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captain039 · 3 years

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Drink your fill PT4

Dracula x reader

From:Dracula BBC version

Warnings: Gore, vampire things, mentions of religious things, sexual, intimacy, anxiety, depression, fluffy things used to calm anxiety. age gap, slow burnish

This will be after he finds out he’s not scared to sunlight blah blah, he just doesn’t die.

Artistic reader

Last Chapter

You woke again a sigh leaving your lips. Your window was once open again and you frowned. Jake was still asleep, snoring and mumbling. It was still pretty dark outside. You got up looked out your window before closing it and locking it. You shut the curtains tightly and cuddled back up to the warmth of your bed. Jake sensed you and mumbled rolling over and gripping the pillow in the middle tightly. His hand found your arm which made you jump but you smiled closing your eyes. He was always clingy in his sleep, more so in real life.

Jake woke up before you by the sound of your shower running. You groaned running your hands down your face before grabbing your phone. You had a good morning message from your mum.

Good morning love! Hope I didn’t wake you. Me and your dad have gone out to the shops for a while. Still one car in the garage though if you and Jake wish to go out. Love mum.

You smiled typing a reply before getting up and getting dressed quickly. You headed to the kitchen and poured some cereal before Jake joined you.

“You feel any better?” You asked and he nodded standing by you as you looked out the kitchen window and ate. He grabbed himself a bowl and poured some cereal for himself before watching with you.

“What are we staring at?” He whispered and you almost joked on your cereal.

“The existence of my front yard” you said and he nodded.

“Fair, what are we gonna do today seeing as Mumma isn’t here?” He grinned and you rolled your eyes. Your mum and dad were pretty much his mum and dad too.

“I don’t know?” You shrugged and he sighed.

“You’re the man in this relationship” you said and he raised an eyebrow.

“Shall we go down the main street?” You said and he nodded.

“Whose the man now” he grinned finishing up and going to your room. You rolled your eyes finishing also and laying your bowls in the sink before going to grab your shoes also.

You both drove down the street and parked. You guys walked up one way and went into the little shops on the side.

“Come here!” Jake said finding the candle section. You chuckled following him and sniffed the candle he held out.

“Oh my god” you sighed taking another deep breath.

“I know right” he sniffed it too sighing.

“I have ten candles though” he sighed placing it back making you chuckle.

“Oh what about this one?” You and Jake spent at least half hour sniffing candles before you dragged him out the store before he could waste anymore money.

“Hey look hoodies!” You said getting excited and going inside the clothes shop. They had Starwars, DC and Marvel on them.

“Don’t you have a million Starwars hoodies” he said and you awed at little Grogu on the front of one.

“Look” you whined and he sighed.

“It’s fifty dollars” you sucked in a breath placed it down gave it one last pat and left rather quickly.

“I’m actually considering becoming a stripper so I can just buy stupid things” you said and Jake laughed.

“I’ll join you” he chuckled.

“Well that’s certainly a surprise” Jake said while you looked at your phone and hummed. You followed his gaze freezing at the sight of Mr Dracula.

“Oh god” you said pushing Jake into the closest shop and hiding.

“Woah!” Jake said as he stumbled with you.

“Hey? What’s wrong?” He chuckled as you peeked out the window and saw him talking to someone.

“Ok he didn’t see us” you sighed the cashier giving you an odd look.

“Why’re we hiding from him?” Jake quizzed.

“Because!” You snapped. Because you have been having dreams about him and do not want to look him in the eyes or speak to him.

“We see him on Monday remember?” He added.

“Yes! yes! Besides the point I’ll just, hit myself with a car” you groaned leaning against the wall as Dracula stopped talking.

“Hit yourself with a car? Isn’t it run into a car?” He asked and you rolled your eyes.

“Yes! Who cares about that what matters is he’s literally walking this why he can smell me!” You hissed and he laughed.

“I mean you didn’t shower this morning” he said and you glared.

“Because you hogged it! And besides I put deodorant on” you whispered peeking again as his figure got closer.

“I’m so dead” you said his eyes meeting yours. You froze a smile gracing his lips as you disappeared around the wall.

“He saw me” you said and Jake just laughed.

“Of course he saw you, you aren’t subtle” Jake laughed going outside to meet the man.

“Mr Dracula” Jake said and you groaned as they began to talk.

“Ah Jake? Isn’t it?” The man said and your friend nodded.

“Y/n is here too” he looked to you and you cursed him and walked to them.

“I saw you through the window” Dracula chuckled lightly as you flushed and wished the ground would swallow you up.

“Yes I was looking at” you glanced back realising it was baby clothes.

“Baby clothes?” Dracula said and you gulped.

“My- uh” you cursed everything as the man watched you with a smirk.

“Not for me- no, my niece she’s having a birthday soon” you lied and heard Jake struggle a laugh.

“Oh? How old?” The man asked an amused look on his face.

“3 next week” you lied again your grave getting deeper and deeper.

“Ah yes” he said and you nodded. Jake was holding in his laughter and you stomped his foot slightly making him wince.

“We should get going- meeting some friends for lunch” you said and Dracula nodded.

“Well I won’t keep you, enjoy your day” he smiled as you nodded giving a small wave and grabbing Jake and dragging him. Jake burst out laughing as you speed walked away grumbling to yourself.

“Your niece?” He laughed as he leant against the closest wall.

“You don’t have a niece” he continued his outburst making you sigh.

“I know! I panicked!” You huffed arms crossed over your chest. He chuckled wrapping his arms around your shoulders and swaying you.

“Ah you’re too cute, also what friends?” He looked down at you and grinned.

“My imaginary friends Bob and Tim” you said and he chuckled. A smile came to your lips as he let you go and you both continued walking.

You did get lunch, then went to some more shops, bought some food, some other small items you didn’t really need like this fat bird statue, but it was adorable. Back home you both collapsed on your bed, a bag of snacks on your side table.

“Well that’s my exercise for the year” he groaned going on his phone.

“Agreed” you sighed going onto yours.

“Can’t believe we saw Mr D” he grinned and you raised an eyebrow.

“Mr D?” You questioned and he nodded.

“You just dug a 12 foot grave honey” he said and you groaned wishing to never remember that.

Your patents came back finally with some take away. You and Jake ate in the lounge with them and talked about your day and theirs before heading to bed late.

You sighed hugging your pillow as you closed your eyes exhausted.

“Do you really have a niece?” You jumped at the voice and turned to the count. You were both out in the shopping street again.

“No” you said and he chuckled.

“Your heart was racing my dear” he said coming closer and holding his arm out.

“Yes well I got scared” you took and you both walked down the path.

“You don’t have to lie to me” he said and you sighed head down.

“I know, I panicked and it’s just been a hectic past few days” you shrugged.

“What’s happened?” He asked a slight frown on his brow.

“Oh, nothing like that I just meant, you know” you mumbled flushing.

“Me?” He said and you nodded. You heard him chuckle softly which made you flush more.

“You’re a precious thing” he said as you both walked into a small cafe.

“Are you hungry?” He asked and you shook your head.

“Thirsty though” you said and he grinned.

“As am I” he said pulling out a seat for you. You sat in it and he pushed you in before taking the one across from you.

You ordered your favourite smoothie while his order was unknown. Yours came out, In a milkshake glass with a straw. His came out in a wine glass, it looked like wine but the thickness was strange.

“So what did you buy today?” He asked taking a sip.

“Just things, Jake bought some candles as did I, a few shirts, some snacks, oh! This fat little bird statue it was adorable” you smiled taking a sip and moaning softly at the taste.

“A fat little bird?” He questioned and you nodded a little embarrassed.

“Don’t flush my dear, I think it was rather cute” he smiled at you and you flushed harder.

“I just liked it” you shrugged talking about the bird before taking another sip. You sighed contently having more.

“Taste good?” He asked slight grin on his face.

“Yes, yours?” You nodded and he sighed laying the glass down.

“Not the sweetest I’m afraid” he said licking his lips and staring at you. Your heart thumped in your chest as your cheeks burned again. You ignored the comment, glanced to the cup before looking at the table and drinking.

“So after your shopping what did you do?” He asked head tilted to the side slightly.

“Went home, mum and dad came and brought takeaway so we ate in the lounge and told each other about our day, had some snacks and then went to bed” you shrugged.

“I’m not exciting” you sighed head freezing a little.

“You are quite intriguing my dear do not worry” he said smoothly with a grin.

“Why’re you here?” You asked suddenly the noise around you stopping.

“You’re thinking of me” he said stirring his finger in the glass before sucking the substance off. You watched him mouth slight ajar and heat going straight between your legs.

“I- besides that, why’re you here, it’s like you’re here, here” you said cupping your hands in your lap.

“You’re the perfect fruit” he said eyes on you.

“I don’t understand” you pressed as your body stood, the table disappeared and your scenery changed.

“Why’re we in my room?” You asked glancing to your bed and seeing your body.

“Usually to make people dream I must feed on them” you frowned at his words as he stood close behind you.

“But you, you’re special, you let me in your mind, your dreams, you long for me dear” he whispered.

“I met you two days ago! I barely know you” you stepped away from him and he gave a frown.

“I don’t long for a man I just met” you scoffed crossing your arms.

“Maybe your mind doesn’t but your heart and blood do” you frowned at those words.

“One day you’ll see” he whispered in your ear before he backed away. You froze his eyes going red as he showed his fangs and snarled.

You shot up panting, you gripped your blanket before kicking it off. Your heart pounded and you were covered in sweat you looked to your room seeing nobody, the window was still closed and no sign of him. You held a hand over your heart wondering if this truely was a Count Dracula haunting your dreams. Why you? You weren’t special, just a normal young adult going to University. Why was he so intrigued by you?

Next Chapter

#x reader #fanfic #Dracula bbc #Dracula bbc x reader #Dracula x reader #vampires #Count Dracula

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fafulous · 4 years

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Take Me Home (3/5)

Andy Barber x Reader (Post!Defending Jacob)

Summary: After the unfortunate events of the trial and after, a depressed Andy Barber decides to call it quits and start a mundane life far away from Newton. He decides it is best to have a fresh start away from prying eyes and alone, but he never thought his caring neighbor (and her son) would change all of that.

Themes: MAJOR D.J. SPOILERS ((The series is following the BOOK ENDING and not Show)), Sad and soft Andy Barber, Single Mother Reader. Cursing.

A/N: Thank you all for reading this! I’m really not so good at nsfw stuff. Bear with me xD

SERIES MASTERLIST

Warnings: NSFW lil smutty.

–

Andrew Stephen Barber is a good man.

He not only asks you out for a date, but also asks your son’s permission to take you out on a date.

But before that you had a conversation with your little one while he was playing with his toys. “Hey Niko, can mommy talk to you?”

Niko fiddled with his toys, whispering to them that he needs to talk to his mother dearest.

“What is it mommy?”

You lifted him and placed him on your lap, kissing his forehead. “Mommy needs to tell you something, and you need to tell me if you’re okay with it.”

“Owkay,” he buries his face in your chest.

“Peaches, will you be okay if I hang out with Andy more than he normally does?”

“But you fwiends with Wandi.”

“Yeah Peaches I know,” you hesitated for you didn’t know if it was wise to have such a delicate conversation with this little brain you love so much, “But I think mommy like Andy more than a friend now.”

“Woh like pwincess and pwince?” he asked you, his face brightening.

You hugged him tighter laughing at his comparison, “Yeah peaches. Like them.”

“But what about papa?”

It was hard to explain, even though Niko knew his mother and father aren’t together. You patiently explained him, pausing in between whenever he didn’t understand.

“…Papa hit me peaches. Papa doesn’t like me, but papa loves you okay, you must know that. You still have to visit papa okay?”

He began to cry again and hugged into your shoulders, realising that the whole ‘papa hitting momma’ triggered his memories that he never liked in the first place, “Me don’t like papa! P-papa hit you! Papa give you booboo in your face mommy!”

“Hey buddy don’t cry.”

Your head turned to Andy; glad he made a visit at the right time. He quickly whispered that the door was unlocked, and he took Nikolai from your grasp. “I got this momma bear,” he whispered.

He snuggled and cuddled Nikolai just to calm him down, walking up and down the house. He didn’t bother about the fact that the child’s tears and snots were staining his blue shirt.

“Hey buddy. Don’t cry what happened?”

“Papa hit mommy. Papa hit mommy-”

Andy cradled him now, trying to distract him with his soothing voice. “Your papa isn’t here buddy. No one’s going to hurt mommy okay? I promise I won’t let anything happen to mommy okay?”

“Y-you won’t h-hit m-mommy Wandi?”

Andy froze for a little bit, wondering where this was coming from, but then you popped in with a teary eye gently telling him that they had a conversation about you asking him out.

“Of course, not buddy. I will never hit Mommy, it’s a promise. I like your mommy okay buddy?”

“Yeah, Mommy say she likes you too.”

“Will you be okay if I’m with mommy?” He asked the little baby, wiping his tears with his hands.

“You pinkie pwomise you won’t hit her?”

“Pinkie Pwomise.”

“Then wowkay.”

A few more minutes of cradling, and the little one dozed off.

Andy put him on the couch after kissing him and came up to you, embracing you in one of his cuddly hugs you always loved. You tip toed and kissed him on the cheek. “Mr. Grumpy Cat, you’re making me feel like I am too dependent on you.”

“Isn’t that a good thing Momma Bear?”

“If you say so.”

—

You knew Andy was a keeper the minute he knew Nikolai would be joining them for their first date at the park.

It so happened that little Niko didn’t like being left alone with Mr. Arthur when his two-favourite people on the planet were going to spend time with one another. He threw a tantrum like one you’ve never seen before, and alas your weak heart couldn’t see him crying for too long.

To your surprise it didn’t sound like he was feigning, but Andy was genuinely looking forward to going out with you and Nikolai at the same time. After all it was his first time he was going to literally go out with you two.

Laying a picnic spread, Andy unpacked the picnic basket. Both of you did try to sneak in a few private moments with each other but was too less. Nikolai would never leave you two alone. “I am so sorry about this Andy. I know you deserved a better first date from my end.” “Hey its completely fine momma bear. This feels just like our dinner nights, only difference is that we’re out in the warm sun with home cooked food and lemonade.”

Mostly what you and Andy could do was cuddle under the tree while you spoke about tame stuff since Nikolai ran up to you both every five minutes. He would take a sip of lemonade, a bite of the Andy’s sandwich and go up the jungle gym with a couple of his newly made kid friends.

“And here I thought you were trying to impress me Andy. Your impressing Nikolai instead of seducing me?” In fact you were drop dead impressed. He took care of your son’s needs first. What more does a single mother need?

It wasn’t also helping how Andy looked so good today. A light blue shirt with black trousers, his sleeves rolled up to show his popping veins on his arm. His muscles weren’t shy from popping through his shirt material. His hair and beard, as usual, is something you’d worship alone.

He looked like a gourmet meal.

“Oh, you want seduction?” He leaned over close, breathing hot air onto your neck while he readied his hoarse voice, “Wait till you taste my peanut butter sandwich honey.” Even though his voice went low, sending you tingly feelings all over, you knew you’d never not laugh for his silly boy jokes.

Dates with Andy soon became date nights. Andy was a gentleman when it came to your son’s involvement. Any other prospective date of yours would have ended it soon since dating you meant having your son all day around. Thanks to the help of Andy’s loyal contacts and past clients, he had managed to get Nikolai into a day-care since it was time you stopped depending on your neighbours. They were extremely kind and didn’t mind taking care of Niko too, but you had to respect their fragile age. So here you two were, on an official first date without your son. A quiet lunch in a quaint cafe right near your library. Andy picked you up, even though you argued that it was literally walk-able from your workplace. Andy and you felt the conversation going so smoothly. It only felt like any other conversation you both had during dinner every day. But only this time, both of you had little butterflies in your stomachs in the hopes of this relationship blooming into a safe cocoon. A safe place for each other. "I’m guessing the first time you saw me, I was never in your good books?” “Oh no,” you huffed taking a sip of your wine, “you were a pain in the ass. I still never get it why you were so rude to me.” Andy reached out for your hands and gave a gentle squeeze. “I’ll never forgive myself for that. You just seemed so so… good to be true. I wanted to keep distance from something that was so wholesome, especially when I used to see you and Niko in your lawn every evening you know.”

”Oh shush Andy. You’ve made Niko’s and my life too good to be true now.” With great difficulty, you let Andy pay for the first date, arguing that he was always fed by your home cooked meals and now was his turn.

“I had a good time Andy. I had such a good time. I want to spend more time with you like this.”

“We have every night ahead of us honey. We get to spend more time more now.”

“Niko has gone to his father’s place, it’s his birthday this week and he wanted Nikolai for the whole week,” your face drooped, “We have the week to ourselves. Do you wanna, you know, do something?”

“Yeah I’d love to. Say what about dinner at my place? Drop in home once work is over? I’ll cook?”

This was a little chance. He wanted to do something more intimate with you.

Once work was over, you straight away drove to his home. When Andy opened the door, you hugged Andy and took in the blissful ambience of his house.

Anyone would argue he wasn’t a bachelor. His house was so neat, better than the first time you visited his house.

Andy made a beeline to the stove and over while you removed your coat and went around the place. His house soon smelled like a warm toasty oven; vanilla candles lit on the table with a few fresh roses in a vase in between.

“How was your day honey? I really love the blouse you’re wearing.”

Such a charmer.

“Thanks bub. My day went fine you had no idea what happened…”

You dramatically narrate the events of your workplace as you plop yourself on the kitchen counter while Andy shows keen interest in your words even though he his cooking. He simmers the flames and chooses to give you his full attention now.

“…and so now Tracy doesn’t like me anymore because I am going out with you now.”

“Is that right now?” he leaned in closer, placing his arm on your sides, trapping you with his arms on either side of you.

You nodded, which was sending Andy crazy because he saw how your supple lips were being trampled by your own teeth. You looked irresistible. With your flimsy cute work blouse showing the perfect amount of cleavage and outlining the cups of your bra, he just instinctively leaned closer to you. Both of you were silent except for each other’s breaths.

But your eyes trailed lazily over him, until it landed on an uncharacteristic embroidered apron that said Kiss the Cook.

As Andy neared you, your legs wrapped around his thighs, feeling his well-toned calf muscles that he must have developed from swimming. Your voice was so breathy that you doubted if Andy could hear you. “Do we obey the words of the apron in this house?”

Andy looked down to his apron and then back at you, eyes looking at your lips, “Well I was planning for that after dinner gets over.”

“Oh Andy,” your fingernails trace his cheek, shamelessly pulling him by the chin as your lips brushed his. “But I’m so hungry…”

Andy smashed his lips on to yours, even though he wanted to be gentle. You kissed him back with all the pent-up frustration of not being able to touch a man for so long on to him. Andy kissed you just as passionately and deeply as you did. You ruffled and pulled on his hair while your tongues peaked inside one another. He tasted like a homemade meal with a splash of wine. It was the first time both of you made out. Andy Barber of the past would have instantly taken you over the counter, but his clogged mind didn’t think he deserved such gestures of pleasure. So, he never took any initiative to direct things, always seeking your direction like lost puppy. "Andy? Bub? You can touch me wherever you want,” you whispered. He pulled you closer by gripping on to your ass harshly which earned a sexy chuckle from the both of you. Andy couldn’t say how you tasted, maybe it was some flavoured chapstick that you’d always wear? But for Andy, you tasted like home, his favourite taste.

Both of you gently yet quickly ripped off each other’s clothing. Andy’s bare chest made you want to place sloppy kisses all over his body and at the same time pinch his cute pink nipples. But you reminded yourself to stay grounded.

Because Andy was being very reserved with you. He was so hesitant, you could feel it, even though he was a mind blowing kisser. He removed your top and asked you a couple of times if he could touch your breasts.

He pushed away everything and made you lie on the counter. He massaged your breasts while he shoved his tongue way down your throat. It felt so good. He felt so good. So good that you could feel your panties ruined. His hands dangerously neared your clothed core. Your fantasies of Andy bending you over the counter and fucking you like he owned you flashed for a couple of minutes. But Andy stopped his kisses the minute he smelt the burnt smell coming from the oven and stove. Andy took out the burnt pasta and the burnt chicken appetizer from his stove and oven and placed it in the open.

Two panting, half naked bodies looking at each other. “Sorry Bubba. We got um carried away with the kiss, didn’t we?”

“No way honey. That was more than just a kiss. But this is just a plate of pasta and chicken. Besides what do you think about candlelight pizza and some whiskey with your favourite Harry Potter movie?”

“Andy,” you said with your strict voice, “you have officially seduced me with that one question. It’s definitely a big yes!”

Andy plopped you off the kitchen counter with one more passionate kiss and helped you into his sweater (since you requested if you could wear one of his soft blue sweaters). Andy realised you had removed your work skirt and were tying your hair into a high bun when he finished ordering your pizza.

If Nikolai had made his living room messy and loud with his toys and fighting sounds, he would be having a perfect home right now.

Soon the pizza came. Andy didn’t let you do any kind of work. He placed the pizza box on the coffee table and lit two more freshly smelling vanilla candles in front of you. He brought his bottle of whiskey and a couple of glasses (and even wine because in case you change your mind). Before Andy sat down you realised, he was like you too with just sweaters and boxers. His hair was the same, ruffled because of the little stunt you both pulled at the counter.

“You don’t mind right?” He gestured to his attire.

“Oh, lover boy, this is a perfect night and I know it.”

Before you know it your cuddling with each other as the movie goes on, taking bites of cheese and sips of alcohol. Once the food gets over, you almost reach one third of the film, now just drinking mindlessly on wine and whiskey as both of you start to get grabby with one another.

Andy and you became tipsy, the movie soon forgotten. Cuddling soon became sweet whispers of comfort.

Sweet whispers of comfort soon became sloppy neck kisses.

Oh boy and these neck kisses ended up being another make out session.

Getting lost into each other’s kisses was something you loved with Andy. Even though you could feel his hard shaft onto your clothed dripping wet core now, both of you responsible adults knew it was too early for sex.

Both of tried to exchange a conversation that was soon forgotten. It came out as mumbled words and they were soon forgotten…

“H’honey,” he burped with the amount of alcohol he had consumed, “you’re not mad at me for not having sex, right?”

“Shhh, it’s okay Andy,” you burped back too, “Nothing wrong in saying no to sex. Consent is important. We are res-responsible adults- Andy that tickles!”

Andy rolled over on top of you on the couch and attacked your ears, peppering his lips all over your chest.

Sex was out of the cards for you lovebirds. Not sloppy wet kisses right? — Andy would do these small gestures that would always bring a gush of warmth and fuzziness inside you. His hands on the small of your back whenever you walked anywhere. The small back rubs he would give you whenever his body swallows you for a hug. His forehead kisses whenever he saw you stressing out too hard thinking about Nikolai. Your most favourite, linking your hands or pulling you towards his shoulders while going out (even in a departmental store) when any unknown young man approaches you.

You did miss your son without doubt, but it gave so much time for you and Andy to get to know each other much more intimately, emotionally.

Andy had his own vulnerabilities. That as just as much he is moving on, he is as much depressed if he is left alone. He even opened to you how he was going and try to reach out to a psychiatrist and you encouraged him to do so if it would make him feel better

Physically, Andy and you fooled around kissing all day. He never initiated anything, but when you did, he would beg you not to stop. You were genuinely not complaining because sex isn’t everything in a relationship. He told you honestly that he wanted to know you much more before consummating with you and you understood, because you realised, he just came out of a 17-year old institution called marriage.

The idea of him moving on was a blessing for you. Now you would wait for the blessing to count… Or you would just take it in your own hands?

Just the day before Nikolai visits home, Andy asked if he could work on Nikolai’s nursery. You were more than happy to oblige.

As hard as it was to get up early on a Sunday morning, Andy made it easier since he bought you some coffee and waffles.

He began with painting the wall with Nikolai’s favourite colour blue and made sure they were done in neat strokes. You are having the time of your life for you just sat on Niko’s bed watching Andy drilling a few holes into the wall.

He was shirtless all day.

You saw how his back muscles flex as he tried to screw in wooden planks on the wall to hold any toys for him. He even made two small wooden cubbies for Niko’s toys and books. He even made sure to buy extra black paint so that we could draw a very amateur version of his Audi car that Nikolai loved. You and Andy had a good laugh at the final disfigured outcome but were happy genuinely. It was the thought that matters

He loves nothing more than a home cooked meal and so you made him lunch and dinner while he finished the last details.

You left Andy alone in Niko’s nursery while you had to wrap up the kitchen and clean it. You made sure Nikolai’s pancakes batter was in stock because he was coming home tomorrow.

When you entered the nursery, it looked so perfect. Green walls, a cute little bed for his liking and a lamp in the shape of a yellow star was placed near his bed. But just one thing or one person looked out of place.

“Andy? Why do you look so stressed?” “Nothing just- was reminded of Jacob,” he shook his head, looking at the photo frame of new-born Nikolai in your arms. “His hair looks uncannily similar to Jake’s.” You sat next to him, your hands gently squeezing his thighs in comfort. “Do you want to talk about it?” “No no, I’m fine.” He gave you a half-hearted grin, but soon smiling at you for he realised how grateful he was for you to be here at every step of processing his emotions, “Thank you momma bear.”

“No bubba, thank you for all of this.” Both of you leaned over for a quick kiss, but Andy didn’t let go. His kiss on your lips felt needy, tugging on to your lips when you let go and looked into his eyes; it wasn’t as sunken as it was when you first laid your eyes on him. You realised how bad it must be for him to be alone with his thoughts.

But at the same time, you knew he wanted more, his eyes looked like that of a needy child wanting comfort.

And you were hell-bent on giving it to him

“Hey bubba, I gotchu’ okay?” He closed his eyes when he felt your soft palms cupping his cheek; the movement of his thumbs making him blush more. You brought your lips to his, feeling his chapped his against your soft ones.

You got up from the nursery and pulled him to your room and gently closed the door to lean in for another deep kiss.

It was too addictive. Andy had to taste more. He pulled you closer and kissed back with a newfound passion. But he felt you pulling back, leaving him breathless only to see you making him sit down on the bed and you falling down on your knees. “Hey no,” he knew what you were up to, “you don’t have do this.” “But I want to Andy. I wanna take care of you.” I want to give my love to you. You convinced him to relax and pulled down his sweatpants. His black boxers didn’t help hiding his growing bulge. You nudged him to open his legs wide and began placing soft kisses up his thighs. Andy breathed out soft whimpers when you licked and grazed your teeth over his clothed bulge all the way up. His needy state made you tear up a little bit, but it was okay, you were here for him now.

You pulled him for one more kiss before pulling down his boxers. “You look so beautiful bubba,” you whispered to him, gently stroking him while you pulled him down for a peck on his lips.

Andy was mesmerised by the sight of his cock in your hands. You teasingly stroked his length and placed sloppy kisses all over, earning a loud curse from him.

“Fuck!”

“Do you like it bubba? Do you like me holding you like this?” your mischievous yet caring eyes fluttering as you kitten licked the tip of his throbbing cock. Andy threw his head back, his breathing becoming heavier.

Andy was a moaning mess and boy oh boy you weren’t even started. He then saw your pretty lips wrap around his shaft, your tongue running around his throbbing length. When you wrapped your hand around the remaining part of his cock, bobbing up and down, Andy became a mumbling mess. He gripped on to the sheets beside him, not wanting to ruin his beautiful sight in front of him.

You could taste his precum on your lips, making you wet already. You sloppily licked him again, thinking about how would his hot cum feel inside of you. Your moan into his cock made Andy shudder with a small intensity. He was close already.

Tonight was about him only.

Andy tried so hard not to close his eyes, but he failed for he lost himself in this pleasure. He finally gave up tugged on to your hair gently, eyes lidded with desire. He felt so good in your mouth.

He felt so good being with you.

As you increased the pace, you felt him buck his hips against your mouth while your fingernails gently teased his balls. Andy wanted to fall back on the bed, but he kept growling incoherently at your antics. But he wanted to see his cock getting lost in your mouth.

“H-honey, I’m gonna- oh my god!”

He finally falls back onto the bed, his hips hitting your mouth harshly once more as you felt spurts of his sweet, salty cum go down your throat. You tried to lick every last drop of him on your lips, but you had a better idea.

Andy slowly open his eyes, only to see you hovering over him, panting. You leaned in for another kiss, passionately taking in all of you while he came to senses to realise, he was tasting himself off of you.

Andy looked so beautiful, his face was flushed. A glow on his face like a boy getting laid for the first time. His eyes had that mild sparkle; you would do anything to get happiness in this man’s life now.

“You taste that bubba? That was you,” you kissed his neck and another sloppy kiss to his plump lips, “So sweet.”

“You’re a little minx momma bear” he panted too, rolling over to nuzzle in your neck, “I never knew you had it in you.”

“Neither did I, I just wanted to take care of you okay. You looked like you could use a uhm- you know-“

“An Orgasm?”

“Yeah.” Both of you giggled like teenagers while later as Andy pecked more needy kisses on your neck.

“I want to return the favour, Honey.”

Oh, you would gladly accept him jumping into you, but you weren’t cruel. The man was literally tired. “But you look so tired Andy,” you cupped his cheeks again, ruffling your hands into his hair, “My orgasm can wait.”

“B-but"

“No buts mister. You did so much work today. You help me set up Nikolai’s whole room and you never even let me help you. This was all about you okay? I can’t see you with a frown on your face Andy. I really lo-like you a lot okay?”

"You hurting me honey,” he leaned closer to whisper sweet nothings, “I really like you too and that’s why I wanna make it up to you, now.”

“Sleep next to me today?” you trailed his hands over his exposed chest.

“Say no more.” You gasped as Andy lifted you over shoulders, spanking your soft peach. He gently made you sit down on your bed and helped you change into your nightwear, which was his very same blue sweater you wore that day.

That night you realised you would never cease to make his life brighter.

You spooned Andy as you both exchanged good night kisses. He was delighted, he was in the arms of a woman who was way out of his league. He slept that night peacefully knowing that he finally has someone to take care of him now. –

The very next Monday morning, Andy and you woke up to the sound of the calling bell, realising it was Chad dropping off Nikolai before he heads off to work. Andy was gleeful as he strode towards the door, excited about what happened last night. “Yaay! Wandi!” Niko literally jumped from his father’s hand to Andy’s shoulder, hugging his mother’s new pwince tightly as ever.

“Hey buddy, glad to have you back.”

Niko then goes running into his house, to his mother by the kitchen counter. You hugged your boy and held him in your arms, unbeknownst to you the ugly conversation that was going to follow

“It’s you from the library,” Chad eyed him like a piece of meat noticing he was not wearing his shirt.

You observed from afar. He was nothing compared to Andy. Your boyfriend’s muscles had more personality that your son’s father. “Yes and you must be Chad, Y/N’s ex-husband.” “And you must be Andrew Barber. Father of the dead Jacob Barber.” “You are a fucking son of a-” You quickly put Nikolai down and asked him to go to his room. Andy wanted to throw this man over your porch and slam his head with a metal pan. But you beat him to it as he saw you holding Chad by the collar. “How dare you? Don’t you fucking DARE say a word about him, DO YOU GET IT?” Andy tried and successfully held on to you know, deeply terrified of how you were shouting.

“You’re wearing his clothes,” he snarked “You fucking any guy that lives next to you now?“

Smack!

You slapped him hard. So hard he had a red imprint on his cheek. You waited for a second for him to open his mouth as an excuse to slap his other cheek again. Andy pulled you back now, “Sweetheart it’s not worth it. It’s okay.”

“You don’t even know anything about him Y/N,” he straightened up himself. “I may be a cheater, but I am not born a murderer.”

Andy left his grip from your arms, feeling him slowly move away inside your house.

“What?”

"Did you know his father in jail? Bloody Billy Barber? For murdering a girl?”

You felt your heart feeling heavy. “N-no.”

“Oh jolly, good luck processing that! By the way, Sasha my girlfriend and I are going on a vacation for a couple of weeks so, Nikolai will not be coming- “

You weren’t listening to him because you shut the door on his face. You slowly processed what you had heard. You never pressed Andy because you respected his choice. His words.

“Is this true Andy?”

You earned a small nod from his burried face in his own hands.

How could you forget? It was one of your best nights. You never doubted him and even after hearing this, you really didnt.

You both were really drunk that night (every night of the week actually), rolling on the bed with each other naked. "I have a lot more skeletons in my closet than you think Y/N.”

“Have you cheated on anyone?”

“No”

“Have you stolen monies?”

“No, you silly” “Have you killed anyone?” Andy giggled and said “No!“ He smacked your forehead. "Then consider that closet empty. I like you, this Andy Barber, not the Newton County’s DA. The hot swimming instructor who hates Speedos and loves backrubs.” By the time you could process this information, Andy got up and gently grabbed you by your shoulders, his watery eyes doing no job of his distress. “Andy listen to me okay. Wait-” “I wanna stay alone for a couple of days okay? I want to apologize if I feel like I’m abandoning you. I-I am not though…” “Bubba we can talk about this.” You pleaded him, cupping his cheek. “Just talk to me bubba please.” “No, I don’t think so Y/N. I can order take out okay. Don’t wait for dinner night for me. Thanks for last night. I’ll never forget it.” He places a quick kiss on your forehead only to leave in a hurry. “I still like you okay.”

You wanted to cry. You wanted to scream. You didn’t like how this was going.

You processed it. Andy’s father was a murderer, not Andy himself.

If Andy wasn’t going to process that, you would do that for him too.

You would do anything to get happiness in this man’s life now.

–

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#Andy Barber #Defending Jacob #Andy Barber x reader #Chris evans imagines #Andy Barber Imagines #Chris evans x reader #Defending Jacob Spoilers #andy barber fluff #andy barber smut #chris evans #chris evans x you #andy barber imagine #andy barber angst #defending jacob finale #jacob barbe #andrew barber

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captainjimothycarter · 4 years

Note

imagine steggy after their reunion: for quite some time they're unable to not be in the same room as the other, always have to be seeing the other, maybe even have to constantly touch each other like a hand on the back, touching knees while sitting down etc. They dont notice but others do. Could become a sweet and funny drabble

I like how you say sweet and funny. Let’s be honest, it was the sweater weather au one that made you say this, right? /j

Peggy had a theory and when it came to theories, the only thing to do is work them out.

When Steve got up before her alarm went off, she’d listen to him in the bathroom, pause to kiss her temple, and cover her shoulders back up, before getting breakfast ready. By the time her alarm did go off, he would be there with a cup of coffee and a smile on his face.

While she got ready, he made the bed, fluffed the pillows, put up the few clothes she had laid out while she chose clothes, cleaned up after her.

Then, he’d kiss her. A soft, gentle kiss to her cheek.

Breakfast would be ready and he’d insist on making her another cup of coffee and himself one, spooning them breakfast. He’d pass her the mug with a gentle touch or kiss, give her a plate with a touch or a kiss.

Then, it was out the door until lunchtime where Steve would be waiting outside the office, flowers in hand, and a smile on his face.

He’d touch the small of her back and pull her tight, keeping the PDA to a minimum when she was working.

They’d have a lovely lunch at the diner or a cafe or even a little picnic Steve packed them when the weather was warm enough.

Then, she’d be home for dinner. Heels off at the door, the hat was thrown in one chair, coat in another, clothes trailing until she could retreat to the bedroom to take the makeup off, of course after pausing to kiss Steve.

He’d follow her, maybe not immediately but eventually, he’d find her and kiss her again. Touch her arm as he passed to put the clothes up, help her change into comfortable clothes before they’d have dinner.

They would start on one side of the table, before somehow, always they ended up sitting on the same side. Often Steve would have poured her a glass of wine, sometimes he’d join her, but 90% of the time he would have some contact on her body.

She couldn’t stay away from him, Peggy noted one Saturday afternoon when Steve mentioned running to the local store to grab an ice cream on the hot summer evening.

“You don’t gotta go, Pegs,” Steve told her for the unkempt time as he pulled his undershirt away from his chest. It was too hot for him to wear anything else, he’d even invested in shorts. “You don’t like the heat.”

“Steve, I told you, I’m fine.” She was already on her feet and dressed in a thin, sundress with flats and her hair piled high off of her neck.

Steve was still, all smiles when she said she’d go, picking up her large sun hat and placing it on her head. His fingers brushed over the nape of her neck, moving in to press a tender kiss to her lips that were sweeter than any dessert.

His fingers brushed over hers when he handed her their sweet treat, held her hand as they walked along the docks and down the beach. Even kissed her while they lounged in the hot sand.

At home, with the sand washed off and relaxing with a book in hand, Steve sat close as possible to her on the couch. Their knees brushed one another as he sat beside her with his own book. Unconsciously, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to his frame despite they were side by side.

That’s how, even though it was blazing hot even with their windows open, the ceiling fan on, that Peggy found herself laying in Steve’s lap. His fingers found a way to her curls, slowly pulling them from the high bun to stroke her silky curls from being untangled.

“You don’t notice you’re doing it, do you?” Peggy asked after she was three chapters in, her curls were officially free of the bun and Steve was now starting to unconsciously rub at her scalp.

“Hm?” He looked to be in another world, eyes glazed over, finally focusing as he looked down at her with a warm smile. “Do what now?”

“You touch me.” At Steve’s confused look, Peggy gave a light laugh and sat up much to both their disappointment. “No, no, darling, it’s nothing bad. It’s...you touch me. Unconsciously, I’ve noticed. In the morning you kiss me, tuck me back in despite you’ve only just left to use the bathroom or shower. You bring me coffee, you kiss me. You unconsciously touch my arm or shoulder and out in public, you touch my back, especially if a male coworker is near me. And just now you were stroking my hair.”

Steve’s mouth opened and closed several times, setting the book down so it laid flat on the table. Peggy captured his hands and gave a wide smile that brightened up her eyes, shaking her head. “Darling, it’s not bad. You just...do these things. I thought you were aware of them. Again, they’re not bad. I adore them. I love every little touch. Like-like today...I didn’t have to go with you to the store, but I chose to because suddenly not being with you despite it being blazing hot outside...I couldn’t cope with that idea. And it did result in a fun outing.”

Steve’s mouth turned into his own smile, leaning down to kiss her softly. “It did,” he agreed with a sigh, pressing their foreheads together.

Combing her fingers through his hair, she could see something was wrong. Had she been wrong to point out the obvious? Ever since Steve had gotten back, it was clear how different he was before the war. He was confident, sure of himself, sure a little spacey at times, lost in thought but underneath it all, he was still her Steve.

She still and would always love him.

Would he now think over every little action? Would he worry he’s overstepping and suddenly stop? She didn’t know if she could handle that.

“Darling,” she breathed, cupping his jawline with a soft touch. “Talk to me. Did I upset you? I’m sorry-”

A sudden kiss stopped her mid-track, causing her to sigh when he pulled away. “No, no.” His voice was rougher, gravely, like he was holding emotions in. When his eyes opened, she was a little shocked to see tears in them.

“Oh, love what’s wrong?” Her thumb gently brushed a stray tear away, not surprised Steve had pulled her into his lap.

“Nothing. That’s it. Nothing!” Peggy’s lips pursed and the worst thought came to head - Steve was bored. Bored at home, bored with life. He regrets his decision to come home. And as if he was reading her mind, Steve cupped her jaw and kissed her again. This time with hunger.

“You don’t understand, Pegs. We talked so much of after the war, unsure if either of us will get it. How we’ll go on dates, come home to one another, spend night after night sharing a bed. Cuddling, touching, kissing. Innocent things that we never got because I...I died…” The last word croaked, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. “And now that we’re together, it’s perfect. Love, it’s perfect. It’s real. It’s so real. Nothing is wrong. Because I love you. I have to touch you. I have to prove to myself that this is real. That you are real. That-that-that I am not going to wake up from a dream and find myself in Wakanda or asleep on a jet after a mission and you’re-you’re dead.”

Ah.

Now, she understood. Steve’s desire to prove to himself that this wasn’t some episode dreamed up from the fact of being produced from what he craved the most in life. He needed to prove to himself that she was real. And she got that. She truly did, more than he understood.

While he rested and slept hard and long for the first few weeks after coming home, she would touch him. Listen to him breathe, watch his chest rise and fall, listen to his heartbeat. She’d watch his shadow play on the wall when he showered or in the kitchen to prove to herself he was here too.

The poor thing was so tired when he’d come to her. The world had borne down on him one too many times, his spine crooked and knees buckled from carrying the weight for so long, for having lost and gained and just to lose again so much. He deserved those hours of sleep, where he finally felt safe enough to do so.

“I’ll tell you what, darling,” Peggy sighed, pressing their foreheads together again and holding his hands close to her chest so he could feel her heart beating. “If you ever need to prove to yourself, no matter the time of day or the matter that I am real, that I am here beside you and that you, Steven Grant Rogers are mine, then all you must do is ask and I will always make a point to kiss you.”

Just as if he was years younger, the tips of his ears turned red as Peggy kissed him, his hand sliding in her hair, freeing his hand to pull hers to his chest so she could feel his heart beating too.

#Steggy #StevePeggy #Steggy Prompt #Nonny Prompt #Fluff #Tooth-rotting fluff #They're so sweet #Post Endgame

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tomspancakes · 4 years

Text

This Way: Part 3

Pairing: Tom Holland x Actress! reader

Word count: 4251

Warnings: A crazy bih lol

Summary: It’s time for Y/n’s welcome dinner with the Hollands. An uninvited guest joins and Tom is left making a tough decision.

A/N: Here’s part 3 I hope you enjoy! Please lmk if you’re enjoying this/ have any constructive criticism. Don’t hesitate to ask to be a part of the tag list :)

Part 1, Part 2

+++

“Thanks for taking me again, Tom, you’re a lifesaver.” You leaned over the center console and hugged him. Since nobody else was around the embrace lasted a little longer than you anticipated, but Tom enjoyed it. His heart warmed with the smell of your hair and he felt like he was at home in your arms. He was smiling and squeezed you a bit harder.

“Uh Tom,” You said awkwardly patting his back, taking him out of his daydreaming, “I have to go now.”

“Oh shit uhm sorry, love...” When he let go of you he furrowed his brows remembering he has a girlfriend.

“You ok?” you asked genuinely concerned as you grabbed your bags and stood up to get out. Many thoughts running through his mind about how wrong he’s being. He looked back up at your beautiful innocent face,

“Oh ya thanks,” he cleared his throat and noticed you took your extra clothes, “Oh you don’t have to take your extra bag. I’m picking you up for dinner right?”

“No no it’s alright Harry said he’d be able to pick me up.”

“Are you sure? I mean it’d be easier if I just took you, this place is out of-”

“Ya, I’m sure. Harry and I haven’t really had time to hang out yet.” You said trying to avoid his offer. It was already hard being alone with Tom for 45 minutes and you didn’t want to wreck his and Allana’s relationship. Tom wasn’t convinced, he just gave you a strange look and bit his lip, “Alright then, love. Didn’t ever mean to make you avoid me.” You blushed because you were now exposed. You shrugged,

“Thanks again. See you later, Tom.” You turned and began to walk feeling Tom’s eyes burn into your backside. He was feeling so conflicted between you and Allana now. He shook his head and drove off to his parents’ house.

“Bye, y/n, can’t wait to begin filming with you in a few days!” You smiled and gave your co-star Lana Condor a hug.

“Likewise! I’ve been looking for a project with strong leading women roles and it’s finally happening.” You both smiled and parted ways when you saw Harry pull up at the front of the gate.

“Hey, bestieeeee!” You said, Harry laughed at your enthusiasm,

“Hi, love, get in now. There’s a bit of traffic.” You got in and Harry saw the outfit you were wearing.

“Whoa you own clothes other than sweats and leggings?” Harry asked in a fake shocking voice. You slapped his arm and he laughed, “Just joking. You look gorgeous though, Tom’s gonna have a hard time keeping it in his pants.” Again you slapped his arm and rolled your eyes.

“That’s your brother, yuh nasty. But thanks.” You giggled and blushed.

You wore a white cropped turtle neck long sleeve, a suede nude high waisted skirt with a small slit on your right leg, and black heeled suede boots that went up just below your knee. The outfit hugged your curves perfectly, but was still very comfortable.

“Ok update time! I have to tell you what happened before the tableread.” He nodded,

“Who ended up taking you?” He asked.

“Tom did and he took me to lunch also.” He nodded his head like ‘ok so what?’, “Tom uhm… He took me to the burger cafe…”

“WHAT?” Harry yelled scaring you a bit,

“I know it’s crazy, but you didn’t have to yell. It was so awkward that he brought me there.”

“No, y/n you don’t understand. After you guys broke up he refused to go there, even if it was just to pick food up for us. Then after a week of him and Allana dating he said he’d get some for us and he came back 2 hours after with super red puffy eyes. We all tried to talk to him about it, but he refused to and never went back until today I guess.” Your heart dropped hearing how sad Tom was you thought he was fine after everything you two went through. You were also surprised because you thought he hardly ever kept anything from the boys.

“Then why would he take me there?�� you asked softly

“Beats me. He hasn’t even brought Allana there. He always tells us it’s because Allana doesn’t like ‘greasy’ food, but I say that’s bull.” You sat there stunned, but you couldn’t think too much of it or else bad things would ensue.

“Anyway, how was filming?” You asked. Harry smiled widely and let out a dreamy sigh,

“It’s so fun, I’m living my dream and I love it even more.” You smiled seeing your friend so passionate about something.

“I can’t wait for you to see the final result, I cried a bit when filming it.” Harry said before pulling into the driveway of his parents’ house.

“I can’t wait to see what you’ve done, the script was really well written.” You smiled at him before he got out and opened the door for you. You looped your arm in his and walked to the front door. He knocked and you realized you forgot to ask him about whose idea it was to have you stay for the next few months,

“Harry, can I ask you something?”

“Ya what’s up?” Before you could ask him the door swung open and Sam stood there with a wide grin.

“Y/n!” You jumped into his arms and he chuckled,

“How’ve you been, Sam?”

“Great! I’m getting better at cooking everyday.” He said proudly, stepping aside to let you and Harry in.

“Oh my god, Paddy?” You stared wide eyed at him, “You got so tall. You’re going to look like the eldest soon.” He laughed and gave you a hug, you were still shorter than him in the heels.

“Yeah I see you’re still tiny.” He joked and laughed when you put your hand over your heart pretending to be offended.

“Oh, Paddy, be nice to the girl.” Nikki said wrapping you in a hug and you giggled squeezing her back, “I swear, y/n, you get more gorgeous every time I see you whether it be on instagram or in person!” She said looking at you up and down and you flipped your hair in a joking way.

“I could say the same to you, Nikki.” And she smiled widely at that. You went over to Dom and gave him a hug.

“Oh y/n it’s so lovely to see you again and not on Harry’s laptop!” You giggled,

“It’s nice to be here! I missed being in such a nice environment. After coming here once I believed American hospitality actually sucked.” He laughed at your comment and you all moved to the living room to catch up a bit more.

The doorbell rang and Harry came back with Tuwaine and Harrison who had cases of beer in their hands.

“Oh my goodness, you boys better not get too drunk tonight, it’s a weeknight for christ's sake.” Nikki said, scolding them.

“Sorry, Nikki, we won’t I promise.” Harrison said and he winked at Tuwaine. Nikki shook her head as everyone else laughed.

“Where’s Tom? He was supposed to pick up the drinks with us.” Tuwaine asked.

“Oh he’s in Paddy’s room. He’s been on a call with his girlfriend since y/n and Harry came.” Dom said.

You stood with Nikki drinking wine and watching Sam and Dom cook.

“So, y/n, a little birdy told me you have a new flame in your life.” You laughed wondering if Tom or Harry told her,

“I’m afraid that flame has already been burnt out,” she looked at you apologetically with a hint of excitement, “No worries though, it was for the best. Now I am focusing on myself and my work.” You said happily.

“I’m glad to hear that. It’s refreshing to hear that you can do well without being in a relationship. If you’re ever looking for one though, I know someone who maybe… I don’t know, never stopped looking your way.”

You stared at her wide eyed. You knew she was talking about Tom and that she had loved you for him, but you didn’t think she’d put her son out like that especially when he’s currently dating someone. You were about to comment back that you couldn’t, but something warm and fuzzy rubbed against your leg.

“Oh my goodness! Tessa baby where did you come from?” You cooed and put the wine glass on the counter to pick her up. Nikki smiled and awed. You heard footsteps approaching the kitchen,

“Tessa where’d you go? Mum can you put out another plate, Alla-” Tom stepped into the kitchen and stopped to scan your figure with his eyes. He gulped and brushed his hands through his hair,

“H-hi, y/n. You uh look nice.” Nikki smiled cheekily at how you made her son all flustered.

“What was that, Tom?” Nikki asked, he cleared his throat,

“Oh right, Allana is coming if that’s alright. Can we put out another seat at the table?”

“Tonight of all nights? This was supposed to be a welcome dinner for y/n. We’ve invited her over so many times and after almost 5 months of you two dating she decides to meet us for the first time now?” You looked back down at Tessa who was cradled in your arms. How has Allana not met Tom’s parents, he introduced you to them before you even dated.

“Mum, you know she’s always been busy. Tonight just happened to be one of her open nights.” Nikki sighed and grabbed another plate from the cupboard. You put Tessa down to help Nikki set up the table.

You and Tom made eye contact and he smiled softly at you. You smiled back and he asked,

“Wanna go outside? The boys are doing some trick shots.”

“Ya I’ll be out in a bit, let me just finish helping your mom.”

“No no, y/n, you shouldn’t even be helping. Tom you’re being a bad host.” She scolded and he put his hands up in defense before helping the both of you.

When you finished he walked with you to the backyard. You thanked him when he opened the sliding door for you. You sat down and watched as Harry, Paddy, Harrison, and Tuwaine tried to get a ping pong ball into a cup by bouncing it off a wall. Tom sat next to you after closing the sliding door and you shivered a bit, now regretting not bringing a jacket. Tom quickly got back up and went back inside, not even 30 seconds later you felt a fuzzy blanket wrap around your shoulders and cover your legs. You looked up to see that Tom had brought a blanket out for you,

“Just returning the favor, love.” He winked at you referencing to when you put the blanket on him this morning. You smiled and silently thanked him.

“So, when’s Allana coming?” You asked and Tom plopped down next to you again,

“Oh she just left her friends so she’ll be here in 15 minutes maybe.” You nodded. ‘So she was already occupied before deciding to come to this dinner, interesting.’ you thought.

Tom scooted a little closer to you, shoulders rubbing making your heart rate speed up. ‘Fuck it I’m gonna ask him’ you thought.

“Tom, did Harry really beg you to let me stay in the house? He told me it was your idea.” You said quickly looking at him.

He cleared his throat with wide eyes before rubbing his face.

“Uhm… no?” You raised your eyebrow at him,

“Why’d you lie?”

Tom sighed and brushed a hand through his hair before pulling his knees closer to his chest and resting his chin between his knees. He was really nervous for some reason. He bit the skin on his thumb before saying, “Well, I didn’t think it’d be a terrible idea to have you here. We’d be too busy to even really see each other because I’d leave to shoot Uncharted…” He looked at you in the eyes and paused thinking about what he was going to say, “plus I uh kinda missed seeing you and talking to you. I kinda felt like a dick for not talking to you when you reached out to me as a friend after we broke up. I meant to reply, I swear, but I just couldn’t find the right moment I guess.” He sighed and looked back down, “I-I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to get you back.” Your eyes widened a bit.

“Oh not like in a relationship way, like uhm…”

“A friendship?” You asked and giggled at him stumbling with his words. You were relieved, you were definitely not down to have drama in your life right now.

“Hm, yeah, a friendship.” He said and looked at you with a crooked smile. That didn’t seem very convincing, but you brushed it off.

“Well, Tom, I’m 100% down for a friendship. There has to be some ground rules though, which I can't believe I have to say this, because you have a girlfriend.” You said sternly, “First you can’t compliment me anymore, kinda messes with my feelings…” he smirked at that going back to his cocky self, “Second you absolutely cannot be flirtatious with me,”

“Love, you can’t tell me to not be me.” He said winking, you hit his arm, “I’m joking, I’m joking.”

“Third…” You looked at him seriously completely disregarding what Haz told you, “I uh think we should leave the past behind us. You know, start off this friendship on a new slate.” Tom looked at you upset with furrowed brows like he wanted to say something, but his face relaxed knowing if he did it’d cause problems.

“Ok then, is that all?” He asked softly, looking away from you.

“Hm… I guess so.” You looked at one another trying to read what the other was thinking. Then you looked away afraid you’d fall deeper staring into his brown orbs.

“Actually while we’re getting stuff out the way… How’d you know Gavin and I were dating?” You asked while fiddling with the hair tie on your wrist. Tom’s thoughts began to race figuring out a way to get out of this situation without sounding like a creepy ex, but he felt that he could only tell you the truth.

He sighed, “Well actually, I didn’t know. I was-”

“Tommy!” A squeaky voice rang out behind you. You and Tom moved apart from each other quickly. ‘Oh shit’ Tom thought. Again, he was getting caught up with you and forgetting about Allana. Although, he was relieved to be pulled out of saying a very embarrassing confession.

“Allana, hi, when did you get in?” Tom smiled, only sounding half excited and more nervous. Paddy looked curiously at the new girl that entered while Harry, Tuwaine, and Haz looked displeased to see her. Harry glanced at you raising his eyebrow and you shrugged standing up to leave Allana and Tom alone.

“Baby, I texted and called you so many times when I got here,” She rolled her eyes, “Your mum let me in when she saw me through the security camera.” Then she glared at him, if looks could kill Tom would be 6 feet underground by now.

“Sorry, darling. I left my phone inside.” She scoffed.

“You could’ve knocked or rang the doorbell.” Paddy said, everyone looked at him surprised. Allana snapped her head up in the direction of his voice, but her expression softened a bit when she noticed that Paddy was the one that said that.

“Hm, I mean, I guess…” She shrugged and subtly rolled her eyes, “Tommy, why don’t you introduce me to your family now?” Oh god. You wanted to try to like her, but she was really making it hard.

“Didn’t she just pass by the kitchen and see Paddy just now? Did she not greet any of them?” you asked Harry in disbelief. He scoffed,

“Yeah, but she probably needed, ‘Tommy’s’ help.” Harry said mimicking the way she says his name. You watched as Tom introduced Allana to Paddy and then brought her in to meet his parents and Sam.

“Sam this is absolutely delicious. I hope there’s leftovers because nobody can cook in our house.” Tuwaine said, eating another bite of steak.

Harrison chuckled, “Haha true, this morning Tom was just frying bacon and burnt his side real bad. Y/n had to nurse him, it was hysterical.” Allana looked at you displeased and you blushed.

“Harrison, you’re a fucking twat.” Tom said and Nikki glared at him for cursing.

“Oh my goodness. Tom were you cooking with your shirt off again?” Nikki asked, disappointed. Tom looked down at his plate guilty. Nikki looked at Dom,

“Don’t look at me, darling, I no longer claim him as my own.” He said with his hands up in defense and everybody laughed at that. “Anyway, y/n. Whatcha filming now?”

You finished chewing, “I’m filming a new action movie called, “Run”. It’s about a family on the run that is under the protection of two female rookie CIA agents. That’s all I can really say for now, but I’m really excited to work on it because of the wonderful empowering story.” You smiled, you could’ve talked about the project forever, but you legally couldn’t because of the contract you signed.

“That sounds so bad ass!” Paddy said suddenly. Nikki looked at him,

“Oi! No cursing at the table. Tom, see what you’ve taught your brother?”

“Mum, really?” Tom moaned. She gave him a stern look and he pouted, you giggled at the cute moment and Tom’s heartbeat quickened when hearing it.

“Was it hard getting here, y/n? You know with all the covid-19 news?” Dom asked.

“Oh it was a nightmare! Even though the airports were less crowded people were still freaking out and sanitizing every moment they could. Also as soon as I landed there was a bunch of news that things were beginning to get shut down in my state. I just hope filming doesn’t get cut short.”

“Yeah it’s unbelievable. The producers for Uncharted said to be ready for anything.” Tom added. It was quiet then you decided to ask Allana about what she was currently working on, trying to help her gain brownie points back with the Hollands.

“Allana, what about you? Aren’t you working on something as well?” She looked up surprised that she was brought into the conversation. Tom put his hand on her back to ease her nerves, your heart dropped at the sight, but you tried not to think about it because he’s your friend now.

“Well, I actually run a business with my friend and uh...,” she thought hard about what to say next and as if a light bulb went off in her mind, “we’re uh all about empowerment as well.” She looked at you smiling for the first time ever, “We design and sell chique clothing and then 20% of the proceeds are given to charities that stand out to us.” Tom’s parents looked impressed. The boys seemed surprised as well. She smiled at you again looking thankful… and smug?

“That is lovely, Allana. I’d like to see this business of yours sometime.” Nikki said, smiling at her kindly. Everyone carried on with their own conversations. Harry leaned over to your ear,

“Looks like the devil has a soul after all, but I don’t know if I’ve fallen for it yet.” You elbowed his side.

“You just gotta give her a chance. Looks like you guys have never even asked what she does.”

“Touche,” He shrugged, “Not gonna lie, I’m surprised you're being so nice to your ex’s girlfriend.” He said as if Tom wasn’t his brother.

“Well, Tom and I talked about it and we’re going to start off on a new slate as friends…” You looked at him, “Just like you suggested.” Harry smiled and hugged you, clearly proud of you. When you parted you caught Tom looking at you. You smiled at one another before carrying on with your conversations.

“You lot want to play a quick board game or something before we all call it a night?” You all nodded in agreement and migrated to the living room. Paddy said he was tired and decided to head to sleep for the night since he has school still. ‘What a responsible kid.’ you thought when you all said your good nights to him.

You all decided to play Heads Up. Dom was downloading the game on his tablet and Allana pulled Tom somewhere else.

Tom joyfully walked behind Allana into the guest room,

“What’s wrong? My parents seem to like you a lot, darling.” Tom said to Allana. She smiled pleased with what he said, but there was something else bothering her,

“What’s going on between you and y/n?” She asked straightforwardly as her mood switched fast.

“What? Nothing at all why?”

“Hm really? I get here and see you two basically cuddling and I keep catching you looking at her. If I didn’t know any better I’d think you have a crush or something.” She said in a serious tone. Tom sighed,

“Ok I know this isn’t the right time to hear it, but please don’t get mad at me and let me finish explaining.” She gave him a displeased look telling him to go on.

“Well y/n is my ex-”

“What the fu-” she interrupted furiously

“No, please let me finish,” He said with his hands on her shoulders, “I never told you because nobody even knew we ever dated, only our family and cast mates knew… I just didn’t think it would be cool if I broke my promise with y/n and told you too. She wanted only a few people to know.” Nothing he was saying was making Allana feel better. In fact it made something in her snap, her face began to turn red with anger. She pushed his hands off her shoulders,

“What the hell? I’m your girlfriend not y/n. Shouldn’t that promise mean nothing to you by now? Plus can’t you trust me enough?” Tom looked at his feet as he brushed his hands through his hair. Allana let out a stressful sigh and said,

“Look, Tom, I really really like you. We’ve been dating for almost 5 months now and you couldn’t build up the courage to tell me about your ex?”

“Allana, don’t go blaming me for not telling you anything. I had to find out through a friend that your ex actually broke up with you because you cheated on him for christ’s sake, not because you were moving to a different city!” He whisper yelled, getting angrier.

“God I hate when you bring that up, it was one slip up. I barely cheated on the guy.” Tom was about to say something really rude but she beat him to it, “You know what? I will not make a fool of myself. Definitely not in this relationship. I don’t like seeing you and y/n together at all. You can stay with me and we’ll work this shit out or…” she thought for a bit,

“Or what?” Tom asked impatiently, making her a bit more angry.

“Or I swear if I see you close to her or looking at her again I will share with the world what you told me tonight.”

“What the hell are you fucking crazy?” Tom asked in disbelief.

“No. I’m just a boss lady that gets what she wants.” she said with full confidence crossing her arms over her chest, “just think about it, Tom.” She began to walk toward the door,

“Allana, y/n has been nothing but nice to you. Don’t you think it’d be a decent thing to at least leave her out of this? She’s really serious about her privacy. A-and didn't you just say you believe in women sticking together and empowerment?”

“What and lose all the leverage I have on you? Plus that’s something I tell everyone to promote the business.” She laughed darkly and started walking away again, “Oh and if I hear that anyone finds out about our deal, I’ll share your little secret. And I don’t give a shit that you two live in the same house, get creative, babe.”

Tom sat feeling defeated at the edge of the bed.

He thought to himself, ‘What the hell was that? In all the months I’ve dated Allana she has been bossy, but never this evil or mean or fucking psycho. What have I gotten myself into? How did I not see the signs? Well the boys did say something about her being off…’ Tom’s thoughts were cut off when Sam came in,

“We’re starting the game now, come down or else you’ll get put on a shitty team.” He joked, but his smile fell when he saw the upset look on his older brother’s face.

“Wait are you ok, Tom?” Tom looked up, smiled, and nodded. He got up to follow his brother and Sam decided not to press on knowing Tom didn’t want to talk about it.

Tom’s eyebrows furrowed again when he thought, ‘Well this is it. I have to avoid y/n as much as possible, it’s best for the both of us. I never thought things would turn out this way.’

+++

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#tom holland #tom holland imagine #tom holland x you #tom holland x reader #tom holland x y/n #tom holland series #tom holland x famous! reader #tom holland x actress! reader #tom holland x actor! reader #tom holland angst #tom holland fluff #harry holland #tom holland fanfiction #tom holland fandom #best friend!harry holland

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h-styles-babes · 5 years

Text

FOUR

“Have yeh got all settled, then?” El asked as Sia finished putting her makeup on. She was getting ready for her day out on the island, and she figured she’d at least look a little nice for the occasion. “No more icky feelings about bein’ alone?”

“Yeah, I’ve gotten used to it. Kinda nice being by myself for a bit and still gettin’ paid for it, honestly,” she admitted with a chuckle. She swiped on the last bit of her lipgloss before capping it. She tossed it in her purse, just in case she needed it again before she came back. “Especially now that it’s day time and I’ll be out exploring a bit.”

“Any hints as to who the artist is?” El asked excitedly. Sia thought she was more excited to know who was to show up than she was herself. She thought it was quite endearing of her friend to be so excited, even though she’d have nothing to do with them.

“Nah, Jeff hasn’t said a word. He did drop that it was a guy, though.”

Ellen squealed as Sia laughed. Her friend started listing off all these amazing artist Sia could potentially be spending the next two months in close quarters with. Sia didn’t have the heart to remind her that it was to be a new artist, since this would be their first go round, and none of the very well-versed artists she’d been listing. She just let her go on until she ran out of guesses.

“Yeh done?” Sia asked over a chuckle.

“Yeah, I’m done. I need to let yeh go, though. My break’s nearly over. Some of us have to stick to schedules still,” El joked, poking fun at Sia’s comment of getting paid to just hang out on a tropical island for the time being.

“Oh, shut it,” she scolded playfully. “I’ll let yeh get going. Have fun at your stuffy job! Talk to yeh later.”

Ellen huffed at her goodbye as Sia cackled a little bit, hanging up on her.

It was a beautiful day when Sia stepped out the front door, locking it behind her. She slipped her sunnies onto her nose and relished in the way the slight breeze ruffled her sundress around her thighs and the way the gravel crunched slightly beneath her sandals. She couldn’t help but smile gleefully as she made her way out to the main road. The house came with bikes, so she snagged one from the area beside the house and took off toward the city, knowing it would likely only take her about fifteen minutes in order to get to the main part of town.

Sia spent the afternoon strolling through the town, popping into the local shoppes and stopping off at a cafe to grab a cup of iced coffee and a sandwich for lunch. There were quite a few tourists around with her, but the majority of the people she encountered were locals, running the shoppes and greeting her as she walked past store fronts. She picked up a cool braided bracelet she thought El would like and even got a macrame choker for herself, a charm with the Aries sign—her zodiac—engraved into it dangling from the center.

When Sia took a seat at a small table for two outside of the cafe she bought lunch at, she crossed her leg over the other and sat back, relaxing under the shade of the umbrella at her table. She’d forgotten to grab a hat before darting out the door, and she could feel the heat on her head. She didn’t want to get burnt on her very first full day on the island, so she was grateful for the reprieve.

“Your anklet is beautiful,” a woman sat at the table next to her complimented, looking at the little gold anklet with a delicate little butterfly charm.

Sia smiled at her. The woman had a strong Australian accent, and Sia figured she was a tourist. “Thank you. Was a gift from my friend for my eighteenth birthday. She said I had too good of ankles to not be adorned by something pretty.”

The woman laughed with Sia. “And what about the bracelet?” she asked innocently, nodding to the accessory on Sia’s wrist.

The innocuous question had Sia’s throat tightening and her jaw clenching to keep her emotions at bay. Unlike the little chain on her ankle, the black beaded bracelet on her wrist with the little silver charm with a Celtic knot representative of ‘forever’ was not given to her by Ellen. It was actually a gift from Harry after they’d first got together. They’d been friends for ages, and he thought it was a pretty big deal that they’d decided to start up a relationship together. The bracelet was a gift, marking the occasion, and Sia had not taken it off since. She’d nearly ripped it off herself in a fit of rage when she’d first learned that Harry had left her just to get with the faux supermodel, but she just couldn’t bring herself to do it. Harry was more than her boyfriend of three years; he was her best friend, and no amount of anger could really negate all the memories she had with him and the love she still held for him. She hated him for what he did to her, but she loved him in her soul, and nothing could change that. Even if she had been pissed at him for the last year.

She took a deep breath before responding, voice a bit shaky. “Gift from an ex. Haven’t had the guts to take it off.” She wasn’t sure what was prompting her to be as candid as she was with this complete stranger, but she wasn’t apprehensive of it. It felt good to talk about Harry—however vaguely—to someone who wasn’t so entangled in it all. Ellen was a great support, but she hated Harry nearly as much as Sia did, and it wasn’t always conducive of substantial conversations.

“How long were you together?”

“Three years. Were friends since we were little, though. Bit of a bite when we broke up.”

“Did he cheat or something?” the woman asked, seeming to get a little fired up at the thought. Sia thought maybe there was some underlying reason behind that.

“No, no, nothing like that,” Sia denied, even though it hurt like he had cheated when she’d learned of his relationship with the reality star not longer after they’d split. “Lives took us in different directions. A stable relationship wasn’t possible for us anymore.”

The woman’s posture eased, and she offered a sympathetic smile. “Then it’s okay to wear mementos of him. It’s good to remember the happy things when you experience heart break. If he was a cheating bastard, it’d be a different story. I tossed my wedding band at my ex-husband’s head when I found him in bed with another woman, then spent his bonus from his most recent deal on this vacation. Made me feel better.”

Sia and the woman laughed together and spent the rest of their afternoon sat at that table, Nadia—Sia learned her name was—having scooted to the empty seat across from Sia. They talked about their lives, Sia sharing that she was on the island for business and Nadia telling her she was a family lawyer that worked with Australia’s social services. They talked about their lives, and even though Nadia was nearly ten years her senior, Sia hadn’t felt so comfortable with another person in a long time. It made her miss Ellen, and it even made her miss Harry a little bit.

It was good to be reminded that her relationship wasn’t all bad. It was actually a very loving, fulfilling relationship that even her parents were proud of. His betrayal tainted it though, and it was sometimes hard to remember that Harry had been the best part of Sia’s life for most of it. She’d had Harry longer than she hadn’t, and there was something to be said for that.

Didn’t mean she didn’t still hate his guts, but it made her reflective.

It was early evening by the time Sia made it back to the house. She hadn’t wanted to make her way back while it was dark out, so she’d said goodbye to Nadia with an exchange of numbers and hopped back up on her bike. The weather was even nicer with the setting sun, the heat still lingering from the day, but the ocean breeze was just a bit cooler, raising little goosebumps on Sia’s skin. It wasn’t cool enough to be craving a jumper, though, and she was still comfortable in her flowery sundress and her sandals.

The lights in the house were off when she rode up, except for the porch light, which she’d left on when she headed out in the afternoon in case she got back after dark. It was still dusky outside, so she didn’t really need the aid of the light.

Sia unlocked the front door and locked it again behind her after she entered, not planning to go out for the rest of the night. A light meal, a glass of wine, and a bath sounded like the perfect end to her night before she headed out the next day. A day at the beach by herself to get a bit of a tan sounded like a solid plan, and she got giddy with excitement just thinking about it. She’d have to search the house to see if there was any sun cream, because she couldn’t remember if she’d packed any with her.

The house was just as quiet as she’d left it as she flipped on the kitchen light. She set her purse and sunnies down on the kitchen counter before opening the fridge to start making a salad out of the lettuce, spinach, and rotisserie chicken she’d found in there yesterday.

She poured herself a glass of wine while she waited for the chicken she shredded to heat up in the microwave. The sliding glass doors that led to the back deck and subsequently to the pathway to the beach were completely crystal clear, and the house was oriented in a way that meant the setting sun was right in front of her, dipping below the water. It was a peaceful sight, and Sia smiled contently as she looked out. She slid the door open and shut the screen door to let the breeze in and keep the bugs and critters out.

The timer sounded on the microwave, and Sia took one last sip before deciding to turn around to tend to her meal. Before she got a chance though, a throat cleared behind her.

“Guessin’ you’re the assistant producer on this. Jeff said yeh’d be here already.”

Sia squeezed her eyes shut at that voice. A voice she was way too familiar with. It was just her luck that the worst case scenario her and El had joked about a couple weeks back was the actual scenario she’d gotten herself into. Just her fucking luck.

She took a deep breath before slowly turning on her heel, biting angrily at her bottom lip. She wanted to cry at having to face him and not being able to flee from him like she had when they’d ran into each other at that pub back in LA. Sia was a big girl, though, and she kept the tears at bay.

“And he said yeh wouldn’t be here for another few days,” she retorted. She nearly cursed when she faced him, realising he was only in a towel, hair wet, obviously fresh out of the shower, probably not expecting anyone else to be in the house with him when he got out.

“Sia,” he breathes, eyes widening. Sia guessed she was the last person he though he was going to be working on the project with, let alone living with for two months.

“Harry,” she nodded. “If yeh don’t mind, I’m gonna make my dinner and head to my room.” That was about all she could choke out as she brushed past him, back into the kitchen. She began quickly throwing her salad together, not looking up at all, even as she put her ingredients away.

“Sia, can we talk, please? I don’t want this t’ be weird for the next two months.”

“Then yeh shouldn’t’ve fuckin’ shagged the leech after tellin’ me you were too busy for a relationship.” There were definitely tears bubbling in her eyes, and she was angry with herself for letting her emotions physically manifest themselves after all this time, and in his presence, no less. “Would’ve really avoided makin’ this whole thing weird.”

“Darl—” he started, but Sia cut him off. She didn’t want to hear the term of endearment, and she really didn’t want to hear any of his empty apologies or half-arsed excuses.

“Don’t you fucking dare. No pet names. Gave up that right when yeh dumped me for the skinny one.” Sia poured herself a hearty glass of wine and grabbed up her bowl and her glass. “You stay out of my way and I’ll stay out of yours. Deal?”

“We’re gonna be working together,” he tried to reason. Sia still wasn’t looking up at him, so she didn’t see the way his brows furrowed and ran his hand through his hair, pushing the shorter strands back and tugging a bit in frustration.

“And we’ll be civil. But I honestly can’t wait until these two months are over. Best opportunity of my life just turned into my own personal hell.” Sia slammed her bedroom door behind her, and Harry jumped from the abruptness of the sound.

Another tug at his hair and a clench of his jaw. “Fuck.”

#Harry Styles #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles one shot #harry styles oneshot #harry styles fanfic #harry styles angst #harry styles fic #harry styles imagine #harry styles writing #the long road home #tlrh

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smolbeandrabbles · 5 years

Text

Back on Love (Relentless pt.2) - Vince Kovac x Reader (Tangle)

The Honey

Author’s Note: I’m back on Vince Kovac TBH he never left, he’s just been kicking around. He knows when I need him, and gosh, do I sometimes need him. ANYWAYS. You’ve been waiting on part 2. So here we go! Disclaimer: I own no characters from Tangle, nor any plot lines / lyrics not mine. Premise: The only way to keep Vince Kovac is to keep him guessing, and that’s exactly what you aim to do... But there’s shots coming at you from all sides, and if you want this one to last, you might just have to give in... Words: 4202 Warnings: Swearing / more sexual banter

________ I am so confused, I don't know what's up or down Should I leave or stick around? Am I lost or am I found? He's throwin' wisdom like a poet, Throwin' tantrums like a child But when he holds my hand, My pulse runs red and wild I was a fighter for my freedom, Now a fool for his touch He is a nightcap, a brunch buzz... Next to the nightstand I'm taking every pill he's got My head, my heart, my throat, my lungs, My stomach all in a knot I swore off suitors and the never-ending, needless drug I learned my lesson and I thought, "Yeah, I've had enough" But I'm back on love Back on love ...I'm a loser for this man I've been lost since our first date He is a tight-rope talker, I can't balance at all He says it's fascinating watching me tip-toe and crawl... My best friend made a list of ways his love is off-track But I don't give a shit, and I refuse to call that bitch back He might be messin' in New York He might be messin' with my head But I'll do anything to keep him messin' in my bed

---

And so the work on your house continued. Only Vince seemed much more intent on simply checking you out rather than continuing anything verbally suggestive. And you would watch him too. Any conversation was kept professional and for once he didn’t hover, or tell you anything was wrong with your design. But it was bothering you... What had you said or done wrong? Heck, you missed his constant banter, it made work worth going to. On the eve of completion, Vince stood against the same door frame he always had, to watch you. You were packing everything away, looking at least a little forlorn. “You know, if you wanna change your mind this is the last evening...” you slung your bag over your shoulder. He raised an eyebrow; “Who said I’d changed my mind?” “Well. If you wanna have a celebratory one-night stand... which, is how I thought this was all going.” You stopped at the look on his face “... Why do you want a relationship out of me?” “Who said I did!?” He folded his arms “You didn’t have to. If you wanted to f**k me Vince, you would have done it that evening - or you’d still be shamelessly flirting with me every day.” “Problem is I’m too curious.” “About what?” “You...” He stepped forward; “The way you come off in your professionalism, versus the woman you might very well be underneath but wouldn’t let on to. See I want her... but I also want you. And I figure even a good amount of casual f***ing wouldn’t get me both.” You tipped your head “No. You have to earn me.” “Exactly. And I figure I’d been going the wrong way about it.” Folding your arms you weren’t exactly sure where this was heading; “... Why are you still here?” “Because I want... this...” Vince pointed from your feet and drew a line up to your face “...hanging out with me at the weekend, shotgun in my car, working on her drawings when I get home, coming home late from all her big meetings and just chilling with me and a glass of wine. But I also want whoever you are hiding under that - that you keep giving me flashes off - in my bed every night, and in the back of my truck on occasion. Y’know?” You couldn’t resist the chuckle; “That was endearing for half a second there...” “No but, do you understand... if this remains professional I will never truly know you and if all I get is to f**k you, then it’s just as bad. And when you meet someone else, and move on and settle down then what am I?” You let the pause hang for him to answer, “No one. F**king no one.” Literally and figuratively you’ll reckoned. Though with a face and attitude like his, you weren’t sure it’d take him long to get over it. “...But why are you here, now?” There was a silent oh! Before he smiled, “To ask you on a date... Saturday?” You were shocked, and for a minute you stepped back “You’re... serious!?” “Yeah!” “A date? Vince Kovac...?!” “Yeah. I’m open to what - but lunch or dinner is cool with me and if you don’t want candle lit, we can do this as casual as you like...” Vince gave a shrug “I know some good places - not near Kew mind! We’ll take you somewhere else...” He scratched his head awkwardly, and bit his lip; “...I just, think I wanna get to know ya...” *** You accepted his offer, not even pretending to do it begrudgingly, and you went out on Saturday for lunch to a cafe. You weren’t about to fall into this, and you were still weary of his attitude. But you were just as interested in him as he was you. Sure, he wanted to go on dates with you; but what was he doing when he wasn’t here? Was he simply taking his one night stands elsewhere until he got you in bed? And then what about when he managed that - would a taste be all he needed before he did move on to other things? You really wanted to be sure of this before he so much as got to kiss you again. And yet, part of you craved an ending to that evening... But his date suggestions were never bad, and it was him chasing you. Sitting at work drafting houses for others was extremely fun when every so often your phone would alert you to yet another text from Vince. And you wouldn’t even have to look at it; just smirk. Because you knew. Who else was going to text you? Most of your friends were here - or simply wouldn’t have the gall to bother you at work. And they would always read similar: I can’t stop thinking about you... Can we go out again this weekend? When are you gonna let me take you to dinner? To which you would often respond with - Shouldn’t you be working!? ;) Weeks passed and Manuel noticed something was up. But never directly addressed it - until one day he swung by your desk with a massive smirk on his face. “What?” You looked up from your computer. He leant on his hand, still smirking; “What!?” “I just ran into Vince Kovac in town.” “Oh yeah?” “Yeah. Was telling me all about this architect he’s seeing. Says it’s going pretty well... forgot to mention a name but from what he’s saying...” You tipped back on your chair, daring him to say it. “It’s you isn’t it.” “I’m sure he bigged it up.” “Ffffff... unbelievable! Vince Kovac?! I thought you had taste!” You threw your pencil at him, to which he laughed “You coulda given me any card. Any card - there’s a reason you gave me his, and you know it.” “He’s your type.” “Oh, divorcee and known cheater - my type? Thanks!” “Well it’s clearly NOT stopping you!” You bit you lip and conceded that point; “I like him, yes.” “Is it serious?” “He wants it to be...” you shrugged “with his stats I’m being careful.” “Vince the kinda man you can be careful with?” “Meaning?” “Well, off to the next one...” Your phone pinged as if on queue, and you grinned “ He’s the one chasing me, Manuel...” you picked it up. “Vince Kovac with a girl like you... I believe that’s what we would call a travesty...” he shook his head “Alas I must call myself responsible!” “You must...!” You smiled back “Guess I should be weary he’s telling everyone!” “Not your name though..! For which I would be grateful! Or the press will get hold of it.” “Thanks!” You responded dryly, then tapped away a text to Vince expressing your horror at the new found information. Shit! You work with him?! Yeah, how do you think I got YOUR card!? I’ve been on projects with Manuel for ages-! Damn! Look I’m not telling everyone! I should hope not! If you wanna see me again! Aw c’mon, you’re not serious! Just to make him squirm in his head a little you left him on read, and looked back to Manuel who was waiting patiently for you to finish. “He does know who you are, doesn’t he?” You scoffed “I doubt it!” “Why cuz then he really would be telling everyone?” Manuel nudged your arm “Vince Kovac just got to build a house for a big shot architect - how many awards have you won??! How many times have you been featured in something-!? That blue in your hair is literally your signature! You gotta let Kovac Construction brag about that somewhere...!!!” “And they can, eventually! Just not yet! It’s better he doesn’t know!” Suddenly your mobile was buzzing; “See! Now he’s calling me!” *** Truth was you realised just how hard you were falling for him and that you couldn’t stop yourself. So you let him take you to dinner, and fell as deep as you possibly could into this crush while he sat across from you in his best attempt to dress up, and waxed lyrical about anything and everything he could put his mind to. You just liked hearing him talk, it didn’t exactly matter to you what the words were. But he listened too, because he wanted to know more about you - and he’d said such when he’d asked you out in the first place, so you figured you might as well let him. But you liked the way he would smile – and when Vince asked questions he didn’t keep them on the surface; yet at much as he wanted to dig into your life, not one of them was disrespectful and if you happened not to want to answer him, he didn’t push the issue… And so your relationship became that little bit more real, and before you knew it he was staying over for much longer than just one night... But you were still holding back, and you knew it was driving him crazy. “Good things come to those who wait, you know that right?” Though sometimes you doubted Vince Kovac had waited for anything he wanted in his life. “But great things happen really fast also!” He grabbed you by the waist and hoisted you up, walking towards your bedroom - you were giggling; “Oh no! Not to this girl!” “Nonsense!” “Vin! You can drag me back – it ain’t happening!” *** Your decision to discuss Vince with your friends was a bad move. You thought perhaps detailing nearly every little thing would help you figure it out... or... help them to help you. Apparently not. Instead you got a long string of complaints - that usually began with a sigh and the word “Men!!!” Some were a little more understanding, and would nod and listen before giving their two cents. But, others just wanted to lay into him for all they were worth. And that included your best friend… which was a little more awkward, so say the least. Because she was the one you wanted on side most. “Sounds like you should shift him before it gets to late!” “What-!? Why?!” “Isn’t it obvious-!? It doesn’t sound like he wants a real relationship, Y/N, just that he gets off on cheap thrills!!” “The guy practically lives with me - you’d think if he was like that he’d have given up. Surely they want it to be easy??” “Thrill of the chase, probably.” Well that wasn’t exactly the most helpful thing you’d ever been told. “So the answer is dump him?” “Before he uses you and you get hurt!!” “What if he’s not using me...” “You wanted advice-!” “Yeah, But I think asking me to get rid of him is a little extreme-!!” She huffed, folding her arms and looking you dead in the eye; “Is it, though?” When you couldn’t hold her eyes, with a sigh of your own she decided to be a little more brutal; “That man wants one thing and once you give him it, gurl, he will drop you and go f**k something else. He sounds God awful - give him the boot.” You shook your head. “Why do you want my advice if you’re not gonna listen!? Are you really gonna stay with this guy-!?” “I don’t know! Maybe I just want to prove you all wrong—!!! Maybe I just wanna prove myself wrong!!” “Babe…” She lent forward in her chair and took your hands in hers; “I don’t want you to get hurt. I’m just looking out for you... you do know that, at least?” “I do. But I don’t know what to do!” *** Today as he walked around getting ready and you sat up in bed, arms huddled around your knees – he decided that whining was his last-ditch option. Is it ever gonna happen-!? Like seriously what do I have to do?! You wanted to be careful about this, because whilst you didn’t want to lose him, not now, he still didn’t know who you really were. And you couldn’t give yourself to him when he didn’t. It wasn’t fair on either of you. Vince Kovac had to know you… and evidently that time was now. You took a breath, like delivering an ultimatum. “You don’t get to sleep with me until you google me...” He stopped wander and turned back to you with a raised an eyebrow; “What?” “You seriously mean you haven’t??” You ran a hand through your hair - Vince was up early to jog before work, and he was meant to be on the site just as early today. It wasn’t like to hadn’t chucked his name into a search engine to look at his company. You would have done it before you met him, if you’d have thought about doing so before you were half way out the door. “No, why would I...?” You shook your head at him, you were surprised, because he seemed like the type... but now he was curious. And he picked up his phone.You held your hands out; “Woah-! No! Do it when you’re at work or something!” not in front of me, anyway! He laughed “if I do it now, I can sleep with you now.” “Before work? Huh?” You raised an eyebrow in near enough disgust at his suggestion, “Can skip the run and just burn calories here...” Vince smirked, making you throw a pillow at him, “Shut up! Check it at work, after your run...!” “Why?!” “Not in front of me!!” He placed it down and leant across the bed; “Why should I do what you say?” You couldn’t help yourself, and grinned as you pulled him to your lips, “…You do pretty good job of it so far…” *** Vince did wait, because hell, he’d already waited this long. What was another work shift… Typing your name in he wondered exactly what he was expected to find. Then stopped dead and almost dropped his coffee. The first was a website - your name - extremely professional. Too professional. And the Instagram and Twitter to go with it. Both with the blue check mark. And then; F/N L/N to join ATD conference as key note speaker “ATD-!?” He clicked it “Holy shit!” That was a US based conference. And apparently you were going to be flying out to be a key note speaker along with two people he’d actually heard of. International superstars… Who the hell were you-!? He skipped back, and it was news story after news story about projects you working on, accolades you’d won and interviews you’d given. “She’s not just any f**kin’ architect, is she...?” He took a deep breath and exhaled. Damn, Kovac, you’ve really done it... When he got home you were sitting preparing for a client meeting tomorrow. It was drawn up, you just had to make sure to condense your proposal presentation. He trudged into the room slowly, and you looked up expectantly. “Just... who are you?” He got a little closer “You’re not... just an architect... are you?! Heck - you’ve worked with people that people not even in industry have heard of-! Y/N...! Just--!!” He laughed a little nervously “How out of my league am I here?!” You scoffed at that notion “YOU-!? Out of your league-!? Sorry, Vince Kovac, but no!” “But, I-! You’re making headlines around the world-!! Forget just Australia and I... I’m... I’m doing okay in Melbourne sometimes, I guess.” He ran his hands through his hair “You even have a signature that means people can tell when a building was drawn and then realised by you - there’s a whole damn article I read about that... and let me tell ya something, those buildings are gorgeous.” You leant on your hands with a smirk “Baby... you just built my design. You just built a house for me. And what’s more, you can now say that with context. How many people get to say that that ‘do alright in Melbourne sometimes they guess’!?” But you blushed a little “Thank you... though. I worked hard, but, part of me thinks I was just fortunate...” He sat opposite you, looking like that was the last word he would use; “You created a movie theatre that looks like a film reel.” “Oh-! In my home town?! Yeah that was my first one!” You beamed “it’s been a good while since then.” “That’s genius.” “It was stupid. And I tested a lot of limits, and many more nerves!” You grinned “That’s all we wanna do - bend physics to our will and defy gravity.” You pointed to him, “You’re the level headed ones that keep us firmly on the ground - preferably with cement.” You shrugged “But like I said before - you realise our vision too. And sometimes better than we could ever hope to draw it.” He leant on his hand and stared at you for a minute “…Your height and your hair… That’s the other one.” “Oh, tabloid headlines about the miniature blue-haired architect who likes doing weird things with glass and metal?” You’d read enough of your own with great dramatic effect to friends of yours. “…What’s the dream, Y/N… Surely you’ve… what are you doing in Melbourne?!” “…Well I preferred Sydney, but my company moved me down here… As for why I’m with a company, because I assume that’s the next question, I’m not quite Frank Gehry just yet… I like it in Australia… it’s home…” He took another breath; “Why me.” “Why not you?” You folded your arms and leant over your drawing; “…Who should I be dating? Who better than someone who owns a construction company – I already said you’re meant to keep my feet on the ground – you understand my industry, and you’re from home. Believe me – whoever you think is in my league, I’ve been there and done that, and honey… none of them are you.” You tipped your head, because his expression was still nearly unfathomable, “So… What are you thinking?” Vince sat back for a moment, and mulled it over in his mind, before his blue eyes came back to yours; “…Like I haven’t earned you…” and then quieter “…I’m not the kind of man who deserves this yet.” *** There was some kind of weird element to your relationship for a few days after that. And Vince continued to be a little awestruck, even if he pretended it didn’t phase him. You didn’t really mind too much, but it was a little strange to think his attitude would change just because he knew who you were. Maybe he felt like now he had to prove to you he was worth it; but then why just because you were a little more well known than you’d ever let on did that instantly mean you should demand respect. Vince should be displaying that outlook no matter who you were... That didn’t mean it wasn’t sweet to have him act like this with you. And suddenly everything was a little more delicate and he toned down his more vulgar forms of flirting. Which was funny because you basically just toned them up, and that seemed to confuse him that little bit more - but had him smirking at every sentence you would say. And you knew that secretly, though he might not say tt at the moment, he was loving every single second. This playful tone you were running with let him know that you trusted him enough now - that whatever he wanted to do to you you’d most certainly let him do. But he still gave you that I gotta earn you look. This morning when his alarm went off he wound his arms around you; “Come running with me...” “No...! It’s too early...” You groaned, you weren’t due into work until after 10, and you were expecting a lie in… apparently no such luck. You knew Vince wasn’t about to leave you alone. “Come running with me...” His voice was more persistent as he kissed your shoulders, your neck, along your collar bone and when you giggled and tried to hide your face in your pillow he kissed that too; “Vin! No!!” “C’mon...” you weren’t deterring him from his trail of kisses; “I thought you liked running before work...” “On my own terms...” you peaked at your own clock “Not at this ungodly hour..!” “Y/N...” he kissed you again, sighing your name in a way that made your skin prickle. Oh. You felt him grin; “C’mon...” the run of his hands was dangerous and you caught them in yours “...you can’t tell me you don’t wanna...” “This early..?” You grumbled; face still in your pillow “Mmm...” he pulled his body warmth from yours, which made you groan again in discontent as he pulled you up. Why is he such a morning person on the days I don’t wanna be-!? “Vin....” You whined, as he placed his hands either side of you this time kissing you into silence “Come on. What are you afraid of? You won’t beat me?” “I believe the word partner doesn’t mean it’s a race!” “Dunno. It’s kinda a race...” You smacked his arm and allowed him to drag you the rest of the way out of bed; “See!” He coaxed half in mocking “Then you can be back in bed before you know it... orrrr...” he smirked “you could come shower with me.” “F**k off!” You stretched, with a yawn, “...I’ll be way too awake to fall back to sleep and you’re for sure earning the shower thing-! You WISH that thought would cross my mind.” “Though it clearly does...” he smirked again, but then sighed; “And I know… I’m well aware now of exactly who I’m earning…” You scoffed and proceeded to push past him to get ready, “Feisty this mornin’ are we-!?” “Blame yourself-!! You woke me up!” As he predicted, you were running circles around him by the time you were half a mile up the road... you ran ahead and then tracked back, looped around him - ran off again and did the same.“Vinnnn—!” elongated pause “Hurry uuuupppp—!!” Vince sighed, frustrated “This isn’t exactly partnering with me now, is it!!” He heard you laugh but you didn’t respond until you wheeled back; “I told you before, you gotta keep pace with me babe.” “Definitely did not think that conversation was really about running!” “And maybe it wasn’t!” You gave a wink, “Are you asking me to slow down-!?” “Yeah then I can actually, y’know - talk to ya!” That made you laugh again - and you sprinted another tight loop before slowing down to match his pace and rhythm. “Better.” There was a slight growl of approval to his voice that made you raise an eyebrow, “Geez, how do you run this slow.” “F**k off!” Again your laughter filled the quiet morning air; “I’m kidding this is like a good distance pace, babe, I like it! I got no problems!” “Oh yeah-! Sure you don’t!” You laughed again, nudging his shoulder playfully with your own – as you made sure to keep within brushing distance of him. “Not with your running anyhow.” “Oh, for F-” *** Given to who you were, sometimes you had days where clients would contact you from your website – rather than going through the company – and wanted to talk with you about drawing houses, or offices, or the like… These calls had a habit of being at odd times, with you in Australia and them /almost anywhere else/ in the world. And that left you always looking for something to do on the days they rolled around. And huffing to yourself about why they couldn’t be Australian millionaires; because if it all went smoothly, you supposed you’d likely have to travel to their country of origin. Today was such a day, and you weren’t about to sit around at home all day waiting… So you drove yourself into Melbourne. “Excuse me… Are you… Y/N...?” you were in town, doing some shopping of your own when you heard your name. It was said almost a little uncertainly; the type of thing you were used to hearing from a fan. A student who was about to tell you that some of your impossible architecture was inspiring their final project... Or anyone who was just a fan of your work. Calm and timid and looking to do anything but inconvenience you. You glanced over your shoulder towards the origin of the voice and froze. Hoping that panic didn’t simultaneously cross your face. Not a student, probably also not here to talk to you about your architecture either - you would highly doubt it. You’d seen pictures, Vince wasn’t attempting to keep his life hidden from you - if he was going to make this work he probably wanted you to meet his kids... But, this was something a little bit different even than that. You turned to her and swallowed hard - unsure of what the correct thing to say even was. But you knew her name well enough... “Ally…” ---

@dennismitchell @happyskywhale @wltz-bby

#MendoTagSquad.

#Lyric #Ben Mendelsohn #Vince Kovac #Tangle #Emily Kinney lyrics!#Tbh I just needed this one at the right time - and OH!#Stick around Vince you're another one on the Spain list.#I always pick up the most random songs for you...#Anyways now we have Ally in the mix #Which is exciting!#Where to now! What will she tell or not tell Reader!#...Wait for Em. That's a cat fight coming if ever there was one.#Fuck her up Lyric that's why I made you.#Is this slightly OOC?#maybe I just want him to be a better person...#88 #Team 2009

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sheepsandcattle · 5 years

Text

Chapter 20

A fortnight later, he sees him for the first time in six weeks.

For the first time sober, at least.

Thank God Jordan’s not the type to feel awkward, because Curly feels weird as fuck when he picks him up, but J has that going right out the window when he drops into the passenger seat and starts grumbling about some bloke that was meant to lend him his car.

“He thinks I’ve been hooking up with his girl,” he’s already saying as Curly pulls out of his street. “He knows I’m a queer – he’s always tweaking though, he ain’t right, I’m tellin’ ya.”

They go to a cafe for lunch where he gets pizza, Jordan gets a burger and they share chips in the centre of the table and it’s… Well, nice wouldn’t be the word for it. Jordan is oblivious, of course. Head bowed as he sucks his shake through the straw, his cap not quite shadowing him enough to cover the spray of freckles that last month’s sun must have brought. The lost time feels heavy. Curly’s enjoying being back in Jordan’s company and loves that they laugh and make fun like nothing ever happened, but it all feels a bit… Unsettled.

He’s always been stubborn like that though. Can’t take no for an answer; can’t take nothing for an answer.

Curly’s dad used to say he could always feel when an ‘if,’ ‘but,’ or ‘maybe’ is in the air – usually when Curly was trying to get his way and was looking for loopholes when his old man told him no. Now, as they cough at the end of each conversation, fill silences with chewing and slurping and stop-start words like they both keep changing their minds, there’s a definite ‘maybe’ in the air.

Maybe they can pretend it never went wrong.

Maybe they can just be mates, forget about all the other bits.

Maybe they’ll just pretend they never spoke in the first place, make it easier on their friends and themselves.

He’s almost there; nearly at the point where he’s feeling just content enough to let it all slide, but then Jordan’s foot nudges his and that’s what does it.

And to be fair they’ve been kicking each other since they sat down, with every playful dig they’ve made at each other, but this time is only gentle -an accident- and J’s face drops for barely a second. Curly’s just talking about those nose bleeds he gets and how he used to get them all the time, but now not so much; “just when I’m stressed or… Overdoing it,” he says as he catches J’s smile disappear for barely long enough to notice, before the pulls his leg away entirely, props his foot on the edge of his seat and hooks a tattooed hand over his knee to keep it secure at his chest.

He nearly says sorry -doesn’t know why- but then Jordan’s clearing his throat before he says, “well that explains it.”

It takes Curly a second before he clicks into what he’s on about. “I can’t believe it happened at the party,” he groans. “I can’t believe I don’t bloody remember it.”

“Bet your shirt remembers it.” The man snorts. “What do you remember?” It feels like a bit of a dig, but Curls knows better than to bite Jordan’s head off for the sake of saving his pride now. Jordan slides his milkshake across the table to Curly as he raises an accusing brow. “Anything at all?”

That phone call comes to mind; the morning-after call; Jordan saying “about what you said;” the call getting cut short before he could ask exactly what that meant.

“I remember calling some bloke a bigot for being up Morrissey’s arse.” He pauses to take a drink through the straw, humming as he rubs his head at the thought of his next recollection; “I remember fully nutting the bathroom wall.”

Jordan’s laugh is loud and comes from absolutely nowhere. It has one of the waitressed looking curiously in their direction and Curly hides behind his hands, shaking his head as he speaks.

“Put me out of my misery, J,” he wines. “What hell did I say to you?”

Jordan hesitates, retrieving the milkshake. “Well…” Curly reckons he’s just stalling. Was it that bad? He has a million scenarios running through his head; countless things he’d told himself were true about Jordan just to keep the guy out of his mind these past weeks. It would have been so easy for any one of them to slip out, whether he ever meant it or not. “Do you remember telling me you love me?”

He chokes on absolutely nothing.

“It’s fine,” Jordan is quick to say, a little amused by the looks of it, the tight git. “I wasn’t gonna say shit – I know you were out of it. I just… I mean, honestly, I wanted to see your face when I told you.”

“Evil little cunt,” he reaches across the table to knock the beak of Jordan’s cap.

“Besides,” J’s still giggling as he adjusts his hat. “You said it among… A lot of other things I’d like to think you also didn’t mean.”

“I’m so sorry,” he grumbles. Course he didn’t mean it; for once that’s not something he needs to convince himself of. He and Jordan had a mint few weeks together, but fucking hell, love wasn’t even a thought that crossed his mind. “Really, I am.”

“Don’t worry. I think that’s what you meant to say.”

“What else did I say?”

“Same as the last time we spoke. I shouldn’t speak to you anymore, I’m trying to control you…“

“That in’t true, it’s—“

“I know,” Jordan reassures him. His eyes are set, face blank, but Curly believes him.

“It’s just the shit I told myself to… I don’t know. Justify the way I was.” Curls shakes his head. “I’m mortified.”

Jordan just nods his head and he finished his shake in silence. “Let’s drive around a while.”

***

In England, Curly used to hate driving at night. His mates would ask to go for drives and he’d always make his excuses to avoid being behind the wheel, hating the way the lights on the road would blur together and the noise from the back seats would make him dizzy.

Now it’s the only time he ever really drives at all.

After around half an hour of making beelines through the city, he somehow finds his way back to that carpark by the old shop and parks up right in their corner. J’s gone quiet in the passenger seat, squinting up at the sky as he taps his heel to Curly’s playlist; something Curly knows he’d be doing with or without the music, but takes it as a compliment to his taste.

He follows Jordan’s eye line, up to the moon that’s almost full but not quite, and the light that hovers beside it.

“Uranus,” he mumbles.

Jordan coughs, turning with wide eyes as he chuckles. “What?”

“Next to the moon.”

Curly points, and Jordan looks up again, still smiling as the tail of his laugh trails away.

“Right.” He huffs. “Why the fuck d’you know that?”

Curly shrugs. “Got this calendar from my grandad. He’s proper into it.”

He only gets a hum in response, but it’s alright because Jordan’s not taking the piss at least. He’s leaning forward now, forearms on the dashboard as he ducks to look up at the sky.

“Weird ain’t it? There’s no stars up there, but then you stare for so long they just all start coming out of nowhere.”

J hums again. “Brockton’s kinda nice if you look hard enough.”

Unbuckling his seatbelt, Curly twists in his seat to lean back against the door, just barely feeling the cool glass press against the back of his head through his hair.

For a while, Jordan just looks up at the sky, bobbing his head through the end verse of the song before it finishes and Curls he lets the silence win them over until the track changes to the next.

Jordan finally pulls himself away from the view after a while, opening Curly’s glove box, and begins to dig.

“D’you mind?” Curls frowns.

“I’ve heard all of these songs now,” J explains. “You gotta get a bigger playlist, so—” He pulls a book of maps from the compartment, then fishes out a pen that Curls wasn’t even aware he had. “I’m helping.”

Jordan writes him a list of bands to listen to and, although it’s only ten when he drops him off, Curly promises to stay up to listen to the bands on the list as long as J promises to stay up 'til midnight to watch the sky when the moon and it’s temporary neighbour are at their peak, “but not through a telescope, you won’t fit them both into the view.”

“You think I have a telescope?” J laughs and Curly shrugs as he watches him slip out of the passenger-side door.

“See you later,” Jordan says before he shuts it, but then rounds the car to duck beside Curly’s open window. “It was good to see you, Curls,” he smiles, nods and taps the car roof. “Really good.”

***

It becomes more frequent. It’s usually Curly that drives, since it turns out that Jordan actually got into a fistfight with the guy whose car he was borrowing before, so there’s no going back there any time soon.

It’s strange, how there are so many things that never came up before. So many little facts about each other that they never uncovered before, like how Jordan’s hair is naturally brown (but near-black in high school) or how one of Curly’s bottom teeth is fake because he fell off the top of an outdoor toilet when he was sixteen and chipped it.

“What the fuck did you land on?” Jordan’s pulling a face as he ducks in a little to get a look at the tooth, although Curly knows it’s good as new now.

“Concrete, mate,” he snorts and, for a second, realises his choice of words, then notes that Jordan doesn’t correct him this time, but it’s alright. He gets it. They’re not going there this time and it’s fine. Living and learning and all that.

After their second meeting, he burns some of his favourite songs from Jordan’s artist list onto a CD, mixed with a few new ones from his personal collection, and they listen together when they go for drives. He makes a mixtape just for Jordan too, of songs he needs to hear because he’s sick of hearing him say “never head of them.” He makes him promise to listen to The Streets and New Order in particular at first but then finds out that Jordan only knows “The Cure’s popular stuff” and digs out their entire discography to educate him as a priority.

“They’re the best band out there,” he declares. “Can’t beat ‘em.”

“That explains the tattoo,” Jordan nods toward Curly’s arm where, beneath his sleeve, is a small cartoon bottle with the band’s name scrawled over the label. Although it’s covered, Curly grins at the thought of the man remembering both the tattoo’s placement and design.

“That was my first one. It wrecked. Stick’n’poke.”

“Ouch. Was it worth it?”

“Mate, The Cure are mint. ‘Course it was worth it.”

A few days later, Jordan climbs into his car with all of the CDs in his hands and says “okay, yeah, I get it,” as he ejects the CD already in the player to replace it with one of the mixtapes. “I see why you’re so into The Cure.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I mean, British people talk about really weird shit but—” Jordan shrugs. --I’m used to it.” He gives Curly an accusing look.

***

He isn’t getting ahead of himself this time, but they are always texting and calling each other now. They really are just trying to be mates and it’s going well. They can pretend that nothing ever happened because he supposes that, in a way, it never really did.

Maybe it’s because he’s back in a good headspace that he’s making half-decent money again before long; enough to pay rent and enough to keep himself sorted. Some of his clients (yeah, he says clients now) passed his number on to friends and his connections have almost doubled since his last peak. He’s got a bed frame now. He’s saving for a portable heater.

This new headspace isn’t the magical cure that stunts his cravings, but it’s helped with the habitual drug use. He’s not sure he even realised he’d started defaulting to coke when he had nothing better to do (thought he was doing well, having a hit a day and only in the evenings) but he can feel it now. The world is back in HD again and the days feel nice and long. He’s not losing as much time recently and, where heroin is concerned, his hits are purely necessary now. He takes what he needs and that’s all.

One evening, they’re in Jordan’s apartment and they’re watching American Psycho, crammed up on the same side of the couch with Jordan’s arm draped behind his back. Curly’s now accustomed to hanging his left leg over Jordan’s right because the man shakes it persistently when the plot gets tense and it’s just a little bit annoying. This he can live with.

They both know they’ve sort of been working towards something but are equally unsure as to what it is this time, because it all feels nice and content just the way it is, but it suddenly doesn’t feel like it’s going one way or the other.

He’s not entirely aware that he needs it, but it’s so good to hear it when Jordan says, “hey, Curls? Let’s give it another try.”

#ch20 #ch #writing

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jojoreadwhat · 5 years

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T W E L V E • A Gwilym Lee Story | 3. the one with the same cliche story

Sylvia •

Gwilym and Joe’s apartment was intellectually eclectic, and expensive looking. Exquisite crown molding around the room. White washed walls with art and photographs along them. Various different aspects, colored vases and decor. Lots of greenery hanging from the ceilings and shelves. Large bookcases covering the wall from top to floor, opposite of the entertainment center. With a grey couch in the middle of living space. Completely laid out differently compared to ours.

Lucy and Joe could be heard in the kitchen, leaving me to look around. I stood in front of the bookcases. Examining the poets and authors lining the shelves.

All pretty editions, Capote, Burroughs, Huxley to name a few. I picked up On The Road, impressed and just wondering who read these between the two gentlemen living here.

"Liking New York so far?" One of the gentlemen, Joe asked standing next to me now, holding out a glass of wine.

He was quite handsome. Tall standing at five foot nine.!Dark chestnut eyes that somewhat gold from the amber glow nearby. Rich auburn hair. Dressed in a white button down short sleeve, nicely loose against his build, showing off his semi toned arms. Along with a pair of black faded jeans, shaping him out quite admiringly.

I smiled, trying my best to disguise the slight startling of his entry. Placing the book back, before my fingertips met Joe’s lightly.

I shrugged a little, "I mean I've only gotten as far as my fire escape." I answered, then. "But so far I like it." Watching the corners of his lips curl while I took a sip from my glass.

"Please make yourself comfortable." He suggests, his large hand extending to the sofa. His voice lathered in a light New York accent, smooth throughout the room.

I sat down next to him, still observing the artwork on the walls. "Your apartment is really nice." I broke, Joe nodded slightly with a smirk. "Thank you, its more of my roommate's tastes than mine." He replied. I slowly nodded, "Even the books?" I pressed, taking another sip of the bittersweet mix of berries. Joe nodded again, looking over at the collection behind us and resting his arm onto the back of the sofa. "Yeah, I'm more into music."

"Is he like an English professor or something?" I kept going, he shook his head. "He's a photographer." He corrected, "An artiste, he likes to say." He mocked jokingly, before grabbing a peppermint from the wooden box on the coffee table.

"And what do you do?" I asked once more, leaning back and adjusting more comfortably than what the stiff sofa could offer. Trying to balance my interests in both of the neighbors I was gaining for my stay here.

Joe’s lips parted lightly, "A barista in the morning, a deejay by night." The charming pearl of his teeth unveiling. "You know, the cafe is actually hiring. I can ask Jimmy to fit you in for an interview sometime this week." He finished, taking another swig if his beer.

I never worked that task in my life and my mouth just rattled with questions. Joe chuckled, comfortingly that it was easy. Before going on about things he's heard from Lucy at numerous occasions.

"Isn't she a trip?!" Lucy pointed, entering the living room. Joe nodded to the statement when she sat down on the arm chair nearby, her wine glass resting in her hand.

I sat listening, chuckling and pouting to myself because I was running low on the wine I was nursing. Smelling the aroma of the sauce just about done.

Lucy and Joe picked up on a story. Joe talking about my interview for Thursday and Lucy talking about how much of a riot Jimmy is. She was in the mist of beginning a story about him when I heard keys jiggling against the knob.

A dark haired figure coming through before the keys hit the dish on the table next to it. Dressed in black with a brown paper bag resting in his arm.

Lucy turned towards the sound, "Gwil!" She greeted, "Running late like usual." She added, turning and shooting a smile my way. He shot a faint "Hey" before he walked closer to the chair she was in, and the amber lights hitting him more clear now. Portraying more of his features, the dark scruff peppered over his cheeks and jaw. The two buttons undone at the beginning of his collar, shining a silver chain faintly.

"Long day?" Joe added, Gwilym sighed. "Something like that." He answered, his accent being completely different than from Joe. His eyes immediately meeting me, with his brow angling a bit. My eyes bashfully hitting the table in front of me.

"Gwil, this is Sylvia. She'll be staying with me for a while." She explained, catching the slight awkwardness fill the space. His expression relaxed, probably remembering what he was told before. I shyly waved, he smiled when I did so.

Lucy offered to get him a beer, while going to check on dinner. But he shook his head, "I'm good." He replied, fixing the sleeve rolled on his arm. "I have a few in my room." He finished, saying goodnight and exiting himself.

"I wonder what's wrong with him?" Joe said before turned and looked over to me, "He's quite a character." He reassured, only leaving me baffled and gulping the last sip of my glass.

A variety pop station played through the alarm clock I uncovered while unpacking my new room. It was a nice room. A blank canvas with white walls and big windows looking out a fire escape to the street and building across. A full size bed, with a nightstand and a white shaped lamp. A large dresser and rack, making up for the closet that was converted into a bathroom.

I kneeled onto the dresser across my bed, lining up ten books and a few vases on the shelf above it.

"Please tell me you've never worn this." Lucy slurred after opening the second bottle of Wine. I turned my head down to her, as she sat pretzel legged on the floor and holding up a cluttered patterned blouse. Finding it as she went through my boxes of clothes, her specialty.

"I have, it was a big hit at the office." I mentioned confidently, she chuckled. "Of course it was, you worked with people over forty." She corrected, folding it before adding. "Another thing we'll work on while you're here. Let you indulge in my discounts." Quietly enough for me to catch.

I rolled my eyes, going back to sorting the look of my shelf. We got quiet again into our jobs. I hummed to myself to the bubblegum playing while I switched to the piles Lucy made on my bed to place into my dresser. The silence between got me thinking, rehashing tonight at dinner across the hall.

I wasn't sure why I allowed it to bother me, I never even heard of Gwilym until today. His first impression made me weary I guess, like I didn't belong. Even with the whole 'something's bothering him.' I was probably overthinking it all, it just gave me a weird vibe.

I looked down at Lucy again, refolding her sloppy technique. "So that guy Gwil." I spoke, seeing her head pop up suddenly.

"What about him?" She questioned, grabbing the bottle and sipping from it. I felt so silly, I shook my head. Forgetting about the whole thing but Lucy insisted.

I place my hands on the dresser with the ugly blouse still in them, "Like" I began, "Is he always so short like that?"

Lucy shook her head, "No, not always." She said, then. "I think he must've had a difficult client or something. He's a bit pretentious at times but confusing most of the time."

I felt my lips form out "Oh." Continuing with the fabric in my hands until I grabbed the next.

-------------------------------

Gwilym •

My morning has been in total chaos from the start. From waking up late and missing the first chute to work, to spilling my coffee over proofs. Then for Lolly to set passwords to all my upcoming appointments. She even went through the extent of calling three clients and booking them all in the same time. Rushing two and losing my touch to get them done. Finally reaching the waiting room for the third and noticing they left and I wasn't going to get paid from Allure anytime soon.

Luckily lunch came around and some of the pictures of the sessions I was able to finish came out exceptional. I closed shop and headed three blocks up to 15th and Canal to Jimmy Bean. Where Joe worked and made my coffee better than what Lolly would get me.

The bell over the door dinged when I entered. The place was busy for the little time before lunch. The dark wood tables taken by one to three people at each. Matching nicely with the different colors painted on the walls and odd pieces of art. Eclectic as the shop was now owned by a bearded hippie man and his wife.

The color leathered stools aligned the counter happened to be empty. I grabbed a newspaper by the door, making my way before I sat heightened from the floor. My black clads resting on the bar below. Reading the city's headlines. Waiting for my friend to get done being flirty with the blonde at table three.

"Want a scone today? Jimmy made blueberry ones." Joe asked, taking a rag to the counter in front of me. I nodded, mouthing a "Please" before my glasses back to the paper and Joe grabbed the fresh pot.

I felt the steam nearing when he poured the hot liquid into the color block mug, "So were you okay last night?" He began, before placing a plate with the scone in front of me.

I sighed, bringing the mug to my mouth and indulging the bitter black mud down my throat. "Lolly quit on me and left me a mess at the studio." I fulfilled.

I went on with a further explanation on what could've made her split. My looks, my persona, the way I was with Keya, or that I played with her feelings which I'm always good for. I know the kind of guy I am, I don't blame her for walking away, even though she left with haste. But I'm glad she learned that nothing was ever going to happen after just fucking her.

Joe eventually derailed the conversation to the importance of our rent and how he had a gig tonight at Drougie's. I was getting a little carried away about a possible gallery show being booked when the kitchen door opened. Jimmy came out blabbing to himself at first while he held it open. Then a short brunette followed after, it was Sylvia, Lucy’s friend.

"Joseph, you'll be training Miss Altman tomorrow morning in between customers." Jim explained, as he reached her a pin name tag to decorate and a fresh black apron.

I watched as she stood poised, but it was hard for her. "Make her something on the house will ya?" He added before reminding her to be in at seven and going on to greet regulars. Once he turned around, the straightness of her lips curled.

"Thank you soooo much Joe!" She exaggerated gleefully. He just smiled at her, "No problem, no problem." He repeated, before telling her to take a seat and going to give her a 'first lesson.'

Sylvia turned the corner of the counter, her curvy figure coming more into play. Dressed in a black camisole cover by a little black cardigan. With a burnt red skirt meeting at her thigh with buttons down the middle. Loose strands of her dark brown hair falling from her ponytail and meeting her collarbone, wearing a minimal of makeup. She was quite pretty, a lovely smile and so delicate like. She sat with her posture so well and her legs crossed over the knee, showing off her platform slides.

She ordered an iced macchiato, I glanced sheepishly, seeing that she was too from the corner of her blue eyes. I smirked, deciding to redeem myself from last night.

"I apologize for my choppy behavior last night," I began, watching as she turned to me. "I'm Gwilym."

She smiled lightly, "Oh no worries." She reassured, stretching her hand towards me. "Sylvia." Her skin soft to the touch in mine.

We went back to our silence before Joe joined our conversation and opened the door for all to come out on the counter. I watched as she twirled her straw between every sip of her drink and how pretty her lashes were.

"So what made you come to New York?" I asked, she smirked looking at her cup. "Well you know Lucy. She can be abrasive in a good way." She began, "But mainly for a change and I'm looking for something bigger."

The same cliched story for every woman I've ever come across in this city. I nodded slowly, unimpressed. "Typical." I muttered quietly to myself.

Or at least I thought it was.

"Excuse me?" She asked, I shook my head trying to play it off. "Nothing." I pressed, but she crossed her arms over her chest. "What do you mean by 'typical'?" Making air quotations.

I sighed, "It's just your story is just the same like everyone else in this city." I explained, just allowing my foot to go further into my mouth.

Sylvia just huffed, mumbling a simple "Rude."

"And your story is different?" She mocked me, I chuckled. "I mean yes, I came here with a plan." I replied, she chuckled piercingly. "Wow, so different."

I looked at her straight from her mock comment, surprised to say the least that she was not going to back down but I did.

She shook her head by my sudden quietness. Placing a five dollar bill from her clutch into the tip jar before stepping down from the stool.

"Well Im not here to entertain you." She added once more, catching a swift of her perfume as she reached in front of me. "In the mean time, thanks for the scone." Saying a goodbye to a confused Joe and heading on her way.

#bohemian rhapsody #borhap #joe mazzello #mine #gwilym lee #gwilym lee imagines #gwilym lee smut #gwilym lee fanfic #gwilym lee fluff #gwilym lee fanfiction #gwilym lee x reader #ben hardy #rami malek #lucy boynton #apartment 12 #slutforbritdick

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ill-skillsgard · 6 years

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Smoke & Money, Part 5 - Bill Skarsgård

Title: Smoke & Money

Warning: 100% NSFW, some drug use, swearing, sex/fetish/kink type situations

Description: A young sex worker gets tangled in the dangerous web of a wealthy entrepreneur whose tastes push her past all of her known limits.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Sex was this shapeless yet intricate form of power that I had learned to wield at a young age. From my first discovery of softcore porn on late-night basic cable to the figuring out that I could use my pussy as a form of mind-control to hypnotize high school boys into buying me things. I didn't care if I was being manipulative or if some guy's ex-girlfriend called me a slut. There were many worse things one could be besides a slut. I had this natural power and I was unashamed to use it. At the time, it felt like pure magic. It used to be magical to me until sex became real work. I would clock in- check in at a dirty motel- do my time and clock back out, making sure my customer was satisfied and that I got paid for the performance. Over and over. I had been inside almost every out-of-date, no-star hotel in the entire county and afar, doing sexual favors for men who had no will or means to get laid by anyone who would do it for free. Sex had officially lost its luster to me until I met Bill. I thought that I would never want to engage in real sex ever again, not after all of the shit I had seen and definitely not without getting paid for it. I thought the entire idea of allowing another human to penetrate me had been jaded for good but I found myself wanting it more than ever. This was a new kind of torture and I wasn't sure how it was sitting with me. I had always been the one on the giving end, always the one with something to withhold. Now I was the victim and even though my cage was gilded and I had money practically flowing out of my fingertips, I knew I had willingly wandered right into a trap. Bill did not come for me or call me or send one of his people to talk to me about anything. The only thing I received was a package that contained a brand new cell phone the morning after our last encounter. I looked down at the staunch white packaging and then over to my old phone that I held in my palm. He had told me to get rid of my cell phone, so I did. I broke the screen with the heel of my shoe and when that wasn't enough I threw it in the kitchenette sink and ran it under a raging stream of hot water. He wanted nobody contacting me. No more clients. No more men. No more tricks for me because I had pulled the ultimate one. The fabled Sugar Daddy to end them all was now mine and me, his. It was a strange sensation to be done with it, to devote myself to only one person. But it started to get lonely up in my gilded cage and I longed for human contact. I had been having breakfast, lunch, and dinner all by myself at the Miramira Cafe for days upon days. I had sucked down every type of cocktail they offered on their menu and when I got bored of that I ordered room service. After the food was no longer a comfort I started to route around the Penthouse to see if I could find anything of interest. My hopes were to find something that belonged to Bill, but there was nothing. Every morning a pair of maids came in to take away my used towels, change the bed sheets and clean the bathroom and kitchen. They weren't enough to satiate my appetite for interaction however and their arrival only signified to me that another day without Bill had come and gone. Strange how it works, when you're constantly bombarded with people and their requests, you start to live in contempt of it but as soon as all that is taken away, the only thing that can set your mind at ease is the very thing you started to loathe in the first place. I was reaching a breaking point when I woke up one morning and realized that Bill hadn't come for me in almost two weeks. I looked through my new phone and there were no contacts. I had no pictures, no apps, no texts, and no calls. It was then I started to deeply regret destroying my old phone. At least on that one, I had some games to play and pictures of myself with old friends. That was it, I thought. I should meet up with an old girlfriend. Surely Bill didn't expect me to have zero contact with the outside world completely. After all, he hadn't made any effort to contact me in any way. So that was that I decided. I downloaded a messenger application and started going through to see who I wanted to talk to. I invited an old friend of mine out to lunch at a restaurant that was a few blocks away in the fashion district. At first, she declined, claiming she didn't have the money to spend fourteen dollars on a beer but I offered to pay for everything and she quickly changed her tune. Funny how call-girls flipped the switch whenever something free was involved. Oh well, I wouldn't hold it against her. I was just happy to be getting out of the hotel and into the city for some good old-fashion girl talk. I put on a nice new Versace dress, one of those super-tight tubes of material that zipped all the way from the hem to the neck and a brand new pair of violet crushed velvet Louboutin's with the classic red outsole. With my new phone and wallet thrown into a purse, I was ready to leave. Outside the door, there was nobody to be seen. It had been a few days since a bodyguard had been posted at the door. I had no more fear that my life was in danger and Bill must have thought so too. That was okay, I thought, I didn't want to have to explain to my friend why some big buff dude was following me around. In fact, after having given it some additional thought, I suspected that maybe my whole outfit was a little much too. I didn't want to give away too much information and she was the type of friend to poke and pry into anyone's business. Oh well, I thought, better keep my mouth closed. She was very happy to see me when we met at the restaurant. Her name was Paula and I had known her since high school. She taught pole-dancing and gymnastics at a studio in the downtown area so she was quite fit and always appeared as though she were being propped up on a stick. Of course, she made a big deal about my appearance as well. "Look at you, are those knock-offs?" She pointed at my glistening new shoes. "I wish they were," I replied. "Holy smokes, I don't remember you being so fancy looking. What happened? Did you marry an old rich guy?" Oh, if only you knew what I have been up to, sweet Paula. "There is a rich man in my life, let's just leave it at that." There was no point in me lying because in this day and age anyone could find out anything. I figured I would just be as vague as possible when answering any questions about my newfound fortune. "Damn, you look so sharp these days. It's been so long since we last got together." Paula bubbled. "I know, far too long," I agreed. We took a table on the outside patio since it was a warm and bright day and I simply did not want to be inside if I didn't have to be. Paula turned her nose up at the menu and implored me to allow us to go to another restaurant. After ten minutes of insisting it was fine, that I would pay for everything she sighed, sinking down in her chair. It was such a gorgeous day and I relished the feeling of the sun on my skin. I loved the company and endless chattering with Paula. It felt so good to talk to another human being, one that was genuinely interested in what I had to say, who wanted to hear my stories and had their own to share. The eyes from around the patio that settled on me were welcome too. I felt radiant and glad that I could finally treat somebody else to all of the lavishness that I had been receiving. I almost forgot how good it felt to give. Halfway into a bottle of wine, I noticed there was a table of men at the other end of the patio and one kept staring at me until I would look over and catch him, then he would look away. All of the buzzes of the street and people walking by with their children or shopping bags started to create a whirlwind of confusion, or maybe it was just the wine. Paula was babbling on and on about some event she was hosting at the pole-house she worked at but I was tuning in and out, casually sipping my wine and letting my eyes jump from person to person, from car to car, building to building and so on until I saw something, or rather someone familiar. "What's up?" Paula asked me as I squinted to see across and further down the street. There was a shiny black BMW parked a few storefronts down and the driver I swore had been looking at me. By the time my eyes focused, a bustling tram car stopped in the street with a line of a dozen cars behind it just waiting to get a move on. Could it have been Bill's driver? I wasn't sure but something sick and suggestive inside my gut screamed that it was but by the time the tram moved the BMW had its tinted windows rolled all the way up and was signaling to merge into the street traffic. "J? What are you looking at?" "I don't know... I thought I saw somebody I know across the street." Paula craned her neck around and tried to see what I saw but it was too late. "Hm, weird." She said, sticking her fork into her bowl of ridiculously expensive green curry. When I concluded that it was all just in my head, a hand touched my arm and I gasped, causing Paula to gasp as well. I looked up and saw the person who was trying to get my attention and smiled. "Jack? Wow!" I burst. "J, is that really you?" He asked. I stood up from the table and threw my arms around him, hugging him tightly. Jack was an ex-boyfriend of mine from high school that had remained my friend up until graduation. I remembered him as always being very gentlemanly and polite. He had grown up with all sisters and a single mom which I attributed to his sensitivity and grace. "And Paula, do you remember me?" Jack asked her. "Yeah, you were the guy with the really bad emo haircut right?" Paula giggled. "Yeah," Jack shrugged. "Good times, huh?" "Wow, it's so good to see you. What are you doing here?" I asked. "Oh, just having some lunch with a couple of buddies right over there." Jack pointed across the patio to the table of suited men that I had noticed. "I thought I recognized you but I wasn't sure," I admitted. "I guess my eyesight is starting to go." "Well, good eyesight or not, you are looking fantastic. You too, Paula." Jack offered a compliment. "Thanks, so do you. I'm glad you outgrew the emo phase." Jack laughed and reached into his suit pocket. "Well hey, I'm going to get back to those guys but, I would love it if you gave me your number so we can catch up sometime if you're alright with that?" "Sure!" I exclaimed and then wished I could retract my eager response. "Well actually, I don't have a phone at the moment." Paula looked up at me with a raised eyebrow and Jack guffawed. "I mean, I do, but it's not working right now," I attempted to hide my nervousness by fake giggling. "I've always been kind of dumb with new technologies." "How about this," Jack suggested as he produced an ebony fountain pen from his jacket pocket. "We'll do this really old school, in the spirit of all this great nostalgia. I'll write my phone number down for you and once you have your phone figured out, you can shoot me a text message." "Sure! Sounds great." I agreed. Jack scrawled his phone number down on a napkin and handed it to me. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face until he left to go back to his table, but not before giving me another really tight hug and saying goodbye to Paula. "Wow, small world I guess." Paula mused. "Right..." I looked down at the phone number that was already starting to bleed black ink into the soft material of the napkin. Suddenly all I could think of was Bill. Would he be pissed if he knew about the exchange? I decided I didn't want to think about it and stuffed the napkin into my purse. After lunch, I thanked Paula for accompanying me and we went our separate ways. I hailed a cab and once I got into the back seat and the driver asked me where to go I blanked. I didn't want to go back to the penthouse, the fear of boredom was always waiting to greet me there so I decided to take the cab a few blocks down and go shopping by myself.

~*~

It didn't take long before I grew bored of all my new things, taking hedonistic bubble baths by myself, eating French food off a pushcart in my silky underwear, playing online games with kids half my age. It was coming up on three weeks that I hadn't heard a thing from Bill and it was starting to feel really strange. Where was he? Did he forget that I existed? Was I just one of many birds he had locked up in different towers all over the world? The more I thought about it the more I convinced myself I was just part of some prurient collection of mistresses that all worshiped at the feet of Mr. Skarsgård. I had no way of contacting him. Even the guard that had watched over me for the first week of my stay was nowhere to be found. I had no contacts in my phone. Then I remembered how it had all started- with a simple little e-mail. I could easily log into my e-mail inbox and find the address he had used to contact me. Maybe a strongly worded electronic letter would get him to come to see me, or something. I wanted to but a voice inside of me was screaming to not bother with it. If I crossed him again he could easily have me dropped back off on the street and my whole new world of rich material and expensive wine stains would dissolve and the prospect of enticing my benefactor along with it. It was all so very maddening, laying around in a five-star hotel suite, staring out the windows and wondering when I was going to be called upon again. All the money in the world couldn't fill the need I had and it only got worse as the days dragged on. I wanted to touch and have human contact. I wanted sex. I had never gone that long without it since I lost my virginity. At that point, I would have even been happy giving some random John a blowjob just to be able to hear some fucking gratitude. But I stayed in the penthouse, only leaving to go somewhere else to eat. I had no other responsibility in the world other than keeping myself alive and even though I was sitting in the lap of luxury, it didn't feel so lively. A month went by and I was starting to become friends with the hotel concierge and all the ladies at the front desk. I wondered what they thought of me. Did they pity me? Envy me? Did they know what I was there for? Did they know Bill? Did they have a phone number on file that I could use to contact him? There were so many questions that I wasn't sure I wanted the answers to. All I got were smiles each time I came back with another pair of new shoes. I got fed up by the end of the month when the Summer started to melt away the Spring and I had been living in a hotel shut away from the world. I wanted to go to the beach or do something fun but I was afraid to reach out. All of my friends were sex workers and if Bill knew I was hanging out with them there was a chance he might go off. Even Paula was away on vacation and I had absolutely nobody else to talk to except for the voices of unknown twelve-year-old boys playing the same video games as I was and most of the time they just told me to go fuck myself. The odd time that I actually took their advice was lackluster as well. The most expensive and high-end sex toys were not enough to fill the void. Masturbation was starting to get boring too. I deduced that I must have been starting to lose it. I was driven to the point of desperation. I hadn't heard from Bill in so long I almost forgot what he looked like. Swallowing my pride, I decided to e-mail him. Just one short and concise e-mail to remind him that I existed.

Where have you been? -J

I held my breath and pressed send. After the message left my outbox I set my phone down and hastily made it a point to distract myself with something else. I didn't want to sit around staring at my phone screen waiting for his reply. Instead, I played around on the grand piano even though I couldn't play a lick of anything even remotely song-like. When I gave up on that, I took a long steam shower. I assumed by the time I stepped out that he would have replied but when I checked I had absolutely no messages from him. I did, however, have mountains of unread e-mails from clients that I chose to delete without reading. I groaned and my dejected voice threw off the walls and came back at me, echoing my utter detachment from life and reminding me that I was so. Fucking. Alone. Bill did not answer me that night or the next. I dared not send another e-mail but after a couple more days I was ready to give up. I had gone out to buy a bigger suitcase just to pack all of my new stuff into. I thought if I just used his card to buy myself some prepaid credit cards I could leave it along with the phone he gave me and check out of the hotel. I could take a cab to wherever and forget about him as he had forgotten me. So that's what I decided to do. I threw all of my favourite shoes into the suitcase first and then all of my underwear, bras, lingerie, some comfortable outfits, a couple nice dresses and a bunch of toiletries stolen from the bathroom. It took some strength to get the suitcase zipped up but once I did it gave me a weird satisfaction. I dumped the contents of my purse on the bed and went through to make sure I wasn't taking anything that I didn't absolutely need. That's when I saw the bunched up napkin from the restaurant- Jack's phone number. A hundred different scenarios flooded my head and made it difficult to think straight. Maybe all I needed was one good lay and then I would be alright. I couldn't be expected to remain absolutely abstinent for Bill if he had no intentions of reaching out to me. It wasn't fair. Hell, it wasn't humane. I could not and would not deny myself my most basic needs. So I texted Jack. I was scared. But I was alone and being alone scared me more than Bill did. There was this mental itch that I couldn't scratch though because I was technically breaking his rule. I had to reason with myself when I got close to calling off my meeting with Jack. This wasn't a paid hook-up. In fact, Jack had no idea what I did for a living so there would be no pressure on either of us. Jack was good-looking enough to have a one night stand with. He was no Mr. Skarsgård but he would have to do if I were to remain of sound mind. I just wanted to be close to someone. I repeated a mantra over and over in my head on my way to meet up with Jack. It's going to be alright, it's going to be okay. I had told Jack to contact me on a messenger application instead of over text message. I didn't want to take any risks. I even went as far as to delete the previous texts from Jack and completely erase his contact information from the phone. Paranoia was beginning to bubble up inside of me, spilling over and making me think that what I was doing was wrong. No, I thought to myself. I am a grown ass woman and I deserve attention. Fuck Bill anyway. If he wanted to purposefully ignore me that was fine. It wouldn't have been the first time a client had had second thoughts about an arrangement. Although, I did get to thinking about the credit card and my indefinite stay at the Mira Hotel. If he was snubbing me, would I not have been informed that I had to vacate the penthouse? Or wouldn't the credit card have been canceled? Pushing all thoughts of Bill aside, I left in a cab bound for our meeting spot- a motel on the outskirts of town. Despite Jack asking me a dozen times to meet somewhere nicer for drinks, the decision was ultimately mine and I didn't want to waste any time with niceties and I especially didn't want him to think I was interested in dating him again. Sex was all I wanted and if I had it my way, I would be done and back at the Mira before the last call at the bar. I wasn't trying to be rude but there was no denying that I was succeeding at being selfish. The whole ride over was excruciating and I only thought about bailing a hundred times or more. I insisted that Jack check in and that I would meet him in whatever room he had. I even went as far as to ask the cab driver to drop me off a short distance from the actual motel so that I could walk the rest of the way. I knocked on the door of room eight and was greeted by Jack's smiling face but I was in no mood to exchange the courtesy. I walked straight in and closed the door quickly, much to his surprise. "Wow J, you really mean business. You sure I can't convince you to let me take you somewhere nicer? My buddy owns this really great bar uptown-" "No," I stated firmly as I locked the door behind me. Once inside I finally let my lungs deflate. Looking over at Jack, I could tell he was very confused and I didn't blame him for it. I had been incredibly blunt and devoid of any explanation. As if taking my sudden relaxation as a cue, Jack also let his shoulders drop, a smile creeping across his face. I stared at him, letting my eyes take every detail of him in from head to toe. Jack was handsome in that average way, with a symmetrical face and not the world's worst hairline but I couldn't help myself when I started comparing him to Bill. "I just want to be honest with you so that you know my intentions and you don't have to take any guesses. I really just need to get laid, right now. I don't want to pursue anything romantic... with anyone. Nothing against you, I'm just not in a position to be dating. Are you alright with that?" "Uh, yeah I guess," Jack said as he scratched the back of his head. I noticed his watch- knock-off. His suit looked decent from afar but up close I could tell it was department store brand. Why the fuck did I care? I tried to silence the fattened little bird in my head squawking out all sorts of pretentious drivel. He's not Bill. Bill's shoes cost more than his entire outfit. His eyes were dark brown and not at all like a captivating glass of expensive chardonnay. Fuck! "You do want to fuck me, don't you?" I asked him all the while trying to silence the stream of shit-talk silent monologue inside me. "Yeah... Yes. Definitely. Sorry, it's just... I've never done this before." "Never done what?" Jack laughed nervously. "I've never just met up with someone for sex." Throwing my purse on the table next to the bed, I turned towards him and smiled. "Don't worry, there's nothing to it. Now come here." When he started to kiss me I made a mental note of his stubble scratching me. He did not taste like cigarettes and liquor. He wasn't tall enough to have to bend down to reach my face. The bed squeaked like terrible violin strings when we sat down. All things I should not have been noticing. Shut up, shut up, shut up! After our clothes came off I kept my eyes mostly shut. Jack's fervor was not matched by my own. I laid on the bed and let him kiss my neck down to my chest and stomach. I thought, if I just kept my eyes closed I could imagine I was on that white stage of a bed back at the Mira Hotel and the person bestowing all the attention to my body was the person who had forced me into this situation. Yes, that could work. I could drift off like I always did. So I imagined Bill. It was not a crime. My legs were thrown over his shoulders and his face plunged down further. Bill was getting ready to eat me but not before pressing his lips to my inner thighs. I made the mistake of gazing down and it hit me hard that I was being a complete piece of shit. Jack was not unskilled but I just couldn't help myself wishing he would turn into Mr. Skarsgård. Pushing every thought aside, I tried to simply enjoy the sensation of somebody trying to get me off besides myself. It was difficult at first but once Jack flattened his tongue against my clit the sensation became strong enough to overpower most of my maddening inner struggle. That was until I heard something vibrating. Jack looked up at me, cheeks flushed and mouth glistening his work. I looked over towards the sound of the vibration and realized it was coming from my purse. I had never felt the blood drain from my face as hard and as fast as it did at that moment. "Oh shit," I said. "You want to get that?" I swallowed as much air as my lungs could hold and felt this sick wave of fear fill me up to the very brim, causing my feet to go numb and my hands to prickle. No, no, no, no. "J, what's the matter?" I could only focus on the sound of my phone vibrating at me with an imaginary vehemence. That sound that I had been craving for the last few weeks was suddenly one of the worst things that I could possibly hear. "N-nothing," I said when the vibrating stopped. "Are you sure? You look like you've seen a ghost." Then the vibrating started again. I was frozen, naked with my knees parted and unsure what to do. Jack was obviously not impressed by what was going on. "If you need to answer it just answer it already so we can get back to-" BANG. BANG. BANG. My heart slammed up against my ribs as though it were trying to escape my body. Jack had been startled as well and pulled away from me as I snapped my legs shut. "What the fuck is going on?" Jack demanded. "Open the fucking door, J." It was Bill's unmistakable voice booming from behind the locked door. "Oh my God. Get dressed now." I whispered to him. "If you don't open this fucking door now I will break it the fuck down." Jack scrambled into his pants angrily and didn't bother to fasten his belt. I could tell he was pissed at the intrusion by the way he approached the door and struggled with the lock. I did not move except to cover myself with the thin floral blanket of the motel bed. Once he had the door unlocked he was pushed back by the force of Bill entering the room, the driver of the BMW behind him, hand clutching something inside of his jacket. "What the fuck do you think you're doing, buddy?" Jack asked but was immediately shut down by Bill's agonizing stare. "If you don't get the fuck out of here in three seconds, my friend here will blow a bullet hole through your fucking face." Bill threatened. That was when I noticed that the driver had been clutching the handle of a gun in a body holster underneath his grey sport jacket. The driver looked at Jack with his strangely calm expression and that was enough to send him scurrying for the rest of his clothes. I watched as he scooped up his shirt and jacket, eager to leave the scene and me behind. "I'm not fucking paying for the room," was the last thing he said before throwing me a worried look and leaving. Once we heard the sound of his car pulling out of the gravel parking lot, the driver let go of the gun and instead laid his hand on Bill's shoulder. Bill looked at him and nodded, silently giving him permission to leave and shut the door behind him. I felt nauseous, to say the least, but with the gun out of the picture, I didn't quite feel like I was going to die. Although the fierceness of Bill's stare was enough to ensure my fear didn't dissipate too much. I could see Bill was searching for the right thing to say while he ground his teeth together, jaw muscles flexing with anger. "Who the fuck do you think you are?" He asked me quietly. I didn't answer. I couldn't. My mouth had gone dry. "ANSWER ME!" "I don't know what to tell you." I offered. "You better come up with something fast," Bill said as he removed his jacket and hung it over the back of a chair that was next to a small desk but not before removing a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from one of the pockets. I cringed back, stuttering and scared as he lit a cigarette. "You... You left me. I don't fucking know! You were gone for so long... I just couldn't," I tried to combine my thoughts but it was difficult when I was so obviously naked underneath the itchy blanket. "I said no more." "It wasn't a job. I asked him to meet me because..." "Because?" He urged as he exhaled smoke from his nostrils. "Because I was fucking lonely! I'm a person! I can't just hang around your big fucking fancy hotel all day and all night for days and days with no human interaction! I'm not a fucking pet!" "You're right because a pet would have more loyalty than you do, fucking whore." He spat. For the first time, that insult actually stung. Bill took a powerful drag off the cigarette one more time before stubbing it out on the particle board desk. "He wasn't paying me! I wanted to meet up with him." Bill scoffed. "Well, at least you had the decency to come to this filthy place to do your dirty work." "Dirty work? You want to talk about dirty work? You have people following me all over town! I can't go to a fucking restaurant without your little bellboy stalking me in the streets!" "And for good reason. I knew you wouldn't be able to honor our agreement. People like you are leeches. Sucking and sucking and sucking others dry until there's nothing left." "No, you're a leech! Worse than a leech... You expect me to pledge myself to you like you're God or something? Guess what? You're just a little boy with a nice piggy bank and no capacity for any human emotion. I am a fucking person with feelings and needs and I am not going to let you shut me away from the world because it amuses you! What kind of sick fuck does that?" "Your tone was entirely different when you were sucking my cum up off the floor like a trained dog." "Fuck you!" I shot at him. "This deal is fucking done." "Oh no it's not," He said as he started undoing the front of his pants. "I'm getting my money's worth from you." He ripped the blankets away from me, leaving me bare and exposed. I tried to grasp for them but he was too quick. Bill climbed up on the bed and I scampered backward to no advantage but to corner myself on the cheap wood headboard. He grabbed me by the neck and pulled me closer. "You want to get fucked? Is that all this is? You want someone to fuck you in this repulsive motel room? Hm?" He shook me but I couldn't answer. "You want somebody to make you cum?" I grasped at the hand closing around my windpipe. He didn't let go until my face was red. I gasped when he finally released me. "I can't leave you alone while I'm away on business or else you'll call up someone else to come take care of you? Do I mean absolutely nothing to you at all?" "No... I-" "I stopped by the room and saw you had all your things packed. You weren't planning on leaving, were you?" "I... I don't know." "You were going to leave with all of the beautiful things I bought you?" I looked away from him but he grabbed me by the chin and forced me to keep watching. "That is really, really mean. What happened to my good little girl, huh? Where's my nice, obedient girl?" The contempt I had been feeling for him was slowly starting to melt away. I stared into his eyes and instead of fear or anger, I felt something different. Something that I couldn't quite describe. It was driving me back to that feeling of lust for him. It made me want to do things for him that I would never do for any other man. Watching his lips and his face, being pinned by his body and unable to go anywhere or do anything besides sit there and listen to his voice was maddening in a way that made me wet. I wanted to be mad at him. I wanted to lash out but I could not. He pushed his hand into the front of his pants and I could do nothing but observe. His eyes burned holes into my own, one hand on the headboard, his long arm acting as a barricade between me and the door and the other hand working inside of his designer pants. I tried to reach out to pull him closer but he pushed his weight off the headboard and instead knelt in front of me, continuing to stroke himself without allowing me to see. "Tell me where my good girl is." "Here." "Tell me what my good girl wants." "You. I want you." "Tell me what you would do for me." "Anything. I would do anything for you, Daddy." "You've caused all of this drama simply because you want Daddy's cock so badly?" He dragged out the last two words, eyebrows raising in question. "...Yes." He hummed appreciatively and got off the bed and began unbuttoning his shirt. His pants fell low enough for me to see a light trail of hair that led my eyes further down. Once he was shirtless he beckoned me forth and I scooted my body towards the edge of the bed where he was standing. "Open that mouth for me." He whispered. I let my jaw hang open and watched as he pulled his hard cock out of his pants. I got closer, letting my tongue loll out of my mouth for him. He bit down gently on his bottom lip and slid his shaft over my tongue and then again slowly. I felt every pulsing vein and curled my tongue around what I could until he pulled away again. He leaned down and cupped my chin, keeping my mouth open so he could land a warm bubble of spit right on my tongue. I couldn't help but smile as he bounced the head of his cock off my dripping tongue a few times. "I'm going to fuck you." He stated. "Not because you deserve it. I'm going to fuck you because you are mine and I promise the next person that tries to take you from me will be one sorry son of a bitch, understand?" "Yes, Daddy." "Do you think I'm playing?" "No." "I am not a man that likes to be fucked with, J. I'm serious." "I know." He gazed at me as though he did not really believe that I understood but that didn't distract him much. He took my hand and guided me to standing, taking my place sitting on the bed. He kicked his pants the rest of the way off and for the very first time, I saw him completely naked. Before I could really admire his body, his long limbs, and his milky skin, he pulled me closer by my hips until I was forced to straddle him on the bed. I felt his hard cock touching my inner thigh and bristled with arousal. Feeling him slowly penetrate me was the most satisfying fullness I had ever known. Inch by inch I sank down on him, finally getting what I wanted- what I desperately needed. He purred from the sensation as well, looking up at me with his wide eyes, encouraging me, smirking at how quickly I abandoned all the walls of professionalism that I had worked so hard to build. I didn't care. I was beyond the point of trying to deny myself. This was something entirely different than any arrangement I had ever agreed to. Something magnetic about this man broke me down. Once he began thrusting up inside of me I lost all sense of the world around. Nothing existed but him and I. Not even the dinginess of the motel room was enough to distract me from the fact that his cock was filling me finally. None of my rules applied and apparently neither did any of his. We writhed together and moaned, both enjoying the snugness of a penetration that seemed long in the making. I felt his hands caressing smoothly down my back to rest on my ass, helping him push himself into me further until there was no room left. He leaned back a little to take me in, only stopping his thrusts to squeeze my breasts and pull my mouth to his. He stopped all movement besides what it took for him to kiss me with his hand threaded through my hair. Suddenly he flipped me over so I was on my back, pulling out of me. He stared down at himself and admired the wetness. "Look how much your pussy loves my cock. You're fucking soaked." I lifted my legs and held them apart, showing him that yes, my pussy was dripping wet for him. He knelt down and slowly ran his tongue over my juicy pink folds, lapping up liquid only to let it fall back down from the tip of his tongue. The sensation of that tongue gliding over my clit even once was shocking but when he drew little circles around it I couldn't control the way my nipples perked and my spine rose off the bed. It felt so fucking good. I had almost forgotten what it was like to get eaten out. The visual part of it, his gorgeously lush lips enclosing my most sensitive part as his murky eyes stared up at me was almost too much to handle. He knew how obscene he looked and made a show of flicking his tongue back and forth over it. "Don't tell me you want to come already?" He pulled back from me when my squirming got too uncontrollable. "I'm trying not to." His tongue snaked out and pushed inside of me. The feeling was hot and made me crave the deepness he had given me before. I longed for him to at least slip me a finger but I knew that we were playing completely on his terms. "Don't you dare come yet." I nodded and he rolled me over on my stomach, spreading me apart and sinking his middle finger inside of me. I groaned with satisfaction. "Your pussy is mine. You hear me? Your sweet, wet little dripping cunt belongs to me, doesn't it?" "Yes, daddy." I heard the sounds of wetness as he began working his finger in and out. Each time he came away with more and more wetness until he stopped and popped his whole finger into his mouth to suck off the juices he was eliciting from me. "Mm, pretty, tasty little pussy." I felt his weight shift the bed as he climbed over and pushed his cock back into me from behind. The feeling was unreal and unlike anything I had ever experienced before. I was no longer on auto-pilot the way I had been for years. The sensation was overwhelming. I had never wanted somebody as badly as I did at that moment. His thrusts got hard and violent and I cried out when he began striking my cervix with each forceful push. He grabbed both my wrists and held them together behind my back and I had no choice but to lift my head or have my face shoved into the motel bed as he fucked me ruthlessly. "My little fucking whore. My sweet little fucking cunt," Bill paused his movements, leaning over to whisper in my ear. "You're daddy's pretty girl, aren't you?" "Mhm... Yes, daddy." I breathed. He fucked me relentlessly, whispering the nastiest shit I had ever heard against my cheek. I had gone dumb, mouth open, moaning as I felt him pounding in and out of me with no signs of fatigue. "My pussy..." He seethed. "Yes." "My wet fucking pussy." "Yes, Daddy. All yours." "Nobody's cock makes you this wet." He suddenly pulled out and stood up from the bed again. I looked behind me before turning around to face him. He towered over me, cock flushed and levitating at my eye level. I opened my mouth, inviting him to use it as he pleased and he obliged immediately, grasping the back of my head and pulling me down so it all but slipped down my throat, completely depriving me of air for a few seconds. When I came back up I gasped and stared up at him like I was taught in every porno that existed. He knew that I could handle so much more than what he was giving me. It was as though he was just realizing what kind of salaciously distasteful acts I was willing to perform, had he only asked. "I am going to fuck you until you're begging me to stop. I'm going to use that pussy and that mouth to come in so many times that it will hurt and when it hurts, I'm just going to keep doing it." I nodded eagerly, obedient and willing to accept all the punishment that he was promising. "Then I'm going to make you come. All over my face, my dick... Everywhere. You're going to come when I tell you to and as many times as I want." I knew that I was in for a very long night.

#bill skarsgård fanfiction #bill skarsgard fanfiction #bill skarsgård smut #bill skarsgard smut #fanfiction

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inopinion · 6 years

Note

Writing prompt: "would you give everything up, if it would save him?" "No."

Another prompt given to me pre-War Storm. Forgive the late delivery.

See Part 1 here…

@lilyharvord, @mareshmallow, @redqueenfandom, @anyone-anything-canbetrayanyone, @tiberias-vii, @runexandra, @mom2reesie, @scarletguardsource, @adraxsteia, @redqueenfandom, @wrenskonos, @Maria-habs, @cordelnight, @naercxy, @morebooks-pls, @lamemathpuns, @booksmusicmoviesandmore, @thespacebetweenthestars, @book-fandoms-rule-the-world, @juggyandbetty, @redqueen214, @giihmonzane13…

Remember, War Storm Spoilers are involved…

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Paranoia isn’t an unfamiliar partner after what I’d been through, but I am certain it’s not just my damaged psyche nor the influence of the alcohol. People are watching us. Strangers that I don’t know crane their necks and track us off the dance floor. Each step becomes a stomp that defies their judgement–real or imaginary.

So close to him, I can’t imagine allowing enough space to do anything but test the strength of the thread holding his buttons. Cal is like no other lover I’ve ever had because there is.. was.. I guess is actual love between us. Has been, will be, forever. Some part of me belongs to him even if that part got left behind on a battlefield. Perhaps he carries it with him like I carry his earring. I’m eager to see if I can find it, the search will be fun enough of a reward.

Except, Farley looks at me like she looks at Clara when she’s headed for a collision with gravity. But I know she’ll let me fall and scrape my knees and cry just the same. Only Clara gets a cuddle and set back on her feet. Farley won’t patch the holes I tear into myself. We’ve been through too much together for me not to respect what that look means: slow down.

Just outside the door I stall. He slows to match. I swing my head around. He takes note of our surroundings. We stop entirely.

Cal is agitated, glaring at a gaping serving girl. He exudes enough warmth that I don’t think I’d need a coat even though it’s snowing. He tugs me, resigned to the gossips. But It doesn’t feel right leaving with him, not like it did before I saw Farley’s face.

“Door’s there. Or I guess we could find some place here to talk.” He waves around us. I swallow. There is no place in the palace without ears. “Second thoughts?” he asks, bitterness coating his tone as he internalizes my hesitation.

He drops my hand and runs his fingers through the curls on his head. It sticks up in weird ways showing exactly how long the top has gotten. I have a third thought, then a fourth, but that’s mostly the alcohol.

“Hey, I want to talk. We should talk. How often are we in the same place, right?” I cringe at his wince. I’m an expert at throwing salt in his wounds. “I just don’t think now is a good time. I mean, I have had more wine than I should. We deserve clear heads, right?”

He swallows, agrees because there’s no other option being given then we hastily make plans. He is scheduled in most of the same sessions as Farley. Almost an entire week completely booked from nine to six. Dinners with various councils and factions take up his nights. I can hear the unspoken conclusion: this is the only time he isn’t already booked.

“But you have to eat lunch, right?” I ask before he can suggest otherwise.

“Provided.”

“But it’s not scheduled. I mean, it isn’t for Farley. Can you get away for lunch? I know a cafe that makes nice sandwiches.”

“Okay, lunch, I guess. I get out of session at eleven-thirty, rejoin at one-fifteen. So, at best, ninety-minutes.”

“Plenty of time,” I respond.

Cal’s face falls. He looks as if he can’t breath, a feeling I know so well that I hurt for him. But I can’t quite fathom why he’s stricken when he never answered my last letter.

“If you’re not ready, that’s okay. It’s okay.” He doesn’t sound like he’s talking to me but to himself, assuring himself.

His chin snaps up in a court-trained posture. He’s let his emotions drip down his sleeves and he makes an effort to recover.

“I meant to start talking. I didn’t mean… I don’t know Cal. Don’t look at me like that.” I can’t help but snap at his neutral mask.

The muscle in his jaw flexes. His eyes are steady and controlled, his temperature moderated, and his voice even when he says, “Where is this cafe?”

Cal gives me whiplash when he squeezes my hand gently and pulls his lip up on one side. Regardless of how much time it is, or what gets said, or what he thinks I’ll say when we get there, we have a date. No, not a date. A meeting. It’s just a meeting, we’ll talk, catch up, trade war stories like other soldiers. We’ll see where he is and where I am. And it’s a fucking date, and I can’t help the surge of excitement.

I walk away, back to Farley who’s critiquing dancers on the floor with another Red General. I’m too caught up in how quickly my word choice crushed Cal to remember her name. One hand, he still likes me, obviously. On the other, he didn’t exactly strike me as emotionally stable. Then again, I almost broke down before dinner just from seeing him, so who am I to talk?

“Oh, you’re still here. Lovely, let’s leave,” Farley muses, flashing teeth.

“Leave? There’s still wine isn’t there?” I smirk as I snag another glass.

I don’t see Cal reenter the ballroom nor can I stop looking for him. I don’t even finish the glass. I hold it just to make Farley wait, which she does with expressive sighs and head rolls. Clara kept her up the night before, too excited about visiting grandma to sleep. But if I wasn’t a pain in Farley’s side, would she still think of me as a sister?

Wriggling out of ballgowns, even those so delicately tailored to my requests, is still a relief second only to a hot bath. Farley’s tub is not luxurious. It barely holds enough water to consider it a soak and my knees stick out if I want my shoulders in, but still, I fill it with water, bubbles and –for good measure– I drop Clara’s mersive and her battleship from eye height just to see them splash.

Between evasive maneuvers and using a bubble-cloud as a fog-storm, my mind veers off of elementary battle tactics and towards the more dangerous realm of silver princes. Ex-princes. Generals. Men.

Cal got upset so quickly I wonder if he expected to sweep me off the dance floor and back into his life. I very nearly left with him. I could have let him carry me out the door and to where ever he has a bed if only for a few more minutes of his warmth. But that was always our problem, too much chemistry and not enough math. We never added things up, not until the very end, and then we were both surprised when we couldn’t quite make it work. Bad analogy, I was never that great with math.

More like we’re two pieces so closely shaped that if you squinted, we fit together perfectly. But eyes wide open, at least when we last parted, there were gaps. We didn’t fit. I couldn’t keep squinting and neither could he.

Maybe I’ve managed to fill-in the right parts of me, and maybe he’s made himself into a new shape, too. That’s what I hoped time would give us. Walking away last night, seeking a clearer head, I don’t think I could have done that before. Surging with pride, I sink the mersive to strike the battleship from below.

“Don’t sleep all day,” Farley tosses something at me, it lands with a thud. She’s out the door before I can roll over.

Bundled together with a rubber-band are brochures, pamphlets, and adds from a newspaper all about jobs. Red retraining programs touting the achievement of a true education and a trade all in one. The Guard’s military brochure is a three page tri-fold with the benefits listed in bold, red letters on a white background. The Montfort pamphlets are similar but green and lack a navy. More describe the training to join the tech sectors in the old tech towns. I let them fall on the floor and flop back over.

It’s not that I don’t want a job, or that I don’t have one. I just don’t have one that pays money with any regularity. I can smell my mom’s complaining on the bold gesture. When we first got to our small town west of Ascendant, I helped Gisa set up her shop, read documents, kept the ledgers, took down orders. But Gisa learned to read and write and then there was little for me around the shop. Besides, my mom deserved the easy job of helping my sister. I haven’t held a steady job since. I’m unreliable. I’m flighty. I’m sensitive to sounds, fast movement, aggressive tones. At least Farley had the sense to offer me service positions, when I tell mom where I got the brochures, she’s gonna let Farley have it.

With a small pinch of joy, I fall back asleep imagining Farley’s face as my mother lectures her on getting me out of trouble and not into it.

The sun is high and the light is beautiful through the translucent drapes over the windows. They alternate purple and blue and cream creating shadows and casting color on the plain walls. I haven’t woken so rested in a long time, at least a month. My stomach growls.

I am hungry.

The sun is up, high in the sky.

Flying from the couch to the kitchen I squint through sleepy eyes at the clock and panic. There’s no time. I yank on pants, a mostly clean shirt and stuff my feet into boots. I squirt some tooth paste into my mouth and rinse with water. I am leaving five minutes later than I should. I run and it feels so good to be heading somewhere, to have the adrenaline, to chase that high all the way up the hill and down the other.

At the bottom of the hill, work crews struggle. Water pulses out of the storm drain onto the street. On the edges, it freezes into ice and builds up in layers as the waves come faster than the nymph can redirect. The silver isn’t very powerful and can do little more than redirect the water. The entire street is blocked.

I race up the hill to the road at the top and rush down half a block to the alley and then back down the hill. The detour forces me to loop around the building that holds the cafe. The clock on the bank across the street says it’s almost noon. I am nearly thirty minutes late, fifteen if he didn’t leave the council until eleven-thirty.

Through the door, I pause to watch. I want to see him without him knowing that I’m watching. I want to read him, how he is without me. How he is when he’s on his own and not a general or a lord of a high house. He looks stoically at the server behind the counter. His coat floats up as his arm pushes into it and pulls it on, preparing to leave. When the server looks away, he glances back at the table in the corner. Cal turns back, eyebrows drawn together, mouth looking pained. A few coins come out of his hand and fall in the tip jar. A bag is pushed across to him, his lunch to-go. I time it so that I walk through just as he turns to head out so I can clearly see his face.

He is appropriately disconcerted that his path is blocked, then his entire face lightens as he flushes. Blood rushes his cheekbones, he blushes into a pallor and a coy smile. Cal’s caught not knowing what to say, lips moving, tongue still. His eyes are so soft and kind and then concerned.

“Thought you might have gotten lost,” he lies.

“Nope. Just late.” I step forward.

For every two steps, he backs up one, leading me towards the table in the corner. He slips his jacket off and sets it on the chair, his back to the wall. I peel off my coat and drape it over the chair.

“I’ll just order, be right back.”

I order a sandwich, a cup of coffee, and an apple. Cal isn’t fast enough to look away when I glance over, but the fact that he tries confirms where his eyes were wondering. It’s nice to know he still appreciates me in that way. I hope we’re ready to consider something a little more. As weak as I am when it comes to him, I try to swear my self to a resolution: slow, steady, and not just for the sizzle.

“I over slept.”

“Ah, the troubles of the victors.” He teases, I think.

I don’t laugh, stuffing my mouth with a bite of food instead.

“Aren’t you going to eat?”

“Not if you’re going to talk with your mouth full.”

The disgust on his face is real. That makes me laugh for real. I cover my mouth with my hand, somewhere between me and Mareena in my manners. He unwraps his sandwich.

“So?” I ask.

“So… how’s your family? Do they like Montfort?”

If he’s asked Farley then he should know, but it’s an easy enough topic to break the ice. He keeps me talking. He asks about everyone: mom, dad, Gisa, Bree, Tramie –no one is left out.

“And finally, Kilorn. What’s that fucker up to?”

There is no other way I would want someone to refer to Kilorn. For all he is, he is at his very heart a pain in the ass. An amazing, wonderfully loyal and insufferable friend. He has managed to endear himself not just to me and my family but to Farley, and Cameron, and even, apparently to Cal.

“Couldn’t keep him away from the water. He’s in the Nortan Navy. We get letters sometimes, mostly he’s bored. Sometimes he’s in trouble. But he’s always got a good group of people around him.”

“What ship?”

“The Cardinal.”

“I’ll keep tabs.” He holds my gaze and I know that even now, Cal will help keep Kilorn safe in what ever way he can, for me.

“Thanks.” I catch myself dry mouthed and tired lips. My coffee is cooling and my sandwich is only missing a few bites while his is all gone. I’ve talked so long. “What about you?”

“Well, you know. I’ve got fewer to look after, I guess it makes things dull.” He pushes quickly past the pain but I see it all the same. “I just keep my soldiers fit, ready, mind our posts.”

“You haven’t picked up a hobby?”

“I have, actually. I am becoming an expert at budgeting.” He smiles broadly, proud and cheerful in acknowledging his new position.

“Damn, did you have to cut back on the armor?” His eyes flick past me, again.

He’s been looking over my shoulder, at the door every few minutes. I turn and look. The door swings shut and a patron greets another at a table.

“You waiting for someone else?” I ask, turning back.

“No. I am here completely for you.” His eyes flick again and I hear the door shut again.

“Why you watching the door?”

“Nothing. Just a habit.”

He crushes the paper from his sandwich between his fists. I can still read him well and there’s shame in his posture. I glance behind me again, the suspicion that I’m sitting square in a trap flashes through me and the lightning comes to my fingertips.

“Easy, Mare.”

“You’re making me nervous. Why are you watching the door?”

“I’m… checking for assassins,” he barely mumbles. When the door opens again, I watch him fight his insticts then finally give in with a glance over my shoulder.

“Assassins? You’re not the King, Cal.”

“Yeah, well, some people forget. And the last time, I almost didn’t make it.”

Silence. Stillness. Processing is slow when someone you love is uncomfortable and embarrassed and admitting their weaknesses when they want you to think they’re strong. It made Kilorn shake under our house in the Stilts, and Maven dare me from his bathtub, and Cameron open up to me as we circled the Piedmont base. I want him to tell me more, trust me with what he finds shameful. So I wait and let him come to his words.

“The girl, the one the papers got a photo of me–”

“Kissing?”

“Yeah. She got me alone, um… and then she stabbed me.” Something about how his hands drop into his lap is defensive not casual, an indication of where. I wince with him. “I almost bled to death.”

“Who found you?” The idea that he had a couple suitors never crossed my mind before. But who else would come to find him in his bedroom?

“I didn’t let her get away without injury and she didn’t make it very far before the alarm was raised. Thank my colors, I had my bracelets on.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” I sip my coffee and avoid looking directly at him. He’s ghostly pale he’s blushing from his collarbones to the tips of his ears. Some levity seems to be needed, I reach out and touch his hand. He looks up, shocked I’d touch him. “Most importantly, did they take care of that… um… curve?”

“Shut up. It is not curved.” he retracts, losing his breath in laughs.

“Well, I mean maybe not now. I wouldn’t blame you for taking advantage of the situation. I mean, making some improvements.”

“Surprised you didn’t say bigger.”

“Oh, honey, it’s not about the size. It’s how you use it.”

“And how was I at using it?” his knee brushes mine under the table and his lip pulls up goofy and flirting.

“You got better,” I begrudgingly admit after some contemplation.

“I’d happily remind you by how much.”

“I might just…” I stop myself. His lips slam shut. He straightens and clears his throat. I can’t finish what I’m saying.

“Sorry.” He looks at his watch and then back at the door. It’s time for him to return to sessions, discussions, strategies. “Time is up.”

“This was nice,” I admit. My hand is still on his on the table.

Warm fingers slide over mine until he’s gently massaging my palm. “I liked it.”

“Enough to say the past is forgiven?” I ask.

“You never needed forgiveness from me.”

“Didn’t I?” I hold his eyes steady, not letting him look away. For the first time since we sat down, I’m being completely serious. I need to know what might follow us forward.

“What for?” He asks.

“Just one question, one honest question. If you could go back and do it all over again, if you could just flip me that coin and walk away? And I never fall into that arena, would you go back?” I can’t bring myself to use the words, but I need to know if he will live his life regretting meeting me because, in the end, and actually at the beginning, I took his brother.

Cal pulls back, leans against the chair. “Julian says it’s the curse on the survivors to spend our time trying to remake our regrets.”

It’s a non-answer that might as well be a yes. I start to stand, tears prickling. Laughing with him, hearing him sigh, and joke reminds me of too many things I want to keep. But I don’t want to be a reminder of all that he lost. Why he lost everything.

“Mare, I have a lot of regrets. But you’re not one of them. Elara would have ruined him no matter the path. Maybe I could have had a few more years, or a few months, but she would have taken him in the end. Jon only knows, but I tend to think this might have been the best I could have hoped for, at least the way it happened, I didn’t go through it alone.”

“So, where does that leave us?”

He stands and pulls on his jacket. He takes in a deep breath and lets it out. “How about same time tomorrow?”

And the next day and the next. We have one week of sessions and meetings before he’s back on a plane to Norta. And it’s exactly the slow pace I need, that we need, to see exactly where we’ve grown and what we’ve left behind. Maybe at the end, we’ll find that we finally fit. Or maybe it answers the question differently, with less pain, fewer choices to rehash that never asking in the first place.

Reblogs appreciated.

#Anonymous #War Storm Spoilers #Red queen Fanfiction #marecal #my writing #fanfiction #mare barrow #cal calore #war storm #red queen

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anonsally · 6 years

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Days 14-15 of German vacation: family-in-law, Neuss, and Düsseldorf

Yesterday, Wife and I spent about an hour seeing the old city gate, city hall, and cathedral of Neuss. It is an older city than Düsseldorf: it was a Roman camp back in the day. This whole region has been an important industrial center, so Neuss was badly damaged by bombings in WWII and has been rebuilt. I did like how city hall was a very well-integrated mix of original old architecture and modern architecture.

In the afternoon, Wife, Father-in-law and I went to visit a maternal aunt that Wife had never met, as there was an estrangement before she was born. In the past year her father had reached out and re-established contact. This aunt turned out to be a delight--she is 83 and a bit frail, but mentally still 100% fit. She was very down-to-earth and very funny (though Wife had to translate her stories into English for me) and appears to have had an unhappy marriage but a very happy widowhood!

Today was Wife’s birthday! We celebrated by visiting two museums in Düsseldorf.

The first, Kunstsammlung NRW’s K21, had just reopened after renovations. We started at the top, an installation by Tomás Saraceno called “in orbit”. It... is difficult to explain--it’s basically a giant “spiderweb” of steel mesh suspended from the ceiling over the atrium 4 floors below, and visitors can don special coveralls and hiking shoes and go climbing on it. There are a few big spheres mounted in it as well. We had to climbed up some stairs and enter at a steep section where we had to climb down a little in order to get to a more gently sloped area. There were three other people exploring the installation at the same time (I think they allow 10 people at a time, but it was a weekday and not crowded). When other people walk, the whole thing bounces and vibrates, so it’s not a sturdy-feeling thing, even though it’s clearly very strong and presumably will not break. But... I am afraid of heights. So I just about managed the part that was just a few meters above the upper floor, but could not get myself to step out over the atrium. Wife is physically fearless, so she just marched all around, which was magical to watch--it looked almost like she was walking on air, because when I focussed on her, the mesh sort of disappeared. The other 3 people, like me, seemed a bit timid; while they explored a little further than I did, they then spent most of the time sitting in one spot. In any case, it was incredibly cool, and was itself worth the price of admission.

We ate lunch in the cafe, and then headed to K20, another part of the same museum system. There, we visited the special retrospective exhibition on the work of Anni Albers. She was trained at the Bauhaus and became an expert at modern art in the medium of weaving. Her work was really interesting--and the dress I happened to be wearing echoed a lot of the sort of shapes we saw in her work! So that was fun.

We did some shopping for socks (I swear I am not quite as obsessed with socks as this blog sometimes makes me look...) and wine to bring home.

Then we had a delicious dinner at a fancy Japanese restaurant! (Düsseldorf, it seems, used to have the highest concentration of Japanese people for any city outside Japan.) All in all, a successful birthday for Wife.

Tomorrow is our last full day in Germany, and I will likely be sightseeing on my own while Wife goes through the things she’s been storing in her father’s basement. We are meeting friends of hers for dinner.

#personal #travel #art

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thisfearlesslife · 7 years

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Solo trip to Asheville, NC

Since 2017 ended the exact opposite I thought it would, I wanted to spend the last few days of the year focusing on me and doing something I wanted to do. Me, by myself, taking time to do something I enjoy. So obviously that meant traveling somewhere new. I’ve actually been to Asheville a few times when I was younger but they were always family trips where I was interested in nothing but being an oblivious pre-teen child.

So here are some quick things about Asheville that intrigued me to make the ~4.5 hour skid from Nashville:

Beautiful, scenic Blue Ridge Mountains | Pisgah National Forest

Small city with a vibant downtown, cool music and art scene, intoxicating southern charm

Many, many breweries and local beers

History - Biltmore Estate

I loved Asheville because it still felt like home, just in a different place. I stayed in West Asheville, an eclectic part of town that allows you to experience local life easily. There isn’t much in the way of accommodations in that area (hotel-wise), but I found a cheap little Airbnb that was perfect for my stay.

I was a few minutes drive away from some cute and funky coffee shops, where I set up to work for a few hours each day before exploring. This one was my favorite, Odd’s Cafe.

I stopped at WALK to grab a quick lunch one day, a super cool spot in west Asheville that I highly recommend if you’re in the area. Good food, good vibes.

Just a bit of street art as I passed by.

I think my favorite place in Asheville was the Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar. Yep, CHAMPAGNE BAR. If that doesn’t have me written all over it...

And yes, I got a champagne flight. This is one of the coolest concepts I have ever seen. A book store, coffee shop, champagne and wine bar complete with cheese plates, pastries and desserts. A huge building with fancy couches and tables, fun artwork and an incredible wine and champagne selection. There are little nooks everywhere. It's like a labyrinth, no matter where you turn - something else opens up that you didn't even realize was there.

The bartender explained each pour, and said that one of them was what they drank on The Titanic. Whether that is true or not, it was still tasty.

Also, it’s PUPPY FRIENDLY. I wanted to take this place home with me.

The bookstore bar is located in the Grove Arcade shopping area, but I didn’t really find anything else that interested me, so I set out walking.

I found another cool bookstore called Malaprop’s, which was more of your standard (and sober) bookstore. I loved this section, where you could pick a book based on a set of adjectives describing the story on the front without knowing what it is.

Once it became an acceptable time to drink, I set out on a solo brewery tour. First up was High-Wire Brewing and actually was one of my favorites.

I got a flight to sample various beers and set up shop in a corner to plan my next trip. I liked the vibe of this place, though it got incredibly packed by the time I left an hour later.

I walked over to Burial Beer, which was referred to me by several friends.

It was cool, but the whole 'homage-to-the-dead' thing was trying a bit hard via the decor inside and extending to the names, but at least most of the art was eclectic and not as cheesy.

Obviously my favorite part of this spot besides the beer was the mural. Though I might be a closet Tom Selleck lover...

I stopped at Catawbra Brewing next since it was getting dark outside and I didn’t want to walk far. There is a seemingly endless variety of breweries in the south slope neighborhood of Asheville, and while this place was certainly good, I wouldn't say it sets itself apart from the others around the area.

I got up early each morning to hike and watch the sunrise at Mt. Pisgah, and my God y’all, they were so beautiful. Getting up before the rest of the world while my head is still quiet is one of my favorite things. I feel like I found a bit of peace during these moments I had to myself and I’m grateful for that.

I ventured over to the Biltmore Estate, which is one of the top suggested things to do in Asheville. My family went when I was a kid, so I remembered it enough to not want to spend money on the extremely pricey tickets to tour again, despite the fact that I’d probably appreciate the history more at my current age.

I had to stop at Biscuit Head, which was recommended to me by many locals. It was good, but not life-changing. Nashville has a mean brunch game so I might be a little hard to impress.

Another favorite brewery that was a bit off the beaten path was Pisgah Brewing Company. This spot was truly a hidden gem. Once you find your way to the taproom, you are transported to hippie paradise. Awesome outdoor beer garden, great music and of course some just solid, good beer. I made a friend at the bar and we shared stories of our adventures over a drink. One thing I noticed traveling solo here was it was really hard to find other solo travelers Generally, I will sit at the bar as an easy way to strike up a conversation, but none of the bars I went to had seating, nor did I see anyone sitting alone.

If you want a beautiful rooftop view for a drink, go to the Montford Rooftop Bar. I still cannot get over the beautiful sunsets. In a weird sense, it made me feel like I was exactly where I needed to be at that moment in time. Perfect way to end my last night.

Before I left on my last morning, I checked out the River Arts District. It’s in an industrial kind of area, not very sexy looking, but has been taken over by artists and transformed in an art Mecca of the area. It's fun, colorful, and street art is everywhere you look.

All in all, I really enjoyed Asheville. It’s your typical friendly, southern city and an easy place to go if you’re intimidated about traveling alone. I’m dying to get back into those mountains and explore some great hiking in the future. Some things I didn’t grab photos of were some of the music venues I hit up, but I highly recommend checking out some shows while you’re there! I heard some of the best old country picking and bluegrass. It was pure southern perfection. Some food recommendations would definitely be Curate (on the pricier side but sooo worth it) and White Duck Taco Shop, which was pure heaven post-brewery tour.

#asheville #travel #solotravel

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becuzpurple · 6 years

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Chapter 24: All the Strawberries, Pt. 4 - Maybe It’s You

This is a reposting of Ch 24, now split into 5 parts.

Here be part 4!

(part 3)

Friday 12 February

The next morning I did wake up sore in all of the predictable places. It was nothing terrible, but it was definitely noticeable. A long, hot shower helped a bit, but I thought maybe a day off from any shenanigans might not be a bad idea, much to my and Ed’s disappointment.

Luckily, there are other things to do in and around Valle de Guadalupe. The region is renowned for its vineyards, and there is a plethora of wine tours and tastings to choose from. There are horseback riding stables, museums, picturesque hiking trails, and artists’ communities. I made the decision for both of us that horseback riding would NOT be an option, though, because ouch! We decided that we wanted to learn about and sample more of the local wine, and we also wanted to do some hiking and enjoy the scenery, and whatever else this beautiful, secluded stretch of Baja California had to offer.

We were out the door by 10:30 am, loading our backpacks into the Jeep we’d rented back in San Diego. Our hosts had told us about a nearby campground called El Salto, where there is a scenic waterfall trail. We were told it’s suitable for any age or skill level, and there is an idyllic picnic area at the end of the 1.5 mile trail. So, we dressed accordingly, packed sandwiches, water, grapes, cheese, some wine, and a large blanket for a picnic lunch, along with everything we’d need for safety/first aid, just in case the need arose, and we headed out.

The entrance to El Salto Campground is around a hairpin turn along a canyon road just off the highway, but it’s marked with a very large sign. We made the turn, and in a very short time found ourselves passing through the nearly empty campsites along not much more than a 2-lane dirt path. It led us through the back of the campground, and we finally spotted a marked trailhead leading to the El Salto waterfall. We parked and began our little trek over the dirt trail.

Our hosts were correct - it is a simple trail, with very a gradual decline in elevation. There are no crumbling rocks or slippery stones. Our visibility was 100%, and the temperature was perfect - we were fine in our hoodies. There is one main path with a few forks from start to finish, but there are clear sign pointing the way to the waterfall at each branch.

What should have been a 20-30 minute hike took us almost 50 minutes, though, because I kept stopping to take pictures. It’s a hobby that I fall into and out of a few times a year - photography. I sometimes go to the forest preserves near our house and take pictures there...I used to go at least a few times a year, during different seasons. I love capturing the lushness of summer, the vivid colors of fall, the starkness of winter, spring rebirth… But I sort of fell away from it in the last few years. Being there on that trail and seeing the unique, arid, desert landscape reminded me of the beauty in nature that I used to seek out so often, and the bug hit me again.

Ed didn’t seem to mind my constant stops at all. In fact, he was really curious about the things I chose to photograph, and wondered out loud more than once how I knew what to capture.

“What do you look for? How do you know it will make a good photograph?”

“Umm, I don’t really look for anything in particular - just whatever strikes my fancy, I guess. It might be the shape of a leaf, or how the sunlight peeks through tree branches, or something that seems slightly out-of-place, like a paved path through the woods, or a brightly painted tree stump. Or something that’s pretty.”

“I didn’t know you like photography.”

“Yeah…it’s just a casual hobby, I guess. I haven’t done it in a while. I’ve never taken any classes, or bought any actual equipment. I just use my phone, and then I, um, have a few different editing apps for fixing them up afterwards. It’s nothing fancy.”

Just then I stopped again, spying some interesting junipers against the canyon wall. I walked around them a few times, trying to find a good shot.

“Nah, not going to work,” I mumbled to myself.

We continued along the trail at a leisurely pace, and soon could hear the muted clamor of water hitting rocks. As we got closer, the echo of the falls grew louder. Finally, we saw it. The falls were separated from us by a very wide ravine, and were falling from a pretty impressive height - at least 100 feet. We were atop a very large ledge - about 15 feet wide and the same depth. A low, wooden fence kept hikers from getting too close to the ledge, but didn’t interfere with the gorgeous view. There were wildflowers sprouting all over along the cracks and fissures of the ground beneath our feet, and too many pine trees to count stretched up from the various ledges near the bottom of the canyon. The waterfall emptied into what looked more like a collecting pool than a stream. I couldn’t see where it led.

We stopped in our tracks when the falls came into view, and just stood still, silently admiring the sight for a few minutes. Eventually, Ed took my hand and led me a little closer, where we slipped off our packs and laid out our blanket and our picnic lunch. I put out the food while Ed opened and poured the wine. He used the lids of the Tupperware™ containers as small trays to set our plastic wine glasses on so they wouldn’t topple over.

I took a sip, smiled at Ed, and then looked up at our breathtaking view for a moment before I spoke, still smiling. “I love this. All of it - the hike, the picnic, the view...the company…”

He gave me a small grin and a nod, and held up his wine in a toast.

I raised mine up to his. “This...is perfect,” he said with a small sigh and a relaxed smile.

We bumped our plastic glasses together.

“Slainte!”

“Salud!”

It wasn’t a large meal, but once finished we were both pleasantly full, and feeling lazy - which was fine, since we weren’t in a hurry to do anything or go anywhere. Using our backpacks as pillows (with our jackets strategically placed inside as cushions), we laid back on our blanket in the grass and drank in the loveliness of it all. We didn’t speak much - just a few occasional observations here and there. It was a comfortable kind of quiet. Relaxed. Tranquil.

Ed kept his eyes closed for a good, long time. I wondered if he might have fallen asleep. He looked rested and content.

I decided that I wanted to take a few more pictures of the area, so I quietly sat up and grabbed my phone, intending to sneak off while he snoozed.

“Where you off to?”

I looked over, and he was still laying down, but was peering at me through curious eyes.

“Oh, I thought you were asleep. I was just going to take some more pictures. I won’t go far.”

“OK. Have fun.” He grinned and puckered his lips for a quick kiss, which I happily delivered before wandering off in search of a different kind of pretty.

There were a lot of different paths and trails around the falls, allowing me to take some really nice shots from various vantage points. There wasn’t really a lot of wildlife that I could see, unfortunately. There were birds, but I’m bad at being quiet enough so as to not frighten them away. So, I focused on the falls, the canyon, and the plant life.

I didn’t want to go too far or be away too long, so after about 30 minutes I made my way back to our picnic spot. I could see right away that Ed wasn’t on our blanket. After quickly scanning the immediate area I spotted him close to the ravine, watching the waterfall. He was absolutely still. The only sound was the crashing of the water on the rocks below. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and took a series of stills of him in profile, admiring the stunning view. He had no idea I was there.

I pocketed my phone and just watched him for a few seconds before seeking his attention.

“Hey!” I called out, approaching him at his vantage point.

He turned toward my voice and smiled, waving me over. When I arrived next to him I wrapped an arm around his waist as he draped his over my shoulders. We stood appreciating the view silently for a minute or so before either of us spoke.

“Did you get anything good?”

“Yeah, I think so. I won’t know for sure until I can transfer them to my laptop. I can see them much better there. But I think so.”

“Do you ever do anything with the photos you take? Like sell or display them?”

“Oh, no, I’ve never even tried to sell any of them. But I do have some framed and up in the house. I’ll show you next time you’re over.”

“Cool. I’m curious about your arty side.” He gave me a thoughtful look, and then smiled. “Should we head back do you think?”

I checked the time on my phone - almost 1:30. “Yeahhhh...our wine-tasting is at 3.”

“Oh, yeah! Don’t wanna miss that...it might put us in bed passed out by 8 o’clock tonight, though…”

“Well worth the risk, I think,” I added.

“Indeed.” His eyes were twinkling as he took my hand. “C’mon, let’s go, love.”

It turned out that we did imbibe quite a bit during our wine tasting and vineyard tour that afternoon, and not even a decent dinner in the vineyard cafe afterward was entirely successful in properly soaking it all up. We were tipsy and giggly throughout dinner, and for a while afterwards, as well.

Back at our rooms we foolishly thought we’d be able to watch a movie - because that’s happened before, right? Ha. Luckily, both of us had already seen Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby - a selection that could only have been influenced by our excessive alcohol consumption. We passed out napped for a few hours together on the sofa, instead. It’s what we do.

I woke to find my face squashed into the back of the sofa with Ed’s arm around me, and his hand under my shirt, cupping my boob. We were sort of in a spooning position, but I was half on my stomach and he was completely on top of one of my legs, softly snoring into the back of my neck. To say it was uncomfortable would be an understatement.

I tried to move, but was trapped between him and the back of the sofa and couldn’t get any leverage at all.

“Hey, hon?”

No response from Sleeping Beauty.

“Ed?”

Just soft snores.

I took a breath and took stock of the situation. I was mostly laying on my side, on top of one of my arms, and couldn’t move it. The other one was bent and held in place by Ed’s arm that was wrapped around me. But that hand could move a little bit, so I used it to tap on the top of his hand...which was covering my boob.

He definitely did notice me awkwardly patting his hand. I know this because once I stopped, he began fondling me through my bra.

“Umm, heyyy…”

He stopped as soon as he heard my voice. Then I heard and felt a muffled laugh at the back of my neck. And then the boob-fondling started up again.

“Hey...umm, can you move? You’re on-”

“Mm-mmm. Busy.”

“Haha, funny. But really. You’re on top of me. I can’t move.”

Instead of answering, he slid his fingers underneath my bra cup and started rubbing circles over my nipple. So then he was simultaneously turning me on and being extremely annoying.

“Hon, c’mon. I’m not...opposed to this, but you’re on top of my leg and I’m squished in the sofa. Will you please get off me?”

“I dunno. What’s in it for me?”

“Umm...I won’t kill you??!!”

“Nah. You can’t kill me, anyway. You can’t even move. And I’m finding this enjoyable.” He punctuated his little announcement by squeezing my nipple between his thumb and forefinger and then carefully pulling it taut, straight out, before letting it go. Then, with his thumb, he began flicking it left and right, and damn it, it felt really good.

Fuck.

The bastard was right, of course. But I had a plan.

Sighing only slightly exaggeratedly, I answered, “Yeah. I guess you’re right. Too bad, though, ‘cause I can’t go down on you if I’m trapped like this.”

His hand went completely still (although it did remain in place on my boob). “What was that?”

“You know, it’s fine. You’re enjoying yourself, and I’m not that uncomfortable. Carry on.”

I could feel his warm breath on the back of my neck again as he laughed. “You’re so mean...ya say you’ll suck my cock, and then take it back? SO mean…”

“Oh, you want me to do it? That’s cool, too. But, I can’t like this…”

I didn’t even get all of my words out, and I was suddenly being rolled onto my back. Ed then sat himself up at the edge of the sofa, smiling as if he just won some sort of prize.

I sat up next to him, nodding my head, grinning back at him. “OK.”

Without breaking eye contact, I arranged myself in his lap, astride his hips. He took my face in both hands and pulled me down to him for a kiss. He caught my lower lip and lightly swept the tip of his tongue across it. I promptly parted my lips, welcoming him in.

Our tongues stroked and tasted and teased, and our lips nipped and skimmed and smiled. We sometimes pulled away to breathe and smile some more, and then came back to do it again. And again.

I touched my forehead to his during one of these small pauses. My hands had been resting on his shoulders while we kissed, but I couldn’t keep them still anymore. I ran my fingers over the front of his shirt, down his chest, lightly scratching him through the fabric of his shirt.

“Mmm…” he sighed.

I climbed off of him and lowered myself to the floor, kneeling between his legs. He was already looking at me with such focused anticipation. I leaned in and skimmed my fingers under his shirt, ready to lift it up so I could give some love and attention to his abs and his belly before I traveled lower.

“Hey,” I began, looking up at him just before I brought my lips near his belly button. “Just going to focus on you tonight. I still need to give my, uh, parts...a rest. ‘K?”

“Yeah? You don’t mind?”

“No, I love this.” I grinned as I brought my mouth to his belly. “Definitely don’t mind.”

I kissed him all over his abs and his stomach, making sure to brush my lips and trace my tongue all over him, slowly making my way down to his waist. I didn’t stop when I undid his belt, or when I unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans. I just moved my mouth lower as more of him became exposed.

He lifted up his bottom, and we both together pulled down his jeans and underwear. My eyes shifted back-and-forth between his face and the emerging proof of his arousal. His eyes were glued to my face - my mouth. He watched steadily as my mouth and tongue traced a gentle path down the slope of his belly, leaving soft kisses under his belly button, over the planes of his hip and then to the crease between his thigh and groin. As I got closer to my intended target, it was all I could look at.

I brushed my fingers over his cock as I continued working my mouth downward. He was already so hard, it almost made my mouth water as my fingers stroked his length. I could hear him breathing - I loved the way it caught with my every movement.

I started spreading more kisses - full, wet kisses - all around the base. I looked up at him as I slowly inched my mouth up his shaft, rolling my tongue around all sides. He stared back at me, completely engrossed in my actions.

My hands rested on his thighs, tracing tiny, light waves over his fair skin, as I placed a tender, wet kiss on the tip of his cock. I slowly took a little bit at a time in my mouth, moving downwards over every ridge and vein. I intentionally made every touch, every kiss and lick, wet and messy - sloppy - almost as though I wanted to devour him. My mouth slid up and down him, slippery with saliva as I licked and sucked and kissed his hard, yet velvety-smooth shaft. I caught his gaze, and it was such a turn-on seeing the heat in his eyes as he stared back, riveted at what my mouth was doing.

I worked my mouth back to the tip of his cock, placing a hand at the base and moving it in sync with the bobbing of my head so that his entire length was covered, wet, and being squeezed or engulfed by me. I swirled my tongue around him, kissed him, and I sucked on him, all while keeping everything wet and sloppy and noisy, and he was moaning softly and was gently rocking his hips up as I slid my lips and my hand down and up, again and again.

I wanted more of him. I anchored both hands at his thighs, and I slid my lips along his shaft, going deeper each time. Once he nudged the back of my throat, I gradually increased my pace, fully taking him in.

He let out a low moan, closed his eyes and leaned his head back. I saw his hands tense and then he laid them down flat on the seat cushion, fingers spread out wide.

“Mmmmmm…” I hummed, watching him.

God, I love this…

Sucking and kissing all over his dick and seeing how he reacted to it was making me more than a little bit turned on. I could feel wetness pooling in my panties as I took him down my throat over and over.

“God...feel so good on me...yeah…” His voice was quiet, yet sounded strained, like it took effort to speak.

He put one hand on my head, soon followed by the other, and after a brief pause, began applying very light pressure, seeking more. It was so hot I couldn’t help moaning over him, and setting a new, messy, hasty pace.

His stomach tensed and his hips trembled as I continued going deep.

In a last effort to take him in even further, I grabbed his ass and pulled him all the way into my face. He groaned - perhaps in surprise just as much as in pleasure.

He was down my throat and I held him to my face even though my eyes were watering and I had to put effort into breathing. I gagged, but still worked my lips to suck him, still fluttered my tongue over him, and I kept moaning, making him feel even more quivers and shakes.

“Gonna come…” His breath caught as I began to slowly pull my lips up over him. He exhaled loudly. His eyes were closed tight.

I brought a hand down to cup his balls, lightly massaging them. I reached one finger back to stroke his perineum, and then without even giving it any forethought, I reached back a little bit further and lightly traced the line between both cheeks.

“Oh, fuck…!” If a whisper can be emphatic, his was.

His whole body tensed, his hips began to stutter, and he groaned - really, really loudly. I quickly slid my mouth up to cover just his head. And I pulled in and swallowed every bit of the slightly salty, tangy fluid as it hit my tongue.

Once he was done I still kept him in my mouth for a minute. I just like having him there, and I know he loves the soft, warm feel of my wet mouth around him. After a minute I looked up at him. He was slumped back against the sofa, completely relaxed. We exchanged soft looks as I slowly pulled my mouth off of him. I left a gentle kiss on the tip of his mostly-soft penis before sitting up straight. I licked my lips and smiled at him a little shyly.

I helped him pull his pants up, then he helped me back onto the sofa.

“I promise I won’t crush you this time,” he joked.

He was so mellow, affectionate, sleepy, adorable. He wrapped his arms securely around me, kissed my temple, and traced a line of soft kisses to my mouth. I turned a little bit to face him squarely, and we kissed. It was slow and attentive, full of love and affirmation rather than passion and intensity. He pulled away first, just far enough to take in my face. I'm sure I looked a mess.

“You OK?” he asked.

I nodded. “Yeah. You?”

He smiled and huffed out a small laugh through his nose. “Um, yeah. I’m awesome right now.”

“That’s good.”

“You like doing that.” He phrased it as a statement, but I heard the question behind it.

I nodded. “Yeah...well, with you.” I’m not sure what made me add that last bit of information.

His brows furrowed a bit at that little confession. “What about before me?”

“Hmmm. Not as much,” I shrugged. “I don’t know why it’s different now.” I gave a half smile. “Maybe it’s you.”

I thought he might reply with something funny or self-congratulatory, but instead he gave me a thoughtful look followed by another very sweet kiss.

We were leaned into each other so naturally and intimately, and it felt right. Perfect. Complete. For the second time since we arrived in Mexico I considered the idea that maybe we were headed toward something more permanent.

Holy shit.

(part 5)

#becausepurple #becuzpurple #ch. 24 All the Strawberries #repost #part 4 Maybe It's You #ed sheeran #ed sheeran fan fic #ed sheeran mature fanfic #ed sheeran smut #Ed & Kate #Ed & Kate love story #CODE GINGER #CODEFUCKINGGINGER #the Mexico chapter

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