yes tonight. You would do absolutely anything but you couldn’t have him know that.

You fumbled over a few more conversations, your legs rubbing intertwined beneath the table like you were keeping it hidden from the other that you were doing it.

“You want to split it?” You asked as the bill came.

“Is that a joke?” He coughed out. Shocked at your seriousness.

“No, what do you mean? We ate together… I’m not expecting you to get it.” You emphasized the word together. He laughed at your answer.

“No, absolutely not. That’s absurd. This was a date baby.” He continued laughing. He stopped when he had to speak again. “What’s the normal tip percentage thing here again?”

“Let me see, I’ll do it” you went to pull the pen from him.

“Stop, I got it baby.” He shushed you. He was so rattled by the fact you were adamant about assisting in this process “I can’t even recall the last time someone asked to split a bill with me. That’s really sweet honestly.” He cooed at you and he meant it. All he wanted to do was take care of you, show you that he could, he just needed you to let him.

“Whatever you say” you retorted unamused with a grin.

He pulled the table a little letting you stand up in the tight space. You adjusted your shorts and top. You were quick to remember just how bare you were without the blazer over you now. You felt confident when you had left your apartment but under his gaze you weren’t so sure how you looked. You wanted his approval so badly, you wanted him to want you.

“You look so good” he whispered to the back of your ear sending shivers down your spine. You walked in front of you him, unable to turn around hiding how flustered you were by the comment. He pushed his chair back in. He stared up and down your body as you walked away. He felt his mouth water. The tequila was not helping how desperate he was for you. He quickly caught up to you and placed his hand on the small of your back. His touch was warm. It made your head spin. You wanted his hands everywhere but you were too nervous to push for something. He got the door and held it open for you. You uttered a thank you unsure what to do now that the possibilities were endless. One very real one being you going home separately.

You were looking down the street when he placed himself in front of you. He tucked a piece of your hair the wind had blown misplaced behind your ear. Keeping his hand next to your face, he stroked at your cheek. You smiled up at him, analyzing him, trying to memorize every single fleeting feature. This was so surreal. Every time you looked at him you felt the need to pinch yourself to wake up but he was here, real, in front of you slipping his other hand low around your waist. You purred at his touch. You felt yourself crumbling in front of him. He sensed that you weren’t totally present; he just didn’t know if it was good or bad.

“Have an okay time?” He quizzed you

“mmhmm” you shut your eyes at the dream unfolding in front of you. The tequila was racing through your blood. You were having a hard time suppressing your obsession for this man. You took your hands and slid them up his chest. He almost moaned at the touch but tried to remain calm. Your hands grazed over him slowly wrapping and entangling around his neck. Your nails scratched at his soft skin. It felt so intimate to be so close, touching him.

“I don’t want to go home yet” you spoke shyly avoiding his eyes.

“I definitely dont want you to go home unless im… uh” he trailed off insinuating but not wanting to say what he was hoping for. You giggled a little more. You probably could’ve been pushy and maybe a little sluttier with him and got what you wanted but it felt wrong. He was so nice to you. He was so soft and open with you. You wanted a little more time to get to know him. You wanted to try to imprint yourself on him before reducing yourself to some random girl he fucked on holiday. It broke you a little bit that that was the ultimate outcome of this. You leaned into his chest speaking into his shirt.

“Any interest in going somewhere else for a little? A bar?”

“Thinking I’d follow you just about anywhere” he whispered. Your heart warmed at the sentiment. You pulled away from him and you watched his eyes flutter closed trying to hold the feeling of you to him.

Trent knew it. He didn’t know if you felt it or not yet but he did. Something was different. This wasn’t normal. This wasn’t the run of the mill first date. He couldn’t put it down as one thing or another but this worked. It really worked. Despite your dramatically different lives you had a lot in common. You had similar interests and values. He needed to know you intimately. He wanted you to read him a biography about yourself. He hated that there wasn’t a Wikipedia page that he couldn’t sneak a look at to know more. He kept his hand low wrapped around your waist as you led him up a couple blocks to a new destination.

“Okay, come on. Just trust me” you grabbed at his hand and squeezed it before releasing. He was confused to say the least but comforted by your touch. He was sure you said a bar but now he was thinking he misheard you. You walked into a diner. It was very quintessential New York to a degree it was almost comical like a movie set. Trent’s eyes darted around the place. He noticed you smiled at the men behind the counter. Did you know them? You walked towards a utility closet door. He had to say something, he just couldn’t not know anymore.

“Soo…” he dragged. You turned around smiling at his impatience.

“One second! Trust me okay.” You reaffirmed. Pushing the closet door open only to reveal a staircase. You glided up the stairs illuminated by a neon sign atop simply reading ‘bar.’ You were a few steps ahead of Trent. He watched your legs stretch up the stairs, your ass hanging out a little from your shorts. He had the filthiest thoughts running through his mind; it was hard for him to focus on the task at hand.

“God, your ass. You’re so hot” the words fell out of his mouth. He almost slapped his hand over his lips as he heard it echo up to you. You turned around with a smirk and just stared at him content with the compliment, finally feeling a little better about your outfit. You stood at the door now waiting for him. He stopped you there though and slipped both his hands around your waist leaning into you.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you or anything it just came out” he was embarrassed but something about the lack of control he was feeling about you had you dripping. You brushed your hand on the side of his face, gripping onto his hair a little bit. You leaned up closer to him. Your noses now touching.

“I don’t mind if you want to talk about me or to me like that” you whispered. He could almost feel your lips movement they were so close to him. He just hummed at your suggestion, slightly afraid at what he might let slip. You made your way in, to Trent’s surprise to a rather crowded normal bar, it just happened to be upstairs hidden above a diner on the Upper East Side. You both sunk into two chairs at the bar. He pulled yours closer to him by the back of the seat.

“C’mere” you swooned at his words.

“What are you thinking?” he asked you sweetly trying to initiate an order but you stopped him.

“I want to play a game” the giggle he loved before, squeezed between your words, came flooding back.

“Yeah? Alright, go on” He liked the idea of being competitive with you.

“Alright, only if you want”

“ I do” he restated his interest.

“Okay, so” you began to ramble on but he was stuck mesmerized at how he had gotten into this situation. Here. With you.

“Got it?” You finished up.

“Wait, no, I have no idea what you just said I’m so sorry”

“Distracted?” You inquired smugly as his eyes were stuck on your chest. Anyone else you might be a little annoyed with but he could have whatever he wanted. He could look anywhere he wanted. You stuck your chest out a little more as you leaned to order a few shots. Trent was overwhelmed at the liquor appearing before him and your tits in his face. He rubbed his hands over his head snapping back and smiling at your hand now on his thigh.

“Essentially you make an assumption about me and if you’re right I take a shot, if you’re wrong…”

“Not likely but go on” he confidently interrupted your sentence smugly. You huffed, squeezing his thigh in feigned annoyance.

“Like I was saying..You can either take one. Or not. Up to you. Not sure how many shots you want to be ripping through” you laughed a little more, continuing to press your palm further into his leg. He took a deep breath

“Yeah, sound” he said. You smiled to reassure him it would be fun.

“You go first, you’re visiting and all that” you said leaning a little closer to him. His smile dropped and he looked serious. He didn’t know how far he wanted to push this but felt if you were being cheeky in the hallway then he could here.

“You purposely wore a see through shirt so I would stare” he blatantly threw out in the open. Your mouth was left open but you gathered yourself more excited than anything by his words.

“Stare at….” You wanted to push your limits with him to see where he was at and he was happy to indulge.

“Baby, you wanted me to see your nipples” a chill ran down your spine. You would do anything to have this man but wanted to keep playing to hear more from him. Maybe this would help him make a move.

“To be fair” you started and he cut you off. His hand coming to grip around your ribs. You were thin and his hands were massive around you. His finger grazed under your boobs. You couldn’t think straight when he spoke again

“baby… come on it’s the game, answer honestly” you smiled at his press.

“Fine, fine. Sure. I wasn’t exactly trying to put them on display but I’m also not hiding I guess.” You poured the shot into your mouth and whined dropping your head in your hands after being called out. Trent bit and pulled at his bottom lip knowing now that you really wanted him see you. It was your turn.

“You want to see more?” you stated and stared cold back at him. If he wanted to go this route, you were going to as well. He laughed, throwing his head to the side. He looked away and grabbed at the shot glass.

“At least make it hard for me to get out of. I think I embarrassed myself on the stairs I'm so eager to see more.” His hand moving down your ribs to sit on your waist. He made a face as the tequila went down.

“Nah” he moaned.

“You’ve thought about fucking me” the word stung as it left his lips. God did you ever but hearing him say it made you panic. Is that all this was to him? Did he just entertain your foolish naivety at dinner to get you to go home? It seemed like a lot of effort at this point for something he could’ve just asked for blatantly earlier.

“Baby, I’m asking you if you’ve ..” pausing slowing he was quick to notice the drop in your face. His hand moving again on your body off your waist up to your face. He swiped his finger over your skin. You weren’t going to let yourself but you felt like you were going to cry. Why did you care so much if he was genuinely interested all of a sudden.

“Hey” he was quietly whispering close to you. “Sorry I took it too far, I don’t want you to think… You know I maybe could’ve..” he stumbled around his words. Your hand came up and laid over his on your cheek. You blinked your eyes a few times, readjusting in your seat before looking back at him. You softly smiled and he felt slightly relieved.

“Sorry” you laughed “you caught me off guard in my own game” you shook your head back and forth at how silly you felt. “I mean it’s hard not to think about.” You finally answered him. You removed your hand from his, placing it back on his thigh, higher up this time.

“Oh yeah?” He felt better with your admission and touch.

“Mhhhm” you confirmed, staring back into his eyes, swallowing the tequila.

“Me too” he whispered coming close into the crook of your neck. His hand on the bar pushed the tequila away from you both.

“I don’t want you drinking anymore” he told you. It was commanding and hot. His lips ghosted over your skin. You could feel your core go hot and wet.

“Yeah” you whispered back to his ear. Your voice was breathy and he couldn’t help but imagine how it sounded in bed, what you would say underneath him.

Trent wasn’t sure how to navigate this now. It was obvious and out in the open that you were both interested but he wanted to be nice to you. You felt sensitive and soft to him. He felt an overwhelming amount of affection for you. He wanted to protect you. He wanted to take care of you. He swiftly grabbed the check from the bar. Pulling your chair out. He stood behind you wrapping his arms around your small waist tucking his head back into your neck once you got up. You leaned back into him pressing your ass against his crotch, tilting your head giving him more space to nuzzle into as your hands ran over his arms in front of you. He could smell your perfume circling around him. It was fresh and clean. He grunted softly in desperation.

“Baby… you’re killing me” he let out quietly. You smiled that he was starting to get wound up. You pulled at him to let go to leave but he didn’t let go of you, instead just moving with you pressed to him out of the bar. He held onto you in the street as you stared at each other trying to decide who was going to have to be brave first. It felt inevitable but someone also had to actually say it.

“I don’t really want to sleep alone tonight” you whispered as your head tilted back further against his chest.

“You’re not sleeping alone tonight” he cooed back at you. Suddenly his phone rang, cutting the soft moment directly in half.

“Sorry it’s my brother. He wouldn’t call if it…”

“You’re fine” you told him. He then put a little space between you. You could hear another thick accent on the other end of the phone call and it made you laugh.

Trent stepped back into you. Arms around you again, resting his lips on your temple. He didn’t know if he could kiss you yet but regardless he just wanted to be that close. The feeling of him on your skin had you fantasizing.

“Everything okay?” You asked him, nuzzling back against his body.

“So.. I kind of forgot I have to go to this club tonight with my friends and brothers. I have to go in order for them to get this table and …it’s all very stupid” his words were discombobulated. You turned your face away from looking up at him now. Sadness washed over you. Your eyes sank, your lips falling. Trent didn’t know how to handle the look on your face and he definitely did not like being the one who put it there.

“No, no, I totally get it. Go ahead! I’m so sorry I kept you so long” you felt the tequila buzz leave your body so fast you were shaking at the sobering thought he was going to go.

“Thank you so much for tonight though. I really had a good time. Sorry if it was too much.” You stumbled over your words panicking that you had over done it. An international footballer was in the US with boys to have a good time at clubs and here you were making him tell you about his childhood over a dinner. You wiggled away from his body now running your hand through your hair.

“Oh god this was so stupid” you muttered looking further away from him. He watched you pick yourself apart for a moment. He couldn’t let you keep spiraling.

“Was going to ask if you wanted to come with me… but you seem adamant that you’re going home” his sarcasm was not appreciated but you walked back up him still. Your hand reached for his and he felt his heart stop.

“I’d want to go” you said more confidently than you were feeling.

“Good, I told you I wasn’t letting you sleep alone tonight anyways” he smiled walking with you to the curb. You grabbed a cab sliding in across the leather seat, Trent followed you like a love sick puppy.

“Errmmm 59th and 5th please… right?” You cocked your head at him. He shrugged, not sure of the exact location of his hotel. Trent looked at you with such admiration it confused you. .

“What” you asked him. The smiling getting bigger on his face.

“That was cute.. you just know all the streets and that.” He was babbling.

“I live here, it's not something to be impressed by” you laughed at him. Trent groined and jokingly strained his voice

“Just let me compliment you. Oh my dayss!” You laughed at the drama and rolled your eyes at him. Your hand was back on his thigh. You liked it there and he liked having it there. He slid his arm behind you around your waist and pulled you closer to him. You pulled your lips in a tight line trying to not be awkward about the sexual tension filling the cab due to your proximity and the touches exchanged but also the idea that you were going to be with a bunch of guys you didn’t know, crashing their trip.

“They’ll like you, I promise.” He quieted your thoughts like a mind reader.

“And what about you.. you like me?” you pressed into him. Trent grabbed gently at your chin tilting you up to him forcing you to lock eyes with him. You took your hand off his thigh and snaked it up and around his neck meeting your other arm.

“If you don’t know the answer to that…” he paused, just losing himself a little in your stare. He jumped ahead, his desire reaching a head “are you going to kiss me tonight or are you going to just tease me till I black out?” You smiled at how dramatic he was still acting about things but you liked that he was expressive with you.

“You could’ve kissed me, you know?.” You whispered quietly to him. He leaned in to you more

“Yeah? You’re not going to stop me?”

“Definitely not”

“Good, because I can’t take it any longer” he said, licking his lips. You were in the same boat. You were itching for him to kiss you. You pulled at his neck as he finished his sentence.

His lips met yours in slow motion. Your entire body relaxed at the contact. He wasn’t just what you wanted but he was exactly what you needed. It was slow at first but heated up quickly. Your lips pressed hard against each others. He pushed his body into yours, his adoration for you had threatened to spill out of him the longer he kept waiting for this kiss. You drew a subtle breath, your emotions started to pool behind your closed eyes. You were so attached to him. Something about him made you absolutely melt. It was the most magnetic pull you ever felt. You couldn’t let go even if you wanted to.

You let out a soft moan as his hand moved to grab your ass. He palmed at it and grabbed firmly onto you. He slipped his tongue into your mouth while he had the chance. It was erotic. The buildup over the night was too much. Whilst you were trying to be considerate of the taxi driver, you also needed Trent now but he soon pulled away a little to breathe as you arrived. The smile spread across his face was the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen.

“God, thank you” he exhaled. Trent’s mind was racing with thoughts.

“You’re thanking me?” You questioned his unexpected innocent words. He laughed realizing how down he was as he paid for the cab, then slipping out and holding his hand out for you to grab. You stood up next to him and he grabbed your face, he pressed another kiss to your lips as you opened your mouth to push for more. Your hands were all over each other.

“You still want to come upstairs right” he wanted to check. He liked tonight but ultimately you were physically strangers, he didn’t want to assume. You looked at him with a disapproving look for the silly question.

“Alright, alright, I was just trying to be nice but if you want to act up” he jokingly brushed the attitude aside walking into the hotel lobby. The staff greeted him personally. It felt like a lot of pomp and circumstance but he was more than polite.

“Yeah, you alright?” He asked one of the men working who seemed thrilled at the simple acknowledgment. Trent held you so close and so tightly. You could feel a sense of possessiveness but you weren’t sure if it was authentic. It was hard to deduce if this was how he was with every girl or if this was specific to you. You got into the lift and he pressed PH. You weren't surprised so you jokingly rolled your eyes at him to poke fun.

"I wasn’t the one who booked it" he tried to unnecessarily explain.

“Uh huh” you joked. You paused though to shuffle your body “You said I had an attitude outside…"

"You did" he hummed looking down at you curiously as you moved around him pushing yourself up against his body now. You leant towards his ear. You were feeling a little more confident that you got him to take you back to his hotel. Your lips kissed at his ear, your teeth grazing his ear lobe pulling at it as he groaned tightening his grip on you.

“I promise I can be a good girl for you too” you whispered. He let a strangled breath out. His eyes widening and then shutting tight. The unbelievable urge to just rip your clothes off in this lift was tearing him apart.

“Come on” he moaned lowly at you. Sliding his hands all over you inching towards your bare breasts. You were so wet already and if you weren’t so needy for him you might be embarrassed.

“Need to get you to my room now” he whispered, stepping out of the lift but he didn’t return back to your touch. He just walked to his room's door, opening it. You curiously followed under the false pretense that maybe he was leaving you untouched. You stepped into the room after him eyes begging to find him again. Your voice broke the silence. It was meek but a wholesome comment slowing the advances made in the lift.

“I’ve never actually been in one of the rooms here, I’ve only ever been at the champagne bar downstairs” you told him. He turned to you with a soft smile. The innocence of what you were saying sounded like you were his friend. It felt comfortable but he wanted so bad to do things friends never did with you.

He sat himself on the edge of the big white bed. He leaned back onto his palms. His eyes glued to you.

“and you think…. What now?” He asked about your objective opinion on the room.

“yeah, really nice” you answered his question sweetly. Avoiding him a little, you needed to distract yourself from completely undressing him with your eyes. You began to walk slow around the room inspecting his stuff. You looked at all his shoes neatly lined against the wall. It made you giggle a little. He seemed so detail oriented. Thoughtful. You brushed your hand over some things guiding yourself through the room. It shouldn’t have been but it was turning him on. Knowing you’ve touched absolutely everything of his. Your fingers dragging over the materials, your scent drifting along. You let out a small giggle again at a bag he had left on the table. You had been obsessed since the Louis Vuitton bag was released. It was funny to you, seeing it in person. It was funny he might’ve had a similar taste to you but also the means to buy absurd items like this. His cheeks flushed hearing your laugh.

“Find anything good, baby?” He tilted his head. You swirled around on your heel. You nodded and explained how much you would’ve killed for the bag.

“Take it” he said casually.

“Um, no” you replied sternly.

“Why not?” He asked. You went back and forth. You were oblivious to the fact that Trent was throwing himself and literally anything else at you to get you to like him. He felt like a little boy. He had a massive crush on someone he just met and right now he also had a massive hard on.

“I can’t, but it was sweet to offer” you walked away to one of the windows pressing your hand against it looking out into the darkening night. Your hand steadied you on one leg as your other hand pulled at the tie of your heels.

“C’mere” he said smoothly. “Let me help you take them off baby” hearing him talk about removing anything from you had you throbbing at the idea. You walked over to him. You had lost your smile due to the nasty direction your thoughts had gone in. You were getting to a point where you were desperate for his touch but also absolutely terrified of the implications.

Trent’s hand pulled your leg onto the bed making you shiver. It was silly because you both wanted the same thing. You were adults but you felt childish in front him. You couldn’t find the courage to tell him you wanted him. You felt good about it in the lift but seeing the bed, the distressing thought of getting dressed and going home after made you upset. Why were you so attached to this person? He didn’t owe you anything close to what you now wanted. You wanted him to fuck you like he wanted to, because he liked you, not just because he could.

You felt his hand grip under your knee. You flinched. “Alright?” He questioned starting to feel your energy shift. You weren't sure if you should be honest about your emotions or just suck it up and chalk tonight up to something that would be physical only.

“Mmhmm” you nodded sheepishly. He didn’t believe you but he kept his hand on you to hold you there. It was soft and caring. He slid it from your knee down to your ankle. He pulled at the bow holding together the black leather tie of your heel. He pulled your shoe off, placing it down gently on the floor. There was something so calming about his movements. He wasn’t rash, he was methodical. He undid your other heel. You stood in between his legs now at the edge of the bed. He stared up at you. His angle was everything he could have wanted. Your face softened from the glowing lamps behind him, your tank top cut and hung just so he could see a good amount of your boobs from underneath. Your abs were taut. The waist of your shorts gaped a little due to the contrast between your small waist and full behind. His hands wrapped around you, unintentionally but happily landing directly across your ass. He just wanted to look at you for hours but his dick was getting impatient.

“Do I only get the one kiss?” He looked up at your face feigning innocence to see the reaction to his question.

“Hmm” you pretended to think your hands sliding over his chest, up his neck to grip his hair. He hummed at the sensation of your fingertips on him.

“No” placing your knee on one side of his thigh. He stared intently at it as it pushed the bed down.

“Did you think I only wanted one kiss?” You said asking him to initiate despite you wanting to be all over him. Even though you were falling apart for this man like you’d never before, it was no different logistically than any other hook up you’d had. You hated the feeling of throwing yourself at someone. You’d do it for Trent but you didn’t really want to give yourself the room to embarrass yourself.

He pulled at your other leg; still straight, up to the side of his other thigh. You straddled over him looking him in the eyes with lust but you were overthinking every single movement you made. He brought his face and lips into your neck. He was bold and slowly licked up it. The feeling of his tongue on you was excruciating delicious.

“Relax f’me” he spoke into you as he kissed and nibbled at your sensitive skin. What had he done to you. You were practically quivering. You exhaled at his command. Sinking down on his lap. You felt him hard beneath you. You snickered a little after finally feeling him.

“Y/N” he pulled away from your neck. It was short and a bit harsh. Was he mad? Had you drawn this out to far?

“I don’t think you want one kiss at all. I think you want me and you aren’t doing anything about it and it’s driving me crazy. Please” he was begging you. You pulled one of his hands from you guiding it with your own up your body. From your ass, around your hip, up your stomach, racking your ribs, under and over top of the side of your boob, over your collarbone. Your hands moving painfully slow for Trent. He just wanted to ravage you. He wanted to protect you, love you but destroy you at the same time. He needed to know what you were like in bed. Now.

Trent licked over his lips and pushed his covered cock up into your hips. You pulled at his hand again and slid two of his fingers between your lips. You sucked around them. The warmth of your mouth had Trent dizzy. Your tongue drew around and under his fingers. Some of your spit pooled at the corner of your mouth. Trent had never seen someone so perfect.

“Jesus” he mouthed. He couldn’t imagine anything but your tongue all over him now. He closed his eyes at the thought as you popped his fingers out of your mouth.

“Trent” you spoke getting closer to him. He held you tighter. His fingers gripping harder into your skin. You were so scared of him. You felt like he was going to break your heart after this but you needed to know him physically. Curiosity and desire coursing through you.

“Come here” you said slow before your mouths clashed into each other. A small gasp escaped Trent when he felt you grind yourself against him. His hand on the back of your neck crept upward, grabbing at your hair. With the tug of your hair, you moaned. Trent felt his whole body light up. He was asking the same question you were. What had you done to him? Just the sound of you had him crumbling. You pushed him backward onto the bed. There was nothing he wanted more right now than you on top of him. It felt heavenly. You could feel the anticipation building.

•

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know what you think.

Moving slow but we’re just getting started xx

Next part is up - Chapter 3

[sometimesanalice]

Make You Mine This Season

Summary: It’s your second Christmas with Bradley and the holidays are always better with him by your side. After the perfect day out, you come home with a new accessory- just not the one you were hoping for.

Pairing: Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw x Female Reader

Length: 8K

Warnings: so much fluff and some allusions to smut and a cast that looks like a candy cane.

(Author’s Note: set in the Oh, Christmas Tree universe, can be read on its own)

You can’t fight the smile on your face as you watch Bradley studiously stare at the Christmas tree with a delicate glass icicle ornament dangling from his long finger.

“I think it need to go a little to the left, Roos,” you say, watching the way the little golden thread attached to it gleams from the many strands of white lights he had spun around it earlier in the afternoon.

The contrast between your handsome Naval aviator boyfriend and the very large, very fluffy pink Christmas tree he had bought for you would never not thoroughly charm you. 

“Here?” he asks, moving the dainty icicle to the left per your suggestion.

“Maybe just a bit up?”

Bradley moves it and holds it up to a spot near the little glass Hawaiian shirt ornament you’d gotten for him. He was so amused by it that he’d given it what he called a place of honor on the tree.

“Hmm, no. I think back to the right and down a smidge.”

He turns and shoots you a smirk over his broad shoulder, “Ok, now you’re just messing with me.” 

And then he hangs it on the tree with a flourish.

You laugh when he steps back and gives a dramatic sweep of the hand that would put Vanna White to shame.

Ever the showman.

He had been so excited when he’d found the ornaments in the storage locker he’d kept in Virginia earlier in the summer when the two of you had taken a quick trip to there to pack up the remaining things he’d left behind and bring them home.

The sleeves on the flannel plaid shirt he is wearing are rolled up highlighting his forearms and that snug fitting tank and the ridges of his abs on full display. You’d taken the liberties to sneak in a few glances as he’d bent over to grab ornaments out of the large plastic storage container you keep them in.

It’s an easy choice to abandon the silvery glittery Fa-la-la-la garland that you had been working on hanging on that tricky bit of wall space beneath the stairs to come stand next to him by the tree.

Plus, you know that you can get Bradley to put it up for you- even though he hates the feeling of glitter on his hands- if you offer to make him an Old Fashioned in exchange.

He drapes his arm over your shoulders and drops a kiss to the top of your head as you wrap your arms around his waist, the two of you taking a moment to admire the pretty twinkling tree in front of you with Bob Hope crooning softly on the background.

You love this tree.

And not because it is the most wonderfully ostentatious thing you’ve ever seen. Or because he’d surprised you with it when he asked you to move in with him the year before. But because it was one of the many ways he showed you just how important you were to him, just how much he paid attention to you.

Bradley kept asking what you wanted for Christmas this year, but you’d been avoiding giving him an answer.

Because he was the only thing on your list this year.

You would gladly never have a real tree again as long as it meant that Bradley got to be yours forever.

His allergy to pine trees had taken both of you by surprise last year. Before that chaotic afternoon last December, he had never had a real tree before, but it didn’t take long until his normally sunkissed skin has been covered in angry red hives.

And that gorgeous seven-foot Noble Fir that you had selected from the Christmas tree lot had quickly become Jake’s gorgeous seven-foot Noble Fir.

But you’ll never forget that magical moment when you had walked into his cozy living room to see that candy colored confection of a tree for the first time and how proud Bradley had been to be the one to make your dreams of a pink tree Christmas come true.

It was something you had only ever mentioned once in passing, but that’s who Bradley Bradshaw is. The type of man who goes above and beyond for the people he loves.

Last year, the two of you had just picked up a couple boxes of basic multicolored bobbles to hang on the tree. But this year, your pretty pink tree has some new decorations that you’d collected along the way since then.

The sparkling frosty mug was something he’d found at the airport on the way back from when you’d taken him home to meet your parents for the first time. To no one’s surprise, they’d loved him. He’d had a lot of fun at the breweries you’d taken him to and you liked getting to see a tipsy and pink cheeked Bradley Bradshaw.

There was a blue miniature model toy Bronco with a bottle-brush Christmas tree hanging out the back was one you’d recently found at a Christmas market you went to with Nat and Bob the previous weekend. You’ve never handed over your credit card for something so quickly before in your life.

There was even a shiny shamrock that Jake had picked up to commemorate your first- and last- Leprechaun Run.

It was a promise you were coerced into making in exchange for Jake’s help and the use of his truck to move your things into Bradley’s place the weekend after you happily agreed to live in with him. You were planning on waiting until after the beginning of the New Year, but Rooster wouldn’t hear of it. You were able to hold off for a few days, but he’d made some rather compelling points with his mouth that had swayed your mind pretty quickly.

That New Year’s Eve, he’d kissed you properly and thoroughly surrounded by a dozen half-unpacked brown cardboard boxes.

You thought Hangman would have forgotten about it, but it turns out the only person that had forgot was a you, because you’d nearly spit out your beer mid-sip when he’d slapped down the race bib in front of you at the Hard Deck one evening in March.

It was just as terrible as you’d imagined it would be and worse. Not even the four-leaf clover bobble headband you’d worn had cheered you up even the slightest.

The term fun run was an oxymoron and you were willing to die on that a hill.

And of course, there was also a copy of the house key dangling on a pretty pink velvet ribbon. The one he’d originally given you was a permanent fixture on your key ring.

“So what’s the verdict, sweetheart? How did I do? Is it fluffed enough?” he asks, pulling back to look down at you.

“It’s the best thing I’ve ever seen,” you say grinning up at him.

You’ve loved his homey Craftsman since the first time you’d stepped inside it with all of its warm wooden paneling around the entryways and ceiling beams. The hand tiled fireplace was mostly for aesthetics rather than functionality. You’d filled it with a display of tall pillar candles, but there’d been a couple of occasions where the two of you had stacked it with wood picked up from the grocery store and had the sounds of its crackles and pops serving as the soundtrack to your cozy night in.

You loved it even more now that your books were mixed in with his on the bookshelf. On top of his upright piano there were framed pictures of you and him and of all your friends and family. On the mantle of that fireplace were ivory knit stockings embroidered with your name and his.

This was your home now too, pink Christmas tree and all.

“The best thing, huh?” he says, amused.

“Maybe second best,” you muse, sliding your hand into the back pocket of his snug jeans, “Those Danny Zuko shorts you wore last Halloween still live rent free in my head.”

“I’ve still got those short-shorts, you just say the word and I’ll go put them on for you anytime.”

You snort a laugh and pull him down for a kiss.

The two of you have been together for almost a year and a half, but the way Bradley kisses you still sets off butterflies in your stomach and makes your heart flutter.

Soft kisses. Passionate kisses. Hello kisses. See you soon- never goodbye- kisses. Just because kisses. There you are kisses. Never stop kissing me kisses. All of them turn you upside down just like a snow globe.

He pulls away first, looking to the tree again contemplatively, “You know, the more I look at this the I feel like something is missing.”

You skim over the tree with its warm glow from the many strands of lights, the sparkling ornaments, the glinting icicles, and the delicate bejeweled snowflake tree topper. Short of tying on a few bows for the fun of it, there’s nothing more you think this tree needs.

“I might have tucked a little something in the piano bench,” Rooster says with a nod towards his well-loved upright, “Why don’t you take a look.”

You try and fail to ignore the swoop in your stomach as you walk up to the bench. You already know that you want to be his forever and the two of you are on the same page about it, but you don’t want to get your hopes up. You’re trying to be practical, realistic.

But the heart wants what the heart wants, and your heart wants him.

The seat creaks open as you lift the lid open with a not-so-steady hand, and sitting inside a small box filled with iridescent filler are the prettiest pair of ceramic ice skates you’ve ever seen. You lift the dainty ornament from the box to see that they dangle from a couple ribbons that have been tied together in a lovely bow at the top. They even have a little white fluff lining the rims of boot.

It was one of the things you missed most about home, your town had a little outdoor rink that was set up every year. You weren’t the greatest skater and it had been a few years since you’d laced up a pair of boots, but it had always been one of your favorite traditions growing up.

“Oh Bradley, they’re so lovely,” you say with a dreamy sigh, “I love it, thank you!”

You admire them for another moment taking in all their little details before hanging them up on the pink tree near his little Hawaiian shirt ornament in a place of honor on the tree.

“I have another surprise for you,” he says with a grin, looking very proud of himself.

“Oh? When did you become such a man of mystery?” you tease.

“Gotta keep my girl on her toes,” Rooster winks, sliding a finger through your belt loop to pull you closer before wrapping his arms around you. “You know how Hotel del Coronado has that ice-skating rink set up now?”

Of course you did.

The tickets went on sale a little over seven weeks ago and time slots had sold out in five minutes. You’d even signed up early to try and get a spot in the queue and it still had kicked you out with empty hands.

“Yeah,” you say slowly, drawing out the word, looking up at him skeptically.

Bradley has been on a training detachment at the time, so there was no way Mr. One Percent could have gotten them when you couldn’t. There’s just no way.

You must say that part out loud or think it loud enough for him to hear you because that gorgeous smile of his gets devastatingly self-satisfied.

“I sure did, sweetheart-”

You jump up and cut him off with a kiss, he is quick to get his hands underneath you for support while your legs wrap around him.

“Oh my god, Bradley, how?” you ask excitedly between peppering kiss across his nose and cheeks.

“Ok, I can’t take full credit. I had some help,” he admits, clearly happy with your reaction, “Nat has, and I quote, ‘fast fingers’.”

You make a little squeal in delight as you throw your arms around his neck to hug him and he laughs. It’s the best sound in the world to you.

“What do you say, want to make a day of it? I might have a few things in mind for our San Diego Christmas. We’re a couple weeks early, but I’m feeling festive.”

You get too distracted by his smiling mouth to give him your answer then and there, but you remember to officially accept later that night in bed after your heart finally stops racing.

Convincing you to move in with him might be the best thing Bradley’s ever done.

Those cool Winter nights last year had tasted like bourbon and were spent wrapped up together on the couch and under the covers.

Your first big fight had been over whose Super Bowl team was going to win. There had been a lot of trash talk that night, but eventually a peace had been brokered. And really, no one was a loser when it came to orgasms.

In the Spring, he had built you a bunch of raised garden beds in the backyard for you to grow whatever you wanted. He’d learned that he had a bit of a green thumb when it came to zucchinis, a fact that irked you to no end because you could never get them to produce anything. He didn’t know sunshine had a scent until he could smell it on your skin with your hands covered in dirt and a smile on your facec.

And he was not surprised to learn that he was also very much a fan of your sundress collection.

The golden Summer days were spent at the beach and taking road trips to nowhere in the Bronco then the long way home. Rooster burned more often than he cared to admit, but you started keeping a container of aloe in the fridge for him. He’d never say no to have your soft hands on his body, your touch more soothing than the cooling gel could ever be.

That Fall he’d finally been able to go home with you for Thanksgiving. He’d met your family earlier in the year, but you’d been so proud to show him off at the official family gathering as you’d sipped on your cranberry mimosa. And after a year of planning, the two of you had finally been able to enact your Stealthy Soufflé Scheme.

He had been determined to get his girl that closely guarded recipe no matter what.

Your Aunt Christine had been putty in his hands with all of his yes, ma’ams and no, ma’ams and charming smiles and All-American golden boy aviator thing. You’d primed him on what things she was interested in and he had fully leaned into it, sweet talk and all. It didn’t hurt that she had been a big fan of the expensive bottles Syrah the two of you had brought with you.

You and your mom had been thrilled when he’d presented you with the handwritten copy of the coveted recipe. He had been happy to do it, but he didn’t mind the way you showed him your thanks later that night in your childhood bedroom.

He was the first boyfriend you’d ever had in there, and if he has his way, he’d also be the last.

Victory- and that not-so-secret-anymore corn soufflé recipe- never tasted so good. 

The two of you had had a great first Christmas together last year, excluding the slight hiccup with the whole hives thing. And he knows he’s a bit of a perfectionist, but he wants to make this one even better.

He had let you sleep in as long as he could, but he was excited for all the festive things he had arranged for today.

“C’mon, sleepy girl. We’ve got plans,” he says, skimming a few soft kisses along your shoulder.

“Do those plans involve coffee?” you mumble sleepily into your pillow.

He chuckles and brushes back a few of the hairs that are stuck against your forehead, “Of course, it’ll be the first stop after.”

You peek up at him from under your silk eye mask, he’s always liked a slightly fussy girl. You’d even got him one for his deployments to help him sleep better on the carrier.

“After what, Roos,” you ask skeptically.

“You seemed to enjoy that Leprechaun Run you did with Jake and I saw that there was an Ugly Sweater Fun Run today and I signed us up, we have to be there in an hour.”

“Bradley, you didn’t,” you say with a gasp, sitting up like you’ve been struck by lightning.

You look so alarmed, clutching the top sheet to your chest, that he can’t help but throw his head back and laugh.

“No, I didn’t. I promise,” he says, trying to pull you into his chest.

You shove lightly at his shoulder, “That was so rude of you, Bradley Peter Bradshaw.”

“Not the government name,” he smirks, leaning down to trail a couple kisses along your neck. He likes the way you always shiver when his mustache grazes that ticklish spot under your ear.

“Oh my god, I swear I just had a war flashback to that second mile when Jake tried to make me keep up with him,” you huff, leaning your head to the side to let him continue apologizing with his mouth, “You’re so lucky I’m even talking to you right now.”

“I am very lucky to have such a pretty, smart, and forgiving girlfriend. One who appreciates over the top Christmas decorations and brunch with themed cocktails.”

That piques your interest and you seem much more awake now for someone who usually needs at least two cups of coffee before becoming a fully functional human being, “Themed cocktails, you say?”

“Mhmm, they even have a Ho-Ho-Hot and Spicy Bloody Merry, spelled m-e-r-r-y,” he says with a smile, running a finger down the bridge of your nose. “But to get one, we have to get out of this bed and into the shower.”

“Sounds like it would be more efficient if we took one together, huh?” you grin, wrapping your arms around his neck, “Plus I’m all about preserving the planet’s natural resources.”

The two of you were a little late getting out of the house, having worked up an appetite, but still manage to make it in time for the reservations he had made.

The restaurant had been swathed in miles of frosted evergreen garlands with so many oversized ornaments dangling and ribbons woven throughout that he wasn’t sure how it hadn’t come crashing down off the ceiling. Not an inch of it was left undecorated, it was all stands of lights and shiny wreaths and giant cellophane covered candies.

Brunch had been complete with a couple of those Bloody Merry’s he’d heard about from Coyote, as well as an order of Santa pancakes topped with a hat of strawberries tossed with orange zest infused syrup.

The Christmas radio station was playing all of your favorites and you were singing along as he zipped along the highway to the next stop.

The Ocean Beach Christmas tree was beloved for being San Diego’s unofficial response to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Bob had told him he’d stumbled upon it on accident one day last year when he had been exploring his new city and learned about the tree’s forty-year history and had enthusiastically recommended that Rooster added it to his festive agenda.

Bradley loved the way your face lit up at the sight of it. The top of the massive tree was leaning to the right and looked straight out of Whoville the way it decorated with all kinds of blow up pool toys. There were beach balls galore, traditional ones and ones that looked like disco balls, a few parrots, and even one shaped like an electric guitar.

“Oh my god, look!” He looks up from the text message he was replying to and follows the line of your arm to where your finger is directing his gaze, “Another bird defying the laws of physics.”

And there tucked away up in the tree next to a blow-up globe is an inflatable rooster.

On the way back into town, two of you stopped by Mission Bay to grab some more coffee and walk around the marina to check out some of the decorated boats docked for the Parade of Lights. He’d heard about it from Penny, who had even participated in the event herself a few years ago.

You’d both agreed the one that had turned the tall mast of the sailing boat into a glowing Christmas tree was the clear winner.

The next stop was something Bradley knew you’d be really excited about.

He’d found out about the Christmas centerpiece floral arrangement class from Nat who had a crush on the florist who ran the little shop.

The class was filled with mostly women, but there were a couple other men scattered around. They’d greeting him with that head nod that only men seem to exchange, like you got roped into this too, huh?, but what they didn’t know was that being there had been his idea.

Rooster was slipping his phone back into his pocket when you returned back to your little round table with an arm full of various flowers and different greens, with not a pine frond in sight. He’d even called in advance to make sure that there wouldn’t be any involved, just in case.

You were divvying up the things that you’d gathered from the long farmhouse tables in the front between the two of you when his phone pings again.

“Rooster, is everything ok? I feel like your phone is going off a ton this afternoon,” you asked, putting down the white berry looking things to look at him, a little crease there between your eyebrows.

“Yeah, of course,” he’d said, rubbing the back of his neck, “Fanboy decided to invite chaos into the group chat by asking if a hot dog was a sandwich or not. It’s getting pretty contentious.”

You give him a look but go back to dividing the pile in front of you, moving on from the berry things to some small roses.

“Also, for the record, a hot dog is definitely a category of its own. You don’t call a hamburger a sandwich,” you’d replied, not missing a beat.

“You won’t hear me arguing with that logic.”

“Good. Because facts are facts, Bradley.”

He pulled out his phone again to give it one last quick skim before turning the volume down, before noticing what flowers you’d just set in front of him, “Hey, are those dahlias?”

You hold up a stem with a large deep burgundy flower for him, giving it a spin between your fingers, “They are! It’s a little late in the season for them, so I’m surprised to see them here. Aren’t they pretty?”

“Those were my mom’s favorites,” he’d said fondly, remembering a backyard from decades ago that was lined with around the edges with the flowers.

“Were they? Well, I’m glad I grabbed them then,” you said with a soft smile, before handing him a few more to work with.

By the end of class, he knows his ears are pink because of how much you’re showering him with praise and gushing over his arrangement. He’d even gotten a few supportive thumbs ups from some of the other people in class.

“Seriously, Bradley. It’s so lovely! I mean, look at those pinecones you tucked in it. I can’t wait to put it on the dining table!”

You wanted to swing by Mav and Penny’s place to drop yours off for them, but he breathed a sigh of relief when he managed to convince you that it could wait until tomorrow.

He couldn’t wait for the next part of your day together.

Bradley jogs around the front of the Bronco to open your door for you after he parks at the Hotel del Coronado. He gives you his hand to help you down from the car, instead you reach and pull his face to yours.

The kiss is like spun sugar, airy and sweet. He could taste the lingering peppermint from your latte earlier.

“What was that for,” he murmurs against you lips.

“I just really love you,” you sigh, nudging his nose with yours, “Today has been so perfect. I feel like I’m in one of my Christmas movies, except I know you’re not going to ask me to leave my job in the big city to help you run your grandmother’s failing bakery to only get paid in gingerbread and Christmas spirit.”

“Lucky for you, my grandma could barely make toast, so you’re spared from such a fate. You wouldn’t need that little Mini Cooper of yours in a town that only has one stoplight.”

You press a quick kiss to his cheek, “Well thank goodness for small miracles.”

“We’ve still got one more thing on the list. You ready for this?” Bradley asks, holding his hand out.

You slip your hand in his with a grin, “Virtue and Moir better watch out.”

You can’t say you’ve ever expected to see an ice rink set up with a display of white sand and sparkling blue ocean behind it. But it was easily one of the most magical things you’ve ever seen.

The sunset has painted the skies a beautiful display of cool blues, soft pinks, and dusky purples. The palm trees lining the rink have been done up in strands of white lights that crisscross over it above your heads. The mixture of happy laughter, Christmas songs piped over the sound system, and waves crashing served as the soundtrack to the moment.

And you’re trying desperately not to fall and make a fool of yourself.

It was more than a little humbling stepping onto the rink after having not had a pair of ice skates on for more than a decade. It had been awhile since your family had indulged in this particular tradition, but you figured it would be like riding a bike.

It’s almost laughable now how wrong you were.

“How are you so good at this?” you jokingly accuse as you wobble on your skates, yet again. Luckily, Bradley’s sturdy grasp on your hand keeps you from falling.

He laughs, “I thought you said you did this all the time growing up?”

“I did! I just never said I was good at it.” A kid whizzes past you- a little too close, a little too fast- and Bradley shoots a disgruntled look at his swiftly retreating figure. “You come from a snow state, it’s in your blood. You automatically have the advantage.”

“Are you thinking of the other V-state? Vermont?” he teases, easily gliding around you swapping spots so that you’re closer to the edge of the rink rather than the middle.

“It snows in Virginia, I googled it.”

“I mean, yeah, but not a ton,” he says, “But it wasn’t like I was hitting up the indoor rinks either.”

“So you’re telling me you’re just a natural?” You roll your eyes affectionately at him.

He winks at you, “You said it not me, sweetheart.”

You’d nearly melted on the sight when Rooster had knelt down in front of you and looked up at you with such a boyishly charming smile as he’d tied the laces of your rented ice skates.

It took a moment to get your hummingbird heart back under control after that.

After a few more laps around, you’re starting to feel like you’re falling into the rhythm of it. You’re still keeping an eye out for people and the older kid who had earned himself more than one glare from people trying to enjoy their time on the rink as he erratically bobbed and wove his way through them. But your strides are getting longer and the shifting motion from side to side is getting smoother. You could almost claim to be gliding.

You’d forgotten how much fun it was, but then again, Bradley always made everything better and brighter.

Your cheeks ache in the best way from how much smiling you’ve been doing today.

And if you faked a couple wobbles so that he’d put his arm around you, it was worth the sacrifice of trying to look graceful. He’s already seen you at your best and at your worst, so you didn’t think your lack of skill standing on a quarter of an inch of metal was going to scare him away.

Rooster is a few feet ahead of you showing off some of his fancy footwork and maybe if you hadn’t been so distracted by his smile you would have heard the aggressive woosh of the kid’s skates as he sped up behind you.

It had only been a matter of time.

He collides with you but keeps his balance and propels himself forward, not slowing his pace in the slightest before taking off again. Your feet slip out for beneath you and before you know it you’re extending your right arm down to try and break your fall.

You meet the ice hard.

You feel pop.

A rush of warmth.

And then throbbing.

The next five hours pass in a twinkling blur of heavy guilt and aching pain.

Bradley had gone through so much effort planning such a perfect day for you and you feel terrible about how it ended.

The wait at the hospital had been miserable. The lights were too glaring and the noises too loud. The garish green and red garland draped on the desk seemed to mock you as you’d gone through the motions of getting checked in.

Your wrist had been killing you and you hated being the reason that Rooster’s leg hand been bouncing anxiously next to you in the uncomfortable plastic chairs. He’d tried to hide it, but you’d seen that deep furrow between his brows. You’d almost cried when he started stroking the back your pain-free hand with this thumb. It wasn’t until they’d brought you back for X-rays and had given you a light dose of painkillers that the world had shifted back into the dreamy soft focus it had been like earlier in the day with Bradley when he’d taken you on all those perfect dates.

You didn’t know if he had planned anything else, all you knew is that everything had unraveled so quickly.

It’s an odd feeling like you could float away at any moment. The painkillers made you feel buoyant and light, yet you can feel the weight on your shoulders just the way you feel the weight of the cast on your wrist.

Even now as the candy-colored lights that he’d put up along the front of the house bounce off of his still perfect curls, he’s wearing the softest of smiles for you as he works to open the front door. His dreamy brown eyes are reflecting nothing back at you other than warmth and affection and care.

Your wonderful, loving, perfect boyfriend. Your perfect Bradley.

You know it’s not entirely the drugs fault the way you’re struck by just how pretty he is. You’ve always thought so, but here and now you’re simply mesmerized by him under the glow of the Christmas lights.

“I don’t think I’ve been called pretty before, sweetheart. But thank you,” Bradley says with a little amused chuckle.

“Well you are. And your hair. Bradley, it’s not fair.” The words are tumbling out of your loose lips.

“My hair isn’t fair?” he asks with a tilt of his head, holding open the front door for you.

“No, it’s not! You just wash it and it dries like that?” He takes your purse from you and sets it on the entry table before helping to ease off the heavier sweater jacket you were wearing from your shoulders. “I don’t think you get it. You’re pretty, but you’re so handsome too.”

He squats down in front of you and smiles up at you before helping to slip off your shoes, “I’ll take handsome too if it’s on the table, sounds like a nice combo.”

“Please, you sound like Jake now,” you giggle.

“Oh no, we can’t have that now can we,” he grins, “But at least I’m pretty and handsome, hopefully that’ll cushion the blow.”

And you just love him.

You love him for the way he loves you and takes care of you and tries to make you laugh when he knows you’re feeling down. You reach up to pull his face to yours when you are distracted by the thick cast on your arm.

“This wasn’t the accessory I was hoping for for Christmas,” you say with a sigh.

The panic that electrifies your body is immediate as your spine goes ramrod straight. Oh no oh no oh no oh no. You can almost see the words swirl and twirl around him, and you know there’s no way you can snatch them back from the way they hang in the air.

“Ohmygod. Oh my god, I didn’t mean to say that.” You’re so flustered now, so embarrassed. “Please pretend you didn’t hear that.”

But Bradley is looking at you with his eyes crinkled around the corners and his lips pressed together like he is trying to hold back a laugh with the way his cheeks are pulling up.

“Oh, did you want a pair of earrings?” he teases, cupping your face in his hand.

“Bradley,” you whine.

“C’mere, baby,” he laughs and pulls you into his chest. You wrap your arms around him and wonder briefly if he can feel the hard plaster of your cast pressed against his back. He presses a kiss to the top of your head, “You know you never did tell me what you wanted for Christmas.”

“Don’t need anything,” you murmur into the warmth of him.

He’s already all you’ve ever wanted.

As you make your way up the stairs, glow from your pretty pink tree seems brighter than usual. Normally, you’d take one last peek back at it before going to bed, but you’re still a bit wobbly on your feet. It’ll still be there waiting for you in the morning.

“Oh shit,” you hear him mutter from behind you.

“What’s wrong, Roos?”

“Ah- just stubbed my toe. C’mon, let’s get you upstairs.” The heavy tread of his footsteps is close behind you, you can almost feel the warmth of him at your back.

At you back. By your side. He’s the only person you’ll ever need.

They’d given you some of the strong stuff and he could tell that you were still floating in that sweet spot before all the gravity settles back into your bones.

The distal radius fracture in your right wrist meant that you’d be in the cast for the next six weeks. You’d gone with a white and pink stripped candy cane inspired look to match the tree, Bradley. While he wishes it wasn’t there in the first place, he thought the pattern you’d chosen was cute.

He’d quickly and quietly kicked off his shoes before he’d followed you into the bedroom. Hoping that you wouldn’t notice them, he’d take a disinfecting wipe to the floor and stairs tomorrow.

For as well as Rooster knew you, he felt a little out of his element because he knew you were hurting but he wasn’t sure what would make you feel better in that moment. When he offered to draw you a bath he’d instantly known it was the right choice by the look on your face.

So he’d made you one with all of your favorite products. The mound of bubbles he was able to achieve was truly impressive, if he did say so himself. He even dimmed the lights and lit a few candles for you.

Bradley had carefully wrapped up your cast in plastic wrap and secured the top with a rubber band. And the dejected pout on your face when you looked at it and called it an “unattractive arm condom” had nearly sent him over edge.

He’s already looking on his phone for other options, sitting on the bathroom floor next to you as you soak in the tub, when he feels your fingers thread through his hair and he leans into your touch.

“I really am jealous of your hair, you know. I’m sure there were a few of the girls at that floral class who were too.”

Your head is leaning back against the lip of the tub as you gaze at him, your hair wet from him washing it for you. He’d noticed the moment you realized how difficult it would be for you to do it yourself for the foreseeable future. But you brought out the optimistic side of him and he’d already come up with a solution, “I guess we’ll have to take more showers together then, so I can wash your hair for you. Plus, it’ll be good for the environment”. You’d laughed, and he was happy to see some of the light returning back into your eyes.

“I don’t know why when yours is so pretty,” he says, reaching out and lightly tugging on a lock of your hair.

“Did I tell you one of them asked me if you had a brother? She was honestly so put out when I said that you didn’t that I’m pretty sure she took the last of the dahlias out of spite when she saw me reaching for them. They didn’t even match her arrangement,” you say rolling your eyes, adjusting the way your plastic wrapped candy cane cast rested against the other side of the tub. “Like sorry not sorry, I’m not going to give you my boyfriend.”

“Was it the woman in the striped sweater?”

“Yes! It was her!”

Bradley had notice her checking him out a little too closely for a man who was clearly there another woman and happily taken.

“She had crazy eyes, I wouldn’t have wanted you to give me to her anyways.”

You snicker at that, “She did have crazy eyes.”

He makes a mental note to remember to grab the arrangements from out of the back of the Bronco before he goes to bed. He didn’t want anything to happen to them, but that could until after you were tucked in bed and asleep.

“But the instructor was so sweet, Roos. I told her that the dahlias were your mom’s favorites and then she went to the back and got me a bunch. She didn’t put them on the table or anything for anyone else, just handed them over to me for us to use. It was a real girls supporting girls moment, we bonded.”

He’s struck by the fact that you’d already known about his mom’s favorite flower. That you had let him think it was happenstance when really you had grabbed them because you’d known it would mean something to him. That you wanted to make it special for him when he was trying to make it a special day for you.

He didn’t think it was possible to love you any more than he already did, but you were so good at making him fall in love with you over and over again.

“That was really nice of her, sweetheart,” he says, his throat a little thick.

“It really was. And better yet she’s single and likes women,” you say with a grin, “I got her number to get coffee, but I might see if I can play matchmaker between her and Nat. She looks like Nat’s type.”

“This was our instructor? You got all of that out of her in a few minutes of conversation?” he asks, impressed.

You give him a cheeky shrug of your shoulder, “Yeah, I’m efficient. She owns the shop too. I think I’m going to order something for Penny and Mav from her closer to Christmas.”

“You know what, I think you’re right, she does seem very much like Nat’s type,” Bradley smiles to himself, Phoenix is going to be very excited when he tells her about this.

“’m always right,” you hum.

“You sure are, sweetheart,” he says fondly.

He watches as your eyelids start to get heavy and helps you to get out of the tub, wrapping you up in the biggest, fluffiest towel he can find and sits you on the bed as he goes into the closet to find something cozy for you to wear.

“What do you want me to grab you, baby?”

“Your shirt,” you call out sleepily.

He peeks his head around the opening, “Sweetheart, you’re not going to want hospital germs in bed.”

“No, not that one,” you say, scrunching your nose, “Your henley. The soft navy one with the little white flecks. ‘s my favorite.”

You look so tired, he doesn’t like the slump of your shoulders. He knows that feeling all too well and he hates that you feel so bad about something that you had no control over. It had been such a good day up until the end. But even so, you’re the only person he wants to go through the highs and lows with.

He strips down and puts both his clothes and yours into the hamper before grabbing the shirt for you. “Arms up,” he says gently, he pulls the sleeve wide to fit over your cast before threading it down your arms and over your head.

Rooster pulls back the covers for you to crawl into bed. He climbs in after you, cradling you against him as he reaches over for the remote to turn on your favorite Christmas movie channel for you to fall asleep too.

Your cast rests heavy on his chest.

The heroine just won the cookie cook-off and he thinks you’ve fallen asleep, but then you murmur quietly into the dark room, “This is the second year in a row, Bradley, I really think we should consider skipping Christmas next year. For both of our sake’s.”

“We’ve got too much Christmas spirit for a little pine tree allergy or fractured wrist to keep us down,” he tips your head up so that you’re looking at him, “Give it time, it’ll turn around. I promise, sweetheart.”

He seals that vow with a sweet kiss against your lips and a few minutes later he feels as your breaths even out and you fall asleep tucked against him.

You wake up the next morning feeling more than a little groggy and cotton-headed as everything from yesterday comes rushing back to you.

As does the aching in your right wrist.

You reach out for Rooster, but his side of the bed is already cold. He’s always been an early riser and once he’s awake he doesn’t know how to sit still. You wouldn’t have minded cuddling with him for a little bit, but knowing him he has probably already brewed a pot of coffee for you.

When you finally crack open your eyes, you see that he’s left out a bottle of the prescription strength ibuprofen the doctor had sent home with you on your nightstand and a note written in his slanted script reminding you to take one. Your sweetest boy.

You attempt to splash some cold water on your face with one hand, willing it to depuff your face a little bit and then try to fix up your hair so that you look and feel less bedraggled. It is one thing if Bradley is the one responsible for it, but that wasn’t the case this morning.

Before heading downstairs, you decide on a whim to change out of his shirt and into the cozy cream-colored fuzzy lounge set you’d bought on sale the other week. It takes three times longer to get dressed than it usually did, but getting yourself at least a little more put together made you feel a bit more in control. You knew the extra effort wasn’t necessary, but you felt cute and it was making you feel a little bit better about everything.

The pink and white cast was a bit of a choice looking at it in the morning light filtering through the airy curtains, but you thought you pulled it off well. It was cheerful and fun. And you weren’t going to let it affect you or your Christmas plans with your perfect boyfriend.

There is still some residual guilt you’re trying to shake off, you know it was a fluke of fate, but you’re already thinking about ways to make it up to him all the same.

You gingerly make your way down the stairs making a mental note to look up what other festive things were happening this weekend and call out to Rooster, “Please tell me there’s coffee.”

The raspy laugh that reaches your ears makes you smile for the first time that morning, “I’ve got one ready for you in the living room, sweetheart. It’s ready when you are.”

The painkillers, the coffee. The man is a saint and looks like a god. And he’s all yours.

You take those final few steps a bit faster, ready for the strong dark roast that only he seems to be able to make to just right and to thank him for taking such good care of you.

You lose all words when you walk into the living room.

It’s like you’ve walked into a dreamy pink forest straight out of a fairytale.

Your beloved very large, very fluffy, pink tree covered with all of your memories collected from the past year and Bradley’s mom’s sparkling vintage glass icicles is surrounded by two other very large, very fluffy, pink Christmas trees.

The newest additions to the living room glow with the hundreds of twinkling white lights. It’s ethereal and whimsical the way the light bounces and dapples on the walls and floors.

And there standing in front of them is Bradley, barefoot in his favorite sweatpants in your cozy living room of the home he’s made with you looking like a daydream.

You don’t think it’s the prescription strength pain medication kicking in that makes you feel like you’re floating as you walk towards him. You know it’s all him.

Bradley says your name with such adoration, such love that you swear you feel your heart reshape in your chest with his name on it.

“I envisioned this a bit differently in my mind, but the way I see it, we’re just starting the ‘in sickness and in health’ part a bit early,” he says, taking your right hand and dropping a kiss to your cast. Your eyes well up at the tender gesture.

And then you stop breathing when he sinks down onto one knee in front of you.

“I love you so much, sweetheart. I love your big heart and the way you’re so kind and generous to everyone you meet. I love the way you can light up a room with your smile. The best parts of my days are when I am with you. You’re the only person I want to wake up to, the only person I want to fall asleep with in my arms, and the only person who I want a forever with.” He reaches out and takes your shaky hand in his warm one, “Last year, you let me give you more than a drawer and it has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. You are the best damn thing that has ever happened to me. This year, will you let me give you my last name too and marry me?”

You can almost see his heart that he is wearing on his sleeve. His pretty honey brown eyes are tracing over every inch of your face, almost like he is trying to commit every microcosm of your expression to memory.

You had imagined this moment so many times. It was the movie you’d put on in your mind on those nights when sleep felt just out for reach. And like a snowflake, no two dreams had been the same.

But nothing you’d imagined could have ever topped the reality of this moment here and now.

Because there was nothing was better than being surrounded by three pink fluffy trees and looking forward to getting to spend a lifetime with Bradley Bradshaw.

“Well it’s convenient I fractured the right one,” you say with a watery laugh as a few happy tears escape from your eyes.

“I guess that is a lucky break,” he grins.

“Literally.”

You didn’t think it was possible to smile this wide. That you could be this happy.

“You still haven’t given me an answer yet, sweetheart,” he says, slightly squeezing your good hand.

“Haven’t I though?” you tease. There’s no what he doesn’t know what your answer is, not with the way you’re beaming.

“C’mon, let me hear you say it.”

You don’t make him wait for long.

“Yes, Bradley, yes I will marry you. It’ll always be a yes with you.”

You barely get to finish your sentence before he is shooting to his feet, pulling you into his arms and kissing you.

Your Bradley. Your fiancé.

On Christmas morning, after all the presents are unwrapped, you find yourself sitting under your perfectly pink tree surrounded by scraps of ribbons and bits of shiny wrapping paper.

Even your striped pink and white cast looked particularly festive under the gleam of the trees.

Rooster is in the kitchen making another pot of coffee for the two of you to share. You can hear him singing along to one of the vintage crooner Christmas albums you had gotten him.

You’ll be hosting Mav, Penny, and Amelia for dinner tonight. You let yourself enjoy this quiet of the mid-morning before things get chaotic. The two of you had dressed the oval oak dining table yesterday afternoon. The centerpiece you’d ordered from Nat’s now New Year’s Eve date was stunning, there were even a few white dahlias tucked into the arrangement. Thankfully, with no pine needles in sight.

The tall pillar candles had been moved off to the side and a real fire was popping in the hearth of the tiled fireplace. And the sun streaming through the bay windows is bouncing off that sparkly silver garland that you’d gotten Bradley to hang up for you in a way that makes the shiny wooden floors look like they’ve been scattered with specks of confetti.

The swirling, sparkling, shimmering dots on the ceiling, however, were from your own ring as you move and tilt your hand admiring the way the sun illuminates it. You know the matching pair of diamond earrings that Bradley had gotten for you as you Christmas gift are shining just as bright.

He still blushes whenever anyone teases him about forgetting to pull out the engagement ring he had got for you before he’d proposed. But you wouldn’t have changed anything about that moment for the world.

The marquise diamond had belonged to his mom, but he had had it reset in gold with a halo of diamonds around it for you. He’d even bought a pink velvet box to put it in for the occasion. It was easily the prettiest thing you’d ever seen and your heart still fluttered every time you saw it on your finger.

The two new trees are still only dressed with the many strands of lights that they’d arrived with. You learned that Bradley had enlisted Jake and Natasha to help him out with that particular surprise that day a couple weeks ago when he’d taken you on what you affectionately refer to as the 12 Dates of a Christmas Proposal.

Your favorite pink tree, the one he had gotten for you last year- the one you’re sitting under now- was also in possession of a new accessory. A shiny new pink ring pop ornament Bradley had gotten to commemorate the occasion of you saying yes and was hanging in a place of honor on the tree right between the little Hawaiian shirt ornament and the dainty, dangling ice skates.

Saying yes was the easiest thing you’ve ever done.

Yes to forever. Yes to him.

This season and every season.

You couldn’t wait to see what new ornaments would fill those trees by next year.

And the one after that.

And the one after that.

And the next one after that.

Happy Holiday's! It's been almost a year since I've posted my very first story on here. I'm so thankful that a zoom kaboom plane movie has introduced me to so many wonderful people! Thank you for reading my stories and for all the support I've received over this last year! It has meant the world to me!

This story is set in the Oh, Christmas Tree universe. If you missed the fic that started it all, you can read it here!

Many thanks to Jordan (@gretagerwigsmuse) for so, so many reasons. I hope you enjoy this, this one's for you!

You can read my other stories here!

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