#took me longer then i’d like to admit to make….but we don’t have to talk about it

[spirallingstarcases]

the pete wentz dating sim ♥️ inspired by claudia @mortalfortaxpurposes ‘s tags 🔽

[dreamwritesimagines]

The Eye of the Hurricane [9] - Engagement

A.N: Here’s the new chapter my loves! ❤️ Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback, you made my day! ❤️I hope you’ll like this chapter as well and please don’t forget to tell me what you think! ❤️

Summary: A marriage decision leads to an honest conversation about expectations.

Word Count: 2700

Pairing: MobBoss!Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warnings: Violence, death, guns, crime, blood, explicit language, drinking. This is an AU, friendly reminder that I don’t condone any of the actions depicted on this story and please read with care.

Series Masterlist

For a couple of seconds, he gawked at you in complete silence before he managed to pull himself together.

“You—you’re saying yes?”

“I’m saying yes.”

“Seriously?”

“Please don’t ask me again because I have this feeling that I’ll change my mind if I think about it longer than a second,” you stated and he nodded fervently.

“Right,” he said. “Sure, I…wow. Okay, we’re—we’re getting married then.”

“Don’t say that either, I am not ready to hear it out loud,” you said with a sigh but before he could answer, a soft voice reached you both.

“Bucky?”

He closed his eyes shut for a moment as he scrunched up his face and you turned your head to look at the top of the stairs where a pretty girl in an oversized shirt –his shirt, if you had to guess— was leaning to the steel handrail.

“Hi,” she said. “Um, who are you?”

“His fiancée,” you stated, trying your hardest to ignore the pang of jealousy in your stomach and her eyes widened.

“Oh I didn’t—I didn’t know—”

“Neither did I when I woke up today,” you said with a click of your tongue. “Can you leave us please?”

“Sure!” she said as she rushed back to what you could only assume was the bedroom and Bucky shot you an apologetic look.

“Charm I’m sorry, if I knew…”

You walked past him, looking around the huge living room. Even you had to admit it looked incredibly beautiful and sleek, and the clear view of the city that you could see from the floor-to-ceiling windows was absolutely breathtaking. It was exactly what you would come up with if someone asked you what Bucky's apartment would look like; luxurious yet dark.

It didn’t mean you would tell him that though.

“I’m not moving in here by the way, this place is a dump,” you forced yourself to say, “If I wanted industrial interior, I’d buy myself a factory.”

“Right, sure—”

“That could be a fun project though,” you muttered more to yourself as the girl appeared at the top of the stairs again, and rushed downstairs, grabbing her coat off the rack.

“Sorry again,” she said without looking you in the eye and walked out of the apartment, and you heaved a deep sigh.

“None of this will be happening from now on by the way,” Bucky said in a haste and you rolled your eyes, then turned around to look at him.

“I don’t care about you enough to have that conversation with you,” you said. “I don’t give a fuck who you fuck, but you’re not going to make me look like an idiot in front of other people so when it inevitably happens, you’ll keep it a secret.”

“You don’t have to worry about that at all,” he said, his voice firm and you crossed your arms.

“So then,” you said. “I feel like we should both talk about the conditions before taking it to the families and the lawyers and everything.”

“I’m good with your conditions,” he said and you shot him a glare.

“You don’t even know my conditions.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

You kept your eyes on him, a slight frown pulling your brows together before you took a deep breath and took off your coat to throw it over the couch.

“Either way, I think we should talk about it,” you insisted and leaned on your hip. “So do you have actual booze in here or are you going to pull out a homemade barrel or something?”

He smiled slightly.

“Take a seat sweetheart,” he said. “I’ll bring the wine.”

“And put a shirt on!” you said as you made your way to the table, ignoring the way your heart skipped a beat. “This is a business deal, honestly. There has to be a dress code.”

                                            *

When Bucky came to the table, he did in fact have his shirt on and he was carrying a bottle of wine with two glasses. He filled one and handed it to you, then filled his own and sat down. You took a sip, pleasantly surprised at the taste and lowered your glass, leaning back.

“Alright,” he said. “Tell me your conditions.”

You swirled the wine in your glass, deep in thought.

“Well first of all, we need to have a time table,” you said. “I don’t want to stay married to you for the rest of my life, and I’m pretty sure you share the sentiment.”

A small smile twitched the corners of his lips but he didn’t comment on it.

“But we can’t get a divorce as soon as I take over because that will lead to a lot of questions and I won’t have the time for distractions, the taking over process is chaotic enough,” you said. “I can’t be making any mistakes, especially considering I already have a rival.”

“Calling Ian a rival makes him sound more important than he actually is,” Bucky commented. “But I agree. We already know some of the families can disagree with this idea.”

“Stark?” you asked and he nodded.

“At least,” he said. “We have Steve and Sam’s support, my family and your family of course, but the rest…”

“You think Romanoff would disagree?”

Bucky thought for a moment.

“Probably, but I can talk to Nat I think,” he said. “She’d hear me out.”

“Barton?”  

“Barton is not going to do anything Nat disagrees with,” he said. “If we have Nat, we have Clint.”

“So that leaves us Stark,” you said, pursing your lips. “Who talks to him, you or me?”

He shot you an apologetic look.

“I mean we may try to sell it as love but at the end of the day, everyone will think about the business side of things,” he said. “It could be better if your father talked to him actually. He already dislikes me enough, and we’re changing the power balance in the city by doing this.”

“Alright,” you said. “My dad could do that.”

“Next?”

“I want your word that I will be included in everything,” you said. “None of the bullshit the earlier generation pulled. I will be in every meeting and I will be included in every single decision.”

He nodded. “Yeah, figured as much.”

“I mean it Bucky,” you said, looking him in the eye. “We will be equals completely.”

“We will be,” he assured you. “I swear on my honor.”

“And I’m not changing my surname.”

He threw his head back. “Charm…”

“Out of question.”

“Charm if I’m going to get you into those meetings, you need to have my surname,” he insisted. “You know the rules. We need to give them an actual reason if you can’t be there as an heir.”

You thought for a moment and cleared your throat.

“Hyphenated it is,” you said. “I’ll keep mine and add yours.”

“It’d be better if—”

“I can’t take over my father’s territory if my last name is Barnes,” you pointed out. “I’ll use both, it’s fine.”

Bucky thought for a moment, then licked his lips and shrugged his shoulders.

“Fine,” he grumbled even though his tone signaled it was anything but fine. You sipped your wine, leaning back.

“Goes without saying that we won’t have any children in the meantime so should we even talk about it?”

“I think we should,” Bucky said, a small smile curling his lips. “Just in case.”

“Just in case?” you repeated and he rolled his eyes.

“It’ll be on the prenup just like everything else,” he reminded you. “And our families will see those prenups, so it’d be better if we covered it beforehand.”

You huffed out and waved a dismissive hand.

“Fine,” you said. “The usual, right? The first born is the heir…”

“The second born is the spare, yeah,” Bucky said. “Although, if you’re keeping your surname…”

“Our children would as well,” you finished his sentence for him and let out a dry laugh. “So then, is the firstborn yours or mine?”

“Maybe it’ll be twins,” he joked and you shook your head.

“We’ll say that the firstborn rules both until the second born is ready, and then divide my territory and yours accordingly,” you said and Bucky raised his brows.

“But until then, both territories?” he asked. “That’s a lot of pressure to put on one person.”

“That person doesn’t exist and will not exist,” you reminded him. “It’s just gonna be a hypothetical article in the prenup, that’s it.”

“And if we want a divorce—”

“When we have a divorce,” you corrected him and Bucky hummed.

“Any specific reque—”

“The weekend house,” you cut him off and he let out a small laugh.

“How long have you had your eye on it?”

“Oh, so long,” you said with a grin. “It’s really pretty.”

Bucky held up his hands, gesturing surrender. “It’s yours then."

“I mean I know I can’t just get it without giving something in return so how about you? What do you want in the divorce?”

“Nothing.”

You blinked a couple of times, gawking at him.

“You want nothing?” you asked him. “Bullshit. Say your price.”

“I don’t need anything.”

“You’re going to get me in the business and help me take over and you want nothing?” you insisted. “No fucking way. What is your game here?”

“I don’t have any.”

“Why are you doing this then?” you asked with a frown. “Seriously. What’s in it for you?”

“My reasons are my own.”

“Bucky…”

“But I do have one request now that you mention it,” he said and you nodded your head.

“Yeah tell me. What is it?”

“Throughout the time we stay married,” he said, taking a sip of his wine. “No sleeping with other people.”

“…I’m not going to sleep with you,” you managed to say after a pause and he shrugged his shoulders.

“We’re going into war with an outsider while pushing you to the top,” he said. “Any kind of issue in our marriage, including a whisper of a rumor could work against that. We need to present a united front to all the other families and our people. Can’t fight a war on that many fronts, you know that.”

As much as you hated to admit, as it turned out, Bucky was actually smart when it came to how things worked in business. You nibbled on your lip, trying to put your thoughts in order before sticking your nose in the air.

“That’s a two-way street,” you told him. “If I’m behaving like the perfect wife, you’re going to behave like the perfect husband.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Bucky, I’m serious,” you said, looking him in the eye. “Don’t go behind my back and make me kill your mistresses.”

“Don’t go behind my back and make me kill your boyfriends,” he replied and you took a deep breath, then downed your wine and stretched out your hand.

“Pleasure doing business with you,” you said and he chuckled, then reached out to take your hand into his, sending a pleasant warmth from your hand to your whole body.

“Likewise,” he said, his voice soft. “Let’s make you the queen, princess.”

                                              *

 You and Bucky decided to tell your family about your decision that weekend at their favorite restaurant. It would at least give you some time to get your story straight and you figured it would play into the lie; that you and Bucky had something for each other all along and once you got together you didn’t want to lose any time to get married.

Of course your closest friends were going to know about it, it would be impossible to keep it from Becca, Sarah, Steve and Sam because they’d had the first row to every single fight whenever you were within each other’s sight not to mention heard about how much you two disliked each other for years now.

But as far as anyone else was concerned, it was the happy ending to a decade long crush on both parts.

That night, you decided to stay in a hotel until the weekend. Not only did you not want to talk to Ian or your father, but it would also work in your favor; it was Bucky’s favorite hotel, it was in his territory and he would make sure to stay with you in the honeymoon suit every night until the weekend so you were pretty sure the rumors would reach your families way before you told them.

Your bodyguards were still on your father’s payroll after all.

You sipped your champagne, your feet propped up on the small coffee table across from the couch you were sitting on, the fluffy bathrobe wrapped tight around your body as you changed the channel on the TV but the knock on the door made you turn your head. Heaving a sigh, you pushed yourself off the bed and went to the door, then put a bright smile on your face and swung open the door.

“Finally!” you exclaimed, then gasped at the huge bouquet of roses Bucky was holding. “Oh my God!”

“Hi beautiful,” Bucky said with a smirk and you stole a look at both your father’s and Bucky’s men in the hallway, then turned to him.

“You shouldn’t have!” you giggled as you grabbed his arm to pull him into the suit, and closed the door behind him.

“Flowers are a nice touch,” you commented, the lovesick smile disappearing from your lips even if your heart did a happy flip and Bucky winked at you.

“I’m glad you like them,” he said as you took them from him, then walked to the open kitchen to pour water into the empty wine decanter before putting the flowers into it.

He leaned back to the kitchen island. “Did you talk to Becca yet?”

“Tomorrow,” you said. “I slept the whole day away today, barely did anything. Must be the stress after yesterday.”  

“Is she serious with that girl by the way?” Bucky asked you. “Leila?”

“I’m not going to tell you anything about Becca.”

He tilted his head. “You and I are going to get married—”

“And she’s my best friend so she’s still above you on my loyalty list,” you pointed out. “Marriage is one thing, friendship is another.”

“Should I at least threaten the girl so that she doesn’t break her heart?” Bucky asked and you rolled your eyes.

“No, Leila is a sweetheart,” you said as you walked past him, then threw yourself on the couch to grab the remote. He followed you and rested his hands on the back of the couch you were sitting on, the closeness of his body making your stomach do a pleasant flip for some reason.

“So what are we watching?”

“We are not watching anything,” you said, trying to focus on the screen. “I’m watching The Bachelor.”

He let out a groan. “Seriously?”

“There’s another TV upstairs, go watch whatever you want to watch there,” you said, grabbing your champagne glass again and tilted your head back so that you could look at him, and Bucky shot you a mischievous grin.

“Marriage requires quality time together, Charm.”

“Who told you that lie?” you asked, turning your glances to the TV and he chuckled.

“Steve sent me an article about it today when I told him the news.”

“Not Sam?”

“No, Sam sent me the address of a great psychiatrist,” he said. “For couples therapy and marriage counseling.”   

“That’s much more useful than an article,” you pointed out and he squeezed at your shoulder making your heart skip a beat.

“I’m going to take a shower,” he said as he walked to the hanging stairs and someone knocked on the door, making you frown and look at Bucky over your shoulder.

“Room service,” Bucky answered before you could ask. “I already know your favorite so I ordered for both of us.”

“How do you know my favorite?”  

“I pay attention,” he said as he started climbing the stairs, unbuttoning his shirt. “Don’t open the door yet though, will you? Wouldn’t want my men to think I last five minutes.”

“I’m sure that would be an improvement for you,” you said with a scoff and he tsk tsked.

“If you want to see just how wrong you are, all you gotta do is ask nicely princess.”

“That will never happen!” you called out and slipped a little on the couch when you heard him close the bathroom door, then heaved a sigh.  

“Great,” you muttered to yourself as the water started running. “My honeymoon should be so much fun.”

Chapter 10

[onlinesuzie]

♡ looking after hamzah’s good boys pt.2 ♡

words: 2.8k

genre: fluff

summary: The idea of you as been playing on Hamzah’s mind and it appears that the connection between you two has become deeper than just you coming over for a few hours to look after his kittens.

note: GUYS I KNOW I SAID THIS WOULD BE MORE SMUTTY BUT LORD I COULDNT HELP MYSELF. a nervous and sweet hamzah was on the mind too hard. i will be definitely be writing another part to this soon!! thank you for the likes on my last part and i hope this second part lives up to the love!! also did not proof read lol >:D

☆

Hamzah had been on edge the entire day, distracted even during the filming session with Martin. His mind kept wandering back to his apartment, wondering how his kittens—and you—were managing. When filming wrapped up, he made his way home as quickly as possible, his heart pounding with a mix of anxiety and excitement.

As he approached his door, he paused for a moment, trying to steady his nerves before entering. He took a deep breath, inserted the key, and turned the lock. The door swung open, and he was greeted by the sight of you sitting on the couch, Red and Blue curled up contentedly in your lap. The room was bathed in the soft glow of the evening light, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

"Hey," he said softly, closing the door behind him. The kittens perked up at the sound of his voice, but they seemed perfectly at ease with you.

"Hey," you replied, looking up with a smile. "Your boys have been absolute angels."

Hamzah couldn't help but smile back, his earlier tension melting away. He walked over and sat down next to you, his gaze shifting from the kittens to you. "Thank you so much for taking care of them. It means a lot to me."

"It was my pleasure," you said, your eyes meeting his. There was a moment of comfortable silence before you spoke again. "How was filming?"

"It was good, but I couldn’t stop thinking about how things were going here," he admitted, his voice softening. "I was worried, but seeing you with them... I feel so like relieved."

You reached out and gently placed a hand on his arm. "They’re great company, and it’s obvious how much you love them."

Hamzah looked down at your hand on his arm, then back up at you. "Thanks. By the way, about that coffee... When are you free?"

Your heart skipped a beat, but you kept your voice steady. "I’m free this weekend. How about Saturday morning?"

"Saturday morning sounds perfect," he replied, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "I really hope that place nearby is your thing because I feel you’ll love it."

"Great, I’m looking forward to it," you said, returning his smile.

He glanced around the room, taking in the peaceful scene. "I’ll make sure to bring something special for the boys as a thank you for behaving so well."

You chuckled. "I think they’ll appreciate that."

As the evening continued, you and Hamzah chatted about various things, the conversation flowing easily. The kittens snuggled up beside you, content in the presence of the two people they now adored.

After a while, Hamzah hesitated, then looked at you with a hopeful expression. "You know, if you don’t have any plans tonight, would you like to stay a little longer? It’d be nice to get to know each other better."

Your heart warmed at his invitation. "I’d like that," you replied.

He smiled, visibly relieved. "Great. How about I order some takeout? We can, um, relax and talk more.” he blurts “Plus, the boys would definitely love more of your company."

"That sounds perfect," you agreed.

Hamzah quickly grabbed his phone and started looking up nearby takeout options. "Any preferences?" he asked.

"I'm good with anything," you said, watching him with a smile.

As he placed the order, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement. The evening had turned into something unexpectedly special. You and Hamzah spent the next few hours sharing stories, laughing, and discovering common interests. The atmosphere was warm and relaxed, and the kittens seemed delighted by the extended company. By the time the food arrived, you felt like you had known Hamzah much longer than just a day. The conversation flowed effortlessly, and you found yourself looking forward to the coffee date even more.

As the night drew to a close, you realized it was time to leave. The evening had been unexpectedly wonderful, filled with laughter and a deepening connection that you hadn't anticipated, but were pleased about. The kittens, now comfortably asleep, were nestled in their favorite spots, oblivious to the passing of time.

Hamzah walked you to the door, a contented smile playing on his lips. "Thank you again for taking care of them and for staying longer. I had a great time."

"Me too," you replied, your heart feeling light and full. "I'm really glad we got to know each other better."

He hesitated for a moment, then gently took your hand in his, his touch warm and reassuring. "I'm looking forward to our coffee date on Saturday."

"Me too," you said softly, meeting his gaze. There was something in the way he looked at you that made your heart race—an unspoken promise of more moments like this.

"Drive safe," he said, his voice tender. "And if you need anything, don’t hesitate to text or call."

"I will," you replied, giving his hand a gentle squeeze before letting go.

As you turned to leave, Hamzah called your name. You looked back, finding him standing there with a thoughtful expression. "I'm really glad Mandy introduced us," he said, his voice carrying a depth of sincerity that made your heart flutter.

"Me too, Hamzah," you responded, a smile spreading across your face.

With one last shared look, you stepped out into the cool night air. As you walked to your car, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation for the coffee date and what it might bring. Just before you reached your car, you turned back to see Hamzah still standing at the door, watching you with a smile.

"Goodnight," you called out, feeling a warm connection despite the distance.

"Goodnight," he replied, his voice carrying softly through the night.

As you drove away, you replayed the evening's moments in your mind, feeling the warmth of Hamzah's hand in yours and the sincerity in his words.

The next day at the cat rescue, you found yourself thinking about Hamzah and his kittens often. The rescue was bustling as usual, with volunteers and visitors interacting with the many cats seeking homes. As you went about your duties, you couldn’t help but notice a few cats that reminded you of Red and Blue.

During a quiet moment, you decided to send Hamzah a message. You pulled out your phone and snapped a few photos of the cats that caught your eye. One was a ginger tabby with a playful expression, much like Red, and the other was a smaller, energetic kitten with striking eyes, reminiscent of Blue. You smiled as you composed your message.

You: "Hey Hamzah, hope your day is going well! I’m at the rescue and couldn’t help but think of your boys. Check out these little ones—they remind me so much of Red and Blue!"

You: [attached photos]

A few minutes later, your phone buzzed with a response.

Hamzah: "Hey! Wow, they really do look like my boys. That ginger one has the same mischievous look as Red."

Hamzah: “How are things going there today?"

You smiled at his quick reply and typed back.

You: "It’s busy, but good. Seeing these cats always brightens my day. Your boys were great practice for today’s energy!"

You: "I can’t wait for Saturday. Any special plans for our coffee date?"

A pause, then another buzz.

Hamzah: “I’m glad to hear that! And I can’t tell you that! By the way, thanks again for yesterday. I felt so much more at ease knowing my kittens were in good hands."

You felt a warm glow reading his message. It was nice to know he appreciated your help and was looking forward to spending more time together.

You: “Sounds perfect. I’m looking forward to it too. And it was my pleasure—your boys made it easy!"

You slipped your phone back into your pocket, feeling a renewed sense of excitement. As you continued your work at the rescue, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation for your upcoming date with Hamzah. It was shaping up to be a week full of promising moments with Hamzah.

Saturday morning arrived with a mix of nerves and excitement. You got ready for your coffee date with Hamzah, your thoughts drifting back to the pleasant evening you had spent at his place earlier in the week. As you approached his apartment building, you felt a flutter of nerves.

Hamzah greeted you at the door with a warm smile. "Hey! Ready for our coffee date?"

"Absolutely," you replied, feeling your heart race slightly. "But before we go, can I say hi to the kittens?"

He chuckled and opened the door wider, motioning for you to come in. "Of course. I had a feeling you'd want to see them."

You stepped inside, immediately spotting Red and Blue lounging in their usual spots. They perked up at the sight of you and scampered over, nuzzling against your legs. You crouched down to pet them, smiling at their enthusiastic greeting.

"They really missed you," Hamzah said, leaning against the doorframe. "I'm starting to think you only want to see me for my cats."

You laughed, shaking your head. "They are a big plus, but... I wanted to see you too."

The words slipped out before you could catch them. Hamzah's eyes widened slightly, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks. "Oh, um, really?"

You stood up, feeling your own cheeks warm. "Yeah, I mean, I had a great time the other night, and I was looking forward to today."

He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly flustered. "That's, uh, that's good to hear. I was looking forward to today too."

There was a moment of awkward silence before he cleared his throat. "Anyway, we should probably get going. The coffee place gets busy on weekends."

"Right, let's go," you said, feeling a bit relieved to shift the focus. As you both headed out the door, Hamzah glanced back at his kittens.

"You two behave while we’re gone, okay?" he said, his voice softening.

Red and Blue meowed in response, almost as if they understood. You both laughed, and the tension from the earlier moment seemed to ease.

The walk to the coffee shop was pleasant, filled with light conversation and the comfortable silence of two people getting to know each other. When you arrived, the cozy atmosphere of the café put you at ease. You found a quiet corner table, and Hamzah ordered your drinks.

As you sipped your coffee, the conversation flowed naturally. You talked about your work at the cat rescue, his YouTube channel, and shared stories from your pasts. The initial nervousness faded, replaced by a genuine connection that seemed to grow stronger with every word.

After a while, Hamzah looked at you, his eyes warm and sincere. "I’m really glad we did this. It’s nice getting to know you outside of kitten duties."

You smiled, feeling a sense of contentment. "I’m glad too. This has been really nice."

The rest of the date flew by, and before you knew it, you were walking back to his apartment. When you reached his door, he hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Would you like to come in for a bit?’ he blurted out, before quickly interrupting himself, “The kittens- would love more of your company."

You nodded, feeling a happy feeling in your chest. "I’d love to."

Back inside, you spent some more time with the kittens, but your attention often drifted back to Hamzah. It was clear that this was the start of something special, and you couldn’t wait to see where it would lead.

Back at Hamzah's place, the atmosphere felt warm and relaxed. You both kicked off your shoes, and Hamzah led you to the living room where the kittens were already making themselves comfortable.

"Want to watch a movie?" he asked, picking up the remote.

"Sure," you replied, settling into the couch. "What do you have in mind?"

"I’ve got a few options," he said, scrolling through a list of films. "How about something light? Maybe a comedy?"

"That sounds perfect," you agreed.

He selected a movie, and soon the opening credits were rolling. Red and Blue jumped up onto the couch, each finding a spot next to you. As the movie played, you laughed together at the funny scenes and exchanged comments about the plot and characters.

As time passed, the room grew darker with the setting sun, and the soft glow of the TV became the main source of light. You hadn’t realized how close you’d been sitting until you felt Hamzah’s arm brush against yours. Neither of you moved away, and gradually, you found yourselves leaning into each other, the proximity feeling natural and comforting.

At one particularly funny scene, you both burst out laughing. In the shared moment of mirth, you leaned into him a bit more, and without thinking, you nestled your head on his shoulder. Hamzah tensed for a moment, but then he relaxed, his arm coming up to rest gently around your shoulders.

You glanced up at him, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Sorry, I didn’t mean to—"

"No, it’s okay," he interrupted softly, a small smile playing on his lips. "I’m comfortable if you are."

You nodded, returning the smile. "I am."

With that unspoken agreement, you both settled back into the movie, the earlier awkwardness replaced by a growing sense of closeness. The kittens seemed to sense the change too, snuggling up closer as if they approved of the new arrangement.

As the film continued, you found it harder to concentrate on the screen. Your thoughts kept drifting to how warm and reassuring Hamzah felt beside you. You could hear his steady breathing, and it brought you a sense of peace.

By the time the movie ended, it was quite late. The credits rolled, and neither of you made a move to get up. Instead, you stayed there, comfortably leaning against each other, savoring the moment.

"I guess it’s late," Hamzah finally said, his voice a low murmur.

"Yeah," you replied, not really wanting to move.

He glanced down at you, his eyes soft. "Thank you for today. I really enjoyed it."

"Me too," you said, your voice equally soft.

For a few more minutes, you both lingered there, the silence filled with the unspoken connection between you. Eventually, you knew it was time to leave, but the promise of more moments like this made parting a bit easier. He walked you over to the door slowly, as if savouring the time spent with you.

As you stood at the door, preparing to leave, the warmth of the evening and the close moments you had shared lingered in the air. Hamzah hesitated, his eyes searching yours as if contemplating something.

"Hey," he said softly, drawing your attention back to him. "Before you go…"

You felt your heart beating a little faster. "Yeah?"

He took a small step closer, his expression earnest and a bit vulnerable. "I know this might be sudden, but, um, would it be alright if I kissed you?"

Surprise flashed across your face, but it was quickly replaced by a rush of warmth and excitement. You could see the sincerity in his eyes, and it made your heart swell.

"Yes," you replied, your voice barely above a whisper.

Hamzah's smile widened, relief evident in his expression. He stepped even closer, and the world around you seemed to fade away as he leaned in. Your heart raced as his lips brushed against yours, soft and tentative at first, testing the waters.

The kiss deepened, a gentle exploration filled with the sweetness of the moment. You felt a surge of warmth as you melted into him, the tension of the evening dissolving into something beautiful. Time seemed to stand still as you lost yourself in the kiss, feeling a perfect connection that transcended words.

When you finally pulled away, both of you lingered close, breaths mingling in the small space between you. Hamzah looked at you, his eyes bright with happiness. "Wow," he said, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "That was..."

"So lovely," you replied, still feeling the warmth of the moment lingering on your lips.

"I’m really glad I asked," he continued, his voice softening. "I didn’t want to rush anything, but I couldn’t help myself."

You smiled, feeling a sense of excitement building within you. "I’m glad you did."

After a moment, you knew it was time to go. You stepped back, giving him a lingering look. "Drive safe, and text me when you get home?"

"I will," he promised, his eyes still holding yours with a mix of affection and tension leaving his body. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Hamzah," you said, your heart fluttering as you turned to head to your car.

As you drove away, you couldn’t help but replay the kiss in your mind, the warmth of it wrapping around you like a cozy blanket. The evening had been everything you had hoped for and more, and the promise of what was to come filled you with a sense of comfort. You looked forward to the next time you would see Hamzah, hoping your next kiss would be as special as that one.

[mykoreanlove]

princess treatment or leave me the fuck alone - minho 👑 

“Oh my god, this food is so good”, you sighed in pleasure as you took another bite of the rice bowl in front of you. It was a typical Friday night – you were out in town enjoying life to the fullest.

“Don’t get me wrong, y/n, I love going out with you but why the fuck am I here?”, your friend asked irritated.

“What do you mean?”, you sipped on your savory drink.

“I thought you were going out with the guy from last time. The one that approached you in the club?”

A small smirk formed on your lips, as you remembered the night you had met Minho.

He was out with his friends, looking irresistibly sexy and strutting through the premise, too confident for his own good. It didn’t take long for him to notice you, gazing at you like a cat that was about to catch a mouse. When he walked over you were sure that he was about to ask you for a hookup, after all that man was sex on legs.

But he didn’t.

He was polite and witty, making jokes and laughing shily.

“I’d like to take you out, y/n.”

“I’d like that, too”, you nodded excitedly.

“So, what happened? Why am I your date tonight?”

You sighed in disappointment.

“I had to cancel”, you admitted and took another sip from your drink. “He was just not my type, I guess.”

Your friend looked at you surprised. “That Greek god was not your type? Are you nuts?”

You chuckled before spilling the truth.

“Okay, listen. Minho had called me, and we set up the date for tonight. He chose a place for us to go to and get to know each other and that was all fine. And then I asked him to send me a cab.”

“A cab?”, she asked bewildered.

“Yeah”, you shrugged your shoulders. “It’s not that big of a deal but he declined. He asked me if I really needed a cab. I mean no one ever needs anything, really, but I would have loved to be chauffeured through town like that.”

Your friend downed her drink and waited patiently. “And then?”

“Well, at first, he explained that no girl had ever asked that of him before and after that he kind of tried to talk me out of it, really. He didn’t think it was necessary, so I cancelled the date. I thanked him for organizing everything and told him that we could be friends, but that’s it for me.”

Your friend waved her hands at you exasperatedly.

“Wait, wait, wait. You rejected Minho, the sexy motherfucker Minho, because you were too petty to take the subway? Are you for real, y/n?”

You chuckled amused, already anticipating that your actions would be received quite controversary.

“Listen, I’m done taking the bare minimum from guys. I would have loved for him to organize a cab and ensure that I arrive safely. But he didn’t. And that’s okay but it shows that we are on different levels regarding dating. I’d like a man that can take care of me, spoil me. You know… princess treatment? I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”

“Aren’t you”, your friend hesitated, “asking for too much though?”

You straightened your back, ready to lecture your friend once and for all.

“I’ve went on so many dates last year and so many of them treated me like dirt. Actual dirt, bestie. Along the line I realized that there are certain things I want and need. And I’m not going to settle for less. I did that in the past and you know what it got me? A broken heart. A fractured ego. The longer you do that, the more agitated you get. I’m done with catching feelings for someone that regards me as low value. I can’t be doing that again and begging them to treat me better. Never again.”

Your friend stayed silent, but you could see her brain working hard, trying to make sense of what you had just said. You realized that your way of thinking was offensive to many but then again, you had always been one of a kind.

“I don’t know if I can agree with you, y/n.”

Before you could answer you got interrupted by a guy, who hurriedly took the seat next to your friend and looked at you with sorrowful eyes.

“I think I can now”, he answered breathlessly.

“Minho”, you whispered inaudibly.  

[stayinlimbo]

Returned Call

wc: 765, genre: exes to lovers(?), warnings: cursing in beginning, slightly unedited

note: although i feel this could be read as a stand-alone, here is the sequel to Missed Call you guys were asking for. i hope you enjoy ♡

Your call has been forwarded to an automatic voice message system: You know. Lee Minho. Not available. Voicemail. Speak. 

Fuck you, Lee Minho. No, seriously, fuck you. 

Tell me why I was contacted by not one but three of your dancing buddies within the past twenty-four hours about how you’ve been moping around and trudging through your routines for the past week. 

They were all essentially the same. You haven’t been the same since we broke up, is there any way we could reconnect, give you one more chance, blah blah blah. 

You must be doing really bad if one of them was Hyunjin, of all people. 

Two months too late, don’t you think?

As if any of this was my fault.

…

I was getting better before you called, you know?

I finally fixed my sleep schedule. I won’t lie, it took longer than I’d like to admit to break the habit of staying up late for you. At least I was already used to sleeping alone. 

I reconnected with some old friends since I couldn’t talk to Jisung as much without being reminded of you. They can still read me like a book, even after all these years.

I even went on a date. 

Granted, it was with myself, but I like to think it still counts.  

…

You know what I realized on my “date?” And while out with my friends? And on the sleepless nights I spent staring up at my childhood bedroom’s ceiling?

I had forgotten what it felt like to be seen. To be appreciated. To be loved. 

It seems like you’ve come to that conclusion as well, because you’re right. I deserved better. I deserve better. I may have ended our relationship, but I wasn’t the one who left first.

I remember our last kiss, paired with another one of your lies I foolishly kept believing in until I finished the movie night you promised you’d be home in time for. And I remember waking up on the couch with a sore neck to see your fatigued silhouette entering the front door, barely sparing me a glance as you dragged yourself towards the bedroom. 

You didn’t even look sorry. 

How could you, I guess, if you left everything back at the studio?

…

I used to admire your passion, Minho. I hate that I still do. You pour everything you have, everything you can possibly give, into what you love. So why couldn’t you do the same for us? For me?

You say you love me, but why does it feel like I lost something I'm not sure I ever had? 

…

Where did we go wrong? What did I do wrong? I gave everything to you. I gave you my heart, my body, my entire being. I gave you everything until there was nothing left to give.

I never asked for anything outlandish. I think it’s reasonable to want to talk with your partner, to share your lives with one another. I think it’s reasonable to ask about when you’ll be home for our anniversary without being yelled at in front of your friends. 

You want me to be proud of you? You want me to be happy about one of the very things that ripped us apart?

Yes, you’re selfish, but I’m no better. 

…

Maybe this is my fault. After all, no one should feel obligated to love someone. I just never thought it’d apply to us. 

…I wish I could hate you. I really do. 

But all I see is your stupid face smiling at me when I close my eyes. I hear your laugh ringing in my ears when I remember the ways you said or did something ridiculous to make me feel better after a stressful day. I still feel the warmth of your body wrapped around mine when we did wake up next to each other, our legs entwined together to where it was impossible to escape. Not that I ever wanted to. 

I want you to keep smiling at me. I want you to hold me. I want you to miss me. I want you to want me. 

Because I still want you. 

…

I want to give you a second chance, Minho. If things could be different this time, if we could be different. If we could share ourselves, wholeheartedly, as lovers, and not strangers.

I want to fall in love with you again, Lee Minho. 

…

Call me back, when you get the chance. You can keep the shirts for now.

Just please, don’t make me regret this.

liked this work? want to let me know how i did? please like, comment, and/or reblog; they are greatly appreciated my asks are always open ♡

taglist: @linospuddin @linocz @spicyhyunn

ending note: I hope this didn't disappoint. I really tried my best to make it work with all the angst in here :D. I also tried incorporating parallels from Missed Call so hopefully that wasn't too annoying or anything <3

[metallicaislife]

A Steamy Halloween

A/N: I am so bad at flirting irl and that translates into my writing I'm so sorry hahahahah I think what happens after makes up for it thoughhhh 😏

Requested by : Anon

Genre: 18+ Smut, minors dni

Word Count: 1,531

Warnings: fingering, unprotected sex, m x f pairing

“Are you sure you don’t need a ride there?” Kirk asked for the third time over the phone. 

“Yes, I’m running behind a little bit so I’ll just see you when I get there, okay? Plus, it’s not that far from my house. A short walk won’t kill me.” I said holding the phone between my shoulder and ear as I applied the deep red lipstick. 

“Fine, I’ll see you there.” He finally relented. 

“See ya.” I said quickly and hung up the phone. 

I took my time with finishing touches of my costume.

I entered the party, greeting a few people. I was on a mission to find my best friend though. When my eyes landed on him, I was surprised to see he was already looking at me. I made my way over to him. 

“If you spotted me why didn’t you say anything?” I asked folding me arms. He finally snapped out of whatever spell he was under. 

“I.. uh sorry. Um, nice costume.” He said swallowing hard. Internally I smirked, I was in a short leather dress that accentuated my body perfectly, and a pair of platform heels. 

“Thanks.” I smiled showing off my fangs, tried and true sexy vampire for the win. “Are you a ghoul?” I asked. His eyes were surrounded by black paint and contoured his face to give it that hollow look. 

“Bingo.” He replied with finger guns. What a dork. My favorite dork though. 

“Anything fun going on here?” I asked, finally taking the seat next to him. 

“Not really. But it’s still early.” He shrugged. 

“You’re forgetting who’s throwing the party, my guy. If it was me there’d be games but it looks like all this is, is a costume mingle.” I huffed. 

“Wanna give it a while longer then get outta here?” He asked. 

“Yeah, that sounds good.” 

We got up and talked with some of the other party goers. I was right though, all these people were interested in talking, no drinking games, kissing games, you know a normal party. 

About a half an hour later, my eyes met Kirk’s and I gave him the signal we concocted to give the other when we wanted to leave a situation. Kirk nodded and we met at the front door. 

We walked to his car in silence. He opened the door for me.

“Thanks.” I said sliding in and buckling up. He walked around getting in. 

“Where to?” He asked, starting his car. 

“I’m hungry, are you?” I asked as I  fidgeted with my hair.

“Yeah, the diner okay?” He offered our usual spot to eat. 

“Always.” I replied.

The diner was on the other side of town. Music played softly over the radio. Kirk has been my best friend since grade school, but sometimes it felt like he was my boyfriend except without the perks of kissing among other things. Things that I thought of more often than I would ever admit. Sometimes I flirt with him just to see his reaction. He does the same though. It’s like we’re stuck in this vicious cycle of seeing how far we can push that boundary. Feeling confident in my costume and the reaction he gave from seeing me in it I decided tonight would be a good night to push that boundary button.

“You know, if the party turned into a make out party I’d have let you kiss me.” I said. I was serious, but I kept my tone light. I looked at him, his nostrils flared but he didn’t say anything so I kept going. “I would have even let you touch me.” I said dropping my voice to sound sexy.

“You talk an awful lot for someone who won’t actually do anything.” Kirk snapped as he clenched the steering wheel. My mood soured and I quickly snapped back. 

“You’re one to talk.” 

I jolted in my seat, the seat belt tightened, not letting me go far. 

“What the hell, Kirk!” I exclaimed. 

He didn’t say anything as he pulled the car over and parked where there weren’t many cars or foot traffic. 

“Get in the back seat.” He said in a dark tone. 

“What?” I asked, looking at him. His eyes met mine, there was a fire I’d never seen before. 

“Don’t make me repeat myself.” He warned. My eyes widened as warmth pooled low in my belly. I fumbled a bit as I unbuckled and got out of the car sliding into the back seat. My heart thrummed in anticipation. Moments later Kirk followed suit and got out of the driver's seat and entered the back. He locked us in. His demeanor broke a little and he said, “if you don’t want to do this, tell me to stop.” 

He scooted closer and I moved so I could crawl onto his lap straddling him. 

“I want you to fuck me.” I said. The fire returned in his eyes and our lips met in a deep kiss that I felt in my toes. 

Years of imagining this moment, and it was something so much more than I could have ever wished for. His hands gripped me tightly as I tangled my fingers in his hair. 

I grinded down on him feeling him begin to harden. He pulled away and started sloppily kissing my neck as I continued grinding against him. My dress was riding up and his warm palms ran up and down my thighs as he found my sweet spot and bit down. I moaned as my hands explored the planes of his chest through his shirt. I found the hem and began lifting it up and he pulled back enough to let me help him take it off. I immediately dove in kissing and nipping at his chest. His hands kneaded my ass then he began to lift me. It was a bit cramped but he managed to maneuver us so I was laying across the back seat, my feet planted on the seat knees up. My dress was bunched up to my stomach. Kirk knelt as he rubbed his hands over my legs. His pupils were blown, lips swollen. He looked hot as fuck. His hands traveled further until he was at the top of my panties. He began pulling them down and I shifted my hips up so he could take them off. He shoved them into his back pocket. He ran his fingers through my folds eliciting a moan from my throat. He slipped a finger in, then another, using his thumb to rub my clit. 

“Oh fuck… don’t stop.” I moaned. He smirked. 

“Does it feel good?” He asked.

“S’good.” I moaned louder as I got closer to my release. I squirmed as I came, a slew of curse words leaving my lips. 

“So fucking sexy.” Kirk commented. He pulled his dick out of his pants rubbing my release over it. My hooded eyes met his eyes as he moved closer. He rubbed the tip over my clit, I whined. 

“Want you in me.” I breathed out. He aligned himself with me and thrust in. He let out a groan.

“Thought about this for so long. Gonna fuck you so good you won’t get off to anyone’s cock but mine.” He said, and I believed him. The windows were fogging as he began pistoning his hips, our breathing heavy. He paused for a moment to lift my hips and resumed, I screamed as he hit my g-spot. The car shook with each thrust. I came again, my eyes rolling back. He continued dragging out my pleasure before pulling out, he fisted his dick and came on my stomach. He lowered my hips and rested his forehead on my knee. After a while in silence regaining our breath he sat up tucking himself back into his pants. 

“Stay there.” He said and got out going to the passenger door. I heard him rummage about the glovebox before coming back around to kneel between my legs. He had napkins and tenderly cleaned my stomach. 

“Thank you.” I croaked, my throat hoarse from screaming. 

He smiled and helped me sit up bringing my dress back down to cover me. I got out of the backseat and he rushed around to open the passenger door. He stopped me before I got in and kissed me, I immediately kissed him back. He pulled away, a goofy grin on his face. 

I got in and we resumed our voyage to the diner.

When we got there, Kirk opened the diner door for me, following behind and softly resting his hand on the small of my back. 

We were led to a booth and sat across from each other. I ordered fries and soda, while Kirk got a salad. 

“Do you want to go back to my place after and watch Halloween?” Kirk asked. I munched on a fry and nodded. 

“Can we watch Creature from the Black Lagoon after that?” I asked. 

“Of course.” He replied with a smile. 

We fell into comfortable conversation. Part of me wondered how the dork in front of me was the same one from 20 minutes ago that absolutely rocked my world.

Thank you for reading! Feel free to request or chat :)

-Isa

[thedoctorisgroovy]

I come bearing a request!

Spencer Reid x Male reader who's just joined the BAU, but suffers from mild hallucinations. It's not enough to impede on their ability to work, but they still keep it a secret and don't get it diagnosed out of fear of losing his job or being treated differently by the team.

But then Spencer notices him taking pictures of empty spaces to confirm they're actually empty or maybe even talking himself down from an episode when he thinks no one's around. a nice little hurt comfort yknow?

Thanks so much for the request, I hope you like it! It got a little away from me and is longer than I planned hahah. I ended up writing this in first person, so even though it's x reader it's a lot of "I did etc." Use of he/him pronouns, readers describes themself as a crazy man at one point. 18+ MDNI! Spencer is a sweetie in this, I wanna give reader a hug.

Warnings: proceed with caution please, mention of schizophrenia (reference to Diana), physical hallucinations, creature type hallucinations, reader is afraid but also makes jokes about their condition, spencer's addiction issue, mention of dilaudid use, mention of injection, angst, HAPPY ENDING I PROMISE!.

Words: 1,285

I stood in the elevator, heart pounding and sweating slightly trying to calm myself down after the difficult morning I had been faced with. My “friends”- as I call them - had decided to join me during my morning routine and send my mind into chaos and fear. I’d only been with the BAU for a few weeks and hadn’t quite settled into the confusing hours of when to eat or sleep, so my morning was filled with rushing around trying to get ready for the day. It started off as fleeting movement out the corner of my eye, which I tried to ignore. I was used to the peripheral figures, and groaned sarcastically trying to show my brain that I wasn’t interested this morning.

“What? I’m busy!” I shouted towards nothing in particular, hoping my brain would get the message. It wasn’t until I turned towards the mirror by the door, checking that I was presentable before leaving. All it took was the grin appearing behind me in the mirror before grabbing my bag and bolting out the front door, essentially running down the street to work.

I pushed the glass door to the bullpen open and froze in my tracks, seeing the figure sat at my desk chair, grinning at me. I turned and sprinted down the hall, looking for somewhere, anywhere safe to hide. I barrelled into a filing closet, slammed the door behind me and slid down the wall opposite, tucking my knees into my chest and rocking to self soothe. There was a determined but light knocking at the door and I heard Spencer call my name. I didn’t respond - couldn’t respond at first, convinced that it wasn’t him. It was whatever that thing was trying to trick me.

“How do I know it’s really you?!” I shouted out, the panic in my voice apparent.

“You once told the team that your favourite movie is Star Wars: A New Hope, but you later told me that it’s actually Disney’s The Lion King you just didn’t want to admit it to everyone.” He affirmed through the door, luckily convincing my brain enough to allow him entry. I mumbled through sobs that he could come in and he flew towards me, shutting the door a little too forcefully by accident.

“Hey hey, it’s okay. You’re safe, it’s just me and you here.” Spencer soothed gently, crouching down to my eye level and placing his hand on my knee. We sat for a few minutes in silence while I tried to regulate my breathing, him rubbing small circles on my knee. When the panic had subsided, Spencer spoke up again.

“Do you want to tell me what’s going on? You don’t have to, but you’d be surprised at the things I’ve dealt with myself.” I laughed quietly at his statement. Not because I was surprised or to be dismissive but because I did actually believe him. In the brief time I had spent with him - talking with him around the bullpen and being partnered on cases together - there was something in his eyes that showed a similar depth and pain to my own. Even though I barely knew Spencer, I felt like I could trust him. He seemed like the kind of person to take your secrets to his grave if you needed him to. If anyone on the team was to understand, he would. I sniffed and tried to steady myself, placing my hands flat on the cold tiled floor. I used the sharpness of the cold stinging my hands to ground myself and muster up some courage to explain what was going on. I tried to meet his eyes but in one swift flick, shame took over my body and forced my gaze down into my lap instead.

“I see things.. sometimes. I don’t know what they’re called or why, but I do. And they scare the shit out of me, man! I know I’m supposed to be this big tough FBI agent who takes down the bad guys, but when the bad guys are in my head too, it freaks me out.” I laugh again almost incredulously, not believing that I’m admitting this out loud and that to Spencer, I must’ve looked like a crazy man just ranting at his crotch. I tried once more to look up at him, and was met with his head tilted 45 degrees in confusion but compassion in his eyes.

“I’ve never been diagnosed with anything or told anyone because I didn’t wanna blow my chance at getting this job, or lose it once I got it. I’ve been therapy a few times in the past and they said it was due to childhood trauma that I can’t remember. I’m not crazy Reid I promise. And it doesn’t affect my job, it just gets overwhelming sometimes. Please man, you can’t tell Emily or the others.” I pleaded with him, tears starting to form again, breath hitching in my throat. Spencer switched from crouching to cross legged on the floor.

“You know, many years ago, I was kidnapped by an Unsub. His name was Tobias Hankel. He tortured me by injecting me with a narcotic called Dilaudid and it made me hallucinate. I was addicted to it and even though the hallucinations scared or upset me, I couldn’t stop. So even though it’s not the same, I know what it’s like to be afraid of your own mind. My mother has schizophrenia and I was afraid for many years that I would develop it too. I saw how she suffered and she didn’t want to get help, but she did and she’s doing better now.” He paused, stopping himself from rambling.

“I’m sorry you’re dealing with this.” Wow. He wasn’t kidding when he said he’d dealt with a lot. His words caused an emotional rollercoaster to unlock inside my head. Grateful that he understood, pity that he dealt with such harsh things, hopeful that because he and his mother were healthy that I could be too, and vulnerable after exposing my truth. His question brought me back down to earth.

“Is this why you’ve been taking pictures around the room sometimes?” He asked softly - almost in a whisper but inquisitively. I nodded solemnly and sighed.

“It’s to prove to myself that there’s nothing there. If my eyes see it but the camera doesn’t, then it’s in my head.” Spencer thought for a moment before speaking.

“Okay here’s what we’re gonna do.” I rolled my eyes at him, ever the pragmatist. “I won’t tell Emily or anyone else if you promise me to get some sort of help. I don’t believe you’re crazy, but this is clearly upsetting you and as my friend I don’t want to see you hurting. If you end up getting a diagnosis or medication, we’ll cross that bridge together when it comes okay? But for now, I can help you find someone professional to talk to.” He stood up and stretched his legs quickly before extending his hand towards me and pulled me up into a hug. I wasn’t used to hugs from the team, let alone self proclaimed germaphobe Spencer, but I allowed myself to relax into it. We left the filing closet and returned to our desks, pretending that nothing had happened. He rummaged through his desk, pulling out a singular business card and leaning over to drop it in front of me. ”Dr Katherine Reynolds. MD - Therapist.”

We exchanged smiles before attending to the mountain of paperwork awaiting completion. The “friends” I’d made may not go away any time soon, but I was happy to add Spencer to my list of positive ones.

[clarisse0o]

Camp Wiegman-Part 34

Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Alternative Universe : Military School

Words: 5k

Masterlist

———————————————————————

Saturday, January 9th, 8:35 PM - Bar

- Move it! We’re late! We said 8:30, for crying out loud!

- Oh, come on, it’s only 8:35.

- Five minutes too late, she grumbles. I’m not someone who’s late.

I smile at her reaction. Today has been very enlightening. I’m slowly starting to get to know the real  Lucy, and I realize she’s not so different from the commander at the camp. So, I’m not surprised that she hates being late, both at school and elsewhere. I have to admit, though, I provoked her a bit. I took longer in the bathroom than necessary. It’s nerve-wracking, knowing I’m about to meet my supervisor’s friends. She tried to reassure me, but it was a lost cause. We just arrived in front of a bar with the sign *TheUnited* glowing in the dark. I hide my trembling hands in my jacket pockets. I distract myself by thinking about the end of our day. I loved spending time with her at the park, where she introduced me to the best smoothie of my life. Let’s not even talk about the exhibit. I still can’t believe she found that for me. I loved being able to chat with some of the artists, who were just a bit older than me. It was enriching to listen to their experiences, and it makes me more and more eager to pursue this path. Meeting people like that makes you realize that nothing is impossible. Given my situation, I should know that by now.

- Come on, Ona, are you going in or what? We’re already late, she says, annoyed.

- Sorry, I say, blushing.

- You know, they’re not going to eat you, she finally smiles. And it’s not like I’m going to leave you alone with them.

- Don’t say that. When Mapi tells me that, I always end up alone by the end of the evening.

- I’m not Mapi, as far as I know. I’ll stay with you, I promise. Now, are you going in, or do I have to hold your hand again? she teases.

I give her a stern look before walking into the unfamiliar establishment. The atmosphere of the bar relaxes my muscles. I wasn’t expecting something like this. The decor reminds me of Lucy’s living room, with a stone wall behind the bar. Plus, the ambient lighting adds a certain charm to the place.

- Come on, they’re over there.

I nod, still looking around. Lucy has to guide me forward with her hand on my back. Thinking about it, this is exactly the kind of bar I would like. Lucy and her friends have good taste. The anxiety I had begins to creep back as we approach a crowded table where I only recognize Jenni and Ingrid. At least Lucy wasn’t lying when she said I’d know some people.

- Here come the two latecomers, Jenni comments.

- Hey guys. Sorry, Miss here had a shower issue.

I blush as all eyes turn to me. It’s even more embarrassing since Lƒucy put me front and center by standing behind me. If she hadn’t done that, I would’ve definitely hidden behind her. We go around the table to greet everyone, and she takes the opportunity to introduce me to those I don’t know. I smile shyly as I reach one of her friends, who I recognize as the owner of the paintball place where Lucy took me. Beth, if I remember correctly. She seems to remember me, as do the rest of her friends, who don’t seem to consider me a stranger.

- I didn’t think you were so shy, Ingrid teases when I reach her. Come on, sit next to me.

She pats the empty seat next to her on the bench. I slide in, followed by Lucy. It’s strange to start a night sitting between my two instructors from school. I look at the new faces, trying to remember their names. Jenni, who’s sitting across from me, smiles. I smile back timidly. She’s sitting between Beth and someone I think is named Caroline. The ones at the end of the table are Aitana, who’s next to Lucy, and Mary, who’s across from her. They’re all pretty intimidating. If you ask me, these are the kind of people you avoid picking a fight with.

- So, you’re the famous protégé of Lucy? Aitana asks me.

- Don’t start, Lucy interjects.

- Bringing out the claws? Mary laughs.

- Want to see them? she challenges with her usual coldness, which no longer surprises me.

Her friend surrenders, raising her hands in a gesture of peace. I’m amazed at how much respect she commands here, just as she does with the students. It’s a good example that it’s not just about physical presence to be intimidating. I sink into the leather bench, trying to make myself as small as possible. Fortunately, Jenni changes the subject to ease the tension.

- How’s Alexia? she asks, making me smile softly.

- I don’t have a phone anymore, so I can’t text her, but she was doing great when I left her on Friday afternoon.

- You know her girlfriend? Aitana questions me.

- Uh, yeah... She’s my roommate at the camp.

- Small world, she chuckles. Who would’ve thought.

Her comment seems aimed at my supervisor, as if trying to rile her up. It seems to be working, judging by the way she looks at her. The waitress interrupts us, clearing her throat to get our attention. She was about to speak, but her gaze stops on Lucy, looking surprised to see her.

- Hey, Lucy! Didn’t think I’d see you here tonight. It’s been a while, huh?

- Hi Callie. Yeah, it’s true, it’s been a while since I could go out.

- Glad to see you back. What can I get for you and your girlfriend?

I quickly realize I’m the supposed “girlfriend” when I notice that we’re the only ones without drinks. All her friends have beers.

- She’s not my girlfriend, Lucy corrects. A beer for me. And you, Ona? she asks, turning to me.

- Same for me, I try.

- She’s only twenty. Get her a Coke, please.

- You’re no fun, I grumble.

- I’m responsible for you, she responds with a wink.

- Tsss... I’d prefer an iced tea instead of Coke, though.

- Got it, the waitress laughs. One beer and one iced tea, coming right up.

I pretend to pout, crossing my arms and puffing out my cheeks.

- Not cool, Lucy, one of her friends says in my defense. You’re not her supervisor outside of school.

- I have no mercy for her.

Of course, Lucy doesn’t buy my act and pinches my cheek to make me crack. I giggle and swat at her fingers to get her to stop.

- Did you just hit me? she asks, feigning outrage.

- You were hurting me! I retort.

I jump with a little yelp when she pokes my side. She raises an eyebrow, realizing what just happened before a certain gleam crosses her eyes.

- Hmm... So, you’re ticklish?

- Oh no, no... I see where this is going... I say, scooting closer to Ingrid. Don’t you dare!

I don’t have time to escape or block her hands before she attacks me with tickles. I squeal, writhing in all directions to escape her fingers, but it’s no use.

- St-stop! Please, please! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!

She laughs and finally stops under my pleas. I struggle to catch my breath. The waitress returns at that moment with our drinks. Before I can react,  Lucy pays for them without asking my opinion. I bite my lip to avoid saying something in front of her friends, but I plan to make up for it with the next round.

- Do you know how to play pool, Ona? Mary asks me.

- No, I’ve never played, I admit.

- What a shame! Caroline responds. We’ll fix that. I’ll go get the gear. Everyone up for it?

This activity seems to be a regular thing for them, as the group responds positively. I would have preferred it if they weren’t. I slightly lied when I said I’ve never played. I’ve had the misfortune of trying before, and it was a complete disaster. The balls flew everywhere but the table. All her friends head to the pool table closest to ours while Lucy’s friend goes to get the equipment. But I haven’t found the courage to stand up.

- You coming? Lucy asks, having stood up herself.

- I-I think I’ll just stay here. But go ahead. Someone has to watch our stuff.

- What’s wrong? she smiles softly.

I shrug. I don’t dare admit that I’m terrible at pool for fear of embarrassing myself. I sigh when she sits back down next to me. My intention isn’t to ruin her evening.

- I don’t want to make a fool of myself. I’m a walking disaster when it comes to pool.

- Oh... That’s all? she chuckles.

- It’s not funny...

- I was going to teach you, you know. I’m not leaving your side, remember?

I nod, but I’m still not ready to change my mind. Lucy seems to notice, given the small smile she gives me.

- Is there anything else I should know?

- Your friends are impressive.

- I won’t disagree with you, she laughs. Don’t worry, it’s just an appearance. They’re very nice.

- I didn’t say otherwise! They’re nice... But they’re still very impressive.

- Do you want to go home? I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable.

- No! I’m happy to be here.

She looks at me skeptically, but I reassure her with a smile. We watch her friends, who have started a game. I urge her to join them, but she refuses to leave me alone. So, we sit and sip our drinks side by side.

- Want a drink? she offers me her beer.

- No, thank you. I’m not really into beer, I admit. I just wanted to tease you and see your reaction when I said I wanted one, I add, yawning widely.

- Very charming, she smiles foolishly. Are you feeling tired?

- No, not really. By the way, um... can I wake you up tonight if I can’t sleep?

- Of course. That’s exactly what I want you to do. Why didn’t you want to talk to me about it anyway? There are some things about you that I’ll never understand.

- I... I don’t know, I shrug. I don’t like to spread my problems around. I tend to want to solve them on my own... But having you there when I woke up yesterday reassured me, I finally admit.

- I’m glad you’re admitting it, she replies with a little smirk. We’ll have to find a solution at school.

- Alexia will be there.

- Are you going to sleep with her? she laughs. I should warn Jenni.

- No! I giggle. I didn’t mean that, but I know she’ll be there if something goes wrong... Until now, I made sure she didn’t hear me when I was awake... But, well, you know me... I have two left feet.

- Two left feet? she laughs. What did you do this time?

- Let’s just say a bedpost hurts a lot when you bump into it, I say, making her laugh even more. It’s not funny, stop it, I giggle, hitting her arm.

- You’re really not skilled.

- I can’t help it if I can’t turn on the light because of the instructor in the hallway! I’d like to see you do better! By the way, do you know who’s on duty on my floor?

- Should I get you a flashlight? she jokes. And no, I don’t know since we’re never in contact with them, but I’ll find out, it seems.

- You’re going to talk to them, aren’t you?

- You know I have to. If they catch you wandering at night, you’ll get in trouble for nothing.

- Fine... I suppose you’re right... Well, should we join your friends now? I feel ready.

- Coward, she smiles. You always run away when things get complicated, she says, making me blush. But if you insist, I’ll teach you how to play pool.

Oh, the sly one. I had forgotten how good she is at making me regret running away. With no way to back out, I stand up to accompany her to the pool table. Jenni and Aitan a were about to start a new game when they saw us coming. Her other friends are chatting and laughing with a beer in hand.

- You playing with us? Jenni offers.

- Of course, Lucy agrees. How about a two-on-two?

- Yep.

- Are you sure about this? I whisper to her. I wasn’t kidding when I said I’m really bad, you know!

- Relax, she laughs. I’ll teach you.

I shrink as Lucy explains my problem to her friends. They tease me a bit but quickly reassure me by saying there’s a first time for everything. The atmosphere is quite pleasant, after all. The background music is just loud enough to be heard but not too loud to disrupt our conversations. Now that I pay attention, there are a lot of young people around. Yet, I remain one of the youngest.

- Here, she says, handing me the pool cue. Show me what you can do.

I grimace as I take it. I move towards the game, which has already started. I lean against the table and strike the cue ball with the pool cue. There are giggles behind me when I miss. They don’t last long, and I understand why when I see Lucy’s stern eyes on our opponents.

- Get back in position, I’ll help you.

- I told you I’m a real disaster.

- It’s okay, she smiles. Come on, lean in, I’ll explain.

I get back in position without much confidence and listen as she shows me how to better place my hands on the cue. She leans in to help position my fingers at the end of the cue, so they serve as an aiming guide. Once I’m in place according to her, she shows the mobility of this new position by moving the cue back and forth.

- Good, now you just have to gauge your shot, she says, looking at me.

- Should we do it together? I propose hesitantly.

- If you want.

She focuses on the game again. I try to do the same, but it’s very difficult given our position. Her body is completely pressed against mine, and her hands cover mine.

- At least you have the best teacher, she whispers, making me laugh nervously.

Unexpectedly, she strikes the cue ball. We stand up to watch it hit a colored ball, slowly driving it into the pocket at the other end of the table. I can’t contain my joy and jump into Lucy’s arms. She has no choice but to catch me. I quickly come to my senses and pull away, but she doesn’t seem to mind, given the smile she gives me. She hands me the pool cue.

- Try it on your own now. Ours are the solid colors, so avoid sinking the stripes. Look, try this one.

She pulls on my sweater sleeve to make me follow her. Technically, it’s hers since I put on her sweater after my shower. I lean in, waiting for her to adjust my position before striking the ball. I hold back a cheer when it sinks into a pocket again. I leave my place to Lucy, not wanting to play the whole game myself. She plays without hesitation. I’m amazed when she manages to hit a ball I would never have been able to touch. I chuckle at the disappointed looks on her friends’ faces.

- Damn, you haven’t lost your touch, Jenni says.

- It’s something you don’t lose, Jenni, she teases. Ona, come here.

I join her without thinking. I’m actually enjoying playing for once. When I reach her side, I listen attentively to her instructions for our next shot. She takes the opportunity to teach me some new tricks. I’m starting to enjoy pool. It’s so simple with her. We continue until I make a mistake, giving the turn to the girls. We’ve nearly pocketed all our balls in one go, so it’s not a big deal. The girls take over. They tell me that Lucy is an expert at this game. I didn’t need their comment to notice. We easily win the game. To think it started with them teasing me. I mentally note to always team up with Lucy. Even with a beginner like me, she managed to lead us to a decisive victory. My eyes land on a small blue chalk piece at the edge of the pool table.

- What’s that? I ask Lucy.

- Oh, that. You put it on the cue tip. It allows you to add spin and be more precise.

I smile mischievously as I pick it up and draw a line on her cheek to get back at her for tickling me earlier. I take advantage of her surprise to draw a second line.

- Hey! Stop that! she protests.

- Or what? I taunt her.

- Or you’ll regret it, she challenges me.

No one can resist such a challenge. At least, not me. I try to draw a third line, but this time she’s ready and grabs my wrists. She turns me so that my back is pressed against her chest, reducing my movements by holding my arms. This position leaves me defenseless. She takes the opportunity to grab the blue chalk and attack me in turn. I laugh, squirming as best as I can.

- Okay, okay! I surrender!

- That’s too easy, she laughs. This will teach you not to mess with someone stronger than you.

She continues until our heads collide violently due to my squirming. A loud thud is followed by groans. Her grip on my wrists disappears, allowing me to rub the sore spot. We burst out laughing when I face Lucy, who is in the same posture as me.

- All this because of your antics! You’ll see if I have a bump! I joke.

- Poor thing, I giggle.

- You should worry if you both have one on Monday, Ingrid intervenes.

I calm down, not having thought of that. I remove my hands from my head at Ingrid’s request to check for damage. Lucy also comes closer. I grimace when she presses on it. Ingrid slaps her hand away before I can.

- Stop that! Show me your forehead too.

- I’m fine, don’t worry, she chuckles. But she needs ice, she points to me.

- You too, given how red you are, Ingrid retorts. You’re both lost causes! she mocks. I’ll get some ice. Go sit down.

I chuckle as I see her forehead indeed turning red. A few minutes later, we’re sitting side by side, each holding an ice pack on our bumps. The situation is rather funny.

- "This is your fault!" she retorts.

- "You didn’t have to hold me."

- "You’re the one who started with the chalk! I had to defend myself."

- "Maybe, but you kept it going!"

- "Hey, enough, you two," Ingrid grumbles as she arrives and sets down new drinks in front of us. "You two are like kids together, honestly!"

- "Grumpy."

I snicker at Lucy’s comment. Ingrid rolls her eyes in exasperation as my supervisor laughs along. It’s the first time Ingrid’s the one complaining while Lucy’s laughing. She calls us hopeless cases before turning on her heel to join the others.

- "I take back what I said... You’re not as uptight as I thought."

- "Well, I should hope not!"

- "I thought you were too old to let loose..."

- "I’m not old!" she exclaims, offended.

- "I’d love to say otherwise, but I still don’t know your age."

- "You’re not going to find out," she laughs.

- "Oh, come on! I know everything else now! Your first name, last name, where you live, your friends..." I listed.

- "Not everything, since you’re missing my age."

I sigh, leaning back against the bench. She smiles before taking a sip of her beer. I guess I can keep dreaming about finding out her age. At least, that’s what I thought.

- "Twenty-five."

- "Twenty-five?" I repeated. "That’s it?"

- "That’s it?" she chuckles. "That’s more than enough!"

- "No, but... Seriously? You told me you started working at Camp Wiegman four our years ago! You couldn’t have started at my age... right? And what about your studies?"

- "I was doing an apprenticeship part-time the first year. I was in my last year of school and would come after classes. Ingrid was the one who trained me."

- "Wow... You were young. What about the others then?"

- "Who?"

- "Ingrid and Jenni."

- "Well, Jenni did the same thing and was trained by White. But Ingrid is a year older than us, so she had just started her first year full-time."

- "Oh, I see."

- "Anyway, let me see your head, please."

I take off my ice pack and take the opportunity to apologize. It’s my fault we’re in this situation, though we did have a good laugh. The bump gave me a headache. I hope it’ll be gone by Monday. We continue chatting. She changes the subject by asking me what kind of parties I attend in Barcelona. Since I can’t lie, especially to her, I share some high school party memories since she already knows everything about my recent outings. They’re nothing like this one, and that’s a shame. Seeing that I was uncomfortable talking about it, Lucy decides it’s time to return to her friends.

- "Here," she says, handing me a twenty-dollar bill. "Can you order another round from Callie and return the ice packs, please?"

- "Yep, I’m on it."

- "Don’t hesitate to get something for yourself, too."

I head to the bar to order this round. It’ll be the third since we arrived. Jenni paid for the first one and Caroline the second. It’s a weird process. Where I’m from, everyone pays for their own drinks. I lean against the bar between two high stools, waiting for the waitress. I turn my head towards the group when I recognize my supervisor’s laughter. A smile spreads across my lips. I have no regrets about being here tonight.

- "Another round?"

- "Yes, please," I replied to Callie, handing her Lucy’s bill.

- "And what can I get for you? Lucy said it’s okay if you want a beer."

- "No, thanks. I’ll stick with iced tea."

She nods with a smile before heading off to prepare our drinks. I notice she’s already picked up the ice packs I had placed on the counter. I turn again to look at Lucy. She’s full of surprises, it seems. I wasn’t expecting her to let me have alcohol. She seems so at home here. I bite my lip as I turn back towards the bar. I need to stop staring at her more than I should. I’ve been feeling unsettled around her for the past few days.

- "I didn’t know you were so calm."

I furrow my brow at the familiar voice. I look to my right and am surprised to find Alex, the guy I met during my afternoon at the ice rink with Joan.

- "Alex? What are you doing here?"

- "Hi to you too," he smiles. "Glad you remember me."

- "And here’s the change," Callie interrupts us. "Should I take the drinks over?"

- "Yes, please."

She sets my iced tea on the counter with a wink before taking the tray filled with beers. I thank her before she heads off with the tray.

- "So? What are you doing here?" I pressed Alex.

- "I told you last time we hung out that I also have classes in Manchester. Don’t you remember?"

- "No..." I replied, feeling embarrassed. "Sorry, I don’t remember much from the night we spent together."

- "I’m not surprised," he chuckles. "Did you come with friends tonight?"

- "You could say that, yes."

I follow Alex’s gaze over my shoulder to the people I came with. I’m surprised to meet Lucy’s green eyes. Ingrid is talking to her, but that doesn’t stop her from keeping her eyes fixed on me. She only breaks our eye contact when her friend taps her arm to get her attention. I turn back as well.

- "I sent you some messages not long ago. Didn’t you get them?"

- "Oh, um... Actually, I don’t have a phone anymore. I broke it a week ago."

- "That explains why I didn’t get a response to my offer."

- "What offer?" I asked with a small, friendly smile.

- "I wanted to see you again. I guess now you have no choice but to accept if you want me to forgive you."

- "Who said I want to be forgiven?"

- "You’re hurting me," he says, clasping his hands over his heart, making me laugh.

- "Poor thing," I mocked.

- "Honestly, I’d really appreciate seeing you again, if you’re up for it."

- "I’d like to say yes, but it’s going to be tough. I’m at a strict school that only lets me out on weekends if I’m granted permission."

- "Oh yeah, your famous military school that you wouldn’t stop talking about all night."

- "Really? I couldn’t have mentioned it that much. You must be exaggerating."

- "No, I swear," he laughs.

- "Is there anything else I should know about that night?"

- "Oh, I don’t know. Maybe that you kissed me?"

- "How about the truth instead?" I replied, making him laugh.

- "Am I that repulsive?"

- "I didn’t say that."

- "Still, what you just said is kind of hurtful."

I bite my lip, hoping he’s not offended. He must have been happy I was talking to him, given the circumstances. I say nothing and prefer to come up with another excuse, something a bit funnier than the real reason.

- "Let’s just say your flirting style is outdated."

- "At least it’s straightforward..."

I give him a playful tap on the shoulder at his dejected look. I hope I didn’t give him false hopes during that night. I really do like him, but he’s on the wrong track if he thinks he has a chance with me. I tense up when I feel an arm wrap around my waist and a head rest on my shoulder. I relax when I recognize the dark hair cascading over my shoulder. This sudden closeness surprises me, but I say nothing.

- "Is everything okay?"

- "Yes, yes. Sorry for taking so long. This is Alex, someone I met in Barcelona. I must have mentioned him to you."

- "Hmm, probably. Hi."

She lifts her head to look at him. Alex returns the greeting, his expression somewhat puzzled. A palpable tension has formed out of nowhere. Everything had been going smoothly until now. A certain glint flashes in Alex's eyes, as if he's trying to prove something.

"It's funny though," he jokes, "you say my flirting is outdated, but you still talk about me."

"That doesn't mean anything," I reply with a smile. "Sorry, but I’m going to have to decline your offer. Like I said, I don’t have control over my outings with school, and I don't have a phone anymore."

"At least let me give you my number again, so you can text me when you get a new one, Miss Unreachable?"

"I guess I can do that, if you enjoy torturing yourself."

He laughs and grabs a napkin from the bar, scribbling his number on it before handing it to me.

"I was warned you were a lesbian, but... Well, you know where to find me if you ever want to hang out."

"Who told you that?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Your best friend. Mapi, I think?"

"Oh, I see," I roll my eyes. 

"She told me I was wasting my time with you. Apparently, you’re already into someone."

He glances over at Lucy as he says this, making me grit my teeth and silently curse Mapi for this awkward moment. I don’t need her to scare off my would-be suitors. She really goes overboard when she wants to.

"Can we get back to my friends?" Lucy interjects.

"Yeah... we'll leave you to it."

"Just tell me if she was right," Alex persists.

"Alex, drop it," I reply, exasperated. "If Mapi was right about one thing, it’s that I’m not interested. Have a good night."

He wishes me the same. Lucy guides me with a hand on the small of my back. I don’t really understand why, since it’s not hard to spot her friends.

"Where’d you meet that guy?" she asks.

"I don't think it's worth mentioning."

"Hmm, that's what I figured. He seems pretty pushy."

"Totally," I chuckle.

"You two seemed to get along well, though."

"He's just a nice acquaintance. We’ve only hung out twice at parties, that’s all."

"Alright..."

I can tell she wants to know more, but neither of us says anything further.

"Let’s not stay too late, though, okay?" she says, surprising me.

"Can’t we stay a bit longer? I’m just starting to feel comfortable," I admit.

"No. It's getting late, and besides, I'm the one driving anyway."

"I should be the one driving after the drinks you’ve had."

"I only had three. I’m perfectly capable of driving, but thanks for the concern," she giggles.

"Well, I tried..."

"True," she smiles. "But the answer is still no. You’re not driving my car tonight."

I’m sipping my drink when we rejoin her friends. The night continues as usual. Another round of pool starts as we arrive. Lucy agrees that we can wrap up the night with this game. We split into two teams of four since there are eight of us. Naturally, I stay by the expert’s side to increase our chances of winning. It's also a chance to improve my skills. The game is accompanied by conversation, where they share memories of times they’ve spent together. I call Lucy a bad girl after learning all I did about her tonight. She’s got more spunk than I expected. She scolds me for drinking at parties, but it seems like she’s no better, even if she defends herself by saying it only happened once. And likely the last time, from what I understand. It’s a shame because I’d love to see her tipsy just once, just so I could give her a lecture in return. Eventually, we stay much longer than just one game. Each time she wanted to leave, her friends kept us around. She caved every time, agreeing to stay a bit longer. We ended up staying until the bar closed around one o'clock, when the waitress finally asked us to leave. Aitana suggested continuing the night at her place, but Lucy firmly refused on behalf of the both of us. So it’s late into the night when we finally get back to Lucy's place to crash.

Sunday, January 10th, 4:35 AM - Lucy's Place

It’s another night where I wake up in a cold sweat. I’ve been tossing and turning in bed for a good fifteen minutes. Lucy hasn’t barged into my room, which means I didn’t scream this time. That’s a good sign. Maybe my episodes are becoming occasional. Still, I can’t fall back asleep. I hesitate to go to her room. She encouraged me to wake her if needed, but I don’t want to disturb her again. I’m forced to do it anyway when I run out of options. I sigh, pushing the covers aside. I head to the living room first to grab a glass of water. The one she gave me yesterday helped calm me down. I lean against the counter, trying to clear the images from my head. It’s difficult, and they keep me fully awake. I finish my glass slowly before putting it in the dishwasher to erase any trace of my presence. As I walk back down the hallway, I’m faced with two options. The door on the right, or the door on the left. I curse myself as I push open the door on the left. The room is dark, with only the sound of soft, steady breathing. I close my eyes before moving forward in the darkness. I stop when I hear her shifting in bed. I let out a sigh of relief when I realize she just turned over.

“Lucy...?” I call out softly.

No answer. I gather all my courage to move closer to the bed. I call her name again. This time, she responds with a groan.

“I can’t sleep,” I murmur, hoping she hears me.

"Ona?" I hear her groggy voice.

I feel guilty for waking her. I bite my lip as she turns on her bedside lamp, blinding us both. She rubs her eyes, then checks her clock before looking at me again. It’s nearly five in the morning with all my nonsense.

"Again?"

"I-I'm sorry. It was a mistake. I shouldn’t have woken you," I stammer.

I try to leave, but she stops me before I can get too far. I freeze, too embarrassed to move. She sighs and sits up. Even in the middle of the night, she’s stunning, and that thought is starting to worry me.

"Don’t be silly. Close the door and get in bed," she grumbles. "And don't even think about arguing with me. I can get very grumpy when I'm woken up."

I smile shyly at her anticipation. She lets go of my wrist when I timidly nod. I close the door as she asked, then return to her bed, slipping in on the far side. She pulls the covers over me and turns off the light. Before I can do anything, she pulls me into the same position as last night. My back fits against her body as she rests her head near my neck. I pull the blanket up tighter, holding her closer. She must have noticed because she snuggles up to me a bit more. She wishes me goodnight, and with the same gentle strokes as last night, I finally drift off to sleep.

[crazylittlejester]

Opinion time

honestly, I like the hero of time as much as the next person- OOT is one of my favorite games in the whole entire series and I love the characterization Jo-Jo gave him, but that doesn’t mean I can’t admit he’s an extremely flawed character

and I mean this in a good way, Jo-Jo wrote a character you can know did bad things and still like him /pos

but I didn’t like how, in the timeline parts, wind does confront and ask him “why did you leave?” And times only response is, in my own words

”I left it behind cuz I felt like it LMAO”

..????? yes he took percussions to make sure ganon “didn’t come back” (which.. he did, time knew the seal would break eventually. ganon literally screams out about how much he hates him and is coming for his descendants)

leaving an entire world behind to rot is just written off as “shit happens” and you can’t say “well time didn’t know what he was doing” because, at some point, yes he FIGURES OUT his actions have consequences /nm

Imagine being rulie, your entire world is a wasteland and you ask the guy who CAUSED its downfall “why does my land suck so much” he just goes “oops my bad”

in the child timeline he just fucks off, in the downfall timeline he dies, comes back, and says forget everybody else, he only really started giving half-a-shit in the adult timeline with twilight. We can see this with his blatant favoritism over him.

anyways this was me screaming at the clouds about how time isnt a cookie cutter hero, he’s flawed and he’s made mistakes and honestly? It makes his character better and more enjoyable. Thanks for coming to my Ted talk (feel free to give ur opinion on the matter)

okay sorry for any spelling mistakes or oddly autocorrected words, this was kinda a lot longer than i thought it would be alkjslkjs 😭

Okay this is an incredibly interesting perspective and I’m not sure I’ve seen anyone else with this exact take on Time. I have a much different view of his character and his actions, though it was nice to read yours! /gen

First off, I completely agree that Time is a incredibly flawed person, and that’s part of why I love his character so much. He is not perfect, he is not the best leader, he makes mistakes. I genuinely think that the only reason he’s leader of this group and why the others tolerate him being the unofficial official leader is because even they can acknowledge that Time is just the best person for that role. He is not a perfect leader, he is not and I don’t know if he’ll ever truly reach that, but looking at the other options, he really was the best for the role. (Warriors would’ve been incapable of fully separating the others from the military in his mind, Twilight wouldn’t have been able to go off as Wolfie without causing mistrust or doubt towards him in the beginning, and Legend simply didn’t WANT that. The only other person who possibly could’ve lead the group would be Sky, and while I do think that could work, Time has way more experience)

Time has made a lot of mistakes, in his games, in the comic, he’s not flawless. I think in the comic (LU) we most commonly see this through how he’ll say things that come across as incredibly flat, snappy, or a bit harsher than what was really necessary for the situation. And this is just something it seems like he’s always been like, at least with how Jojo characterizes him, because in that one sketch with him and Malon when they were younger, he said something that did very much come off as snappy/rude, and he immediately realized how what he said sounded and tried to make an attempt to apologize. In the most recent update, we see how his stress and emotions made him much snappier and harsh towards the others than he really needed to be. I’d even argue in some moments, when he’s talking about his past and we see parts of his past, he’s a BIT arrogant. He certainly isn’t that way anymore, or at least he’s not as arrogant, but we see some moments where he comes off ass a little full of himself, the one I remember the clearest is the expression on his face when he got into Gerudo Town and a bit how he was talking about it. He’s also able to admit his flaws and that he was too distracted and let that get in the way of him helping the others while Twilight was hurt

Where I disagree with you (AND THIS IS ALL MY OPINION AND MY INTERPRETATION) is on Time’s thoughts surrounding the whole timeline thing. I do not think he had ANY idea that he was creating a whole other timeline, nor do I think he really even had a choice. He was sent back in time in an attempt to stop Ganon from destroying everything, and I believe he’s spent all the years since thinking all he did was go back in time. I don’t think he ever even considered the fact that Wind’s timeline continued on without him there (screenshots taken from Timeline Talk 1, art credit to @/linkeduniverse)

He DIDN’T know what he was doing. He was like, 9-10 in the body of (roughly) a 17 year old, he was doing whatever he was told by Zelda, Rauru and the sages, the goddesses, whoever. And I don’t think ANYONE realized the consequences of sending him back in time like that. I genuinely think that this right here is where he realizes not only that the timelines split, but the timelines split because of HIS adventure/journey. And when faced with the idea that every time he used his ocarina he abandoned hyrule (kingdom) he seems horrified (also from Timeline Talk 1):

I also don’t think the others have any idea at all that Hyrule and Legend are on a separate timeline from everyone else. I think everyone who comes after Time on ANY timeline has heard of him, but Legend and Hyrule haven’t had the chance really to talk about their timeline with Time, at least not really like how Wind did. And even if they had, again, Time DIED in their timeline, which could not possibly in any way have been his fault 😭

So yeah, he did leave Wind’s timeline (which is the adult timeline), but he genuinely had no idea that it got ABANDONED. I think the way he was looking at is was like erasing and starting anew and not just writing over what was already written and leaving that there (if that makes sense). And even if he had realized he completely abandoned that time, I’m not sure it would’ve even been possible for him to go back, and if he HAD, there’s only one Time. Twilight either wouldn’t have been born, or he’ve been born in Wind’s timeline. Which raises some INTERESTING theories because if Twilight had been there, would his game have happened? If it HAD, would Wind even be a hero? Given that whole theory that Wind doesn’t even have the hero’s spirit and he CHOSE the hero life instead of the other way around. That’d honestly be so interesting to explore!! I kinda wanna write a fic on it

Time did was he was told to do, he did was he was guided to do by people older than him or who had more ‘power’ than him. He was around ten years old, I don’t think he had a “Lmao fuck this shit” attitude when timeline hopping, I don’t think he understood he was timeline hopping at all. He didn’t understand what he was doing and he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, he was just trying to survive, and I’ll even bet he really thrived on what little acknowledgement and appreciation he got for saving hyrule (kingdom) because he seems (to me at least) like after losing the Great Deku Tree and the Kokiri he was REALLY lonely

And yes, he definitely for sure has a soft spot for Twi. But aside from Twi JUST being his descendant, I think Time feels bad that Twi followed after him in the hero business. He probably realized Twilight was descended from him and then really LOOKED at him and saw everything that young man went through and Time probably felt AWFUL. And after realizing that Wind’s entire timeline suffered because of something he did, I’m sure he feels the same way towards Wind. Because he may not be Time’s blood, but he’s a KID and he’s been through so much. Also there could be an argument made that Time is such a hoverer around Twi rn because he was hurt. I’m sure Four could’ve been the one who was hit and Time would be hovering over HIM instead

TL;DR: Yes Time is incredibly flawed. That’s what makes him interesting, that’s what makes him a good character, I wouldn’t like him very much if he were perfect alkjslksj. But I do not think he intentionally abandoned the other timelines, nor do i think that has anything to do with why he seemingly favors Twi. He was a kid, I don’t think anyone understood what was happening. I think if Wind had never spoken up, Time never would’ve known

(also Timeline Talk 1):

but thanks for sharing your perspective! It’s always interesting to see the different ways we see the same character :) /gen

[vampire-exgirlfriend]

You guys, what the fuck is up with the increase in stealing and plagiarising in this fandom lately? When did that become a thing that was okay to do?

The first time I was flat out plagiarized was almost four years ago in a different fandom. A well known author in that fandom took the first paragraph of a short one shot, one of the first things I’d ever posted and that I was incredibly proud of, switched a few words, and then used it as the summary for their slightly longer fic. They then went on to steal the premise of my ficlet and just…make it longer. This was brought up in a discord server a friend of mine was in that I wasn’t and the general consensus was “who would believe you? You’re nobody.” So I kept my mouth shut and I deleted my fic because seeing it made me feel like shit. Something similar then happened to a friend of mine with the titles of her fics being stolen, flat out and word for word, for the same characters. And again it was “no one will believe you.”

We shut up. We stuck it out. And then when it kept happening, to us and to others, we left that fandom.

I was so, so excited when HotD aired. I was back in my ASOIAF phase that had never actually ended. It was a new opportunity to make friends with common interests and my writing improved so much because of how passionate about the canon material I was. I have made some of the most incredible friends, like life-long, stay up all night talking, come to my house or let’s hang out when you’re in my state/country kind of friends. It’s pretty amazing. But this fandom is a whole different beast than any other I’ve been involved with. I have no idea if it’s the general age of the fandom, or the lack of prior fandom experience, or what us old people call the “tiktokifcation of fandom.” But it’s different. And while that’s usually a good thing, there are so many times when this has been awful. There is a huge lack of accountability here. People are stealing things. And the weirdest part is, they don’t care! It is plagiarism to have someone else's story opened while you write yours so that you can tone match the other writer. It is plagiarism to take people’s well thought out ideas and then use them beat for beat. I get it, it’s fic, nothing is wholly original, we are going to see idea recycling! That’s just fandom. But to model your entire story off of someone else’s is heinous. And it’s wrong. And this literally just happened to a very good friend of mine. When she mentioned she was uncomfortable with it and had blocked the person who did this, someone she considered a level headed mutual (who has recently admitted to plagiarising someone else themselves, mind you) told her that she was just drama baiting and didn’t have the right to be upset. The same thing happened to me with a now deleted creator who told me that she dragged me in her discord server and that her friends (all big name creators would essentially “black list me” for saying anything).

It’s not dramatic to not be okay with your work being stolen! This is a normal fucking reaction. In trad publishing or academia, this shit gets you banned, expelled, etc. It can ruin your life.

I received a slew of anons recently asking for help with graphic making and editing. And I was so excited about them. That shit is fun for me. We chatted for a while, with them on anon, and that was that. Until I got an anon letting me know that the person I was talking with was someone who had stolen ideas and storylines from me and other creators. So I looked, I asked friends to look, and the consensus was “yeah, this is fucking plagiarism, and it’s weird.” All of the edit stuff she’d asked about was used on an edit that was a direct rip off of my own. But I elected to not make a thing of it, to ignore it, to wash my hands of it because of the weird fucking trend of calling out theivery being labeled as drama baiting. And I didn’t want that, not after I had genuinely made the mistake of thinking that someone had stolen an idea from me when they hadn’t (calm down, we’re really close friends now). This person deleted their old blog and so I thought it was over. And then yesterday I got a dm from this new blog I didn’t even know existed accusing me of sending them harassing anons.

A blog, who had stolen from me and at least four other people, who had reached out to me on anon for help and ideas, that at this point I didn’t even know existed anymore, said they knew I was sending hateful anons accusing them of theft. I wasn’t, of course, because I had no idea they even existed, and it made no sense that I would even know they’d created another blog. I only found out about their new blog when they dm’d me from it. But they had obviously done this to enough people that they were now getting called out on it.

You guys, we have to fucking stop acting like this. This fandom needs to stop stealing from each other and eating our own. And if someone brings up that they’ve had an idea stolen, we need to take them seriously instead of insinuating they’re only attempting to cause drama. Stop sending people unhinged anons because you feel like you’re guilty of lifting from another creator and just work on creating something original. Writing is hard. Giffing and making edits is fucking hard. And no, nothing will ever be 100% original, that’s just impossible at this point, but stop fucking taking things that aren’t yours and claming them as your own. Do better. Grow up.

[maximoffcarter]

Switch.

Pairings: Casey Novak x Alex Cabot.

Summary: After having some control over Casey, Alex figures out that there is something that she'd like to try, something they had never talked about but her mind was now clouded with thoughts about it.

A/n: *coughs* So...here we are again. I uh...I don't think I have anything to say about this other than I'm...nervous about this one, I tried my best...you guys are insatiable and I love that. So, here is the smut you guys asked for. It's sort of a part 3 of 'Possessive little me', so let's hope you guys like this. A lil smut for the night🫢 If you got any more requests, please send them my way guys, either on my asks box or message me privately! Hope you guys enjoy this, leave comments, hearts, whatever you like and reblog so this gets some love🫶🏻

Part 1. | Part 2.

*not my gif.*

Alex chuckled softly as her eyes landed on Casey’s neck. “I sure hope makeup can cover up enough those marks. We wouldn’t want people to wonder what happened.” She raised her brow teasingly as she walked to unlock the door.

Casey sighed as she shook her head. “Can’t say I mind.” She smirked as she followed Alex.

To say that night had been eventful was an understatement. The next day Casey had put on as much make up as possible and even then, she felt the whole office staring at her, and not only that, but she had court most of the day so she would be running into probably two or three different judges, so she opted for a turtleneck shirt even if it wasn’t that cold. Alex teased her about it endlessly, asking in front of the squad why she had chosen a turtleneck on such a beautiful day and Casey would only stare at her with a defying look. And it wasn’t only the fact that Alex had left marks all over her body, but she was also so sore that she could barely stand in the uncomfortable heels, this little thing that had happened with Lake had given Alex everything to take control over Casey; and in all honesty, she was not complaining.

As in for Alex, after Casey had literally fallen asleep right after they were done, she stayed awake for a little longer, tracing patters in Casey’s naked back, smiling as she watched her sleep. Even after all these years, she was still surprised that someone like Casey would actually love her as much as Casey did. Alex knew Casey would do anything for her, she had her wrapped around her finger just like Casey had Alex wrapped around hers, she couldn’t be happier than she was. And thinking about the past events, she had to admit that she had surprised herself with how in control she had been, and most of all, that Casey had let her, giving up the idea that maybe after all, Casey liked the idea of Alex taking control of her at times, and Alex kept a note in her mind that she’d definitely do it more often.

A few weeks after that, they had both been loaded with cases, barely seeing each other during the day and too tired to do anything once they were home. But today, it seemed to be a calm day for Alex, and she took the opportunity to pay a visit to her girlfriend. She smiled softly as she stood at the door, finding Casey going through some files as she recited some words, most likely she was practicing either a closing or just the case. She knocked softly and her smile widened once green eyes found hers, that beautiful smile on her face as she stared at Alex.

“Hey. I thought I wouldn’t see you today either.” Casey smiled as she stood up, leaving the file on her desk.

Alex closed the door behind her and walked to Casey. “I finished some paperwork and don’t have to be in court yet, so I thought I’d at least see you and steal some kisses before I left.” She smiled softly as she wrapped her arms around Casey’s waist and pulled her against her body, leaning in and kissing her neck softly.

Casey bit her lip softly as she wrapped her arms around Alex’s neck. “You better not leave any marks there again, it was almost painful to have to wear turtlenecks for days.”

Alex chuckled softly as she looked up at Casey, biting her lip. “You should’ve shown them. You looked so hot with all those marks.”

“Oh, I’m sure you loved that.” Casey grinned as she leaned in and captured Alex’s lips in a slow kiss.

Alex sighed softly as her hand traveled up Casey’s back, pulling her impossibly close to her, moaning softly as Casey’s tongue grazed against her bottom lip and soon enough their tongues were fighting for dominance. They were really into the kiss that they didn’t notice the door opening, until they heard someone clearing their throat and both pulled apart, looking at the door and blushing hard as they found none other than Elizabeth Donelly.

“Do I need to give you two some rules? You didn’t have enough fun in high school?” Liz raised her brow as she walked to them, handing Casey a file. “So.” She smirked.

Alex furrowed her brows. “So…what?”

“I heard from a little bird that someone here is possessive. Are you possessive in bed too, Alex?” Liz smirked as she crossed her arms.

Alex blushed even harder as she stared at Liz. “I- uh…why would you-“

“No, I actually lead in bed.” Casey said casually as she looked into the file.

Alex turned to look at Casey and smacked her arm. “Casey!”

Casey chuckled softly as she looked up from the file. “Am I wrong?” She grinned.

“And who was in charge that one time here, huh?” Alex smirked.

Liz stared at the two of them, mouth agape. “I…” she sighed. “…can’t even say I’m surprised.” She shook her head. “But also…can’t say I’m surprised with this new discovery. Looks like what they said about you Casey is true.” She smirked playfully.

Casey turned to look at her confused. “What did they say?”

“Who’s they?” Alex furrowed her brows as she crossed her arms.

“That you’re such a…daddy.” Liz huffed a laugh as she gave Casey a teasing look.

“Daddy? The hell is that?” Casey laughed softly.

“Liz, who’s they?” Alex asked again, completely ignoring what she had said.

“Please, you’re gonna tell you’ve never heard of the term? C’mon, girls! I’m older than you and I already know it.”

“Wait…” Casey chuckled. “So…the kink. They think I’m daddy?” She laughed hard.

Alex still oblivious of the conversation, kept staring at Liz. “Who. Is. They?”

“They do. Heard it once or twice…they’re really into you, Casey.”

“That’s insane. I didn’t even know that was a thing for women.” Casey kept laughing.

“Right? But you’re it, Case. Own it.” Liz winked as she laughed with Casey.

“Who the fuck is they?!” Alex said as she frowned, looking between the two women.

Liz finally stared at Alex with a raised brow, a grin on her face. “The interns, Alexandra. And the squad has mentioned it too.” She huffed a chuckle. “I see why they say you’re all possessive.”

“Only if they knew that I am the daddy of the relationship.” Casey wrapped her arm around Alex’s waist and smirked, a playful stare on her face.

Alex exhales. “I swear you two…” she looked away as she tried to avoid them finding the redness in her cheeks. “You just fed her ego, thanks for that, Liz.” She shook her head as she looked at Casey.

“My pleasure.” Liz grinned as she walked to Casey, whispering in her ear but loud enough for Alex to hear. “Maybe you should give her some, so she calms down a bit, she looks like she needs it.” She smirked before she walked to the door and closes it.

“Jesus, Elizabeth!”

Casey laughs as she walked to the door and locked it, turning around to look at Alex. “I loved Liz’s idea.” She smirked playfully as she slowly walked to Alex.

“You’re insatiable. And a perv.” Alex shook her head as she stared into green eyes.

“You love it.” Casey said softly with a grin on her face, her hands going to Alex’s waist, pulling her impossibly closer to her body, leaning down and kissing Alex’s neck, earning a soft moan from Alex. “That’s what I thought.” She whispered softly as she nibbled and kissed on her pulse point.

“I have court in 15.” Alex breathed out as she bit her lip.

“Enough time for at least two rounds.” Casey smirked as she hopped Alex up in her desk, getting in between her legs.

Alex rolled her eyes playfully. “Cocky.” She grinned.

“What?” Casey laughed darkly. “My baby wants 3?” She raised her brow playfully, her voice huskier than usual.

“Shut up, Case.” Alex shook her head as she took her blazer off. “You have 14 minutes now. So shut up and fuck me.” She smirked.

“Yes, ma’am.” Casey knelt as she slipped her hands under Alex’s skirt to get to her underwear.

********************

After the cases that were given to Casey, Alex knew that Casey would be stuck in her office for at least another two to three hours, so she opted to go to the supermarket herself and get what they needed for the weekend. As she walked to the mall, she kept looking around at the stores and noted in her mind everything that she needed, and also her mind drifted from time to time to things that she didn’t need at all but still felt the need to buy. It wasn’t until her eyes landed on a particular store that it made her stop in her tracks; a sex shop. Her lips parting as her mind was clouded with not so innocent thoughts. For a moment she stopped and kept thinking if it was a good idea to go inside, she would only look and then leave, and she looked around as if someone was watching her. She then took a deep breath, and walked directly to the store, slowly walking in, and noticing that the store was almost empty, so she wouldn’t feel to embarrassed.

Her eyes wandered around the store, not even sure where she was supposed to go or what her eyes were looking for exactly. She started walking around the store; toys, clothes, lubes, cuffs, lingerie, there was so much that she felt a bit overwhelmed. They had never really talked about the use of toys or even to come to a store like this, they knew how to bring each other to their peak and that had been enough. But now, seeing all of these options, Alex couldn’t help but wonder if Casey would be up to use any of these things. Her eyes landed on a set of lingerie that she so wished that she could buy for Casey, they used these once in a while, to tease each other and it’d end up on the floor soon enough, and then her eyes landed on a particular item; a strap. She bit her lip as she looked at the variety of options and colors, for a moment her mind went to the wonderland and she pictured herself in it while Casey waited in bed for her, legs spread as she waited for Alex to-

“Hi, my name’s Rosie. Can I help you find anything in particular?” Rosie smiled softly.

Alex gulped as she looked at Rosie, suddenly feeling nervous. “I…uh…no. I mean…I’m just…looking.”

Rosie chuckled softly. “First time here?”

Alex huffed a chuckle. “That obvious?”

“No judging. It’s nice that people are opening up more to the idea of using toys and improve in their sex life.” Rosie grinned as she looked at the straps. “Those are good options. Personally…I’d go for that one.” She pointed to a purple one. “The harness won’t hurt you much around your hips, or your partners. It’s comfortable too.”

Alex felt her cheeks getting red as Rosie talked, her eyes on the toy as she bit her lip. “I’ve never…used any of these.”

“Well, people always go for the big things. They are eager. But personally, I’d go for that one. If you don’t actually want to use a strap, there are other options.”

Alex nodded as she gulped again. “I’ll…think about it.”

“You can find me if you do return.” Rosie smirked as she leaned closer. “I promise…you won’t regret it.” She then walked away from Alex.

Alex looked at the toy one last time before she turned and walked out of the store, walking to her destination. But now instead of focusing on the things she needed to buy, her mind was wandering again, and she couldn’t help but bit her lip and uncomfortably walk as she couldn’t stop the thoughts and images that appeared in her mind. She then made a note in her mind of bringing it up in a conversation.

********************

“Hey baby?”

Alex looked up from her laptop. “Yeah?”

“You forgot to buy some stuff for tomorrow’s dinner.” Casey said softly as she walked into the living room, raising her brow as she looked at Alex.

Alex sighed softly. “I’m sorry, I must have thought that I got everything, and I didn’t double check. I can buy them before I come home.”

Casey squinted her eyes as she looked at Alex. “You okay?” She walked to the couch and sat down beside Alex, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

Alex sighed again as she placed her laptop beside her, turning to look at Casey. “I might have been distracted when I went to the mall.” She bit her lip softly.

“Oh? By what?”

“Uh…” Alex looked down at her hands and fidgeting with her finger.

“I take it that it wasn’t by a piece of clothing.” Casey raised her brow. “C’mon baby, don’t get shy on me.”

“I went into a sex shop.” Alex snapped as she turned to look at Casey.

“Oh.”

“Exactly.”

Casey chuckled softly. “Why is that a bad thing? You saw something you liked?” She then paused. “Wait…you did. What was it?”

“Would you be up for toys? Like…I mean we use lingerie. But…we never talked about toys.”

Casey grinned. “I wouldn’t mind. If you’re up for it…I’m in.”

Alex smirked. “Really?”

Casey nodded. “Really.” She smiled softly and leaned in to peck her lips.

Alex bit her lip softly and leaned in this time to kiss Casey’s neck softly. “Good to know, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Casey bit her lip softly. “So, you not gonna tell me what you saw?”

Alex shook her head. “Nope. Not for now, at least.”

Casey rolled her eyes playfully. “Okay. Fair enough. Now, get your pretty ass up and let’s have dinner.” She stood up and extended her hand for Alex.

Casey was suddenly curious and got an idea of what it could possible be that Alex saw at the store, but she also knew that if she kept pushing, Alex would end up overthinking if it was a good idea, so she let the idea slip. They had never talked about using toys, which was true, Casey had always found some pleasure in using her mouth on Alex, and Alex was perfect with her fingers, and also her mouth; they both learned what they liked, and they learned how to please each other, so that was enough for them. But the idea of adding toys…any toys, it didn’t matter…she was excited about it.

********************

Casey closed the door behind her and literally kicked her heels off, along with her briefcase and her coat, not even caring where they landed. She walked around the apartment trying to find Alex, but the lights were out, except for their bedroom. Casey had told Alex that she’d be busy in court all day, and that she might get home a little late; it had seemed like Casey told Alex ‘baby, I’ll be all day in court, please send me teasing texts and don’t stop’. Casey’s phone was blasting with messages all day, no stopping. It was either messages or pictures that she accidentally opened during her short breaks. She didn’t blame her, Casey had done it before, Alex came back home and took her revenge, and now…it was Casey’s turn. Casey walked inside their bedroom and raised her brow as she found Alex in bed, a playful smirk on her face.

“Thought you’d be home late.” Alex smirked.

“I so happened to finish early.” Casey said in a low voice, almost whispering, taking in the appearance of Alex who had her robe on, and Casey was pretty sure that she either had a set of lingerie or she was completely naked.

Alex hummed. “Good for you.” She smirked. “Got my messages?”

“If this was your revenge…I can’t say I didn’t deserve it. But baby…” Casey exhaled. “…I almost got scolded by Petrovsky, I couldn’t take the images off my mind.” She wetted her lips as she stared into blue eyes.

Alex took off her glasses and placed them on the nightstand, crawling to where Casey stood at the end of the bed. “Oops?”

“Oops? Really?” Casey huffed a chuckle. “You got me all wet for the entire day.”

“Can I get a taste?” Alex smirked as she sat on her knees and pulled Casey’s by her pants, her hands going up Casey’s body.

“Wouldn’t you like that?” Casey smirked as her hands went to Alex’s middle, undoing the tie of the robe and opening it slowly, her eyes darting down, almost moaning at the sigh, her pupils dilatating. “I was hoping you’d use this one. You always look so hot in it.” She licked her lips slowly as she pushed the robe off her body.

“Thought you might like it.” Alex bit her lip as Casey’s hand landed on her hips, pulling Alex close to her body. She looked down and started unbuttoning Casey’s shirt slowly. “So…you didn’t answer me…can I get a taste?” She looked back up at Casey as she smirked, pushing the shirt down and throwing it to the floor.

Casey raised her brow as one of her hands traveled up Alex’s body, landing right between her boobs. “I first want to get a taste.” She grinned as her hands moved to Alex’s back to remove her bra slowly, throwing it to the floor and leaning down to move Alex’s hair back, kissing her bare shoulder.

Alex bit her lip as she tilted her head, giving Casey more access to kiss her. “Case…”

Casey grinned softly as she pulled away enough to get rid of her shirt. “Yes?”

“Just fuck me already.” Alex breathed out as she laid back down in bed, biting her lip as she stared at Casey.

Casey smirked and also got rid of her pants, staying only in her underwear as she crawled the bed, getting on top of Alex and leaning down to kiss her lips softly, but soon enough, the kiss became heated and messy. Alex’s hand moved to Casey’s hair and pulling her closer to her, her legs wrapping around Casey’s waist to pull her against her body and moaned when Casey started grinding on her. Casey’s tongue moved against Alex’s, both women enjoying every second of the kiss. Casey then pulled away and moved her lips down Alex’s jawline, kissing down her neck, licking and nibbling wherever her lips landed. Alex thrusted into Casey and moaned as Casey kept nibbling and licking on her neck, loving the feelings of her lips and tongue on her skin, the wetness between her legs growing even more.

Casey’s hand traveled down Alex’s body and played with the waistband, soon after moving right between Alex’s legs feeling the growing wet spot in her underwear and smirking as she licked her collarbone. “All this for me? Can’t wait to taste you.” She softly bit her shoulder, earning a whine mixed with a moan.

“Casey…I need you now.” Alex bit her lip softly as she looked at Casey.

“Getting there baby.” Casey returned to her lips and kissed her softly, her tongue diving into Alex’s mouth for a second before she pulled away and started kissing down her body.

Alex threw her head back as she felt Casey’s lips on her skin, stopping at her boobs to give her nipples some attention, licking and sucking while her hands worked on getting rid of Alex’s underwear. Casey looked down and smirked as she moved to completely remove it, throwing it to the floor. Her mouth watered at the sight of Alex completely naked, biting her lip at the sight of her glistening cunt. Casey returned her kisses to Alex’s body while her hands caressed her thighs, spreading her legs as she moved down. She kissed just above her clit and then moved to her thighs, giving open mouth kisses, looking up through her eyelashes to see Alex’s reaction. Casey softly bit the inside of her thigh and licking it to soothe the string as Alex groaned softly, her eyes never leaving Casey’s.

“Have I ever told you that I love the way you look like this?” Casey licked the inside of her thigh and smirked as Alex moaned softly.

“Case, please.” Alex moaned softly.

“As you wish, princess.” Casey smirked as she licked a stripe through her folds, earning a loud moan from Alex.

Alex’s hands went to Casey’s hair and pulled her closer, looking down at her and biting her lip, trying to swallow back her moans but her lips parting when Casey kept licking up and down. Casey attacked her pussy, moaning against it as Alex kept moaning her name and her grip on her hair tightened. Casey started teasing her entrance, spreading her wetness, making a mess in her lips. Soon after, her tongue slid inside her, making Alex grind her hips deeper, riding Casey’s face. The taste, the grinding, Alex’s moans, were literally making Casey feel hotter than she already was, her arms wrapping around Alex’s thighs to keep her in place.

It wasn’t long until Casey felt Alex’s grip tightening again, and that was when Casey slid in two fingers, making Alex’s back arche, moaning louder than before. Casey’s tongue spread more of her wetness until her tongue met Alex’s clit, wrapping her lips around it, and sucking it harshly as she kept pumping fast into Alex. Soon after, Alex pulled Casey impossibly closer to her, almost suffocating Casey as she kept her in place as she came, Casey helping her through it. Casey licked and swallowed every single drop, slowly taking her fingers out, she moved to kiss her thighs softly and then kissed her way up Alex who was a panting mess.

Casey grinned softly as she parted Alex’s lips with her soaked fingers, Alex wrapping her lips around it and sucking them clean, making Casey moan. “You were so good…so hot.” She smirked as she took them out and kissed Alex, their tongues dancing together.

Alex moaned against her lips and almost whined as Casey pulled away. She panted softly as Casey kissed her shoulder and then her neck, leaving soft kisses. Alex smiled softly. “I should tease you more often.” She chuckled.

“Only if you want to be punished next time. This time I was just eager to eat you out.” Casey grinned as she kissed Alex’s lips.

Alex moaned softly and then pulled away, biting her lip. “I got something.” She looked into green eyes nervously.

Casey raised her brow softly. “Oh?”

Alex took a deep breath and pushed Casey softly off her, getting up from the bed and looking into a bag that she left beside the bed. Casey furrowed her brows as she stared at every move that Alex made as she sat in bed, a little confused when she went into the bathroom. When Alex turned around, Casey’s lips parted in surprise, a gasp leaving her lips as she noticed the strap. Alex grinned softly at Casey’s reaction, thinking that maybe after all it hadn’t been a bad idea.

“I uh…I went back to the store today. I decided to buy it, but if you don’t want to try it, I completely-“

“I do.” Casey snapped.

Alex was a little taken aback by the quick response, staring at Casey as a grin appeared on her face. “You do?”

Casey looked up at Alex’s eyes, wetting her lips slowly as she nodded. “You know how hot you look? Like…you’re hot, always but…god, Alex. I want you to fuck me so badly.”

Alex smirked softly, tilting her head. “Get up…and take the rest of your clothes off.” Her voice suddenly became raspy as she stared at Casey.

Casey’s pupils dilated even more as she heard Alex, getting up and taking off her bra and underwear, never taking her eyes away from Alex. Alex slowly walking to bed and sitting down, leaning her back against the headboard, her eyes roaming down Casey’s body as she bit her lip. The idea of having total control, of Casey listening to her and obeying was driving her crazy. Casey finally crawled to bed and raised her brow curiously, wondering what was going to happen next, feeling her body shivering in anticipation.

Alex ran her fingers through Casey’s hair, her hand grabbing a handful of hair and pulling Casey’s face to her, making her gasp softly. “I want you to ride me.” She whispered softly as she kissed Casey’s lips.

Casey moaned softly against her lips and nodded, pulling away slowly. She moved slowly to Alex’s lap but was stopping by Alex’s hand on her hips, one of her hands moving between Casey’s legs, making her gasp softly and grind on Alex’s hand as she moved her fingers in Casey’s heat, spreading the wetness. Alex chuckled softly and leaned in to kiss Casey’s neck.

“All this for me? And I haven’t even touched you.” Alex whispered as she kissed her way up Casey’s ear, nibbling her earlobe. “I don’t even think we’ll need the lube.”

At her words, Casey moaned and threw her head back. “Please.” She breathed out softly.

“Please what, Case?” Alex grinned.

“Please…fuck me.” Casey looked down at Alex as she bit her lip.

Alex chuckled darkly as she nodded. “As you wish.” She whispered with a playful grin on her face, repeating Casey’s words from earlier.

Alex brought her fingers to her mouth and licked them clean before she grabbed the plastic cock and pulled Casey down, enough for Alex to start rubbing the toy in her wetness. Casey moaned a little louder as she felt the toy in her entrance, grinding her hips softly, making Alex chuckle darkly again as she saw how eager she was to have the toy inside her. Alex finally placed the toy in Casey’s entrance and started pulling her down, her lips parting at the sight of the toy disappearing, Casey throwing her head back and moaning loudly, her hands going to Alex’s shoulder to steady herself as she fully sat down in Alex’s lap.

“Good?” Alex asked softly as she looked up at Casey.

Casey nodded softly as she looked down at Alex, a whimper leaving her lips. “Yes.” She breathed out.

Alex nodded softly and started moving her hips up and down, Casey feeling the toy moving inside of her, Alex’s name leaving her mouth in whimpers as she started moving. Alex leaned in and started kissing Casey’s neck and nibbling, one of her hands going to Casey’s back to pull her close to her body. The sounds that left Casey’s mouth were music to her ears, feeling every thrust that Casey made only made her want more. At some point, Casey’s started moving at a certain rhythm that the end of the toy started hitting Alex’s clit, making her moan and gasp softly at the feeling. Alex’s lips wrapped around Casey’s nipple, sucking it softly and twirling her tongue around it, one of Casey’s hands going to Alex’s hair to pull her closer to her, turning her on even more at the feeling of her mouth on her.

“You’re doing so well, baby.” Alex’s voice became raspier, full of lust and need as she matched the pace of Casey’s thrusts.

Casey moaned louder and tightened her grip on both Alex’s hair and shoulder. “Alex…I-I’m gonna…” her breath became heavy as she spoke, unable to finish her sentence.

Alex nibbled on Casey’s neck, her arm wrapping around Casey’s waist to hold her in place as they both thrusted their hips. “Come for me, my love…” She breathed out as she felt herself closer too.

Casey leaned her head down to kiss Alex, the kiss was messy and sloppy as they both moaned, coming together in synchrony, breathing heavily against each other’s lips. Casey wrapped her arms around Alex’s shoulders to pulled her close to her, her chest rising up and down as she tried to catch her breath, her whole body shivering as she came down from her orgasm, Alex still moved slowly to help Casey ride down her orgasm. She huffed a chuckle as she looked into green eyes, one of her hands going to Casey’s face to move some of the hairs that were sticking to her sweaty forehead, softly caressing her cheek as she pulled her down to kiss her lips softly.

“Such a good girl.” Alex smirked as she kissed her jaw and down her neck.

Casey panted as she looked at Alex. “That was…good choice.” She huffed a laugh as she placed her hands on Alex’s neck to bring their lips back together.

Alex bit her lip. “I think you have one more in you.” She whispered softly.

Casey’s heart skipped a beat as she looked into ocean blue eyes, a grin forming in her face. “Maybe so.” She bit her lip.

Alex smirked and in a quick move, she had Casey lying down in bed and Alex was now on top of her. She leaned down to kiss her lips passionately, swiping her tongue against Casey’s bottom lip, Casey rapidly giving her access and moaning as their tongues brushed against each other’s. When air became an issue, they pulled away and Alex’s lips soon found Casey’s neck, licking her way down until she got to her collarbone. She pulled away enough to look down at the toy, rubbing it against Casey’s pussy in a slow motion, soon after, she inched it slowly into Casey, grinning softly as Casey’s mouth fell open and a loud moan came out of her.

Alex started moving her hips slowly at first creating a steady rhythm and with each thrust, Casey moaned even more, pulling Alex down to kiss her again. The kiss was once again messy, Alex swallowing Casey’s moans as she moved faster, Casey could feel her walls clenching around the toy as Alex thrusted deeper, soon finding her g-spot. Casey gasped loudly as her nails slowly scratching their way down Alex’s back.

“A-Alex…oh god…I’m gonna…I’m so c-close…” Casey moaned as she wrapped her legs around Alex’s waist.

“Go ahead, baby. I wanna hear you.” Alex kissed her way down Casey’s neck and bit in between her neck and shoulder.

“Fuck!” Casey moaned loudly as she felt once again her orgasm hitting, trying to keep Alex in place.

Alex moved slowly to help Casey ride down her second orgasm, peppering her neck with kisses, licking the bite that she had just made. She moved up to kiss her cheek and then her lips softly. She smiled softly as Casey breathed heavily, kissing her nose and her sweaty forehead. Casey opened her eyes to look up at Alex, panting softly as her hand went to Alex’s cheek, moving her hair away and bringing her down for a kiss. Their lips moved slowly against each other, the kiss being tender and full of love.

Alex smiled softly. “You okay?”

Casey nodded softly as she smiled, still panting. “I am…just…don’t move yet.” She huffed a chuckle. “Feels nice.”

Alex grinned softly as she kissed her nose. “Tell me when.”

They stayed like that for a few more minutes until Casey told Alex that it was okay to move, groaning softly as she lost the feeling of the toy inside her. Alex took off the harness and placed it on the night stand, thinking that she’d take care of it later. She moved to the empty side of the bed and pulled Casey to her, wrapping her arms around her as she kissed her head softly, Casey sighing happily as she laid her hand on Alex’s chest, but not before she kissed her neck softly.

Alex smirked as she chuckled. “So…who’s the daddy now?”

Casey slapped Alex’s arm as she laughed. “Fuck you.” She said between laughs.

“Oh, you wanna go for a third round? Insatiable, baby.” Alex playfully said as she laughed.

Casey shook her head as she looked up at Alex. “That was great. But you gotta let me rest, Cabot.” She then nibbled on her lip as her hand caressed Alex’s chest. “I also wanna try it.” She smirked.

“You’ll have your turn.” Alex chuckled as she leaned down to kiss her lips softly.

[thosefuzzywordfeelings]

if ur still doing requests, can i request asking baron to go down on you for the first time? like it’s all you can think about and you’re so needy for him?

side note: i loved your little baron ice cream one shot, there needs to be more baron out there 🧡

lemonade in the summer

cw; oral sex (f receiving), dry(ish) humping, that’s about it 😮‍💨✨

“It’s okay Mama. You just eat on up now, alright? We’re right here.” Baron spoke softly, holding the Moon Pie against his mother’s mouth as she took a medicated bite. His friend was sat on the stool at the end of Eda’s bed, rubbing her feet in place of Baron as he was on Pleonexia duty. Eda was a kind spirit, giving Baron the love he’d deserved that he didn’t often find elsewhere. Eda deserved to feel loved back, and as soon as Baron had introduced his mother to her; she was more than willing to help out with her comfort.

“I’m getting cold Baron, hurry up.” She giggled, sitting on the sofa with her knees tucked under her chin, waiting for him to bring the freshly warmed blanket. An old black and white movie played on the television as he came in, getting himself tangled up as he tried to spin around and sit down with the blanket.

“Oh god, nope, my legs - can you - no I’ve got it, I’ve got it.” He mumbled as he untangled his own ankles from the blanket and sat down next to her, finally draping it over the two of them with a smile. He chuckled nervously as this was the first time she’d stayed over at his house. They’d hung out plenty a time before; as she came over to ride bikes with Baron, helping him with Eda if he needed it. But the wind had picked up outside and the clouds were a sullen gray, omens before a big storm.

“I got a bed you can sleep in and we got some eggs I can make ya in the mornin’…don’t you worry now about headin’ out in them storms.” He’d said a few hours prior. Now here they were, snuggled up under a blanket as the wind picked up even more and the lamplight flickered inside. He’d let her borrow a grey t-shirt and some boxers - unused secret santa from the postal office apparently - and she couldn’t have been more cosy. So much so, that whatever the Transatlantic accents were talking about on the TV had drifted through one ear and out the other, her mind focused only on the sweet man next to her.

“You bored?” Baron mumbled, noticing her eyes on him. She chuckled, a gentle hand squeezing his thigh playfully as he sat cross-legged beside her.

“No, not bored. Very, very comfortable though. I feel so cosy like this. Thanks for letting me stay.” She said sweetly, smiling gratefully at him as he stared at her with a look of content.

“You’re uh, you’re very welcome. Gotta keep you safe and all, you’re mine to protect.” He mumbled, tucking a strand of his hair behind his ear. Moving his hand away, she tucked the other side of hair behind his other ear.

“I’m yours?” She said quietly, the arduous heaviness of what he’d just admitted only just hitting her. Baron’s eyes widened a little as he shuffled nervously. Had he wanted to wait longer to say that to her? Maybe. Nonetheless, he nodded.

“I - I just thought - you could be. I’d be the happiest man on this here Earth if I had someone like you to walk on it with.” He said gently, watching the curvature of her mouth as she leaned in a little closer to him.

“It would be an honour to be yours, Baron.” She whispered, pressing her lips to his gently, not initiating anything other than closeness; until his hands came to the back of her head and pulled her into him further. Collapsing back against the arm of the couch, Baron pulled her with him, as the pair adjusted their legs so she was suddenly straddled directly over his hips.

“I could, I would like that. Me and you makes a great team, I reckon.” Baron mumbled again, his smile gleaming as he looked up at her. She nodded, kissing him again as her hands tugged into his hair. I’m insatiable, she thinks to herself as she ground herself down against his ache. He clears his throat, pulling back to look down at where their bodies were rolling against each other.

“You, uh, you’re - gettin’ me all turned on honey.” Baron whispers, looking back up into her eyes. His fingertips press firmly into the spongy flesh of her waist, pulling and pushing her back and forth against him.

“Is that okay?” She whispered, trying not to let her breath hitch at the pressure between her legs. He nodded, his puppy dog eyes darting between her winding hips and her sweet face.

“I - been thinkin’ about touchin’ you for a long time sweetheart. Can I?” He asked quietly, hissing slightly as she pushed her hips down a little harder.

“Yeah. You can touch me however you want.” She mumbled back, her fingertips trailing along the collar of his shirt and slipping it down his shoulders. He shrugged it off, throwing it to the floor before gaining a sliver of confidence and laying her body back against the couch. His eyes flickered with want, a look she hadn’t seen on his face yet. He looked hungry.

“What do you, uh, what do you like? Do you want my hands on you, or I - I can kiss you again?” He stuttered a little, clearly holding back on something. His eyes darted to the hem of his t-shirt as it rode up on her thighs, her bare legs resting atop his. There was something behind those golden eyes, something that he’d seen maybe, or heard of. Something he wanted to do, and to her.

“What’re you thinking, Baron? What do you want?” She asked softly, pulling the hem of his shirt further up her legs, letting it bunch up against her tummy. His light blue boxers she’d borrowed now had a significant darker patch on them thanks to their friction moments before; Baron’s mouth dropping open as he stared. His hands wasted no time at pushing her inner thighs open further as he leant down to look closer at the navy patch before him.

“You. I want you. I reckon you want me too darlin’. Look at you. You’ve done made a little mess on yourself.” He spoke with an unfamiliar tone. Baron was unbearably aroused, the fabric of his pants strained as he laid on his stomach, his elbows resting against the plushness of her thighs. So close to where she needed him, she could feel his breath.

“Please.”

“Please what, darlin’? Let me help you.” Baron replied, almost whining. Her thumbs snuck into the sides of the boxer waistline, pushing them down as Baron got the hint; fumbling to help her get rid of them. When they’d finally been thrown somewhere too, she spread her legs again; sticky trails of arousal stringing between her thighs. Baron groaned, his voice cracking as he settled on his stomach again.

“Baron, please put your mouth on me.” She whispered almost inaudible as he wet his lips, his eyes never leaving between her thighs.

“Tell me what to do sweetheart, I - I don’t know - I want you to feel good.” He stumbled over his words, desperate to put his mouth on her. He looked up at her face, the swell of her bottom lip as it was released from the holds of her teeth, the way her eyelids were half open, listening weighing them down. He wanted to make her feel as heavenly as she looked.

“Have you ever - you know, used your mouth on someone before?” The soft voice from his muse spoke, sending electric trickles down the back of his neck. Baron had barely even seen a woman’s body this close, let alone interacted with one like this. He shook his head, a pink tinge scattering across his cheeks and his neck.

“I have not. But I - I thought about it. I know I wanna. And I’ll do anythin’, anythin’ to make you feel that real good feeling.” Baron muttered sweetly, irises growing darker as his mind imagined the sweet chorus that would erupt from her throat. He could smell her arousal, pheromones dancing upon his olfaction as he looked at the way her lips glistened in the lamplight.

“Please.” He repeated her begs from earlier, wanting nothing more than to taste her. His mind was clouded with hormones, his cock crying its own mess into the front of his pants.

“Be gentle okay? Just do what you think is be- oh my god -“ Her instructions were cut off as Baron immediately wrapped his lips around her eager clit, eyes looking straight up at hers to see if that was the right move to make. He pulled away, licking gentle stripes along her glittering slit and collecting any trails of arousal she’d already made. And he was right. The sounds that were coming from her mouth reminded Baron he needed thank the lord later for letting her out of heaven for just a moment; sucking and kissing at the spots that made her gasp and hiss in a breath.

“You’re - you’re doing really good, Baron - just keep - fuck, keep going -“ She whispered breathily, her hands gripping at her own chest and thighs. Baron hummed against her at the praise, his hands reaching up to take hers away from scratching her own skin in pleasure; intertwining their fingers together as she squeezed his.

“Taste as good as a cold lemonade on a summers day, angel.” Baron mumbled against her lips, his tongue pointing strong and dipping inside her for a moment before flicking over and suckling her clit again. She giggled for a second at his comment before a guttural moan left her throat, hips bucking up against his tongue.

“You’re getting me real close, Baron - you’re doing so -“ Her sentence left unfinished as she whimpered out. Barons eyes flickered up to hers as he realised he must’ve hit a sweet spot. Just on the left, keep going Baron, he thought to himself as he sucked harder against her. Subconsciously, his hips had started rolling down against the couch cushions, as he let go of one of her palms for a minute, reaching underneath himself to unzip his pants and free his cock just enough.

Her eyes rolled back as she watched his hips grind down into the cushions, knowing he was getting off on tasting her made me her thighs tremble.

“You okay?” Baron asked suddenly as he noticed her trembling around his head, as her spare hand gripped his hair and pulled his mouth back on her again.

“I’m gonna cum - so don’t stop doing that okay?” She groaned out, her hips winding against his soaked lips. He followed her movements with his own hips, the head of his cock conveniently pushing between the centre parting of the couch cushions as it brought a guttural moan out of his own throat. The vibrations of his pleasure brought her right to her edge.

Bucking a little faster against his mouth, Baron matched her pace too, fucking into the couch like his life depended on it - while his lips suctioned harder around her clit, his tongue rolling against it in his mouth. With a few ‘mhm’s into her, she finally let go; the intense fuzz bursting from her groin as she began to pulsate against his mouth and chin.

She tried to keep quiet but the moans tumbled from her lips; setting off Baron’s own high as he too throbbed through waves of pleasure right against the couch. He could feel the ribbons of cum against his lower tummy, sticky and warm but his mind focused on the pulsation of his angel’s body between his lips. She rocked her hips a few more times, prolonging the climax as she looked down at him.

Baron had his eyes closed as he tongue-kissed her clit lazily, too afraid to look up at her incase he burst again and soaked the couch through to the floor.

“Jesus Christ…” She breathed out, sitting up on her elbows as she lightly pushed his forehead away.

“No, just me.” Baron replied as he sat up sheepishly, his softening cock sticky and exposed between the open zipper of his pants. She couldn’t believe her eyes at the sight before her, his pretty lips shiny and swollen with her cream; while his pretty cock lay against the fabric of his pants, also covered in his own spend.

“I - just - you felt so - tasted so nice and those noises you were making sounded like something baby Jesus would’ve heard at his own birthday party- I’m sor-“ Baron rambled, cut off by her mouth on his, tongue tangling with his as she tasted herself on his tongue. They moaned cacophonous against each other, pulling away to catch a breath they felt like they’d been holding since they first met.

“Will you let me do that again to ya? I think oxygen in the air ain’t never gonna taste right, unless I taste you first.” Baron mumbled sweetly, his hands interlocking with hers. She nodded in awe, as the sounds of the evening storm outside came to light again, as well as some fresh coughs from Mama Eda. Bursting the erotic bubble they’d been in for a while, Baron tucked himself back into his pants with a slight wince at the stickiness.

“I’m gon’ sort Mama out.” He said quickly, standing up on weak legs. She grabbed his wrist softly, standing up next to him and kissing him deeply one more time.

“I’ll help you. After that? I’ll do anything for you.”

[wooahaes]

a love that burns brightly

pairing: non-idol!s.coups x gn!reader

genre: fluff. domestic fic. established relationship.

word count: 1.0k~

warnings: reader has a side business selling candles. mentions of hot wax (being melted).

daisy's notes: me as i restrain myself from writing husband!cheol again bc i feel like im too predictable-

If there was one thing you could say about your boyfriend, it was that he probably advertised your side business more than you did. 

Candle-making had started as something you did kind-of for fun. Sure, you sold your candles from the very beginning, but it was more-so because you needed some way of recouping the money you sunk into it. And, sure, it was only a side business that took up… a lot more time than you liked admitting. But that was what your days off were for: dedicating as much time as you needed to make your candles and restock the online store. This time of year was always your busiest for a reason (Holiday scents! Sales! Clear your inventory so you can start fresh in the new year!), and that meant Seungcheol stayed over at your apartment a lot more… especially when he came in with a list.

He’d been reading it off to you as you moved about your kitchen (your center of operations, so to speak), “Jeonghan said he loved the cinnamon candle you gave him. Joshua liked the pine one, and I thought we could maybe throw in an extra? I’ll pay for it. And Jun…”

All of this was what he’d pulled together over the past week. You’d told Seungcheol that if he wanted to sell to his coworkers that it’d be fine (considering how often he bragged about your work), but yesterday was the deadline for any orders. Of course… You didn’t expect him to manage to get every single person he was close to to buy at least one. Even that Vernon guy, who apparently bought three—two for his parents and one for his own girlfriend(slash-his-own-apartment since they lived together).

You looked up from the double boiler you were using to melt wax. “Cheollie?”

He stopped mid sentence, right about to tell you what he’d convinced Jihoon to order, “Yes?”

“Why don’t you live here?” The two of you had been together for almost two years at this point—although you’d known him for longer.

He made his way over to you, setting the list down closer. “Don’t you remember?” He leaned against your fridge. “You said you didn’t want to live with anyone for a while.”

Your brows drew together. When did you…? And then it clicked. Back when you first met Seungcheol (through Joshua—he went to the same gym as you, and one music-based conversation was enough to make the two of you friends), he’d said something about his own roommate at the time. You’d admitted that that was the exact reason why you weren’t going to live with anyone for a while. You made enough to support yourself: why not enjoy the solitude?

(“Even if you’re dating someone?” Joshua had said, nudging you as he kept stealing glances at Seungcheol.

“I mean, maybe eventually, but the right person isn’t going to force themselves in unless it’s an emergency,” you had shrugged in response. “I don’t mind sharing my space if I need to, but… I like living alone right now.”)

“I mean… Yeah… But…” You avoided his gaze, stirring the mixture with your silicone spatula to try and help it melt more evenly. “I just thought we’d talk about it at some point.”

He crossed his arms. “Honey?” 

“Hm?”

“Is this your way of asking me to move in?” 

One glance at Seungcheol was enough to tell you he was thoroughly enjoying the idea of making you admit it. Another slow stir, and you nodded after a moment. “Maybe.”

“Is it?” He pushed a little further, and you swore you could hear his smile in his words alone. “Do you want me to?”

“Can it be your Christmas gift?”

He let out a soft chuckle. “If you want. My lease isn’t up for a few months, but I’d love to move in when it’s up.”

You hid a smile. “Can you get the jars from my office? You’ll have to center the wicks when it’s time, too.” 

Seungcheol stepped forward, pressing a quick peck against your cheek. “Whatever you need me to do,” he turned. You listened as he walked out, yet still spoke loud enough for you to hear him, “Can I get one for free?”

“Aren’t you sick of them by now?”

You heard the sound of glass clinking together as Seungcheol heaved the box into his arms, making his way back in, “I’m not moving in for a few months,” he said. “And you usually have one burning here…”

Fair enough. “You can get one of the leftovers.”

“Deal.” He set the box at his feet as he began to pull the jars out, setting them out. “I know I’ve said it before, but… I’m proud of you.”

“Cheollie—”

“No, really,” he said. “I am. You work full time and you do this as a side business because you love it. If you ever wanted to quit and do this full time… I’d be happy to support you.”

“I like my job,” you shrugged. “I like this, too, but I’m happy with the balance I have now. Especially when I have this guy who comes around sometimes to help me…”

He smiled, setting another jar down. “Is he handsome?”

“I think he’s pretty sexy, yeah,” you giggled. “I think you know him, actually. His name is Yoon Jeonghan—”

Seungcheol almost elbowed you playfully, only stopping because of the hot wax in front of you. “You’re so mean to me,” he pouted. “Right after you were begging me to move in, too.”

“I wasn’t begging.”

Seungcheol chuckled again. “Sure you weren’t.” He let out a blissful sigh. “So… What scent is this batch going to be again?”

“I dunno. What scent did Yoon Jeonghan want again?”

Wax be damned. He turned, immediately pulling you in for a quick kiss, and you could feel him smile against your lips as you giggled. Honestly, you couldn’t wait until he moved in with you officially.

(... And maybe you’d text that to Jeonghan so he could get in on teasing Seungcheol, too.)

taglist: @twancingyunhao @wonuziex @synthetickitsune @staranghae @porridgesblog @weird-bookworm @bangchansbae @laylasbunbunny

[zepskies]

Never Say Goodbye - Bonus Track #1

Pairing: Dean W. x Female Reader 

Summary: The first time you and Dean sensed each other’s thoughts and feelings, you were just kids. It would take years to realize that you both were bonded for life, and even longer to finally meet. [Soulmate AU] (18+)

AN: The "Bonus Tracks" have arrived! AKA: Sequels to “Never Say Goodbye.”

I have two parts in the wings for you, but let's start with Part 1...

Word Count: 4,500 Tags/Warnings: Angst, supernatural shenanigans, death, cavity-inducing fluff (all to come through Parts 1 & 2)

Bonus Track #1: Disturbing the Peace

Dean walked into the bullpen of the Sioux Falls Police Department with a file in hand.

He went into one of the holding cells, where his latest perp was waiting for him with a salty attitude and an untouched paper cup filled with water.

“Jessie Deluca. Thirteen years old, already with two priors for petty theft,” Dean read off the file.

“Wasn’t me,” the kid said coolly.

Dean flashed Jessie a wry smile and sat across from him at the table.

“Sticking gum in the camera lens is creative, I’ll admit. But the nice old man who owns the 7-Eleven recognized your jacket,” Dean said, gesturing at the kid’s dark red hoodie. “Maybe next time don’t dress like a fire hydrant.”

“Plenty of people could have this jacket. Not like it’s Prada or anything,” said Jessie. He was stubborn, crossing his arms in the way only punk-ass kids could accomplish. “Besides, you’re not allowed to question me without my mom here, dipshit. I’m guessing you’ve been a cop for all of what, five minutes?” 

Dean’s expression flattened into a more wan smile. “Oh, your mom’s on the way. We’re just chattin’.”

“Well I don’t feel like talking to a dumbass plebe,” Jessie quipped, with all due snark.

“All right, kid, listen the hell up,” Dean said more sharply. His gaze tightened with sternness. He glanced behind him, where he suspected your father Jack was watching. Dean was often partnered up with Jody, but she was out sick today. Which meant he had “the hawk” watching his every move.  

Dean leveled the kid with a look.

“Fact is, you’ve got three strikes here, Jessie,” he said. “Now, you were dumb enough to go in with a gun. And we will find where you stashed it.”

Jessie snorted in response.

“…But you’re lucky,” Dean said. “No one got hurt this time. Problem is, at the rate we’re going here, you’re not gonna make it to next time.”

Jessie seemed to pause at that. But after a moment of indecision, he leaned forward on his crossed arms on the table.

“What part of ‘you can’t talk to me’s not getting through your thick head, Hasselhoff?”

Dean frowned, but before he could lose his temper, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He looked down and realized you were texting him.

Hey, sorry I’m going to be late tonight, you said.

Dean raised a finger at the kid. “I’ll be back.”

Jessie gave him a whatever look. Dean waited until his back was turned to roll his eyes. He exited the holding cell and found Jack on the other side.

“Kid’s a piece of work,” Dean said.

“Remind you of anybody?” Jack asked slyly.

Dean scoffed. “Maybe. I’ll be back, but let me know if his mom shows up.”

Jack nodded, and it gave Dean leave to get back to his desk and call you back. It took you so long to answer that he thought you almost wouldn’t.

“Hey, baby,” you greeted. It brought a small smile to his face.

“Hey. How’s work goin’?”

“It’s ridiculous. Jerry wants fifty new books logged and shelved by the end of the day. And we’re getting a new shipment in tomorrow,” you replied. “…Well, they’re not new. They’re ancient. Transferred from a museum that closed in Boise. But you get the idea.”

Dean’s smile threatened to grow, but it faded when he remembered why he needed to check in on you.

“Is that why you’re getting in late again tonight?” he asked.

“No, I promised I’d help Jason with his applications for grad school,” you said, making Dean frown.

“Who the hell is Jason?”

“Remember? Mrs. Jenkins’ grandson?”

Dean’s frown deepened. “No, that guy? Come on. You already helped him with, uh, cleaning out his grandma’s apartment, right?”

“Yeah, because she died, Dean.”

“Then it was cleaning out his apartment.”

“So he could move into her apartment,” you pointed out. “That he inherited upon her death.”

“And now you’re gonna go over there and share a screen all night?” Dean didn’t like that thought. Not one bit. “I don’t trust him, babe. He’s shifty.”

“Dean,” you tried patiently. “We practically grew up in the neighborhood together. I’m just helping him out because he’s gone through a rough time.”

Dean quieted. He still wasn’t totally on board, but he didn’t want to sound like a needy bitch either.

“All right, whatever,” he said.

“Don’t ‘whatever’ me,” you cajoled. “I’ll see you later tonight.”

“Right.” Perhaps he was a bit grumpy, but he felt justified. Due to both of your schedules, he hadn’t even shared a meal with you all week.

“Okay, I have to get back to work. Bye!” you said, hanging up shortly after. Dean didn’t have a chance to reply.

He sighed, pocketing his cell.

He returned to Jessie, where he noticed the water cup was now drained.

“Having fun?” he asked the kid.

“About as fun as you look right now. What, fight with your girlfriend?” Jessie sassed.

Dean gave him a flat look.

Jessie smirked. “Ah, definitely a fight.”

Dean sighed. “Wasn’t fight, just…you know what, mind your business.”

He discreetly checked his phone again, seeing if you’d sent him any other messages. But the kid had sharp eyes. He peered over the table at Dean’s background.

It was one he’d taken on his first date with you. Really, he’d surprised you with the picture when you two got to the restaurant.

You were trying to fix your hair after the wind had mussed it up. But at the angle he took it, you looked equal parts adorably confused, playfully amused, and sexy in your black suede dress and wind-swept hair. 

“She’s hot,” Jessie nodded.

“Shut up,” Dean said, locking and pocketing his phone. “What’re you, like twelve? And still stealing Twix at the gas station? Do better, dude.”

“Too hot for you, even,” the kid continued, as if Dean hadn’t spoken. “Probably downloading another guy’s hard drive, if you know what I mean.”

“All right, smartass. That’s enough,” Dean said, with a more irritated frown.

That was when Jack came into the holding cell, escorting a woman inside.

“Jessie’s mother, Ms. Sandy Deluca,” Jack said.

“Just Sandy, please. You don’t have to remind me about the deadbeat I married,” she said, giving Dean a cursory (but appreciative) once-over. He gave her a thin smile.

He had to assume she was in her forties, but she also looked rough, and smelled like the crusty bowels of a bar.

“And you. What the fuck’re you doin’, huh?” Sandy bat her son across the back of her son’s head. Jessie flinched and withdrew inside, more like the child he actually was.

Dean noted all of this, sharing a subtle frown with Jack. Both men sat down across from mother and son and explained that Jessie was suspected of robbing a 7-Eleven at gun point. The owner saw him take off. And at some point, before Dean caught him, the kid managed to toss his gun.

“It’s only a matter of time before we find it. And if the prints match, that’s it,” Jack said. “Jessie gets booked for a felony charge.”

“He ain’t did it though. You don’t even have him on tape,” Sandy said. “All you got is one senile old man.”

She had a point, but not one Jack or Dean were willing to concede.

“If he admits what he did, we can work with him,” said Jack. “Maybe the felony charge gets dropped down to petty theft, and he probably only does a short stint in juvenile detention.” 

Dean stared at Jessie, his thin, boyish face, his sandy brown hair, and shuttered eyes. And maybe Dean saw a bit too much of himself.

He tapped Jack’s elbow beneath the table, earning the man’s attention.

“Well, we’ll let you think on it for a few minutes,” Jack said. He got up along with Dean and headed outside the cell. They were able to look in through the one-way window.

“What’s the matter, Dean?” Jack asked.

“We can’t hold him. Not for long, unless the gun shows up,” Dean pointed out. “He stole, what, thirty bucks in bread, cans of tuna, three Twix bars? He’s a punk, but he’s not a killer. He’s just hungry.”

Jack considered this with a sigh through his nose.

“Yeah. But it’s his third strike on theft. This time he took a piece. Armed robbery, even for a kid…that’s gonna require jail time,” he said.

“Okay, how about this. Why don’t we let him go for now, hook him again when we find the gun?” Dean suggested.

“And maybe we don’t look too hard for it. That what you’re trying to tell me?” Jack asked.

Dean just held the other man’s gaze, leaving the decision up to him. But Jack had come to know his future son-in-law too well for that.

He sighed again. “All right, we’ll let him go. For now. But this is his last chance.”

Dean called his brother on the way home from work, tired, but ultimately in a better mood than he had been after talking to you.

“Hey, Dean.”

“Hey, Sammy. How’s the Big Apple?”

“Musty,” Sam said with a chuckle. “But good. Eileen and I are headed to a Broadway show tonight, to celebrate the end of semester.”

Dean smiled at that. Trust Sam to find his soulmate in a subway station. And trust the universe to land his brother with another hunter.

Or a huntress, as Dean had teased him. A banshee had killed her parents when she was a baby, and had rendered her deaf in the process. A hunter had raised her, and Eileen had continued the family business into adulthood, all the while looking for the creature that had killed her parents.

When she met Sam, however, he of course wanted to help her. He even took a week off school once they tracked the banshee to Lebanon, and helped her kill the thing himself. Now though, Sam had been subtly trying to convince her to retire from the hunting life. To build a life with him.

But, as always with hunters, Eileen seemed wary of fully committing to leave the life she’d always known.

Dean could understand that.

“That’s right! My smart-ass brother got all A’s in lawyer school,” he said. “I should get one of those bumper stickers.”

Sam scoffed. “Right, like you’d tape up the Impala like that.”

Dean grinned. “Anyway, end of semester, huh? That mean you’re coming back home soon?”

“Not this weekend, but the week after. Just in time to help you guys prep for the wedding,” said Sam. “It’s like, what, three weeks out?”

“And counting,” Dean replied. He couldn’t believe it was getting this close either.

“Eileen and I’ll stay with Bobby though. We don’t want to crowd your apartment,” Sam said. “How’s everything going, by the way? How is she?”

Dean huffed. “She’s probably just fine.”

“Probably?” Sam noted. “What’s going on?”

Dean was reluctant to talk about it, but his brother knew him too well to just let it go. He prodded until Dean had no choice but to spill it.

“The wedding’s just got her all over the place. Plus her job’s got her working evening shifts half the week sometimes,” Dean said. “And when she’s not doing that, she’s volunteering herself all over the damn neighborhood…”

Dean chuckled dryly then, realizing how much he sounded like a needy chick right now.

“I don’t know,” he said. “God, I sound like a freakin’ sap.”

“No. It sounds like you miss her,” Sam said.

“Hmm,” Dean nodded. He popped a frozen dinner into the microwave and watched it spin. “Yeah, probably.”

A lot, a voice in his mind corrected. He knew he didn’t have to say it for Sam to get the picture.

“Just tell her how you feel, man,” Sam said. “You know for a fact that there’s nothing she wouldn’t do for you.”

Sharing and caring had never been Dean’s strong suit, by any means, but he knew his brother might have a point this time.

So he waited up for you. For hours.

He started to fall asleep on the couch before he realized what time it was, creeping past midnight. He texted you, called you. It all went unanswered. Dean started worrying long before then, but he tried not to let his mind jump to conclusions.

He cleaned the kitchen and waited. He tried watching the next couple of episodes in season three of Game of Thrones, your favorite show, but couldn’t concentrate on the storylines. He usually had you to explain the complicated plot points and remind him of who’s who. 

So he switched over to Dr. Sexy M.D., which you’d tried not to judge him for. 

But finally, around 1:00 a.m. on a weekday, Dean felt your presence before you pull into the driveway. He was sitting on the couch, and he crossed his arms when you walked in. 

Still, you gave a tired smile when you saw him. “Hey, baby.”

“Hey,” he responded, but you knew immediately that he was off. You saw the tight look on his face, his tense demeanor. You even caught a glimpse of his emotions before he cut you off…which in itself was a tell that he wasn’t in a good mood.

You frowned and set your purse and work bag next to him on the couch. 

“What’s the matter?” you asked. Dean raised both brows at you, as if he was annoyed that you had to ask. It wasn’t like you could read his mind. 

Well, you could, if he hadn’t closed himself off.

“Where the hell have you been?” he asked. 

Your brows knitted at his tone. 

“You know where I was,” you said. “I was helping Jason—”

“You’ve been with that guy at his house all night?”

You tried to give him a patient look, but you were bone tired. And you hadn’t expected to get the third degree from the minute you stepped through the door.

“Dean, I told you. We were working on his applications to grad school, mostly on his entrance essays.”

“And that really took all night, with no breaks?” he asked. Now with a more suspicious brow raise.

“Of course,” you replied, crossing your arms. “I mean, we stopped to eat dinner.”

But then you raised a finger as something occurred to you.

“And oh! He showed me his new motorcycle,” you said, with excitement that he didn’t share. “Dean, you’d freakin’ love it. I can’t remember what model he said it was, but I told him, ‘My fiancée’s a major gear head. He’d love to get a motorcycle.’ But I’d literally die if you made me get on one of those things—”

“So, correct me if I’m wrong,” Dean said, interrupting you as he got up from the couch to stand across from you.

“You spent all night at some guy’s house. You had dinner with him, and he tried to impress you with his new goddamn motorcycle?”

You considered what he was suggesting, and you had to suppress a grimace. Yeah, it did sound bad, but it really wasn’t.

“It wasn’t like that at all, Dean,” you said. “Jason’s just…he’s feeling a bit lost. He wants to continue school, but he’s not sure if he can do it. His grandma practically raised him, and it’s a whole thing—”

“That’s not your damn problem!” Dean said, raising his voice. “You realize that, right?”

You crossed your arms, leveling him with a frown.

“Okay, you need to take that way down,” you warned him.

Dean took a beat, briefly closing his eyes as he reigned himself in.

“I’m sorry, all right,” he said. And he drew a hand over his tired face. “It’s just…lately, for the past few months, it seems like you’re never here. We’re like ships passing in the night. And if I didn’t check in, I’d never fucking hear from you.”

You sighed, staring back at your fiancée with both hot guilt and a prickle of resentment.

“So, do you like how it feels?” you asked.

Dean sharpened. “Excuse me?”

“I’m just saying, welcome to my world, Dean,” you said. “I lived that existence for the first two years of our relationship.”

He couldn’t exactly refute that, but it still hurt to be reminded of what he put you through.

“What, are you doing this on purpose or something?” he asked. “You’re punishing me. Is that it?”

You relented then, reaching for his arm.

“Of course not, Dean,” you said. “I just find it ironic that you can’t handle just a taste of what I went through.”

Dean’s lips pursed.

“Until I finish training our new hires, there isn’t much I can do about what my job demands of me,” you said. “But if you want to help me, how about everything I’m doing to plan this wedding? It’s literally a month away, and there’s plenty to do. I feel like I’m going insane with these vendors calling me 24/7, mostly demanding money.”

You covered your face with your hands for a moment, shaking your head.

“Tomorrow I have my final fitting for the dress, after work,” you said. “This weekend I have to finalize the seating chart, make the final deposit on the venue, and a shit-ton of other things.”

“Okay, well I can help with that,” Dean said, trying to take your hand. “All you need to do is ask.”

You gave him a peeved look.

“You see, I would. But the last time I tried, you said you were working late,” you said. “I called my dad to see where you were. Come to find out, you’d left early.”

Shit, Dean thought. 

“When was that?” he asked.

“Last week, Thursday,” you jogged his memory. 

Shit, he thought again. 

What you didn’t know was that he left early that day to pick up your wedding ring, which he’d had customized for you. But he couldn’t tell you that without giving away the surprise.

“Listen, there’s an explanation for that.”

“Well right now, I don’t feel like hearing it,” you said. You slipped your hand out of his and left him to beeline for the shower.

Dean watched you go, silently simmering. Was this what he had to look forward to when you two actually got married?

You and Dean didn’t even look at one another as you got ready for bed in silence.

You were annoyed that he didn’t trust you. A bit resentful that he chose now to complain about you being busy, when you’d tried so many times to get him to help you with the wedding planning process.

But at the same time, as you two climbed into bed without uttering so much as a word, it felt like you won the battle, but lost the war.

And you didn’t feel any better when you woke up the next morning.

Because when you saw the empty side of the bed next to you, but didn’t hear Dean puttering around the apartment, you realized that he’d left for work without saying goodbye.

He usually greeted you with a kiss on the cheek or the forehead; the best alarm you’d ever had. But today, you were forced to wake with your alarm. So you turned it off on your phone and dutifully got up to get ready for work.

Your mind was buzzing with too much coffee on the drive over to the museum, and when you arrived, your phone sounded off in your purse. You checked it and found a text from Jason Jenkins.

Hey, thanks for coming over to help yesterday, he said. I think I’ll actually get into grad school now. These essays are top notch thanks to you.

Your lips quirked with a smile. You replied as you walked into the museum, waving hello to your boss, Jerry, as you went.

You’re welcome! you replied. Dean’s words from last night replayed in your mind, so you decided to keep it brief. But then, Jason replied again.

But I also had a good time last night, he said. You’re just so easy to talk to…would you want to come over for dinner? I make a mean carbonara.

You deflated when you read the text. Goddamn it.

And you knew then that Dean might’ve had a point last night. With a sigh, you raised your gaze to the heavens. You didn’t have enough coffee to deal with this.

But you knew you had to reply.

Look, I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression but—

You paused, then deleted that response. You didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but maybe you could say something that made your boundaries clear without making him feel bad about himself.

Sorry, Jason. I’m staying in with my fiancée tonight. But good luck! I’m sure you’ll get into grad school.

With that message sent, you pocketed your phone and continued to your desk in the museum library. It was surrounded by tall shelves of books from all over the world, and you often enjoyed perusing through them when you had down time (not that you had much of that these days).

Jerry came in, wheeling a large shipment of boxes. You gave him a wan smile at the sight.

“Delivery,” he said. “Need these books logged and shelved, please. By end of the day, if you can. Oh, and tell Charlotte we need more toner for the copy machine.”

You playfully saluted your boss. “On it.”

“Thanks,” he said. “I know it’s been a lot for the past few months, but you’re doing great, kid.”

You didn’t appreciate the kid remark, but you did thank him graciously. It was nice to be recognized for your work because you did take pride in it. But right now, as you looked at the ten large boxes piled on the dolly, you really wished you could control + alt + delete this day.

Instead, you sighed and opened the first box, pulling out a stack of heavy books. One of them caught your eye, as it was leather-bound, but bordered with gold, and had hieroglyphic images on the cover. The largest of which was a golden sun, encircling a lion’s head.

You weren’t supposed to touch the books without gloves on, but you were so intrigued that you forgot to slip on a pair before you reached for it in wonder.

The moment you touched the cover, however, a burst of energy swirled around the book—and then wrapped around your hand.

You didn’t realize it, but your mind went hazy as amber rings of magic illuminated your pupils.

Dean got home from a long day of work, sighing when he saw that the apartment was empty.

He felt bad for how things got left off between the two of you last night, but frankly, he was surprised (and maybe a little hurt) that you didn’t reach out to him at all today.

Usually when you guys argued, you were the first one to reach out to him after you both had time to cool down. You could be stubborn about things, just like him, but you were also quick to forgive. And that often forced him to confront his honest feelings.

When his phone started ringing, Dean paused in the living room and answered it.

“Hello?”

“Hi, there! Is this Dean?”

“You got me. Who’s this?” he asked. It was the receptionist at the shop where you found your wedding dress. Apparently, you hadn’t shown up for the appointment of your final fitting, and you hadn’t called to reschedule.

“Well, that’s not like her,” Dean said with a frown. You’d never dropped the ball on anything having to do with the wedding. Not once.

“Let me get ahold of her and we’ll get back to you,” he said. The receptionist agreed, and the moment he hung up with her, he called you. It rang for a while, but ultimately went to voicemail.

A tendril of worry started to grow in his mind, but he tried to keep it at bay when he called your boss next.

According to Jerry, you took your lunch break early and never came back.

Dean’s worry became a living thing after that.

But before he could call Jack and mount a full police squad search, the front door of the apartment unlocked, and you walked through the door.

You looked completely fine in your business casual white blouse, pencil skirt, and heels, but you didn’t have your purse, work bag, or any of the usual things you carried.

Dean hung up with your boss and eyed you in disbelief.

“Well, well. I guess you’re playin’ hookie today,” he remarked dryly.

You gave him a cursory glance, but you all but ignored him on your way to the kitchen. Dean’s incredulousness grew, along with a spark of irritation.

He followed you into the kitchen, where you started rifling through the pantry looking for spices and herbs, of all things. You examined a clear parcel of thyme.

“What are you doing, babe?” Dean asked. “Are you tired? Did you just need to take a beat? Because I can understand that…”

You didn’t seem to be hearing him, so he grasped your hand.

“Hey, what the hell’s going on with you?” he asked. Your brows knitted together in annoyance.

“By the gods, what a nuisance.” You slipped your hand out of his and continued what you’re doing. 

Dean felt struck with hurt as he stared at you once again in disbelief.

But then, a spidey sense began to prickle at the back of his neck. This wasn’t like you at all…

You finally seized him up through impassive eyes.

“Pretty,” you remarked, “but the world of men seems to have remained the same. Needy, clawing, and pathetic.”

Dean’s brows furrowed. He called your name uncertainly, but he realized something.

He couldn’t feel you. Not your thoughts, and not even your emotions through the soul bond. It was a gut instinct, but Dean's was rarely wrong.

Whoever was wearing your face, it wasn’t his girl.

You smirked and stepped toward him, drawing near enough to place a hand on his chest. He tensed, knowing that this wasn’t about to end well. 

With a burst of amber-hued magic, you flung him across the room. 

Dean crash-landed against the couch with a yelp and a grunt. He’d definitely be feeling that in his back later. 

He heard the crashing of glass and ceramics hitting the hardwood floor after he fell. When he was able to slowly pick himself up, he saw that he’d shoved the couch into the coffee table, where a vase and a few frames had fallen.

And when he managed to lift his gaze to the rest of his surroundings, he found an empty apartment. The front door was left ajar.

You were gone… 

Or at least, whoever possessed you was.

AN: So first of all, sorry for the cliffhanger lol. But Sam's soulmate is revealed! (I was VERY upset when Sam and Eileen didn't get their reunion when Jack brought back everyone after the "snap.")

Like my top note said, this will be two parts. Let me know what you think of Part 1!

Next Time:

Dean searches for you with Sam, Eileen, and Bobby's help. But there's just a few weeks before the wedding.

What could possibly go wrong?

Keep Reading: Bonus Track #2

Series Masterlist

Dean Winchester Masterlist

Main Masterlist

Tag List:

@curlycarley @buckywenal24 @jamerlynn @iprobablyshipit91 @globetrotter28 @deamus-liv @irgendwas122 @deans-spinster-witch @dogbarkbark4445 @my-proof-is-you @vera0124 @deans-baby-momma @lacilou @samanddeaninatrenchcoat @theonlymaninthesky @spnexploration @itzabbyxx @cevans-winchester @imagineteller1 @icequeen1371 @tiredqueen73 @bitchwitch1981 @abbigaleelizabeth @ohgodthebogisback @where-the-river-bends @loveprof6 @shadowcrowsworld @thespnlover @this-is-me19 @stevenknightmarc @leigh70 @pallographsunspot @syrma-sensei @brain-has-left @jassackles @hobby27 @ashbatz @zaratahir @lokisnumber1whore @saranghaey @jori21 @lillyrob @adoringanakin @agirlwithdemonblood @mimaria420 @nephil-with-a-gun @writethrough @iamsapphine

[carawenfiction]

Will we have an update soon?

Tumblr won't let me make normal posts for some reason, so the update will have to be in form of an answer to this ask smh. Anyway:

Hey everyone!

This post is long overdue, I know. I’m really sorry to those who have been worried about my wellbeing, as well as those who have been waiting around for an update for so long.

I’ve put off writing here because this “update” is something I’ve been wrestling with for a long time. But I can’t keep going back and forth on it forever, which is why I’m now letting you all know that the Shadow Society is officially discontinued.

I know that this might not come as much of a surprise to anyone at this point. I’ve tried to salvage the story by remaking it into something I’m happy with through a rewrite. But I’ve rewritten the rewrite itself more than once, and no matter what I do, I’m just not happy with the result. Rewriting something that’s already published with all the coding it involves is a lot more tricky than I initially thought it would be.

This is not a case of me being needlessly harsh on myself, however; it’s simply a truth I’ve come to realize after struggling to find a way to keep going with the story. I’ll never be fully content with it, or even content enough, unless I’d be able to completely remake and rewrite everything from scratch – and consequentially, I will never find enough motivation to continue because of how unhappy I am with it.

I’ve seen some speculation about my reason for rewriting the story and my long absence, and that they’ve had to do with comparisons to other IFs (well, you know which one). This isn’t entirely the case. While the comparisons did happen and probably still do, and while they were discouraging in the beginning, I can definitely understand where people have been coming from when making them. I talked about this more in-depth in the forums right after the release of TSS.

The main reason for why I can’t continue is that it’s not a series I feel passionate enough about to work on. My tastes have changed, and so has my writing to some degree. I’ve tried to convince myself that I am passionate about it. It’s hard to admit that you’re not when it’s been in your head for so long, when you’ve tried for so long to make this work and when you know that one part is published and that some people are anticipating a continuation. But it had to be done sooner or later.

Other reasons:

-While I don’t think that my writing style has changed drastically, I feel like it is somewhat different from how I wrote back in 2018 (which is a GOOD thing). Whenever I tried working on the rewrite or second book and attempted to emulate the writing of TSS, it just didn’t sound right anymore, and that took a lot of fun out of it.

-With everything that has happened with CoG over the past few years, they are no longer a company I want to write for.

Please know that none of this has discouraged me from writing in general. I still love doing it. If anything, this has taught me a lot about what I actually want to write and the writing process in general. Whether I end up publishing anything else in the future or will simply do so for my own enjoyment we’ll just have to see, though.

I still have the idea of a shadow-like world in my head, and maybe it’s one I will revisit at some point. Maybe there will be another version of TSS someday, albeit very different from the original one.

But for now, I can only thank you all for the overwhelming love and support over the years, and apologize for any disappointment this has caused. If people are interested, I’d be happy to share parts of the rewrite and unused ideas. The Tumblr page will still stay up at least for some time, but I will probably not be answering any asks from here on out.

EDIT: Forgot to add, but if anyone wants a genuinely amazing IF read you should check out my friend's wip here: https://uroboros-if.tumblr.com/ ❤️ Play the demo here: https://mistyriousness.itch.io/uroboros

[growup-thatbeautiful]

timezone

Summary: Tangerine comes home. Post-Bullet proof.

A/n: i’d love to know if anyone would be interested in a prequel series about this pairing? lmk!

Word count: 2.6k

Bullet Proof Masterlist

~*~

The low hum of music playing through the small record player in the corner of the living room fills the air while you wash up the takeout containers from your dinner tonight. Jovie is fast asleep in her bedroom down the hall, curled tightly underneath her sheets.

Bedtime lasted longer tonight than usual because Tan has been on a job for the past few days. Ever since you moved back in with him, you’ve gotten used to living with him, and so has Jovie, which makes it harder when he isn’t here. You have a routine now to put Jovie to bed, an elaborate and complicated thing with many steps including kids' books and Tangerine’s own story times. So, without him, it’s been hard to convince Jovie to fall asleep these past few nights.

It took you four Dr. Seuss books and one game of hide and seek to get her into bed, which took more energy out of you than you care to admit.

Billy Joel’s crooning voice is interrupted by the ringing of your phone. Carefully, after you dry your hands, you swipe up on the screen of the photo of Tangerine and Jovie that fills it.

On the speaker, his voice fills the empty space between the two of you. You don’t know where he is at this point or if he’s finished what he needs to do- it’s too risky to discuss over the phone- but based on the sounds you think he’s driving somewhere. You can picture the way his ringed fingers grip the steering wheel, his eyes focusing on the road in front of him as neon lights pass by, reflected against the shine of the pendant around his neck.

“Hey, love,” he says, his voice sounding tired but nevertheless affectionate. “How are my girls doing?”

Your heart fills with warmth at his word choice, and you jump up on the counter to sit and talk for a while. “We’re good. I finally got Jovie to bed, though it took more convincing than usual.” Your head hits the wooden cabinet as you lean back and your eyes slide shut.

He hums in response and adds, “I swear to God, she gets her fucking energy from you. You used to be just like her “

“Because I couldn’t fucking trust you then,” you blame. “Had to sleep with my back to the door.”

“I have you no reason not to fucking trust me.” Tangerine’s voice is light, fond remembrance laced through his tone. “Even gave you the bed because I’m a gentleman.”

“You’re no such thing,” you laugh. “And I remember a conversation like this years ago where we couldn’t agree.”

Tangerine fully laughs this time, a low, happy-sounding laugh that you’ve been missing. You learned what it was like without Tan for all those years, so now every time he’s gone you feel it deeper, like something lodged inside your heart. Tan’s laughter dies down and he says. “Yeah, but we’ve fucking changed since then. You’ve come to see how much of a right pleasure I am.”

It’s your turn to hum in agreement. Silence falls between the two of you, but it’s not uncomfortable. You don’t know someone as well as Tan and have uncomfortable silences. You’ve been through so much- making it through silence isn’t the worst thing you’ve faced.

You break the silence, though, because you have to tell him how hard it’s been without him here. Even washing dishes had felt lonely without him bothering you, his front plastered against your back as he places kisses along your neck. “I’ve missed you.”

“The only thing between us is distance,” Tangerine says automatically. “And that’s fucking nothing at all, love.”

“I know.” You hate how weak your voice sounds. How emotion creeps through the cracks and seeps through the phone speaker. “It doesn’t feel like that, though.”

“That bad?” he asks. The concern in his voice carries through despite the bad quality. You don’t know if he’s alone or where he is, but it makes you feel safe somehow, knowing that he’s worried about you. As if he doesn’t already have enough to worry about.

“Not great,” you admit. “Jovie misses you too. She keeps asking me when you’ll be home, but she’s been busy with school.”

“I’m sorry, love.” It fills you with ache, how tired he sounds. You know that he trusts you- you’re not going to leave again- but that doesn’t make things like this any easier.

“It’s okay,” you assure him, or, at least, try to. “You’ll be back soon. How’s everything looking there?”

Tangerine sighs fully and tells through veiled metaphors how it’s been harder than he and Lemon thought to track down the mark they’re looking for, but he thinks that they’ve got a good lead. He tells you how the mark is usually unguarded and without weapons, so it will be easy once they actually find him. You can only hope for his safety.

But safety, in your lives, is a laughable commodity that you haven’t known for years. It’s your choice and you’ve had to live with it, through thick and thin.

“Do you need any help?” you ask when he’s done talking, praying that there’s something you can do. “I can see what I can find.”

“Love,” he says, and you can see the smile on his face from miles apart, a fond, exasperated smile that you know too well. “Enjoy your time off, I’ll be home soon.”

“You will?” You know it’s selfish, wanting him to yourself all the time. He has a job to do, and you’re distracting him, making it harder for him to get the job done. But it’s so hard when he’s so gentle like this.

“I don’t fucking care what else happens, I’m seeing you tonight, love,” Tangerine promises, his voice grainy from whatever low-quality service he’s on.

“Yeah?” you ask, smiling. It doesn’t have to be true to make you feel protected. Safe. It could be an empty promise, but you’d still have the same reaction.

“Yeah,” he says. “It’s time I stop fucking about here and come to see my girls.”

You feel like a schoolgirl from the way you’re grinning into the phone and thinking about him. “I’ll be waiting, then.”

“Try to get some sleep.” You don’t know how he’s the one taking care of you right now, but it’s nice to have someone tell you what to do.

“I will. Goodnight, Tan.” As hard as you try to hide it, your voice sounds hopeful and lighter than you intend it to. The last thing you want to do is guilt him to coming home. God knows you’re already responsible for enough of his guilt.

“Night, love.”

You move through the apartment, missing him less and more at the same time. You don’t want to think about it anymore, but all you can seem to see in your mind is him- the ink tracing patterns on his skin, the cold metal of his rings, and the tidy curl of his hair. With him on the back of your eyelids, you fall asleep curled up on the couch like Jovie is in her own bed.

~*~

Tangerine’s footsteps are light on the pavement outside of his house from years of practice. There’s blood on his hands, there usually is, but he can’t care to wash it off when you’re right beyond the front door.

The key to the door slips in after a few tries and shoulders open the door, wincing as a cut along his ribs is pulled tight. He’ll have to ask you to help him with that later. For now, though, all he wants to do is see his daughter and you safely asleep. It hadn’t been a hard job, just tiring, and he's exhausted down to his bones that ache and scream for him to lie down.

He can’t do that, though, until he sees you- your face lighting up in surprise that he made it home so fast. He promised you he would, and he’d rather not show up at all than break that promise. The two of you stopped breaking promises to each other recently. Carefully, so he doesn’t wake anyone up, he steps out of his shoes and his suit jacket, putting them in their place in the hallway next to Jovie’s green raincoat and your heavy black overcoat. The very picture of a normal family, those coats. It brings a weary smile to his face.

He’s expecting you to be in bed, but you aren’t. When he finds you, you’re dead asleep on the couch, a threadbare blanket covering you as the tv plays dimly, some movie he hasn’t seen before. It looks romantic enough to be something you would pick, though.

For a moment, before he’ll carry you to your shared bed, he watches you. He’s known for years that you’re the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen, but when you’re sleeping there’s something so fragile about you. The usual strength that you carry in your frame is hidden by one of his old sweatshirts and a pile of pillows, and the creases that he usually finds in between your eyebrows aren’t there. No, like this you look like a gentler version of yourself. Someone who, maybe, hasn’t had to make so many hard choices or do so many shitty things.

But that’s not who you are, and it’s definitely not the person he fell in love with. It sounds horrible, to think that the unforgiving circumstances of your youth are what led you to him, but it’s the truth more than anything else. He can’t count the number of times you’ve bonded over your shared traumatic experiences or cried into his arms about things only he can understand.

When he tucks you into his chest and lifts you with an arm underneath your knees, you start to stir. He’s proud to see, however, that you don’t panic like he’s sure you would with anyone else. You just settle deeper into his chest and go back to sleep.

As much as he would love to immediately lay down beside you, he has to check on Jovie first. It’s irrational, his fear, but given everything that’s happened, he has to do it.

She’s fast asleep just like you are, stuffed bear held close to her chest. The nightlight plugged into her wall casts a blue light around the room, lighting her curly hair with a neon glow. You always say that Jovie looks just like him, she got his curls, but he thinks she looks like you. She has your eyes, smart and bright, and she has your strength.

Gently, he steps over to where her bed is and kisses her on her forehead. “Hey, Jovie-love. I’ll see you in the morning, yeah?” Once he’s satisfied that she’s okay, he brushes the hair out of her face and kisses her once before padding out and shutting the door without a sound.

You’re sitting up in bed when he makes it back to your room, the sleeves of his hoodie falling over your hands as you shuffle to the edge of the bed. “You’re here,” you state dumbly, a grin spreading across your face. “I thought you were being hopeful.” You rub some sleep out of your eyes and reach for him, and his heart fucking melts. He lets you draw him in closer to you and his hands find their way to cup your face. Like this with him standing, he’s much taller than you, and he’s able to really, truly see you. The relief plastered on your face and the beaming, not-quite-awake smile make everything that he had to go through to get here worth it.

“Since when have I been fucking hopeful?” Tangerine grins. “I made you a promise, didn’t I? Had to stick to it.” There’s so much truth behind his words that he’s too tired to unpack right now, but you don’t seem to mind. You especially don’t mind when he leans down and kisses you gently, at first, but with more passion when he remembers that you’re real, and you’re here, and you’re all his. Slowly, careful of his various minor injuries, he leans forward until you’re laying flat on the bed with him in between your legs. He thinks he hides the grimace of pain he makes when you skim your hands down his torso, just enough pressure to make pain bloom beneath his eyes, but you know him too well to let something like that slip his eyes.

You also know that he’s never going to ask you for help when he’s hurt. So, you stop him with a hand pushed against his chest and ask, a little breathlessly, but with narrowed eyes, “Are you hurt?”

He lets out a long, low groan and buries his head in your shoulder. He mutters under his breath, but clear enough for you to hear, “Can’t get fucking nothing by you, love.”

It’s not the right thing to say, because panic spreads across your face as you try and get him off of you, looking for any sign of pain. There are the normal bloodstains on his clothes, but you assumed those weren’t his- they usually aren’t. “Where are you hurt?” you ask, your voice an octave higher than natural and your hands not as steady as he knows they should be. “Are you okay? I swear, Tan, if you’re bleeding out and you wasted all this time-”

“-Love, does it look like I’m bleeding out?” he asks, tilting your chin up with his finger to get you to look him in the eyes. There’s still panic in your eyes, but it takes on a sharper edge when you start to focus like he knows you can. You take in his clothes, the flush on his cheeks, the strength of his arms, and the smile on his face. He doesn’t look any worse than all the other times he’s come home with scrapes and bruises.

“No,” you answer unsurely. “But you’re good at hiding things.”

Tangerine can’t help the grin that slips onto his face at your stubbornness. “It’s nothing big, yeah? Just a scrape on my ribs. Fucking prick used a knife on me.” You don’t look completely convinced, but he sees the fight drain from your posture. Whether or not you realize it, you lean into his touch and close your eyes, taking deep breaths in and out.

“I’m okay, love, I promise. Everything’s going to be alright” There he goes again, making promises that he has no right to make. But with you looking at him like moments ago, like the world was ending if he was, he can’t do anything except promise you everything. He may be a fighter, but, against you and Jovie, he’s a weak man.

In the end, you take him to the bathroom anyway and fix him up, complaining the whole time that his wound could have gotten infected if he didn’t clean it tonight. He argues back that you would have found out one way or another, so he didn’t need to tell you. Really, though, he doesn’t mind your hands smoothing over his skin, gently applying antiseptic and bandaging it up.

History has proven that he’ll let you get away with almost anything, not that you try much anymore. All you ask for is that he comes home at the end of a job, and he asks the same in return. It’s what you should have done since the beginning, but he knows it wasn’t always as clear as it is now.

It doesn’t matter anymore. You’re both here now, his arm thrown around your waist underneath the sheets, your soft breathing lulling him to a state of almost-sleep. He’ll fall asleep eventually, he’s still exhausted, but right now he’s taking the moment to enjoy being home.

With Jovie. With you.

His family.

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